Kyra Halland's Blog, page 36

Author Spotlight: Jamie Eubanks

Introducing paranormal-suspense author Jamie Eubanks and her novel Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms:

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
In addition to writing, I'm a licensed private investigator and run a private investigations company. One of my all time favorite activities is Martial arts training. So it's not uncommon for me to be at my favorite dojo, working with weapons or engaging in open-hand kata, or sparring. 

2. When did you start writing, and why?
Even as a child, I made up stories as a form of self entertainment. But what finally set it in motion was when I worked as an entertainer - singer and bass player - in various night clubs. While my creative side loved making the music, I never quite adjusted to being on stage and in the spotlight, as I'm a fairly low key kind of person, and am more comfortable spending a quiet evening alone with a book. Then one day, as I'd done so many times in the past, I picked up a paranormal suspense novel. It was my first exposure to Dean Koontz, and I totally fell in love with the characters. When I finished that book - LIGHTNING was the title - I started tearing through the genre, one after another. I had to find everything that was Dean Koontz, then I discovered Stephen King and off I went again, reading one after another, unable to get my fill. From that time on, I'd toyed with the idea of writing. And one day, I picked up a note pad and started.

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
As a child, the family would go on these cross-country drives, and believe me when I say it can get very boring, in a maddening kind of way, for a child to share the backseat of a car with two other children for 8 hours or more, every day for a couple of weeks. To keep from going insane, I decided to find a way to occupy my mind. As we drove down the road, I'd pick out a house, and I'd make up scenarios in my head, invent an entire family to reside in that house, and let my imagination conjure up personalities, conflicts, giving the characters not only a present, but a history, and try to picture what they did with their days, how they lived their lives. Writing is a natural progression of that.

As for why I enjoy paranormal suspense? Most genres have certain rules that are pretty much written in stone - the rules of nature as we know it. With paranormal suspense, the writer has more leeway, has the opportunity to create his/her own rules, to create worlds would could only live in the imagination.

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
HIDDEN DOORS, SECRET ROOMS is my debut novel. I'm presently working on another paranormal suspense tentatively titled ONE LAST TIME, as well as an untitled novel in its first stages. There are several others, as well - all in rough draft form. And all of them paranormal suspense.

5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
HIDDEN DOORS, SECRET ROOMS is a paranormal suspense about a woman who, through no fault of her own, becomes the object of a search and kill mission. Thrust from her comfortable lifestyle, Jillian Braedon finds herself living a nightmare of threats against her life, homelessness, and being at the complete mercy of a stranger, as she and her young daughter attempt to evade those who wish them dead.
6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
Jillian Braedon, prior to the beginning of the story, lived a very comfortable lifestyle as the young wife of a prominent psychiatrist and, more recently, mother to little Valerie. For as long as Jillian could remember, everything she could want was all but handed to her. This was a tradition she assumed would be passed down to her own little girl. Then, illness struck in the form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, followed by a procedure that made her and little Valerie a target for death. Coming from such a background, Jillian needed to toughen up and quickly, or die. Instead of becoming bitter and giving up, though on occasion the anger and frustration shows through, Jillian handles the situation with determination, mostly because her little girl's life depends upon every action Jillian takes.

John Mills is a retired musician who, after the deaths of his wife and son, moved to an isolated desert area where he'd hoped to live out the rest of his days in solitude. He was angry at the world, angry at himself, as he shouldered the blame for the deaths of his family. Although John would just as soon remain in his self-imposed exile forever, when little Valerie shows up at his door during a blizzard, and begs for help, John's protective instincts kick in.

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
John Mills character came from my love of music. When I wrote "Yesterday's Dreaming of You" - the song John sang in Chapter 9 - I knew I had to write something that his character would create, and not a song I, Jamie Eubanks, would write. I'd never written lyrics from someone else's perspective before. Dialogue is easy. If you know your character, you know what he'll say. But lyrics? If you can imagine climbing into the head of a fictional character in order to pull words out of his heart, that pretty much sums up what it felt like.

8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available.
Please feel free to stop by and say hello at: www.facebook.com/JAEubanks1
HIDDEN DOORS, SECRET ROOMS is available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon.com
Amazon US | Amazon UK

Find the author on:
Facebook | Goodreads

Praise for Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms:
"This is a phenomenal first novel; an excellent read for anyone who
loves mystery, and would-be writers who want to learn exactly how it's
done." - KIRKUS REVIEWS

"This brisk and original cat-and-mouse thriller exceeds expectations
with unpredictable results...Fans of mysteries and thrillers will find that
this book exceeds any expectations they may have had going in, primarily
due to its unconventional plot line." - CLARION REVIEW

Author Spotlight: John Reinhard Dizon

Introducing multi-genre author John Reinhard Dizon.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.  
Here's my bio: John Reinhard Dizon was born and raised in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn, NY. He participated in local and high school sports at Bishop Loughlin MHS, and was a key figure on the Brooklyn rock scene during the Punk Revolution of the 70's. Relocating to San Antonio TX in the 80's, he moonlighted as a pro wrestler before pursuing a BA at UTSA and degrees in Korean martial arts during the 90's. He currently lives in KC MO where he is studying for his MA in English at UMKC. Mr. Dizon has been studying and writing about American and European society and culture for over twenty-five years.  

2. When did you start writing, and why?  
I started writing dialogue for my stick-figure cartoons shortly after getting out of diapers. I've always had a good story to tell.  

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? 
I've always had something to say, I consider myself intellectual, fluent with current events, and a history scholar. Although my ideas are highly controversial, rarely are they disrespected.  

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?  
Transplant is a tale of murder and mayhem that unfolds as a missing athlete turns up at a NYC brownstone described by police investigators as ‘an indescribable pit of hell’. A missing supermodel found in the streets of NYC leads the police to the residence, where four renowned neurosurgeons are trapped in a basement under siege by NBA superstar Jerome Browne and a victim of horrific experiments known as Combo. Victims of ghastly transplant operations rescued from the building lead police to believe that the doctors are responsible for the demonic experiments. Yet the doctors’ alibi proves airtight as they assign blame to a mysterious Dr. Cyclops who lured them to the brownstone and framed them for the frightening atrocities. Homicide Detectives Tommy Jackson and Orrin Rampersad are being pushed to their limits in solving the case, coming across ever greater abominations as the truth is gradually revealed.  They are faced the choice of indicting four doctors considered pioneers in their field, or a phantasmal surgeon no one can prove actually exists.

The launch date for Transplant is May 7th, my Dad's birthday!
5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.  
Culturally it's a narrative on three social levels. The 'Mad Doctors' live in an upper-class environment, four yuppie Jewish doctors. Tommy and Orrin are trying to raise their families in Lower Manhattan's middle-class sector. The underground lab is in the high-crime areas of East Harlem. The detectives are symbolically and literally establishing the link between the disparate societies that the Doctors are involved in.  

6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? 
Adam Rauch is the major antagonist, having sacrificed everything in pursuit of knowledge. He cuts a deal with drug lord Django Tamsulosin to have fresh subjects provided for his projects. Yet he sincerely believes that his bionic limbs and transgenetic skin grafts will revolutionize the medical industry. He personifies the ideal of 'the ends justifying the means'.  

Tommy and Orrin are a righteous version of HBO's True Detective. Tommy is a two-fisted, hard-drinking cop, but would never cheat on his wife.  Orrin is the laid-back voice of reason but is absolutely fearless. They would probably prefer a violent arrest but end up with time as their major enemy.  

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book. 
My publisher is an innovative marketer and provided a seminar on how to succeed in selling the book. One of my ideas was to provide a Taste of Harlem book signing in a black restaurant. I'm just wondering if the cover shot of a bloodied Terminator limb won't put them off their collard greens.

8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available.  
PLEASE feel free to check out all my other great novels at: http://www.amazon.com/John-Reinhard-Dizon/e/B00DU9JNUQ

Book Review: Iron Bloom

Iron Bloom (Legend of the Iron Flower, book 1) by Billy Wong
* * * * (4 stars)

Iron Bloom is the tale of a young woman, Rose, blessed (or cursed) with extraordinary size, strength, and endurance. She discovers that the thing she's best at is fighting, and sets about trying to put her gifts to good use in the world, only to learn what terrible things there are in the world.

This was exciting and a lot of fun. I liked Rose; she never takes her gifts and abilities for granted. She wonders why she has such strength and amazing ability to heal; some people call her God-Touched or even a Warrior Goddess, but to her it's more of a curse and she can't help wondering when her luck is going to run out. Even when she thinks she's done for, though, she still finds the will to try one more time to strike down whatever enemy she's fighting. (I hope that the question of where her superhuman strength and constitution came from is addressed in later books; I'm curious.)

And even though it's what she's best at, she doesn't enjoy fighting and killing. But even worse to her is to see innocent people suffering and not try to do anything about it. She also has a tender heart; she wants to love and be loved and have a family of her own someday. I enjoyed reading a kickass female character who still has this tender, feminine side to her.

The book is fast-paced; maybe a little too fast. There were spots where I would have liked it to slow down and spread out a bit, to let me catch my breath. But I'll take charging straight ahead non-stop over pages of pointless meandering.

There are a lot of intersting things going on in this world - a lost history of magic, a golden hero-prince who I have to wonder if maybe he's too good to be true, and an evil death-worshipping barbarian warrior who doesn't care about conquering, just about killing. I'm looking forward to seeing more of these threads developed, and to following Rose's story, in the other books in this series.

Weekend Sneak Peek 3/15: Sarya's Song

For this weekend's sneak peek, here's the opening of Sarya's Song (still not the final version, but getting closer!):
On a small rise on the gently rolling prairie, Sarya sat with her battered lute in her arms, picking out the new melody that she could hear in the wind. The breeze was sharp with coming winter, and the grass was dry and brown.  With the cold weather coming on, it was time to head south again. She hadn't done as well in the northeastern prairies as she had hoped; the region's rich farming and herding had suffered from the last several years of increasingly long and harsh winters, and though it wasn't as poverty-stricken as the bleak and destitute Burnt Hills, where she had grown up, there was still little paying work for a traveling minstrel.

She turned her mind away from the grim mining town of her childhood and the poor prospects ahead of her, back to the haunting music that teased at her mind. She had always been able to hear music no one else could hear, but it wasn't until she had come to the Skola at Sucevita when she was fourteen that she had learned that these melodies, called tropes, were part of the natural world, and, when sung as chants, they could be used to control the world and all things in it.

The last several years, she had begun to hear music that couldn't be found in any of the collections of the known naturally-occurring tropes. Over time, she had come to realize that the new tropes she was hearing seemed to herald disasters like none ever before known: long, dry, scorching summers and harsh, bitterly cold winters unaffected by any of the the weather-control chants; great shakings of the earth; exchanges of bloodthirsty hostilities between nations that until then had always been peaceful. When none of the natural tropes succeeded in controlling these catastrophes, new chants had been Composed, to no avail.

And then there was the last wedding ritual Sarya had Arranged. A chant intended to protect against tragedy had not only failed utterly, it seemed to have brought about the very calamity it was supposed to prevent.

Sarya could only conclude that the chants were failing, or else there were new forces at work in the world that were beyond their influence. But both were impossible. The music that controlled the world, both naturally-occurring and Composed, was a gift from Eshalarian the Creator himself, which He had given to mankind before moving on to new worlds and new creations. As a gift from the God, this music was perfect and eternal and couldn't fail. And unless Eshalarian had returned His attention to this world, no new forces could come into existence. Surely, if the kind and generous Creator did return to His work here, He wouldn't do so by bringing death and destruction.

A gust of icy wind rushed across the prairie, blowing strands of wheat-gold hair into Sarya's eyes. She lifted her hand to push the hair away from her face. As she did so, the wind rippled across the lute strings, bringing forth the melody she had been hearing in the wind in its fullness. Her breath caught at the beauty of the music even as it chilled her heart with fear.
Sarya's Song , coming in April 2014. (Or maybe late March.) For release news and to make sure you don't miss out on the special low introductory price, sign up for my email alerts!

For more Sneak Peeks, check out the Sunday Sneak Peek blog! @SSneakPeek on Twitter and Facebook.

Author Spotlight: Shannon Pemrick

Introducing fantasy author Shannon Pemrick and her book Experimental Heart: Pieces:

"...Do you know what it's like to kill without regret?"

Eira only knew one thing in life. To kill. Designed to be an emotionless killing machine of war she had no desire to be a puppet of another's master plan. Escape was the only option. A normal, free life was the only goal. Labeled as a failure, she took the opportunity to run and was hunted.

"...Do you know what it's like to kill without being able to feel?"

Now given a second chance at life thanks to a mysterious dragon, Eira is forced to make a crucial decision. Accept his help to gain her desired freedom or keep running with an eye over her shoulder.

"...Do you know what it's like to live in hell?"

But, can she really trust him?

"...Didn't think so..."

Interview with Eira Rysrin, the main character in Experimental Heart: PIeces:

1. What is your full name? Is there anything significant about your name?
My Name is Eira Rysrin. My surname has no meaning as it's rare for we Nu Humans to have them anymore. My main name means peace, and while many believe it's fitting, someone with my past, doesn't deserve such a name.

2. How old are you?
I'm eighty-five but due to the extended lives we have as Nu Humans, when we reach adulthood our bodies stop aging as quickly as a regualar human's, so I only appear to be about twenty-seven.

3. Tell us about your family. What do you like and not like about them?
Being a Nu Human of creation and not birth, most of us don't have family to speak of. I'm one of the few exceptions. I have a mother, aunt, uncle, and son. We are all created artificially, though my uncle and son are now the only ones alive. I cared deeply for my family and I don't dislike much about them. I can only say I wish they were harder on me during certain situations and I wish my son was better at listening. He'd get into trouble less often and it'd keep him farther away from the possibility of being terminated.

4. Who was your first kiss, and what did you think of it?
...W-we won't talk about that...

5. What is your occupation?
I was created for the purpose of war and was trained as an assassin. When I escaped, I stumbled upon a shaman village and was trained in their ways since I was already a fire elementalist and had connections with the spiritual plane. Now I'm back in the city where I was created and I'm a battle leader for a team of rebels. Our goal is to liberate not only the city but all of Lumaraeon from his tyrannical rule.

6. What are your best and worst qualities?
I'm fiercely loyal to my friends and comrades and would willingly give my life to save them. But...I don't value my life as much as others wish I did due to my past and my current...problems...

7. What quality do you value most in a romantic partner?
I don't believe in such things. But if I did...loyalty would be what I'm looking for...And maybe some passion... To you those qualities may be something that seems like a no brainer, but in the world I live in...the life I've had...it's not.

8. What is your favorite thing to do?
When I was out of the city I liked to head out into the wilderness and spend my time listening and watching. It was peaceful. Now that I'm back in the city I like to spend my time at the park or alone somewhere so I can relax and be away from people.

9. What is your greatest fear?
I don't fear anything. Such a weak emotion wasn't designed into my brain. But I'd hate to see Zarda win this war and take over Lumaraeon. I'd also greatly hate to see someone turn on me since I don't open myself to trust very often.

10. What is your most treasured possession?
A hair clip I wear almost always. It may seem silly to some but it was given to me by my mother. It's also made of emerald.

Experimental Heart: Pieces is available at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
About the author:

Shannon Pemrick was born in 1991 in a small city in the Southwestern corner of New Hampshire where she was raised with her younger sister. Thanks to her limitless imagination, she spent most of her days daydreaming about the impossible in hopes it could one day be possible. This imagination sparked a love of the arts that eventually lead her down the road to writing where she discovered her first book idea.

Shannon currently lives in her home town with her Fiancée, three cats, and species confused dog. Experimental Heart: Pieces is her first published book and the first in the Experimental Heart series.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Book Review: The Colors of Passion and Love

The Colors of Passion and Love, by Stan Morris

(I won a free copy of this book in the Library of Erana Valentine's Day giveaway, and I would like to thank Library of Erana and the author for the book.)

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I won a copy of it. The cover on the edition I received looked like it might be a children's book (in spite of the title), but I was delighted to discover that it's a very charming romantic fantasy (and it's definitely for adults and older teens, with some mildly to moderately explicit love scenes).

Elly, the Princess of Quail, has the gift of the women in her family to see the colors of men's auras and emotions. So when she sees Magesty, the bastard son of an enemy king, for the first time, she knows they were destined to be together. Fortunately, Magesty is open to the idea, if a little wary. As the two of them are feeling their way around their budding relationship, a treacherous attack on the royal palace of Quail forces them, along with Elly's brother Jode and her best friend Daina, to flee for their lives, to take refuge in Magesty's realm and then to defend against more treachery.

I enjoyed Elly's character as she's in that awkward stage of being both a sheltered teenage girl and discovering love and danger for the first time in her life. She's brave and smart, and although she makes a few mistakes along the way, she avoids the trap so many spunky teenage fantasy heroines fall into of doing stupid things just to show that they're strong and independent. Magesty is also admirable; he's older and more experienced, but when he finds himself faced with a young girl - the daughter of his country's enemy, no less - claiming that they were destined to be together, he handles it well. He becomes an ideal friend, protector, and lover, and takes care to do the right and honorable thing for her.

After an intriguing and exciting beginning, where Elly and Magesty begin their relationship and the palace is attacked, parts of the middle of the book were slow. We get a tour of the lands that Elly, Magesty, Jode, and Daina pass through to get to Magesty's personal realm of Arete. They're being pursued by enemies, but there isn't as much sense of danger and tension as I would have liked, and some political intrigue also slows things down a bit. But the land is beautiful and Elly and Magesty's developing relationship is sweet enough to make that part enjoyable. Then the last part picks up again as their enemies corner them in their refuge.

Written in a clear, pleasant style, with lots of colorful detail (color is very important in this book), this is an enjoyable book and I would like to read more about these characters and this world.

Lost Book of Anggird at Indies Unlimited!

An exciting bit of news today- The Lost Book of Anggird is being featured in a Book Brief on Indies Unlimited! Go check it out to learn a little more about the book, like where the title came from and who my favorite character is. And then, while you're there, check out the rest of Indies Unlimited for more great books by independent authors and, if you're an indie author, helpful articles and features.

In the meantime, I'm still plowing ahead with this edit of Sarya's Song. Lots of work to do, but I want to make this book as good as I can. Sarya's Song has been a difficult book to write and it's been through more different versions than any of my other books, but I think I've just about got it!

Sneak Peek 3/08: The Lost Book of Anggird

Here's another sneak peek inside The Lost Book of Anggird : Perarre and Professor Rossony have had a serious disagreement over a book he found that he isn't supposed to have, and Perarre has to make a difficult decision about their relationship: PERARRE LAY AWAKE in the dark bedroom. Roric was sound asleep, his body warm and still against hers. She shifted away from him a bit; he didn’t move.

Where his words hadn’t convinced her to open the book, his lovemaking almost had, though she was sure he hadn’t meant it that way. She was sure he had only meant to mend the rift between them, to comfort her after upsetting her so badly, to assure her of his love even though he couldn’t agree with her. But when she was with him she couldn’t think straight. She couldn’t think at all; she found it impossible to refuse him anything he wanted.

He wasn’t going to listen to her. And maybe he was right. Maybe opening that book was the only way to find answers. She didn’t know. What she did know was that there was something terrible inside that book, whether it was whatever had frightened the Triumvirate so much or what it said about what really happened between them and the Benefactor, and that opening it would lead to disaster one way or another. If Roric wouldn’t listen to her, there was only one thing left for her to do.

Carefully, hardly even daring to breathe, she slid out of bed and dressed as quickly as she could. She looked at Roric for just a moment. The memory of the night he had opened up to her, exposing all of his pain and shame to her, tugged at her heart. He had trusted her with the secrets he had hid from everyone else, trusted her not to turn away from him and his terrible past. She felt like she was betraying him in the worst possible way, but she was afraid that if she stayed, he would wear her down and persuade her to open the book against her better judgment and all her instincts.

She didn’t dare kiss him, lest she wake him up or change her mind about what she had to do. Without looking back again, she opened the door and slipped out of the room, feeling as though she had ripped out her heart and left it behind in that bed.

In her room in the Assistants’ Hall, she packed her clothes, her letters from Laydra and Samale, and as many books as would fit into the single valise she had brought to the University nine years ago. She should have known the affair with Professor Rossony was a mistake. She should have known it would end badly. What in the world had made her think that sleeping with her employer was a good idea? That was the problem; she hadn’t been thinking at all. She bit her lips to stop herself from crying as she jammed her belongings into the bag, but tears still ran down her face. Angrily, she pushed them away. When would she ever learn to stop and think things through before jumping into trouble?
The Lost Book of Anggird is available at:
Amazon | Apple | Diesel | Smashwords | CreateSpace | All Romance eBooks
For more Sunday Sneak Peeks, check out the Sneak Peek Sunday blog.

Reading Roundup #1

So when I'm not writing, feeding cats, or trapped in the Internet, I'm reading. Sometimes I post a full reviews of books I've read, but when I've been going through a lot of books in a short period of time it's probably easier to just post a quick roundup. I want to support authors whose work I enjoy, so if any of these books sound interesting, I hope you'll go check them out! (note: Amazon links are my affiliate links.) The Heldan , Deborah T. Bickmore.

Deborah Talmadge-Bickmore's The Apprentice is one of my favorite fantasy novels; it comes closest to the mix of fantasy and romance that I like to write. For a long time I looked for more books by Ms. Bickmore and couldn't find any, so I was delighted to stumble across The Heldan on Goodreads. Senea is summoned to train as a Held warrior, and finds herself developing an intense and dangerous relationship with her mentor, Vayhawk, as their people are threatened by the dangerous magic of their enemies, the Ja'sid. I didn't find The Heldan quite as satisfying as The Apprentice, but it's still a treat for lovers of romantic fantasy.

Amazon | Goodreads

Strength , by Carrie Butler

New Adult paranormal romance, not my usual reading, but somehow I came across this one and decided to give it a try, and it was lots of fun. Rena is terrified of Wallace, who is rumored to be the Big Psycho on Campus, but as their paths cross more and she gets to know him, she learns the rumors (which she helped start) aren't true, and there's a lot more to him than meets the eye - and she also learns that there's a lot more to her than she ever dreamed of. Wallace is a genuinely nice guy, which I guess is kind of rare for heroes in the genre, so that was a big plus for me.

Amazon | Goodreads
Lord Trowbridge's Angel , by G.G. Vandagriff

Sweet Regency romance. The falling in love doesn't take long, but the ensuing complications almost ruin everything. A little more cheerful and light than the things I usually read, but also fun and enjoyable, with another hero who's a genuinely nice guy.

Amazon | Goodreads
The Wolves of Paris , by Michael Wallace

As if life in Paris in 1450 isn't hard enough, what with wars and the Black Death and the general medievalness of it all, now there's a pack of werewolves on the loose. Dark, creepy, scary, and exciting. Historical paranormal also isn't my usual thing to read, but I liked this one a lot.

Amazon | Goodreads
Ghost in the Storm , by Jonathan Moeller

Book 4 of the Ghosts series, that I've really been enjoying. Caina is a damaged young woman trained as an elite Nightfighter warrior for the Ghosts, the Emperor's network of spies. She hates sorcerers and slavers and dedicates her life to wiping out evil magic and protecting the innocent. I think Ghost in the Storm is my favorite book so far; it takes place within a short period of time as Caina and her allies (which come to include one of her enemies) try to stop an invasion by a slaving empire and a sorceress with terrifying ambitions.

Amazon | Goodreads
If you haven't tried this excellent series yet, you can find book 1 here: Amazon | Goodreads
I think five books is enough to start with; watch for more coming soon!

Spotlight: Till Death and Beyond, by Lyn C. Johanson

Today I'm happy to introduce you to author Lyn C. Johanson and her book Till Death and Beyond.


Till Death and Beyond is a sizzling tale of two souls bound by destiny in a cruel plot to separate them forever… 

A COLD BEAUTY WHO KNOWS DEATH INTIMATELY...

Amira is the strongest witch on the face of the earth, with psychic abilities no others possess. And yet, she is but a slave to the whims of the gods. Forced to be born anew every time she fails in fulfilling an ancient prophecy, Amira is desperate to break the vicious cycle.

A TORMENTED WARRIOR WHO HAS LOST EVERYTHING...

Plagued by the memories and guilt over his family’s demise, Raven lives for the sole reason of restoring his younger brother. And kidnapping a witch is only the beginning—for he intends to right the wrongs of his past by any means necessary.

A DESTINY TO CHANGE THE WORLD...

While the gods might have planned for her to be captured, surrender is not something that comes easy to Amira. Yet one glance into her captor’s eyes, and she is swept away by emotions long ago denied to her. She decides to play along. For a while.

Despite the hatred Raven harbors for their kind, he is intrigued by the witch. One taste of her lips, and she becomes his obsession. Soon, he discovers that fighting against the passion they ignite in one another is futile. But as they strip each other’s secrets, a powerful force threatens to destroy them both.

For in this game of gods nothing is simple—the whole universe seems to conspire against them. And no matter how fiercely they fight, or what they are willing to endure to save each other ... the path they travel is paved with loss.

Will they survive the ultimate test, if even their determination—to fight till death—might not be enough?
Till Death and Beyond is available at:
Amazon US | Amazon UK  

Connect with the author at:
Facebook | Goodreads

Read on for an excerpt from Till Death and Beyond and a couple interview with Amira and Raven! Book Excerpt:
Prologue

When the day was night and the night was day, a witch was born in a raging thunder storm.

The earth trembled and shook, welcoming its destined fate … hundreds of witches sang—salvation finally in their grasp.

The prophecy once foretold was alive in a form of true beauty, with only death on her mind.

The witch was supposed to be feared and worshipped, all living creatures to tremble at the sight of her—all men to fall on their knees by the will of her…

 “She’s the sweetest little thing in the world,” Deron admitted to himself as he watched his nine-year-old daughter run through the garden calling, “Mummy … Mummy.”

Despite the darkness of her curls, they radiated light as they bounced up and down. Sunshine played on her face and her lips curved into a glowing smile. Mischief sparkled in her deep light-blue eyes, giving a glimpse of his daughter’s true nature. Her expression turned even brighter as she stretched out her hands and proudly revealed an exotic purple flower.

“Amira, sweetie, where did you get that?” His wife examined the blossom in the child’s small palm and narrowed her eyes.

Instantly Deron knew the answer—she hadn’t found it. Once again their daughter was playing with magic, doing tricks even his beloved Eliana couldn’t—a witch strong and talented, who had practiced her art for many years.

Amira’s smile widened, but not a sound of explanation flew out. They both knew the look only too well. The little tinker was up to something.

“It doesn’t belong here. Why don’t you take it back?” Eliana suggested.

Surprisingly, the little one obeyed.

“I am scared, Deron,” his wife confessed, the fear for their daughter’s safety etched in the lines of her delicate face. Worry and concern casting a shadow over her beautiful eyes.

He took her into his arms, trying to stay strong for her, to comfort her as best as he could. The truth was, he knew those fears all too well.

A few years ago, the Order of Venlordia had renewed their witch hunts. No longer were the friars satisfied with sermons, it seemed. No longer were they leading people to salvation with the help of prayers and faith. They had raised a sword in the name of a sacred cause—to eradicate the evil.

It was a ludicrous lie the Venlordians spread to justify their actions. Every few hundred years or so, they raised impious war against witches, be they good or evil. They didn’t differentiate. Worse still, thousands of innocents suffered at their hands. And now the bloodshed was commencing all over again.

“You are safe here, you both are,” Deron tried to reassure his wife. If he was certain of anything, it was this place; and the people of Trinton, who would protect their daughter no matter what. He relied on them, just as they relied on him and his family.

They all contributed. All did their share in keeping the town clean and free of marauding witch-hunters and the self-imposed law of the Venlordians. Something he wished he could relieve his whole country of.

Unfortunately their organization ran deep, deeper than any of them thought. Even his brother-in-law, the king himself, began to squirm uneasily in his throne. No wonder Eliana was afraid.

“Mummy, mummy.” Amira’s tearful voice shook Deron.

“What is it, sweetie?” her parents asked, almost in unison.

“Please, help her,” she begged, “help her…”

Eliana immediately scanned the area looking for the “her” her daughter was so worried about—only there was no one around. Still, Amira kept crying. Pearls of pain were rushing down her pale cheeks. Her lips trembled. Hands shook.

Eliana cupped her daughter’s jaw, searching for an answer—pain was all she could sense, but she couldn’t fathom the origin of it. There was no wound to be seen, only cries of agony no child should suffer.

The shaking came next. Amira’s small, limp body quivered in her father’s arms and fresh sobs broke from within her, consuming her with the ferocity of a flood, with each wave taking her even deeper. For a second there, it seemed as if their daughter was about to choke, but then a line around her mouth thinned and a sound, strangled and foreign, escaped her parted lips.

Amira screamed.

The sound shook Eliana so deeply, she gasped, trying to take a breath into her frozen lungs. Tears filled her eyes. She heard grief and she heard terror coming out of her daughter’s throat—in someone else’s voice.

“What’s happening?” Deron demanded, carrying their girl inside, straight to her soft little bed.

“I don’t know.” Eliana blinked the fog from her eyes, only to see Amira convulsing with pain. “I don’t know.” A feeling of uselessness overwhelmed her. She was supposed to know these things, be able to make them go away, but the fact was she knew nothing about what was happening, and even less about what she should do.

A potion! She needed to make a potion, Eliana murmured under her breath, prepared to rush back to her room for the herbs. She wiped her tears with trembling fingers, pivoted, and almost smashed into Giles.

The elderly man gently righted her, and without so much as a word put something in her hands. Eliana looked at his offering for a moment, not comprehending what she was holding. Then she exhaled.

“Thank you.” She hugged the butler fiercely, grateful beyond words. If only she knew what to use—Eliana’s next thought made her hands tremble even more fiercely.

She didn’t see Giles’s concerned expression anymore, or any of the pale faces standing behind the man. Eliana focused her attention on Amira—a thrashing and moaning girl, whose hands fought an invisible foe.

Her daughter’s face was twisted with pain, her eyes red from crying. She kept pleading for help for someone, but whoever it was lived in Amira’s dreams alone. Or nightmares, Eliana thought, picking a catnip plant from the vast collection of herbs she kept. She hesitated to choose a second herb, glanced at her husband’s expectant gaze, and swallowed a new lump of trepidation. What if she chose the wrong one? What if she harmed her little angel? Eliana had never felt so lost before. Utterly unable to identify the cause of such terrible pain.

“You can do it,” Deron whispered, his belief in her giving her strength.

Eliana nodded, mixed the herbs and began the chant. She forced her daughter to consume the potion, all the while desperately praying for a miracle. A prayer that was joined by a dozen more people as the entire mansion kept vigil on their little lady’s sleep.

All the servants gathered in the hall, waiting. Some of them sat quietly. Some paced with their heads bowed, hands clenched in fists. Others simply watched the closed doors. But all of them hoped to hear those doors opening. Hoped to see black curls bouncing, and that sweet face laughing.

Sadly, none of that happened.

When Amira finally came out of her room she was just a shadow of the sweet girl they all knew and loved.
Couple Interview: Amira and Raven

1. How did you meet?

Amira: He introduced himself by pressing a sword to my throat. Nothing says “hi” like a sharp blade apparently.

Raven: Hey! I thought we got past that.

Amira: Well, you are not tied to a wooden stake, so I think it’s safe to say we have.

2. What was the first thing you noticed about the other person?

Raven: Her eyes. When our gazes met, it felt like she could see right into my soul.

Amira: I can’t say I didn’t try. I needed to know what I was up against. And that was the first thing that got my attention – I couldn’t read him.

3. Did you know when you met that you would end up together?

Amira: No. My life wasn’t my own. Death was always breathing down my neck. So there wasn’t the slightest possibility for that happening. No matter how much I sometimes wished for a normal life, I didn’t think I was even capable of loving someone.

Raven: Definitely not. She was a witch, and being a mindless slave was not on my agenda. It’s not wise to tangle with witches, you see. Good thing she’s stubborn and made me realize that it’s not what you are, but what you make of yourself that truly matters.

4. What do you like best about the other person?

Raven: She has a kind and loving heart.  

Amira: He sees the real me.

5. What is something you enjoy doing together? (Besides the obvious!)

Raven: Saving the innocent.

Amira: And killing the monsters in the process.

6. How has the other person changed you?

Amira: He taught me how to smile.

Raven: She helped me defeat my demons.

7. What are the biggest differences between you? How important are these differences?

Raven: She is rash. Acts without thinking. Half of the things I ended up having to save her from were because she just goes with the flow.

Amira: Well excuse me for trying to live while I still had breath in my lungs. I never had the luxury of taking time to think things through. It was always now, or never. If I didn’t seize the opportunity, I was left with regrets.

8. What do the two of you have in common?

Amira: We both know loss, and are not afraid of dirtying our hands when it is necessary.

Raven: I second that.

9. What does your family think of your partner, and what do you think of your partner's family?

Raven: My family is dead, except for my brother. But I know they would love her if they were here today.

Amira: Since I have a lot of overprotective males in my family, Raven didn’t have the easiest time at first, but they came around.

Raven: And by coming around she means they no longer try to shoot me.

10. What role does magic play in your relationship?

Amira: Huge. We are connected by magic.

Raven: Throwing energy balls is her thing. I, myself, like swords better, but we do have an almost psychic connection because of magic. We can talk telepathically with each other, for example.

Amira: And it does come in handy if you need to unbutton the shirt when your hands are occupied. Just saying…

11. What are your plans for the future?

Raven: Try to enjoy life as much as possible, because our fighting days are nowhere near over.

12. "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts" How is this true for the two of you?

Amira: Together we are stronger, that goes without saying, but it’s more than that.  He grounds me when I’m in danger of drifting away (if I use too much magic).  With Raven I finally live, not just go through motions.

Raven: We see a lot of suffering. Torture. People being burned alive. Carrying it is hard. We need each other not just to survive, but to stay sane.

Amira: And to remind each other that we can’t save everyone. No matter how much we might want to.