Mara Valderran's Blog, page 30

New Adult Authors & Giveaway: Karen-Anne Stewart

Shattered when Raina runs after his marriage proposal, Kas is hell-bent to find her and bring her home, where she belongs. He will bend every law necessary to do so, willing to do anything to protect Raina from her demons and the men who haunt her, going as far as placing his career and life on the line to save hers. Raina will give up everything she has worked so hard to achieve, even flee the country to keep Kas from the wrath and powerful reach of her abusive father.

In the midst of the FBI team closing in on the Ghost, another ghost from Raina's past taunts her, promising that she will be his. Meanwhile, a different trafficking ring is gaining strength in New Jersey. Michael solicits Raina's help, needing her smooth, sultry voice to win the audition for the new singer in the ring leader's swanky night club. Raina knows her life is in jeopardy with the dangers of being undercover, but she is blindsided when she discovers that it's her heart that is threatened with a mortal blow.

Raina tries to heal from the nightmares of her dark past as the grisly bodies of innocent victims surface when the team gets closer to discovering the identity of the man responsible for the infuriatingly clever and powerful slavery ring. When Raina finally comes face to face with the Ghost, he quickly engulfs her in a twisted game of cat and mouse, delivering a veiled threat as he slips through her fingers. As the ghosts of her past and present ensnare her in their deadly web, Raina realizes the danger has just begun.

 

KAREN ANNE STEWART AUTHOR BIO:

Karen-Anne Stewart has always enjoyed reading and how a book can sweep her far away, engrossing her deep into the story. She has enjoyed writing from an early age and became interested in becoming an author after one of her college courses. Her debut novel, Saving Rain: The First Novel in The Rain Trilogy, was published in January, 2013. Healing Rain: The Second Novel in The Rain Trilogy was published in July, 2013.

When Karen-Anne is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her first love, her family. She shares a home with her husband and daughter, their two dogs and their cat. She enjoys reading, hiking, and visiting new places. She plans to continue writing and sharing her stories with her readers for many years.



To enter the giveaway, go to each blog and enter the corresponding blog code into the rafflecopter.
This is Blog #5 and the code is: KARENMARA
Blog #1: www.dawnpendleton.com Blog #2: www.StephanieLawton.com
Blog #3: www.chasingemptypavements.com
Blog #4: http://lisaswallow.net
Blog #5: http://maravalderran.blogspot.com
Blog #6: http://www.lgcastillo.com
Blog #7: http://naughtylittlekisses.blogspot.com
Blog #8: http://danielelanzarotta.blogspot.com/
Blog #9: http://authoryolandaallen.blogspot.com/
Blog #10: http://dawnaraver.com/
Blog #11: http://tawdrakandle.com
Blog #12: http://midtown-underground.com
Blog #13: http://tyffanickemp.com
Blog #14: www.KristieCook.com
Blog #15: www.jlfynn.com
Blog #16: www.lisasanchezromanceauthor.com
Blog #17: www.adriannejames.com
Blog #18: http://jadenwilkes.blogspot.ca/
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Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway for Hot Flashes by Leila Gaskin

 
On the blog today is an excerpt from Leila Gaskin's book Hot Flashes. She's giving away 25 dragon charm bookmarks and 4 hard copies of her book during the tour, so be sure to check out the Rafflecopter entry form below. Now, let's get to know the author and the book a bit better before I give you guys a taste of Hot Flashes.
About the Author:

Born on a dark and stormy night on the other side of the world from Richmond, VA, Leila Gaskin began a life full of imaginative wanderings. Inspired by her journey, Leila takes inspiration from the places she’s lived. She is the author of several short stories ranging from horror, speculative fiction, and science fiction. HOT FLASHES is her debut novel.

With her dog as her co-pilot and the cat as the navigator, Leila explores her world and tells her stories. 
Follow Leila on her Website, Twitter, Facebook, Smashwords, and Goodreads.


“Dragons do not exist.” Ella Hixson shrieked as the mythical beasts dive from the sky shredding her car with their impressively long talons and sending her careening across the road in an attempt to avoid the being flambéed. Escaping her car, she grasps the car door in order to prevent herself from tumbling down the slippery embankment. Pouring rain soaks Ella’s interview suit and her dress shoes as she searches the sky for the attacking beasts to find nothing but clouds heavy with their payload of rain.

Hallucinations, relationship destroying fights with her only surviving relative-her mother, and, thanks to a bodaciously bosomed, bottle-blond, jobless, Ella needs the universe to cut her a break.

Be careful what you wish for.

Circumstances conspire and Ella’s mundane existence evaporates when she discovers she is Drakkon, the hidden heir to an ancient dynasty, and she has an enemy who would see all the Drakkon race enslaved or dead.

No more ordinary days for Ella as she learns what it is to be Drakkon, tries to save a world she knows nothing about, and still be home in time to feed her dog.
Excerpt:Upstairs, chaos ruled; Nathan lay across the thrashing, shimmering form of their guest. Kaie sat at the foot of the bed hissing. Ella dashed across the room to the other side of the bed, grabbing an arm and a leg. She struggled to help keep the man still. His scorching skin made Ella want to pull her hands back, but her touch seemed to sooth the man. A golden web of scales covering his body glowed brightly. Her touch should not have had any effect on the man. Nathan had called her on a hunch. “Ella, I need you to trust me.”“Like I haven’t already?” Nathan reached across and grasped Ella’s head, she stared into his swirling silver eyes. For the first time, she noticed that he had a slit pupil like the man on the bed. Her eyes widened with alarm as she tried to free her head from his grasp. Nathan tightened his hold. “Učit se!” Nathan commanded. Visions of places she had never been filled the crevices of Ella’s mind. She screamed with the weight of the knowledge and language forced into her mind. Nathan let go, and she collapsed like a rag doll at the foot of the bed.Her ‘self’ struggled to maintain its dominate place in her psyche as she tried to catalogue and comprehend the new information. Ella flinched from the helping hand Nathan extended. She rose to her feet and faced him. A burning flush swept through her body. She struggled to form a coherent thought. “Trust you?” Ella spat. “What the hell did you do to me?”“What was necessary so you could help,” Nathan replied without remorse.“You violated my mind!”Nathan waved off Ella’s histrionics. “I gave you the knowledge needed to help me care for our guest and deal with matters of the House.” Looking at the man on the bed, he added, “Your training time table has been accelerated.”Ella was enraged at being dismissed. “I don’t care! You went into my mind uninvited! That constitutes violation!” Ella jumped to her feet, her body tense and ready to strike at something or someone. “What, you were going to go over inter-dimensional vortexes next week? I don’t care what you’re trying to justify!”Nathan lost his patience. “I need you to think beyond yourself! You said you’d heard his language before. Where?”The question was more of a statement.Ella’s eyes narrowed at Nathan’s tone. “I told you, in a dream.” The scene from the foyer crashed into Ella’s memory; this time she understood the language with perfect clarity.“Where am I?” Gasped the man. “Do you know Mellanei?”Nathan stiffened as the man grasped his arm. “I know her. She is no longer here.”“No! I must find her! Warn her!” The man arched in agony.“Warn her about what?” Nathan held the man still as Ella covered him. In an effort to keep the man conscious, Nathan gave him a hard shake. “Tell me!”
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Author Interview: Co-Writers James Wymore and Aiden James

I'm happy to have James Wymore back on the blog today, along with his co-writer for The Actuator: Fractured Earth, Aiden James. I was lucky enough to interview both of these extremely busy authors, and find out about their book and the anthology contest set in the Actuator universe. Here's a bit about the book to get your interest piqued:

On a secret military base tucked in a remote desert mountain, a dangerous machine lies hidden from the American public. Known as “The Actuator”, this machine is capable of transforming entire communities into alternate realities. In theory, these often terrifying realities are reversible.

The scientists in charge of this machine employ operatives called Machine Monks, who attune their minds to manifest single ideas from the realms of fantasy and science fiction. These ideas are then superimposed upon sparsely inhabited areas for testing. For a while, the enigmatic Actuator cooperates with the experiments, using dampeners to limit the affected area. But those in charge of the project eagerly anticipate exploring the full potential of this amazing device.

Experiments progress to where they feed more than twenty different genre ideas simultaneously into the Actuator’s database. Meanwhile, an unknown saboteur dismantles the dampeners. The affect is catastrophic. The entire world is plunged into chaos, and familiar landscapes become a deadly patchwork of genre horrors. Overnight, the Actuator becomes the worst menace the earth has ever seen, claiming lives in staggering numbers.

Can a few surviving Machine Monks band together to set things right again? It all depends on whether Red McLaren and the Monks can survive their journey through the various realms that separate them from the Actuator, where ever-present orcs, aliens, pirates, and vampires seek to destroy them. They must move quickly, as time is running out to stop the Actuator and the villain who controls it and the earth’s destiny.


Get it now on Amazon for Kindle. Also available on Barnes and Noble for Nook and Kobo for Kobo.
You can get the trade paperback from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

And now let's hear from the authors!

Interview with James Wymore:
Mara V: What can you tell us about your latest release The Actuator: Fractured Earth? James: Somebody builds a machine capable of transforming the whole world into anything the user wants.  A group of people who enjoy various types of fiction get together to experiment with the machine.  An unknown saboteur activates it and they break the world into patches of every genre imaginable.  People begin dying in real life horrors, fantasies, and science fictions.  Only a small group of people in the world even know what happened.  So they are working frantically to try and put it right.  It's a pretty fun ride. MV: This is your first coauthored book. What was the experience of working with another writer like?  James: I think it went so well because Aiden is really nice.  We never had any problems as far as communication or planning.  I've heard horror stories about projects like this, but I have no complaints at all. MV: What can you tell us about the process of co-writing a book? James: I've actually collaborated on a writing project before.  Although I wrote the whole book, my second book, Exacting Essence, is a collaborative project with R. A. Baxter.  We both write in the same world.  Each collaboration is a unique situation.  Every person is different, so the projects have to fit the specific relationships for the people involved.  I've heard people talk about co-authoring as if a list of rules will work for everybody.  That hasn't been my experience.  It's a lot of communication between everybody involved.  Most authors don't do it because it's more work for less percentage of the royalties.  But I really like to. MV: It looks like you have another project on the horizon. What is Salvation about and when can we hope to see it? James: It's a military fantasy (high fantasy) I wrote last year.  I have a contract for it already.  But I've been so busy with editing and writing, that I'm putting it off for just a little while.  Hopefully in a few months things will settle down to where I can give it the attention it deserves.  I love the ideas in Salvation.  It kind of came out of nowhere and just demanded my attention.  It's always fun when a book does that. MV: Curiosity Quills recently announced that an anthology for The Actuator series is on the horizon. Tell us about the plans for this anthology, and what you are looking forward to the most with it. James: The call for submissions is already out: http://curiosityquills.com/giveaways-contests/borderlands-anthology/  It's a fun idea.  The Actuator world is so diverse and amazing that I can barely scratch the surface of it in the trilogy.  But through this anthology (and maybe another one) I hope to see a lot more of the potential in it explored by other authors.  I've had several people talk to me about stories for it and I'm really excited by what they've suggested. MV: You stay pretty busy with a full-time job, family, and a full-time writing career. What’s next for you? Besides the vacation you deserve. =) 
James: Writing is my vacation.   Actually, I'm trying my hand at a comic book script.  I've always wanted to, so I thought I'd slip that in.  You know, because I have so much free time. 
Interview with Aiden James:
MV: Your first book, The Forgotten Eden, was based on a bedtime story you made up for your kids that became so much more. What can you tell us about the transition into writing professionally?

Aiden: It was a tricky process, as I expected immediate success--both in terms of being good as a story teller and financially. I didn't make a dime for another nine years, and didn't find consistent financial success until 2011--nearly fourteen years later. As far as the story telling angle, my first effort was terrible, and my wife suggested I give up. But she was testing me...to see how much I loved writing stories. Through determined trial and error, I steadily improved, and finally was at least 'signable' to small press in 2004 (seven years after I started). I still strive to get better and better at telling stories, and doubt I will ever be completely satisfied with what I create.

MV: First book experiences tend to be filled with hard lessons learned for writers as they get to know the business end of writing. What did you do differently for your second book because of lessons you learned from the first?

Aiden: Ha! Great question. Get to the point quicker--that was what I set out to do. And, again, this is something I still seek to get better and better at. How to tell a dynamic story? Limit the details to where you steadily feed them to your audience. Start fast and keep up the pace, but never overload your readers with more than they can comfortably digest.
 

MV: To date, you have nineteen titles available since you first published in 2006. Does this mean you have achieved the seemingly elusive author dream of writing full time? How do you balance this with your personal life?

Aiden: I am a full time author, and have been self-sufficient since July of 2011. It came fourteen years after I started, and it was a challenge up until then. Most of my jobs required 50+ hours of work each week, since I was a call center supervisor/manager throughout most of those years. Even though I am full time now, it is incredibly hard to balance my personal life. Writing and inspiration are not always things one can sit down and do on the spot. Sometimes that works, but most often, I feel it is better to write when you are inspired to do so. If you need to get the train running, maybe a little music, extra research, etc can get things going. That being said, I do try to write something everyday, when working on a new book. Usually, that means churning out anywhere from 300 to 2,000 words. If I get in a pinch with deadlines, then the 2,000 might become 3,000 or even 4,000 words.

MV: Some of the titles you’ve released recently have been co-authored. You’ve worked with three different authors to bring different series to light. What have those experiences been like?

Aiden: Actually, it is now five different authors. I started with J.R. Rain, and added Michelle Wright late last year. This year, I am also working with James Wymore, Lisa, Collicutt, and Mike Robinson. The collaborative experience is different with each author. Some books, I write 80 to 90% of the story, and in others, the other author takes over the lion share. Almost all of the books start with my outlines, but there are no hard and fast rules in the creative process. The big thing is staying consistent enough to where my audience recognizes my style--even though they certainly recognize my co-authors' styles, too. In truth, cowriting is a great way to explore new viewpoints and storylines. I love it! :-)
 
MV: What can you tell us about upcoming projects?

Aiden: Two projects will be released in September: "Hurakan's Chalice" with Mike Robinson, which is the third installment of The Talisman Chronicles (a long awaited third book), and J.R. Rain and I will be releasing the third Nick Caine book next week ("Pyramid of the Gods"). Then, in late October comes a new novella series with Michelle Wright, entitled "Blake 187: The Zombie Revolution". And there will be at least three more books released by the end of 2013, including the fifth Judas Chronicles installment ("Tyranny of Coins"), and the second book of The Actuator series and The Serendipitous Curse series.
 

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Interview with Katie Hamstead, Author of the Kiya Series

I love that I can say the Kiya series, implying more books to come. Can you guys tell how into these books I am? It's not healthy. And not doing me any favors when I try to read other stuff. 

I digress. Katie is gearing up for the release of Kiya: Mother of a King October 25 and she was brave enough kind enough to stop by for an interview. I'll be reviewing Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh here October 24, so there's still more Katie and Kiya to come! 

Mara V: You live a very busy life. You study Creative Writing, you are a mother, a published author, and it sounds like your husband keeps pretty busy too. Oh, and going home for the holidays means traveling halfway across the world for you. How do you find balance?
Katie H: You know, I really don't know. Sometimes I don't sleep enough! Usually I use nap time and bed time to work on writing things. While the kiddo and hubby are around I try to spend time with them, clean, grocery shop, be domesticated and such. Those two hours in the afternoon while the kid is sleeping and hubby is at work I use for writing. For the rest of the day, I have everything on my phone so I can do it on the go! Love my smart phone.

MV: Kiya is a very well researched book. What can you tell us about the research that went into the story? Did you do all of your homework first, or dive into the books when questions arose?KH: Both really. I had to have a clear timeline of events before I started writing so I researched and lined up the theories I wanted to use as well as build the timeline of all the historical figures' lives around it. Once I started I did run into questions, so hit up museum and university websites/journals to clarify events and culture.

MV: Congratulations on Kiya hitting the top ten of Amazon's historical romances! What was your reaction to the ranking news? KH: Ah... something like, "Holy crap! Babe, come look at this! Stop playing your stupid game. This is more important."

MV: Hitting the top ten on Amazon is really impressive, and what some might define as a successful book. What are your goals beyond rankings for your books? KH: Writing wise, I really just want to move people. Like with Naomi/Kiya, I really wanted to create a character women could admire and see strength and nobility in their womanhood and motherhood.Outside of writing, I just want to have a happy marriage and family.
MV: Kiya has been quite successful, drawing in readers who aren't exactly drawn to the historical fiction genre (like myself). How do you think you managed to pull in readers beyond the usual target audience?KH: I really wanted to break the norm for Historical fiction, so I made it a more contemporary feel, but not in a way that made it unbelievable historically. I love hist fic, but it can be very dry and bogged down with historical details and facts. I wanted this one to be character driven, so people could connect and gain some knowledge while igniting their curiosity at the same time. If people who've never like history and historicals will be interested now, I feel like I've accomplished something.

MV: You refer to yourself as a New Adult author. What can you tell us about the New Adult category, and why you are drawn to it as a writer?KH: I like writing for the age group. They are a little more mature and clearer thinking that YA's, but still have that passion and desire to find themselves and someone to love. For me, the "sex" that is commonly associated with NA is a side note. I think a strong, character and plot driven NA is far more appealing.
MV: Are you more of a pantser or plotter when it comes to your writing? KH: Pantser, big time! Aside from Kiya where I had to construct my timeline of events, when I begin a story I think of my beginning and my end and then run with it.

MV: Curiosity Quills is a small press featured quite often on this blog since it has such a great reputation of being like a family of authors. What made you decide to sign with them, and what has your experience been like so far?KH: They were eager to have me. I knew if someone was that excited about my book, they would make it succeed. And so far I have loved it! Everyone is happy to rally around each other, help with releases, tours, cover reveals, promotions etc without being asked! My editor is amazing, and the big bosses are always happy to listen and give their encouragement.

MV: What can you tell us about your next book, Branded?KH: Ah! Branded! It will be controversial. I can give you the blurb:Terrorists have invaded Sydney, and Allison King barely escapes her brother’s wedding reception alive. She and her siblings flee, but their parents are killed by firing squad.Now Ali’s on the run and terrified. While searching for other survivors, she is captured by the General who leads the invasion. He’s smitten by Ali, and when she refuses to submit to his whims, he brands her for death. In a wild act of defiance, she snatches the branding rod and sears the mark onto his face. Marking not only him but also sealing her fate. Ali manages to escape and flees into the bush once more where she finds a group in hiding. Even with the scars left by the General, Ali learns to love and falls in love with the young man who found her—Damien Rogers. But the General is hunting her. When he discovers their location, and finds her with another man—Damien—his wrath is kindled and his obsession is inflamed. Ali must put herself on the line or the General could kill her family, those who help her, and most significantly, the man she loves.MV: What was the last book you read and couldn't put down?KH: It was a submission... can't talk about it ;-) But a published book, Mrs. Poe. It broke my heart!

 Add Kiya: Mother of a King on Goodreads, and make sure you read Book 1 first or you might get a little lost. 

You can follow Katie on:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/KatieTeller1FB page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Hamsteads-Stories/247238178656484Blog - http://kjhstories.blogspot.com/Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18169048-kiya
 
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Kiya: Mother of a King (by Katie Hamstead) Cover Reveal!! And Giveaway!

I am so excited for this book! I finished the first book, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, a few weeks ago, and have been chomping at the bit for the next one to come out. Luckily, I don't have to wait too much longer because Kiya: Mother of a King comes out October 25th. And to get you guys just as psyched about it as I am? I'm going to post the cover reveal, and let you know how you can win signed copies of both books! Be sure to check back soon for an interview with Katie, and if you want to see my review, it will be posted during her review tour on October 24.


Nefertiti has forced Naomi to flee Amarna with Malachi and the three children. But even under the protection of Naomi’s family in Thebes, Nefertiti still hunts her and Tut. Nefertiti sends assassins to kill them, and while Naomi fights to protect the children, Malachi fights to keep her safe.

With three children in tow, one of which isn’t her own, she is labeled the harlot outcast wife of the pharaoh and is shunned. She isn’t safe among her own people, and flees from being stoned to death. Although her family protects her, she must find a way to survive.
While Naomi struggles to keep herself and Tut alive, old adversaries return as Smenkhkare takes advantage of Akhenaten’s ailing health. Naomi must rely on Horemheb’s promise to protect Tut’s birthright, but her feelings for Malachi could cause more problems with Horemheb than she expects.













Add it on Goodreads, and make sure you read Book 1 first or you might get a little lost.
You can follow Katie on:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KatieTeller1FB page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Hamsteads-Stories/247238178656484Blog - http://kjhstories.blogspot.com/Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18169048-kiya

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New Adult Authors & Giveaway: Lila Atkinson

No Regrets Blurb:
Zadie Parker is all about reinventing herself. Switching colleges after a humiliating freshman year is her latest upgrade. She’s excited to be living with her two best friends and looking forward to her new summer lifeguarding job. Life seems headed toward more stable waters, or so she thinks. On her first day of work Zadie comes head to head with her biggest regret, Henry Fletcher.

Henry’s the stupidly adorable boy Zadie crushed hard on in high school. The one too chicken to make his move three years before. He’s the reason Zadie found the courage to move from the sidelines to being a risk-taker. But calling attention to yourself isn’t without consequences, especially when every co-ed has a camera phone.

Hot summer days and warm, tension-fueled nights set the backdrop for Zadie and Henry to figure out if there is any chance they can heal while navigating the landmines of Zadie's life.
Lila Atkinson worked at an ice cream shop for 6 months during college. It sucked. To this day she can't look at mint chocolate chip ice cream without having a panic attack.

To ward off the hot, southern, summer days, Lila spends time at her pool daydreaming about lifeguards and summer romances. She has a husband, two girls and some pets.
To enter the giveaway, go to each blog and enter the corresponding code into the Rafflecopter.

This is blog # 5 and the code is LILAMARA  Blog #1: www.dawnpendleton.com Blog #2: www.StephanieLawton.comBlog #3: www.chasingemptypavements.comBlog #4: http://lisaswallow.netBlog #5: http://maravalderran.blogspot.comBlog #6: http://www.lgcastillo.comBlog #7: http://naughtylittlekisses.blogspot.comBlog #8: http://danielelanzarotta.blogspot.com/Blog #9: http://authoryolandaallen.blogspot.com/Blog #10: http://dawnaraver.com/Blog #11: http://tawdrakandle.comBlog #12: http://midtown-underground.comBlog #13: http://tyffanickemp.comBlog #14: www.KristieCook.comBlog #15: www.jlfynn.comBlog #16: www.lisasanchezromanceauthor.comBlog #17: www.adriannejames.comBlog #18: http://jadenwilkes.blogspot.ca/ a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post & Giveaway: Isaiyan Morrison Talks Different Vampires in Deamhan

Today I am happy to have Isaiyan Morrison stopping by for a guest post. Vampires can be a little overdone lately, so it's always great to get a fresh take on them. Isaiyan is here to tell us more about the Deamhan, and to giveaway several awesome prize packs: 

1st Place Prize Pack$50 Amazon Gift Card1 Large Deamhan Shirt4 bookmarks1 box vampire incense (100 grams)Deamhan Sticker1 copy of Deamhan (paperback or ebook, winner's choice)2nd place Prize pack$20 Amazon Gift Card1 Large Deamhan Shirt4 bookmarks1 box vampire incense 40 gramsDeamhan Sticker
3rd Place Prize Pack$10 Amazon Gift Card4 bookmarksDeamhan Sticker
Check out the Rafflecopter code below to win, and be sure to follow Isaiyan on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, Google+, and read more about her books on her blog. And now I will turn the blog over to Isaiyan!



Thank you for having me on your blog today! I'm excited to explain to you what Deamhan and how they differ from sanguine vampires.

Most readers are familiar with sanguine vampires (bloodsucking vampires.) You read about them all the time. When you think "vampire" you imagine a creature of the night with sharp canines. They avoid the sunlight (depending on what book or movie you watch.) Well, I grew up thinking that this was the only type of vampire and like many writers, I wanted to write about them. However, I didn't want to write about the same thing.

Realizing that there are tons of books out there with the same type of vampire character, I wanted to do something different. I started to research and after a few months I found some surprising things.

I didn't know that other different types of vampires existed. I learned about vampires that feed off of psychic energy. For example, Lamias (also spelled Lahmians) are related to the Queen Lamia (or the child of Poseidon, depending on where you read the tale) who was turned into a demon and now devours children. Lugat originates from Albania. They feed on their victims energy (or blood, each source is different,) just enough so that they don't kill them. Some vampires can shapesshift, they don't have pointy teeth, and they can roam during the day time. I found these type of vampires interesting and I decided that I wanted to write about that.

After gathering as much information as I could, I had to chose what type of psychic vampire I thought fit into my story. I couldn't also ignore their weaknesses and because there were so many, I had to pick and choose which ones easily fit into the world I created.

After the dust settled, I focused on eight different types and I narrowed that down further to four:

Ramanga - Live off the psychic energy in human blood. They have retractable and sharp canine teeth.

Lamia - Feed by draining the psychic energy from their victim’s mouths, sucking them into dry husks.

Metusba - Feed from the psychic aura of their victims around them. They don’t have to kill their victims to live.

Lugat - Feed on the psychic imprints of their victims and like the Metusba, they don’t need to kill their victims to live. Often, the Lugat Deamhan prefer to move freely in the human world and enjoy human company.

Deamhan are mean and ruthless. They don't cry about their existence. They kill to survive, if they have to, and majority of the time they like it. Survival is their main goal and an important aspect of their nature.

Researching and writing the novel took about 10 years (I did drag my feet for a few of those years) but I'm proud to say that I've finally accomplished what I wanted to do from the beginning. I've written a creative novel, different from any other vampire novel, with the focus on psychic vampires. I gave them the spotlight and now it's time for them to shine.

http://isaiyanmorrison.com
http://deamhan.com

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Her soft golden skin, her warm smile…these are the only images Veronica Austin has left of her mother who disappeared without a trace twenty years ago on the streets of Minneapolis while researching the Ramanga, the Lamia, the Metusba, and the Lugat. Known only as the Deamhan, they are a different breed from the modern bloodsucking vampire.
A stranger to this world,  Veronica’s search for the truth about her mother’s unexplained disappearance takes her into their sinister and precarious world. She gains the trust of the only other human familiar with the Deamhan lifestyle. With his help she finds not only can the Deamhan not be trusted but it’s her own father, president of a ruthful organization of researchers, who has diabolically maintained that distrust.Book Trailer:  http://youtu.be/JvXvINwJpH0
Amazon 

Writerly Lesson: Success Comes in All Shapes and Sizes

We all know by now that I'm still a bit of a newb-sauce when it comes to the writerly world. Which is why I love sharing my little epiphanies with you guys. And lucky for you, I had one today.

I've been in a funk all day. I haven't wanted to write. I haven't wanted to read. All I've done is play Candy Crush Saga (I caved and joined the craze yesterday) and listen to music with the general attitude of blarg. But I haven't been able to figure out why.

At first I thought it was because I had just written a really really rough death scene yesterday. (Trust me, it's bad. Like, people might come after me with pitch forks kinda bad. Hell, I want to come after me with pitch forks after what I wrote. But I digress...) I don't think it was that, though. Yes, that sucked. But this wasn't my first death rodeo. Just my worst.

So what else could it be? Things are pretty awesome in my writerly world right now. Wattpad is going amazingly. I have over 1000 followers and votes now and close to 100,000 reads. And I was lucky enough this weekend to go meet two of my critique partners, Leigh Statham and Heather Raglin. Leigh is quite the social butterfly, enthusiastically going around to authors she might might not have even heard of and chatting them up. She would introduce me, and tell them that my book is coming out next month. And they would congratulate me, which left me turning beat red.

Why? Because I wanted to brush off the congratulations in the same way I do with my friends and family who are excited about my book being published. I want to tell them "Pfft...I'm doing it myself. It's not that big of a deal."

And that's what has hit me tonight. You see, it is that big of a deal. I want to downplay it because, in my mind, it's not like anyone has chosen to publish me. No one has picked my work out of the slushpile and said "Yes! This!!" No one chose me, so I don't deserve the congratulations.

But they did. The thing is, those Wattpad views, followers, and votes mean something. As I type this, around 1500 people have finished reading my book in the three weeks since it has been featured on the Wattpad site (only around 20 had finished up to chapter twenty-five before). Does that mean I am destined to become the next Amanda Hocking? No. But it's a pretty good start.

I suppose that is my point. Success comes in all shapes and sizes. It doesn't have to mean sales (especially if you aren't selling anything yet) or contracts. You don't have to become an overnight success. But those people that are reading your work and encouraging you? They matter more than I can say. That is how we as authors should measure our success. Because let me tell you, the highlight of my day is reading the comments people leave me and answering the messages they send. Sometimes I think my book can't possibly good enough to warrant this, but in the end, I'm not the judge of that. The readers are. And I have to say, my readers are pretty freaking awesome.

Blog Tour: Remembering Joy by Jenni Moen

Alexis doesn’t believe in fairytales. She knows first hand that life can turn on a dime – that one stupid mistake can shatter dreams and irrevocably shape the future. Even though her memory of that day is hazy, she has spent the last ten years trying to put it behind her and focus on the future.

Armed with the knowledge that her career will be her only legacy, Alexis works night and day to prove that she is more than just her last name. It’s not only that she doesn’t have time for love – she doesn’t have the heart for it. After all, there’s no point in starting something that you can’t finish.

However, when she meets Adam, she’s drawn to him in a way even she can’t deny. He is dark and brooding and strangely charming. He’s the perfect distraction from the mundane life she’s created for herself. And, as if fate is pushing them together, he seems to be around every corner. It’s enough to almost make her entirely forget about her past and take a chance.

Unfortunately, Adam’s memory isn’t hazy . . . not in the least. And, what she doesn’t remember, he can’t forget.

*Mature New Adult/Adult novel – contains adult situations and sexuality and is suited for ages 18 and up*

You can add Remembering Joy on Goodreads, or purchase it at Amazon.  

About the Author:
Jenni Moen lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three crazy, exuberant kids that have the potential to burn the house down at any moment.

When she’s not chauffeuring kids around town, performing her mom duties as a short order cook and maid, or vacuuming for her fastidious husband, she hammers away at her keyboard at her big girl job as a patent attorney. While vodka and exercise have provided some relief from the daily grind, it is reading … and now writing … that are her true escapes.

Find her on Twitter or Facebook, or read more about Jenni on her website.  

Blog Tour: Dark Souls by Ketley Allison

19-year-old Emily desperately wants a name for what she is. For what is consuming and torturing her. For what is changing her.

But she’s not crazy like her mother. She’s not.

Emily may not be as crazy as she thinks, because her body is no longer her own. Something is stirring inside her. It is soft, seductive, and tells her what to do to survive. As Emily learns that her world has been infected by demons that consume human souls and fit seamlessly into the bodies they empty, she must also accept that she is one of them. Yet, she is different from the rest, because her darkness didn’t inhabit her, it was awakened. And it doesn’t just want the humans.


Find this book on Goodreads, or you can purchase it on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble for just $0.99!






About the Author:

Ketley Allison is a twenty-something (maybe almost thirty-something) author who believes that supernatural love shouldn’t stop at eighteen. She began her career by writing books as birthday presents for her friends (with her friend as the main character and opposite a super sexy lead, of course) before ending it in order to walk down a path she thought she was supposed to follow.

The writing bug never left her—and, in fact, would often bleed into the official papers she was supposed to write—so now Ketley’s putting down her suit and finally following her dream. While her friends are no longer the stars of her books, she still throws in bits and pieces of them into each and every one of her characters.

As a result, her books tend to focus a lot on friendships as well as love, because let’s be honest, friends are what really get you through—especially when your epic love turns into epic heartbreak.

Check out her website, or you can follow her on Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook.