Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 160
October 18, 2013
. . . And They All Lived Happily Ever After, by Crystal Connor
…And They All Lived Happily Ever After!By Crystal Connor
Genre: Horror/Sci~Fi/Dark Fantasy
Publication: Aug 14 2012
Once upon a time, in a dark & scary place, in a frightening land way too close to home…
Crystal Connor’s …And They All Lived Happily Ever After! is a collection of short fables not meant for children; but for those who enjoy the madness of nightmares.
In the ‘Queen’s Pawn’ you’ll visit a magical kingdom full of wonder and splendor only to come to the sickening realization that when the Queen had a message…she sends her pawns.
The perils of eating forbidden fruit have been cautioned against since the Book of Genesis, but will our urban princess in ‘The Apple’ heed those warnings?
Embark on a mystical and treacherous quest to reach ‘The Ruins’, located in place so sacred that is should never be visited by mortal man.
These are just a few of the adventures you’ll have as you explore the dark imagination of Crystal Connor. Fourteen short stories of horror, science fiction, and fantasy; 65,306 words of terror by a single author who clearly intends to one day be known as a Master in the genre.
Monsters, Women, and Villains (oh my)!
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Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivUo9ZU2B_4
Crystal’s Blog – http://www.wordsmithcrystalconnor.blogspot.com/
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Amazon Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/And-They-Lived-Happily-After/dp/1477616624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380588479&sr=8-1&keywords=crystal+connor
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Author Bio
Washington State native Crystal Connor is a horrorpreneur who loves anything to do with monsters, bad guys, rogue scientific experiments, jewelry, sky-high high heel shoes and unreasonably priced hang bags.
Connor has been writing science fiction and horror since Jr. High school, has been published in various anthologies and is the author of the Spectrum Trilogy. Connor’s début novel, The Darkness, the first book in the Spectrum Trilogy was selected as a two time Award-Winning Finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards in the fiction categories of Cross Genre Fiction and Multicultural Fiction. Connor’s club affiliations include the Seattle Women’s Writing Group, Black Science Fiction Society and the Fictioneers.
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Review
Connor’s . . . And They All Lived Happily Ever After is a collection of dark and haunting retellings of fairy tales. As with most fairy-tale reboots, one of the things I liked best was figuring out how these tales connected to the more traditional versions of the stories. Connor does a great job of shifting voices and styles. For example, the letter from a princess–maybe a wicked stepsister?–to her mother the queen manages to elicit both horror and laughter because of Connor’s deft use of a teenage girl’s voice juxtaposed with the description of the atrocities committed by the princess in the queen’s name. Similarly, the internal memo from the Federal Vampire & Zombie Agency warning against the Santa Rosa Institute’s scientific experiments contrasts nicely with the newspaper puff piece about the Santa Rosa Institute, and both of them tie nicely to the scientific report about “Test subject 5047-788-A3″ who “sat up in bed after being dead for 11 days.”
In its exploration of form and content, the collection is interestingly postmodern–the sense of play in the stories is quite a lot of fun, eliciting shivers of delight and horror in most cases. There were a few moments that I thought could have been better developed–the end of “Thicker Than Water” could have used more narrative; I wanted to say “show, don’t tell!” And I didn’t like the handwritten table of contents, though I laughed when I read “It was a dark and stormy nite but she took her dumb ass outside anyway” at the bottom of the first page of the contents. Finally, the collection needed another pass for proofreading–I found the misuse of apostrophes distracting (as in “see’s” for “sees”).
I give the collection 3.5 stars; overall, the originality and fun make up for some of the problems!
October 17, 2013
Cover Reveal: Stripped Clean by Ellis Carrington
Stripped Clean
by Ellis Carrington
Blurb:
Carlos O’Shea is stuck. He knocked-up a girl in college after a night of too much drinking, and then married her to be honorable. With little money, fewer options, and no degree, he winds up cleaning the floors in a small town gentleman’s club and thinking desperate thoughts about the handsome owner that’ll lead to
nothing but trouble.
Greg Moorehouse only invested in a nudie bar to help his best buddy out of a financial crisis. Now his drug-dealing ex boyfriend, his reverend father, and a parade of surgically-enhanced DD’s are driving him insane. But what’s really stripped him of all good sense is his growing obsession with his married employee, Carlos.
They circle each other in a push-pull of misunderstandings and growing attraction. Carlos needs to get his boss out of his head, and Greg can’t abide cheaters and married men. So what are a strip club owner and the guy who cleans going to do with their undeniable desires?
Please note: This is an adult GLBT romance (male/male romance), for mature readers only. Contains explicit love-making between two hot-blooded men, angsty dark moments, and cupcake-baking exotic dancers.
Available for purchase at
(iTunes coming soon)
Excerpt
Greg glanced at Carlos’s hand. “You still aren’t wearing your ring. Were you actually married, or was that some kinda fucked-up story?”
Carlos groaned and stared up at the morning sky. “She moved out, which was why I came by the club. I wanted to talk, but you were otherwise engaged.” He coughed a laugh. “I’m not sure what kind of crack I was smoking thinking that we were that kind of friend. You’re my boss for crying out loud.”
“Oh.” Greg pressed his lips together, nodding with mock agreement. “That’s very mature. While we’re being mature, should I trot out the liar-liar-pants-on-fire argument, because I’m pretty sure I saw you kissing that guy in there.”
Carlos thumped down the barely-holding-it-together wood stairs. “You did not see me kissing him in there. Did. Not.”
“Looked a hell of a lot like kissing.” Greg’s insides washed in relief, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to buy what Carlos was selling.
Carlos leaned close. “I handed him,” he said slowly, “a cup of coffee. We were talking. Our faces were close. The screen’s kinda thick on that living room window. Not the most conducive for spying, Greg.”
Oh Jesus. “I wasn’t spying I just happened— You know what? Whatever.” He spread his arms out wide. Took a step back. “So your wife being gone has nothing to do with you humping my leg in your sleep and coming in your pants?”
Carlos didn’t answer, but his face flushed a hot red that would have been sexy if Greg hadn’t been so pissed.
“Yeah. Listen,” Greg said. “This ain’t exactly an out-and-proud part of the country, man. Nobody knows better than I do. I’ve had my share of run-ins.” He stepped backward. Suddenly his stomach was full of rocks and he needed to get back to his car. “I still trusted you.” He nodded again, more to himself this time than to Carlos. “Gotta be honest, that you didn’t? Stings some.”
“Hey.” Carlos’s long legs ate up the distance between them. He gripped Greg’s shoulder with strong, dark fingers and pushed him back against the alcove over the front door, kissing hard.
Oh God. His distant memory of kissing Sammy had nothing on kissing Carlos. This was fire. Passion. Greg’s mouth came alive with Carlos’s lips on his. Their tongues slid together. His cock hardened as their bodies pressed in all the right places. Electricity shot through his veins when Carlos’s teeth grazed his tongue.
Carlos moaned and repositioned his mouth, kissing over and over. Harder. Harsher. Grinding erection against erection, twisting the fabric of Greg’s shirt in his hand.
Greg’s brought his hands to Carlos’s shoulders, and whether he was holding tighter or pushing away, he couldn’t quite tell even to himself.
Carlos pulled away, and Greg was still gasping when Carlos whispered in his ear, “I’m awake now, Greg.”
About the Author
Romance requires a hopeful ending and that is why Ellis Carrington is driven to write it. She loves to create original stories that are gritty, witty, and a little unexpected, just like the heroes who inhabit them. Her guys come in both human and non-human form because spirit guides and vampires deserve love too. Her favorite things are great friends, great music, and books that make her sob like there’s no tomorrow.
You can find her at
Presented By
Guest Author: Raymond Esposito – Writers Want Confirmation, Not Reviews
A huge welcome to today’s guest author, Raymond Esposito, who is here to talk about what authors really want!
Authors Want Confirmation, Not Reviews
If you’ve reached to point in your writing where as you’ve pressed my guess is that you believe that you have just released one of the best books “ever.” Regardless of the genre, yours stand above the masses because it is well-written, smart, insightful and a host of other accolades that should – if there is any justice in this world – appear on Kirkus, the New York Times, and Amazon. There may be some writer out there just pumping out junk, but you take your craft seriously and certainly the intelligent reader will notice and the reviews will demonstrate your greatness.
I’m not standing on a soap box here. Everything in the proceeding paragraph I believe about my work. Maybe, just maybe, The Stand is better than my book. When it comes to zombie apocalypses though, I absolutely nailed it. Or maybe I didn’t. Unfortunately I already published so when I submit the work for a review, I’m actually thinking, “could you write a hundred words about how much you loved my book?” Now I am certain that there are a few authors around who would decree that they want an “honest” review of their books. And I would respond that if you wanted an “honest” review, you would have asked for such before you published it. What difference do suggestions make at this point? Are you going to pull it off the market and work these suggestions or edits into your story? I think the answer is “no.” What we really want is confirmation that our novel is five stars.
I didn’t realize how true that was until I saw a rating of one of my novels on Goodreads. The reader gave it four stars. Now that isn’t as good as five, but it certainly isn’t one or two. Still I found myself wondering why it was one star short of greatness to this reader and then I started to look at other books she had rated. That’s obsessive and it is ridiculous. How does one even differentiate between a 5 star and 4 star rating? I “liked it a real lot” and I “loved it” are divided by such a thin wall. Should it matter that it isn’t the absolute “best” book she ever read? Well no…but really yes. I thought about sending a little message to the reader. As I imagined the interchange, I finally decided against it. Here is how I figured it might go:
Me: Hi, Thanks for reading my book. Hey I was just wondering what I could have done differently to make it a 5 star rating for you.
Her: Oh you’re welcome. It was a really good story and I enjoyed it.
Me: Yes I saw that with the 4 stars, but why didn’t you think it was 5?
Her: Well I hadn’t really thought about it, I guess I wanted to see a little more romance between the characters.
Me: Sure, but it’s a zombie story and there is some romance but I didn’t think it made sense to expand on that.
Her: Yeah I get it, but no big deal because I thought it was great.
Me: Then why not give it 5 stars?
Her: Umm like I said, it was really good, just not 5 stars for me, but I’m sure other people will give it 5.
Me: Well it sounds like you’re just guessing with your ratings! I mean it’s not a romance story you know!
Her: Look I don’t give anyone 5 stars okay.
Me: Oh I get it, little miss perfect, if you think you can do better then write your own F-ing book!
Her: You’re insane, leave me alone.
Me: I’m sorry, I really am, writers tend to get really attached to their work. Again, I apologize, and thank you for reading the story.
Her: You’re welcome.
Me: So maybe in your profile you should point out that a 4 star rating from you is really like everyone’s 5 star rating – I mean just so people know.
Her: No response
Me: I knew you were a stupid poopie head.
Unfortunately I think most authors feel somewhat this way. No one intends to write a bad book and everyone who puts the work “out there” wants the confirmation that the writing was a worthwhile endeavor. The problem, however, is that one cannot improve his or her craft without constructive criticism on the key elements that make a great story. The obstacle for Indie authors is that the cost of developmental edits are sometimes beyond the writer’s available resources. On the other side, reviewers who could help most – that being other authors – are hesitant to offer such advice. If your book is already published, even I don’t want to point out the info dumps, the errors in spelling, or potential dead-end sub-plots that should be removed.
In many aspects of our lives we practice the principle of “ask for forgiveness, not for permission.” When we publish a book without input and editing we are asking the reader to overlook any shortcomings and to focus on just “what was great.” There is a lot of ego in writing, but to truly master our craft we need to be objective when receiving criticism. We need to be able to separate what the reader would “like to happen” from the suggestions that would improve our story-telling. It’s no easy task. It’s not one that I have mastered, but with each new writing I try to employ every lesson learned to improve my work.
But that’s just me…am I the only one secretly looking for confirmation? Would you submit your published work for such criticism? If you received such would you be willing to change the writing or would you dismiss the reviewer as “ignorant” to your intent, your style or the craft? I guess it’s really a consideration of confidence. Over-confident leaves no room for growth. Under confident and the writer will take too much advice. I’m still trying to find the right level of confidence…until then can you just give me a five star review in exchange for my promise to improve?
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About the Author
Raymond Esposito was born in Northford, Connecticut in 1966. He discovered his love of horror when he saw The Omega Man at the drive-in. In 1984, he attended the University of Connecticut where he earned a degree in psychology. He currently works as an executive for an international professional services firm. Night and weekends are devoted to writing. He has self-published You and Me against the World in 2012 and All Our Foolish Schemes in 2013. He has written over thirty short stories, the latest of which appeared in Sanitarium Magazine. You can find his blog at http://www.writinginadeadworld.com and his fiction writing at http://www.nightmirrors.com
Today Raymond lives in Fort Myers, Florida. He married the perfect women, he raised two perfect sons, and was blessed with three beautiful stepdaughters which he considers the best “gift with purchase” any second marriage could provide. He also shares his castle with their 130 pound “puppy” Zeus. The two often debate the merits and drawbacks of feeding Twinkies to a dog…to date Zeus has won all those arguments.
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Raymond Esposito, Author of The Creepers Saga
Visit my website: http://www.nightmirrors.com
Writing Blog: Writing in a Dead World
October 15, 2013
Spotlight On Ragesong: The Awakening, by J.R. Simmons
Title: Ragesong: Awakening
Author: J.R. Simmons
Genre: YA Fantasy Adventure
When the peaceful kingdom of Fermicia is enslaved by a power-hungry renegade, its only hope lies in a band of unlikely heroes: two children whose musical abilities allow them to harness the power of Ragesong, and their shape-changing guides.
Jake starts his first day of junior high completely oblivious to the fact that he has been chosen for something incredible. That same afternoon, he learns that he has been marked as one with the power to save an entire kingdom. Through the course of his journey, Jake discovers that his advanced musical abilities are peculiarly connected to a mysterious power known as Ragesong. Joined by a shy, young girl with similar musical talents and two Changelings that hold a fierce loyalty to their homeland and king, Jake must learn to harness this ability in order to survive the dangers of a hostile new world.
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Author Bio
JR Simmons lives in Northern Utah with his wife and 4 boys. He loves spending time with his family and coaching his kids in all of their different sports. He is an avid gamer and is very excited that his boys are picking up on his hobby. JR was recently introduced to triathlons and has since found that he loves the sport. Most nights he can be found either sitting down with a good game or hunched over his iPad writing.
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Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RagesongBook
Blog: http://jrsimmons3.wordpress.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/jrsimmons_3
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Buy Ragesong: Awakening
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ragesong-jr-simmons/1116549014?ean=2940148742289
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Book Excerpt
from Chapter 6
Band
Lifting his flute to his lips, Jake blew into it, testing the pitch. When it sounded a little sharp, he pulled the head joint out a little and tried again. Once satisfied with the tuning, he glanced up and saw a speculative expression on Ms. Gladwell’s face. He counted to himself and then started to play his song.
The boys who were smirking jerked their heads up straight. Hearing whispers of recognition as he played, Jake smiled inwardly. His mom had been right; the song had gotten their attention. He played through The Legend of Zelda theme song and when he finished everyone started to clap without even waiting for the teacher’s lead. No one was smirking now and a lot of the boys were talking excitedly.
“All right, quiet down now,” said Ms. Gladwell as she attempted to bring the class under control. “That was lovely, Jake, thank you. It brings back memories.” Winking at him, she laughed. “Zelda is one of my favorites, although none of the sequels have held a candle to the original. Graphics aren’t everything you know.”
All the boys started whispering again. Their teacher played games? How cool was that!
“Yes, yes, I play video games! I am not that old,” she continued. “When I was a girl, I played the original first. Now please sit down, Jake, as we still have one more student who would like to play, and then we need to talk about the syllabus before the bell rings.”
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Solstice Publishing Halloween Scavenger Hunt & Other Cool Stuff
Hi, everyone!
Welcome to my entry for this year’s Solstice Publishing Scavenger Hunt!
Here’s the riddle: What happens when a ghost gets lost in the fog?
Think you know the answer? Use it to win! Make a note of the answer. Then follow the links to all the other riddles and jokes. Answer them all correctly and you could win 50 (fifty!!!) e-books from Solstice Publishing. Second place wins 5 free books; third place wins 3.
From here, hop to the Solstice Publishing blog: http://store.solsticepublishing.com/halloween-scavenger-hunt/
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Also, be sure to follow the Waking Up Dead Blog Tour this month: http://www.enchantedbookpromotions.com/tour-schedule-waking-up-dead/
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October 14, 2013
Darkness Knows Me, by Chrinda Jones
Release date: April 1st, 2013
Genre: Mystery
Richard McMann hangs by his arms from the rafters of Red Curtain Club- naked. His ankles are bound together and his throat is cut in what appears to be a gruesome still-life tribute to Christ’s crucifixion. There is no blood in spite of the gaping wound to his throat and his entire body is covered by what looks like a fine white powder. The salt granules scattered on the dance floor beneath his feet and the fact that his body faces due east, make his murder different yet similar to the death days earlier in a club a few blocks away.
South Dallas police detective, Olivia Gates and criminal psychologist, Dr. Will Green, engage in a game of wits with a serial killer who haunts the nightclubs of Deep Ellum, leaving behind ritualistic sacrifices of those people he believes deserving of the act. Is he a raging psychopath, killing just to kill, or is there method behind his madness?
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18108167-darkness-knows-me?ac=1
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Book Excerpt
Olivia sorted through the mound of photos Will worked with and pulled out three photos each from Robbins’ and McMann’s crime scenes. She placed them on the floor in front of him and said, “Both bodies were meticulously cleaned and groomed: Hair, nails, everything. White stage powder and white grease paint covered McMann’s body but not Robbins’. A fine salt covered the floor under McMann, but the floor under Robbins we found clean. Both bodies were displayed, but the unsub purposely posed McMann’s body to portray Christ’s crucifixion. Why such a difference in M.O.?”
Will opened the box and stuffed a stale, dry wafer into his mouth. “He’s building his ritual as he goes, Livvy. He’s working outside a designated set of parameters, at least for the time being. We’ll see a little more consistency with the scenes once he’s formed a more defined set of parameters for carrying out the ritual.” Will pulled a few more of the vanilla flavored cookies from the box and then closed it. “Good for him, because it allows him more creativity. Bad for us, because it will prove to be harder to pin him down.” He reached for the bottle of water beside him and explained what he meant, “You can see during the interval between killings he started researching different cultural rituals, particularly purification rituals. That’s why McMann’s scene includes the act of purifying the ground beneath the body.” Will took a deep draught from the plastic bottle, swallowed hard, cleared his throat of leftover cookie and asked, “Did you happen to notice which direction the bodies were facing?”
Olivia flashed through the crime scene images her brain filed away and called to mind the position of the bodies in proximity to the main entrances of each club. “East, he positioned the bodies so they were facing to the east.”
“We’re probably looking at a mixture of Christian and Eastern rituals then. The use of salt and facing the bodies to the east are likely from Eastern purification rituals. The posed crucifixion and covering of blemishes is his take on the perfect sacrifice of the Christian faith,” he said.
“So he’s attempting to make these men acceptable sacrifices to his god.”
“Possibly, I haven’t worked completely through the reasoning behind the ritual.”
Olivia pawed through the mounds again and found the photos of the round indentations at the periphery of the salt spread beneath McMann. She held the photos out in front of Will. “What do you make of these?”
“The best I can offer from viewing both angles is that we’re seeing the indentations left from kneeling in the salt. See the long concave marks in the salt leading away from the indentations? They’re likely the marks left by kneeling and then leaning back on his toes.”
“Why would he kneel at all and why there in particular?” she asked.
“I suspect he was showing reverence to the god he sacrificed to. Why there specifically? It probably had something to do with proximity to the body, getting as close as he could get without destroying the pattern he made across the floor. He was probably facing east as well. Does any of this sound a bit familiar?” he nudged her verbally again.
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About the Author
Chrinda Jones was born in 1964, in Sacramento,CA. She lived the first 30 years of her life in Oregon and has since lived in several different states across the U.S. She began learning to write in earnest when her four children started leaving the nest. She is the author of the Olivia Gates and Will Green crime series set in Dallas, Texas, of which “Darkness knows Me” is the first installment. A musician and lover of books, she lives in Murphy, Texas with her husband and her Jugg, Abby.
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Tour Giveaway
Prize: 15USD Amazon Gift Card
October 13, 2013
Black, by Russell Blake + Giveaway
Artemus Black. Perennially down-on-his-luck Hollywood PI whose Bogie fixation is as dated as his wardrobe. With an assistant who mocks him relentlessly, an obese cat that loathes him, a romantic life that’s deader than Elvis, money problems, booze, nicotine, and anger management issues, how much worse can it get? When he takes a case that’s supposed to be easy money working for a celebrity whose colleagues and surrounding paparazzi are dropping faster than interest in the star’s big comeback, the cakewalk turns ugly and Black finds himself in a web of deceit, betrayal, and murder – and bad hair days.
The first in a new series from bestselling author Russell Blake, Black is a detective mystery with a difference that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.
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Book Links
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18478712-black?from_search=true
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/BLACK-ebook/dp/B00F27B8YI
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-russell-blake/1116946619?ean=2940045269971
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PRAISE FOR BLACK
“A sadistically good writer.” – The Kindle Book Review
“I haven’t been this excited by a new series in a long time. I’ve read five or six Blake books, which were all very good, but he absolutely nails the hard-boiled genre. He has a knack for creating memorable characters and the main character Black and his assistant will not be forgotten anytime soon. I’ve always enjoyed Blake’s humor, but the dialogue between the two aforementioned characters is hysterical. Finally – as usual, Blake moves the book along at a nice pace with enough twists, turns, and adventure to keep any reader engrossed. I can’t wait for the next one in this series.” Trenchgold, Amazon 5 Star review.
“I’ve read several of Blake’s books and this is my favorite. It features well developed characters, great humor, and a fun plot. The writing is also fantastic. I especially love the book’s treatment of LA, and its characters, more often than not leftovers from broken dreams. If you love Elmore Leonard, and who doesn’t, you’re going to love Black. Five stars.” Wright Forbucks, Amazon 5 Star review.
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Russell Blake Bio
Russell Blake is the bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including the thrillers Fatal Exchange, The Geronimo Breach, Zero Sum, King of Swords, Night of the Assassin, Revenge of the Assassin, Return of the Assassin, Blood of the Assassin, The Delphi Chronicle trilogy, The Voynich Cypher, Silver Justice, JET, JET II – Betrayal, JET III – Vengeance, JET IV – Reckoning, JET V – Legacy, Upon A Pale Horse, and BLACK. Non-fiction includes the international bestseller An Angel With Fur (animal biography) and How To Sell A Gazillion eBooks In No Time (even if drunk, high or incarcerated), a parody of all things writing-related. Blake lives in Mexico and enjoys his dogs, fishing, boating, tequila and writing, while battling world domination by clowns.
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Media Links
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlakeBooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Russell-Blake/107548809340703
Website: http://russellblake.com/
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Rafflecopter Giveaway is open Internationally. | Must be 13+ to Enter
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October 12, 2013
Interview: Bebe Knight, Author of An Element of Time
Today, we are joined by the incomparable Bebe Knight, not only a fabulous writer, but a delightfully generous person with whom to work. She is here discussing her Eternal Flame series–in particular, the first novel, An Element of Time. Welcome, Bebe!
(Also, An Element of Time is on sale for $.99 right now–it’s a great time to get it!)
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First off, I just want to say thank you to Margo for hosting me! It’s an honor to be able to work with some amazing authors such as her!
What do you write about?
My Eternal Flame Series is a paranormal romance series. In the first book, An Element of Time, you get to meet a coven of vampires, some evil werewolves and a group of hunters. There’s a little bit of something for everyone! There’s some action, suspense and a whole lot of desire when it comes to our hero and heroine, Mackenzie and Veronica.
Have you ever used characteristics from someone you know in one of your books?
Yes! My stories are very character driven and I love to incorporate real life moments into their lives. Be it physical characteristics, emotional characteristics, or even just the way they talk.
Tell us a little about your work in progress.
Right now I’m working on two things. One is the second book in my series which will be titled Sunset Shadows. And two, a young adult screenplay. (Actually, I’ve been working on it for about five years.)
What is your personal writing process?
I have to be in the zone in order to write. I need total silence, I need a cup of coffee (or wine depending on the scene I’m writing) and I need a good solid chunk of time to be able to write.
Who are a few authors you look up to?
I adore J.R. Ward and J.K. Rowling. I strive to be as talented as those two classy ladies.
What inspired you to write your first book?
NaNoWriMo and Twilight. I was talking to my sister one day about how paranormal romance was all the rage and mentioned I had an idea for a series. She introduced me to NaNoWriMo and said I should just give it a try. So I did, and the first draft of An Element of Time was born.
What do you find particularly challenging about writing?
Right now, finding the time with a toddler!
If there was one message you could send to everybody who reads your books, what would it be?
That I truly hope you enjoy it. That it tugs at your heart strings, brings you some good laughs and that the characters stay with you forever.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
Just go for it. You’ll never know how it ends if you don’t at least start.
Where can readers find you and your work?
Right now An Element of Time is available in e-book format exclusively through Amazon. Paperback due out early 2014.
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Amazon.co.uk
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Check out the information and excerpt below. Remember: An Element of Time is only $.99 this weekend!
A vampire and a slayer walk into a bar… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but for Veronica and Mackenzie, it’s the beginning of the rest of their lives…
The world has seen its fair share of evil, but Veronica Chase had no idea such monsters truly existed. Werewolves, poltergeists, witches… even vampires. Ignorance was bliss. But her reality was crushed on that horrid day her family was taken away from her. Now, Veronica has devoted her entire life to hunting those very creatures, searching for the werewolf pack that murdered her parents in hopes of finding her abducted sister. Nothing will get in her way of settling the score for the hand she was unjustly dealt. That is until her newest assignment brings her to her knees.
After one hundred and eight years on earth, Mackenzie Jones thought he had seen it all. With the exception of daylight of course, but that’s what comes with the territory being a vampire and all. Perpetually damned to live his life as a bartender in the shadows of the night, nothing has sparked his interest lately. Just once he wished something exciting would happen in his mundane life. Little did he know, his wish was about to come true. Walking through the door to his bar, and into his heart, Mackenzie allows love to take the wheel for the first time. There’s just one slight problem. She’s there to kill him.
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Excerpt
The delectable scent of meat searing on the grill hit his senses as he made his way into the kitchen. Daniela was making his favorite meal; filet mignon. Mackenzie hadn’t realized how long he’d gone without food until now; his stomach growled in response to the sizzling steak, ready to eat it raw if he had to. Daniela turned off the blender and poured the concoction into some glasses.
“I thought this might cheer you up,” Daniela said, handing a glass to Mackenzie. “Drink up!” Her attention went back to the blender as she sang, “You put the lime in the coconut, and drink them both up.”
Daniela had a way of making all the troubles in the world just disappear, even if it was as simple as making his favorite meal or whipping up a tasty drink. Mackenzie sat at the head of the table and gulped down the contents in his cup. But for some reason, it didn’t work this time. He was still as depressed as he was before. Maybe even more so.
Smacking the glass down on the table a little harder than he intended, the crystal chimed delicately in response. One drop of blood from the Type O cocktail escaped the lip of the glass and started to slowly slide its way down to the base. Mackenzie stared at the liquid ruby and couldn’t help but image it being the warm blood of a lover, descending down her neck after a fresh bite. His fangs released in response. How he longed to hold a woman with soft, beautiful skin in his arms. Maybe Daniela was right, maybe he did need a companion. Instead, the opaque crystal goblet sat lifelessly in his palm. He picked up the glass and slowly licked the droplet in one upward flick of the tongue. The action, as harmless as it was, opened a flood gate of instincts Mackenzie had to try to repress; he had to push back into the coffin where he stashed them years ago.
“You okay?” Daniela asked, sitting down next to him. “You look a little pale, like you’re going to be sick.”
“Of course I’m pale. I’m a vampire.” Mackenzie smiled, showing off his protracted fangs. Daniela chuckled in response and went back to finishing the meal.
Lucky for him, she bought his lame excuse when in actuality he was scared. Scared that his vampire nature would spring to life and drown him in blood lust for all the years he suppressed the urge. He barely knew what it was like to be a vampire, but his instincts were rushing back to him.
Now, after visualizing that tantalizing temptation, he had to try not to be one again.
Shit, Mackenzie thought.
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About the Author
Bebe Knight is the author of the paranormal romance series, The Eternal Flame Books. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband and son. Writing has always been a part of her life whether it be books, plays, or handwritten letters to friends and family. It’s a dream come true for her to be able to share her stories with others.
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October 11, 2013
Spotlight On: Carrots (A Shelby Nichols Adventure) + a Giveaway
Blurb:
Shelby Nichols is an average woman who is married to the only guy she ever fell for. Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children. All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber’s mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover. Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer. The next thing she knows, she’s lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn’t suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly ‘hears’ what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she’s bossy and too old to understand them, but that’s nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn’t want her to know? As if that isn’t enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he’s out to silence her forever. In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone’s thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.
Available for purchase at
About the Author
A long career as a wife and mother while juggling several part-time jobs gave Colleen the ambition to dream of being a published author, where she could put her imagination to good use. Now instead of making up stories to tell her children, she writes books they love to read. Hopefully you will too. She is the author of three romantic fantasy novels, Songbird, Flame of Destiny and The Relic. Her Shelby Nichols Adventures include Carrots, Fast Money, Lie or Die, Secrets That Kill, and Trapped By Revenge coming soon!
Review: Cerberus, by P.K. Gallagher + Giveaway
Review
In P.K. Gallagher’s novel Cerberus, Kaeden Parish’s life seems perfectly normal. Sure, his girlfriend Genesis might seem a little reserved sometimes, and Hagan, the guy he’s training to take over his job at Bosch’s Archive antique bookstore, might be a little too good, but nothing’s out of the ordinary. He’s got plans for his future after graduation, and he doesn’t see them changing anytime soon. Until, that is, the night he is attacked in a dark alley by a stranger who seems to know who he is. Kaeden’s world turns upside down, and all the rules he used to follow no longer apply.
Cerberus drew me in instantly. Watching Kaeden’s unwilling transformation from regular-guy student to the kind of monster he never believed in was fabulous, and Gallagher’s depictions of the relationship between Genesis and Kaeden rang true for me, right down to Kaeden’s slight disbelief that he had never quite grown used to the attraction he felt for her. Unraveling the mystery of the secret Genesis holds—the underlying reason for her reserved nature—and Kaeden’s new experiences in a supernatural shadow world kept me entertained throughout the book.
I don’t want to give any serious spoilers, so I’ll just say that the utter lack of sparkles in this book made me happy—I love novels that trace a character’s experience changing from human to monster, and this one did not fail. It’s a great book, and perfect for October; it’s got mystery, monsters, and mayhem galore, and it made me a very happy reader. I can’t wait for the next book!
Score: 9/10
5 stars
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About the Author
Despite writing stories that take place almost exclusively in New England, speculative young adult fiction author P. K. Gallagher has lived in the suburbs of the south her entire life. It is to this that she attributes her love of the fantastic and the supernatural—writing such things was her only escape from the monotony of Suburbia. Gallagher graduated from Florida A&M University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a fervent desire to never set foot inside a newsroom again.
She currently lives in Atlanta and divides her time between working a day job, finishing her works in progress, and perfecting her plans for world domination.
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