D.B. Nielsen's Blog: D B Nielsen's Author Blog, page 5

Dec 18 - What is on your TBR list for this Holiday S...

Dec 18 - What is on your TBR list for this Holiday Season?
Ho, ho, ho! Happy Holidays! I must admit that I totally love this season. Everything about it is hectic but fun. And the memories last a lifetime. You never forget the aromatic smells – of fruits soaking in brandy, the gingerbread baking, the pine cones and needles on a real fir tree, the basting duck or turkey – and the sights, those glorious visions of Christmas with tinsel and pretty lights festooning the streets, the ‘Santa Claus’ and elves in every kids’ toy and department stores, the nativity scenes in front of the churches as you pass by, the twinkling decorations in your neighbours’ houses visible through their windows and decorating their porches in welcome – there’s so much about this season that brings with it warmth and happiness…
And if, like me, you can get over the craziness of the season – Christmas parties, kids’ concerts, carols in the park, shopping for Christmas presents, braving the roads/ car parking/ overcrowded shops, preparing the delicacies such as Christmas pudding or cake, duck or turkey, cranberry sauce, rice pudding, and so forth – then you might have some time to yourself for READING!!
So, as you’d expect, my TBR list is really looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnggggggggg, especially as my tastes are slightly eclectic. I like reading everything from Indie books to mainstream bestsellers, history books to biographies. The only thing I don’t read – particularly when I’m writing – are bestselling YA/ NA books that feature angels or Nephilim (I seriously don’t want to be influenced by other great authors and their ideas). But here are some TBR books at the top of my ‘Happy Holidays’ pile…
·         Richard Flanagan’s Man Booker Prize winning novel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North. A novel of the cruelty of war, tenuousness of life and the impossibility of love. Blurb: “August, 1943. In the despair of a Japanese POW camp on the Thai-Burma death railway, Australian surgeon Dorrigo Evans is haunted by his love affair with his uncle's young wife two years earlier. Struggling to save the men under his command from starvation, from cholera, from beatings, he receives a letter that will change his life forever. This savagely beautiful novel is a story about the many forms of love and death, of war and truth, as one man comes of age, prospers, only to discover all that he has lost.” Doesn’t this just sound fascinating? I think, for me, it’s a must read as my grandfather was a British officer during WWII and gave his life for his men in a Japanese POW camp – so it is a novel that resonates strongly with my personal history and I can’t wait to read it.
·         Renita D’Silva’s The Stolen Girl. Blurb: “‘Your mother has been arrested. She stole you.’ For as long as thirteen-year-old Diya can remember, it’s always been just her and her mum, Vani. Despite never staying in one place long enough to call it home, with her mother by her side, Diya has never needed anything else. Then, in an instant, Diya’s fragile world is shattered. Her mother is arrested, accused of abducting Diya when she was a baby… Vani has spent a lifetime looking over her shoulder, determined to make the best possible life for her daughter. Now she must fight for her child, re-opening the door to her own childhood in India and the woman who was once as close to her as a sister. Told through the eyes of Diya, Vani and Aarti, this is a heart-breaking story of friendship and betrayal, love and motherhood, which asks the question; how far would you go to protect your only child?” This book looks to be an enthralling read – and in D’Silva’s deft hands, I’m sure it’s told with great heart.
·         L.A. Starkey’s Deceived (Soul Keepers Series Book 1). Now I know they say: don’t judge a book by its cover – but this cover is eye-catching and makes me want to pick it up and read the book. Blurb: “They say a soul is the immaterial essence, the animating principle, the actuating cause of an individual life. But what if you had to share yours with the one person you hated the most? The soul mate principle states that for every one soul there is another that will recognize its match, hence creating the perfect union. But what if you had two soul mates, which would you choose?
What if your choices had eternal ramification? Deceived, the debut novel in the Soul Keeper Series, is a modern day love story about the implications of having more than one soul mate, and having to choose between the two of them. The decisions of the gods has left the next generation, their heirs, torn between fate and reality, and the balance of the future hangs in anticipation of what’s to come.” I love these kinds of novels that combine fantasy with mystery and romance…
·         Renee N. Meland’s The Extraction List. Another novel I would pick up just based on the cover alone (yes, I know that makes me seem shallow but what the hell – you can’t tell me that you don’t read with your eyes!!!) Blurb: “In a futuristic America where parenting is regulated by the federal government, fifteen-year-old Riley Crane knows exactly where to turn when she finds out her best friend is being abused. Her mother Claire is the writer and spokesperson for the Parental Morality Law, and she seems to have the unwavering support of the White House behind her. Until a knock on the door one evening changes everything. Faced with a government official standing on their porch ready to make Riley the law’s latest victim, both women must rely on Cain Foley, a gifted killer with a tongue as sharp as the knives he carries, to get them out of America alive. Together, they learn that a killer can save a life, and a mother can damn a nation.” Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? I’ve heard good things about this book – lots of plot twists and nothing predictable. It’s also part of a series – and I love that because I hate it when a good book ends.
·         Eimear McBride’s A Girl is a Half-formed Thing. I’ve been dying to read this novel. The title is completely brilliant. I’d buy the book on the title alone. But the idea of this novel is just amazingly, emotionally stirring. Blurb: “This incredible debut novel tells, with astonishing insight and in brutal detail, the story of a young woman’s relationship with her brother, and the long shadow cast by his childhood brain tumour. Not so much a stream-of-consciousness, as an unconscious railing against a life that makes little sense, and a shocking and intimate insight into the thoughts, feelings and chaotic sexuality of a vulnerable and isolated protagonist. To read A Girl is a Half-formed Thing is to plunge inside its narrator’s head, experiencing her world first-hand. This isn't always comfortable - but it is always a revelation.” Doesn’t that sound just awesome? This book has won a fistful of awards but I think, for me, I can tell the writer wrote with passion – a love for her subject – and that’s why I buy a book.

 So, there’s just a few of the books I’ll be reading this holiday season (with a lovely cup of tea and slice of Christmas cake!)
Have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year…

Winners Announced: Secret Santa's Indie Book Giveaway

~~ Santa is giving out his surprise gifts ~~Congratulations to all the lucky entrants for winning a fabulous Indie Book from #IndieBooksBeSeen Indie Book Giveaway. Name Author Indie Book  Format Alain Brix-Nielsen Chess  Desalls Travel Glasses ebook Amanda Beaty Cleo DeLancey Keiran the Pirate paperback Angela K. Naff Valerie Kinney Just Hold On ebook Bee Love Ed Ireland The Last Ranger of Sarn and Blood Moon Sacrifice ebook set Bethany jennifer gibson Sway ebook Bob Frank Heather Day Gilbert Miranda Warning ebook or paperback Boyd Jamison Patrena Miller She's Not Worthy ebook or paperback Carol Cassada JC Brennan A Fine Line paperback Casey Wurster Renee N. Meland The Extraction List   Crissy Moss Pete Buckley The Colonel of Krasnoyarsk ebook Danielle Petersen Mark Shaw The Keeper of the Wind   Elizabeth Chang Adrienne Thompson Your Love is King ebook Dannie Ashcroft McClain J.S. Snow Redemption   David Spell Wesley Morrison Let No False Angels ebook or paperback Dianne Bylo jennifer gibson Compas ebook DM Cain Robert A Palmer Relyk   Douglas Mikey Campling Trespass The Darkeningstone Emily CK Dawn Cloak of Shadows ebook or paperback Errin Stowell DB Nielsen SEED: Keepers of Genesis I ebook or paperback Erth Diana Hardin Ash Krafton Bleeding Hearts   Gabrielle Compolongo Wodke Hawkinson Betrayed (18+) ebook Gail Fuhlman Beachbodycoach A.T. Russell Sacred Puppies   Yaritza Santana Rose Montague Jade   Gemma Sharp Clare Watkinson Impossible Princess   Gia  Echo Fox Wave Singers ebook H. R. Kasper Paul David Chambers Manners Cost Everything HaveBooks WillSurvive Christy Heron Unrequited   Holly Letson Suzanne McKenna Link Saving Toby ebook or paperback Jana Leah Kirby Howell AUTUMN IN THE CITY OF ANGELS ebook (optional local paperback) Janel Flynn M.E. Walker The Finding   Jeannie Nora Rochelle Campbell Fury From Hell ebook Jennifer Abel CJ Morrow The Finder   Jessica Filippi Zelkovich Mika Jolie The Scale (Martha's Way Series) & Need You Now Jessica Reads Josephine O'Brien Shared Skies ebook or paperback Jessica Stout Clara Grace Walker Gossip   Jill Millman Colleen Gareau My Mothers Summer Vacations paperback Jo Ann Willard Reinhold Ksenia Anske IRKADURA.   Jody Faltys Kory M. Shrum Dying by the Hour & Dying for a living ebook or paperback Johanna Harness Colleen Gareau Sam(uel) paperback jonathan dixit Jason Pinnington Harry Webb Paperback Joseph Hawkshaw Echo Fox Earth Drummer ebook Katie Kitkat Halliday Hj Lawson War Kids   Keeley Frank Terrick Heckstall The 11th Percent   Kelly Goode Michelle A.Picarella Livian   Meghan Christina L. Rozelle The Treemakers   Kim Anderson jennifer gibson Destiny ebook Kim T. M Hall Karen Morris Herkes Controlled Descent ebook or paperback Kristen Noel Peggy M McAloon Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals ebook or paperback Kylie Kaemke Clara Grace Walker Redemption   Lori Christensen Kristen Mott Odie the Stray Kitten   Lorna-Jane Holland Jonathan M. Dixit BabyWorld Paperback Lyza Jo Boyko Ovcharov Wandering Feelings   Maggie Plummer Mark Victor Young  Once Were Friends   Margaret Taylor Mistral Dawn Taken by the Huntsman ebook Margie Longano Miklas W.M. Calloway The Xenton Chronicles Paperback  Maria Bradley Robin MartinDuttmann Zoo on the Moon   Maxine Darling Lacombe Jessica Keller Saving Yesterday ebook or paperback Melissa Brown Elizabeth Guizzetti Other Systems (16+)   Melissa Worcester Jacci Turner Bending Willow   Merelyn Reads Echo Fox Air Riders ebook Michelle Buxton K.S. Marsden The Shadow Rises ebook or paperback Micielle Carter D.M. Cain A Chronicle of Chaos   Mistral Dawn Danielle Prophet The Opposite Of Gravity ebook or paperback Nancy Jones Patrena Miller The Road ebook or paperback Netasha Patywich M.J. Fahy The Magpie King paperback Nina Arnold Lori Crane Oaktibbee Creek   Olivia Mitchell Wanda Smith Summer Winds   Olivia Will Kevin Moore The Golden Merra Volume 1 Pat Walker Adam Dreece The Yellow Hoods: Along Came a Wolf (Book 1) ebook or paperback Patrena Miller LISA The Elemental   Jennifer Daniels A.S. Washington The Twelve   Renée Becker Kylie Kaemke Heavy Hearts   Rhea Baugham Christina McMullen Going Green paperback Rob Greco Taylor Ann Bunker Witch in the Woods ebook or paperback Robert Donald Wilson II Cross Roads   Robin Lythgoe C. L. Schneider The Crown of Stones paperback (optional ebook) Rose Wallin Dylan J. Morgan The Dead Lands ebook (optional local paperback) Sara S David P Perlmutter Wrong Place Wrong Time paperback Sarit Dana-Yahalomi Elena Sandovici Dogs With Bagles ebook or paperback SB Morales Suzette Brown Alzheimer's Through My Mothers Eyes Sharyn Gray Lori Lesko Copyright   Shelley Summers KK Allen The Summer Solstice: Enchanted Shelly Hammond Neil Winnington Religious Pursuit paperback Sherry Extine L.A. Starkey Deceived ebook (optional local paperback) Steph Wild Johanna Harness Spillworthy ebook or paperback Trisha Balmer Clara Grace Walker Gratification   Valarie Kinney Jo Bissell Beyond the Reach of Judgement  veronica Cheri M. Bauer I Am… ebook Traci Berlanda Troutman Barbara Garren Infinite Potential paperback (two copies)

Day 11 of #25DaysOfIndie

A Bibliophiles Journey Day 11


Thank Keeley for featuring my novel :-)

To follow more of Keeley's posts

Also some great news for Goodreads fans from Keeley

12 Days of Christmas

Join in the event at Reading and Things

Time of event: Starting daily 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. CDT for spotlight event on Facebook Event Page (for the days with 4 people spotlighted the event will last until 10:00 p.m CDT)

Facebook Event Page (make sure to go to this link and join the event): https://www.facebook.com/events/1505122686441402/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

There will be 2 parts to this event. The blog portion and the spotlight portion on the Facebook Event Page.

Some Christmas Cheer for #IndieBooksBeSeen

Thanks to all the supporters of the #indiebookbeseen movement.
Enjoy this little tribute by Maria Bradley

Take a Journey through History with Sage Woods…

Isn’t it a thrilling feeling when you open up the pages of a book and you can be with Elizabeth Bennett as she falls in love with Darcy at Pemberley? Discover the madwoman locked up in the attic with Jane Eyre? And wander the Yorkshire Moors with Catherine and Heathcliff?
Have you ever had the feeling that you don’t just want to read a book but that you want to climb inside its world and live there? Have you ever talked about characters as if they were your friends and felt like you know them better than you know the people at your work or school?

That’s why the places and historical sites in my novel are as accurate as I can make them, as I’d love for readers to be able to travel to the places my main protagonist, Sage Woods has been to and lived in…

I’d like to invite you on a journey of the imagination – one where, if you have the time and inclination, you can retrace and relive in reality. I’d like to take you on a visual tour of some of the places Sage visits on her journey of discovery, places that exist in our real world… some that are bizarre, some haunting, some macabre, and some romantic… Let’s begin…

We start our tour in the Kentish countryside where Sage Woods lives with her family.






The natural, haunting beauty of the landscape allows for all kinds of supernatural occurrences:

“…the landscape retained its drenched mossy greenery. The silver birch trees shimmered against its lushness like something out of a fairy tale and, most evenings, the sky reflected the same silvery-grey hues while, during the day, it remained an oppressive and unchanging waterlogged gunpowder...”

If you thought that Bella and Edward’s tryst in a field of flowers was romantic or sexy, then Kent has a lot to offer in its local ‘wildlife’. Living close to the Woods’ family in a Gothic ruin is its mysterious caretaker – that’s if you like your Byronic hero-villains a little ‘rough around the edges’. Yet Finn also displays a sensitive side as he is often seen painting or sketching in the surrounding forest. It’s possible if you take a walk in the woods, you may meet him…

Perhaps, however, the most interesting thing about him is that he resides at Satis House, the estate featured in the famous, haunting Dickens’ novel, Great Expectations where the eccentric, reclusive Miss Havisham burnt to death. When Sage and her twin sister, Saffron, first visit the house, they have an otherworldly experience:

“We finally broke through the overgrowth and Satis House loomed before us. It was dismal, derelict, gutted – old brick seemed to buckle under its own weight and many of the windows were boarded up; those that remained on the lower floor were behind rusted iron bars. Stones jutted at awkward angles and the balustrade was crumbling in places…”






Is Satis House just another Gothic ruin or is it a portal to another world? You can find out for yourself as it is possible to stay overnight at the newly-renovated hotel that was once this grand manor (that’s if you’re not afraid of encountering things that go bump in the night…)

Next on our tour is the British Museum. Filled with ancient artefacts, relics and mummies, the British Museum is a popular tourist destination, but it is here that Sage experiences her first paranormal incident. It’s no wonder too… the museum is a mysterious, spooky place where history resides within its walls. The lives of others make for interesting stories and, if you’re interested in history like I am, you can travel through time as you gaze upon the Rosetta Stone and statues of the Pharaohs, the Elgin Marbles taken from the Parthenon, and the Viking ship found buried at the Sutton Hoo…






If you follow Sage’s journey in the novel, the exhibits described in the museum can actually be viewed, such as the ‘cosmic map’ from ancient Mesopotamia.






This ‘cosmic map’ explains the Babylonian view of the mythological world and is part of the mystery that surrounds Sage’s quest. But what key does it hold to her future? If you’re interested in horoscopes, the Zodiac and astronomy, take a look at some of the exhibits at the British Museum, especially in the areas featuring artefacts from ancient Mesopotamia…

It is here that Sage first meets the young, enigmatic and alluring archaeologist (move over Indiana Jones), St. John Rivers. It is a meeting that will have surprising ramifications for Sage and, in turn, for humankind…

“It was because I was so transfixed with my find that I initially failed to notice that I was being scrutinized from across the room. The first I became aware of it was a prickling sensation down my back, the hairs on my neck and arms raised giving me goose bumps. I turned my head round nervously, looking back over my shoulder … He stood at a distance, a young man in his mid-twenties perhaps, taller than average. No mere accident of lighting, his slightly curly locks, the colour of polished brass, formed a halo around a face that was much too beautiful to be called handsome. The only way to describe him was golden.”

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. This meeting and her discovery of the artefact leads Sage and St. John to the Louvre in Paris to track down more clues and information. But that’s not the only reason visitors come to Paris – they come for the food and the art and the romance, as Paris is not the City of Love and Lights for nothing:




“The Musée du Louvre was garbed in Renaissance romanticism, its imposing façade now lovingly draped in the silvery tones of twilight – a fitting backdrop to accentuate its beauty. Shaped like an enormous horseshoe, the Louvre extended across the plaza’s expanse, folding its corners of open space and attempting to carry it all in its wings. The sheer majesty of its façade never failed to take away my breath…”

But the Louvre holds both menace as well as beauty, threat and the promise of reward…

Despite its surreal splendour, it is here in Paris that Sage encounters true evil … but it is St. John who saves her, finally revealing his true nature as a Nephilim.



“As I watched carefully, barely daring to breathe, the shadows lengthened, flattening against the stone. St. John’s silhouette rose between us and from his shoulders unfurled the shadow of enormous wings, spreading, expanding till it reached the vaulted ceiling. Light radiated from him, around him, between us.”

Yet as the threat intensifies, sending Sage and St. John rush off to Vatican City and the ancient catacombs that lie beneath its serene façade:



“We entered into a tiny cavity and the glow of the torch brought a new dawn to its macabre décor. The arch was crafted from hundreds of skulls – mocking me with their silent laughter. Further in, I could see that vertebrae and femurs, some yellowed with age, formed grisly curlicues and fleur-de-lis on the ceiling of the chamber while the floor was patterned and enspelled in a cadaverous pentagram.”

This is modelled on the famous Capuchin Crypt under the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini – a cemetery and collection of six tiny chapels where everything, from the light fittings to the picture frames, were made from human bones. You may visit this macabre site … if you dare…

Pretty grotesque, right?

But we are whisked away from this gruesome place as Sage and St. John are then invited to attend a private conference at the Vatican Secret Archives, which is now open to the public for tours:

“The Vatican Secret Archives were said to house approximately 35,000 volumes in an estimated eighty-four kilometres of shelving, supported by their own Photographic and Conservation Studios – something that both Fi and I would have envied. Amongst the many volumes in the Secret Archives was Henry VIII’s written request to the Holy See for his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to be annulled, the transcripts of the Inquisition, as well as letters written by Michelangelo.”

If you wish to explore or debunk some of the myths, rumours and secrets about the Vatican and the Catholic Church, here’s a good place to start. You don’t need to be Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu to embark on a quest … and I’m certain there’s enough to intrigue the most avid conspiracy buff…



Lastly, our tour comes full circle. Raise a glass of champagne and count down the New Year in style as London’s calling…




Who knows? You too may meet a Nephilim or magician or vampire in this bustling metropolis with its curious blend of ancient traditions and modern customs…





Seed: Keepers of Genesis I
Keepers of Genesis Series
Volume I
DB Nielsen
Genre: YA PNR/ Urban Fantasy
Publisher: LBLA Digital
ISBN: 1908879181
ASIN: B00K75I06E
Number of pages: 432
Word Count: 160,000
Cover Artist: XLintellect PTY LTD

Book Description:

A powerful, hidden artefact is unearthed and, with its discovery, an ancient conflict is reignited. Seventeen-year-old Sage Woods, the daughter of an eminent archaeologist, uncovers the artefact’s disturbing secret and is placed in terrible danger.

Unwittingly, she has stumbled into an invisible war between two primordial dynasties of a supernatural order – a war in which she has a fateful role to play in a race to control the power of the SEED.

Embroiled in a quest that takes her from the British Museum to the Louvre to the Vatican Secret Archives, Sage realises that her blossoming romance with the mysterious, alluring St. John Rivers is inextricably tied to the artefact.

Up until now, St. John has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Sage is determined to delve deeper to uncover his dark secret and his connection to the SEED.

It is a decision that will have a devastating effect on humankind…

Available from Amazon


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Enter the giveaway at Bewitching Blog Tours

Get to Know Elijah St. John Rivers from Keepers of Genesis Series

Interview by Eclipse ReviewsCharacter Name: Elijah St. John Rivers (prefers to be called St. John)Character Bio:Born in ancient Phoenicia, St. John is over six foot tall; buff; has slightly curly locks, the colour of polished brass. He wears it slightly longer than is fashionable, curling into the nape of his neck. He has unusual jade green eyes with flecks of gold in them (they turn emerald when he’s in a passion).Father (Elijah): a member of the Grigori (or Watchers) and a fallen angel.Mother (Miriam): a human female from a family of sheep-herders.Their love was considered illicit and led to Miriam being disowned by her family and ostracized by her tribe. She died in childbirth and her child was left to die on the road to Canaan. The infant was found by the Anakim (a race of Nephilim) and raised by the leader, Anak.Being immortal, St. John passes himself for twenty-five years old. Over his three thousand year existence, he preferred to keep his past a secret and much of what he did/ where he travelled/ his activities are unknown. But there are a few facts that have been reported about him: he was an advisor to Charlemagne and, later a member of the Templar Knights. His foster father, Père Henri, is a priest who works at Notre-Dame de Paris. St. John is the Keeper of the Seed; a role requiring him to protect an ancient artefact of significant value and power. As such, he met the writer, Charlotte Bronte, who named a character after him in her novel,Jane Eyre. During the Victorian era, it is known that he travelled to India.St. John is now considered an eminent archaeologist; having completed high school at Eton College (UK) and studied Middle Eastern archaeology and history at Oxford University. He has a vast property portfolio (from The Golden Triangle in Paris to New York), and is extremely wealthy. He resides in both Paris and London.He works as the Assistant Keeper, Ancient Mesopotamian Culture at the British Museum in London. He was assigned to spend three days in Basra, surveying eight of southern Iraq’s most important archaeological sites from Ur to Tell el-Lahm on a mission to preserve the area’s cultural heritage where he worked with Professor Woods. When Professor Woods’ family moved to London, St. John finally met his soul mate, Sage Woods.
Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality? The worst quality is that I’m Nephilim and immortal. Human life is brief whilst, for an immortal, life is endless solitude and loneliness. Nothing can prepare you for an eternity of isolation. It is often better not to feel for others, rather than to watch them die before you. It is better to be alone when only heartbreak awaits with each friend or lover that passes away.My best quality is given to me as a birthright of the angels – empathy. It is also a curse that I must bear as I understand my enemy’s nature and motivations, and must forgive them the wrongs they do me and others. The heaviest burden is empathy – my own pain is nothing, but to feel someone else’s pain, their torment, their suffering, their desires, it is multiplied by the weight of every human heart and echoed in every human soul. Empathy is a virtue but such virtues are shouldered at a great price. What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?  I do have a sense of humour – I just don’t get to use it as often as I’d like (especially if I’m around Gabriel who likes to play the role of the joker, like Loki in Thor).What is your biggest secret something no one knows about? No human knows about what happens within the Anakim brotherhood at our secret meetings or conclaves. We hold these secret meetings with the twenty-five elected members to the round table and make decisions that can determine the fate of humanity and the world. No human has ever be present at one of our meetings. What are you most afraid of? I suppose most people might think I would answer that losing Sage would be what I’m most afraid of – and they’d be right. But there is an equally pressing fear for me – I fear becoming like my father, Elijah. He was an angel once who fell in love and failed in his duty to the Creator. Subsequently, he was cast out of Heaven and suffers an eternity without my mother, Miriam who died giving birth to me. He was the only member of the Grigori who did not rebel against the Creator but it does not ease his suffering. His empathy is a curse to him and his inability to return to Paradise haunts him. I fear such suffering if anything should happen to Sage – an eternity of torment and heartache if she should perish under my protection. What do you want more than anything? To attain an earthly Paradise with Sage after completing my quest to see the Seed safely back to its origin in the Garden of Eden. It would be the only reward I need. What is your relationship status? In a serious relationship with Sage Woods, complicated by the fact that she is the Wise One and I’m the Keeper of the Seed. How would you describe your sense of fashion? I have a preference for black. Black jeans. Black leather jacket. Charcoal coloured suits. How much of a rebel are you? I’m a little like the characters of Thor and Hamlet – a rebel with a conscience; broody, moody, a conflicted hero. If I believe that rebelling is the best method of achieving my aims, then so be it. What do you considered to be your greatest achievement? Ask me that question when I finish my quest and save the world from the Grigori. Right now, protecting the Seed and Sage Woods are the only things that matter to me. What is your idea of happiness? To achieve an earthly Paradise with my soul mate. I searched throughout time for her, I crossed distances for her, age poses no boundaries for the timeless, and nobody and nothing can ever tear us apart. She is my happiness. What is your current state of mind? I’d have to say, take a look at Hamlet. But here’s a pretty accurate representation from the hero, Darcy: “In vain have I struggled . It will not do .  My feelings will not be repressed.” Sums things up, don’t you think? What is your most treasured possession? The signet ring Sage gave me as a Christmas present. Material things have never mattered very much to me – I can buy just about anything I want or need – but the ring was given with love and has great sentimental value. It proves our commitment to each other – for this reason I cherish it. What is your most marked characteristic? Physical characteristic: jade green eyes. And the wings, of course – all Nephilim have wings. In terms of personality: I would say it’s my ability to empathise but some would disagree – I’ve heard it be said by others that my most marked characteristic is loyalty or commitment to a cause. What is it that you, most dislike? I most dislike the way that Charlotte Bronte portrayed me in her novel, Jane Eyre. She based her character on me and I think she did a terrible job – making me look like a frigid, religious fundamentalist who couldn’t understand or give into the emotion of love because I felt I was on some sort of mission from God. As anyone will tell you who really knows me well, my love for Sage is placed above all things – even my commitment to the Seed. Which living person do you, most despise? There are a few – but my birthright complicates things. I hate but I’m forbidden to hate as the gift given to me by my father is empathy. It means that I understand the motivations of my enemy. I understand human nature. It’s a curse rather than a blessing at times. What is your greatest regret? That too many of my brothers have died so that I may live and complete my quest as Keeper of the Seed. The Anakim brotherhood is a tight-knit group but our numbers are dwindling and I have watched my friends suffer and be killed whilst I must live to fulfil my solemn duty to the Seed. What is the quality you most like in a man? Compassion – without it, we would be no better than the fallen angels. Compassion allows for justice to be served. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Intelligence – I don’t have time for women who don’t think and act for themselves. I like strong-minded women. Who is your favorite hero in fiction? Perhaps I can personally identify with Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings as I can understand his personal dilemmas – his struggle with duty, the betrayal of his ancestor, his forbidden love for Arwen. But, I must admit I most admire Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird as he is the father and mentor I would have liked to have. Every lesson he taught his children held great value for me. I don’t believe, however, that Charlotte Bronte’s representation of me in her novel is accurate and would prefer people not to make comparisons between us. Which living person do you most admire? I do not admire a particular person but I can honestly say that I admire the everyman. I admire the single mother or father struggling to raise a family, holding down two jobs, trying to make ends meet. I admire the family who has nothing but is willing to take a stranger into their home and share what they have. I admire the common man or woman coping with the vicissitudes of life and never asking for any praise or acknowledgement. The most admirable people I have known are the ones who have known suffering, defeat, loss, failure, despair and struggle – and have found a way to rise above it, a way out of these depths. These are the people I admire – and you see them every day, you may know them, you may be them. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? It would be my immortality. It may seem like a blessing or a gift to some, but I have watched as empires have risen and fallen into dust; I have seen humankind’s achievements and their failures repeated throughout the centuries; I have loved and pitied and mourned and the result is always the same – I have no ability to control time or death. Human beings live their lives with the basic understanding of their mortality – and that allows them to seize the moments that are rare and precious. Immortality would be far easier if emotion wasn’t involved – but emotion is what urges us to live. It is a double-edged sword. What is your motto?  Luceat Lux Vestra (“Let Your Light Shine”: This phrase is taken from The Sermon on the Mount – “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”  Matthew 5:16)

See all of Day 3 of the Blog Tour here:
Eclipse Reviews

Blog Tour Catch-Up: Author Interview

Interview by Karen SwartDid you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?When I was a little girl I wanted to be a princess, a ballerina, and eventually a children’s doctor. I always enjoyed writing. When I was in high school, I would write short stories and poetry for the school magazine and even entered a few newspaper/ magazine writing competitions. I never formally studied creative writing – I think if you love to write (and have people read your work/s) then you’re a writer whether you’re published or not. Instead, I studied Humanities at university, majoring in English Language and Literature and Linguistics (Semiotics) and became a university lecturer. But I continued to write for fun and it was only when some of my students encouraged me to publish my novel that I thought about writing professionally (and not just publishing academic essays and articles for journals which many people would consider boring!)When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?I think it was when I sent my first novel to several agents and they showed interest in my work. Up till then I didn’t know if I “had what it takes”, that special ingredient, to be considered a writer. Receiving the affirmation of others – agents, editors, fellow authors, bloggers and readers – makes me realize I can write and I am a writer.How long did it take to get your first book published?Ages. I started Writing SEED in 2008 but it wasn’t until 2010 that I thought about finding an agent and publisher. I honestly didn’t understand how difficult it was to get an agent, let alone get published. I knew rejection was part of it – so I braced myself for the expected 20 rejection letters (according to Stephenie Meyer) and I was thrilled when not just one but several agents showed some interest in signing me up. But then I guess I just assumed, once you have an agent, you’d get a publisher. It didn’t happen that way. The problem was that my novel was considered New Adult before the genre was termed, so I just didn’t fit into any category. And some publishers had authors on their list that had Nephilim in their plots, so they didn’t want to take on a debut author with similar material. Ironically, after deciding to self-publish and go my own way, just after I’d signed the self-publishing contract, there was interest from a big traditional publisher. But, truth be told, I’m thrilled with being seen as an Indie author and realize that I wouldn’t have as much freedom to write what I do in a traditional publishing house.Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?I lecture at university and also tutor students. I lecture at university in Linguistics and Semiotics but also get to tutor students in English Literature and Language (both canonical and popular texts on the course lists). I find it a real source of pride when my students graduate and get a job – they even stay in touch after they marry. I started lecturing when I was quite young, so I was almost the same age as many of my students – now I see their kids and can’t believe that I once taught them!What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?SEED is best described as The Mortal Instruments meets The Da Vinci Code!Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?I am an Indie author, self-published. Essentially I’d like to be a ‘hybrid’ – both traditionally published and also self-published. Right now, being an Indie writer suits me as it gives me a great deal of freedom, but I’m lucky in that I have a great deal of support from fellow authors, readers, family and friends, and my agent. And I think I’m in good company – not only have a lot of successful authors started in Fanfic which has broadened the industry (such as Cassandra Clare, E.L. James, etc…) some of them started with self-publishing then moved into traditional publishing (most notably, E.L. James). I didn’t write Fanfic but I think it’s great that there are avenues for writers to express themselves and get their words and works out there. I’ll continue in this direction and reassess when I get my next novel out there.How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?The first novel I wrote took only three months from the original idea to writing it in the manuscript form that was sent out to agents. This was SEED. But then the editing started as my agent and editor felt I needed to add a few things here and there in the backstory for Sage and her sister, Saffron. This blew out the word count to another 20,000+ words! The second novel in the series took about a year to write and it seems that the third (which I’m writing at the moment will take even longer). Saying this, I don’t write every day or to a schedule. I am trying to be more disciplined and I admire writers who can write 2,000 words a day and stick to a schedule. But I’m more a stop-and-start, when-the-mood-takes-me, bash out a chapter in a day then take a hiatus for two weeks, get some inspiration from other authors/ reviewers/ readers and bash out another few thousand words, get distracted by my family and grind to a stop (swearing in frustration because I want to write but have to prioritize), then do it all over again.  On the upside, I do have a plan of where I want my novel to go and work around that. I always have a mental map of about half the chapters (including the beginning, climax and denouement) and let the rest work itself out.What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?I’m finishing off the YA/ NA paranormal romance series, KEEPERS OF GENESIS, and then I think I might like to try writing one of the ideas I have in the genre of dystopian fictionWhat genre would you place your books into?YA/ NA paranormal romanceWhat made you decide to write that genre of book?I really love reading paranormal romance novels and fantasy. I really love high fantasy but was interesting in creating a world-within-our-world like JK Rowling. I also wanted to write more of a hybrid text where I could cross over from Twilight to The Da Vinci Code. And I wanted to inform the readers about real history whilst having romance and complication (and heroes and villains). So I chose this genre as it allowed me to experiment by including real history with theology and myth; so that the novel would be didactic and readers could also learn some interesting facts along the way.Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?This is a tough question but I think … I think it would have to be Gabriel Chevalier because he’s such a charming, capricious, mischievous figure. Think Loki in The Avengers and Thor film series – that’s Gabriel. But Gabriel is quite charismatic and humorous too.How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?I’ve been writing since 2008 but only thought of publishing my writing in the last four years. I think I began writing because I wanted stronger female role models in books for young adults as many of my students were walking into class with YA fiction where the heroine was often more of a blank slate and yet the hero was the really interesting character (they loved the hero and therefore wanted to be like the heroine – but I found that idea disturbing because young women today can be nerdy, kick-butt, adventurous, passionate and a hundred other things). The purpose of my writing is to provide suitable role models for young women and men. I hate passive female protagonists, especially in fantasy or dystopian fiction – if I can’t see them as interesting people, why would anyone like them and why would the hero fall in love with them? There has to be something more to a character that allows us to empathise with them. Ordinary is fine. Boring and insipid is not.Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?I try to lock myself away in the library (my study) but it’s not very successful as I’m constantly disturbed by kids wandering in asking for food/ drinks/ misplaced toys/ misplaced clothing/ etc… I don’t listen to music but, interestingly, I think of musical accompaniment for chapters in my head. I do, however, prefer to write at night as it allows me to absorb the quiet in the house to order my thoughts (I get a couple of hours to myself if I’m lucky!)Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?I certainly used to read all the reviews, but now I only do it once in a while – and usually when I know someone whose opinion I value is posting a review. I think when you’re a debut writer, you tend to check the reviews more often and your mood changes accordingly – from self-doubt to elation or disappointment. I think I’ve been very blessed as the reviews of my novel (so far) have been really quite positive (and in no way am I asking for a bad review – but I get that not everyone will like my book as reading is such an individual matter of taste and interest). But I always remind myself that reviews aren’t for the writer; that they are for the readers – so that readers can make up their minds whether they want to read the book and what others think about the book. Generally, I think reviewers and bloggers do a good job of this and it’s great that they take the time to review (as long as it is constructive and not mean or personal).Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?I titled all the novels first so that there was a consistency (the sibilance of ‘s’ sounds). I wanted them to be snappy and short, something that popped (but worried that SEED sounded like a gardening book, so I added the KEEPERS OF GENESIS part).
How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?One of my friends, another author, chooses character names by going through a baby book (and then she becomes bored with it so that most of her characters’ names start with an ‘A’!) On the other hand, I choose character names for their meanings (like Sage meaning ‘wisdom’ or Saffron as an exotic spice which I think has connotations of being fiery and lively) and to be culturally-accurate (like if a character is from France, I’ve chosen names like Louis or Gabriel). The hero’s name has been specifically chosen – it’s Elijah St. John Rivers – and if you know Bronte’s novel, you’ll know that part of his name is taken from Jane Eyre (and with a specific purpose in mind – but you’ll have to read my novel to find out why!)The place names are also important as these are real places in London, Paris and Vatican City. As Sage embarks upon a quest, she travels to these places and historical sites (from the British Museum to the catacombs of Paris) with St. John. I put a lot of research to make sure the descriptions were accurate so that readers, if they wanted to, could trace Sage’s journey (both in their mind and in reality!)Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?It’s all chosen beforehand or I’d never be able to keep track of characters and places. I don’t envy George RR Martin for the amount of characters and places he’s introduced in his series which he has to keep track of – no wonder he kills so many of them off!!Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?Sometimes, yes. Sage and Saffron are twins but with different personalities that complement one another. This was quite deliberate – they aren’t rivals at all but I wanted them to be ‘real’ characters and sisters. St. John is your typical sexy Renaissance man – a scholar, warrior, philosopher, lover, etc… The only character that sort of just came into being was one of the villains, Louis Gravois – he’s quite ‘emo’ and androgynous looking yet quite evil.Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")I think there’s quite a few messages within the novel. One of them is that history is often stranger than fiction or fantasy. If we can understand the past, we can make sense of ourselves and our world.Also, I want readers to understand that some things have to be taken on faith. There is much to discover still in our world – the unknown, the unexplored, the unseen – but, in the end, the story is about us; about love and mortality; the human condition.Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?I love hard copies of novels. I love the smell of them and the feel of them. I love picking them up and revisiting them like they are old friends. It’s probably quite sentimental but I just love curling up with a hard copy of a good book.What is your favorite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?There are so many books I love but I’d have to say that three books stand out – Shakespeare’s Hamlet; Austen’s Pride and Prejudice; and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. I’ve read them all more than once and have to say that they make me laugh and cry and think. I know it’s odd to include Shakespeare but I genuinely love Hamlet – it raises such metaphysical and philosophical notions that it still makes me contemplate the meaning of existence. On the other hand, I love Austen’s text because Elizabeth is so headstrong and feisty – she’s intelligent and wins the hero based on her brains and not simply her attractiveness. And I love Austen’s satire – that she critiques the values of her society such as class, gender, religion; very ground-breaking for a woman of her times. And lastly, Lee’s text is the most beautifully-written moral text ever – it teaches life lessons with a humility and simplicity that makes me wish I knew Atticus and Scout in reality.Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?Some do – like Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy which was utterly spellbinding and brilliant! But others just simply don’t quite live up to the books. I think the worst book to movie transfer was Frankenstein (almost every version!) – they just can’t seem to get it right. The creature is never portrayed properly – he’s meant to elicit empathy!I do think, however, that they’ve got it right with some books by converting them to TV series rather than films. This is a great idea for both writers and readers! You get more, more, more – more of your favourite characters, more plot, etc…Your favorite food is?I love smoked salmon or gravlax (served with French champagne), though I’m also really partial to a High Tea (complete with scones/ jam & cream, finger sandwiches and petit fours) – must be my yearning for bonnets and bows and tea parties!Your favorite singer/group is?I have eclectic tastes so I listen to a lot of different styles – which means I probably would chose different songs to listen to rather than just one artist. If I had to choose an artist, it’s be a toss-up between U2 (their old stuff) and Adele (but I’m also really partial to Taylor Swift!).Your favorite color is?Hot pink (though red comes a close second)Your favorite Author is?I’d have to say Jane Austen because I always return to her novels for her pointed criticisms of society and for her wonderfully romantic relationships. She’s satirical (I love her ironic voice) and romantic (just check out the sexual tension between Elizabeth and Darcy!)
See the full blog here:http://www.authorkarenswart.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/book-blast-giveaway-interview-seed.html?zx=c380ad5df6ea4874

Seed: Keepers of Genesis I by DB Nielsen Excerpt, Interview & Giveaway

Seed: Keepers of Genesis I by DB Nielsen Excerpt, Interview & Giveaway

So happy Deal Blogging Aunt is hosting Day 4 of my Bog Tour.

Come and visit. Love to see you there.

Eclipse Reviews: Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Seed: Keepers of...

Eclipse Reviews: Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Seed: Keepers of...:     Seed: Keepers of Genesis I Keepers of Genesis Series Volume I DB Nielsen Genre: YA PNR/ Urban Fantasy Publisher: LBLA Digita...