Mandy M. Roth's Blog, page 86
May 9, 2012
Most Wanted Authors CONTEST!
Most Wanted Authors Contest
No rest for the wicked…
It’s a well known fact when authors Yasmine Galenorn, Michelle M. Pillow and Mandy M. Roth get together, bad, bad things are going to happen. Threats of tequila and tattoos, scorpions and nipple clamps have flown across Twitter. Musings involving riding flying monkeys and Thor have also been rampant among this trio, as well as the delightful imagery of Michelle as an ethereal bunny riding cloud maiden. But next year when they get together at RT? We’re sure that hell is going to break loose.
This is where you come in. Tell us what you think will happen. What alleged “crimes” will they have committed? Who will end up in another country with no memory of how they got there? Who will have the photo evidence of the night? Who will need bail money? The Hangover has nothing on these ladies.
Use your imagination to dream up what trouble these three gals will get themselves into. You have three different places to enter this contest. Each author will be selecting her own winner(s) and have their own rules as per entering. Be sure to visit each author’s site for information on how to enter! Most importantly, have fun with this!
RULES for entering here at Mandy M. Roth’s Blog: You must write your ideas/suggestions/for sure facts of what you crimes you think will take place in the comment section of my blog. Contest runs May 8- May 22, 2012 .
Prize: What you’re being entered for a chance to win… (taken from the lovely and talented Yasmine Galenorn herself) You Get What You Get! aka… if you’re selected you might win ebook(s), a print book, a gift cert to Amazon.com, cool promo or swag. If you’re a winner you get whatever I decide to give so get those comments coming!
Yasmine Galenorn
http://www.galenorn.com/index.php?body=contest.htm
Michelle M. Pillow
http://www.michellepillow.com/blog/
Mandy M. Roth
http://mandyroth.com/blog/ (You are here)
Have fun and be creative !
May 8, 2012
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Robyn Bachar
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Robyn Bachar
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain Publishing.
A: I love working with Mr. Sam Hain. I was fortunate enough to tour the new office in Cincinnati last year, and they really do have a gorgeous space. I’ve been blessed with awesome editors and fabulous covers, so I’m very happy.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: Don’t leave home without promo in your purse. I always carry my rack cards in my bag in case my book comes up in conversation. I try not to be pushy about telling people about my book, because that can turn them off, but it’s always best to be prepared. Oh, and I have also learned that a little free chocolate goes a long way at a book signing.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: When my first book came out I asked another author for advice on marketing, and she told me that one of the best things you can do is to build your backlist. Keep writing. The more books you have available, the better chance you have for building a loyal readership.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered is part of my Bad Witch series. It’s a sequel to Blood, Smoke and Mirrors, and it shares the continuing adventures of Cat Duquesne as she tries to balance her new job as Titania with her relationship with her soul mate (and with the vampire who wants to steal her and make her his evil queen).
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIPs?
A: At the moment I’m working on more Bad Witch books. I have a novella featuring a character introduced in Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered, and I’m also working on a sequel to The Importance of Being Emily. I’ve been playing around with a space opera series and a fantasy series, so I’m always busy writing or editing something.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I’ve always loved writing. I started my first novel in 8th grade. It was really terrible, but I was encouraged by one of my favorite English teachers to keep writing, and that stuck with me and kept me going. My next serious attempt at a novel came with my first year doing National Novel Writing Month, which resulted in Blood, Smoke and Mirrors.
Q: How do you balance family and writing?
A: After a series of unfortunate events, I’m a free woman again, and it’s just me and my cat. The cat doesn’t mind my writing time as long as he’s allowed to curl up next to me (though he thinks there is room for both him and the laptop on my lap, and he is mistaken).
LINKS:
May 7, 2012
FREE short promotional stories! Please spread the word!
King, King, Goose? by Mandy M Roth
FREE short paranormal promotional romance story
Rings of Gold by Michelle M Pillow
FREE short promotional contemporary romance story
They Call Me Trixie: Encounter One by Elle Erotique
FREE short EROTIC story
Please help us spread the word and link to these free short stories! Thank you!
May 4, 2012
Radar Deception snippet
Excerpt from Radar Deception by Mandy M Roth (Immortal Ops 3)
Two and a half weeks later….
“Brava, this is Alpha Dog Two, do you have a lock on the target? I repeat—do you have a lock?” The sound of Roi Major’s voice filled Green’s earpiece as he swiveled around in his chair to check the secondary computer monitors. The liquid crystal display and drop-down ability certainly cleaned up much needed counter area in the surveillance van. The days of turning and accidentally putting his elbow through a monitor that was as big—if not bigger than—some televisions were long gone. Now, with his supernatural strength, he only put his elbow through the machines when not paying attention.
Much better.
The interior of the van was still cramped for a man of his size but he was used to it so he didn’t complain. The line feeding into the monitors was from the inner dwellings of the nearest known hotspot for the enemy. It was a lab specializing in genetic research and development. In the grander scale of things, the lab was a small one but it needed to be destroyed all the same.
Gisbert Krauss, the team’s main focus of the moment, had been funneling money throughout Europe and Asia for the last thirty years. His fascination with the idea of immortality and power put the scientist in the forefront of genetic research. Publications in the area of genetics claimed that Krauss was on the verge of some sort of genetic breakthrough. Intel gathered on him proved that he wasn’t just on the threshold of something big, he’d already succeeded and had been conducting research on humans for decades. He’d even been daring enough to have an underground paranormal website talking about DNA alterations and the making of super humans with the potential to be used as weapons for the highest paying governments. A paper trail connected Krauss with Pierre Molyneux, a master vampire who was legendary throughout the supernatural community as a man with means and a wicked bad side. With Molyneux’s connections, Krauss could transport just about anything between countries under the guise of it being art. In the case of Krauss, he was no doubt transporting human cargo and who knew what else.
Green knew after having been briefed by Colonel Brooks on Intel’s latest findings that Krauss had been behind assembling a large group of women in Asia from around the world, impregnating and experimenting on their children in utero. The mothers of the children disappeared once they were born. The more likely explanation was that the mothers were murdered. Apparently, the enemy had aborted their project, or rather hid their testing better because I-Ops got a little too close to discovering them.
The enemy spread the surviving children out to orphanages in various countries. Most were third-world, but from the data Green had read, some were dumped in the United States as well. The majority of their experiments on fetuses and newborns took place between twenty to thirty years ago. The Asia Project was massive. Green had initially assumed the children would not have survived, that they would have died when their bodies attempted a shift or that they’d have gone insane long ago. He’d been wrong. Records indicated that all of them had indeed made it to adulthood. He couldn’t fathom how they coped with having enhanced abilities and turning into an animal or a vampire without warning. It had to leave some sort of lasting damage.
The main issue at hand was that Krauss’ people were sacrificing innocent lives in the name of science and attempting to round up the children from the Asia Project. Green didn’t want to think about what would happen should Krauss get his hands on the people who had once been subjected to testing unwillingly. The very fact that these children managed to grow to be adults spoke volumes about their will to live. Krauss had to know that and he’d exploit it for all it was worth. If that wasn’t enough, information was trickling in that Krauss may have aligned with a powerful Fae.
Shuddering at the thought, Green rubbed his temple. Almost instantly, images of Melanie, a Fae and sister to Eadan, the newest member of the I-Ops team, flooded his mind. She was still clueless as to whom they were and their relationship to one another—thinking her friends were merely girlfriends to I-Ops members when in reality they were now lifemates, spouses.
His cock hardened and his pulse raced. Melanie had worked her way under his defenses and left her imprint. Already he’d spent many a night stroking himself to peak, guided by thoughts of her. Her blue eyes. Her long, white-blonde hair. Her seemingly endless legs. Her scent—distinctly feminine and familiar to him. He needed to touch her and soon or risk going insane. Or developing carpal tunnel from excessive masturbation.
“Bravo Dog One, do we have a go?” Roi asked, drawing Green from his thoughts of Melanie.
Green punched in the sequence of numbers needed to access the facility’s computer system and waited for confirmation that he was indeed in. It had been a bit trickier than he’d assumed it would be to hack into Krauss’ facility but he was confident of his skills.
When a map of the building’s blueprints popped up and an analysis of the security system displayed, he smiled. “Alpha Dog Two, you have a ‘go’ to enter. Once in, you will find two, I repeat, two, tangos. There is a four-second window until my hacks will open the main gate from there. If you attempt to force it, you will set off secondary alarms. Do you read?”
“Copy that. Get antsy and bad things will happen,” Roi said, being his normal sardonic self. He was also famous for simplifying things. As usual, he held true to expectations. “We’ll kill ‘em quietly and then wait for the ‘magik doors’ to open. Do we have to say ‘open sesame’ or do you think your mega brain got the calculations right?”
Captain Lukian Vlakhusha sighed into his headset, clearly annoyed with Roi. It was normal, so no one commented. Besides, they were like brothers. If Roi got too obnoxious, Lukian would just slap him. Arching a brow, Green hoped Lukian might actually haul off and hit Roi. Then again, it could damage the equipment Roi had on. Green had always been partial to technology, though Roi wasn’t too bad either.
Decisions. Decisions.
Green watched the other monitors—there were six in all. Each displayed images of the team members. The cameras were mounted to their headgear. Each soldier was equipped with a small flip visor that when in place, covered one of their eyes. If on, the person could see what a selected team member was viewing. While disengaged, they merely looked through a slightly tinted eye-piece. Green, on the other hand, was able to view what each one of them was currently seeing. It was a little like being a god, at least according to Roi.
Lukian, his captain, was with Roi waiting to enter through the west entrance. Wilson and Eadan were near the south end of the facility, awaiting orders to move in and assist if need be. Jon, the team sniper, was stationed on the north tower, having already taken out the two guards with the hope for more kills. His location was perfect to provide cover should things go awry. The other two monitors provided visuals from Peren, Lukian’s wife and lifemate, and Missy, Roi’s wife and lifemate.
The women were in a secure location three miles up the road in another van, watching the feed from Green’s van. Missy had only just found out she was expecting a child and no one wanted her to go in with the men, regardless of how qualified she was. Missy was a level-one agent with Paranormal Security and Intelligence (PSI). PSI was basically the CIA of the supernatural community. Since humans weren’t permitted to have the knowledge that supernaturals existed, the government denied any and all knowledge of PSI’s existence. Since Missy had also been experimented on in the Asia Project, she had a personal stake in the matter at hand.
Green hated Krauss for playing God but even he had to admire the man’s genius. Krauss had managed to introduce small quantities of supernatural DNA into the bloodstream of an adult human without killing them. That was all but unheard of. Somehow, Green and the men he’d originally worked for had gotten lucky enough to do something similar during the Immortal Ops inception. Each man, with the exception of Green and Lukian, had been injected with DNA to alter their own. They survived. No others had. The good guys stopped trying to play God after that. The bad guys took it as a cue to what was possible and as a sign to proceed.
Krauss’ strands of DNA and his testing increased a person’s physical strength but did not permit them to be able to shift forms or be immortal. That did set his experiments and those subjected to them apart from the I-Ops, who could indeed fully shift and were technically immortal.
Krauss had found a way to enhance those who were already supernatural. This eluded I-Ops. Basically, Krauss had managed to introduce other aspects of supernaturals into a pre-existing one. Meaning, he could, theoretically, give a vampire similar traits as a werewolf. All and all, Krauss could and would be powerful enough to take down even the I-Ops at the rate he was going. He was a new kind of evil. One who would stop at nothing to rule the world.
Green twisted in his seat once more, keying in the coordinates to the satellite above. It took a second but it synced up and began systematically zooming in as per his instructions, generating 3-D images of the area as it went. The images showed the facility, his van, the second van containing Peren and Missy, and the surrounding area. The moment he spotted vehicles that weren’t supposed to be there, he let out a long breath.
Of course. Nothing can be easy.
Glancing at the screen for Jon, Green estimated their “guests” arrival time. “Bravo Tiger Two, we’ve got a convoy of vehicles moving in from the north. ETA, two minutes.”
“Copy that,” Jon said, no doubt positioning himself to watch through his scope as the convoy approached. “I have a visual.”
That didn’t surprise Green. Jon was part were-tiger and had amazing eyesight to begin with. Add in the use of a scope and it was damn hard to fall out of his line of sight, making Green very happy they were on the same side considering how accurate Jon was within 4000 meters. Anything above that and Jon had to fight the limits of technology. He didn’t have to fight his eyesight.
Green noted that Roi and Lukian had taken out the enemies within the entrance to the facility just in time for his hacks to begin to take effect. The gate opened a second after the Trojan horse Green had loaded into the system a few days prior began to work its magic, taking down the alarms in alternate locations to avoid raising suspicions.
“How are our boys doing?” Peren asked, over her intercom link to Green.
It was easy to pick up how nervous she was and Green was thankful he’d thought to keep the girls off the team’s main line of communication. He didn’t need Lukian or Roi getting distracted by their mates’ concerns. The women could hear the men just fine but until Green flipped another switch, only he could hear the women.
“Alpha Team, proceed to level two,” he said, watching the facility’s sensors for signs of life forms but finding none in the stairwell. “On your left will be the cryogenics room. On the right you’ll find a mini-lab. From there, you’ll see an operating room and according to PSI Intel, a room used to cage animals and humans. I’m not detecting any life forms at present. Proceed with caution.”
“Alpha Team is a go,” Lukian said.
Green watched silently as Lukian entered the room and planted charges. They would not allow any frozen embryos or other DNA material collected by Krauss’ people to survive. As much as they all needed to fully understand DNA splicing and manipulation better, it wasn’t worth the risk of it falling into enemy hands once more. Besides, I-Ops and PSI would never enter back into experiments that could cost lives. They’d learned their lesson long ago and had no intentions of allowing history to repeat itself.
Spinning in his chair, Green spotted another problem. “Shit!”
“Aww, I hate it when he says that,” Wilson, resident smart ass and were-rat extraordinaire, said wryly.
Green ignored him, focusing instead on the three red dots moving down the corridor closest to Wilson and Eadan. “Bravo Rat Three, prepare to engage hostiles in three … two … one.” The door nearest them opened and Green watched with bated breath as Wilson snapped one man’s neck while Eadan, a full-blooded Fae, used his power to silently kill the other two.
Wilson stared at Eadan, his face filling the viewing screen before Green. “Ya think you could give us a bit more warning next time, Mr. Science Geek?”
Green rolled his eyes. “Cut the chatter, Rat.”
Wilson flipped Green off. Green returned the favor even though he knew Wilson couldn’t see it. He smiled. “You’re lucky Eadan is with you or I’d have let you figure out on your own that the enemy was coming.”
Eadan chuckled. “I appreciate that, Green. More than you know.”
Wilson mumbled something about the fucking faerie getting more respect than him and then shut up. Green couldn’t help but laugh. Double checking the satellite feed, he grunted. “Bravo Tiger Two, report.”
“Tell me when they’re done,” Jon said quietly, always a sign he was concentrating on the target. His normally slight southern drawl always seemed to intensify when he stopped thinking about it. He also had a habit of asking his “momma” to forgive him every time he took a man out by way of sniper rifle. Green wasn’t even sure Jon realized he did it, but all in all, it seemed to keep Jon real. The threat of losing touch with humanity was a danger for the I-Ops, one they hoped they’d never succumb to.
“Charges are in place,” Lukian reported. “We need to move, now!”
Green nodded. “Alpha and Bravo Teams, pull out. I repeat, pull out. Charges are set.”
A round of acknowledgements followed as Green kept his eyes on the monitors. He mentally began calculating the amount of time it would take each operative to make it back to the van and then how far they needed to be from the facility to assure a clear, safe distance before detonating the charges.
Lukian and Roi were the first ones to make it back to the van. Roi took the driver’s seat and Lukian rode shotgun. Green thrust the back door open just in time for Jon to hop in. Glancing back at the monitors, Green spotted six red dots moving in on Wilson and Eadan’s location.
“Bravo Rat Three, you’ve got company. Consider my warning an early Christmas present. Roi was planning on buying you cheese. See, my gift is better.”
Wilson snorted and mumbled under his breath, “Asshole.”
“How many?” Eadan asked as he ran next to Wilson. The view, projected out from tiny cameras attached near the bands wrapped around the back of their heads, shook. It was nauseating but Green had grown accustomed to it over the years. Jon looked away, clearly not as conditioned to watching the image shake.
“If you’re planning on being sick, do me the courtesy of doing it outside of the van,” Green said, smiling as Jon’s face paled.
Jon nodded and then hopped out of the van. Green did his best to ignore the retching sound and concentrated on Wilson and Eadan’s progress. Finding it halted, he shot a glance at Lukian. “Captain, they’re pinned in.”
“Jon!” Lukian yelled. “Get your ass in here. Roi, get us to that side of the building, now!”
“Yes, sir.”
The van lurched forward, causing Green to fall against the control panel. He had a half a second to wonder what he might have turned on or off accidentally before he reacted. Green grabbed Jon just in time to pull him in before he’d have been left behind, and then exhaled loudly. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Jon said, his voice a bit off kilter. He patted himself once for good measure obviously not as confident in his answer as he’d have liked all to believe.
“Green, is everyone alive?” Missy asked, reminding him she was up the road waiting. “Are they okay? God, please tell me that Roi didn’t do anything stupid.”
“Hey! I heard that. And I’ll have you know, dear wife, I never do anything stupid while on a mission.” Roi chuckled as he took the van off road and through a six-foot metal fence. “Hot damn!”
It was then Green realized he must have opened the lines of communication to the women when he fell onto the control panel. Now wasn’t the time to worry about it though. The van lifted off the ground again and slammed down, rocking its occupants violently. Equipment that was technically secure scattered about. Their weapons slid away only to be replaced by others.
Lukian smacked Roi upside the back of the head and growled. “Brother, you’re going to get us killed!”
“Technically,” Green said, leaning forward. “We’re immortal, so unless you end up decapitated or something pierces your heart, you should live. Granted, there is always the chance I’m wrong.”
Lukian arched a black brow and stared back at him. It was the one bearing a tiny scar he’d gotten when he was just a boy. Somehow, it had always made him seem more real to Green. “Not helping here, Green. Really.”
“Sorry, Captain.”
“Don’t apologize. Just don’t remind me how losing my head is a bad thing. At least not when I’m about to stick my neck on the line—literally.” Laughing, Lukian leaned out of the window, his M4 Carbine in hand as he laid down cover fire. Wilson and Eadan were still pinned in. They wouldn’t make it out in time with the convoy of men dispersing on the other side of the facility. Green grabbed a M203 Grenade Launcher from the weapons chest to his left, thankful it wasn’t bouncing around the van as well, and handed it to Jon. “Open the back door and fire at the second level, fourth window in from the right.” He glanced at Roi. “Roi, spin in a circle, now!”
“Yeehaw!” Roi yelled, taking his daredevil ways to a new level as he came close to overturning the van. It tipped, lifted off the wheels on one side before slamming back down and bouncing.
“Goddamnit, Major!” Jon snarled, still looking a bit pale.
“Roi, if you get yourself killed, I am never having sex with you again,” Missy bit out over the headsets.
It was illogical but effective. Roi immediately began to behave himself. “Sorry, doll baby.”
Jon thrust the back door open and aimed the weapon higher than need be to aid in the trajectory.
“Eadan, throw power around Wilson and yourself, now,” Green said, calmly into his microphone, knowing the Fae could handle the request. “And I suggest you run now. Trust me when I say a bullet is better than a building falling on you.”
“Tell him the head and heart story,” Roi said, laughing under his breath. “That should make him feel much better about his odds.”
A semi-growl like noise came from Missy.
“Shutting up now, dear,” Roi whispered.
“Oh, shit!” Wilson and Eadan ran full force toward the van. Green grabbed an M-16 and immediately began laying down cover fire for them. Lukian leaned out his window and did the same. Jon hit his mark, as Green knew he would, and the grenade exploded. Eadan dove into the van, careful to stay under Green’s line of fire. Wilson followed suit as something close to a sonic boom followed. Jon grabbed one door and Green grabbed the other, pulling them closed.
“Get us out of here, now!” Lukian shouted.
Roi chuckled “Oh, now you want my Andretti skills.”
“Do not make me shoot you.” The fake snarl from Lukian told them all he was joking.
Eadan lay on his back, laughing as they sped away. Flames engulfed the building, shooting out in all directions. Jon glanced down at Eadan. “Did you snap or do you always laugh when you come close to dying?”
It was Missy who answered. “He always does that. Give him about ten minutes. He’ll snap out of it. I went from one hot dog to another.” She would know how Eadan normally behaved. She’d been married to him years ago. Roi and Eadan had worked out their differences and had come to an understanding.
Roi huffed. “I am not a hot dog. More like a great big, I’m talking huge … mongo even, sausage.”
Everyone laughed. After dangerous missions when everyone made it out relatively unharmed, the men tended to rely on humor to keep their wits and their ties to something non-violent. For too many years they’d been the silent operatives, going in and eliminating targets the world wasn’t even aware it had. It tended to wear on the human side of them while feeding their beasts.
Wilson tapped Green’s leg. “Do me a favor and pull out the bullet in my shoulder I don’t think it’s in deep. I can probably have it healed by morning.”
“Dare I guess how many bullets you’ll take when we get to South America? You seem like a magnet.”
Jon grinned. “I could use him for target practice now so he’s good and conditioned.”
“I want to help,” Roi said, chuckling.
Lukian ignored their banter, pulling a chart out and flicking on his mini-flashlight instead. He was anal about the reports they filed with Colonel Brooks. Green had no doubt that Lukian would have the paperwork needed for the briefing done by the time the rest of them were home and showered.
Eadan nudged Wilson. “If it helps, I have no desire to shoot you—yet.”
“Gee, I feel so much better now.”
Eadan snickered. “Yeah, I thought that would make you feel better. I’m charming like that.”
“Eadan, uhh, umm, never mind,” Green muttered, unsure why thoughts of Melanie’s well-being hit him out of nowhere.
The Fae glanced up at him and gave him a soft look. “Yes, Green. Melanie is still okay. I can sense her through our bond. I’ve never been able to pick up on her activities but when she’s not consciously blocking me, I’m able to read her feelings. I’m guessing she’s resting because its one of the only ways Melanie’s mind relaxes enough not to fight back.”
Exhaling, Green nodded. “Thank you.”
“You know,” Wilson arched a brow, “you could just call her. Ask her out on a date. Read from one of those boring science books. Talk about mating rituals of penguins or whatever else geeks like you enjoy. Anything.”
“I will.” As Green said it, he knew it was a lie. He’d never gather the courage to ask someone like Melanie out. She was so vibrant, so carefree, a woman he couldn’t understand but couldn’t get out of his mind either.
“Mmmhmm.” The look on Wilson’s face said he didn’t believe for a second Green would call. He was right.
“Uhh, not to break up this ‘feel good’ moment,” Jon pointed at the viewing screens, “but is that a guy on the corner of the guard shack with an RPG launcher?”
For a split second, no one said a word. The moment Jon lunged toward the weapons chest, everyone, including Roi, who was driving, reached for one. Lukian smacked him in the back of the head again. “Idiot, watch the road!”
“Oh, right.”
The rest of the men armed themselves with something capable of shooting longer distances and went into action. Eadan sat up, lifted his hands and released his magik. It ran over Green, making the air around him buzz and the hair on his arm stand on end. The doors to the van burst open. Jon and Wilson began firing.
“Take out that RPG!” Lukian yelled as if they needed to be told something so obvious.
Green tapped Jon’s shoulder. “Too high, you’re over shooting.”
“Ha, Mr. Science Geek thinks he can do better.” Wilson fired as much as his mouth ran. That always left him going through ammo quicker than others.
Ignoring his comment, Green held his weapon, aimed, doing his best to mentally calculate the rate at which the vehicle was moving, versus the position of the man about to fire a rocket-propelled grenade at them, and fired. The man dropped as he fired the RPG. All of them watched in horror as a trail of fire seemed to streak towards them.
“Oh shit,” Green whispered.
“See, when he says that,” Wilson glanced at Green, “it’s always bad.”
“Nah.” Roi chuckled, glancing in the review mirror. “That’s going wide. It’ll miss us by a—”
The RPG shot past the van, narrowly missing it and causing it to rock slightly. Roi looked at Lukian. “Umm, by a centimeter or two. See. All is fine. Anyone else impressed Green stepped up and nailed the guy with one shot?”
Putting his hand up, Green let out a soft laugh. “I am.”
“Just another day at the office, buddy.” Jon patted Green on the shoulder. “Nice shot.”
“I’m getting too old for this shit.”
“Aren’t we all?”
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Not Gonna Let the Series Die! Help me save it!
I’m refusing to let this series die to lack of sales & high piracy. That means, I’m enlisting your help–my awesome readers! Please help me spread the word about the Project Exorcism Series. I LOVE LOVE LOVE writing these. They are so much fun!
You might be wondering how you can help?
You can tweet about it, linking to the series page, you can facebook about it, blog about it, whatever social networking site you use, write a review (good or bad–I’m not shitting you) for one of the books in the series, hire a plane to write it in the sky (hey, not like I’d look down my nose at this one or anything), and last but not least, you can pick up a copy of one of the books in the series to see if you enjoy them as much as I have. Every sale counts!
I’ve built my career one reader at a time. I know the power each of you holds! I know how fiercely loyal you all are, how incredibly awesome you all are and how much you f-ing rawk! Thank you for this!
FYI: You all helped with a “small” series I had way back when I started–Immortal Ops. It’s sales were low to start and the word just wasn’t reaching other people. I enlisted your help and well… yeah… not only did you save the series, you made it one of my top grossing/most popular! That is the POWER you as readers have! Never doubt that!
Project Exorcism in order of release:
Project Exorcism 1
Futuristic Sci-Fi Paranormal Shifter Romance
Project Exorcism, Book 1
Long ago, the Commission thought it had succeeded in ridding Earth of all supernatural beings. They were dead wrong. The supernaturals have not only survived the cold reaches of space, they have thrived. And grown more powerful.
Commission Captain Sevan Vasil has enough problems without the strange, erotic dreams that seem to be his mind’s version of a cruel joke. No woman could be that perfect a lover…except perhaps a mate. That’s the joke—no woman alive would dare answer a lion-shifter’s call. Until sassy, raven-haired Lorelei Janelle appears on his communication screen. The familiar face and angelic voice are straight out of his dreams.
Lorelei’s gut tells her not to let Sevan’s damaged vessel anywhere near her uncharted planet, but her hormones overrule her head. The all-too-cocky, all-too-sexy captain is all she ever wanted—and everything it’s not safe to have. Getting him and his crew safely off the planet before the planet’s ruling vampire sorcerer awakes will be nip and tuck.
Getting Sevan out of her heart…impossible.
Rating: Contains hot, hot, hot sex, an alpha male shifter, a delicious devi, adult language, and violence.
Project Exorcism, Book 2
With a Commission uniform on her back and an engagement ring from the ship commander on her finger, a normal life is finally within Dr. Marisa Langston’s reach. If she can just learn to love her fiancé, everything will be perfect. Except for the perfectly arrogant Lieutenant Commander Bradi Janelle. He not only gets on her last nerve, he makes her body burn with a hunger only he can satisfy. Distraction is dangerous for a woman who has something to hide…especially when the ship is sabotaged.
Bradi isn’t looking for a mate. Hell, he goes out of his way to avoid the prospect altogether—until the sexy little number in the infirmary makes a mockery of his ladies’ man façade. Now, trapped with her in an escape pod, she’s way too close for comfort. Too close to deny himself the heaven of her body. And her semi-conscious ramblings reveal way too much information—secrets that are dangerous for them both.
Their out-of-control hormones are the least of their problems. The pod is careening toward his home planet. Once there, Marisa won’t be the only one with nothing left to hide…
This book has been previously published and has been revised from its original release.
Warning: Contains steaming hot baby-making in close quarters, sexy shifters in a galaxy far, far away, and a giant eel. Don’t worry, it’s friendly. Most of the time.
Project Exorcism, Book 3
As head of the Sargaidia guards, Nina Janelle is accustomed to getting what she wants out of her men—in battle and in bed. These days, she’s in a losing battle with her panther-shifter heat cycle, each round requiring more and more men to quell her burning need. Until she meets Commission Officer Jordan Vasil. Suddenly, only one man can satisfy her—too bad the cocky pilot grates on her very last nerve.
Nina’s is the only face floating in his mind when Jordan lies alone at night, suffering from unrequited lust. It seems she’d rather slit his throat than bed him—until he finds her in debilitating pain from her efforts to subdue her urges. Ignoring her attempts to push him away, he gives her what she needs. His touch. His body.
Nina’s not quite ready to concede defeat, but she needs Jordan’s piloting skills to find her missing brother. Alone with him in close quarters promises to be more than distracting. Losing control could cost more than her kick-ass reputation. It could cost their lives.
Warning: Contains a hotheaded female who doesn’t like having to rely on any one let alone a man. And an equally stubborn alpha shifter male who’s is more than willing to go toe to toe with her before rocking her world.
Stegian is a man held prisoner in his own body by a demon. A demon hell bent on ridding the planet of all Janelles. He rules by fear and he rules well. But, when a mysterious, gorgeous woman arrives late one night, tempting him, claiming to want to save him from himself, everything changes. He longs for her and wants to believe her words are true—that she can separate him from the vampire he carries within. Dare he hope? Dare he believe?
Jacquelyn Janelle is no longer held to the same rules that apply to her people. She’s ascended and gained valuable insight into the universe and its plans for one thought lost to evil. More than that, she’s fully aware who he is to her—her true mate. She’ll stop at nothing to assure she saves him, even if it’s from himself.
Warning: This novella contains explicit sex and violence. It is a story about redemption against all hope and about how love can transcend time and space. Plus, it has hot sex scenes for those unconcerned with the frilly stuff
CONTEST: Because I dig contests and because I MORE than dig your help. Comment below, letting me know where you’ve helped spread the word, or if you’d read them and what you thought of them, basically, whatever you want to comment below that might be seen as helping me spread the word I’ll accept as an entry for a chance to win TWO (that is right TWO) Mandy M Roth Raven Book Ebook Titles of YOUR CHOICE! The more you do, the more you’ll be entered for a chance to win!
May 2, 2012
My Thoughts: About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
Sure, opposites attract, but in this sexy, smart, eBook original romance from Ruthie Knox, they positively combust! When a buttoned-up banker falls for a bad girl, “about last night” is just the beginning.
Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.
Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine—even her name turns him on—with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.
When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime?
My Two Cents:
Let me start off by saying. Sue Grimshaw made her twitter profile pic Ruthie’s About Last Night book cover and I think we can all agree–HOT. So there it was, taunting me, teasing me, just out of reach. I didn’t know Ruthie (still technically have never met her in person) and had not as of yet read anything by her. Fast forward, Ruthie and I began showing up on tweets together–twitter folks know how this can happen, you answer someone else, they respond to more than one of you at a time, and so on.
So, I start following Ruthie.
The more I follow her, the funnier I see she is. This is a biggie to me. I love authors with good senses of humor. It got me wondering if this translated over to Ruthie’s books. You all know I tend to shy away from reading Contemporary Romances. There have been very few that I devour. But, that damn sexy cover and Ruthie’s sense of humor just keep pulling at me. Fast forward some more…
I was lucky enough to get an ARC (advance reader copy) of About Last Night by Ruthie Knox. It did NOT disappoint. It had me laughing out loud more than once. I fell in love with Cath’s outlook on life, her desire to truly be a reformed bad girl but no matter what, she falls into old habits. And Nev, oh Nev… (excuse me, I need some alone time now) is written in a way that he just leaps off the page at you.
Ruthie has a witty way of writing and she pens a hot hero. I never wanted a banker more in my life.
Disclaimer (that makes me look like a douchebag): I went into this book assuming the sex scenes would be more suggested than actual or at the very least glossed over. I stand corrected. Wow. Penned beautifully AND sexy! If you’re looking for a great, funny, sexy, contemporary romance read, Ruthie’s About Last Night is it!
I just bought her other book Ride With Me and can’t wait to dig into it.
CONTEST: I will GIFT one lucky person with a Kindle copy of Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox . Winner will be selected from those who comment here on the blog post. You must have an amazon account. Sorry, only gifting a kindle copy.
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Sharon Cullen
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Sharon Cullen
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Carina Press.
A: Carina Press and more specifically, Charlotte Herscher, have been a joy to work with. They’re very positive and very open to suggestions. I just love the energy they bring to my work.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I use a lot of social media like Facebook, Twitter and guest blogging, to get the word out. I consider marketing and promoting a year round effort, whether I have a new release or not. I think in this day and age, it’s important for an author to be out there all the time. Plus, I’m a social media addict. I LOVE talking to everyone on Twitter and Facebook. The other day I posted a funny picture on my Facebook that said, “I love my computer. All my friends live in there.” LOL. That’s exactly how I feel. So while I’m promoting and marketing, I don’t FEEL like I’m promoting and marketing.
On the other hand, I think any author needs to strike a good balance. You don’t want to inundate your followers with “buy my book” tweets and posts. That just turns people away. So occasionally I will slip a “buy my book” tweet or post in there but not often.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Never, never, never give up. Keep writing, keep reading. As long as you have an open mind, are willing to learn and can handle critiques of your work, you WILL succeed. But you have to be willing to work hard. Writing isn’t easy, as much as some of my non-writing friends like to believe. Its hard and you have to be willing to put the blood, sweat and tears (lots of tears) into it.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: Her Dark Knight is a cross-genre romance. A little paranormal. A little historical, a little contemporary. It’s about Christien Chevalier, a Knight Templar given the job of protecting the Holy Grail and about Madelaine Alexander, his love from seven hundred years ago who has been reincarnated. Here’s a blurb:
Madelaine Alexander is on a mission. When her boss sends her to the hottest nightclub in town to meet with the owner, she won’t be deterred, even if that means standing in line for fifty-eight minutes in torturous heels while she’d rather be home in her pj’s with a bowl of popcorn.
A Knight of the Templar, Christien Chevalier was given immortality along with the responsibility of protecting the treasure of the Templars. He’s been unwavering in his task for centuries until his one true love—who died seven hundred years ago—shows up in his club, demanding his attention.
Christien couldn’t protect Madelaine when they first fell in love. She was married to a lord and he was simply a knight. Now, through some unknown miracle, she stands before him again and they have a second chance. But Christien fears that Madelaine is being used as a pawn in a dangerous game, a game of good versus evil that could affect all of mankind…
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
A: I’m working on the second Knight Templar story. I’m also working on a romantic suspense, and the plot for my next historical is swirling around in my mind. It’s very crowded in my brain at the moment.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I started writing when I was ten years old. I’d read YA and, not liking the ending, would rewrite the entire story. Later, I joined my high school newspaper and knew I wanted writing to be a large part of my life. I graduated with a degree in journalism from Ohio University but writing jobs are hard to find. I worked several different jobs in several different areas. Then kids came along and, well, we all know how much time kids take. But ironically, it was when I was a stay-at-home mom that I had a little come-to-Jesus with myself. If I wanted to see my dream of writing a novel come true, then I had to start right then. That was eleven years ago and I haven’t looked back. I’m having the time of my life!
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: Now that the kids are older it’s much easier. I have two teenagers and a tween. They aren’t nearly as needy as they used to be and tend to disappear in the evenings. I write while they’re in school, then take a few hours off when they get home from school. After dinner I’ll sit on the couch with the laptop and write some more while my husband reads or watches TV beside me.
LINKS:
April 28, 2012
Master of the Hunt
Paranormal Bird Shifter Romance
When the oracle warns Prince Aeson that his future mate is in the human realm and is in great danger, he wastes no time going in search of her. Problem is, he has no idea who he’s looking for. He’s never met her and the oracle couldn’t give him anything more than small clues as to who she is and where she might be.
Sent to one of his favorite hangouts—a sex club—Aeson is stunned when a beauty shows up on the arm of another man, a man void of emotion. He senses trouble surrounding her and something else—something that marks her as his. He doesn’t care if she is or isn’t the woman the oracle told him about, she’s the woman he wants. Anyone who dares to stand in his way will feel his wrath and, before the night is out, she’ll feel exactly what it’s like to be taken by a prince.
WARNING: This book contains hot, explicit sex and violence, dominant alpha bird shifting males who think they’re always right, even when they’re dead wrong and a woman who isn’t about to stand by and let them boss her around.
Snippet from Master of the Hunt (King of Prey Series) by Mandy M. Roth
Accipitridae Realm, Buteos Regalis main castle…
Aeson stepped back, allowing his nephews to run past him, each babbling about something he could not understand. Their father, the king and Aeson’s eldest brother, chased behind them, appearing winded. In the nearly four hundred years he’d known him, Aeson couldn’t recall a time when Kabril looked so unraveled. His duplicate in looks in every way, it was as though Aeson were seeing himself in such a situation.
The sight was sobering indeed.
“Kabril, you are showing your age,” Aeson said, enjoying goading his brother as often as he could.
“I am two minutes older than you,” Kabril replied. He motioned to his triplets, who were pushing the age of three. “I know naught how our father did it. Eight sons.” He looked horrified by the idea. “They are my heart and joy, but brother, they never tire. It is the equivalent to one laying siege to the castle nonstop.”
Chuckling, Aeson nodded. “So I see.”
“Brother, the moons hold great pull over them. When the moons are full, I swear my sons sleep not.”
Aeson laughed. Four moons orbited their planet. One of the moons was large enough to be seen during daylight hours. Often, the moons were attributed when madness, or in this case, too much energy came into play. “I do not believe for a moment they are subject to the moons’ pull. They are merely young boys—fledglings—Kabril. We are old. They are not. It stands to reason they would have more energy than us. It is good to hear the sounds of children in the kingdom. For too long it was void of such noises.”
Kabril motioned to the nanny charged with overseeing the boys before turning to face his brother. “No word of new births among our people has reached me. To date, only Rayna and I, and Sachin and his mate Paige have been successful. You know, Rayna believes we should consult the Oracle on the matter. She thinks it may provide valuable insight into what our next move should be.”
Aeson cringed at the mention of the prophecy giving globe. From an early age he’d learned to both fear and stand in awe of the oracle’s power. It was often consulted on matters associated with the gods or destiny. Kabril, unlike their father, wasn’t superstitious. It made him a better leader in Aeson’s opinion than their father had been, not that he’d been a bad one. “And I say you decree that all your loyal subjects must procreate like mad,” Aeson said.
Kabril rolled his eyes. “Still chasing skirts in the taverns throughout the realm?”
With a sly smile, Aeson rubbed his stubble-covered jaw. “Not in this realm, brother. I’m unsure a maiden exists here that I’ve not bedded. Earth is another matter altogether.”
That caused his brother to stumble over seemingly nothing. “You? The famed lover of women of our kind and hater of all things human, now seeks out the beds of human women?”
“No. Not beds. But I do enjoy chaining them to walls and having my way with them,” he replied. His cock hardened at the very thought of it. He did so enjoy women of all sizes and shapes. And he very much enjoyed taking them in different ways. “Did you know they have taverns or rather sex clubs, as they call them, devoted to that very thing? They rival our torture chambers and the women there line up for it, wanting to be punished by a man’s hand before being thoroughly pleasured.” He motioned with his hands, framing an invisible woman with exaggerated measurements. He then pumped his hips in midair, simulating fucking said woman.
“If my wife hears you speak of such things,” Kabril leaned in, “and of demeaning human women in such a way, she will skin you alive. She may be human but she is something to be feared, brother.”
Aeson tossed his head back and laughed. Rayna certainly was a fiery woman. She kept his brother in line nicely and brought out the best in him. He clasped his brother’s shoulder. “Should I find one such as she, mayhap I would wish to chain her to my bed for I am not foolish enough to think I am immune to all women’s charms.”
“Do you not wish for a family, Aeson?” There was something off in Kabril’s voice. “Do you not wish for love and happiness?”
He glanced in the direction his nephews had run off in. “I do not wish for such a thing.” It was a bold faced lie. One he was sure his brother saw through with ease.
“Because you have no desire for one or because you desire one so much that you fear it might not come true?”
His brother knew him well. Not only did they look much alike—nearly identical to those who didn’t know them well—they tended to think on the same terms too. Though, Kabril had always taken things more seriously than Aeson had. Mainly because Kabril, as firstborn son, had to. Second to the throne in a family that was close-kkknit, Aeson saw no point in worrying over kingly matters when the odds of him ever having the throne were slim. Even Keonae, the youngest of the triplets, saw no need to trouble himself with the day-to-day trials and tribulations of running a kingdom. For reasons too dark to dwell upon, Keonae now resided permanently within the human realm—a place Aeson found himself drawn to more and more as of late.
Kabril entered the Great Hall and Aeson followed closely behind. Chains of gold hung suspended from the high ceilings. Open saucers with floating wicks were upon the ends of each, illuminating the vast room.
Aeson’s brother took a seat on his throne. There was a reflective mixture in a bowl sitting to the left of the throne. Aeson knew it was used to help divine the future, something Kabril rarely did on his own, leaving the seers to do so for him.
Kabril eased back in his chair, his fingers skimming over the carved hawks in the dark wood. “Brother, it was not that long ago I found myself in your position. Wanting to deny what the Oracle had set forth for me.”
“Good thing we have yet to consult it for me then, yes?” A nervous chortle broke free of him.
Pressing his mouth in a thin line, Kabril motioned for one of the attendants. “Bring the Oracle.”
“What?” Aeson paled. “Kabril, no.”
The attendants hurried off, nearly knocking over one of the suspended oil lamps in their haste to please the king.
His brother smiled. “Ah, it would appear you are too late.”
Grunting, Aeson gave his brother a pensive look. “I have no wish to hear talk of things that may not come to pass. Worse yet, it tell me I’m to wed a woman with a hunched back or who is missing her teeth.”
“Think it likely?” Kabril questioned. “We have such an abundance of them? We may not have many females in our realm but none are as you described.”
He took in a deep breath, wanting very much to strangle his eldest brother. As the attendant returned with two of the priests and the globe of the oracle, Aeson crossed his arms over his chest.
The priest on the left bowed first. “Your majesty, you seek the Oracle’s guidance?”
“No, follower of the path of the Epopisdeus,” Kabril said. “My brother seeks its wisdom in regards to a mate.”
The other priest gasped. “Such advice is frowned upon, my lord.”
“Yet none of you hesitated to force my hand in finding a mate in that very fashion,” Kabril reminded them. “You will do so for my brother.”
“But, your majesty, what if the Oracle says he has no mate or that she once was but has perished?”
Aeson stiffened, his gaze locked on the white globe. He steeled his nerves and nodded. “Ask it. I wish to know regardless the outcome.”
“Brother, you are certain?”
“Yes, Kabril. I am certain.”
“Very well.” His brother waved his hand dramatically in the air. “Priest, ask the Oracle.”
The priests bent their heads, each humming and putting their hands over the globe. Aeson had seen it consulted enough to know no actual words were spoken. It was more a telepathic thing. The priests were seers—men able to connect with the oracle mystically.
The priest to the right turned his head towards Aeson. “It is most odd, my lord. The oracle tells us your mate is alive, but she will not be for long should you not find her.”
His breath caught.
Kabril came up and off his throne, the smirk gone from his face. “What else does it say? Where is she? In what village does she reside? What does she look like? Her name?”
The priest to the left slumped his shoulders. “Your majesty, the Oracle responds in much the same way as when we ask it of other seers. It is vague. It is giving us only hints of it all, images, feelings, but they are short and incomplete.”
“But that cannot be,” Kabril said. “There are no female seers within our realm.”
“Yes, there are none within our realm, your majesty, but legend speaks of seers born unto the human realm who are female.”
Aeson still couldn’t pull his mind from the knowledge his mate was alive but not for long.
His brother ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit of his. “Aeson’s mate is human?”
“Yes. It would appear so,” a priest answered.
The other tipped his head, as if listening to the Oracle. “Sparrow? It is showing us the image of a sparrow. This means something important. It is representative of her.”
“But how is it she can be a shifter and born unto the humans?”
“Your majesty, it does not present the image in that of a shifter form. It is simply a sparrow. No more. No less.”
Aeson grabbed for the priest. “Where do I find her? She needs me.”
“My lord,” the priest said, trying to free himself from Aeson’s clutches. “Please, we know not.”
“Brother.” Kabril broke Aeson’s hold on the priest. “Priests, is there anything more you can offer him?”
“It is strange. The Oracle wishes for him to go to where he has been drawn to so much as of late. We cannot say why.”
Aeson’s eyes widened. “It wishes me to go to the sex dungeon, erm, club in the human realm?”
Kabril rubbed the bridge of his nose and the priests looked horrified at the idea of such a thing existing. “That is all. You may go.”
They rushed off, taking the oracle with them.
“Brother, they are men who have dedicated themselves to the bird gods and who have forsaken carnal pleasures,” Kabril said. “To talk of such a thing before them is unwise and cruel.”
“And my mate is about to die,” he answered. “I’ll take the time to give a damn about the priests’ celibacy when I know she is safe and well.”
“I will gather men to accompany you,” Kabril said.
Aeson shook his head. “This task is for me and me alone. Should I require assistance, I will send for it.”
Kabril knew better than to argue the point. “Be well, brother, and may you find her healthy and eager to accept you.”
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McKenna Jeffries
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April 25, 2012
MwM Spotlight on Self-Publishing: T. M. Hunter
Marketing with Mandy Spotlight on Self-Publishing: T. M. Hunter
Q: Please take a minute to tell us a little about yourself.
A: Not much to say. I’ve had short stories and novels published for the past four years (give or take), and started into self-publishing for just over the past year or so. I mainly stick to space opera, featuring my space pirate Aston West and the various characters of his universe. Even my latest sci-fi thriller The Cure blends into his universe later in life (shhhh, don’t tell!). I have had some success with small press titles, including my first two Aston West novels Heroes Die Young and Friends in Deed. My short stories have been published all over the web, including over at Ray Gun Revival, Residential Aliens, Golden Visions Magazine and Lorelei Signal. And as mentioned, over this past year-plus, I’ve been self-publishing various titles, including my novella Seeker, The Cure, and the first in a series of three-story bundles (Aston West Triple-Shots) featuring my new story “Dead Man’s Forge” and others.
Q: What prompted you to self-publish your book(s)?
A: Like many, I’ve followed several blogs where the idea of self-publishing books has been bantered about as a viable option for all authors. I’d had a poor experience with one publisher around a decade ago, which soured me on all publishers (and writing) for some time. I finally came around, got back into writing Aston’s tales, and ended up with small press Champagne Books publishing two of my Aston West novels, and another (ResAliens Press) who contacted me about putting together a short story collection (Dead or Alive). Self-publishing started becoming something of a “cool” thing to do around that time, and I started pondering the idea. I’d actually been sitting on an Aston West novella called Seeker, not knowing where to send it after an anthology call (which had been the catalyst for me writing the story) fell apart. I decided to dip my toes in the pool and self-published Seeker over on Smashwords and Amazon. I’d originally thought about submitting my next novel (The Cure) to agents, but after noticing that sales for Seeker were running about the same as with my small press titles, went ahead and self-published it as well. I’d been bitten by the bug now, and decided to conduct an experiment, bundling up three short stories (referred to as Aston West Triple-Shots) every quarter or so. All in all, I’d say I’m hooked.
Q: How has the experience been to date?
A: So far, I haven’t seen the stellar success some folks online have apparently had (no $100,000 months for me). I do have to say that sales have still been about on par with the sales from my small press titles. I’ve found quite a number of benefits through this brief stint in self-publishing. I earn more by doing it alone. I can get (almost) immediate indication of sales, and can match it up to promotional efforts I do. I get full control over things like editing, cover art, and pricing (if I want to drop the price of my titles to 99 cents, like I have, I can do it at will). It’s been a great experience, even if I’m not close to making enough to give up the day job. And of course, I have two more Aston novels in the pipeline, and unless circumstances somehow change, I’m more than likely going to bring out the next one on my own as well.
Q: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started?
A: I’d highly recommend getting an e-reader, and also finding honest friends who own a variety of e-readers (and let you buy them free copies to test out). Trying out the files from Amazon, B&N.com and Smashwords has been an eye-opening experience on what the end-user is getting. Sometimes you end up scratching your head over how the converters ended up doing what they did.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I use most of the standard fare, promoting through my social networks (Twitter and Facebook, mostly) various online forums, and my website and blog. But as far as “tricks” I think the biggest promotional effort out there has to be pricing. All of my self-published titles are currently at 99 cents. My small press titles are around $2.99-$4.99, depending on title and location. “Bestseller” titles are running with inflated prices, to the point of being absolutely insane. I recently checked out the first in Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta series, and was astonished that the e-book (for Nook) was $9.99 while the paperback version was also $9.99 (this book has been out for well over a decade, and possibly around fifteen years now). Marketing is all about taking advantage of, and sharing your benefits. If the idea that you can buy all of my self-published novels for a third of what a “bestseller” costs doesn’t get people excited, then…
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: (Assuming they want to start self-publishing) I’d recommend doing an honest evaluation of your own writing skills, including spelling, grammar, character development and plotting. This doesn’t mean asking your friends and family what they think, but hinges on whether your writing is getting accepted in the marketplace on its own merits. I’ve been getting short stories published online for years, as well as the small press titles I mentioned, all before I ventured into self-publishing. All of that was an indicator that my writing had what it takes.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: The Cure is my latest novel. In a nutshell, scientist Mila Groso has lost her husband and daughter, and in her unbearable grief, she’s decided to bring them back, so researches a cure for death. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one who wants to get her hands on such a miracle drug. Religious agents threaten her, trying to stop her work from negating their belief in an afterlife. The government sends a mercenary in, trying to acquire the technology for their own nefarious purposes. Fighting to stay alive, Mila discovers her cure may end up being a greater curse than she ever imagined.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s (works in progress)?
A: Well, other than trying to figure out the next three stories to go into another installment of the Aston West Triple-Shots, I’m also working on the third and fourth novels in the Aston West universe. Death Brings the Victory is currently in final (hopefully) edits, and features Aston returning to a war zone to escape his past, only to discover how far bloodlust will take him and those he loves.
Resurrection is still in first draft form, but the plot is set and it’s going to be a great one as well. Aston is presented with a unique opportunity to reverse the past mistakes he’s made, but to do so means going against everything that’s good and decent in his life.
LINKS:
April 23, 2012
Jess Granger, Interview by Michelle M. Pillow
Jess Granger, Interview
By Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
An adventurer at heart, Jess Granger has done everything from working as a balloon artist, brewing her own beer, traveling through Europe, and working to rehabilitate injured birds. When she isn’t writing like a mad fiend, you can find her pondering the complexity of ecosystems while tending her massive butterfly gardens. She’s a national bestselling, science fiction romance author with her series, Realms Beyond. Her latest work, Beyond the Shadows, arrives in bookstores May 4, 2010.
* * * * *
Q: In your book, both your hero and heroine are aliens. What inspired you to create such characters?
Jess:Part of the fun of Science Fiction, especially on the Space Opera end, is creating new worlds out in the vastness of space with new rules. I love world building from scratch. The universe is endless and full of possibility for wonder, adventure and excitement. In the case of my hero and heroine from Beyond the Shadows, it was fun to portray a matriarchy that isn’t all good, or all bad for that matter. It was also interesting to play with male/female dynamics when both characters come from a completely alien culture that has very different rules from ours. It led to some pretty entertaining fireworks. It was also a challenge to create a world and a culture that developed into a matriarchy through a natural state of cultural evolution dictated by the nature of their planet and the needs of war in an arboreal realm.
Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal?
Jess:I think people are excited by possibility. I think it is fun to ponder what is out there. Who knows what is really out there? It gives us the thrill of fear, but that lingering excitement that what we know as truth may not be truth, and in fact we are small in the face of true wonder.
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic?
Jess:I like to believe in possibility. When faced with something that might be possible but seems impossible, I err on the side of, well maybe, who knows?
Q: How would you react if you came face to face with an alien?
Jess:I’d freak out. Hands down, I’d freak out. I’m really a skeerdy cat. After the freak out, I’d freak out in a different way. If they didn’t intend us harm, wow, could you even imagine the nature of a feat of exploration like that?
Q: Have you ever been abducted by aliens?
Jess:Um, barring some entertaining shenanigans in college, I’m pretty sure that no, I have not been abducted by aliens. I fell out of my body once and landed on the ceiling while sleeping, and I’ve dated a couple of guys that I believe might have been aliens, but no, in the grand scheme of things, I have not seen any little green men, nor have any tried to kidnap me because Mars needed women. I guess the night is still young.
Thanks for joining us, Jess!
You can learn more about Jess and her books at her website, www.jessgranger.com. Interview by Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
