Archive for the ‘Interview’ Category

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This is my own version of a weekly bookhaul post where  I’ll be telling you about all of the books I got this week, whether print or e-book plus all things new on fuonlyknew.

I got a few books this week, some free, some for review, and some I purchased just for my reading pleasure.

I also post reviews on another blog aknifeandaquill . It’s all about horror. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t do it here!

Here’s some I picked up to review on both blogs. Double exposure for the author:)

  Twisted

Here are some I picked up to review on fuonlyknew.

The Living And The Dead  The Riddles of Hillgate (Z & C Mysteries #1)

Got some good ones!

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Freebies

Get yours free HERE thru August 14th.

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Books for Review.

As the World Dies: Untold Tales Volume 1  As The World Dies Untold Tales Volume 2  As The World Dies Untold Tales Volume 3

Special Rewards (Coursodon Dimension Series, #2)  The Photo Traveler

I had to have these!

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Books I won.

The End of All Things

I won The End Of All Things from a giveaway on Oops! I Read A Book Again ! Thanks so much and thanks to Lissa Bryan!

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Reviewed this week.

Morning Warning

You can read my review on my Monday Minis post HERE.

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The Dazzling Darkness

You can read my review HERE.

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You can read my review HERE.

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Scheduled reviews for this coming week.

Hummingbirds

I’ll be reviewing this on my Monday Minis post.

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Leashed (Going to the Dogs, #1)

You can read my review and enter the series giveaway on Tuesday, August 13th.

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Getting Back to Normal

You can read my review and enter the giveaway on Wednesday, August 14th.

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Cloaked in Fur

You can read my review and enter the giveaway on Thursday, August 15th.

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Meg: Origins

You can read my review on my Freakin Fridays post.

Several more reviews and awesome giveaways coming this next week. Be sure to stop by!

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Other posts this week. Just click on the links to see the posts.

Promo Blast for Coming From Nowhere

Author Interview with Carlie M.A. Cullen ~ Heart Search: Found

Teaser Tuesdays ~ The Witch Hunter

Persephone the Daring $100 giveaway

Cover Reveal ~ Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove

WWW Wednesday ~ Zombie, Zombies, and, you guessed it, Zombies

Giveaway for Shadow of Perception

Giveaway and Trailer Reveal for Vows

Promo for Three Kitties That Saved My Life

Freakin Fridays ~ We’re gonna need a bigger boat

Review for The Dazzling Darkness

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Go here to find all of my giveaways. Enter one or enter all of them!!

Go here for a list of free e-books.

Busy, busy, busy. So many delicious reads! Some I’ve read and will be posting my reviews soon.

So what did you get this week? See something you like? Do you have any of these? Leave a comment and let me know.

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This is going to be so fun!

I have my sister and fellow blogger, Sherry, here to tell us all about herself and her blog.

She recently moved her blog and I wanted to reach out to all of you wonderful people and let you know where she is now!

Many of you followed her before and now you can follow her again.

She’d love to see you again and new followers are most welcome.

Hope over to fundinmental and say hi!

Sherry is also a  photographer. All of the pictures in this post except for the mermaid and the creepy crawlie spider video are hers.

The picture of her pool doesn’t do justice to it in person. The Tiki hut is always piping out the tunes and we have enjoyed hundreds of hours of splashing and soaking up the sun.

Have fun getting to know Sherry. She’s revealin it all today!

S rock D_0813

     Okay, reveal yourself! Well, you know what I mean, tell us a little about yourself:)
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Shhhh.  That’s a secret. Okay about me. Hmmmm. I love reading and photography. My biggest goal in life was to live as near to the water as I could afford. When I moved south, I bought a house with a pool. If I could afford beachfront, I would be there in a heartbeat. The beach is, sort of, just around the corner, plus there is a small man-made lake at the end of my street and we have access.
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I am a water and sun worshipper, too late to worry about the wrinkles. I think they give me character.
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     How did you get into blogging and what were your plans for it?
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My sister, Laura, here at fuonlyknew, got me hooked. But in a good way. LOL She introduced me to Goodreads, then WordPress, and the rest is history. We occasionally do team reviews and promos for authors. My main purpose was to have fun and share my love of books. I didn’t know it would become so addictive.
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     You recently moved your blog. That must have been a huge undertaking. What was it like?
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Moving my blog was something I really didn’t want to do, but it was necessary. I am self-taught on the computer, so I recruited some help. I now have a computer guy who comes to my aid when I am totally stumped. I have also had to learn a lot on my own, which I think is a good thing. When I wasn’t wigging out, it was fun and a challenge.
There were lots of things that didn’t transfer well. I lost my followers and my media library. The media library wasn’t too bad. I already had the photos saved on my computer, so it was just a matter of reloading them into my blog library. Just a time thing.
Probably the biggest thing that bummed me out, I lost all my followers. So please help me find you again. If you were following me before and would still like to keep up with fundinmental, please come on over and follow by email again. I would love to see you hanging out with me.
If I promised you a Review, they will be coming. I was waiting to do this interview with Laura, so I could reach more of my followers and let them know I didn’t vanish, just got lost for a little while. Laura and I have a lot of the same followers because of our similar tastes, so with her help I hope to reach out to all of you and let you know that I have not forgotten any of you and want to stay connected.
Another hassle was the links changed, so I have tried to notify authors of their new links and let them know that I am still around. If you are someone I haven’t contacted and you need or want the new links, shoot me an email (sherryfundin69 at netscape dot net) and I will get them to you.
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     How do you select books for review on your blog?
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Before I moved here, I must have had thousands of books, with bookshelves in every nook and cranny of my house. They were taking over, but I didn’t have the heart to give them away. They were my babies. When I moved here, I sold or donated the majority and just kept my favorites, that I have read at least three times over.
One of the first things I did when I got here was join the library. I have always been a big fan of libraries and would take a big bag, loading it up with 10 or more books a week. I would pick an author and clear the shelf. LOL Because my nearest library was kind of small, I was soon reading authors I never would have chosen otherwise. I think I have read at least half the books in this branch.
My hubby bought me a Kindle and all of a sudden I had access to more books than I can read in my lifetime. Unless, some dark night, a Vampire comes by and gives me a bite.
Online, I started to do R2R, at Laura’s suggestion, and before I knew it, authors were approaching me, asking for Reviews. My biggest problem, which is probably a pretty common one, is taking on too many. I can read through books very quickly, but my Reviews tend to take me almost as long. LOL
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     Do you have a favorite genre and is there one  that’s surprised you?
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My favorite genre is thriller/mystery. Horror is a close second, but I used to go for Stephen King and Dean Koontz  type of horror. Probably my biggest surprise is my love for Vampires, with Romance right there with it. I had not be a big fan of either, but the great Indie writers and their superb stories have enchanted me, in a very good way.
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  What do you like to do for fun, besides blogging?
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Reading and Photography are my favorite activities, but I love doing the beach and hanging by the pool. A lot of times, I will be hanging on the patio, blogging, reading or taking photos while also taking a dip every now and then. I love piddling in the yard. Recently, my hubby and I have started surf fishing. That even sounds fun. Not only can I fish and drink a cold beer, I have my Kindle at my side. What more can you ask for?
I also like to hack around the golf course. Talk about a frustrating game. Trying to hit a little white ball, all the time dodging the snakes in the woods and the gators in the ponds.
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    If you won a free vacation, where would you go?
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Wow. I love the Caribbean!! I have taken numerous cruises to visit the islands. When I lived in New York, my hubby and I took three cruises within six months to Bermuda. I almost felt at home there. My biggest desire now is to go to the Florida Keys. I have wanted to go there for a long time. Hop in the car and drive down the Gulf Coast, stopping whenever and wherever the urge hits. I want to go to the end of the coast and moon Cuba. I actually mooned the Caymans once, because the water was too rough and they wouldn’t come out and pick us up. I never got to go to Hell and mail my postcard.
But, a freebie, I think it would have to be a month long Mediterranean Cruise. Hit everywhere possible. I always think of it as the Caribbean of the East. And it is something I will probably never do because of the expense.
My hubby and I love to see as much as possible, as cheap as possible, snapping pics and video right and left. Everywhere we go there is water and beaches. It’s like a drug and we have to have our fix.
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Now for Five Fun Shorts!
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  Favorite footwear?  Barefoot, oh that’s naked. Flip flops.
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 Swimsuit or skinny dip? Half and half. Around my pool, well, I’ll leave that to your imagination. I went topless on South Beach once. At least I looked better than the 300 pound woman and the 90 year old Grandma. ^_^
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  Sky diving or scuba diving? First off – I don’t fly well, so you might not want to sit next to me on a plane, especially if there is turbulence. Second, once in a plane, if you think I am going to jump out of it, well, you must be out of your mind.
I don’t do either, but if I did, it would have to be scuba diving. My hubby calls me his mermaid. ^_^ There is a reason for that.
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  Do you have a phobia? Spiders!!!!!!!!! I got a chill just typing that. I hate spiders.
Sneaky little buggers. Now you see them, now you don’t.
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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySXCdcnKBgg?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent] ~

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     Favorite TV Show.
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Hmmm. I confess, I am a TVaholic. I am usually reading or blogging, maybe doing some crossword puzzles, teaching myself to make jewelry or something else, while I am watching TV. I never JUST watch TV. But my favorite – that is a toughy.
Of course, there is usually a hot guy. Not the young sluts, but the real men. Mark Harmon has always been a favorite of mine, so NCIS is right up there at the top. He does a celebrity baseball game every year. He came to Mobile, Alabama and I got a press pass. Got a baseball signed by him and my pic taken with him.
I love watching the Mentalist, Castle, Person of Interest, Big Bang Theory, Two Broke Girls, Two and a Half Men….I  love sitcoms. I love to laugh. One of the best medicines of life. So – HEY – come on over and lets talk and laugh and have some fun. The pool is now OPEN.
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A Dare!
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LOL. That’s funny, because if I don’t have a quick comeback, I usually draw a blank. But I immediately thought of my hubby, who has dared me to do so many things. Sometimes I look back and think – what the hell – why did I even do that. But, am I going to tell you? Now that is something else. Maybe after we spend some time together, as we hang out and get to know one another, something will slip out every now and then.
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Say the first thing that pops into your mind. I dare ya!
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Damn girl, you got me rambling on and on and on and on…………
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Congrats on your trophy Sherry.
Another Redneck Riviera Mullet Toss triumph!
Love ya sis!
Sherry and I do some tag teaming also. We post reviews for authors on the same day, promoting their books with our individual views. We have spent many a day by her refreshing pool, sippin Margaritas or Bloody Mary’s and tweaking our reviews. It’s funny how differently we perceive the material we read.
We often laugh about it afterwards and it is great to give varying points of view for an authors books.
We are always surprised when we read each others reviews.
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Summer is finally here on the Gulf Coast and Sherry and I will be spending many a day at her pool.
Stop by fundinmental and give her a follow. See what she’s cookin up!
~pcola beach2

Novel Publicity has put together this wonderful tour featuring the amazing Bella Andre. Get to know The Sullivans and enter to win some awesome prizes!

Please enjoy this interview with Bella Andre, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the contemporary romance series, The Sullivans. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards!

Interview with Bella Andre

about her best-selling series, The Sullivans

1. You create characters beautifully and are an absolute master of plot twists. It seems like you could write in almost any genre and do a bang-up job of it. What made you decide to devote your efforts to the romance genre in particular?

Thank you so much for the compliments! I’ve always been a huge romance fan – I’ve been reading nearly a book a day since I was a teenager – so it was a natural fit for me when the characters starting appearing in my head one day. 🙂

2. How did the idea for this interconnected contemporary romance series first come to you? What was your inspiration?

I love the family series that have always been popular in historical romance – like Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series and Nora Roberts’s MacGregors – and I was also inspired by my husband’s large family. It seemed like a natural fit to combine the funny and sweet family dynamics into an overarching series of sexy contemporary romances with the alpha heroes that I love so much.

3. Everyone seems to have a favorite Sullivan. Now I know this is like asking you to choose between your own children, but who is your favorite? And who’s most like you?

I’ll have to plead the fifth and pick Mary Sullivan – the family matriarch – as my favorite Sullivan. She’s the heart that keeps the family together and I get emotional whenever I write a scene with her. In fact, in COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER (Smith Sullivan’s story), the scene where he calls his mother to ask for love advice is one that so many readers have told me is their absolute favorite scene in any Sullivan book.

As for who is most like me – maybe Sophie Sullivan from I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU. She loves to read (and is a librarian) and when she wants something (in her case: bad boy Jake McCann), she goes for it! Of course, I’m also a lot like Lori Sullivan (aka “Naughty”) with her big mouth and constant laughter.

4. In your opinion, what ingredients are needed to make up a good love story? Is life the same as fiction in this respect? Why or why not?

I love to love my characters and when I write a story I need two heroic, nice, good people (and why not gorgeous, too?!) who deserve love and have a lot of love to offer in return, but who are flawed partially because they haven’t found that perfect someone who complements them like no other. I like my fiction to be a little bigger than life – the Sullivans are extraordinarily hot, sensitive and attentive – but at their heart, they’re all very real.

5. How has your own love story with your husband informed the Sullivan series? Are there any scenes that are directly taken from your own life?

I have the best husband in the entire world. Sweet, loving, sensitive…and super hot! He’s always supported me in everything I’ve ever done and I think his strength and capability to love is at the core of every hero I write.

With that said, none of the scenes are ever taken directly from my own life. I have a very active imagination. 🙂

6. Let’s pretend for a second that you are a single woman living in the world of the Sullivans, which of the six brothers would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?

Ohhhh, now THAT is a fun fantasy! I would fall in love with each and every single one of them – and do, while I’m writing each of their stories! If I had to pick one, I might have my eye on Marcus (FROM THIS MOMENT ON) – because while all of my Sullivans are sweet, sexy and sensitive – Marcus is the only one with his own endless supply of wine from his winery. And there’s just something about the oldest brother…. Then again, Zach Sullivan is such a great combination of cocky and sweet. And Ryan Sullivan has all those muscles. And Gabe is such a hero as a firefighter (and I love his dirty talking between the sheets). And Chase is so sexy and protective. And then there’s Jake McCann (who falls in love with Sophie Sullivan) with his tattoos and big muscles. Not to mention Lori’s hero in the upcoming ALWAYS ON MY MIND which will be out this spring. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Lori’s hero just might be the hottest hero I’ve ever written.

See, what did I tell you earlier? I’m no good at picking just one. So let’s just say, yet again, ALL OF THEM!

7. The Sullivans and their beaux have some pretty interesting careers. From photographers and sculptors to professional actors, musicians and ball players all the way to firefighters, librarians and business owners, they lead very exciting lives! What type of research did you have to do to capture these jobs so well? Do you have any interesting research anecdotes to share?

I’ve written firefighters and athletes in previous series which helped with my firefighter, Gabe (CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE) and my baseball player, Ryan (LET ME BE THE ONE). I also live in Sonoma and have a lot of experience with wine and wineries which was ideal for winery owner Marcus (FROM THIS MOMENT ON) and as a writer I’ve been blessed to work with many librarians who served as information points for Sophie (I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU.)

For books where I need inspiration, the internet has been amazing and when needed, I also call on the help of professionals. Even though I’d written firefighters before, I still sent all my firefighting scenes to a professional and for Smith’s book (COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER) I sent all the acting-set sequences to a local film producer.

8. I was very touched by the inclusion of Yorkie puppy, Cuddles, and Great Dane rescue, Atlas, in book five, If You Were Mine. Are you a dog person yourself? If you have pets, I’d love to know more about them!

I *love* animals. I had the best time writing the two dogs in IF YOU WERE MINE. They had their own little love story in that book, which pleased me to no end. There’s a cat that plays a very important role in ALWAYS ON MY MIND (Lori Sullivan’s story, coming Spring 2013). My whole family loves animals, and we’ve recently adopted a beautiful cat. Or more accurately, the cat has adopted us, smart little minx.

9. The Sullivan series is currently seven volumes long. How many more books do you have planned, and which other family members will get the spotlight in their own books?

Lori’s book (ALWAYS ON MY MIND) is up next, and there are 5 Seattle Sullivans who are ready for love – I will start with Rafe Sullivan’s book this summer! Plus, I have something *very* special planned for Mary Sullivan, their mother, planned to release for the holidays in 2013.

10. And lastly (for a bit of random fun), what has been the most amazing/ touching/ validating interaction you’ve had with a fan of your books?

Everyone who has ever written to me on Facebook or Twitter or Goodreads or via email to tell me how much they love my books and that the Sullivans have moved them in some way has touched me. I love my fans, so, so much! I have the very best time in the world writing about my Sullivans… and knowing that I have so many absolutely wonderful people waiting to read them as soon as they’re released is a total thrill every single day.


fall in love

The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We’ve got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW!

You’ll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You’ll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world’s heart.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

  1. Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
  3. Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans: In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love…usually where he or she least expects it.

Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store.

Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

All Sullivan Covers

Bella Andre_1About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo.

Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

Sullivan Tour Badge

There’s something “Brewin” on fuonlyknew!

As promised, I have Brewin here today to answer some questions and tell us all about himself! He’s brewed up some good stuff, along with a fantastic giveaway, so lets get started!

Hi Brewin. I loved The Dark Horde and want to say thanks for doing this interview and for “brewin” up this awesome giveaway! Let’s have some fun shall we?

Thank you Laura for having me! I’ve been looking forward to this!

How did you get started in writing?

Well… How long have you got? Haha. Let’s just say that I consider myself fortunate (and unusual as far as I can tell) in that I knew from a very early age, about seven, that I wanted to be a writer. And basically over the years, I’ve spent a hell of a lot of my life in my room “shut-off from the outside world” you could say, creating stories and games. After now doing this for over thirty years, you could say I’ve accumulated quite a lot of material! And only some of it am I now beginning to share with the “outside world” J

But to tie-in with the next question, I first started to “write for the purposes of publication” when I was sixteen (1991) and I first began to write the manuscript for The Dark Horde with a well-known Australian author, Margaret Clark, as my mentor. With her support, I submitted the manuscript (then about 300 pages of what was to be about a 1000 page manuscript) to Penguin books in 1992 and got a three page letter back from them to say how great it was. That was in my final year of high school, after which I started uni, wrote a bit more of The Dark Horde the following year (up to about 700 pages), and then began writing Evermore: An Introduction instead: which I finished at about 700 pages but didn’t publish until another five or so years after that… It was about 2003 before I returned to The Dark Horde and rewrote it largely from scratch: packing into 300 pages what was once a story told over about 1000 pages. Which funnily enough is the opposite of what my mentor had been urging me to do when I was originally writing it. She had always wanted me to slow things down you see and spend more time filling out the story with descriptions of settings and characters, but after having done that and not feeling the “fast and furious fear” I wanted, I would go back to my original instincts when I revisited the story years later J -And as an aside, I also consciously did something at the very end partially because she said “whatever you do, don’t do this, cos that’s just too harsh a thing to do to that character”, which only encouraged me to decide that was exactly what I was going to at the end haha, because it would be another great shock that the reader wouldn’t expect. And so I did. ;)

How did you come up with the idea for The Dark Horde?

The Dark Horde at the time I first began to create the story was actually “modern day” haha. It was 1989 when I was up at the Geelong Grammar campus called Timbertop, which is a year-nine mixed gender campus set up in the high country near Mansfield. It’s basically the same school as described in The Dark Horde (likewise Howqua Hills being based on Mansfield), and being isolated, quite an ideal setting for horror.

The germ of the idea, if I can pin-point it to an event, was when I wrote a “werewolf” kinda short story for English class. My teacher was so impressed with the way in which I’d structured the building tension / horror in the story that it was then used as a writing exercise for the entire year level. The exercise was that the story was cut into about fifteen different parts, and students had to figure out the right order the parts went in, based on the events and the elements of building tension. I guess that experience reinforced in my mind that I was onto something that was worthy and would be appreciated. I began writing this story, called “Canine Prowler” that basically had a werewolf among the students at Timbertop that were being slowly killed in various shocking ways… I only got to about 40 pages of that though…

Then at the start of 1991 (my second-last year of high school), I wrote another story called “The Visitor” about a bunch of farmers whose game of scrabble is rudely interrupted. My English teacher at the time loved it, and Margaret Clark wanted me to turn it into a novel… So I did. I took that chapter as the start and incorporated some of the earlier ideas for my “Canine Prowler” story to begin writing what was known even then, as The Dark Horde.

What was the hardest part about writing your book and do you have a favorite scene?

As far as the writing itself goes, in hind-sight I was probably say letting it go, and finally deciding not to re-write it, re-edit it, add to it etc. I rewrote it three or four times, and edited it maybe twice that number, before then having others in turn edit it. Ultimately there comes a point, when you have to just accept your work for what it is; something that will never be perfect or universally liked; and move onto the next thing. So considering this took me some twenty years to do, I think it’s fair to say I struggled with this haha. But having said that, it’s publicity / promotion that is by far the hardest aspect of writing overall though, and it’s an area I certainly need to improve in!

My “favourite” (to use UK / Aus spelling as I do) scene, if I had to pick one, is simply the chapter that’s come up most when readers have commented to me on their most memorable parts of the book, for the way it builds the horror up to an unexpected and graphic shock that is hard to forget. That’s the chapter where Bruce wakes up on the couch at Aaron’s place with a hangover. I also submitted this same chapter (link: http://kimkoning.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/coffinhop-the-winners-are/ ) for a horror short story competition (after checking it was eligible) and was told just today that it won first prize! J

I loved that scene! I’m not surprised it won 1st prize. Well done.

* A week later * Oh gee… Sorry it’s taken me so long to finish this! But actually I can add to the above now, with something even better: The Dark Horde has just won an Honorable Mention in the 20th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Awards (Genre Fiction category), and with something like 3,000 entries, that’s pretty significant hey? -I’ve now won or been a finalist in 3 out of 4 writing competitions I’ve entered this year (the one I missed being the annual Windhammer gamebook competition)… Which tells me I really should start entering more of them haha. Oh and get better at telling people what I’m doing / have done J

Will we be reading more about the horde?

Haha yes. And not just reading but listening too! One of my current projects is a “musical” album you see, i.e. a story with narration and sung lyrics set to music. That musical album has the working title “The Calling” and it’s basically the back-story to The Dark Horde: it ends where The Dark Horde starts. I’ve had this in mind for a long time now: the album being something that I’ve worked on with numerous musicians and with numerous versions for the last er, thirteen years or so. And the idea is that the album reveals things not revealed in the first book, and together in turn they set up the second book, set in the far past, and the third book to be set in the near future. It’s also because of the album that I decided not to include the full prologue in the published version of The Dark Horde, as that’s a story to be told in more detail on the album. Anyway here’s a sample of some of the sung lyrics from the start of the album:

TO KNOW THE FUTURE

IS TO KNOW THE HORROR TO COME

TO KNOW WHAT STALKS US

CALLING FROM THE DARKNESS INSIDE

i’ve seen the naked truth

been burned by the flame

sealed is our fate

only hell awaits!

now my world’s a dark void, where no hope exists

And despite my efforts, only the dark persists

The Dark Horde will soon win, that I clearly see

and then these words shall be all,all that’s left of me

Take my hand, render me blind

Hide from me the fear that grips my mind

I want to live, I want to be

No longer want to know nor see

(REPEAT ONCE)

I wish to erase from my mind, all THAT I know

delude myself and forever, dwell in truth’s shadow

But I know it’s useless, for our souls they’ve already won

So let these words be a warning: WARNING of what’s to come!

…The type of music for the album I guess you could say is “heavy metal”, and probably something in the flavour of the book trailer (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZl2uZNvj5c) for which the music is done by Liam Wagener: the same friend I’ve got doing the album with other established Australian musicians. But the idea of it is not to have it as something that only metalheads can appreciate, more so that the drums , guitars and keyboards will give it that “horror” kinda edge. It’s important too that the narration and lyrics can be easily understood, so that the listener can play the whole album through and follow the story the whole time.

I like the idea of listening to your story with music and songs. That’s a new one for me. Lovin the lyrics and so happy to hear there’s more Dark Horde coming.

Do you listen to music when writing and if so, do you have any favorites?

That I do. And funnily enough, it’s “heavy metal” haha. But since that’s actually a very broad label (like “classical music” say is), I tend to write to something that is more background and conducive to the writing process: melodic music with indistinct vocals works well for this purpose (as occurs in “melodic death metal” say), but also “power metal” tunes work well for writing fantasy or sci-fi and darker “progressive metal” or “ambient instrumentally orientated” tunes work well for horror. I do like “classic heavy metal”, “thrash metal” and “hard rock” a lot too, but these are less conducive to writing as I’ve found (particularly if there’s “anthemic” choruses that can be distracting).

Would you tell us about other books you’ve written?

Happy to! Evermore: An Introduction (link: http://www.thebrewin.com/works/evermore-an-introduction) I first self-published in 2001 (in Melbourne only), again in 2003 (across Australia) and again this year (in North America and Europe). You could say it’s an “experimental” novel with elements of fantasy, philosophy, biography and even “interactive fiction” in that the reader comes to control the story. It’s a book that I went out of my way to make it such that you couldn’t actually sum up what it was and you may not be surprised to know that it was hard to market, but also that when it was initially published, the Australian National Library weren’t sure how to categorise it either and put it into (what was then) it’s own category. I personally distributed a handful of copies of the 2001 edition (about 30) around stores in Melbourne, but this was surprisingly enough to get a following, and even have a magazine start-up for which the two editors told me Evermore was their inspiration. So I self-published it through Brolga in 2003 with Australia-wide distribution through Pan Macmillan. The book ended up on bookshelves and in libraries in everything from “General Fiction” to “Fantasy” to “Sci-Fi” to “Philosophy” to “New Age Fiction” to “Australiana” and even, erroneously, “Young Adult Fiction” (poor kids!) and I sold enough (close to 2000 copies) to break even thereabouts. Being the sort of book it was though, some  thought it was one of the most amazing books they’d ever read (including well-known Australian authors like Margaret Clark and Anita Bell), whilst others hated it. It, like everything I tend to do, wasn’t like anything others had read really: and it certainly “pushed boundaries”, cos that’s what I’m driven to do J

I’ve also released a third “book” this year called Infinite Universe (link: http://www.thebrewin.com/works/infinite-universe). -It’s actually a science-fiction digital “gamebook”, where it’s a story you buy through the Apple App Store to read on your iPhone or iPad (other platforms, including Android, PC and Mac are to come soon I understand). It’s a story where you’re the main character, and like a “choose-your-own-adventure” story, you’re the one making the choices about what the main character does. There’s dice too: you have a character sheet with stats, skills and items (like in a role-playing game a la Dungeons and Dragons) and at certain points in the story you have to roll dice: either to make a stat or skill check, to fight something, or simply as a random roll. It’s digital because you can shake the device to roll the virtual dice, the program tracks all the necessary rules and items and injuries you collect, plus there’s illustrations, music, achievements, and unlockables like star-maps and encyclopaedias. I didn’t do any of these components (just the design and writing, and some of the editing and playtesting), but a whole bunch of awesome people were involved and it’s published by Tin Man Games as part of their Gamebook Adventures series: four other titles of which I edited, re-balanced and re-wrote parts of. Again it pushed a lot of boundaries. Infinite Universe was also like everything I seem to do: not really like anything others had seen before, completely different from anything else I’d done, and again saw a wide divergence in opinion. -For some it was their favourite in the Gamebook Adventures series and they raved about it, whilst others; particularly in the American market as it happens; thought it was the worst in the series. (Which largely I put down to it not being what they were expecting: it’s sci-fi with a lot of “Australian” humour, and the elements of sarcasm and self-depreciation don’t seem to translate so well when blended with sci-fi comedy, unlike how it seems to work with horror). -Regardless, I don’t think too many thought it was like anything else they’d read ;)

I’ve written another book, er “gamebook” this year as well, which was for the annual Windhammer gamebook competition I mentioned earlier. It’s called Trial of the Battle God, and you can download a pdf copy for free here. (link: http://www.arborell.com/trialofthebattlegod.pdf) –Again it pushed the boundaries, in this case what you could do in a gamebook. It’s basically a fantasy deathmatch between multiple champions in a dungeon (a la something like Hunger Games though I’ve not actually read or seen it). The things in particular that make Trial of the Battle God quite different though are that it features at least seven other opponents that are moving around the dungeon just as you are; acquiring items and injuries and fighting each other; plus it can be played with between one and six human players. I’ve written a lot more about the design of this here. (link: http://www.thebrewin.com/blog/entry/deconstruction-of-trial-of-the-battle-god) –I plan to expand on this sometime “soon-ish” (probably as some kind of “gamebook / board-game hybrid”).

Are you working on something now?

Suffice to say, I’m never not working on something haha. I’m working on at least three projects (depending on how you count) with Tin Man Games for their Gamebook Adventures for instance, plus there’s The Dark Horde album, and then there’s a least another three projects of mine (two of which are games) in various stages of development. (And then, heaven forbid, there’s the demands of the “day job”!) -Some of these projects are due to be completed in the near future, but I don’t want to suggest a specific time or say too much about them just yet ;)

Tell us something quirky about yourself!

Haha where to start? I think I was about eight when the thought occurred to me: “I’m really not like anybody else am I?” -A thought which was almost immediately followed by the thought “And gee, I really don’t want to be either. Being ‘normal and fitting in’ would be so boring!”

Throughout my life ever since, I’ve never really tried to fit in (and consequently never really have): I’ve mostly lived inside the worlds of my own imagination. I don’t think of this as a negative thing (I wasn’t retreating from or traumatized by anything), it’s more just that imagination was much more interesting to me than what “others were doing”. -I could go on, but how much “quirk” do you really want to know? Haha. Besides that Evermore: An Introduction goes into detail about the freak I am, so you could always read that to find out… In a nutshell, there’s very little about me really that isn’t quirky haha.

Is there anything else you’d care to say?

Hmmm… Thanks for listening to my dribble? ;)

Five Fun Shorts!

1) Scariest movie you’ve watched?

The Amytiville Horror (the original 1979 one). It’s actually the only movie I can think of that really actually “scared the sh*t out of me”. I used to go out of my way to challenge myself, to try to find something that really “got me”. I watched The Exorcist and Alien alone at home late at night with all the lights out when I was about 13 for instance, and I got a good buzz out of that, but The Amytiville Horror (which I watched when I was 9 I think?) was the one that got me most. Why? Cos I believed that it was based on what had actually happened, and was able to watch the movie as if it was “real”. The Devil doesn’t scare me cos I don’t believe in him, but ghosts and spirits can scare the sh*t out of me cos I believe they’re real (and have numerous experiences of my own, but that’s a tangent!)

2) Scariest book you’ve read?

Hmmm. Tough one. It takes something special to really “get me” in a book, but I know I’m kinda desensitized. (I’m glad though how many people have reported that The Dark Horde really scared them cos I self-critique myself at times and sometimes think “is that even scary what I just wrote?”) -Anyway, the book that comes to mind for me at the moment, isn’t actually a horror really at all: it was a Young Adult Fiction book by Gillian Rubinstein called Space Demons that I read when I was um, 12 I think. It’s basically about a computer game that these kids play, that starts to take over their own reality and allow these evil Space Demons into our world. With my imagination, these Space Demons began to overtake my reality, and I began to imagine seeing them everywhere, taunting and playing with me. Space Demons catalysed many of my own ideas for The Dark Horde.

3) Three things you can’t live without?

Being able to create (stories, games, etc) is definitely the most fundamental thing for me: it’s what I exist for. Second to that is probably playing games: whether that be alone or with friends. Third is probably music: particularly “metal”.

4) What is your worse fear?

In terms of “something I want to avoid” I’d say it’s not achieving my life’s goals. In terms of “something that causes terror/anxiety” it probably is the occult / spirit world, which is also what fascinates me about it.

5) If you could be a real supernatural being, what would you be?

I have always liked werewolves haha. The sense of freedom, of power, of unrestrained passion, and even closeness with the natural world. But also their sense of community, of allegiance to one another… But I wasn’t just going to write another werewolf story now was I? ;)

Bonus Question!

Tell Santa what you want for Christmas?

I reckon more time would be just about be the most useful thing to me right now haha. And he seems to be pretty good at manipulating that! So perhaps if he could just show me how he does some of his tricks to get more things done in the time available, I’ll let him off having to give me anything for the rest of this lifetime J

Good answer! I could use some of that myself.

Thanks for answering my questions Brewin. It’s been fun!

It certainly has been fun! Thank you so much Laura for the opportunity!

To purchase The Dark Horde click on image in my sidebar.

For my review  go here .

And now for the giveaway.

I have Three signed copies of The Dark Horde to giveaway thanks to Brewin!

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “What was the title of the first horror book or movie that really scared you?”

Not required, but I’d love it if you followed my blog.

Contest ends December 14th.

Happy Holidays from me to you!!

 

I’m sorry to see the Blog Tour for Heart Search is coming to an end. But, I’m thrilled to be a part of it and what better day than Halloween. So pull up a chair and stay for a “spell.” (Pun intended!)

Congratulations on your debut release of Heart Search. Thanks so much for allowing me to be a part of your Blog Tour Carlie. I’m thrilled to be able to help spread the word for your wonderful book.

Thank you, Laura. It’s been an exciting time, that’s for sure! It’s me who should be thanking YOU for taking part in the Blog Tour, not the other way around – I’m honoured that you wanted to be involved and your support means a great deal. I’m so happy you liked my book – as a writer that’s the best validation of my work.

I know you’re very busy so let’s get started with our interview shall we?

Absolutely! Fire away!

Could you please tell us something about your book and what inspired the story?

Sure. Heart Search: Lost is about a young couple, Remy and Joshua, who are on the verge of getting married. Joshua gets bitten by a vampire and begins to change. When he hurts Remy twice, he can’t live with what he’s done to her and disappears a couple of days before the wedding leaving just a note.

Remy is understandably distraught and after encouragement from her twin sister, decides to try and find him. She embarks on a long, lonely journey where strange things begin to happen.

In the meantime, Joshua has transformed into an immortal, found his maker and is introduced to coven life and feeding from humans. He also discovers he possesses some amazing talents. He becomes embroiled in coven politics and a power struggle ensues leaving him literally fighting for his life.

The book ends on a cliff-hanger.

As for what inspired the book, it was actually gifted to me by my Muse. She plonked the idea in my head one day and as I was thinking about how I could write it, Remy and Joshua stormed into my head and demanded I tell their tale. They were very persistent and wouldn’t leave me alone until I agreed. Once I started writing, they took over – they wanted the story told their way.

A question I keep forgetting to ask. How did you pick the time period for your book?

I didn’t pick it – Remy and Joshua did. They told me it was set in ‘present day’ and wouldn’t let me deviate from it. When I was thinking about how I would write it (before my two MC’s charged in), I was mulling over some of the advice I’d read about writing what you know so I think I’d have written it the way they wanted anyway.

Did you write Heart Search on your computer or the old-fashioned way, with pen and paper. and do you have a ritual when writing?

I do all my writing on my laptop. The only time I use pen and paper is when I’m out and get some inspiration, I jot it in the notebook I always carry with me.

I don’t really have any rituals as such. I usually make sure I have a fresh cup of tea by my side and as my computer is waking up I close my eyes and ask my Muse to guide me and that’s about it.

Assuming you have time, what are you reading now?

Funnily enough, I’ve read more in the last four weeks than I have for the last 2-3 months. This is mainly due to the fact that I can’t sit for very long at the moment and have to lie almost flat for a while a couple of times a day, so when lying down, I’ve been reading.

At the moment I’m reading ‘Dead Until Dark’ by Charlaine Harris (the first in the Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood series). I’m hooked on the TV show (I wonder why that is – maybe it’s got something to do with vampires. [laughs]) and now I’ve started on the books.

Do you have a favorite genre you like to read?

Oh, that’s an easy one – fantasy &/or paranormal.

Do you get most of your books from a book store or on-line, and do you prefer physical copies or e-books?

I like to support book stores as much as possible and they are my first choice. I much prefer printed copies to e-books – there’s just something about being able to touch the paper and the smell of a book. Although I do read from my Kindle and can see the portability advantages, give me a paperback any day!

Can you tell us where you’re at with the rest of the series?

Are you trying to get a spoiler from me, Laura? [Laughs] Tough luck! I’m keeping it securely under wraps for now. I have started writing book two in the series and am at the beginning of chapter fourteen. I’ve had to put it on the back burner whilst doing the Blog Tour, but I’m going to be a NaNoWriMo rebel and use the month to write my 50,000 words for the second book. My plan is to finish the chapter I’ve started and begin NaNoWriMo from chapter fifteen – no cheating that way!

How did you celebrate your debut release of Heart Search?

If my circumstances had been different I might have had a party, but having had surgery on my spine ten days before the launch, it wouldn’t have been a good idea. I was still on medication so couldn’t drink alcohol either (damn it!). [Chuckles]. My daughter and I had a lovely meal, just the two of us and some non-alcoholic drinks to clink glasses with. It was a lovely evening.

Is there anything else you would care to share with us?

Ooo now there’s a leading question. This could take me in all sorts of random directions . . . Hmmm, well I could share that I’m in the early planning stages of the book I intend to write after the Heart Search series is finished. It will be a fantasy novel in honour of the lovely lady I use as my avatar. She gives me lots of inspiration and I think she deserves her own book. I’ve got some serious world-building to plan and magic systems to create before I start writing it though.

Five Fun Shorts!

Favorite Junk Food?

Easy one! Pizza – preferably Hawaiian, with loads on juicy pineapple on it. And it has to be deep pan too.

If you could be an animal, what would you be?

Not so easy – I’m stuck between two. I love dogs, but particularly Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (I had one as a child and she was beautiful) and I also love Dolphins with a passion. Hmmm, I think I’ll go with a Dolphin – the thought of discovering the depths of the ocean and all the beauty which lies there coupled with the possibility of swimming with mermaids and mermen is very attractive right now.

Favorite Holiday?

I have to say, I love Christmas. I still get a big kick out of watching my daughter open her gifts on Christmas morning, even though she’s in her twenties now. I love decorating the house and the dream of actually having a white Christmas. I also love the traditional yuletide drinks and fare.

Do you prefer your movie theater popcorn buttered or not buttered?

Ah, we have different popcorn over here in the UK. We have sweet or slightly salty popcorn in our movie theatres (we call them cinemas) and I prefer sweet.

How do you like your steak cooked?

a) rare – it could moo

b) medium rare

c) medium

d) medium well

e) well done – tough as cowhide!

I like mine well done, but NOT as tough as cowhide (and if it’s cooked right, it shouldn’t be)!

Thanks for fitting me into your busy schedule Carlie. I’m looking forward to more great reading from you in the future.

Thank you so much for inviting me here today, Laura. I’ve had a great time answering your questions and I hope your followers enjoy reading about me. Now where’s that cup of tea you promised me??

You can read my 5 star review of Heart Search here .

Guest post with short story by Carlie here .

Excerpt from Heart Search here

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and is also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing.

Carlie has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel. This is being launched 8th October 2012 through Myrddin Publishing Group and work has started on book two: Heart Search: Found. She writes mainly in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for YA, New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a professional editor.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. Their first anthology was published September 2012.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

http://carliemacullen.com/

http://twitter.com/carlie2011c

You can purchase your copy of Heart Search (Book One: Lost)  by clicking the links below.

Amazon US http://amzn.to/OLwU59

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/PhC0Gu

When Joshua Grant vanishes days before his wedding his fiancée Remy is left with only bruises, scratch marks and a hastily written note. Heartbroken, she sets off alone to find him and begins a long journey where strange things begin to happen.

As Joshua descends into his new immortal life he indulges his thirst for blood and explores his superhuman strength and amazing new talents while becoming embroiled in coven politics which threaten to destroy him. But Remy discovers a strength of her own on her quest to bring Joshua home.

Fate toys with mortals and immortals alike, as two hearts torn apart by darkness face ordeals which test them to their limits

I have a special Limited Edition giveaway for you.

But first I want to tell you about Pay Back!

Pay Back by Evans Light

PAY BACK

About the cover

Some people didn’t like the cover art. When you read the story, look at it again. It fits!

This guy, Stephen Hill, is a perfect example of a loser. He has no redeeming qualities and nothing in his noggin. He’s ignorant, lazy and heaps verbal abuse on all of those around him. His pathetic attempts at belittling Joe, his only friend, to make himself look better, made me angry.

We’ve all know someone like Stephen. He’s a mental bully. His mouth spews out put downs like shit through a goose. All because he’s angry. Angry at the world.

Now Joe is not what you expect. He’s intelligent, well actually he’s a genius. So why does he put up with the abusive Stephen? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

The title “Pay Back” gives you a clue. I was “fist pumping”, saying “Oh Yeah!’

The ending took this from a 4 to a 5 star rating!

Now let’s get to know Evans Light. And then I have a giveaway!

Hi Evans. I’ve enjoyed reading your books and am so happy to have you here today.

Thanks so much, Laura! I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with readers. I’ve really enjoyed your blog and its thoughtful reviews, as well as your affiliated website A KNIFE AND A QUILL. I’m excited about this opportunity to be a part of the excellent work you’re producing.

PAY BACK is very much a story about bullying. Where did this story come from? Were you ever bullied?

No, I’m happy to say that I’ve been lucky enough to never have been involved in bullying, either as a victim or a perpetrator. PAY BACK originally had nothing to do with bullying, either, but it took a bit of a detour along the way to becoming the story it is.

Most of the stories I’ve written this year have had one of two main themes: either obsession, or deception. I’m not sure why this is the case, and psychology of it would probably require the involvement of a professional, so I’ll not pretend to understand it here. (Smiling)

PAY BACK initially fell firmly into the “obsession” category as the straightforward story of a young boy (the Joe King, “Nard”, character) struck with a far-fetched idea as a child, who then focused every ounce of his energy over the next few decades to execute that idea, achieving many scientific and technical breakthroughs along the way. Everything he accomplished in life was driven solely by his obsession to execute that single deviant idea from his childhood, for no purpose other than to prove to himself that it could be done. Stephen Hill, who is very much a bully in the final version, was originally drawn as a neutral narrator, simply a friend chronicling the story of his obsessed friend, unsure as to what his friend was working towards and then utterly horrified when the gruesome goal was achieved.

As I prepared to write PAY BACK, I started thinking of different ways to tell the story, and the concept of working through an unsympathetic (and ultimately unreliable) narrator emerged. I thought it would be an interesting challenge and stretch my talents as a writer. But there was an inherent risk in using a first-person voice to give life to such a dislikable character: the reader could confuse the hateful character with the author, and think the writer in reality possesses the same hateful viewpoint as the character telling the story.

I knew I was taking a risk in releasing PAY BACK, that it might be misunderstood and generate negative feelings and backlash from first-time readers – something no new author desires. At the same time, however, I felt that this story was something special – bold, new and exciting; it was a chance I was willing to take. Love it or hate it, PAY BACK is likely to be a story that readers will remember, and it stands as my own personal ‘stake in the ground’, to remind myself and show the world that I will never compromise in executing an artistic vision, popular or not.

Could you tell us about your choice for your cover?

I’m a major fan of Joe Hill. I think his short stories in 20th Century Ghosts are among the best ever written; and though Stephen King has become so prolific I can no longer keep up with his current output, his earlier novels informed me as a young man as to what heights a horror novel could achieve, especially in regards to characterization.

When the first collaboration between Stephen King and Joe Hill, THROTTLE, was released shortly before PAY BACK was finished, I saw the simplicity of its cover design, thought it was beautiful, and decided that creating an homage would not only be an appropriate tip of the hat to my favorite authors, but also might bring my work to the attention of the King/Hill fanbase, who might appreciate my books as well.

Do you have a favorite genre, and if so, which one?

Stories of the “Weird Tales” variety remain my favorite. If a story is startling original, fiendishly clever, winks and smiles while scaring the hell out of you, I’m there. Think Joe R. Lansdale’s TIGHT LITTLE STITCHES ON A DEAD MAN’S BACK, Clive Barker’s HAECKEL’s TALE, or David Wong’s JOHN DIES AT THE END, and you’re standing dead center of my reading pleasure zone.

You’ve written many books. Do you have one that is your favorite and why?

Right now my personal favorite of the stories I’ve written is a toss-up between THE MOLE PEOPLE BENEATH THE CITY, and GERTRUDE (found in THE CORPUS CORRUPTUM, written with my brother and fellow author Adam Light).

I’m proud of MOLE PEOPLE because it came out just the way I wanted it to – the right length, the right flow, the right effect. I think I nailed it, at least for myself.

GERTRUDE, on the other hand, was like unexpectedly birthing a hideous deformity. I didn’t even know it was in me, it just popped out one day. It’s only three pages long, and I love it fiercely.

Is there one character from all of your books that stands out for you?

Gerard Faust, the unfortunate author from WHATEVER POSSESSED YOU. There’s probably a lot of me embedded in that character. I can certainly relate to how he feels after writing for long periods of time, consumed, reading finished product later and wondering where it really came from.

I wanted to explore his character in more depth in that story, but I was already cramming what probably should have been a novel into a short story as it was. Maybe someday.

You’ve been in some unusual situations. Care to share a couple?

I love exploring sensory limits and confronting personal fears, and some people have asked me if CRAWLSPACE was born out of time spent in sensory deprivation tanks. It was not a connection I would have made, because to me the inner space that can be explored in that environment is as limitless as the external universe.

The inspiration for CRAWLSPACE was born out of actual life experiences. For about a week as a young teen, I was forced to work underneath an aging house, spreading plastic sheeting and lime after school. I’d work under there for a couple hours at a time. The situation was pretty much exactly as described in the story.

Anyway, the person who owned the house made no bones about his opinion that his life would have been a lot better without me in it. After several days of working alone in the crawlspace spreading lime, I was in the far corner of the house where the clearance overhead was very low. I tried to get every spot covered to avoid punishment later, but as I tried to get the lime into a particularly snug spot I got stuck between the house and the ground. I panicked, and began to scream; it was the closest thing to being buried alive I’ve ever experienced, and it was terrifying.

 After a few moments the person making me work under the house poked his head into the tiny crawlspace door, some forty feet away, his dark eyes barely visibly in the dim light of the single bulb. As he understood my predicament, a look of evil pleasure crossed over his face. I knew what he was thinking.

I got myself unstuck and out from under the house as fast as I could, thankful that he hadn’t turned off the light and locked the door behind him. I also made the decision that I would never allow that person to get between me and the crawlspace exit ever again.

What’s next? Are you currently writing something?

I’m currently in the final stages of completing my next project, a novella called ARBOREATUM (yes, that’s the correct spelling. ARBOREATUM is horror, the tale of two settler families stranded on the prairie as they attempt the journey west. I think fans of my previous work will find a lot in this one to enjoy as well.

The cover of PAY BACK drove so many people insane that I decided to make the ARBOREATUM cover a tribute as well – this time to Joe Hill’s soon-to-be released short story THUMBPRINT.

ARBOREATUM should be ready for release within the next thirty days.

I’ve heard of writers who find themselves challenged at times when trying to develop new ideas, new concepts for stories. I have the opposite problem: I already have so many story and book outlines developed and waiting to be written that I doubt that even if I sat and wrote every minute of every day for the rest of my life if I’d ever get them all done – and they just keep on coming. So I feel very fortunate in that regard. My primary struggle as a writer is deciding what to work on next.

Five Fun Shorts!

1) favorite movie?

That’s a tough one, but my first instinct is to say DONNIE DARKO.

2) poker face or open book?

100% poker face when first meeting someone. Once you’ve gained my trust, though – it’s a whole different story. There are some people I trust to the ends of the earth.

3) martini, shaken or stirred?

Ale – Pale or IPA? is a more appropriate question for me.

I’d say IPA, usually.

4) favorite villain in books or movies?

Judging from the pictures and horror paraphernalia in my house, most people would guess THE TALL MAN, from the Phantasm movies. They might be right.

5) best way to travel?

a) plane

b) train

c) automobile

d) other? could be anything!

By plane, definitely. No one can call me, text me or otherwise molest my concentration once the wheels leave the ground; and the white noise the engines afford stoke my imagination and get my “flow” flowing. I can produce pages twice as fast on a plane as I can anywhere else.

I just recently read and reviewed two of Evans books, Whatever Possessed You? and Crawl Space. You can read my reviews here. Loved them. They really creeped me out.

A strange encounter leaves Gerard Faust a changed man. Now with sanity slipping away, he finds himself caught in a race against time to uncover what happened that night – before it possesses him completely.

Fooling around on your wife can be hazardous to your health.

Just ask Tom.

He’s a man who has a lot to juggle: a frustrated wife, a secret new girlfriend, and the unpleasant task of trying to keep his deteriorating farmhouse from falling down around him.

Now with his wife out-of-town for the week, Tom is eager to get busy under the covers with his beautiful new lover – but first there’s something he has to finish up…in the CRAWLSPACE.

This thrilling, full-length short story is a hair-raising adventure for cheating husbands, cheated-on wives, and everyone in between.

And I have a giveaway for you!

 

Lingering lovesick ghosts and wives hellbent on revenge, along with sinister demons, forgotten campgrounds and malintent friends populate this collection of original, compelling, and downright odd short stories, each as complete and satisfying in their conclusion as a small novel.

This unforgettable anthology features five dark tales from the new master of modern horror and fantasy, and is essential reading for fans of horror, thrillers, black comedy and gothic romance alike.

Stories, Inc. – FUONLYKNEW SPECIAL LIMITED EDITON Includes:
The Mole People Beneath the City – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE!
Gertrude – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE!
PAY BACK
Nose Hears – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE!
BLaCK DooR
CRAWLSPACE
Whatever Possessed You?
Dark Curtains (with alternate ending)
Bonus Story:
TAKEN, by Adam Light – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE!

Evans is giving away Stories, Inc on Amazon. It will be valid worldwide – US, UK, India, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, and run from Monday, October 22nd through Friday, October 27th.

To get your free copy go here and take a close look at the cover. This special limited edition was created just for this promotion. And, Evans added not one, not two, but four  more stories just for us!

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You can find all of Evans books here .

Evans Light

Last Chance (Blood Run SeriesBook Three)

by Christine Dougherty

Last Chance

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Another great cover.

Promise has returned to Wereberg.

Promise and Peter left, seeking a cure for vampirism. After losing her parents to the vampires, she lost her little brother, Chance, just one week later. He was bitten and turned.

Her promise to Chance, “I’ll make it alright.”

She’s went through hell trying to keep that promise. Her and Peter may have found the cure. But it has never been tested on a human subject. It could turn half-and-halfs into full vampires and just might kill one that’s fully turned. Could she risk using it on Chance? Should she?

That question will have to wait. That twit, Deidre, who’s so jealous of Promise, has let Chance go. Now they have to find him again. She pays dearly for her foolishness.

It’s great to be back in Willow’s End. So nice to see Lea and Mark, and they’re  very much a couple now. What they’ve done for Promise, keeping Chance alive, shows their love for her and their courage. It’s dangerous to feed a vampire.

There is one character who’s stolen my heart, Evans. He’s like a big brother. Always there to protect you from the bad things. I could read more about him. My hero.

The vampires are more dangerous than ever, the battles are bloodier and the characters are at their best. I was sad to see it end.  Christine wastes no words, the story builds and builds and rushes to a great ending. She puts you right in it!

          Loved it! Loved it!

And a bonus rating for these two!

Tribute to Snow and Ash. No animals were injured during the writing of these books!

You can read my review of First Promise – Book One here .

My review of Two Riders – Book Two is here .

A special treat for you. I have Christine here for an interview and she is letting me host a fantastic giveaway!

I’m so glad to have your here on my blog Christine. I love your books and want everyone to meet you. So let’s get started!
I love the cover art for your Blood Run series. They make me think “Classics.” How did you choose them?
They were a real struggle. My husband helps me with the covers and by ‘helps’ I mean ‘pushes’. He never lets me get away with anything that looks lazy (but it’s hard because with some things, I AM lazy!). We were back and forth with putting Promise on there. People respond to faces, so it can be a good way to get a book looked at. But I also had the idea of this very elegant cover with just a hint of the menace in the story. I think they worked out okay and they look great as a set!
Your characters are so easy to relate to. Do you have a favorite? I won’t tell the others:)
It’s difficult because I relate to each of them. Promise for her fighting, bullheaded nature. Lea because I understand her shy reticence. Mark because of how much he comes to appreciate Lea. Peter for his conflicted nature. And Evans, well, I love Evans, but it might take a reader some time to find out why.
How did you feel after finishing this series? Was it hard to say goodbye to your characters?
I hate finishing books. Hate it. My husband always tries to do something to cheer me up because I usually cry and then drag around like a lost dog for a while. I think about the characters and in a weird way, I always wonder what they are up to after the book ends. Which is probably borderline psychotic, right?
I am reading your collection “Darkness Within” right now. Where do you get your ideas from?
The ideas come from everywhere. Half or more from my husband (are you seeing the theme?) and the rest are usually based off my personal fears. I am easily spooked and I find the world a hard, scary place to be.
I’m also reading The Boat. I know, it’s crazy to read two books at once! The story line and the zombies are quite unique. What inspired this book?
I usually have a few books going at once as a reader. It’s a mood thing, isn’t it? The Boat sprang from a conversation my husband and I had in the grocery store. (I’m lucky to have him, aren’t I?)
You have written many books. Do you have a favorite?
I don’t have a favorite. But there are some characters that keep popping into my mind as though they have more to say.
Are you working on anything now, and if so, can you share something about it?
I am finishing up short stories for a new collection which will be out soon. Hopefully some time in November. I am very proud of the stories going into this book. I think it’s some of the best writing I’ve ever done. I am grateful to my short story teacher, Season, because even though I’m not taking classes anymore, she is still teaching me!
Five Fun Shorts!
1) favorite genre (to read or write)?
My favorite genre as a reader is general, character driven fiction. And I am a re-reader. I’ll read the same books over and over. Freaky, right?
2) creepiest monster?
Creepiest ‘monsters’ to me are the real life serial killers. They make my blood run very, very cold.
3) Why did the chicken cross the road?
Curiosity. Which he better be careful of. Just ask the cat.
4) favorite TV show?
The Walking Dead and HGTV’s House Hunters.
5) worst movie you’ve watched?
God, so many. We watch movies constantly so it would be hard to say. Joe Dirt comes to mind, though I watch it occasionally now. I have such a high tolerance!
This has been fun. Thanks so much for answering my questions Christine. I look forward to having you back soon!
Thank you, Laura.  I’m glad you gave me this opportunity to be on your blog. Although I still don’t know how you have the time to do all the wonderful things you do. All the best.

And now for the giveaway!

The first place winner will receive e-books of the complete Blood Run Series! That’s right. You will win First Promise, Two Riders and Last Chance!

And that’s not all. Two more lucky winners will get an e-book of First Promise, the first book in the Blood Run Series! Isn’t that awesome?!

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address and answer this question, “How would you feed a vampire?”

Giveaway ends November 4th.

It’s not required, but it would make my day if you followed me on twitter and my blog.

You can find Christine Dougherty here:

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If you think this giveaway is awesome, please hit that like and tweet button:)

Earlier today I posted my review of Night of the Chupacabra by Michael Hebler.

The Chupacabra Series – Book One

Night of the Chupacabra

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You can read my review here .

As soon as I hit the publish button it said 200th Post!

I’ve come a long way this year in the blogging world. I’ve met some awesome people and authors, read some amazing books and made some new friends! And I feel like celebrating.

And so does Michael! His new book Night of the Chupacabra was released today.

What better way to celebrate than with a giveaway! Michael is offering one Signed paperback and one e-book copy of Night of the Chupacabra and he is stopping by to chat.

Thanks for stopping by Michael. I don’t want to keep you from your celebration for the release of Night of the Chupacabra, so let’s get started.

Are you kidding? This IS part of the celebration! Of course, no celebration would be complete without champagne.

Why the Chupacabra? There are many mythical creatures and I’m curious as to how you picked it for your story.

Actually, this story started before the chupacabra became involved. I had wanted to do a heavily character-driven type horror-western tale. When the story first started, it was going to be a serial killer in the Old West, but somewhere along the way, it took more of a supernatural turn and I birthed a monster from my imagination. Then one day, I was heading to the fridge(no surprise there) and noticed one of my roommates had  posted an article from the Orange County Register about a Santa Ana man blaming the death of his newborn on a “chupacabra”, which I had never heard of. The roommate thought the article was hilarious – she was disturbed that way – and the article managed to hang on the fridge door for a year.  I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but then I sat down to watch one of my favorite TV shows, “The X-Files“(yes, this was in the 1990’s), and they did an episode on the chupcabra and I was suddenly fascinated by it. It was scary how many similarities there were to my completely manufactured monster. I did as much research as I could, but there wasn’t much at the time…and I’m glad too! Dial-up on the internet was SO SLOW! And so I decided to replace my monster with the chupacabra.

Your story takes place in western times. Did the era come first or the creature when you decided to write this book?
Oh, definitely the western first. When I started this story, Clint Eastwood‘s dark western “Unforgiven” had recently won a Best Picture Academy Award, thus sparking my love for the genre – it’s still one of my Top 10 favorite films to this day. Then, a friend of mine in college, Eric Person, had written a one-act play about a group of cowboys and civilians trapped inside a saloon while werewolves were trying to claw their way inside. I was instantly inspired. I loved this new concept of crossing genres! So, once I had decided to give the creature I created the pink slip and hand the part over to the chupacabra, I knew it had been the right choice because I then had the Old West as a setting to create an origin story. But as things transpired and back stories were created, I found I had more than enough to hold off on a true “beginning” story, which will now be book four in this anthology, “Dawn of the Chupacabra”, and is most definitely my Greek tragedy of the series.

What do you think makes a good story?

Well, really, all the elements need to work together. I think they are all equally important, but what I tend to gravitate to more than theme, plot, or pacing is characters. Like I mentioned before, I wanted this story to be character-driven and I wanted compelling relationships and situations that were not only scary, grotesque, and intense, but funny, heart-warming AND heart-wrenching. I wanted to make sure there was a little bit of everything; a little something for everyone with an emphasis on the scary and grotesque, of  course.

What is your favorite scene in Night of the Chupacabra?

If I said, “That’s like asking me which of my children I liked best”, would you hate me for being cliche? But in all actuality, I kinda/sorta do have one. In the 15+times I rewrote and rewrote, and then rewrote my editor’s rewrites, one scene always felt magical to me. It’s around Chapter VI or VII when Jessie is in the basement making her case to Sheriff Dillmore and Miss Christie about the monster they just missed seeing, then Suzanne suddenly comes to Jessie’s aide. I think what I like most about that scene is that it really tells a lot about the web of relationships of the four characters who were  juggled  around in a way that – at least to me – flowed at an even pace. The dialogue is fiery,as is Miss Christie, one of my favorite characters in the entire series. She really shines in that scene.

Is there a deleted scene that you liked but it didn’t work?

Yeah, just about the entire 1995 first draft! But actually there was this one scene that took place inside a church where a group of townspeople huddled because they were convinced God would protect them from the “devil”, and when they discovered they were wrong, it became quite chaotic. Unfortunately, the character dynamics were completely different then. Jessie had a do-gooder, older brother, Clarence, whom she was trying to save. Unfortunately, she couldn’t save him from me because she is now an only child. Plus, I also wanted to steer clear of the sensitive subject of religion when this book was supposed to be just a form of entertainment.

What was the most challenging thing in writing your book?

Well, it doesn’t help being mildly OCD. There’s a certain amount of perfectionism that I expect from myself and learning to finally drop the pen and let my baby fly the coop took a lot of deep breaths… and some alcohol. If you haven’t done the math yet, the end result did take about 20 years.

Can you tell us something more about this series, maybe what we can expect?

You can expect at least four more books. The first three(Night, Curse, and Legend) are their own trilogy but will have a different protagonist for each. As mentioned, the fourth(Dawn) is an origin story and the fifth(Return) will take place around the 1970’s – 1980’s. I do have a story I’m very, very excited about for the fifth book, but it’s still undecided if there’s enough for another trilogy. I don’t want to squeeze it out; it has to come naturally. And I promise not to take 20 years between each story. Curse and Legend are already written and on my editor’s computer screen now, and Dawn is half outlined. In fact, if all goes well, I expect Curse of the Chupacabra to be released around September 15, 2013 and then each one a year later.

Is there anything you would like to share with your readers?

Well… I expect the first round of readers will be avid dark thriller/horror fans and chupacabra fans, so I guess I would like to share a disclaimer for those who believe in the chupacabra:  There are many theories out there about what the chupacabra is and where it comes from. Everything from an alien pet left behind to a toxic mutation of an extinct animal from the Roman Empire. The Chupacabra Series is for entertainment purposes only. I am not trying to lay the ground work for its mythology or an explanation of its existence. This is purely a creative work of supernatural fiction. But if you wish to have a discussion, you can always email me:  info@michaelhebler.com

Five Fun Shorts!

1) favorite beverage? Alcoholic – Pineapple Upside Down Cake (I wrote a whole thing about it on my blog). Non-alcoholic – milk.

2) swim in the ocean or a pool? POOL!!!! Unless the water is crystal clear, I can see that shark a mile away.

3) phobia? You would think sharks, wouldn’t you? But no… heights.

4) favorite movie? The Color Purple.

5) hardcopy or e-book? Hard copy.

That’s a wrap! Thanks so much for sharing with us Michael. I look forward to having you back soon.

Thank you. I hope to be back for the Curse! (that didn’t sound quite right, did it?)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRiCp9MKQ6g]

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So let’s celebrate shall we?
To Enter the Giveaway
Just leave you email address and answer this question, “What monster scares you?”
That’s all it takes and you’re entered for a chance to win a paperback or an e-book copy of Night of the Chupacabra.
Contest ends November 1st.
US only
While it’s not required, it would be nice if you followed me on twitter and my blog.
You can find Michael here:

Special Offers by M. L. Ryan

Special Offers Cover

I was curious about this story after reading the synopsis. I don’t usually use one in my reviews but I’ll let you read this one.


Synopsis from Goodreads

Hailey Parrish is quick-witted, irreverent, and hasn’t had a date in three years. She only wanted an eBook reader because her collection of paperbacks threatened to take over her small living space. Little did she know that the “special offers” that prompted the purchase included much more than a reduced price in exchange for a few ads. The device came pre-loaded with the essence of Sebastian Kess, an erudite womanizer with magical abilities from a parallel dimension. When she inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined. And soon her predicament introduces her to yet another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-her-dreams Alex Sunderland. Can Alex and Hailey find a way to return Sebastian to his own body, stay one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is, and not lose their sense of humor?

It’s something new for me and naturally I had to read Special Offers. I really like the title. It ties in neatly with the book.

The first thing that popped into my head when I read it was a genie in a magic lamp!

magic lamp photo: A magic lamp topmaqnipulationmagik.jpg

I thought, Wow, a new take for an old tale. I thought it was quite creative. Don’t know if that was the authors basis, but it works for me.

From the beginning I knew I liked Hailey. She is so normal and genuine. I could relate to her, right down to her eating habits. I too stand at the kitchen sink and chow down sometimes. When you are cooking for one, why make a mess at the table to clean up. And her daily routines. I also feel like a robot going through the motions half awake.

Her life is anything but routine when she purchases the Kindle and presses the on button. It came fully loaded. Loaded with the essence, or spirit, of Sebastian, a Coursodon from another dimension. And now he’s inside her. She can hear him in her head.

Along comes Alex. He’s another Coursodon and he has been tracking Sebastian, trying to return him to his body. He comes clean about who and what he is to Hailey. He’ll be needing her help. This part made me laugh!

I knew you were too good  looking to be in insurance,” I remarked flippantly and he shot me a reproachful glare. “Hey, when I get nervous, the smart-ass just comes cascading out of my mouth,” I shrugged. “It’s a character flaw. Get over it.”

What Hailey lacks in size, she makes up for with her snarky, tough as nails attitude.  I ‘d enjoy hanging with her.

Sebastian and Alex can communicate with each other when Alex is in physical contact with Hailey. They will be holding hands a lot. The plan is to find where Sebastian’s body has been taken, and return his essence to it. That means Hailey will have to be present.

Hailey adjusts to having Sebastian in her head, but she doesn’t have to like it. He is a very sexual male and his frustrations are very front and center at times.  Hailey’s have none of his suggestion that she bed someone to satisfy his needs. She’s not going to be his “psychic f!!k buddie.”

Hailey is slow in trusting Alex. She had a shitty marriage with a low down cheating husband and her heart took a major hit. She is very attracted to Alex, but will take it slow and easy. I like how the author keeps the heat of their relationship for the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the getting to know you parts.

My connection to Alex was gradual, but became very strong near the end. His revelations to Hailey made me want to hug him. And this scene is just to heart melting:

Alex was already in my bed under the covers, and I paused for a moment when I saw he had claimed the left side. Since as far back as I can remember, I’ve always slept on the left side of any bed bigger than a twin. It’s probably just habit, and after my initial hesitation, I started over to the opposite side, because, really, what’s the big deal about one side over another? As I pulled back the covers, however, Alex stopped me.

“Wait,” he said as he scooted over to his right. “I was just warming up your side for you.”

He held up the covers in the spot he had just vacated and I dutifully moved around the bed and climbed in. The sheets were, indeed, warm and cozy, a far cry from the chilliness that winter usually imparts to bedding.


That is the most considerate thing anyone has ever done for me,” I said softly. “I really don’t deserve you.”

Alex is a keeper.

As their feelings for each grow so does the danger and intrigue. Sebastian’s body is being held as a trophy by his nemesis and it won’t be easy to get it back.

Thumbs up to Special Offers. M. L. Ryan has a winner for originality and her quality of writing. She took what could have been heavy reading and made it light and fun.  Throughout the book, tidbits of everyday things in life made it very real.

And the comedy kept me laughing. I had many laugh out loud moments, like when Hailey teases Sebastian with a view of her sexy friend Rachel, and about her job – she milks Chinchillas. And the back and forth with Sebastian, in her head, is too funny!

Special Offers came along at a low point, and it was a perfect cure for my blues. It will make you laugh and smile, cheering you up.

Here are some scenes I really cracked up at:

“By the way, how did you get my number?”

“Men’s bathroom wall, second stall,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“Excuse me?”

“Just trying to lighten the mood…”

And this one:

I really had enough of Sebastian at the moment. “Hey Sebastard,” I sputtered. “Yumago! Do prdele! Haista paska! Jabiesz jeze! Foda-se!”

“What was all that?”

I stood and huffed out, Korean, Czech, Finnish, Polish and Portugese!”

I started this book with a peek. Next thing I knew I was on Chapter 4. I fell asleep reading it the first night. Couldn’t stay awake. Tried to finish it the next night, and so tired from work I fell asleep again. Getting frustrated! I had a surprise day off the next morning and finished it while my son was in the dentist’s chair. People were giving me funny looks when I chuckled. I ended up talking to two women in the waiting room, and they said they were going to check it out.

You should check it out too. It’s a perfect book to lighten your mood and make you smile.

  I loved it and so did my Kindle!

5 STARS

The girl on the cover is the perfect choice to represent Hailey. I have two men who popped into my head to represent Sebastian and Alex.

Here is Alex

And here is Sebastian

Melissa has sent me a picture of who she sees Alex as!

I’m excited to tell you that M L Ryan has accepted my request for an interview and she’s also offering one paperback and two e-books for a giveaway!!

I’m so happy to have you here today Melissa! I loved Special Offers and I want everyone to get to know the author behind the story. Let’s get started shall we?

1) What “possessed” you to write this story and where did the idea come from?

*Laughing*  I had just purchased my full-priced Kindle when I saw Amazon was selling less expensive versions that came with “special offers.”  For some reason, my warped brain thought it would be amusing if what made the cheaper Kindles special was that they came with some fiendish spirit.  Originally, I imagined something like a havoc-wrecking poltergeist, but that quickly changed into the annoying, yet ingratiating Sebastian Kess.

2) I laughed so much reading Special Offers and fell in love with Hailey. Was it your plan all along for her to be so funny, and does she resemble you in any way?

 When it comes to snark, Hailey and I have a lot in common.  No matter what’s happening – good or bad – I seem to always find something humorous in the situation (often to the consternation of those around me).  Because humor is so much a part of who I am, I don’t think I could write something without it.  Aside from that, Hailey and I share the same out-of-control hair, a love of tequila and the tendency to swear like a sailor.

3) Where did the idea for Coursodons come from? I’m always curious when I discover new beings.

 The magically-inclined folks from a parallel dimension developed easily from the main premise that Hailey’s eBook Reader came with a little something extra.  It didn’t make sense for the inhabitant to be a vamp or a werewolf, and a demon or a witch wasn’t exactly right either.  So, I came up with a whole new world instead.  I’m really enjoying the world-building, it’s one of the most satisfying parts of the process.

4) I loved the ending and I’m so happy this is going to be a series. Can you tell us when we might expect book two and how many books there may be in the series?

 The second book should be out in another month or so.  I have ideas for five books in this series, and hopefully I will get a chance to write them!  Unfortunately, the day-job tends to get in the way.

5) Your book has travelers from other dimensions in it and it’s made me curious. Do you like to travel and if you could go any place you wanted, where would it be?

 I love to be someplace different, but I despise traveling. If I could just snap my fingers and instantly be transported, I’d be hopping all over the world.  The thought of flying, however, makes me crazy.  I do it, but it’s a struggle every time.  That said, I’ve always wanted to go to Nepal.  I think it’s because I like the sound of Katmandu.

6) Do you prefer reading print or digital books and what kind of e-reader do you have?

 I have a Kindle, and when I first got it, I was concerned that I would miss the feel of a real book.  Was I wrong!  I love almost everything about the eBook format; the ease of obtaining books, the ability to change the font size, having thousands of books crammed into one, compact device.  The one aspect that annoys me, however, is how traditional publishers charge the same amount for an eBook as for a print book.  Really?  What a rip-off.

7) You mentioned you adopted two desert tortoises. Did you name them, and if so, how did you choose their names? I love turtles.

 I inherited my mother’s tortoises when she moved to a much smaller home, so they came pre-named.  Spurge – she’s 30 years old – got her name because she loves to munch on the eponymous weed which grows abundantly here.  Dunny, 25, got his moniker because my mother thought another tortoise was “redundant”.  They have very distinct personalities – Spurge comes when she’s called and Dunny loves to climb.  Because they are so long-lived, I expect that one day,  my son will inherit them from me.

 

Five fun shorts!

1) If you could be any creature in the sea, what would you be? 

A nudibranch.  They have such beautiful colors.

 2) What is your favorite movie to watch on Halloween? 

I love the original Bela Lugosi Dracula movies.  Something about the bad acting and the lack of color makes them really creepy.

 3) If you could have dinner with a sexy movie actor, who would you choose?

  Ryan Reynolds.  He’s sexy and funny.

 4) Are you an early riser or do you hit the snooze button?

I hate getting up. That’s where the comment in Special Offers – If god wanted us to get up when it was dark out, he wouldn’t have given us eyelids – came from.

 5) What is your birthstone? 

Topaz.

Thanks so much for doing this interview with me Melissa. It’s been really fun getting to know you. And a huge thank you for allowing me to host this giveaway.

To Enter The Giveaway

For todays giveaway there will be three winners. I have one paperback and two e-books of Special Offers to giveaway!

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address along with the answer to this question: Who would you like to find in your Kindle?

While it’s not required, it makes me smile when you follow me on twitter and my blog. You can find Melissa’s contacts below. Thanks so much and good luck everyone!

This contest ends on November 1st.

You can purchase Special Offers by clicking on the image below.

Other Purchase links:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/131930

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/special-offers-ml-ryan/1109231583?ean=2940033051014

CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/3940235

For more about M L Ryan and where to find her:

Author’s web site: http://www.coursodondimension.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CoursodonDimension

Twitter:  @MLRyan1

Email: MLRyan@coursodondimension.com

Wild Blood: Vampire in the City, Book Two by Donna Ansari

I am a woman of my word. I said I would be reviewing Wild Blood: Vampire in the City–Book 2 and here I am. And I have something else fun going on. I am going to be doing an interview with not one , but two ladies today. Plus, I have 5 e-book copies of Wild Blood to giveaway! Details can be found at the bottom of the post. First I want to show you the book.

Wild Blood (Vampire in the City #2)


Another stunner. Another great choice Donna. And I love that you kept the same font for the title and your name.

Okay, on to my review! Just so you know, this is the second book in this series. So I guess I am giving you a spoiler alert, in case you haven’t read New Blood, Book One.

The story starts with Emma still adjusting to being a vampire. It doesn’t happen overnight, but since she’s undead, she has plenty of time, which she finds difficult to keep track of.

She comes downstairs to find her roommate Tammy  dressed up as a witch and her tenant David wearing a button that says I’m a werewolf – ask me how! She plumb forgot it’s Halloween. They are staying in to pass out candy. Boy. if the trick-or-treaters only knew the significance of their costumes.

David has to spend the night in the cemetery. He can turn when he wants to,  but when the moon is full he has to turn and tonight the moon is full. It’s best if he keeps his distance until sunrise.

Emma has a date. She’s going to meet James, a vampire she met the other night. He’s new to New York City and she agreed to show him around. He is a vampire that doesn’t kill humans, like her, and not too shabby in the looks department either. This could be fun.

Donna knows how to make me laugh. Check out this scene.

I went back to the kitchen and hung up the phone to find Tammy sitting at the table and reading a magazine.

“Where’s David?” I asked.

“Out in the graveyard preparing to wolf out.” She looked up. “So what club are you guys going to?”

“Some goth club, I muttered. Tammy had never been much of a fan of my goth phase.

She laughed. “Two vampires going out to a goth club on Halloween” Can you possibly be any more of a  living stereotype” Oh, I’m sorry, undead stereotype.”

I love these two roomies and I can’t wait for you to meet them!

It seems like dating is something different now too.  This from Emma:

“I was actually just wondering if I’m supposed to eat before meeting a date.” I had learned in my short time as a vampire, that eating was not quite the social occasion that it was for humans.

Tammy: “What, you mean like….”

She bared her teeth.

If I were a vampire and had to have a roomie, there’s no one I would rather have than Tammy. She’d keep me in stitches.

As James and Emma are walking to the club they get to talking. Emma is curious about why he came to New York. David’s story is he knows that werewolves exist and he is searching for one in particular. He tells Emma that there are packs of them in San Francisco, where he came from, but none in New York yet. He and his maker, Abby,  took out half of the pack but the leader escaped and later tracked down Abby during the day and killed her. James is in New York because the werewolf he seeks is here.

When James mentions that this werewolf is a certain type, a gay type, Emma knows to keep her mouth shut about David, her tenant. The description definitely fits him. Small world.

Going to The Vault wasn’t the best idea. Emma had never gotten around to eating and all she wants to do is bite. To save some poor drunk from being drained, James pushes his arm in Emma’s mouth. At least for now she doesn’t feel like drinking someone dry. But that isn’t the only problem. This is a known vampire hangout and Emma has been trying to avoid her sire and the others responsible for her condition. It’s best to avoid the politics thing. As luck would have it, they’re here, so James and Emma make a quick exit to avoid being spotted.

The night isn’t a total bust. David was turned into a vampire fifty years ago right here in New York City. He filled in a lot of holes for Emma, giving her the history of the top vampires, including the Prince, Michael. Useful information.

Calling it an early night, Emma arrives home and who is waiting for her? None other than her sire Alex. Her ex-lover and big fat liar. He doesn’t like it that she was at the club with James, warning her that he is unstable and dangerous, and if the Prince saw her with James, he’d kill both of them. There is a history between the prince and James and Emma should avoid getting caught up in it. Too late for that.

From here on the fangs start flashing and the fur flies. It appears there are werewolves in New York and they want to make the city their hunting grounds. It looks like war is coming between the vampires and the werewolves and Emma, Tammy, and David are smack dab in the middle of it.

Donna has many surprises for you In Wild Blood. She still has Emma slowly bumbling with being a new vampire, and that is my favorite part. Don’t get me wrong, the action is fast and the fighting is fierce, but I can’t help but love the humor laced throughout the story. It just makes me fall in love with the characters all over again. You will too.

I would say the writing is even better, and many questions are answered. I liked learning about the lives of some of the vampires before they were turned. It made them more real, but didn’t necessarily make me like them. There are some truly bad ones in this book that you love to hate. I think that is also important. It gives balance to the story.  I still haven’t made my mind up about a couple  of the characters. Maybe when I read the third book, which I hear is coming soon, I can decide.

Donna has met all of my expectations with Wild Blood. It was everything I hoped for and more. If you haven’t read the first book, New Blood, do so now and get to know the Vampires in the City! They will keep you entertained!

  Loved it! Howling for more!

Witch Blood: Vampire in the City, Book Three is coming soon!

I have Emma and Tammy from The Vampire in the City series here to answer a few questions. Enjoy the show.

Here we go ladies!

1) How’s your love life going?

Emma: Pass.

Tammy: You can’t pass,
Em.

E: Then you go first.

T: Oh geez. Well, I’ve just started
dating this witch….

E: Don’t you mean warlock?

T: No, actually a
male witch is still called a witch. But anyway, it’s going pretty well so far,
although it may be a conflict of interest that we’re in the same
coven.

E: Ugh, my turn? I guess you could just say I’m not very serious
about anyone at the moment.

2) Would either of you date
outside of your, er, species?

T: Possibly, but it would really depend on
the person, and whether or not that person was worth dealing with all that.

E: Maybe, I mean, I guess I sort of am, but who knows where it might go.
I mean, if things were reversed I would probably not like a long-term
relationship with someone who doesn’t age. Not to mention that you can never see
them in the daytime, ever.

3) Do you share the household chores?

E: Sure, for the most part. I mean, I’m not going to do any of the
cooking or washing dishes, but beyond that, it’s pretty equal.

T: Yeah,
no one really has any romantic visions of a vampire doing their own vacuuming.
Luckily, the one I live with has no qualms about that!

4) What
is one thing that drives you crazy about the other?

E: (looks at Tammy
and shrugs)

T: (laughs) Hmmmm….that’s kind of hard to answer. Em and I
have been friends for so long, and sometimes it seems like after you know
someone for so long that things don’t really drive you crazy about them anymore.
You just learn to accept certain characteristics and say, “Well, that’s just how
she is,” and then they no longer drive you crazy. Still, if I had to pick one
thing, I guess I’d say when she keeps things from me-on the rare occasions that
that happens. I know there’s still a lot she needs to figure out for herself,
and maybe she doesn’t want to freak me out, but we’ve never kept secrets from
each other. But at this point what could she possibly have to tell me that could
shock me?

E: Along those lines, I guess the only time I’ve really been
annoyed at Tammy is when she pries a little too hard–some things are not worth
being examined and are best left alone.

5) What do you think of
the show TRUE BLOOD?

T: Hmmm, we don’t have HBO, so believe it or not,
I’ve never seen it. But Em is a closet Buffy fan.

E: I don’t even know if
I’m in the closet on that one.

6) Who do you think is the
sexiest actor?

E: I’ve always been a fan of Johnny Depp ever since I saw
Edward scissorshands!

T: My personal fave is Edward Norton–he’s as
talented as he is sexy. Keanu Reeves is still pretty hot too–and I did not pick
him just because he was in that Dracula movie either!

7) If you
could go back in time to before any of this happened, would you change it?

E: I don’t know. I’ve actually thought about this a good deal. When I
was human, I had no idea that any of this world, vampires, werewolves, witches,
existed. I was happily oblivious. But other things in my life, like my
relationship with my long-term boyfriend and my home life, where pretty
unfulfilling. And now I’m probably better off where those things are concerned.
And as to the other thing, even if I felt content in my safe existence, is
ignorance ever better than knowledge? I don’t know. Now I not only know what’s
out there in the dark, but I have the power to deal with it.

T: Would I
change having my best friend being turned into one of the living dead and having
to face adversities that go above and beyond what any person, creature,
whatever, should have to? What do you think? At the same time, if it was the
only way to save her life…well, I’d rather have her here than not here. That’s a
complicated question, and there’s no easy answer to that one. Still, I love Emma
like a sister, so again, I’d much rather have her here in any form, than not
here at all. Wow…that one was heavy…

Five Fun
Favorites

1) Favorite supernatural being?

E: I suppose
vampires.

T: Zombies!

2) Favorite color?

E:
Probably blue, but it depends on my mood.

T: Is it sometimes
red?

E: What? Why? Oh, right.

T: For me it’s purple. I’m more of a
jewel-tine gal.

3) Favorite holiday?

E: Probably
Halloween. Not because I’m a vampire, but because it doesn’t have any
family-oriented connotations.

T: Probably Thanksgiving–I love to cook
and eat!

4) Favorite book boyfriend?

E: I know it’s a
kid’s book, but I really liked Sirius Black from the Harry Potter series. He
seemed like he would be a lot of fun to date.

T: Was Hunger Games an
adult book? Whatever. I liked Cinna a lot – the guy who does Katniss’s makeup
and costumes. They never said he was gay, so I can hope!

5) Favorite
season of the year?

E: It used to be summer, because when I was human I
hated the cold. Now I would have to say winter, so I don’t have to be asleep 15
hours a day!

T: Spring. The cooler weather always brings me down!

Thanks ladies. That was fun. And thank you Donna for arranging to have Emma and Tammy appear today.

For my review of New Blood : Book One and interview with Donna go here .

And now for the giveaway!

I have 5 e-book copies of Wild Blood for this giveaway.

To enter just leave your email along with a nice comment for any of these ladies.

Contest ends October 2nd.

Not required, but would make me happy if your followed my blog and twitter.

About the author and where to find her
Donna Ansari was born in New York City and has lived there for most of her life. Donna graduated from Pace University with a BA in Literature and Communications. Since then, she has been working as an editor, primarily in the field of medical education.
Donna lives in Queens with her husband, son, and large black cat. She is not currently aware of any vampires in her neighborhood.
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