Archive for the ‘Interview’ Category

A Vampire in Copperfield / Under the Desert Moon

Posted: September 23, 2012 in fiction, Interview, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Vampires
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Under the Desert Moon by Emma Meade.

For all of you vampire lovers out there, I have another vampire to introduce you to.

Under the Desert Moon



Nothing ever happens in Copperfield, Arizona, a rundown desert mining town. The miners left long ago.

That’s why Erin wishes she were anywhere but here. At least her job at The Oracle, the town cinema, gets her out of the house and she gets to see the movies for free.

One night changes everything, shaking up Erin’s world. Nick, her twin brother, bursts into her bedroom to tell her something exciting. A movie crew is in town to film a horror film. This gets Erin’s blood pumping. She hopes for a good ghost story.

Erin and Nick rush down to the local diner to get a look-see at the cast and crew. Her gaze is drawn to a young man sitting in the back. He has a certain something that calls to her. She thinks he looks familiar but can’t recall from where.

His name is James Linkin(I like the name) and he plays the lead in the movie, a vampire. Even better than a ghost story, Erin thinks.

Erin doesn’t realize she is staring at James, until their eyes meet. He holds her gaze and she feels shaky and aroused. Where did that come from? And his eyes, she’d never seen eyes like his before. As an aspiring photographer, she’d love to get a picture of them and add it to her portfolio.

It’s inevitable that Erin and James would meet. She hires on to the production as a roaming photographer, taking pictures of the film from behind the scenes, kind of a diary of the making of it. What surprises both of them is the strong magnetism that pulls them towards each other. But Erin senses the bad boy in James. She is perceptive and knows James is hiding something.

That feeling of familiarity she had the first time she saw James was real. She knows where she remembers him from, a rerun of an old sitcom she used to watch with her mom when she was a kid. He had a different name then, but it was him, she was sure of it! But how could that be?

Can you see what’s coming? Even if you’ve guessed that James is a vampire, that is only the beginning of the story!

I had a lot of fun reading Under the Desert Moon.

James was bored and decided to try to make a comeback in the movie business, as someone else of course. He shouldn’t have chosen a small town to do it. There is anonymity in a large town. It’s not long before people start to figure out what he is. He couldn’t resist temptation and was discovered many times in the act of drinking someones blood. His ability to erase memories was iffy, and sometimes it didn’t work at all. This lead to some amusing scenes that I really had fun with! He isn’t very good at hiding what he is. Perhaps he stays in character too much, and that’s why he lands in so much trouble.

Erin now knows what he is but is conflicted in her feelings for him, he drinks blood after all! And how could she know if he erased her memories? How do you trust a vampire? And more importantly, how do you love one?

I kept getting this feeling that the story had a dark, noir feel to it. Then I realized why. I once watched this movie called Shadow of the Vampire. It too was about a vampire playing the role of a vampire in a movie. Although the vampire in this movie wasn’t young and handsome, it’s what was nagging me while I read Under the Desert Moon. I just kept picturing the story in black and white. It added a chill to the story.

The story is engaging from the beginning and there are several characters that are important. Their parts in the story helped me to connect with them. Some are funny, some are hopeless, and some I would like to kick to the curb, you know the ones, they like to make themselves look better by belittling you. This made it more real for me.

Under the Desert Moon is a really good story. It’s not only about vampires. I enjoyed Emma’s writing style and I’ll be watching for more of her books.

  Loved this!

Emma’s writing style and the way she made her vampire vulnerable, almost human with his flaws,  got her this rating! And of course, the great story!

I have a treat for ya’ll today! Emma’s here for an interview.

It is so exciting to have you here Emma. We are always chatting back and forth and now I have you right where I want you. In the authors seat! So why don’t you begin by telling us about yourself.

Thanks, Laura. Glad to be here. I’ve been a follower of your blog for a while and enjoy it.
  I loved the noir feel  I got while reading Under the Desert Moon. This book would be a great movie filmed in black and white!  Where did your idea for the story come from and what genre would you classify it as?
Wow. I never considered it noir but I think it would look great shot in black and white, or perhaps just the scenes where James and the movie crew are shooting Kiss of the Vampire. I can keep dreaming!
It started off simply enough. I had an image in my head of a small town girl staring out her bedroom window, looking onto a desert landscape and admiring the beauty of the moon. But this girl also felt trapped and wanted desperately to escape to the bigger world. That girl became Erin and the story evolved from her. The genre would be paranormal I guess.
  How did you choose the names for your characters?
I didn’t put much thought into it. I think James is a strong, masculine name. Almost every James I’ve met in real life has been a real lad, a bit cheeky and a little arrogant, but always up for a laugh. I’m not sure where I got Erin from. I just like the name. Noah Phoenix is a tribute to River Phoenix, an actor who had huge potential but died way too soon.
  What is the most challenging thing about writing for you?
Um, the actual writing part. Sometimes every single word is a struggle and then every once in a while, I’ll get a burst of inspiration and write 5,000 words in one sitting.
  What do you think makes for a good story?
The characters. Build strong, vibrant characters and I think you’ll draw readers.
 When people read the book, they will see the significance of your title. Where did the title for your book come from?
Again, just the image of a young girl staring out her bedroom window into a desert wilderness. I think the moon has always been symbolic of the paranormal and features heavily in gothic fiction, so it had to appear in the title.
  What kind of books do you like to read and what are you reading now?
Paranormal mostly, but I just finished The Mystery of Mercy Close by Irish writer, Marian Keyes, a blend of comedy and drama. I love her books.
  What are you working on now and can you tell us something about it?
I’m working on a paranormal book called Night Whispers. I self-published a short story collection, Night Sighs last year and fell totally in love with the characters, so I decided to write a full length novel based on the vampires, Alex and Tristan.
Five Fun Shorts!
1) What is your favorite supernatural being?
Vampire, of course 🙂
2) Do you believe in vampires?
No. Do you think I’m crazy?
3) Would you like to meet a vampire?
Sure, if they were Spike, Stefan, Damon or Eric Northman!
4) If you were a vampire, would you be:
a) sparkly
b) reluctant
c) down and dirty
Down and dirty, all the way. Good question ha ha.
5) Who would you pick as your mate, if you were a vampire?  Can’t say your husband or boyfriend!
Hmm. Elijah from The Vampire Diaries. But then again, I’ve been in love with Edward Cullen for the past 4 years too. Tough one, Laura. Tough one.
I loved having you here Emma. Now we all know you much better. Can’t wait for the next time. Thanks so much.
Cheers, Laura. You can be sure I’ll be back here soon.
And so you can see what I mean about why this book kept feeling noir to me. For some reason this is how I felt while reading the book. It really made me feel a connection.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyBt5DDFcQY]

About Emma Meade

Author of Nights Sighs and Under the Desert Moon.
Emma Meade writes paranormal fiction.
She lives in rainy Ireland and loves all things supernatural including: vampires, slayers, witches, ghosts, aliens & shadow men (or at least the youngest of the shadow men), and regular people who live extraordinary lives (think Slayerettes and you’re on the right track). One of her favourite authors is L.J. Smith and Stephen King’s The Stand is one of her most loved books. Books, dvds & tv show boxsets take up lots of space in her home and she collects all the Point Horror books she can get her hands on.
She is not ashamed to admit that Dirty Dancing and Twilight make her top ten movie list but wishes to point out that The Last of the Mohicans, Reality Bites, Dead Poets Society, Stand by Me and The Goonies are in there too.

Writing supernatural short stories, watching marathon re-runs of Buffy and attempting to complete novels are some of her favourite ways of escaping reality.

You can find Emma here:

http://emmameade.com

Http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4229395.Emma_Meade

http://www.twitter.com/emmameade83

To purchase her books just click on the images below.

Related articles

Thorne Manor…and other bizarre tales by Diane Wing

Posted: September 18, 2012 in Creatures, fiction, giveaways, horror, Interview, Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy, Short stories and collections
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I really do like to be scared. I have always loved books that make me jump at every little noise.  I have read so many books and watched so many movies, that it takes something to really scare me.

When Diane Wing asked me if I would be interested in reading and reviewing her collection of scary stories, I was all for it. Nothing like a good fright to get those endorphins pumping!

Thorne Manor: And Other Bizarre Tales

Diane is being very generous. She has one paperback copy of her book to giveaway on my blog! AND she has agreed to an interview! Just keep reading:)

My thoughts and ramblins

Thorne Manor is the longer story in this collection.

Heather has finally found the strength to leave her abusive husband and start out on her own. She has always wanted to run her own business, and when the house of her dreams seems to call out to her, she ignores her friend’s advice and buys it. Thorne Manor has been empty for five years. It’s dark history has many people believing its haunted. That doesn’t worry Heather. The mansion, with its three levels will be perfect.

The house needs some TLC but no major reconstruction. While the workers are doing the repairs and adding the cosmetic touches, Heather sets out to get some tenants to rent the available rooms. Her plan is to make Thorne Manor a place of psychic entertainment and she needs to find various occult practitioners to provide  services to the clients. Kind of like a psychic smorgasbord.

There is one major problem with the old manor. It comes with some very unwelcoming inhabitants. Gypsy, a trance medium, suggests a good cleansing ritual. It’s going to take more than that. Heather needs to clean house of these nasty spirits  before her tenants move in. It proves much more difficult and dangerous than she thought.

My thoughts

This was a really creepy haunting. Diane knows how to create an atmosphere that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. I was almost looking over my shoulder while reading it. With a limited amount of words, she got me engaged with the characters. I felt protective  and proud of Heather, and her psychic friends were my kind of people. Someone I would want on my side when things got bad.

Don’t get too comfortable. This story moves fast and the scares are many and intense.

By Invitation Only

Loretta is lost without Toby. He was her constant companion for 15 years.

Five years have passed and  her grief is just as heavy.  She really should move somewhere so she isn’t constantly reminded of Toby, her silken haired dog, but she fears losing the good memories.

Something strange starts to happen. There is something in the wall of her bedroom. Something trying to get out, chipping away at the plaster.

My thoughts

I would have moved. If something was pushing, trying to get out of the wall, slowly making a bigger and bigger hole, I would be so out of there. Curiosity killed the cat, people!!

This was an eerie tale, making me edgy and fearful of what was going to come out of that wall!

Dream State

Judith has a problem. A big one. There are living things in her mouth. Worms! Then she wakes up. It was only a dream. Or was it?

My thoughts

The title of this book says …and other bizarre tales. Well, this one is very bizarre. It is also kind of gross, which makes the creep factor high. For some reason, maybe I’m bizarre, I liked that.

Good Riddance

That’s it! Justin has had it with the mangy cat that keeps sneaking up onto his porch, covering his expensive furniture with its hair. The hair was everywhere. Finding out where it lived proved impossible and it just kept coming back, night after night. Something would have to be done.

This went on for months and Justin began to fantasize a gruesome ending for the nasty feline. He should have been more careful what he imagined.

My thoughts

This was a goodie!  What Justin conjured up in his imagination is unspeakable and the ending was not what I expected to happen.

Guardian of the Gate

Anzuth makes the long, grueling climb from the bowels of Hell to Earth’s surface, but he is not where he expected to be.  Spotting a beauty salon that’s still open, he decides to get cleaned up there, knock the stink off of him.

He gets a makeover straight out of The Twilight Zone!

My thoughts

Loved this. It was so different. I don’t know where Diane found this idea, definitely from left field. I think we need more beauticians like the one you meet in this story.

The Black Sheep

Amy can’t explain it. It’s a mystery to her. Why is she so drawn to The Black Sheep. It’s just a restaurant, isn’t it?  Given, its outside is coated in red paint and there is a skull of a ram, complete with horns, displayed in the window, so maybe that’s where her sense of foreboding comes from.

She seems unable to stay away from the building, despite repeated warnings from her guardian spirit to stay clear. Each time she passes the building, the pull to enter is stronger.

My thoughts

I would have never entered that building. If something made me uneasy, I would avoid it, not seek it out. I don’t know, maybe she was meant to enter.

The Quiet Neighbors

Ever since Henry lost his job, it seems all Emma does is clean up after him. He stays glued to his chair, stuffing his face with Cheese Doodles, chasing them down with sweet tea, and watching endless TV. She longs for the future that should have been theirs. Not this.

Then she finds this book, Manual of Retribution – A Guidebook for the Oppressed. What she finds in it just might be able to make her life better.

My thoughts

Good for Emma. No one should have to put up with a loser like Henry. I don’t know if I could have done what she did, but since it’s a story, I say go Emma.

My overall review

Excellent writing. Diane quickly lays out the plots and gets right to the heart of each story. There is something for everyone here. Each story has its own atmosphere or flavor.  She makes you connect with the characters. I was surprised at which characters I was drawn to. I felt a slight nudge towards them by the author. I got everything I hoped for out of this collection, and more.

     Very Scary Good!

A special treat today! Diane is here to answer a few questions.

Welcome Diane. Thanks for agreeing to answer a few questions. It gives us a chance to get to know you.

 1) Most of my readers know I love to read and review short stories and collections. I find them very challenging to review without giving too much away. Can you explain your writing process when doing short stories?

I start with a scenario and let it run from there.  I get into a zone where I am experiencing the story as it unfolds and love to see where it takes me.

2) Where do your ideas come from?

Inspiration comes from many places and can happen at any time.  I carry a notebook with me, for the idea can strike while having dinner with friends, walking in the woods, or looking at an object, person, or situation and asking myself what if?  People-watching can trigger all sorts of ideas.

3) What do you think makes for a good story?

Atmosphere, intriguing characters, and the strange and unusual introducing itself into daily life.  Having an out-of-the-ordinary component that brings about a mental or emotional reaction is important to keep my attention.

4) Do you have a favorite story in this collection, or perhaps a favorite scene?

Guardian of the Gate is the one I had the most fun writing. It’s hard to say more about that without giving away the plot.

5) Did you draw on anything from your own life when writing Thorne Manor… and other bizarre tales?

I think every writer draws a piece of themselves into their writing.  Even in fictional works, a writer’s underlying philosophy is exposed, albeit taken to the extreme within the storyline.  By Invitation Only was written while grieving the loss of my own beloved pet.  Thorne Manor incorporated experiences from a controlling relationship and an actual business idea I had.  A house that was in severe disrepair where I live sparked the idea for The Quiet Neighbors.

6) What is your favorite thing you like to do when not writing or working?

I like walking in the woods and going to concerts – a wide variety from classical music to classic rock.  They are such opposite types of activities – one peaceful with few people for contemplation and rejuvenation and the other loud and crowded, to stimulate new ideas.  Each of these activities serve to move thought in new directions – one internally and one externally.

7) Are you writing something now, and if so, can you tell us something about it?

Right now I’m working on The True Nature of Energy: Secrets of Energetic Consciousness.  It is an exploration of the energetic dynamics between the physical and the divine and ways to interpret the energies we are exposed to, as well as the energies we create ourselves.  By increasing energetic awareness, it increases the ability to see things objectively, reduces drama, and enhances personal growth.  My vibrational scale and associated quiz are included, so readers can determine their energy level and find ways to raise their vibrational level.  Target date for release is early 2013.

The other manuscripts I’m working on include five new short stories, a book of tarot combinations, and Coven II (sequel to Coven: The Scrolls of the Four Winds).

Now for Five Fun Shorts!

1) What psychic power would you wish for?  To hear the thoughts of all living things

 2) What is your favorite animal?  Hawk in the wild; dog in the house
 3) Have you ever had a supernatural encounter?  Many!
 4) What is the scariest book you’ve read?  The Shining and Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
 5) What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?  I’m still looking for the movie that is the scariest.  There is a 15-second scene in Exorcist III that creeps me out and stays with me.
 I really enjoyed this opportunity to get to know you Diane. Thanks so much for everything!

And now for the giveaway! Giveaway is over. Thank you.

I have one paperback copy of Thorne Manor…and other bizarre tales to giveaway. US and Canada only.

To enter just leave your email address along with a comment, Do you like to be scared?

Not required, but you’d make me smile if you followed my blog and twitter.

Giveaway end September 26th.

You can find Diane here:

dianewing@forestwitch.com and www.forestwitch.com

More about Diane

Diane Wing, M.A. is an author, teacher, personal transformation guide, and intuitive consultant. She has a Master’s degree in clinical psychology and has been providing valuable insights for the highest good of her clients for over 27 years.

Diane is the author of the books “The True Nature of Tarot: Your path to personal empowerment,” a collection of short fiction titled “Thorne Manor…and other bizarre tales,” and the novel, “Coven: The Scrolls of the Four Winds.”

Diane works her clients to find meaning and fulfillment in their lives by helping them find their Inner Magick and empowering them to create the lives they really want.  Her website is www.forestwitch.com.

You can purchase Thorne Manor by clicking on the image below.

You are entering Dangerous Waters /Giveaway is Over, Review and Interview

Posted: September 11, 2012 in giveaways, Interview, Mystery, reviews, Romance
Tags: , , , , , , ,
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Do you like a good mystery? Do you like a good romance? Dangerous Waters has that and much more! Mystery , loss and love on the Isle of Guernsey.

Before I go into my review, what do you think of this cover art?

Dangerous Waters



Wonderful! I really like it. When you get your chance to read the story, you will see how well it compliments it.

I have some great news for you! Anne has offered two e-book copies of her debut novel Dangerous Waters for me to giveaway to two lucky winners. She has also taken time away from her busy schedule to answer a few questions.  So settle in and enjoy yourself. To enter the giveaway, look for the beautiful cottage at the end of the post.

On to my review

After breaking up with her boyfriend and having a miscarriage, Jeanne is barely hanging on. Then she receives a phone call informing her that her grandmother has died and she is the sole heir to her holdings.

Her return to the Isle of Guernsey was supposed to be brief, say goodbye to her beloved gran, sell the cottage, and get off the island.

She left the island when she was 16 years old, vowing never to return. She was the only survivor of a boating incident that killer both of her parents. She still, 15 years later, can’t recall what happened. The case was never solved and her parents killer was never caught. Nightmares and flashbacks return to haunt Jeanne and she is more determined than ever to regain her memories of that day. Memories that have stayed hidden in her mind. If she can remember, the killer will be revealed.

Jeanne decides to stay on the island and modernize the cottage, renewing old friendships and making new ones.

While cleaning out the cottage and looking for old family recipes, she stumbles across some mysterious letters from a German soldier, written to her gran during the German occupation in WWII. They looked to be love letters.

An idea begins to form. She  could combine her long ago family recipes along with her ancestors history into a cookbook. Calling it “Recipes for Love.”

Dangerous Waters is a story in a story, in a story. It led me down the garden path.

You will see Jeanne grow and become strong again, regain her sense of self, and just maybe find love.

Follow her as her book idea becomes reality and she begins her journey of research and discovery. I loved reading the whole process of concept-to agent-to publisher and editor.

Discover the buried secret of the “cold” room in the cottage. Why is Jeanne the only one that feels the chill? What happened there?

And last but not least, find out what really happened when her parents were killed. You may think you know who the killer is, but don’t be too hasty.

Dangerous Waters started out like a leisurely walk on the beach. Anne’s writing, with its English flavor, blends the past and present easily and I got more and more drawn into the book.

My rating went from a 3 at the beginning – a bit slow to hook me. To a 4 as the story revealed its many layers. And finally to a 5 – this because of the brilliant writing by Anne Allen.

Footprint : Footprints on the wet send on the beach Footprint : Footprints on the wet send on the beach Footprint : Footprints on the wet send on the beach Footprint : Footprints on the wet send on the beach Footprint : Footprints on the wet send on the beach 

Now let’s get to know Anne.

Hi Anne. Thanks for hopping across the pond to answer a few questions for your readers. Shall we begin?

Please, tell us about yourself.
My home is in Devon, by my beloved sea. I have three children and my daughter and two grandchildren live nearby. I was born in Rugby, to an English mother and Welsh father. As a result I spent many summers with my Welsh grandparents in Anglesey (now famous for being the home of Prince William!) and learnt to love the sea. My restless spirit has meant a number of moves which included living in Spain for a couple of years. The longest stay was in Guernsey for nearly fourteen years, after I fell in love with the island and the people. However, I contrived to leave one son behind to ensure a valid reason for frequent returns!
By profession I’m a psychotherapist but have long had creative ‘itches’, learning to mosaic, paint furniture, interior design and sculpt. At the back of my mind the itch to write was always present but seemed too time-consuming for a single mum with a need to earn a living (my husband died while young). Now the nest is empty there’s more time to write and a second novel is gestating, but novels take a lot longer than children to be born!

From first idea to completion, how long did it take to write Dangerous Waters and what was your inspiration?
It took six months to write the first draft and, being naïve, I thought that was it! After taking some professional advice I realised that I had a lot of re-writing and drastic editing to complete. I ended up cutting about 15000 words! Eventually it was six years before the book was finally published.
The island of Guernsey was the initial inspiration and I wanted to write a romance with a twist – some mystery. The story covers love and loss, which can and does happen to most of us, meaning it’s something everyone relates to. Both my own experience and my clients’ stories offered examples of how people overcome tragedy. This was the central theme – that whatever, or whoever, we’ve lost, we can always love and live again. There is a parallel story concerning Jeanne’s grandmother which flags up events from the Occupation which actually occurred. So there’s a mixture of fact and fiction with the characters and their stories being pure fiction of course! I also knew that there had to be an old house hiding a secret.

There is more than one story being told in Dangerous Waters. Did you plan it that way or did it evolve as you wrote?

I knew I wanted to feature the grandmother but initially didn’t know in what way. The full story developed as I wrote. I always felt that there would be parallels between Jeanne’s story and her Gran although their lives were very different.

Your main character Jeanne is also a writer, working on her first full length book. I really enjoyed how you incorporated the writing process into your book through her. Do Jeanne’s experiences resemble yours?

I wish they had! Particularly her publishing contract!! But the process of an idea, the research and writing are similar. The big difference is that Jeanne’s book is non-fiction so that she has a lot of ‘fixed’ information to incorporate.

What is the biggest challenge about your writing?

Knowing when to edit! It’s so easy to just write and over-describe events and situations and it’s only when reading back that you recognise this. I like to give the readers a sense of place as well as enough description of the main characters so that they can visualise both people and situations, but it’s also important to leave a lot to their imagination. I also find that, like most writers, I can get ‘stuck’ and find it hard to move the scene/chapter on.

The delicious entrees and desserts mentioned throughout the book made my mouth water. Do you cook up any of these scrumptious dishes?

No, I’m not actually much of a dessert person. The starter and main course usually fill me up! But if I’m in a restaurant I can be tempted

Could you tell us something about what you are currently working on?

Another novel, Finding Mother, the story of a young woman’s search for her natural mother. Along the way family secrets are revealed going back to the Second World War. It’s based primarily in Guernsey but has excursions to England, Spain and Jersey. It’s another story of lost love but it will have a happy ending! I’m hoping to see it published next year.

If I were to visit Guernsey, where would you recommend I start my tour? Do you have a favorite place?

Well, the whole island is lovely but everyone has to spend some time in St Peter Port – the ‘capital’. It’s a quaint old town, with some windy cobbled streets full of interesting shops and bars and restaurants. My favourite place is a bay on the north- west coast where it’s usually quiet and I can just lay on the sand and listen to the sea. As it happens, I’m just about to go back to Guernsey this month and I’m looking forward to chilling out on the beaches – weather permitting! And a trip to the magical island of Herm is a must

Thanks so much Anne. This was fun. I hope we can do this again when your next novel is ready. It would be my pleasure.

And now for the giveaway. It is International. Everyone is welcome.

Anne has generously offered two ebooks for me to giveaway. Thanks so much Anne!

To enter please leave a comment or answer this question, Do you prefer a slow blooming romance or do you want it to knock you on your butt at first meeting?

Please remember to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win:)

It isn’t required, but it would make me happy if you followed my blog and twitter. To follow Anne, just click on the links below.

Contest ends September 17th.

After you read Dangerous Waters you will understand what I meant about Anne Allen’s ability to capture the essence of this beautiful Isle. Visit Guernsey and see for yourself. Watch this video.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqtJ-Q84wi0]

 

Anne Allen

Biography

Anne was born in Rugby to a Welsh father and an English mother. As a result she spent many summers with her Welsh grandparents in Anglesey and learnt to love the sea. Now she is based in Devon to be near her daughter and 2 small grandchildren. Her restless spirit has meant a number of moves, the longest stay being in Guernsey for twelve years after falling in love with the island and the people. She contrived to leave one son behind to ensure a valid reason for frequent returns. Her younger son is based in London – ideal for City breaks.
By profession Anne is a psychotherapist but had long had a desire to write and Dangerous Waters is her first novel.
She is currently writing Finding Mother, another book set predominantly in Guernsey.
 
 
You can find Anne here:
Related articles

International Giveaway! Paperbacks and Swag/Storm of Arranon by R.E.Sheahan

Posted: September 6, 2012 in giveaways, Interview, reviews, Science Fiction, Series, YA Fantasy
Tags: , , , , ,
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When I spotted this cover art, I knew I had to read this. Sometimes an image will catch my eye and stay with me. I try not to read the excerpt for the book before I review it, but I do recall that this cover art was complimentary of the story within. That is very important to me. I have difficulty giving a good rating if the story and cover do not match. Check this out!

Storm of Arranon

Some people may think this is too busy. I think it is beautiful. I love the lettering and the way her eyes shimmer. The wolves eyes are like christmas ornaments. And the picture of this girl represents Erynn perfectly.

Before my review I have something great to tell you.  R.E. Sheahan is stopping in for an interview and she has offered 3 signed paperbacks with three signed posters for me to giveaway. Read my review and interview and enter for your chance to win this novel at the end of the post. Just look for the planets at the bottom!

Enter the world of Arranon

The story takes place in the future. The daughter of a famous general, Erynn is in training to be an interceptor fighter pilot. A sudden betrayal reveals an alien species has infiltrated the government at its highest levels. They want to harvest the planets of Korin and Arranon for their resources, which means total annihilation. With betrayal everywhere Erynn and her friends are not sure who to trust anymore.

Forced to flee Korin and seek safety on Arranon, Erynn learns about the mystery of her origins and her ability of Prophesy. She  begins to understand her connection to the planet. A secret forced upon her since childhood may hold the key to saving both planet if only she can unlock it in time.

What an adventure!  It is fantasy and science fiction all rolled up in one.

I really enjoyed reading Storm of Arranon. All of the characters are well-developed and understandable and the world building is almost visual without being too complicated and overshadowing the plot.

Erynn’s connection to the animals on Arranon was fun to read. I kept trying to envision what a Capora looked like – maybe a cross between a yak and a horse? And the Maejen, maybe a giant species of timber wolf?

R.E. Sheahan does a superb job of world building. She shows you the planets, their inhabitants and their cities, revealing an earnest desire for you to easily understand and enter these worlds.

If you have seen Avatar and remember how the flora and fauna all glowed with iridescent,brilliant colors, that is how I picture the Anim Blath.

They are alive, sentient, and they speak to Erynn, sing to her. Like the living voice of Arranon.

There is a budding romance between Jaer and Erynn, but the author kept it in its place. It was not the focal point of the plot but did add to my interest.

Storm of Arranon has magic, action, good and evil, friendship and romance, with an out of this world flavor. I think young readers and adults will enjoy this story.  So well written, I was surprised that this was R.E. Sheahan’s debut novel. This story can stand alone and the ending is very satisfying. I am happy to hear there will be more. A great beginning to a series.

       Loved it! I highly recommend it.

Now let’s get to know R.E. Sheahan shall we!

Hi Robynn. Thank you for stopping in to answer a few questions. Please start by telling us about yourself.

Thank you, Laura, for this opportunity to connect with your readers.

Hmmm, about me, well, I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I love books and reading. For me, bookstores are a bit like drug dealers whose highs are legal.

A few years ago while working as a Firefighter/Paramedic in Northern California, where, by the way, I read at least three books a week, I decided to try writing.

I moved to Oregon, changed my career to rancher and during my free time, usually in the wee hours waiting for a lamb to be born, I worked on my books. Yes, there are multiple ideas, all waiting their turn.

About four years ago, one particular character and her worlds demanded I devote more time to their story. So two re-writes, countless critique sessions, and a huge jump in my learning curve later, Storm of Arranon was born.

I would list your book as YA Fantasy/Science Fiction. What genre do you list Storm of Arranon as and where did you get the inspiration to write this story?

Yes, I would definitely list Storm of Arranon as YA Fantasy/Science Fiction, although many adults seem to enjoy the story, also.

As for the inspiration, okay, don’t laugh. Star Wars. I loved Luke’s innocence, his growth as a person and a Jedi through his adventures. Luke never backed down no matter how bad the situation.

The ‘what if’s’ started and in a very round about, convoluted way, Erynn and her two worlds came into being. The other characters arrived, adding their voices and suggestions, and, with the help of critique groups, I believed I had a story worth printing.

I’ve been wondering. How do you go about building a world and how do you choose names for places and species that don’t exist?

World building, well, sometimes situations, places, and the inhabitants of these worlds, come to me in dreams. Often I just look at my surroundings and wonder, what if? I know, there’s that ‘what if’ again. Imagination. Mine was never restrained, even as a kid, and my parents encouraged this in me.

Naming my creations has been great fun. I’ll share a little secret here. I have an extensive Gaelic dictionary and I will use a translation, but with letters added, dropped, or changed. Hey, with a last name like Sheahan, what would you expect?

What is the hardest part of your writing process and do you have a routine you follow?

The hardest part of a book is the first page, the first paragraph, that first line. It’s so important.

I like routine, but for writing, I pretty much go where my thoughts take me, which tend to be linear. Sometimes there is no choice, though. When the characters are talking, it’s time to get what they’re saying down. This has happened often at four in the morning.

My usual writing process is to take a scene, the setting, the characters, and begin like I’m watching a movie in my mind. (Note: I imagine my characters with actual actor’s faces along with their personalities.) If I don’t like where the dialog is going, I rewind and direct the scene in a different way. I may ‘watch’ the same scene over and over again, until I am happy with what I ‘see, feel, hear, taste, and smell,’ on that virtual sheet of white paper.

Is there a favorite place you like to write?

In the summer, I would sit at the kitchen island. In the adjoining family room cartoons, (frequently Star Wars -The Clone Wars), were on TV and Parker would be sitting with his Legos asking questions every few minutes. I got more work done during those times than when I was alone, in a silent room. So now, I make sure to have something playing in the background. I especially like old- I Love Lucy re-runs.

Who are some of the authors that inspired you?

Dean Koontz, for his descriptions. I felt like I was right there with Christopher Snow, or Odd Thomas. That and the dog never dies in his books!

Nelson DeMille for his intricacies in weaving a complex plot. Wow!

Sue Grafton for her realistic and flawed character, Kinsey Milhoune. She gets herself into so much trouble! I like that in a protagonist.

What are you reading now and what is one book you would recommend?

I have three books going right now.

Dragon Gem By Brian Beam

Symphony of Dreams by Cynthia Rogan

The Watchers by Russell Turney

And, yes, I can keep them straight.

Book recommendations are so subjective. What I love, someone else may not enjoy. But here goes. And sorry, but it’s two books.

Fear Nothing and Seize the Night. The Christopher Snow stories by Dean Koontz.

Is there anything you would like to share with us?

I’m actually quite shy so publishing my book was difficult. A book is such a personal journey and an insight into the author. Well, it is for me anyway.

Let’s do a few fun ones, shall we?

If you could do anything (except write), what would you do?

Good question. I’ve driven fire engines and ambulances code three, run into burning buildings, and saved a few lives. That’s kinda hard to top. I’ve worked on a ranch and helped many a newborn lamb or calf into the world. Very rewarding. I’ve trained dogs, Border Collies, to work livestock. I love dogs!

I think if I could do anything, I’d be a veterinarian.

What is your favorite junk food?

WooHoo! Cupcakes!

Where would you choose to go on vacation if you could go anywhere?

That’s easy. Ireland.

Imagine space travel is a common thing now. Would you go if you knew you would be gone for a long time?

In a heartbeat.

Do you believe in aliens and would you like to meet one?

I would love to meet an alien. In fact, I’m sure I already have.

That was a lot of fun. Thanks for the great interview and for allowing me to host this awesome giveaway!

And now for the Giveaway! It’s International!

I have three signed paperbacks with three signed posters to giveaway to three lucky winners. To enter just leave a friendly comment  about the interview or the book, along with your email address.  Easy! Good luck everyone!

Contest ends at midnight on September 15th. I will contact the winners for mailing information to give to the author. Must be able to provide a complete mailing address.

It isn’t required, but I would appreciate it if you followed my blog and on twitter. To follow R.E. Sheahan just click on the links provided below.

A great beginning to a brand new series. If you like this post, don’t forget to hit that Like button. Thanks so much.

You can find R.E. Sheahan here:

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Happy Dance!!

New Blood comes to town! Meet Donna Ansari’s Vampires

Posted: September 1, 2012 in fiction, Interview, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Series, Vampires
Tags: , , , , ,
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I was so excited when I finished reading New Blood: Vampire in the City–Book One! I just had to ask the author, Donna Ansari,  if she would do an interview with me. And she said yes!

Even better! Each week this month, I will have something new about this series! So stay tuned.

First I want to tell you about the story.

cNew Blood



Great job with the cover art Donna. This face is now Emma for me. And the graveyard looks familiar. I recall a certain something that happened there:)

Now for my thoughts and ramblins.

Her night starts normally enough. Emma spends the evening at work. Her job at the advertising agency is not like they portray on TV. Most of the work is tedious and time-consuming. Then along comes the night supervisor, dropping on her desk a rush job which keeps her late.

Staying late to finish it is why Emma winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time, or is it? Well, that is for later.

Exiting the subway, Emma is only a block away from her house when she sees them. Two young men are assaulting another man.Before she can stop it,  her scream slips out and their attention turns to her.

She can see one is holding what looks like a knife and the other a stick. Huh?  As they rush her, she realizes she is mistaken, the knife is actually a metal cross. Screaming still seems like a good idea, but just seems to spur them on.

She manages to get her can of Mace out and let’s go into the eyes of one of her attackers, while the other one just places the cross on her skin. What’s up with that? She keeps screaming and they run off. A quick glance at the victim reveals he is none the worse for wear. She takes a long look, thinking “He’s beautiful.”  He assures her he is fine and after she accepts his thanks, Emma scoots towards the safety of  home, ready for this night to be over.

The whole encounter leaves her feeling strange. What did the boy with the stick mean when he yelled”Looks like we’re going to dust two blood suckers tonight!?” And why was it so hard to walk away from the stranger afterwards?

What Emma doesn’t realize is, that night  set something in motion. Her next encounter with the stranger is not by chance. And when Emma wakes up at his place, feeling great, wearing someone elses pajamas, with no idea how she got there, she is none to happy.

“You had better tell me exactly what happened, bub, because the last thing I remember, I was crossing Queens Boulevard…”

Emma’s life is changed in an instant and it will take all of the courage and take-charge attitude she has to get her through the rough times ahead.

And I do mean rough. Emma gets out of one situation and ends up in another and another…. It is amazing she is still walking around.

She has some new friends, strange friends, and gets a roommate, which really complicates things. How do you hide the fact you are now a vampire from your roommate and best friend? This leads to some sticky and funny situations.

Check out this scene where Emma and Alex are looking up how to kill a vampire on the computer.

I turned back to the computer, where I did a search for :”anatomical position of the heart.” A few minutes of searching and we found out that the heart is two inches to the left of the sternum, between the fourth and fifth ribs.

“Great,” I said. “Now how are we supposed to practice this?”

Alex started unbuttoning his shirt and I reflexively turned away…

“What are you doing?” 

“I thought you could practice on me using the blunt end of the stake, and it’s easier to see where the ribs are without my shirt on.”

Still flustered, I said, “I guess you should lie down for this.” I stood up and went back into the living room, where I had left the stake. While I was doing that, Alex completely removed his shirt and laid down on the couch.

I hadn’t really gotten a good look at his naked chest in adequate lighting before. Now that I had the chance, and was technically supposed to be studying it anyway, I gave it a good long look. His muscles had good definition without being beefy. You could see the indentations where his ribs were, but just barely. His chest was mostly hairless, except for a small tuft between his nipples. Looking farther down, I saw that he also had a slim, vertical strip of hair from his navel to the top of his pants.

“If you’re confused, count,” he said, unexpectedly.

Alex must have seen the confused expression on my face, because he looked highly amused and said, “I mean, you should count my ribs.”

“Right,” I said, desperately trying to concentrate on the task at hand. I held the stake in my left hand and used my right index finger to trace down from his collarbone, feeling for ribs. “One…two…three…four…here.”

“That’s too far over. Remember the website we looked at? Go a little more towards the center.”

I slowly moved my finger over a few inches. “How hard do I have to push it in?”

“As long as you aim between the ribs, you shouldn’t have to push that hard. But the main thing is that you will want to do it very quickly, so you don’t give them the chance to wake up before you finish.”

I definitely did not want that to happen.

“Also, I think sitting on his crotch may wake him up,” Alex added.

Did I forget to mention there is some fun, sexual situations in New Blood. They are more hints than explicit, but still sexy.

Lots and lots of surprises, plenty of schtick, and,yes, some romance and sexual encounters, New Blood delivers.

I had a great time following Emma, reading about how she juggles all of the new complications in her life, or is it un-life? You will too.

Like the supernatural? Vamps and other such characters? You’ll enjoy New Blood. Plenty of strange for everyone.

  I loved this book and highly recommend it!

And now I want you to meet Donna.

 Hi Donna. It is so nice of you to stop by and talk for a while.
 
 My readers are anxious for this interview to get rolling, so why don’t you start by telling us about yourself.
 
I live in New York City with my husband and two-year-old son. I’ve lived here most of my life and love it, which is why I wanted to write a series based here. When I was a child, the two things I’ve always wanted to be when I grew up were a writer and a mother, so I consider myself pretty fortunate that I’ve been able to accomplish both of those goals.
 
 I loved how the story started. It felt like it could’ve been me on any given night at work. Did you draw on past experiences when you wrote about Emma’s job and her boss?
 
You’ve discovered my horrible secret–yes, I work in an advertising agency, just like Emma. Although I work in the editorial department, which is probably more boring than working in the art department. Any job where you get excited over the misuse of a semicolon is probably boring by definition. And as for the demanding and annoying co-workers, no comment!
 
 I am always curious about how a story gets started. Where did your idea for Emma and New Blood come from?
 
I’m a long-time Buffy fan, and I love a strong female lead character who learns to overcome adversity. So I wanted to write a story where the protagonist became a vampire and had to deal with all the different dramatic lifestyle changes that it entails. 
 
When you started New Blood, did you already plan on writing it as a series, or did it just grow into one?
 
It’s a little hard to remember at this point. The truth is I wrote New Blood about six years ago. Then I didn’t touch it for a number of years, during which time I went through some major life changes. Then, when finally I read it again, I realized both that I wanted to publish it and that the story had to continue.
 
 Is there a part of the story you really liked but had to remove, and if so, could you tell us why? I know you can’t relate the scene in detail as it would be a spoiler.
 
Technically no, but I did at one point consider writing slightly more explicit romantic scenes. I may have even tried writing a sentence or two, but only ended up embarrassing myself.
 
 Another thing I keep forgetting to ask is, do new characters just pop into your head while writing or do you build them first and then add them in?
 

I am a big believer in outlines, so it’s rare for me to write anything at the spur of the moment, although it does occasionally happen as the story is coming to a conclusion. But part of my writing process is to come up with backgrounds for all the characters, even ancillary ones. 

 
 Now that we have the serious questions done, let’s have some fun shall we?
 
Okay!
 
 Who was the first boy you kissed?
 
My first “boyfriend” was a kid named Thomas in my first-grade class. We insisted on being partners when walking to and from the lunchroom and kissed each other hello and goodbye every day.
 
 What is your favorite reptile?
 
My favorite reptile is a leopard gecko named Spot. Once when I was in an unhealthy relationship, my boyfriend said he would break up with me if I bought a reptile for a pet. The very next day I went out and bought Spot. 
 
If you could have any automobile, which would you have?

The DeLorean from Back to the Future so I could time travel! Seriously, I live in NYC, so driving is the least effective means of going from place to place.
 
 
 What would you like to be called if you had to change your name?
 
My mother told me that when she was pregnant with me, she was approached in a dream by a being who said she would have a daughter and she should name her Donna Marie. I find it hard to argue with that. For awhile, I was thinking about changing my last name to Lancaster (my mother’s maiden name), but then I got married and changed it to Ansari instead.
 
 Say you are locked in a room by yourself. What book would you like to have with you?
 
Can I just have a Kindle and internet service? I know it’s strange but I don’t read that many books in my genre. Right now I’m reading A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. It’s about 1,500 pages. I’d be fine in the locked room for days!
 
 
 Thanks for answering all of my questions Donna. I can’t help myself sometimes. Curiosity gets the better of me and I forget how busy you must be.
 
Thanks! It was fun!
 
 
Hey Donna.  Should we tell them about the upcoming giveaway? I really want to tell them!
 
To celebrate the upcoming release of book three in the Vampire in the City series, I am giving away five free copies of the book that started it all, New Blood!
 
You heard it folks. Next week I will be having a giveaway. Five chances to win New Blood: Vampire in the City – Book One. And there’s more. After that I’ll be…….oops, can’t tell you yet!
 
About the author:
 
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.
 
 
You can find Donna here:
 
 
 
 
 
To purchase your own copy, just click on the cover image below.

All’s Fair In Love And…..GIVEAWAY ~ Fair Play by Janna Shay

Posted: August 29, 2012 in Contemporary Romance, fiction, giveaways, Interview, reviews
Tags: , , , , , ,
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Oh My! Do I have a fun book for you! Las Vegas, casinos, steamy romance and mystery!  Fair Play by Janna Shay has everything to offer!

And to make it even better, I have Janna here for an interview and she has offered two e-books of Fair Play for my giveaway.

Keep reading and enjoy. To enter the contest, look for the  Kiss at bottom of the post!

I have so much to tell you. I had such a good time reading FAIR PLAY! This story starts out hot and gets hotter and hotter. The sexual and emotional radar pings frequently.

Dani is enjoying some time alone at the rooftop pool. Her new job as a waitress at the Diamond Hotel & Casino starts soon.  She drifts off to sleep under the warm touch of the sun.

In her dream, cool hands linger on her skin, caressing her body. She awakens slowly, her eyes focusing on a man’s muscular legs standing next to her. Her gaze moves upward to lock on a pair of hazel eyes looking into hers.

Jace noticed Dani lying by the pool and went over to meet the new waitress for his casino. As he got closer, he took his time admiring her body, slim and shapely with curves in all the right places. He couldn’t resist touching her silky skin.

Dani sat up but continued to lock eyes with the handsome man before her, returning his smile. As his eyes travel downward and lock onto her body, Dani is mortified to realize her top was still on the lounger and her breasts were bare to his gaze.

A primal, sexual attraction pulls them to each other, and if not for the distant sound of a door shutting, they may have given in to their desires. Both are left wondering what had happened. Things had almost gotten out of control.

Dani is embarrassed and quickly turns defensive, spurning his comments that she had responded as willing as he did. She makes a quick exit.

What Dani doesn’t know is, Jace is the owner of the casino and her new boss and he is not done with her yet. His pursuit of Dani is relentless, his alpha male attraction to her (not paranormal) sends his blood racing whenever she is near.

Let me give you a taste so you’ll see what I am talking about!

Jace watched Dani until she left his office. There was a latent sensuality about her that was intriguing and pulled at him. It wasn’t just her body, although he’d have to be dead not to appreciate it. She was intelligent, principled, and had a temper. He liked a woman with spirit, and had every intention of pursuing her on a personal level. She may not admit it, but he knew she was interested in him. “Until the next time.”

Dani was having troubles of her own. Her body hums when Jace is near. She can’t have a relationship with her boss. She needs this job, and knows it’s always bad to mix business with pleasure. Still, her body betrays her at each encounter, pulling her towards him. She vows to keep this strictly professional. But Jace will not be denied.

“You can lie to yourself all you want, but there’s something between us, even if you won’t admit it. Ignoring it isn’t going to make it go away.”

This is just a small tease of what you are in store for. This hot and cold romance is full of steamy, sensual encounters and fiery dialogue. Whenever these two get together it is fireworks!

I can’t wait for you to read about Jace’s plan to break down Dani’s denials. It is so devilishly sexy and charming. I laughed in delight. I want me a Jace!

There is more to this story than just romance. Dani has a secret. A big one, that keeps her on the move. All the more reason to not get involved with Jace, despite her growing emotional attachment to him. Her secret, if revealed, could land her in jail. So, no relationships allowed. She is truly caught between a rock and a hard place.

I really like Dani. She is strong-willed and intelligent, but still has her insecurities. That makes her very real for me. I can relate to her fears of  falling in love and forming a commitment. Aren’t we all afraid to have our heart crushed. She is also not afraid to tell it like it is and gives as good as she gets and this makes for some fun, laugh out loud moments. She also discovers her own sexuality and I liked how her confidence grew in the bedroom.

Jace. Oh Wow! He has this sarcastic wit which is a big turn on for me. Nothing sexier! I can just see his lips curve into that sardonic smile. And his tenderness with Dani makes your limbs weak. He can really set your head and heart spinning.

Set in Las Vegas, the city of all that glitters, FAIR PLAY sparkles like a diamond. With lots of entertaining characters and laugh out loud moments along with Dani’s mysterious past, this book will keep you rapt and eager to continue.

Janna really knows how to write erotic, pulse racing, beyond the bedroom door sexual romance. Spicing it up with some mystery and comedy. The pace of the story is fast and fun to follow, and her placement of pivotal scenes is right on.  A few small typos, but nothing that breaks the flow your reading.

Now let’s learn about Janna. Enjoy the interview!

Fair Play was so fun to read Janna. Thanks so much for coming by to talk with us.

 I know everyone is waiting to learn more about you, so lets start by having you tell us something about yourself.

I have 7 grown children, 23 grandchildren, and one very romantic husband, who is the love of my life. And no, I did not want 7 children – I wanted 9. I figured since my husband was drafted by a major league baseball team, I’d start my own team. But instead of a baseball team, I ended up with a cheer squad who support and encourage me in my writing career. I consider myself extremely blessed to have them in my life.

I’m a voracious reader, who reads at least one book a day. I started reading at a very young age and spent most of my youth at the local library pouring through books. I find my laptop, kindle, and smart phone are items I cannot live without.

  Books are listed under different genres depending upon what site you are visiting. What genre would you say Fair Play is?

I’d say Fair Play is a contemporary romance with a little bit of suspense, though most sites classify it under contemporary romance.

 I have never been to Las Vegas, but if Jace were available I’d be tempted. How did you choose this city as the setting for your story?

I knew I wanted to write a romantic novel about a devastatingly handsome alpha male and a beautiful, sexy woman who had an overabundance of chemistry between them. While contemplating my story, I saw an advertisement for Las Vegas that stated, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. The wheels in my head starting turning and I thought I’d put the two together and maybe create some fireworks.

 I really liked Dani. Does her character resemble you?

That’s a difficult question to answer. I’d have to say to a degree. My sense of humor spilled over into Dani, although I don’t have the insecurities she had in the beginning. As far as her strong beliefs, loyalty, and compassion, I’d say we’re similar.

 Was it easy or hard to write your bedroom scenes? You had some steamy ones!

It was actually easy to write my bedroom scenes. I am a person who believes in love and all the feelings that go with it. To me sensuality and passion are a big part of those feelings. To put into words the visceral emotions combined with the physicality came naturally to me.

 Are you currently working on something, and would you care to share with us?

I’m currently working on the second novel in my Diamond series, Fair Play being the first. It takes place in Vegas also, with the continuation of Jace and Dani’s story….the story of their son, Nicholas. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to spoil the fun. It should hopefully be released sometime at the end of this year or beginning of next.

Thanks Janna. I’ll be waiting!

Now for some fun flash questions!
1) How do you like your man?
a) tender and catering to all of your needs
b) strong but fair
c) no words, all action

How about all of the above? If I have to pick then it’s b) strong but fair. I have a weakness for strong men.

Is there such a thing as all of the above? I want one! Great choice Janna.

2) How do you like your relationship to start?
a) slow and easy
b) knock your socks off, don’t waste time

Knock my socks off all the way and don’t dare waste time. I love a man who knows what he wants and goes for it.

3) If you were stranded on a tropical island and could have one sexy actor there with you, who would it be?

I can only have one? You’re killing me, Laura. If I must choose, then I’d have to say Johnny Depp. Afterall, who’s a better choice than Captain Jack Sparrow with his knowledge of tropical islands?

My choice also. Johnny is a juicy bad boy!

 This has been so fun. I know I threw some wild questions at you. Thanks for playing along and for the opportunity to read and review Fair Play.

 

GIVEAWAY

I have two e-book copies to giveaway today. To enter, please leave a comment along with your e-mail address.

While it is not required, it would be very much appreciated if you would follow my blog and follow Janna at the links provided below. Also, if you liked this post please hit that twitter and Like button:)

Contest ends on September 12th

About Janna

Janna Shay is a native Californian who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and miniature schnauzer.  She is a mother of seven grown children and has twenty-three grandchildren, with all her children living in nearby Northern California communities.

Janna was introduced to books at the age of five, which began a lifelong love of reading.  As a child she would spend endless hours at the local library pouring through all genres of books.  It wasn’t until her teens that her love of romance novels blossomed.

When Janna isn’t following her dream of writing or enjoying her love of reading, she can be found engaging in her other love, which is activities with her family.

Janna is a member of Romance Writers of America and San Francisco Area Romance Writers of America.

Contacts

Website – http://JannaShay.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/JannaShayAuthor

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/@jannashay

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13651928-fair-play

I was given this book for an honest review. Thank you Janna.

To purchase your copy of Fair Play, click on the cover below or in the sidebar.

Giveaway is Over/Signed Paperback and Bookmark/in the midst of darkness by Nicole Bailey

Posted: August 24, 2012 in fiction, giveaways, Interview, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Vampires
Tags: , , , ,
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Lets talk about in the midst of darkness by Nicole Bailey. After my review read further to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback and one of Nicole’s pretty bookmarks, and I have a BONUS for you. Nicole is stopping by for an interview. So keep reading and get to know the author behind this story.

For the giveaway details, just look for the BOOKWORM at the bottom of the post.

In the Midst of Darkness (Book 1)

Waverly grew up in Yachats, Oregon. A small town. A really small town, Population: 617. As soon as she graduated high school she got out of there and landed in Portstewart, Ireland, close to the university she would be attending.

One day, while following her usual routine of heading to the beach for a walk, she quite literally bumped into Finn O’neill.  They both felt the rush of electricity between them upon contact.

They quickly became inseparable, feeling as if they had known each other for a long time.

But Finn is hiding a secret, a secret that if revealed could  put both of their lives in danger.

To complicate things, Waverly’s best friend Jess comes to visit and is caught up in the deadly game of cat and mouse between Finn and his cousin Kieran.

Will they risk all to be together and can they survive what is coming?

You’ll have to read the book to find out:)

I found this book to be fun and quick to read.  There is no love triangle here but there is some instant love. I found it to be believable as we all experienced this “puppy love” as young adults. For some, it lasted, for others, it faded with time. The attraction between Waverly and Finn goes beyond this, is almost spiritual and meant to be. It brought back a rush of tenderness.

As for Jess. She is the friend we all had that we called complicated. She is young and brash, diving headlong into whatever interests her at the moment. Sometimes she behaves selfishly, but didn’t we all when we were younger? She is also very loyal and steps up when needed.

Kieran is just plain bad. Selfish and cruel, he is  always about self-gratification and doesn’t care who he crushes in that pursuit. There is not one redeeming quality in him. His character is well written.

in the midst of darkness is what I would call a YA Fantasy or YA Paranormal Romance. I feel it is written for mature teens to adults and would recommend this to the young ladies out there.

The only thing that put me off was the use of the word Love. It was used as a term of endearment by Finn, and it was used often. But that is a small detail and maybe in Ireland, that is the norm. It did not take away from an enjoyable reading experience.

The story is a little slow in the beginning but once the characters and plot are established it gets rolling and builds to some interesting predicaments and the author wraps it up nicely, with an ending that leaves you wondering what comes next.

This is Nicole’s debut novel and she is hard at work writing the sequel. We will be hearing (and reading) more from this author. I look forward to the next chapter in the lives of Waverly and Finn.

  I really liked it and recommend it.

REceived this book from the author for my honest review. Thanks so much Nicole.

Please welcome Nicole Bailey

Hi Nicole. Thank you for stopping by. Lets get right to it!

What genre do you classify in the midst of darkness as, and is there another genre you would like to write?

I would consider it to be Young Adult Paranormal Romance. I don’t really think it’s for younger teens though, although it is pretty clean compared to a lot of the other stuff out there in my genre. I don’t know if I could ever write another genre. This genre has always been my favorite, so it’s what I’m most familiar with. My friends and family have told me I should write a book about the adventures of living with all boys after reading our family blog. Maybe one day.

Could you explain your writing process? Do you start with a character or does the plot come first?

This book actually started by itself one night. A friend on facebook posted, “So there I was…” That’s it. For some reason, that sparked an idea and within a few minutes, the prologue came to be. I wrote a couple of chapters within the next couple of weeks, and then it just sat there. I never really dreamed that it would turn into a book, though. After the prologue, I had to figure out some names. I have always loved the name Finn, and I researched names for Waverly. I wanted a three syllable name because when he’s calling to her in the prologue, that’s the way I imagined it. In the beginning, I had no plot. It literally came as I was writing. I had a few ideas of what I wanted to happen, but not a set plot. Last summer, I decided that I wanted to work on it, and I ended up writing the entire book during summer break.

I always want to ask this and keep forgetting. How do you choose the names for your characters?

As far as the other characters go, I wanted authentic Irish names, so I went online and looked up some names that sounded cool. Kieran’s name actually means “dark one,” so I thought that fit his character well. Jessie just popped in my head while I was writing. I’ve always liked those boy names that can be girl names also.

Where do you like to write, and do you use pencil and paper or write on the computer?

I wrote the book in my kitchen at our computer desk. The night I wrote the prologue, I grabbed a pen and paper quickly to write it down before I forgot and then put it on the computer.

What do you do for fun when you are not writing?

When I’m not writing, I enjoy hanging out with my family. I love to watch my boys play baseball and football. I like to scrapbook, but haven’t done any in forever. I enjoy watching movies with my husband as well.

I know you are very busy writing the sequel to in the midst of darkness. Is there anything you can share with us, perhaps a tease about what’s coming up?

I’m planning on posting the prologue to Return to Darkness on my blog soon. I will let you know that Jessie meets someone and there is a trip back to Ireland. We haven’t heard the last of Kieran or his father, Darcy either.

Now I am going to throw in some fun questions.

What is your dream vacation?

My dream vacation is Ireland of course! I always wanted to go to Paris. I dreamed of it for years. But then I started writing this book and fell in love with Portstewart. I would love to make enough money from the book sales to travel there with my husband someday.

What scares you?

I’m terrified of sharks. I grew up in California going to the beach. I saw “Jaws” as a young girl and have been afraid of them ever since.

Do you prefer watching movies or TV shows?

I love to watch both movies and TV. But if I had to choose, I would probably pick movies. My favorites are 80’s movies and Romantic Comedies.

Do you like swimming at the beach or a pool?

I love the beach. Waverly has a lot of my characteristics, including a love of the beach. I actually grew up going to Newport Beach all summer long. I loved to swim in the ocean and just got back this summer for a day during our vacation. It’s never long enough for me to get my fix.

What’s you favorite holiday?

Favorite holiday has always been Halloween. I love to dress up and who doesn’t love candy. But the last couple of years, I have decided I love Thanksgiving more. I love my husband’s fried turkey!

Thank you for stopping in Nicole. I know you are busy writing and I appreciate you taking time out from your schedule to share with us.

Thanks again Laura! I enjoy talking about the book and how it came to be. And I appreciate all of your help and interest.

And now for the giveaway!

Nicole has offered one Signed Paperback and one lovely bookmark of in the midst of darkness.

Isn’t that awesome!

 

As always it is easy to enter. Just leave your email and a comment for Nicole, or say something about the interview or this post.

Contest ends September 8th.

While it is not required, it is much appreciated if you would follow my blog.

Also you can follow Nicole here:

http://www.inthemidstofdarkness.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/MidstofDarkness

Contact: Nicole Bailey penquilla@gmail.com

Get to know Nicole

Nicole is a stay-at-home mother of four busy boys. When she isn’t at sporting events and chauffering the boys, she finds time to write. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Boise State University, and she recently rediscovered her passion for writing. In The Midst of Darkness is Nicole’s first novel and she is currently working on the sequel.

To purchase her book, just click on the cover image.

GOOD LUCK!!  If you liked this post please hit that twitter button.

World Exclusive Interview With Author Charles A. Cornell Plus Giveaway

Posted: August 16, 2012 in Book Promos, crime thriller, fiction, giveaways, Interview, Mytery/Thriller, reviews
Tags: , , , , ,
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Information about the giveaway for Tiger Paw is included after the interview. Thanks so much.

As you all know by now. I absolutely loved Tiger Paw by Charles A. Cornell.

Tiger Paw

I asked him to take some time out from his busy schedule for an interview and he graciously agreed. So grab your favorite Tiger Paw Beer Shake and some popcorn or pretzels and enjoy the show!

How about you tell us something about yourself as that is the way these things usually start.

I’m what they call a ‘TransAtlantic’ – born in England, raised in Canada, now living in the Detroit area. I have a degree in Metallurgy from the University of Sheffield in the UK and an MBA from a college in Michigan. I’ve been happily married to the same person for over 35 years (the formula will be bottled and on sale at my website soon). Our one and only son is a talented rock guitarist which means he is one notch above poverty until he gets discovered.

Your book trailer for Tiger Paw is top-notch. I want to see the movie! Where did you come up with the artwork for the Goddess and could you tell us about your process in creating the trailer?

In Tiger Paw, I created a fictional Hindu Demon-Goddess, called Dvaipa which is Hindi for ‘from a tiger’. In the book, I called the antagonists – a cult of devil worshippers – the Temple of Dvaipa. I chose to create both of these as a work of fiction out of deep respect for the followers of Hinduism. They will know that Dvaipa is a work of fiction. Tiger Paw is full of references to Hindu scripture and legends. It also contrasts Hinduism with Christianity in my humble attempt to explore the similarities which bind us as a human race, rather than the issues that divide us.

The ancient art in the Tiger Paw video is actually of Narasimha or Narasingh, an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. See Wikipedia for more… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimha  Half-man/half-lion, with a lion-like face and claws, Narasingh is a force for good. In the artwork, he is shown destroying a demon. It was my inspiration for Dvaipa – my fictional Demon-Goddess, half-woman/half-tiger. I just reversed the ideas to make Dvaipa the incarnation of evil.

I paid for licensed photos for my book cover, website, blog and video from iStockPhoto. I also use free license photos available from Wikimedia Commons. Link… http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page  I follow their licensing guidelines closely.

One of the cool mini-videos I paid for is the bullet that flies through glass. It has no sound attached to it, so I also licensed a breaking glass sound effect and then had to splice the sound into the video to match it with the exact moment that the bullet crashed through the glass. I use Magix Movie Editor Pro 17. It has some great transition effects that can make still images look like they’re moving. Examples in the video are the fog (it’s a still photo that scrolls and fades), the New York City skyline (a panorama scroll) and the final shot of the tiger coming out of my book cover which is a combination of an ‘earthquake’ special effect with a ‘zoom-out’. After much experimenting, I got pretty dangerous with effects. Just wait until you see my trailer for the sequel, Lucifer’s Key!

There are some excellent sound tracks available from Shock Wave Sound. (Link… http://www.shockwave-sound.com/  ) The music is called ‘Cool City’. With Magix Movie Editor it was easy to splice the sound track so that I could match the drama of specific musical sections with each set of images. Check out the point where the video reveals ‘A Mystic Symbol’ to see that.

When the idea for Tiger Paw first began, which came first, The Temple of Dvaipa and her followers or your protagonist, Scott Forrester? I am curious as to which you used to build the story around. Or was it written around current shenanigans going on with Wall Street?

What an incredible question! I looked back in my archives and pulled up my first chapter outline of Tiger Paw from 2003. Tiger Paw was not my first novel. The year before that, I had finished an espionage novel about a Navy SEAL recruited into the CIA to stop a nuclear terrorist attack. It was OK, but in hindsight it needed some work. It remains unpublished. One of the biggest problems I had was that I’m neither an ex-Navy SEAL nor an ex-CIA agent, so my author’s bio didn’t resonate with agents. Instead of re-writing this spy novel to make it better, I decided to start over and write a murder mystery set in Wall Street, a topic which is definitely in my resume as a businessman and investor.

I’d really forgotten how Tiger Paw originally started until you asked me (that happens when you get older!). There was no Temple of Dvaipa. That idea came later. So the answer is… Scott Forrester came first. Also, well over half of the characters’ names changed from my initial selections for a variety of reasons, some practical and some because I didn’t like the way they sounded!

Tiger Paw is built around the following ‘what if’ question… ‘What if Wall Street defrauded the wrong investors? People who could really fight back?’ I did a lot of research on psychopaths and sociopaths. I wanted my serial killer to be driven by the same sense of revenge that everyone else who has lost money in the stock market feels. I also read the book, ‘Snakes in Suits’, written by a psychologist. It’s about how sociopathic personalities can be very successful in business. You may have a sociopathic manager or executive working in your company and not realize it. They may not act out their value system in a murderous way but evil can take many other forms. So Tiger Paw evolved into sociopaths being murdered by other sociopaths. And us ‘little guys’ get to watch!

But there had to be more to the motive than that. That’s when I came to the realization that sociopaths have value systems which seem ‘right’ to them. But what kind of thought process is this? I studied the concepts of karma and reincarnation, and from that I developed the killer’s warped sense of justice. It’s a form of religious fanaticism that is another current headline maker. The introduction of Hinduism, and the demonic cult behind the killings, hopefully creates a motive that will give readers a new world of mysticism, danger and diversity to escape into.

The final manuscript for Tiger Paw was completed in 2005 which was three years before the 2008 financial crisis and Occupy Wall Street. The ‘shenanigans’ of the moneyed elite have been going on for some time! An agent in New York liked Tiger Paw but passed on representing it. It lay dormant for three years. When the financial crisis hit and Occupy Wall Street was in the news, I knew I had a story that matched the mood of the 99%. So I updated the first chapter to add OWS and self-published it.

How hard was it to keep the killer’s identity hidden while writing Tiger Paw? I don’t recall one clue all the way to the moment of discovery! I know it couldn’t have been easy.

I really love these questions! You’re right, there are few direct clues. I actually had one that I removed because it was too obvious and would spoil the surprise at the end. There’s a way in the novel to figure out what that clue was… but I’m going to keep that secret until after the sequel, Lucifer’s Key is published.

There are actually more red herrings in Tiger Paw than clues. That is deliberate. It’s the ‘mystery’ in mystery thriller!

As you know, Laura, the reveal at the end is preceded by evidence of the exact opposite conclusion. But if I said any more, it would be a spoiler. It’s also the biggest problem I have in promoting the book. Because I can’t really say too much about the plot without diminishing the impact of the ending!

The sequel, Lucifer’s Key will have a surprise ending too.

Tiger Paw touches on some sensitive issues that are going on right now. Will the other two novels in this series have a specific theme?

Absolutely! Tiger Paw has many layers. The surface is entertainment… thrills and chills. Then there is information… about Hinduism, the danger of cults, the mechanisms of sociopathic killers, various interesting geographic locations, the history of Wall Street. Then there is the deepest layer… one that involves the psychology of evil and how it translates into our everyday world. As the Hindu protagonists in Tiger Paw state, “asuras (demons) walk all around us.” Corruption on Wall Street is the current lightning rod for this idea. But there are many other examples.

So many demons, so little time! Here are two world exclusives for Laura Thomas:

The sequel, Lucifer’s Key will involve the concept of the monetary value of human life. What do you think your life is worth? Read Lucifer’s Key to find out.

The third book, Black Venom has the potential to be the most controversial thriller ever written. I’m going to explore a political taboo, something that is whispered about in the corridors of power but never spoken about in public. As an author, this could be very dangerous. But I’m going to try. In literature, questions are often asked, ‘why do wars start?’ and ‘how can they be prevented?’ But ask yourself this, ‘once started, why are some stopped and others aren’t?’ And history has a nasty habit of repeating itself. The plot of Black Venom has already been written in the history books, it just needs to be brought into today’s world.

Tiger Paw is the first of a three novel arc. Scott Forrester’s journey starts with tracking down a demonic assassin. In Lucifer’s Key, it progresses with a prophecy from an Obeah sorceress that is a destiny he cannot escape. In Black Venom, will it be the end of the Temple of Dvaipa? Or will it be the end of the world as we know it?

World Exclusive!
Let’s talk about that missing prologue for Tiger Paw. Why did you not include it in the novel?

Another world exclusive? How greedy!

I’m going to blog about this soon, so I’m going to give you the short answer. The prologue was the original first chapter but since it didn’t include the main protagonist, it violated the genre ‘formulas’ that are prescribed. As a reader, I’m also not a fan of prologues. There’s a purpose for some, typically those that need to provide the historical context of an event that has happened maybe centuries ago. Most other prologues get in the way of starting the story. I actually recommend reading the Prologue to Tiger Paw after reading the novel because when you know who the killer is, and what their motive was, it has an extra chilling meaning.

I know you are anxious to tell us about your other passion – Saving the Tiger! Please share with us.

I don’t know what they teach about extinction in schools these days, but when I was little we were taught about the Dodo Bird. Now this was one butt ugly looking creature that had the unfortunate condition of a bird that couldn’t fly. Man introduced various predators into its environment and the ungainly avian became a toddling buffet. Too bad, eh? It’s gone now. Nothing we can do about it.

But when I was confronted with the following facts… that a hundred years ago there were 100,000 tigers in the wild and now there are fewer than 3,200… and that there are almost as many in captivity (2,500) as there are in the wild… well, it sealed the deal for me. This creature was beautiful! It’s a cultural icon everywhere around the world (it’s on cereal boxes for goodness sake!) And it’s at the very top of its food chain. So why is it going extinct? Look in the mirror to find out. If we can’t save the tiger, nothing’s safe.

For more, please visit the World Wildlife Fund’s campaign to Save the Tiger at http://www.savetigersnow.org/

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

I like bulldogs but unfortunately they don’t fit into our lifestyle at the moment. So I have a low maintenance fat cat instead.

I have one fun question for you. Which Tiger Paw Beer Shake is your favorite?

The Siberian (double chocolate stout & vanilla ice cream). My two favorite flavors, chocolate and vanilla, plus beer. What’s not to like about that!

Thank you Charles. I enjoyed this interview so much I hate for it to end. I do want to share with all of you a favorite poem of mine. Please enjoy!

The Tiger – a poem by William Blake

Tiger, Tiger burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye.

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat.

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp.

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears

And watered heaven with their tears:

Did he smile His work to see?

Did he who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, Tiger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

For more about the Charles:

http://www.CharlesACornell.com

http://www.facebook.com/CharlesACornell

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768487.Charles_A_Cornell

Three ways to win Tiger Paw!!!

To enter a giveaway to win your own copy of Tiger Paw: http://wp.me/p27ipo-k0 

For another chance to win a copy of Tiger Paw: http://wp.me/p27ipo-lq

And for another chance to win, go to Sherry’s blog: http://wp.me/p2uiv4-28

If you are an Amazon Prime customer, Tiger Paw is currently free for Kindle until August 31. Just click on the image at top of the post.

To purchase your own copy, click on this cover image.

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Tiger This/Tiger That

Posted: August 5, 2012 in Contests, fiction, giveaways, Interview, Mytery/Thriller, reviews
Tags: , , ,
10

Help Save The Tigers!

 
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Charles A. Cornell.  His debut novel, Tiger Paw, is now available in paperback and e-book.
 
In celebration of his release he is having a launch party over on his blog. You can win a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a free Kindle e-book of Tiger Paw.
 
His blog is all about the tiger, from Tiger Paw Beer to Ice Cream Floats. Charles, along with some friends have concocted some recipes.
The Siberian(Papa)
The Bengal(Mama)
and the baby twins
The Sumatran
The Malayan
He’ll roll out the 1st recipe before Save The Tiger Day on July 29: The Siberian Tiger Float.
 
The giveaway is dedicated to saving the tigers. To enter the contest go here: http://charlesacornell.com/website-launch-giveaway
 
To meet Charles and experience his witty posts go here: http://www.CharlesA.Cornell.com
 
I am reading Tiger Paw right this moment, well obviously not right this moment as I am talking to ya’ll, but you know what I mean!
Let me tell ya, it starts out like gang busters in the first few paragraphs. I’ll be posting my review soon and hosting an interview and giveaway also.
Want to know more about Charles and his debut novel Tiger Paw?
 
Charles A. Cornell was born in England, raised in Canada and now divides his time between Michigan and Florida. After 35 years of global business experience on three continents, Charles A. Cornell brings a diverse and unique perspective to his fiction. His novels are mystery thrillers carved from today’s headlines,  blended with action and intrigue, and cloaked in psychological suspense.
 
To purchase your own copy of Tiger Paw, just click on the image below.
 

In Tiger Paw, FBI profiler Scott Forrester hunts an assassin belonging to a demonic East Indian cult that is wreaking havoc on Wall Street, murdering corrupt CEO’s at the center of a billionaire’s stock scam. Firmly in the assassin’s crosshairs, Scott Forrester is forced underground to stop the killing spree. But will he survive the deal he must make with the Devil to thwart the cult’s plans?
 
Sounds great, eh?  Go ahead and enter the contest, or if you can’t wait, just click the image to get your copy now.
 
UPDATE: Tiger Paw Nominated for FWA Best Thriller
 
Tiger Paw has been nominated for a Royal Palm Literary Award for Best Thriller by the Florida Writers Association in a competition that includes both traditionally published and self published novels. As a category Finalist, it is also eligible to win the competitions’ overall Best Published Book of the Year Award.
 
Congratulations Charles and Good Luck!!
 
 
 
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A Latter-Day Zombie International Giveaway/Review/Interview With Kevin Krohn!

Posted: August 3, 2012 in fiction, giveaways, horror, Interview, reviews, Zombies
Tags: , , ,
29

Recently, the author contacted me about doing a review of his book latter-day of the dead. The funny thing is, I had won this book a while ago in a  giveaway from Kriss at http://cabingoddess.com, and when I took a little hiatus to my sister’s house, I grabbed this book for a quick read by the pool. The request for the review and my taking this book with me before I had heard from the author is just so weird.

When I visited Kriss’s blog to enter her very first giveaway, the cover art caught my eye.

Then when I found out what the story line was, I knew I had to review it on my blog. A polygamist compound and zombies. Who would a thunk it? Well, Kevin Krohn did. What an ingenious plot.

Thanks Kriss. It was one of the first giveaways I won.

This book is not real long, took me a couple of hours to read it. But, there is so much in it. You have a secluded polygamist community dealing with a zombie outbreak. Now, where do you think the zombies came from? I can’t tell you how it started, but I will tell you that the victims and the zombies are all from the community. That’s right. Polygamist zombies.

Can you picture the community. These Latter-Day Saints chose to live away from civilization and its influence, raising large families and following their faith. Kevin Krohn writes this story, I want to say, in their language. You feel like one of them, and almost become a part of the community.

 [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jgTZAmrcn4]

Told to you from the perspective of Brother Elias, their community doctor, you begin to understand the provincial lifestyle these people lead.  This is the last place you would ever want something like this to happen.

The bravery and fortitude these characters display is inspiring. This story takes a very dark turn, not even the children are spared. The author is able to write these scenes skillfully, which must have been difficult. Horror and children are a delicate balance. Just remember that these children are not children any longer. They are zombies and age doesn’t enter into it anymore. It makes me wonder about the cover. The blank face on the girl, could it be “not putting a face on it?”  

A well researched and thoughtfully written book, latter-day of the dead will satisfy all fans of thrillers and zombies. Rich in culture and rife with zombies, I have to say it hits the top of my list for originality.  You will not find another story like it.

5 STARS

The story does not end here, as you’ll discover. I also happened to spy the words book one tucked onto the cover. I will definitely be on the look out for the second book.

And now I have Kevin Krohn here for an interview. Get comfortable and enjoy.

Thanks for joining us and doing this interview Kevin. Let’s get started.

L.  When I visited your author pages on Amazon and Goodreads, they were somewhat sparse. Would you like to reveal a little bit about yourself with us?

K.  Haha, yes. I have kept my information pretty vague, and I am not sure why. I am a Sagittarius, a “Breaking Bad” junkie, and I don’t trust anyone with a Y in their first name when it should clearly be an I.

L.  The most obvious question I have is, wherever did you get your idea for Latter-Day of the Dead?

K.  I am really intrigued by cults and people completely removing themselves from the rest of civilization. I started writing from that perspective and the viral outbreak was a way to bring a fun aspect to the subject, although I am unsure if a viral outbreak could be considered comedic relief.

L. Your writing expresses the culture and language of latter-day saints as if you lived it. The research must have been extensive. Could you explain the process?

K.. I moved to Utah four years ago, and being a new resident, I wanted to be able to understand the culture and history. The state takes great pride in its history, so there is an abundance of information to get a full understanding of what all is happening out here. The fundamental polygamists are a little harder to research, but that helped allow me to create some uniqueness to the group in the book.

L.  I see where you have written two other books in a series, Severed Ties(Volume I and II). I’m curious as to why you went in a very different direction with Latter-Day of the Dead?

K.  That is something I hope I can continue to do. I will want the book after the Latter-Day series to go in a completely different direction as well. It may not be the best game plan to establish a readership, but I want to be able to explore many different genres through my writing. I typically let the characters dictate where the story goes.

L.  I couldn’t help but notice it says Book One on the cover. When can we expect Book 2 and is there anything you can tell us about it?

K.  I don’t think I can announce the release date for Book 2 quite yet, but it will be coming out this fall.  Obviously for those who have read Book I they will know there is a lot going on in Book 2 right from the jump. Brother Elias and the rest of the compound are going to have a tough time staying safe, and the future of the group has already been dramatically altered even if they are able to survive.

L.  The cover art for your book really caught my eye. Is there a reason why her face is blank and did you do the cover yourself?

K.  I chose the photo for the cover. I thought the blank face portrayed a great sense of “unknown” evil. There is also a slight nod to the underlying meaning of the way the many faceless women are treated on these polygamist compounds, but that discussion is probably for a much different interview.

L.  What are you reading now and is there a genre you prefer?

K.  I am just jumping into Kings of Cool by Don Winslow. It is a prequel to Savages. I saw the Savages movie directed by Oliver Stone, but never read the original book. I tend to lean towards crime thrillers, but will read anything that keeps me entertained page-to-page.

L.  Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

K.  I just thank everyone that has taken the time to read Latter-Day of the Dead. My only hope when publishing a book is to have people read it, so knowing that is happening brings great satisfaction. And people like you, Laura, helping spread the word about indie books gives us that opportunity, so thank you.

You are most welcome Kevin. The pleasure is all mine and thank you also.

Now for the giveaway. Kevin has generously offered me 1 signed paperback and 2 e-Books to give away.

Entry is easy, as usual. Just leave a comment with your e-mail address and please click on that tweet button:)

Although not required, it would be so appreciated if you followed my blog and visited Kevin at the links provided at the bottom of this post.

So let’s go!! Good Luck!

Contest ends on August 17th.

Other books by Kevin Krohn:

Click on the cover image to purchase a copy.

Author contacts:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1614681.Kevin_Krohn

https://twitter.com/kevinkrohn

http://www.facebook.com/kevinkrohn

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I was just informed that it is Utah Author Month. http://utahbooks.blogspot.com/

 

Thank you Jessica. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on this important celebration!

http://the bluestockings.com

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