Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Wild Blood /Giveaway/Review/Character Interview

Posted: September 25, 2012 in character interview, Creatures, fiction, giveaways, Interview, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Series, Vampires, werewolves
Tags: , , , , , ,
44

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

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

Wild Blood (Vampire in the City #2)


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Where’s David?” I asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tammy: “What, you mean like….”

She bared her teeth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  Loved it! Howling for more!

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

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

Here we go ladies!

1) How’s your love life going?

Emma: Pass.

Tammy: You can’t pass,
Em.

E: Then you go first.

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

E: Don’t you mean warlock?

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

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

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

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

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

3) Do you share the household chores?

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

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

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

E: (looks at Tammy
and shrugs)

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

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

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

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

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

6) Who do you think is the
sexiest actor?

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

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

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

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

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

Five Fun
Favorites

1) Favorite supernatural being?

E: I suppose
vampires.

T: Zombies!

2) Favorite color?

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

T: Is it sometimes
red?

E: What? Why? Oh, right.

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

3) Favorite holiday?

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

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

4) Favorite book boyfriend?

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

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

5) Favorite
season of the year?

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

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

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

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

And now for the giveaway!

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

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

Contest ends October 2nd.

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

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

A Vampire in Copperfield / Under the Desert Moon

Posted: September 23, 2012 in fiction, Interview, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Vampires
Tags: , , , , ,
19

 

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

A Giveaway because I loved this book so much! Wormwood

Posted: September 23, 2012 in angels, fiction, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Series
Tags: , , , , , , ,
72

Another giveaway! I loved this book so much I asked the author if I could do another giveaway. And she said YES!!

Wormwood

Read my review

The first chapter introduces you to Kali. She is a trail guide at Pinecrest National Park. A quiet hike up to her favorite spot, Lookout Peak, starts out normally enough, but a light breeze quickly becomes a tree snapping gale. The once clear skies have turned a heavy grey-black, the clouds tumbling over each other as they race towards her.

This would not be so bad if the woods had not suddenly gone silent. Not a sound could be heard. The winds had stopped and all was still. Not even a bird song was heard. Into this silence came a rumbling that turned into a roar. The ground began to vibrate under her feet and she could see something was coming. The trees started to shake and then to fall, the ground began to roll. Kali ran.

The earth twists and buckles as she tries to reach the safety of Lookout Peak.  Trees and shrubs reach out as if to grab her. She sees her goal and rushes forward. Stillness. All around her the earth is raging. Great rents appear, lava flows up from below, the skies open up and rain and hail lash down, but from her vantage point all she feels is a mild tremor under her feet. How can this be?

Kali wants to move out from under the overhanging rocks and edges around them to a clear space. The rocks could fall at any moment.  There is a campfire burning. She is not alone up here. A quick look around reveals a figure standing on the cliffs edge, his arms stretched out towards the devastation that is still raging below.

Tiamat.

I tell ya, I was not prepared for this.  I was exhausted from the tension I experienced following Kali’s mad dash to safety. My description is just a wee bit of what she goes through.

I am so excited just thinking about what I want to tell you. This happened and that happened! And what? I have never read a story quite like this. There is so much going on. The story raced to its conclusion, leaving me stunned.

At times I was scared. Other times I was so mad. And at one part, I realized I was crying, and it hurt.

D. H. Nevins has written a fantastic story of the end of the world and the last survivors. Perhaps this description is too simple, but I hesitate to tell much of the story. I want you to read it like I did. Unprepared and wide-eyed.  I want you to get to know each character and discover just what is really causing all the destruction.

I hope when you read Wormwood, you’ll tell me how it made you feel. Did you experience it like I did?

A huge Thank You to the author for an extremely well written story in which to immerse myself.

Beyond 5 STARS Still feeling it!

For my full review and interview with DH Nevins go here

Check out this amazing trailer!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_TmOuZ8iO4]

Giveaway details

I have one paperback and 2 e-book copies of Wormwood to giveaway!

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question: Do you believe in angels?

Bonus: For another chance to win Wormwood, check out Sherry’s post here.

Giveaway ends September 30th.

Not required, but you would make my day if you followed my blog and twitter.

If you like this post, make me smile and hit that Like and Tweet button:

You can find DH Nevins here:

Website: http://www.dhnevins.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/dhnevins

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/133020440053518/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5158514D_H_Nevins

About the Author

D.H. NevinsD.H. Nevins was born in Toronto and currently lives in a quiet area of Ontario, surrounded by forests and lakes. By day, she is a personable, friendly school teacher. By night, she silently chuckles as she writes about destroying the world. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, camping, flying around on her motorcycle or dabbling in live theatre.

You can purchase Wormwood by clicking on the image below

Related articles

New Release! Taking on the Dead by Annie Walls

Posted: September 22, 2012 in fiction, horror, Release day, reviews, Series, Zombies
Tags: , , ,
14

Taking on the Dead, The Famished Trilogy, Book One

I really wanted to hurry and get this read for release day, but I forced myself to take my time. I did not want to miss one tiny bit of it!

Taking on the Dead (The Famished Trilogy, #1)

1771e-addtogoodreadsblack

I love the grainy image of the cover. It sets the tone for the story and this girl is perfect for the protagonist, Kansas. I am loving her dreadlocks and she knows how to use that machete, as you will see when you read Taking on the Dead!

Let’s get to the book shall we?

So here you are at the carnival, walking hand in hand with your boyfriend, anticipating a night of rides and games, taking in all of the sights, sounds and smells. Suddenly, zombies are everywhere, and you are in for the fight of your life.

That’s what happened to Kansas. She survived that night, but paid a heavy price.

Fast forward to four years later. Kansas City Sunshine Moore, also known as Kansas or Kan for short,  has been surviving, hiding out in her family’s underground bunk all alone. A betrayal by a group of people she offered shelter to forces her to leave her home and search for a new one. She quickly discovers there is much she doesn’t know about the zombies. There are the fresh ones, the Famished, and they are very fast and strong. What else doesn’t she know? She has been secluded for four years and now it looks like that wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

The first time Kansas meets Rudy, they don’t actually meet. With the long reach of his compound bow, he helps clear zombies from her path, but Kan is still wary of strangers and jumps in her car and races away. It’s a good thing Rudy decides to follow her, because the next time they meet he saves her life.

Kan comes to in the back of Rudy’s van. Well actually, it is an armored truck, the kind used to transport money, and it’s perfect for keeping out the pesky zombies. It can also mow them down easily. After a brief scuffle, Rudy convinces her he means no harm. Through conversation, Kan learns about the Famished, the dangerously fast zombies, and how different they are from the others. She learns a lot about what’s been happening while she was isolated in her bunker the first four years. Staying with Rudy, at least for now, is her best bet.

My thoughts and Ramblins

I’m going to warn you, I feel this story is for the older reading audience. There are no graphic sexual scenes but there is some mature content.

I love my zombies and I sure did get plenty of them in Taking on the Dead. I also got one heck of a great story about survival and humanity, and the lack of it. Not everyone that survives is nice, just like before the apocalypse. The characters are diverse and all too human.

Of course, there is some romance in the story. It is subtle, creeping up on you, just like it does to Kansas. It is not the focal point, but it definitely makes the story better. Wouldn’t you want someone to have and to hold when your world is overrun with zombies? I know I wouldn’t mind having someone to care about, otherwise, what’s the point of surviving?

Kansas is strong-willed and independent, but not necessarily a loner. Enter Rudy and her life gets complicated. Who could resist a man like him. Strong and gentle, with a large dose of sexiness and endearing humbleness. They are a good fit.

Here are some of my favorite scenes:

I almost elbow Rudy to wake him until I see how he looks when sleeping…Despite all the fighting, his nose is straight. Small scars from past fights etch his skin. A small, wide one dresses his lower lip. One much longer goes from his lower jaw to underneath the chin, his stubble efficiently covering it up. A chipped tooth adorns his bottom row of teeth.  The scar on his right eyebrow no longer allows hair to grow, splitting the eyebrow in half. He might get another scar on his left eyebrow, the cut is scabbed over now, and it’s wider then the scar on his left side. Very small imperfections, not even noticeable unless you look closely. It doesn’t take away from his handsome face. It enhances his masculinity, as if he needs it. The small flaws have history and give him character. Flaws I want to know about, and could grow quite fond of if I’m not careful.

Jesus. This chivalrous barbarian is beautiful. What am I getting myself into?

And of course some humor

“I’m thinking of naming your truck. I must be out of it.” I prop my head on the pillow against the window.

There’s slight amusement across his features. “What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. Something domineering and associated with a big ass.” I motion with my hands.

He surprises me by saying, “Agatha. I had a teacher in the sixth grade, and that was her first name. She liked her power over us weaklings and she had a gigantic ass.” He starts laughing and shaking his head as if to clear the thought.

“Yeah, that fits. Agatha.” I say, trying it out.

“She was scary. I was glad when sixth grade was over.” We both laugh at this. I can’t picture him afraid of anything. It feels good to be laughing about something completely stupid. I can see he needed to laugh too.

The humor is well placed throughout the story, lightening the mood and giving you a break from the stress of survival, just as it would in real life. You know the scenes, where the cop makes a joke in poor taste about a victim?  That is a coping mechanism, and everyone needs one. The humor makes this story believable.

In one part Kansas poses an interesting question about zombies. One I am now curious about as well.

Do the souls get stuck to watch and feel their bodies decompose, all the while having an uncontrolled, insatiable craving? I guess that’s why I like killing them, just in case. No one deserves that fate.

There are some colorful characters you’ll be meeting.  There are the good, the bad, and the ugly. They all play their part, keeping you entertained and engaged.

This is my stopping point. I don’t like to tell much about the story past the one-third point. I like to draw you in and get you interested, much the way Annie Walls did to me.

I loved every second I was in it, and yes, it felt like I was a part of it. Fantastic job Annie!

Just one more thing and then you can go get Taking on the Dead.

About the ending!

I was talking to Mandy over on Goodreads. She is right about the ending! That’s all I’m saying.

  Still loving it and feeling it!!

~~~~~

More good news! There are two more books in this series coming out.

Controlling the Dead, Book Two

Living with the Dead, Book Three

About Annie Walls

Author of dark fantasy and sub-genres of horror. Voracious Reader and Googler. Lover of dark humor. Horror Buff. Zombie Apocalypse Enthusiast. Loyal Cracked follower. Pinterest Addict. Wife of adoring husband. Mother of a five year old Bruce Wayne. Cook. Maid. Kisser of boo-boos. Ultimate Time Waster. Perfect Procrastinator. Lolly Gagger. Trubie. Cake Decorator. Tea Drinker. Sculpey Sculptor. Girl Gamer. Perfectionist in the art of Facebook stalking. And now, God help me, a blogger. Oh yeah, and a twitter, twatter, tweeter. Well yeah, I’m one crafty bitch

You can find Annie here:

http://www.AnnieWalls.com

https://www.facebook.com/annie.walls

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5777960.Annie_Walls

http://www.twitter.com/TheAnnieWalls

You can purchase Taking on the Dead by clicking on the cover image below.

Related articles

The Burning Bush by Kenya Wright/ Release Day Review

Posted: September 19, 2012 in Book Promos, fiction, Paranormal or fantasy, Release day, reviews, Romance, Series, urban fantasy
Tags: , , , , , , ,
4

It’s release day for Kenya Wright! The tour is upon us!

The Burning Bush (Book Two in the  Santeria Habitat Series) is available NOW!

The Burning Bush (Habitat, #2)

I love this cover! What do you think?

If you think it’s amazing, wait until you read the story. It starts out with a bang.

Let me tell you something about it. But before I forget, I should tell you that this is Book Two in the series and may contain some mild spoilers.

Now they’ve really stepped in it. Zulu and Lanore blew up Linderman‘s Blood Factory. It just happens to be owned by Dante, a very powerful vampire that wants them dead.

To complicate matters, the bumbling cop, Rivera, was tracking them with their brands and knows they did it. He uses that knowledge to blackmail Lanore into helping him with a case.

A burning bush has been left in front of the police station. Inside is a naked dead girl showing no signs of burnt flesh or decay. It has to be magic that keeps the bush burning. Hence, Rivera’s need for Lanore. He is inept and lazy, and plans on taking full credit when Lanore solves the mystery. The mystery deepens when she discovers that this is the second burning bush that was dropped off.

I really liked this part:

Rivera took off his blood spattered jacket and slung it over the chair in the corner. “This is the second burning bush with a girl tied to it.”

“Two bush victims.” I shook my head. “And why doesn’t the public know about this?”

“The first victim was just a female mixbreed. A poor one.”

The prejudice portrayed in this scene made the story very genuine.

Let me give you a little background. Lanore is a mixbreed, or mixie for short, the product of parents from different magical species. They are considered the lowest form of trash. Each species in the caged cities, or habitats, are given a brand on their forehead signifying what species they are.

Lanore has a secret, the power of fire. She also has white cords sewn into her arm, put there when her lover Zulu claimed her as his mate during lovemaking. He did this without her consent and she wants them gone.

Zulu has multi-colored cords sewn into his skin from his wrists to his shoulders. They are a spell that lets him shift into a lethal Fairy beast called Prime.

And then there is MeShack. He is a were-cheetah and he makes my blood start racing and my heart go pitter-patter.

Lanore has a lot on her plate. She has to solve the burning bush mystery and keep Zulu and Meshack from killing each other. They both claim her as their mate.

Meshack had his chance and he blew it. He cheated on Lanore. Of course he is in his season, his beast is beginning to mature and is quite randy. The season lasts for seven years and Lanore isn’t putting up with it for that long. But Meshack doesn’t give up that easily. I love his purring when he is aroused. How she resists him, I can’t figure.

She has hooked up with Zulu. A body from heaven with beautiful flowing dreadlocks and a sarcastic wit that adds to his charm. He is her lover and protector and is fiercely possessive. A real alpha male. He is called The Heart Ripper and not because of his sexual prowess.

Here are a couple of  scenes I really loved.

Meshack – “I have you alone in a cellar where no one can hear you call for help. You’re lucky I still have my pants on.”

Lanore – “You’re like a romantic serial killer.”

and this one:

Lanore – “Zulu said, and I quote,”Meshack can look but if he touches, I get to rip off the hand he used.” Then I explained that we weren’t committed and that he was acting like a possessive psycho.”

“His response?”

“Zulu just shrugged and said, “I am a possessive psycho.”

I don’t know who I want Lanore to end up with. I go back and forth, Meshack or Zulu, Zulu or Meshack? Either one warms my blood. The sexual tension just oozes from the pages.

There are also some very funny scenes all throughout the book. They add genuineness to the story, making it very believable.

I laughed out loud at this one! It takes place over the phone.

“So how would a fire witch cast a spell to create the burning bush?”

“The witch would attach their fire to the bush and then have the bush hold the girl in place like magical glue.”

Something banged and then crashed on her end of the line.

“Fox Jr.! I am on the phone!” Vee yelled and then cleared her throat. “Take your sister out of the toilet now! Partricia, get her out!”

The book is chock full of this stuff.  It’s like every page wrings some emotional response out of you. Anger, lust, disgust, glee and triumph. Sometimes more than one.

You would think keeping track of all of the species would be difficult and the explanations of their abilities a drag. But Kenya writes like a master, puts it in laymen terms you could say, making it easy to follow and understand. There is always something thrown into the scene to draw a reaction from you. Very powerful writing.

There is so much sexiness in this book, but not a lot of explicit sex scenes. The author’s innuendos are more than enough to heat up your blood.

The bad guys are really bad and the good guys are so darn likeable. These characters are the friends I would want  to hang with and have on my side if I lived in Santeria.

I could go on and on, but I can’t. I would be telling too much. You will just have to hurry over and get your own copy of The Burning Bush and enter the habitat at your own risk:)

  This book is on Fire!!

You can read my review of Fire Baptized (Book One) here.

About Kenya Wright  www.kenyawright.com
Join the mailing list to stay up-to-date with free books, giveaways, and new releases!Kenya Wright always knew she would be famous since the ripe old age of six when she sang the Michael Jackson thriller song in her bathroom mirror. She has tried her hand at many things from enlisting in the Navy for six years as a Persian-Farsi linguist to being a nude model at an art university.However, writing has been the only constant love in her life.Will she succeed? Of course.For she has been coined The Urban FantasyQueen, the Super Iconic Writer of this Age, The Lyrical Genius of Our Generation. Granted, these are all terms coined by her, within the private walls of her bathroom as she still sings the Michael Jackson thriller song.Kenya Wright currently resides in Miami with her three amazing, overactive children, a supportive, gorgeous husband, and three cool black cats that refuse to stop sleeping on Kenya’s head at night.
 
 

You can purchase Kenya’s books by clicking on the images below.

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

Posted: September 11, 2012 in giveaways, Interview, Mystery, reviews, Romance
Tags: , , , , , , ,
40

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: , , , , ,
58

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:

Related articles

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: , , , , ,
22

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: , , , , , ,
41

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.

A Fly in the Ointment/Little Bernie’s Map

Posted: August 27, 2012 in Creatures, fiction, horror, reviews, suspense
Tags: , , , , ,
3

Here I am doing one of my favorite things, reading and reviewing another short story. Man, I love doing these, and have I got a good one today.

Little Bernie's Map

This was just supposed to be a nice, relaxing family trip. A way to escape the daily grind and forget, for a while, the problems and worries at home.

Daniel and Gina, along with their son Bernie, are heading home after a trip to Disney World.  Daniel just lost his job, but they decide to go on this vacation anyway. It may be the last one they can take for a long time.

Bernie and his father have a game they play. Bernie loves map, he collects them. At random points in their trip, Daniel would ask Bernie how much farther they had to go and he would look on the map to track their progress.

Bernie had one map that was special. A map given to him by an old woman when they stopped for a break at the Florida Welcome Center. She told him to be careful with it and Bernie tried to be.

But when weird and frightening things start to happen, the map is not first on any of their minds. All they can think about is what just happened. 

What came down from the sky that day would be discussed for years to come. Each person would draw their own conclusions. One thing most agreed on was what they saw, what it looked like.

My Thoughts

Ha! My thoughts are all over the place. It has been a long time since I have been this surprised by a story. I had to reread several scenes just to wrap my mind around what was happening. I wanted to try to form an image in my head. I sure wish this had been a movie. You’ll know what I mean when” The Flashpoint” happens.

Troy has a wonderful way of leading you into the story. There is much about this family that you can relate to. The characters are genuine and very likeable. I felt their anguish and their perseverance and really wanted things to be alright for them.

When the event happens I am stunned. I can’t wait for you to read it. It is so wild and kind of funny. It definitely makes you think. Think and say, yeah, I hear ya.

If you like Twilight Zone and Tales From the Darkside, you will love this. I also got a flash of that dread you feel in the scene from the movie The Mist by Stephen King. The one where they are driving into the mist and you just know something inexplicable is going to occur. The feeling lasts long after you finish reading.

 Couldn’t get enough. Still thinking about it. Want more now!

Book Blurb

The world is a funny place with funny people and some things just happen for no reason at all. Still, every family deserves a vacation, a break, even when times are tough and backs are against the wall. Daniel, a recently out-of-work family man, is returning home with his wife and child from a lovely prescheduled vacation before they must face the harsh reality back home. What they would never have expected was the surreal nightmare they would experience on their journey back.

About Troy Aaron Ratliff

Troy Aaron Ratliff was born and raised in Hamilton, Ohio and self-educated in writing, art and voice impersonations. When he’s not reading, writing and cooking up his next monstrosity, you can generally find him defending the galaxy from the forces of evil, feeding hippopotamuses, dining with foreign dignitaries and Zen masters, waking up to his supermodel wife, altering the space-time inter-dimensional warp or, more than likely, stuck in traffic somewhere in Southern California.

From Troy

If you are looking for a story behind the story, I can’t honestly recall what sparked the idea for Little Bernie’s Map all those years ago when I originally wrote it. Although I can say that after hearing about the disheartening news about the debt crisis, along with the various problems many people in the Rust Belt were experiencing – a personal hit for me since I’m from southwestern Ohio – a terrifying thought started eating at the back of my mind: What if I was in one of those situations? What if I had a family to feed and I was out of work? It’;s scary, and my heart truly does go out to those families. Of course, this was around the time that I found Little Bernie’s Map(originally conceived as Little Ian’s Map for those who care) in my writing desk. Naturally, the cogs and gears started turning like they do when I start thinking about the serious issues in the world and how I would express my feelings toward them. In other words, when guys like me consider the money problems of the world, we consider how we would react to a giant mutant….(left blank by me so as not to avoid spoiler). Then again, maybe that’s just me and why I’m not running the show.

For more about the author:

Website: http://troyaaronratliff.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5086239.Troy_Aaron_Ratliff

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TARatliff

To Purchase your copy, click on the image.

Older Entries
Newer Entries