Review: Mercy

Synopsis:

A fallen angel haunted by her past. Yearning for her immortal beloved. Forever searching for answers.Who will show her Mercy?

Mercy has lost herself. She can’t count how many times she’s “woken up” in a new body, and assumed a new life, only to move on again and again. During the day she survives in the human world on instinct and at night her dreams are haunted by him. Mercy’s heart would know him anywhere. But her memory refuses to cooperate.

But this time is different. When Mercy wakes up she meets Ryan, an eighteen year old reeling from the loss of his twin sister who was kidnapped two years ago. Everyone else has given up hope, but Ryan believes his sister is still alive. Using a power she doesn’t fully comprehend, Mercy realizes that Ryan is right. His sister is alive and together they can find her. For the first time since she can remember, Mercy has a purpose; she can help. So she doesn’t understand why the man in her dreams cautions her not to interfere. But as Ryan and Mercy come closer to solving the dark mystery of his sister’s disappearance, danger looms just one step behind.

Will Mercy be able to harness her true self and extraordinary power in time?

The first in a dazzling new series, Mercy masterfully weaves romance, mystery and the supernatural into a spell-binding tale.

Review:



I received this book for review on NetGalley. I have to admit, I was drawn to the cover - I love it. I didn't really connect too much with the book though, so I'm a little disappointed. I actually thought the book was kind of strange, and I'm still trying to make out what I thought of it. The synopsis mentions that Mercy is a fallen angel, however, there is no mention of that in the book. Mercy knows she is different, but she doesn't know who or what she is. Every so often, she wakes up in a different body. It's like she possesses a body, but she doesn't know why or how she gets there.

In this book, she wakes up in the body of a teenage girl named Carmen. She realizes she is in this body for a reason - to help a boy named Ryan search for his missing twin sister who is presumed dead. I didn't really care for Mercy though. I'm trying not to spoil the story, but the first thing she says to Ryan is pretty inappropriate and the timing of it is awful. It was just hard for me to warm up to her after that. I also didn't feel as though I really knew anything about any of the characters.

The premise of the story is actually interesting and original. The synopsis mentions a romance, though there really isn't any. There is an opportunity for it, and maybe it will happen in the next book. There are so many unanswered questions though, I felt unfulfilled. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series - hopefully it will better explain what is going on.

The Buzz #3

Memorial Weekend Sale:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/index.html

Here is a Border's 40% off coupon:
http://www.borders.com/online/store/MediaView_any-one-item-40-percent-off



Cool new websites:

Book Bloggers
Dream (online book giveaways)
99cent Network


Giveaways:

Loren Chase (True Blood Season 1 giveaway)
Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop (lots of giveaways)


Free Stuff:

Laura Kaye (trading cards)
Blog Tour de Troops (35 free ebooks - for you and a troop)

Daughter of Deception Blog Tour

Synopsis:
Daddy's little girl.

That's what clairvoyant Viola Ashwood has been her entire life. She wouldn't mind quite so much if her father hadn't been possessed by a powerful, and nasty, demon nearly a decade earlier. After recovering from a horribly tragic confrontation with Daddy Dearest, Viola wants nothing more than to get back in to the federally-funded but privately run demon-hunting Network. Duke, her brother's ex-best friend and the guy she's crushed on since she was six, stands in her way. As Network regional head, Duke's got plenty of reasons for keeping Viola out of his region, and that's before he considers the fact that her father's on the Network's most wanted list

Just when Duke grudgingly allows Viola into the Network, Daddy Dearest, still possessed and more obsessed with Viola than ever, reappears. While trying to stay one step ahead of the demon, Viola struggles to overcome fears about her surprise demonic heritage while learning to control her new abilities. Especially the one that has her raising zombie squirrels in the middle of the afternoon. Together, Duke and Viola deal with dangerous demons, centuries of family secrets, and a mysterious link that may bind them for life.




Review:



This is a good, action-packed book with a sweet love story mixed in. The heroine in the story is Viola, who I really like. The author does a really good job at making you connect with her. She undergoes lots of traumatic events, and is just filled with so many emotions. She is someone who has been through a lot, and still holds up - even after she finds out that she can't trust anybody she's related to. The only people she ends up trusting is her childhood crush, Duke, and his sweet grandmother.

Duke hates Viola's family, so when she walks back into his life he's not exactly thrilled to see her. He is quite the jerk throughout the book, though he is always there for Viola when she needs him. Between working together through the Network, and Duke helping Viola with her possessed father, the two become inseparable. After everything they go through together, Duke can't admit - even to himself - that he is developing feelings for Viola.

Even though there was a lot of emotional stuff happening, and demon butt-kicking, there was actually a lot of humor involved. I loved the banter between Duke and Viola. They are both so hard-headed and stubborn, and they bicker all the time. There was a lot of sexual tension in the book before either one of them would admit to each other how they felt. Afterwards though, the passion was lacking. Even though this book was about an adult couple, there is no sex or anything more than kissing really. There were references to sex but it was pretty tame, so I think it would be ok for teens as well as adult. I think most fans of paranormal romance would enjoy this book.

Find the book here:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

About the author:

Kara Thorpe started writing as a distraction in French class and never stopped (just don’t ask her to conjugate many verbs). Born and raised in Texas, she loves all things historical, scientific, and downright geeky. Though she prefers to write short, character-driven stories, she ventured into the world of the novel with the first book of the Family Lies series "Daughter of Deception."

******************************************************

Keep following this tour for a chance to not only win a copy of this book, but also a copy of the next book in the series, The Chaos Child!

Your next stop on this tour: Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Visit The Bookish Snob Promotions for the full tour lineup

Accidental Abduction Giveaway!!

Accidental Abduction

Eve Langlais

Sci Fi Romance

Abducted by a space pirate, she fights the temptation to let him plunder her goods.

A boyfriend’s attempted murder leaves Megan floundering in the ocean. Sinking without hope, the bright light she sees in the night sky isn’t her doorway to heaven, but rather the beginning of her accidental abduction by a space pirate. While thankful of his rescue, Megan stays true to form and just can’t keep her mouth shut, even when he keeps threatening to kill her--or auction her off to the highest bidder. Even odder, despite her decision to not get involved with her wickedly hot captor, she can’t help craving his touch.

Tren retired from his job as a mercenary so he could enjoy life, but he never counted on the boredom of normalcy. The acquisition of rare items has somewhat filled the void, but his accidental abduction of an outspoken earthling, who doesn’t know when to shut up, turns his life upside. Her fiery spirit draws him while at the same time drives him insane. Struggling with his urges, he must decide-- throttle her barbarian neck or ravish her delectably lush body?

Despite what his heart tries to tell him, he’s determined to sell her to the highest bidder even as he seduces her body. However, despite his best intentions, he discovers he can’t let her go. And when a foe from his past thinks to steal her, he’ll do anything to get her back

About the author:

So you want to know a little about me? Well, I'm in my mid thirties, married 11 years to a wonderful supportive man--yes, he's a hunk-- who gave me three beautiful--noisy-- children aged ten, seven and four. I work as a webmistress/customer service rep from home and in my spare time--of which there is tragically too little-- I write, read or Wii.

I was born in British Columbia, but being a military brat lived a little bit everywhere--Quebec, New Brunswick, Labrador, Virginia (USA) and finally Ontario. My family and I currently reside in the historic town of Bowmanville, about an hour or so out of Toronto.

Wow was that ever boring!!! Now for the fun stuff.

I'm writing fantasy the way I like it--hot with a touch of magic. I enjoy reading and writing stories that push the envelope of what we consider normal, and I love to cross the line into fantasy. I tend to have alot of sexual tension in my tales as I think all torrid love affairs start with a tingle in our tummies. My heroes are very male, you could even say border line chest thumping at times. So if you want a truly sensitive man, I am not for you. But that said, my men will do almost anything for the one they love. Even babysit.

I'd love to tell you more, but judging from the sounds in the living room the children are at it again, which means I'll need a mop and loads of patience. What I really need is a robot maid like Jane Jetson! Thanks for checking me out and hope to see you again soon.

Be sure to check out Eve's website to see all of the awesome books that she
has available!
http://www.evelanglais.com/

*******************************************************************

Now for the giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive an ecopy of Accidental Abduction! Just leave a comment on this blog post to enter, leaving your email address so we can contact you if you win! The last day to enter is June 6th!

There will be other chances to win as well! Go to The Bookish Snob Promotions to see all the other blogs that will also be giving away this book!

Once Bitten, Forever Burned blog tour and giveaway!!

Welcome to the Once Bitten, Forever Burned blog tour! I had the pleasure of interviewing not one, but two amazing authors! To read my review of this book, please click HERE

*****************************************************************

When did you begin writing?

Eve - I began writing in February of 2009 and had my first piece, Take A Chance contracted in August of 2009.

Stacey – I started just a little after Eve in April 2009. My first story, The Willow, came out with Liquid Silver Books in July 2010.

What is your biggest challenge of being an author?

Eve - The biggest challenge is to not rush. I love getting straight to the point of the story, but I need to slow down and really tease my readers more with the small details. Oh and the dreaded marketing. Lol

Stacey – For me it’s the first three chapters. They are by far the hardest for me to write and the ones I spend the longest revising. I loathe those chapters with everything that I am!!

What drew you to the paranormal genre?

Eve - I love the possibilities with paranormal. I can create whatever world and rules I want. Twist the mundane into something possible and fantastic. Besides, who doesn't want an alpha hero who can take a bullet for his girl but still be good to go for some hot loving after the fight ;p

Stacey – Yup, what Eve said!

Why do you think the paranormal/urban fantasy genre has gotten so popular?

Eve - It's an escape from the regular, boringness of day to day life. It raises the possibility of adventure, dashing heroes and old fashioned rescues.

Stacey – I think there’s something so sexy about the supernatural. It takes the reader on a journey where the forbidden happens—vampires and shape-shifters—yummy! Add that with danger and a mystery, and oh what fun you have.

Where do you get your ideas?

Eve - From the sick recesses of my mind, muahahaha. Lol. Ideas just kind of hit me out of the blue. Sometimes a line from a song will inspire, or an object. I usually start with a 'What if...' and then run with the idea.

Stacey – LOL Eve! Who knows where they come from? I’m still trying to figure that one out, but I’m not about to question it. My muse surprises me with all her neat ideas, and I hope she continues!

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

Eve - Gasp, perish the thought. I already actually have a full time job working from home as a virtual assistant, website programmer which thankfully pays the bills so I can pursue my writing dream.

Stacey – Professional Show Jumper. I loved horses growing up and rode equestrian until I left for college. If there was anything I’d love to do as much as writing it’d be that.

What do you do in your spare time?

Eve - What spare time? Lol, as a mom of three, it's work, cook clean, homework with the kids, keep hubby happy and attend various kid activities. When I do find a moment, I love to read and more recently, curse at Angry Birds.

Stacey – I’m with Eve on this one. I have two small children so anytime I’m not doing mommy things, I’m writing, and after the kids are in bed it’s hubby time. Spare time just doesn’t exist in my world. But I always sneak in a half an hour of reading before I hit the hay.

Which of your characters is your favorite?

Eve - I actually love Evangaline from Wickedest Witch. She's not a very nice character and doesn't hold back when she interacts with others. She cracks me right up. Sally from Last Minion Standing was also similar in character--irreverent, lusty and not afraid to go after what she wants.

Stacey – Impossible for me to answer. Truth is, whatever characters I’m working on are my favorite characters at that time. I love them all and for all different reasons. Each story brings me new men to drool over.

What are you currently working on?

Eve - I am working on a new threesome piece with shifters. Jaguars, wolves and bears oh my. At 33k words, I'm probably about 3/4 done and can't wait to see how it turns out. I'm also waiting for the darned title to hit me. I'm stuck between several right now lol. I'm sure the right one will strike me soon :)

Stacey – Right now, I’m working on the sequel to a m/m novella I wrote for Decadent Publishing’s 1NightStand line called Takedown. This new story, Somewhere in Between, brings together the two men from Takedown and introduces a woman into the fun! Surprisingly this story stepped away from erotic and has become quite the sweet little love story. It wasn’t what I intended, especially being a ménage, but you go where the muse takes you.

Once bitten, are they damned to forever burn without the touch of love?

A mini anthology containing:

Devon’s Redemption by Eve Langlais

Cruz’s Salvation by Stacey Kennedy

Bethany lost her one and only love to a war overseas. As if that weren’t bad enough, a brutal attack and claiming by a Lycan makes her life a living hell. She lives only for revenge until the day love comes back into her life and promises to rescue her from her misery. However, the mate who forced her isn’t about to let her go.

Devon died on the battlefield only to be reborn as a creature of the night. He fights to stay away from his one true love, but when he caves to his desire and sees her again, he discovers redemption is possible even for one who walks in darkness.

Warning: Contains scenes of violence toward the heroine and mentions of rape that might be offensive to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

CRUZ’S SALVATION by Stacey Kennedy

Cruz understands torment. A mortal turned vampire in the war, he has suffered untold loneliness and despair. That is until he meets Kiara—a werewolf he’s forbidden to love.

Though Kiara needs Cruz, and wants him forever, werewolves and vampires are bitter enemies. To make matters worse, her Alpha, also her father, suspects that Kiara pines for a mate. Mistaking her sadness for the longing she feels for Cruz, he sets out to give her all the happiness he can provide.

Together, Kiara and Cruz will have to fight against the rules placed upon them to hold onto their love. But an unwanted visitor creates a complication neither of them planned for. Milo, Kiara’s chosen mate, has come to stake his claim. Now, not only are lives at risk, but hearts are threatened and dreams hang in the balance.

BUY LINK - http://www.staceykennedy.com/once-bitten-forever-burned/

****

Eve Langlais is a Canadian in her late-thirties who’s happily married with three children. She resides in a small town in Ontario where she works from home as a webmistress and customer service rep. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing video games, reading tawdry romance novels, and writing even naughtier ones. She claims her stories come from the voices clamoring inside her head. Discover what else her twisted mind has devised at www.EveLanglais.com.

Stacey Kennedy is an avid lover of urban fantasy/paranormal romance and erotic romance. If she isn't plugging away at her next novel, tending to her two little ones, she's got her nose deep in a good book. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband. Be sure to drop her a line at www.staceykennedy.com, she loves to hear from her readers.

**************************************************************************


And now for the giveaway! One lucky winner will receive an ecopy of Once Bitten, Forever Burned! To enter, comment here with your email address to we can contact you if you are the winner. Open through June 4th!


Check out Bewitching Book Reviews to see the full tour schedule

Review: Once Bitten, Forever Burned

Synopsis:

A mini anthology containing:

DEVON'S REDEMPTION by Eve Langlais

Bethany lost her one and only love to a war overseas. As if that weren’t bad enough, a brutal attack and claiming by a Lycan makes her life a living hell. She lives only for revenge until the day love comes back into her life and promises to rescue her from her misery. However, the mate who forced her isn’t about to let her go.

Devon died on the battlefield only to be reborn as a creature of the night. He fights to stay away from his one true love, but when he caves to his desire and sees her again, he discovers redemption is possible even for one who walks in darkness.

CRUZ'S SALVATION by Stacey Kennedy

Cruz understands torment. A mortal turned vampire in the war, he has suffered untold loneliness and despair. That is until he meets Kiara—a werewolf he’s forbidden to love.

Though Kiara needs Cruz, and wants him forever, werewolves and vampires are bitter enemies. To make matters worse, her Alpha, also her father, suspects that Kiara pines for a mate. Mistaking her sadness for the longing she feels for Cruz, he sets out to give her all the happiness he can provide.

Together, Kiara and Cruz will have to fight against the rules placed upon them to hold onto their love. But an unwanted visitor creates a complication neither of them planned for. Milo, Kiara’s chosen mate, has come to stake his claim. Now, not only are lives at risk, but hearts are threatened and dreams hang in the balance.



Review:


What a wonderful anthology! This is a quick paced novella containing 2 paranormal stories. Even though the stories are by different authors, they share some similarities. Both are about forbidden love between werewolves and vampires, and the heroes in both stories are friends. I love how the stories are linked, and these authors have a similar writing style.

The first story, written by Eve Langlais, is a little more emotional in the fact that it deals with abuse and rape. These issues don't take away from the sweet romance this couple shares though. I really liked the hero's protectiveness and the need to avenge the wrongs that have been done to his one true love.

The second story, written by Stacey Kennedy, is a sweet tale of forbidden love that stems from prejudices. The couple in this story is so cute. They already knew each other when this story started, but I would have liked to have read about when they first met. Of course with being a short story, I realize there was no time for that.

Both of these stories are not only romantic, but also very steamy - as in don't read while your kids are in the same room because you will just feel plain weird! So yeah - a lot of passion, and also some heartache too. Both authors do a wonderful job at making you feel the character's emotions. Also, the characters are extremely likeable. I would love to see these stories in a series, with different characters in each book (but linked like they are in this anthology). I love the pairing of vampires and werewolves - there isn't really too much of that out there (not that I have read anyway). I would also like to read more about Kiara's dad (featured in Stacey's story). He is such a nice, caring man that deserves to find another love. In Eve's story, I'd like to read more about the vampires. I really liked the head vampire in this story, and I think it would be interesting to find out more about the other vampires that live in his home.

Hedgeland Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Welcome to the blog tour! Today is my stop on the Hedgeland Blog Tour, and I was able to interview author Ann Nyland!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am mathematically dyslexic - I can't understand mathematical concepts at all. I love grammar. I used to teach ancient Greek grammar and ancient history at a university in Australia. I read grammar books in the way in which other people read novels. I have horses and have two rescue cats. I've rescued quite a few horses. Cruelty to animals makes me very upset. I can't to stand see people treat horses badly. My other pet hate is religious intolerance.

I can only type with two fingers, but I do it quickly in a weird rhythm, and make so many typos that I have to spend ages correcting all of them. A guy once asked me if I was typing in hieroglyphics. I actually copied the last line before I corrected it so I could show you what the original looks like: "thst i ahev to sopend ages correcting all fo them. ocne guy ocne asked me if i was tyoing inehirpgylpics."

When did you begin writing?

I began writing at a very early age. When I was in academia, I had to churn out a lot of stuff as the saying "publish or perish" is quite true.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

I am most comfortable translating ancient texts as I have been doing it for years and enjoy it.

What is your biggest challenge of being an author?

Time is a major challenge. I find many people think that authors have plenty of free time, or at least can very easily rearrange their time to suit others - so not true.

With my translations, public domain books are a huge challenge for me. Anyone can get any book which is in the public domain and publish it. Sadly, it's legal. Floods of public domain books appear on Amazon and also as ebooks. The trouble is that the reader is not aware that, say, ten books with different covers are all the very same public domain book put out by different people hoping to make a fast buck. These books flood the market. This is difficult for me putting out new translations. Worse still, some people with no language training whatsoever have got public domain books of ancient translations, changed the older English (such as "thou" and "thy") into modern English, then pretended that they have actually translated these ancient texts. One such guy even wrote a Wikipedia page calling himself a world leading scholar. Wiki soon deleted the page. This is a huge challenge for genuine translators producing new translations (based on recent scholarship in the field) of ancient texts. This requires many years of study and it is frustrating when people flood the market with public domain books thinking they will make money this way.

What do you love most about being an author?

Being an author is a wonderful creative outlet and I can be my own boss. I'm an Aries, and we are better off working for ourselves.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I actually don't have any spare time, but if I can force myself to relax, I read and do stuff with the horses, and talk to my daughter or sister on the phone for hours - or all of the above at once. I used to like to renovate houses but I think I did way too much, and now the thought of renovation fills me with horror.

Who is your favorite author and why?

I love anyone from Classical Greece except Plato and Thucydides. Homer is my favorite author as the Iliad and the Odyssey are works of sheer brilliance. I also love ancient Greek and Roman pastoral poetry.

How did you name your characters?

Hedgeland is based on Celtic mythology, so I used names from Irish and Welsh mythology. As I'm a former academic, I'm a research junkie so I wanted the background in Hedgeland to be historically accurate. For the "Present" section in Hedgeland, I didn't want to be sued in naming certain real-life characters, so I used the Irish versions of their actual names. I hope they don't read this!

What are you currently working on?

I am working on the next two books in the Hedgecraft Sequence, and also on Penelope, which is a mythic fiction paranormal romance based on the Odyssey. In Homer's Odyssey, the warrior Odysseus is a complete man-whore. His wife Penelope is expected to stay faithful to him until he returns home, even though he is away for twenty years chasing after women. In my version Penelope doesn't stay faithful to Odysseus and she has a much better time than Homer gave her.

About the author:

Author Dr Ann Nyland was on Faculty at the University of New England, Australia. She is a grammar pedant, ancient languages translator, and best selling non-fiction author of such books as The Complete Books of Enoch; Angels, Archangels and Angel Categories: What the Ancients Said; The Book of Jubilees; A Devil of a Job to Find Satan in the Bible, among others.

You can find Hedgeland at the following places:

Amazon (paperback)

Amazon (Kindle)

Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Barnes & Noble (paperback)

****************************************************************************

Giveaway:

One lucky reader will receive an ecopy of Hedgeland! Just leave a comment on this post if you would like to enter. Don't forget to leave your email address so the author can contact you if you win! Giveaway open through June 2nd!

Keep following the tour for more chances to win, and to see how you can become a character in an upcoming book!

Next tour stop: Reader Girls - May 27th

Visit The Bookish Snob Promotions for the full tour line-up

Review: Hedgeland

Synopsis:
Hedgeland, an urban fantasy of time travel. Dr April Neuland, a Professor of Ancient Languages turned non-fiction writer, has been plagued by dreams all her life, dreams of her past life in the Otherworld. Meanwhile, in a parallel dimension of April's past and Caridwen's future, Worthing, a Future History Professor, has allied with the Military to access Future Internet communications and use new technology to influence April to write an ebook novel revealing where she, in her past life as Caridwen, hid the Kiste, a device to travel through time and space. Hedgeland weaves all three time/space frames: Caridwen, Worthing, and April. Hedgeland is the first in the Hedgecraft Sequence, but is a fully self contained novel with no cliff hangers.

Review:

Hedgeland is an interesting, original science fiction story. There are 3 main characters: Caridwen, Worthing, and April. This is a complex and thought provoking book that deals with time travel, parallel dimensions, and reincarnation. With each chapter, the story shifts from person to person. I have to admit that I thought the book was a bit confusing. I think I could benefit by reading it again.

It's a very well written story and the characters are likeable. If you're looking for a fairly short read (200 pages) with an imaginative multi-layered plot, then this is the book for you!

Interview and Giveaway with Laura Kaye!

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to read and review the book Forever Freed by Laura Kaye (which I have posted HERE). It's a wonderful book and I highly recommend it! I also had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Kaye, keep reading for more:

I read that your new release Forever Freed was actually the first novel you had written. When did you write it?

That’s true! Forever Freed was the first novel I wrote and the first I sold! I wrote the draft of Forever Freed, which was muuuuuuuch longer than the published book, in eleven weeks during the fall of 2008. I revised and revised and revised again, then started submitting to agents, and revised some more. *grins* I received a lot of requests from agents but didn’t get a taker, so in December of 2009, I submitted to The Wild Rose Press, who bought the book!

Did you get to choose the model for the cover? Who designed it?

At The Wild Rose Press, authors get to give input on covers through a very detailed cover art questionnaire that solicits author input on character appearance, story themes, preferred color schemes, objects of significance to the plot, etc. Some epublishers will allow authors input into selecting the stockphotos used (and thus the models used), but only at traditional publishers do they hire actual models and do photoshoots with them. Ironically, authors at traditional publishers tend to get less input into the cover art process than epublished authors! At The Wild Rose Press, cover artist Angela Anderson did Forever Freed’s cover, and she really met a lot of my requests!

You have books in a variety of genres, which one is your favorite to write in?

Paranormal romance is my true home as a reader and a writer. I love the creativity you can have in paranormal romance because anything can go as long as you justify it in your world-building. Plus, I just flat out love vampires!

What is your biggest challenge of being an author?

Time! Probably the same thing most authors would say! I work a full-time job, have a husband and two young daughters, etc., and so finding the time to do everything I need to do plus the things I’d like to do can be challenging. I tend to be a nightowl as a result!

Approximately how long does it take for you to write a book?

It varies. I tend to be a fast writer. When the story is ready to be told, it tends to pour out in large chunks at once. Like I said, I drafted Forever Freed in 11 weeks. My contemporary romance novella Hearts in Darkness I drafted in two weeks. The novel-length fantasy romance I just sold to Entangled Publishing entitled North of Need, I wrote in four weeks. The novel-length women’s fiction I completed in January, I wrote on and off for a year because the damn thing just wouldn’t cooperate. When I got blocked on that, I’d go off and write something else (thus the three novellas I completed while writing it!). But writing is only part of the process. Revising can take as long or longer than the initial drafting stage. And that, too, varies by manuscript.

Who is your favorite author/book?

J.R. Ward, her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and, if I have to choose just one from within that, I’d have to go with Zsadist’s book, Lover Awakened. ZOMG don’t even get me started on Zsadist! Okay, do…

Out of all your books, which character is your favorite?

Such a difficult question, because I really do adore all my heroes, in particular! But, if pressed I’d have to say hero Lucien Demarco from Forever Freed. I probably know him better than any other character I’ve written, because I’ve gone so much deeper into his character and backstory than probably any other. Lucien just has a yearning and a loneliness that draws me to him and makes him so sympathetic. I’m totally in love with him! Caden Grayson from Hearts in Darkness would be a close second, though! *winks*

Do you have anything else you'd like to say about your new release, or about what you are working on now?

Thanks to all the readers and supporters out there! I hope you enjoy the book!

Working on now? I’m in the revising phases of the women’s fiction project I mentioned, and I’ll soon be getting first-round edits back from my publishers for my contemporary erotic romance, Just Gotta Say, coming late this summer from Decadent Publishing, and for the fantasy romance, North of Need, coming out in November from Entangled Publishing.

Otherwise, I’d just like to add a discount code and a giveaway!

Discount: Through 5/31, get 25% off of all titles/formats at my publisher http://thewildrosepress.com with code 18b632d0b0 !

Giveaway: Follow Laura at her blog (http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com) and twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/laurakayeauthor) and comment here to let her know you did so – everyone who does so by 9AM EST on Tuesday the 24^th will be entered into a drawing to win one of two copies of Forever Freed – ebook or signed paperback – winners’ choice! Winners to be announced Tuesday the 24^th by noon EST!

[Note: 1) existing followers are eligible to win, just make sure you follow me at both & comment

here; 2) I’ll follow you back on twitter!]

Find Laura on the interwebz:

Website: http://www.LauraKayeAuthor.com

Blog: http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/laurakayeauthor

Twitter: @laurakayeauthor

TWRP Publisher Website for paperback & ebook: http://thewildrosepress.com

/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=800

************************************************************************

Thanks for coming by my blog Laura! How awesome was that for her to offer the discount coupon AND to give away 2 signed books???

Oh, and I couldn't agree with you more about Zsadist! It's that dark, tortured, brooding thing...

Review: Forever Freed

Synopsis:

A heart can break, even one that no longer beats.

I stalk my new neighbors, a single mother and her child, drawn by the irresistible scent of their joy and love. I crave their blood, starved for some healing respite from my ancient grief. Now to lure them into my grasp.

But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear or reservation—talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and calling to the forgotten man within me. They lure me instead.

Ah, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can…



Review:


I really loved this book! I definitely connected with these characters. I loved the fact that it was told from Lucien's point of view. Lucien is a vampire who had lost his wife and daughter in a tragic turn events. He spends many, many lonely years hating who and what he is. I tend to have a thing for dark, tortured, and brooding men. You just can't help but like Lucien, even though he is a predator. He meets a little girl named Ollie who is just adorable and wise beyond her years. He later meets her mother Samantha, though at the time he doesn't realize they are mother and daughter. He finds that he is drawn to both of them. Before he knows it, Ollie and Samantha find their way into his life and his heart.

Forever Freed has everything I could want in a book all combined nicely together in a pretty little package. It's about love, passion, family, forgiveness... It's a heartwarming story that will have you feeling just about every emotion there is. I laughed and I cried, which I don't do often.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal romance. It does have adult scenes and language which is something to keep in mind. I'm really glad I read this book and I will definitely read more by this author.

Hard Day's Knight Blog Tour and Giveaway!

It's my day on the blog tour to host author John Hartness, who is promoting his book Hard Day's Knight (read my review one post below this one). Keep reading for my interview with John:

*********************************************************************

How long have you begin writing? I have written off and on all my life, but I began writing semi-seriously five years ago when I started my first blog. That led to some poetry and short stories for the blogzine Truckin’, which led to some feature articles and tournament reporting for several poker websites, then I started writing creatively again when I had a disagreement with an editor a couple of summers ago. So either 30+ years or since 2005, whichever you prefer.

What inspired you to become a writer? I don’t know if I decided one day “I want to be a writer,” or if it’s just something I’ve always done. I decided to pursue publishing my own novels when I read Joe Konrath’s blog a year or so ago. His story and the stories of several other people around the internet really inspired me to take my future into my own hands, writing-wise.

What is your biggest challenge of being an author? Promotion is probably the toughest thing. Getting someone to know that the books are out there, and to get them to give me a chance. I feel like once I get somebody into the first couple of chapters, I’ve got them for the whole book. But getting noticed out there in the wild world of the internet is tough.

What do you love most about being an author? Interacting with my readers is great. Anytime I hear from someone who one of my books has brought a little joy to, it just makes my day.

What do you do when you are not writing? I still have a day job, selling theatrical lighting equipment. In my free time (yeah, right) I love to go to concerts (bluegrass and Americana), hang out and watch TV with my wife, ride my bike, just normal stuff. And of course I read a LOT.

Where do you get your ideas? I drink a lot and eat funny mushrooms. Not really. I just try to pay attention to things that are going on around me and see how I can turn a situation sideways and make an interesting story out of it.

Do you ever experience writer’s block? This is an unpopular sentiment, but I don’t believe in it. I think writer’s block is an excuse for laziness, or fear, or some other reason. I think there are times that we don’t want to write, don’t feel like it, would rather be out in the sunshine, whatever. But I think writer’s block is just a convenient way of saying “I don’t feel like working today.”

What has been the best compliment you've gotten as an author? Having my work compared to authors that I love and respect their work has been the best so far.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers? Write. Writing is all about application. You have to apply your butt to the chair, and apply your fingertips to the keyboard. I heard Kevin Smith give a keynote address at the National Association of Broadcasters conference this year, and he talked about the need to surround yourself with “Why Not?” people. There are a lot of people who will ask “why?” whenever you have an idea, but those aren’t the people you want to be around. You want to be around people who listen to a crazy idea and say “Why not?” Those are the people who’ll be there when life gets really interesting, on those nights when you leave the bar and say “that was AWESOME!”

Are you currently working on any projects? I’m working on Book 3 of The Black Knight Chronicles, which should be out this summer. It’s called Knight Moves, and I’m really happy with the way it’s going so far.

*********************************************************************

About the author:

John G. Hartness is a recovering theatre geek who likes loud music, fried pickles and cold beer. He’s been published or accepted online in several journals including The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, cc&d, Deuce Coupe and Truckin’.

His first novel, The Chosen, is an urban fantasy about saving the world, snotty archangels, gambling, tattooed street preachers, immortals with family issues, bar brawls and the consequences of our decisions.

He followed up The Chosen with Hard Day’s Knight, a new twist on the vampire detective novel and the first in a planned series of at least five books. The second book of The Black Knight Chronicles, Back in Black, landed in March 2011 and has enjoyed immediate success.

John has been called “the Kevin Smith of Charlotte,” and fans of Joss Whedon and Jim Butcher should enjoy his snarky slant on the fantasy genre. His next novel, Knight Moves (Black Knight Chronicles Vol. 3) is due out in the summer of 2011.

He can be found online at www.johnhartness.com and spends too much time on Twitter, especially after a few drinks.

Hard Day's Knight can be found at the following places:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

*********************************************************************

Giveaway:

John Hartness is giving one lucky reader a copy of Hard Day's Knight! To enter, just leave a comment with your email address so we can contact you if you're the winner!

Keep following the blog tour for a chance to be a bad guy:

Next stop on the tour: Reality Bites - May 22

Review: Hard Day's Knight

Synopsis:

Children are missing.

The police are stumped.

Halloween is coming, with an ancient evil on the horizon.

The vampires are the good guys.

This is not your ordinary fall weekend in Charlotte, NC. Vampire private detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood have been hired to keep a young client from being cursed for all eternity, but end up in a bigger mess than they ever imagined.

Suddenly trapped in the middle of a serial kidnapping case, Jimmy and Greg uncover a plot to bring forth an ancient evil into the world, and enlist the help of a police detective, a priest, a witch, a fallen angel and strip club proprietor to save the world. This unlikely band of heroes battles zombies, witches, neuroses and sunburn while cracking jokes and looking for the perfect bag of O-negative.



Review:



I have to say that this is not the type of book I usually read. I love paranormal - but usually go for the romantic/steamy type. I think this book is the funniest book I've ever read! Hard Day's Knight is about a couple of vampire detectives named Jimmy and Greg who seem to have a knack for getting themselves into a lot of trouble. These are not your typical suave and sexy vampires. These are basically a couple of dorky guys who just happen to have vampire speed and strength. It's a nice change of pace really. You can't help but love these guys, and you can't help but laugh through the whole book. The humor in this book was non-stop.

The pace of the book was non-stop as well. There was loads of action mixed in with all the humor. Not only do you have sarcastic vampires, you also get zombies, possessed children, and other paranormal beings added to the mix. The book flows really well, and there is no frustrating cliffhanger. I'd recommend this book to a variety of readers - those who like paranormal, investigation, humor... I would definitely read more books by this author.

Bloodmaiden Blog Tour and Giveaway!

I'm happy to have author Christine Schulze here today promoting her fantasy novella, Bloodmaiden!

Bloodmaiden: Inspirations Behind the Horrific Fairy-tale

I have always tried to be very unique in my tales, even as a child, but more so now that I’m older and have written so much; I want each new piece to be fresh, not just a mirror image of an older work of mine.

So what spurred this author’s thirst to craft Bloodmaiden, a book different than any I’d written before and any I am likely to write hereafter?

Several factors intertwined to create this fantasy adventure weaving legend, romance, horror, and even fairy tale elements.

One of the first inspirations was the photos, a couple of which you can see displayed here. It is hard to remember which exactly came first—the desire for the photos, the book, or perhaps they occurred simultaneously. Whichever inspired the other, the photos did help set some of the mood for Bloodmaiden, especially its opening chapters.

Those opening chapters help set it apart from other of my works up until that point. I was taking a college fiction writing course at the time which made me aware not just of plot and characters, which I was already very keen on being intricate with, but on the actual writing style and language. Deciding to try something new, I lured readers in by writing from Crisilin’s view, first person and present tense, to make readers feel like they were right there, experiencing everything she did. Crisilin is both a sort of avatar to help readers move through this new world she herself cannot quite comprehend while being her own character, aware of who she is and unabashed by it. I also wanted girls reading the book to feel like they could be Crisilin, so her age goes unmentioned; in my head she was always thirteen, though she could clearly be older.

Another new factor added to my writing was the great use of metaphorical language. One of my favorite and most quoted lines from the novel is: “The field of sunlit gold has become the field of rubies.” A pivotal and chilling line.

One of the books I’m sure must have invoked some of my inspiration is Nancy Springer’s Chains of Gold. I bought it from a book sale as a teenager, devoured it, and added a bit of its themes to Bloodmaiden. I’ve been told Bloodmaiden also compares to The Hunger Games, which I’m keen to read. I also find a bit of it in The Forest of Hands and Teeth, which was a brilliant feast for the page-turner’s soul.

Finally, there was my desire to do something with dragons. I’d never really been interested in dragon books as far as fantasy went, and I didn’t really connect with books like Eragon. So I wanted to create my own dragon book, adding my own, unique lore about dragons to create a book that I myself, as well as other dragon skeptics, would like. And, of course, the dragons fans would hopefully enjoy a new volume to add to their shelves.

All these things finally came together, along with the characters—who really must come to life for there to be a story at all—to create Bloodmaiden. As for the characters themselves, some are named after good friends and hints of their real characters. Crisilin is a type of myself though, and Chalom, though he plays the role of a quiet supporter throughout much of the story, represents my own strength and protector in times of trouble.

About the author:

Christine E. Schulze has been creating books since she was too young to even write them in words. Her collection of YA fantasy books, The Amielian Legacy, is comprised of series and stand-alone books which can all be read separately but which weave together to create an amazing fantasy. Her fanatsies also incorporate many other genres, such as Christian fantasy, romance, and even a spark of horror at times. She hopes to inspire readers throughout the world with these books by publishing in both traditional and electronic formats to make them available to all readers.

Christine has published several stories with Calliope and Kalkion magazines and is an active member of the WEbook online writing community. She has also published several Christian/fantasy books which are available at various online retailers, as well as publishing several eBooks via Writers-Exchange.

Her latest and most exciting venture includes her publications with Old Line Publishing: Bloodmaiden and Tears of a Vampire Prince: the First Krystine. She also anticipates her upcoming publication with Old Line, Lily in the Snow, as well as releasing The Chronicles of the Mira with Writers-Exchange in both paperback and electronic forms.

Christine currently lives in Belleville, Illinois in her first and most thrilling apartment.

You can purchase Bloodmaiden at the following places:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

******************************************************************

Giveaway: Leave a comment for your chance to win an ecopy of Bloodmaiden! Be sure to include your email address so we can contact you!

Next stop on this tour: Nyx Book Reviews - May 21st

Review: Bloodmaiden

Synopsis:

Zale. Gauthier. Varden. These three dynasties... They all sound like something out of an ancient, oriental myth or fairy tale. The concept of humans and dragons helping and living in harmony with one another, without fear. To me, that's exactly what they are. A distant dream only read of, whispered secretly, quietly yearned for. For, you see, I am the new Quelda of Tynan. These words echo the mystery, horror, and romance found within Schulze's fantasy novel. Along with her new husband, Chalom, Crislin must choose to embrace cruel tradition, run from it, or stand against it. The young couple's only hope is to rally the help of the three peaceful dragon dynasties of Sulaimon-but tradition is not on their side, even outside the realm of Tynan. The dragons outside Tynan's borders have been rumored as too stubborn and proud to believe their Tynanian brothers would commit such horrors as inflicted upon the Quelda. Gaining their aid is not a likely hope. Yet, any hope at all is valued in Tynan... If they are to stand a chance of bringing cruel tradition to a permanent end, Crisilin and Chalom must brave the constant, consuming blizzards of the Ever-white. They must brave the three dynasties and the challenges awaiting there. Together, they must convince the dragon emperors to allow them access to the shrines which house the sacred Aria - protective strands of music which may be able to disperse the evil from Tynan and unite the four dynasties of Sulaimon as a whole once again. Their only aid stems from a sprite whose moods are as unstable as her magic, a young minstrel, and a mysterious fox. Despite the odds, such plans are daring, dangerous, unprecedented, but fully possible - if they can escape the Wall first.

Review:

Bloodmaiden is a good, quick read - only 200 pages. Chrisilin and her husband have been chosen to be the sacrifices for the dragon rulers of their dynasty. The book starts out with Chrisilin not knowing who her husband is going to be, but knowing that they will be killed within the next year. It's a sad, yearly tradition that the people of this dynasty have to endure. The author did a really good job at making you feel the terror and sorrow that Chrisilin feels, being that it is written in 1st person.

I personally thought that the book was a mix of beautiful descriptions and being overly descriptive. I understand the extent of the descriptions though, as this is based in a fantasy land that people have never seen before so the need for being descriptive is important. It's a beautifully written book, and the storyline was strong. I didn't feel like the characters were as strong. I think I connected more to the secondary characters, and knew more about them which is really odd considering the fact that it's written in 1st person. I don't know - maybe it is just me. I also would have liked to see more romance between Chrisilin and her new husband. Of course, instead of having a honeymoon - they are risking their lives to flee their homeland so the opportunity for romance isn't great. Being the romance lover that I am though, I still would have liked to see more in that department.

Fantasy lovers will really like this book. It also has a lot of suspense and adventure incorporated with their journey throughout the different dynasties. Also, this book is Young Adult friendly.