Friday 29 July 2016

Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole



Lincoln Cole is a Columbus-based author who enjoys traveling and has visited many different parts of the world, including Australia and Cambodia, but always returns home to his pugamonster and wife. His love for writing was kindled at an early age through the works of Isaac Asimov and Stephen King and he enjoys telling stories to anyone who will listen.

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About the Book


A quiet little mountain town is hiding a big problem. When the townsfolk of Raven's Peak start acting crazy, Abigail Dressler is called upon to find out what is happening. She uncovers a demonic threat unlike any she's ever faced and finds herself in a fight just to stay alive. 

She rescues Haatim Arison from a terrifying fate and discovers that he has a family legacy in the supernatural that he knows nothing about. Now she's forced to protect him, which is easy, and also trust him if she wants to save the townsfolk of Raven's Peak. Trust, however, is considerably more difficult for someone who grew up living on the knife's edge of danger. 

Can they discover the cause of the town's insanity and put a stop to it before it is too late?

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Keep reading for a guest post by the author:


It's been a wild riding publishing Raven's Peak. It's the first time I've worked with a publisher of any sort and didn't do the work myself. Kindle Press has been simultaneously frustrating and helpful, because even though they aren't very responsive to contact and email, they are thorough in their dealings and handle things smoothly. 

The thing about working with a publisher is that you lose a lot of control, and if you were an indie author before, it can be a brutal transition. I'm not able to set things up my way and I'm relying on other people to handle a lot of the minor details that I optimized for my other books. 

That being said, they offer a lot of power and prestige I couldn't manage on my own, so I consider it to be a worthwhile tradeoff. For anyone who is looking to work directly with Amazon to release a book, there is no better option than Kindle Scout for dipping your toes into the water!

Tuesday 26 July 2016

Blog Tour: An Improper Governess (An Improper Liaisons Novella, Book 2) By Amy Rose Bennett



Amy Rose Bennett has always wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. An avid reader with a particular love for historical romance, it seemed only natural to write stories in her favorite genre. She has a passion for creating emotion-packed—and sometimes a little racy—stories set in the Georgian and Regency periods. Of course, her strong-willed heroines and rakish heroes always find their happily ever after.

Amy is happily married to her own Alpha male hero, has two beautiful daughters, and a rather loopy Rhodesian Ridgeback. She has been a speech pathologist for many years but is currently devoting her time to her one other true calling—writing romance.

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About the Book


Lusting after one’s employer is certainly not the done thing when you are a governess. But Miss Abigail Adams cannot seem to help herself...

Abigail Adams, the resident governess of Hartfield Hall, might appear to be a very proper young woman, yet she secretly yearns for excitement to brighten her mundane life. And what she does want, she really shouldn’t long for—Sir Nicholas Barsby, the indecently handsome, charismatic master of Hartfield.

Sir Nicholas Barsby returns home from a tour of the Continent to discover his widowed sister-in-law has employed a decidedly delectable governess for his nieces. When it becomes blatantly apparent that the attraction is mutual, Nicholas ruthlessly decides to present Miss Adams with a thoroughly wicked proposal.

Abigail is initially shocked by Sir Nicholas’s outrageous and highly improper offer to become his mistress. Having wanton thoughts about a man is undoubtedly sinful but leading the life of a fallen woman is something else entirely. Nevertheless, falling into Sir Nicholas’s arms might just prove to be an invitation too tempting for Abigail to ignore. One thing is clear, whether she’s a governess or mistress, she must not lose her heart...

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Keep reading for an excerpt and special giveaway:


By the time she reached the stile, Abigail was gasping like a landed carp. As she gathered her skirts preparing to climb over, thunder clapped so close, she shrieked. A bright bolt of lightning lit the air around her and she swore she could feel her hair stand on end. Ignoring all dictates of decorum, she hoisted her skirts even higher and clambered up and over the rough wooden steps. However, as she jumped down, the muslin snagged on something and she found she was tethered like a nanny goat, her skirts caught up about her waist.

“Damn!” Without thought, the coarse expletive escaped her. Not only was she about to get caught in a storm she’d probably ruined her best day gown. Could this day get any worse?

“Damn indeed.”

It seemed it could.

Abigail whipped her head around and found herself staring up into the face of the most handsome man she had ever seen. Raven-haired with slashing brows and chiseled features, he sat astride a glossy black gelding with the confidence of a knight-errant, but alas, not the gallantry. As his deep blue eyes raked over her naked thighs and lower to her stockings, his expression was a mixture of sardonic amusement and a darker, heavier emotion she had no trouble recognizing at all—male lust.

“May I be of assistance, dear lady?” he asked, his voice a rich rumbling purr.

Abigail’s face burned as she attempted to wrench her dress and fine cambric petticoats down all by herself. The distinct rip of fabric tearing made her wince. “You might avert your gaze, sir,” she snapped as hot outrage and mortification made her sound more like a harpy than a damsel in distress.

“Yes, I might. But then, that would not be of much help to you now, would it?” Before Abigail could even think to protest further, the ill-mannered stranger slid from his mount and within moments, had released the stubborn snag.

“There,” he said with a wide smile that was probably supposed to be rakishly appealing. “The fair maiden is free.”

“I could have managed on my own,” she retorted. She wasn’t going to thank the man, not when he’d been eyeing her lower body like a hungry beast of prey sizing up its next meal. Dear God, I hope he did not see my bottom, or worse, my—

Another crack of thunder made her start and the man glanced at the menacing sky. Lightning streaked above the dense copse of trees hiding Hartfield Hall from view. As he mounted his restive horse, a sharp gust caught his black traveling cloak and it flapped about him like the dark wings of a fallen angel.

Perhaps even Lucifer himself. “Where are you going, Miss...?” he asked, his compelling blue gaze locking with hers again. “I really don’t think you should be wandering about the countryside in this tempest. In fact, it would be quite foolish if not altogether mad. I must insist you come with me.” He held out his gloved hand.

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Sunday 24 July 2016

Blog Tour: Juniper Smoke By Sadia Ash



Sadia Ash has held jobs in different fields that involved writing (and never math) in some way. She has worked for film and TV publicity with the Prenner Group, did news and TV placement for Aeros (a NASA project), edited scripts for indie films, and fundraised. A lot. A serial volunteer, she has raised funds for many charities that educate and help girls.

Currently working on two other novels and a film script, Ash hopes to see the sunlight outside her window one day. She holds an MA English degree from Loyola University in Chicago, a Screenwriting Certificate from UCLA and one more impractical MA in English Literature from NUML. Originally from Chicago, she lives in sun-drenched Cali with her husband—who is her best friend—and two bright kids.


A Word From Sadia


I've had an odd and beautiful life. I was born in one continent, raised in another one…and moved to a third one to settle down. From the thousands of people I met and befriended, there was always a common theme: Everyone had a story to tell.

Since I was three years old, I have wanted to tell the stories of the fictional people trapped in my head. I love dissecting characters and exploring what lies beneath the razor-thin surface of human behavior. I am humbled when anyone—a stranger, friend or loved one—reads what I wrote. So, thank you!"

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About the Book


Juniper Mills is a straitlaced but sassy Iron Age curator at the History Museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At home, she is the sole provider for her special needs twin and comatose mother. Her mother—the best man-hater in the Western Hemisphere—raised Juniper in a grim, solitary existence, instilling in her a deep-rooted hatred of men.

Kyle Paxton is a genius micro-camera inventor from San Francisco--who thinks the models of the world are his own petting zoo. He is a clockwork man who schedules his life and relationships with robotic precision.

Juniper and Kyle meet when she is dangling forty feet from a museum scaffolding. When he joins the museum board, Juniper falls for him (figuratively this time) and all her man-hating training goes bust. She wants him, but knows it's going to be as hard as catching the ocean in a teacup.

Juniper knocks Kyle’s world off its axis and two worlds collide in this very unfairy tale. This novel is full of bendy twists and hairpin turns. Nothing is as it seems and none of the huge cast of characters behave as you would expect…

Reviews


“Intense, romantic story that gives you a book hangover for a very long time. I was so connected to the characters that it was hard to let them go. The chemistry between Kyle and Juniper is swoon worthy. Beautifully written debut book by Sadia Ash - a perfect romance book to remember for a long time. A definite five-star read!” ~ SAMREEN AHSAN, MULTI AWARD WINNING AUTHOR

“To say I like this book is an understatement...I LOVE IT! I've read 400 books this year and Juniper Smoke is in the top 3. As soon as I read the last word, I automatically wanted to read it again. The romance will stir emotions you will feel in your bones. The characters will make you laugh and cry, break your heart and mend it again. Kyle Paxton is the perfect book boyfriend and when he loves...you'll fall in love! ~ NIKKI BRACKETT, NIKKI'S WINDOW SEAT BOOK BLOG

“Sadia has the ability to bring characters to life that makes them irresistible. Juniper Smoke has intelligent, modern characters--both cosmopolitan and down-to-earth, which makes for universal tension between Juniper and Kyle. Mixing in childhood challenges, high-tech brilliance, luxury, and sexual tension makes for a delicious brew. The tension is taut and ebbs and flows so fast, it will grip you from start to finish.

The book’s strength lies in the depth of its characters, who all express themselves in a distinctive way—their own voice and in keeping with their own galaxies. The novel is entertaining and fun, but is a reflection of the real world.” ~ CT AUTHORS & PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

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Keep reading for an excerpt:


“You invited your screen crush to the event?” He leaned closer to me. “Hmm. Whatta girl. Clumsy, smart and kinky. Letting your freak flag fly.”

I stiffened and the words came out before I could stop them. “What’s your problem? You’re probably a failed actor, just jealous of Clive.”

Kyle took off his glasses and put them in his pocket. Jet black brows knotted over a steely gaze fixed on me. It was so intense, my belly clenched with longing. My heartbeat was as loud as marbles falling down a metal staircase. Did every girl he meet get the same level of scrutiny? He looked more disappointed than injured—as if I had fallen lower in his estimation.

Who cares what he thinks?

was sure Kyle was as arrogant as he was handsome. In my limited experience, men this good-looking were natural-born devious jerks. He was probably married with a girlfriend and a side chick. And women doubtless made a single file to him, happy to be spiced, tossed and ground up in the meat factory that is today’s dating scene. I was usually not so pejorative, but Kyle pushed all my cheesed-off buttons, without saying a word. He didn’t have to. It was not him, it was me.

See, I was raised to hate men.

My mother didn't raise me to believe in fairytales. Only unfairy tales. The dark Grimm kind, where princesses’ hands could be chopped off and mermaids danced till they bled. Stories where stepmothers planned infanticide and little boys were buried in gardens and their blood and flesh turned into roots and sprouted juniper trees. My bedtime stories were never about Prince Charming, but about Norman Bates and serial killers who crushed little girls by tormenting them and locking them in basements. I was a terrified little girl. Safe—yes. Normal—nope.

When I grew older, I realized my terrors and insecurities were far from normal. They were the upshot of the bunch of lies my mom told me. But by now it was too late. The damage was permanent. At the advanced age of twenty-six, I had never been in a relationship with a man. I don't know who had fried my mom's brains, but if I ever met that bastard, I’d sucker punch him.

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Thursday 21 July 2016

The Dragon Courage Series by Kandi J Wyatt



Kandi J Wyatt is a wife, mother of five, teacher, artist, and author. In her free time, she enjoys writing fantasy stories and Christmas programs, and drawing with graphite and colored pencils. Portraits are her specialty. Kandi also enjoys photography, thanks to her photographer husband who has let her join his journey as both his model and apprentice, and she occasionally serves as his assistant when he needs a “light stand with feet.” To learn more, visit kandijwyatt.com.


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About the Book


The world of the Dragon Courage series is full of adventure. In book one twins Ruskya and Duskya must fight for their dragons' future. Book two follows Braidyn's quest to bring back a dragon egg that has been stolen. In the process he discovers a heritage he didn't know he had. Kyn and Ben'hyamene take on wild dragons in book three and learn that peace is better than a dragon's revenge. Duskya and Kyn help a new rider find the cure for bitterness in book four. A stray memory from a wild dragon sends Kyn on a mission to help all young dragon riders gain their wings; the process brings all of the riders of the Dragon Courage series together into one place for book five.



Get them today on Amazon!


Keep reading for an interview with the author:


Do you have a "day job"? If so, what do you do?


Yes, I am very busy. I am wife to my knight in shining armor, mother of five children (four of whom are at home right now), and teacher to 50 Junior High and 40 High School students.

What genres do you write?


I write clean fantasy for anyone ages 10 and up and Christian Historical Fiction. My fantasy is written with kids in mind, but several grandparents have enjoyed reading my books, including some who never read fantasy saying they "didn't get it", but they can understand my fantasy writing. When I write Christian Historical Fiction, I usually take a Bible story and rewrite it to make the story take on a new light so people can see it with fresh eyes.

What inspires you to write?


I keep writing for the kids. I see the ones who don't want to read or don't like reading, and I want to give them something to draw them in and not let them go. I try to give them adventure and not too long of chapters. I work on not speaking down to them but using vocabulary that is my normal every day words. I figure they can learn when they read. I also want to teach without teaching. From many of the reviews I've seen of the Dragon Courage series, I'd say I accomplished that goal. I also write for the kid who loves to read and can't get his or her hands on enough books. These kids are the ones who push me to keep writing. They finish my books in a day and are eager for the next. As long as I know kids, I will keep writing.


When did you first consider yourself an author?


It wasn't until this past winter that I first considered myself an author. I was always a "writer". Even when Dragon's Future was first published last August, I still struggled with saying I was an author. The authors I knew had received special training or were very prolific and fit the role. I was just a teacher and mom whose books were published. Finally, about December as Dragon's Heir was ready to be released, I realized that I was an author. It was about then, that I decided I wanted to make it work as an author. I was willing to keep writing, publishing, marketing, and learning what it means to be an author.

What is the best compliment you've ever received as an author?


Christmas time this last year, my whole family got together for the first time in many years. We met at my sister's house. My brother and his family came as did an uncle I hadn't seen in too many years. Before everyone arrived, though, my family showed up. We spent the night ahead of everyone else. I gave my niece Dragon's Future and Dragon's Heir. By the time we went to bed, I saw her curled up reading. I pointed it out to my sister who shook her head and said, "That's the first I've ever seen her like that for any length of time." After the adults went to bed, the eleven-year-old girl who doesn't really read, stayed up reading her aunt's book! That was priceless.

Another similar incident just happened. I had an event at our local library and taught the kids how to draw dragons. Afterward, I couldn't decide which drawing would win a copy of Dragon's Revenge. So, we left the kids' drawings hanging in the library for two weeks and let the community vote. The vote turned out very indecisive. So, I decided to give a copy to each of the boys who drew. I hand delivered two of them to two brothers before church. As I came in after Sunday School and got settled down for the main service, I found the youngest boy fully absorbed in the book and curled up on a chair with his knees up to his chin and the book on his knees


What made you decide to self-publish?


The decision to self-publish was literally thrust upon me one wonderful Friday in April. I had just had one of the best days of my life as I reunited with friends I'd known since I was ten and seen their grandson and my son graduate from a one year Bible school program. We then went tourist shopping with my parents and just enjoyed the day. Finally, we made our way back to the motel. There awaiting me on my computer and in the internet world was news that my publishing company was closing within the month! I sat stunned and unbelieving! The only reason I had my books out in the world and even considered myself an author was because of my publishing company who gave me a place to express myself and accepted my books as valuable.

I was very grateful that in the process of publishing, I had become friends with several indie authors. Because they could do it, I knew I could. I couldn't let my readers down. So, I began the task of getting all four books' rights and figuring out how to put them on amazon and then eventually to the other channels.


How do you come up with the titles for your books? Do you find it difficult?


Titles are difficult. Dragon's Future didn't have a name until I polled my junior high students last year in May. They actually gave it the final name! Often though the name just comes either from the setting or a happening such as Mythical Creatures of Myrtle Beach. It describes what occurs in Myrtle Beach in the trilogy. Right now, my current work in progress has no name other than Egypt Story. I don't know what I want. I'd accept input from your readers. It's an ancient Egypt story that retells the events of the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, but it tells it from the point of view of a middle- to upper-class Egyptian family. I'm keeping the point of view with the oldest son for the most part, but have some scenes from the father's point of view.

Do you write about real life experiences, or does everything come from your imagination?


I use both real life and imagination. The Dragon Courage series was written as complete fictional fantasy; however, the places came from places I had been. Eastern Oregon and Northern Arizona inspired the setting for the canyons of Woolpren and Three Mile Canyon in Dragon's Future. My early years along the Mississippi River near Muscatine, Iowa, created Boeskay with its farms, river, and even tornadoes. When I wrote Dragon's Revenge, I was commuting fifty minutes one way each day for work. The drive took me through the Coquille River valley when the winter rains had swollen the river banks into the farm land. The image of a flooded valley where dragons and people lived together created The Carr.

My Mythical Creatures of Myrtle Beach trilogy that I am working on right now was based on a fictionalized version of where I live right now. I wanted to be able to affirm to my students that rural America is just as cool and awesome as big city America. I have the characters go to a school based off where I teach. They even were inspired by some of my students last year. The science teacher in the first book came from my own children's junior high science teacher. He was one who loved teaching and brought joy with him to the classroom.

What was the hardest part about writing your latest book?


One of my latest books written was the first book in the Mythical Creatures of Myrtle Beach trilogy. I started it last May and finished it in December. It seemed like it took forever to finish it. The Dragon Courage series books were each finished in one month or just over. This caused some struggles because I couldn't remember things from the beginning, and I really wondered if it flowed together. Another difficulty with that book was I couldn't seem to be able to type it. I had to hand write the whole thing--all 40,000 words and then some. The story started in a little pocket notebook a student gave me and spread across two different spiral bound notebooks. Finally, I put it all together on the computer.

The absolute most recently finished book is Dragon's Past, the prequel to the Dragon Courage series. It started out as an answer to reviews on Amazon and a conversation with a librarian who was my first fan. I thought it would be a short story that could be given away for signing up for my newsletter. Well, 40,000 words later, it is a short fantasy prequel. What I found difficult with it was to realistically recreate my characters from book one as children. I had to go back to the prologue and keep them at that age and place in the character arc. They couldn't do things they could do later in the books. They were limited. I had to create others that they would interact with. I'm not sure how well I did, but I know I did answer the questions about why all the dragons' names sound similar and why there are either the annoying or beloved, depending on who you are, letter 'y' in every name. I also gave the feel of what it's like to be a youngling, or a trainee dragon rider. I hope I answered the question of why Duskya is so gruff. I'll have to give it to my librarian friend when it is published and find out if I did justice to the characters.


Do you have anything specific you'd like to say to your readers?


Thank you! Really. If it wasn't for my readers, I wouldn't have continued into self-publishing when my publishing company closed in May. I would have said that was a fun and amazing time of life, but it's done and over. However, I had readers who were begging for book four of the Dragon Courage series. I couldn't disappoint Morgan, Danielle, the unnamed student who begged the librarian at school to purchase my books, or any of the other kids who have picked up the first books and dove right in without coming up for air until the book was finished. It does my heart good to see kids reading.

What has amazed me though is the amount of grandparents, aunts, and other adults (the gatekeepers if you will) who have taken the books and previewed them for their grandkids or nieces or nephews and are just as excited as the kids when the next book releases. Thank you for your encouragement.

Saturday 16 July 2016

A Free, Unsullied Land by Maggie Kast

Maggie Kast is the author of The Crack between the Worlds: a dancer's memoir of loss, faith and family, published by Wipf and Stock. She received an M.F.A. in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has published fiction in The Sun, Nimrod, Carve, Paper Street and others.

A chapter of her memoir, published in ACM/Another Chicago Magazine, won a Literary Award from the Illinois Arts Council and a Pushcart nomination. A story published in Rosebud and judged by Ursula Leguin won an Honorable Mention in their fantasy fiction contest.

Kast’s essays have appeared in America, Image, Writer's Chronicle and elsewhere. Her first novel, A Free, Unsullied Land, was released from Fomite Press in November 2015. An excerpted story, “The Hate that Chills,” won 3rd prize in the Hackney Literary Contests and was published in Volume 12, Issue 2 of the Birmingham Arts Journal.

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About the Book


Nineteen-year-old Henriette Greenberg takes her first steps away from an abusive home on the dance floor of a Chicago jazz dive in prohibition-era Chicago and is enraptured by this new music. Struggling to escape a mother who doesn’t like girls and a father who likes young women all too well, she submerges herself in bad sex and political action. 

She meets and falls in love with Dilly Brannigan, a graduate student in anthropology. Ignoring his warnings, she travels to Scottsboro, Alabama to protest the unfair conviction of nine young black men accused of rape. She adopts Dilly’s work as her own. A powerful funeral ritual gives her hope of re-writing her family story but tempts her to violate an Apache taboo, endangering her life, her love, and her longed-for escape from home.

Get it today on Amazon!


Keep reading for an interview with the author:


Do you have a "day job"? If so, what do you do?


I teach writing and rhetoric part-time at Columbia College Chicago.


What genres do you write?


short stories, novels, memoir, critical essays

Is there a genre that you've been wanting to experiment with? If so, what is it and what attracts you to it?


I'm working now on a novella. I had a story that needed expansion was was not wide-reaching enough for a novel. Then I read Ian McEwan's piece about characteristics of a novella (and I love his "On Chesil Beach,") and it made me want to try this form. He considers it an ideal length.

What authors/books have most influenced you?


David Grossman's To the End of the Land, William Maxwell's So Long, See You Tomorrow, J. M. Coetzee's Slow Man, Richard Yates' Adventure Road, and many more.

When did you first consider yourself an author?


I started writing after a lifetime career in modern dance. I think my admission to the low-residency program at Vermont College of Fine Arts, which coincided with the publication of my first story in The Sun, made me feel like a writer.

What are your goals as an author? Where do you see yourself in five years?


My goal is to continue making stories, in whatever form. I hope to be alive and still writing in five years. In other words, the goal is in the process for me.


What is the biggest obstacle you face as an author and what do you do to overcome it?


My biggest obstacle is the desire for success, a lust which detracts from the process itself. It takes attention away from the present and looks to an unpredictable future.

Does your family support you in your writing, or are you on your own?


Different parts of my wide-ranging family support me in different ways: some read my work, some would rather not. With my first book, my daughter, an arts manager, helped enormously with marketing and publicity. A son who lives in Vienna, Austria, got me a reading at Shakespeare and Company in that city, a great gift. Four members of my San Francisco family came to a reading there. a cousin in Berkeley had a wonderful book party for me at her house. Friends and colleagues have also been very supportive and helpful.

What is the best writing advice you've ever received?


Natalie Goldberg's, from one of her books. When someone asked her, "How do you write?" she mimed the act of writing. In other words, in only way to write is to do it, regularly, all the time.


What do you enjoy doing aside from writing?


Reading, cooking, yoga, TRS and barre classes at a gym, summer sun and swimming, travel but not too much.


What made you decide to self-publish?


I have never self-published. My first book was published by Wipf and Stock, a religion and academic publisher in Eugene OR, and my second by Fomite Press, an independent publisher with a wide-ranging and excellent list in Burlington VT.

What is your writing process?


I write when I get up in the morning, nearly every day.

How long does it take you to write a book?


First draft to publication: seven years.

Do you write about real life experiences, or does everything come from your imagination?


My memoir was of course all life experiences, rendered as accurately as my memory would allow. My novel is historical and makes use of historical events, like the Scottsboro trials of the 1930s and beyond as well as my mother's letteres, but many of the events are entirely fictional.

Have you ever gotten an idea for a story from something really bizarre? Tell us about it.


I have four non-realist stories: a fairy tale, a bible story, a ghost story and a magic realist story. They've each been published separately and I would love to see them come out together one day as a chapbook. Each is bizarre in its own way. In some cases the the source material itself was bizarre (a Grimm tale, Jonah and the big fish) and in some the bizarre source was in my head.

How do you market/promote your work? Have you found something that works really well for you?


Still learning on this one. Recent discovery: allow at least a year from the time a book is accepted to publication date, because that's when you do your most important marketing work. Best place to spend your marketing resources: Grub Street's Book Launch Boot Camp in Boston MA.

Do you have any advice for other authors?


Write. All the time.

Do you have anything specific you'd like to say to your readers?


I hope you enjoy my books, and I welcome any questions or comments you have. You can reach me via the "Contact" menu item on my website, www.maggiekast.com. If you have a book club, and time and place allow, I'd be delighted to attend a meeting where one of my books will be discussed.

Wednesday 13 July 2016

Demon Hunt by Renee Scattergood

Smashwords is once again holding their annual July Summer/Winter Promotion. So this year Renee Scattergood is listing Demon Hunt, the prequel novella to her Shadow Stalker serial, free for the entire month!

Renee lives in Australia with her husband, Nathan, and daughter, Taiya. She has always been a fan of fantasy and was inspired to become a story-teller by George Lucas, but didn't start considering writing down her stories until she reached her late twenties. Now she enjoys writing dark fantasy.

She is currently publishing her regularly released Shadow Stalker serial, and she has published a prequel novella to the series called, Demon Hunt. She is also working on a new series of novels, A God's Deception.

Aside from writing, she loves reading (fantasy, of course), watching movies with her family, and doing crafts and science experiments with her homeschooled daughter. Visit her site for more information and a free copy of Shadow Stalker Part 1 (Episodes 1 – 6).


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About the Book


Auren longs for adventure and a break from her tedious life on Appolia. It's the start of summer, and she is looking forward to her yearly camping trip with her foster father, Kado. She believes these trips are for fun, but when they arrive on Luten Isle, Kado informs her that she is a shadow stalker, and she is in training.

One morning, Auren decides to take her training into her own hands. She only means to practice seeing the veil to the shadow world, the world of the shadow people and the source of their power. Instead, she opens the veil releasing a demon, a guardian of the shadow world, into the physical world.

With the deadly beast loose, she and Kado don't have long to hunt it down and return it to where it belongs, or many innocent people could die.



Keep reading for an excerpt:


"We're getting closer." Kado sped up, trusting that Auren would keep up with him. They needed to reach it before it got to the mountains or they might lose it. Though there was an advantage to it heading that way. It wasn't going toward any of the villages.

The rock face they had run into rose well over two hundred meters, but about fifty meters up, there was a cave.

Kado pointed. "That's where it’s heading."

"How do you know?"

First he pointed out the obvious. Recent gouges in the hard rock. "It will seek darkness as well. Being from the shadow world, they are not accustomed to the daylight. It confuses and agitates them."

"Maybe it will start just traveling at night then?"

"They don't sleep, Auren. It will keep moving. We're just lucky they move so slowly. It's our only advantage."

"How are we going to get up there? We didn't bring rope."

"I had intended on teaching you to free climb during this trip. I also planned to have time to do it properly. We don't have that luxury now. I will go first. Watch me and go where I go."

Friday 8 July 2016

The Unforgivable by Nicole Chason

Born and raised in Georgia, I am a proud mother of one and engaged to be married. I began writing as a young child and most days you will find me engrossed in a good book. My love of books developed after I read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. By the time I was ten years old, I was reading on a college level. When I began writing, it was mostly short stories and I kept them hidden. Sometime in my teenage years, I discovered that my brother had found my secret stash of short stories and was charging his friends ten dollars to read them.

When I was twenty-eight, I found myself at a crossroads after hating Cosmetology school. Unsure what to do next, my brother encouraged me to write my first novel which I had started in secret. I have written some journalistic pieces for Guardian Liberty Voice, but I did not have a passion for unbiased works.

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About the Book


Crimson was having a hard enough time when the unthinkable happened, she was raped. Now she is on a path of destruction. Follow her as she deals with a past that she only wants to forget and a love she thought she would never find. When her past resurfaces, she tries to find the person responsible for her rape. Can she learn to move on or will she self-destruct on her mission to find the truth?

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Keep reading for an interview with the author:


What genres do you write?


I write in a variety of genres. YA, Mystery, Thrillers, Fantasy, Dystopia, and even some Historical Romance.


What are your goals as an author? Where do you see yourself in five years?


Honestly I want to continue writing till I am too old to pick up a pen. In five years how hope to have The Dead Speaks Series completed and begin working on my next series, Shattered mirrors. A twist on fairy tale princesses.

Does your family support you in your writing, or are you on your own?


My brother and Fiancee have been my biggest supporters in my family. If not for them I never would have finished this book. Most of my family were very doubtful I would finish.

What is the best writing advice you've ever received?


I had a English teacher is high school say this, "Write a little bit everyday even if you don't feel like it write something."

What book or series do you enjoy reading over and over again?


I absolutely adore J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series. The woman is truly brilliant with a pen.

How many books do you have on your "to read" list? What are some of them?


I have a long list, so long I'm not sure I will ever get to them all. A few are Ultraxenopia by M. A. Phipps, Wine & Whiskey by Nikki Belaire, Caitlin Wants by Rachel Jane, and Black Five by J Lynn Bailey. Most of the time I prefer Indie Authors. I have found quite a few diamonds this way.


What is your writing process?


My writing process is unusual. I have always had the thought process of, what if?And that is how I find a story. Most of the time I start with the synopsis, then I tell my self the story to help me fall asleep. After that I summarize each chapter. Then I hand write everything.

Do you write about real life experiences, or does everything come from your imagination?


I think in every book I write there is a little bit of real life meshed with imagination. Nothing in my world is ever black and white.

Do you ever base your characters on people you know?


Not on purpose, but looking back on some key characters I can see where I have made them similar to people I know.

What are you working on now?


I am currently working on a fantasy novel called, The Dead Speaks. It is the first book in a five book series. It is a necromancer who is learning to control her powers.

Tuesday 5 July 2016

Dying to Dance by Jamie Cortland

Weslynn McCallister, pseudonym, Jamie Cortland was born in Evansville, Indiana and raised in Roswell, New Mexico. Today, she lives in the southwest.

A published novelist and an award winning poet, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Mystery Writers of America, and is a founding member of the Florida Writers Association.

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About the Book


Evelyn Valentino, still halfway in love with her super-star ex-husband, meets James McMann, a handsome and charismatic builder in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Meeting him in a coffee shop, she is immediately attracted to him while her young daughter calls him "Mr. Stranger Danger."

Swept away by James and his incredible charm, she is taken on a whirlwind courtship. Warned by her parents and friends to go slowly, she ignores them. She’s caught in his web as he drops his mask and Evelyn discovers he is not the man of her dreams, but the hideous creature of her nightmares. Now, her only thought is of escape.

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Keep reading for an excerpt:


Chapter 1
Fired!


Daniel came home late—later than he should have. Molly had already left for work. Before leaving, she’d fed the kids and sat them down in front of the TV. Normally, Daniel would have been home hours ago, but today he’d stopped for a beer, something he hadn’t done for months. Even though he knew she’d be mad at him, especially when he told her he’d been fired, he’d needed some time to himself.

Daniel suffered from schizoaffective mental disorder, and until recently had been taking his meds regularly. But a couple of months ago, he’d gone off them when he started to hear the voices, and began to self-medicate with alcohol. On a positive note, his sex drive had come back, and he’d even lost weight. Molly had liked that. But what she didn’t like were his mood swings—his highs and lows. Sometimes he could be mean, bordering on destructive.

He knew he should go back on his meds, but he felt that if he did, Molly would complain about their lack of a sex life and that he was getting fat again. There was, he felt, just no way of pleasing that woman.

That afternoon at work, he’d decked his boss for something he’d been asked to do and that he felt was personally demeaning. What did his boss think he was, his personal slave? Shortly after the incident, Ed had told him to leave, never to come back. Fine, he’d thought. He’d stomped out to his car, opened the trunk, and proceeded to smash the boss’s car with a tire iron he’d retrieved.

Following that, he’d stopped at a bar, and as soon as he got home, he went to the fridge in search of a beer. Usually, Molly would keep one or two in the fridge for herself, but tonight there were none.

“That does it!” he exclaimed. “The kids are going to bed right now and I’m going out.”

After putting the kids to bed, Daniel abruptly left the house, got into his old Ford sedan, and headed for the bar near Pinnacle Peak.

Friday 1 July 2016

Zombie Dogs SB-16 by Ellie Douglas


Michelle Douglas using the (Pen-Name) Ellie Douglas, born and raised in New Zealand. A graduate of Massey, is a freelance graphic artist, spent 10 years working with Autistic Children, and has done some overseas traveling. She is a member of NZSA and SpecFicNZ.

Ellie has two brothers, one younger, one older, both of whom she adores dearly. Ellie is a very warm, fun-loving, friendly, generously giving woman, she's mysterious and enjoys keeping the suspense going. She is hard-working, loyal and very down to earth.

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About the Book


A deadly virus, named SB-16, is putting the infected into deep comas, and transforming man’s best friend into hungry, viciously aggressive Zombie Dogs. As the world watches in horror, the Zombie Dogs go on the attack, looking to feed their hunger for blood and human flesh. Over 80% of the human population worldwide has already been affected.

What hope does humanity have? Without the help of police, doctors or any infrastructure, the survivors are left in a struggle to keep their families safe. Calloway Foster must make a harrowing decision. His twin brother is out there somewhere and could be in danger. To search for him, he will have to leave his wife, Julie, alone to care for his infected daughter.

In Zombie Dogs - Book 1, you will follow Calloway and Bellamy Foster, twin brothers. Will they find each other in time? Can they keep their families safe? Can they survive the Zombie Dogs and the rogue humans who have gone A1-Anarchist? A terrifying surprise twist will test the survivors to the brink of humanity’s very existence.

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Keep reading for an interview with the author:


Why did you decide to be a writer?


It's been a dream of mine since I was a little girl.


What genres do you write?


Horror, Thriller, Sci-Fi and Fantasy


What authors/books have most influenced you?


Stephen King

What are your goals as an author? Where do you see yourself in five years?


Writing more books


What is the biggest obstacle you face as an author and what do you do to overcome it?


Time, my biggest obstacle is time, I overcome it by working to the wee hours of the morning. Or I just let it ride, pick up when I can and don't let it stress me too much lol

Does your family support you in your writing, or are you on your own?


They support me.

What is the best compliment you've ever received as an author?


The best compliment I've ever received is being compared to Stephen King, that was a huge compliment :)


What do you enjoy doing aside from writing?


Spending time with my kids, going to the movies, reading, shopping, and dancing.

What is your writing process?


I don't have a process as such, I'm not methodical when it comes to writing I just write, even if I end up finishing the entire book - then I go back and edit it until it's perfect.


Are you a pantser or outliner?


Pantser

How long does it take you to write a book?


Not long, less than six months

How do you come up with the titles for your books? Do you find it difficult?


I get the title directly from the story I've written so titles actually come easy, well so far they have :)


Do you write about real life experiences, or does everything come from your imagination?


Yes I write about real life experiences to a degree. The rest is from my over active imagination :)


Do you ever base your characters on people you know?


No

What are you working on now?


I'm working on a sequel for my first book.

Do you have any advice for other authors?


Research do as much research as you humanly can it will help with the flow of your book :)