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Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Linda Robertson
A Guest Blog and Excerpt by Linda Robertson...
COCKTAILS with my CHARACTERS
I have been bartending a couple nights
a week for a few months now. It’s been fun and interesting, and
since I hadn’t tended bar before, I had a lot to learn. I’ve
noticed that some people are set solidly in their ways, same drink
every time, period. Others vary quite adventurously in their
liquor-vices.
I’ve been wondering what I could
concoct that would, to me, represent my characters.
First off, taste is a very
sensual thing. It is focused completely in your mouth and on your
tongue. But it also engages other senses. We can be tempted—or
turned off—by the sight of the dish. I constantly wish my
recipe books and restaurant menus had pictures for each entry. I’ve
watched a friend make yummy noises while eating something that looked
completely gross to me, but when I tried it…scrumptiousness
blossomed across my taste buds. Let’s not forget about smell. If a
dish smells of severe spiciness, I will most likely pass on trying
it.
In coming up with these mixes, I
considered the 5 Basic Flavors: sweet, bitter, sour, salty and umami
(savory). Then I thought about the temperature—cold, frozen, room
temperature, warm, or hot. And I gave a little consideration to the
texture as well.
Here’s what I came up with:
PERSEPHONE: the
witch-next-door with a big, bad destiny that is
sometimes sweet,
and sometimes sour.
2 ½ oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
1 oz. Tequila (A Reposado version of
your favorite brand. It means ‘rested’
because this
kind of tequila has been aged in oak barrels; nice golden color)
½ oz. Triple Sec
½ oz. simple syrup (1 part sugar/1
part water; boil; cool completely; bottle and store in refrigerator)
½ oz. Lime Juice
Rim the serving glass with red sugar
crystals. Pour ingredients into shaker. Add ice. Shake it up. Pour.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
JOHNNY: a tall, dark
wærewolf who is sweet and strong.
1 cup Kahlua Mudslide mix (with
alcohol in it)
2 oz. Razzmatazz raspberry liqueur
2 scoops chocolate chunk black
raspberry ice cream
2 oz. whole milk
½ cup ice
Blend until smooth. Pour in a big cup.
You won’t want to share with your friends. Make ‘em make their
own.
MENESSOS: an old
vampire, with bite.
2 oz. Firewater (100 Proof Cinnamon
Schnapps)
Serve straight, room temperature, no
ice. Enjoy the burn.
It is release day for SHATTERED CIRCLE
as this post goes live at Cloey’s Book Reviews. Thanks for having
me on your blog today. I’ll be celebrating…but I’m not sure
which of these I’ll have, but I’m raising a glass to you! Thanks!
--Linda
The main door opened and Meroveus, Advisor to the Excelsior and currently their esteemed guest, entered the suite. “She is back?” he asked.
“That is what I’m told,” Goliath answered. “If you’re referring to Ms. Alcmedi, that is.”
“I am. Is she here?”
Leaning on one elbow, Goliath reclined. “She required a shower.” He wanted to give his nose a quick pinch to indicate she’d reeked of the scummy edges of Lake Erie, but he refrained. He was a Master now; taunting disdain was no longer acceptable.
Mero headed for the iron-studded door. Goliath cleared his throat.
In mid-reach for the knob, Mero stopped. His hand fell to his side and he turned on his heel. “I have been disrespectful. Forgive me, Haven Master.”
His sardonic grin flashed fang. “Does urgency always make you thoughtless?”
“I assumed that Menessos was still lord of these chambers, and that she was with him in the rear chamber.”
Goliath sat up, placed his elbows on his knees, and clapped his hands together. “Hear me, Advisor Meroveus, and do not forget my words: The former Haven Master may have extended you many courtesies, but barging into his private chamber—especially if you think Ms. Alcmedi may be attending him—would be particularly dangerous.”
Mero glanced at the main door as if he would leave, but there was uncertainty in his expression.
“To be honest,” Goliath added as he stood, “I have not yet made claim to these rooms, and, as you have assumed, the former Quarterlord is in the rear chamber. However, my Erus Veneficus has her own suite.” He used the formal title of the court witch for impact.
Mero blinked.
It seemed to Goliath that the other vampire had not considered that in declaring this the Cleveland haven and Goliath the master of it, Persephone would by default become Goliath’s court witch. Her services were now his to command.
--------------
There were many prophesies concerning the Lustrata. The one that the vampires were most concerned with claimed she was incredibly valuable to them. Because of this, they could not dare to kill her. But they could do much without killing her. The question was: What would interfere with her destiny, and what wouldn’t?
Menessos would know the most about it, so Goliath resolved to follow his Maker’s lead. “Dabbling in the destiny that Menessos, the witch, and the Domn Lup share is a hazardous pastime, Mero. I strongly suggest you stay the hell out of their way.”
Mero quoted the prophesy:
“Lustrata walks,
unspoiled into the light.
Sickle in hand,
she stalks through the night
wearing naught but her mark and silver blade.
The moonchild of ruin, she becomes Wolfsbane.
“According to my interpretation,” Mero concluded, “she must be marked.”
Menessos breathed deep. Releasing it, he said, “Your interpretation is bullshit.”
Mero’s brows rose in surprise.
Goliath struggled to keep a laugh from getting out.
“The Witch Elders Council will not stand for their Lustrata to be marked by the Excelsior,” Menessos said. “Would you risk a war?”
--------------------
Opening the closet there, Beverley dug straight to the back where the item she wanted was stored. Her little hands grasped the cold sides of the rock-board and she pulled. It was heavy and the cast on her arm made the task more difficult. She lost her grip on the slate—the bottom edge dropped onto the top of her foot.
Stifling her yelp of pain, she regained her grasp and silently laid it flat on the floor before shutting the closet door. Crouching between the bed and the wall so she couldn’t be seen from the doorway, she studied all the strange symbols painted across the surface. She’d heard Seph and Celia talking about this. Great El’s slate.
They’d said that a person could talk to ghosts with this . . . and that Seph had used it to find her mother.
But how does it work?
Beverley ran her hands over the surface. Her fingers traced the lines of a symbol here, there. They tingled like the fine lines of her fingerprint weren’t so fine after all.
She studied her index finger, then compared it to her other hand’s index finger. If one tingles . . . what does two do? She picked two symbols she liked that were side by side and put her fingertips to the slate. Carefully, slowly, she traced both. The tingling began immediately and resonated through her hands and into her wrists. Suddenly, some force grabbed her hands. She gasped and tried to pull away, but it just squeezed tighter.
It dragged her fingers along to one symbol, then on to another. She watched in horror as all her fingers were pulled across the board, each finger moving independently. The more symbols she traced, the more the tingling increased. It became like a fire inside her skin, swelling up through her thin arms, crackling through the broken bone.
It hurt. It hurt so bad. She drew a breath to scream—
—and then it felt good.
It wasn’t hot, merely warm. It wasn’t warmth like summer, though, not something a thermometer would show. This was warmth of another kind. The kind only a heart could feel. She felt so . . .
Loved.
A shimmer flashed across the surface of the board.
She whispered, “Mommy?”
Shattered Circle
Persephone Alcmedi
Linda Robertson
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN-10: 1451648936
ISBN-13: 978-1451648935
JUST YOUR AVERAGE MEGA-WITCH. . . .
It’s tough being a modern woman, but Persephone Alcmedi has it worse than most. Being the prophesied Lustrata has kicked her career as a witch into high gear, and juggling a wærewolf boyfriend who is about to become king of his kind and a seductive vampire who bears her magical Mark isn’t easy either.
Still, Seph’s beloved foster daughter, Beverley, is causing more trouble than these two men put together. The young girl’s been playing with a magical artifact that’s far more dangerous than she realizes. Now Seph must summon help from a mystical being so potent that even vampires fear him . . . and the cost of his aid may be more than she’s willing to pay. Seph, Johnny, and Menessos face threats from all sides—and a few from within. Will the forces of destiny cement their tenuous supernatural union, or shatter it forever?
Simon and Schuster Amazon BN BooksaMillion IndieBound
About the Author
Linda Robertson is the mother of four wonderful boys, owns three electric guitars, and is followed around by a big dog named after Bela Lugosi. Once upon a time she was a lead guitarist in a heavy metal cover band and has worked as a graphic artist. She still composes and creates art, when time permits. Linda currently writes and rocks in northeast Ohio. Visit her at AuthorLindaRobertson.com and @authorLinda
http://www.authorlindarobertson.com/
http://www.facebook.com/authorlindarobertson
For more of Linda Robertson's Shattered Circle visit the following sites...
Urban Fantasy Investigations
http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/
Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's
http://mnmrheinlander.com
Happy Tails and Tales
http://magluvsya03.wordpress.com
Storm Goddess Book Reviews
http://stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Deal Sharing Aunt
www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books
http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/
Books, Books The Magical Fruit
http://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com
Books & Beauty
http://janieraeldridge.blogspot.com
Romancing the Dark Side
http://romancingthedarkside.blogspot.com
On the Broomstick
http://onthebroomstick.blogspot.com/
Andi’s Book Reviews
http://andisbookreviews.blogspot.com
Intoxicated by Books
http://intoxicatedbybooks.blogspot.com
Place of Reads Book Blog
http://placeofreeds.blogspot.com
Victoria Danann
www.Victoriadanann.me
My Guilty Obsession
http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com/
Interview
Immortality & Beyond
www.imortylcafe.com
“That is what I’m told,” Goliath answered. “If you’re referring to Ms. Alcmedi, that is.”
“I am. Is she here?”
Leaning on one elbow, Goliath reclined. “She required a shower.” He wanted to give his nose a quick pinch to indicate she’d reeked of the scummy edges of Lake Erie, but he refrained. He was a Master now; taunting disdain was no longer acceptable.
Mero headed for the iron-studded door. Goliath cleared his throat.
In mid-reach for the knob, Mero stopped. His hand fell to his side and he turned on his heel. “I have been disrespectful. Forgive me, Haven Master.”
His sardonic grin flashed fang. “Does urgency always make you thoughtless?”
“I assumed that Menessos was still lord of these chambers, and that she was with him in the rear chamber.”
Goliath sat up, placed his elbows on his knees, and clapped his hands together. “Hear me, Advisor Meroveus, and do not forget my words: The former Haven Master may have extended you many courtesies, but barging into his private chamber—especially if you think Ms. Alcmedi may be attending him—would be particularly dangerous.”
Mero glanced at the main door as if he would leave, but there was uncertainty in his expression.
“To be honest,” Goliath added as he stood, “I have not yet made claim to these rooms, and, as you have assumed, the former Quarterlord is in the rear chamber. However, my Erus Veneficus has her own suite.” He used the formal title of the court witch for impact.
Mero blinked.
It seemed to Goliath that the other vampire had not considered that in declaring this the Cleveland haven and Goliath the master of it, Persephone would by default become Goliath’s court witch. Her services were now his to command.
--------------
There were many prophesies concerning the Lustrata. The one that the vampires were most concerned with claimed she was incredibly valuable to them. Because of this, they could not dare to kill her. But they could do much without killing her. The question was: What would interfere with her destiny, and what wouldn’t?
Menessos would know the most about it, so Goliath resolved to follow his Maker’s lead. “Dabbling in the destiny that Menessos, the witch, and the Domn Lup share is a hazardous pastime, Mero. I strongly suggest you stay the hell out of their way.”
Mero quoted the prophesy:
“Lustrata walks,
unspoiled into the light.
Sickle in hand,
she stalks through the night
wearing naught but her mark and silver blade.
The moonchild of ruin, she becomes Wolfsbane.
“According to my interpretation,” Mero concluded, “she must be marked.”
Menessos breathed deep. Releasing it, he said, “Your interpretation is bullshit.”
Mero’s brows rose in surprise.
Goliath struggled to keep a laugh from getting out.
“The Witch Elders Council will not stand for their Lustrata to be marked by the Excelsior,” Menessos said. “Would you risk a war?”
--------------------
Opening the closet there, Beverley dug straight to the back where the item she wanted was stored. Her little hands grasped the cold sides of the rock-board and she pulled. It was heavy and the cast on her arm made the task more difficult. She lost her grip on the slate—the bottom edge dropped onto the top of her foot.
Stifling her yelp of pain, she regained her grasp and silently laid it flat on the floor before shutting the closet door. Crouching between the bed and the wall so she couldn’t be seen from the doorway, she studied all the strange symbols painted across the surface. She’d heard Seph and Celia talking about this. Great El’s slate.
They’d said that a person could talk to ghosts with this . . . and that Seph had used it to find her mother.
But how does it work?
Beverley ran her hands over the surface. Her fingers traced the lines of a symbol here, there. They tingled like the fine lines of her fingerprint weren’t so fine after all.
She studied her index finger, then compared it to her other hand’s index finger. If one tingles . . . what does two do? She picked two symbols she liked that were side by side and put her fingertips to the slate. Carefully, slowly, she traced both. The tingling began immediately and resonated through her hands and into her wrists. Suddenly, some force grabbed her hands. She gasped and tried to pull away, but it just squeezed tighter.
It dragged her fingers along to one symbol, then on to another. She watched in horror as all her fingers were pulled across the board, each finger moving independently. The more symbols she traced, the more the tingling increased. It became like a fire inside her skin, swelling up through her thin arms, crackling through the broken bone.
It hurt. It hurt so bad. She drew a breath to scream—
—and then it felt good.
It wasn’t hot, merely warm. It wasn’t warmth like summer, though, not something a thermometer would show. This was warmth of another kind. The kind only a heart could feel. She felt so . . .
Loved.
A shimmer flashed across the surface of the board.
She whispered, “Mommy?”
Shattered Circle
Persephone Alcmedi
Linda Robertson
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN-10: 1451648936
ISBN-13: 978-1451648935
JUST YOUR AVERAGE MEGA-WITCH. . . .
It’s tough being a modern woman, but Persephone Alcmedi has it worse than most. Being the prophesied Lustrata has kicked her career as a witch into high gear, and juggling a wærewolf boyfriend who is about to become king of his kind and a seductive vampire who bears her magical Mark isn’t easy either.
Still, Seph’s beloved foster daughter, Beverley, is causing more trouble than these two men put together. The young girl’s been playing with a magical artifact that’s far more dangerous than she realizes. Now Seph must summon help from a mystical being so potent that even vampires fear him . . . and the cost of his aid may be more than she’s willing to pay. Seph, Johnny, and Menessos face threats from all sides—and a few from within. Will the forces of destiny cement their tenuous supernatural union, or shatter it forever?
Simon and Schuster Amazon BN BooksaMillion IndieBound
Linda Robertson is the mother of four wonderful boys, owns three electric guitars, and is followed around by a big dog named after Bela Lugosi. Once upon a time she was a lead guitarist in a heavy metal cover band and has worked as a graphic artist. She still composes and creates art, when time permits. Linda currently writes and rocks in northeast Ohio. Visit her at AuthorLindaRobertson.com and @authorLinda
http://www.authorlindarobertson.com/
http://www.facebook.com/authorlindarobertson
For more of Linda Robertson's Shattered Circle visit the following sites...
http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/
Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's
http://mnmrheinlander.com
Happy Tails and Tales
http://magluvsya03.wordpress.com
Storm Goddess Book Reviews
http://stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Deal Sharing Aunt
www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books
http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/
Books, Books The Magical Fruit
http://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com
Books & Beauty
http://janieraeldridge.blogspot.com
Romancing the Dark Side
http://romancingthedarkside.blogspot.com
On the Broomstick
http://onthebroomstick.blogspot.com/
Andi’s Book Reviews
http://andisbookreviews.blogspot.com
Intoxicated by Books
http://intoxicatedbybooks.blogspot.com
Place of Reads Book Blog
http://placeofreeds.blogspot.com
Victoria Danann
www.Victoriadanann.me
My Guilty Obsession
http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com/
Interview
Immortality & Beyond
www.imortylcafe.com
Monday, January 28, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Lindsay J. Pryor
Review of Blood Shadows by Lindsay J. Pryor
Blood Shadows extract – taken from Chapter One
…
He appeared from behind her.
His movements were swift and accurate: snatching the gun from her hand, in the same instant he forced her face-first up against the wall, her earpiece hitting the ground.
She caught her breath, pressed her palms and knee to the wall in preparation to push back but his hard body was already against hers, his power reminding her that the strength she had in spirit was absolutely no match for the supposedly three hundred-year-old six-foot vampire who had her pinned to the wall as easily as he would a sheet of paper. And as she felt the tip of her own gun press below her ribs, she knew all four shots of the potent sedative, too powerful for the human body, would end it all for her.
Just like that.
But instead of firing, his soft lips brushed her ear, the arrogant upward curl of those enticing bow lips as clear in her mind as if he were facing her. He tutted playfully, his low rasp raking beneath her skin. ‘A little girl doing a man’s job – bound to end in tears.’
Caitlin clenched her fists. Brovin and Morgan had to be less than a minute away. She had to stall him. Her instinct was to try to reach back and catch his wrist. All she needed was her fingers on his pulse point and she’d finally know those dark recesses that no expert could reach – information she so desperately needed. But she knew she wouldn’t have enough time to wait for that painfully slow vampire heartbeat, even if she was in a position to get to him. There was only one way she was going to get the time with him that she wanted and needed.
‘Kane Malloy, I’m detaining you under section 3.4 of the Vampire Disciplinary Clause…’
He laughed, deep, guttural, terse. ‘You’re detaining me?’
‘On twenty-one alleged accounts of crimes against members of the third species including your own, thirty-two against humans…’
‘Delusional as well as reckless. Are you seriously the best they’ve got?’
‘It’s over, Kane.’
‘You breathe too fast to be convincing,’ he goaded.
‘You don’t breathe enough to judge me.’
He exhaled curtly. Panic jolted through her as he deftly unclasped the belt threaded through her jeans. To her disgust, for the first time on any tracking operation, she froze.
Kill her? Yes, of course the thought had crossed her mind. No matter how unbelievable or surreal it seemed, she had known it was a possibility. But rape? With her colleagues closing in there was no way even Kane would have the arrogance to attempt it in the minutes, maybe even seconds he had left.
But this was Kane. And if he wanted to leave a message for the VCU, a dead and violated tracker would ring loud and clear.
The fact she'd even got this close would be insult too much for his ego.
She snapped back a breath as he yanked her belt through the loops. And as his heel cracked the buckle, destroying the only way the VCU could locate her, she knew it was about to get worse.
Her phone followed next, removed from her back pocket by his stealthy fingers.
‘You’re lucky you serve a purpose,’ he said, combing her hair back over her shoulder.
Her heart pounded painfully. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘You’re the one who’s obsessed with me – what do you think?’
As he traced the back of his cool fingers tenderly down her exposed neck, a caress more sensual than she would have thought possible for someone with such renowned brutality, Caitlin held her breath. She was stunned by her own involuntary arousal, suppressing it with every iota of conviction she had.
‘I think you’d better walk away,’ she said, battling to get her focus back on the job. ‘Or give yourself up.’
‘Not going to happen, Caitlin.’ Pressing the tranquiliser gun tighter into her side, Kane made her wince, his reputation restored. ‘Question is, are you going to walk out of here co-operatively or am I going to have to carry you?’
Blood Shadows
Blackthorn Series Book One
Lindsay J. Pryor
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Bookouture
ISBN: 9781909490000
ASIN: B00AAMO252
Cover Artist: Henry Steadman
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/PKxHJfXeqW0
Amazon Apple Kobo
Barnes and Noble Sony ebooks
Book Description:
For vengeance - would you trust a vampire?
For justice - could you betray your family?
For love - are you ready to question everything you believe in?
Gifted with the ability to read the shadows of ‘third species’ beings, Caitlin Parish is the Vampire Control Unit’s most powerful agent. Despite that, her mission to hunt down Kane Malloy – a master vampire – comes with a death wish. Many have tried, but few have survived.
For Caitlin, tracking Kane is about more than just professional reputation. With her parents both mysteriously killed 7 years apart to the day, Caitlin knows that without Kane’s help she is next.
She has four days to make a deal with the wicked, the irresistible, the treacherous Kane Malloy. The vampire who despises everything she stands for.
Or die.
You can read the first three chapters on Scribd for free:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/113060932/Blood-Shadows-FREE-extract
Check Out What Readers Have to Say About Blood Shadows:
“Lindsay J. Pryor easily earns a place alongside Paranormal Romance's best writers!” ~ Michele Hauf
“An incredible voice for paranormal.” ~ Rhyannon Byrd
“I drooled on my keyboard.”
“Wow! This is just soooo good.”
“Utterly captivating.”
“Flawless, tight, sensual, electrifying!”
“Tell Kane he can have my soul RIGHT NOW!”
“Every moment was dripping with tension.”
“I forgot to blink.”
“Girl, you can WRITE! And you can write sexxxy!”
“Fang-a-licious!”
“I nearly fainted when he removed her belt.”
“The sexual tension is off the charts.”
“After Kenyon’s Zarek, I thought I’d never fall for another bad boy again...”
“Jaw-droppingly good... I’d want to shout ‘Bite Me!’”
About the Author:
Lindsay J. Pryor is a British Paranormal Romance author who writes dark, intense stories set in the dystopian world of Blackthorn.
Her trademark powerful vampire heroes and utterly combustible sensual romances have earned Lindsay comparisons with both J.R Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon.
A finalist in Mills & Boon’s New Voices competition in both 2010 and 2011, Lindsay has already proved a smash hit with readers.
Comments like “Utterly captivating”, “Jaw-droppingly good”, “Awesome”, “I forgot to blink”, “The sexual tension is off the charts”, “I nearly fainted when he removed her belt”, “I drooled on my keyboard” and even “Tell Kane he can have my soul RIGHT NOW!” convinced Lindsay she just might have what it took to become a published author.
With the launch of Blood Shadows, that dream is now a reality. Her journey to published author though has been a long one.
Lindsay has been creating stories since she was nine years old, when she quickly decided that fantasy was more interesting than reality. She thought she’d grow out of it but hasn’t yet.
Despite years of bashing out stories on an old typewriter, it was the death of her father in 2007 that finally convinced Lindsay to try and become a published author.
“One of the last things my dad said to me was to do what I wanted to do in life. After he passed away, I pulled out all my scribbles from over the years and got back to writing what I loved most – paranormal romance.”
If reviews are anything to go by, it was a journey well worth making.
www.lindsayjpryor.com
www.twitter.com/lindsayjpryor
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lindsay-J-Pryor/198097463659257
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6583988.Lindsay_J_Pryor
http://www.pinterest.com/lindsayjpryor
Kane has plans for Caitlin too and she falls right into his trap. Ms. Pryor gives us a story filled with mystery and betrayal that will kept me turning the pages to find out is really going on with Kane the master vampire. And the tension between Caitlin and Kane is hot.
Ms. Pryor created a world that will make me think - yes that could happen - humans can be more devious then the predators. This story is filled with twists and turns, you must add it to your to read list.
Goodreads page for the giveaway of 5 signed copies of Blood Shadows:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16293064-blood-shadows
More of the Tour...
January 25 Interview and review
Marked By Books
http://markedbybooks.blogspot.com
Goodreads page for the giveaway of 5 signed copies of Blood Shadows:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16293064-blood-shadows
More of the Tour...
January 25 Interview and review
Marked By Books
http://markedbybooks.blogspot.com
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
M.L. Ryan
Excerpt by M.L. Ryan and Review...
When I read the book description I thought - well this may be an okay story at least the "man stuck in an ebook reader" aspect was different. And I also thought that it would be a sappy romance novel maybe with a love triangle. And then I started reading it... and fell in love with the character Hailey and her co-workers - whoa!
From the first chapter to the last there is something to laugh or smile at while reading. M. L. Ryan came up with a hilarious story about Hailey's last job and why she wasn't working there anymore - that's where I got hooked into the story. I thought if the story starts out this crazy then it's for me. I was right.
The book is written in a casual language that feels more conversational like - meaning... It's fun and easy to read. I like the humor, the mystery, and the adventure - even the not so sexy parts. Don't pass this one by - you have got to read it.
As I lay in the darkness, it occurred to me that I must be the most boring single 30 year-old ever. I didn’t go out much, I ate crappy food. I couldn’t even remember the score of the games I just watched.
This was not how I had imagined myself at this point in my life. Had my marriage not crashed and burned, we probably would have a baby by now. Yeah, and I would still be married to an asstard. He probably would have spawned asstardlets. I just wanted to feel like my life was going somewhere, like I was accomplishing something. Rolling over on my side, I vowed to try to get myself together and move forward.
When I finally fell asleep, I dreamt I went on my first post-divorce date. The guy took me to a fancy restaurant, ordered lots of food and expensive wine and then ditched me for the voluptuous hostess. I was presented with the check but lacked any means of paying it. After negotiating a payment plan with the restaurant owner, which involved allowing him to indulge his foot fetish with my pinkie toes and some flavored whipped cream, I left the place and got into my car, which was really weird, because my date drove.
There in the parking lot were dine-and-dash and the hostess, groping each other with utter abandon. I revved up the engine, threw the car into drive and peeled out towards them. The headlights illuminated their stunned faces as I spun the car sharply, rolled down the window and chucked a lit Molotov cocktail - made from the empty wine bottle from dinner - at them and sped off humming the theme to “The Lion King.”
I woke up thinking I must be making progress. Usually in my dreams I ran them over after I set them on fire.
Special OffersBook One
Coursodon Dimension Series
M.L. Ryan
Paperback
ISBN: 978-0615672762
retail $8.99
Amazon.com
eBook
$2.99
Amazon.com
Smashwords.com
Book Description:
As soon as Hailey Parrish discovered her husband was cheating with her co-worker, she swore off men. She had to find another job when her boss went to prison for being a pimp in his spare time. Three years later. Hailey still hadn’t gone on a date and she milks chinchilla for a living. Her life is about to get weirder.
While in pursuit of inter-dimensional miscreants who use their arcane powers to prey upon humans, Sebastian Kess was ambushed and mortally wounded. To save his life, he used his own magic to convert his soul to binary code and transfer it into Hailey’s soon-to-be shipped Kindle eBook reader. When Hailey inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined.
Hailey must come to grips with the existence of the parallel dimension of Coursodon and the realization that magically inclined non-humans walk the world while dealing with Sebastian’s arrogant banter in her head. Her predicament also introduces her to another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-herdreams Alex Sunderland.
The action moves from Hailey’s hometown of Tucson, Arizona to New England and across Europe as she and Alex try to return Sebastian to his own body while staying one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is.
Special Offers, the first book of the Coursodon Dimension Series, combines paranormal romance, urban fantasy, a bit of science fiction and a healthy dose of quirky humor.
Amazon: (Kindle and paperback)
Smashwords: (ePub for Nook, iPad, Kobo)
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About the Author:
Scientist by day, paranormal romance-urban fantasy author by night, M.L. Ryan is a professional woman - which is not to say that she gave up her amateur status, but rather that she is over-educated with a job that reflects her one-time reluctance to leave school and get "real" work – and she spends a lot of time in that profession reading highly technical and dry material. In an attempt to strengthen the other side of her brain, M.L decided to write some of the many stories rolling around in her head. M.L. Ryan lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and teenage son, four cats, two dogs and two adopted desert tortoises.
Webpage: The Coursodon Dimension
Blog: Random Thoughts from a Self-Publishing Virgin
Twitter: @MLRyan1
Paranormal Romance…Things that go bump in the night, things that go hump in the night…
Amazon: (Kindle and paperback)
Smashwords: (ePub for Nook, iPad, Kobo)
About the Author:
Scientist by day, paranormal romance-urban fantasy author by night, M.L. Ryan is a professional woman - which is not to say that she gave up her amateur status, but rather that she is over-educated with a job that reflects her one-time reluctance to leave school and get "real" work – and she spends a lot of time in that profession reading highly technical and dry material. In an attempt to strengthen the other side of her brain, M.L decided to write some of the many stories rolling around in her head. M.L. Ryan lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and teenage son, four cats, two dogs and two adopted desert tortoises.
Webpage: The Coursodon Dimension
Blog: Random Thoughts from a Self-Publishing Virgin
Twitter: @MLRyan1
Paranormal Romance…Things that go bump in the night, things that go hump in the night…
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Jade Hart
An Interview with Jade Hart and review of Ocean Kills
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Come join me in welcoming Jade Hart to Cloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuff. I am so happy to share her book Ocean Kills with you and am very happy to have Ms hart here to share her writing process with us today.
Cloey: When did you become interested in writing?
Jade: I was homeschooled in Hong Kong and part of my lessons were daily creative writing lessons. They were my favourite part. Plus, I was a terrible book-worm. I was grounded many times for reading at the table. It was a no brainer that I’d end up writing for my career.
Cloey: What inspired you to write Ocean Kills?
Jade: I’ve always liked darker books. And wanted to create a character who was heavily flawed, and survived a past that might have broken so others. Ocean and her vigilante ways are slightly different to normal heroines, and Callan – the love interest – really grew on me until he became just as important as Ocean.
Cloey: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Jade: Not sure about a message, Just good versa evil and lots of areas of gray. For instance, Ocean kills a man involved in a sex ring in South Africa. He’s a bad man and ruined many girls lives, but killing is wrong too. When does it become okay for one bad act to be acceptable?
Cloey: Who was your favorite character and who was your least favorite character to develop and why?
Jade: My favorite character was Ocean, but Callan is a very very close second. Love those two. I also adore Maurice, Ocean’s adoptive father. He is a very dear man. The least favourite character was Atsu Bazeer – the sex trafficking overlord. Writing him wasn’t fun.
Cloey: What did you enjoy most about writing Ocean Kills?
Jade: I loved getting into different headspaces. Ocean Kills is told in alternate POV’s and it was refreshing writing from Callan’s mind after being in Ocean’s seeing as she deals with a lot of issues.
Cloey: What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing the story to life?
Jade: The main challenge was researching the sex industry. Finding out what happened to women captured and making sure my facts were correct. It was hard to read about the truth of what happens to innocent girls and women.
Cloey: What are you working on now?
Jade: I’m currently working on Ocean Slays (book two of Ocean Breeze) and Coffee and Cockpits. A NA Contemp Romance about a flight attendant who likes the copilot and the engineer and can’t decide who to have, and ends up having both. It’s fun and quirky. (Can be found on Goodreads).
Cloey: What do you like to read in your free time?
Jade: I read a lot of self-published work and love how many awesome titles are coming from people who did it all themselves. I also like to read series. I’ve just finished reading the Faefever seires by Karen Marie Moning.
Cloey: Share with us something about yourself that we wouldn't see in your bio or on any other blogs (this can be anything from the type of music you like, your favorite color, or even your favorite meal - share whatever you want your fans to know about you).
Jade: Umm, something no one else knows… that’s hard! Oh I know, a lot of my work is based on facts from my own life. For example, a lot of the hotels, restaurants, locations in Ocean Kills are based on real life places. The sushi restaurant at the beginning is mirror image to the one I ate at in Kings Cross. And Callan’s apartment in Bondi Beach is my old apartment when I lived there. I find it adds authenticity if I’ve been, seen, heard and smelt.
Thanks so much for having me.
A Sexy New Adult Urban Fantasy that takes place in exotic locations, follows a kick-ass heroine, and a swoon-worthy hero. Warning - contains sex
Excerpt: Thanks so much
A Sexy New Adult Urban Fantasy that takes place in exotic locations, follows a kick-ass heroine, and a swoon-worthy hero. Warning - contains sex
Excerpt: Thanks so much
Chapter
One:
Ocean
My
name is Ocean Breeze. Yep. Ocean freakin'
Breeze. It was my mom's attempt at some posh-sounding name. She was
inspired by—get this—a bottle of toilet air-freshener. My heart
squeezed at the thought of the cookie-scented woman with hugs as warm
as sunshine.
The
sound of my Nikes pummeling the pavement chased away my thoughts, and
the slapping of rubber against asphalt was similar to the slap the
last prostitute-abusing john gave me. Stinking bastard. No one raises
a hand to Ocean Breeze without losing an appendage. Or more, as the
case may be.
I
swiped my hands on my red vinyl miniskirt. It wasn't exactly an
attractive outfit—Nikes with a miniskirt? But I'd learned the hard
way. Running in heels never worked. Ever. The sleazy men who paid for
sex didn't care what was on my feet, only what was between them.
I
jumped and jived through the crowd. It was two in the morning, and
the streets of Kings Cross, Sydney, were a hive of activity. Drunken
students hauled themselves from karaoke clubs. Rich business men
back-slapped each other for the lap dance from the uni-student, who
pocketed their tips to pay for her law degree. This place was full of
clichés and smut.
And
I loved it.
I
could disappear here. I was a nobody. Even boasting a pair of ruby
lips and a figure that could've graced the center fold of Playboy, I
didn’t stand out. Beauty was coveted in the Cross, and plastic
surgery was the salvation if nature didn’t do the work.
So
why was I running?
I
just killed a guy. That's why.
I
bolted past the three-story-sized Coca-Cola advertisement, blazing
red and white, and disappeared into an alley full of meth-heads and
crack whores. I leaped over comatose figures, sprinting toward the
city center. Keep
running. Get far away.
The
night was heavy with muggy heat, unusual for this time of year, and
sweat made my miniskirt slide against my thighs.
Kings
Cross embraced sin and naughtiness—the suburb encouraged unleashed
pleasure and endless partying. It also encouraged rapists and
murderers who lurked in the shadows. . . waiting.
A
flash of blue and red lights.
Sirens.
Fuck!
I pirouetted and charged down another alley, passing a gay club
blasting Kylie Minogue. Ugh.
“You!
Stop!”
Yeah,
no chance of that, fat douche.
I flipped him the bird and kept running. He jumped back in his
cruiser and gave chase. Lazy
bastard.
Too many kebabs and doughnuts for that slob. He wouldn't catch me. No
one ever caught me.
My
ruby lips curved. I loved the chase. I loved the kill. Well, that
wasn’t entirely true. I didn’t enjoy murdering someone, but I did
enjoy the knowledge that he’d never hurt another. My cut throat
actions saved other would-be victims. Plus, that john deserved it.
Memories
overtook my vision. Heavy
breath on my cheek, rancid smell as he slobbered on my neck. Then
warm, oozing blood as my weapon of convenience—a long skinny oyster
knife—buried deep in the man's groin. Ridding him of a vital piece
of his anatomy and draining his body of crimson. One moment alive,
the next—not. Then rushed practicality: Dispose of my surgical
gloves. Wipe the corpse with antiseptic wipes. Remove the man's DNA,
fingerprints, and blood from my body.
Adrenaline
spiked, dousing my already overloaded system. My heart thudded as
fast as the bass at a techno club. The pavement flickered and I
stumbled.
No,
not now!
My vision danced like a mirage. I no longer had control of my body.
Sirens
were closer, screeching in my ears. Keep
moving, Ocean! For freakin' sake, move!
No
amount of yelling could stop the migraine from consuming me. I
screamed and clutched my temples, slamming to the concrete. The
sidewalk danced under my phantasm goggles, no longer acting like rock
and tar, but candy floss and gossamer. I'm
going. I'm going. . .
Cold
claws grasped my bare shoulders. “You're coming with us.”
Ocean Breeze Series Book One
Genre: new adult sexy urban fantasy
Number of pages: 344
Word Count: 97,000
Goodreads
Book Description:
Around the world, murderers and rapists pick off the innocent. Killing loved ones, separating families, and ruining lives.
As an eight-year-old girl, Ocean witnessed her family’s massacre and something altered inside her. Twisting her genetic code… unlocking an ability to teleport.
Ocean Breeze was never destined to be normal, especially being named after air-freshener. She’s a shadow, a ghost—a dark savior of the innocent. Armed with a switchblade in her bra, and a box-cutter in her pocket, she hunts the filth of the world.
Callan Bliss is a Sydney Police Officer whose skill set is far above a normal cop. All his fellow officers see is a hard-worker who loves to catch perpetrators and surf, but that’s because they don’t know his past. When Callan arrests a suspicious looking prostitute, coming face to face with a self-confessed vigilante, his secrets aren’t that easy to keep silent anymore.
Ocean hates the police with a passion, and has no intention of being held captive by a cop, even if he is sexy as hell. Teleporting from under his nose, Ocean hunts her next target—a man responsible for the largest sex ring in South Africa—and he’s about to die. But she doesn’t count on Callan giving chase, nor the body-quaking lust which consumes them. However, Ocean's dark hobbies take precedence over what her heart wants—her thirst for murdering is killing her too, and not even Callan can save her.
Author Bio:
Jade Hart is a self-confessed book worm who is happiest glued to a lap-top with an eternal battery life, and typing up stories running rampant in her head.
Her three favorite things are:
1. Unlimited books on an Ebook Reader
2. Cracking the sugar on a creme brulee
3. Travelling
She writes New Adult 'smexy' fiction.
www.dreamwritepublish.blogspot.com
www.falling4fiction.blogspot.com
Twitter: @jadehart8
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JadeHartAuthorPage
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6544592.Jade_Hart
Ocean Breeze and Callen Bliss are two of a kind. Both like fighting the bad guys, don't have a problem if the criminal dies, and never follow procedures. When they met they had an instant attraction but because of the circumstances of their introductions it was too weird for Ocean to pursue any type of relationship with Callen so the chase begins.
The thing that kept me turning the pages was my desire to see how they were going to get together. It is a romance novel so I already knew they were going to get together but both of them were very powerful in their particular skill sets. They would make an awesome partnership but as a couple well, I needed to see how the story was going to end. Ms. Hart kept the story interesting and created two badass characters that kept the story going and the ending was excellent. I would recommend adding this book to your library for a quick and entertaining read.
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