AUTHOR'S CORNER - Author Ambushes...
So, what's an Author Ambush? An Author Ambush is our variation on a guest post. What's special about it? We pose it like the author takes over the site for the day, and therefore, absolutely ANYTHING goes! :) We've had a little bit of everything over the years - character interviews, inspiration posts, exclusive excerpts, top 10 lists, playlist breakdowns, random posts about bacon (seriously!) and more. So, take a peek and see what our most recent V.I.Ps had to say when they ambushed the site:
Welcome to the SMOKE AND FIRE Blog Tour!
To celebrate the release of SMOKE AND FIRE and the season of Spring, there is also a DRAGON EGG HUNT going on throughout the tour! Exciting, right? Certain stops throughout the tour will have something special to share with you which will provide you with an extra entry for the giveaway. Just like a traditional egg hunt, you're going to have to search for these items/information!! Find out more information about the Dragon Egg Hunt at the bottom of the post!
But first, a little bit about the book and series...
Smoke and Fire
DARK KINGS Book #10
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy (tomorrow, 4/5!) from Amazon / B&N / BAM / iBooks / Kobo / Audible
She wanted to touch him. There had always been something about being in his arms that made her feel as if she could tackle anything and the world wouldn’t dare get in her way…
SWORN TO PROTECT
A dragon shapeshifter and a computer mastermind, Ryder is sent to guard Glasgow after a devastating Dark attack. But when memories of an explosive affair come back to him-in the flesh-Ryder cannot help but want to protect the woman who haunts his dreams. Even if means shifting into the dragon he was never supposed to reveal…
DRIVEN TO DESIRE
Kinsey could never get enough of Ryder. His every touch only left her wanting more. But now that she’s seen him in his true form, Kinsey’s world is rocked to the core. She knows that to stay-and feel-alive, she must be with Ryder. But is Kinsey’s passion worth the risk of danger that comes with being a part of Ryder’s dark and fierce world?
SMOKE AND FIRE Excerpt
Ryder sat back and blew out a breath, feeling a flutter of nerves. He laced his fingers behind his head and only realized then that Dmitri was still in the room. He slid his gaze to Dmitri.
“What are you up to?” Dmitri asked. “You know that lass. I could see it on your face. If you have Tristan bring her up here, you’ll feel Con’s wrath.”
Ryder dropped his hands to the arms of his chair. “That occurs all the time, and I do know Kinsey. I’m no’ yet sure why she’s here. But I aim to find out.”
“Meaning?” Dmitri urged.
“We were lovers three years ago. Until I realized that I’d fallen in love with her. I didna want anyone to know that our spell preventing us from feeling deeply for humans no longer worked with me.”
Dmitri leaned forward, his brow furrowed deeply. “That was around the time Hal fell in love with Cassie.”
“Cassie arrived at Dreagan right after I returned from Glasgow.”
“All right,” Dmitri said as he rubbed his jaw. “So you fell in love before Hal. No’ a big deal.”
Ryder lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I suppose no’. No’ compared to her seeing me in dragon form a few weeks ago when I was in Glasgow to protect the city from the Dark invasion.”
“Oh, fuck.”
Anger crackled through him every time he thought about how close Kinsey came to dying that night. If Ryder hadn’t been there, she would’ve been taken by the Dark, her soul drained. “There was a Dark after her. I shifted into human form to help her. Unfortunately, she saw it all.”
“And?” Dmitri pressed with a brown brow raised.
Ryder looked at the screens, following Kinsey from one to the other as Tristan walked her to the manor. “I’ve never seen anyone so terrified before.”
“Of the Dark?”
Ryder wished. That night still haunted him. No matter how many times he thought over what happened, there hadn’t been another way to save her. “Of me. I can still hear her scream before she ran away.”
“So she doesna know you’re here?”
“I doona believe so. She’d rather walk through the fires of Hell than be anywhere near me.”
Dmitri sat there for a moment before he gave a slow shake of his head. “You’re having Tristan bring her to you, are you no’?”
“I am.”
“That . . . could be a bad move.”
“It probably is.” In more ways than one.
AUTHOR AMBUSH GUEST POST:
The many styles of Rhi...
Because a Fae always dresses up, even if she is going to a friend's house.
Flirty, and fun. Rhi to a T!
A Fae must have the perfect dress for all those parties at the Light Palace where she's expected to attend.
Perfect for strolling the streets of Italy on a moonlit night.
This is what she'd wear to do battle, because, well, she's Rhi. :D
I mentioned earlier in the post that there is a DRAGON EGG HUNT
*COMMENTS FOR THE EVENT CAN BE LEFT HERE!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Donna Grant is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the sizzling Dark King series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.
She was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding.
Despite deadlines and voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two children, four cats, and one long haired Chihuahua.
Author Links: Website / FB Author Page / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest / Tumblr /Audible / Tantor
Hello my literal addicts!
I’m here today to promote and celebrate the new book of the SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK series by Faith Hunter.
New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter writes dark urban fantasy and paranormal thrillers, including the SKINWALKER series featuring Jane Yellowrock, and the series. series, featuring rogue-vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock, and the ROGUE MAGE series, a post-apocalyptic, alternate reality series, featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. She has a new series under wraps.
Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she also writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers.
You can keep up with Faith online at her Website, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on GoodReads.
For those of you not yet familiar with the JANE YELLOWROCK/SKINWALKER series, I have everything you need below to get caught up, but let me tell you about the new release first...
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #10
Releases 4/5/16!
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Pre-Order from Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | iBooks | Kobo
Slaying vampires is child’s play for skinwalker Jane Yellowrock. But handling the complicated politics of New Orleans’ supernatural players is another story...
Jane is keeping the peace between visiting groups of witches and vamps in the city, but then trouble comes knocking on her doorstep. When her house is magically attacked, the wild chase to find her assailants unearths a mystery that has literally been buried deep.
A missing master vampire, presumed long deceased, is found chained in a pit...undead, raving mad, and in the company of two human bodies. Now it’s up to Jane to find out who kept the vampire hidden for so long and why, because the incident could tip already high supernatural tensions to an all-out arcane war.
GUEST POST BY FAITH HUNTER:
IT’S JUST A DATE Part SIXFrom the world of Jane YellowrockCopyright Faith HunterThe sound of sirens arriving was crisp on the air. Shouting. Bright lights, purpled by the odd cloud. The restaurant wasn’t empty. I could still smell Bruiser and humans at the front, and Eli and Sylvia at the back. It made sense. Someone had to coordinate the response teams, which meant Jodi and Wrassler would be outside with the populace and the first responders. Syl, the chief of police from Natchez, wasn’t leaving Eli, and Eli and Bruiser weren’t leaving me. Crap.Two thirds of their concern was stupid. Bruiser and I weren’t human. We were more likely to withstand magical attack than a human. Eli and Syl were human, and were just as likely to die from magic as any other human, well trained solder and cop or not. Military and paramilitary measures were no help against magical workings.Worse, the wall of spelled purple smoke was growing, expanding. It had filled the hallway, the restaurant, and was moving into the kitchen. It should have dissolved and dispersed after Commander and Mrs. Walker left the scene. But … it was getting bigger. So maybe it had a secondary target.My cell dinged and I risked a glance at the screen. Molly had sent a text. “Does it have eyes? Claws? Fangs? How man?”I texted back, “No. Is filling space. O2 replacement?” I was asking if it intended to suffocate us. Then, the purple-smoke-cloud-spell shifted, roiling, as if blown back by a slow wind. It changed shape. I texted, “Now see claws. See fangs. One set.”“It’s after you?” she texted back, guessing the same thing I had.“Ducky,” I muttered, pocketing the cell. I shouted, “Bruiser, Eli, Sylvia, get outta here. NOW!”From the front of the restaurant I saw a flash of gold, like a sizzling length of horizontal lightning. The kind that goes cloud to cloud, not heavens to ground. And through the air I heard cursing and sound of pain. Then the footsteps of half a dozen human holdouts as they finally took Bruiser’s word and skedaddled.*THE FIRST PARTS OF THE STORY CAN BE FOUND AT THE OTHER TOUR STOPS!
*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review
Make sure to check out the rest of the series, as well...
Skinwalker
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #1
Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she’s been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie’s Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who’s killing other vamps…
Mercy Blade
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #3
Jane, a shapeshifting vampire-hunter-for-hire, crosses paths with a stranger who has arrived in New Orleans, enlisted to hunt vampires who have gone insane-or so he says…
Death’s Rival
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #5
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 5 Skull Review HERE
Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross – especially if you’re one of the undead…
For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to…a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane.
But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 5 Skull Review HERE
Black Arts
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #7
*Read LITERAL ADDICTIONS’s 4 1/2 Skull Review HERE
Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost…
When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.
Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced.
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION's 5 Skull Review HERE
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #9/7/15!
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon | B&N | IndiBound | iBooks | Kobo
They sound utterly fantastic right!? They absolutely are! Don’t miss out and make sure you add them to your TBR and find them from your favorite bookseller as soon as you can if you have not yet taken the Jane Yellowrock ride.
GIVEAWAY:
*COMMENTS FOR THE POST CAN BE LEFT HERE
Hi everyone!
LITERAL ADDICTION is thrilled to be helping the wonderful Donna Grant celebrate tomorrow's release of Dark Alpha's Embrace, REAPER #2!
Donna Grant is the award winning author of more than forty novels spanning multiple genres of romance – Scottish Medieval, historical, dark fantasy, time travel, erotic, and paranormal.
Donna was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin' and bareback riding.
Her childhood dream was to become a professional ballet dancer and study under the amazing Mikhail Baryshnikov. Though she never got to meet Baryshnikov, she did make it to New York City and performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Later, Donna’s love of the romance genre and the constant stories running through her head prompted her to sit down and write her first book. Once that book was completed, there was no turning back.
Despite the deadlines and her voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two young children, three cats, and one long haired Chihuahua. She’s blessed with a proud, supportive husband who’s learned to cook far more than frozen chicken nuggets.
You can find Donna online at her Website as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.
If you're new to the REAPER series, let me tell you a little bit about it. It's a spin-off of Donna's highly popular DARK KINGS series and focuses on the Fae.
Dark Alpha's Claim
REAPER Book #1
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo
There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I am coming for you...
My whole existence is based on taking what Death wants. Born to eliminate Fae guilty of unforgivable crimes, my reckless, wild nature makes me the perfect assassin to carry out Death's bidding. I've seen more sinister and violent dealings than anyone could ever imagine. But it was the sight of her face that stopped me cold. I've never wanted a woman-never mind a human-so badly; never felt my heart, hardened by death, burn brighter and hotter until it burst into flames. She is everything I desire. The kind of woman that compels you to stake your claim on her, to let the world know that she's yours. A Reaper saving her life will only attract danger, but I vow to protect her at all costs from the Fae that hunt her, and keep safe the woman who has claimed me, body and soul.
Dark Alpha's Embrace
REAPER Book #2
COMING 2/16/16!
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks / BAM
Dark Alpha's Embrace is coming tomorrow, and for the feature today, I have a very special gift for you all. There were a very limited number of custom posts for this event, and I was lucky enough to get one. Check it this EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT!!
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:
Cael strode through the jungle of flowers. He didn’t carefully pick his way through as he usually did. This time he didn’t care if he pissed off Death—because he was too furious.
The white tower rose toward the clouds, the sunlight nearly blinding. Bees buzzed, birds chirped, the breeze rustled the leaves.
But he heard none of it.
He reached the tower and tried the metal handle. It didn’t budge. If Cael thought he could break through the oak door, he’d do it in a heartbeat. But it was fortified by Death’s magic. Nothing was getting through that Death didn’t want.
Cael took a few steps back and looked up. He saw the shutters open high above him. “You can’t keep me out forever.”
“Of course I can,” came the soft reply behind him.
He whirled around and came face-to-face with Death. One of the fiercest creatures in the universe only reached as high as his shoulders. Death wasn’t a skeleton or even a man.
Death was a woman.
She blinked at him with eyes a soft shade of lavender. Long, thick black lashes framed the unusual hue. Wide lips, full and alluring, didn’t tilt up in a smile—though that wasn’t out of the norm.
Hair as black as pitch fell past a slim waist to narrow hips. An onyx silk gown encased a figure that made his hands ache to touch. The skirt was full, as typical, with crimson edging the trim. It faded to black, mixing with the black.
He held Death’s gaze, waiting. It wouldn’t do any good to argue. Because Death never lost.
“Let me inside,” he said between clenched teeth.
Erith sighed. She turned her head to the side when a dragonfly circled her face, the sunlight glinting off its iridescent wings.
She held out her hand, and the dragonfly alit upon her palm. To his shock, Cael saw her lips tilt up in a smile. In all the thousands of years he’d known her, not once had he seen such.
As if she realized she wasn’t alone, the grin disappeared. A moment later, the dragonfly flew away. Erith slid her gaze to him. “I don’t want to beat the information out of Seamus, Cael. I want to flip him to our side.”
“He ventured into the Netherworld for Bran. Seamus isn’t going to switch sides so easily.”
Death’s head cocked to the side. “I can be very . . . persuasive . . . when needed.”
Without a doubt he knew that to be true. It only took one look for males of all species to want her. It was one of the reasons Erith kept to her own realm where no one dared to venture.
All across the universe, Death was feared. And she used it to her advantage.
“I need to see him.” The bastard needed to be gutted several times over for releasing Bran back into the world.
Death closed the distance between them and laid her palm on his chest. “Calm your anger.”
Cael stared down at her in shock. The only other time she touched him was when he became a Reaper. Erith always kept her distance from anyone and anything. Yet she was touching him now.
He could feel the warmth of her hand through his shirt, sinking into his skin. Though he couldn’t discern any magic being used, his anger began to fade.
She was so close he could see the dark purple encircling her irises. He could smell the scent of the flowers she loved so much clinging to her, as if they needed her almost as much as . . .
Cael didn’t finish the thought. He couldn’t.
How excited are you? I know I can't wait...
Make sure to enter to win 1 of 5 eCopies of Dark Alpha's Claim, book #1, below! And be sure to get your copy of Dark Alpha's Embrace tomorrow!
*Comments for the Event can be left HERE.
Hey literal addicts!
I'm here to help you celebrate all Spring has to offer with a new release from Lia Davis, A Leopard's Path, the latest ASHWOOD FALLS novel...
Lia
Davis is a mother
An accounting major, Lia has always been a dreamer with a very active imagination. The wheels in her head never stop. She ventured into the world of writing and publishing in 2008 and loves it more than she imagined. Writing is stress reliever that allows her to go off in her corner of the house and enter into another world that she created, leaving real life where it belongs.
Her favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties.
Keep up with Lia online at her
As mentioned, I'm here to tell you about A Leopard's Path, ASHWOOD FALLS book #6.
A Leopard's Path
ASHWOOD FALLS Book #6
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon Ca / B&N / Kobo / iBooks
Stolen from her family as an infant, Ana Darwin-Andrews has to piece together her past and present. Her whole life is a lie. There’s only one man she feels she can trust, but even he has secrets.
Kieran Michaels keeps a tight lid on his past, but the Onyx Alpha knows his darkest secrets. Kieran will stop at nothing to destroy the rogue before the past is revealed. Ana can never discover his hands are as bloodstained as their enemy’s, because life without her is not an option.
Be sure to check out the other ASHWOOD FALLS books, as well!
*Buy links for all the books can be found on Lia's Website!
AUTHOR AMBUSH BY LIA DAVIS:
Top sexy quotes from the Ashwood Falls series
I love writing in the Ashwood Falls world. I love each character from the heroes and heroines to the children that make an appearance from time to time. I put together some of my favorite quotes starting from the beginning.
*18+ warning. A few of the quotes are not suitable for readers under 18.*
Quote 1 from Winter Eve (Prequel)
Dear. God.
He was built like a cat, full of lean muscle and yummy. Licking her lips, she placed her palm on his chest and threaded her fingers through the dust of blond hair. He pressed into her, forcing her to lie back. When her back touched the mattress, he lifted from her and proceeded to remove her pants.
She sat back up, holding on to his wrist. “Wait.” Her heart hammered behind her ribs.
He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Do the scars get worse?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Then lie back like a good kitty.”
Quote 2 from A Tiger’s Claim (book 1)
Peering down at her, he placed a hand on her arm and her head snapped up in his direction. Her Caribbean-blue eyes darkened as her pupils narrowed into cat-like slits. Damn. It was hitting her faster than he expected. He slowly moved to get off the bed, very much aware she watched his every movement.
Finally standing, he had no time to react when she pounced on him, sending him flat on his back on the floor, her recent injury clearly not on her mind. Shayna’s deep breaths and the desire in her gaze told him there was no out. The tiger had caught her prey, and God help him, he was going to enjoy pleasing her appetite.
Quote 3 from A Mating Dance (book 2)
Silver swirled in his eyes, indicating the leopard was close to the surface. She wasn’t in the mood to fight him, not over Graham. And definitely not over mating.
She gasped as her back touched the cool tile wall. Blaine thrust his hard thigh between her legs, drawing a half-moan, half-growl from her. His mouth came down on hers hard and greedy. She relished the roughness of his touch, loving it. He always knew what she needed and when she needed it.
Right now, she needed to be dominated and taken in the way only Blaine could.
Quote 4 from Surrendering to the Alpha (book 3)
He laid down beside her and drew her into his arms and held her as the last shudder left her body. She laughed and said, “That was…”
He kissed her temple. “That was just a tease.”
She laughed again and then fell silent. He wanted to demand that she tell him what was going on inside that head of hers, but he reined in the urge.
Finally, she spoke. “You didn’t…you weren’t satisfied.”
He squeezed her closer to him. “I’m fine. Pleasuring you is enough for now.”
“But—”
He cut her off by biting down on her earlobe, which drew a squeak out of her. “No buts, Addy. Clear?”
She let out a breath, and he could hear the smile she tried to hide. “Yes, my Alpha.”
He pinched her hip and growled, “Don’t you forget it.”
Quote 5 from Divided Loyalties (book 4)
A crooked grin was his reply before he stopped inches from her, looped one arm around her, and pulled her against his body, hard. Then his mouth was on hers, his tongue pushing through the seam of her lips. One of his hands glided up her back and into her hair, where he fisted a handful and pulled just enough to bring her into submission.
God, he tasted too good, like bittersweet chocolate.
He walked her backward until he had her pinned to the trunk of a large tree. Her skin felt as though it were on fire. Every inch of her was too sensitive, her body too aware of the dominating male who held her trapped.
In that moment, she was too tired to fight. She wanted him like she’d wanted no one before. He ignited a need deep inside she couldn’t deny.
He broke the kiss and held her gaze for a brief moment. “I can’t hold back any longer.”
And she couldn't fight the pull to him anymore. Breathless, she offered him a crooked smile and said, “Then don’t.”
Quote 6 from A Leopard’s Path
He lowered his head and playfully nipped at her throat. “Of course, I’ll have to mark you.”
Her laugh turned into a startled gasp as he bit into her shoulder. A surge of power arched in the air as she wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed. With a quick thrust, he entered her, intensifying the pleasure rolling through him. He would have to claim her soon. War or no war. The urge, along with his damn leopard, would drive him mad if he didn’t.
The sting of her
nails scoring his back flared his desire, and his cock throbbed as he rocked
his hips and increased the tempo. Sex with Ana had always been great, but
starting the dance with the intent to
He released her neck and stared at the bite mark, a possessive pride filling him. Halting his motions and raising his gaze to hers, he smiled. “I love you.”
A tear slid from the corner of her eye. “I love you, too.”
The acceptance
in her words made him realize just how much he’d pushed her away in the last
few months. He was an ass and didn’t deserve her. He cupped her head, gazed
into her
Tingles skittered over his skin and seeped inside his heart. She was his, and he’d make it up to her by giving her the courtship she deserved. Even if the dance only lasted a few days.
Sound good, yeah!? :) Make sure to check them out!!
*Comments for the Event can be left HERE!
Hello my literal addicts!
I’m here today to promote and celebrate the new book of the SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK series by Faith Hunter.
New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter writes dark urban fantasy and paranormal thrillers, including the SKINWALKER series featuring Jane Yellowrock, and the series. series, featuring rogue-vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock, and the ROGUE MAGE series, a post-apocalyptic, alternate reality series, featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. She has a new series under wraps.
Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she also writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers.
You can keep up with Faith online at her Website, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on GoodReads.
For those of you not yet familiar with the JANE YELLOWROCK/SKINWALKER series, I have everything you need below to get caught up, but let me tell you about the new release first...
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #9
COMING 4/7/15!
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Pre-Order from Amazon | B&N | IndiBound | iBooks | Kobo
Then, I stop by an organic market and pick up some Goat’s Milk for making Kefir grains. And some sushi. And a red pepper. And some raw cocoa powder. It’s odd. Some days I’ll go in and come out with one thing. Other days I load up.
Back home, I prepare and eat a good lunch, check emails, and welcome the Hubs in. We have a lot of eldercare issues and Sunday is the Hub’s busiest day with his side of the family.
Then I go to work. No rest for the wicked, I guess, even on the day of rest. Today I am working on the outline on a short story/novella set in the Jane Yellowrock series. I plan for it to be about 30K words and getting all the plot points down is important. I am not a pantser (a writer who writes by the seat of her pants, going with the flow). I carefully outline every plot point. What I don’t outline is the way my characters feel about what happens around them and to them. For me, that part is a result of the writing process, not the outlining process. Does the outline always stand “as is” when I am done? Nope. Usually it goes ass over teakettle when I start writing. But the planning settles everything in my mind and prepares me to write.
I work only about 45 minutes at a time, then I get up and move around. My butt is big enough, thank you very much. Moving is good for my joints and my circulation and my overall feeling of well-being. While I move, I might get water, make tea, dust mop the wood floors, put together ingredients for bread, start dinner, or put on a load of clothes. During this move-time, the creative process continues, and I am always working out something in my subconscious, because when I sit back at the computer, the writing is almost always faster and better. Back before I would get up so often, I managed about five pages a day writing (for me that is about 1.5K to 2K words) in about 8 eight hours. Now that I stop and move, I manage about 6 or 7 pages (about 2K words) in less hours. And I get stuff done.
Because it’s Sunday, I might take a longer break to take a nap. Yes. I am a napper on Sundays. I also do not exercise on Sundays. I rest. Or what passes as rest for me. Then back to work, which I do until 8 pm or 9 pm and the Hubs comes back home and I take the time to veg out in front of the TV with a book to read. And then bed.
No, no wild parties or drinking. Nite all!
Check out the rest of Faith's Guest Posts and find out what she does the other days of the week over at the other tour stops.
When the ancient vampire witch known as the Son Of Darkness escapes from Leo’s dungeon, no one is safe. Not humans. Not the Mithrans. No one. And when the body count begins to rise, Jane has to find a way to stop a monster who seems invincible.
With the help of Beast, her partners Eli and Alex, friends, allies and semi-allies, an injured Jane goes on the hunt for what could be her final hunt.
Dark Heir starts out fast and furious, and maintains full velocity throughout. I love that each book in this series doles out a little more information regarding what makes Jane... Jane. The relationship between Jane and Beast continues to grow and well as her relationships with other characters.
Dark Heir gets 5 skulls and two thumbs up!
Make sure to check out the rest of the series, as well...
Skinwalker
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #1
Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she’s been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie’s Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who’s killing other vamps…
Mercy Blade
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #3
Jane, a shapeshifting vampire-hunter-for-hire, crosses paths with a stranger who has arrived in New Orleans, enlisted to hunt vampires who have gone insane-or so he says…
Death’s Rival
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #5
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 5 Skull Review HERE
Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross – especially if you’re one of the undead…
For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the cit of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to…a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane.
But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 5 Skull Review HERE
Black Arts
SKINWALKER/JANE YELLOWROCK Book #7
*Read LITERAL ADDICTIONS’s 4 1/2 Skull Review HERE
Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost…
When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.
Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced.
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION's 5 Skull Review HERE
They sound utterly fantastic right!? They absolutely are! Don’t miss out and make sure you add them to your TBR and find them from your favorite bookseller as soon as you can if you have not yet taken the Jane Yellowrock ride.
*COMMENTS FOR THE POST CAN BE LEFT HERE!
Hey gang!
I have something fun to announce to you all...
The much-anticipated release of Call Me Valentino has arrived. The book will be delivered to eReaders across the world. Do you have your copy on order yet?
One hero, five different worlds, which Valentino will you fall in love with? Join the Valentino craze!
Call Me Valentino, Same Hero, Different Worlds (Anthology)
Author(s): Kirsten Osbourne, Jamie Lee Scott, Hildie McQueen, Olivia Gaines and Jordan K. Rose
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks
Call Me Valentino - Fall in love this Valentine's Day as USA Today and Amazon Best Selling authors come together to bring you one sexy hero written in five different genres. Call Me Valentino uses the same hero set in five different worlds. Your new book boyfriend is a cowboy, an FBI agent, A Highland Laird, a real estate developer and even a vampire. Which Valentino will be your favorite?
The Matron by Kirsten Osbourne
Since being widowed, Cassie Morgan had devoted her life to the orphans in the orphanage she'd managed. When a new church took over the orphanage and decided to turn it into a boys' home, she was both frightened and unsure about how she would make things work for the girls. Being told she had to take fifteen young ladies all the way to Texas from New York didn't make her feel better.
Valentino Hayes had spent his entire adult life searching for the younger brother he vaguely remembered. Just after finding a lead that would send him to Fort Worth, he was offered the job of driving a bus full of orphans to Texas. He jumped at the chance, knowing he needed to not only find his brother, but work while he was searching. He didn't plan on Mrs. Morgan's love for the children to turn his head. Could he convince her to travel with him? And how was he going to provide for a wife while he was still searching for his brother?
Undercovers by Jamie Lee Scott
When FBI agent Valentino "Vin" Jackson's undercover sting operation goes bad, he teams up with Special Agent Ellis Boyd of the DEA, who has some special talents of her own, to take down a drug ring working for the Mexican cartels.
The Brute and the Blogger by Olivia Gaines
Tino Boehner was up to his ears with Ebony Miller’s pot shots at him on her blog. Just as he was trying to figure out how to turn the tables, fate dumped her in his lap. Seizing the opportunity, he made her an offer she couldn’t refuse; come work by his side for a month.
A month can be a lifetime, or just enough time to make a man want to change his brutish ways.
Highlander, The Archer by Hildie McQueen
Valent made an oath to protect the McLeod clan after they rescued him as a foundling. However, after years of mistreatments at the Lairds hands, he questions his obligation to uphold his promise.
When a rival clan attacks and kills her brothers, Ariana McLeod's world is turned upside down. That she's fallen in love with the handsome archer, Valent, is a complication and a blessing at once. Amidst battles, revelations and treachery, is it possible to expect their love to triumph?
A Vampire's Penance by Jordan K. Rose
The chain of events set in motion when Rafe Valentino tries to stop his brother from making the stupidest decision of his life borders on deadly. Rafe goes from being one of the most terrifying creatures to walk the earth to requiring around the clock nursing care. As if being physically injured wasn’t enough, the senior member of The Vampire Guard has no choice but to reveal the heinous secret of his past in order to protect nurse Maddie Van Kool from throwing away her life on him.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Kirsten Osbourne hails from the state of Wisconsin, but has lived in Texas for almost thirty years. She is a mother, a writer, and a wife. Married to the love of her life for fifteen years, she knows that true love exists and wants to share her vision of love with the world. Writing is something she has always loved and plans on doing for a long time into the future. As Kirsten Osbourne, she writes contemporary romance as well as historical. As Morganna Mayfair, she ventures into the realm of paranormal romance. She invites you to join her in her world of fantasy and make believe where there is always a happily ever after at the end. Find out more: http://www.kirstenandmorganna.com
Her new series, set in the fictional town of Uncertain, CA, will debut in Fall 2014.
Jordan loves vampires. But if you know anything about Jordan, you already know that detail. What you didn't know is that it wasn't long ago she began writing about them.
A few years back Jordan received a copy of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight from her husband as part of her anniversary gift. By the end of that week she'd read the entire series and moved onto Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. Eight weeks and eighteen vampire books later the idea for her first book, Perpetual Light came to her followed very quickly by Eva Prim.
Jordan is a member of the national Romance Writers of America organization and several chapters.
When she's not writing about one vampire or another Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken and their lovable Labrador, Dino on the beautiful beaches of New England.
The Eva Prim Series now includes two full length novels, The Demon Mistress and Prim & Proper, and four short stories. Black Magic Rose, Book One of The Alliance Series is now available. Book 2 is coming late 2014. Find out more: http://www.jordankrose.com
Behind The Curtain of Call me Valentino
By Hildie McQueen
Our group of five authors planned and plotted to do a Valentine's Day anthology, but needed something to bring all the stories together. A common thread that will weave each novella and bring them into a theme surrounding Valentine's Day is an easy thing. Coming up with something not done before...not so easy.
The "what if?" came with the conception of my muse, the hero for my story. As I toyed with the idea of a Highlander named Valent, archer, of course (queue the cupid reference) the muse said. "Why can't I be the common thread? Put me in each of the author's hands and I will play whatever role they put me in." What a smart guy that Valentino.
Hence, I take full credit because he can't since technically he is imaginary. I hope that you can catch glimpses of the same character in each story as he is thrown into different arenas to conquer our reader's minds and hearts.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Valentino. Same Hero, Different Worlds.
In The Matron, Kirsten Osbourne's Valentino is a Cowboy in the 1800s
In Undercovers Jamie Lee Scott's Valentino is a modern day Detective
In The Brute and the Blogger Olvia Gaine's Valentino is a real estate developer
In The Vampire's Penance Jordan K. Rose's Valentino is a vampire in Central City
Lastly in Highlander, The Archer, my Valentino is a Highlander in Medieval Scotland
*COMMENTS FOR THE POST CAN BE LEFT HERE
Hello everyone! LITERAL ADDICTION is very happy to be promoting for the wonderful D.B Reynolds again today.
D. B. Reynolds is the RT Award-Winning author of the popular Vampires in America series of Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy and an Emmy-nominated television sound editor. She lives with her husband of many years in a flammable canyon near the Malibu coast, and when she’s not writing her own books, she can usually be found reading someone else’s. Visit her blog at www.dbreynolds.com for details on all of her books, for free stories and more.
You can find her online at her Website, on Facebook, Twitter, and on GoodReads
D.B is the proud creator of the VAMPIRES IN AMERICA series.
For those of you not yet familiar with D.B’s amazing series, first, I STRONGLY urge you to change that ASAP. I’m here today to tell you about the latest Cyn and Raphael novella, Unforgiven.
Unforgiven
VAMPIRES IN AMERICA Book #7.5
Buy from AMAZON / AMAZON UK / B&N
A Cyn & Raphael Novella
ALLEGIANCE . . . the ties that bind. Friendship, duty, blood.
TREACHERY . . . when friendship is abused, duty turns to burden, and blood is not enough.
UNFORGIVEN . . . because there are some things that can never be forgotten.
Allegiance . . . Treachery . . . Unforgiven.
War is imminent, and a spy has infiltrated Raphael’s estate. But his target is not Raphael; it’s his sister, Alexandra, whose earlier duplicity nearly cost Cyn her life. Raphael and Cyn are determined to play the spy’s game, traveling to Mexico to discover who their enemy is and just how far he’ll go to win. But once Raphael finds his sister, can he take the chance that she won’t betray him again?
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Chelle:
*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review
Cyn and Raphael are back with another fast-paced and sexy read with beautiful continuation of the previous full-length novel, and wonderful setup for the one coming.
As usual, someone is out to eliminate Raphael, this time, it might be coming from across the border. Raphael and the other Lords have worked tirelessly to build a covert alliance, but there are still some that are not onboard with the changes, and the fragile power structure within those pockets are getting a little out of control.
These novellas are awesome and I think they're a great compliment to the series as a whole. I would not suggest reading the novellas without reading the full-length book of the series, however, as they jump right in with the thick of things and could leave some readers confused. Outside of that, I would highly recommend Unoforgiven for all ViA fans!
This series is great, and the novellas really are the perfect compliment along with D.B’s free reads on her website. For the rest of today, let’s see what D.B had to say when I let her take over the site.
AUTHOR AMBUSH BY D.B REYNOLDS:
Comment on Cyn & Raphael’s rollercoaster relationship?
When Chelle asked me to comment on Cyn & Raphael’s “roller coaster” relationship, my first reaction was, “What roller coaster?”
But then I really started thinking about it, and, yeah I can see that. The high of their first coming together (pun intended), the deep low of their separation, then another high when they get back together, and all the smaller bumps as they struggle to find what works for them.
I guess that’s what you get when you bring together two dominant and, let’s face it, neurotic personalities. Neither one of them had a loving upbringing (although Raphael’s was hundreds of years ago, it still shapes his relationships.) Neither of them knows how to trust someone enough to let them in. Cyn is all stay-away edges, and Raphael is a control freak who quickly realizes that Cyn will upset his neatly ordered life, and so he runs as far and fast as he can.
But it’s also true that neither of them can deny the powerful attraction between them. So the problem then becomes working out a relationship that acknowledges the love they have, while at the same time giving them each the freedom to be themselves. But isn’t that true of every relationship? Cyn constantly battles Raphael’s attempts to control her the way he does every other aspect of his life, while Raphael doesn’t understand why she fights him when she should understand that he knows best and only wants to take care of her.
I’ve always wanted my vampires, and the people around them, to be as real as possible. I wanted to give a sense that vampires really might exist, because in my books, they exist in the same world we do. And so Cyn and Raphael’s relationship reflects that. They have arguments, because that’s what people do. And then they make up, because people who love each other do that, too. Even when Cyn was so furious with Raphael at the end of BETRAYED, even when she threatened to leave him if he ever lied to her like that again … she didn’t follow the instinct that was telling her to run away. Instead, she took his hand and slept with him for the day, because, in the final analysis, she didn’t want to hurt him.
And I hope that’s what comes through in their story. These two people love each other deeply, passionately. It’s the kind of love that is so powerful that it hurts, because you know how vulnerable it makes you. But you can’t walk away, because while the potential lows are terrifying, the highs are so very, very high.
Check out the rest of the stops on the Unforgiven tour:
10/11/14 In Shadows
10/14/ 14 You Gotta Read Reviews
10/19/14 Sallie's Book Reviews and More
10/22/14 Belle's Book Bag
10/27/14 Literal Addiction
10/30/14 Literary Nymphs Hot List
10/31/14 Paranormal Haven
___________________________
Hello everyone!
LITERAL ADDICTION is very proud to have the wonderful Christina Henry back with us again today to celebrate the upcoming release of Black Spring, which is set to hit bookshelves and eReaders 10/28/14.
Christina Henry is the author of the BLACK WINGS series (Ace/Roc) featuring Madeline Black, an Agent of Death, and her popcorn-loving gargoyle sidekick Beezle: BLACK WINGS, BLACK NIGHT, BLACK HOWL, BLACK LAMENT, BLACK CITY, BLACK HEART and BLACK SPRING. She is also the author of the forthcoming dark fantasy ALICE (summer 2015).
She also enjoys running long distances, eating large quantities of cinnamon rolls, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with zombies, samurai and/or subtitles.
For my readers who are not yet familiar with BLACK WINGS, here you go...
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Escorting souls into the afterlife leaves Maddy little time for socializing-until devilishly handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in her building. But when demons start appearing on Maddy’s front lawn, she realizes there’s more to her new tenant than meets the eye.
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Madeline Black is an Agent of death, meaning she escorts the souls of people who have died to the afterlife. Of course, not everyone is happy to see her…
If obstinate dead people were all that Maddy had to worry about, life would be much easier. But the best-laid plans of Agents and fallen angels often go awry. Deaths are occurring contrary to the natural order, Maddy’s being stalked by foes inside and outside of her family, and her two loves-her bodyguard, Gabriel, and her doughnut-loving gargoyle, Beezle-have disappeared. But because Maddy is Lucifer’s granddaughter, things are expected of her, things like delicate diplomatic missions to other realms.
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s Review HERE
Something is wrong with the souls of Chicago’s dead. Ghosts are walking the streets, and Agent of Death Madeline Black’s exasperating boss wants her to figure out why. And while work is bad enough, Maddy has a plethora of personal problems too. Now that Gabriel has been assigned as her thrall, their relationship has hit an impasse. At least her sleazy ex-fiance Nathaniel is out of the picture—or so she thinks…
Black Lament
BLACK WINGS #4
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s Review HERE
As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black deals with loss every day. But when tragedy touches her own life, Maddy will have to find the strength within to carry on…
Devastated and grieving, Maddy unexpectedly finds hope with the discovery that she is pregnant. But Maddy’s joy is short lived when Lucifer informs her that he wants the baby, hoping to draw on the combined power of two of his bloodlines. Maddy is determined that her grandfather will never have her child, but she’s not sure what she can do to stop him.
Being pregnant is stressful enough, but Maddy suddenly finds herself at odds with the Agency—forbidden from meddling in the affairs of the supernatural courts. When a few of her soul collections go awry, Maddy begins to suspect that the Agency wants to terminate her employment. They should know by now that she isn’t the sort to give up without a fight…
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
When Maddy finally killed her father, Azazel, she thought his depraved experiment died with him. But now Chicago has been infested with vampires immune to the effects of the sun, and the bloodbath is worse than she could have ever imagined. While the Agency refuses to interfere with other supernatural courts, Maddy is determined to do everything within her power to save her city—wings or no wings.
But when the leader of the vampires requests that she turn herself in or risk more deaths, Maddy becomes a target for the very people she’s trying to save. Left with no other choice, she turns to Lucifer, the one creature who has the power to help her. But her grandfather’s aid has always come at a price…
Black Heart
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon / B&N / BAM / Powell’s / Book Depository / iBooks
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION's Review HERE
As a former Agent of Death, Madeline Black is no stranger to witnessing violent ends. But being the one to cause them is an entirely different story…
Despite her having saved Chicago from a vampire invasion, the Agency wants to get Maddy off their payroll—permanently. With the deadly Retrievers hot on her trail, she has no choice but to trust Nathaniel to port her to safety. But even the exotic and dangerous world that she winds up in is not as peaceful as she would have hoped. Caught in a turf war between a group of fae and a disturbingly familiar foe, Maddy soon discovers that the twisted plots of her grandfather, Lucifer, and his brothers extend even into this unknown realm.
Now, with enemies gathering on all sides, Maddy’s fate is looking darker than ever. And to protect her unborn son from her adversaries, she may have to tap into a power she hoped never to access…
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
COMING 10/28/14!
Buy from Amazon / B&N / BAM / Powell's / Book Depository
A former Agent of death, Madeline Black now has everything to live for, most importantly, her unborn child. But Chicago has become ground zero in a struggle between ancient creatures, and only Maddy can stop the carnage…
The mayor of Chicago has announced a plan to round up the city’s supernatural beings and put them in camps. With her due date looming, Maddy’s best move would be to lay low for a while. But not everyone is willing to respect her privacy. Hounded by tentacled monsters, a rogue shapeshifter, and a tenacious blogger, Maddy turns to her most powerful ally, her uncle Daharan, only to find him missing.
Just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, Maddy gets an invitation in the mail—to Lucifer’s wedding. Turns out everyone has been invited, friends and enemies alike. And with that kind of guest list, it’s highly unlikely there will be a happily ever after.
For the rest of today, let's see what Christina had to say when I let her take over the site to talk about Black Spring and the BLACK WINGS series...
AUTHOR AMBUSH BY CHRISTINA HENRY:
The Five Best Things About Writing the BLACK WINGS Series…and what I’ll miss when it’s gone by Christina Henry:
5) Trying out all of Beezle’s favorite things to eat in Chicago – like Ann Sather cinnamon rolls or Sensational Bites’ carrot cake – in the name of research.
4) Taking a bunch of different mythologies, squishing them up into a ball and making something of my own.
3) Coming up with something new and horrible for Maddy to defeat in every book. I don’t consider my job done unless she’s covered in soot and blood.
2) Working with my editor, Danielle Stockley. Danielle has been with the series from the first page to the last, and now she is leaving Ace to move on to a different career. She’s always made the books better with her advice, and more importantly, she’s made the process more fun than it probably ought to be.
1) Learning how to be a real writer. BLACK WINGS was the first book I wrote, and it was the first book I sold. Throughout the process of writing the series I have learned a lot and hopefully gotten better at what I do. I’ll always be grateful to Maddy and Beezle for helping make my lifelong dream come true.
Awesome, yes!!?? This book was amazing. This series was amazing. Utterly captivating, really. I am so thrilled I've had a chance to be a part of this journey since day one... THANK YOU Christina!
CONTEST:
To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for today’s event below on our Author Ambushes page, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.
Good luck, and as always… HAPPY READING!
*COMMENTS FOR THE EVENT CAN BE LEFT HERE!
Hello everyone! Guess who I have back on the site? That's right, Anton Strout!!
Fantasy author Anton Strout was born in the Berkshire Hills mere miles from writing heavyweights Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville and currently lives in the haunted corn maze that is New Jersey (where nothing paranormal ever really happens, he assures you).
He is the author of the SIMON CANDEROUS and SPELLMASON CHRONICLESUrban Fantasy series for Ace Books, a division of Penguin Group (USA). Anton is also the author of many short tales published in anthologies by DAW Books.
The Once & Future Podcast is his latest project, where he endeavors as Curator of Content to bring authors and readers together through a weekly news show format.
He has been a featured author guest of honor, speaker and workshop leader at San Diego Comic-Con, Gencon, New York Comic-Con, the Brooklyn Book Festival and many other conventions.
In his scant spare time, his is a writer, a sometimes actor, sometimes musician, occasional RPGer, and the world’s most casual and controller smashing video gamer. He currently works in the exciting world of publishing and yes, it is as glamorous as it sounds.
You can keep up with Anton online at his Website, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on GoodReads.
For any readers who are not yet familiar with Anton’s work, I most certainly suggest checking out his entire backlist, but as usual, I'm here to gush about his SPELLMASON CHRONICLES series.
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon | B&N | BAM | Powell’s | Book Depository
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 5 Skull Review HERE
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon | B&N | BAM | Powell’s | Book Depository
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 4 Skull Review HERE
The adventures of a girl and her gargoyle continue in the second installment of this “thrilling, funny and eerie” fantasy series. —Romantic Times on Alchemystic
Alexandra Belarus, the last practicing Spellmason, doesn’t know what has become of Stanis—her gargoyle protector. Hidden forces are watching her and threatening her, and, now, she’s worried for her stone-hearted friend—who may no longer be so friendly…
COMING 9/30/14!
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Pre-Order from Amazon / B&N / BAM / Powell’s / Book Depository
HITTING ROCK BOTTOM
When Alexandra Belarus discovered her family’s secret ability to breathe life into stone, she uncovered an entire world of magic hidden within New York City—a world she has accidentally thrown into chaos. A spell gone awry has set thousands of gargoyles loose upon Manhattan, and it’s up to Lexi and her faithful protector, Stanis, to put things right.
But the stress of saving the city is casting a pall over Lexi and Stanis’s relationship, driving them to work separately to solve the problem. As Stanis struggles to unite the gargoyle population, Lexi forges unlikely alliances with witches, alchemists and New York’s Finest to quell an unsettling uprising led by an ancient and deadly foe long thought vanquished.
To save her city, Lexi must wield more power than ever before with the added hope of recovering a mysterious artifact that could change her world—and bring her closer to Stanis than she ever thought possible…
O.K, now that I’ve given you a sneak peek into Anton’s SPELLMASON CHRONICLES and teased you about the upcoming book #3, how about we see what Anton had to say when I let him take over the site for the day...
AUTHOR AMBUSH BY ANTON STROUT
SyFy presents Idealoctopus vs. MechaReality!
By Anton Strout
When I was asked to do this Author Ambush, I was told the floor was open to anything. Giving an author free reign can be dangerous, but my first decision was that clearly I would have to go with my No Pants agenda when writing it, as I have sought to do for years. Really, it’s how I get all creative and stuff. But what would I talk about subject matter wise?! Bacon? Tacos? Maybe bacon tacos!
*drool*
I digress….
I’d short out my computer salivating over them why writing, so bacon tacos were right out. Nor did I wish to come on here and overly hype my books. I hate when authors do that. Besides, you Literal Addicts are already some of the smartest people out there, right? It’s no doubt your brilliant little selves were savvy enough to have already consumed the Simon Canderous paranormal detective novels (DEAD TO ME, DEADER STILL, DEAD MATTER, and DEAD WATERS). The more advanced of you have been keeping pace and have already polished off the first two gargoyle-tastic books of The Spellmason Chronicles (ALCHEMYSTIC and STONECAST) while chomping at the bit for its exciting conclusion INCARNATE, on shelves now! So shameless pimpage would only be an insult to your intelligence as well as a cheap and tawdry trick on my part. Beneath me, really…
But again, I digress…
When I was a boy in the nineteen hundred and eighties, maybe around age ten or so I knew what I wanted to be: a WRITER. Being just a kid dabbling in storytelling, it was a big ideological word that had no real meaning to it beyond being A WRITER. I imagined I’d be like Stephen King… books magically appearing out of thin air and not hard work as I took private planes to book signings with lines around the block. It was a grand idea about something I thought I wanted to be without thinking for a second what I would actually take to get there.
I’d need to write. And rewrite. And learn to write more betterer. Rinse and repeat. At the time, that didn’t seem all that unreasonable. Write a book. Tour the world. Simple, right?
Then reality set in. It always does when you find yourself having super amazing, mind shattering epiphanies that drive you to action. So I wrote. Some short stories won awards at the high school level. The only true worth in that—outside of looking good as a college essay accolade—was that it encouraged me to write more, and that time I pushed my personal boundaries to see if I could go novel length with my words. The proud result was several hundred pages of totally ripping off the Frank Miller years of writing Daredevil. Sure, my names were different, but the heart of that book was 103% Marvel Comics, but again, it had value. It proved I could write a full novel, which was another step in the right direction.
Skip ahead, oh, fifteen years or so. I’d dabbled with writing all that time, but I didn’t take it serious. Not really, but after finding myself in conversation with other unpublished writer friends we discovered we were all sick of our own lassitude. Thus the Dorks of the Round Table were born. Tearing apart each other’s work, we all learned through tough love to craft our words into something readable. And publishable. I’m proud to say that every member of the DOTRT has been traditionally published.
When my first book DEAD TO ME sold and came out in stores, clearly I was as close my idealized WRITER self as I thought I could be, right?
Close, but then the publishing landscape shifted. The internet was in a thing now, in full swing… writer’s suddenly had instant access to their community of readers. It was no longer just enough to be a writer and write the books. Suddenly there were many hats that came into play with this new social frontier:
Author. Publicist. Promoter. Blogger. Advertiser. Community engager.
This is not a complaint about taking on those roles, mind you. I’m happy to have such access to so many awesome people. The back and forth is an immeasurable source of guidance and course correction on the great sea of words I sail upon.
And all of this helps me with my ultimate evil plan: building a race of atomic supermen an
army.
And today, you have to build an army as an author. People who are almost—if not more—enthusiastic for your work than you are. The nature of the what-it-means-to-be-a-writer beast is ever changing.
With more and more time I’ve come to realize that being a writer is like being a chimera, a mythical hybrid creature that seems to get more and more heads and body parts as the landscape of writing changes.
I’ve yet to explore the world of self-publishing, but when I do, it will simply be me adding another head to the writing beast as I let the word monster continue shambling forth.
Despite all these changes, there has been one constant through all these phases: you, dear reader. My access to you and people who’ve never tried my flavor of fantasy writing has increased over the years, but all roads lead me closer to each and every one of you, and expose my books to people who might never have found them on the shelves otherwise.
So while this post sadly is not about my precious, delicious bacon filled tacos, it’s about something at least equally as awesome. This is about you, dear reader. My ten year old self thanks you, for allowing me to be a writer and for letting me share my madcap gargoyle filled worlds with you.
Thanks for being the jonesing little book addicts you are.
Best,
Anton
GIVEAWAY:
Anton is offering up some super cool stuff for his tour.
To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget below, follow the directions, take action, and mark as 'Done'.
Good luck, and as always….HAPPY READING!!
*Note: the Rafflecopter widgets aren't Mobile friendly. In order to see and enter the Rafflecopter, you must use a browser. You can use the browser on your Phone or Tablet, however, you'll probably just have to scroll in to see the widget and manipulate it better.
*COMMENTS FOR THE EVENT CAN BE LEFT HERE!
Hello my fabulous Literal Addicts!
LITERAL ADDICTION is super proud to welcome the wonderful Lisa Beth Darling back to the site today, this time to celebrate the finale of the OF WAR series.
We’ve been a part of Lisa Beth's incredible journey since day one, and it actually feels a little odd to me to be saying good-bye. For any that might have missed our previous Guest Web Appearances with Lisa, feel free to check out our Archive. For now, let me see if I can get you all caught up.
Lisa proudly boasts that her writing career began right around the 7th grade—A fact which her fellow students adored, but which got her called down to the Guidance Counselor’s Office more than once. Not deterred by the counselors, and instead spurred onward by them, Lisa continued to hone her craft throughout those formative years. She currently lives in CT with her husband of 25 years and the memory of raising her 2 adult daughters.
She has won more than 20 awards for her previous works in the Stargate SG-1 and House, MD fandoms, (including the prestigious Blue Moon Awards and White Board Awards), and is not a stranger to successful fiction. Choosing to leave fandom stories behind and return to her roots as an original, hard-hitting author of dark and gritty romance though, she’s back releasing and working on her full length novels.
You can connect with Lisa online at her Website, her Blog, on Facebook, onTwitter, and on GoodReads.
As I mentioned, Lisa is the proud creator of the OF WAR series, which blends timeless Greek Mythology with Erotica, Romance, and Suspense.
The series is not recommended for the faint of heart, but for those with bold and daring souls. She brings conflict, passion, love, and suspense to unique couples in her full length works. Never one to shy away from the less pleasant things in life, and instead believing it is in the Darkness where Character is created, determined, and defined; her heroes and heroines have their love tested by demons from within, and without.
Lisa has other awesome books available as well, so make sure to check out Lisa’s entire Backlist HERE. She’s also a skilled photographer. Take a gander at her work.
All good so far? For those of you not yet familiar with Lisa’s work, I thought I’d get you all caught up on the OF WAR series and pique some interests...
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon | B&N | Moon Mistress Publishing (paperback)
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 4 1/2 Skull Review HERE
**Read a Sexerpt HERE
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon | B&N | Moon Mistress Publishing (paperback)
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION’s 5 Skull Review HERE
**Read a Sexerpt HERE
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
**Read an Excerpt HERE
Join Ares, Alena, and Raven as Alena brings Yuletide and Christmas to barren Olympus in this very short holiday-themed story. Those who have not yet read the other books of the series will enjoy this little glimpse into a single day of life on Olympus.
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | Moon Mistress Publishing (paperback)
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION's 4 Skull Review HERE
**Read a Sexerpt HERE
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
Buy from Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Smashwords | Moon Mistress Publishing(SIGNED paperback)
*Read LITERAL ADDICTION's 4 1/2 Skull Review HERE
Venture on a Mystical Journey through Time and Secrets Past
This story spans four generations of women in Alena’s family from her great-grandmother, Shar Draíocht the last known Queen of the Dark Kingdom. Morrowind, her tortured daughter. Maven, Alena’s free spirited mother. And ends the night Alena washed up on Ares’ shore. With intensity, lust, fear, and strength these Women of War make their way in the world revealing the hidden truths of the past and Ares true connection to his beloved Wife, Alena.
Add to your GoodReads Shelf
In one swiftly flowing motion, Ares pulled her out from behind him to settle her crosswise on his lap like a girl telling Santa what she wanted for Christmas. She wasn't a little girl and Ares was fully aware he was not Santa Claus. "I love you," he confessed as he looped one arm around her slender waist. "I will never let you go." In his arms she smiled at him as her eyes filled with sparkles, making his heart a little lighter. "Never."
Bringing the strong hand in her hair to her mouth she brushed a lingered kiss over the back while she turned around inside his hold until her naked body faced him with each of her legs wrapped around his taut waist. Their lovemaking earlier tonight had been extraordinarily athletic and lengthy, she wasn't sure that she was up for another round and he wasn't, not yet anyway, although the first stirrings of life were twitching against the soft moistening place between her legs. Wrapping her hands around his neck and grabbing up tufts of his midnight hair she sighed in a sultry whisper, "Do you know how much it turns me on when you say that?"
Grabbing one firm round cheek in the palm of each hand, Ares stood up, bolted to the nearest wall, and planted her back up against it so roughly she let out a cry of painful delight. Ares had just enough time to feel her yank his hair hard before her hands fell to his shoulders where he grabbed them up faster than lightning to pin them to the rock wall high above her head between two fingers. "I know how much you like this." His cock did more than just twitch when she shuddered and let out a heated coo; it threatened to explode open as it rushed to full hardness bringing with it a wild wave of desire. Holding her hands firm and keeping her seated in the palm of one large hand, his mouth moved in to cover the sweet spot just below her left ear. Sucking hard on the tender flesh and giving it a meaningful yank with his sharp teeth released gasps of pleasure from her. Yet, wanting him to master her, Alena fought against the rising tide of desire as she tried to free her hands, straining and pulling within the ring of his fingers until she worked up a sweat and started sliding free. Without stopping his work, Ares lifted her hands away from the wall and brought them back to the rock with a good deal of force. Pinned between the unforgiving muscles of his electrified body and the unforgiving rock of the cave wall, Alena gasped and quivered against him sending shock waves of wanton passion exploding outward from the pit of his tight abs down to the hungry creature howling for another meal and upward through his heart, making it quicken on its way to his head where it dazzled him in a brilliant display of pulsing color and tingling sensation. Soon the intoxicating scent of wild honeysuckle and the primal aroma of the musk between her legs filled his flaring nostrils and made him begin to growl.
So…. Did I do my job? Are you all intrigued and frantically adding the books to your TBR lists? You really need to. This series became an instant favorite of mine. If you like mythology and erotica, OF WAR is perfect for you. It’s not for the faint of heart… Lisa doesn’t hold back on the violence, the grit, the eroticism, any of it…but if you want a series you can just fall into and be utterly and completely gripped, ripped, twisted and wowed without being babied, then most definitely check them out! :)
So now, let's see what Lisa Beth had to say about this whole thing coming full circle...
AUTHOR AMBUSH BY LISA BETH DARLING:
Inside the Heart of every Warrior breathes the Soul of a Hero--even within The Heart of War
That's right, warriors need love too and Ares God of War is no different although he used to like to think he was until Maggie MacLeod came along and turned his world upside down in The Heart of War book #1 in the OF WAR Series of highly dark and adult romances.
It hardly seems like that was four years ago that our hero the grumpy, broody, and often intimidating God of War found a Fey washed up on the shore of his secluded isle. Of course, being the arrogant god that he is the very first thing he did was change her name to Alena. Not that she minded, with the new name came a new woman one with renewed passion.
In all of that time our hero and heroine have been through many trials and tribulations as they struggled to build a family and life for themselves away from the divinely dysfunctional Olympians. Who can ever forget Raven's harrowing birth or blood oath demanded of Ares by Zeus in Child of War-A God is Born? Not to mention Raven forcing his pregnant mother down a very long set of marble stairs.
There have been good times too I think we all found a new use for peppermint oil in Christmas Eve on Olympus. (wink)
Of course there was the time that Raven inadvertently helped to destroy the world in Child of War-Rising Son. It wasn't all his fault, growing up Olympian ain't easy especially not when everyone absolutely hates you. With an Uncle like Apollo nobody needs enemies.
In Women of War we looked back on Maggie's heritage from her great grandmother Shar Draíocht the Last Queen of the Dark Kingdom to her mother the wild and wanton Maven. We discovered the secret connection between Alena and her beloved Ares.
Now as we close out the OF WAR Series with Kingdoms of War it's time to find out if Ares and Alena will have their Happily Ever After or they will forever be separated by the Gods and their unruly Son. I hope you'll join me for this explosive finale.
Before we start I should say I really just want to type ‘Ares’ ten times because he is the absolute best thing about this series and I’m thrilled to have worked with him so long. I’m looking forward to continuing that relationship in the future even though this series has reached its end.
1. Research-I love Greek Mythology so doing research for this series was a pure joy which usually it sooo is not!
2. Battle scenes—I hate writing them but this series forced me to work on that and to strengthen that weakness
3. Love scenes—I don’t think we need an explanation here
4. Drama—I love drama, ok wait, no, I don’t love drama IN my life but I adore it in my writing or a movie or a TV show or a book. There’s no shortage of it in this series.
5. Backstabbing—the Olympians are one Divinely Dysfunctional Family whereas, growing up, my own family was so normal they were pretty boring. I loved being able to just be mean and wicked in so many spots.
6. Suspense—this series is more of a serial so I’ve gotten to do a couple of truly breathtaking cliff hanger endings. Some people hate them and others love them. I love them. They harken back to one of my favorite stories of all-time “The Green Mile” which came out in installments originally, one a month, and I RAN to bookstore every month to get the next one!
7. Raven—the Son of Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod. He’s going to stay with me for a very long time to come. Crafting him watching him grow up and dealing with ‘the teen years’ on an Olympian Scale was definitely a lot of fun even if we did kill off 90% of the world’s population. As we bring this series to a close with “Kingdoms of War” watching him become a man has been very rewarding.
8. Alena—Ares’ beloved Wife. She’s a kickass heroine with a mind—and maybe even an agenda—of her own. The best thing about her is she’s no young chickie. She’s an older woman with life experience and she’s no one’s fool. I think she proves to a lot of people that life doesn’t end at 30 in fact it’s just beginning to get interesting.
9. Rose-the Daughter of Ares and Alena who shows us all that even though we may be small and completely imperfect we are still strong.
10. Ares—my man. Tall, dark, devilishly handsome, and built like…a Greek God. He’s big, he’s bad, he’s bold, everything an alpha male should be and more. He stole my heart and if you’re not careful he might steal yours too.
Giveaway:
Lisa Beth is offering up some incredible goodies for this Tour.
To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget below, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.
Good luck, and as always… HAPPY READING! :)
*Note: the Rafflecopter widgets aren't Mobile friendly. In order to see and enter the Rafflecopter, you must use a browser. You can use the browser on your Phone or Tablet, however, you'll probably just have to scroll in to see the widget and manipulate it better.
*Comments for the Event can be left HERE!