Monday 31 December 2012

Author Interview: Lindsay J. Pryor




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.


Interview:

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

I never used to outline and I learned my lesson – nearly eight years on one book (not from the Blackthorn series). I now always outline character development, key points of conflict, and space out pivotal moments in relation to both. I like to know the direction a book is heading, but I’m not too prescriptive because I find that hampers a character’s natural development. There’s always an element of spontaneity in what I write and I thrive on the unexpected that comes with that. I want to be part of the adventure too.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

Yes, and I think it’s important to give them some scope as long as it’s within reason. Kane (the hero) ‘rewrote’ the last few chapters of Blood Shadows from what I had originally planned. It was actually better because of it!

What is your favourite food?

I love Italian food.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Most definitely a night owl. I’ve never coped with mornings, despite years of trying to retrain myself. It doesn’t help that I do all my best thinking at night. I’ll never be one of these enthusiastic, everything-done-by-eight in the morning kind of people. Coffee, shower and drive to work, or, on my writing days, trundle to my study still in my pyjamas, is the way I’ve always been.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

I’ve always wanted to go to Universal Studios in Florida. I’m a huge film buff, so would love the experience.

Do distant places feature in your books?

No – Blackthorn is based in an alternative reality. It’s gritty, urban backdrop that could reflect many a city.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Only sometimes when I’m revising or editing a book. I tend to work in complete silence.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Blood Shadows is the first book in the Blackthorn dark paranormal romances series. In an imaginary future, the world is controlled by humans who rule over vampires with an iron fist. Society is divided and ‘third species’ are both feared and discriminated against. Additional seeds of unrest are sown by whispers of a vampire prophecy foretelling the overthrow of the human regime.

Blackthorn itself is the most impoverished of several administrative districts – a real melting pot for vampires, lycans and humans – and a subsequent hive of social unrest.

This dark and dystopian backdrop is the setting for intense forbidden romances – romances that will not only impact on the fate of humankind, but also on the fate of the ‘third species’ who have spent far too long waiting for their time.

Blood Shadows is the first book in the series – the blurb is coming up soon…

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

Wow – where to start? I’ve been writing for nearly thirty years and began to give serious consideration to publication when I was in my twenties, so I’ve picked up quite a bit along the way.

I guess primarily I’ve learned how tough this industry is – and how subjective. Not just from the point of view of publishers, agents and editors, but also readers and reviewers.

You have to be prepared to work damned hard with very little reward for a very long time with the prospect of never making it at all. And if you do make it to being published, that really is just the start. Getting yourself out there is a tremendous amount of work and there’s no guarantee of success.

It’s so worth it though!

Is there anything you would do differently?

I don’t think so. I sometimes wonder if I should have pushed myself to get published sooner, but I’ve spent a long time developing my skills as a writer as well as the series itself, and that’s really paying off now. I have a very strong sense of my voice and the direction I want the books to go in, so that’s made the process relatively straightforward for me, my publisher and my editor.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

I started writing paranormal romance over twenty years ago because I couldn’t find any in my local bookshop. It wasn’t accessible back then, certainly not in the UK. I guess because of that, and because up until recent years PNR wasn’t so prevalent, I didn’t think my stories would ever see the light of day. I kept working on the Blackthorn series in the background though as I began striving to be a published author with something more mainstream.

That was until everything changed for me back in 2007 when my dad lost his seven-year battle with aggressive multiple myeloma. After years of living on the knife-edge of hope that a miracle cure would be found, I saw firsthand the human condition in all its vulnerability and limitations. Anyone who has been through that kind of tragedy knows it makes you see the world very differently. Another personal tragedy only a few months later and never had I been so aware of how precious life is and how important it is to chase your dreams. My Dad had already told me that in one of our last conversations: to make sure I did what I wanted to do in life.

I pulled out all my scribbles and started to construct full-length novels for the Blackthorn series. I absorbed myself in the pleasure of the stories with no worries about future publication. I went back to writing for me. It helped me through the darkest times of my life as well as reminding me how important it is to write what you love.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Take your time. Don’t rush to submit to publishers. Only sub the best work you can produce and only when you are sure you have found your voice. First and foremost, write what you love because sometimes that’s the only reward you get. And measure your success as a writer by how many times you get up, not how many times you fall.

What are three words that describe you?

Imaginative. Determined. Empathetic.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is my favourite book of all time, closely followed by Wuthering Heights and Dracula. I have many favourite writers all for very different reasons. Emily Bronte, Anne Rice, James Herbert and Roald Dahl are amongst my favourites.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book

BLOOD SHADOWS (Book 1 in the Blackthorn series)

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 seven 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.

The second book in the series – BLOOD ROSES – will be released in the Spring of 2013.

Any places readers can find you on the web:

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

Thank you, Lindsay and good luck with your books!

Guest Post: Celtic Mythology by Ann Gimpel



Researching Celtic and Fairy Lore
by Ann Gimpel

Much of my writing is grounded in Celtic mythology. I have several favorite books I use as references, but this would be a pretty dry blog post if all I did was list them. In the interest of getting that part over with, two of my favorites are Celtic Traditions, Druids, Fairies and Wiccan Rituals by Sirona Knight and Women in Celtic Myth by Moyra Caldecott. I also draw from Scottish and Irish ghost stories. I have some really old books. The Scottish one was published in 1911 and the Irish in 1913. The language takes some getting used to. English has changed quite a bit over the last hundred years.

The thing about Celtic tradition is it’s rooted firmly in the British Isles. Think about Merlin’s story or, a couple of centuries later, the Wild Hunt. All people have their mythologies. Greek and Roman are probably the best known. I’ll sometimes pull material from them. A few of the stories have always drawn me, like Cassandra, for example. How awful to be bound to speak the truth and have no one believe you—ever.

I also like the Innana myth. Other than the Gilgamesh legend, it’s probably one of the very oldest stories known to man. Both Innana and Gilgamesh are Sumerian (think Egypt/Mesopotamia) in origin. The Gilgamesh tale is, essentially, retold in Arthurian times as Parsifal’s search for the Holy Grail. Then there’s the gamut of Norse myths with Odin and his son Thor in Valhalla. And let’s not forget Poseidon and all the Nereids in the sea.

One of the things about depth psychology is that a large part of the training ensures practitioners have a good grounding in mythologies from many nationalities. Marie Louise Von Franz, an accomplished psychoanalyst in her own right who spent her life with Jung (though not romantically), researched archetypes in fairy tales. She wrote several books detailing the outcomes of her research.

Okay, so what’s an archetype? There are twelve basic ones: King, Warrior, Magician, Lover, Fool, Orphan, Innocent, Caregiver, Seeker, Destroyer, Creator, Sage. All myths and stories feature one or more archetypal characters engaging in either a quest, a love affair gone bad, death and rebirth, a coming of age tale, developing love, loss in spite of everything, or growth/redemption (usually through pain and trials). There are often several threads in major tales. For example, Innana begins as a quest, moves through loss of everything and ends with redemption. From an archetypal point of view, Innana begins as a Queen, becomes a Seeker, then an Orphan and ends up a Sage. Carol Pearson wrote a great book if you’re interested in a primer on archetypes. It’s called Awakening the Heroes Within. There’s even a fun quiz in the back so you can see which archetypes are active in your own lives.

So, you have twelve “character types” and seven basic storylines. Someone once told me LOTR had all of them. I never bothered to count, but over the course of four books, I’m sure Tolkien could have managed that.

The first thing to do, if you’re a plan-ahead sort of writer (I’m not; a touch more on that later.) is to figure out what story you’re trying to tell. Then match it up to which archetypes you need to provide sympathetic protagonists and gritty antagonists. Most of this occurs on a subconscious level. I will say to you, though, that the stories that grab you, that stab knives into your soul and make you carry the protag in your thoughts for days, had archetypal characters in sync with the storyline. Not all characters can tell every story.

More on the plan ahead scenario. One of these days, I’ve promised myself to try the Snowflake method. But I haven’t done it yet. When I’m deep in a story, I’m living it with my characters. They come to me in dreams and at other times during the day. Because they tell me the story they want to live, I haven’t felt the need yet to do more in the way of pre-planning. Maybe someday I will. I had an experience recently where I resurrected my first novel. I kept the characters, but lopped lots of years off their ages to create a YA contemporary fantasy. Maybe because I knew those characters so well, having written two novels and about 300,000 words featuring them, the new book fairly flew out my fingertips. Writing usually comes fairly easily to me, but I’ve never had an experience quite like this one where I turned out an 80,000 word book in five weeks. It held together, too, when I went back through it doing my obligatory search for loose plot threads and other jarring inconsistencies. The only thing I missed was using the wizards’ staffs more. So that got added in on the second run through. I just sold that novel. It will be out this next July titled, Fortune's Scion.

I hope this was helpful. Questions about archetypes, fairy tales, Celtic (or other) mythologies are welcome.

   
Ann Gimpel is a clinical psychologist, with a Jungian bent. Avocations include mountaineering, skiing, wilderness photography and, of course, writing. A lifelong aficionado of the unusual, she began writing speculative fiction a few years ago. Since then her short fiction has appeared in a number of webzines and anthologies. Two novels, Psyche’s Prophecy, and its sequel, Psyche’s Search, have been published by Gypsy Shadow Publishing, a small press. A husband, grown children, grandchildren and three wolf hybrids round out her family.

www.anngimpel.com

http://anngimpel.blogspot.com

http://www.amazon.com/author/anngimpel

http://www.facebook.com/anngimpel.author

@AnnGimpel (for Twitter)



A Time for Everything

Ann Gimpel
Liquid Silver Books
Blurb:

Dumped yet again, the last thing Siobhan expects to find in the Highland mists is a man who looks like he walked right out of Scottish history. Find out if there is A Time for Everything when a disgruntled heiress and a strong, sexy Scottish laird are drawn together by a determined ghost whose love and magic reach beyond the grave.

Siobhan Macquire’s fortune has attracted a string of men who are out to drain her for everything they can get. Her last boyfriend was no exception. Furious at being used—again—she goes for a walk in the Highlands.

With the weather worsening, she wanders alone for hours. She’s soaking wet and starting to get scared when someone calls out to her. A striking-looking man emerges from the mist. Except there’s something wrong. His kilt is way too long and he talks with an archaic accent. Siobhan soon finds herself not only lost in the countryside but also in time.

The book is available from amazon | b&n | allromance

Cover Reveal: Blood Promise by Ashlynne Laynne



Blood Promise

The Progeny Series #3
Ashlynne Laynne
Erotic Paranormal Romance
Novel Concept Publishing
Ebook and Paperback
Pages: 320
Release Date: January 2013

Blurb:

"Their love is fated by an ancient prophecy. Now the promise is fulfilled."

Ascher Rousseau is a half-human, half vampire whose life has been a series of prophecies and predictions. After finding incredible love and passion with Shauna—a Wiccan with powers beyond anything he’s ever known—he seals to her and hopes for happiness. But his enemies seek to destroy all that he loves, and he finds that happiness never lasts for long.

Darkness is descending and a vampiric revolution is nearing. A new brood of hatchlings is born to join their darkling brothers, in preparation for war. A preordained chain of events is set into motion that could lead to the rise of the demonic “cloaked one” and his half-human fallen children, while ending humanity—as we know it.

Can a supernatural love and the loyal bond of a family save the Rousseaus and the world from certain extinction?

Saturday 29 December 2012

Author Interview: J.L. Petty

About the Author:

J.L. Petty is an author of several short stories. She published her first book “Death and the Journalist” with Solstice Publishing, February 14, 2011. Her stories range in contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy fiction. Over the years, she’s written for various magazines and has been featured as an author in several anthologies. Petty discovered her love of writing at an early age and started working as a contributor for The Virginian Pilot Newspaper. After working with the local newspaper in her hometown, J.L. Petty embarked upon a career in entertainment journalism and also worked for United States Congress. She is currently working towards a Masters degree and resides in Virginia.

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

I kind of let the story flow. Once I am sitting at my computer chair there is really nothing to stop me.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

Yeah, lol. I think I struggle with that most of all when I am developing a literary piece. Some characters deserve a book in their own write. I may re-write a story a dozen times before I actually submit it because I have a hard time placing a character in a story.

What is your favourite food?

french fries

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I consider myself a night owl. I write mostly at night; especially when I can't sleep.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

I've always wanted to go to Japan only because I heard that the population is enormous and there are many things to see there.

Do distant places feature in your books?

Not yet, but I plan and hope to do that someday.

Do you listen to music while writing?

I try not to because it distracts me.lol. I have to be in complete silence so I can focus on the story.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Death and the Journalist is set in the fall of 2001 and purportedly based on actual events. Michael Devoe, journalist for the New York Times, is the victim of the most compelling evidences of disappearances ever documented in United States History. After a plane crash, Michael disappears one night during an encounter with an unexplained supernatural force. Authorities report that his body was never found.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

I learned that publishing is more of a business if anything else. I always thought that the tough part was writing the book, but I think that marketing and promoting the book is the hardest thing.

Is there anything you would do differently?

I would have started writing earlier. I didn't really pursue it professionally until I turned 20 years old. So, I probably would have started out a lot younger.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

My mother has been a huge encouragement for me as a writer. She has always supported me from day one.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Follow your dreams and never give up on your stories.

What are three words that describe you?

Fun,creative, and driven

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

My favorite writer of all time is Michael Crichton.

Any places people can find you on the web:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-and-the-journalist-jl-petty/1030162934

http://www.amazon.com/Death-and-the-Journalist-ebook/dp/B004NSUZB4/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

Website: www.deathandthejournalist.com

Blog: www.deathandthejournalist.com

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6547670.J_L_Petty

Publisher: Solstice Publishing

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X8-wEGd7Ng


Thank you, J. L. and good luck with your book!

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Author Interview: Jon Schafer

About the Author:

Jon Schafer has traveled extensively around the world. In the past he has served in the Marine Corps, worked as an offshore fisherman, studied at numerous colleges, helped to design amusement parks, casinos, family entertainment centers and eventually started his own architectural design firm. He is an avid SCUBA diver and is a certified Master Diver and Dive Master through PADI.

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

I know the beginning and the end of every book I write. Those are set in stone in my mind. The middle part just comes out. Sometimes I write something and I have no idea why I did, but then later on I come up with something else out of nowhere that ties it in perfectly. I think the whole middle of the book is there in my mind, it just has to come out one piece at a time.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

They are the story. I just let them run amok.

What is your favourite food?

Steak, prime rib, steak, pork chops, steak, hamburgers... Did I mention steak?

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I am forced to be a morning person, but I am a night owl.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

Europe and beyond. I am a fairly good artist and would love to see all the museums from England to Vladivostok.

Do distant places feature in your books?

Always. I have six other manuscripts waiting to be cleaned up and published and all of them take you to different places around the world including the Gaza strip..

Do you listen to music while writing?

Continuously. Thank you TuneIn radio. Alternative is the way I go, but 80's rock and classic rock are high on the list.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Immigrant Song came to me as I was listening to a friend talk about how he immigrated overland from Nicaragua to the states and I thought to myself, that would make a great story but it needs a good twist. I have traveled extensively through Central America, so I fictionalized his account with a dash of creative license and gave it a real good twist at the end.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

Volumes, and I'm still learning more every day. I had the good fortune to receive a two page letter from Mitchel Whitington at 23 House Publishing that, while it was a rejection letter, kept me focused and got me on the right track. I learn from my mistakes and revel in my triumphs.

Is there anything you would do differently?

Not get drunk and join the Marine Corps at seventeen, though the experience did give me tons of great material.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

I just love to write.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Never, ever, ever give up.

What are three words that describe you?

Creative, sarcastic, focused.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

Pillars of the earth by Ken Follett

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book

Immigrant Song:

Forced to flee the death squads in his homeland, Ricky makes his way through Central America to Colorado while dodging immigration patrols and a death sentence if he's caught and deported. Early on, he meets another immigrant named Maria and falls in love. Together they travel to a country that's not what it appears to be.

List of previous books if any

Dead Air, book one of a four book Zombie apocalypse series. Book two, Dead Calm, will be out shortly along with a humorous novel named, Normal is a Washing Machine Setting.

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

Smashwords.com
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Amazon.com
Facebook

Or write me at jonscat1@aol.com

Additionally, I can be found at:
The booking website for the local jail
Americas most wanted
The wall of your local post office
  Thank you, Jon and good luck with your books!

Monday 24 December 2012

Author Interview: Evan Guilford-Blake

About the Author

Evan Guilford-Blake has had work published in numerous print journals and anthologies, as well as online, won 11 short story contests and has twice been nominated for Pushcart Prizes. Noir(ish), his first novel, was recently published by Penguin’s E. P. Dutton - Guilt Edged mysteries imprint.


A playwright as well, Evan has had more than 40 different plays for adults and young audiences produced internationally; collectively, they have won 38 playwriting competitions. Eighteen of his scripts are published by Playscripts, Eldridge, neoNuma Arts, YouthPLAYS, Next Stage and others.

Evan and his wife (and inspiration), healthcare writer and jewelry designer Roxanna Guilford-Blake, live in the Atlanta area with two dumb-as-dirt doves, Quill and Gabriella, and a smart-as-a-whip Westeke Terrier, Winnie Words. More information is at www.guilford-blake.com/evan.

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

Let the story flow. I depend on my characters to tell me their stories; then I organise and edit as needed.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

Always (if I’m lucky). And I always let them: It is, after all, their story.

What is your favourite food?

 Depends on my mood, but I’m extremely partial to classic paella.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Night owl. Mornings are for chipper-er, annoying birds like chickadees.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

Actually, I’m not much into traveling. I would like to spend six months in rural Japan, however, so I could do research and get a feel for the lives of the Haiku poet-priests of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Do distant places feature in your books?

In my books, not so far. In my short stories and plays, occasionally.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Sometimes, during rewrites. Never when I’m working on a first draft, unless the music is integral to what I’m writing. (I have a play built on Elgar’s Enigma Variations. When I was writing it, I listened to that constantly. There are movements I’ve probably heard a thousand times. No exaggeration.)

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Noir(ish): “An entertaining foray into the dark world of film and fiction noir—with a detour into the realm of the fantastic.” It’s an homage to and gentle spoof of the genre, set in a fictional Los Angeles of 1947, and is a cross between the works Raymond Chandler and Jasper Fforde.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

Where to start! I’ve been writing seriously since the late ’70s, and everything I write -- including the things I abandon after one, 10, 100 pages -- teaches me something about writing: How to approach my subject better, what not to try to write (an especially valuable lesson), what really interests me enough to sustain the idea to completion. Publishing’s another matter. It’s changed so much over the past several decades. I suppose I’ve learned that marketing is almost solely my responsibility (which I dislike; I’m a writer, not a salesman) and that publishers aren’t really interested in individual books in their catalogues unless they smell a bestseller. The rest of them are left to be occasionally stroked orphans. I feel sometimes like Oliver Twist without any hope of finding a Mr. Brownlow.

Is there anything you would do differently?

Sure. For one thing, I’d have begun writing sooner, and more frequently. Writing a “major” work is intimidating and that’s something I let affect my pursuit for many years.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

The list is endless: Raymond Chandler, Salinger, Joyce, Bradbury, Shange, Austen, O’Neill, Albee, Styron, Billy Collins, Tennyson, Fitzgerald, Lynne Sharon Schwartz, Karen Joy Fowler, Jasper Fforde, Vincent van Gogh’s letters ... they’ve all had an impact at one time or another.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Persevere. Writers write. Anything else they do is a waste of time. (And we all waste a lot of time.)

What are three words that describe you?

Obsessive, imaginative, unquenchable.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

Again, I can’t pick just one, but if I were marooned on a desert island I’d want Roget’s Thesaurus and the complete works of Dickens with me.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book: (See above) Noir(ish):

“An entertaining foray into the dark world of film and fiction noir—with a detour into the realm of the fantastic.”

List of previous books if any:

I have 18 published plays, for adults and children, on the market, among them Nighthawks, Some Unfinished Chaos, Telling William Tell, The Firebird, True Magic and Friends & Relations. I also have stories in various anthologies, most recently Labello Press’ Gem Street.

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

www.guilford-blake.com/evan has excerpts of most of my work and links (under “other writing”) to much of my published work.
 http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B009CC554I
 lists my work available through Amazon.

Thank you, Evan and good luck with your books!



Sunday 23 December 2012

Free book today at amazon

NastraGull
by Erik Martin Willen
SF

NASTRAGULL: Pirates is a blockbuster of a novel, a science fiction epic of an extent and scope not seen since Frank Herbert's Dune or David Brin's Uplift sequence. The first book of a projected series, it also incorporates the swashbuckling action of classic space opera like E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series and Star Wars, accelerating the reader into a universe where humanity is just one species among many, in a multi-cultural civilization spanning many galaxies.

As the story opens, a group of young Oman (human) cadets are heading home after eight years of training at a military academy, in preparation for their graduation on Tallas, the capital world of the Nastasturus Federation. As it turns out, their selection of transport was unfortunate: the civilian passenger liner Bright Star is attacked by pirates -- something that, supposedly, never happens in the sector they're traveling through. Despite a spirited defense by the cadets and others, the pirates capture the ship and imprison the passengers and crew, intending to sell them into slavery (or worse).

With the help of a spirited young pirate woman, one of the cadets manages to escape. Alec Af Hornet, a.k.a. "Alec Horn," is a brilliant tactician, and just happens to be the only child of Marshall Guss von Hornet, the leader of the Nastasturan military and head of one of the Federation's Elite families. During his escape, Alec frees Nikko Behl, the Bright Star's captain, and together they set out on an adventure to rescue their friends, financed by an emperor's ransom in loot recovered from the pirates.

Through it all, Alec's thoughts remain with Alexa, the young woman who helped free him. Both realize when they meet that they're two halves of some mysterious whole, and that their meeting presages some glorious future. Both will do literally anything to protect and remain with the other...often with disastrous consequences to those around them. Their love will ultimately draw the universe into its devastating Third Universal War.

On the opposite side of the universe, in the totalitarian Florencian Federation, a creature that has slept for over a thousand years awakes from her long rest. She is Marquessa De La Hoff, once the most infamous military commander in the universe -- a woman who only has one ultimate goal, to conquer in the service of her God. The Marquessa takes the helm of a monstrous military machine designed to enslave the Nastasturans, taking their worlds and resources for Florencia in a vast crusade meant to subjugate thousands of star systems.

Alec and the Marquessa are linked by an intricate network of fate, history, and destiny, one that will ultimately draw everyone around them into a black hole of destruction and damnation. As they learn much later, the universe -- known by its proper name as Nastra -- speaks to all of us; everyone hears it, but few actually listen to its words. The day you do listen to the universe and the words of its parent -- the creator, Gull -- is the day you have Awakened.

Only two people are currently Awake: the creature De La Hoff is one, and young Alec is the other. Neither understands what, exactly, is happening to them, though each is gradually becoming aware of the other, and of what Nastra is trying to tell them.

But the universe cannot allow more than one listener at a time. Therefore, it prepares to birth a messiah: the NastraGull, a child who must set the universal balance right -- lest the universe cease to exist.

get your free copy at amazon

Saturday 22 December 2012

And the winner is...


The winner of my prize for the Secret Santa is Leela Lou congrats!

Your books will be with you shortly, Leela.

And as a thank you for everyone who's entered, please use this code at smashwords to get a copy of New Zealand with a Hobbit Botherer for half price.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2264

BV76T

Take care,
Annette



Author Interview: Dan Andrews

About the Author:

My name is Dan Andrews. My first book, Sons of Suicide, is the introduction to what will be my legacy in writing.

When I'm not writing you can find me enjoying cigars with my best friends, getting tattooed, explaining the meaning of life to people, spending time at the shooting range, screaming at my computer screen because I died in a video game, or lifting weights.

My mission in life is to provide the world with the best books it has seen in many decades, but the power is in my readers' hands to determine whether or not I achieve my mission.

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

With my first book Sons of Suicide, seeing as it is a memoir, the story was entirely based on reality and all of the stories in the book actaully occurred. Obviously, this means very little of it was planned, but I also couldn't let the stories go wherever they wanted since they had already laid themselves out in real life. In the future, though, when I try my hand at fiction, I intend on planning out the large thematic events but otherwise letting the story flow the way it needs to in order to teach the lessons and elicit the emotions I want to get out of the reader.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

Having only authored a memoir thus far, I was definitely able to let my character dominate the book because that is where the entire story originates from. I think in that way it provides a satisfying experience since it is very easy for the reader to resonate with my experiences on a visceral level.

What is your favourite food?

French Toast. With an absurd amount of syrup.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Night Owl 100%, I am lucky to be up before 2pm on most days.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

Philadelphia, even though it isn't particularly exotic. I have some exceptional friends out there that I wish I could spend more time with.

Do distant places feature in your books?

No, there are no barren desert lands or luscious jungles in my stories yet. A P.O.W. camp in Holland during WWII is about as adventurous as Sons of Suicide gets in terms of traveling.

Do you listen to music while writing?

It depends, if I do, it is on quietly to set the atmosphere since I have trouble writing with too much external input.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Absolutely, my debut publication is titled Sons of Suicide. It is the story of a young man triumphing over the suicide of his Mother against all odds. And it happens to be the story of my life.

I wrote it to provide an account of a very intimate walk through of my experience coping with my Mother's suicide, in hopes that the reader would receive some form of catharsis from their own tragedies, as well as benefit from all of the insight I have learned in spite of my mothers death. To be clear it is not a sob story, I took a lot of care to include really entertaining and, at times, funny stories, but the focus is on triumphing over tragedy.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

Everything. My editors taught me more about manipulating syntax and literary devices than all of my other schooling combined. They showed me how to write like some of the greatest legends in writing. The publishing business is tough, if you go with a traditional publishing house you're destined to be poor, so if you have a relentless spirit, self-publishing is the way to go, just be ready to out-work every other author.

Is there anything you would do differently?

So far... Not yet... It is still early in the game though, and I'm sure there will be things that I change with my future books.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

Ernest Hemingway was by far my largest influence in writing. I think his story content is generally terrible, but he wrote a story like no one else can in terms of style. Also, hating the way George R.R. Martin and authors of his style write really gave me something to avoid. My writing is anaerobic in nature, it exists on its own without superfluous and erroneous detail that fantasy authors are known for. I think brevity is a skill lost on modern authors, and as an author myself, I think we have a responsibility to not waste reader's time.
(B&T: I think I must have writtten one of the shortest fantasy novels ever, no overblown description in there, LOL!)

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Take action. Publishing a bad book is infinitely better than never publishing a book. It's a process, you learn as you make mistakes and say stupid things, therefore, start making mistakes and saying stupid things.

What are three words that describe you?

Anomaly, integrity, and unrelenting.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

As I said Hemingway is my favorite writer stylistically. My favorite book would have to be Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, it has the ability to change lives in a positive manner like no book I have ever read.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book

"An insightful, viscerally emotional memoir, Sons of Suicide relates the story of a young man’s life after losing his Mother to suicide—and succeeding, in spite of experiencing one of the most devastating tragedies known to man.

At eleven, Dan Andrews was abandoned by his Mother. Fatefully, she made the timeless drive down Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago, parked her car alongside Buckingham Fountain, and, after sitting and smoking a few last cigarettes, drowned herself in Lake Michigan.

His Mother’s grave decision has given Andrews the ability to perceive and contemplate loss in a way not written about in recent history. Shared with brutal vulnerability and skill, sprinkled with humor and sexuality, Sons of Suicide masterfully entertains and enlightens the reader— serving as a catharsis to the feeling of loss, a feeling to which all humans relate."

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

http://www.sonsofsuicide.com

http://www.facebook.com/sonsofsuicide

https://twitter.com/theDanimal1991


Thank you, Dan and good luck with your book :)

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Guest Post: Adriana Ryan





About the Author:

Adriana lives and writes in beautiful Charleston, SC. A huge fan of spooky stuff and shoes, she enjoys alternately hitting up the historic graveyards and outlet malls. World of Shell and Bone is her first book.


Reach Adriana at her website, Twitter, Facebook, or Goodreads.

You can buy World of Shell and Bone at: Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Kobo, Sony, and iBookstore will follow soon!

Top Pet Peeves When Reading:


After I started writing full-time, I began to see books I read for leisure in a different light. Even when I’m just lost in the story, my mind begins to automatically catalog craft techniques like pacing, characterization, and plot holes. Occupational hazard, I guess. If I had to pick my top three pet peeves as a reader, they’d be:

1. Characters doing things, well, out of character. I once read a book that really had me flipping the pages till the end, wanting to figure out what exactly was going on. The big denouement at the end, though, the explanation for everything, was so against the character’s basic nature that I was really annoyed. I felt cheated of my time. It was as if the author got tired of thinking up original ideas and just decided to finish the book the easiest way possible.

2. Cardboard cutout women characters. This is something I’ve found in selected works of genre fiction by men. The side characters, always women, are extremely one-dimensional. There’s one bestselling author who I feel is notorious for this, and it makes me want to fling his books across the room. It’s a pity, because his plots are amazing. If only he’d put more of an effort into developing the women! They’re almost always beautiful (but don’t know it), demure, and pliant. Grr.

3. An author pushing an agenda. Some books I’ve read are very obviously meant to be the author’s soapbox. I’m not sure what this is about. Does the author feel unheard in his or her personal life? Did he or she mistake the novel for a work of non-fiction? In any case, it totally takes me out of the story. It also makes me crabby.


***



World of Shell and Bone

By Adriana Ryan
Futuristic/SF

In a world ravaged by a nuclear holocaust, Vika Cannon knows there are no guarantees: no guarantees of safety, no guarantees that your neighbor is not actually a spy for the government, and no guarantees you’ll be allowed to emigrate to a new life in Asia.

New Amana is dying. Food and water are scarce, and people suffering from radiation-caused mutations—the Nukeheads—are the new class of homeless.

Vika has just one purpose: to produce healthy progeny using a Husband assigned by the Match Clinic. Unhealthy children are carted away to Asylums to be experimented on, just as Vika’s little sister Ceres was, eight years ago. Parents incapable of producing healthy progeny are put to death in gas chambers.

When she’s assigned a Husband shortly after her twentieth birthday, Vika expects him to be complacent and obedient. But Shale Underwood has a secret. He is a member of the Radicals, the terrorist group intent on overthrowing the government. And Shale has information about Ceres.

As she learns more about the Rads’s plan, Vika finds herself drawn to Shale in ways she’d never imagined. When freedom calls in the way of a healthy pregnancy, will she betray her government and risk death for Shale and Ceres?

Monday 17 December 2012

Secret Santa Blog Hop

http://www.tabithablake.blogspot.co.uk/p/secret-santa-blog-hop.html

The grand prize is a Kindle Fire HD, along with lots of books to go on it :)

The prize at my stop is an ebook bundle of The Prince's Guard, Of Pets and Pleasures, Silent Screams and New Zealand with a Hobbit Botherer. To enter for my prize, just leave a comment on the post. And to enter for the main prizes, plese click on the blog hop link above. I'll be drawing the winner for my prize on Dec 22.



When we were little, we put our stockings for Father Christmas every year. Some houses we lived in didn't have a fireplace, so the stockings were placed over the edge of the bed. We worried that he wouldn't be able to visit if we didn't have a fireplace. But every year those stockings were filled with the same three things: an apple, an orange and a small bottle of lemonade.

It wasn't that we didn't get oranges or apples or lemonade throughout the year, but somehow getting them in those stockings was very special. They were something that Santa had given each of us individually. They were ours in a way that fruit in the bowl wasn't, that was for everybody.

I still remember those stockings.

Question for the blog hop: What citrus fruit was in the stockings?

Take care,
Annette

Book Spotlight: Moonshadows by Claude Dancourt

Moonshadows
by Claude Dancourt
Paranormal Romance

Blurb:

When Mira was turned into a werecat, she panicked. She ran away from her life and her boyfriend without a goodbye.

One year later, she’s on the verge of emotional and physical collapse, and answers are nowhere to be found. When the man she left behind shows up unexpectedly, Mira is so desperate to feel human again that she welcomes him back into her life despite her best resolves.

Erik has some questions of his own,and he won’t take no for an answer. He doesn’t believe in Supernatural, or in ancestral creatures. He wants a real explanation for her abandon. But when the new moon reveals the black panther inside Mira, he has no choice but to face the truth.

While the pair struggle to work out their issues, a killer lurks in the shadows. And its restraint is thinning…

Read an extract from the book after the jump:

Sunday 16 December 2012

Author Interview: Claude Dancourt

About the Author:

The last time I decided to (finally) bring some order into the chaos of my apartment, I realized that it would mostly consist in piling all my books in only one room. I tried. I promise. But I simply can’t do it: I have books everywhere; novels, dictionaries even thesaurus lie on nearly each flat surface, including the laundry room. Go figure…

Beside books, my house homes a crazy/witty cat, two plants which stubbornly refuse to die, an eclectic CDs collection and an even more random choice of DVDs. If I am not at the gym, checking my mail box or wondering where I’ll travel next, it means my restless muses set another attack on me.

They tend to do so at the most inappropriate times, both a blessing and a curse. The only way to appease them is to surrender, and make mines Walt Disney words: “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island.”

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

Both. I try to let the story flow as much as possible, but I have the general plotline written down.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

All the time! At the beginning, it was annoying me senseless. Since then, I learnt to obey… It’s their story after all, so who I am to decide if they should go right if they want to turn left? Hum? Yes, I’m the author. As if that counts for anything.

What is your favourite food?

I like peanuts. And cheese. But you don’t really want to know what I put in my sandwich…

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I would say a night owl, especially during the holidays and on weekends.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

I used to travel a lot, but I never visited Scotland and Australia. Those countries are probably next on the list. I’d like to return to Disney World, too.

Do distant places feature in your books?

Sometimes, though I try to keep them as realistic as possible. Internet is a great (and sometimes tricky) source of information.

Do you listen to music while writing?

I do. Music inspires me.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

My latest release is a paranormal romance, MOONSHADOWS. I was fed up with werewolves and vampires, so I tried a new kind of shapeshifters, werecats. The good point is that I could do whatever I wanted regarding their lives, changeling, killing, etc. It turned out more dramatic than I expected, but I’m proud of the results.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

To trust my instincts! And also to write for me, not for an audience. When you are publishing, you want absolutely to please potential readers, and sometimes you lose sight of why you start writing in the first place.

Is there anything you would do differently?

If I had, I would not be where I am now. So no, I don’t think so. But ask me again tomorrow, and I’ll probably say yes.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

I read all kind of books, and it’s hard for me to point out one author or one book that had a major influence. If I absolutely have to, I’ll say Homer, the Arthurian Legend, and Clive Cussler. With some Elizabeth Peters and Agatha Christie to spice up the mix.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Keep writing, and don’t be afraid of critics.

What are three words that describe you?

Ha. The though one. I’m obstinate, generous and curious.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

I love Le Petit Prince by Antoine St-Exupéry. I also love Shakespeare, and the authors I mentioned above.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book


When Mira was turned into a werecat, she panicked. She ran away from her life and her boyfriend without a goodbye.

One year later, she’s on the verge of emotional and physical collapse, and answers are nowhere to be found. When the man she left behind shows up unexpectedly, Mira is so desperate to feel human again that she welcomes him back into her life despite her best resolves.

Erik has some questions of his own,and he won’t take no for an answer. He doesn’t believe in Supernatural, or in ancestral creatures. He wants a real explanation for her abandon. But when the new moon reveals the black panther inside Mira, he has no choice but to face the truth.

While the pair struggle to work out their issues, a killer lurks in the shadows. And its restraint is thinning…

List of previous books if any

SECOND CHANCES

RETURN TO CAER LON

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

My author website is www.claudedancourt.webs.com,
 I tweet (about all and everything) @claudedancourt, and you can find me on Goodreads as well.

Friday 14 December 2012

Author Interview: N A Parnham

About the Author:

My full name being Neil Anthony Parnham, I prefer to be called N A Parnham. I only recently became more interested in writing, but as such it is an art form and being a keen web designer, I thought I would instead of making the picture, I would write the thousand words that make up the picture. I am a very reserved person, I avoid confrontation, as I feel it is unnecessary and prefer a more relaxed approach to life.

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

With the first, and now I have progressed onto the second book, I find pictures that have an awe of mystery about them; I look at those pictures, and as with life I separate the individual part’s and look at what makes that picture what it is; say for example if I was looking at a tree, I would look at the leaves (in spring/summer) and then I would look deeper and see what makes up those leaves, and slowly words describing these objects or places would come to me. The next step would be writing down rough ideas; I will not write though until I can see the picture or story in my head, for if I cannot see it, neither will the reader.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

As I was brainstorming the first book, I did not feel Camerine would have such a major role within the book, but as the flow of the book progressed, more ideas shot forth and he became a fundamental part of the plot.

What is your favourite food?

Pasta and cheese. If you combine them together, you have my favourite dish. I am quite keen on strong flavours in food, kippers for example; I enjoy the smell as well as the taste, shame about the pesky bones that lurk with every bite.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I am a night owl. I do enjoy having a nice lay-in, especially in winter.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

I would like to travel to New Zealand. From looking at the pictures, it appears as though a place full of inspiration; I could only wish upon what I could write if surrounded by such beauty.

Do distant places feature in your books?

In a sense they do; the hometown of Malkaretz will feature in every book, as I feel there needs to be a homely connection that binds the books together; but with each book she will be travelling, or being transported if you will, to another place.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Yes, especially opera and classical music; there is a part in my book where Avis is floating amongst other members of the village and I can imagine the song ‘time to say goodbye’ being played. With that section of the book I want readers to imagine flowing sensations, freedom and I believe that song is well suited. If this was ever to be truly successful, I do have three songs that I would like to be used in a movie production:

Beethovern Piano Concerto No.14 – I would like this used in the ending section of the book, where magick is erupting; before my eyes I see everything forming in slow-motion; the music so subtle, but you can sense a sorrow through it.

Bach - Cello Suite No.1 in G (prelude) - I can visualise this piece being used as Avis travels through Malkaretz Forest. It has a sense of excitement to it, but also it is like a mystery is unfolding.

Time To Say Goodbye – described as above; Andrea Bocelliand Sarah Brightmando an amazing rendition of this piece.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Well first off; you may no doubt notice that I do not (not don’t) use abbreviation; it is merely a pet hate of mine and I feel words such as ‘don’t’ ‘won’t’ ‘it’s’ are merely sloppy compression methods, to which I will not partake. With the book, I have tried to show a subtle undertone of humour, dry as it may be, I feel it represents my personality. As well as this, I also was keen on integrating a feel of poetry into my book. I felt I needed to use the word ‘magick’ instead of ‘magic’ as Aliester Crowley introduced it, and quite rightfully so, to separate the meanings apart.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

That creating the book is the easiest part of the process, marketing the book is where the journey truly begins.

Is there anything you would do differently?

I spent a long time looking through the book, about ten to fifteen times; checking that semi colons had a lower-case, that letters after a question mark are uppercase, checking for common errors. I did accidently put the word ‘its’ in my proof copy, which was soon removed. I believe if I were to undertake this again, which I will, I would hire an extra editor, for a third set of eyes; for I am not the greatest at grammar and punctuation and it does help for someone else to see it as well.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

I feel it is nature that inspired me; by making the impossible possible, you look at the world around us, the mechanics behind everything, but you can never truly grasp onto the power it wields.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Plan your marketing strategy before you even start the book; it is ok publishing a book, but as with a website, there are millions to compete with, how is it that you will make it stand out from the crowd?

What are three words that describe you?

Wise, wicked and mysterious.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

My current favourite book is ‘The Cutting Room’ by Jilliane Hoffman; I believe she does a splendid job at making my heart race, especially towards the end. I have quite the costly habit of buying books then leaving them on my shelves; I currently have thirty five paperback books to read.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book:

Follow the journey of Avis Aldebourne in the magickal world of burial of hearts the black widow’s malice. Her love taken from her, Avis must leave her birthplace of Malkaretz and venture forth into a world filled with magick and mystery. What will become of her when she faces the might of Hecate queen of witches?

I lay silent, my thoughts drifting carelessly through the midnight hour; fog loomed upon the hilltop whilst seemingly dancing with the stars of distant dreams. Dark toned whispers governed forth upon my mind, as if a potent lure for an evil demure. The hope that held deep within now set aside in a lost redemption, the vows we took worthless, the love stolen, my soul broken.

“I Avis Aldebourne, do take thee Alexander Speir, to be my lawfully wedded husband”.

These words muttered playfully through my mind, like shards of glass ripping at my silken flesh; my veins striking through as though enraged by the chariots of war.

How could my love be taken from me? Whom be it that has authority to do an act such as this?

In the distance I heard the laughing of what seemed like a hundred twisted storms, brisk and yet as such also calm; as if two voices had woven as one. I lifted my head in faith of seeing what had brought my demise; a voice rose from the laughing to speak to me:

“Come forth, your destiny awaits”.

I raised up trembling from the fear and slowly walked through the moon lit grass, hearing the eerie silence, all but of the sounds of the waking of the insects in my tread.

The voice rose yet again.

“Your love, as though a picture, heard as a thousand words of bliss; Alexander shall be yours no more until the six amulets are gathered”.

I ask in a thoughtful, yet disheartened voice.

“What are these amulets you speak of and how shall I obtain them?”

“Avis Aldebourne, the amulets you must seek are behind the six gates of Malkaretz, together brought in absolute unity, the final baronial gate shall be opened”.

List of previous books if any

This is my first (of many) books.

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

www.burialofhearts.com

https://www.facebook.com/BurialOfHearts

http://www.amazon.com/Burial-hearts-widows-malice-Volume/dp/1622090896/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_1

Thursday 13 December 2012

Book Review: Trick in Time by JL Merrow

Review Copy From Netgalley courtesy of the publisher
Trick in Time
by JL Merrow
M/M Romance/Time Travel/Novella
Carina Press

5 Stars

Blurb:

A lover from another time
When Ted Ennis steps out the doors of the Criterion Theatre for a cigarette and finds himself in Victorian London, he begins to doubt his sanity. At first he thinks it's all a film set, and is sure that the strikingly handsome young man leaning against a lamppost must be the leading man…

What starts as a sordid transaction with a beautiful rent boy quickly turns into something much deeper, drawing him back again and again as he gets to know Jem and craves meaningful encounters with him.

But Ted doesn't understand the exact conditions necessary for his trips through time—and for Jem, time may actually be running out. Now Ted has one last shot to get back to Jem and save their relationship, before it's too late…

Review:

Grief stricken after the deaths of his parents and husband in a car accident, the accident that he survived, Ted Ennis works as a theatre assistant in London trying to get some semblance of normality back in his life. He may have survived the accident, but he's still scarred - both physically and emotionally. Ted is suffering some after-effects, especially with his brain. When he steps out of the theatre for a cigarette break, he's unsure whether he's hallucinating or if it's some big budget costume drama he's stepped into that night.

It soon transpires that this is no hallucination or vision, not even a drama set. Everything is very real, from the gas lamps to the squalor of the back streets of Victorian London, not to mention the real fear of being caught by the police for having sexual relations between men.

Although short, the novella has quite a depth of characterisation. You are drawn both into Ted's world of the twenty-first century and how sad he still is after the car accident and losing the people who mattered to him and then into Victorian London and what Jem has to do to survive there. Ted and Jem were both so sweet that I just wanted to reach in and hug them both. Victorian and modern-day London were both brought vividly to life, just as both characters were. Everyone else was well-rounded and fleshed out too, from Ted's boss at the theatre to Jem's landlady Mrs. M.

The writing had a beautiful, lyrical quality to it, even though it was also written in quite plain language. There are a few love scenes in the book, which were written in a sensual style, making it feel almost dreamlike. It's an engaging read and easy to get lost in for a few hours. You'll be rooting for Ted and Jem to get their happy ending.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Author Interview, Book Spotlight & giveaway with Juliana Haygert



About the Author
Juliana is a Brazilian girl living in Connecticut.
She would love to be Wonder Woman, Cheetara, Elektra, Buffy, Phoebe, She-ra, Rose, Korra, Cornelia, a blood elf shadow priest, and other various kick-ass female from comics, TV series, movies, books and games, but she settles for—the less exciting but equally gratifying life—a wife, mother, friend and a writer. Her heroines are like the ones cited above and she also writes about the heroes who drive them crazy—and occasionally hot.

Since her first stories, she wrote about 20-something year old protagonists. Nowadays, besides writing full time, she battles for the recognition of New Adult as a category.

Interview:

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

It depends. For this book, I had a vague idea. I came up with the characters and their conflicts, and let the rest flow.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

I start with a flexible plot and let the characters take me where they want. If they stir too far away from what I first envisioned, I try bringing them back. If they resist, it’s because their way might be better than mine ;)

What is your favourite food?

Anything with chocolate. Well, that’s not true. I’m very picky, even with chocolate. For meals, gnocchi, without a doubt.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I was a night owl, but after having a kid, I became a morning person. My girl wakes up very early in the morning and if I stay up until late at night, I’ll pay the price.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

All over the world ;) But the place I want to go the most is Egypt. I loved everything about Egypt since I was a kid and even my first manuscript (which will never see the light of the day again) was set in Ancient Egypt.

Do distant places feature in your books?

My February release features Flic-en-Flac, an exotic beach in South Africa—but only for one scene.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Oh, yes. Always. And I have different playlists according to the mood of the scene I’m writing. My father and my husband say that music is my battery. If you turn it off, I stop.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Of course.Her Heart’s Secret Wish is actually my first book. It’s a short, sexy Christmas story. Natasha is the female Casanova at her university and she has her heart hidden. Until she meets Jason, a professor and a gaming nerd of all things. He turns her world upside down, and suddenly she doesn’t feel like the confident player anymore.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

That everything takes a long time, more than you think it will. That everything is subjective. That you can’t and won’t please everyone out there.And that CPs and beta-readers are worth their weight in gold.

Is there anything you would do differently?

I wouldn’t have queried that first (awful) manuscript I ever wrote. It would have saved me time and embarrassment. But I learned. In this profession, we are always learning.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

Please don’t laugh, but I think Danielle Steel did. You see, my mother owned every one of Steel’s books, and I read them all when I was 10-12yo, I think. I devoured them. And, since I began writing at that age, I probably try to sound like her on my writing. Now I can say that my dream is to write like Richelle Mead and Jennifer Echols, so I guess they are the biggest influencers on me nowadays.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Learn the craft. Invest on some craft books and learn the rules. Only after you know them, you’ll be able to break some of them and still make them work.

What are three words that describe you?

Impatient. Stubborn. Happy.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

Richelle Mead is my idol. I love the woman and all of her books.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book  

With a renowned reputation as a player, she had everything figured out...

Twenty-year-old college student, Natasha is the life of every party and the reason behind many celebrations. The easiest girl on campus has all guys at her feet and more than a few in her bed.

…until he came into the game…

Having entered the academic world by chance, Professor Jason Stone is surprised to find one of his young students a huge temptation. The infamous Natasha has caught his attention. But is there more to her than meets the eye?

…and changed the rules.

As their unexpected friendship grows, so does their attraction to each other. When Jason’s Christmas plans are canceled and he ends up at the same party as Natasha, sparks flare, destroying the safe zone around them. Will they figure out how to break through their self-imposed barriers to be together, or lose one another forever?

Any places readers cand find you on the web?


website | blog | twitter | facebook | goodreads | pininterest | na alley




Book Spotlight

Her Heart's Secret Wish
by Juliana Haygert
Decadent Publishing
Release Date 12/12/2012
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Word count 13,000

Blurb:

With a renowned reputation as a player, she had everything figured out...


Twenty-year-old college student, Natasha is the life of every party and the reason behind many celebrations. The easiest girl on campus has all guys at her feet and more than a few in her bed.

…until he came into the game…

Having entered the academic world by chance, Professor Jason Stone is surprised to find one of his young students a huge temptation. The infamous Natasha has caught his attention. But is there more to her than meets the eye?

…and changed the rules.

As their unexpected friendship grows, so does their attraction to each other. When Jason’s Christmas plans are canceled and he ends up at the same party as Natasha, sparks flare, destroying the safe zone around them. Will they figure out how to break through their self-imposed barriers to be together, or lose one another forever?


Excerpt from Her Heart's Secret Wish 
© 2012 Juliana Haygert

Her delicate brows knitted together. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be with your family?”

“Change of plans.” His tone was as harsh as his disappointment. “I had to stay and saw a few posters hanging around the school. Thought it was a better option than spending Christmas Eve alone.”

The corner of her lips curled up. “Definitely.”

Though he tried, he couldn’t ignore just how beautiful and vulnerable she appeared. Her long, brown hair fell around her porcelain face and into a smooth cascade down her back. Her usually energetic green eyes shone with relief instead. She wore red lipstick, which only made her mouth more inviting. The dress hugged her perfect curves, the hemline promising fun things on the other side.

Jesus.

Jason shook his head and shifted his gaze away. He’d probably caught her making plans for later, and he still wanted her? His mind was so messed up.

“You don’t seem so well. What is it?” She stepped closer and her spicy perfume taunted his will.

He held his breath for a moment and focused. “I’m good.” He smiled at her, transforming into his usual self. The laidback gaming nerd, and fun professor he brought out for his students.

“Come in.” She gestured to the living room. “The party is starting.”

Somewhere over the last six or seven months, when their conversations had become more profound and frequent, he had lost his mind. Six or seven months ago, he would never have crashed a student party so he could stare at one of them.

Helpless, he followed her.

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