Random Fact for this week!

In 1939 an author named Ernest Vincent wrote a 50,000 word novel called Gadsby. The only thing unusual about the novel is that there is not a single letter ‘e’ in the whole thing. The plot revolves around the dying fictional city of Branton Hills, which is revitalized thanks to the efforts of protagonist John Gadsby and a youth group he organizes.

You can find the list of all of my Random Book Facts by clicking on the tab above.

Enjoy :)

Lessons Learned at Summer Camp by:Colleen Wait

Synopsis: "Lessons Learned" is the story of a girls' Bible camp counselor who decides to tell her secret life story to a group of high schoolers. She feels God pressing on her to take off the mask, reveal the events that have haunted her since her youth, and to show the girls they are not alone in the problems they are faced with on a daily basis.

Review: First of all I want to thank Colleen Wait for asking me to review this book. I most likely never would have picked it up on my own and I am certainly glad I read it. I have a daughter who will be 9 in February and you can bet your bottom that I will be either making her read this story in 3-4 years or I will be reading it to her! I think that this is a great story for teenage girls to read. It could help to open their eyes and help them realize that their actions as teenagers will always affect them. Too many young girls now days think the way the girls in the beginning of this book thought...that they could do whatever they want and not have any consequences because they are just kids. That is not true by any means and I think that Colleen Wait did a wonderful job giving an example to show that you actions always have consequences no matter your age. The choices you make as a teen could very well haunt you as an adult.

Surprise Giveaway!

I have chosen two winners for the surprise giveaway this time! I emailed the winners. Please respond within 48 hours to claim your prize. If I don't have mailing addresses for the winners within 48 hours the prizes will be forfeited for a future giveaway!



Winner for Setup on Front Street

Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond with a mailing address. If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours the book will be forfeited for a future giveaway.

Pandora's Box by Gracen Miller ADULT

Synopsis: Where does the road to Hell begin?

What happens when your son turns homicidal overnight and your husband disappears on his way to work? Do you cower in fear or fight for your life? Madison Wescott fights against the odds. Distrustful of a God she doesn't believe in, she finds herself face-to-face with a world she didn't know existed and discovers her own soul is darkened with demonic connections.

With good intentions? Or by demonic design?

Phoenix Birmingham bursts into Madison’s life in a whirlwind of sarcasm and sexual appeal. A hero for the masses—and for her jaded heart—but few will ever know the sacrifices he has made or the sacrifices to come. Discovering her entire life has been influenced by multifaceted paranormal beings, Madison is determined to defeat the apocalyptic blueprint fate has decreed, but only one man dares to challenge the supernatural forces manipulating them. Even with Phoenix's aid, can destiny be denied? Or will demonic design prevail while they pay the crucial price with their souls?

In a small, sleepy Alabama town the battle for mankind's liberty has begun...

Review: OMG! This book was SO good! I really hope that it is printed soon! Even though Gracen left me hanging at the end I absolutely adored this book and I really can't wait for the next one to see what happens with Mads, Nix, and Micah! I have to say that I am DEFINITELY team Nix even though I did read ALL of the life lessons before reading the book. Nix is just such a good guy...how could you not love him! Micah completely caught me by surprise in the beginning of the book. I never expected him to disappear. Especially since he was always thinking about how much he loved Madison and Amos. He was so sweet in the "prequel" I thought he was going to turn out to be an angel. Boy was I surprised to find out what he actually is (although I wasn't completely wrong in my assumption)!

If you are interested in reading this book PLEASE visit Gracen Miller's blog first and read the life lessons across the top of the page. They really explain a lot that happened before the book. I guess you could could say they are the prequel. Her blog can be found HERE.

Gracen Miller, you have found yourself another "Mindy Janicke"! This book was every bit as good as she promised me it would be and I am truly glad Mindy convinced me to read it! I will be patiently waiting for book two! I am, from here on out, going to join Mindy in the "Gracen's biggest Fans" group! HAHAHA

You can purchase this book from Amazon by clicking HERE! Go buy it! You won't regret it!

Author Interview with Victoria Howard

Before we get to the interview questions here are the links to Victoria Howard's books on Amazon.

Ring of Lies

The House on the Shore

Three Weeks Last Spring

A Little Protection

First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for me! I’m sure my readers will enjoy reading your answers!

Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you get past it?

Sometimes my characters surprise me and take on a will of their own, leading me off in a totally different direction to what I had planned.  When that happens I have to pause, take stock, and consider what impact that will have on my novel.

What is the most joyous part of writing for you?

I love writing dialogue.  Once I've developed my characters and have the plot line roughed out, I can envisage conversations between the key characters taking place.  Until recently this always seemed to happen when I was driving, or late at night when I would be trying to get to sleep!  So I’ve learned to keep a notebook and pen with me at all times.

Conversely, like many authors, I hate writing a synopsis of my novel.  How do you condense 120,000 words into three pages without losing the essence of the story?  It’s something I find difficult, yet I know it’s what sells the book to a publisher or agent.  

Are any of your characters based on your life and experiences?

I prefer not to use people I know as role models for my characters, as I wouldn’t want anyone to recognize themselves and feel hurt or aggrieved in any way.  I prefer to people watch and if I see an interesting face I’ll jot down a description in the notebook I always carry with me.  Or I might search through a magazine and find a photograph, cut it out and paste it into my notebook so that I have an aid memoire to use when describing the character.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

There are many, but two deserve a special mention. Fellow Romantic Novelist, Liz Fenwick has a debut novel coming out next year.  I can also recommend Brenda Hill’s novel, With Full Malice, which will also be released in 2012.

What book are you currently reading?

The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez Reverte, translated by Margaret Jull Costa.

Can you share some of your latest news?

I’m currently working on a fourth novel set in Derbyshire here in the UK.  It centers on burnt out aid worker, Nate Long, who returns to the small village of Castleton in the picturesque Derbyshire Dales, to fulfill a promise he made to his dying mother to find his father

 But Andrew Thomas is dead, killed in what appears a tragic accident.  For thirty years, Andrew, a cavern guide and the survivor of a mining accident in the Derbyshire Hills that claimed the lives of four other men, has kept a secret.   Andrew’s made plenty of enemies over the years and has recently claimed to have found a new vein of the semi-precious stone, Blue John, but had refused to say where.  Everyone knows Andrew has a fondness for the bottle and mainly worked to support his habit.

Nate arrives in to Castleton, finds Andrew dead. He does some investigating, and hears rumors out about the accident years ago, and thinks, Dale M murdered Andrew, but while in a pub, hears villagers grumble about Andrew supplying Alessia Hardcastle, a jeweler, who runs one of the three shops in the village selling Blue John jewelry and wonders. Half Italian, Alessia is a relative newcomer to the tightly knit community, and its known that she had a soft spot for old Andrew, even though he'd abandoned his own family years before, was kindly and fatherly toward her, had confided his regrets about leaving his family.

Nate finds himself attracted to Alessia, but he can’t dispel the feeling that she’s hiding something.  When her workshop is mysteriously damaged in a fire, Nate is unsure whether it’s arson or a cover up?  So, he needs to finds out who killed his father for himself.  As Nate delves into the circumstances of his father’s death, he realizes it was no accident.  His father was brutally murdered. 

But Nate isn’t the only person to have returned to his roots.  Newly released from prison, Dale Marten bears a grudge and is determined to settle the score.

Do you use an outline when writing or do you just wing it?

Once I have an idea for a plot and have given my characters names, and identities, I like to write a 2 -3 page outline of the major plot points.  I don’t plot scene by scene as some of my writing colleagues do. I find that too restrictive. Occasionally, as with the novel I’m currently working on, my characters will take me off in a slightly different direction than I first intended. This can slow my writing down, as I have to re-think how to get them out of a situation. However, I’ve never yet had to delete more than a few pages to get back on track.  

Now since I will be reading and reviewing The House on the Shore soon let’s focus on it for a little bit. What was your inspiration for this book?

I lived in Scotland for nearly twenty years and always knew I wanted to set a book there.  I had first-hand knowledge of the offshore oil and gas industry, as well as the management and running of a Scottish farming and sporting estate.  It seemed only natural to combine that knowledge so  I started asking myself ‘what if this happened or that happened’ until I came up with sufficient ideas for a plot. 

What is your favorite part of the book?

That’s a difficult question to answer, as there are so many, but if I must choose one, then it would have to be the scene where Luke rescues Anna’s friend Morag from the gorge.  I did a great deal of research for that chapter, contacting Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team to ensure that the chapter was technically accurate.

Was the book’s setting based on a place you once lived, where you live now, or a place you would like to live?

As I mentioned earlier, I lived in Scotland for twenty years and there’s hardly a town/village/area I haven’t visited at some point in time. The west coast scenery is dramatic and Loch Hourn, where The House on the Shore is set is accessible by sea or 22mile single-track road, at the end of which you have to turn round and re-trace your journey.  It’s one of the loneliest places in Scotland.

Coyote Night by: Danielle D. Smith **ADULT** +GIVEAWAY

This is a short but GREAT story by Danielle D. Smith. It's only 85 pages but she does a great job making you wish it were longer. Danielle has done her research about the Navajo and does a wonderful job describing everything so that you understand exactly what is going on. I enjoyed this book very much and I think that all you ADULTS should DEFINITELY consider reading it!

Skriker a half demon half white man bad boy and Rose, who is Nephil, are deeply in love even though they are naturally supposed to be enemies. The Harleys,  hunt and kill "hellhounds". They have been through a lot together and once again the hunt is calling for them.

Skriker and Rose set out on Route 66 headed to Shiprock, New Mexico. Shiprick is very sacred ground to the Navajo tribe. There are rumors that a skinwalker is ther. The skinwalker, a powerful witch, is kidnapping children from the area and feeding from their youth to keep himself young and strong. It is up to Skriker and Rose to track the skinwalker and destroy him.

GIVEAWAY! YAY! Don't you all just love GIVEAWAYS! I know I do! Danielle D. Smith is offering ONE FREE Ecopy through smashwords. Now all you have to do to enter is comment below! No form to fill out this time. Make sure you include your VALID email address so that I can send you your coupon code!

**You must be 18 or older to win this book!**

The Pineville Heist by: Lee Chambers + GIVEAWAY

Synopsis:
Will Aaron Stevens survive the night of the Pineville Heist?

Seventeen year old Aaron stumbles into the aftermath of a five million dollar bank heist gone wrong. Hiding under a canoe, Aaron partially catches the murder of one of the robbers. In the chaos he sneaks away with the money and heads straight for the closest place of safety, his high school. Terrified, Aaron tells his shocking tale to Amanda Becker, his drama teacher, but it doesn’t take long for one of the psychotic robbers to show up. In the locked down school the pair are relentlessly pursued in a quest to get the money back and wipe out the evidence.

The Pineville Heist, based on the award-winning screenplay by Lee Chambers and Todd Gordon, "is a young adult thriller with a slick plot, believable characters, and a breakneck pace that will no doubt appeal to adults as much as teens," noted Walleye Magazine's Amy Jones. "An enthusiatic five stars!"

"The Pineville Heist is the very definition of thrill, energized with edge-of-your-seat action and suspense!" claims US Review of Books reviewer Mihir Shah.

Follow movie and book news at http://www.pinevilleheist.com/.

I absolutely adored this book. It is a young adult mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end! Aaron showed that just because he's a kid doesn't mean he can't make a difference. I loved all the twists mostly. Just when I thought I had it all figured out...BAM...another piece of the puzzle was thrown in my face! The very last piece of the puzzle was at the very end of the book so you know that it keeps your suspence up :) I am definitely glad that Mr. Lee Chambers asked me to review this book!

For all of you that will purchase this book in Oct. When it is released in paperback, make sure you look for my comment inside the front! The very kind and generous Mr. Lee Chambers agreed to have my one line comment printed in the final print! How exciting is that!?!

Now for the GIVEAWAY! I mentioned that Mr. Lee Chambers was generous...this is where his generosity comes in to play! :) Lee Chambers is offering a SIGNED copy of The Pineville Heist for this giveaway! (I will sign beside my comment as well if you like) That's completely up to the winner :) I will choose one winner for this giveaway. There will be no giveaway form this time. Just leave your comment. One new REQUIREMENT, you must follow The Pineville Heist fanpage on facebook! My winner will be chosen on October 4, 2011, the day the book is printed!

Here's the book trailer for you all to enjoy!

Book Facts!

You can find this week's random book fact HERE! I hope you all enjoy the different things I offer here @Intoxicated by Books! I know I enjoy every minute of it!

Setup on Front Street by Mike Dennis + GIVEAWAY

Book Description:

Key West, 1991. Don Roy Doyle is back in town. Tough and quick-witted, he's fresh out of prison, where he served three years for a diamond swindle. Now he's back to collect his share of the proceeds, about $200,000, but the money has vanished.
A local family dynasty which has controlled the island's politics for generations, a cop with a grudge, the FBI,and the Russian mob all have a stake in the action. They're convinced Cuba is on the verge of "opening up", and they all want Doyle gone.
In this tightly-knit town, who can be trusted? And how long can Doyle stay alive?
SETUP ON FRONT STREET takes you inside the world of Key West noir, a world tucked way back in the shadows, where the tourists never go.

You can buy a copy of this book at Amazon.com in both Kindle and Paperback format. And make sure you check out Mike Dennis' other novels on Mike's Amazon page. You can also find a paperback version at CreateSpace and an Ebook version at Barnes and Noble.

Author Bio:
After thirty years as a professional musician(piano), Mike Dennis left Key West  and moved to Las Vegas to become a professional poker player. He turned to writing when his first novel, The Take, was picked up by a publisher in 2009. His next book, Setup On Front Street, was published in 2011, and is the beginning of a three-book set of Key West noir novels. The second book in the set, The Ghosts Of Havana, is coming soon.

He also has a collection of short stories, Bloodstains On The Wall. In addition, his stories have been published in A Twist Of Noir, Mysterical e, Powder Burn Flash, Slow Trains, and The Wizards Of Words 2009 Anthology.

In December 2010, Mike moved back to Key West,where he enjoys the year-round sunshine, good friends, good movies, the Florida Marlins, and the Boston Red Sox.


Author Interview:
Mike Dennis, a former musician, made the transition to published author while living in Las Vegas. His noir mysteries have a classic quality. Noir is the name sometimes given to a mode of crime fiction regarded as a subset of the hard boiled style,popularized by pulp fiction. The protagonist is usually not a detective, but instead a victim, a suspect, or a perpetrator—someone tied directly to the crime, not an outsider called to solve or fix the situation. And he is almost certainly in over his head


Your latest book, Setup On Front Street, is set in Key West. Isn't that an unusual setting for a noir novel?

Definitely. I wanted to lift the veil on Key West, to reveal it as a true noir city, on a par with Los Angeles, Miami, or New Orleans. There's a very noir feel here,once you peel back the tourist veneer. This is the first of a trio of Key West noir novels, all of them set in the alleys and the shadows of this island city. I might add, I think this novel is the first book ever set in Key West which does not include a constellation of clichéd, quirky characters. No margarita-guzzling goofballs, no Jimmy Buffett stereotypes. Just dark,desperate people caught in the backwater of their own poor choices.

What sort of training did you have that allowed you to make the leap from musician to author?   
        
Thirty years of playing music isn't exactly the best training for an author.  Thirty years of writing would be more like it.  But playing music is what I did, so that's what I had to work with.

What was your life like as a musician?

Well,to set the record straight, I was a piano player, also venturing off into electronic keyboards from time to time. My career, which started in Houston, took me to nearly every state in the Union, as well as to several unusual foreign countries, all the while roving through disparate musical genres: rock & roll, rhythm & blues, and country.  I played in clubs, concerts, TV, radio,and recording studios.  I played large venues in front of tens of thousands of people and in smoky bars for no one at all.

That’s quite a variety. What places did you live that influenced your writing? 

After Houston, my music took me to Memphis, Nashville, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans,and finally, my beloved Key West, where I lived for sixteen years, and where I retired from music around 2003. Then in 2006, I moved to Las Vegas. While I was there, I got my first book deal from a traditional publisher. In 2010, I moved back to Key West, where I'm staying from now on. It was here that I got into self-publishing.

How did you start your transition? What actually sparked the desire to write?

I had begun writing almost by accident somewhere in the late 1980s. At that time I was living and playing in New Orleans. I was encouraged to try writing by a friend of mine, Marda Burton, who was herself a writer.  She had read a little 70-page account I wrote of an overseas trip I'd taken, and she seemed to think I could make up stories and string words together in a coherent fashion,filling up hundreds of pages in the process.

So with this encouragement, did you immediately try your hand at writing?

Of course not. I disagreed, claiming fiction was for "real" writers.

What changed your mind?

She stayed on my case until I got started. Writing on and off for the next twenty years, I eventually completed eight novels and some dozen short stories. Oh, and did I mention hundreds (or was it thousands?) of rejection slips.

What brought you to Las Vegas?

I left Key West in late 2006 to play poker at the professional level. Living in Las Vegas was much more agreeable than I thought it would be, and I even found a nice home on the water!  (okay,okay, it was a man-made lake, but believe me, it was great).

Did you continue to write there?

Absolutely.As I said earlier, I got my first novel published while I was there, in August of 2009. But I had to quit poker right after that in order to devote my time to writing and promoting.

What kind of support did you find for your writing once you settled in Las Vegas?

One important discovery I've made is the invaluable nature of critique groups.  I belonged to a great one in LasVegas:  the Henderson Writers Group. It's populated by writers in all stages of development and from all genres, but I can say without hesitation that the critiques the Henderson Writers Group has given my noir fiction have improved everything I read to them and made me a better writer.

What do you think was the one most important thing the Henderson Writers Group offered to you?

Their chief function is to provide fresh sets of eyes and ears to point out things that I never would've seen myself because my brain is geared in another direction.

You've recently moved back to Key West. Have you found any such groups there?

Yes.There are two excellent critique groups, the Casa Marina Group and the Big Pine Key Writers Group, and I belong to both of them.

Do you write every day?

Yes.It's something you have to do if you want to get better, or, as I like to put it, to become a "real" writer. And it's not measured in terms of word output. Right now, for instance, I'm going over a novel that I finished a couple of months ago, editing it, adding scenes, deleting other scenes,tightening it up...it's all part of the writing process. But I do it every day,regardless.

What do you think of the growing indie book market?

Well,the operative word here is "growing". "Exploding" might be more like it. I don't think anyone really saw this coming, least of all the New York publishers, who are still in various stages of denial.
The indie market has truly flung open the floodgates for writers. Yes, there's a lot of bad stuff out there, but the good stuff is finding its audience. For the first time, authors can draw a straight line from themselves to their readers.Thanks to Amazon's liberal royalty policies, they'll be able to make the lion's share of the money, and they can get their material to their readers within a couple of weeks of finishing it, rather than the customary, New-York-publisher timetable of eighteen months to two years.

When did you first self-publish?

Earlier this year, I put out a noir short story collection called Bloodstains On The Wall. I was encouraged enough to follow that up with Setup On Front Street.

As an emerging author, what is the best advice you can offer to aspiring authors?

Very simple. Don't quit.  A professional is merely an amateur who didn't quit.

And now for the GIVEAWAY! I have a SIGNED copy of Set up on Front Street courtesy of the very generous Mike Dennis himself! Everyone who comments will be entered to win! Don't forget to leave your VALID email address so that I can contact you if you win! Winner will be chosen on Saturday, August 27,2011. Thanks for participating! 

Author Interview: Lauren K. Pomeroy

First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for me.  I will be reading and reviewing your novels Alexander and Corruption soon.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

At the age of 11 – My very first story was about three Martians, and I cannot remember the full story, however I remember one of them lost an arm or an antenna….regardless, it was exciting. This was also when I actually wrote my first three books both totaling over 250 pages. For eleven years old? A lot of people cannot believe it when I tell them that either. However, those three novels with great imagination, I do not believe could ever be published works of art because since they were my three first books, I completed them in between school and homework over 2 and 1/2 years. So from starting them at 11, and finishing the series at 13 my vocabulary had changed so much that in some areas they do not make sense hahaha!

About how long does it take you to write a book?

Usually six months to a year, it really depends since I’m so hectic with my work schedule as I’m trying to fully prepare my books to make their full debue with a Kindle Nation Sponsorship, as well as completing my Associates degree in Communications in Business Technology and switching my full major to English regardless if I become a popular author or not. Needless to say, I’m running around like a crazy person! However, if this is what it takes to someday be a fully published Author for teens, young adults, and general adults alike, then it’s what I have to do. Writing is my passion and I’ll do anything to achieve it someday soon.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

It’s a process for sure. When I stated 6 months to a year for completing a full book, it’s because I have a specific process I tend too. First, I write all my novels in full outline form, ideas, character description, places, events, special scenes if I think of them on the spot, I can write them down in my comp books until the outline of the novel is completed which could total to handwritten 30 pages+. Afterwards, I write the actual book in Microsoft Word, and if I choose to change or alter the path of the outline, I can do so. Also, this is a great form of preventing writers block because when there’s no more to think of for chapter 3, I look in my outline and realize, “Time to just go to chapter 4 for the next event!”

Did you see any rejections slips before your first book was published?

I did, however that was way back in the day when I submitted the first book I wrote called, “Eatheon” to a Random House contest and obviously, did not win the prize of a publishing contract with them. (Very sad) L

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Since I was eleven, I’ve written 9 books; 2 trilogies (3 books each), and 3 stand-alone books. Alexander was originally supposed to also be a trilogy, however the books themselves ran short, and I decided to group them into a 3 Part novel rather than another 3 series. However, Alexander: Vanquish the Night and my recent book, Corruption have definitely been my 2 greatest works of literature, I believe.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An Author – I’ve always known I wanted to write, however lacked the ability to until I was eleven to compose a full idea. J

Now lets focus on Alexander since I will be posting a review of it soon. What was your inspiration to write Alexander? What was your inspiration for writing Corruption?

I think at the time when I first began the story I originally always wrote about medieval fantasy fiction, heroic knights, noble princes, damsels in distress and so-forth. However, I have never created a story where my hero or main character would have a fatal flaw or in turn become his own form of destruction. I wanted a story where everyone would fall in love with the hero, and feel his pain when he makes a formidable decision that changes the entire remainder of the other 2 parts of the novel.

The inspiration for my novel Corruption was to have a book of ultimate betrayal by a specific individual. The entire book is about a man trying to reclaim revenge upon the murder of his wife, due to an insane lust and desire for power by the villain. I really wanted a book where it seemed that all odds were against our character, and if he could triumph or not, as well as seek justice for the wrongs that have been done.

Who is your favorite character from Alexander? Corruption?

I would have to say, besides Alexander, my favorite character was always Constantine. He’s the greatest secondary male character I think I’ve created, especially for this story in particular, he’s somewhat the “right-hand-man” and it wouldn’t be the same without his heroic efforts as well.

For Corruption, my favorite character is Hadrian, which is the main character. He is the one that experiences along with his companions, the most struggle emotionally and during the entire novel you wonder if he will find happiness again, or if he will survive trying to justify his wife’s murder. He is the character that is the utmost compassionate and has a secret bond with almost every single of his different companions. I created him to be a character that didn’t hold judgment on those around him, which I believe is how the world should be nowadays.

When writing Alexander what type of audience were you aiming for? Is it the same for Corruption as well?

Throughout every book I write, I dedicate the audience to teens and young adults, as well as the general adult audience. However, the reason I began writing aside from the love of it and the freedom of imagination, was because high school reading was such a struggle. Not for my own ability, but to find something that actually caught my attention, and in high school we were forced to read to save our English grades – and how can someone be forced to read the most boring stories on the face of the planet? 99% of the time, I definitely feel asleep through the insane description in the stories I had to read where they were “in the forest for days on end” and nothing continued to happen, and pointless conversation filled the gaps…meanwhile, 450 pages later, something exciting happens. No one likes reading like that, believe me, take it from an author!

Also, my theory behind writing in the style I do, with enough detail to satisfy the scene or emotion a character is having, as well as the depth of their thoughts, I have plenty of dialogue, character relationship, as well as action almost all the time. What does this sound like to you? To me, I write in the style of the way you would watch a film. Many people, especially younger generations like watching TV or movies now more than reading books…so why not write in a way that was as captivating as watching a movie?

This was the inspiration behind both books as far as audience goes.

How much of Alexander is based on real experiences? Is Corruption based on anything?

I would have to say none whatsoever haha. However, I wanted to have a sort of spin off of how vampires came to be, as well as Dracula back in the middle ages – to me, if they were around at all, I believe they started off as mythical types of races descending most likely from the “fires of hell” which is what they are supposed to be born from. I don’t believe that Dracula suddenly came about when trains, and guns, and everything else was invented in the European era. I believe they had to be around long before that, which is where my story takes place, not historically, but in the middle ages time frame.

Corruption is based on what betrayal, deceit, and lies can turn into – metaphorically at least. Lately I have felt that gossiping, lies, and backstabbing has become a “fashion statement” so-to-speak nowadays with the turn of the country’s recession and it has become an everyman for themselves type of environment, which is unfortunate since we as a people have been so united before.  My story  somewhat foreshadows the races of people in this country as “the council” and how each of them are all against one another, and the simple fact that as a people, it should not be this way because it only leads to bad things – and those who choose to be this way forever, ultimately lose in the end, there is no winning from being divided forever.

SURPRISE GIVEAWAY! WINNER!

Congratulations Heather! Please email me your mailing address so that I can get your prize in the mail for you!

Between by: Jessica Warman

On the cover of the book, Gail Giles says "A love story, and a cautionary tale that gallops from its gripping beginning to its crackling conclusion."

I completely agree with Mrs. Giles! Between is a wonderful story. It is different from what I am used to reading but that isn't to say it isn't as good. I simply LOVED the book.

Liz is trying to figure out what happened to her the night that she died. Everyone seems to think it was an accident, that she fell into the water.

Then she sees Alex, they go through a lot of memories together. These memories are VERY emotional and with each one it seems like she gets back another piece of the puzzle. She can't remember anything concrete from before she died. Only small things that don't matter.

There are a few things in the book that will make you laugh and there are some that will jerk tears from your eyes, but in the end it all makes a wonderful story. There are lots of twists in the story that are NOT expected, especially the ending. I was SHOCKED! When Liz finds out the truth about everything she is shocked as well.

I hope that you will all read this book at some point. It is truly wonderful!

Jessica Warman is hosting a giveaway on her blog for 3 SIGNED copies of this book to celebrate the release. You can find the giveaway HERE!

Character Interview with Vampire Anya Millar + Giveaway

Anya, you shared a big part of your life with me through the story Blood’s Voice and I am so glad that you did! I loved the story you told, although I do have some questions for you.

Sure, what would you like to know? 

First of all, when you decided to attend school with humans did you ever think that you would become such good friends with any of them as you did with Skye and Kayla?

Honestly, no.  I never had any intentions of getting close with the humans.  Attending school was an exercise in learning how human teens acted and interacted.  Having lost my memory makes it a little hard to blend in at times simply because I don’t know how to ‘be’ a teen.  I mean, I look about 16 or 17 so I need to at least somewhat act it, right?

I’m sure you never expected to fall in love with a human, but how did you feel about it when you did?

At first?  Terrified.  I had no wish to love Declán but somehow my intentions and our hearts were not on the same page.  However, I could not be happier than to have Declán by my side and in my life.  He is wonderful and a true wonder to me.

How hard was it for you to refrain from biting Declan?

Haha.  You humans have no understanding of how hard it was to not bite him at times.  He is so warm and his scent… let’s just say that I spent a great deal of time nearly insane or in pain trying to be a ‘good’ girl.  The fact he wouldn’t mind made it much more frustrating than need be.

When you found out about Skye and Kayla’s relationship were you truly surprised or did you already suspect it?

I was surprised in the way that I did not already suspect their relationship.  Had I known more about humans or have been exposed to them more away from others I’m sure I would have picked it up.  I was not, however, surprised as in having to come to terms with it or anything.  I honestly don’t understand why others care so much.  They have been together since their sophomore year, love each other dearly, and their gender should make no difference.  Humans are strange creatures.

You shared an incredibly HOT sex scene with me but it was painfully short! Why didn’t you share a little more detail?

I’m glad you liked it but um… do you really need that much detail into our sex life?  Plus, Nicholas would have had a fit.  In case you didn’t notice, he’s a bit stuffy about others knowing too much about his personal interactions. 

When you found out that Declan is a Guardian and everyone explained to you what that was, how surprised were you?

I don’t think surprised is the right word.  Mortified would be a much better one.  The idea of my soft, loving, warm lover fighting vampires, the evil and heartless ones, terrifies me.  I’m not even allowed to observe his training because of how protective I tend to be.

Even after Declan was declared a Guardian you were still very protective of him. Do you think you will ever accept the fact that he is not “just” a mere human?

I have accepted that he is not ‘just’ a human but I still cannot seem to let go of wanting to protect him.  We are still faster and stronger than him and well, he’s the last of his kind so some traditional vamps would LOVE to destroy him just for the prestige.  Sick but true.

If you had one wish and you could wish for anything in the world, would you wish to be human again so that you could have a normal life with Declan?

I’ve thought about that a lot since finding Declán.  I do not hate being a vampire so I don’t wish to be free of the only existence I know.  I cannot long to be human again as I don’t remember being one.  As to a normal life, that really wouldn’t make our life ‘normal’ now would it?  He would still be a Guardian so I would still have to deal with that world and then I wouldn’t be able to help or protect him at all.  A basic human has no real chance against one of us.

I would like the benefit though of being able to have children.  I know he’s not worried about that right now, he’s only 18 after all, but to deny him that still seems wrong to me.  He, of course, disagrees with me about it though. 

I know that when a vampire loves you they never stop loving, how do you get past it when you lose your love as you did Braden?

That is complicated to answer since I don’t remember Braden but do feel the loss.  He is part of the past I lost.  But, if you noticed, I became involved with no one for a long time after Braden if what Nicholas and Louie say is true.  About a century passed before I became involved with Nicholas and even then, from what he’s told me, I still always was a bit reserved in allowing him completely into my heart.

I don’t know how I will deal with loosing Declán when the time comes.  How do humans manage when their lover dies?

When you were poisoned and you were very weak did it make it hard for you to face Declan knowing he was possibly stronger than you?

No.  His being stronger did not affect my pride.  What was hard was fearing I would lose control and harm him.  I was weak but my mental health was also damaged so that was a real concern.  He is too trusting with those of us in the House so he didn’t ever think to protect himself as he should have.

Now that most of the Educators have been destroyed, do you think the others will still come after you? If so will you share that story with me as well? I would love to know how things turn out for you, Declan, and Nicholas!

I don’t know how many of the Educators were destroyed versus how many may still be around, sadly.  There are also other Houses that have them as well – Marcus is not the only Elder House that employs such wickedness sadly.  Others may come but I doubt it will be Marcus’, at least not for a long time. 

I would be glad to share our future with you.  Our story did not end with Blood’s Voice but rather started there.  Blood Bound is due out later this year, so please, continue to observe us, just remember… no stalking (or staking, haha).

Anya, thank you so much for doing the interview for me! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm sure all readers of the blog will as well! I am really glad to hear that you are going to share more of your non-life with the world! I can't wait to read it!

Now for the GIVEAWAY! I have a smashwords coupon code for one free Ecopy of the book Blood's Voice that tells Anya Millar's story. Please fill out this FORM to enter the contest. I will post the winner on August 27th.

Also feel free to leave your own questions for Anya in the comment section as she will be stopping by to answer them for you all! Have fun!                                                                                                    

Blood's Voice by: Aine P. Massie

Anya Millar is not your ordinary vampire. There aren't many like her. Most that are like her are destroyed because they are considered an abomination to their kind. Anya has color in her eyes, they aren't a black void like the eyes of others of her kind. Only the vampires that don't feed from humans have color in their eyes.

Anya has a special power though. She can hurt people with her voice. The Educators want to change her. They want to turn her into a weapon. They want to train her to use her voice to kill. They want to control her.

Anya has no memory of her life before now. She has decided to live among the humans in order to learn how they live.Anya has a love for humans and wishes to have relationships with them.

Anya is particularly drawn to one of the humans in her American Sign Language class. He is different than the others. She can't understand the pull he has on her. She spends a lot of time with him and his friends. They all become great friends.

Nicholas knows Anya from her life before. He informs her that she had been missing for 30 years until he just found her again. She was captured by the Educators.Yet Anya still has no memory of anything before waking up with Star, the bloodless that has taken her in. Star didn't know her before so she was no help with filling in the past for her. Nicholas, however, could tell her a little. She and Nicholas become very close as well and Nicholas becomes very close to "Anya's humans" although he didn't think it was a good idea to hang out with them in the beginning.

Together Anya, Nicholas and their friends have many obstacles to overcome. The Educators are trying very hard to get Anya back and finish what they started. Anya's friends are very faithful to her and she even finds some new friends along the way.

I am trying to keep this review spoiler FREE so I can't really say much more about the story. I wil say that I LOVED it though! The author did a great job keeping my interest and making me want to finish the story to find out what happened next. There lost of suprises along the way and some things that truly didn't expect but that just made it better than I thought the ending was going to be!

Author Interview: Colleen Wait!

Biography borrowed from Smashwords.com

Colleen Wait is married with 4 children.Colleen grew up in Houston, Texas where she graduated from The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She has been very involved in her church's youth activities including children's musical, Daughter's of the King, SonQuest and various other youth events. She recently was involved in a local mission trip with her church's youth group. She is an avid reader, especially the classics and began writing short stories in elementary school. Colleen is also a runner who began racing 5K's in 2009. She did her first half-marathon March 2010, second February 2011. Colleen's son Devin is in the Air Force. His photograph graces the cover of 'Mount Mission'. To date, Colleen has written and published 7 e-books. Her 7th, Love on the Run, is now available. Currently, she works to support her writing as a medical transcriptionist with 20+ years of experience and as a proofreader/editor.

Be sure to check out Colleen's blog for monthly coupon codes
http://colleenwaitwrites.blogspot.com/.

Also, see Colleen's Facebook page for occasional Freebie Friday and/or NoPay Saturday coupons.

First of all, thank you Mrs. Wait for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions for us. We will be reading and reviewing your book Lessons Learned at Summer Camp soon, we would like to thank you now for the giveaway that you have agreed to hold at the time of our review. I’m sure one lucky winner will be thrilled to have an Ecopy of this book.

Now to the good stuff! It is so hard to make the interviews on a blog interesting. It seems like most blogs use the same questions with every author! I will try my best not to do that! I don’t want to bore my readers 

What inspired you to write your first book? 

My first book was Freedom Race.  I was living in NYC at the time and was inspired by all the creativity all around me. The storyline itself was initially a dream.

Do you have a specific writing style?

No, I don't think so.  I'm given a story, write an outline and it just flows. Anytime I've tried to force a style or perspective it doesn't work.   Most of my work has come through dreams or in the case of Captured, a nightmare. Sometimes a Bible Class or Sermon will pose a question that will inspire me. However as far as the actual "style", I don't think about it, the words simply flow. 

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I was a pretty lonely, shy child. As a result I spent a lot of time reading and daydreaming. In school I was always good at book essays and loved literature class. Eventually I began putting my daydreams on paper.  My first short story was about Indians and ponies. 

We are going to be reviewing Lessons Learned at Summer Camp so lets concentrate on that book a little. How did you come up with the title for the book?

The original title was God forgives, Why can't I?   The book is based on real people, real events.    I have been to camp, my kids have been to camp, specifically Bible Camp.  So much of ones life is shared late at night around the campfire and in the cabins before bed.  Thus, I staged the story at a summer camp where many lessons are shared and learned.

Is there a message in the novel that you want readers to grasp?

Absolutely, that's why I wrote the book.  Don't go through life alone. You need friends, family, and most of all God. Never be silent. Make a choice. Don't let life live you. 

Is the book based on experiences from your own life or the life of someone you know?

Yes. It's my life.  It was an exceptionally difficult time in my life when I wrote it. Initially it was for personal use, never to be shared with the public.  However as a select few friends and ministers read it and we discussed it I came to the realization that I was not alone and I would not be shunned.  In fact, there were many other girls and women who have been or were in similar situations.  Perhaps, I thought, I might be able to help someone break through their shame or demons or whatever they are struggling with. 

Did you have any part in designing the book cover?

I took the photos in a state park, designed the cover around it.  It's symbolic. We all have paths to travel down and never know what is around the corner. 

If you had to do it all again would you change anything about the book?

One day I'd like to make it longer, include more detail. 

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Sharing it with my husband. Then my mother.

Are all of your books focused for a YA audience?

I don't really write specifically for the YA genre. I don't want to be lumped in with Twilight, Harry Potter, etc.  I write what's been laid on my heart. I'd say my writing is Inspirational Fiction for teens through adult women.  I don't write typical "Christian" fiction.  My characters have problems, make mistakes, have doubts and fears. I don't whitewash anything. 

I'd very much like your readers to put aside any preconceived thoughts about God or religion and especially about "Christian" fiction.  Take the time to read the book with an open mind then think on it before drawing any conclusions. 

Winners!

Toni Dwiggins' Badwater has 2 winners! I will email smashwords coupons to the winners.

Smoky Zeidel's On the Choptank Shore has 1 winner! The author will email the winner shortly!

A Roman Peace in Briton by Joe Tackett has 2 winners! These are signed paperback novels that I will be mailing out. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery after you get back with me with your mailing address!

Congratulations to all winners! I hope you all enjoy your books! We would love to have your comments on the books after you read them! Winners of paperback books A Roman Peace in Briton have until Monday @ 10 PM to get back to me with mailing addresses.