Wednesday, December 31, 2014

#Excerpt: RUPTURED by Maggie Mae Gallagher


BLURB:
It has been eighty-three years since the walls between Earth and Infernus fell, and now our world stands upon the razor’s edge of extinction. Demon platoons are marching upon us. My home, one of humanity’s last bastions of existence, is under siege.

My name is Alana Devereaux. I am the resident demon detector of Cantati Forces and Platoon Commander. My job is to hunt down the vermin unleashed upon my world, and I love it. I live for the day I can kick every last demon’s ass out of this world. Except as enemy forces reign down terror upon us, the Densare Council sentences me to a fate worse than death. 

Excerpt:

He held up a hand. Pulled his chair out, turned it around and straddled it.

“But I will follow the orders of the Council. You belong to me. I won’t be cruel or force you tonight. I will give you today to become familiar with me before we consummate our union. I have a mission within the hour, but will visit you tomorrow evening. I will start visiting your room each night at an arranged time depending upon my mission schedule.” It didn’t sound like he liked that little tidbit, that he would be forced to come to my room. Except, the Council had decreed that women were to live below ground as a means of protection. So what he wanted didn’t matter. He still got to bed the General’s daughter, just not on his own terms.

Although, the fact that he had given me an extra night of freedom was more than I had expected from him. Maybe I could, if not feel something for him, at least be less opposed to being with him.

“Cade, I don’t mean to be difficult. I don’t like that my choice was taken from me. We are both platoon leaders and used to making our own decisions, other than what General O’Hare dictates.”

Could he understand my side at least? Then maybe I wouldn’t feel like I was standing before a firing squad.

“I won’t say I’m displeased. You are one hell of a warrior, and the offspring we will make together will be something fierce. It would help, though, if you didn’t look like you’d just swallowed an explosive.” He meant it. His deep voice rumbled as his gaze roamed over me, stopping ever so briefly at my chest and juncture of my thighs before returning his smoldering stare to my face. There was no way this man would allow me to lie there, unresponsive, while he did his thing. He would make me be present, would not accept any wooden responses, and would do his damnedest to make sure any walls I had built were waylaid into dust.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Bestselling Author Maggie Mae Gallagher doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. When she was a kid she acted out her favorite scenes, only better, with her brother and cousin. As a teenager, she wrote reams of poetry, but realized her true love lay with creating characters and stories. A former music and history major, Maggie is a total geek at her core. When she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her two furry felines.







Ruptured Purchase Links


Barnes & Noble http://goo.gl/MmkGSf



Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Book Tour Blast: RIDING FOR REDEMPTION by Bonnie Paulson

RidingRedemptionbanner

 
RR2Front
Desperate to find her place in the world, Sara Beth dreams of applying for the Miss Wrangler Montana competition that tours with the rodeo circuit. 
Riding horses has become her anchor until a near fatal accident takes more from her than she’d ever willingly sacrifice. Determined to prove his business training, Johnny seeks out the Rourke family to call in an old favor. When he embroils himself in Sara Beth’s life, he has to prove they’re nothing more than friends. 

Seeking independence, both Sara Beth and Johnny lean on each other more and more, until love threatens their friendship. Will they seek out each other or be confused by their dreams?

Can either of them leave their past and embrace their future?

Add to your TBR list on Goodreads
Bonnie 
Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane.

Follow on:

Sunday, December 28, 2014

#Review: A HEARTLESS DESIGN by Elizabeth Cole




 A HEARTLESS DESIGN is a historical romance with smart savvy characters. I loved the fact that Cordeila was a clever and inventive engineer, something that proper young ladies of the time would never be allowed to do. Not only were women thought not to possess the keen intelligence needed to be an engineer, but to be able to support a household with her skills was a great twist. Of course, Cordelia has to do all this in secret under a false identity. When her path crosses with Sebastien, a Crown spy and newly elevated Earl, her secrets are in peril of being revealed. He's on assignment to discover the very thing Cordeila is trying to keep secret. 

I enjoyed their banter together, but be warned there is an explicit sex scene in the book. The supporting characters in Cordelia's household were interesting and I would have loved to read more of their back story and how they came to work for her. This book kept my interest throughout, but I didn't feel the urgency in the plot until the last part of the book which made the pacing a little lopsided. All in all, a good read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/Heartless-Design-Secrets-Zodiac-Book-ebook/dp/B00F281DM4/ref=twoen-20

Thursday, December 25, 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS!





Hard to believe that another year has gone by and 2015 is right around the corner. I'll be spending the holiday with my family and friends. Hope you'll do the same!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!



Wednesday, December 24, 2014

The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

 

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.  


 
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

 

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;





He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"
 


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Interview with Martin Roy Hill, EDEN (A Sci-Fi Novella)


Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
My latest book is called Eden: A Sci-Fi Novella. Being science fiction, it's something of a departure for me. All of my other books – Duty, The Killing Depths, and Empty Places – are in the mystery, suspense, and thriller genres. But I love science fiction, and in the last year or two, I’ve published a couple short stories in that genre.

Eden involves a group of American soldiers in Iraq who are sent out to investigate a set of ancient ruins uncovered by a large sandstorm. As they approach the ruins, they are attacked by insurgents and take refuge behind the ancient walls. There they become trapped not only by the insurgents but also by another even larger sandstorm. When the detonation of an enemy mortar opens a hole leading to a buried chamber, the GIs take shelter inside. Inside the chamber, they discover a long buried secret about the origins of Mankind that threatens to destroy civilization as we know it.

The book gets its name from the fact that Iraq is believed to be the location of the Biblical Eden.
 
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
Yes, with the first book I wrote. That was my book Empty Places, even though I ended up publishing The Killing Depths first. I actually signed with two different literary agencies. After a year with the first one, I found out the agent hadn't been trying to sell my manuscript at all because – as she explained – she was working on her own novel. The second agency simply went out of business before it could find a publisher for my book. Not happy experiences, either one of them.

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?
The two experiences I just mentioned had a great deal to do with it. I had to take a nearly ten year hiatus from writing. Just before the Iraq war started I switched careers, leaving behind a 20-some year career in journalism to become a research analyst for the U.S. Navy. With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our op tempo was very high and I just didn't have time to write. As the Iraq conflict began to wind down, I started to write again, first articles for magazines and web sites, then short stories. Then I learned about independent publishing and I was intrigued. It seemed to me to be the logical progression of the arts. Back in the 1970s or 1980s, movie producers and directors started making independent films. Songwriters and bands started putting out independently produced records and CDs not long afterward. Authors are just the latest artists to strike out on their own.

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
So far, I've designed all of my own covers. As a journalist, I learned a great deal about graphic design and I enjoy doing my own covers. But I can see sometime in the future contracting that design work out.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
Between my day job, family commitments, and military reserve unit commitments, I don't have a lot of free time. I write anywhere I can find a few minutes to write. I carry a Kindle Fire tablet and Bluetooth keyboard everywhere I go and when I get some time, I pull them out. I also use an app on my iPhone that allows me to work on my writing anywhere I am. Having worked in busy newspaper newsrooms, I'm used to writing with a lot of noise. But I can't listen to music as I write. I get too much into the music. I'm likely to start singing or dancing rather than write.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
I do a great deal of outlining and plotting. It gives me confidence that there's actually a story to tell. But when I actually start writing a book, the characters and the plot seem to take on a life of their own. I always say it's like planning a road trip. You look at the road map and decide where you're going and which roads to take to get there. But when you're actually driving, you start taking little detours because some road sign caught your interest.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
I'm lucky to be married to the best editor I know. My wife, Winke, grew up in the publishing business. Her father, Robert Wade, was a well-known mystery author who wrote some thirty or forty novels under pen names like Wade Miller and Whit Masterson. Her step-father, Ed Self, was a well-known magazine publisher who created the city magazine genre. So she has more than twenty years of editing experience – as well as being a voracious reader – which she brings to the table. If I didn’t have her then, yes, I would definitely hire a professional editor.

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
I utilize all the social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn – and I have a web site with a blog. I find Twitter very useful. According to my analytics, I get a lot of click-throughs to my buy sites from Twitter. I also will occasionally buy advertising on a web site, and I have pay-per-click campaigns running on Goodreads and Google.

Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?
I love all animals, but I have a special affinity for cats. I've had cats nearly my entire life. My current BFFFs (best furry friends forever) are twin orange tabby boys named Harry Potter Maximillan and Alexander Theodore. The names are bigger than the cats! As for the others—chocolate, coffee, and text. And I am definitely an early morning person, which is very strange because my wife and son are both very much night people.

What’s next for you?
I'm currently writing military mystery thriller featuring NCIS Special Agent Linus Schag, from The Killing Depths. The sequel is called The Butcher's Bill and involves a NCIS agent and close friend of Schag's who goes rogue. I’m also researching and plotting another military mystery thriller tentatively titled Polar Melt, which features a U.S. Coast Guard team investigating the disappearance of research ship in the Arctic Ocean.

Buy site link for Eden: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O5HYIQG
Author’s Website: http://www.martinroyhill.com
Author’s Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/MartinRoyHill
Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Martin.Roy.Hill

About the Author
Martin Roy Hill is the author of the military mystery thriller, "The Killing Depths," the award-winning short story collection, "DUTY: Suspense and Mystery Stories from the Cold War and Beyond," and the mystery thriller, "Empty Places." Martin spent more than 20 years as a staff reporter and editor for newspapers and magazines, before becoming a military analyst specializing in battlefield medical operations for the Navy.

His freelance credits include Reader's Digest, LIFE, Newsweek, Omni, American History, Coast Guard Magazine, Retired Officer Magazine, the Los Angeles Times Sunday Opinion Section, and many more. Much of Martin's freelance work involves historical topics, especially military history. He was a lead contributor to the 1995 WWII anthology, "From Pearl Harbor to Nagasaki: America at War," published by the Retired Officer Association (now called the Military Officer Association. He was also a contributor to the 2013 Civil War anthology, "Gettysburg: Three Days that Saved the United States."

Martin's short stories have appeared in such publications as Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Alt Hist: The Magazine of Historical Fiction and Alternate History, Plan B Mystery Anthology, San Diego Magazine, and San Diego Writer's Monthly. His first book, "DUTY," was named the Best Short Story Anthology/Collection during the 2013 San Diego Book Awards (SDBA). "The Killing Depths" was also named a finalist for the SDBA Sisters In Crime Mystery Award.




Monday, December 22, 2014

New #Supernatural Thriller Release: SUSPICION by Alexandra Monir


Alexandra Monir has captivated legions of fans with her YA time travel romances, Timeless and Timekeeper; critics have praised the books as “fun read[s] filled with romantic suspense and mystery” (USA Today), “music for your heart” (Justine), and a “perfect blend of quality content, romance and heart-pounding adventure” (Savvy).

Now, Monir offers a modern-day, young adult twist on the classic gothic novel, Rebecca, with SUSPICION, an enthralling supernatural thriller to be published by Delacorte Press in hardcover on December 9, 2014. 

Rockford Manor is a sprawling English country estate of nearly two hundred rooms, grand columns and towers, and acres of manicured gardens. For seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford, it’s her family’s summer home since the 18th century – and the site of her childhood’s greatest pain: her parents’ death by a mysterious fire in the maze garden.  After the tragedy, she was whisked away to New York by her guardians and in sorrow turned her back on her older cousin Lucia and her neighbor and childhood crush Sebastian Stanhope.  But she’s haunted by her father’s last words: that there’s something important hidden in the Maze, and she’ll know when the time comes to find it.  Then a letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor and face both her aristocratic roots and a stirring supernatural power she can’t control.  She soon discovers that dark and long-buried secrets lurk behind Rockford’s stunningly beautiful facade. Imogen herself is caught at the center of them—as is her cousin Lucia, and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Suspicion-Alexandra-Monir-ebook/dp/B00JCS7COI/ref=twoen-20

Inspired by Monir’s longtime passion for the gothic suspense novels of Daphne du Maurier, the psychological thriller films of Alfred Hitchcock, and the upstairs-downstairs world of Downton Abbey, SUSPICION offers romantic suspense, sinister intrigue, and a shocking twist no one will see coming. And at the same time, it’s a universal story of a young girl in the midst of all the changes that come with growing up, who is trying to find her place in the world and navigate loss, love and redemption. 

“Intensely dramatic, fast-paced, and twisty, Monir’s mystery ticks every gothic suspense box. The combination of paranormal elements with a star-crossed romance between almost-royals should keep readers rapt.” Booklist

“A terrific read that will keep you looking out for Imogen as she goes through her trials and tribulations. And the ending…WOW! The ending is a huge surprise that no reader should miss.” Suspense magazine

“Take The Princess Diaries and add magic, murder and mystery, and you've got Suspicion. A delightful read!” –Amy Plum, author of the international bestselling Die for Me series

"If Alfred Hitchcock had directed Downton Abbey, the result would have been this book. Alexandra Monir takes us on a gripping, nonstop thrill ride with just the right amount of supernatural and an ending that you definitely won’t suspect. I devoured it in one sitting."
–Jessica Brody, bestselling author of the Unremembered trilogy



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandra Monir is an author and recording artist. Suspicion is her third novel published by Random House. Her debut was the popular time-travel romance, Timeless, followed by the 2013 sequel, Timekeeper. Alexandra currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is at work on her next novel, while also blogging for The Huffington Post and composing an original musical. Her music can be found on iTunes. 

Visit her website at www.alexandramonir.com and follow @TimelessAlex on Twitter.

Friday, December 19, 2014

#Review & Excerpt: FORGOTTON NO MORE by Christina McKnight



3 of 5 stars


I was anxious to read "Forgotten No More." I love historical fiction and this book sounded interesting. Although it started out well, I felt the book dragged on and on with Ruby's search for her biological father. There were far too many instances of her musing over the same thing throughout the book. That got a bit tiresome and then, there was the means she used to investigate whether or not a gentlemen of the ton was actually her father. I had to suspend my belief on her escapades especially during one notorious outing that was most unlikely to happen. 

I did like the hero, Harold Jakeston. The author does a good job of fleshing out his character quite well. By far the most interesting character for me though was Ellington. She was a spit fire of a girl and as we learned the truth of her upbringing, it became clear why she acted the way she did. If Ms. McKnight writes Ellington's story, I would be most interested in reading that one.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.


Excerpt:

London, England
January 1816

             
            Ruby took a deep breath before trying the final drawer that could hold all the answers to her past, her true heritage. Her lungs expanded; she held the air inside. She didn’t exhale until it burned. With trembling fingers, she reached for the last drawer and pulled.

            Her nicely trimmed nails nearly snapped when her grasp on the handle slipped from the force of her tug. The drawer hadn’t budged.

            Locked!

            “Oh, poppy cocks!” she hissed. Moving her hands to the folds of her evening gown, Ruby procured a small pouch tucked neatly into a hidden pocket. Setting it on the desk, she pulled out her array of lock-picking devices, really only hairpins and small wires she’d collected since her first night—and her first failed attempt at breaking into a desk—to help her disengage the drawer.

            She had to know what secrets this lord held. Would she find an envelope inside labelled ‘Abandoned Daughter,’ or a report from the Bow Street Runners with details about herself—her hair color, the particular green shade of her eyes, places she’d been, perhaps the details of her activities over the course of her life?

Nothing worth finding was that simply ascertained.

No man, married or not, would leave record of their nefarious past. It was more likely her father had not spared her, or her mother, a second thought after throwing his pregnant mistress from his townhouse in the middle of the night with no coat and no means to get home.

            Ruby was anything but a fool, but she found herself continuing to search regardless. She didn’t need a signed confession—she just needed that letter opener.

            Picks in hand, she knelt before the locked drawer and eyed the keyhole, blowing a wayward strand of hair that had fallen across her face. She’d been unsuccessful more often than not when attempting to open locked drawers. But luck may have been on her side this evening. She’d entered the ball with little fuss, shortly after the host and hostess had quit the receiving line. It was surprising how similar the layout of most London townhouses were. Ruby had navigated the halls of the second floor and found the room she sought fairly quickly, encountering not a soul.

            The pins slipped into the lock and her tongue darted out of her mouth to lick her lips as she concentrated on moving them exactly right to click the lock over. She fought to keep her hands steady when sweat broke out across her forehead. She was running out of time.

            Ruby applied a bit too much pressure and the pin snapped, falling uselessly into the locked drawer. “Damn you to hell, mother!” she cursed and sat back, wiping her slick brow.

            She’d always viewed herself as a sensible girl, a dutiful daughter, and an honest friend. She could only imagine the horror on Vi’s face if she saw her now. A common thief. A midnight prowler. A defiler of privacy.

            Although, it could not be helped.

            She sought answers and at the moment all she had was an endless list of questions.
            Gaining her feet once more, she bundled her kit and slipped it back into her pocket. She turned her attention to the long table against the wall behind the desk. Leaning over, she ran her hand along the underside of the ornately carved piece, feeling for hidden compartments or—if her luck returned—a forgotten folder of papers.

            “Sherry, Miss Ruby?” an oddly familiar voice asked behind her.

Amazon buy link:
 http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-More-Lady-Forsaken-Book-ebook/dp/B00NG1E5CO/ref=twoen-20

Short Links:
Amazon US - http://amzn.to/1Ey852b
Amazon Print - http://amzn.to/1ujssNu
Amazon CA - http://amzn.to/11eX3kn
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1tDvaYZ
B&N - http://bit.ly/1EBFyZL
Kobo - http://bit.ly/113cnQw
Apple - http://bit.ly/1GPxGWq
Smashwords - http://bit.ly/11eXqvt
Createspace - http://bit.ly/1v0yzZ6





Thursday, December 18, 2014

#Review: CHANDREA by Marlene Wynn


  3 of 5 stars

CHANDREA is an ambitious fantasy about a long-lost avatar queen. A queen who will reunite the land and defeat the evil Queen Leilah, but twenty-three-year-old Chandrea has no idea the fate that awaits her. While preparing for job interviews, Chandrea is whisked through a magical portal to an alien land where she is supposed to fulfill a grand prophesy of saving the people of Lyrunia. Problem is, Chandrea has no idea who these people are or what she is supposed to do. She's angry and disoriented and what's nothing more than to just go home.

The author does a very good job of describing the different lands as Chandrea and a small band of trusted friends travel to RiMore so she can learn to control the magic within her. I did find that as I got further into the book, I cared less about all the descriptions of the landscape and animals that inhibited it and more about getting back to the action. I skipped through lots of exposition. As with so many fantasy books I've read lately, this book has no conclusion, just a big cliff hanger. I would have at least like to see one of the major problems solved, but unfortunately, this book didn't solve any of them. It's certainly not a bad book, but I don't think I'll be reading any more in the series.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. 
***

Book & Author details:
Chandrea – The Return of the Avatar Queen by Marlene Wynn
Publication date: September 22nd 2014
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult

Synopsis:
Chandrea Averill thinks she’s just like any other normal young woman. But, on the day of her 23rd birthday, her life changes forever.

Surrounded by magical creatures, dangerous sorcery, and insidious political intrigue, Chandrea desperately wants to return to Earth and the only life she’s ever known. But, the longer she stays, the more she realizes that she may be the only one with the power – both magical and political – to save the people of Lyrunia. Will she find the courage to remain and fight for her home world?


Purchase:



AUTHOR BIO
Marlene Wynn is a Utah native – fondly referred to as “Utonian” by a friend.  She transplanted herself in 1992 from the majestic Rocky Mountains to the beachy shores of sunny Virginia Beach, Virginia and has been there ever since.  Though she has worked in the Benefits field for several years, she finally worked up the courage to chase her dream as an author.

Author links:

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (US and Canada) - Image attached
  • A print copy of Chandrea – The Return of the Avatar Queen, 
  • A handmade fairy, 
  • A set of character trading cards.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Interview with Melanie Karsak, LADY MACBETH


Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
My new novel is Lady Macbeth: Daughter of Ravens. It is Book I in the Saga for Lady Macbeth series. The saga is a historical fantasy saga, dark fantasy actually, that follows the life of Gruoch, the “real” Lady Macbeth. While many of the details of her life are based on history, I also added many elements of Shakespeare’s play . . . like the inclusion of Banquo (as a love interest!) and the three witches (as practitioners of old Celtic beliefs).


Do you have a favorite character?
Of course I love the protagonist, Gruoch, but I really love her close friend, Sid. Gruoch meets Sid at a secret coven of women who still worship the old religion of Celtic Scotland. But Sid is different. Sid can see and talk to fairies and travels to the fairy world. But her behavior, talking to fairies others cannot see, makes her seem crazy to everyone except Gruoch. They develop a close bond. I love that these two friends see and love each other for who they truly are!

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
Not with this series, but that did happen in my dark fantasy/zombie series, The Harvesting Series. I have intended a short parallel story that incorporated a girl names Cricket, a carnie girl who survives the zpoc, in The Harvesting but it didn’t work out that way. I ended up with a full novella, Midway, just about Cricket and she will be a major character in the second novel in the series!


If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
Liliana Sanches (seen on Deviantart as Princess of Shadows) is the designer for both The Harvesting Series and The Saga of Lady Macbeth novels. Liliana is wonderful to work with. I basically told her what I was going for, the feel of the novel, and comps for the novel. She showed me drafts as she created all my covers and we tweaked from there. She did an amazing job getting important symbolism and vibe going with the covers.

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?
I belong to the Blazing Indie Collective, a facebook group of amazing writers from across genres. Our group’s purpose is to support each other, provide positive encouragement, and cross-promote our works. We also work collectively. We are currently planning a mermaid collection that will release next summer, The Falling in Deep Collection. This is a great group and I love working with them!

The Falling in Deep Collection:  https://www.facebook.com/fallingindeepcollection

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
I work with two different editors, and sometimes a proofreader, for my novels. I have dyslexia so I have to have someone read for me. It’s very easy for me to miss errors. My novels The Harvesting (dark fantasy/zombie) and Chasing the Star Garden (steampunk) have both been awarded Indie BRAG Medallions for excellence in writing so it seems like my team is doing something right!

Becky Stephens Editing: www.beckystephensediting.com/

What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?
That I don’t have to wait for permission, that’s the first and biggest lesson I had to learn. I can let readers, not publishers and agents, decide if they like my work. I was still stuck in the old mindset that I needed a stamp of approval. I don’t. I’ve also learned that being authentic, kind, and patient are very important qualities as I continue this journey. I am excited to see my peers succeed; I think it’s great we all have a chance. I am not big on drama or aggressive competition. I try to take bad reviews gracefully and celebrate the good ones. It’s important for writers to enjoy every small success and ignore negativity!

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
I am active on facebook, have a busy blog, and am growing my newsletter. I do have twitter and tumblr but am much less comfortable on those platforms. Right now, I am really enjoying writing my newsletter and figuring out what people might like to hear and read. My facebook is more where I meet people than market, but I do share new release and sales info there at times too. And I’m also a Pinterest junkie, but just because I love to look at the pretty pictures (it’s my stress-management go-to, lol!).


How about some fun facts-which do you prefer? Dogs or cats, coffee or tea, vanilla or chocolate, morning or night?
Dogs! I’ve had to clean one to many litter boxes. Sorry, cats!
Coffee! Lots and lots of coffee!
Chocolate. That wasn’t really a question, was it?
Night! I would love to get up in the morning and head to my desk, but I have 2 little people and a job that need looking after. Until I hit the publishing lottery, I’ll be sticking with the night shift.

What’s next for you?
My next two projects are the second novel in my dark fantasy/zombie series, The Shadow Aspect, and my mermaid novella, Ink.




Book & Author details:
Lady Macbeth by Melanie Karsak
(Daughter of Ravens #1)
Publication date: December 3rd 2014
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:
Something wicked this way comes . . .
Gruoch is born to rule, but long before she becomes Macbeth’s queen, ancient forces claim her soul.
Marked from birth by the old gods, Gruoch is initiated into the ancient religion of her ancestors and begins learning the mysteries of the Goddess Cerridwen. But not everything is as it seems. Soon the Battle Goddess Morrigu imposes her will, and Gruoch finds herself at the mercy of the Wyrd Sisters.
With King Malcolm plotting, the Wyrd Sisters schooling her in arcane craft, and haunted by dreams of a raven-haired man she’s never met, Gruoch feels her fate is not her own. That is, until she meets a druid named Banquo. Gruoch’s heart is swept away when Banquo awakens something in her more powerful than duty, magic, or destiny: love.
This retelling of Shakespeare’s classic work leads readers through an unforgettable saga of one woman struggling to escape her fate without blood on her hands.
Begin the Lady Mabeth Saga with Lady Macbeth: Daughter of Ravens.


Purchase:
Melanie Karsak is the author of the Amazon best-selling steampunk series The Airship Racing Chronicles (Chasing the Star Garden and Chasing the  Green Fairy) and the award-wining horror/dark fantasy Harvesting Series. She grew up in rural northwestern Pennsylvania and earned a Master’s degree in English from Gannon University. A steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and zombie whisperer, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. 

She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.

Author links:






Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL) 
  • Storiarts Alice in Wonderland Scarf (image attached)








a Rafflecopter giveaway