Monday, June 30, 2014

Book Tour Blast: ABIDING FLAME by Pauline Creeden

abidingflamesbooktour


Darkness can be overcome…

Terminally ill Lynette Lamb is forced to reunite her wayward son and grandson. Her options are as limited as her strength and mobility. Through a fateful series of events, the rejoined pair will leave Earth to become part of a colony orbiting a new planet. Sam Austin and his wife mourn the loss of 
their only child and decide to make a fresh start at the space station. The same ship holds the one who will fulfill the dark planet’s prophecy, but a demonic force boards to stop the vessel. The demon’s obedient but unwilling servant is sent on a suicide mission to keep the ship from reaching its destination. 

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Abiding-Flame-Pauline-Creeden-ebook/dp/B00KWEYV4U/ref=twoen-20

Author Bio:

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long. Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. 

Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and is now available as an audiobook. #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Christian Sci/Fi and Fantasy (October 2013) One of Pauline's short stories has won the CCW Short Story contest. Other short stories have been published in Fear & Trembling Magazine, Obsidian River and Avenir Eclectia. An urban fantasy short will appear in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press, and a vampire short will appear in Monsters! from Diminished Media Group. 


Excerpt:

“Freak,” a boy in green yelled, drawing Lynette Lamb’s attention from her second story window. Three boys caught up with her eleven-year-old grandson, Jeremy, and blocked his path. “Why you look so weird?”
“Do–” Jeremy clenched a pharmacy bag.
“Why do I look so weird?” The green one laughed. “That’s what I asked. See, he doesn’t even know.” Snickering, two of the boys punched each other in the shoulders.
Lynette could smell their bloodlust on the breeze. Like rough burlap, her tired lungs scratched against her rib cage, but she ignored the pain and watched the three boys who harassed her grandson. One wore red, one blue, and one green. Otherwise, only a modicum of disparity existed among them. That was the problem with normalization. In an effort to make everyone look the same, society succeeded in taking away individuality. She could hardly tell the kids apart anymore. She coughed, and splatters of blood stained the washcloth she gripped in her weak fingers.
“Is your doctor blind or sumthin’? ’Cuz I can almost see through you, white boy.” Green smacked Jeremy in the chest to punctuate his words. “And what’s with those teeth? Was yo’ momma a horse?”
“No.” Jeremy attempted to cross the street.
The boy in red pushed him and knocked the pharmacy bag to the sidewalk. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere.” The one in blue giggled like a hyena. “Yeah. Unless it’s to a doctor. It’s called normalizing. Ain’t you never heard of it?”
“Shut it.”
The one in red smacked Blue in the back of the head. Blue cowered, nearly falling backwards as he stepped off the curb.
Jeremy focused on the bag at his feet and stood still. His tall, lanky frame and pale skin made him an anomaly to the normalized, olive-skinned children his age. Because of his recent growth spurt, he seemed to be more knees and elbows than his limbs accounted for. Next to the other children, he stood like an awkward, leafless cedar.
Lynette clenched her teeth, hoping none of the young brutes held a weapon. If only she had the strength and wind in her lungs to yell at them! Tears filled her eyes. It crushed her that she could no longer take care of her grandson like he needed.
Green poked Jeremy in the chest to emphasize each word. “Why. You. Look. So. Weird.”
“I look the way God made me.” Lynette’s heart swelled.
But the primary colors doubled over and slapped each other on the backs. Green barked laughter, but stopped, spit on the ground, and said, “You one of those religion freaks, ain’t you? I knew it.” Blue giggled, hand over his mouth, and pointed at Jeremy.
“My dad said you was extinct!”
Red gripped the front of Jeremy’s shirt and growled, “Well, I says we make you extinct.” He rammed his fist into Jeremy’s stomach. The other two boys jumped into the fray, arms thumping in a wild rhythm.
***

Follow the Book Tour

Friday, June 27, 2014

Interview with Ashley Quigley


Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
Ariet has been taken from her family, who are told she has died of an illness; when, in fact, she has been drugged and removed against her will to a secret underground location. Selected for a genetic breeding program by the Creators, the Monarchy of the New World, Ariet and her captor Mason, have to provide an offspring with a predetermined inherited genetic profile, or face termination. They find mutual empathy for one another when their unborn child does not carry the desirable gene. Unable to accept the scheduled termination of her pregnancy by the Creators and to save the life of her offspring, Mason helps her escape to an area outside of the Four Quadrants. Mason's childhood friend Thor, a Guardian in the Great Tower, flees with Ariet to protect her from the unknown, whilst leaving Mason behind to bring down the rulers of the New World. With the aid of refugees from the Old World, Ariet, together with her child and Thor risk everything to join Mason in his fight to destroy the Monarchy.
This book is the first in The Breeder Trilogy.

Do you have a favorite character?
Yes. Thor. He ends up being a lead character in the plot, and is the most complex of all the characters. He has a very hard, tough outer layer, but once you peel them all back, he will give anything for those he loves. Nothing is more important to him and he proves that in the first book when he has to sacrifice his whole world.  

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
I used a graphic designer for my cover. I was very involved and feel it’s hugely important to do so, as your cover is the first thing people see. You need to be certain that whomever you work with know what the book is about, and what direction you want the cover to go in. I even provided examples of styles of covers I liked.

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?
Yes. I belong to two, one on Goodreads and one on Amazon. They helped me along the way with polishing off characters and reviewing chapters.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
Of course. No one wants to read an unpolished manuscript; there is nothing worse in my opinion. It’s hugely important to make sure that the level and quality of work you send out there is of the top standard.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
Yes, paperback copies (and further e copies) of Breeders can be purchased at Lulu.com (http://www.lulu.com/shop/ashley-quigley/breeders/paperback/product-21631169.html) and Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/438657)

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
I’m on Twitter and Facebook and have found them to have been the most helpful in connecting with readers. Goodreads and LinkedIn have also offered invaluable forums which I use daily.

Besides writing, do you have any other passions?
If I’m not writing, I’m usually on the beach or in the park with my three dogs. I love spending time on the beach and in the sun.

Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?
Definitely dogs, I have three!! Chocolate, of course. And tea, I find there is nothing more soothing! I’m definitely a night person.

What’s next for you?
I’m working on the second book of the Trilogy. I have also started a new novel, which is completely unrelated to the Trilogy series, but maintains the science and medical aspect I so love to write about.

Author bio:

My name is Ashley Quigley and I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.  In high-school, I developed a love for writing and English and excelled in both aspects. For college, I headed to Rhodes University where I was to study English and Journalism, but as fate would have it, I registered for a science degree and received my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Microbiology. I have a Masters Degree in Molecular Biology. 

After a five-year stint working in commercial laboratories I discovered that my love of English and writing was too great to ignore. So I came a full circle and reverted back to my first love, writing. I live in Umhlanga with my husband, son, and three dogs. I am currently working on my next novel.


Thursday, June 26, 2014

Book Tour Blast: CIRCLE OF DISHONOR by Carla Swafford


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Carla will award one copy of CIRCLE OF DISHONOR at every stop to a randomly drawn commenter, and a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly chosen winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Please click the banner to see the other stops on this tour.


John “Ice” Takahashi’s final job for The Circle has an unexpected hitch in it; he’s fallen for an innocent civilian and his enemies know it. With his mission in a shambles, he’ll do anything to protect her, including kill. So how can a man without honor prove he’s worthy of her love?

Lena Matthews feels like she’s playing with fire by dating the mysterious Master J. He’s exotic, dangerous, and exactly what she needs in her boring life. With the bad guys bearing down on them, she discovers a whole new world of sensuality that binds her heart to his forever.


Now enjoy an excerpt:

As the hostess led them to their seats, a nice looking man stood a few tables over and waved at John. “Takahashi, come and sit with us.”

John lightly touched her arm. “Lena, I’m sorry, but they’re old friends, and I must accept their invitation.” He placed an arm around her waist.

“I understand. It’ll be nice to meet friends of yours.”

He grunted as if in approval and squeezed her to his side.

She’d meant it. Though she looked forward to talking with John one on one, friends were more apt to repeat stories that would show her layers of the man. Considering how quiet John had proven to be at this point, she hadn’t counted on learning much about him tonight.

The striking auburn-haired woman sitting next to the handsome man frowned at John as if she couldn’t place him and then switched her attention to Lena. The coldness in the woman’s green eyes caused Lena to hesitate and only John’s assuring touch helped her move forward.

“Lena, let me introduce you to Collin and his wife, Olivia. They run a local adoption agency. This is my special friend, Lena.” John held out the chair for her next to the window, across from Olivia, and then he sat next to her across from Collin.

“Ice!” The woman blurted out and then turned to her husband, hitting his shoulder. “His hair isn’t neon blue or long. I didn’t recognize him.”

“It has been a while,” John said without looking at Lena. “I prefer John.”

Ice? She could see someone calling him that. His calm manner probably came across to most as a cold disposition, but she saw the warmth underneath his self-control.


Carla Swafford is a lithe twenty-nine year old with long auburn hair and sparkling dark eyes who loves dancing with her gypsy friends. Geez! Can you tell I love writing fiction? Now for the real stuff: I'm married to my high school sweetheart and live in Alabama. I swear my stories are more exciting.

http://www.carlaswafford.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CarlaSwaffordAuthor

Twitter - https://twitter.com/carlaswafford

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/profile/carlaswafford

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Carla-Swafford/e/B005MLXJPA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1402014953&sr=1-2-ent

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/carla-swafford?store=allproducts&keyword=carla+swafford

Kobo - http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=carla+swafford

iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/carla-swafford/id461032072?mt=11

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Tuesday, June 24, 2014

A Writing Conference, Inmates & the Asylum by Rebecca Forster


I spoke at a conference in Hyannis, Cape Cod this past weekend. I was inside a hotel for 48 hours (outside was rainy and muggy). I did my thing, a friend picked me up Monday (gloriously sunny), showed me around and got me to the airport to catch my flight home. Sounds uneventful, right? Wrong. 

I arrived at LAX Friday and found Boston weather had delayed my flight. The good thing was they told us this before we boarded so we didn’t have to sit on the tarmac. We finally took off. I arrived in Boston and bolted for my connecting flight on Cape Air that will deposit me in Hyannis in 25 minutes. I would be in my hotel room with a cup of soup going over my presentation before seven-thirty. 

Didn't work out that way.

There were tornado warnings (who knew there were tornadoes on Cape Cod?) and the flight (in the teeny-tiny plane) was cancelled. Good call, except how was I going to get to Hyannis?

Answer: An old lady whose son has ordered a Town Car wants me to share with her because the car is sooooo expensive.

 "Fine," I say.

We are joined by a very large man who has just come in from London. He and the older lady need to make the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.

Our merry band becomes less merry as the driver battles rain and traffic. We inch along. The large man threatens no tip if the driver doesn’t get him to the ferry on time. Two hours later, we are almost there. The large man convinces the driver that the light we are sitting at is not red but green. My heart goes out to the driver. I object, the man continues to insist. The driver runs the red light (this is not the same as running a red light in a big city so no worries).

WE MAKE IT!

The ferry is loading as we drive up. The big man bolts through the rain, leaving the old lady behind. I WILL HELP! I get out of the car but the driver has somehow engaged the child lock. The lady is inside screaming LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! She pounds on the car windows. We scramble and finally get the door open I have her bag. I see the large man settling himself on the ferry. He does not even wave. He has forgotten us.

I get back in the car. The gas warning light is on. The driver is confident. Forty minutes later he is still out of gas and cannot find the hotel/conference center. Finally, we arrive. The hotel was less than half a mile from the ferry.

Sigh.

Conference happens.

48 HOURS LATER:  

 My friend and I stop for lunch during our tour. I have a margarita. My husband calls.

Husband: “You’re at the airport, right?”

OOPS.  I have read the itinerary wrong (blame the margarita). At the Hyannis airport, I strip off belt, shoes, jacket, pass through security, put everything back on, pack up my iPad, and rush around the corner only to find the Hyannis airport is so small I could have crawled on one knee and still made the flight. I also could have had another margarita.

So, I’m waiting with my seven fellow Cape Air passengers (this is a very small plane) when the ticket agent appears. She did not get everyone’s weight.

My turn came. I felt like I was making my first confession all over again. Will she give me absolution or tell me I can't get on that teeny-tiny little plane because I weigh so much it will tip the whole thing over and we'll all end up in the drink?  I get absolved.

The teeny-tiny little plane ride was actually rather pleasant. That means a lot coming from someone who isn’t crazy about flying in the first place. The lady pilot must have known what she was doing because she didn’t spend much time flying. She adjusted her sunshade, filled out paperwork, even whipped out her lipstick until it was time to land.

In Boston, I am an hour and a half early. I have a bag of Checks Mix, a limp rod of string cheese and an apple to get me through the 5 hours to L.A.

Boarding: I find I have the first seat on the bulkhead. I am first in and I will be first out. Life is good. I am blessed.  With that thought, everything goes to hell in a hand basket. 

I will try to be brief if for no other reason than that I fear the ramifications of reliving the lunacy of this flight.

I am seated along with the business class passengers. One hundred and seventy-two people are lined up to stow their bags. A very tall woman carting a toddler enters with her shorter husband who carries a baby carrier (baby inside).

Woman (frantically):  "My family got separated! We're not sitting together!"

Stewardess (calmly): "I can't leave here, but you can see if anyone will switch with you.”

 Woman (frantic building to crazed): "Two babies! I have two babies! You have to switch 'cause I have two babies! Who wouldn't do that for two babies!?"

ANSWER: The group of Chinese people she's yelling at who do not speak English. 

SIMULTANEOUSLY:  The lady behind me pops up  (tall, lovely, and reminiscent of a young spinster in an English novel).

Young Woman:  "I have a cat!"

What? Is that like I have a gun? The cat is in a carrier under her seat but the man next to her is allergic to cats. She must now find someone to switch seats with on the sold out flight. The cat is passed over my head and everyone cooes and clucks at the darn thing while the baby woman screams. The cat woman climbs over the bulkhead seats because it's easier than trying to get across the allergic man and his wife.

I have always preferred dogs and I do not like the idea of animals on the plane at all.

LOGISTICS: These two things happening in the first five rows and that is backing everyone up.

Stewardess (on intercom): “Please move out of the aisle so everyone can be seated, or we will not leave on time.”

Someone has listened because now there is a tsunami of bodies pouring through the doorway. All these people carry luggage (don’t anyone try and tell me these things are carryon items). As people twist and turn and maneuver said carry on items whack me in the head because I was lucky enough to get the first seat.

Whack! Wham! Smash! I get up. I stand near the galley. The man seated next to me reads a literary novel. He is safe.

Now, one of the Chinese travelers swims upstream toward the door as people try to board.

Chinese man: “Broken leg! Broken leg!”

It seems to be the only word he knows other than Los Angeles. It is determined he is concerned that there will not be a wheelchair for his wife once we land. He is swept back by the wave of humanity with large backpacks.

Take Off. Two Baby Lady is up and down, looking frazzled. I believe she is hard of hearing. She does not seem to notice her children screaming and when she addresses anyone about her frazzledness it is done in decibels that defy description.

To keep the toddler quiet (about an hour into a 5 hour flight), the father walks him to the front of our section (in front of my seat which is in front of the galley where they keep the giant drink carts).

The toddler (a darling toe headed child) jumps and dances and hollers AND plays with the red levers that act as safety devices to keep the giant carts from crushing someone should the plane take a wrong turn.

I look at the father; he looks at me. I look at the kid; I look at the father; he looks at me. The kid whirls like a dervish. I look at the father. Finally, dad gets it.

Father (daring to touch child):  "You shouldn't do that" (what an impressive bit of parenting).

Damien becomes a little ball of curly-headed devil-possessed fury and throws himself into my tray. I grab my drink. I look at the dad who manages to get the kid back to their seat. Damien continues screaming a few rows behind me.

CONTINUING ON: One Chinese tourist tries to hijack the galley microwave for his HUGE bowl of noodles. The stewardess sends him away with a look akin to the one I offered Damien’s dad. Another gentleman from the Chinese contingent decides he likes bouncing on his toes while he puts his hand and his nose on the door of the aircraft. You know, the one with all the red marks indicating DANGER if it is opened at 30,000 ft.  He will be sucked out if he opens the door and so will I. Lucky me for scoring the seat in front of the door.

The stewardess has to make him move back so often that he is finally banned from the front of our section. She won’t even let him go to the bathroom ‘cause it’s near the door.

At which point, I decide it’s time to take a powder. I go to the bathroom. It is quiet. I wonder how long I can stay in there before someone reports me. Just as I get my pants around my knees someone THROWS themselves against the door. Again and again and again the door shakes, heaves and strains. OH GOD! What was happening?

Pants up, I flung open the door expecting the worst only to find a Chinese boy who did not understand the concept of a locked door.

The nice thing was that the look on my face transcended verbal communication. He ran.

Finally, there was our pilot.  Three times he announced that we must fasten our seat belts in anticipation of bad weather. Once, he directed the stewards to take their jump seats. HURRY! HURRY! NOW! NOW!

We braced.

Nothing.

The flight was as smooth as silk which led me to wonder if the pilot had a wing nut loose if he panicked that easily.

If you’re still with me, God bless. I won’t bore you with Damien, Two Baby Mom, the Chinese Tourists or what happened to my little, wheeled carry-on bag once we landed. Just know that if you happened to be driving by LAX last night around ten o'clock and noticed the silhouette of a woman kneeling down, that was me kissing the ground.

Author bio:
I marketed a world-class spa when it was still called a gym and did business in China before there were western toilettes at the Great Wall. Then I wrote a book on a crazy dare and found my passion.
Now, I am a USA Today and Amazon best selling author with more than 26 books to my name - and if you ask me where all those words came from I'd be hard pressed to tell you. All I know is that I wake up with a story in my head and go to bed the same way.

I write thrillers with an eye toward the very human element of my characters. The Witness Series follows the lives of attorney Josie Bates, her ward, Hannah, and Josie's lover, Archer. The series was voted #1 in PRG Reviewers Choice for series and Eyewitness was voted #1 in the mystery/thriller genre. I try to push creative boundaries with my non-series books. Before Her Eyes garnered a B&P Readers Choice Award for best mystery.

I have taught at the UCLA Writers Program, UC Irvine and Cal State Long Beach and lecture at writers groups, women's conferences and philanthropic events. I am most proud of the work I do with The Young Writers Conference, a program that helps motivate middle school children to explore the power of words. I am particularly drawn to kids who want to write because both my sons have always had a passion for it. Eric is a playwright and novelist (see Eric Czuleger) and Alex is in film.

When I'm not writing I'm traveling, on a tennis court, working a sewing machine or reading. Thank you so much for taking a look at my author page. You can find out more about me - and leave me a note - at www.rebeccaforster.com




Monday, June 23, 2014

Book Tour Blast: LAST OF THE RED HOT COWBOYS by Tina Leonard


BLURB:
A sexy cowgirl gives a rugged Texas loner the ride of his life in USA Today bestselling author Tina Leonard’s seductive new series.

Ava Buchanan dreams of a career on the rodeo circuit. Winning a spot on a one-of-a-kind team would be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted. Ava won’t let anyone stand in her way—not even a stubborn cowboy whose slow-molasses smile and red-hot swagger set her senses aflame . . . and whose talents as a trainer could make her a star. Rodeo might be a man’s game, but Ava knows the right woman’s touch can tame the wildest heart.

Trace Carter believes his mayor’s plan to raise the town’s profile has disaster written all over it, and he won’t allow the Hell’s Outlaws Training Center to be dragged into the fiasco. Yet watching Ava’s delectable body on horseback proves too much of a temptation, and his fantasies stray to her riding skills outside the arena. Soon Trace is fighting like hell to rein in his unbridled desire for the petite brunette before it becomes a passion hotter than the Texas sun.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Tina Leonard has sold over 2.6 million copies of her titles. She has made the USA Today Bestseller, Waldenbooks, Bookscan, and Ingrambook lists, and has written and contracted seventy-one books and special projects. Her work has been published by Harlequin, Samhain Publishing, Robinson Scarlet, and most recently Random House Loveswept contracted for a single title trilogy project, Hell’s Outlaws. 

Leonard was chosen to be among the first authors published for Robinson’s Scarlet line, writing four single title novels for that imprint. Not long after, she sold on proposal to Harlequin American, where she has since written several popular series, most notably the Cowboys By The Dozen, Morgan Men, and Callahan Cowboys series. Her newest single title project, HOTTER THAN TEXAS, was published in March 2013. Leonard is known for her fun sense of humor, endearing communities, snappy dialogue, and memorable characters.

Join Tina at www.tinaleonard.com



Purchase:



Tina will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/02/virtual-super-book-blast-last-of-red.html




Friday, June 20, 2014

Excerpt: THE FOX'S MASK by Anna Frost


BLURB:

Demon hunter Akakiba keeps many secrets from his human companion. The fact he's a werefox isn't the worst one.

In feudal Japan, magic is dying. As a demon hunter, Akakiba finds this problematic. The evil he's been trained to destroy is disappearing and, along with it, the shape-shifting abilities of the clan he left behind. With his only companion, a determined young human named Yuki, Akakiba traverses the country slaying demons and performing odd jobs.

But when an army of demon-possessed humans masses to exterminate his clan, Akakiba must put aside old feuds and protect his family–-all while hiding an important secret from Yuki. Will they find a way to defeat the demon possessed before it's too late? With magic dwindling, will it matter either way?


Anna Frost is a Canadian girl who spends winters writing and dreaming of summer. An overdose of Japanese culture and media has led her to write fantasy inspired by Japanese mythology. In a shocking break with literary tradition, Anna does not live with cats. Instead she lives with chinchillas, which can be just as demanding and evil as cats.

Author links:


Excerpt:

Sometime later, the boy woke.

“I’m hungry,” he said shyly. “Are we there yet?”

“Do you want a rice cake, um, you?” Yuki blinked. “Uh, you never gave us your name.”

“I’m Taro, because I’m the firstborn in my family,” he explained as if they couldn’t figure out that a person named “eldest son” was likely to be the eldest son.

After discovering Taro’s name, they also discovered that once he was finished being awed into silence, it was very difficult to get him to stop talking.

“Why is your name Akakiba?” Taro asked. “Is it a warrior name?”

“No. It’s the name I was born with.”

“Why would your parents pick that name?”

“My father is named Kiba, the fang. My mother is Akahana, the red rose. They compromised with Akakiba, the red fang.”

“Oh. Do you always wear your swords?”

“Yes.”

“Even when you sleep?”

“Yes.”

“Even when you take a bath?”

“No.”

There was an all-too-brief moment of silence before Taro asked another question. “Why is it the Fox clan and not the Dragon clan? Foxes don’t fight demons, dragons do.”

Yuki intervened, perhaps sensing Akakiba’s growing impatience. “Foxes fight demons too. Don’t you know the legend?”

“There’s no legend with fighting foxes,” Taro asserted.

“Is that so? Then I can’t tell you about it since it doesn’t exist...”

“Tell me!”

Yuki’s voice softened as he began. “A long time ago, when foxes were more than mere animals and possessed great powers, it wasn’t rare for them to take our likeness and live among us unseen. It so happened that a fox disguised as a beautiful lady fell in love with a strong and honorable samurai. They married and lived happily for a time.

“One day, a dog wandered into their garden and started chasing the fox lady. So afraid was she that she turned back into a fox and leaped to safety on top of a wall. Having witnessed the scene, the samurai begged her not to leave, swearing to love her forever even if she were a fox. She heard truth in his voice and returned to him. They had many children and lived happily for a time longer.

“In those days, demons were strong and cruel, and they despised foxes for their willingness to side with humanity against them. One such demon descended upon their home and killed the samurai before the fox lady’s eyes. In her anguish, she took up her husband’s sword and slew the monster.

“The fox lady’s sorrow was, however, too great to bear; a wasting sickness took her, and she was soon on her deathbed. Sensing her death approaching, she told her children that they were to become slayers of demons, for nothing else would allow her to rest in peace. Her children obeyed and founded the Fox clan to honor their mother. Ever since, the Fox clan’s warriors have been fighting demons wherever they can be found.”

Akakiba glanced at his friend with surprise. “I didn’t know you knew the legend.”

“I didn’t know it before. Someone in the village told the story during the festival. You should have told me. It’s interesting.”

Akakiba heard the unspoken reproach: You never tell me anything. But why should he? There was no need to speak of his clan. He himself hadn’t dealt with them in years, not since he rebelled, left the clan house, and found Yuki.

Taro spoke up. “But how did the fox lady know how to use a sword?”

Akakiba and Yuki sighed in unison. The road would be a long one.


Anna will award a $30 gift card (Amazon OR B&N OR Kobo) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Interview with S.A. Wolfe


Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
FREEDOM is the second book of the FEARSOME series, and it is a standalone novel. FREEDOM starts where FEARSOME left off, except this time we see what happened to Dylan Blackard. Unlike the first book, this one shows Dylan’s POV along with that of Emma’s POV (his new love interest). In this story, Dylan has no choice but to face his greatest challenge in life which is revealed in the first chapter. At the same time, he meets his new colleague, Emma, who kind of turns his world upside down with her own real life problems. They turn to each other for support but their journey to resolve their separate issues becomes intertwined as they both fall for each other. It’s a fast paced romance with some mystery and a lot of humor thrown in.

Do you have a favorite character?
In FREEDOM, Dylan is my favorite character. He’s had a challenging life, and now he has to face an illness head on knowing that he has to manage it for the rest of his life. I love his strength, loyalty, and wit. He’s not about to give up, and he’s as sexy as hell.

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
Dylan was originally slated to be a minor character in the first book, but then his role became central to both Carson and Jessica. Some readers have refereed to it as a love triangle but I never thought of it as one because there is no cheating and the relationships take place at separate times. However, because Dylan was critical to that storyline, many readers asked me to write his own story. He had a resolution in FEARSOME, but readers wanted him to have a real HEA. I decided they were onto something, and once I started writing FREEDOM - it only took one chapter - I knew Dylan had a great story ahead of him.

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
Damon at damonza.com designed both of my covers. He’s wonderful to work with and is very patient. He had the synopsis of my novel and I described which character I wanted on the cover. He then presented me with quite a few images to start with and from there he tweaked it based on my feedback. He makes it pretty easy and painless. The painting on the cover of FEARSOME captures a self-portrait of Jess described in the novel. The image on FREEDOM is really how I envisioned Dylan after he goes through rehab and transforms himself into a new person. His physique is a reflection of the battle he faces in his mind, and I think the huddled pose conveys the fear and anxiety that plagues him.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
When I write, I listen to movie soundtracks that don’t have lyrics. For light comedic scenes, I often listen to Under The Tuscan Sun, Little Miss Sunshine or something similar. For dramatic scenes, I listen to Last of the Mohicans, Vikings (TV theme), or Revolutionary Road. If I have a dance scene, or location scene that requires some action, I’ll listen to certain songs, rock or alternative rock, as long as the lyrics don’t distract the writing process.

I generally write in blocks of 3-5 hours, and I work best late at night. I try to write everyday and once I reach the 50% mark of the story, I’m usually in so deep, I write day and night, only stopping to throw some awful meal on the table for the family.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
I do a rough outline with major plot points in a 3-Act structure. I add in where I want twists or reveals, and then I flesh out particular scenes and placement. However, it’s very loose. Once I start writing, I allow myself to detour if I feel it’s warranted and the character needs to go in a different direction. All I know is the ending - the middle is constantly in flux.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
I have a wonderful editing team that I hired. They both read and edit the book separately and then merge their notes and edits when they present it to me.  Once I go through their edits and do the revisions, we often have discussions on content and grammar. Editing is hard work for me because sometimes I do lengthy revisions multiple times. After the editing is done with them, then it goes to a third person, the proofreader. So after two editors and a proofreader, then I sit with the book and read and revise a little more, often asking my editors to check my work.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
Besides Amazon, my books are on Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, iTunes, Kobo, and the other places Smashwords distributes to.

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
I’m on Twitter but I’m not very good at it. I engage with readers mostly on Facebook. I love getting messages and posts from readers there. I also have a newsletter that I send out about once a month. That's where I’ll send excerpts of my upcoming release and I offer giveaways to my subscribers that I don’t always post on Facebook. So aside from Blog Tours, I spend most of my marketing time on Facebook, and I also post about other author friends and their books.

What’s next for you?
Currently I’m working on the third book in the Fearsome series, and then I plan to start a series based on characters from Brooklyn, NY.

Book & Author details:
Freedom by S.A. Wolfe
(Fearsome #2)
Publication date: April 7th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:
*This is a stand-alone sequel to Fearsome. No cliffhanger!

Dylan Blackard is back in town and certain everyone knows his secrets.

Putting away his notorious reputation as the wild guy with a womanizing past, he’s now on a new path, wanting to be the good guy his brother can stop worrying over. As long as he gives up his old vices—including women—he can keep himself on the straight and narrow and finally live up to everyone’s expectations.

However, obsessing about his lack of self-control is making Dylan one humorless, cranky hermit. That all changes, though, when his brother hires a new employee, the stunning Emma Keller, who will be sharing an office with him and all of his tightly wound nerves.

Emma, a spunky young woman from New Jersey, isn’t about to feel sorry for Dylan and his situation. She is beyond distracting to him, and that is enough to turn his emotional balancing act upside down. Not only is she intelligent, and a smart aleck, she’s also very determined to pull the sexy Dylan Blackard out of his self-imposed isolation.

From the moment he meets her, he feels alive again, but Emma doesn’t come as a gift with a pretty bow; she comes with major baggage—a family embedded in its own tumultuous history.

Will Emma be the tipping point that causes Dylan to regress into his past destructive behaviors…or will he actually pursue her for keeps?

*Due to adult language and sexual content, this New Adult Contemporary Romance is intended for readers over the age of 18.

Purchase:
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1hpmxzF
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1hQP6lT

AUTHOR BIO:
S. A. Wolfe lives with her very loud, opinionated children and husband. She is a voracious reader and passionate about writing, and when those two activities don’t keep her locked away in her room, she loves roaming the streets of New York City. Sometimes she even hikes mountains, but most of the time she finds excellent ways to procrastinate.

Author links: 

Giveaway:
Tour wide giveaway
--4x ecopies of Freedom (INTL)
--2x Signed Paperbacks of Freedom (U.S. only)
--2x $50 Amazon Gift Card (INTL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway