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Monday, April 30, 2012

They Call Me Trixie, Encounter Two - Elle Erotique @ElleErotique



Format: Ebook provided for review


Being an escort is easy…if you know the Trix of the trade.

They call me Trixie. I’m whatever you need me to be. Some like me to bend to their whim. Some like me to take charge. Others just like to take me, any way they can. I’m not ashamed of my job. It pays the bills and sometimes—I get off on it. I don’t have those puritanical hangups most Americans do. I like men. I like women. Mostly, I like to make money. Peek inside my world. I dare you. Be warned, my story is short and it is not a romance. It does not have a happily ever after. Meet The Boyfriend.


Warning: This short story contains graphic language and sexual content.

In book two Trixie is with a client she calls The Boyfriend.  He's The Boyfriend because he likes to act like a normal couple.  She comes to his house, he cooks dinner, she's even accompanied him to office parties and such.  He tells her he loves her every time he sees her, and it seems to be true.  What she does not freely admit to is that she has feelings for him in return.  The only bad thing for Trixie is that this is business for her, and she doesn't really seem to know how to handle these real feelings.

The action between The Boyfriend and Trixie is hot, of course.  It's steamy and well played.  Then Trixie comes with him to a work function, where she fails to mention that she knows someone there - and on a business level. Trixie spots an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, the only question is which two birds are she trying to knock out?

I enjoyed this short story more than the first.  The introduction of a bit of feelings made it feel more "real".  And the way Trixie chooses to deal with those feelings, well, I can't say I'm ecstatic.  The  romantic in me can't help but search for a happily-ever-after.  Will it happen for Trixie?  It does look like the conclusion to this story is carried out in Encounter Three.



The Raven Book’s Direct Buy Page:

Elle Erotique on Twitter

You can get Trixie for free at 


Elle Erotique is the alter ego of an established, bestselling author. Elle wanted the freedom to write what ever she wanted without pre-established notions getting in the way.

Review of Drawing Free, by Elena Aitken


Format: Ebook provided by author for review

“What would happen if I just kept driving?”

Moms aren’t supposed to have a life of their own, at least that’s what Becca Thompson believes. Between dealing with her youngest’s never ending tantrums, her teenager’s attitude and her ailing father’s rapidly failing memory, Becca doesn’t have time to worry about who she used to be.

Deep down, Becca knows she wants more than the daily chaos and the quick fixes her self-help books have to offer, but when her husband starts demanding more, the pressure proves to be too much. On the way to pick up her daughter, she makes the split second decision to take a different exit off the freeway and drives towards the mountains leaving her crumbling life in the rear-view mirror.

Fleeing to a remote mountain town, Becca knows she must rediscover her spirit, even if reconnecting with herself comes at the expense of everything she left behind.

Whew.  What a story.  Drawing Free is not a book for the light of heart, this book is a serious look at an all too real life for many women.  What mother and/or wife has not felt undervalued, underappreciated, and overwhelmed all at once?  What woman hasn’t taken a look at an opportunity to get the heck out of dodge without the glimmer of “what if…?”  Most of us don’t act on it, most of us don’t even give it more than a very quick passing thought.  But there are certainly many women who sit and fantasize about turning back that clock, taking a break from life.

This was quite the emotional book.  I spent a large part of it loving the story, loving the writing, but being so angry at Becca that if she had been in front of me, I’m not sure I could have been polite.  But yet at the same time, I understand.  Becca is a stay at home mom, which is easily more difficult than any job the rest of us who work outside the home have.  Her own mother died when she was a child, she married and had children at a young age and gave up on her own dreams and aspirations to become Mrs. Thompson, mother and wife.  Her dad is having Alzheimer type memory issues and often mistakes her for her late mother.  Her kids are real gems, taking her for granted and playing on her love, exhaustion, and a mother’s need to see her children happy. Her best friend is radiant with news of a European adventure when she is trapped at home in a lifestyle that has suddenly caught up with her.  And yes, she feels trapped. 

One day Becca is stuck in traffic on the way to pick up her daughter.  A quick call to her husband and a quick U-turn and she is off in another direction to disappear to Rainbow Valley where she hopes to discover who she is again.

Easy task, right?  A lot of people spend their whole lives and never figure out who they are.  And Becca has put her children, her husband, and her reality all on the line to figure it out.  As much as I initially didn’t like Becca, as much as some of her actions downright angered me…the woman needed a change.  She was clearly depressed and something needed to change.   Life ran away and left her with kids, chores, and a workaholic husband.  And she sought change.  She knew part of her was missing in the equation of her life, and she went to change it.  That takes courage.  Great big, brass courage.  Some people accused her of running away, and maybe part of it was.

But she made some friends in her brief journey to the cabin.  Positive or negative, they helped her get to the place she needed to be to be ok with herself.  And I can’t go much further than that without giving away secrets of the book.  We should all be so lucky to have a break, to retune our soul and remember who we are, who we want to be.  So if you read this book, take a moment and realize that while it is fiction, this can easily be about any number of women.  Get over the anger you feel at Becca and enjoy the story.  Maybe even live vicariously for a bit.  I’ll say it again, this is definitely an emotional story.  Be prepared to open your heart and your mind and go along for the ride.

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Elena Aitken has a new book out, Sugar Crash.  Check it out on Amazon
Asking for help is the hardest part.

Darci Thompson has spent the last six years trying to hold everything together. Between raising 12-year-old Taylor and managing the local health food store, Darci's done it all on her own. But when Taylor ends up in the hospital, her diagnosis of Type I Diabetes sends their carefully constructed life into a tailspin.

For the sake of her daughter, Darci must face a whole new set of circumstances and push past her self imposed walls to prove that Diabetes won't define them. With the help of new friends and a man who believes in her, Darci must find the strength to challenge the stereotypes and make a difference. But is she willing to face her own obstacles and risk being vulnerable once again? 

~Inspired by real life events!~

**Portions of the proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Diabetes Association**


And this is where you can find Elena:


Sunday, April 29, 2012

They Call Me Trixie, Encounter One - Elle Erotique @ElleErotique



Format: Ebook provided for review


Being an escort is easy…if you know the Trix of the trade.

They call me Trixie. I’m whatever you need me to be. Some like me to bend to their whim. Some like me to take charge. Others just like to take me, any way they can. I’m not ashamed of my job. It pays the bills and sometimes—I get off on it. I don’t have those puritanical hangups most Americans do. I like men. I like women. Mostly, I like to make money. Peek inside my world. I dare you. Be warned, my story is short and it is not a romance. It does not have a happily ever after.


Warning: This short story contains graphic language and sexual content.

Trixie is an adult escort, and she’s been seeing Mr. Great Eyes every week for three years.  She knows him pretty well sexually, and a few details about his life away from her.  He often asks that she run away with him, and her answer is always no.  For her, this is business.  You gotta respect the woman for keeping her head in the game.

Encounter One is a short story that takes place over one meeting, and it wastes no time getting right into the action.  This book is not for the type of reader who is looking for a romance that ends in a kiss and a hug.  This isn’t even a romance.  It’s quick, hot, needy sex.  And it’s written really well.

Trixie has a little inner monologue that really lets you get to know her, and I like it.  You see why she responds the way she does to Mr. Great Eyes, and you can’t fault her for it.  The woman is honest.  And she is willing to do whatever it takes for Mr. Great Eyes to leave a happy man.  If you are looking for a quick read, we’re talking under 20 pages, then this is the quickie for you. 

The Raven Book’s Direct Buy Page:

Elle Erotique on Twitter

You can get Trixie for free at 


Elle Erotique is the alter ego of an established, bestselling author. Elle wanted the freedom to write what ever she wanted without pre-established notions getting in the way.

Make sure to come back tomorrow for a review of They Call Me Trixie, Encounter Two!

A Review of Covet By Felicity Heaton

Covet
Felicity Heaton


Format: ebook provided by author for review


They’ve burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.
Javier knows better than to succumb to his hunger for Lilah. The mortal female belongs to a powerful aristocrat patron of Vampirerotique, the theatre he runs with three other vampires. A single touch is all it would take to break the sacred law of his kind, sentencing himself to death, but his passion for her has become too fierce to ignore and he will risk everything to make Lilah his.
Lilah has fought her desire for Javier since arriving at his theatre as a servant but each glance he has stolen, his eyes promising pleasure that will satisfy her longing for him, has chipped away at her defences and she can no longer deny her need and her forbidden feelings for the powerful vampire male.
When they find themselves alone in a private box during one of the erotic performances, will they surrender to their passion and live out their wildest fantasies in a night of wicked pleasure or will the threat of Lilah’s master keep them apart forever?

Lilah is pretty much owned by Lord Ashville, a vampire.  The rules in vampire society say that no one else shall ever touch or be with Lilah while she is under the bond of Lord Ashville.  But Javier, he wants her.  He’s tried to deny it, he’s tried to ignore it; but he can’t do that any longer.  He must have her, regardless of the cost – which could very easily mean his life. 

Lilah has been watching Javier also, and she wants him just as bad.  There are stolen glances and hopes only she knows of. 

                “There was one rule his kind honored above all others: an owned human must never be touched by a vampire other than their master.”

One night there is an opportunity for them to come together, and they take it...breathlessly, in need, full of passion and lust.  The erotic scenes from the performance on the stage below them serve as a soundtrack to their passion.  Seriously, I could not read fast enough, the scene was written so beautifully and erotically that I was enamored from the start.

Javier is just the perfect vampire male; handsome and sexy, intelligent and logical, full of passion and strength.  If I was Lilah, I don’t think I could have resisted him either.   And Lilah is shy yet strong, letting Javier bring out traits in her that weren’t usually on the forefront.  She is a clever woman, and one can only hope that cleverness pays off for the both of them.

This is a relatively short story, taking place over one evening.  But Felicity packs so much into that short span, you are thoroughly entertained.  The steam level is at a high, and it is perfect in its heat.  There is also a bit of not intimate action, which I found to be entirely exciting and was holding my breath waiting for the outcome.  So hard to not give spoilers here!! 

Read this for yourself and see what I mean.  I read this in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down.  If you like vampires or erotic romance, I’m sure it will be the same for you.

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Find Felicity

Fictional Candy Wraps It Up On The Sunday Post


 The Sunday Post is a meme hosted byKimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.
Click on the graphic or the link above to join in the fun and add your name to the linky on Kimba's site!








Hey everyone!  Well, here I am.  I don't normally participate in any memes.  I don't really have the time, and I never know what days I will have free (or have energy!)  But Kimba told me about this one, and I thought it would be a nice wrap up/news post, so I'll give it a shot.

Last week was a busy week!!  I had a ton of stuff going on! On Sunday the Hunky Hero Hop ended, and my winner was Diane in NJ.  Congratulations Diane!

Other winners include Lysette (Shadow Cursed), Laura (Dark Side of Purgatory), Rhonda (Texas Hearts), Laura (Illicit Magic), and MaryLynn (Martuk...The Holy).  Congratulations everyone!


I reviewed Dark Side of Purgatory , Wicked Road To Hell, The Girls' Guide to Dating ZombiesThe Shoppe of Spells, and Guardian over the past week.  All very good books that I definitely recommend! And even more, I had three interviews last week!!  Those were with Naomi Clark - author of Shadow Cursed, Shanon Grey - author of The Shoppe of Spells, and SB Rodgers - co-authors of Guardian!  See, told you it was a busy week haha!  

This week shouldn't be as hectic.  Later today I will have a review of Felicity Heaton's Covet, which I just adored.  Tomorrow will feature a review of Drawing Free by Elena Aitken, which you surely don't want to miss - very enlightening!  Wednesday I will have a review of Spirits Rising  by Krista D Ball. 

And there will be two giveaways this week!  Thursday I will have a giveaway of ReVamped by Ada Adams, and then on Friday with an interview with Wenona Hulsey we will give away two copies of  Blood Awakening

I'm not even going to list the books I received.  It was a lot, and I didn't keep track lol.  Inexpensive Kindle books will be the death of me, I swear! I'm trying to slow down on review requests for the upcoming summer.  I already have a backlog a mile long, and I'm only accepting a few here and there that I just can't resist :)

So that's about it.  Past, present and future!  I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Sunday.  I'm taking the kid shopping for some clothes, and maybe even some for myself! And we just had a spider hunt for the little sucker who got under the couch before I could smoosh the daylights out of him. I'm pretty sure I vacuumed him up, about 98% sure.  If I post later in the week about having broken bones you will know that &%($#@($ spider got away, cause I'll have a heart attack and probably fall and bust a bone.  

Thanks for reading!
Liz


Saturday, April 28, 2012

Interview with SB Rodgers, Co-authors of Guardian, Bewitching Blog Tours

It’s been almost a year since Abby Shepard’s once-perfect life crumbled into little more than a nightmare. Dumped, bullied and abused, the seventeen-year-old has all but given up hope. Little does she know that her father died protecting a family secret; a secret that has the forces of good and evil battling to claim the power lurking just beneath her skin.
You can check out my review of Guardian HERE

Now I get to intro an interview that I really enjoyed doing!  I've never interviewed two authors at once, so this was really interesting and fun for me.  I hope you enjoy reading it, and I encourage you to go out and get the book - I loved it.  If you are into angels and demons, then you will love it too!

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INTERVIEW
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Hi Ladies!  Very nice to meet you, and thank you for taking the time to interview with me today.

First, let me introduce you.  You are Sara and Becky Rodgers, two people – not one!  Can you tell us a bit how you manage to write a book with two authors?  I can only imagine what kind of challenges that can present!
Actually, for us, working as a team is easier than going it alone. It's incredibly efficient to have someone there at all times to bouce ideas off of. It's even better still when that person is equally as invested in the project as you are. It's weird, but our strengths and weaknesses perfectly balance each other out, and as sisters we can get away with a level of honesty that other writing teams may not.

I have to say, I am so interested in the fact that you both wrote this book.  When the two of you write together, do you take turns writing or collaborate on the entire story? 
Our projects are all 100% collaborative, from drafting the story line right through to editing the final version. That said, each project has us working on different elements. We find that having two people writing the final versions of the chapters makes for a messy and uneven reading experience, as each writer has their own style. So with Guardian, Sara was the writer of the final chapters, but Becky wrote all of the rough drafts in detail beforehand.
  
And the reason we are here today is to celebrate the release of your book, Guardian.  Can you tell the readers a bit about this book?
Guardian is the first book in a trilogy of YA paranormal romances. It is at its core an angels vs. demons story, but we wanted to explore the shades of grey that lie between good and evil. It is a fast paced novel and our first book. We like to refer to it as our twisted little Cinderella story.

Now this book hosts a whole slew of angels and demons.  Some we’ve heard of some we haven’t.  How did you go about building this world for them to live in?
It sounds really weird, but it just kind of happened! Shortly after Abby showed up the flood gates burst open and this incredibly vivid and twisted world became available to us to do with as we pleased. It quickly filled with characters and back stories that slid into place perfectly to form the Guardian trilogy.

Something I found really terrific and fascinating, Satan is a woman.  How did that come to be?
Originally the big twist was going to be that Satan was a woman! But as the story unfolded it became clear that far more was going on, and heaven and hell had politics all their own. This created room for Lucifer and Satan's sexy love/hate relationship.

There are a lot of shades of grey in this book.  Namely in the form of Raph.  He is such a fascinating character, and I just loved him.  If your book was made into a movie, do you have anyone in mind to play him?
DARREN FREAKING CRISS!
We are Starkids through and through and just love this guy. When we saw A Very Potter Musical for the first time we were dumbstruck and we had this simultaneous moment that went kind of like..."Oh. Hi Raph! Funny meeting you here."


So ladies, I have to say it… like cliffhangers much?? J
This question's a cliffhanger! This interview is over!!! (Jokes! ;P)
Hahaha! We really tried not to leave the cliffhanger but as this story is threefold, it was the only way to end the first segment. All we can say is prepare for the very fast paced sequel, Thief!

Sara, Becky, can you give us any hints of what is to come for Abby, Gabe, and their story?
Nope!! Just strap yourself in and get ready for the roller coaster of their lives! :) ( If we say anything, it will give away something else. That's the one thing about this book--so many interconnected story lines!)

And do you have any other projects you are working on that we can expect in the coming year?
Tons! I think our last count was about fifteen different series. But this summer we hope to release the sequel to Guardian, Thief; Aurora, our YA sci-fi; Legacy, our YA, New Adult superhero story, and possibly a top-secret project involving zombies in Canada.

Your book, Guardian, is published digitally.  I’m assuming that means you approve of ereaders.  How do you feel about ereaders vs print books?
We love, LOVE Our iPad! But there is still nothing like cuddling up with a print book. I'd say we spend our money equally between the two.






And lastly, back to your book, if there is one thing a reader can take from reading this story, what would you want that to be?
Don't bully anyone EVER! It's not cool, it's not okay and eventually you will regret doing it!

Thank you, Sara and Becky, for taking the time with me today.  I look forward to seeing more from you in the future!
No thank you :) These questions were so much fun to answer!
Cheers!
S.B. Rodgers

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Amazon   Smashwords


S.B. Rodgers is a pen name that stands for Sara & Becky Rodgers. Becky argued extensively that in the name of humour, the letters should be listed alphabetically, but lost out to her arch nemesis common sense. Sara and Becky met at the young ages of twenty-two months and zero days, thrust into each other’s lives by fate and situations beyond either of their control. They are sisters, frenemies and most importantly co-authors. It’s theorised that they were identical twin in a past life…not really but it’d be pretty cool. Their parents taught them that a person’s imagination is a precious gift and stories should be cherished. As a team the siblings bring very different skills to the table, each one’s strength perfectly complimenting the others weakness. They try not to take themselves very seriously and strive to look for the humour in life. Their partnership is one of extreme love and respect for each other, both as family and literary artists. 

Sara is the younger of the two. She lives with one cat, five dolls and her potato head man collection in an orange room. Regrettably she is not Spiderman or Batman, but she is a card holding Pokémon master and that’s good enough for now. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She collects graphic novels and manga as well as all things written by the fantastic Neil Gaiman. When she is not reading or writing she is needle felting and posting her work on her popu-lish tumblr account: The Land of Fluff and Needles. 

Becky is the classic girly-girl. Her blond hair and pink nails served as the perfect camouflage during school years were teachers undoubtedly took her day dreaming for air-headedness. To the contrary, she spent that time drifting in and out of imaginary worlds filled with fantastical creatures and memorable characters. Today she divides her time between working with animals as a certified pet stylist and typing away at new manuscripts. Among other things she describes herself as a Gleek, sci-fi nerd, smustle expert extraordinaire and above all she just “wants to believe.” She lives with her two German Shepherds-Abby and Odin-and is driven by delusions of grandeur.


Guardian - S.B. Rodgers, Review for Bewitching Blog Tours



Format: ebook provided by Bewitching Blog Tours for review


It’s been almost a year since Abby Shepard’s once-perfect life crumbled into little more than a nightmare. Dumped, bullied and abused, the seventeen-year-old has all but given up hope. Little does she know that her father died protecting a family secret; a secret that has the forces of good and evil battling to claim the power lurking just beneath her skin.

Abby is a teen girl, not unlike Cinderella.  She lives with her stepmother and twin stepbrothers.  Her dad has died.  Her step family is horrible to her, and her brothers even extend their retched treatment to school where she is bullied on a daily basis.  And we’re not talking teasing and such, we are talking hardcore mean, down and dirty, make you feel worthless bullying.  In fact, that’s what sparks this whole story off.  The bullying has become so horrible that Abby is going to do something about it.  She is done dealing with everything that is awful in her life and she is going to just…give up.

Reading Abby’s story I really felt so badly for her, it was so emotional and raw.  I wished I could just reach through the pages and tell this poor girl that is does get better and life isn’t always as it is in high school.  That bullies are not as strong, cool, pretty, smart, popular and terrific as they want people to think they are.  I wanted to tell her that there is always hope and help, and if you give up you are making a permanent decision on a temporary situation. The authors (yes, plural!) did a wonderful job portraying Abby’s sadness and despair.  Her character leaped off the page and I could see her right in front of me.

But the universe has different plans for Abby, and she most certainly is not alone.  Sure, there are evil forces on Earth that are working against her on a daily basis, making sure that her bad days become worse days. But now the angels are going to get involved, and Gabe is coming to help her.  Sorry Raph! You might be a bully (and a demon), but now you are going to have to pick on someone your own size!

This story was really wonderful.  It had so many terrific elements, I’m not even sure where to start.  I’ve gone over Abby, so lets move on to Gabe, her guardian angel.  He’s going to enter high school and help her realize all is not lost, then its on to the next mission.  Right?  Right, cause its so cut and dry and all that easy.  Sure.  Yep.  Heheheh.  Oh Gabe, I love how much you are going to learn while on Earth.

The characters in this book were all fantastic.  Seriously.  Not just Abby and Gabe, but Raph (short for Raphael) and Satan and Lucifer and Mammon, Gabriel and Michael… Sara and Becky, the authors, did such a thorough job with these characters; I can’t wait for the second book to be released so I can get back in touch with them all. Oh, and here is something that I thought was utterly fantastic and perfect and awesome…. Satan is a woman!  Ta-da!!!!

There isn’t a whole lot more I can say about this book without giving some major spoilers.  There is a school dance that has some really fabulous scenes that I just adored.  I’ll never look at mirrors the same. And this is just a great story all around.  There is a lot of action, and a great arc and growth in all of the characters.  There are some funny moments and some touching moments, and of course some “oh no!!!!” moments that will have your eyes speeding through to find out what happens next.  I really think this book is going to be a hit, and I look forward to talking to all of you when you read it!

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Friday, April 27, 2012

The Mayfair Moon - JA Redmerski, Excerpt/Giveaway



After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson loses her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious young man and his legendary family.

Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable ‘illness’ and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

As unspeakable secrets unfold all around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.

Excerpt – Werewolf at Finch’s Grocery 


I started to go back to the oatmeal boxes until I noticed a dark figure standing in the far corner of Finch’s parking lot. Moving out of the pool of light shining above from the fluorescent, I stood closer to the end of the shelf.

“Thirty more minutes and he won’t need to come anyway,” Harry said from behind.

I walked further up and edged my way toward the window to get a better look. The figure stood just out of the glow from the street light. He, if it was a man, wore dark clothes from head to toe. The way he stood there, still as a statue and staring toward the store, made my nerves short out like electrical wires.

“Me and Sebastian don’t hang out much anymore,” Harry went on, still shelving merchandise. “I mean, I get it and all, but it still sucks. Y’know?”

“Harry,” I whispered, as if the man could actually hear me from that far away, “come here.”

I felt him standing behind me then.

“Do you see that guy?” I said, taking my eyes off the parking lot for just a second.

“No,” Harry answered. “I don’t see anybody.”

I did a double take. The man was gone.

“No,” I said, moving quickly to the store window and almost pressing my face against it. “He was standing right there, off in the corner. He was staring this way.”

I turned around fully to face Harry.

“I can’t believe this,” I said.

“Don’t get so worked up, Adria.” Harry started to walk back to the aisle. “Could’ve been anyone; you’re really jumpy tonight.”

I turned around again. The man, with a grinning, maniacal face dripping with blood stood an inch from the glass.

I shrieked and stumbled backward, my foot catching under a metal newspaper rack. I fell hard on my side and newspapers came tumbling down.

Harry came running over.

“Holy shit!” he said.

Harry grabbed me and pulled me to my feet. The man’s eyes swirled black; his knifelike teeth glistening with blood.

Suddenly, Harry fell over the same newspaper stand that I did. He almost took me down with him, but let go of my arm just as he hit the floor.

“What the hell!” he shouted.

The man came closer to the window. His wicked, smiling face was like staring into the face of the Devil.

His hands were behind his back. He pulled his right arm out slowly and pointed his index finger upwards, the nail two inches razor-sharp and black like his eyes. His hand was covered in blood.

Blood stained the snow beneath him.

“I imagine uncles taste better than German Shepherds,” the man said so cold and menacingly through the glass.

I gasped. Harry had gotten to his feet and was trying to pull me backwards with him, but I pushed him away from me. I threw myself against the window, my face and the werewolf’s face separated by nothing more than a false sense of security. I banged my palms once against it, feeling the entire window shake and shudder.

“What did you do to him?” I screamed. “What did you do to my uncle?” I banged the glass once more; the palms of my hands stung.

The man grinned, revealing his deadly teeth even more to me in his malign expression.

Harry grabbed me more intensely and managed to pry me violently away from the window. I was mad with rage, trying to fight my way free, but Harry was too strong. I felt my shoes scraping across the floor as he pulled me into the nearest aisle.

The werewolf let out a menacing growl from outside, jerking back his head. The last I saw of him was how his hot breath had melted the cold from the glass.

Come find Jessica...


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Whoa, doesn't that sound fabulous?!  Now I already have my copy to review later, so here is your chance to win a copy for yourself!  Enter your info in the Rafflecopter and good luck!


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Sizzling PR Tours: Interview with Shanon Grey, author of The Shoppe of Spells


When is a whole more than the sum of its parts?

When it has ties to the quaint little town of Ruthorford, GA, as Morgan Briscoe discovers when a cryptic message threatens to change her life forever. Morgan’s relatively normal life is turned on its ear when she learns not only that she is adopted, but her birth parents are dead and she now holds half-interest in a business with their ward, Dorian Drake.

Dorian is running The Shoppe of Spells and despite his riveting good looks, he can barely conceal his hostility toward his new partner.

Morgan discovers that she is more than she seems and together she and Dorian have the ability to control a portal to another dimension. Unable to control their growing attraction, Morgan and Dorian dance around their desires and her burgeoning abilities, until danger forces them to face their destiny.

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See my review of The Shoppe of Spells HERE

Hi Shanon! So nice to meet you! Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today.
It’s my pleasure. Thank you for having me.

Can you tell the readers today a little something about Shoppe of Spells?
The Shoppe of Spells, a paranormal suspense, is Book I in the GateKeepers Series. It’s about the “descendants” of Ruthorford, GA, a quaint, small southern town. Morgan Briscoe, who has lived a very normal life far from Ruthorford, gets a cryptic letter from an attorney in Georgia that turns her life upside down. She learns that, not only is she adopted, but her birth parents are dead and she now holds half-interest in a business with their ward, Dorian Drake, who can barely conceal his hostility toward his new partner. Morgan discovers that she is more than she seems and together she and Dorian have a legacy to fulfill. Unable to control their growing attraction, Morgan and Dorian dance around their desires and her burgeoning abilities, until danger forces them to face their destiny.

I just finished reading this book, and I quite enjoyed it.  Honestly, it was unlike anything else I have read.  Where did the idea come from?
After Hurricane Katrina, we moved to an area near Atlanta. I love exploring and I began driving around visiting all the small towns and seeing the countryside. One day, as I waited in line at Barnes & Noble for my coffee and scone, an idea struck. I pulled the scone out of the bag and started writing on the bag. I know, a writer without a piece of paper. It was the outline for The Shoppe of Spells and the GateKeepers Series. I must say, this area is definitely inspirational. Oh, and I framed the bag!

There is quite a large cast of characters in Shoppe of Spells, how do you go about keeping them straight?
In real life, we have a lot of people that interact with one another. I’m a “pantser” and, since my stories are character driven, I pretty much introduce the main characters and they take over. They pull in their friends and family, things happen, and more people arrive. Sometimes, even I’m amazed. Generally, at the end I will make a list so I can remember who’s who.
  
Shanon, do you have a specific process you go through when writing a story?
Not really. I get an idea. I jot notes wherever I am when an idea hits (my husband has threatened to get shower markers). I sit down and write. I do have a fabulous office and a very supportive family – oh, and a large coffee pot.

I write until I am done. Then I edit and embellish. I was a technical writer and editor in the corporate world for a long time and know how to work deadlines. I make deadlines. I finish. That’s the most important thing to tell aspiring authors. FINISH.

Can you give us a little hint at what’s to come in the Gatekeepers series?
Meadow’s Keep is due out late spring/early summer. It is Jasmine’s story. It didn’t start out that way, but she decided she needed her story told. I love Meadow’s Keep. Then, I plan to take the reader back to the beginning of Ruthorford and let them see how it all started, which will be new for me, since I’ve never done a historical. The last story will be Meadow’s, when she goes to Scotland to claim her legacy. What might fall in between, who knows. Ruthorford is a fascinating place with lots of people. Already, Pennyroyal Christmas, a suspense, has come from it. I also plan a few short stories or more novellas. My readers love Ruthorford, so I am having a great time letting them explore it. I have a few small things on my website, www.shanongrey.com, for them to enjoy, as well. One of my favorites is The Legend of the Snowy Owl. Native Americans play an important role in the GateKeepers and, in doing research, I discovered what wonderful storytellers they were and are. Their culture is full of legends, so I decided to create some for Ruthorford. I have really enjoyed that.

And what other projects are you working on that you can give us some tidbits on?
I have several things simmering. One is a novel called Captain’s Watch, about a coastal resort town called Seacliff and a very unusual sea captain. Of course, I want very much to rebirth my original novel, Capricorn’s Child, since my son found some of my notes and saved them from Katrina’s distruction. Other than that, who knows? My imagination is always working overtime.

If you had to choose between Dorian’s power and Morgan’s, which would you choose and why?
Actually, I would choose Eryk. He’s the hero in Meadow’s Keep. He has it all. I’d like to share the teaser with you:

Jasmine Monroe once felt like damaged goods. But, not anymore. Her latent abilities, although appearing too late to save her from a brutal attack, will keep her safe from anyone ever hurting her again. She’s made sure of that. Secure in that fact, she’s moved on. Until she meets her first love’s doppelganger.
                Eryk Vreeland, a misfit and embarrassment to his upper-class/upper-crust family, is a magician. His shows are renowned, his contributions to charity astronomical, his illusions precise. Except, not everything is an illusion. Sometimes there is real magic.
                Jasmine stumbles upon a secret that will change Eryk’s life forever, and in doing so, she must face her own destiny as well. When Jasmine and Eryk are forced together to rescue and protect a young woman, each must overcome the barrier that protects, yet hinders any personal attachments. The safeguards must come down to combine their abilities and, when that happens, their attraction strengthens—beyond their control—until they can barely tell where one person stops and the other begins.
                Can their hearts take the toll? Will they surrender to one another or risk a disaster to stay apart?

And time for some quick-fire questions!

Favorite social media? Facebook

Favorite treat/dessert? Pistachio and chocolate ice cream, mixed, with magic shell.

Favorite music? Eclectic

Favorite travel destination?  Anywhere in the United States. I’d love to see it all.
  
Ok, that’s about it for today!  Thank you again, and I wish you the best of luck with your tour!
Thank you. You made it easy. Believe me, I really appreciate that.
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You can join Shanon Grey on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShanonGrey, follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ShanonGrey and visit her website atwww.shanongrey.com


Shanon Grey    FictionWeaver
Weaving romance and suspense with threads of the paranormal


 Shanon Grey weaves romance and suspense with threads of the paranormal. THE SHOPPE OF SPELLS is the first in her series, THE GATEKEEPERS, about the quaint town of Ruthorford, Georgia and its very special inhabitants. PENNYROYAL CHRISTMAS ~A Ruthorford Holiday Story~ is out in e-format as well. MEADOW’S KEEP is due to be released this spring. Under contract with Crossroads Publishing House, her books are available in e-format and print at most booksellers.
Shanon spent her life on coasts, both the beautiful Atlantic and the balmy Gulf. Hurricane Katrina taught her the fragility of life and the strength of friendship, family, and starting over.
She just found out that her son salvaged notes and pages of her original novel, Capricorn’s Child, which she thought had been destroyed with everything else. (Ironically, a neighbor found her marriage certificate in a tree.) She plans to resurrect her original novel one day.
She currently lives in Coweta County, Georgia, trading the familiarity of the coast for the lush beauty and wonder of the mountains, where her husband fulfilled her lifelong dream—to live in a cottage in the woods, where inspiration abounds.