Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Fire & Ice Book Tour Giveaway: Hold Still by Lisa Regan

http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/suspense-book-tour-giveaway-hold-still-by-lisa-regan-42814-5514/




Blurb:

After saving her three-year-old daughter from a car-jacking, off-duty police detective Jocelyn Rush ends up in the ER.  The last person she expects to run into is Anita Grant, former prostitute and an old acquaintance from Jocelyn’s days on patrol.  In spite of her obvious injuries—mutilated hands and feet—Anita refuses to talk about what happened. Reluctantly, Jocelyn backs off, and Anita’s case goes to Philadelphia’s Special Victims Unit.
Before long, Jocelyn is pulled into the SVU’s investigation.  Anita is finally ready to talk, but only to Jocelyn. Her story is harrowing, even to a seasoned veteran like Jocelyn. Working with SVU, Jocelyn’s investigation unearths a series of similar crimes going back four years.  Three men are preying on local prostitutes, viciously assaulting and mutilating them.
The police apprehend two of the suspects, but the third eludes capture. As the hunt for the most sadistic of the three intensifies, and his crimes escalate, Jocelyn and her colleagues have precious few leads.  Then a monster from Jocelyn’s past resurfaces.  She doesn’t want to be reminded of the terrible secret that destroyed her family nearly twenty years earlier, but the man offers her a lead that could crack Anita’s case.
To solve it, Jocelyn must connect her past with her present—before a sadistic attacker sets his sights on her.

Excerpt:


Jocelyn glanced at the house. The screen door was cracked just a little; and there was a flash of a plastic, yellow Shop Rite bag peeking out. She peered back at Olivia and paused a long moment to see if Olivia would wake up now that the car had stopped moving. But the snoring continued unabated. Jocelyn turned away from Olivia, catching her own smile in the rearview mirror. Just looking at Olivia made her grin. Most of the time, she didn’t realize she was doing it. It amazed her that this tiny person could be such a powerhouse of joy.

Unless she doesn’t have her blanket, Jocelyn thought wryly.

Jocelyn took a quick look up and down the street, gauging how long it would take her to sprint to Martina’s door and back. It shouldn’t take more than ten seconds. As a rule, she never left Olivia alone in the car—not even when she was paying for gas—but the door was only twenty feet away. It would be faster to run for it than to unfasten Olivia’s seat belt and carry her to and fro.

Jocelyn slipped her seat belt off and got out, closing the door softly behind her. She sprinted up the steps and snatched the bag from between the doors. As she turned back to her car, she saw the figure, just a blur in her periphery. Then her Ford Explorer drove off down Chew Avenue with Olivia in the back seat.

Jocelyn leapt off the steps and ran into the street.

“Olivia!” she screamed.

She had never run so fast, and was only vaguely aware of the other cars whizzing past, beeping and swerving to avoid her, expletives rolling out of the mouths of passing motorists. The Explorer made the first right onto North 21st Street and Jocelyn followed, arms and legs pumping, feet slapping the pavement, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. She reached for her gun but quickly remembered she didn’t have it. It was her day off.

“Dammit.”

She was losing ground as the Explorer turned right onto Conlyn and out of her sight.

“Olivia!”

Every muscle in her body strained and screamed, her lungs burning. She turned the corner and almost wept with relief. The Explorer was stopped behind someone who had double-parked in the middle of the street. There wasn’t enough room for it to pass. The other car’s blinkers were on, the driver nowhere to be seen. For once, Philadelphia’s narrow side streets were a blessing instead of a curse.

Breathing heavily, Jocelyn approached the Explorer from the drivers’ side and opened the door. She didn’t look; instead she grabbed and grabbed until she had a handful of clothing. She pulled a skinny, punk kid—maybe nineteen or twenty—out of the car by his collar.

His face was pimpled with a patchy five o’clock shadow. His white-blond hair was greasy, a shock of it falling across his coal-dark eyes as he glared at her. “Hey, what the hell are you—”

The whole world went silent. Jocelyn knew the kid was speaking, but she couldn’t hear anything. Her field of vision narrowed to his face. And when he met her eyes, for a brief, fleeting second, he looked afraid. Then Jocelyn hit him. She hit him again and again. He fought back, but his ineffectual punches glanced off her body; no match for her rage. By the time she was done, she had a few bruises and her right wrist throbbed, but she didn’t remember the particulars. She only remembered hitting him until he lay at her feet, unmoving. Her vehicle had rolled forward a few feet, bumping the rear of the car that was double-parked. A few people had come out of their homes. They stood on the pavement and on porches, staring open-mouthed.

Jocelyn’s hearing returned slowly. Her labored breath was deafening. She left the kid on the ground and pulled open the back door of the Explorer. There sat Olivia in her car seat, face flushed with sleep. Her little round face was relaxed, her mouth open. A strand of brown hair stuck to one of her cheeks. She sighed softly in her sleep, one tiny hand clutching Lulu, the pink beanie bear that accompanied them everywhere.

“Oh God,” Jocelyn gasped. She put her Explorer in park and then sat in the back, weeping uncontrollably. She dialed 911 on her cell phone.

“911. Where’s your emergency?”

Sobbing.

“Miss? Where’s your emergency?”

“Philadelphia. I want to report a carjacking.”

Buy Links:







About the Author:




Lisa Regan is a suspense novelist. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Her debut novel, Finding Claire Fletcher won Best Heroine and was runner up in Best Novel in the eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards for 2013.


Connect With The Author:







Enter to Win:

Restricted to over 18.
Author Lisa Regan is giving away 5 ebook copies of her first novel, Finding Claire Fletcher and 5 ebook copies of her second novel, Aberration. The giveaway runs 4/28/14 – 5/5/14.

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Monday, April 28, 2014

RELEASE DAY MONDAY ---- BLOOD GREEN BOOK THREE OF THE BLOOD SERIES --- FROM THE ART OF SAFKHET


IT'S HERE!!!!!!!! BLOOD GREEN is out and now you can see the ending to the three book series that has totally taken my world by storm!

I am so thrilled to share with the world the final chapters in Nikole, Zayn and Leigh's lives. Trust me, I speak for all of THE BLOOD SERIES cast when I say, it is with a heavy heart and a lot of sad feelings it is coming to an end. We all, Yes, I just said We! Hope that you have enjoyed this ride as much as I have, Ashley not the characters, haha.

There will be a fourth book, BLOOD GOLD that goes back in time to tell the start of this worlds history so you will be able to learn more about Afaf, Hashim, Ikram and Haydar. And then there will be BLOOD WHITE, a catch all for anything and everything that I couldn't fit into a novel. So those of you who are freaking out just as much as I am, don't worry, there will be little glimpses here and there of life after  THE BLOOD SERIES is over.

So where can you go rush out and purchase it? Well I am so glad that you asked that!

Here are all the links you could possibly want in regards to THE BLOOD SERIES.  Spread the word, let the world know, make sure you scream it from the roof tops that Nikole, Zayn and Leigh are back for one final hoorah.

And don't forget to tell me what you think!!! Either leave a review, email me or hit me up on Facebook. I WANT TO KNOW!

Thank you to everyone of you fans who have done nothing but support me through endless hours. Seriously - it's because of you that I make it through this. I write for myself but I feed off of all of you. There are a few 'thank yous' that I just have to give out.

Stacy - No amount of words can express the depths of my gratitude when it comes to you and all that you have done for me - our writing has made us the best of sisters and I never would be in this exact moment of my life without you.

Carole - Four years of 'fandom' earns you the #1 fan award for all time. You were there for me in the beginning, all through the middle and the mess. The ups and downs of emotional crazy through characters. I am the luckiest author in the world because I have you.

Mezz - Believe it or not, when I get stuck on my writing I think back to 'Jaden and Rhage' and suddenly inspiration always hits. Either in the form of extreme violence remembering our crazy fan fiction threads or in unbelievable laughter contemplating a monster eating a ghost. Your levity gives me that comic relief I often can't find anywhere else.

Tony - You get the most thanks because you make me strive to do better than I did the day before, every day, each day of my life. I love you.

Now all the mushiness out of the way, go out there and read about how Nikole and Zayn attempt to save the day.........

Purchase Links

AMAZON
BLOOD PURPLE     BLOOD YELLOW     BLOOD GREEN

BARNES & NOBLES
BLOOD PURPLE     BLOOD YELLOW     BLOOD GREEN

KOBO
BLOOD PURPLE     BLOOD YELLOW     BLOOD GREEN

ITUNES
BLOOD PURPLE     BLOOD YELLOW     BLOOD GREEN

SMASHWORDS
BLOOD PURPLE     BLOOD YELLOW     BLOOD GREEN

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS
BLOOD PURPLE     BLOOD YELLOW     BLOOD GREEN

BOOKSTRAND
BLOOD PURPLE     BLOOD YELLOW     BLOOD GREEN

PRINT COPIES 
CLICK HERE

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Sunday Review: The Warrior by Wanda Ann Thomas


Title: The Warrior
By: Wanda Ann Thomas
Published: November 8, 2013
Source: I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
Purchase Links: Amazon

BLURB:
A deadly assault …
A former soldier in the Jewish army whose lethal talents earned him the title angel of death, NATHAN OF RUMAH just wants a quiet life on his family’s olive farm. But his idyll ends abruptly when he rescues a wealthy and prominent Pharisee and his family from a brutal attack by rebels he calls friends.
Nathan vows to right the wrong, never guessing it will lead to his hasty marriage to the Pharisee’s shy daughter Alexandra. The tender passion he finds with his new wife only strengthens his need to seek justice for her and her family. Determined to end the bloody rebellion against Rome, Nathan picks up his sword again, seeking help from his friend—the newly-minted governor of Galilee, Herod.
A formidable warrior …
ALEXANDRA ONIAS is enthralled and unnerved to find herself wed, not to a scholar, but to a warrior. The risks her valiant husband takes on her behalf come at a terrible price when Nathan's countrymen turn against him. Shaken as she realizes how much Nathan has sacrificed on her behalf, Alexandra fights to save her husband from the rebels’ revenge… and from Herod’s blind ambition.
A clash of loyalty, deception and desire …
Betrayed by friends and hunted by neighbors, Nathan and Alexandra fight side by side to protect their loved ones, their home, and their very lives. But the couple's blossoming love faces ruin when the rebels strike out and Nathan unleashes the full fury of... The Warrior.

REVIEW:
Nathan and Alexandra were a delightful pair to read about. I really enjoyed their story. It was nice reading about a time in the past when religion was the center of the daily lives. I loved being transported from this current life we have into a reality that wasn't that long ago in the grand scheme of life.

It took me a little bit to get into the book. To start identifying with the characters but once I was hooked there was no going back.

I would like to see what happens next in their life, where things took them.

If you like books that take you back to a time we only read about in history books then this is a great read for you.


Wednesday, April 23, 2014

My Conversion to the Dark Side ..... My iPhone Confession

Well this is a blog post that I NEVER thought I would ever write. In fact part of me wants to pretend that this never happened. That I never held this device in my hand, my pocket or my purse. That it isn't now sitting right beside me, staring at me, daring me to talk bad about it. But rest assured that I am going to be level headed about this. I can be independent and honest, both at the same time. So sit tight and get ready for the story of I, Ashley Nemer's, iPhone Confession.

It started on this gloomy day in April in the year 2014. Just because the sun was shining brightly in the sky there was a dark overcasting shadow following me around. You see, my precious, my Samsung had just died for the millionth time and I finally caved in to the fact that its time for a new cell phone.

A little back story for those of you who are new to 'Ashley's Craziness' and why I have been protesting Apple products since 2009.

You see, Amazon Kindle promised new release books for 9.99 or less with the purchase of the Kindle. And for a while this was the truth that they gave. Until the devil company Apple took a hold of the retail book market and colluded to price fix with the 'Big 5' in the publishing world. On a side note I no longer have to 'act' like this is just an opinion because it is now fact as the federal courts deemed it so. Thank you Justice! That's a score #1 for the little guys! Anyway - so ever since they jacked up the prices on books I have protested the big 5 and Apple. Now it was easier to protest Apple since I had no desire for an iPad (since I have a Kindle) and an iPhone (since I had my other smart phones.)

But technology, she's a bitch! While I will argue the Kindle's efficiency until I'm blue in the face I sadly cannot say the same about Samsung.

That POS phone was the death of my protest! The battery was God awful. Honestly that was the only thing wrong with it. Other than the fact it constantly got super hot, shut off on its own, was susceptible to possession by spirits (my only explanation for the crazy random shit that kept happening to it.)

So as much as I loved my Samsung and I loved my protest it was time to jump on the Apple bandwagon for one reason .... the battery life!

The saleman at the Sprint store who helped me decide on which phone I would try was very nice. How he put up with the hundreds of questions I had and the switching of phone colors back and forth until I was comfortable with one of them.

So now I am a very stubbornly annoyed owner of a shiny new Green 5C iPhone.

The Pros of the iPhone (see i can admit when I'm wrong, Dad!)
--Battery Life - holy crikey this battery lasts all damn day! I mean, yeah I LOVE that. I took it off the charger at 5am today and its what, 9pm and I  have 37% power. OK that's effin impressive! LOVE That!

Outside of that ... I have nothing to report that blows me away. The operating system isn't exactly the most user friendly. I really liked Samsungs. A lot.

I will tell you what annoys me to no end ... no speed-dial buttons. I keep holding down the '2' button trying to call my husband and it gets me no where. ANNOYING! I have had the same 9 speed-dials for YEARS and now, GONE! Apple - please give me speed-dials.

Siri - she and I have issues. My hubby has his Siri call him 'The Doctor' you know, from Dr. Who. And I thought well I want a nick-name too. So I told Siri that and you know what that B wanted to call me? ASS MASTER! That was enough to make me want to return her sorry 'ass'.

But no worries we have worked it out so now she calls me "The Great and Powerful Oz."

I also really like the size of the iPhone. The new Galaxy was huge. I already have one tablet I don't need another -- and plus that one said it had 17 hours of talk time. Yeah right -- fool me once shame on you fool me year after year ... shame on me.

So at the end of the day, my devil device (yes that is what I call Siri and its on all of my email signatures too.) and I are in a luke-warm relationship. Like every new venture there are bumps in the road, that's to be expected. I am unsure how this will end. Part of me really loves the device simply because of the battery. Another part of me wants to burn the device in defense of the price fixing market consumers.

I am a walking conflict. No wonder I ended up sick and can't shake the cough.

However I am happy to report that as of today, Wednesday, I have had the device for four days and it hasn't once become possessed unlike the Samsung. Siri and I are learning to get along and we are working together to find a language that we can both understand. Cause let me tell you that male voice is a freaking idiot. He didn't have any answers. Such a typical man.

So there we have it -- I am a semi-kinda proud owner of an iPhone and I will forever feel like a sell out  ... thank the Amazon Gods that I had already received my refund from Apple and the big 5 for all the books I had purchased at the higher prices because of them. That makes me feel like a little less of a traitor.

It's the small things in life, right?


Monday, April 21, 2014

Fire & Ice Book Tour: Guest Post: My Wolf Cowboy by Rose Wynters

http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/paranormal-romance-book-tour-giveaway-my-wolf-cowboy-by-rose-wynters-41414-42814/




Blurb: 


Wolf Town Guardians – Born to walk this world as both wolf and human, these men take their role as protectors very seriously. Enjoying sensual pleasures as they please, this group of alpha werewolves are the finest when it comes to protecting their hidden settlement.
Guardians are the masters of self-control, taking pride in their authority and hard, muscled bodies. That all changes at the first scent of their mates. Their control snaps. The mating heat begins.
This is their stories.



To claim his mate, Connor will have to break all of the rules…

It’s a good thing rules were made to be broken.



Connor Bouchard is a werewolf with a huge secret. He’s mated, but he’s done everything he can to avoid claiming her. But the wolf that lives within him has had enough. And even if it means war, this alpha cowboy will have his mate.


Natalie Miller spent her entire life living on the Amish settlement in Missouri. Her world was safe… Until the night everything exploded in her face. She learns that nothing about her life was what it seemed… Even her. In a fiery blaze of horror, secrets are revealed… And an enemy of old comes back into play.


Forced to accept Connor’s protection, Natalie refuses to indulge in the attraction that lies between them. She didn’t count on the heat, though. It burns within her as she craves a satisfaction that she never needed before. Natalie finds herself wanted by two men, both of them willing to fight to the death to have her. Only one of them is destined by fate to have her, though.


Connor has to seduce her, the sooner the better. The full moon is quickly approaching, his opponent determined to possess his mate. Can Connor tame this wild filly before it’s too late? 

Excerpt:

He stopped in front of a stall. A horse watched them warily, her body locked in place. She was a gleaming shade of dark chestnut with a white star on her forehead. There was something almost vulnerable about the horse, something that touched Natalie deeply. “She’s beautiful, Connor. What’s her name?”
“Her name is Star,” he replied, staring at Natalie. “And she’s yours.”
“What do you mean?” She gasped out, staring between him and the horse. “This is my surprise?”
“Indeed it is.” Connor looked at the horse with a frown. “She’s a rescued horse. Her previous owners treated her horribly. It’s a wonder that she even survived, but she did. Star is resilient, but she’s not able to trust anyone. When I heard about her, I knew she needed you.” He stopped to look down at her, his expression unreadable. “Even more, I think you need her.”
“Thank you, Connor,” Natalie said, her voice trembling. She was touched by his gift, more so than words could say. Overcome by it all, she surprised them both when she hugged him.
His arms wrapped around her quickly, holding her tight. A long moment passed, and then another. In her mind, she fit perfectly within the shelter of his arms. She wondered if Connor felt the same.
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” a male’s voice interrupted them, his tone loud and incredulous.“Connor, even in the barn? Really?” He sounded disgusted as he added, “This man ought to be neutered. It’s not safe to let him roam the streets, woods, or even barns. Once he was even caught messing with one of Alexander’s maids, and you want to know what’s worse? He was wearing red lipstick.”
Natalie jerked away from Connor. She was mortified by the other man’s words. Peeking past Connor’s large frame, she saw a large Native American male standing about twenty feet back. He was with a pretty blonde female who looked extremely exasperated. He had to be another guardian, his size and demeanor left no doubts in her mind to his identity.
Connor rolled his eyes and smirked before turning around to greet him. “Oh, hell,” he drawled out in a mocking tone of voice. “So Marrok is back and looking just as grouchy as he always did. What’s the matter, old boy? Did you piss your mate off on the honeymoon and get your sorry ass thrown out in the doghouse?” 


 Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance E-Books 

 About the Author:

Rose Wynters is the author of the Wolf Town Guardians series, the Territory of the Dead series, and the Endurers series. As an avid traveler, she enjoys exploring new places and meeting new people. She also likes camping and seeking out the unusual, especially if there is an urban legend behind it.

Connect With The Author:

Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook 

Giveaway:

Enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card and an ebook copy of My Wolf Protector – Book two in the Wolf Town Guardians series. Open internationally, must be 18 or over to enter. The giveaway will run 4/14/14 – 4/28/14. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Fire and Ice Book Tour: Review & Giveaway: The Bloodline War by Tracy Tappan

Title: The Bloodline War
Author: Tracy Tappan
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
Buy Link: AMAZON




http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/paranormal-romance-tour-the-bloodline-war-by-tracy-tappan-4814-5614/
Blurb:


THE BLOODLINE WAR, Book One in The Community Series

Beneath the streets of San Diego, California, a unique race of human beings called Vârcolac lives on the brink of extinction. Desperate to save their dying people, a brotherhood of warriors deploys to the surface to steal genetically superior women for a repopulation program.

A car accident changes everything…

A computer hacked hospital blood test confirms that Dr. Toni Parthen carries a gene that’s the key to salvation for a unique race of human beings. Abducted to a secret, underground community, Toni is asked to do the unthinkable: procreate with a man from a race called Vârcolac—a species that must consume the blood of other humans to survive. Then bizarre turns dangerous, because a new, mysterious enemy also wants her special DNA, and Toni finds herself in the middle of an all-out war to possess her.

Destined to be alone…

It’s the job of JaÄ‹ken Brun, leader of the Warrior Class, to keep the captured women safe from a demonic race of humans who rule a neighboring part of their underground world. His challenges multiply when Toni inflames the women into mutiny, and then there’s his biggest problem…his growing desire for the infuriating woman herself. Afflicted with a dark genetic makeup, JaÄ‹ken can never be with a woman. Until Toni uses her scientific ingenuity to find a way for her and JaÄ‹ken to be together. But then the new enemy faction unearths Toni and drags her to their hidden lair, where they’ll inflict an unspeakable cruelty on her to gain access to her valuable genes.

It will take every warrior skill JaÄ‹ken owns to save the woman he loves, but only if he can find her in time….


Review:

I want to start out with how much I enjoyed the new twist to the whole vampire and demon myths. It was very refreshing to read a book that wasn't the same ole same ole when it came to the mythology behind these type of race.

That being said - I had issues with the male characters. All of them felt like they were the same. There wasn't any distinction from one man to the other. It was just like an extension of one another. The women characters were better. They all had more individual personalities and they were very easy to like.

I loved the story line. I loved the direction it went and the ending. I loved how there were a few twists that I didn't see coming, which is always a plus.

The writing overall was very well. There were a few things that drove me crazy. Mainly the use of 'text' type lingo from the narrator and in the dialog.  For example saying 'TMI' as a narrative instead of too much information. Or, OTC instead of over the counter. And my favorite one that authors are tending to do - OMG. To me, that just pulls me out of it instantly.

That being said - I still very much enjoyed the overall package of the book.

I wouldn't mind reading the sequel. I liked the brother Alex. I'd like to learn more about him. 

Once i got into the story and turned the 'author/editor' mode off and attempted to overlook a few quirks that I had I really liked the story.

A solid 3.5 stars



About the Author:




After earning a master’s degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling, Tracy Tappan enjoyed several years of doing clinical work before devoting herself full time to writing. She was born with a fertile imagination that has compelled her to write gritty romance novels, spanning paranormal, historical, and military suspense genres. During nearly a quarter of a century spent as a military wife, she lived all over the United States and in Europe, enjoying seven years overseas in the diplomatic community, first in Rome then in Madrid. She is also the founder and creator of a fan-based website called The Character Couch, where romance’s favorite couples are brought into a session with therapist, Regan Malloy. 
 

She’s now settled back in sunny San Diego with her husband, a menagerie of pets, and two children who seem to think they can come and go as they please.


Connect With The Author:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
The Character Couch




Giveaway:

The author is running a giveaway on her site during the tour. USA residents only, please. Click here to enter to win!

Prizes (4 total): (1) $50 gift card to Chili’s Restaurant, (1) One pound box See’s Candy assorted chocolates, (1) $15 Amazon gift card, (1) swag pack, including Character Couch T-shirt, scented sachet, bookmark.

Friday, April 18, 2014

An Interview with NY Times Best Selling Author, Angela Knight

Since this is a blog about things I love this post is about one of my author idols. I can't remember when I picked up my first novel of Angela Knights but let me just say, its a day that I am grateful for! Her writing is fantastic and I am so captivated when I dive into her world.

Last July, (2013) I had the opportunity to travel to Vegas for a writing convention where I just so happened to run into her at the book fair and yeah, totally got my photo with her. After of course, I wigged out and made a total fan girl mess of myself!

She was super nice about the whole thing and signed one of her media items for me (since I was a spaz and left my book of hers on my desk at home!)

So on a whim, I emailed her asking if I could interview her and she said yes! How lucky am I, right?

So with out further delay, here is my fan girl big moment of April - an Interview with Angela Knight!


Ms. Knight, thank you so much for agreeing to let me interview you. You’re the first author that I have followed for years that I get to interview and I am just so touched you said yes! First thing I want to ask you, where do all of your ideas come from? I know that it is said inspiration hits in any place but is there something specific you do to give you such range in your writing?

AK: I am thrilled you asked me, not to mention touched.

My ideas come from all kinds of places. I read  a lot of books and watch a lot of movies and television. Often I'll find something about a character that intrigues me, and I'll think about how to spin that idea in an entirely different direction. For example, I was watching a Bond movie -- one of the Pierce Brosnan ones -- and he was doing something wildly improbable. I thought, "That would be a lot more believable if he we a vampire." So I got the idea for a vampire secret agent who had been working for the American government since George Washington hired him during the Revolutionary War. That book became MASTER OF THE NIGHT, the first Mageverse novel.


My favorite series of yours is the Mageverse world … HOW did you come up with that? Every time I read your novels those suck me in for weeks! 

AK: Thank you so much! The core of the Mageverse comes from two of my childhood/teenage passions: King Arthur and vampires. So I thought, "What if Arthur WAS a vampire?" But I didn't want to do the standard vampire rules, so I spent a couple of days brainstorming how to create my vampires and what rules limited their strengths. I decided that sex was the key to transforming a man into a vampire or a woman into a witch because these were supposed to be erotic romances, and I had to come up with a reason for them to go to bed early and often.


Erotica – now that is a hot topic! What made you branch out into this and do you prefer it to your other writings?

AK: I love writing erotic romance. But I'm not really interested in doing straight erotica without a romance component, because that's just not interesting to me. I love to watch the romance develop between my couple, and find its expression through sex. I like paranormal, but if you told me I couldn't write love scenes or romance, I would really miss it.



How long does it take you to write your stories, on average, and how long (word count) are they? Do you find some series are easier than others to write?

AK: My books are 400 pages or 100,000 words long, and they take about six months. As to which series is easier, it depends on the book. Some books come really easily, but with others, it seems I really struggle. Sometimes I just get blocked, and I have to figure out how to get around the problem before I can progress. 


What about Characters, do you have a favorite of yours that always stands out above the rest, or do you love them equally? 

I really like Arthur and Gwen. Arthur can be a bastard if you piss him off, but at the same time, he's a deeply heroic character despite his temper. He would give his life in a heartbeat to save innocents. 


Do you plot out all of your story lines or does it all grow organically? Do you find one way easier than the other? 

I have to plot my books. Otherwise I get completely stuck and can't write at all. I need to really know what comes next.


How old were you when you first started reading?

I was in the second grade--but I started writing in the third. My first book was the MOUSE WHO WENT TO THE MOON, which I wrote in pencil and illustrated in crayon. 


And do you have a favorite author? 

Nora Roberts/JD Robb. I also love JR Ward and Jim Butcher, as well as Patricia Briggs.


When looking back over your career is there anything you wish you had tried but didn't? 

Urban fantasy. I love urban fantasy. I would like to give that a shot someday.


Any advice for new authors that strive to be like you? 

Don't be too hard on yourself. You have to believe in yourself, because otherwise you can keep yourself from finishing ANYTHING. Remember you can't publish a book you don't finish!


I always do a rapid question round whenever I do interviews so please forgive me but I just HAD to know some of these answers. You have been one of my favorite authors for so long that some of these I have been wondering about for a while.

Lightening round….

Male POV or Female POV which do you prefer to write: That's tough. Male, I guess, though I like both. 
Short Stories or Novels, which do you read. Novels.
Ebook or Print: I'm coming to really like ebooks.
Louisa May Alcott or Charles Dickens. Dickens.
Reading at the Beach or Reading in the Mountains Beach.

You can catch Angela Knights newest release WICKED GAMES on sale now... The best part ... its from my favorite series of hers!!!

A prequel novella to the bestselling Mageverse series that gave a sexy twist to the Arthurian legend headlines this collection. This volume also features a special selection of stories, previously published as ebooks, but completely revised and expanded for this anthology.




Duplicate Post also on Twisted Admiration's Blog

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Spotlight: Pump Up Your Book Blog Tour: Immortality by Kevin Bohacz



Immortality Blog Tour Information


About the Book

Without warning, something has gone terribly awry. In the remote and unnoticed places of the world, small pockets of death begin occurring. As the initially isolated extinctions spread, the world’s eyes focus on this unimaginable horror and chaos. Out of the ecological imbalance, something new and extraordinary is evolving and surviving to fill the voids left by these extinctions. Evolution is operating in ways no one could have expected and environmental damage may be the catalyst. Once discovered, this knowledge changes everything.
Praise for Immortality:

Kirkus: “There is enough power in the premise to leave readers reeling. A novel that will surprise fans of science-fiction and doomsday scenarios...”

Publisher’s Weekly STARRED review: “Bohacz’s vision of a humanity that faces the need to evolve profoundly or face certain destruction is as timely as today’s news and as chilling a doomsday scenario as any ecological catastrophe can suggest...”

Sci-Fi Reader 4 Star review by S.J. Higbee: “This book manages to do what all the best sci-fi does—provide a thought-provoking, alternative viewpoint on the business of existence. I recommend you give it a go...”

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE


About the Author

I am Kevin Bohacz the bestselling novelist of Immortality and a lucid dreamer… Welcome to my dreams. I am also a writer for national computer magazines, founder and president of two high technology corporations, a scientist and engineer for over 35 years, and the inventor of an advanced electric car system – the ESE Engine System (circa 1978). I was also a short order cook for I-Hop, flipped burgers at McDonalds, and delivered Chicken Delight. All of those careers and more are behind me now that I am a full time storyteller, a catcher of dreams. Thank you for reading my stories and making this all possible.
His latest books are Immortality and Ghost of the Gods.
Visit Kevin’s website at www.kbohacz.com.
Connect & Socalize!
 

Title: Immortality
Genre: Techno-Thriller
Author: Kevin Bohacz
Publisher: CPrompt
Pages: 389
Format: Paperback/Kindle

Purchase at Amazon
Without warning, something has gone terribly awry. In the remote and unnoticed places of the world, small pockets of death begin occurring. As the initially isolated extinctions spread, the world’s eyes focus on this unimaginable horror and chaos. Out of the ecological imbalance, something new and extraordinary is evolving and surviving to fill the voids left by these extinctions. Evolution is operating in ways no one could have expected and environmental damage may be the catalyst. Once discovered, this knowledge changes everything.
Excerpt:
Amazon Forest: January, present day.
The rainforest had a humid, earthy smell that reminded him of home. Diego was twenty-two years old and, like most of his village, he’d spent half his life away from home. The bulldozer he was illegally operating was idling in neutral. In front of him were a half dozen control levers and gauges. With a worker’s rough hands, he compressed the squeeze-grip on a lever and pushed forward. He heard the sound of grinding gears. The tree cutter failed to engage. The huge dozer was thirty-year-old army surplus. There was a cable problem in the lever he was working. The problem sometimes caused the squeeze-grip to snap shut when the transmission grabbed. If he was not careful, the squeeze-grip could badly pinch his hand. Diego pushed harder on the lever. He could feel teeth missing in the gears from how the lever bucked back against his push. Without warning, the gears dropped into place as the squeeze-grip bit his palm. It was like a vicious dog. An angry welt throbbed in his palm. He cursed the dozer. He cursed the steaming heat. He’d drunk two quarts of water since breakfast, and lunch break was still hours away.

The rainforest was alive with insects. Diego had never seen this many in all the years he’d illegally logged the deep forests. There was a steady drone which was louder than the diesel engine he controlled. Tiny no-see-em’s, biting things, had left a rash across the back of his neck that felt like sunburn. Earlier, he’d scratched it raw but now had a bandanna tied around his neck to remind him to leave it be. The bulldozer rocked into a depression as the cutter began chew-ing through the trunk of a mahogany tree. Diego fed more fuel into the beast’s engine. The dozer’s treads dug in; there was a hesitation. He could feel the strain building. Tons of steel lurched forward pitch-ing him in his seat. Another tree tumbled, its branches snapping like rapid-fire gunshots as it crumpled into the ground. The front of the beast was equipped with a chain driven saw instead of a dozer blade. The fixture had a pair of serrated edges that shimmied back and forth like steel teeth. Pieces of shredded green leaves and bark caught on the teeth’s edges. Diego had long ago decided the beast was a sloppy eater.

The insect sounds of the forest had stopped. As far as Diego knew, these insects never stopped. He dropped the beast into neutral then switched it off.
There was silence.
Out of this stillness, a faint crackling sound rose from the distance, then disappeared, and then came again. He listened carefully. It took him a moment to realize the faraway sound was trees falling. The log- ging company operated a small army of dozers, far apart now; but by evening they would all meet up, connecting each of the separate cutting tracks into a solid plot. Diego swung round in his seat and gazed back. A swath of fallen tropical forest lay behind him: mahogany and cedar and even some rosewood along with countless varieties of plants and bushes. The largest trees were left standing so their canopies would hide the results of his work from the few government scouting planes that were not on the company’s payroll. Heavy tractors would come through later to drag out the good logs. He got paid by the yard for mahogany, rosewood, and cedar; the rest was trash. Today it looked like he would earn a small fortune; tomorrow might bring nothing. He lit a cigarette and left it hanging in his lips. After starting the engine, he ground the shifter into a forward gear and moved out. He drew cigarette smoke into his lungs then exhaled through his nose. No time to rest. He needed every bit of money he could earn. He didn’t blink as a cloud of insects flew into his face as their nest was churned into rubbish by his dozer’s teeth.
The humidity was so high that water had begun to evaporate into a fine mist. A steam cloud floated through the tops of the trees blurring the upper canopy into a milky green. Diego swung the beast around in a stationary about-face. The base camp was miles behind him by the river. The camp was a dock and tents with ratty screens. Beside the camp was a tree covered clearing that at night was filled with sleeping dozers and other heavy equipment. By now, a pot of beans would be simmering for lunch. A hunk of flat bread and canned beer would complete the meal. No meat. He’d lived worse. Everything here had been secretly brought in by river barge, including him and the other labors. With luck, he could cut a second swath back toward camp and arrive by lunch. Today would fill his pocket with more than two hundred Reals… a new record.
The logging ride out of the forest turned out to be easier than the ride in. The trees in his new path were an ideal size for cutting. Diego began thinking about his wife Carla and their dream. She’d been anx- ious to come with him into this hell. He had kissed her and told her no… no wife of his would suffer in a place like this. In seven months, he would be a father. The foreign company running this operation was taking good care of her. She’d written last week that the company had paid for a test with a machine that was like an x-ray but used sound. The nurse had told her the baby would be a boy. Diego smiled with that memory… it was a good one. He would have a boy who would grow up to be his friend. That was a new part of the dream; the old part was still a small house outside Maceio, the coastal city where Diego was born. Diego instinctively slowed the dozer to the speed of a man’s stride.

He squinted watching a cloud of rain moving toward him along the path he’d just cut from camp. The rain didn’t appear heavy, but when mixed with ground steam it was solid enough to bring a false twilight. Nothing could be seen inside the cloud. The dozer had a roll cage. A piece of corrugated sheet metal had been welded to the top of the cage as a roof. Diego switched on spotlights. Drops started hitting the sheet metal with rhythmic pings. The humidity grew heavier. The air surrounded him like a damp towel. He pulled off his t-shirt and wiped his face with it. A storm of birds fled from some trees his dozer was about to consume. Their colored shapes moved past him at eye level like watercolor paints in fog. Diego cocked his head to one side. He sensed something wrong.
Grinding the shifter into neutral, he idled the machine. As the noise of his engine simmered down, he was able to hear the far off sounds of a dozer racing at top speed. He heard an engine revving at its highest rpm… no, it was two engines. More than one dozer was racing through the forest. This was very unusual. A hollow feeling began gnawing inside his chest. He remembered stories of odd things that happened to people alone in the forest. He heard a different sound like a wet towel hitting the ground in front of him. He leaned forward, squinting into the fog. A bird tumbled from the air bouncing off the cab, the sound startling Diego badly. The bird fluttered, then righted itself on the ground and took off. He saw another bird fall a couple yards away, then another, and another. They would roll around a bit, then fix themselves and fly off. This was very strange… too strange. He now understood why dozers were racing through the forest. Something very bad was happening. He shoved the dozer into gear and slammed his feet into the pedals. The beast jumped forward at top power. He heard muck spitting into the air off the backs of the tread-plates. To devil with cutting the second track. To devil with the money. He was going to get out of here as fast as this dozer could race. The treads were clanking at an accelerating pace as the beast slowly picked up speed. He disengaged the tree saw to gain a few more drops of power. He plowed through the top of a tree he’d cut earlier, then another. He was doing close to ten miles per hour. A man might run faster, but not through this brush and not for the miles that remained to the camp.
Without warning, he felt dizzy, an ill kind of dizzy. The fingers on his right hand went numb, then paralyzed. He tried to move the fingers, but they were limp. Coldness was spreading up from his hand. The more he tried to flex his fingers, the worse it got. In seconds, his entire right arm was hanging flaccid at his side. Whatever had gotten the birds was working on him. He knew it. The trees kept moving past him in a blur. He realized with an odd disconnect that he was having difficulty drawing breaths.
He thought about Carla and the baby. His jaw squeezed tight. His lips formed a grim line. He would make it for them.
The dozer glanced off a large tree and kept going. The impact rocked him. He wheezed, attempting to draw air into his chest. Maybe two miles remained until base camp. He began veering off the trail. The saw-blade snagged on a mahogany six feet in diameter. Diego was pitched from his seat. Dizzy and unable to hold on, he fell from the cab. His shoulder hit a moving tread-plate, which tossed him off the rig. He was like a paralyzed sack of meat.
“Umph!” He landed on the ground. He thought how odd it was that he’d bounced. He didn’t know people could bounce when they hit the ground. The tractor rumbled beside him. Without his feet on the pedals, the dozer had stopped. The left side of his face was a mix of blood and dirt. He tried to draw air into his lungs but failed. His mind felt like it was beginning to evaporate. His entire body tingled. He felt no pain. The muscles that worked his lungs were no longer responding. He thought of calling for help, but without his lungs he could do nothing. He gave up struggling and stared skyward at the treetops and thought of Carla. Moments later, his heart stopped beating. He felt calm as what was left of his mind faded into a warm nothing.
New Jersey: January
Sarah Mayfair opened her eyes. The nightmare was still around her. Her vision was not in this world but in some other. The nightmare was of underground water, great arteries of rivers and streams and lakes. Where the liquid pooled, it was cool and deep. She sensed this water was alive with thoughts, evil thoughts. A teaspoonful of it teamed with plans of death. She was floating deep under the water, staring as drowned people glided past her face sinking into the depths of a bottomless pool. Looking down, she saw a trail of countless tiny bodies slowly pirouetting as they drifted into the yawning darkness below her feet… Headlights from a car traveled across a wall of her room. The lights dwelled on a wooden credenza, then moved on. She followed the glow with her eyes seeing reality for the first time. The simple act of seeing began to clear the veils of her nightmare. Her breathing slowed. She realized she was covered in sweat.
Outside, a subzero wind was blowing unimpeded through a forest of leafless trees and ice crusted snow. The windowpanes rattled and hummed. Small drafts snuck through the rooms. She shivered as the drafts caressed her dampened skin. She was in the living room of her home. She recognized the shadowy details of furniture and walls. Her boyfriend Kenny was in the bedroom asleep. She remembered getting up and walking out here to be by herself to think. The nightmares had grown worse, more of them with each passing week. She was starting to see the faces of people she knew in these nightmares. She sensed it was some kind of horrible parade of those who would die. She remem- bered Kenny’s image from the dream.

Her body stiffened. A disembodied voice was whispering into her left ear. The words were unintelligible… garbled, but unmistakably evil. This can’t be happening. She screamed out in frustration and grief at the seeds of budding madness.