The Speculative Salon

Fantasy and Monsters

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn Muñiz) — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

How many fantasy novels have you read without any monsters and/or creatures?

Chances are you haven’t read one. The readers and writers expect them to be included. We love twists on familiar ones and crave new monsters and creatures. I love reading monsters and creatures from myths and legends. Researching online guides helps me create my own monsters and creatures for my fantasy novel.

Some of my favorites I found online are Flying Heads, Yowie, and Wyrm.

There are too many for one post to cover. Look over the different sites below and pick out your favorite monster or creature from the lists.

Mythical Creatures List

Mythical Creatures & Beasts Wiki

The Creature List

Did you found one you didn’t know about? One you did but different from you already knew? Post your finding with us!

What to read...

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie) — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

I didn't really know I was weird growing up. I wanted to be either the witch or the prince in fairy tales. I read The Hobbit when it arrived and I remember Franny Cohen showing me notes she'd written in runes. I never got that far. I wanted to escape in barrels, too. I read adventure stories --The Three Musketeers, Robinson Crusoe, Robin Hood. I don't know when I discovered Ursula Le Guin, but I immersed myself in her stories for a while. That was when I knew what I was looking for, when I had discovered "what to read".

The Lathe of Heaven was my confirmation that it was science fiction writers who would help me find the answers to what I was looking for. I wanted to know more about magic and how to live in the world as a magician. I had chosen that word to describe a collection of ideas and personal events that I had tried to define since I was a teen. I had decided that if I had been born in another place or another time, I would have been put to work as some kind of seer. I couldn't see anyting like that in the world we live in now. I figured, and rightly, that those skills--the ones that would have been found probably in one or two people in a tribe--had been dispersed throughout the population. Doctors, nurses, psychologists, ministers, sociologists... all of these and more would have been called shaman, healer, witch, seer.

So, what did I learn in The Lathe of Heaven that gave me a sense of anchoring in the modern world? The main character, George Orr has "effective" dreams. His dreams change reality. To keep this from happening, he self-medicates. This was the first time I saw a glimmer of myself outside of my own head. I didn't change reality, but my dreams were effective in other ways.

A critical piece of the novel was how Orr found help from inside his chaos. The chaos came from his ability to remember both the pre- and post-dream worlds. How do you learn to manage something this powerful and destructive? With a little help from friends. And where does one find such helpful friends? It was the Beatles song itself that helped. We call it an earworm now, that annoying and persistent presence of some snatch of song we pretend not to like.

From that little bit, I learned to pay attention to what I had learned as a kid was the "still, small voice". Of course that was before boom boxes and iPods and such. Heck, that was before rock and roll!

So, this rattling on is apropos what? What do you read when you need to find your way along the edges of the world? What do you read when you want to learn how to be different? Who tells you stories that keep you company on dark soul nights?

I was inspired to confess my own need for connection by a link to I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell do I Read?.

So, what do you read to relieve your sense of being the weird one in the room? Where does your own queerness find companionship?

m

Review of Montana Mustangs

noreply@blogger.com (rj.garside) — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:10:00 +0000

Today, I had the joy of reviewing The Nymph Series Book 2, "Montana Mustangs" by Danica Winters. Now I loved the first one "The Nymph's Labrinth" and the second one didn't disappoint. Miss Winters' books are a fast, entertaining whirlwind read and I am always sorry when it comes to an end.

Worldbuilding: The worldbuilding in this book is as unique and captivating as Book One. I absolutely love the cursed fate of the nymphs. The myth and legendary that goes into the worldbuilding is wonderful and grabs the attention of readers. It is a world that I've not read in any other books on the market. It is truly unique.

Characters: The heroine Aura Montgarten is a wonderfully written loner as she avoids falling in love to avoid the tragic death curse. She is vibrant, entertaining and full of life. The hero Dane Burke is a strong long interest for her and her perfect match. He is a strong police officer that is tasked with a difficult job of finding the killer and keeping himself and Aura safe. The sparks start instantly as Aura and Dane are instantly attracted to each other. The characters are wonderfully written and enjoyed.

Pros & Cons: Normally when I start a series, the myths and the novelty tends to wear off part way through the second book, but I am very eager to read the next installment. While the mythology continues, more is presented and a deeper appreciation and understanding of the nymph culture is revealed. The hero and heroine are also different and cannot be confused or meshed with Book 1's characters. I really enjoyed Book 2.

Fresh Factor: This is Book 2 of the Nymph series, so the culture and mythology wasn't as "fresh" as the first one, only because I was aware of it. The characters are new and fresh though and it is a different read then Book 1.

Overall: I loved it! I am a big fan of Miss Winters writing! I would definitely recommend it. I would give it 4.5 stars on a scale of one to five. If you like paranormal romance laced with dark mythology and spice, then pick up "Montana Mustangs".

Book Description:

A Nymph. A woman with the ability to seduce at will, shift to protect, but cursed with the fate to have the man she falls in love with die a tragic death. As one of the ill-fated nymphs, Aura Montgarten has spent her lifetime drifting from one place to another hiding from love. Until she meets Dane.

When a body washes up on the shore of a rural Montana lake, police officer Dane Burke is faced with the task of finding the killer—even if it means he will be forced to put his life and heart at risk by working with a drifter. As the truth of Aura’s Mustang-shifting Nymph ways are revealed, Dane learns exactly the amount of danger he and Aura are in, but can’t force himself to leave a case unsolved when the truth is right outside of his grasp.

When the killer decides he needs to take another victim—Dane—Aura must choose between their forbidden love and her immortal life… Can there be life without love, or is death her only choice?

About Danica Winters

Danica Winters is a bestselling author who is known for writing award-winning books that grip readers with their ability to drive emotion through suspense and often a touch of magic. When she’s not working she can be found in the wilds of Montana working on her patience while she tries to understand the allure of various crafts (quilting, pottery and painting are not her thing). She always believe the cup is neither half full nor half empty, but it better be filled with wine.

The Trend Toward Gray Fantasy Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha A. Moore) — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Gray fantasy has become a current trend, exemplified by George R.R. Martin in his A Song of Ice and Fire/ Game of Thrones. This style of fantasy fiction draws great contrast to traditional black and white fantasies we have all known and loved, such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.

I recently read a great article about the current trend of gray fantasy, “Is Blackand White Fantasy Dead” by Codey Amprim, published in Mythic Scribes. The information seemed timely since I’m plotting a new standalone magical realism book. My current series, which I’ll complete this fall, is high fantasy with plenty of black and white characters. Shifting to the more literary fantasy subgenre of magical realism gives me more undefined space to explore, and I’m eager to work with that bigger canvas. But there are also more decisions to make that I previously didn’t need to consider. In my new plot, there is no character to assume the black role of the villain, only a negative energy that never takes a physical form. I’m wrestling with the characters, most developing as shades of gray.

My previous works have all had foundations of more clear-cut black and white characters to define the story arcs. The struggle between good and evil gave readers something familiar to cling to when faced with the oddity of new worlds, magic, and frightening creatures. Readers knew that good would ultimately triumph, and the journeys became their reward.

However, including more and more gray characters into the equation lends mystery to the plot, making it less predictable. Gray characters seem more complex, more real and relatable. They can be more explosive and wild, keeping readers turning pages to figure out the characters’ motives. But without black and white characters, readers may have trouble deciding who to root for among a gray cast. They are left looking for one they can understand on a personal level. Unless there are clear plot objectives, gray characters can take the story in meandering zig-zags like a grand soap opera. Readers expect the satisfaction of resolution for their investment of time.

What blend of fantasy characters do you prefer? Mostly black and white? All three types: black, white, and gray? Plenty of mysterious gray characters?

~ ~ ~ Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous epic fantasy romance: Book One, SEEKING A SCRIBE, Book Two, HERITAGE AVENGED, Book Three, LOST VOLUMES, and Book Four, STAUROLITE.. For a FREE ebook download, read her historic fantasy, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.

Urban Fantasy Review: River Road by Suzanne Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Ella Gray) — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

River Road by Suzanne Johnson: Adult Urban Fantasy, 2nd in a series

Royal Street was one of my favorite books of early 2012, so I was so thrilled when the second installment, River Road, appeared within a year. Three years have passed since the exciting events of the first title in the Sentinels of New Orleans series, and Drusilla "DJ" Jaco is still keen on proving herself to the wizard Elders. Her mystery solving skills and her magic are put to the test as she investigates some freaky water pollution that's causing illness among the local mer-people.

World: What's cool about book two is how much DJ's world has changed in the several years since Royal Street ended. The supernatural and the mundane have become far more integrated, which means more potential problems for the wizard community and for sentinels like DJ. Of course, it's also really fun to read about. I'm still impressed with how vividly Johnson brings to life the New Orleans area and community. If you're the type of person who thinks UF should highlight the city it takes place in, then you'll love this series.

Characters: Jean Lafitte. 'Nuff said. LOL, but seriously, I love that pirate. DJ is still a cool chick to hang with for 300+ pages, although I was somewhat annoyed that her blossoming romantic life took over a good portion of the story. I know it happens in everyone's life at one point or another, but three dates in one book is a little much (esp. for UF). One thing I like about DJ is her easy confidence in her wizarding skills, but for some reason the girl can't pick out an outfit to save her life. I suspect things with her suitors will only going to get more complicated as the series progresses, and I'm not sure I think that's a good thing.

Pros & Cons: I can't rave enough about Johnson's attention to details when it comes to setting, magic, and general world building. Plus, DJ has a strong voice that draws you in and keeps you in the action. My biggest disappointment has to be the lackluster performances of her support team, including her partner Alex and enforcer-in-training Jake. I liked both characters when they were introduced in Royal Street (and still do despite this mini rant), but neither seemed to contribute much of anything towards helping DJ solve the story problem this time around. I hope both men get the chance to redeem themselves in book three instead of wasting all their time fighting over the girl (even if it is entertaining ;)).

Fresh Factor: Johnson has a knack for taking supernatural creatures and bringing them to life in new and interesting ways. The mermen and nymphs stand out as great examples in this particular story, and I can't wait to see what she does next (I'm especially looking forward to learning more about the mysterious elves).

Overall: I have to say, I think I enjoyed Royal Street a bit more than River Road, but I'm definitely hooked on this series anyway and have to give it 4 out of 5 stars. DJ is transitioning from novice sentinel to running the show in her territory, and it's so great to see her grow as a character.

Check out the excerpt below, and follow the links to get all the deets for the Sentinels of New Orleans series. Cheers!
Ella

Short Excerpt River Road

The minute hand of the ornate grandfather clock crept like a gator stuck in swamp mud. I’d been watching it for half an hour, nursing a fizzy cocktail from my perch inside the Hotel Monteleone. The plaque on the enormous clock claimed it had been hand- carved of mahogany in 1909, about 130 years after the birth of the undead pirate waiting for me upstairs.

They were both quite handsome, but the clock was a lot safer.

The infamous Jean Lafitte had expected me at seven. He’d summoned me to his French Quarter hotel suite by courier like I was one of his early nineteenth-century wenches, and I hated to destroy his pirate-king delusions, but the historical undead don’t summon wizards. We summon them.

I’d have blown him off if my boss on the Congress of Elders hadn’t ordered me to comply and my co-sentinel, Alex, hadn’t claimed a prior engagement.

At seven thirty, I abandoned my drink, took a deep breath, and marched through the lobby toward the bank of elevators.

On the long dead-man-walking stroll down the carpeted hallway, I imagined all the horrible requests Jean might make. He’d saved my life a few years ago, after Hurricane Katrina sent the city into freefall, and I hadn’t seen him since. I’d been desperate at the time. I might have promised him unfettered access to modern New Orleans in exchange for his assistance. I might have promised him a place to live. I might have promised him things I don’t even remember. In other words, I might be totally screwed.

I reached the door of the Eudora Welty Suite and knocked, reflecting that Jean Lafitte probably had no idea who Eudora Welty was, and wouldn’t like her if he did. Ms. Welty had been a modern sort of woman who wouldn’t hop to attention when summoned by a scoundrel.

He didn’t answer immediately. I’d made him wait, after all, and Jean lived in a tit- for- tat world. I paused a few breaths and knocked harder. Finally, he flung open the door, waving me inside to a suite plush with tapestries of peach and royal blue, thick carpet that swallowed the narrow heels of my pumps, and a plasma TV he couldn’t possibly know how to operate. What a waste.

“You have many assets, Drusilla, but apparently a respect for time is not among them.” Deep, disapproving voice, French accent, broad shoulders encased in a red linen shirt, long dark hair pulled back into a tail, eyes such a cobalt blue they bordered on navy. And technically speaking, dead.

He was as sexy as ever.

“Sorry.” I slipped my hand in my skirt pocket, fingering the small pouch of magic-infused herbs I carried at all times. My mojo bag wouldn’t help with my own perverse attraction to the man, but it would keep my empathic abilities in check. If he still had a perverse attraction to me, I didn’t want to feel it.

He eased his six-foot-two frame into a sturdy blue chair and slung one long leg over the arm as he gave me a thorough eyeraking, a ghost of a smile on his face.

I perched on the edge of the adjacent sofa, easing back against a pair of plump throw pillows, and looked at him expectantly. I hoped what ever he wanted wouldn’t jeopardize my life, my job, or my meager bank account.

“You are as lovely as ever, Jolie,” Jean said, trotting out his pet name for me that sounded deceptively intimate and brought back a lot of memories, most of them bad. “I will forgive your tardiness— perhaps you were late because you were selecting clothing that I would like.” His gaze lingered on my legs. “You chose beautifully.”

I’d picked a conservative black skirt and simple white blouse with the aim of looking professional for a business meeting, part of my ongoing attempt to prove to the Elders I was a mature wizard worthy of a pay raise. But this was Jean Lafitte, so I should have worn coveralls. I’d forgotten what a letch he could be.

“I have a date after our meeting,” I lied. He didn’t need to know said date involved a round carton with the words Blue Bell Ice Cream printed on front. “Why did you want to see me?”

There, that hadn’t been so difficult—just a simple request. No drama. No threats. No double- entendre. Straight to business.

“Does a man need a reason to see a beautiful woman? Especially one who is indebted to him, and who has made him many promises?” A slow smile spread across his face, drawing my eyes to his full lips and the ragged scar that trailed his jawline.

I might be the empath in the room, but he knew very well that, in some undead kind of way, I thought he was hot.

I felt my face warming to the shade of a trailer- trash bridesmaid’s dress, one whose color had a name like raging rouge. I’d had a similar reaction when I first met Jean in 2005, two days before a mean hurricane with a sissy name turned her malevolent eye toward the Gulf Coast. I blamed my whole predicament on Katrina, the bitch.

Her winds had driven the waters of Lake Pontchartrain into the canals that crisscrossed the city, collapsing levees and filling the low, concave metro area like a gigantic soup bowl.

But NBC Nightly News and Anderson Cooper had missed the biggest story of all: how, after the storm, a mob of old gods, historical undead, and other preternatural victims of the scientific age flooded New Orleans. As a wizard, I’d had a ringside seat. Now, three years later, the wizards had finally reached accords with the major preternatural ruling bodies, and the borders were down, as of two days ago. Jean hadn’t wasted any time.

Royal Street

Sentinels of New Orleans Book One

Suzanne Johnson

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 978-0765327796
ASIN: B006OM459U
Number of pages: 337
Word Count: approx. 94,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

Book Description:

As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco's job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans' fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters. While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerald St. Simon has gone missing, the wizards' Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ's new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and the killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter roux.

River Road

Sentinels of New Orleans, Book 2
Suzanne Johnson

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 978-0765327802
ASIN: B00842H5VI
Number of pages: 336
Word Count: approx. 92,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen

Amazon Barnes & Noble

Book Depository Indiebound

Book Description:

Hurricane Katrina is long gone, but the preternatural storm rages on in New Orleans. New species from the Beyond moved into Louisiana after the hurricane destroyed the borders between worlds, and it falls to wizard sentinel Drusilla Jaco and her partner, Alex Warin, to keep the preternaturals peaceful and the humans unaware. But a war is brewing between two clans of Cajun merpeople in Plaquemines Parish, and down in the swamp, DJ learns, there’s more stirring than angry mermen and the threat of a were-gator.

Wizards are dying, and something—or someone—from the Beyond is poisoning the waters of the mighty Mississippi, threatening the humans who live and work along the river. DJ and Alex must figure out what unearthly source is contaminating the water and who—or what—is killing the wizards. Is it a malcontented merman, the naughty nymph, or some other critter altogether? After all, DJ’s undead suitor, the pirate Jean Lafitte, knows his way around a body or two.

It’s anything but smooth sailing on the bayou as the Sentinels of New Orleans series continues.

About the Author:

Suzanne Johnson writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance from Auburn, Alabama, after a career in educational publishing that has spanned five states and six universities. She grew up halfway between the Bear Bryant Museum and Elvis' birthplace and lived in New Orleans for fifteen years, so she has a highly refined sense of the absurd and an ingrained love of SEC football and fried gator on a stick.

Website: www.suzanne-johnson.com

Blog: http://suzanne-johnson.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Suzanne_Johnson

FB: http://www.facebook.com/Suzanne.Johnson.author

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5046525.Suzanne_Johnson

Publisher Page: http://us.macmillan.com/author/suzannejohnson

The Trickster

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn Muñiz) — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Predictable? Rule abiding? Nope, only tricksters are allowed in this post. They are one of my favorite types of characters in fantasy for their nature of having a good time even at the expense of others. TV Tropes words it better than me:

A trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. The Trickster openly questions and mocks authority, encourages impulse and enthusiasm, seeks out new ideas and experiences, destroys convention and complacency, and promotes chaos and unrest. At the same time, the trickster brings new knowledge, wisdom and many An Aesop. Even when punished horribly for his effrontery, his indomitable spirit (or plain sheer foolishness) keeps him coming back for more.

Tricksters can be anything from gods of chaos, bedeviling heroes for a few laughs, to master manipulators who use cruel ploys and sadistic choices. They can also be heroes (or more likely Anti-Heroes) who make up for a lack of strength or bravery with manipulation, planning, or just plain cheating. The trickster is often a Master of Disguise and may have magical or super-powers. They're often found Walking the Earth.

While you can’t love all tricksters, those who fight for the side of good earn a place in my heart. They work within their scope of power to make things happen. They seem ordinary but pull off great fleets or terror when they put their minds to the task before them. They sometimes are not along and there are two tricksters working together. Double trouble as they say.

Now to my top three tricksters in well-known high/epic fantasy novels are:

1. Fred and George Weasley from Harry Potter series.

2. Merry and Pippin from The Lord of the Rings.

3. Mat Cauthon from the Wheel of Time series. (My favorite trickster!)

Who are your top three tricksters?

Greater Treasures starring Vern, DragonEye Private Eye

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie) — Wed, 08 May 2013 06:35:00 +0000

Welcome to the blog tour for Greater Treasures by Karina Fabian, part of the DragonEye series of novels and stories

Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 978-1484848296

ISBN-10: 1484848292

ASIN B00CEH934G

Create Space: https://www.createspace.com/4244586

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Greater-Treasures-DragonEye-Novella-ebook/dp/B00CEH934G

Categories: fantasy, fantasy mystery, paranormal, urban fantasy, noir

Welcome to the world of Vern. Dragon Eye. Greater Treasures is Karina Fabian's initial foray into self-publishing and is a stand-alone story out of her on-going Dragoneye, P:I Fantasy series.

Being a private detective in the border town of the Faerie and Mundane worlds isn’t easy, even for a dragon like Vern. Still, finding the wayward brother of a teary damsel in distress shouldn’t have gotten so dangerous. When his partner, Sister Grace, gets poisoned by a dart meant for him, Vern offers to find an artifact in exchange for a cure. However, this is no ordinary trinket—with a little magic power, it could control all of mankind. Can Vern find the artifact, and will he sacrifice the fate of two worlds for the life of his best friend?

WORLDBUILDING—As a story, rather than a novel, we get only a glimpse of the larger world that encopampasses the bridging between Faerie and Mundane. We don't get to see much of the actual landscape that hosts the denizens of Faerie. We get a bit of the local alleys and neighborhoods from the sky, as Vern flies over. The world we do see is the usual one of power pursuits, keeping us grounded. We also get a glimpse of the magic that Sister Grace and Vern have access to. A glimpse. A hint and whiff of challenges explored elsewhere.

CHARACTERS—We get to see more of Vern, the African Faerie Wyvern, than we do any other character. I like that since I don't know him as well as I might. This is my introduction to him and his world. We meet Sister Grace briefly and also meet the ubiquitous police representatives. This is, after all, a detective story. Vern is charismatic. Not at all what I was expecting. (I won't embarasss myself by saying exactly what I was expecitng. Just say I was delighted to be wrong.)

PROS and CONS—I'm all pros here. I was expecting something more cartoony. (OK so I said I wouldn't tell). Instead, I found someone who carries the weight of remorse, responsibility and the hopw of redemption on very large shoulders. His humor comes out of a history of loss and the challenge of caring. His care for Sister Grace, a siren turned nun, drives this story.

FRESH FACTOR—Faerie Catholic Chuch? Nun mage? Yup. And if you had told me that this is what I would encounter, I'd have jumped on the stories long ago. I love the idea of taking the Mystery that suffuses Catholicism and using it to drive the “magic” of another world. Yes, there are cliche's being weilded here, but Karina uses our expectations to turn the story on Vern's wit.

OVERALL—My first response was to know what other stories I might fall into. Fortunately, Karina provies a guide at the end of this brief volume. She gives us a brief history of Vern and the opening of the barriers between Faerie and the Mundane. She also provides a couple of excerpts from her previous publications. All in all, this is a delightful introduction to Vern and his world. If you want to start at the beginning, or if you want to get better acquainted with Vern and his world, visit him at his website

http://dragoneyepi.blogspot.com/

Excerpt:

Given the day I was having, it came as no surprise that when I got home, I found the dogs sprawled in a drugged sleep and the sounds of things being overturned from within the warehouse. I decided not to bother with subtlety, but I did resist the urge to burst in with flames going full-blast. I had questions first.

Naturally, I walked straight in to find an automatic weapon—yep, a bona fide black-market AK-47—and I thought only Faerie lived their clichés—and six other weapons of various types pointed at me. I didn't stop, just closed the door with my tail while I strolled in slow and placid-like. My visitors had shaved heads, faces painted white with clown paint, and black t-shirts with swastikas in white circles.

"If you're the housekeeping service, you're fired."

"You stay right there, or we gonna fire you!" said one guy from the sidelines as he held his nunchucks at the ready.

What'd he think he would do—whack me on the nose? I turned to the one holding the assault rifle. "Scraping the bottom of the barrel with that one, weren't you?"

"He's right. You just stay still while we search the place."

"The place" was a ten-thousand square foot warehouse with offices on the upper floor. Boxes I still hadn't opened line the walls and made a maze in the second warehouse room. I settled myself on the floor and rested my head on my crossed arms. "Go ahead. I get half of anything you find."

They stared at me, unbelieving. I smiled back. Mr. Cooperation, that's me. Finally, Big Gun snarled for the others to get to work. As he turned his back on me, Nunchucks muttered, "I got your half. Don't think I don't." Guess he learned such witty repartee in Hitler Youth Summer Camp.

I watched and listened and waited. With eight teenage skinheads trashing my place, it was only a matter of time.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," I suggested as Nunchucks made a grab for the doorknob to Grace's workshop.

"You gonna stop me?" He turned the knob.

"Nope," I said as I closed my ears and my eyes. Even so, I saw the otherworldly light and heard the harmonious roar of Divine Vengeance followed by Mundane screams.

"The Heavenly Host on the other hand…"

I waited until the screams died down to whimpers before opening my eyes and rising.

Four of the skinheads were unconscious. Three may as well have been; they were curled up in the fetal position, whimpering. Nunchucks was actually crying for his mommy. Big Guns had collapsed to the floor as well, the gun thrown away from him. He was sitting and rocking and making high-pitched keening through the roof of his mouth.

I'd tell Grace to tone down her wards some, except that the effect is directly proportional to the evilness of the intent. Suddenly, I was feeling a little shaky about my earlier entrance.

Knights out of the armor now. I went around, collecting weapons in the office trash can and poking through pockets. I found the usual stuff—driver's licenses, credit cards, petty cash… One kid had a condom; wishful thinking on his part, I knew. Another had a report card. MLK High. Wonder if he was the one beating up Faerie kids? Honor roll grades, too. Of all the years I've battled evil, there were still some things I didn't understand.

As I was returning Big Guns' (aka Rick Matherston's) wallet back into his jacket pocket, he blinked and focused on me.

"What was that?"

"Angels, kid." Actually a kind of magical shadow of the real thing, but close enough.
"But I thought angels were—"

"There's a reason why their first words are usually 'Fear not!' whenever they meet a human."

His eyes returned to their unfocused stare. I almost felt sorry for him. Then I noticed the letters FARISLAR tattooed on his knuckles. Faerie slayer.

About Greater Treasures: Most people associate the DragonEye stories with high humor ranging from puns to slapstick, and in fact, the first stories and the novels have certainly been crazy fun. But the life of a cynical dragon PI isn’t all laughs, and Vern has had a few chilling stories to tell me. Some of these, I’ve sold to anthologies, but some are too long for that. Thus, I’ve decided to start publishing them on my own.

One thing I like to do for DragonEye stories is watch old noir films. Greater Treasures came to me while watching the Maltese Falcon. If you’ve never seen it, I recommend it. (Then, reread the story to see if you catch the in jokes.) I needed something with more “oomph” than a bird statue, and since Vern has some history with the Lance of Longinus, it made a good fit. I enjoyed looking up all the conspiracy theories about the use of the Lance by Hitler, which is where the neo-Nazi angle came in. To say more would be spoilers, so please, enjoy the story.

And if you do, be sure to check out Vern’s other tales at http://dragoneyepi.net.

E-book: Here’s your chance to win a free electronic copy of Greater Treasures. Leave a comment or question for Karina, Vern, or Sister Grace.

Grab bag: Vern gripes about the junk in his warehouse in Greater Treasures, but he and Grace have started going through boxes, and they’ve agreed to send something to one of my readers. Leave a comment or question for Karina, Vern, or Sister Grace.

About Karina Fabian--

Winner of the 2010 INDIE for best Fantasy (Magic, Mensa and Mayhem), Karina Fabian has imagination that takes quirky twists that keep her--and her fans--amused. Nuns working in space, a down-and-out Faerie dragon working off a geas from St. George, zombie exterminators—there’s always a surprise in Fabian’s worlds. Mrs. Fabian teaches writing and book marketing seminars, but mostly is concerned with supporting her husband, Rob Fabian as he makes the exciting leap from military officer to civilian executive, getting her kids through high school and college, and surviving daily circuit torture…er, circuit training. Read about her adventures at http://fabianspace.com.

Find Karina at:

Website: http://fabianspace.com, http://dragoneyepi.net

Blog: http://fabianspace.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karina.fabian

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KarinaFabian

Google +: https://plus.google.com/103660024891826015212

Vern probably did some research here:

Lance of Longinus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Lance

and here:

Maltese Falcon: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033870/

and telling more of his story here:

Live and Let Fly: http://dragoneyepi.blogspot.com/p/live-and-let-fly.html

Magic, Mensa and Mayhem: http://dragoneyepi.blogspot.com/p/magic-mensa-and-mayhem.html

Book tour link with all the stops: http://dragoneyepi.blogspot.com/2013/04/greater-treasures-book-tour.html

Werewolves Be Damned

noreply@blogger.com (rj.garside) — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

With the weather FINALLY warming up and the snow FINALLY disappearing, I am super excited to grab my Kindle and head outdoors to sit on my patio. And what will I be reading you may ask?

Fellow southern Ontario author Stacey Kennedy's new release, "Werewolves Be Damned" published by Entangled Publishing. Here the information on the book and if you like your paranormal hot, then Miss Kennedy is the author that you should be reading! This is Book One in the Magic and Mayhem series and I can't wait to pick up the rest!

Book Description:

Nexi Jones—part witch, part guardian, and wannabe kick-ass warrior—can’t throw a punch or conjure the simplest magic. But that doesn’t stop her from hunting the werewolves who slaughtered her human family. She’ll have her revenge, but only if Kyden, the elite guardian, would get the hell out of her way.

Kyden can’t decide if Nexi wants to get herself killed or if she just has no clue what she’s doing. But her father made it clear: keep Nexi safe…or else. Of course, the more Nexi runs toward revenge, the more she needs Kyden’s aid, and as she grows into her power and confidence, so does his desire to protect her. The only problem? She’d rather he dropped dead.

But when a vampire paints a bull’s-eye on Nexi’s back, she’s hard-pressed to deny Kyden and the help he’s offering. Even if it means getting her revenge will be a little bit harder. At least it will still be as sweet.

Excerpt

I’ve found you, fur ball.

Nexi peered from behind the large oak tree and spotted the small log cabin nestled in the thick forest. The porch light cast a warm glow into the night. Fog settled over the lush grass, and the night was dark, eerie.

Stepping away from her hiding place behind the tree, she strode forward and gripped the dagger tightly in her hand. Keeping the silver blade pointed outward, she climbed the cabin’s porch steps, taking each one slowly to avoid detection.

Once she arrived at the front door, she wrapped her hand around the door handle. Rich hunger for revenge burned in her veins and made her intent on one thing: to slaughter the werewolf who escaped the night of her parents’ murder. Not caring what awaited her, she stormed inside, dagger pointed, ready to kill.

The simple cabin had two large brown couches near a wood-burning stove, a kitchenette behind the living room, and a quilt-covered bed resting in the back. And that was it; there were no other rooms to investigate. No secret hiding places she could see.

No damned werewolf.

She cursed, shut the front door behind her, then trotted down the steps to return to her hiding spot. On her way across the yard, she glanced at the space to the right of the tree, which looked much like a heat wave, indicating that the portal to the Otherworld remained.

In some places around the world—or the Earthworld, as supernaturals had called it—there were permanent portals to the supernatural realm. This portal had only appeared because Nexi had travelled to this cabin from the Otherworld. Once she passed through the portal again, the gateway would vanish.

Magic had its perks. Quick travel was one of them.

Nexi shook her head at how normal all this magical stuff seemed now. Just over a month ago she’d never believed in anything that went bump in the night. Now she knew all those things existed, and in fact, she was one of them.

To her horror, she had learned that her birth mother, Tillie, had been murdered by a power-hungry vampire, Lazarus. All those years ago, her birth father, Drake, had protectively decided to block Nexi’s supernatural abilities. He had planned for her to live and die as a mortal. Now with her return to the Otherworld and the removal of the block on her true identity, there was no going back.

She was no longer plain, human, Nexi Jones.

She was Nexi Jones, part guardian, part witch.

Looking away from the portal and to her hiding spot until the werewolf returned, she hurried her steps. She wasn’t ready to return to the Otherworld yet. Not until she had the werewolf’s head as her wall ornament would she dare go home.

Just as she neared the tree, a woodsy scent that had nothing to do with the forest mixed with the citrusy aroma of aftershave. A blink of an eye later, the dagger she held was now at her throat, a hard body closed in on her back.

“You smelled lovely when you arrived.” The low voice by her ear held a faint English accent. “But I never imagined you’d be so pretty.”

The blade pressed into her skin, not drawing blood, but implying that if the werewolf chose, she’d be destined for the grave. “I’m…”

“Going to explain yourself.” He lowered the dagger, took hold of her arm, and jerked her forward.

In a few short strides, the werewolf tossed her through the threshold of the cabin, and slammed the door behind them. He sauntered to the couch, sat down, and regarded her. “Now then, darlin’.” His olive skin was stunningly flawless, and his chocolate-colored hair was spiked tall. “Why would a pretty lass like yourself plan to attack me?”

“Don’t move.” That charm wouldn’t fool her. “Stay right where you are.”

“My mouth is the only thing moving.” His slanted amber eyes raked over her. “Would you like me to stop talking?”

“No.” She hesitated then added, “Only your mouth can move. Nothing else. Tell me what you know.”
He gave her a long look. “I’d be glad to tell you anything you’d like, love.”

His kind face and soft voice wouldn’t trick her. He was a werewolf. She was certain, which was another oddity.

After the block on her supernatural abilities had been lifted, she could identify a supernatural creature as if knowing the difference between a brunette and a redhead. “Tell me why you killed my family.”

“That’s an interesting accusation.” He cocked his head, studying her with a frown. “But I think the more important question is who are you?”

She lifted her chin. “The lass who’s going to cut off your furry wolf balls.”

About the Author:

Stacey Kennedy is an urban fantasy lover at heart, but she also enjoys losing herself in dark and sensual worlds. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who gave her a happily-ever-after. Together, they have two small children who can always make her smile, and who will never be allowed to read Mommy’s books. If she’s not plugging away at a new story, you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Sons of Anarchy and Game of Thrones.

Website - http://www.staceykennedy.com/

Blog - http://www.staceykennedy.com/blog

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AuthorStaceyKennedy

Facebook Fan Page - www.facebook.com/StaceyKennedyFanPage

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/Stacey_Kennedy

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3473046.Stacey_Kennedy

Amazon Author Page –
http://www.amazon.com/Stacey-Kennedy/e/B004G9KR9A/

Making cover art for my epic fantasy Staurolite: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Four

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha A. Moore) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:09:00 +0000

In keeping with previous posts about how I developed my cover art, I’m showing the path to completion of my latest release, Staurolite: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Four.

To maintain the same look for the series, I’ve held to a similar technique. I begin with a very basic watercolor of the character of Lyra, my heroine. As this series has progressed, I’ve been painting less with brush on paper and more with Photoshop. However, I do like the softness and texture of the watercolor underneath. It adds to the feel I wanted for these covers.

Next, the watercolor image is scanned. It is digitally cut from the background paper and color corrected, before adding to the background. This background required more work than usual, since magical dragonflies, rocks, grass, etc. seemed to be in the wrong places.

Here’s the cover with some of those changes as well as some painting accomplished on the character.

After many more hours and crossed eyes, working on painting and lighting effects, here is the final image. I’m pleased with how the look fits with the others in the series.

Staurolite: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Four by Marsha A. Moore

Genre: Epic Fantasy Romance

Description:

Lyra McCauley, current Scribe of the Alliance, is the only one who can decode magic hidden in the recently retrieved ancient texts written by her ancestors, the first four Scribes. Information in those writings can help Lyra locate the four missing keystones, which will restore power to the Alliance and allow overthrow of the Dark Realm. With peace restored, she and her beloved, Cullen, could finally marry.

Time is short with the Black Dragon’s Dark Realm increasing attacks to avenge the death of his heir. Many innocent lives are lost. Alliance residents are forced into hiding. Magicals and blue dragons follow leadership of the Imperial Dragon and the other three Guardians into battle to defend the Alliance.

While Lyra unlocks the ancient magic, she opens herself up to scribal powers from her ancestors. She alone can fight the deadliest of the Dark Realm’s forces—the cimafa stealth dragons—but at a cost. The energy flux threatens her health and ability to learn where to find the missing keystones. Can Lyra overcome this shrewd tactic of the Black Dragon to decimate the Alliance?

Purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCW98P2

Enchanted Bookstore Legends (series description):

The Enchanted Bookstore Legends are about Lyra McCauley, a woman destined to become one of five strong women in her family who possess unique magical abilities and serve as Scribes in Dragonspeir. The Scribes span a long history, dating from 1200 to present day. Each Scribe is expected to journey through Dragonspeir, both the good and evil factions, then draft a written account. Each book contains magic with vast implications.

Lyra was first introduced to Dragonspeir as a young girl, when she met the high sorcerer, Cullen Drake, through a gift of one of those enchanted books. Using its magic, he escorted her into the parallel world of Dragonspeir. Years later, she lost that volume and forgot the world and Cullen. These legends begin where he finds her again—she is thirty-five, standing in his enchanted bookstore, and Dragonspeir needs her.

When Lyra reopens that enchanted book, she confronts a series of quests where she is expected to save the good Alliance from destruction by the evil Black Dragon. While learning about her role, Lyra and Cullen fall in love. He is 220 years old and kept alive by Dragonspeir magic. Cullen will die if Dragonspeir is taken over by the evil faction…Lyra becomes the Scribe.

Purchase Links for previous books in the series:

Heritage Avenged: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Two

Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One

Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three

Seeing the Light

noreply@blogger.com (EW Gibson) — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

In April, I participated in two challenges, the A to Z and Campnanowrimo. Whew! It’s over and I finished both. Yay, for the home team.

All in all, I started the month full of energy and enthusiasm standing tall like a big sunflower but by the end I was drooping badly. The fun part of visiting other blogs doing the A to Z suffered. My priority was to finish what I started plus keep up with my day job, painting portraits.

I must say though, I did visit many wonderful and creative sites. Two sites that stood out for me were Susan Scott’s philosophical and thought provoking site and C. B. Wentworth photographic travelogue of her adventures. Over a thousand blogs enlisted for the month long endeavor and I only had a chance to visit perhaps a hundred and fifty.

I feel like I’ve lived the month in a blur but now I see the light. Segue to the clip. J

During the month, I received three Liebster awards. Of course, I can only except one, but still I must have been doing something right.

So, what’s next? Well, if I had a hot tub I think I could soak for days. Since I don’t, I’m going to relax with a good book or two and then get back to it.

How about you?

Till next time,

Elizabeth

Five Reasons to Watch SyFy's Defiance

noreply@blogger.com (Ella Gray) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:18:00 +0000

I'm not the biggest science fiction fan out there, but I do enjoy the genre on occasion, esp. when it's done with a dystopian vibe. I decided to check out SyFy's new series, Defiance, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the first two episodes. The network is generally hit or miss with it's original programming, so it's encouraging to see something as interesting and well-made as their BSG remake (which is also the last show I really got into on SyFy).

Wikipedia has an informative write-up on the show which gives a lot more background than what's been revealed so far. The gist is that several species of aliens (collectively called Votans) were forced to evacuate their own planets and came to Earth looking to colonize. When they discovered humans living there, negotiations began for some kind of permanent settlement for the aliens while millions of them waited in hypersleep on the many Ark ships in orbit. Things went horribly wrong and a war ensued which nearly wiped out both humans and aliens and destroyed much of the planet. The show takes place in St. Louis, now named Defiance, after the war and how aliens and humans live together in that particular town.

I highly recommend giving Defiance a try, even if sci-fi isn't your thing. Here are my five favorite aspects of the series so far:

1. Original Landscape - So, the idea is that some time during the war with Earth, alien ships were sabotaged and sent crashing into the planet. Terra-forming technology aboard some of those vessels went crazy upon impact, resulting in a wild, unplanned transformation of the Earth's surface. Basically, everything is kind of a mash-up of alien and native flora, fauna and wacky land formations. The entire setting is unique and interesting.

2. Cool Creatures - The aliens are cool and all, but there are other creatures that were created when alien and native plants and animals mutated and blended. One kind was encountered fairly early in the pilot, a giant insect called a Hellbug, which reminded me of those old Jim Henson Garthim creatures from the movie The Dark Crystal, heh. I hope we get to see more crazy mutant monsters in future stories.

3. Cultural Details - I love that the show's creators took the time to really develop the cultural distinctions for the various alien races now living on Earth. Several characters speak in their invented languages, and there's even a pretty humorous "dance party" scene showing the Castithan race's peculiar boogie moves to the beat of an alien song. There was also some thought put into the generational gap and the disparate views between the older aliens who remember their former world and lifestyles and the younger ones who have only ever known the new integrated planet.

4. Bad Boys (and Girls) - Grant Bowler does a decent job of channeling Han Solo in his role as former Marine Joshua Nolan (seriously, all he needs is one of those Wookie/Sasquatch look-a-like Sensoth aliens as a sidekick). But despite the obvious rip-off, Nolan is an entertaining and believable roguish hero. Tony Curran and Jaime Murray (love her!) are also perfect in their roles as devious Castithan couple Datak and Stahma Tarr (it doesn't hurt that they do most of their scheming in their opulent bath where Murray is generally lounging around half-nekkid). I also enjoyed the casting of Star Trek and Lost veteran Fionnula Flanagan as the trusted ex-mayor of Defiance, whose real motives seem to involve the death of the whole town.

5. Irisa and the Irathients- Played by Stephanie Leonidas, Irisa is by far my favorite character on the show. Her race is human-like and more tribal than the other aliens. She has a feral quality about her which is tempered by the fact that she was raised by her human adoptive father, Nolan. Of course, he's not exactly a stand-up citizen either, so the two make a rebellious team with their own unique sense of honor. The other Irathients ride around in Mad Max fashion, robbing and scavenging and causing lots of general chaos where they go. It's fun to watch, and I'd love to see more involvement from them as the series progresses.

If I was more of a gamer, the fact that the show has a video game out as a companion to the series might have made my list. I probably won't get the chance to try it out, but it sounds very neat, especially since the game periodically adds new information based on what happens in the show. I would love to hear from anyone who has had the opportunity to play and see how the game progresses with the TV series.

Defiance is a promising new take on dystopian sci-fi, and I’m eager to see where it goes. The third episode airs tonight on SyFy, but the previous two are available on Hulu (and probably the network website too) if anyone wants to get caught up.

If you’ve watched the show already, what do you think? Which are your favorite or least favorite aspects of the series so far?

Cheers!
Ella

Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti: A Magical Bakery Mystery--Another Witch and Witchcraft Challenge Review

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

In book two of the Magical Bakery Mystery series, Savannah baker and hedge witch, Katie Lightfoot, has her lovely afternoon picnic with her good friend Declan McCarthy disrupted by police. After she has discovered the body of a Druid lying under a rhododendron bush in the middle of town.

Discovering writers and series that you would not have picked up before is what reading challenges are especially good for. This is more than confirmed for me as I get to revisit Bailey Cates' wonderfully witchy cozy. I did not pick up her first book in the series, Brownies and Broomstick, but I am adding that to my post-challenge reading list.

Poor Katie Lightfoot! Not only did she find a dead Druid, but she ends up crossing paths, and magical swords, with the head Druid himself. She and her coven members have to keep their craft secret even while they all work with her to find out how the man died. They have to keep out of danger and under the radar of a witchhunter. And she has to do this all while negotiating the romantic rivalry between two men she wants to trust: one a witch, one blissfully not.

Characters--I found the characters charming. But they are Southern and should be charming, right? The bad guys are properly sinister. No, really scary. I don't like witchhunters and Cates' done a good job of making sure I don't change my mind. I like her juxtapositions of real world occupations with supernatural.

Worldbuilding--there is not much world to build in the world of Katie Lightfoot. She lives in Savannah Georgia. We get a sense of historical place and life among Southern friends.

Fresh Factor--There is a lightness to the story, in spite of the seriousness of the situation. Katie's familiar is a dog. A Cairn terrier to be exact. Having a small, purse-sized dog for a familiar... and running a bakery... That's a tricky couple of things to manage for anyone. I found myself looking forward to Katie's time with Mungo.

Pros and Cons--Whenever Cates introduced an idea that I might consider a con, she takes it and turns it gently in a direction that I find myself cheering. One of my favorite scenes is the art show. Cates expresses some interesting ideas about art.

Overall I am looking forward to reading more of Katie Lightfoot's story. I"m giving the novel ****1/2 stars. Not five? There is much that I expect from a cozy mystery and Cates has provided it, but nothing that surprising. The witch part of the story is fun and flows. I'm just saving that last half star for something that makes me go, "Whoa!"

Meanwhile, here are books one and three!

What have you read that makes you go, "Whoa!" What speculative fiction cozies have you read?

Finding the right worldbuilding plan for your fantasy story

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha A. Moore) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:30:00 +0000

Many fantasy writers struggle or worry about how to build their new worlds—how much detail, when to describe the settings, how characters should interact with the setting. To simplify the process, begin with an analysis of the story itself. Three basic relationships between plot and setting will help you more easily decide your direction with worldbuilding.

1) The Home Base

In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Hogwarts is a clear example of a setting that serves as a recurring home base. This type of story revolves around a recurring “there and back again” cycle. Readers can develop a sense of home that ultimately becomes a character in itself. The collective circus environment in The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern becomes as vital as the individual characters themselves.

To write this type of fantasy, spend time developing your home base to make readers feel at home, in a place they will want to revisit.

2) Landmarks

In this type of fantasy, characters visit a series of known landmarks. These stories benefit from use of a map to aid the reader. An example of this relationship between story and setting is found in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. The narrative is a linear journey, traveling from one landmark to the next.

To plan this world, the writer needs to determine what will be the landmarks. How will the geography of terrain traveled mirror the ups and downs of the quest or journey?

3) The Unknown

Characters may be led into unchartered territories. Many dystopian fantasies are structured this way. No one knows what is around the corner. Reader and main characters are in the same boat.

In this type of story, the writer should not world build in advance. Let the characters discover the new world along with you to make the element of surprise more natural and believable.

Which type of relationship between setting and story do you like in your fantasy fiction? To read? To write?

I generally like a more grounded story with a home base, but also enjoy quests that take interesting journeys. I'm usually not drawn to read or write fantasies with worlds that are totally unknown to all the characters.

*~*~*

Photo credit:

Hogwarts: This image was made by Loadmaster (David R. Tribble) Email the author: David R. Tribble Also see my personal gallery at Google Picasa (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

~ ~ ~ Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous epic fantasy romance: Book One, SEEKING A SCRIBE, Book Two, HERITAGE AVENGED, Book Three, LOST VOLUMES, and Book Four, STAUROLITE. For a FREE ebook download, read her historic fantasy, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.

Falling in Love

noreply@blogger.com (EW Gibson) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Author Leigh Bardugo writing style has captured my heart. She is an extraordinary writer who creates a fantasy world so real you can step into them. I know I did with her Shadows and Bones novel. I wanted more.

Luckily, I found The Witch of Duva, a companion folk tale to her Shadows and Bones book. It’s a short story with the same setting as her book, which is the fictitious Russian-inspired Ravka. You could say this is a loose retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story with twists and surprises at every turn. It starts strong and doesn’t let up.

“There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls.

It’s been many years since any child was taken. But still, on nights like these, when the wind comes cold from Tsibeya, mothers hold their daughters tight and warn them not to stray too far from home. “Be back before dark,” they whisper. “The trees are hungry tonight.””

The story is short, so I won’t give anything away. Plus, it’s free. You can get it here.

Till next time,

Elizabeth

Decorating With Books

noreply@blogger.com (Ella Gray) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Every time I move I'm forced to face an ugly truth - I'm a hoarder. A book hoarder. It's a problem I've struggled with most of my life, and no matter how many books I donate or swap, there's always more coming in to replace them. The worst part is that my husband is an enabler, so the cycle continues.

Whenever we settle into a new house I’m amazed that we ever found room for them all in the old one. My writing study is a much smaller room in this home, so I’ve been forced to spread out our shelving space, and even use some of it for other things (gasp). Another issue is the open layout of the main floor which has a high ceiling and lots of decorative nooks in elevated places. I’ve never had to deal with such things before and it’s been a challenge figuring out what to do with them.

In particular, there is a rather large area above the fireplace that screamed for something wonderful to be placed there and admired. But what? I finally opted to try and kill two birds with one giant pile of musty old books, and I think it turned out pretty well.

I have a collection of classics and outdated study books scraped together from various sources that came from my grandparents house before it was demolished. I dragged them up a ladder and stacked them at varying heights in a somewhat spiral pattern. Then, I just threw a few knick-knacks and small paintings around, and suddenly it looked like an artful display.

The skull is made of wood and belongs to Hubs. I little macabre, but he loves it. The overall effect:

I suspect the book piles will become a theme around the house until I acquire the proper number of bookshelves to hold them. Maybe not anything as fantastical as the stacks in Flourish & Blotts, but you can find all sorts of ways to use small book stacks for decoration. I’ve stacked them under a lamp on a desk, beneath a large fruit bowl in the kitchen, and of course, right on the floor next to a cozy reading chair. No one ever has to know that my innovative interior design is just a sneaky way to cope with my addiction.

Any other ideas? Where do you display your books?

Cheers!
Ella

Dating publishers

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Yeah, I said "dating".

I signed up with Net Galley to see what kinds of reading and reviewing mischief I could get into. thought it was a good way to find new Witch and Witchcraft Challenge books. I was right. Got a couple of good ones which opened me to the idea of getting closer to publishers. Hence "dating".

My first date was a hit! You read about my date in my last post: Midnight Ink. I had already hooked up with Net Galley when the Witch and Witchcraft Challenge came along. Add to that our on-going Bewitching Books blog tour and I hit the jackpot. Shame it wasn't a real date.

Let's move on.

A soon-to-be-published friend just added me on Facebook and, perusing her friends list, I found a published writer lurking there. Not telling yet. I just got notice that I am free to read and review his book. The publisher? Angry Robot.

The name is familiar but, since I was off in La La (ahem) Writer-land, I didn't investigate.

So, why get close to a publisher? As a writer it's kinda obvious. To get noticed. But what is the advantage as reader? It's like any relationship--you get to participate. You get to know authors and their works. Get to be introduced to authors you might not have considered. A whole new circle of friends that happen to live inside the covers of books. Virtual or otherwise.

The book I've proposed to read and review is not on my Witch and Witchcraft Challenge list. Wrong section of the speculative continuum. It will give me a bit of a rest from witches though. However, I'm at the very shiny edge of a novel that I found on another publisher's date. Have you heard of Weightless Books? No? I'll be introducing you right after I bandage my impatience. Check out Ginn Hale.

Meanwhile, tell me, do you have favorite publishers? How do you find new writers to fall in like, if not love, with? Any recommendations?

What to do when you fall out of love...with your favorite T.V. Show

noreply@blogger.com (rj.garside) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

For the past few season I have been an avid Vampire Diaries fan, but something died inside of me about six episodes ago and I couldn't force myself to continue to watch. I have five episodes still unwatched on my PVR and I can't see myself watching.

I've blogged about the excitement of Vampire Diaries at the end of last season and couldn't wait for the new season to begin. Elena had died with Damon's vampire blood in her body and had risen as a vampire, while still Stefan's girl. Since then Elena has decided that she loves Damon and doesn't love Stefan in "that way" anymore. Elena's character has morphed into a heroine that I don't respect and can't empathize with. Actually she drives me crazy now!

I'm not sure if it's the love triangle or just the lack of sense of the heroine. The last time that I felt this way I was reading the last book of the Twilight series. Now I LOVED the first two books, but then as I started through the third one, Bella's whiny voice got to me and although I finished the series in less than a week (who needs sleep?) I had a bad taste in my mouth. And then once it hit the big screen, it was even worse. I had to make myself go to Eclipse and the first part of Breaking Dawn. And I have yet to watch the second part of Breaking Dawn. Why? Because I can't stand the whiny heroine, even when she learns to stand on her own two feet.

My PVR is running out of room and last week my husband asked if he could delete my Vamp Diaries because I wasn't watching them and I refused worried that my love and devotion could be sparked back up. After seriously thinking about it, I'm on my way to hit the "delete" button myself.

Has this ever happened to you? Any shows or book series that you devoured only to lose interest? Are you a fan of Vampire Diaries? Have you lost interest? Gained interest?

Thanks for reading!

R.J.

Mystical Rubies—drops of blood from battling dragons—in Fantasy Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha A. Moore) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:30:00 +0000

I’m putting the final touches on the fourth book in my Enchanted Bookstore Legends, entitled Staurolite, which will release this month. In Staurolite, I’m expanding and developing the foundation of the magical lore of my fantasy world. The basis of magical power is a group of four mystical gemstones that connect with the four Chinese elements of nature: air, earth, fire, and water. The book’s title is actually a known gemstone, staurolite. The gem corresponding to fire I have chosen to work with is the ruby. In my series, it serves as one of the four powerful keystones which can empower the good Alliance to overcome the threatening attacks of the evil Dark Realm.

When I selected the gem that would be my keystone corresponding to fire, I considered many attributes that would make it an empowering symbol. My fire keystone plays a strong role, with a power so great it can easily overtake those who attempt to control it. I was intrigued by rubies from the moment I learned those gems have long been known as hardened drops of blood from battling dragons.

The gemstone ruby has held a regal position in myth, legend and lore for thousands of years. Rubies are said to respond magically, warning of danger by changing their color. Catherine of Aragon wore an infamous ruby, rumored to have turned dark and dull the day before Henry VII announced he was divorcing her. Rubies engraved with fantasy animals, like dragons and serpents, have been popular for attracting wealth and enhancing magical energies. A ruby was considered to be an important gift to honor Buddha and Krishna because the Hindu people believed the gemstone's red glow came from an internal flame which no human could possibly extinguish.

Many believe the gems possess energy to help overcome forces of darkness, protecting wearers from malicious spirits and evil spells. As a shielding stone, it can send out protective energies to surround the wearer at all times. This is an especially good way to help prevent psychic attacks. It is a stone of authority, excellence, but also of vanity. It brings to its wearer happiness and love. A ruby can strengthen the heart, restore lost forces, drive away melancholy, awaken passion and sexual desires. Its energy is intense and vivid, helping you see your own strength to encourage leadership and increase concentration and intellect.

The power of ruby may help you know and follow your dreams and bliss, to change your world. To help improve your ability to enter a lucid dream state, wear or carry a ruby during your sleep. The gem is thought to help you to remain lucid while entering the dream state and increase your ability to control the dream without slipping into a normal sleep pattern.

With all this power, I had no trouble selecting the ruby to be my fire keystone. Throughout the Enchanted Bookstore Legends series, Lyra comes upon the forces of this special stone. In Heritage Avenged (book#2), she is drawn to a ruby displayed by the Dark Alchemist, Tarom. Lyra is born under the Aries fire sign and cannot resist the powers of the fiery ruby which are like her own. He knows this and tempts her with a taste of what the ruby’s energy can do to multiple her own powers, eliciting dark qualities of greed to pull her off her path of what is noble and good.

In Lost Volumes (book #3), Lyra travels into the underground world of Terza and learns how the first Scribe also fought against the seductively powerful Emtori Ruby she was expected to remove from the collection of the Black Dragon. Lyra discovers a startling fact—the ruby was hidden rather than destroyed as most thought. It still exists!

In Staurolite (book #4), Lyra learns how the first Scribe worked hard to control the Emtori Ruby and avoid allowing its powers to overtake her own. Lyra wonders if she will be able to control the valuable keystone when she must locate it and return it to the Alliance.

Staurolite: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Four

Other references to rubies in fantasy fiction come to mind. I’m a big Harry Potter fan and remember rubies showing up several times throughout that series. Godric Gryffindor’s sword was adorned with egg shaped rubies. Rubies filled the Gryffindor house hourglass. Also, goblins in Gringotts wizarding bank kept busy weighing piles of rubies.

What other works of fantasy do you know that use rubies in mystical or magical ways?

Photo credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0 [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

~ ~ ~ Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous epic fantasy romance: Book One, SEEKING A SCRIBE, Book Two, HERITAGE AVENGED, and Book Three, LOST VOLUMES. She has also authored the Ciel's Legacy series, with fast action mermaid/pirate storylines: TEARS ON A TRANQUIL LAKE and TORTUGA TREASURE. For a FREE ebook download, read her historic fantasy, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and

Book Review of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

noreply@blogger.com (EW Gibson) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:00:00 +0000

"Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.”

At first I was excited to be reading this book because the writing style was attempting something different and unique. But, it became a ~~tapestry of broken images~~ study in futility with it’s strikethroughs, repetition of words and sentences, an over abundance of metaphors and similes. I wanted to like this book because of the poetic prose, but when the metaphors, some of which had no correlation to the story, popped up on every page, with every feeling or sense felt it became too much of a good thing. The author does have a flair for poetic imagery, but it took over the story. And for me, characters and the story rule.

While reading the book, my questions weren’t about what was going to happen next, but when was the story going to begin. It is written in the POV of the heroine, Juliette with a very tight first person, so much so that it had a claustrophobic feeling to it with no breathing space.

Also, I found the story and the characters to be predictable which could have used the writers imaginative writing style to lend it some uniqueness. I did think I was reading something I had read or seen before with characters that are similar to the X-Men.

So, did I hate it? No, but I didn’t like it either. It’s more along the lines of disappointment that the writer didn’t temper the style of writing to allow the story to emerge. Although frustrated with this book, I think the writer shows promise. I will look for future books from this writer but will not read the rest of this series.

Worldbuilding:

There is a bare minimum of worldbuilding. Because most of the descriptions are tied to metaphors, which are abstract in nature, I had to imagine for myself what the settings looked like. I think it’s good to allow the reader to create to some extent the surroundings, but if done too much it all becomes a dream and nothing is concrete. Also, the whys and the hows of the way things work in this society is missing.

Characters:

Overall Juliette Ferrars, whose head we are in through out the story shows spunk and holds on to her humanity in a world that has none. I think, if a reader loves to be in the head of the main character and is only interested in being in the stream of consciousness of a character’s thoughts and feelings, then this is the character and book for them.

Adam Kent the love interest, is too perfect to be real. Enough said.

Note: The romance storyline didn’t have any hiccups along the way. It was a pretty smooth ride for these young lovers which rang untrue to me. Even, Cinderella lost the prince after the ball.

Pros and Cons:

I think I’ve covered those issues already.

Overall:

As I said earlier, I was disappointed in the follow through of this story. I wouldn’t recommend this book unless a reader was looking for something different in writing style.

Till next time,

Elizabeth

Pitch Perfect April

noreply@blogger.com (Ella Gray) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Happy April Fool's Day, and I hope everyone had a smashing Easter holiday! Life is getting back to normal, slowly but surely. I'm about halfway unpacked at the new house, so you can all imagine what a mess it is in here right now, LOL. Still, April is already shaping up to be a fantastically productive month, I just hope I have the energy to keep up.

Our friends at Savvy Authors are hosting another wildly exhilarating Boot Camp writing marathon which is sure to keep everyone on track for the month. I’m not participating, but I will be hosting and attending sprints, cheering others on and squeezing in some work of my own. It's very last minute now, but you can probably still sign up and join a team if you'd like to give it a shot.

On top of that, the site is also featuring a Pitch Perfect event where you can rub virtual elbows with and learn a few things from some wonderful agents and publishers. Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to pitch your future best-selling novel!

I’m sure there are plenty of other fun things happening in April, but I’ll be too busy being buried under a pile of boxes or wrist deep in paint to notice. Shout out in the comments if you have any super events or news to share.

Speaking of sharing, I simply had to post this video from my current favorite group, Chic Gamine. I’ve needed plenty of music to keep me motivated during the move and into the settling stage, and this Canadian Motown-inspired quintet has been just the thing. Yes, it really is just four singers and a percussionist, and they totally rock. Enjoy!

Cheers!
Ella

Review & Giveaway: What's a Witch to Do?

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

I love it when worlds combine. No sooner did I sign up for this years Withcraft Reading Challenge than I got chance to review a brand new witchy offering. What a treat!

From our on-going Bewitching Books blog tour, here's a truly bewitching novel to add to your list. Welcome Jennifer.Harlow and the first book in her Midnight Magic Mystery series, What's a Witch To Do? OH, and stay tuned (to the end of the blog) for a Rafflecopter giveaway!

THE STORY
What's a witch to do? Mona McGregor is the high priestess of her coven. She is also the manager of the Midnight Magic Shop, in Goodnight Virginia. It's a small town and the coven, while the largest in the eastern US, doesn't have a lot of hot political buttons. Mona inherited her position, without the allowed opposition, after her mother and grandmother died
Mona keeps track of her busy life—teaching spells and potions classes, troubleshooting novice potion makers, raising two pre-teen nieces, planning a wedding for her younger sister, and meeting with leaders of the other preternatural groups—with her ubiquitous to-do lists. So, how did “find out who is trying to kill me” get on her lists?

CHARACTERS
Mona is a likeable, down-to-earth character. Her to-do lists are not much different than ours, except that they are as well-ordered as a potions recipe. She is not by any means the prettiest girl in town and describes herself as “pudgy. No fat.” Her friends and nieces don't see her that way, though, and are thrilled when she decides to take part in the Founder's Day bachelorette auction.
There are two men in Mona's life. The movie-star handsome Dr. Guy Sutcliffe is quite taken with her and is the catalyst for her entering the bachelorette auction. There is also Adam. Adam Blue is the Beta werewolf who arrives on her doorstep, badly wounded, slow to heal, and bringing the news of the hit put on her by another witch.

WORLDBUILDING
I don't know if there is a place in the real world called Goodnight, Virgnia, but it seems like the kind of small town that I've been in. Not full of preternaturals as far as I know, but how would I? In this world the witches, weres and vampires have their won police force. iI's a world where wraiths go on rampages and the heads of the groups get together for Christmas. There are no hunters in the world, so far. All the threats are coming from inside, and I like that. It makes their world little different from ours in a good way. Waht keeps the book from being just an ordinary story with preternaturals, though, is the nature of the threat and the actions of others that complicate the problem. I won't tell what the first is, and can't tell the second without spoiling the story.

I can say that one reason I read speculative fiction is that it does a particular service when it is well done. I learn about how to be special. Living in the world with special needs, whichever end of a spectrum they might fall --creates a kind of separation between those with the needs and gifts and those without. In this story, Mona has to negotiate her world of giftedness while raising two young girls. Cora is 6 but her sister, Sophie is ten and keeps her eyes wide open. When Adam stays around to help Mona find out who is trying to kill her, Cora is quite charmed by him. It's Sophie who keeps her arms crossed and challenges him all the time. She has her cap set for the doctor as a new addition to the family and distrusts Adam's charm.

What is a witch to do?

PROS AND CONS
There is a definite romantic element to this novel, but it is so well integrated into the outcome of the story that even when Mona questions the circumstances, her feelings and actions with regard to the two men who hav become suddenly so prominent in her life, I didn't feel put off. In fact, I felt badly for her. Too much drama! I loved how the two girls were portrayed. I looked forward to every incident when they appeared, often smiling. I was torn between rooting for Cora and rooting for Sophie. The question of who is trying to kill Mona and how it is carried out turns and twists. No sooner than I thinki I've got it figured out than I get knocked back to figuring. Lots of questions along the way and satisfaction until the very end. I didn't see it coming. Maybe I was distracted. But isn't that good magic?

For the pleasure and distraction of this story, I am happy to recommend it.Without further ado, here's an excerpt. Enjoy!

What’s a Witch to Do

Judging from the twenty voicemails, and house phone ringing off the hook, I’d say the demon woke up the whole town. Every witch he came within fifty feet of felt him. I know this because it’s in the book right in front of me Auntie Sara brought over. I sit at the kitchen table with Cora curled up in my lap as I scan the pages. She hasn’t let me go since I retrieved them from the office. Sophie was throwing ingredients into the cauldron as Cora watched. I think it was a protection spell. I just grabbed them and brought them downstairs with me into the kitchen where we’ve set up camp.

Adam hands Auntie Sara a cup of coffee, which she takes with shaky hands. Sophie sits across from me staring at her sister, face made of stone. Adam plops down in the empty chair beside me, sliding a coffee cup over. “Thank you,” I say.

He nods. “So…a demon. I thought they were just myths.”

“Says the werewolf,” I say with a crooked smile. It’s all I can muster right now.

“I cannot believe you lied to me,” Auntie Sara says to me.

I had no choice but to tell her everything. “I’m sorry.”

“What do you know about demons?” Adam asks me.

“Not a whole lot. It’s not something I ever thought would come up. They’re rare, at least the kind I think this one is.”

“There’s more than one type?” Adam asks.

“There’s the kind you summon and the kind that just sneaks through the dimensional cracks,” Auntie Sara instructs. “With the latter you get your basic demonic possession. They’re too weak, so they need a host body. The summoned kind is a specific demon. They have specific traits and powers, depending on who was called.”

“What do they look like?” Adam asks.

“Human,” Sophie says. All eyes dart to her in surprise. “He’ll look like whoever gave the blood for the ritual.” Auntie Sara, Adam, and I all share a concerned look, and Cora grasps me harder. “The murder of something innocent, usually an animal, helps open the doorway. It comes out of the portal, looking like a demon. It’s…” She shakes her head and winces. I get a chill. “It’s unnatural. It doesn’t belong here and can’t survive, so the witch gives her blood and it takes human form.” She looks down at the table away from our stares. “Um, it’ll look, sound, act, even bleed like us. I guess it sort of is us. Just…a little more. And powerful.”

“So it can be killed,” Adam says.

“It’s not as simple as that,” I say. “It’s like a psychic on steroids. If she summoned the demon in charge of fire it can make you spontaneously combust from twenty yards away. If it can read in its dimension, it can invade your mind and trap your consciousness inside yourself.”

“And it’s strong,” Sophie adds. “Probably as strong as you. And it heals fast too.”

My stomach clenches again. “What—what else do you know about them, honey?”

“People can’t tell what they are, but we can because we’re from here and they’re from there. They don’t like us because of it. And they don’t like it that they have to listen to the person who brought them here. But they only have to do one thing, and they’re free. We can trap them, though, with sigils and spells. They can’t hurt us then. Not even with their brains. And they don’t like certain smells, and silver hurts them real bad.”

“An—anything else, honey?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

She just shrugs.

I clear my throat. “Okay um, girls why don’t you go in the living room and pop in a movie?”

Cora burrows deeper into my chest. “No, I don’t want to leave you,” she cries.

“I’ll be in here. I’ll be able to see you the whole time, okay?”

“Come on,” Sophie says as she stands. “We’ll watch Toy Story 3.”

I manage to extract the child from my body and get her to her feet. A stoic Sophie takes her hand and leads her into the living room. Oh hell, what on earth am I going to do? “Mona, how did she know all of that?” Auntie Sara asks. “You don’t think—”

“Auntie Sara, that is a not now question, okay?” The telephone starts ringing again, sending splinters into my already throbbing temples. “Can you just field calls for me?”

“And what am I supposed to tell them?”

“The truth?” My brain is swimming. I rub my temples to focus. “Tell them we’re having an emergency meeting in the morning, time and location in an e-mail to follow.”

“Okay,” Auntie Sara says as she stands. She grabs the portable phone and walks out.

I glance at the girls sitting on the couch, then at Adam. He plays with his cup but his weary eyes stay on me. “Are you okay?” he asks.

I don’t know what it is about those words, or maybe it’s his gentle expression, but I almost burst into tears. Tentatively, he places his hand over mine, squeezing it. No, not now. I gasp and cover my mouth but a few tears make it to my eyes. I shut them. Using all my willpower, I push them away. If I break now I won’t be able to pull myself together again, so I do what I do best. I swallow my emotions so deep an archeologist couldn’t find them. I pull my hand away and wipe the stray tears off my face. Problem. Fix the problem first. “Um, what did you find out from Cheyenne? What time did she get to the bar?”

“She was there when I got there at 10:30. We talked until about 12:30, when I walked her to her car. We woke at 4:30, so she had plenty of time to summon it.”

“What did she say?”

“About you? Not a lot. She thinks you’re prissy, unimaginative, and holier than thou. Her words, not mine.”

“I don’t give a shit what she thinks about my character flaws! In between the make-out sessions did she give you any indication she hates me enough to do all this?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t get much out of her, I’m sorry.”

I stand, practically making the chair fall back. “Well, I can’t do much with sorry, can I?”

I can’t breathe in here. I need to breathe so I can think. I stalk into the backyard, taking in huge gulps of air. Instantly, I feel like a jerk. I can’t keep doing that. He is in no way, shape, or form deserving of mu ire.

Even still, a second later he steps outside to check on me. “Mona?”

“I’m sorry,” I say, “I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to speak to you like that, I really don’t. I’m not normally like this, I swear.”

“I know.”

“I have no idea what I’m doing, Adam. A killer? Now a demon too? What the hell am I going to do?”

“We’ll figure it out.”

“How? I can’t think. I can’t…” Shit, the tears are trying the damndest to get out. I take a ragged breath. “I am so scared.”

“I know.” He steps toward me, and the next thing I know his arms are around me, pulling me into his warm body. Dear goddess does this feel wonderful. He’s so solid and even smells good, like hyssop and soap. “I know,” he whispers. He simply holds me, my head on his shoulder and hand against his racing heart. I just want to melt into him. For a fleeting instant all the world fades except for me and him, and I can actually believe everything will be okay as long as he never lets me go.

But only for an instant. I’m too realistic for false hope. Lust, be gone. I pull away, my back straightening to gain some respectability back. “Thank you. That helped.”

“Happy to oblige,” he says, for some reason unable to look at me.

I step away and turn my back to him. Okay, I can think now. This is good. “So, um, I have a request to make of you.”

“Anything.”

I knew he’d say that. “I need you to take the girls away from here. Take them to Jason’s or your house or wherever, and keep them safe for me.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

I spin around. “The hell it isn’t! There is a fucking demon here to kill me!”

“Then you come with us.”

“I can’t! I can’t leave everyone here with a demon on the loose. Just take them and go!”

“I am not leaving you alone here!” he says with enough force to punch through a wall.

“This isn’t your fight.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“The game has changed. It’s far too dangerous around me now. Just take them and go! Please!”

“No. I made a promise and I take promises very seriously.”

I throw my arms up. “I absolve you! Take them and go!”

“No!” Sophie shouts from the door. I turn around as she leads her sister toward us. “If you send us away, we’ll just come right back! We will!” she says, voice shaking. “I can protect you! I can! I know what to do! Please!” She looks at Adam, eyes wild. “Don’t take us away. Please, don’t take us away.”

“Sophie—” I say, my voice breaking along with my heart.

“We are not going anywhere,” Adam says to Sophie. “I promise.”

“You can’t—” I say.

He grabs my arm and yanks me away from the girls, all but dragging me to the other side of the yard. “Now, you listen to me,” he says in a low voice. “You are letting your fear cloud your judgment, and you are scaring the hell out of those girls there. More than even the demon is. Is that what you want?”

“No, but—”

“We are not leaving, do you hear me? Do not mention it again.” He takes a deep breath to regain his composure. “Look, I know you’re used to doing everything on your own, but you cannot do this alone. You can’t. So, I am here to protect you and those girls so you don’t have to. But to do that, we all need to be here. Together. A cohesive unit working together. A pack, okay? And since you aren’t thinking clearly right now, I’ll do it for you. If you die, who will take care of them? They need to be near you, a strong you. If they go away, and you die, they will never ever recover. They have lost too damn much already.”

“It could kill them to get to me,” I whisper.

“Mona, if that thing wants them, and is as powerful as you say it is, it won’t matter where they are. It will find them and use them anyway. At least here they have you, and me, and an entire army of witches in this town to go through first. And I will die before I let anything happen to any of you. Do you believe me?”

I absolutely do. I shake my head.

“Good. Then trust me on this. Then we’re sticking together. We will be cautious, but we will not let fear rule our lives. We stick to the plan. We fortify this place and ourselves as best we can, we find who summoned this thing, and stop her. Together. You…and me. I am not going anywhere. I swear it to you.”

I have the strongest urge to hug him again, among other things I won’t admit to. He’s so sincere I can’t help but feel…relief. At least that’s what I think it is. It’s a new sensation. Take me awhile to get used to it. “Okay,” I whisper. “Okay.”

“Then let’s get started.” He turns away from me and walks over to the girls, picking up Cora as if it was the most natural thing and holding his hand out for Sophie. She looks at it, but after a second of indecision, puts her hand in his. He leads them inside, off to find a way to save my life.

This time I let the tears flow. Because I can.

Jennifer Harlow

Genre: Paranormal Mystery/Romance
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Date of Publication: March 2013
ISBN: 9780738735146
Number of pages: 336

Barnes and Noble Amazon Indiebound Amazon Canada Amazon.UK

Book Description:

Mona McGregor’s To Do List:

• Make 20 13 potions/spells/charms

• Put girls to bed

• Help with Debbie’s wedding

• Lose 30 pounds before bachelorette auction

• Deal with the bleeding werewolf on doorstep

• Find out who wants me dead

• Prepare for supernatural summit

• Have a nervous breakdown

• Slay a damn demon

• Fall in love

With her to-do lists growing longer each day, the last thing Mona McGregor—High Priestess and owner of the Midnight Magic shop in Goodnight, Virginia—needs is a bleeding werewolf at her front door. Between raising her two nieces and leading a large coven of witches, Mona barely has time for anything else. Not even Guy, the handsome doctor who’s taken an interest in her.

But now there’s Adam Blue, the sexy beta werewolf of the Eastern Pack who’s been badly hurt, warning Mona that someone wants her dead. Hell’s bells! A demon is stalking her, and Mona starts to suspect her coven members and even her own family could be responsible for it. With two attractive men and a determined demon after her, Mona teams up with Adam to find out who really wants her dead.

.. . and who really wants her.

About the Author:

Jennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. Currently she calls Northern Virginia home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time, she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills.

http://www.jenniferharlowbooks.com
Tales From the Darkside Blog http://blog.jenniferharlowbooks.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jenharlowbooks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jennifer.harlow.52
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4708453.Jennifer_Harlow
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jenharlowbooks/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Magic Appreciation Tour's Spring Equinox Fantasy Book Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha A. Moore) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:30:00 +0000

Add a Little Magic to Your Reading Experience with the Magic Appreciation Tour's Spectacular Spring Equinox Fantasy Sale!

I thought this was a good occasion to talk about a wonderful fantasy fiction website I've actively been a part of during the past year.

To celebrate the Spring Equinox, the site having a fantastic sale on over 36 magical fantasy books priced at < $5.00.

Also, and just as great, are the amazing giveaways the participating authors have provided.

Don't wait--both the sale and giveaways end today!

But there is a lot more going on at the Magic Appreciation site to talk about for both readers and authors.

For readers:

The term "fantasy" covers a lot of ground these days. You know this if you have ever had to wade through hundreds of books trying to find the ones that include the magical elements you crave. In contrast, the Magic Appreciation Tour is focused strictly on magical fantasy. Also, most retail and feed-based sites give you very limited access to information about books and authors. It can be a challenge to learn more about the author and even the book sometimes. This site offers links to the author's blog, the book web site, and other resources.

For authors:

The authors who participate in the Magic Appreciation Tour network with each other as part of their membership. If you have ever heard of a virtual book tour, that's basically what we are talking about. By touring each other's blogs, the authors give you the chance to get to know them better through interviews and guest posts.

In addition to listing your books for readers to find them on the site, Magic Appreciation Blog Tours provides a free blog tour system that facilitates the exchange of blog posts between our members. I've been both a host and author on tour through this program many times and have found it to be a wonderful promotional service.

The heart of the system is a simple email list. When a member goes on tour, we send out a tour notice to all MABT subscribers. Subscribers who are interested in hosting the touring author respond to the notice and sign up for a tour date. There's no obligation to host. If you aren't able to offer space on your blog during the requested time period, you just delete the email.

~ ~ ~ Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous epic fantasy romance: Book One, SEEKING A SCRIBE, Book Two, HERITAGE AVENGED, and Book Three, LOST VOLUMES. She has also authored the Ciel's Legacy series, with fast action mermaid/pirate storylines: TEARS ON A TRANQUIL LAKE and TORTUGA TREASURE. For a FREE ebook download, read her historic fantasy, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.

Doodling the Night Away

noreply@blogger.com (EW Gibson) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:00:00 +0000

I thought I’d fool around and take a break. For me that means taking pencil in hand and doodling. I find it very relaxing. My mind goes elsewhere…la la land.

But, this time I went for the charcoal to do some rough sketching. I figured I’d sketch one of my characters, especially since she’s been changing a lot. She’s the main character in my wip.

What’s her name you ask? Well, that’s changed too. It seems it's the name game here at the salon this week. Anyway, I gave my main character the name of Usha in the beginning. It means dawn in Sanskrit and the name of the Hindu Goddess of the Dawn and she is considered a daughter of heaven. I thought it was perfect for my YA character.

So, why did I change her name? The character is half-Chinese, but that’s not the reason. I was worried that the name wouldn’t resonate with the teen reader. Would the reader like or dislike the name? What do you think?

So I began my search for a new name. I went from the cute to the sublime and everything in between. This is what I ended up with: Cici, taking it from the English it means blind. It has no meaning as an Italian name. The other name is Dao-ming, which means shinning path.

Those don't do anything for me which means I’m back to the name search. If only I could doodle a name.

Anyway, here’s my quick sketch of Usha.

Till next time,

Elizabeth

My Own Fantasy Name

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn Muñiz) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

After reading Marsha post about fantasy character names, I went searching the web for a name generator based off of a name entered (ie my own).

My Fantasy Female Name: My fantasy name is Sadhbba Gloomterror
Princess of the Poison Storms

My Fantasy Neutral Name:
My fantasy name is Cori Gloomterror
Hex of the Poison Storms

My Fantasy Male Name:
My fantasy name is Maxim Gloomterror
Prince of the Poison Storms

Get your own fantasy name from the fantasy name generator!

I see the theme and I'm not sure if I agree or not. What do you think? And what the name generator say about your name?

Witchcraft 101

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Doing this Witchcraft reading challenge feels like I'm back at school. If I was going to teach a survey class in witchcraft this is exactly how I would do it. There is such variety in how witches are portrayed in the books I have read so far.
If I had a questionnaire for a witch coming to speak to the class, what are some questions I would want to ask?
Where do you live? What is it like to be a witch in that city? Cincinnati versus Boston. Big city versus small town? How did you train? Do you consider what you do a talent or a skill? How did you learn it if it's a skill? School? Family? If it's a talent, how did you find out?

What kinds of friends do you have? What do you call them? Normals? Folks? Humans? Are there other kinds of "special" people in your world? Vampires? Werewolves? Pixies? Do you all get along? Do you work together or do you just live alongside each other? How to you keep your powers from taking over your life?

Do you hide your skills and powers? Why? What or whom are you afraid of? Are there witch hunters in your world?

So many questions that can be answered through the reading. The variety of main characters, craft practitioners, and the contexts they practice in are enough to suggest a second level class. Oh, wait. That's what the authors do in creating their characters and the worlds they live in.

Now that I am (almost) finished paperwork, I will get to do some revealing, answer some of these questions. OH, and I will have a couple of non-fiction books to share so we all can play along. Meanwhile, what do you think? Is a charm a learned skill or something you are born with? What does it mean to be "charming"? Are you? Have you been?

Be happy and well!
m