The Witch's Dream Tour: Book Trailer and Giveaway

Title: The Witch's Dream

Series: The Order of the Black Swan, Book 2

Author: Victoria Danann

Genre: Paranormal Romance,

Publisher: 7th House

Ebook/Paperback

Pages: 280

Release Date: October 14^th, 2012

Purchase:

Amazon (Kindle) | Smashwords | Amazon (Print) |

Book Description:

READING THE SERIES IN ORDER HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. My Familiar Stranger, BOOK ONE.

From New York to Ireland to Edinburgh to Siena to the Texas Hill Country to Napa Valley, a secret society, a witch, a demon, a psychic, a berserker, an ex-vampire, modern day knights, heroes, werewolves, elves and fae come together where emotions intersect. The story maps a trail from rages to epiphanies, but, in the end, proves that true love can find you in the strangest places, when you're least expecting it, even when you're far, far from home.

SYNOPSIS: He was left behind when Elora Laiken made her choice. Now he’s had it with love, but a transplanted witch who happens to be the world’s best tracker hopes she can change his mind.

The Witch’s Dream begins with B Team on temporary assignment to Black Swan headquarters in Edinburgh where they are supposed to fill in for stretched-thin resources and assist with a werewolf issue. They’ve been given permission to stop in Ireland for a few days and help celebrate a handfasting at the palace in Derry.

When they reach Edinburgh, the afterglow of an elftale wedding quickly turns all business. A missing person report turns into a demon abduction. A simple werewolf sanction becomes a diplomatic issue requiring the one thing Elora is no longer willing to give - finesse.

INCLUDES: The first chapter of the third book, The Summoner's Tale.
Erotic content: 18+ A few steamy scenes. No menage. No BDSM.

Book Trailer:

Giveaway:
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Above Ground Tour: Excerpt and Review

Above Ground by A. M. Harte

Summary: The first glimpse of sun may be her last.

When Lilith Gray goes above ground for the first time, she hardly expects to stay there — much less be trapped on the surface with no way home.

Hunted by trackers and threatened by the infected, Lilith is on the run, desperate to return underground. Her only hope for survival lies with a taciturn werewolf with a dark agenda of his own.

Lilith’s old carefree life has been reduced to one choice:

Adapt. Or die trying.

About the Author: A.M. Harte writes twisted speculative fiction, such as the post-apocalyptic Above Ground and the zombie love anthology Hungry For You. She is excellent at missing deadlines, has long forgotten what ‘free time’ means, and is utterly addicted to chocolate. She lives in London, a city not half as foggy as some seem to think.

Buy the Book: Amazon (US) and Amazon (UK).

Excerpt: 

Emma sank onto one of the cots, her line of questioning derailed by King’s casual comment. Lilith had been above ground for two hours. Who knew what had happened in that time? Who knew how many people had died?

“The theatre has been secured,” King continued, “and all vampires exterminated.”

Emma bit on her tongue—bit hard—using the pain to push through her emotions. There was no time for shock or disbelief; she shoved the feelings into the smallest corner of her mind and focused on what truly mattered: uncovering the truth.

She swallowed, forced her voice to remain even. “Who do you work for? Precision Horizons, the DEI, or both?”

“You should rest,” he said. “It’s been a long afternoon.”

His avoidance of the question only made her more determined. Emma crossed her arms. “You have the DEI uniform and the PH logo. I’m thinking you work for both, which leads me to believe that PH isn’t quite the innocent technology company it pretends to be.”

He shrugged. “There are many conspiracy theorists who would share that opinion.”

“And what is the truth?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes!” She stood, the adrenaline making her legs tremble. “You may not care but I do, Mr King. I’m in prison and my best friend’s in danger. Of course it matters!”

This time he looked at her—properly looked—and seemed to finally see her as something more than a schoolgirl. “King,” he said, abrupt. “Just King.”

But Emma wasn't done. “Speaking of Lilith, why are you so interested in her? She wasn’t even supposed to come to the theatre because her mother forbade—”

The dawning realisation was a bitter taste at the back of Emma’s throat. The special ops, the surveillance room, the tracking device they’d implanted in Lilith....“You knew,” she accused. “You didn’t just think the attack would happen, you knew it would.”

King’s face grew cold. He stood still, back straight, head tilted to one side. He had enviable cheekbones, a delicate nose and generous lips, but the hard edge in his blue eyes belied the femininity of his features. His was an alien, frightening beauty, and Emma could not help but shrink away.

“You’re jumping to conclusions,” he said slowly, eyes flat as he appraised her. “I thought you were cleverer than that.”

Review: Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review. 

An intriguing book that combines myth and science, magic and technology, and fantasy and dystopia.

The world Harte has created is fascinating. She does an incredible job of creating a fascinating world where technology, science, and a dystopian world exists underground and magic, supernatural beings and a fantasy world exists above ground. Each world would be fine on its own, but Harte combines the two. It brings up a lot of questions and I very eager for the answers. I personally feel more partial to the underground world because I am a big fan of dystopian fiction. The connection between the affected and those who live underground is a tantalizing one. 

I must admit to being wary of Silver and Lilith's relationship at first because of the bond that forms between them. I dislike reading most fiction about werewolves since I don't like the idea of soul mates and that occurs too often when werewolves are involved. Luckily, they are both wary of the bond and even dislike it at times like logical beings. I was not expecting the ending, but it's always nice when the author doesn't take the easy way out. I hope to see more of Emma, Liam, and the underground world in the next book.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy werewolves, fantasy, dystopia, or any combination of the aforementioned items.

Giveaway:

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Yet Another Paranormal YA Novel

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Summary: Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no memories of her past life, she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. But everything changes when she tries to rescue a boy from drowning in the river. Because even though she can't do anything to help, Amelia somehow "wills" him to survive. And when he wakes up, Joshua can see her.

Together, Joshua and Amelia begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death, and the secrets of the dark river that has held her captive. But even as they grow ever closer, there are those in both worlds--the living and the dead--determined to tear them apart. . . .

Review: Take supernatural beings, a beautiful girl that doesn't know she's beautiful, an extremely attractive and popular boy, insta-love, specialness, and a cheesy bad guy and you have Hereafter.

I only like cookie cutters when they are making cookies, not books. I'm sure there have been cases where girls, who consider themselves plain, fall in love with attractive, smart, popular books who love them back, but there are other people out there!!! Why aren't there plain or merely attractive girls or geeky, nerdy, dorky boys as main characters? Physical attraction is well and good, but the person has to have a personality as well.

Too bad Joshua doesn't have one. Amelia doesn't have one either. Of course Amelia feels a special connection with Joshua right away which causes her to go in his car and over his house within a few hours of knowing him. Even as a ghost, it's still an incredibly stupid idea. Amelia doesn't learn anything about Joshua except that he plays baseball and likes some rock music. Yet she still falls in love with him after a few days. What about the important things such as his religion, political views, views on social issues, views on how to treat those less fortunate? Does he drink? What are his vices? What does he do in his spare time? And so forth. I am glad that there wasn't a love triangle in this book because I was afraid there might be one with Eli. Luckily, Amelia has some sense in her head and knows how damn creepy and weirdly possessive Eli is. There is some plot besides the love story, but it really does take a back seat the true wuv between Joshua and Amelia. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that are fans of paranormal/supernatural young adult books. 

A Video Game in Novel Format

We Of The Universe by Rachel Cooper

Summary: Captain Haslow is one of the many people who have fled into deep space to escape the Versal expansion. He has found his niche: training up terrorists to send into Versal territory to cause havoc. However, the Versals are no longer satisfied and, despite the codes forbidding it, have started to move into deep space. They offer him an ultimatum: join them or die. But how could he join the people responsible for his sister's death?

Haslow's only hope is to venture into the mysterious 'Grey', a part of space that is shrouded in myth and legend. 

Legeve is a Versal who has spent most of her time in a small room, living her life in virtual reality. After she undergoes 'The Dance of The Suns' she will never see existence in the same way again.

Marta is a new recruit aboard Captain Haslow's ship. She is one of the many lust born forced to flee when the Versals expanded to take over the outer planets. She is not used to ship life and has no idea about what is in store. What will she become?

Review: Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

An action packed science fiction novel that feels like a video game.

As I was reading this book, I became more and more convinced that it would make a great video game. Maybe it's just because I've been hankering to play Mass Effect again, but I kept picturing scenes in the book as parts in a video game. There is plenty of action, a number of different characters, an evil alien species, space travel, and multiple worlds (like the Mass Effect series). I really loved the setting and the world that Cooper created although the Wave and weaving reminded quite a lot of the warp and astropaths from Warhammer 40k.  

Despite liking the setting and enjoying the action, there wasn't much of a plot (beyond evil bad guy aliens). I felt like I was missing a lot of back story and as a result, have a large number of questions. There was very little development with the characters and you never got to really know anyone. I am curious to know what happens in the second book and to learn more about the Grey and what exactly lies beyond. If this book was to be expanded into a longer book, it would need more back story and better characterization. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy action packed science fiction books. 

When a Stubborn Scot Gets Involved...

The Lady Most Willing...: A Novel in Three Parts by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Connie Brockaway

Summary: During their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Scotland to visit their aged uncle in his decrepit castle, the Comte de Rocheforte and his cousin, Earl of Oakley, are presented with unique gifts: their uncle has raided an English lord's Christmas party and kidnapped four lovely would-be brides for his heirs to choose from ...as well as one very angry duke, Lord Bretton. As snow isolates the castle, and as hours grow into days, the most honourable intentions give away to temptations as surprising as they are irresistible.

Review: Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

An enjoyable collection of three love stories (technically four, but I won't spoil it for you) intertwined into one novel.

I shamelessly loved Taran. He makes the slightly ridiculous premise of the novel almost believable because he is just such a character and kidnapped four women and a duke seems almost tame for him. The Lady Most Willing is told in three parts and although this is a continuous novel, you can see where one story ends and the next begins. I was curious as to which woman wrote which love story. Although I have read books by Eloisa James and Julian Quinn, I was unable to tell who wrote which. It makes for a fun guessing game though.       

My first story was the favorite, I enjoyed the second, and thought the last one was a bit meh. If I was ranking each story individually, I would give the first story four stars, the second story three stars, and the third story two stars. I loved the chemistry between Catriona and Bret. It felt very real and I loved their interactions. Fiona also has enjoyable interactions with Byron and I liked the breaking down of the barriers between them. The chemistry between Cecily and Robin felt forced. Marilla was such an annoying character and I kept hoping she would disappear or get lost in the snow outside. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to fans of historical romance who are fine with or not terribly bothered by near insta-love.

Interview with Lance Manion, Author of The Ball Washer

Today I will be interviewing Lance Manion, author of The Ball Washer. You can get The Ball Washer for free on Smashwords. 

What are your favorite books?

Relevant to what I do now I have to list the usual suspects; George Carlin, Dave Barry, Dennis Miller and PJ O'Rourke. Great bathroom writers all. The Onion also produces outstanding toilet bowl literature. I also have to mention 2 other books that demonstrated to me the power of the short story; Nightshift by Stephen King and World War Z by Max Brooks.

Who is your favorite author?

I've been answering this question with a short list of authors but I think I was just being polite. If any of them were really good I wouldn't have had to start writing in the first place. Obviously I feel pretty strongly that there wasn't enough poignant stuff being written about masturbation and spiders.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Maya Angelou once said “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” In a lot ways I agree. I don't get so much inspired to write as the feeling I need to purge dumb thoughts from my head. Until I write them down and share them they tend to stick around and fester. Occasionally I will interact with someone that makes me want to do a better job of communicating these bizarre observations but that's as close to inspiration as I get.

Where is your favorite place to do your writing?

I have a home office right next to my bedroom. I usually write there but most of the ideas for the stories come when I'm out and about. I carry a small pad and pen with me so when I think of something I jot it down. I'm sure most of the time I look like a detective investigating the most boring crime in the world. I use to carry a little pocket tape recorded but every time I used it I would lift one eyebrow higher than the other as I talked so I had to abandon it altogether or risk being that guy who talks into pocket tape recorded with one eyebrow cocked.

What made you decide to become a writer?

For the longest time I believed that if you wrote something you were, by definition, a writer. The more I do it and see my shortcomings the more I respect those that can really turn a phrase and connect. I'm stubbornly avoiding treating it as a 'craft' so I don't end up a douchebag. 

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

It has to be fighting the urge to be shocking or offensive all the time. When I write a story that I really like and it gets zero reaction and then write something that has the word fart in it or five dick jokes and it gets a lot of feedback the temptation is to write strictly for the lowest common denominator. The trick is to determine which rude thought is sincere and which crude reference is forced in order to get some hits on the website. Usually it's obvious if it's coming from an honest place but every now and then I find myself succumbing to the urge to say something just to be outrageous. You know what I mean fuckface?

Tell us about your newest book.
The Ball Washer is my third collection of short stories. I released it as a free eBook to not only help the sales of the first two but to put my money where my mouth is as far as utilizing the new technology. Kindles, Nooks and iPads are the future. It is the first time I used an editor so it might read a little more professional but it's the same dumb crap.

About the Author.

Described as occupying the grey area between David Sedaris if he was on acid and Jack Kerouac if he wasn't, Lance Manion has carved out a niche with a style of writing that aspires to be a catalyst as opposed to immersing the reader. Short bursts of weirdness meant to provoke an unique idea instead of just providing one.

Lance has written 3 books, blogs daily at his website www.lancemanion.com and is a contributor to many online fiction sites such as Whiskey Paper, Free Flash Fiction, The Tripod Cat and Bone Parade. He is available as a speaker and/or wet nurse.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey. This meme lets you show fellow readers what you have read, what you are reading, and what you will be reading.

Recently Read:

Currently Reading:

To Read:

It's the End of the World As We Know It

Black Earth: End of the Innocence by David N. Alderman

Summary: When the stars fall, few will stand...

On the evening of his high school graduation, Nathan Pierce collapses on stage. Plagued with visions of a strange girl intent on killing herself, he wonders if his mental instability is a consequence of the deadly car accident he was in days earlier.

Heather Rhodes, wracked with guilt because of the fatal wreck, finds she is unable to forgive herself and begins to question her own beliefs. While the death of a newborn weighs on her heart, on her mind is the strange gift she was able to use to protect her and Nathan in the accident…a gift that Heather wonders may have just been a figment of her imagination.

Cynthia Ruin, aka The Pink Rabbit, decides that her high school graduation night should be used for partying, not traveling down the football field. At a nightclub in Scottsdale, Cynthia finds more than she bargains for when a stranger from her past decides to exact his revenge on her for a prior rejection.

Nathan, Heather, and Cynthia come to realize that their current problems are nothing compared to the stars falling from the sky. During the global crisis, the President of the United States makes it her personal mission to keep the country on the right track to becoming a world superpower, while a hostile entity known only as Absolute threatens her administration.

Meanwhile, word starts to spread that the falling stars may not be stars at all...

Review: Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review. 

An enjoyable end of the world novel mixed with Christian mythology and real, emotional characters. 

What I liked best about this book were the characters. Everyone felt quite real and had their own personalities. Tough situations either brought out the best or the worst in people. You can really tell a lot about a person by how they react to a traumatic or dangerous experience. I really disliked Ryan. I hated how he treated Heather and how he acted later in the book. I downright hated Silver and I hope he gets what is coming to him. I really got caught up in the story and found myself cheering on the good guys and cursing the bad guys. 

This book does a brilliant job of combining a science fiction end of the world story with the traditional Christian version of end of the world. The Christian end of the world does fit surprisingly well with aliens attacking from outer space. In addition, I liked the idea of alien species and other races have fallen victim to the alien attackers. The time travel aspect adds a whole new level. Not as many questions were answered as I would have liked, but I am eager to read the next book to see how everything turns out and to hopefully have more questions answered.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy end of the world fiction or alien invasion fiction. 

One of These is Not Alike

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile by Julia Fox

Summary: The history books have cast Katherine of Aragon, the first queen of King Henry VIII of England, as the ultimate symbol of the Betrayed Woman, cruelly tossed aside in favor of her husband’s seductive mistress, Anne Boleyn. Katherine’s sister, Juana of Castile, wife of Philip of Burgundy and mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is portrayed as “Juana the Mad,” whose erratic behavior included keeping her beloved late husband’s coffin beside her for years. But historian Julia Fox, whose previous work painted an unprecedented portrait of Jane Boleyn, Anne’s sister, offers deeper insight in this first dual biography of Katherine and Juana, the daughters of Spain’s Ferdinand and Isabella, whose family ties remained strong despite their separation. Looking through the lens of their Spanish origins, Fox reveals these queens as flesh-and-blood women—equipped with character, intelligence, and conviction—who are worthy historical figures in their own right. 

When they were young, Juana’s and Katherine’s futures appeared promising. They had secured politically advantageous marriages, but their dreams of love and power quickly dissolved, and the unions for which they’d spent their whole lives preparing were fraught with duplicity and betrayal. Juana, the elder sister, unexpectedly became Spain’s sovereign, but her authority was continually usurped, first by her husband and later by her son. Katherine, a young widow after the death of Prince Arthur of Wales, soon remarried his doting brother Henry and later became a key figure in a drama that altered England’s religious landscape. 

Ousted from the positions of power and influence they had been groomed for and separated from their children, Katherine and Juana each turned to their rich and abiding faith and deep personal belief in their family’s dynastic legacy to cope with their enduring hardships. Sister Queens is a gripping tale of love, duty, and sacrifice—a remarkable reflection on the conflict between ambition and loyalty during an age when the greatest sin, it seems, was to have been born a woman.

Review: A history book that tries to compare Katherine and Juana and just manages to bore and make assumptions in the process. 

I was very eager to read this book. I have read one book dedicated to Katherine of Aragon and have read a lot about her in other books about Henry the VIII and the Tudors. I knew a little about Katherine's parents, but very little about her siblings. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by this book. The majority of the book was about Katherine. I really didn't get much solid information about Juana. I am not sure if this is because there is little information about Juana when compared to Katherine. 

Fox makes a number of assumptions about Katherine and Juana. I do not mind educated assumptions as long as the author says this may be possible or this might be likely and there is evidence. Fox just makes assumptions and doesn't always provide evidence to back up her assumptions. Fox also tries to make comparisons between Katherine and Juana and I don't see them as very similar. Yes, they were sisters and both became queens, but had very different life paths. I still want to know about Juana and hope that I can find a good book about her. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that are interested in Katherine and Juana as sisters, but I would suggest other books for better biographical information about the two, especially Katherine.

A Kiss for Emily Tour: Guest Post and Giveaway

Title: A Kiss for Emily

Series: The Emily Stokes Series, Book One

Author: J. P. Galuska

Genre: Paranormal, Suspense, Young-Adult,

Publisher: Self

Ebook/Paperback

Pages: 356

Book Trailer

Purchase:

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Book Description:

YA suspense driven paranormal romance

Emily Stokes never thought that falling in love would put her smack dab in the middle of chaos, or have her questioning her sanity! But when strange occurrences turn unbelievable, it becomes a race to save Emily from none other than the good-guys.

From the Author:

The first book in The Emily Stokes Series is entitled A Kiss for Emily. It's about a 17-year-old gal who lives in the heart of Kansas who's life is about to come unglued. It's YA, totally suspense-driven, and takes paranormal to a new level! If I tell you any more about the book, I'll have to include a spoiler alert because I can honestly say the less you know going into the story, the more you'll enjoy it! With that being said, here is the most I dare say:

Emily Stokes never thought that falling in love would put her in the middle of chaos, or have her questioning her own sanity! But when strange occurrences turn unbelievable, it becomes a race against time to save Emily from none other...than the good-guys.

About the Author:

J P began writing her first novel back in 2009 after a work related injury took her out of the job market. Foreign to writing literature, her rough draft read more like torture than paranormal. Although the plot had been solid, not until she joined a local writer's group did the book really begin to blossom.

She currently enjoys a successful writing career and was recently featured as the April 2012 Author of the Month in the Paranormal Romance Guild.

Twitter | Facebook (Author) | Facebook (Series) | Website | Blog | 

Guest Post:

Hello! I’m so glad you dropped by today. I always look forward to being on tour and getting the chance to meet so many new people. And thank you – my fabulous blog host – for having me here!

Here’s a question for you: Do you remember your fist kiss? Was it romantic…did your foot raise behind you in pure delight? If you answered yes, I’m totally jealous! (You can read about my experience described on page 10.)

In the book, A Kiss for Emily, Emily daydreams of the perfect kiss. Maybe some of you dare to dream about this too – or better yet, get to enjoy it regularly. Here is another question for you: What is it about the kiss that holds such power? As you might recall from The Proposal, Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds couldn’t stand each other…until they kissed, releasing that magic between them.

I’ve had a lot of fun writing The Emily Stokes Series. My husband and kids have all been a big help. More than once, I’ve called my sweetie at work just so he could help me find a certain word. Other times, I’ll read my story aloud to my youngest and she tells me what scenes need revising. Then I watch my oldest daughter’s expression as she reads silently. If my kids aren’t laughing or moving around nervously, I haven’t done my job.

While my family is great, nothing makes my day like hearing from my readers! Please visit my facebook author page - J P Galuska; or the series page – The Emily Stokes Series, and give me a shout. Also, the second book in the series, A Gift for Emily, is in its final revisions…so stay tuned.

Giveaway:

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Detention of the Living Dead: Deleted Scene and Giveaway

Title: Detention of the Living Dead

Author: Rusty Fischer

Genre: Paranormal, Young-Adult,

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Ebook

Pages: 181

Purchase:

Amazon | B&N | BookStrand | Smashwords |

Book Description:

Maxine “Max” Compton is in detention when the outbreak starts; so are several other students when Max’s best friend Brie storms in – chomping on the thigh bone of their favorite Home Ec teacher, Ms. Watkins!

Brie is a zombie, and quickly starts biting everyone in the room – even her best friend, Max!

When the class realizes what happens, it’s too late; they are all zombies – and they’re no longer alone.

Now a thin gray man in a white lab coat is testing them; making them read, and once they can no longer read, the zombies are led from the room, never to be seen again.

One by one the zombies stop reading, all but a few of them, Max included. Oh, and that cute thug she’s been crushing on for years, Cory Winthrop!

That’s when Max learns that there are good zombies, and bad zombies. And if she’s to survive, she has to pick a side.

Who knew Detention could be this hard… or last forever?

Excerpt:

“G-g-g,” the zombie sputters, black eyes focused intently on the page in front of her, tongue tied in an endless loop, frustration oozing out of every gray, decaying pore.

If she could still sweat, I know she would.

“G-g-g….”

Her cold white hands grip the pages of the comic book like the edges of a life raft in a wild, raging sea.

If she could still cry, she’d already be bawling.

Instead she is locked in this endless loop, stammering, yammering, trying to find the keys to her lost humanity.

“G-G-G….”

Her voice is raspy, like maybe her vocal chords have been sanded down, blow dried for days, and now look like strips of beef jerky hanging in the back of her throat, useless at his point except for her guttural scratching.

“A-A-A….”

It’s been like this for five minutes; five endless, torturous, agonizing minutes.

“M-M-M….”

Endless because, well, you’ve never realized how long a single minute—sixty short seconds—can stretch out until every stinking bleeding one of those sixty seconds is filled with a “G-G-G” or an “A-A-A or an “M-M-M.”

It’s like waiting for a stutterer to finish reading War & Peace, out loud, in one sitting, while you kneel on a bed of nails, with water dripping on your head, sitting next to your distant cousin from Alabama, with her whispering in your ears about her favorite catfish casserole recipe.

Torturous because I can see the word right in front of me and just want to finish it for her: “Gamma!” I want to scream. “Gamma! What you’ve been yammering for the last five minutes is ‘G-G-G-G-GAMMA,’ you freakin’ moron!”

Agonizing because this is no typical zombie; this is my best friend since third grade, Brie Cunningham.

About the Author:

Rusty Fischer is the author of Zombies Don’t Cry, as well as several other popular zombie books, including Panty Raid at Zombie High, Detention of the Living Dead and the Reanimated Readz series of 99-cent living dead shorts.

Rusty runs the popular website Zombies Don’t Blog @ www.zombiesdontblog.blogspot.com. At Zombies Don’t Blog you can read more about Rusty’s work, view his upcoming book covers and read – or download – completely FREE books & stories about… zombies!

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Wattpad | Smashwords | Scribd |

Deleted Scene:

Cramped: A Deleted Scene from Detention of the Living Dead by Rusty Fischer, author of Detention of the Living Dead

Below please find a deleted scene from my new YA Paranormal, Detention of the Living Dead! In DOTLD, a group of kids are sitting in detention when a zombie shuffles in. Trapped, they all become zombies themselves; and that’s where the fun begins!!

But here, exclusively on this Blog, is a “deleted” scene about what happens when one lucky student discovers the ultimate place to hide out during a zombie apocolypse. I hope you enjoy it:

One minute Sylvie is there, clinging to my hand, running from the zombie cafeteria lady and the next, I hear a bloodcurdling scream and the sound of chomping.

I turn, only for an instant, and see the zombie cafeteria lady going to town on Sylvie’s ear like it’s a bowl of tater tots during B Lunch!

“No!” I scream, but that only makes cafeteria lady zombie look up and clamor to one knee. Sylvie is already gone. I can tell by the way her eyes are fluttering, just like John Taylor’s did before he turned zombie.

Just like that cute foreign exchange kid’s eyes did before he turned zombie. And the rest of them, every classmate I ever knew, all of them, their eyes flickered the same way… yup, now she’s up, groaning, black goo pouring out of her mouth and the cafeteria zombie lady is helping her up so they can both come after me.

Fat chance! I peel out, past the trophy case and the water fountain and the Homecoming banner torn and bloody and out toward the east exit.

I’m almost there, dodging gurgling zombies and random body parts lying in my path when I see a dozen or more zombies just lurking around the exit, waiting for anyone dumb enough (i.e. me) to get anywhere close to them.

I turn, about to bolt in the opposite direction when I spot Sylvie Zombie and Cafeteria Lady Zombie shuffling arm in arm in my general direction.

I make a “grrr” face and turn, spotting a red door marked “Custodial.”

“Gross,” I grunt, shoving it open and slamming it shut, locking it from the inside.

It won’t do much good, the locked door I mean, but it might buy me enough time to find someplace better to hide. I look around, whispering, “Hey, Mr. Simmons, are you in here?”

I don’t know Mr. Simmons, but there is a plaque on the wall for Custodian of the Year, 1998 and underneath it says, “Claude Simmons,” but I was taught you shouldn’t call old people by their first names unless they tell you to.

I listen but no one says anything back. Outside the door shapes shuffle and shadows blur but nobody jiggles the door handle so I use the last few minutes of my life to find a better hiding spot.

There are three walls in the custodian’s closet, plus the door. The wall across from the door has three lockers buried behind a fleet of mop carts. Seriously, there must be six, seven, eight mop carts lined up.

The wall to my left has a big boiler, angry and red, which would explain why I’m already sweating buckets. The wall to my right has Mr. Simmons’ plaque and a hook for his raincoat.

So, that’s about… bang. Someone, or something, has started banging on the closet door. Bang. Shuffle. Bang. Bang. Scrape. I sweat some more and squeeze between two mop buckets to bang open the first locker in the row, the one tight against the wall.

It smells like feet and is hotter than the rest of the room, which is saying something, but I squeeze in anyway and shut the door behind me.

It’s bigger than it looks inside, and I can actually stand up. And move around. And see! There are five slats in the top of the locker, which is about as big as a shower stall and, if I keep sweating, going to be just as wet in about ten minutes.

Once my eyes adjust to the dark I can look around and see a janitor’s uniform hanging from the bar behind my head, and a lunchbox at my feet, and a flashlight and a six pack of soda and holey moley, I’ve hit the mother lode of zombie Armageddon hideouts.

As long as the zombies don’t… oh, but wait, here one comes. No, two, wait, three. Four! They smash through the closet door, stumbling in and tumbling into the mop buckets.

I flinch and kneel down, looking for something to defend myself with. The zombies are closer now, grumbling, groaning, pounding, tapping, looking for a way to get in.

I open the lunch box, quickly, thinking maybe Mrs. Simmons packed a knife for her hubby to cut off his own crusts with.

Uggh. I almost gag. There’s no knife but Mrs. Simmons must have been made at her hubby this morning because she packed him a triple limburger, sauerkraut and toe jam sandwich on moldy rye. God, just opening up the lunchbox fills the entire locker with the funk of 10,000 years and… wait a minute.

The zombies, they’re… they’re… backing up. Grunting, stumbling over themselves to clamor away from the locker, shuffling out of the room.

The sandwich! It’s so gnarly, it’s instant zombie repellent!!!

So there you have it, a scene that never made it into the book and that you can only find here, on this very blog! Thanks for reading, and I hope it will add to your enjoyment of the book if you ever get to read Detention of the Living Dead, out this month from Decadent Books!

Yours in YA,

Rusty

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Interview with Jerri Hines, Author of Time of the Nuxvenom

Today I will be interviewing Jerri Hines, author of Time of the Nuxvenom.

What are your favorite book(s)? 

 

I love Lord of the Rings. I first picked it up when I was in college. I’ll admit I didn’t get far into the book. Then after the first movie Lord of the Rings, I picked it back up and absolutely loved it. I love the world J RR Tolkien created. I was totally engrossed in the story.

 

Hunger Games. The first book of the Hunger Games trilogy was the best book I read in 2010. Even though it is listed as a young adult read, I couldn’t put it down.

 

Game of Thrones series is the new one on my list.

 

Who is your favorite author? 

 

Suzanne Collins. I love her imagination and her unique story concepts.

Where do you get your inspiration from? 

 

I use life experience with a lot of imagination. Also, when I do research and discover an accomplishment of someone I didn’t know about such as Irena Sendler, who risked her life to save Jewish children during WWII, I get inspiration. I’m amazed by the courage and bravery of people who survived go through to survive in this world. I believe if I have a theme when I write is don’t give up.

 

Where is your favorite place to do your writing?

 

I have a room in my home my husband calls the cave. 

What made you decide to become a writer? 

 

Growing up, it was the only thing I wanted to be. It’s been a process. Taken a few detours, but I love writing because it’s creating. If I wasn’t writing, I would paint.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? 

 

I don’t think it’s the writing. Writing to me is the easiest. Nowadays promoting is part of the writing process and that’s the hardest part. As an author, you are competing in an ocean of books trying to get some recognition, wanting someone to read your book. It is also the source of my greatest satisfaction…when I receive positive feedback on my book.

Tell us about your newest book.

 

Whispers of a Legend saga began with

SHADOWS OF THE PAST, THE PATH NOW TURNED, VISION OF DESTINY

Kela Calledwdele was born with a destiny, a Euchoun with only one purpose in life...to protect. Torn between two worlds, Kela soon discovers she is the hope of both. Now she must find the courage to face the destiny fate has dictated to her. Half Witheleghean and half, Sordarin, she knows well her parents gave the ultimate sacrifice to give her a chance to live. Yet, in so doing, they have left Kela unprepared to face the dangers that await her. Her instincts are to protect and in this she does, but in so doing it leads her into a world where she knows not whom to trust. In time her power matures and grows stronger when she bonds with a Sordarin warrior, Cono. She learns well why she holds the power. An evil as no other before, Asmeodai, has emerged but all is not what it seems as a dark cloak encompasses her family. Betrayal, distrust, treachery leaves Kela alone. She is torn by her desire for Cono and the purpose, the path, she has been given to follow. And when another emerges within her world, one who seemly wants only to help her along her path, she is pulled further away from her Sordarin.

Part One- Shadows of the Past- FREE! Whispers begins Whispers of a Legend saga which follows Kela's battle to embrace her destiny, where as a young woman unsure of her ability and her confidence in facing the challenges before her to where she emerges as a strong leader who learns to lean upon her own strength, to stand not behind, but side by side with her warrior.

Part Two- The Path Now Turned. Having proven her ability during the Payelaga Desert battle, Kela believes herself ready to follow her destiny beside her warrior. Fate has another path for Kela. When she discovers all she has long believed is not as it seems, the betrayal leaves Kela torn by her desire for Cono and the path she has been given to follow.

Part Three- Vision of Destiny. Trained for only one purpose, to protect the innocent from an evil that threatens to destroy her world, Kela has never questioned her destiny. The enemy has never been in doubt and her path laid clear before her. Now all is blurred. Left with only one choice, she escapes from Yucca in search of the one known as Seilda the Tvopac, the Guardian of the Past…but Kela learns quickly the Past holds its own dangers.

 

The Legend continues…

 

WHISPERS OF A LEGEND, PART FOUR- TIME OF THE NUXVENOM.

 

The Nuxvenom—the time declared by the Arachindaens for their ascension to power…the time of their rule…the time for the annihilation of all who do not submit to their authority. Over the years, the Sordarins have slept well secure in the knowledge that the Great One guards over them and protects them from this Nuxvenom. Now, though, our world has once more been targeted; Asmeodai’s evil looms on the horizon and fear lives in the hearts of the Sordarins for our very existence is threatened.

I, Kela Calledwdele, have been trained for one purpose—to protect my people from this evil threat of Asmeodai. I did not ask for this, but have embraced my destiny. The path before me has never been easy, nor do I expect my tribulations to lessen as I continue my journey, but I hold to this destiny for I hold to my faith in the Great One.

 

With the acknowledgement as King Edulf’s granddaughter, Kela is swept into a world strange to her. Moreover, Kela discovers the world she now walks harbors its own dangers. For not only does Kela face the looming threat of the evil Cyaika and Arachindaens, she is forced to confront deception and betrayal from within her own ranks. Never have the stakes been greater—never has her world faced a greater danger—never has more been asked of the Euchoun.  The time of the Nuxvenom is now!

Whispers of a Legend, Part One - Shadows of the Past can be found for free on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

 

You can buy Whispers of a Legend, Part Four - Time of the Nuxvenom on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

About the Author. 

 

Carrie James Haynes began the Whispers of a Legend last year. The epic fantasy filled with adventure and romance began with Shadows of the Past followed by The Path Now Turned and Vision of Destiny. Time of the Nuxvenom will be followed by Heir of Withleghe. She also has released a paranormal suspense, Dreamscape.

 

Carrie James Haynes is a pen name for Jerri Hines. She lives in New England with her husband, children, and her dogs. She also has two historical romance series: Winds of Betrayal- Patriot Secrets and Ruse of Love; Tides of Charleston Series- The Judas Kiss, The Promise and Another Night Falls.

 

Under her pen name, Colleen Connally, she also has a historical romance with a touch of paranormal, Seductive Secrets.

 

Find Jerri on her blog or on Twitter:  @carriejhaynes @jhines340