Bewitching Book Tours Reader Magainze Issue 3 September 2012

Welcome our third issue of the Bewitching Book Tours Reader Magazine.

In every issue, we offer new ways for readers to connect with authors and discover new books through author interviews, articles, book reviews and special content like exclusive excerpts, short fiction and poetry.

This month we have interviews with authors Jill Archer, E.Van Lowe, Willow Rose, J. Bridger, Kate Lutter, Erika Burnham, and Katalina Leon. We also have book reviews, author written articles, poetry and an advice column by “Auntie� Ann Gimpel.

Thanks once again go out to everyone who contributed to this issue, ParaGraphic for the cover design and above all to Lisa McGeen for putting it all together and turning all the pages, images and documents I send her into a beautiful magazine.

And thank you to the readers for joining us each month.

For everyone who would like to appear in the magazine we are accepting submissions of reader oriented articles, short fiction, poetry, author recipes and more.

Send to RoxanneRhoads@bewitchingbooktours.com ~Roxanne

Contents Auntie Ann’s Homespun Advice Kataline Leon Interview Erika Burham Interview Medusa Review Would A Zombie Make A Good President?

The Zombie Always Knocks Twice—Excerpt Erotic Muse The Accidental YA Blood Guilt Review Kate Lutter Interview Willow Rose Interview Vaempire Review BA Morton Interview Pride’s Run Review Dark Light of Day Spotlight Jill Archer Interview J. Bridger Interview Series of Vampire Inspired Haiku 24 Hour Fruit Salad

4 6 10 13 14 18 20 22 24 26 29 31 33 36 39 41 43 46 46

Auntie Ann’s Homespun Advice My partner is jealous of my writing time. He always makes a point of wandering through the corner of the house where I hole up with my laptop and makes snarky comments. How can I get him to cut me some slack?

M.B. Hello M.B. I’m not sure how “scheduled” your life is, but if you have daily writing time, maybe you could have daily partner time as well. Usually when someone wants to play a starring role in all our time, it speaks to their own insecurities. It might work to make an effort to tell your partner how much he means to you on a regular basis and to compliment him. That’s going to be hard to do if you feel like he’s not giving you any space, but the paradox is that the more secure he feels, the less threatened he’ll feel of the time you allocate to other pursuits—like writing.

It’s not easy to share your life with a writer because when we’re not writing, we’re editing. What’s wo for me is giving my husband first drafts of all my stories as they roll out of the word processor. Someth like, “Here, hon, read this and tell me what you think.” You get a first Beta reader for free and it makes partner feel like a part of your creative process.

I have three kids. The first two are teenagers and I guess I got lucky because they’re about as close to perfect kids as anybody could get. The youngest is ten and she’s a devil child. Always into trouble. She sneaks out of the house at night. Her grades are Cs, Ds and Fs. I think some of her friends are already using drugs. If my husband and I try to talk to her, she yells at us, or rolls her eyes and stomps out of the room. Any ideas would be appreciated.

S.R. Hello S.R. The thing you didn’t say is how worried you are about your daughter and how your heart is probably breaking when you think about the poor choices she’s making. There’s a really good book called Back in Control by Gregory Bodenhamer.

It’s available on Amazon. It will tell you how to set up a system of rewards and consequences and how to enforce them.

That last is the hard part because it will require you and your husband to be absolutely consistent in terms of how you deal with your daughter. If you let her slide even a single time, it

can undo weeks of effort. Or if you let her play one of you off against the other.

The other challenge will be when your daughter points to her older siblings and says, “You don’t make them—” Your response might be that this is about her, not about them. That you love all your children and parenting is not a “one size fits all” endeavor. It’s important for your daughter to feel special. I suspect part of the reason she acts out is for attention. She needs to figure out that positive attention is way better than the other kind.

It might take motion sensors and alarms, but you have to get a handle on her sneaking out at night. It’s a bit draconian, but if nothing else works, you can put decorative iron facings on the window that she can’t shinny through.

If you get the Bodenhamer book, I’d like to know what you think about it.

Keep those questions coming, folks. ann@anngimpel.com

Interview with Katalina Leon, author of

The Strix What inspired you to become an author?

Katalina Leon: I was an artist and I was trying to express everything I wanted to share with the world on canvas and it was taking up a lot of space. Writing provided me with another forum of unlimited space and a personal challenge, which I’ll explain in a moment.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Katalina Leon: I’m not sure. I think it’s a work in progress.

Do you write in different genres?

Katalina Leon: Yes, I love paranormal and historical and I plan to branch into Sci-fi and suspense.

If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

Katalina Leon: Right now I’m loving mixing genres with erotic-romance. We’ll see what happens.

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

Katalina Leon: The Strix was the working title because that’s what the story was about. The Strix was a mythical creature that haunted the guilty psyches of ancient Rome. The Romans conquered and abused a wide variety of foreign peoples with wildly different beliefs. When those people, particularly the women were brought into their homes as unwilling servants, slaves and lovers, culture clash and suspicion grew. The Romans began to wonder what these resentful women were doing behind their backs. It became a common belief that enslaved women were taking revenge on them by casting spells and doing malevolent things and no doubt there’s some truth to that.

The Strix was imaged as a hideous witchlike bird of prey that hunted at night and fed on blood.

It is one of Europe’s earliest forms of the vampire myth. My Strix is an enslaved Celtic concubine who uses blood and sex magic to transform enslaved gladiators into immortals.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

Katalina Leon: I always have a working title, but I also expect to change it based on my publisher’s needs.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Katalina Leon: I always have a message—I need to hear the message. Usually it’s the idea that no matter how far we’ve strayed from the light, love and forgiveness will lead us back.

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

Katalina Leon: The heroine Arcona, was based on a friend of mine who passed away ten years ago. She was NOT a witch. lol She was an intelligent, attractive, Germanic, mysterious and very creative woman. .

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

Katalina Leon: My current characters are always close to my heart. I am still in love with Tyr the gladiator. He’s sticking with me.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Katalina Leon: Yes, The Strix is part of The Bag Of Tricks book series. The next book is a very erotic dragon-shifter ménage that travels to Mount Kilimanjaro and alien realms. It was cowritten with Amber Skyze providing the heart of this book. There are two more books in this series each featuring one of the girlfriends and what happens to her after she pulls a wish stone from the witch’s magic bag and makes a wish.

What book are you reading now?

I just finished reading George Orwell’s “1984”. It was my first reading of this book as an adult and I was blown away by the perfection of it.

What books are in your to read pile?

Katalina Leon: A lot of Harlan Ellison and Philip K. Dick. I can’t read erotic romance when I have so many of my own projects in play. I save it for down times.

What books/authors have influenced your life?

Katalina Leon: Charlotte and Emily Bronte were a big inspiration. Their isolation, longing and passion just jump at the reader and demand respect.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Katalina Leon: Hands down the late, great Ray Bradbury. That beautiful soul had so much to share on so many levels. I would choose Ray as a mentor.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I’m dyslectic and I still find the technical aspects of writing challenging. In school writing anything, even a birthday card was a source of embarrassment and shame. Needless to say I did not pay attention in English class and my problems only got worse. It was important for me as an adult to work past appearing illiterate and find a way to express myself.

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

Katalina Leon: Valerie Tibbs designed the beautiful cover for “The Strix” and “Claimed By Dragons”.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Believe in yourself and be open to learning more.

Do you have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that you think represents this book?

Katalina Leon: I must have music while I write. It helps me hold a thought or emotional tone while I finish writing a scene. I match the music to the mood of the scene and pretend I’m scoring a movie soundtrack in my mind. In fact I mostly listen to film scores. For myself, I love U2, Radiohead and Trent Reznor-Nine Inch Nails.

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

Katalina Leon: I’m an artist and I love to paint. I also love yoga and time spent with my family.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

Katalina Leon: Amber Skyze and I have three more books in the Bag Of Tricks book series. The next book is a super-hot dragon-shifter ménage “Claimed By Dragons” which will be released September 28th from Loose Id Publishing.

I’m also part of a new paranormal Romantica book series that will be published by Ellora’s Cave. I’m working with nine other terrific Ellora’s Cave authors and I think this series is going to be wonderful.

Thank you so much for having me as a guest!

XXOO Kat

The Strix

By Katalina Leon & Amber Skyze Book one The Bag Of Tricks series Genre: Paranormal erotic-romance, vampire, historical, parallel worlds.

Publisher: Loose Id LLC Date of Publication: July 17, 2012 ISBN: 978-1-61118-906-3 ASIN: B008MH8FTG Number of pages: 262 Word Count: 83,134 Loose Id LLC All Romance eBooks Amazon

Erika Burnham Interview for The Poet’s Soul How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

I am planning to perform a piece on September 21 at the University of Michigan-Flint.

This may be difficult for some to believe but the title of my book came to me as a “voice” speaking to me while driving down the street. I can remember it like it was yesterday. While driving, this “voice” spoke to me and told me the I was going to name my book, “The Poet’s Soul.” Since that day, I have embraced this awesome title. Finally, in August 2012, The Poet’s Soul became a reality and was published. “The Poet’s Soul” is a great title because it conveys who I am as a writer and what the audience can expect as a reader. I am able to bear my soul or empathize with another person’s experience and bear their soul. All and all, I am able to delivery to readers a powerful body of work that is raw, heartfelt, emotional, thought-provoking and SOULsearching.

I have no scheduled upcoming releases. But, I will have an upcoming book signing in Kimball, Michigan for my current release, “The Poet’s Soul.” The date is yet to be determined. For future updates, your readers can check my website at www.thepoetssoul.com or contact me through my facebook page at www.facebook.com/ ThePoetsSoul. In addition, I am working on other book signing locations.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

The last project that I am working on involves motivational speaking. I will be discussing “The Poet’s Soul” with a group of young women that have interests in becoming authors, the publishing process, marketing, etc.

There will be a lot on the horizon for me and my book. The Poet’s Soul will make its debut in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania on September 26th as a part of the playbill for the stage play, “Living Your Life” by Author, Poet, Songwriter, Humanitarian, and Screenwriter, Charron Monaye. I am excited to grow as a poet, author and artist in the Spoken Words circuit by performing my poems at Open Mic nights. As a matter of fact,

I have other prospective projects that I am working on. The Poet’s Soul will become a series and I have begun writing poems for the second installment. I am also writing a self-help book on selfdiscovery and empowerment. Also, I am penning a story that will become a short story or novel that will examine the concepts of love, forgiveness and self-discovery.

Did you title the book first or wait until after it was complete?

The Poet’s Soul was titled as work on my book progressed. Since my poetry book offers a variety of poems over many difference subjects, it was my desire to have a title, as well as, book cover that would capture the true essence of my work.

The Poet’s Soul does that. Again, the poems in this book are raw and thought-provoking. The po-

ems take the reader on a journey of the many facets of life. The reader is sure to experience a gambit of emotions. When we experience emotions, they are pure and raw. Generally, our emotions “hit” our soul. Therefore, making The Poet’s Soul an excellent title for my book.

have difficulty validating the work. Clearly, I want my writings to have validity but more importantly, I want to be able to sustain in this industry. It is very important to me that I have a reader base following me into my next works.

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

My amazing designer was Kayden McLeod.

Kayden is a published author. She is co-owner of Otherworlds Publicity and Siren Book Reviews. She is also a graphic and cover artist for publishers such as New Dawning International Bookfair, Solstice Publishing and XOXO Publishing.

What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

I have lots of jobs! In addition to my role as mother and wife, I am a Registered Nurse. Currently, I am a student at the local college.

I enrolled in a nail technology course in order to better service my patients that have chronic illnesses, such as, diabetes. I have a strong interest in the arts. I love to write, listen to music and I am an avid scrapbooker.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

My biggest advice for another writer would be to grow in your craft. I never stop growing. As a new author, I have enjoyed networking and learning from other authors. It has been exciting to learn about their successes, the pitfalls they have encountered and how to sustain as a writer.

Be Genuine and Have Passion: It is paramount that the work presented is genuine and honest.

The reader can detect when the author is not sincere or passionate. As a result, the reader will

The Poet’s Soul is a poetry book. My book is a culmination of many different life experiences. I have interacted with my patients on many different levels and can say that I have harvested some of their experiences. I have been blessed to share in some of God's most intimate moments with my patients such as witnessing births and likewise, death. My early fascination with forensics, my life's journey and my experiences as a Registered Nurse have continued to shape my experiences and creative writing.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

My poetry book is a journey. A journey through many different phases in life or experiences. I believe that creating beautiful verses and weaving a colorful canvas for all to experience is divine. Creativity is what you believe it is to you. Poetry is to me as to what an orgasm is to a sex addict. Pure, driven, raw and emotional, leaving you WANTING, Yet, CRAVING more. Poetry allows me to give a VOICE to those people, concepts, ideas, beliefs, and THINGS that would have been otherwise ignored. It provides a lyrical “release.” A way for me to go beyond myself and experience the happiness, sadness,

heartbreak and pain of someone else.

This is THE POET’S SOUL. What book are you reading now?

I am reading Author E. L. James. Fifty Shades of Grey series of course. I am on the first book. Unfortunately, with all of my projects, work and school, I have been a slow reader. I am very interested in the development of the characters Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele throughout the series. From a medical prospective, I am very interested in Christian Grey’s psyche and his deep seeded “issues.”

What inspired you to become an author?

I believe that becoming a poet/author was a natural progression from years of writing. I firmly believe that everyone has a story to share. But, how many can expose themselves and have the courage to share? For me, writing, in particular poetry, is therapy.

I wanted to inspire others to share their stories, their experiences and their lives. I want my readers to feel comfortable purging themselves from the things that have stunted their growth. I want my readers to feel my poems in their souls and feel liberated.

Promote Your Book in the Bewitching Book Tour Magazine Contact RoxanneRhoads@bewitchingbooktours.com

Medusa, A Love Story

By Sasha Summers Blurb: It's said love can change a person. Medusa wasn't always a monster...

Medusa is ruled by duty, to her Titan father and the Goddess Athena. She's no room for the tenderness her warrior guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympus frees her from service, her heart leads her into the arms of the guard she loves... and curses her as the creature with serpent locks.

Ariston goes to war with a full heart... and dreadful foreboding. He learns too late of the danger Medusa faces, alone, and a Persian blade sends him into the Underworld. But death, curses, nor the wrath of the Gods will keep him from returning to her.

Poseidon will use Greece's war to get what he wants: Medusa. He does not care that she belongs to another. He does not care that she will be damned. He is a God, an Olympian, and she will be his.

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fH7xoZiCo Review by Louisa Bacio: Some books speak to a reader before the first page is turned. That’s exactly how I felt about Medusa, A Love Story when I saw its cover and read the background information. And, fortunately, it lived up to the expectations.

Author Sasha Summers takes one of the most feared mythological creatures – Medusa, a vile woman with serpents swarming in place of hair, who turns any man who looks upon her into stone – and instead creates a complex, loving woman who dotes on her family, and gives up her happiness for that of others.

Not all born into families look like their siblings and parents. Before Medusa took on the characteristics a dreaded Gorgon, she was but a lady, a priestess in Athena’s temple. She took the position as payment for her parents’ misdeeds.

“Love had never been peaceful, not for Medusa. In truth, she’d seen very little to indicate love existed. Duty was her fate. Duty did not waver. It was constant. And she was content with her station – most of the time.” (p. 19) Medusa’s view of love shifts with her new guard duty, Ariston. As a leader of soldiers, Ariston is supposed to escort Medusa to and from the temple, but something about her calls to him.

“She was indeed well, easing his worry while tempting his soul. Her veils offered no buffer to his heart, the whisper of her smile was a shadow through its gossamer fall – enticing him all the more.” (28) For those knowledgeable of Greek mythology, or even viewers of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Medusa’s life doesn’t end happily-ever-after. While Summers stays pretty true to the classic tales, she offers an ending that should leave readers satisfied.

In Medusa, A Love Story, Summers doesn’t weave a simple tale of romance, but an epic adventure of the heart.

Originally posted at http://louisabacio.blogspot.com/2012/06/lost-in-mythology-medusa-love-story.html

Would A Zombie Make a Good President?

-E Van Lowe

It’s an election year, and as we wade through the issues to decide which candidate would make a better president, I decided to it was the perfect time to ask the burning question; would a zombie make a good president? I know it’s a silly question, but I just wrote a book with the word “zombie” in the title, so bear with me.

I think zombies have some very positive qualities for being a national leader.

Zombies are incredibly resourceful. Think about it. How many movies have we seen where our heroes are in a supermarket, or in the woods, supposedly far away from any munching zombies when BAM! a zombie shows up out of nowhere ruining their day. In these difficult times, America needs a resourceful leader. 1 pt for zombies.

Zombies are not easily distracted. You can run from them, shoot at them, even set them on fire and they will keep coming. In a world where there are so many distractions, we need a leader who can keep his eyes on the prize--literally. That sounds to me like a zombie. 1pt for zombies.

Zombies are incredibly driven. When they want something—or someone—they pursue it (or him or her) with single-minded purpose. Once a zombie sets a goal for himself, he goes after it and either achieves his goal or dies trying. That’s a great quality for any leader. 1 pt for zombies.

But just as zombies have all the positive presidential qualities listed above, zombies also have a few negatives.

Zombies don’t listen very well, which is why they are so easy to kill: “Don’t come any closer,” says the man wielding the twelve gauge. “Don’t come any closer or I’ll blow your head off.” But do they ever listen? No. BLAM! 1 pt against zombies.

Zombie’s want to eat all the time. This can be a real problem in the war room where the joint chiefs are discussing strategy to keep the free world free, and all and our zombie president wants to do is eat their brains. 1 pt against zombies.

Zombies are not very well spoken. Who wants to listen to a state of the union address where “Raaagh!” and “Errrgh!” are the only words coming out of our president’s mouth? A president’s eloquence should reassure a nation, not scare them to death. 1 pt against zombies.

So far for me it’s a 3-3 tie. I need you guys to break the tie. Have some fun with it. Come up with a reason or two for or against a zombie being president. And while I have you in zombie mode, I hope I can get you to check out my latest novel, The Zombie Always Knocks Twice. It’s the first book in my new Hollyweird series.

If you like exciting paranormal stories with real adventure, romance and a juicy mystery at its core, I think you will enjoy it. You can find it on Amazon here: The Always Knocks Twice.

What inspired you to become an author?

There’s a funny story as to how I decided to write. I was a very active kid—very active. One summer when I was 9 I got pneumonia. It was summertime and I couldn’t be outside. My mother knew I’d be climbing the walls (and getting on her nerves) if she didn’t find a diversion for me. One day she said: “You like making up stories. Why don’t you write some of them down.” And then she threw in the kicker: “You can make money at it.” And so I started writing down my stories. It took me another 25 years to make money at it though. LOL. Do you write in different genres?

I write YA paranormal and also horror under the pseudonym, Sal Conte. If you’d like to know more about my alter ego, Sal. Go here: Sal Conte.

If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

I love writing YA paranormal. I can’t say why. It feels right for me right now.

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

People tell me I have some great titles, but I don’t feel I’m very good at titling. I always begin with a title in mind but it usually changes about 5 or 6 times. I got the idea that each book in the Hollyweird series should be a twist on an old movie title. For weeks I’d google movie lists to see which old title I thought would work for me. I believe The Zombie Always Knocks Twice was my third title choice, but it stuck. Only Boyfriend From Hell, and the rest of the Falling Angels Saga, had titles that didn’t change from my original choice.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

It is a bit of a coming of age novel, so yes. I try to keep some kind of message in all my books.

What’s the message in this one? Read it and find out ;-)

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

Yes. In the book Kris is a gifted child. Unlike normal gifted children, her gift is necromancy.

When I was growing up my older brother was gifted. When I was 10 or 11 and he was 12 or 13, I liked to play sports, he liked to do logarithms. I remember him trying to explain base numbers to me one day. It made no sense at all. I still don’t understand them. I said: “Dude, we need to go outside and play.” Anyway (while it wasn’t for me) it can be difficult on siblings when one child is gifted and the others are not. That is the basis for the relationship between Kris and her sister, Anne Marie.

Is there a genre(s) that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

I would like to write a chick lit detective series sort of like Janet Evonovich. I love Stephanie Plum.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

My favorite character I’ve written is the eccentric old Aunt in the Falling Angels books, Aunt Jaz. I love her retro apartment done in many shades of green. I also like the way she uses cooking and baking to help solve some pretty sticky paranormal problems.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

The Zombie Always Knocks Twice is the first book in the Hollyweird series. The second is Mommy Deadest (Yes, I have a title already, and now that I’ve told everyone, I can’t change it).

In the second book Kris has a new mystery to solve. She’s trying to help a “sleep walker” figure out why she keeps rising from the grave. Taila and Anne Marie are back and up to their old tricks. Randy is back as well.

What book are you reading now?

Yesterday I bought my first paper book in a long time: The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. I am currently finishing up Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I do have a writer mentor. He was one of my professors at USC, and I owe my career to his guidance. His name is Shelly Lowenkopf. Shelly has a new book for writers coming out in November. The Fiction Writer’s Handbook. This book is a powerful reference resource that every writer should have on his desk, filled with tools for writers rather than how-to advice. For more on Shelly’s book go here: The Fiction Writer's Handbook Do you have any advice for other writers?

I do have a bit of advice. Writing can be a tough and lonely profession. Develop a support group not, necessarily of writers, but of friends who will support you no matter what, and be there for you on those days when your life seems like a mountain of crap that is impossible to climb.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

I am currently completing the third book in The Falling Angels Saga, Heaven Sent, due out in December. I have had a crazy, busy year, and when I’m done with this new one I’m taking a vacation. If those of you reading this interview enjoy my current book, I think you will LOVE The Falling Angels Saga.

The Zombie Always Knocks Twice E. Van Lowe Hollyweird #1 Genre: YA Paranormal Publisher: Imajin Cover Artist: Ryan Doan Kindle ebook: 978-1-926997-74-2 Trade paperback: 978-1-926997-81-0 Page Count: 177 pages Book Description: Hollywood California, Swimming pools, movie stars… and now the risen dead Hollywood can be a difficult place to grow up, especially if you’re Kristine Golden, a fifteenyear-old necromancer with a sworn duty to lay the risen dead back to rest and no desire to be in the movie business.

When handsome deadie Alex Romero swaggers into her life, Kris must keep her promise, despite her growing feelings for him. If that’s not enough to give a girl a headache, a murderous zombie comes knocking at Kris’ door, rocking her world and threatening her family.

Can Kris solve the mystery of the rampaging zombie before someone else winds up dead? Or will the walking dead take over Hollywood and turn it into… Hollyweird?

The Zombie Always Knocks Twice – Excerpt The man coming up the block toward us in the hooded sweatshirt stopped directly in our path, about ten feet away. The hood dropped revealing his face. The hair on the left side of his head had been shaved off revealing tiny bits of bony white scalp. Huge staples held his crooked jaw in place. There was a large indentation in his forehead from some sort of blunt force impact. His left eye was covered with a milky, white cataract, and the right drooped unnaturally into his cheek.

My breath caught yet again. Standing before us was a zombie.

‘LEAVE US ALONE!” the zombie screeched. Then he took off on a dead run and plowed into Alex with the impact a freight train.

Just great, I thought. Hollyweird—where the dead come out to play.

Zombies aren’t what the movies make them out to be—slow moving, brain dead, brain suckers. They’re the result of a raising gone bad. They can be strong, and fast, and very dangerous. Also, a bite from a zombie won’t make you a member of the living dead, although I’m sure it must hurt like hell.

The one that plowed into Alex was almost six feet tall and about seventeen years old. He hit Alex with inhuman force, propelling him backward. They slammed into a parked car that seemed to explode on impact. The twisting metal and shattering glass sounded like a horrible automobile accident. The car was totaled, and Alex was embedded into the passenger side, like a toy soldier into a wad of Play Doh. “Oh, God!” I screamed.

Alex’s eyes were closed. He wasn’t moving… but the zombie was. He peeled himself away from Alex and the wreckage.

“Zombie!” I called at the top of my lungs. “I command you to tell me who raised you and what you are doing here.”

The zombie faced me, a puzzled look on his distorted face. It dawned on me he hadn’t known I was a necromancer until then—not that it made a difference. He wasn’t bound to me so he didn’t have to answer my questions. I was bluffing.

“LEAVE US ALONE!” He screamed in response. He started for me and a wave of fear rippled my gut.

“I command you to stay back!” I called, but my voice was cracking, my words lacked conviction. I took a few shaky steps backward. The zombie continued toward me.

Just then the sound of twisting metal snagged both our attention. Alex’s eyes were open, and he was separating himself from the wreckage. He shed the automobile with the ease of a snake shedding an old skin. He began advancing on the zombie.

“What’s going on down there?” We all looked up and saw three men, all Johnny dogooders, running up the block in our direction.

“Leave her alone,” one of them called.

The zombie looked from the advancing men to Alex and me.

“Hhhhh!” Hot breath hissed angrily at us. Then he took off past us like a deer, bounding up the block. By the time the men reached us he was nowhere in sight.

“You ok?” one of them asked.

“Yes. He… attacked us?”

“What the heck happened here?” Another of the men asked. He was staring at the twisted pile of metal that used to be a Buick.

Before I could open my mouth, Alex launched into an explanation. “My girl and I were out for a stroll, and he was taking a sledge hammer to that car when we happened upon him.

Guess it was some kind of vendetta. And when he saw us he decided to add us to the list.”

The lie flowed from his lips effortlessly.

“Hey, aren’t you on that TV show?” the third man asked.

Alex smiled. “The Beloved. Yes. You watch it?”

“No, but my girlfriend does. She can’t get enough of you vampire guys.”

Any suspicions the men may have had about our presence on the street or Alex molesting me immediately vanished. Alex was a bona fide Hollywood star. I guess they thought all stars were boy scouts. Where have they been?

Several minutes and three autographs later the men were gone, and Alex and I were walking back to the party.

“You told that lie like you do it all the time,” I said.

“I’m a dead person among the living. I do do it all the time.”

That wasn’t what I was talking about, but I didn’t push it. He seemed annoyed. I guess being attacked by a zombie wasn’t an everyday occurrence for him either.

“If it makes you feel any better, I memorized the car’s plate number. I’ll take care of the damage,” he said, his words softening.

“Thanks. That does make me feel better.” I wanted to hold my tongue, but I couldn’t.

“So, you have any enemies who’d want to send a zombie after you?”

“I don’t have any enemies. I’m a lover not a fighter.” The annoyance was back.

“Maybe you loved the wrong woman.”

“I’m dead. I can’t love any woman,” he replied. The words were seething with anger or pain. I couldn’t tell which.

“He said ‘leave us alone.’ Who’s us?” I asked.

“I don’t know!”

He was getting agitated again so I dropped the subject. But not without noting there was more to Alex than he was telling me. A vindictive zombie had been set loose in Hollywood. It was something I needed to look into along with the deadie from the diner. My, my, I was suddenly a very busy girl.

Erotic Muse

By Roxanne Rhoads The pen waits patiently ready to caress between the lines It teases open the notebook waiting for the muse to respond to the rhythm of the rambling pen Dipping into her ink inviting, urging, begging her to come Penetrating the imagination fantasies flowing onto paper Words spilling on the page Orgasmic inspiration

The Accidental YA

By Laura Bickle Sometimes, where we start out isn’t where we end up.

THE HALLOWED ONES was one of those projects. I began wanting to write a rural fantasy – something a bit different from the urban fantasy I had been writing. I love urban fantasy very much, but I wanted to turn it around a bit and see what darkness is like from a rural perspective.

I also wanted to experiment with writing first-person. Katie, the protagonist of THE HALLOWED ONES, is a young Amish woman testing the boundaries of her rural life. I wanted to see what life would be like from her point of view. I grew up in a rural area, within driving distance of a pretty big Amish settlement. I remember seeing Amish girls my age and wondered what their lives were like.

I knew that Katie would have to be a young woman – I wanted her to be still young enough to be unmarried, to be struggling with Rumspringa. Rumspringa is the time in Amish life when young men and women can experiment with the outside world before being baptized into the Amish church. I wanted Katie to wonder about what lay beyond the boundaries of her land, to be curious about the world around her.

As the work came together, I did some more experimenting. I played with horror elements.

Katie’s Amish settlement appears to be the last safe place on earth from a plague of bloodthirsty creatures. In thinking about a post-apocalyptic world, it occurred to me that the Amish would be well-equipped to survive. And I wanted them to be facing some pretty feral creatures, creatures that remind them of vampires, with their violence, fear of sunshine, and aversion to holy ground.

I didn’t shy away from the gore and the harsh decisions it would take to survive in such a world.

Once the story was complete, I sent it to my agent. I thought about whether it would work best in the contemporary fantasy or the horror market.

And to my surprise…she said I’d written a YA novel.

So I re-read the book, and it began to come together for me. I never explicitly gave Katie an age.

Katie was dealing with many of the issues that young adults deal with: questioning authority, creating her own identity, and developing her own moral compass.

It was a happy serendipity. I’d wandered into new territory for me, territory that’s challenging and also really exhilarating.

But it also affirmed the idea to me that when we write, we’ve gotta follow the story. Trying something new often brings us far away from where we began. And challenging ourselves and shoving at those boundaries is a good thing.

THE HALLOWED ONES

By Laura Bickle If your home was the last safe place on earth, would you let a stranger in?

In this captivating thriller, an Amish settlement is the last safe haven in a world plagued by an unspeakable horror…

Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church. But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble. It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world. Something is out there...and it is making a killing.

Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a de-cree: No one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the bounda-ry of their land, she can’t leave him to die. She refuses to submit to the Elder’s rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community—but what else is she bringing in with him?

THE HALLOWED ONES Laura Bickle Reading level: Ages 12 and up Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Graphia (September 25, 2012) ISBN-10: 0547859260 ISBN-13: 978-0547859262 Laura Bickle is represented by Becca Stumpf at Prospect Agency: becca@prospectagency.com

Publicity Contact: Karen Walsh, 617-351-3647 Karen.Walsh@hmhpub.com www.hmhbooks.com

About the Author Laura Bickle's professional background is in criminal justice and library science. When she's not patrolling the stacks at the public library, she can be found reaming up stories about the monsters under the stairs. She has written several contemporary fantasy novels for adults, and THE HALLOWED ONES is her first young adult novel. Laura lives in Ohio with her husband and five mostly-reformed feral cats. For more about Laura, please visit her website at: www.laurabickle.com.

Advance Praise for THE HALLOWED ONES "This is a book to make you fear the shadows--a horrifying and gruesome tale of faith, and things that blink red eyes in the night. I began reading in the daylight, and read on into the late hours, leaning close, biting my lip. I could not look away; I was ob-sessed. Katie is an unbreakable soul."

--Lauren DeStefano, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the Chemical Garden Trilogy

Review: Blood Guilt by Marie Treanor

Title: Blood Guilt (Blood Hunters #1) Author: Marie Treanor Synopsis: The first of a new vampire romance series, a sequel to the Awakened by Blood trilogy.

Mihaela, a fearless vampire hunter secretly haunted by loneliness and childhood tragedy, finds it difficult to adjust to the new world order where vampires are not always the bad guys.

She's taking a much needed vacation in Scotland when she sees a little boy being chased through the streets of Edinburgh. Rescuing him brings bigger problems - two vampires from her past: Gavril, who killed her family; and the reclusive and troubled Maximilian, gifted Renaissance artist and one-time overlord of the most powerful undead community in the world.

Maximilian once saved her life and now needs that favor returned.

The earth moves for Mihaela in more ways than one. From Scotland to Budapest and Malta, she races against time to prevent a disastrous, vampire-induced earthquake and save an innocent yet powerful child – all while fighting a dreadful attraction to Maximilian, her only ally, whom she can’t afford to trust. For Maximilian, the hunter becomes a symbol of renewed existence, as he struggles to accept his past and rediscovers his appetite for blood and sex - and maybe even happiness.

Review:

Blood Guilt is the first book in the new Blood Hunters series by Marie Treanor. This series is a sequel to the Awakened by Blood trilogy, This book can be read as a stand-alone but some things will just make more sense if you read the Awakened by Blood trilogy first. Mihaela was a secondary character in that series, and she plays the starring role in this book.

Mihaela is a vampire hunter who is a bit of a loner. She had had a traumatic childhood and she doesn't trust easily. She finds herself allied with a vampire named Maximillian to save a little boy from the vampire who murdered her family. Max also had a background role in the Awakened by Blood trilogy where he saved Mihaela's life.

Maximillian is tortured by his past. Him and Mihaela are both flawed characters who need someone to love. I love characters with “issues” - they are easier to relate to and they earn a soft spot in your heart more quickly. The characterization was great and Marie Treanor is an excellent writer. The pacing was good – it was quick enough to be exciting but not rushed. There was action and adventure along with romance, so this book had it all. Of course, my favorite part is always the romance aspect. There was plenty of sexual tension, steamy love scenes, and sweet romance.

It was nice seeing Elizabeth and Saloman from the Awakened by Blood series. I was a big fan of them and was a little sad to see their story end. I hope they will make another appearance in book #2 of this new series. I'm excited to see what happens next with Mihaela and Maximillian.

If you are a fan of adult paranormal romance, then I definitely recommend this book!

Available in ebook format at the following places: Amazon B&N Visit the author at her website: http://www.marietreanor.com Reviewed by Paranormal Opinion

Interview with Kate Lutter What inspired you to become an author?

That is such a great question, and I’ve been wracking my brain trying to remember the single moment when I decided I wanted to be a writer. I wrote my first novel in eighth grade. I founded the literary magazine in my high school. I started writing novels the night I heard a newly published author speak at a local library. I just came home and started writing the first fifty pages of what would be my first novel. I guess I started to write because I liked to read. I am a voracious reader. And an eclectic reader. I read across genre and keep my eye on the NY Times Best Seller List, but I absolutely adore the classics. Jane Eyre. Wuthering Heights. Pride and Prejudice. Those novels and those women writers inspired me to become a writer.

Do you write in different genres?

Now, I am writing paranormal romances, but I am projecting ahead and after I finish the sequel to Wild Point Island, I would love to get back to a women’s fiction book I’ve been working on about a reporter who discovers a one hundred year old murder in a diary . . . which links to a small town scandal. Oh, and there’s also a ghost stalker in the local cemetery. Title is in flux. The Ghost Stalker?

We’ll see.

If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

It’s a toss between romance and women’s fiction because those genres are broad enough to

include all the elements that make a good story—romance and mystery and yes, even a bit of the paranormal or the unexplained.

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

Well, I’m a Jersey girl, through and through.

Two years ago I was staying at my sister’s shore house—a lovely turn of the century Victorian house originally purchased from the Sears catalog, circa 1910 (believe it or not) on a tiny island off the coast of New Jersey. The island is called West Point Island. It is only about two miles long. I needed the name of an island for my story and thought Wild sounded more dangerous, more intriguing to readers than West, so voila, I penned the title Wild Point Island.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

For the novel I’ve just published, the title came rather quickly because I knew the story was going to be about two sisters who return to an island, where they were born and then banished from, and that their “hometown” so to speak would be a mysterious place and the focal point of the story. However, I’ve written four other novels, and it wasn’t always easy coming up with a title. In fact, the second novel I ever wrote, which I hopefully want to publish one day, is still in a state of title flux.

As I’ve tinkered with the story line, I have changed the title. Some authors liken writing

a story to baking a cake. They advise—bake the cake, then frost the cake SO they feel you should write the novel, then write the title.

Perhaps, they’re right.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes, the most important theme deals with the central conflict in the story—should the revenants be allowed off the island or not? The revenants are different from humans. They possess a slightly different skill set and could be perceived as threatening. Do they have the right to join human society? Or should they be forced to remain on Wild Point Island forever? Ella, my heroine, is a half human/ half revenant. She was banished from the island as a child and has been forced to hide her true identity all her life. Now, as she tries to rescue her father from the island, she is faced with a decision. Should she try to help the revenants get off the island? The revenants represent all groups of people who are different from the established quo, who don’t quite fit in, and who struggle for acceptance in the mainstream.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

At present I am working on the sequel to Wild Point Island called Beneath Wild Point Island, which is Lily’s story. She is Ella’s sister, and she was a real antagonist in my first novel, but because the story was written from Ella’s point of view we never really knew what was motivating Lily. I can tell you now that Lily knew things that she couldn’t share in the first book. She knew things about the island and about her father. Lily, too, will be drawn back to the island. She will have her own mission to accomplish.

My greatest challenge is to make the readers fall in love with Lily because she was so tough in the first book. She gave Ella such a hard time. She fought Ella at every turn.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I’d like to share what readers have been saying about the story. I’ve had several readers say that this is a very different kind of paranormal than they’re used to reading. The storyline is unpredictable, and it is keeping them on their toes. Since it’s written from Ella’s point of view and she’s returned to an island she was banished from twenty years before, you as the reader must go with her as she deciphers the world around her. Who can she trust? Readers have called it a real page-turner as they follow Ella on her journey. It’s a mystery and a bit of an adventure rolled into one. And it’s also a love story.

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

I’m so glad you asked this question because most writers live in fear until they see their cover. When I saw my cover for the first time, I literally lost my breath. Jeannie Reusch designed a cover for Wild Point Island that captured my story exactly—the Blue Dolphin Restaurant, the bridge that connects Wild Point Island to the mainland, the antique decanter of Euphorbia Candelabra that sits in the foreground. Even the blood red color of the title sends out that message of danger. You come to the island at your own risk. My favorite part of the cover is the stars that twinkle around the bridge indicating that only revenants can see the bridge. Yes! I love my cover.

When you’re not writing what do you do?

Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I’m addicted to learning Italian. My best friend was born in Italy, and most of her family still lives there. When she returns to visit, I sometimes go with her, and my dream has always been to speak Italian with them. That must sound crazy but years ago I was stuck in a room in Florence—alone—with a relative who

spoke no English and I spoke no Italian. We stared at each other. Finally—in desperation—he said, “Greta Garbo.” I said, “Yes.” And he proceeded to name every American actress and actor he could think of. He was trying so hard to be a good host. Then and there I swore I’d learn Italian. Since then, I’ve returned to Italy at least a dozen times and have been able to talk to this same relative, Pasquale, and I remind him of that day when we couldn’t speak to each other. Now we can laugh, but he was the one who inspired me to learn to speak this beautiful language.

I’m also addicted to pizza. And cats. I volunteer at a privately owned cat shelter called Tabby’s Place. They house over 100 cats. It’s a great place.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

Well, I’m working on the sequel Beneath Wild Point Island. And then next I’ll be jumping into what I’ve tentatively entitled The Ghost Stalker.

Your readers can keep up to date with all my antics by logging onto www.katelutter.com or by going to my blog: www.katelutter.blogspot.com Take care and thanks so much for interviewing me for this wonderful reader’s magazine.

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Transformation Series

Interview with Willow Rose Author of Savage What inspired you to become an author?

I have always told stories. I remember telling stories to my friends as a child in school and making them forget that they had to go out and play for recess. Even my teacher would listen in and he told me to keep it up and to write them down. I wrote several notebooks filled with stories that he read.

He encouraged me a lot. I went on to become a journalist and wrote my first novel when I was 28. It was published by one of the big Danish publishing houses.

Do you write in different genres?

I write both mystery, YA fantasy, YA paranormal romance and adult paranormal romance.

If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

Paranormal Romace adult or for YA. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The message of how important the choices we make as young can end up being for the rest of our lives.

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

The main character Christian in Savage is somewhat inspired by my husband. Back in '83 when he was 19 years old he was sent to Florida by his parents to live with a very wealthy family just like Christian in Savage. My husband's experiences coming from a small country Denmark to the big USA in the 80'ies are very similar to those of Christian, yet they do not share backgrounds. Christian has lost his mother in a young age and that has had a huge impact on who he is and why he acts the way he does. He matures a lot throughout the book and love changes him from being a selfish self-centered boy into a young man.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

I have just finished the sequel to Savage (Daughters of the Jaguar#1) and hope to have it out

by the end of September. First of all I will write three books about the main character Christian and his great love Aiyana. It is sort of a family-saga really. In the first book he is in his twenties and so is she. In the second book they have kids of their own and are in their thirties with all the problems and seriousness that comes with being that age. In the last book they will have young teenagers and face completely new challenges. I am also planning on doing a book about Aiyana, the magic spirit-filled Native American girl that he falls hopelessly in love with. About her and when she first discovers who and what she really is. I might also do a book about her sister who does telekinesis and their grand-mother who predicts natural disasters. I love those characters so much that they each deserve their own book.

What book are you reading now?

The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice my favorite author.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

In Savage we meet Christian who is a young man torn between the world of science and the world of magic. He has left his country of Denmark and is going to Florida to go to med school. He meets Aiyana who is a spirit-filled girl living in a completely different world than he is. Her family is descendants from the Timucua Indians that lived in Florida before the Spaniards came. They live in a world of magic, music and laughter and Christian feels so drawn to them. At the same time he has a violent encounter with a savage beast in the swamps of Florida, an encounter that makes him doubt everything he has always believed.

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

My husband. He designs all of my covers.

Willow Rose writes Paranormal Romance, fantasy and mystery. Originally from Denmark she now lives on Florida’s Space Coast with her husband and two daughters. She is a huge fan of Anne Rice and Isabel Allende. When she is not writing or reading she enjoys to watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

Daniel finds himself alone, in the midst of a full scale attack on the capital city with only his training and wits to get him to safety. Being the hero type, he also picks up innocents to protect and guide to safety along the way. His love, Cassie, is in peril, all the adults and peeps in charge are out of the picture, and communications are spotty. This is civil war in a futuristic society run by vampires and humans together who are under attack by vaempires, a newly evolving species who are bloodthirsty, cruel, and have an agenda that will take more than one book to resolve. Are you ready for the revolution? Cause this series is like chips – you won’t be able to stop with just one! Vaempires: Revolution is a GraveTells Recommended Read!

Title: Vaempires: Revolution Series: The Evolutionary War Author: Thomas Winship Prominent Characters: Daniel, Cassie Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Young Adult Recommended reader age: 15+ Sexual content level: None *** This review is SPOILER-FREE! Read on with confidence!*** I don’t read too much YA. I generally find that the ones with a female protagonist end up with love triangles that never resolve (I’m looking at you House of Night, Carrie Jone’s pixie series that started with Need… you get my drift.) However, when you get a male protagonist as the main character, things generally run differently. Thus my fan girl appreciation of Cinda Williams Chima’s Heir series. (It’s fantastic, go check it out).

So, Mr. Winship’s series, I’m totally digging. I like science fiction, which definitely influences this story. I also like futuristic stories with monsters and evolution. You can probably guess that I’m an X-Men fan.

This is a story about civil war, and the repercussions of a disenfranchised part of society growing strong enough and angry enough to resort to terrorist tactics to acheive what they want rather than using the slower-moving, peaceful diplomacy to achieve their ends. I think we can all agree that there are unfortunate examples of this happening in the news everyday.

While the vaempires are the “bad guys” in this series, I actually felt sympathy for them. Their acts are atrocious, the means they use deplorable, and yet, I understood the motivation. I empathisized with them. Maybe that’s why I like Magneto et al in the X-Men movies. Meh, y’all know my brain doesn’t work like most other people’s.

Daniel is a great hero, trained since birth to step up and help those in need by his father and the role they play in the vampire government. His lady love, Cassie, is a real live princess, but shrinking violet wall flower she is not. Both of them have spines of steel, smarts, compassion, and a sense of responsibility to the greater society at large. No spoiled brats here.

My only problem with this book is that Daniel and Cassie are both only 15. Now, they’ve been

brought up, groomed to assume very adult roles if the need arose. So, perhaps they really would be able to handle the violence, terror, and huge responsibilities thrust on them the way they do. I just found myself wondering when the break down would occur. They are only kids after all.

However, they’re not human, this is futuristic/other species/urban fantasy. So maybe I need to take a chill pill and just enjoy the ride.

I’m going to reiterate what I said above, check out Cinda Williams Chima’s Heir series, starting with The Warrior Heir. It’s the start of a fantastic trilogy with heroes and heroines you’re going to love following on their journey of self discovery, war, and the path to a new world.

The world is masterfully created, and even though this book ends on a cliff hanger, it only leaves you salivating for the next installment. The hero and heroine here are tough, resourceful, and willing to sacrifice themselves for their people – I don’t know if I’ve liked a couple of kids in a book more than these two in recent memory. I’ve already gone and bought the prequel novella Vaempires: White Christmas because I want to learn more about them and their world. At .99, it’s quite a steal, IMO. Winship has the start of a very promising series here, and I’m happy to say that I was really surprised by the quality of this book. I generally avoid self published books, but there wasn’t a single editing error or “what the hell” moment for me in this book. Go get a copy! Vaempires: Revolution is a GraveTells Recommended Read!

Originally posted at http:// gravetells.com/2012/06/13/review-vaempires-revolution-the-evolutionary-war-by-thomaswin-

Interview with BA Morton What inspired you to become an author?

As a child I lived opposite the local library. I’d read a book a day.

When I’d read all they had. I started scribbling little stories of my own. I’m still scribbling.

Do you write in different genres?

Yes, I write crime fiction and historical fantasy both with romance as an additional element.

If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

To be honest I like them both, but if forced to choose I’d say Crime fiction. I like the movies, Mrs Jones has been described as an action movie in print. I enjoy the challenge of creating a fast moving, exciting plot.

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

I was listening to the song Mrs Jones and the characters of Connell and Lizzie came into my head.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

Title first. I have a whole heap of titles just waiting for the books to catch up with them.

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

Not deliberately, but I think it’s very hard not to let characteristics of known people creep in. A few friends/family members who’ve read Mrs Jones have recognised traits and mannerisms, rather than actual people.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

Currently, I’d have to say Connell from Mrs Jones. He’s a good guy, loyal to his friends and a bit of a lady’s man. He also has a past which allows his darker side to reveal itself occasionally.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

The next in the series, Molly Brown, takes the characters from Mrs Jones forward by about 18mths. Connell’s on the trail of crooked cops and a serial killer. A vulnerable child with an obsession for the Wizard of Oz throws in a curve ball and Connell risks his life and his relationship with Lizzie as he seeks to save the child and the day. There are delicate plot threads which link this to the first story, and indeed to the third book, but all can be read as individuals.

What book are you reading now?

I’m reading The Midget’s House by Anita Bartholomew. It caught my eye when looking for kindle reads. It’s a bit of a spooky romance, a little quirky, and I’m enjoying it.

What books are in your to read pile?

I have about sixty on my kindle waiting to be read, some day I hope to have the time. Top of that list has to be Sam Towle’s latest contemporary romance, The Mighty Storm. On my real bookshelf, I have Selkie Dreams by Kristen Gleeson, a wonderful story about the early missionaries in Canada, and on pre-order, Just Whistle by Alfie Robins; a truly unique crime story. As you can see, I read a variety of genres. I like books which surprise and entertain.

What books/authors have influenced your life?

I grew up with Enid Blyton, CS Lewis and Tolkien, and all those great adventure stories that fuel the imagination. Now, I read the likes of John Connelly. I love his complex plots and tortured hero, trying to do the right thing and not always succeeding. Ian Rankin a British writer who combines gritty crime with black humour is another favourite. Ken Follett’s epic, Pillars of the Earth, a wonderful evocation of life in medieval England is a book that I particularly treasure.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I have a number of works on the go, in addition to the Connell and Wildewood series’. The one that’s keeping me up late at the moment is Miller a deliciously dark thriller, with a very bad leading man. A ruthless bank robber gets more than he bargained for when he picks up the hostage from hell. Secret agenda’s, confused identities and divided loyalties with a love, hate relationship thrown in for good measure. I do love a tangled plot.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Some say you should write about what you know, which is fine if you lead an exciting life, have mad adventures and crazy love affairs every day of the week.

I prefer to write what I like to read.

Don’t be disheartened by rejections or negativity, not everyone will love your

work, just make sure you do. Don’t be complacent either, Edit...edit…edit! A wonderful story can be smothered by unnecessary prose.

Do you have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that you think represents this book?

Mrs Jones, (the Michael Buble’ version.)

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

In my time I’ve been a civil servant, nursery nurse and even did a stint at a greyhound track. 4yrs ago my hubby and I sold up and escaped the rat race to live in the beautiful Northumberland National Park. I’ve been a scribbler most of my life, but only began writing seriously after our move to the country.

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I like creative hobbies, the outdoors and medieval history. I keep chickens and can be bribed with chocolate!

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

I have the first book in a medieval, time travel, fantasy series due out in September.

“Wildewood” is a tale of unchivalrous knights, hidden treasure and romance. It’s set in the ancient woodland around my own home in Northumberland and is loosely based on the history of the area, the mystery of the ancient crypt buried beneath the floor of my cottage, and tales of witchcraft and lore.

BA Morton 26.08.12

*** This review is spoiler-free! Read on with confidence! *** Pride, a 17 year old werewolf, is pretty much a slave. Kept in a cage, she is only allowed out into the world when her master says so. When an opportunity arises for her to gain her freedom- something she wants more than anythingPride takes it. But she is being hunted- and it’s not just her master who’s after her…Pride’s Run is a GraveTells “must read!”

Title: Pride’s Run Series: A Wolf’s Pride book #1 Author: Cat Kalen Prominent Characters: Pride, Logan Reccomended Reader Age: 14+ Sexual Content Level: Very little Pride has lived her whole life in captivity. Her sole purpose is to use her werewolf abilities to track, kill, or capture the targets her master sends her after. The rest of her life is spent training for missions and being locked in a cage like an animal. Parentless and without any siblings, Pride has no family to comfort her. The only people she has are a few fellow werewolf friends who are also prisoners. She can shift at will, but on every full moon, she is forced to change and has no control over her wolf.

Days before the next full moon, Pride receives some terrible news- her master will be forcing her to spend the night of the full moon in Stone’s cage to mate. Stone is not like the other captives, however. He’s several years older than Pride, and is an aggressive, almost cruel, alpha male. Horrified and angry, Pride knows she has to find a way to escape her master’s estate. When she is sent on a new recruiting mission, Pride takes advantage of the situation and bolts. She meets up with Logan, the werewolf target Pride was supposed to capture, and knows she’ll need this alpha’s help if she wants to outrun her master, as well as the PTF (the Paranormal Task Force, which is a group of people who hunt werewolves.)

Pride was such an enjoyable character to read about. I love that she was not only strong, but intelligent, too. She has plenty of reasons to want to kill her master, but she knows she has to bide her time and not act impulsively. She thinks before she does anything stupid, and I admire that about her. There are so many heroines in the YA genre who don’t have this trait, so it was refreshing to read about someone who knew when they had to remain calm, even though they didn’t want to, because it was the smart thing to do. And though initially she didn’t want Logan’s help, she realized and accepted the fact that she needed someone with his knowledge of the outside world if she was going to survive. I like that she kept her attitude throughout all the years she was kept a prisoner, and that she never let herself be “broken.”

And speaking of Logan, can I just say how much I love him? He’s a sweet guy, but also protective and possessive. He had to earn Pride’s trust (as she does NOT trust easily) but he never lets her down. The two of them make an amazing, powerful couple. Pride may be a trained killer, but when it comes to relationships, she’s kind of lost. It was amusing to read about her attempts to sort out and manage the new, foreign feelings she developed for Logan.

Pride’s Run was an awesome book, with intriguing characters and the perfect amount of action and romance! It was a great book to kick off the series with.

Aw, poor Pride…

The pewter in his eyes bleeds into his inky black pupils and when he looks deep into my eyes, I get the sense that he can see past the fur, the eyes, the girl, and see into my soul, and can see how damaged I really am.

Now THIS is chemistry…

Everything in the way he touches me, and everything in the way he looks at me has shattered my last vestige of control and I know in this instant, life as I know it will never be the same again.

Check out Moon Spell by Samantha Young, the first in the YA Tale of Lunarmorte series, which also feautures a teenage werewolf heroine. Oh, and it has a pretty hot love interest, as well, who’s *also* an alpha werewolf.

I recommend Shiver, too, the first book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, by Maggie Stiefvater.

This series is also a YA series about werewolves!

Overall, Pride’s Run was a fun, entertaining read. Cat Kalen is a talented writer, and it clearly shows in this book. I can’t wait to start Pride Unleashed, the next book in the series. If you’re a fan

of YA, and like reading about werewolves, you have to check this one out! It’s a GraveTells must read!

Originally posted at http://gravetells.com/2012/02/17/review-prides-run-wolfs-pride-1-by-cat-kalen/

Dark Light of Day Noon Onyx Book #1

By Jill Archer Genre: Urban Fantasy Publisher: Ace ISBN: 978-0-425-25715-9 Number of pages: 384 Word Count: 123,000 Barnes & Noble Amazon Book Description:

Armageddon is over. The demons won. And yet somehow…the world has continued. Survivors worship patron demons under a draconian system of tributes and rules. These laws keep the demons from warring among themselves, the world from slipping back into chaos.

Noon Onyx grew up on the banks of the river Lethe, daughter of a prominent politician, and a descendant of Lucifer’s warlords. Noon has a secret—she was born with waning magic, the dark, destructive, fiery power that is used to control demons and maintain the delicate peace among them. But a woman with waning magic is unheard of and some will consider her an abomination.

Noon is summoned to attend St. Lucifer’s, a school of demon law. She must decide whether to declare her powers there…or attempt to continue hiding them, knowing the price for doing so may be death. And once she meets the forbiddingly powerful Ari Carmine—who suspects Noon is harboring magic as deadly as his own—Noon realizes there may be more at stake than just her life.

Failing is not an option...

“I’ve been watching you, wondering, waiting to see where you’d end up. After all, there are other demon law schools,” Seknecus said, making a moue of distaste that made it clear exactly what he thought of them. “But I was happy to see that you chose St. Lucifer’s.”

Technically my mother chose St. Lucifer’s . . . But there seemed no reason to interrupt just to clarify that bit of misinformation. Seknecus wandered around the room, picking through papers, flipping open and quickly shutting the front covers of various leather-bound books, never meeting my eye. I had no doubt, however, that his attention was fully focused on me.

“So, you see, seeing your name on my List wasn’t exactly a surprise, although it appeared much later than I would have liked.”

He did look at me then, with a frown of disapproval. I did my best to look expressionless because none seemed appropriate. It wouldn’t do to look amused, bored or, Luck forbid, rebellious. Seknecus stared at me with narrowed eyes and then went back to wandering.

“You’ve got some catching up to do,” he said, addressing a copy of Sin and Sanction: Codification & Case Law. “It doesn’t matter why or what excuses you’ve got for yourself. You will be held to the same standards as everyone else, regardless of whose daughter you are. And you’ve missed a lot of class already.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off with a wave.

“Manipulation class,” he clarified. “You’re going to have to work ten times as hard as everyone else just to pass. Quintus Rochester doesn’t go easy on students and he’s likely to see your absence during the early part of the semester as a challenge. You know, failing is not an option. Not if you want to live.”

Author Bio: Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jill earned a bachelor of science from Penn State University and later moved to Baltimore to attend the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude. She went on to practice law as a “dirt lawyer” for ten years, specializing in real estate law, municipal development, commercial leasing, and anything involving exceedingly lengthy legalese-like contractual monstrosities.

Jill now lives in rural Maryland with her two children and husband, who is a recreational pilot. Weekends are often spent flying around in the family’s small Cessna, visiting tiny untowered airfields and other local points of interest. website: www.jillarcher.com blog: http://jillarcherauthor.wordpress.com twitter: @archer_jill facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillarcherauthor goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13556956dark-light-of-day

Interview with Jill Archer Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I'd love to! In a nutshell, Dark Light of Day is about Noon Onyx, a first year law student who is being trained to represent demons. But the story is as much about Noon's magical and romantic struggles, as it is her academic ones. The book is a blend of genres -- fantasy, mystery, and romance. Most of the story takes place at St. Lucifer's, a dark, forbidding university campus in a fictional country called Halja.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

That the road to self-acceptance is never easy. That it's full of wrong choices and second guesses. It’s my hope that readers will feel both Noon’s joy and sorrow as she learns to deal with a crushing course schedule, feuding beaus, parents who don’t get along, and some very nasty, lethal clients.

How did you come up with the title?

Dark Light of Day was originally titled Demon's Advocate. I thought that title best reflected the biggest storyline -- the character's forced marched toward becoming a demon's advocate.

"Demon" and "advocate" also seemed to nicely sum up two major elements of the book -dark fantasy with a legal twist. But my editor suggested changing it to something more evocative and less clinical, to better fit the mood and tone of the story. I came up with the new title, which hints at Noon's name and her dark, fiery magic.

Is the book, characters, or any scene based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

No. Nothing in Dark Light of Day is based on an actual person, place, or event. Noon is completely made up, as is her demon law school, St. Lucifer's (or St. Luck's as the students call it). Halja, the country Noon lives in, isn't even a contemporary setting. It's a fantasy world with a 1900's technology level. If any of the book's scenes were truly based on real life, they wouldn't be half as darkly forbidding, madly passionate, or gravely dangerous as the DLOD scenes are. In short, Dark Light of Day is law school on fantasy steroids.

That said, I did use my own experiences as a law student, adjunct professor, and legal practitioner to create the characters and the setting. It was fun transforming my real world memories of a fairly staid, very upstanding profession into the demon filled world of Halja.

Who designed the cover for Dark Light of Day? Dark Light of Day's awesome cover was designed by art director Lesley Worrell and rendered

by cover artist David Palumbo. The original artwork can be seen (and purchased) here: http:// www.dvpalumbo.com/clean.html.

I love reading about covers and how they're designed. If your readers want to hear more about my thoughts on DLOD's cover or my participation in its design process, they can read about it here: http://jillarcherauthor.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/cover-reveal-for-my-debut-novel-darklight-of-day/.

And if anyone else loves Dark Light of Day's cover as much as I do, they can also vote for it in The Quillery's September debut author challenge cover contest: http://qwillery.blogspot.com/ p/2012-dac.html. (To be fair, I must admit there are a lot of other fantastic September debut covers!)

Is Dark Light of Day part of a series... what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Dark Light of Day is the first book in the Noon Onyx series. I loosely describe future books as having "new assignments, new adventures, and new adversaries!" Dark Light of Day covers Noon's first year at St. Luck's. Book #2 is set during her second year. Some of the characters from Book #1 will return, some new ones will be introduced, and Noon will receive her first field assignment.

Which writer would you consider a mentor? And do you have any advice for other writers?

My agent, Lois Winston, is also an author. (She writes the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries). She's been extraordinarily helpful, highly accessible, and wonderfully candid about everything I've ever asked her about and many things I didn't.

Kristen Callihan, author of the Darkest London series (a historical paranormal romance series), has also been terrific. We met while attending a science fiction and fantasy author panel before either of us were published. In the time since, we've had several fun lunches and she's generously shared tips, advice, and encouragement.

I'm also a member of various writers groups, both locally and online. For the most part, I've found the writing community to be very supportive of one another. Speaking of that, I have a "For Writers" page on my website with some general tips for anyone who is just starting out. I also host guest blog series every now and then for any author who fits the theme of the series.

(This past summer, I did a "Spring into Summer Romance" series; this fall I'm doing a "Fall into Winter Darkness" series.)

Thanks, Roxanne, for interviewing me for Bewitching Magazine! I appreciate having the opportunity to share more about Noon Onyx and Dark Light of Day with your readers!

Interview with J. Bridger What inspired you to become an author?

I’d been writing for a while in different ways.

Professionally, I was published in a few journals when I used to be a graduate student studying developmental psychology, and I also, actually, had one piece published in Slayage, the online journal of Joss Whedon and Buffy the Vampire Slayer studies.

Personally, I had been writing fanfiction before for various fandoms (under a different name from my current pen name). Among them, again, was Buffy, although it’s been about eight years since those particular stories. Still, I’d written a lot of fic, and writing became something I preferred to do more than almost anything else as a daily hobby. I figured if it was something I was doing anyway and people liked my work, then why not expand it to original stories and take it to the next level. Honestly, whether I just wrote the stories for myself and some friends or even just put them all in a desk drawer, I’d always be writing. I’m definitely addicted to it.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I am not sure. I have a flippancy in what I write and love snark and sarcasm. There’s always a sort of Gen X or Daria nihilism and sardonicism there. That said, while I like to and can do a lot of rapid fire funny dialogue, I can also bring the tears in sad scenes too.

I’d say in general I go for the funny with some serious undertones, but I don’t think, looking at things I’ve written so far, that I can be completely pigeon-holed as “just snark.”

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

It took a while and talking with my formatter and some beta readers. I settled for Shifted Perspective because I’m cheesy and wanted something in the title to be a play on words/ reflection on Caleb’s shape shifter nature.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

I almost always title something after it’s been completed. I think the title sets the tone and sets up reader expectations. You can’t give a title that truly reflects the work until the first draft’s done, and you know exactly what you’ve written.

Is there a genre(s) that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

Actually? I’ve never done non-paranormal or non-science fiction based work. I’ve always added a fantastical element to what I write. One day, sure, I’d like to tackle fiction that’s completely realistic and has no werewolves or monsters or anything like that, but that’s not for right now.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

Well I’ll go with the ones whom I’ve published; I’d say Penny Spencer from Shifted Perspective. She’s the sometimes consulting psychic by day and beagle bomb sniffer by night for the L.A.P.D. who ends up dragging Caleb into a lot of the intrigue in the book. She was never in any of the original outlines or planning, but I wanted the oneoff joke of Caleb’s cousin trying to set him up on a date with another canine shape shifter. Penny grew from that one scene and felt like such a natural a fit that she got bumped up to lead in the novel and in the series as a whole. I really enjoy her and her “take no bull” attitude.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Yes, this is the first book of a series called Tails of Change. I’m excited to be doing this as a series because, while at least the first five or so books are linear, I’m also making it so I can go and look at any of the shifters in the books for their own personal stories.

For instance, it’s definitely on my calendar far down the line to look at the story of Caleb’s Uncle Nicholas back in Greece, and then what it was like for him to immigrate to America.

Currently, however, I’m writing Shifted Perspective’s immediate sequel, which is untitled as of yet. This installment takes place about a month after the first book ends, and it involves Caleb meeting a selkie and realizing it’s not just canine shape shifters out there after all…

What book are you reading now?

Currently, I’m reading a book by Jody Wallace called Pack and Coven. It’s a paranormal romance between a witch and a werewolf, and I really have been enjoying it, especially the way she treats her female lead, June. June spends her time hiding her immortality by casting glamor spells to age herself superficially. I like that the way the book is set up that the love interest, Harry, doesn’t know off the bat what June is and falls in love with her personality and soul as an older woman, and then it blossoms from there.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Ellen Fisher, who also writes as Meg Harris and Gem Frost, has helped me a lot. She’s been a friend for about five years now, and Ellen’s had so much experience in selfpublishing (mostly romance books) that she was great to me. She always answered my questions, encouraged me, and to guided me through the process. I definitely couldn’t have done this without her.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

Not sure. I mean, it’s probably not a secret all this is fake and there are no werewolves out there, alas. An extremely random fact about me is that while I was living and working in Bolivia, I took courses in one of the indigenous languages of the Andes called Aymara so I can speak it still a very little. As far as that relates to writing, I’m kicking around ideas for a different paranormal YA series about a girl of Bolivian and/or Andean descent who’s a demon, but, again, that’s in the planning stages.

Still, hopefully having lived in and studied that culture will help me crafting that.

Shifted Perspective Tails of Change Book One

By J. Bridger Genre: paranormal young adult Number of pages: 192 (as a word doc/.PDF) Word Count: 69, 977 Cover Artist: Rebecca Weaver Book Description: Caleb Byrne is a bright high school senior who has enough to deal with between college choices, taking care of his single dad, and dealing with his headstrong girlfriend Joanna and an eccentric set of cousins in California. He was managing to get by until the day he woke up a Cocker Spaniel. Even if it only happens monthly and is more embarrassing than painful, the so-called ability is something that he's anxious to be rid of.

He didn't realize his transformations would drag him into a hidden society of canine and lupine shape shifters as well as a family legacy he hates. To make matters worse, after moving to Los Angeles to learn more about his heritage from his Aunt Moira and his cousin Kalista, Caleb now struggles through life-and-death matters. He keeps angering the werewolves in charge of the shifter world, especially Kalista's boyfriend Peter, the Southern California alpha's son, who also happens to be grade-A sociopath. Worse, Caleb's floundering to keep his secret from Joanna.

While his family offers him some support, they may not be enough as Caleb realizes that the rules in shifter society---number one being don't kill humans---are not so ironclad. Some werewolf out there is leaving a blood-soaked trail across the Midwest and it might just be with the alpha's blessing...

Series of Vampire Inspired Haiku: Roxanne Rhoads

24 Hour Fruit Salad

By Lisa McGeen

smell of fear and lust the terror and arousal ultimate pleasure

Ingredients 1 egg, beaten

love on bloodstained lips drinking your fill of nightmares desire is unleashed mystical vampire centuries of seduction blood stained surrender erotic vampire my intimate fantasy drink the sacred wine my sexual wish enchanting transformation drink your fill of me

lush lips on crystal drink arousal and nightmares blood stains on velvet

1 tablespoon lemon juice  1 1/2 teaspoons butter  1 tablespoon white sugar  1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks - drained with juice reserved  1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained  1 (15.25 ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained  1/2 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows  1 banana, sliced 

1Directions 1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg,

lemon juice, butter, sugar and 1 tablespoon of the reserved pineapple juice over low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick.

Whisk in poppy seeds. Remove from heat and chill.

2. Once dressing is cold, fold in whipped cream, pineapple, orange segments, fruit cocktail and marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Just before serving, mix in the banana.

Book 5

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We are now accepting submissions for the October issue of Bewitching Book Tours Reader Magazine October will be the Halloween issue and we hope to feature some spooktacular fun.

We would love to see some paranormal and Halloween themed short stories and poetry along with the normal articles, interviews and book reviews.

If you have Halloween or paranormal artwork you would like to display we are open to featuring that as well.

For every issue we are acceptreader oriented articles (a round 1200 words or more) book reviews poetry author recipes (preferably with images) flash fiction (around 1200 words) featured excerpts (around 1000-1200 words) author interviews Please send your submission to Roxanne with Bewitching Magazine in the subject line RoxanneRhoads@bewitchingbooktours.com Ad space rates are: $40 full page ad $20 half page ad $10 quarter page ad