Sharon Lipman's Blog

A brand new, dystopian thriller from Amazon best selling author, Brandon Zenner is available for pre-order now. To celebrate its release, the author is offering the book for just 99c PLUS he's giving away 5 signed copies of previous release, The Experiment of Dreams, and there's a chance for you to win $10 Amazon or B&N giftcards! As always, commenting on this post will gain you extra entries.

To whet your appetite, we've also got an exclusive excerpt. Happy reading, everyone!

The After WarBrandon Zenner

Two years have passed since mankind faced extinction.

Brain Rhodes and his cousin, Steven, are leaving the protection of their underground bunker for the first time, after a cataclysmic war and unrelenting disease ravaged the earth.

On the other side of the North American continent, young Simon Kalispell is leaving the safety and seclusion of his cabin deep in the woods, traveling with his aging canine companion, Winston.

For individual reasons, these men are traveling east, where the fragmented lives of a small number of survivors will soon be decided by the choices of a corrupt few.

Simon Kalispell and Brian Rhodes are not yet aware, but the strength that resides inside them will soon be tested, and destiny will call for their fates to be forever intertwined.

| Pre-order at Amazon |

Exclusive Excerpt

Brian Rhodes cracked open the solid steel trapdoor of the bunker, using his shoulder to carry its weight as he stepped up to the next rung of the ladder. A rush of warm, dusty air sucked down the entry chute, pulled in like a vacuum from the plank-board shed built to conceal the shelter door and the two men who had been hiding below ground. Brian kept his pistol at eye level as the metal door creaked, and a horizontal slit of light—real sunlight—hit his eyes for the first time in over two years.

About the author

Brandon Zenner is an American fiction writer and an Amazon best selling author. His short fiction has been published in both print and online publications, the first being submitted when he was 19 years old. THE EXPERIMENT OF DREAMS, his debut eBook thriller, has reached Amazon's best seller list many times. His second novel, WHISKEY DEVILS, was released in early 2016. THE AFTER WAR, a dystopian thriller, is available now as a pre-order, at 80% off the final sale price. You can follow the author on his Amazon page, or through his email list on his website. All email subscribers will receive his futuristic short story, HELIX ILLUMINATED, for free as a thank you. His genres of choice are thrillers, crime, dystopian, and science fiction.

Follow Brandon
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Giveaway

Brandon Zenner will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC 

to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.

In addition to the commenter prize, the author is also raffling off five signed copies of THE EXPERIMENT OF DREAMS (drawing will be October 21). Here is the sign up

I've been talking to some fellow authors about their marketing strategies. One in particular had good numbers of reviews across most of their books, and I wondered how she'd done it. That is, I didn't want to insinuate that her books don't deserve the reviews - because they totally do - but how on earth did she get the book in front of so many people, so quickly? She told me she'd done a lot of work in getting sign ups to her newsletter and she'd taken part in a lot of giveaways. She pointed me in the direction of the Self Publishing Round Table.

At the end of September, I decided to take part in a cross author promotion. The idea being that 150 authors of all genres of romance novels club together to promote their books. The $20 fee went towards a prize fund which would attract new readers to the promotion - win either a Kindle Fire, or Amazon gift vouchers. Competitors could get extra entries into the draw by signing up to author's mailing lists. It also paid for boosted posts and adverts via Facebook.
The book the author wanted to promote also had to be free for the weekend, drawing in huge numbers of interested readers who could get 150 books for free, enter a prize draw, and discover some new authors.
At first, I was a little reticent about giving my book away for free. Let's face it we'd all love it everyone just discovered the book, bought it, and left 5 star reviews all the time. Back here in the real world, especially with a debut novel from a self published author, things are a little more tricky than that.
Visibility. That's the key.
So, I paid my $20, sent off all my information, set my freebie via KDP, and waited for the 3 day promotion to begin. After all, I'd done some research and heard good things about previous promotions Self Publishing Round Table had run - not just from my friend, but other authors too. Fingers crossed I hadn't just wasted my money.
When promo day came along, I posted a few links on social media, as well as my blog and newsletters to existing subscribers.

So what happened?

The results were pretty amazing to be honest. 
The promo ran from September 28th - September 29th. I actually started my freebie through KDP on the 27th and ran it until the 30th because time zones ALWAYS catch me out.
Here are the download results for the 4 days. That's a total of 2634 downloads. Free or not, 2634 people have a copy of my book who wouldn't have otherwise

But they got it for free! What good is that?

True. They did get it for free. BUT I did this promotion in the hope of raising some awareness and getting some more all-important-reviews. Good or bad, reviews are good for the Amazon algorithmic voodoo and boosting the book's visibility. 
In the month since the promotion, Bound to Blackwood has scored 10 new reviews. Nearly all of them are 4 and 5 stars and most of them go down as "verfied purchases" to please the Amazon gods.

The downloads also helped boost my rankings. In the weeks since the promotion, I've climbed from complete obscurity, to just plain old obscurity! Seriously though, I have gained a whopping 297506 places according my Author Central account, and that's not to be sniffed at.

Bound to Blackwood's best seller's rank is much better than it ever has been too, and has even broken the top 200 in one of its categories.

What else did I get?

270 lovely new people to interact with via sign up to my mailing list. Yes, some of them are going to be people who are only interested in getting free stuff, and competitions etc. But, I host plenty of offers from other authors and talk about new releases and so forth via my blog. Hopefully most of them will stay.
I emailed everyone about ten days after the promotion, welcoming them to the list and telling them what they could expect from future mailings. I also offered further free copies of Bound to Blackwood to anyone who had somehow managed to sign up, but missed out on snagging their free copy. I gave everyone five days to get back to me.
I repeated the process again a few days later, but only included people who hadn't opened the message and told them they had just a few days left to claim their copy. 
I sent another one, excluding people who had replied or opened the previous mails, telling them they had just twenty-four hours left to claim their copy.
Sixteen people wrote to me asking for their free copy and thanking me for letting them know.
In total, eight people unsubscribed - which is to be expected, and is actually a good thing. I want to be communicating with people who actually want to hear from me.

The other fantastic thing for me? KENP reads. 

There's been some controversy over the last six weeks or so about changes Amazon have made, and how a certain feature called "page flip" is effecting how page reads are registered. For me, the last four weeks have been my best EVER for page reads. My figures normally languish at a couple of hundred page reads a month, if I'm lucky. 
Since the beginning of October, I've averaged nearly 2000 page reads A DAY, with a total of 35,035 page reads, month-to-date. 

When I sent those emails to my new subscribers, I included links to the book on my website. My stats tell me quite a number of people went from there to various Amazon sites. According to the statistics I got from Self Publishing Round Table after the initial promotion, 2,898 people accessed the smart link to my book via the promo page. Perhaps those extra 534 people chose to read Bound to Blackwood through Kindle Unlimited instead of "purchasing" a copy. Perhaps my attempt to claw my way up the Amazon rankings has resulted in the extra visibility I'd hoped for and readers have found Bound to Blackwood that way. It is difficult to tell since Amazon don't provide any statistics as to where these page reads are coming from. Either way, I'm looking at a mahoosive increase in readership this month so I'll take that, thank you very much!

So there you have it. $20 very well spent, I think. I'd definitely recommend Self Publishing Round Table for help with promotion and mailing list sign-ups.

Remember, Bound to Blackwood is my debut novel. It's a standalone but designed to be the first in a series. I need to be realistic about it. I think it's always going to be a loss leader, and I'm okay with that. 
Want to know more about Self Publishing Round Table? Visit the website here.

Don't forget to let me know your thoughts in the comment section!

Sign up for more stuff like this!

About the BookForever does not go on unchanged.

Caitriona Hayden’s destiny as the Dracopraesi dragon’s North Star is no clearer to her than it was weeks ago. However, Cait’s eternal future seems a minor concern while the vengeful elves continue taunting the dragons, now using violence against the human population in their desire for war.

Battles of war aren’t the only ones fought.

King Corrin struggles to make peace with his coming end, and as his family bonds heal, stronger relationships and alliances form among Cait and her dragons. Theo may have won her heart, but Oliver fills a void long left by the passing of her uncle, and each dragon is a part of Cait’s family.

But a darkness bleeds through to change their world.

When faced with decisions of life and death, Cait, Theo, and demigod Dante must choose unpredictable paths, chance outcomes of eternal consequences, and make dubious promises. As Cait displays unexpected abilities, complications arise, more details of her destiny are revealed, and she discovers the inherent risks of fearing change.

Every era has a beginning and an end. There are things in the world no one is meant to stop.

BLOOD OF STARS AND GODS is book two in the exciting Stars and Souls trilogy, sequel to Amazon #1 Contemporary Fantasy: FIRE OF STARS AND DRAGONS!

Author BioMelissa A. Petreshock is a full-time wife, mom, and writer returned to her home state of Kentucky after a number of years spent living in Massachusetts. She spends quiet days writing, while her evenings and weekends are often spent involved with her children's extracurricular activities.

When not busy with her family or writing, she indulges in too much coffee, loud music, random dancing, and lots of fandoms. Melissa favors causes demanding social change such as mental health awareness and teen suicide prevention.

BLOOD OF STARS AND GODS is the sequel to her debut NA Fantasy Romance novel FIRE OF STARS AND DRAGONS, and the second book in the Stars and Souls Trilogy. To learn more about the series, check out her website.

Find Melissa online:

melissapetreshock.com

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Links

Buy BLOOD OF STARS AND GODS on Amazon

Giveaway

Win an eBook copy of BLOOD OF STARS AND GODS and a $5 Amazon gift card. 

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

STOP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING!

There are over 150 romance ebooks ready and waiting for you ABSOLUTELY FREE!

The books range from short stories, part one of serials, novellas, novels and a few multi-book bundles in EVERY romance genre you can think of.

What are you waiting for?

Download, read, and enjoy!

Burden

Lucy Trilogy Book 1

Winged Series Book 11

L.M. Pruitt

Genre: Urban fantasy/paranormal romance

Date of Publication: July 26

Book Description:

All my life, I've had plans.

Dying the day before beginning the final year of my surgical residency wasn't one of them.

Finding myself drafted in the eternal war between good and evil wasn't one of them, either.

And dealing with friends, enemies, and lovers I don't remember?

Definitely not in my plans.

Curse

Lucy Trilogy 2

Winged Series Book 12

L.M. Pruitt

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: August 27

Book Description:

The problem with plans?

Even the best ones can go awry. And when they do... all hell breaks loose.

If I've learned only one thing in the last few months, it's the past never dies.

Four plagues down. Six more to come.

We need more than a plan.

We need a miracle.

Redemption

Lucy Trilogy Book 3

Winged Series Book 13

L.M. Pruitt

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: September 29

Book Description:

The problem with miracles?

They require a deity who cares.

And if you don't have one of those... you need a sacrifice.

Or the world ends

About the Author:

L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice. She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.

http://www.lmpruitt.org

https://www.facebook.com/pages/LM-Pruitt/364776895104

https://twitter.com/lmpruitt

http://www.amazon.com/L.M.-Pruitt/e/B00427WOW4/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4320796.L_M_Pruitt

We've got a brand new contemporary paranormal romance to brighten up your Monday morning. There's an exclusive excerpt, as well as a chance to win a $20 Amazon or B&N gift card. If that wasn't enough, Night Magic is also available for just 99c for a limited period! Happy Monday, everyone!

Night Magic 

Book 1, Moonlight & Jasmine Series

by Kathleen Ann Gallagher

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Krista Winter is in need of legal counsel. Several years ago she was forced to flee her life as a teacher in New Jersey after being shunned for practicing witchcraft, and her past is about to catch up with her.Jon Bartolo is a dedicated attorney. His days are spent helping his clients with their struggles, and his nights are spent in agony, lost in a world between life and death. His mother, who died three years ago, lurks in his house, suffering from a curse for eternity, without a final resting place.A smoldering fire ignites between Jon and Krista almost immediately, however, he’s sure his secret would frighten any woman away. An afternoon escape brings them closer, but doubts linger between the love-struck couple.Burning questions about how to fuse their futures together with so much of their past still clouding the future becomes a heavy burden that they’re both trying to bear on their own. It will take a touch of magic if there’s any hope in sight.
Get your copy for just 99c!

Exclusive Excerpt

Steadying herself, Krista stared into his eyes with her heart racing. As Jon moved in again and plunged his tongue deep into her mouth, he caressed her back, and she surrendered mercifully to his touch. Each passion-filled kiss felt as if he was a long lost lover who had reappeared and claimed her heart’s desire. There was no telling what might happen next. Her whole body relaxed as he nuzzled her ear, teasing her with playful nips at her neck. All rules had been broken, but it didn’t matter. His hard shaft rubbed up against her, and she swayed back and forth, unable to break away from temptation. Jon’s breathing sped up as his hands traveled up and down her back. She quietly moaned, lost in another world. Every movement brought her one step closer. Was she lonely enough to have sex with a man she’d just met? Each kiss weakened her guard. Maybe it was fate. As his hand trailed across her back, her body rocked with his. Each flicker of his tongue along the sides of her mouth was electrifying, as if he wanted to devour her, and she found herself in a trance-like state. This was what she’d been missing. Running her hand across his firm bicep, the room spun. The warmth of his body was raising her level of arousal. Here, in the middle of his office, she experienced a passion like no other. Everything seemed right. Lust took control of her senses, and she let herself go with it. With each kiss, he cradled her in his arms, his embrace warm and protective like a warrior of love. How did this happen? Had she found the man she was destined for, or was it all a dream?

About the Author

Kathleen writes contemporary and paranormal romance in her home in New Jersey, where she lives with her husband and their two fur babies, Luc and Chaz. She spent years working as a registered nurse in an emergency room. She is also active in Community Theater. She has three children and three lovable grandsons. Her favorite romantic getaway is Cape May, New Jersey. You might find Kathleen on a beach down the Jersey Shore, wearing a straw hat and sipping on an iced tea as she plots her next romance novel.

You can find Kathleen at the following places:

Giveaway Time!

To be in with the chance of winning a $20 Amazon or B&N gift card, simply enter the Rafflecopter below. As always, commenting on this post will earn you extra entries! Good Luck!

It maybe a miserable Monday morning where you are, but we've got a brand new paranormal romance to cheer you up! There's an exclusive excerpt, plus the chance to win one of three copies of one of the author's other titles - Gabriel. 
You can thank us later!

My Soul to Keep

A deadly cycle…a haunting legacy.

From the moment Detective Caitlyn Decker arrives at the scene, she knows this crime is anything but a routine killing. The cryptic note. The contradictory evidence. The violence. There’s no doubt in her mind her life’s about to get complicated. Add Special Agent Deacon McGraw into the mix—a man she’s had an unfortunate crush on for the past six months—and it’s shaping up to get downright messy.

Deacon has waited twenty years to solve his father’s murder. If his calculations are correct, this recent killing is connected to it, and the start of something grisly. After nearly convincing himself his father’s outlandish theories on a cold case were nothing more than a slow slide into madness, Deacon’s suddenly faced with a harsh truth—no one’s going to believe him, either.

Caitlyn’s not sure what to make of Deacon’s claims. But she’s willing to give him a chance—one that quickly translates into more than just a working relationship. Becoming lovers carries more risks than simple heartbreak. One miscalculation, or a loss of faith, and they just might lose their souls.

Exclusive Excerpt

 “Bloody hell.”

Detective Caitlyn Decker shook her head before pressing her fingers against the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes as pain throbbed through her temples, not that it’d do much good. The headache had already taken root, somehow pulsing with every beat of her heart. Nothing but time or drugs would touch it now. And, somehow, downing half a bottle of Motrin while working a murder scene didn’t seem like a viable solution. She glanced at the paper again, rereading the words scribbled across the crisp white sheet.

Some choices are easy, some aren’t. Can you guess which one this was?

Christ, she’d officially seen it all.

A male snort drew her attention, and she shifted her focus as Detective David Truman knelt beside the body, giving it the once-over. He gazed up at her, exhaling loudly as he gained his feet. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, nodding at one of the CSI technicians as they snapped some photographs.

He turned to face her. “Not exactly the kind of case you want to grab at the end of a shift, huh?”

She shrugged. “Thinking there isn’t a right time for a case like this, period. We both know that note means trouble.”

Truman glanced at the paper, nodding. “Just another Wednesday as far as I’m concerned.”

She frowned at his hollow tone, spinning slightly toward him. “You sound more cynical than usual. Everything okay?”

“Peachy. You?”

She shook her head. “Fine. Keep secrets.” She toed the pavement. “So, you aren’t on shift for another two hours. Why the early start?”

“I needed to get out of the house, and I heard the call come through over the radio. Thought I’d check it out…see if you wanted me to take it for you.”

“And let you have all the fun? That’s crazy talk.” She nudged his elbow. “You and Clare okay? We can go grab coffee after if you’d like.”

“God, who are you, Dr. Phil? I’m fine.” He glanced over her shoulder, cursing. “Looks like the feds just pulled up. You sure you don’t want me to take this? Their presence here probably means a joint endeavor, and seeing as you got stuck with the last one…”

Caitlyn did her best to calm the sudden pounding of her heart. The last thing she needed was to sound breathless. And all because of who might have just arrived. “I’m good. But I can count on your help if I need it, right?”

“It’ll cost you.”

“It always does.”

Truman gave her a mock salute before trudging off toward his car. She heard him murmur a token hello to the fed he’d mentioned, the gravelly reply beading her skin with a sudden rash of goose bumps. She took a few soothing breaths, only to jump when a rumble of thunder sounded off to the east, the promise of rain heavy in the early morning air. A nearby streetlight buzzed as it flickered, casting odd shadows against the brick building before settling, again. She turned up her collar against a blast of cold, damp air, tucking her hands in her pockets. After a few weeks of summer-like weather, the sudden shift into more typical spring temperatures felt even colder than usual. Or maybe it was just her. A reminder of how little else she had in her life to make the endless string of homicides bearable. To chase away the incessant chill that seemed to have settled bone-deep inside her.

Footsteps scuffed the pavement behind her as the fed moved into her peripheral view. She didn’t turn to greet the man. Couldn’t. Not when her face felt more than flushed. Special Agent Deacon McGraw—or Deke as he usually went by—headed the violent crimes unit for the Seattle branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and he seemed to be the bureau’s prime choice in interagency ventures. Not that she had a clue why he was here. As far as she was concerned, this was just a routine killing in an alley of one of the poorer districts the city had to offer. Nothing to suggest it fell under federal jurisdiction. Her gaze strayed to the paper lying beside the victim’s bloody body, the words glaring at her. Perhaps routine wasn’t quite the correct term.

Deke cleared his throat as he crouched beside the corpse, using a pen to twist the paper slightly. He cocked his head to the side, glancing at her as he stood. “Just what this city needs, a killer with a twisted sense of humor.”

Caitlyn crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll admit. I found the note…odd.”

He chuckled. “Odd? It’s creepy as hell, though I think we both know the answer to his question. The way the throat’s been sliced damn near through to the vic’s spinal column, the arcs of blood against the wall, not to mention the fact the guy’s been virtually gutted…thinking it wasn’t a hard choice for the bastard that did this.”

“I don’t know…all that defensive bruising along his arms, the marks on his head. The guy fought hard. Could suggest reluctance on the part of our perp.”

“Or the killer’s not as strong as he thought he was.”

Caitlyn snorted, waving at the guy spread out across the black asphalt. “The victim’s easily two-twenty and those muscles aren’t fake. The guy obviously put in some heavy hours at the gym. And that faded tattoo on his wrist means he was part of the Fifth Street gang at some point. That kind of street tough doesn’t ever really go away. Thinking there aren’t many people who’d even consider taking him on. Lord knows, I wouldn’t want to have met him in a dark alley.”

“At least, not to fight.”

“Seriously, Deacon? He’s not even cold, yet.”

“But he was pretty. Thinking guys like him would want that noticed, even under these circumstances.” He winked at her. “Especially by a sexier than hell cop.”

“That’s detective to you, G-man. Besides he’s not my type.”

“That so? What is your type, Detective?”

“Still breathing would be a good start.”

Deke grinned, the simple gesture making her heart race. Damn, but the man was handsome. Shaggy brown hair, the perfect amount of scruff, and those eyes—so fucking blue it made her stomach flip-flop. She’d had an unfortunate crush on the guy since they’d worked an assignment together six months ago, and bumping into him every few weeks on any potential crossover cases only made the fire in the pit of her gut burn hotter.

She drew in a much-needed breath, turning to fully face him. “So, there something about this case I’m unaware of? A reason I’m going to have to play nice with the bureau?”

Deacon placed his hand over his heart, the wind tousling his hair around his face. “And here I thought you liked playing nice with me. That hurts, Caitlyn.”

She did her best to ignore the way his words curled over her flesh, making her skin prickle as if he’d actually touched her. Damn, she shouldn’t react to him like this.

She glanced at the body again. “Is this where you tell me there’s a slew of other bodies just like this one scattered across the country? All with cryptic messages that make your skin crawl? Which makes this whole damn mess some jurisdictional bullshit? Because honestly, if that note is any indication of what direction this case is going to take, I might be inclined to just hand it over to you. No fighting. No whining to my superiors.”

His expression sobered, the lines of his face becoming slightly harsher. He scanned the alleyway, motioning her to join him in a relatively unoccupied area off to their left. Caitlyn followed him, unsure whether it was curiosity or the inklings of fear making her stomach tighten. Or maybe it was just him. He stopped when he reached a dumpster, looking up and down the narrow road again before focusing on her. Those crystal blue eyes of his made her breath hitch, the intensity of his expression bordering on lethal.

She reached up, palming his shoulder, wondering why he suddenly seemed so serious. As if the previous banter had just been for show. “Hey, you okay?”

“I was better before I got here.”

She pulled her hand back, tucking it in her pocket. “Thanks, Deke. Way to boost my fragile ego.”

He chuckled, leaning in dangerously close. His breath feathered over her cheek, rustling the wisps of hair that had pulled free from her ponytail. “Sweetheart, you’re the only silver lining in this whole mess.”

Her face heated again as his jaw brushed hers when he eased back, palming the brick behind her head. The position virtually trapped her between him and the building, his chest grazing hers as she inhaled deeply. Her pulse kicked up as her breasts rubbed across his pecs, the slight friction making her nipples peak against her shirt. Thank God she had on far too many layers for him to notice. She cursed inwardly. Now wasn’t the time or the place to consider anything other than the task at hand. But damn…every new case, every lost soul just seemed to be a hollow echo of her life. Claimed a bit more of the part of her she’d tried to lock away—keep safe. And she knew that, sooner or later, there’d be nothing left of her. Nothing left for her to give to anyone other than an empty shell of the person she’d once been.

She scanned the area, expecting someone to start yelling suggestive comments, but no one seemed to notice them. Or maybe everyone was simply too focused on the dead body splattered across the pavement to spare them a passing glance.

Caitlyn schooled her features. “Obviously, there’s something much deeper going on here than one creepy note and a dead body. So spill.”

Deacon tilted his head slightly, a hushed sigh sounding between them. “It’s…complicated.”

“Everything with you is…complicated.”

He arched a brow. “I could say the same thing about you, but…” He raked his free hand through his hair. “For the record, this isn’t the first body. Or the first note. There’s just one catch.”

“There always is.” She moistened her lips, quirking her mouth into a hint of a smile. “And…”

“The truth is, this is the thirteenth victim in a string of killings, all of which have the same MO and the same type of cryptic note.”

“Thirteenth? Strange how I haven’t heard anything about it. Not so much as a bulletin over the wire. There a reason for that?”

“The murders began about sixty years ago. The killer seems to target fit, young males in their prime. There were six deaths, then nothing for about forty years. Then suddenly, there were six more. An agent tied the two cases together, despite the first file being buried beneath a bunch of high security red tape, but he was killed during the investigation. The bureau pretty much back-burnered the whole thing when the killings stopped as mysteriously as they’d begun. In fact, there hasn’t been another case…until now.”

About the Author:

Kris Norris is a jack-of-all trades who's constantly looking for her ever-elusive clone.

A single mother and slave to chaos, Kris started writing some years back, and it took her a while to realize she wasn't destined for the padded room, and that the voices chattering away inside her head were really other characters trying to take shape. (And since they weren't telling her to conquer the human race, she went with it. Though she supposes if they had...insert evil laugh).

Kris loves writing erotic novels. She loves heroines who kick butt, heroes who are larger than life, and sizzling love scenes that leave you feeling just a bit breathless.

For more information on other books by Kris, visit her website or follow her on Facebook:

Giveaway Time

To be in with the chance of winning one of three copies of Kris Norris's paranormal romance, Gabriel, just enter the Rafflecopter. As always, commenting on this post will earn you extra entries. Good Luck!

A J Norris' new paranormal romance, Her Black Wings is set for release today and let us tell you, it looks great! To celebrate, A J dropped by for an interview to talk about writing, inspiration and what's next. There's also a fantastic giveaway to take part in. There are 2 $25 Amazon giftcards, 2 copies of Her Black Wings, 1 tote bag and autographed book, and 1 Kindle Fire up for grabs! To be in with a chance of winning, just enter the giveaway at the end of the post. Don't forget, commenting on this post will earn you extra entries! 

Let's hear what A J had to say:

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.

I live in southeast Michigan with my husband and son. I work two jobs; a full-time, 9 to 5, one that I have to go to and; one as a romance author. Which one do you think I love? ;) I have written two books for my paranormal series (I’m working on the third) and two romantic suspense books. Oh, and countless other manuscripts that I started and never finished.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

Her Black Wings, book one of the Dark Amulet Series was inspired by a very short story I wrote about a dark angel. The character was more complex than I originally thought and she made sure I portrayed her accurately for this book.

Amalya Rivers longs to die and end her lonely existence—but it doesn’t work out that way…

A former runaway turned criminal, Amalya is murdered and thrust into a treacherous world full of red-skinned, horned beasts under the control of the Demon Ruler, Abaddon, instead of enjoying peace and serenity like she hoped. But saving a young child from a certain brutal death in the last moments of her life has earned her a chance at salvation.

Elliott the Redeemer wants no part in saving another soul…

After one too many failures at redeeming lost souls, the nail-biting, self-pitying Elliot has had enough of his work and would prefer to live out his eternity on Earth drowning in bourbon. It doesn’t matter that Amalya has grown black feathered wings signifying the good that still dwells within her. He can’t risk failure again.

Amalya must save someone from her past in order to escape Abaddon’s rule…

She has to prevent the now grown child she saved from committing murder or risk returning to Netherworld with Abaddon for good. She can’t do it alone, though. Amalya needs the help of the angel sent to guide her, but their emerging love might not be enough to convince Elliot she’s worth the risk.

Amalya loves her black wings. She knows she’s meant to be an angel—and she will stop at nothing to prove it…

What authors or books have influenced you? 

I’d have to say romance books in general. They are my most favorite and the reason why I write romance.

What are you working on now? 

I’m working on book three in this series called Her Black Soul.

Do you have any advice for new authors? 

Write everyday if you can. Join a critic group and learn as much as you can about your craft. The more you write the better you get.

What is the best advice you have ever heard? 

Don’t edit your manuscript until the first draft is complete. You can always fix anything later but you can’t fix a blank page.

What's next for you as a writer? 

More writing, more books

Anything else you'd like to add? 

I also write romantic suspense and have one on the way but I don’t have a release date for that yet. Hopefully soon.

About the Author

A.J. Norris is a romantic suspense and paranormal romance novelist. She began writing as a way to dim down the voices inside her head. She enjoys being able to get inside someone else's head, even a fictional one, and see what they see. Watching how her characters deal with difficult situations or squirm with the uncomfortable ones make the hard work of writing all worth it. She is a movie buff, especially book adaptations, loves watching her son play baseball and communing with other writers. She lives with her family who are extremely tolerant (at least most of the time) of all her late nights behind the computer.

Keep in touch with AJ

Giveaway Time!

As we said at the top of the post, we have an amazing giveaway for you. There are 2 $25 Amazon giftcards, 2 copies of Her Black Wings, 1 tote bag and autographed book, and 1 Kindle Fire up for grabs! Just enter the Rafflecopter to be in with a chance of winning one of these fantastic prizes. Don't forget, commenting on this post will earn you extra entries! Good luck!

Debut author, Victor Catano wrote an urban fantasy described as "witches, magic, true love and psychic dogs!" Who wouldn't want to find out more about the guy who wrote that? We know we do, so we were pretty pleased when Victor popped by for a chat. Here's what he had to say.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.Hi! I'm Victor Catano. I live in New York City and I work in theater as a stage manager, technical director and light designer. I work at the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. When I'm not writing or working, I love to watch baseball and musical theater. (I sing along to show tunes in the car - badly - with my wife, Kim, who is an amazing singer.) This is my very first novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

My book is called Tail & Trouble. It is the story of Gabriel and Orson. Gabriel's girlfriend, a witch named Sheila, has gone missing. Her coven won't help him find her. His only ally is Sheila's familiar - a bulldog named Orson - who is psychically linked to both of them. The trail leads them to Florida, where they run smack into a plot to steal Orson. The plan is spearheaded by a mysterious wizard named Yareth, who may be the only one who knows where Sheila is. 

I was inspired to write this book by my wife, Kim, and our dearly missed cocker spaniel, Oliver. Kim always swore that he was psychic and telekinetic. He could always seem to make treats roll off the table and food drop out of your hand and into his mouth. When I met my wife, she had already owned Ollie for a few years. She said she knew I was a good guy because Ollie loved me so much. He passed away of old age in 2008 and we still miss him. 
One day we were stuck in a traffic jam in an over-heated car near Myrtle Beach. I wished very intently to be able to snap my fingers and make the stupid cars ahead of stop rubbernecking and drive. That's when the idea for the story clicked into place.

When Gabriel’s witch girlfriend doesn’t return from her latest trip, he gets on the road and heads out to find her. Sheila's coven is secretive and distrustful of Gabriel, so the only help he has is Sheila's familiar, a bulldog named Orson, who is psychically linked to both of them. 

In Florida, they walk right into an elaborate plan to steal Orson. A mysterious wizard named Yareth is behind the plot, and he may also know where Sheila is. 

Gabriel and Orson will have to fight for their lives as they navigate around all the magical roadblocks to force Yareth’s hand. They won’t give up until Sheila is safe.

What authors or books have influenced you?

I've always loved funny books. I'm a big comedy nerd. I remember hearing Monty Python's Lumberjack Song on the radio when I was eight and being amazed and trying to commit it to memory. I love a good quip! I think that's reflected in Orson's love of Jerry Orbach in the book. 

I'm also a big fan of crime novelists like Elmore Leonard and Jim Thompson, and their spare style. I really take the Elmore Leonard writing tips to heart, especially the one about leaving out the parts people skip over.

And I'm a fan of Jim Butcher and his Harry Dresden books. How could I not enjoy a series about a magical PI? And Craig Schaeffer's Daniel Faust series, with a magical con man in Vegas. 

Basically, if it's mystery, SF, or fantasy, I'm into it. 

What are you working on now?

I am working on a follow up to this story, which takes Gabriel & Orson to the wilds of Maine in the dead of winter. (The working title is The Winter of Our Distemper. I do like a good pun.) So if you enjoyed this book, there will be more coming soon!

I am also working on a horror novel that I started during the NaNoWriMo last year, but didn't finish. It's called Magnolia Square and is set in Savannah, Georgia during the taping of a Big Brother style reality show. 

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Since I'm a new author myself, I can share some of my experiences. 

Feedback is important. Find a writing group, either in person or online, and share your stories. I can get much too close to stuff I'm working on that I lose all perspective. Outside eyes are vital. They will let you know if you really are in trouble or if you've just read the same paragraph far too often.

Editors are SUPER IMPORTANT. Oh my goodness! I thank Alyssa Hall, my Red Adept editor, every day for all the work she did on this book. She was invaluable in spotting plot holes, clunky writing, and overused words. (Apparently my characters like to smile all the damn time.) Even if you decide to self-publish, HIRE AN EDITOR. It will be the best money you spend. (Plug: Red Adept offers professional editing services at reasonable rates!)

And finally, GET A PROFESSIONAL COVER! I know Mom said not to judge a book by it's cover, but that is literally all that happens on Amazon every day. The cover is when you have about three seconds to make an impression on an Amazon shopper and get them to click on your title. Everyone's seen the horrible covers on Amazon when scrolling through the kindle selections. Don't be that guy, who looks like they only had Microsoft 95 Paint to work with. I love my cover. It's the first draft I saw from Streetlight Graphics. It's eye catching, clean, and gets the tone of the book across.

6) What is the best advice you have ever heard?

There's a Patton Oswalt routine called Death Bed, where he rants about a terrible horror film about a bed that's possessed by a demon and eats people. It's very funny, but the inspiring part for me comes at the end when he talks about the writer. After talking about his own problems finishing screenplays and getting fed up with the writing process, he realizes that the Death Bed author powered through any doubts he might have had and finished the script and got it produced. 

The message, for me anyway, is always finish what you start. I found this comedy bit to be oddly inspiring when I wondered if I should keep going with the book when I got frustrated. 

Here is the bit: (Warning: coarse language, if that offends you.)

What's next for you as a writer?

Fame and fortune, right? That's how this works, isn't it? 

I'm just going to keep my head down and write. In the first book I was just writing a chapter here and there. Now, I feel like I should be cranking out more and more pages. 

Anything else you'd like to add?

Just that I'm so happy I found Red Adept Publishing. It's a great place and very supportive. I've made some great friends there and they are fantastic people to work with. 

Thank you so much for having me!

Keep in touch with Victor

That's right, we've got another great book to share with you today, along with a fantastic excerpt, plus a chance to win a $10 Starbucks gift certificate. What more could you want on a Monday morning?

Love, Alchemyby Eden Ashley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daveigh Little is no stranger to bad choices, but when one of them lands her in hot water, she finds herself on the run from a ruthless criminal who places a price on her head…and then there is Ethan. 
From the moment she first laid eyes on Ethan Remington, Daveigh knew there was something very different about him…she just didn’t know how different. 
With the habit of showing up exactly when she needs him the most, Ethan displays an uncanny intuition towards Daveigh’s whereabouts. But then the tables are turned and soon Daveigh realizes that it is Ethan who actually needs saving.

Exclusive Excerpt

The Party

Cooper’s fingers dug into her arm with bruising force, leaving Davey no choice but to defend herself. Punching out with the heel of her free hand, she struck him in the nose. Rearing back in pain, he immediately let go and she struggled to keep her footing. Recovering, Cooper snarled and lunged to retaliate. Davey scrambled but wasn’t fast enough to escape his reach. And then suddenly she didn’t have to. A dark figure stepped into Cooper’s path, and seconds later, Cooper was on the ground bleeding and wearing a dazed look. He wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon.

Deeply shaken, Davey opened her mouth to thank her rescuer, but he had already gone. Swallowed up by the dancing mass of sweaty teenagers.

Davey wanted to be home at once. All she could think of was cuddling with Hogan while reading him a bedtime story before tucking him in. She ran outside, yanking a hoodie over her head to protect against the chill. Gulping in the misty fresh air, she calmed down enough to slow to a stroll and began what would be a long walk home. But there he was. It hadn’t been her imagination. Remington stood on the shadowy road, blocking Davey’s path.

She stopped several yards from his position. A safe distance away, she hoped. “What do you want?”

His reply was so low she could barely make it out. “I needed to be sure.”

Davey’s heart was thudding out of her chest. Had he seen her dealing? “About what?”

“That you were okay.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t expected that. “If you were so worried, why didn’t you stick around?”

“The directive tonight was recon only.” Remington took a step closer. “I think I may have compromised it by causing a scene.”

Weirdo alarm bells ringing at full volume, Davey took two steps back. “I’m sorry saving my ass messed up your mission. Thanks anyway.” Going in the other direction would get her away from him but also make the trek home thirty minutes longer. It really didn’t seem like a bad trade off.

“What did that guy want from you?”

“It’s none of your business.” Davey quickly started walking.

Remington followed. “You could have been hurt.”

“Again, none of your business.” She doubled her stride, but he kept pace effortlessly. Forging ahead for about fifty feet, Davey stopped. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m escorting you home.”

Flabbergasted, her mouth opened and shut. “Why?” she finally asked.

Remington watched her for a quiet moment. His features were oddly attractive in the glow of the streetlights. “I swore to serve and protect. It’s my job to keep you safe.”

Unconvinced, she gestured toward the house where the party raged on. “So a cop is going to show up and escort every one of those kids home too?”

“No.”

She folded her arms. “Then why are you following me?”

Remington shifted. “I don’t know.”

It wasn’t really an answer, but the way he spoke, as well as the manner of his movements, made the words seem true. Plus, Remington hadn’t appeared comfortable admitting them.

“What’s your name?”

“Officer Remington.”

“Well, I don’t like cops. Give me something else to call you.”

“Like what?”

Davey rolled her eyes. “Like your first name.”

“Oh.” Remington smiled. The expression transformed his features, and she thought he should do it more often. “Ethan.”

“Okay, Ethan. Walk me home.”

About the Author

Realist, cynic, and hopeless romantic all rolled into one, Eden lives in a small, sunny town in SC where thunderstorms inspire her best ideas. When not daydreaming about her next novel, Eden can be found curled up with a musty old paperback and a cup of coffee...or mired deeply in her next plot to take over the world. She enjoys reading or watching anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal and fantasy romance is a natural fit.

Keep in touch with Eden






























Giveaway time!

Enter the giveaway to be in with the chance of winning one of two $10 Starbucks giftcards. As always, commenting on this post will earn you extra entries! Good luck!