Book Tour--ELVEN BLOOD

Goddess Fish Book Tour

ELVEN BLOOD by Debra Dunbar
An urban/contemporary fantasy

AN INTERVIEW WITH DEBRA
-What book and/or experience made you want to be a writer?

I’ve always been a storyteller, and becoming a writer was just a natural growth from my love of sharing my imagination with others. At five I found a neighbor’s flower garden in a clearing surrounded by woods. It became a magical place between the worlds. I’d convinced all the neighborhood kids that we could see the elves and fairies at dusk, if we were very quiet and didn’t scare them off.

Once I learned to write, my storytelling just moved to the page. I wrote animal stories, mysteries, and fantasy tales as early as the first grade.

-What genre(s) do you write?

The IMP series is urban/contemporary fantasy, but I also have a horror short story, a set of erotic romance stories, and a YA Wiccan romance in an anthology. I love to challenge myself with new genres, but I’m particularly fond of fantasy and supernatural.

-ELVEN BLOOD

Sam may be the Iblis, but she is also an imp with a price on her head. The powerful demon Haagenti won’t rest until she’s dragged back to Hel for “punishment”. Sam knows she can’t face Haagenti and win, so when an Elf Lord offers to eliminate the demon in return for her help, Sam accepts. It’s a simple job – find and retrieve a half-breed monster dead or alive. But finding this demon/elf hybrid isn’t proving easy and time is running out.

-Spoilers?

It was after lunchtime when Gregory arrived for our meeting. So much for “early”.

He usually appeared in my house, unannounced, but this time he strode in the front door holding a head by the hair. He plopped it down on my dining room table and waved a hand, causing a depressing amount of paperwork to cover the table surface. I ignored the paperwork and focused my attention on the more interesting item.

“Is this a present?” I asked in delight.

I picked up the head and sat it like a hat on top of my own head, modeling it with a flourish.

“How did you know? I’ve always wanted one of these. And it fits perfectly.”

The angel was not amused. “We’ve got a lot to review today, and as often as you get sidetracked, we’re liable to be at it for a week. Put the head down and focus.”

Why the fuck did he bring a head if he didn’t want me to mess with it?

“Should I put it in a vase? Display it as a centerpiece on the table? How can you expect me to focus on stupid, boring paperwork when I’ve got this amazing, decomposing flesh tempting me with its beauty?”

“Fine. We’ll address this matter first, and then I’ll get rid of the thing so it won’t continue to distract you.”

He took the head from my hands and stuck it back on the table. It made an entertaining squelch sound.

-For aspiring writers, any tips?

Don’t let the meanies get you down – especially if you find yourself being the meanie. Sales may be sluggish at first, you may doubt yourself, but keep your chin up. Enchant one reader at a time, and with patience and perseverance, you’ll succeed.

-What’s your favorite book/genre to read?

I’m all over the place. I really love urban fantasy, and paranormal, but there are times when I’ll jump to a Regency or even a sweet romance. I’m reading a paranormal thriller on my Kindle right now – it’s so good I don’t want it to end!

-What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever written?

Oh no! That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child!

I do love the humorous scenes in my books the most. Almost everything I write has a comedic scene in it - even the erotic romances. Life is funny, and a good laugh helps us get through with the painful things, the embarrassing things, and the downright boring things we have to cope with as humans. So when Sam gets summoned by three teenage boys or Naughty Mom jokes about her elastic waist pants, I hope you laugh.

ABOUT DEBRA
Debra Dunbar lives on a farm in the northeast United States with her husband, three boys, and a Noah’s ark of four legged family members. Her urban fantasy novels feature supernatural elements in local settings. In addition to A DEMON BOUND, SATAN’S SWORD, and ELVEN BLOOD, she has also published a short story erotica series titled NAUGHTY MOM. Connect with her on Twitter @debra_dunbar, on Facebook at debradunbarauthor, and on her website at debradunbar.com .

Get started reading books 1 and 2 in the Imp Book series before tackling ELVEN BLOOD.
-A DEMON BOUND
-SATAN’S SWORD

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Hey readers,

Love me a good urban fantasy, and love me a character that plays with a decapitated head. That’s hilarious. Thanks for the interview and excerpt, Debra!

Want more? Follow the tour here.

And don’t forget to comment for a shot at some awesome prizes.

Debra will be awarding an e-book copy of A DEMON BOUND (book 1 in the Imp Series) to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and a grand prize of a Kindle Fire with an ELVEN BLOOD book cover skin to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY).

A Writer's Favorite Words

Good Wednesday,

And what a lovely Wednesday it is.

I wrote every writer’s favorite words last night.

THE END

Yes, that’s right. The rough draft of my thesis is done! At present it consists of 33 chapters, 403 pages, and a whopping word count of 107,297 words. A bit on the long side, but it’s epic fantasy. That means I’m not too far over the mark.

Am I done? Hells no. I’ve still got revisions up a storm. The first 16 chapters need to be seriously looked at and reworked. But I wrote THE END. Love that feeling. Who’da thought two words could give such a high, huh?

In honor of this momentous occasion, I’d love to say I’m taking the day off from the thesis. But I tend to be a workaholic, so we’ll see how that goes. The only way I see that happening is if I work on my 3000-word submission for June res. This project (which will sit on the side lines until after graduation with the exception of this submission) is what I’d term epic fantasy. I think I’d also term it new adult. It used to be a short story, but my writing group informed me it was too big to be a short story. “Mary, you need to make this a novel.” Yeah, cuz I have time for that.

In retrospect, it does probably need to be a novel, and when I’m not drowning in thesis and a lack of time, I’ll thank my writing group instead of glaring at them.

But I do have time to do a first chapter. That and I need something to submit by May 17. Yes, one short week after my last thesis submission is due.

*mutter, grumble, grumble, mutter*

But enough grumbling. I wrote THE END! Party time till revisions start.

Have an awesome day and thanks for reading.

Author Interview--Victoria Thompson

Good Friday,

It’s interview time. I have with me today one of my professors from that MFA in Writing Popular Fiction program that I talk about a lot, Victoria Thompson. She’s here today to talk about her and her upcoming release, MURDER IN CHELSEA. Please give her a warm welcome.

Edgar® Nominated author Victoria Thompson writes the Gaslight Mystery Series, set in turn-of-the-century New York City and featuring midwife Sarah Brandt. Her last book, MURDER ON FIFTH AVENUE, has been nominated for an Agatha Award. Her latest, MURDER IN CHELSEA, is a May 2013 release from Berkley Prime Crime. She also contributed to the award winning writing textbook MANY GENRES/ONE CRAFT. A popular speaker, Victoria teaches in the Seton Hill University master's program in writing popular fiction. She lives in Central PA with her husband and a very spoiled little dog.

-What book and/or experience made you want to be a writer?

Oddly enough, Louis L’Amour’s westerns were what started me on my first novel. Reading them re-kindled my childhood love of cowboys and the Old West. My first 20 published novels were Western Romances. I love writing historicals, which then led to my being asked to write the Gaslight Mystery Series.

-What genre do you write?

I write Historical Mysteries set in turn-of-the-century New York City.

-About MURDER IN CHELSEA.

MURDER IN CHELSEA, Berkley Prime Crime (A May 2013 release). Frank Malloy and Sarah Brandt solve the mystery of Sarah’s foster daughter Catherine’s birth and finally locate her real parents. All does not go well, however, and someone ends up dead. Sarah must protect the child she loves like her own while deciding if she has the courage to give her up to her real parents.

-Spoilers?

This isn’t really a spoiler, but Frank and Sarah finally declare their love for each other and Frank proposes.

-For other aspiring writers, any tips?

If you want to be a writer, first you must be a reader. You will learn more from reading extensively in your chosen genre than you ever will from a how-to book.

-What’s your favorite book/genre to read?

I love mysteries and thrillers, especially those with historical settings.

-What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever written?

The End.

But seriously, folks, my favorite scene to date is the one where Frank proposes to Sarah in MURDER IN CHELSEA.

Want more from Victoria?

Check out her website. Like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

If you haven’t, read all the Gaslight Mysteries, and keep an eye out for Murder in Chelsea. It hits shelves on May 7!

Book Tour--TWINNED UNIVERSES

Goddess Fish Book Tour

TWINNED UNIVERSES by Sandra Ulbrich Almazan
Book 2 in the Catalyst Chronicles – A science fiction novel

BLURB
Paul Harrison always wanted to play Hamlet, but he never expected he’d live the role first.

In the aftermath of a family tragedy on 21st century Earth, Paul discovers he’s the clone of Sean Lyon, his great-great-grandfather and a famous TwenCen musician. Suspecting his mother’s death was no accident, Paul comes up with a plan to trick the answers out of the great-uncle who had him cloned. But in order to make his plan work, Paul needs help from Sean himself—and Sean’s time is running out in the TwenCen universe next door. Although Paul’s family lives on the spaceship that travels between the universes, he’s never been allowed on TwenCen Earth. Now, with the help of his friends, his disguise-creating holoprojectors, and a quantum quirk, Paul must make his way to Sean while evading other time travelers who fear he’ll change the history of the TwenCen universe. If Paul is to achieve justice, he must not only risk his own life, but the wormhole connecting the universes. “To be or not to be” was a simple question in comparison....

EXCERPT
Paul didn’t care what Dad thought; Great-Uncle Jack was the most promising suspect. He hated Mom, so he’d have no problem getting rid of her, especially if it made Paul more like Sean. How could Dad expect him to forget about the matter when it was his own fault? How could he expect Paul to do nothing? He’d be eighteen in a couple more months, old enough to handle responsibility. Maybe he would be useless with the genetic research, but there had to be something he could do. But what?

All I’m good at is acting, and that doesn’t matter out here. It’s no help being in space when Great-Uncle Jack is back on Earth. Paul broke down the cardboard boxes for composting. But maybe when I get back….

Hamlet had staged a reenactment of his father’s death to gauge his uncle’s guilt by his reaction. Perhaps Paul could do something similar. For a moment he pictured himself playing his own mother, accusing her uncle. The image made Paul smile, but he was too tall to play her convincingly. There was only one role he could manage, the most dangerous one.

If Paul proclaimed on returning to Earth that he was willing to become a Sean impersonator, Great-Uncle Jack would be so ecstatic he might let his guard slip. If he wanted Paul to write songs, he’d write one about his mother and play it for the world. Perhaps that would make Great-Uncle Jack confess. All Paul had to do was learn a role he could get trapped in.

ABOUT SANDRA
Sandra Ulbrich Almazan started reading at the age of three and only stops when absolutely required to. Although she hasn’t been writing quite that long, she did compose a very simple play in German during middle school. Her science fiction novella Move Over Ms. L. (an early version of Lyon’s Legacy) earned an Honorable Mention in the 2001 UPC Science Fiction Awards, and her short story “A Reptile at the Reunion” was published in the anthology Firestorm of Dragons. She is a founding member of BroadUniverse and a long-time member of the Online Writing Workshop for Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror. Her undergraduate degree is in molecular biology/English, and she has a Master of Technical and Scientific Communication degree. Her current day job is in the laboratory of an enzyme company; she’s also been a technical writer and a part-time copyeditor for a local newspaper. Some of her other accomplishments are losing on Jeopardy! and taking a stuffed orca to three continents. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, Eugene; and son, Alex. In her rare moments of free time, she enjoys crocheting, listening to classic rock (particularly the Beatles), and watching improv comedy.

Sandra can be found online at her website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook. Upcoming projects from Sandra include a standalone fantasy story called “The Fighting Roses of Sharon”; Twinned Universes, the second book in the science fiction Catalyst Chronicles series; and Scattered Seasons, the first book in the fantasy Season Lords series.

Twinned Universes can be purchased online at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.

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Hey readers,

Have to say, Hamlet is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Love The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s rendition and love finding new books that include the play!

Want more on Twinned Universes? Follow the rest of the tour here.

And don’t forget to comment often for a chance at an awesome prize.

Sandra will award one randomly chosen commenter the choice of a $50 Amazon gift card or a gift pack of all of the following items related to Twinned Universes: two Shakespeare mugs, a Sears tower pendant, a book by Carl Sagan (Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space), and a signed copy of the first book in the series, Lyon's Legacy.

Book Tour--CHRONICLES OF MORGAINE

Goddess Fish Book Tour

CHRONICLES OF MORGAINE by Joe Vadalma
A dark romantic fantasy

BLURB
Readers who love books about magic and romance will love this special ebook "boxed set" of the first three books in a spellbinding series - all for just the price of the first book plus one dollar more! Start reading this irresistible saga of a modern witch who couldn't free herself from an ancient love. Meet the bad girl of romance, Morgaine the first anti-heroine! When they had been lovers hundreds of years earlier, Michael had sold his soul to the devil for immortality. Now that they are lovers once again, Morgaine tries to outwit the demon Asmodeus by offering him the pure soul of the woman Melody in exchange for Michael's. But when Michael falls in love with Melody, Morgaine unleashes a fury on them the like of which even hell has never seen. And Morgaine's fury threatens to shatter even the will of Hell's mighty King. "A fine, original new work of dark fantasy," raves Horror Sagas!

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT JOE

“I've loved science fiction and fantasy from the time I learned to read. My hobbies, besides writing, are traveling, adventure game playing and do-it-yourself projects. Before I retired, I was a technical writer working for a major computer manufacturer.

I believe my love of reading stems from my parents and grandparents, who were all avid readers. As a child, one of my favorite things was hanging out at the library or browsing in flea markets for books I could afford. I also liked mathematics and science, especially astronomy. When I was twelve or so, I discovered the pulp magazines. They had garish covers and were printed on blotting paper, but the stories inside were marvelous. In these magazines, I learned to love such writers as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Robert Silverberg and so many others.

I married a girl who went to the same high school as I did, and we've been married over fifty years now. We have four wonderful girls, ten grandchildren (who are now adults ) and one spunky nine-year-old great-granddaughter. In 1993, I retired. That's when my fiction writing career really started.

Three series of paranormal fantasy novels of mine, called The Morgaine Chronicles, Raven Lenore, Psychic Investigator, and my humorous fantasy saga The Books of Retslu have been published as ebooks by Futures-Past Editions. Futures-Past has also published all my novels including, The Isaac Project, For Love of Kumiko, Pawns of Tomorrow, Star Tower, Out of Time, Takeover, The Artifact, Pawns of Tomorrow, The Laws of Magic, Castle Darkest Night and Dinner with Dracula. All are available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as other online ebook sellers.”

EXCERPT OF CHRONICLES OF MORGAINE
Michael stood not six inches away, and I became lost in those wonderful, terrible eyes of his. My heart beat wildly, and I gulped. At that moment I would have done anything – absolutely anything, regardless of how outrageous – that he asked. For one instance I was his absolute slave only waiting for his command.

Thank God, it was a simple one. "Please stay a while, Melody. Have a brandy with me.”

We conversed about various subjects as we slowly sipped our drinks. When I finished, I set the glass down with some finality. "I really must go now. Work tomorrow." The last drink made me feel strange after the others we had throughout the evening, not tipsy or anything, just strange. I certainly did not want to get high at this point. "Could you call a cab, please?”

"Parting is such sweet sorrow," he whispered. His tone was only slightly mocking. If those had not been the words to a corny old song, I believe he meant them literally.

In the cab, my thoughts were in a whirling disarray. Was I falling in love? C'mon, I told myself, a grown woman does not fall in love after seeing a man twice. But I was lying to myself, and knew I was lying. What was it about him? His charm? His rugged good looks? Something. Maybe his eyes. Whenever I thought of him, they were the first thing I recalled. There was a hypnotic quality about them. But there was something else. He mentioned reincarnation. Was that it? Were we lovers in some past life? I shook my head to clear it. The thing was, when he had planted that light kiss on my lips, it was as though an electric shock had jolted my heart.

WANT MORE FROM JOE?

Visit his website, and connect with him on Facebook.

Want to buy CHRONICLES OF MORGAINE?

Find it on amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Hey readers,

Looks pretty neat. Thanks for joining us today, Joe!

Follow the rest of this book tour here.

And don’t forget to comment for a shot at a prize.

One randomly drawn commenter will win a $25 Gift Certificate to Renaissance EBooks, Inc.

Writing in this World

Hello folks,

This post will relate to writing, as indicated by the title, but first please join me in a moment of silence for all those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing this past Monday.

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Thank you.

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I grew up 15 miles north of Boston. I was a kid in Massachusetts. I played, ran, fell, wore band aids from falls, and laughed on a small street in a small city 15 miles north of Boston.

I also cried there. I shed tears for no reason. I shed tears because of physical pain. I shed tears for emotional hurt. I shed tears for others.

When 9/11 hit, I lived in Massachusetts. I was only 11—days from turning 12, actually—but I remember. I remember finding out the planes came from Boston. I remember thinking the crashes were accidents. I remember not understanding. I remember feeling safer because I didn’t live in New York or Washington D.C. I was a kid. Not living in the places affected was a world of difference to me.

Two days ago, my home state was attacked. It doesn’t matter the source. My home state, my home, was attacked. People died running the Boston Marathon, an event that I always knew about but never attended. An event that made up part of the state I resided in until a little less than a year ago. A state that is still and will always be my home.

None of my friends or family members were injured in Monday’s events. For that I am more thankful than words can express. I also cannot put into words the feeling you feel when your home is attacked. I used to live 15 miles north of where the bombing took place. 15 miles. That’s not a long way when you look at the size of the planet. I walked Boston’s streets, rode its subways, sampled its restaurants, browsed its stores. I performed at its concert halls. I lived under its sky. I made it and that small city 15 miles north of it my home. That feeling never leaves.

And so when that home is attacked, there’s a feeling of breaking. You repair it. What else can we do but repair damage? But you don’t forget. 12 years ago when 9/11 hit, I didn’t understand. I do now. I understand in more ways than I thought I could in 2001. Your childhood home is a place that lives inside you. At least it is for me. It hurts beyond pain to see it broken.

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I write fantasy. I’m writing the last few chapters of my thesis for Seton Hill this month. There is violence. There is death. There is loss. I’ve heard it asked of writers “How can you write about such terrible things when you live in this world?”

Let me offer my answer. I prefer my violence, death, and loss on the page. I write to tell a story. I write to deal with life. I write to hopefully give others a way to observe life. I write violence because it is a part of life. Do I like it? No. The world has known war since it began. I think it’s time it knew peace, but I’m not so much of an idealist to believe that will happen soon.

Live every day like it’s your last. Write every scene like it’s life. Read every story like it’s great.

If we kept the violence on the page, the world would be a better place. But this is the world we have. Don’t destroy it. Live in it. Do what’s right in the face of what’s wrong, in the aftermath of what’s wrong, and (most importantly) before what’s wrong happens.

Boston—my heart to you always.

Book Review: UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

Title:Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Publisher: Harper Collins – 2012
Genre: young adult dystopia

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads

Aria has lived a sheltered life in the enclosed city of Reverie, where she spends her days hopping from simulated realm to simulated realm. When she is banished to the outside for a crime she didn’t commit, Aria is ripped from her pampered life and forced to survive. She forms an unlikely alliance with Perry, a hunter who sees his opportunity for redemption in Aria.

Rossi creates a rich, detailed world. The sky, known as the aether, is a character. It’s roiling colors and powerful storms reflect the action, shifting through different types of turmoil as tensions increase.

Aria and Perry are thrown together from the very beginning. This is made more apparent by Perry’s sire abilities—he can scent emotions. In a way, this gives a deeper insight into Aria’s character, as we see her emotions both from her chapters and from Perry’s interpretations of her feelings. As the two journey across the land to find Aria’s mother and Perry’s nephew, their relationship grows. Things begin rocky and eventually blossom into young love. The transition seemed a little too fast and lacking in believability.

I also would have liked to see more of the realms. Through the course of the book, Rossi has Aria fling around terms like “in the real,” and while the words themselves fill out her world, we don’t see anything of the realms until several chapters into the action.