Interview: Denise Tompkins, author of Legacy: The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 1

Welcome, Denise Tomkins, author of Legacy: The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 1.

Author Bio: "Denise Tompkins lives in the heart of the South where the neighbors still know your name, all food forms are considered fry-able and bugs die only to be reincarnated in aggressive, blood-craving triplicate. Thrilled to finally live somewhere that can boast 3 ½ seasons (winter’s only noticeable because the trees are naked), her favorite season is definitely fall. It’s the time of year when the gardens are just about to pass into winter’s brief silence, and the leaves are out to prove that nature is the most brilliant artist of all.

Clearly, due to the enormous size of her picture, you can tell Denise isn’t as technologically savvyas she’d like to be. (Seriously. She’s not vain. She just couldn’t figure out how to shrink the picture any smaller.)

Denise is married to the love of her life. Both she and her husband are owned by two dogs and three opinionated parrots who keep her in stitches — literally and figuratively. One bird hates broccoli, one scared the pizza man to death upon delivery, and one bird loves to call out and invite stranger to “Come on in!” The birds thoroughly enjoy scolding the dogs. One dog, the mutt, has turned a deaf ear. The Bullmastiff, however, probably needs emotionally reconstructive therapy.

A life-long voracious reader, Denise has three favorite authors. Why three? Because favorite authors are like chips: a person can’t have just one. Her little house was so overrun with books last year that her darling husband bought her an e-reader out of self-preservation. He was (legitimately) afraid she might begin throwing out pots and pans to make room for more books, and he didn’t want to starve.

Along with reading, Denise loves travel, is obsessed with the British Isles, practices photography, enjoys cooking and looks forward to Christmas as an excuse to bake.

Her debut novel, Legacy, is the first book in The Niteclif Evolutions and will be available in both e-book and print from Samhain Publishing."


What inspires your stories?

The short answer is that the characters I dream up inspire the stories that end up ultimately surrounding them.

The longer answer has to be this. Someone once asked me how many stories I’d be able to write in a given series, and I answered, “So long as I have people to kill, crimes to commit and love to nurture? I can write forever.” I have to believe that these are the elements that fascinate me about story telling—the violence of mankind and the ability of people to go through the worst thing imaginable and still find the capacity to love.

What genre do you gravitate toward and why?

I am all about urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Even better is urban fantasy with strong elements of paranormal romance—my favorite hybrid genre ever!
Urban fantasy thrills me because it doesn’t have to stick to the trope, or formula, of the romance genre. I find I tend to get a bit bored with romance unless there are special skills involved, someone turns furry, someone used to be alive, etc. But urban fantasy allows the stakes to be higher. Save the world and get the girl? That’s absolutely my speed. I like the action, adventure, extreme conditions and world building challenges that surround the characters of urban fantasy.

What are your work habits like?

I’m a horrible boss. I don’t let myself have true vacations, but rather expect myself to write something fresh every day. I don’t care if it’s only a paragraph, but I must produce something new daily or else I get a little cranky. And if I’m eyeball deep in a project, I tend to get a little manic about pushing myself to do just one more paragraph, page or chapter every day. But you know what? It doesn’t make me crazy because I absolutely love what I do. I feel so incredibly lucky that you’ll never, ever hear me complain.

What do you consider your best work?

Oh, tough question! Each project has a special place for a specific reason, but the novel I just finished—Raising Cain—is the first in a new series. I absolutely love my hero and the world I’ve built in that book. But then the third book of the Niteclif Evolutions, Vengeance, has the most amazing explanation for the birth of mythology. It’s a toss-up between those two.

Do you plot out your novels in advance or do you write on the fly?

I definitely write on the fly. I’m what’s known as a “pantser,” or someone who writes by the seat of their pants. I’m a complete and total creative spirit who works best without any fetters or binders. I love being able to sit down and see where the story will take me. It’s not always the easiest way to write, particularly if I have to write a synopsis first, but it’s the most fun for me.

What experience do you want for your readers?

I long for my readers to fall in love with my characters, to go into each story with an open mind and a willingness to follow the vein of the story. I want them to become invested in the characters’ collective well-being. And above all, I want them to find escape between the pages of the worlds I create.

Of course, if I leave them craving the next book in the series, I have to consider I’ve (ultimately) done my job as a writer.

Are any of your character traits or settings based on real life?

I’m not sure any author can truly save that their characters and/or settings aren’t based on real life to some extent. We tend to write what we know, even if it’s a world we’ve created. We know it intimately. We use those things that influenced us as kids to build bullies and fantasy worlds. We draw on our experience with new love and heartbreak to craft the emotions necessary in a dawning relationship or one that’s in the twilight of its days. So yes, my characters traits and settings must draw on what I know, but I never, ever set out to craft a person or place after an absolute. I like my creative license too much!

What are your most significant challenges when you write?

My most significant challenge has to be finding balance between my own project(s) and serving as a productive critique partner for my three writing partners. Because I tend to become obsessed with a project until I see it through to the first draft’s completion, it is incredibly difficult for me to set my project aside and switch gears to critique the project of a friend writing epic fantasy, or another writing contemporary romance. So finding balance and getting out of my own head is tough.

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently finishing up edits on the Niteclif Evolutions book two, Wrath, as well as finishing the rough draft of book three in the same series. I love seeing Maddy’s story evolve as she figures out just who she is in this new life of hers.

Do you have any writing advice you would like to share with aspiring authors?

The best advice I can give aspiring authors is this: you have to want it more than the people around you if you’re going to make it. It seems like everyone and their buddy is writing a book. Many will never finish their project when they figure out just how much labor is involved in the creation of even a rough draft. And of those who get that far, many will often quit, shelving the project, because critiques are hard to hear and revisions even harder to do. Push yourself, and never settle for “good enough,” because it never is. Believe in yourself, have faith in your dream, and want it more than anyone else.


The Niteclif Evolutions: Legacy by Denise Tompkins

Looking back on the wish she made on Midsummer’s Eve, Maddy Niteclif should have been more specific. She only wanted to escape the shadowy nightmares that plagued her nights, not to be thrust into a completely altered reality.

If a strangely familiar, sexy dragon-shifter named Bahlin, who causes a never-to-be-mentioned-again fainting spell, isn’t enough to make her question her sanity, his insistence she’s the Niteclif ought to do the job. Prophesied super-sleuth of the supernatural world—a world that desperately needs her help—isn’t a job she’s remotely qualified for no matter what her family tree says.

Catapulted into a very different London ruled by dark mythology, mystery and murder, Maddy makes a few startling discoveries. Paranormal creatures exist. Getting shot really sucks. And her body responds remarkably well to dragon magic—in more ways than simple wound healing.

But in this kill-or-be-killed world, reality bites. And Maddy must choose to go back to what she knows…or stay and fight for the man she knows she can’t live without.

Warning: This book contains a shape-shifting dragon with a Scottish accent, modern and archaic weapons, global inter-species politics that make democracy seem mild, some very steamy sex underground, a severed head, murder, and…oh yeah…a woman caught in the middle of it all.

Legacy: The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 1 is available at

Amazon

and

Barnes and Noble

Here are the next Few Stops on Denise’s Blog Tour

10/28 - Le’ Grande Codex

10/31 - Everyone Loves a SiNner

11/1 - Flutey Words

All Stops on the Tour can be found HERE.

Spotlight: Deborah Brodie, author of In His Love

Author Bio:

"Deborah Brodie has released two nationally published works that are available at major bookstores nationwide, through the publisher at www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore, or by visiting any online source such as barnesandnoble.com, or amazon.com, etc…

She was born and raised in the suburbs of Bergen County, New Jersey. Deborah is a graduate from Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College in Tampa, Florida. She has been enjoying the diversities of the different coasts of Florida since the late eighties, and currently resides along the Emerald Coast with her husband. Together they form Jeffery Patrick Photography; and they specialize in weddings, engagements, boudoir, and family beach portraits.
Deborah has pursued her passion for romance by becoming a full charge professional wedding officiant."

Favorite Authors: Lisa Unger, Kate Mosse, Tess Gerritsen, Don Miguel Ruiz

Favorite movies and/or TV shows: Burn Notice

Hobbies: Photography, Cooking, Reading, Shopping

Genre of Choice for Writing: Young Adult, Romance, Mystery

Independent or Traditionally published? Traditionally Published through Tate Publishing.

Current Work in Progress: Sequel to "In His Love."

Title and Synopsis of most recently released work: The literary works of Florida author Deborah Brodie include her latest, “In His Love,” a captivating Christian romance novel. This book explores the journey of a young woman pursuing her calling, her dream, and the love of her life. Along the way Sarah learns that she must contend with religion, surrender her fear, in order to pursue love. As you follow Sarah’s journey through religion and fear, you are left with the question, Will she ever be able to fully believe In His Love?

“Her story has drama, intrigue, romance, and humor, and Deborah Brodie hopes to share it with the world.”
Northwest Florida Daily News

“Local author brings emotions to new book.”
The Walton Sun


Available at:

Amazon

Tate Publishing

The Author's Blog

Book Trailer Tuesday

I am present! I discontinued Monday Contents posts because, well, they’re boring and not really worth a visit to the blog. Don’t you think?

Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards Stout




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The Turn of the Karmic Wheel by Monica M. Brinkman




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Memoirs from an Asylum by Kenneth Weene




Tomorrow we have an interview with Deborah Brodie, author of In His Love. Thursday is an interview with Denise Tompkins, author of Legacy, The Niteclif Evolutions Book 1. WOO!

- LR

Interview: Brian Moreland, author of Dead Winter

Welcome, Brian Moreland.

What inspires your stories?

I would say historical events that are strange and unexplained. My first novel, SHADOWS IN THE MIST, a supernatural thriller set during World War II, was based on the Nazis’ real practice of the occult. It is widely documented that Heinrich Himmler formed an occult group called the Black Order and practiced strange rituals at the Wewelsburg Castle in Westphalia, Germany. They also had scientists go on expeditions to prove they were descendents of an Arian race. All that is strange on its own. What’s mysterious is that we’ll never know everything that went on inside the castle that was nicknamed “Nazi Camelot,” because Himmler had it blown up just before the Allied Forces reached it. I found all these historical facts fascinating and built a fictional thriller around it.

My latest novel, DEAD OF WINTER, is also a historical novel, only this time set at a fur-trading fort in Ontario, Canada during 1870. During my research, I came across some unexplained stories that the Ojibwa tribes all around the Great Lakes region, including Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, and Minnesota, feared a supernatural creature that lives in the woods and stalks people every winter. They migrated every year because of this superstition. As I researched this legendary evil spirit, I came upon a story about an isolated fort that went crazy and everyone turned cannibal. In the late 1700s, a Jesuit priest who visited this fort documented the case in his journal, describing the deranged colonists as possessed by the devil. This is all factual and documented by the Catholic Church. I also did extensive research on the history of frontier life in Canada in the 1800s. During the long winter months out in the wilderness, cannibalism became a way of survival for isolated villages that ran out of food. And sometimes soldiers would arrive at a fort to find that everyone was dead except one man, who survived by eating the others.

From all these historical findings, I came up with a mystery that involves an isolated fort that is being stalked by a predator that’s spreading a disease that turns its victims into cannibals. An Ojibwa tribe fears a supernatural beast. Inspector Tom Hatcher, a detective from Montreal, believes the bodies showing up are the work of a serial killer like the infamous Cannery Cannibal he put behind bars two years ago. But soon Inspector Hatcher realizes he’s dealing with more than just a single killer as a strange outbreak spreads across the fort, turning people, and even the livestock, into flesh-hungry cannibals. Tom’s only hope to battle this evil plague is to join forces with an exorcist from Quebec, Father Xavier, who has a vendetta against the Devil.


What genre do you gravitate toward and why?

I’m most drawn to supernatural horror, because I find those stories thrilling. They tend to combine mystery, adventure, and suspense with other-worldly creatures. I also enjoy a good love story—and lusty sex scenes—woven into the horror plot, as well. It keeps the heart-rate thumping.

What are your work habits like?

I’d like to say I write every day, but truth is writing is still a part-time job for me and I have obligations to work on client projects that can take my focus off writing for days and sometimes weeks. I’m also pretty compulsive, so everything I do, I do in bursts of productivity. For instance, if I get inspired to write and I have the time to work it into my schedule, I’ll write for eight to ten hours straight and all weekend long, only taking breaks for meals and sleep. If I’m in between client projects, I might write around the clock for a week or two and churn out a couple hundred pages. It’s hard for me to write for just an hour or two a day. It takes me awhile to get in “the zone,” and when I finally sync up with my muse and the ideas are flowing, I don’t want to stop until I type it all out. My best writing happens early in the morning before dawn. I’ll get out of bed and go straight to the computer. Before my eyes are fully open, I’m typing, and the stuff that flows out of my stream of consciousness in the early hours I rarely have to edit. I’m working toward one day being a full-time novelist where I can have a more structured, daily schedule. Until then, I’ve got to work writing in with all my other activities.

What do you consider your best work?

Definitely my new novel DEAD OF WINTER. It’s my pride and joy. I spent two years researching and writing this book and was meticulous about making it the best book I could put out. I went through countless re-writes and read it out loud to a group of writers whose opinions I trust. I’ve also continually study the craft of storytelling so that each book gets better than the last. In DEAD OF WINTER, I love the characters, the setting, the supernatural elements, and I love Tom Hatcher’s story—a true hero’s journey. I hope my fans and readers love it too.

Do you plot out your novels in advance or do you write on the fly?

I definitely do my best writing on the fly. I might jot down some notes and a rough outline, but generally it all changes once I get into the writing process. I’m always discovering new details about the characters as I journey along with them. I don’t always know how the book is going to end. Sometimes I steer the story, but mostly I allow my characters to completely take over and see where they take the story. There are often plot twists that completely surprise me. After I’ve written a 100 pages or more and I’ve gotten to know my characters, I’ll write a chapter by chapter outline so I can have a bird’s-eye view of the story and keep on track of where it’s going. The best stuff, though, comes from writing without an outline and catching fire from the sky.

What experience do you want for your readers?

I want them to feel exhilarated, like they are on a non-stop thrill ride, where there are unexpected surprises at every turn. I want them to feel like they are there in the scene, inside the body of my character. I want to evoke the reader’s emotions and make them feel. If the lovers in my story are feeling lust, I want the reader to feel lust too. Or dread or elation or a deep connection with my characters. Ultimately, I want readers to enjoy a really good story, feeling satisfied by the end of book and also hungry to read my next book.

Are any of your character traits or settings based on real life?

Yes, heroes and heroines tend to be yearning for something—love, happiness, peace of mind, freedom from their demons. For instance, in SHADOWS IN THE MIST, Lt. Jack Chambers, who has lost most of his platoon in the bloody Hürtgen Forest battle, yearns to get his last survivors—“the Lucky Seven”—out of the war alive. Chambers also wants to get back to London to his sweetheart, a British Red Cross nurse, but he’s trapped behind enemy lines and something sinister is killing off his men.

In my short story “Chasing the Dragon,” Nick Meyers searches the most shadowy parts of Hong Kong for a girlfriend who mysteriously vanished. He yearns to be with her again and refuses to believe that she could be dead. At times I’ve felt these deep yearnings. Or their inner struggles might match the inner struggles I’m going through during that period of my life. My heroes tend to have some of my traits, at least their philosophies and how they handle conflict, how they figure their way out of a mess. My female characters, who are love interests to my heroes, always have the physical traits that I’m attracted to. Often they are a collage of women I’ve dated.

What are your most significant challenges when you write?

Staying focused when I haven’t yet gotten into the zone of creative writing. Sometimes it takes me a couple of days to get where I can write freely. If I sit at the computer and no ideas are coming on how to start a scene, my mind starts wandering and looking for other things to do. Suddenly taking out the trash or organizing my closet sounds like a fun project. Or I’ll just piddle around checking emails and surfing the net until my muse finally shows up for work. Once she does and the ideas start rolling in faster than I can type them, I can write happily for days on end. Then my challenge is making myself stop to eat and sleep and step out into the sunshine. Like I said earlier, I can be very compulsive, and when the writing is really fun, hours pass like minutes.

What are you currently working on?

So many things related to publishing. Now, with two books out and a third on the way, I’m very busy these days. I’m constantly promoting my brand of horror to spread awareness about my books. I interact on multiple social media sites directly with fans, readers, and other writers. I do radio interviews, guest blogs, and write on my posts for my own two blogs: Dark Lucidity (http://www.BrianMoreland.blog) and Coaching for Writers (http://www.CoachingforWriters.blogspot.com). In addition to promoting, I have a mission to keep releasing new fiction each year. I’m currently working on some short stories, a novella about a ghost detective, and I’m over 300 pages into my third horror novel, currently titled THE DEVIL’S WOODS, which has some wicked monsters in it. Stay tuned for this book some time in 2012.

Do you have any writing advice you would like to share with aspiring authors?

Yes, define whether writing is a hobby or a profession, because they are two very different mindsets. If writing is a hobby, just have fun with it. Write when you feel like it and if nothing flows, go out and do something else you enjoy. Let it be that quiet place you express yourself. Your secret escape. Writing as a hobby can be a wonderful outlet for creativity, expressing pent-up emotions, solving problems, and self-discovery. It’s very cathartic.

If you are writing to be a published author, then fully commit to it. It’s not a hobby, it’s your profession. It’s what you do. Write daily if you can—I’m still working on this one— even if your muse didn’t show up for work. Make writing a daily, or at least weekly, habit. If nothing flows, organize your chapters or promote yourself as an author on the web. Make the business of being a writer a high priority in your schedule, because it’s easy to let life get in the way. Every successful author I know has two common traits: persistence and tenacity. They believe in their writing and they don’t give up until they see their writing is in print. No matter what roadblocks you face on your journey as a writer, you can move past them. Ever day is a new day to write and accomplish your goals. Just commit fully to being a writer and stay persistent.

Author Bio: Brian Moreland writes novels and short stories of horror and supernatural suspense. He loves hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, and dancing. Brian lives in Dallas, Texas where he is diligently writing his next horror novel. You can communicate with him online at http://brianmoreland.com/ or on Twitter @BrianMoreland.

Brian’s Horror Fiction blog: http://www.brianmoreland.blogspot.com/Coaching for Writers blog: http://www.coachingforwriters.blogspot.com/




Dead of Winter is available on Amazon

and

Barnes and Noble

Excerpt: Summoned, by Susan Noble

Synopsis: Lina had no plans to leave her beloved homeland. Then gypsies kidnap her and take her to a foreign land. There a strong urge compels her to travel north. On her journey, she reluctantly uses her Elemental powers as she battles mystical creatures that have not existed for 800 years. When she discovers the shocking truth behind the calling, it will change her life in ways she could never imagine.

Excerpt:

The young woman tossed in her bed, muttering softly. She rolled over, her long honey-colored hair covering her pale face. Her fingers dug into the mattress. She shook her head as she sank deeper into the dream.

The yellow light cut through the dark. Her eyes stayed focused on it as it flickered before her like a hundred candles dancing in a soft summer breeze, growing brighter as she neared. As she walked, her hands reached out, touching the smooth, cold stone wall. That alone should have warned Lina something was not right. Even as her mind called out that this was all wrong, she continued down the hall toward the light and toward whatever was calling her.

No one called out her name. No, the calling was unspoken but strong. The urge to respond to it consumed every part of her. She knew she must obey. What was calling her and why were unimportant to her now. All that mattered was she must go.

As she reached the end of the hall, Lina paused. The bright light hung above a curved stone staircase. She lifted her hand, shielding her eyes. She wished she could block out the light. And the calling. Then she saw the doorway to her right. Without thinking, she opened the door, slipping into the dark room. She heard low voices coming from the adjoining room. She tilted her head as she listened but the words were too soft to understand. She moved toward the room, pausing in the archway. What she saw next made her tremble with fear. Her hand flew to her mouth as the cloaked man before her turned. Suddenly, the floor trembled. The walls began to tumble and the floor collapsed beneath her. She saw her hair swirl around her as she fell. She opened her mouth, a scream on her lips, yet nothing came out. She pressed her eyes closed as she waited for the impact she knew was coming.

As she hit the ground, Lina gasped, her eyes flying open.

Her heart raced. She sat up, breathing fast. She pressed her hands into the soft mattress below her as she looked around. A small table separated her bed from another narrow bed. A dresser and a table with two chairs completed the room’s meager furnishings. The room was vaguely familiar.

Lina? Are you all right?

The gentle voice of Tosh filled her mind. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, stopping on the small grey cat lying on the table. This was not her room. She shook her head slightly trying to clear her mind, trying to piece together what had happened. Then it came back to her. Harmony. The trip with her father. She glanced at the motionless form in the other bed. Good, I did not wake him, she thought.

Tosh’s yellow eyes glowed as he jumped onto her bed, his paws sinking into the thick mattress. Was it the dream again?

“Yes,” she answered, silently. “And the feeling has increased. I don't know how much longer I will be able to ignore it, Tosh.”

Lina shook her head. The feeling, or “calling” as she had recently begun to call it, grew slightly each time she woke from the dream. Her pounding heart began to return to normal. She tried to recall what scared her, but the dream was already fading from memory. It was like something dangling just out of reach. Now all she could recall was the feeling that she had been falling. She sighed. The dream and the calling had to be linked. They had not only begun at the same time but whenever she had the dream, the feeling drawing her north increased ever so slightly. There must be a connection. But what? She rose from the bed, moving toward the window.

As she and her father had traveled north toward Harmony, the feeling had strengthened. It was as if she was destined to go north. Lina looked out the window at the moonlit street below. She still could not get over the fact the city was made of rock and mortar. So different from home, she thought. Her mind flashed back to her first sight of the capital of her homeland. The grey stones had risen impressively out of the lush green Grasslands. She had seen more of the beautiful countryside on this trip than ever before and her love for her homeland had grown to a new level.

“I can't leave, Tosh.” She turned to look at the cat sitting on her bed. “This is my home. It is where I belong. But this feeling...I don't know how I will be able to ignore it if it gets any stronger.”

There must be a reason for it. Tosh replied calmly. Maybe the answer is even here in the city.

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Available at:

Amazon

Smashwords

Monday but only some contents

What is up? Blogging will be sporadic this week. My home internet is completely down. I am actually typing this on my phone.

I have a couple of author posts plugged into the scheduler, luckily. We have a book excerpt from Susan Noble's Summoned on Thursday and an interview with Brian Moreland, author of Dead Winter, for Friday.
Other than that, who knows?
That's all for now.


-LR

Friday Fiction Freebies

Who doesn’t love a freebie? Here we go.

Milking the Rhino: Dangerously Funny Lists, by Chris Rush

From Amazon: “Chris Rush, considered a comedian's comedian, has performed at clubs, colleges, and theaters across the United States and Canada. He has been selected best male comic by the Association of Comedy Artists. His debut album, First Rush, went gold and is considered a cult classic. His second album, Beaming In, also a classic, has been re-released as a CD and is available at laugh.com. Chris Rush was one of the original contributors to National Lampoon magazine, and he can be heard on Sirius and XM satellite radio. More information is available at www.chrisrushcomedy.com and www.milkingtherhino.com.”

On Amazon

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Dead Men Tell No Tales, by Ernest William Hornung

Excerpt: “Nothing is so easy as falling in love on a long sea voyage except falling out of love. Especially was this the case in the days when the wooden clippers did finely to land you in Sydney or in Melbourne under the four full months. We all saw far too much of each other unless indeed we were to see still more.”

On Project Gutenberg

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The Problem with Polly, by Scott William Carter

From Smashwords: “How many cats is too many? One? Ten? A thousand? When Nathan Randall awakes one morning to find a strange tortoise shell cat sitting on his dresser, he's soon struggling with the most unusual problem of his life.”

On Smashwords

JUICE: Revolution by Michael Clutton

Juice could mean global power and untold wealth.



Juice sucks you into the miserable life of overworked entrepreneur Dak Knobel. He doesn't want much. A dog. More money. Maybe a good woman. Being drawn into a tumultuous relationship with Jillian and her sophisticated uncle, Caleb Westland wasn't part of the plan. Jillian's playful overtures are an unexpected challenge, but her sexy friend, Kya proves to be his ultimate distraction.

And stumbling into a Golden Egg with the power to change the world makes Dak a target for trouble. To protect his windfall, Dak forms a hurried alliance with the Westland Family.

Whip lashed from a bleak existence into a blur of chaos with two hot women and non-stop calls from his mother, Dak finds himself at the center of a dispute between factions with inexplicable motives.

Who would kill for his Juice? A Crime Cartel? Aliens? Vampires?

Unraveling the truth will put Dak's hometown at ground zero in a bloody rebellion that's been brewing for centuries. With the body count growing, his lover missing and his daughter kidnapped by Caleb's nemesis, Dak will have to risk everything in a bizarre battle for control of Juice.

Live or die, the revolution ends here and now in a climax you'll never see coming.

"As good as Sookie, but a lot funnier... A Gripping Page Turner."

"The ending just Killed me… Makes True Blood look like Kool-Aid."

"Clever Story Telling... Ingenious plot… Well Blended Genres."

A seamless blend of gritty reality, situational humor, awkward romance and heart-pounding horror woven into a believable plot with provocative twists makes JUICE an entertaining smash hit.

AUTHOR:
Michael Clutton loves to write, fish and make people laugh. He’s married and has three small dogs. The part of Goliath was actually based on a 9-pound wonder named Cheetoe.

You can learn more about Michael and follow his activities on the www in all the usual places.




JUICE: Revolution is available in print and ebook formats

http://www.juicenovel.com/

Excerpt: The Rafters, by AC Montgomery

The Rafters: Book 1 of the Somnambulist Saga visits an arcane world, where at crucial intervals, Callings of varying power and purpose, are brought into being to reside among the somns, who are the usual inhabitants. Despite their significance, every Calling must rely on a Messenger, an exclusively selected guardian who is the only person with the knowledge to bring him or her to the discovery of their true identity. Rhyus Delmar is a young Calling who, due to memory loss, finds himself running ever further from his Messenger, in a vain attempt to discover his true identity. Every chapter brings with it new revelations, and often new questions. The thrilling story and its elaborate personalities and scenery will captivate the imagination of any fantasy lover, leaving them with new characters to love and loath, waiting and wondering where the remainder of the series will carry them.

Excerpt:

0:Prologue
A young man awoke in an unfamiliar city. An ominous
feeling pervaded his senses. Dazed, he lay still, unknowing. Atrum
Unda, the Dark City, a place of never-ending rain. Thickly woven,
black clouds dropped harsh, icy rain on his prostrate form. But not
icy enough to burn the exposed flesh of his arms and face. Brisk
air ate through rain-drenched clothing causing an uncontrollable
shiver. He laid blinking wearily and half conscious. He looked
desperately around, trying to assess his surroundings.

Where am I? he wondered.

As he blinked, trying to clear his vision, two winged men swam
into focus through the pelting rain. The black marble figures were
dressed in elegance, their faces concealed by masquerade masks,
adorned with images of the sun and moon.

The dark sea crashed against the edges of the slick, stone shelf
on which he lay. His perch pressed precariously against the base
of a high, stone cliff where a steep, narrow stairway angled up the
vertical face to meet a lush, thriving forest at the summit.
Something moved. There it was again. He strained at the blurry
periphery of his vision to determine if the rain-drenched haze was
playing tricks on him, or if indeed, something was out there.

All went black.

With a start, after several unconscious minutes, his eyes opened
to see a shadowy figure looming over him. He discerned a man’s
voice. What is he saying? Unsuccessfully, he strained to make out
the words.

A sudden, sharp explosion of pain struck him, hard and square,
snuffing the feeble flicker of his consciousness. Unaware, he curled
into a writhing fetal position… He couldn’t breathe…
And once again, everything went black.

1:Lux Lumetia

An obscure figure leaned against the side of a black building.
With a desultory kick, he scattered a clump of blue, sapphire granules
with the tip of his square-toed shoe. They skittered away in a hazy
blue cloud, beneath the dim glow of a sputtering streetlight. Tilting
his head upward, he luxuriated in the coolness of the omnipresent
rain that so much characterized the city of Atrum Unda. It spattered
his shades and streamed down his angular, pale face.

The man, Vincent KyVeerah, concentrated his energies toward
another somn, similarly wired to his mental wavelength. A somn in
a distant city, Lux Lumetia, the City of Light.

“Venn.” He drummed his long, manicured nails on the stone,
waiting impatiently for a response. Nothing.

“Come on, Venn. Pay attention!”

“Vincent! What in Blue Ravenna could you be up to so early in
the morning? Mucking around this time of day is just plain, damn
uncivilized! I certainly would not be out now, if Marion hadn’t
dragged my ass here.” The rich, deep voice, tinged with sleep, was
heavy in its disapproval. Venn, himself, tended to get up around
nine or nine thirty. Going out to the city walkways any earlier was
beyond his liking. Marion had insisted that they must go before
dawn in order to get the best of the early market produce.

“You know I prefer KyVeerah, p-lease.” Amusement thinned
KyVeerah’s already fine lips and carried through his thoughts.
“Hang on, Venn, I need you to concentrate.”

In an instant, KyVeerah sent a mental image to Venn of a young
man landing in a Lux canal of the very city where Venn himself
dwelt, and then he disconnected his mind.

The bright first light of a beautiful morning shone down on Venn
and Marion as they scouted North Market. As they walked, Marion
babbled at his side, delighted with everything she saw. With each
step, her soft brown, chestnut curls bobbed as she bounced along.
He envied her youth. At twenty-six years old, Venn had long ceased
being excited about the wonders of the North Market. He would
much prefer to be back under the soft, warm covers of his luxurious
bed. He longed for a few more hours of rest.

Tiring of the market’s incessant noise in short time, he exited
north toward an airy bridge spanning a distant canal. From there, he
could watch over Marion but still enjoy his tranquility.

At the moment though, Venn had blocked the bright colors and
pungent odors of the market from his thoughts. Staring down into
the crystal clear water below, he concentrated on the message that
Vincent KyVeerah had just planted in his mind.

An image formed. Suddenly, he was peering down into another
canal, almost identical to that immediately below him. He could
see a boy, or rather a young man, lying unconscious on a crystal
slab, partially submersed in the clear, blue water. He appeared to
have fallen down a short flight of three wide steps. One arm was
still draped over the bottom step with his head partially supported
by the same. Venn grimaced as he recognized the location of the
canal portal where the young man lay. It would be quite a jaunt
to get to the Ripolis District where KyVeerah expected Venn to
retrieve him. Then he showed a wry smile. Since when had Vincent
KyVeerah ever made anything easy?

“Lucky the little bastard landed face up,” Venn muttered. “Maybe
he won’t drown before I can get there.”

-----------------

The Rafters is available on Amazon

Link to the Paperback

Link to Amazon

Author Audio

Today’s audio selection is through AuthorsAudio.com.

Interview with Lee Childs, author of Nothing to Lose

The novel synopsis as listed on Amazon – “At the start of bestseller Child's solid 12th Jack Reacher novel (after Bad Luck and Trouble), the ex-military policeman hitchhikes into Colorado, where he finds himself crossing the metaphorical and physical line that divides the small towns of Hope and Despair. Despair lives up to its name; all Reacher wants is a cup of coffee, but what he gets is attacked by four thugs and thrown in jail on a vagrancy charge. After he's kicked out of town, Reacher reacts in his usual manner—he goes back and whips everybody's butt and busts up the town's police force. In the process, he discovers, with the help of a good-looking lady cop from Hope, that a nearby metal processing plant is part of a plan that involves the war in Iraq and an apocalyptic sect bent on ushering in the end-time. With his powerful sense of justice, dogged determination and the physical and mental skills to overcome what to most would be overwhelming odds, Jack Reacher makes an irresistible modern knight-errant. (June)”

Interview

Monday Contents

Splendiferous happenings for this week include:

Tuesday: Author Audio

Wednesday: Excerpt – The Rafters by AC Montgomery

Thursday: Guest Post – Michael Clutton, author of Juice

Friday: Fiction Freebies

- LR

Friday Fiction Freebies

Good evening, Lovebugs. Here are some freebies.

The Dunwich Horror by HP Lovecraft

ManyBooks.net “The story of Wilbur Whateley, son of a deformed albino mother and an unknown father, and the strange events surrounding his birth and precocious development. Wilbur matures at an abnormal rate, reaching manhood within a decade--all the while indoctrinated him into dark rituals and witchcraft by his grandfather.”

On ManyBooks

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Scream Angel, by Douglas Smith

From Amazon: “Think of human emotion as a geography, with peaks of pleasure and valleys of pain. Imagine a drug that flips the valleys and makes them peaks, too. You react now to an event based not on the pleasure or pain that it brings, but solely on the intensity of the emotion created. Pain brings pleasure, grief gives joy, horror renders ecstasy.

Now give this drug to a soldier. Tell them to kill. Not in the historically acceptable murder of war, but in a systematic corporate strategy--of xenocide.
They will kill. And they will revel in it.

Welcome to the world of Scream.”

On Amazon

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The Intrepid Adventures of Ralph Ingleton, by Alanna Foley

From Smashwords – “Listening to his grandfather's exciting travel tales, young Ralph dreams of becoming an adventurer himself some day.
However, as an adult, Ralph's imagination can sometimes get him into hot water. A tale with a twist or two in it.”

On Smashwords

Excerpt: Eminent Domain, by Tit Elington and Erin O'Riordan

From Smashwords:
"A young couple buys the waterfront home of their dreams. After years of rehab to their home, they find it was all in vain. The government is going to take it from them. Feeling robbed of his liberty, Jeff is left hopeless and is willing to lose it all."

Excerpt:
The running joke in the Wilson family went: after the Wilsons spent so much on Kendra’s college education, they would celebrate her wedding rehearsal dinner at Taco Bell. For a while, they’d considered it. In the end, though, Kendra decided she wanted a nice dinner at a steak restaurant. Since according to tradition the groom’s parents took care of the rehearsal dinner, but Jeff didn’t have any contact with his parents, Jeff and Kendra saved up some money to pay for it.

When Jeff and Kendra arrived at the restaurant, the host took them back to their table. Lex, Isaac and Adrienne (Jeff presumed) were already there. Lex and Isaac each had a draft beer. Adrienne, who looked like she was still under twenty-one, had an icy soda instead.

Jeff recognized Adrienne as one of the hostesses at Cloverfield’s. She was a beautiful girl, but she didn’t seem to know it. Though tall, she seemed embarrassed about her height. She slouched. Her blunt haircut didn’t flatter her heart-shaped face. Her thick makeup, punctuated by green eye shadow, didn’t match her light blue dress, or her blue eyes.

“Jeff, Kendra, this is Adrienne Newton,” Lex said as they took their seats. Kendra sat at the head of the table, and Jeff sat to her right, across from Lex.

“So you’re the new roommate!” Jeff said.

“Yeah,” Adrienne said. “I’m so excited. We’re getting our apartment next week.”

Kendra glared at Jeff. “What?”

“We’re moving in together,” Lex said.

“I didn’t even know you two were dating,” Kendra said when she’d recovered from a coughing fit. She’d almost choked on her ice water. Jeff patted her back gently.

“We’re not,” Lex explained. “We’re going to the wedding together as friends. We are going to be roommates, though.”

“Oh,” Kendra said. “Congratulations.”

“Congratulations to you, too,” Adrienne said back. “Do you guys think we should order an appetizer, or should we wait until everyone else gets here?”

As she said this, Candace and Wade arrived. Wade sat beside Jeff, with Candace on the other side of him. “I’ve never eaten here before,” Candace said as she hung her purse on the back of her chair and sat down.

“I have,” Wade said. “Order the prime rib and you’ll be fine.”

“What if I want lobster?”

“Then order lobster,” Kendra told her.

The last two members of their party, Ellis and Marie, along with Ellis’s boyfriend Sun, joined them shortly after Wade and Candace arrived, taking the last three seats at the far end of the table. Wade took the initiative in ordering appetizers.

At her turn to order a drink, Kendra asked the server, “What goes good with red meat?”

“How about a glass of the house burgundy?” he suggested.

“Sounds good,” she said. “I’m going to eat steak like you’ve never seen me eat steak before,” she warned the table.

Jeff ordered a Guinness and told the server to keep them coming.

As they looked over their menus, Ellis said across the table to Kendra, “Did I tell you Sun and I had to get rid of Princess?”

“No way,” Kendra said. “But you loved that crazy little mutt. Why?”

“I have allergies,” Sun told them. He looked around the table and paused for a second before adding, “What, no one’s going to make the joke about the Korean couple eating their dog?”

Lex and Isaac‘s laughter sounded nervous. Wade responded, “I ate some dog while I was in Korea. This was ten, fifteen years ago, while I was in the Air Force reserves. You know, it wasn’t half bad.”

“You buy dog, make good soup,” Jeff joked. Everyone laughed.

Kendra said, “I’m not sure how to follow that up. Let’s change the subject. I think I’ll have the prime rib. Anybody else know what they want to order?”

Most of them ordered prime rib. As she waited for everyone to finish eating, Kendra looked at Lex and whispered, “Do Mom and Dad know you and Adrienne are moving in together?”

Lex smirked. “Of course,” he said. “There’s nothing to hide, because we’re just going to be roommates…unlike you and Jeff. They don‘t have a problem with it.”

“Touché,” she said.

As they got up to leave, Candace came over to Jeff and Kendra’s end of the table. “You know, Kendra, you could spend the night at our house. That way, Jeff won’t see you before the wedding.”

“Candace, I’ve seen Kendra every day for the past two and half years, and I’m going to see her every day for the rest of my life,” Jeff said. “I’m not superstitious about things like that. I want to see Kendra’s face when I wake up tomorrow morning, to remind me why I want to get married in the first place.”

--------


Eminent Domain is available at

Smashwords

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Author Spotlight: Michael Poeltl, author of The Judas Syndrome

Michael Poeltl’s bio

“Born in Toronto, Ontario, Michael Poeltl earned his diploma in Interpretive Illustration and began a career in the field
while educating himself on the art of writing. Writing quickly became his passion and after completing several shorts,
he undertook his recently published work, The Judas Syndrome.

Drawn to the dark places of the mind, Poeltl often works through his own demons when putting words to paper.
When the author lives the words he writes, experiencing each moment as it passes, it becomes more than a story,
it becomes tangible, something the astute reader will pick up on.

And as with the Yin and Yang, he can appreciate the good in people, and the hope, and the dreams, and the work that is put into building a better life. This too can be found in both his writings, and in his own life. An example of that would be his membership in the Free Masons, where the motto is, ‘Taking a good man, and making him better.’

Poeltl lives in Ontario, Canada with his family, wife Lisa, daughter Tatum and dog Jackson.”

Favorite Books: The Road, Day of the Triffids, Hyperion series,

Favorite movies and/or TV shows: Hylander (Part 1 only), Bladerunner, Apocalypto,

Hobbies: Illustrating, Painting, Marketing

Genre of Choice for Writing: Dystopian

Independent or Traditionally published? Independent

Current Work in Progress: Revelation, book three in The Judas Syndrome trilogy

Title and Synopsis of most recently released work:

Rebirth, Book two in The Judas Syndrome series

A year into a Post-Apocalyptic existence, where friendships are tested and new enemies emerge; talk of destiny fulfilled through a child offers salvation. Could you believe?

Available NOW! Get your copy today.

Although Mike Poeltl never intended for The Judas Syndrome to be the first of a series, he caved in to reader demand in the spring of 2010 and began working on Rebirth, a continuation of the popular post-apocalyptic tale that one Facebook reviewer called “a stark and uncompromising vision of the future of our world.”

Narrated by Joel’s girlfriend Sara, Rebirth is a story of survival, betrayal, and hope. After giving birth to their son, whose evident purpose is to fulfill the destiny that Joel had forsaken, Sara realizes that her home is no longer a haven.

Menaced by a power-obsessed Earl and frightened by the deterioration of a once-tight group of comrades, she flees north- into a nihilistic world inhabited by dangerous nomads, new friends, and old enemies.

Early reviewers have commented that Rebirth, while a sequel, is a powerful story in its own right. Poeltl has confirmed that a third book, as of yet untitled, will complete the Judas Syndrome trilogy.

“The series will chronicle the struggles and sacrifices of two generations of post-Apocalypse survivors,” he said recently. “The sins of the father (Joel) fall upon his son and Sara both. The question is- will the legacy he left them ensure their survival or their doom?”

A year into a Post-Apocalyptic existence, where friendships are tested and new enemies emerge; talk of destiny fulfilled through a child offers salvation.

Could you believe?

Rebirth, a continuation of the popular post-apocalyptic tale that one Facebook reviewer called "a stark and uncompromising vision of the future of our world", is the second in the trilogy.
Narrated by Joel’s girlfriend Sara, Rebirth is a story of survival, betrayal, and hope. After giving birth to their son, whose evident purpose is to fulfill the destiny that Joel had forsaken, Sara realizes that her home is no longer a haven.

Menaced by a power-obsessed Earl and frightened by the deterioration of a once-tight group of comrades, she flees north- into a nihilistic world inhabited by dangerous nomads, new friends, and old enemies.

Early reviewers have commented that Rebirth, while a sequel, is a powerful story in its own right. Poeltl has confirmed that a third book, as of yet untitled, will complete the Judas Syndrome trilogy.

"The series will chronicle the struggles and sacrifices of two generations of post-Apocalypse survivors," he said recently. "The sins of the father (Joel) fall upon his son and Sara both. The question is- will the legacy he left them ensure their survival or their doom?"

Available at:

In print

Paypal (signed version from the author)

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca



In ebook

Order the e-book from the author (don't forget to indicate what reader you use)

Kindle (Amazon)

Smashwords (Multiple ebook formats.)

Nook book (Barnes & Noble)

Other urls: www.the-judas-syndrome.com

Book Trailer Tuesday

Welcome to Book Trailer Tuesday! Here are some videos for your viewing pleasure.

Night of the Chupacabra, by Michael Hebler


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The Incredible Awesome Adventures of Puggie Liddell, by Karen Mueller Bryson


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Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurences by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

Monday Contents

Here we go. This week is bookalicious.

Tuesday: Book Trailer Tuesday

Wednesday: Spotlight - Michael Poetl, author of The Judas Syndrome

Thursday: Excerpt - Eminent Domain by Tit Elington and Erin O'Riordan

Friday: Fiction Freebies


- LR