Fox Tales

RomFest 2012

2012-05-29T11:50:00.000-04:00

In a few short weeks, I’ll be off to RomFest 2012. Writing is such a solitary occupation, I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to spend some quality time with readers and other authors. They are people who share my passion for great stories and books in general. Not to mention the fact that when we get together, fun things happen!

I’m looking forward to the workshops, panels, book signings, and of course the parties. Not quite sure if I’m brave enough to do a costume. But I truly do admire those who do, and will whole-heartedly cheer them on.

And of course, there’s shopping to be done in one’s free time. It looks like there are some fantastic pottery and woodworking shops, along with other local artisans close by. I can’t wait to check them out.

Here’s the link so you can check out the details below:

http://www.romfest.com/

We're so thrilled to announce our first annual RomFest to be held June 20th - 24th, 2012 in historic downtown Gatlinburg at the rustic Glenstone Lodge. RomFest 2012 is where readers can mingle with their favorite authors, editors and agents for four days of fun-filled activities including costume parties, food, books, workshops and panels.

If you’re thinking about a getaway in June, why not Gatlinburg, TN? You can bring the whole family. I hope to see you there!

Unicorn Keep

2012-05-25T19:07:00.001-04:00

Today it's my pleasure to host YA author Angelia Almos, and her new release Unicorn Keep. Without further adieu, here's the blurb and my review.

Blurb:
Jiline of Ainsley is dismayed when her best friend is selected by the mages to become a unicorn keeper at the Keep, an isolated mountain fortress. Especially since Madelen is in love and engaged to the richest boy in the village. Jiline on the other hand has no prospects of marriage or a trade in their small village. So, she comes up with a plan to take Madelen’s place at the Keep and hopefully flunk out of unicorn keeper training before the mages can discover the deception. Unfortunately, the unicorns have their own plans for her.

Mage Herrick, son of the Keep Mage, returns home to the Keep as the trainee keepers arrive. A chance encounter with Jiline, who he believes is Madelen, on the trail sparks a magical connection between the two. Knowing he can’t feel a magical draw to someone who has no magic, he tries to prove Madelen (Jiline) has magic within her. His attention brings unforeseen complications for both of them.

My Review:
In fifteen year old Jiline of Ainsley, Ms. Almos has crafted the perfect bff. What’s not to love about a friend who will sacrifice herself for your happiness? Without thought for herself, Jiline does just that for Madelen, and steps into a rollicking adventure filled with mythical creatures and magic. Along the way she finds friends who will help her, and makes enemies who wish her ill. Yet she handles each with a steadfast devotion to her task, once she accepts it.

Herrick is a powerful young mage kept very carefully under his mother’s thumb. Once he meets Jiline masquerading as Madelen, he’s determined to get out from under the control of the the Keep’s mistress and live a life of his own choosing. Like many young men he turns his back on the familiar to embrace the unknown.

The unicorns are a wonderful basis for this story, and Ms. Almos has crafted the creatures in such a way that they truly live up to the fantastic legends we’ve become familiar with. Her love of fleet-footed, hooved creatures makes the story shine. The further along I read, the more I found myself cheering them on their journey.

If your older tween, or young teen would like to read something without fangs, this is a fantasy tale of adventure worth looking at.

Angelia Almos formed a lifelong passion for horses at the age of five when she talked her parents into riding lessons. Horses often play a prominent role in her young adult fantasy books. She also write horsey nonfiction and space opera. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her husband, two daughters, two dogs, two cats, and one pony (she often thinks of bumping that number up to two).

Visit her website: www.angeliaalmos.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/angeliaalmos
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AngeliaAlmosAuthor

Thank you for allowing Fox Tales the honor of reviewing your story. We wish you much success!

Want

2012-05-18T11:25:00.001-04:00

Welcome! Today it's my pleasure to host Upper YA author, Stephanie Lawton. Stephanie is touring her new release, Want. Isn't the cover just gorgeous? Check out the deets below, along with my review.

Blurb:

Julianne counts the days until she can pack her bags and leave her old-money, tradition-bound Southern town where appearance is everything and secrecy is a way of life. A piano virtuoso, she dreams of attending a prestigious music school in Boston. Failure is not an option, so she enlists the help of New England Conservatory graduate Isaac Laroche to help her.

She can’t understand why he suddenly gave up Boston’s music scene to return to the South. He doesn’t know her life depends on escaping it. Julianne must face down madness from without, just as it threatens from within. Isaac must resist an inappropriate attraction, but an indiscretion at a Mardi Gras ball—the pinnacle event for Mobile’s elite—forces their present wants and needs to collide with sins of the past.

My Review:

Ms. Lawton has my admiration. I’m not from the south, but after spending several years there, I believe she’s done a fabulous job of capturing the intricacies of southern life and how it shapes the people who live it.

Julianne is a young woman trapped by societal mores who is determined to break free of them, and everything they represent. She yearns for acceptance, and love, yet feels unlovable. Her talent is huge, her dreams beckon, and yet her everyday life threatens to not only thwart her dreams, but crush them into dust.

Isaac is the wunderkind who has it all. He’s lived the life Julianne craves. And it didn’t work out exactly as he believed it would, due to circumstances beyond his control. With Julianne he may have another chance to live his dreams, but only if he’s willing to change.

Before I realized it, I was enmeshed in Julianne’s struggle. This story is a roller coaster ride, filled with twists you won’t see coming. By turns, it angered me, shocked me, and took me into dark emotional places I didn’t want to go. But I’m glad I did. Even days after reading it, the characters are still with me. If didn’t know better, I’d swear I’ve met some of these people. For fans of Upper YA, this story is a must read.

Author Bio:

After collecting a couple English degrees in the Midwest, Stephanie Lawton suddenly awoke in the deepest reaches of the Deep South. Culture shock inspired her to write about Mobile, Alabama, her adopted city, and all the ways Southern culture, history and attitudes seduce the unsuspecting.

A lover of all things gothic, she can often be spotted photographing old cemeteries, historic buildings and, ironically, the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. She also has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles.

On her thirtieth birthday, she mourned (okay bawled) the fact that in no way could she still be considered a “young adult,” so she rebelled by picking up Twilight and promptly fell in love with Young Adult literature.

She has a love/hate relationship with Mardi Gras –where does all that money come from?–and can sneeze 18 times in a row.

Links:

Blog: http://stephanielawton.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Lawton-author/192796874113180
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Steph_Lawton

Pre-order Want: http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/4/post/2012/02/want-by-stephanie-lawton.html

Thank you for letting Fox Tales review your book. Congratulations on your new release. Wishing you much success!!

No Sweeter Love

2012-05-17T09:52:00.004-04:00

It’s my pleasure to celebrate the success of one of my wonderful CP’s, Tina Vaughn. Today is the release day of her very first book! Congratulations, my friend. Wishing you every happiness on this special day.

Welcome to Union

Population: 994

Town motto: Where no secret goes untold

His father’s death forces Dr. Ryan Williams to return to the home—and the woman—he’d left behind ten years earlier. Ryan knows it’s best to avoid Union sweetheart and police officer Emily Winters during his visit. But how? Stuck in this small town, fighting an attraction that hasn’t diminished over time, the sparks are unavoidable—and so are the rumors. The same rumors that made him leave Union in the first place…

Experience taught Emily to keep her guard—and her panties—up. Until Ryan returns as suddenly as he left, tempting her with promises she already knows he can’t keep. Or so she thinks. This new adult Ryan is one capable of forever and, God-willing, forgiveness. Because even as they learn to trust and love each other again, Emily knows once she reveals her secret, heartbreak is inevitable.

Buy It Here

Here's to celebrating many more release days, and to amazing success. Cheers!

Dragon Rider's Gift

2012-05-12T13:57:00.000-04:00

First off, let me apologize for not posting this yesterday. Due to time constraints, I wasn't quite able to finish the story. And believe me, it was worth finishing. Without further adieu, here's the blurb for KH LeMoyne's shiny new release, Dragon Rider's Gift. And my review.

Blurb

Roark of Nedres spent his life absorbing lore, legend, and rumor to claim his dragon beast in order to save his people. Nothing has prepared him for the ultimate bond fate will demand.

Princess Nira Meriel Estar was born with the power of prophecy. Her most recent vision forecasts a dire fate for her people, promises few answers, and will deliver the country of Fyrhall a victorious future or crushing defeat.

Kraz, an ancient dragon of mythical power and knowledge, has eluded capture for a thousand years. However, only a dragon of great wisdom would consider an eternal bond to his warrior rider to save his dragon race.
Three souls. Two hearts. One courageous calling.

My Review

Roark is a dragon rider on a mission to find his dragon. The years he spends on his quest hone him into a man of honor and duty who is very aware of his station in life. He exists to protect and serve; not daring to dream fate would offer him anything more.

Nira is a princess who is being trained by her father the king, to one day rule their land. Unfortunately there are gaps in her education that only a lover can fill. She is born with a singular, unmanageable gift that will either help her people survive the threat of war, or force them to succumb to it.

Kraz is the ancient dragon who enables both of them to reach their full potential.

This story is a classic tale of two people finding love where they least expect it. The author deftly suspends disbelief with characters that are skillfully drawn of both light and dark, with human failings we all understand. Set against the backdrop of war and magic, this is a wonderful tale of love and adventure. The thing that moves this story from ordinary to extraordinary is the relationship between Kraz, his rider, and the future queen. I couldn’t stop turning pages because I had to know what would happen next.

I truly hope there will be more installments in the Portals of Destiny Tales. In my opinion, KH LeMoyne has crafted another must read story. If you’re a fan of fantasy romance, add this to the top of your TBR list.

Author Bio
A former technology specialist, KH LeMoyne writes sensual romance: urban and high fantasy, and scifi/futuristic. She lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and corgi. Much to her dismay, she rarely encounters supernatural beings other than on paper. Visit her website: http://www.khlemoyne.com/ or blog: http://fantasypoweredbylove.com/

Important Links

Website: http://www.khlemoyne.com/
Blog: http://khlemoyne.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kh.lemoyne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/khlemoyne
Publisher: http://digitalcrystalpress.com/

Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Riders-Portals-Destiny-ebook/dp/B007VG8ZU8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334833027&sr=8-2

Thank you for the opportunity to review your story. We wish you great success with your new release!

Sutton Cooks – Sort Of

2012-05-07T11:29:00.000-04:00

Hopefully, you live in a household where everyone loves green vegetables and eats them on a regular basis. Not so in the Fox home. We’re a die-hard meat and potatoes bunch. And it’s catching up with us. Truly it’s already caught up with us; we just have to turn around to see it.

In a never ending effort to get everyone to eat healthier, I’ve been trying some new things. Yes, that cracking sound you hear is probably hell freezing over because not only have I stopped in the kitchen; I’ve actually used the food processor. It’s all good. Nobody died. Yet.

About two weeks ago I came across a video on Yahoo about a smoothie. Normally I don’t even watch videos, but I confess to being in a state of desperation. With a few adjustments, this one turned out to be really good!

For the first time in recorded history, our household has eaten an entire bag of fresh kale! It’s a taste to season recipe. You simply disguise the green taste with fruit. But don’t go overboard with the sweet stuff! If you want to try it, here’s the link to the recipe.

http://screen.yahoo.com/spice-up-your-smoothie-29046570.html

The ingredients are at about 1:22. Sorry about the commercial at the beginning. They are why I don’t usually watch videos. Grrrr.

We love cayenne pepper, and use it regularly. It’s supposed to increase your metabolism, but in our opinion it really adds just too much bite. It tastes fine without it. I’ll ride my bike a little longer instead.

And yeah, smoothies have been en vogue for a couple years now. But pot roast and mashed potatoes just don’t taste the same in a blender.

Shadow of the Witte Wieven

2012-05-04T09:39:00.001-04:00

Today it's my pleasure to post an excerpt from a brand new paranormal romance entitled Shadow of the Witte Wieven by Debbie Peterson. Enjoy!

Blurb:
Despite a contract on her head, lone Drug Enforcement Agent, Aliyana Montijo must ferret out a mole and stop the assassination of top DEA officials, as so ordered by the Colombian drug lord she seeks to take down. The task is a daunting one, for there is no one she can trust. No one that is, until she encounters a most unlikely ally.

Former seventeenth century captain of the Dutch West Indies Company, Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness, now from a parallel dimension, encounters the beautiful agent during an unearthly storm in the Bermuda triangle. Drawn to the Spanish beauty he rescues, he pledges his assistance, despite her reluctance to accept either his help or his heart.

Can Wolf bridge both space and time to claim the woman he loves?

Excerpt:
Aliyana nodded as she released a breath and said, “Yes, as a matter of fact they did. Hank has demanded a tour of Mercado’s empire. He said that he wants to see the way they produce cocaine from start to finish. By so doing, he could point out their faults and help them improve production. According to Ortiz, Hank had the audacity to boast about his knowledge of the latest in drug manufacturing technology as if they were a bunch of ignorant ‘campesinos.’ As you can imagine, this rankled them a bit.”

“I’m surprised they aren’t going to use this outing as an excuse to kill him,” Cornelius remarked.

Aliyana shrugged as she cast a brief glance downward. “They actually mentioned that. However, as much as Mercado would like to permanently get rid of the man, he’s going to show a bit of restraint and allow the ‘pig’ to live—for now.”

“Did they mention whether or not Mercado planned to comply with this requested tour?” asked Cornelius.

“He is going to comply, but not in the way Hank intends,” she replied. “Mercado is going to take him much farther south, to a factory and lab he no longer uses. He is sending some of his employees ahead to clean the place up and make ready for their visit. Emil wants everything to look as if the lab is in full swing.”

“So Mercado is conducting the tour personally then?” asked Wolf.

“Yes, he is. He doesn’t trust Hank. Therefore, he wants to observe his every movement, personally.”

“How long will it take them to get to this lab?”

“If it’s the one I think it is, about three, maybe four hours. Why do you ask?”

Wolf brushed a hand against his beard as he contemplated this unexpected opportunity. “How many such places could he possibly take Morris?”

“I only know of two,” she said.

“How long would it take to get to other one?”

Aliyana shook her head as she lifted a shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know—perhaps an additional half an hour or so. That’s why I think he’ll opt for the closest one.”

“Did they say when they intend to conduct this tour?”

“Day after tomorrow. Hank is supposed to arrive at dawn. If you still want to follow the man, you will get your chance then.”

“So travel time, to and from is at least six hours, maybe more,” Wolf mused aloud. “The tour itself will take some time. What would you think, another hour maybe two for him to thoroughly inspect the facilities?”

“Every bit of that and then some,” Aliyana said as she knit her brows in consternation. “Wolf, why are you asking all of these questions?”

“With Mercado out of the way, I’m thinking this might be the perfect opportunity to escort you inside the man’s office so you can raid those files on his computer.”

“But we don’t have all of the numbers to his pass code yet,” Aliyana replied. “I can’t get inside without them.”

In response to the reminder, he allowed a slight smile to emerge and for several long moments, he held her gaze without saying a word. Her confusion finally gave way to understanding. He could see it. She drew in a sharp breath as a burst of anger exploded onto her cheeks.

“You have the ability to get me inside that office anytime you want to, don’t you Captain Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness,” she spat.

Wolf folded his arms against his chest, flashed a full-fledged grin, and bounced his brows.

“I can’t believe you would withhold that information from me,” she seethed as her eyes shot lethal daggers into his person. “And you just let me keep watching that screen for hours on end when such a need didn’t exist—”

“Oh come on, Aliyana,” Wolf laughingly protested. “You surely didn’t think I’d allow you to go in there until the safest possible moment, did you?”

His humor did nothing to improve her anger. If anything, it only served to fuel it. She shook her head then and let him have it--with both barrels blazing--in Spanish, of course. And he enjoyed every minute of the delightful display.

Debbie Peterson, author of “Spirit of the Rebellion,” is about to release her second novel, “Shadow of the Witte Wieven,” through InkSpell Publishing. This paranormal romance combines a seventeenth century sea captain, a modern DEA agent, and the Bermuda Triangle to send you on an incredible adventure, filled with intrigue and romance.

Debbie has always had a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, and happily ever after endings. She incorporates these aspects into all of the paranormal stories she writes. When she is not busy conjuring her latest novel, she spends time with the beloved members of her very large family. She also pursues her interests in family history and all things ancient and historic.
You can connect with her:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebbiePeterson1
Website: http://dk-peterson.com/

Thank you for letting Fox Tales post your excerpt, Debbie. We wish you the best with your book!

The Hummers Are Back!

2012-05-03T11:05:00.000-04:00

This year is the first spring we’ve had since the renovation to do normal outdoor household things. As most of you know, just the general stuff requires an investment of time and sweat. Doing some research on what kind of grass to plant after having part of the yard dug up led me to an article on hummingbirds. Its timeline showed that hummingbirds in this area usually return around the end of April. And no, I have no idea how the heck I got from grass seed to hummingbirds. Maybe grass seed didn’t seem all that interesting.

After waxing nostalgic for a bit over how I used to love having all the bird stuff when the kidlet was small, I thought, why not? Watching birds was something we’d enjoyed together. But I wondered, just because he’s grown now, why I felt I had to deny myself the simple pleasure I’d once had. On my next trip to the home improvement store I picked up a hummingbird feeder.

Mixed up a batch of food yesterday and hung it near a shiny new pot of petunias. And pronto! At dusk we sat out on the deck and watched the show. It’s amazing to me how the little things search out food so fast. I think we may have a pair of them.

As I was watering the newly planted grass seed this morning, one actually flew into the spray and held its mouth open for a drink. It shivered as it landed on the straw, groomed itself, showered and flew away. The whole experience probably didn’t take more than a minute, but I just stood there. Mesmerized. I’ve never seen a hummingbird land on the ground before. It was just luck that I happened to be looking in that direction.

I’m going to try to set up my camera over the next couple days so I can share some pics with you.

Spring Fling Readers Contest

2012-05-01T12:48:00.000-04:00

Join The Hunt!

Just a quick reminder to all of the readers out there not to miss the Spring Fling Readers Contest going on right now over at Night Owl Reviews. I’m giving away a Kindle Fire, and there are lots of other authors participating as well.

There are more than 100 prizes and there will be over 75 winners. Don’t miss out!

And while you’re at it, have yourself a great day.

Happy for My Friends

2012-04-23T15:52:00.000-04:00

Since beginning my writing career a few years ago, I’ve been lucky enough to make some very dear friends who share my love of the written word in all its forms. We’ve been through some ups and downs over the years.

At the end of last week, when I opened my email first thing in the morning, they’d been there already, wishing me a happy birthday. It started my special day off on a wonderful note, knowing how busy they are, and yet they still took that moment just for me.

This week is special because some good things are happening for them too. My friend Piper has been having terrible trouble with her eye. As a reader, can you imagine what a difficult and scary time it’s been? Today her eye is finally healed enough that she can blog after two months. Welcome back my friend! You can read her story here:

Piper Patter

And my other friend, Maya got ‘The Call’ last week from her dream publisher. Her book will be out in December. This isn’t the last you’ll hear about it here on Fox Tales, but I couldn’t be happier for her. She kept working, and working toward her goal. She never quit, she never gave up, and she made it! You can read her call story here:

Maya Writes

Congratulations, ladies. I’m blessed to have you in my life and I’m thrilled for both of you!!

Change of Address

2012-04-19T11:34:00.002-04:00

Today it's my pleasure to feature an excerpt from Change of Address. A new contemporary romance by author Natalie-Nicole Bates as part of her Enchanted Book Tour. Enjoy!

Saved from a traumatic past and successful in her present as a home care nurse, Josselyn Adler’s dream of home ownership in the idyllic town of Unity are dashed to pieces when Dr Ben Parnell, a cancer specialist, shows up on her doorstep claiming to be the rightful owner of the house—and Ben has a will to prove it! To Josselyn, the house represents a new start in her life. With a stable home, hopefully a much wanted family wouldn’t be far behind.

After a near career-ending allegation is made, Ben has returned home to lick his wounds. But now he must prove Josselyn’s claim to be a fake, that she used her position as a live-in nurse to his sick father to ingratiate herself into his good graces. But as he gets to know her, he can tell by her shy, often standoffish behavior, that Josselyn is a woman who has been deeply hurt in her past. Although he is attracted to the dark haired beauty that has invaded his life, he is still suspicious of her true motives and her past involvement with his father.

Book Excerpt

When she arrived at the foot of the stairs, the front door rattled. Fear, cold and stark, rose up in her throat and choked her as she heard the lock snap and watched, rooted to the floor, the creaky old door jiggle in its frame. The anticipation mingled with fright, produced a potent, sick feeling churning inside her like the bad horror movie she’d recently viewed on late-night cable television.

After what seemed an eternity, the door flung open. The first thought entering her brain was a ghost had entered her home. A younger, blonder visage of Morgan stood in the threshold. Before she could utter his name, a second, more coherent thought followed; a ghost wouldn’t use a key.

The man in the doorway took one step inside and stopped abruptly, clenched his jaw, and stared. The familiar stranger invading her new home could only be one person.

“My goodness, you’re Ben! You’re Morgan’s son!” she exclaimed.

“Well, we know who I am. Now who the hell are you, and why are you trespassing in my house?”

“Your house?” she asked with disbelief. “This is my home. Morgan gave it to me!”

“I don’t know who you are, lady, but I suggest you get a move on it. I’ll give you five minutes before I call the police.” He pointed to his platinum-cased wristwatch for emphasis.

“Don’t bother waiting.” She reached into her handbag and removed her cell phone. With shaking fingers, she punched in 911.

The line connected after the second ring. “911, what is your emergency?” asked the female dispatcher.

“My name is Josselyn Adler. I’m the new owner of 22 Little Pine Road. A man has let himself into my home and is now threatening me.” Although she was quaking on the inside, she strove to keep her voice and demeanor strong and confident.

“I have an officer on the way, Ms. Adler. Would you like to stay on the line with me until he arrives?” she offered.

“No, thank you. I’ll be fine,” she assured her.

As she disconnected her phone, Ben’s gaze burned into her. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing any fear. While growing up, she had dealt with her share of tormentors. One forty-year-old, blond-haired bully was not going to intimidate her or drive her from a home that was rightfully hers.

“Very nice performance,” he said snidely.

“Excuse me?” She furrowed her brow and made eye contact. Ben Parnell had his father’s glacial, blue eyes.

“Any moment one of Unity’s finest will be arriving to play knight in shining armor and save the poor maiden from the big, bad wolf.”

Before she could utter a word in reply, a black patrol car came to a screeching halt on the street. An officer threw open the car door and made long, quick strides to the house. His uniform and Unity Police Department baseball cap matched the color of his car.

A lump formed in her throat. As she was growing up, a police car in front of the house and an officer at the door meant her father was in some sort of trouble yet again.

“Good evening, Miss. I’m Officer Smith.” He looked to Ben. “It’s certainly been a long time since you’ve been around, Ben.” Not waiting for an answer from him, he turned his attention back to Josselyn. “What seems to be the problem tonight?”

He knew Ben by his first name. They looked to be about the same age, and in this small town, it was likely they knew each other growing up. Although Officer Smith seemed friendly enough, would he side with the hometown boy rather than with the stranger girl?

“This is my house. Morgan Parnell left it to me in his will. Now he...” She paused and pointed at Ben. “He thinks it’s his house.”

“I have a will, too,” Ben loudly interrupted. “And mine is legitimate!”

His deep voice vibrated through her, causing her head to ache. Flustered, she pulled an envelope from her handbag. Morgan’s attorney gave to her a copy of the will a few days earlier. She handed it to Officer Smith. To her dismay, Ben also produced a document from a briefcase.

This is very bad.

She hoped Ben had been bluffing.

Author Bio
Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.

She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.

Visit Natalie-Nicole online at www.natalienicolebates.com
Important Links
Author Website: http://natalienicolebates.com

Buy From Publisher: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=216

Buy from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006O03944/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_g351_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0CEJTX0E40HXR1YKDAJH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Thank you for allowing Fox Tales to feature your excerpt today. Wishing you much success on your tour, and with your new release!

Compliment, Criticism or Just Plain Confusion

2012-04-16T11:39:00.000-04:00

This is a strange topic to blog about, but I’ve got to start again somewhere. Since becoming published several years ago, there are a lot of standard questions or comments I hear from readers or other authors. They’re not always bad or good, sometimes just food for thought. Things like, ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ or ‘Are your characters people you know?’

The answer to the first one – ideas come from everywhere. Today I opened up my browser and the first two headlines I read were something about a Granny drug kingpin being arrested in Oklahoma, and brides using feeding tubes to lose weight for their weddings. It’s not a tough search for ideas these days.

The answer to the second one – absolutely not. Ever. Mostly because I can never get real people to behave in ways that would suit my plots on a consistent basis.

My personal favorite, which I heard again this weekend is, ‘Well if you can get published…I’ve got an idea for a book. Maybe I should write one too.’

Never quite sure how to take this one. Does that mean they think I’m a blithering idiot, and if I can do it anyone can? Or maybe it’s meant to be complimentary, and if I can find time in my harried schedule to write, they can too. Most likely, I should just take it with a grain of salt. And perhaps slice of lime…

Fezariu's Epiphany

2012-03-23T11:24:00.000-04:00

Welcome, everyone. Today it's my pleasure to review David Brown's epic fantasy, Fezariu's Epiphany.

Blurb:

12-year-old Fezariu thought his mother died when he was little, but when his beloved stepfather dies the boy discovers she is alive and well - and working at the most famous brothel in all of Elenchera. When she cruelly rejects him it's more than he can bear, and he runs away to join a band of ruthless soldiers for hire. The Merelax Mercenaries will fight for anyone who can pay them, no matter the justice of the cause.

Fezariu grows up among the soldiers and becomes one of them. He thinks his time with the mercenaries has hardened him. But a campaign in his old home town pushes him too far, and he discovers what really happened to his mother. Maybe there are some things money shouldn't buy... and maybe it's time Fezariu took his revenge.

My Review:

All the years of work Mr. Brown did in creating the world of Elenchera are clearly evident when you read this story. It smacks of realism, yet contains just enough fantasy to make it entertaining. It’s a realm where the characters are at home, and you feel right at home with them.

A true journey of how one’s childhood can shape one’s life, and a revelation of what inner demons would drive a man to make the choices he did. Fezariu’s tale is one of love, betrayal, and loyalty played out over many years upon a vast canvas.

There is a bit more telling of Fezariu’s escapades than showing, so sometimes he comes off a bit flat. But that being said, it wasn’t enough for me to quit reading. And I believe that’s more of a personal preference. Wild Jessamine was a diamond in the rough, and the other supporting characters were well drawn and helped give the story a life of its own.

If you are a fan of epic fantasy, reading this beautifully edited book will be time well spent.

About the Author:

David Brown could be considered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 years developing a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. When converting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorous writing and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combined with the critical eye of his wife and a BA Honors in History and English, David's dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfelt stories and characters.

Although David is inspired primarily by fantasy fiction, he also finds his muse in the form of anime, world cinema, history, and biographies. His own books, Fezariu's Epiphany and the in-progress A World Apart, combine aspects from worlds both old and new into compelling tales of a world not soon forgotten., David himself certainly does not lack a spirit of adventure; in fact, he left his job in 2007 in order to spend a month traveling. Second only to meeting and marrying his wife, David counts this as one of the most amazing experiences of his life.
Links:
The Elencheran Chronicles
http://elenchera.com

The World According to Dave
http://blog.elenchera.com

Twitter
http://twitter.com/elenchera

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/fezariu

Goodreads Amazon B&N

Book Depository Indie Bound

Tundra 37

2012-03-02T14:03:00.000-05:00

This Friday, I'm thrilled to be able to review Tundra 37. It's book 2 of the A New Dawn Series by Aubrie Dionne. Read on for details about the book, my review, and Ms. Dionne!

Gemme is a hi-tech matchmaker who pairs the next generation of Lifers aboard the Expedition, a deep space transport vessel destined for Paradise 18. When the identity of her lifemate pops up on her screen, she’s shocked that he’s the achingly gorgeous and highly sought after Lieutenant Miles Brentwood—a man oblivious to her existence. Believing everyone will think she contrived the match, she erases it from the computer’s memory.

Just as comets pummel the ship and destroy the pairing system forever. With the Expedition disabled, the colonists must crash land on the barren ice world of Tundra 37 where Gemme is reassigned to an exploratory mission, led by Lieutenant Brentwood. Only in the frozen tundra does she understand the shape of his heart and why the computer has entwined their destinies.

My Review:

Gemme Reiner’s world is made up mostly of numbers. It’s her job to analyze data aboard the Expedition, specifically data related to human pairings. And she’s fine with that. They don’t call her the Matchmaker without reason. Her matches have nothing to do with love, and everything to do with the survival of the species.

Lieutenant Miles Brentwood is charged with ensuring things run smoothly on the Expedition, and overseeing the health and safety of its human inhabitants. To him, humans aren’t just numbers and statistics; they’re real people with lives and loves of their own.

Their world gets turned upside down and inside out when the best laid plans of their forefathers go awry. A field of comets not only forces a change in strategy, but reveals hidden agendas that ensure the end of everyone’s peaceful life on board the ship.

Let me be one of the first to say Ms. Dionne has outdone herself with this story. While some of the plot lines might seem familiar, let me assure you they are not. Carefully crafted twists and surprises have made this story an action packed thrill ride from beginning to end. It has one of the most interesting sub plots I’ve read in a very long time. If you are a fan of sci-fi romance, you’ve got to read this book.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Paradise 21. This story is even better. If you are looking for your next favorite author, try Aubrie Dionne, and read Tundra 37. You won’t be disappointed.

About Aubrie Dionne

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber,
and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, SynergEbooks, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. Aubrie teaches flute at Plymouth State University and the Manchester Community Music School. Please visit her website: www.authoraubrie.com

Important Links

Aubrie’s Website:
http://authoraubrie.com

Book Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XcwFtmeTcM

Twitter: @authoraubrie

Aubrie’s Blog:
http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

Buy on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Tundra-37-New-Dawn-2/dp/1937044491/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329478503&sr=8-1

Buy on B&N:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tundra-37-aubrie-dionne/1108616503?ean=2940014020817&itm=1&usri=tundra+37

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/search?query=tundra+37

Little Red Riding Wolf

2012-02-17T09:09:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, let’s give a warm welcome to paranormal author, Jessica Aspen. Tomorrow is the big release day for her latest novella, Little Red Riding Wolf. I’m honored that you chose to spend today here at Fox Tales. Let’s get to the details.

Have you always written, or wanted to be a writer, or is it something you’ve done after having another career?

Thanks for having me on as your guest, Sutton, I’m excited to be here today. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but like a lot of writers I was told that it wasn’t realistic. So for most of my life I dabbled when I wrote, didn’t finish anything, pretty much treating it the way one does when you are doing other things as a career. Meanwhile I went to college and emerged with an elementary education degree that I really never used. I just didn’t want to be a teacher. Instead I spent time with my kids and played at part time jobs till finally I decided; it just doesn’t matter if this is a career or not, I want to write. Now I’m thrilled to have Little Red Riding Wolf coming out and guess what, it turns out you can have this as a career!

You write paranormal stories. Have you always been drawn to life on the dark side, or did you start out with another genre?

Well, I still started off dark. My very first romance I wrote seriously was a romantic suspense, complete with a stalker. Maybe I’ll pick that up again someday, but I think what I really will end up doing is combining the supernatural element of paranormal and the mystery element of suspense. This series of novellas isn’t suspense, but I am working on a full length novel that combines both elements, we’ll call it supernatural suspense.

I see from your website that you live in Colorado. That’s where I grew up, and some days I miss it. The scenery is just stunning. What’s your favorite thing about living there?

I didn’t know you grew up here. It is lovely and I think if I move anywhere else I would miss it too. I love the scenery and I love hiking and spending time in the mountains. They provide a sense of serenity it’s difficult to find elsewhere, except maybe the ocean. So I might be talked into trading the mountains for the beach, but not any time soon.

We don’t want to wait any longer. Please tell us about your new release!

Little Red Riding Wolf is an e-novella from Passion in Print Press. It’s my first, but I plan a few more so watch out! Here is the blurb:

Fraternizing with humans is taboo, but when feisty werewolf Red runs into hunky new forest ranger Evan Brewster, she jumps on the opportunity to let loose her desires. Evan is stoked when he meets the petite red haired hottie, and combined with his new discovery of wolves in Colorado, thinks his career and life are made. Then Red pushes him away, her hostile brother threatens his life, and things begin to spiral out of control. Caught between her sexy lover and her pack can Red trust Evan with her secrets, or must she sacrifice her human lover and her heart?

What’s up next for Jessica Aspen?

I’m having fun working on the sequel to Little Red about Red’s brother Seth. In Little Red Riding Wolf Seth is angry and hates humans, so of course he has to have his comeuppance in the sequel. And of course it also is a twisted fairy tale, this time with elements from Snow White.

Before we go, I’ve also noticed that you’re part of a site called Paranormal Freebies. Give us the scoop, woman!

Paranormal Freebies is a blogging site where readers and authors can connect. We’re still in our infancy but we plan on growing bigger and bigger. Right now we try to have guest authors from all genres on Tuesdays and a book review the first Monday of the month. My fellow teammates, ML Guida, Hillary Seidl and Marilyn Wigglesworth and I take turns writing a paranormal blog on Fridays. With each of us having a different view of what paranormal is you’ll find everything from information on haunted houses and shows to information on different spiritual practices. I write about a variety of topics under the heading Wizzards, Witches and Psychics, Oh My!

Where can we stalk-uh, find you around the web?

Thanks for having me! You can find me the first Friday of the month at http://ParanormalFreebies.comand most days during the week at http://jessicaaspen.com. And you can follow me on Twitter @jessicaaspen and on Facebook.com/Jessica.Aspen I look forward to seeing you there! Don’t forget to leave a comment or question for me here and then click HERE to enter to win novellas, chocolate and more!

It's our pleasure to host you, Jessica. Thank you for taking the time to be here today. We wish you amazing success with your novella, and the entire series!

Betrayal’s Shadow

2012-01-27T15:45:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, everyone! This week's feature simply rocks. Read on for more information, and my review.

What would you do to save your people from extinction?
What if your race held the key to mankind’s future?
One Guardian will risk hell to change the future.

Descended from the race of Guardians, Turen’s people have survived the last two hundred years, quarantined and isolated. Living in secrecy with no mates and no offspring, they fail to deliver on their ability to replenish and heal human souls through the birth of their Guardian children. Risking his life, Turen chooses capture at the hands of a comrade-turned-enemy to seek answers to change the future.

Mia Bowman has no knowledge of the secret Guardian race. Yet, her uncontrollable, nocturnal summons to Turen’s prison cell and her strong sense of justice leave her with little choice but to help him. She can heed his warning and stay clear of his people’s problems or she can ferret out the lies and unravel an ancient tale of murder and deceit. It will take an ultimate sacrifice to stop the unexpected evil and reverse a fatal ending to the Guardian line.

THE GUARDIANS OF EDEN:
A race of beings created in a Sanctum at the far edge of Eden. Co-existing with mankind, they safeguarded human souls and the promise of eternity—until a virus killed all over the age of eighteen. The surviving children fled to the Sanctum for protection, children raising children without the full legacy of their history and knowledge. Two hundred years of solitude have produced a race of semi-immortals fortified with powers and intellect but lacking the mates who will make them whole and allow them to fulfill their covenant with mankind.

Betrayal’s Shadow is the first in the Guardians of Eden Series. Book 2, Warrior Reborn, is also available and book 3, Destiny’s Markis due for release in late spring 2012.

A former technology specialist, KH LeMoyne now writes romance fulltime with series in urban fantasy, high fantasy, and scifi/futuristic. She lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and corgi. Much to her dismay, she rarely encounters supernatural beings other than on paper. Visit her website: http://www.khlemoyne.com/ or blog: http://fantasypoweredbylove.com/

My Review:

First off, let me say I’ve never written such a challenging review. Why was it challenging? Because the story is just that good. I looked for something that wasn’t quite up to par, and I couldn’t find it. This story really has it all. It offers a distinctive blend of elements that all mesh perfectly to reveal a tale of deception, compassion, love, betrayal, amazing courage and strong convictions. Who doesn’t love a hero who’ll sacrifice himself, and a heroine who’s not perfect, but his perfect match? And all of this is supported by secondary characters, and subplots that enhance the storyline, giving it depth and making this book a thoroughly fantastic tale. If you enjoy urban fantasy, paranormal, or fantasy this book is a must read.

LeMoyne is now firmly on my auto-buy list. As a matter of fact, I’ve already bought the second book in the series and am looking forward to reading it.

Just in case you're going to take my advice and get your own copy of this awesome book, or if you'd like to keep up with K.H. LeMoyne around the web, here are some links you might enjoy.

Website:
http://khlemoyne.com/

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/kh.lemoyne

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/khlemoyne or @khlemoyne

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11128829-betrayal-s-shadow

This book is available at:

Amazon

B&N

All Romance eBooks

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Finding the Irresistibly Sweet Side of Romance

2012-01-25T14:53:00.000-05:00

Paranormal Freebies Jessica Aspen has awarded Fox Tales the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award!

Not sure what she saw *looks around. Up and down, and behind* hmm, nothing there. But here at Fox Tales we’ve always wanted to be irresistible so we’re taking the award and running with it!

Here are The Rules:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

3. Pass the Award on to 10 deserving blog buddies.

4. Contact those buddies and let them know.

So first of all thank you Jessica Aspen! And you can find the fabulous Jessica and her books HERE at her website.

Seven random facts about Fox Tales:

1. This blog started because as a new author you were ‘supposed’ to have a blog. Now it’s become a way for me to spotlight other authors work to readers, and I really enjoy that.

2. Here at Fox Tales, we believe love matters. Love has the power to change things. We’re partial to stories featuring love in all different genres, paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi, suspense, historical and even in erotica. The emotional connection is part of what makes it sexy!

3. I believe the three major food groups are coffee, chocolate, and wine. And not necessarily in that order.

4. It’s way more fun talking to other people on this blog than it is talking about myself.

5. Fan Friday is the day for guest bloggers. They start the weekend off right.

6. If you’d like a review, we can do those too.

7. We love having guest authors and if you are an author with a new release you should let me know, I’d love to host you here on Fox Tales!

Now for the fun part! I get to nominate ten of my friends! So here are a few of my favorites!

1. Piper Denna

2. Kate Reedwood

3. Maya Blake

4. Aubrie Dionne

5. Tina Vaughn

6. Mary Marvella

7. Debora Dennis

8. Jennifer Shirk

9. Morgan Q. O’Reilly

10. Bethanne Strasser

So now I have to contact everyone and let them know! Congratulations and enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror

2012-01-09T11:06:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Monday, everyone! We have a special book tour review today. It's for Mirror, Mirror a YA paranormal/horror novel. So grab a beverage, and let's get started. Here's the cover and the blurb:

Piper is nearly as obsessed with antiquities and century-old houses as her mother is. It’s no surprise that she immediately falls in love with the old mirror she discovers on the attic of their new home. Despite the warnings of her best friend Alison, who senses something isn’t quite right about Piper’s newest discovery, she puts the mirror in her bedroom.

Tormented by nightmares and haunted by eerie voices in the middle of the night, Piper realizes she has made a terrible mistake. But is it really the fault of that antique mirror, or is her imagination playing tricks on her? Maybe the truth is even more terrifying…

My Review:

Piper is an average teen who struggles with loss, grief, and constant upheaval in her life. Constantly moving from home to home leaves her looking for stability and security. One way she finds this is through a group of friends she’s had for a very long time. Another way is to share the love of antiques with her mother. When she finds an exquisitely made mirror, she believes it will be the perfect addition to her bedroom. And since I really detest those spoiler reviews that detail every plot line, you’ll have to read the book to find out just how Piper grows from ordinary to extraordinary, what she’ll do for love, and what she learns along the way.

Ms. Verstraete has crafted an engaging read with a well thought out plot and enough twists and turns to keep you turning pages. She’s created down-to-earth characters we can all relate to, and cheer for. Although I did realize early on that English isn’t the author’s first language, and I struggled a bit with that, because writing it is different than speaking it. It’s like a secret handshake; there are a million snafu’s that catch you up. However, in spite of that the story still held my interest.

If you are a fan of YA paranormal/horror, you’ll enjoy this book. I believe once the language issues are worked out—and they aren’t major, they just need some fine tuning—Ms. Verstraete has a tremendous future ahead of her as a writer. She is studying law at university, and I can see why. She’s brilliant. And I’m honored to have been able to review one of her first works.

Author Bio

Majanka Verstraete is a twenty-one year old female from Belgium. She’s currently studying law at university. Her greatest passions in life are writing and reading. She especially enjoys writing books in the young adult genre, ranging from young adult horror novels to epic fantasy and paranormal romance. She has currently published two books, The Blood That Defines Us and Mirror, Mirror. She’s working on a collection of horror short stories, The Thirteenth Hour, which is due for release on June 1st 2012. Her current writing project is a paranormal romance series under the working title “The Angel of Death Series”. Volume one will be entitled “Soul Thief”.

Here's where you can get your copy of Mirror, Mirror and keep up with Majanka around the web.

Author website:
http://writings.eternalised.net/

Buy Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Mirror-ebook/dp/B0060O7AP8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324462386&sr=8-1

Buy EPUB from Lulu:
http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/mirror-mirror/18490911

Buy Paperback:
http://www.lulu.com/product/pocketboek/mirror-mirror-%28print%29/18495969

Buy Mirror, Mirror from Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/99771

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Heart-Reading/187070877978083

Twitter:
@iheartreads

I look forward to reading The Angel of Death Series when it's released. We wish you much success on your book tour, Majanka!

This Year In Writing

2012-01-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

I've spent the last couple days seriously considering my writing goals. Realistically, given my schedule, er, okay, I said no excuses this year didn't I. Darn, that didn't take long did it?

The first stop will be to finish my current WIP. Then I'd really like to write a novella. That would be a new challenge. And lastly, to complete another novel length work.

There we go. It's out in the open. Now I've got to go hunt up some of those word tracker thingies to post on my blog. Just so you can follow along.

Yep, that's it. Sounds simple doesn't it?

Happy New Year!

2011-12-30T12:04:00.000-05:00

I love this time of year. The after Christmas part. It makes me feel energized. Well, truthfully, this year, we’re having people over for New Year’s Eve. So guests equal cleaning. That’s not a complaint, but you know how we get. Sorta omg, is everything just right? Again. Didn’t we just do that last week?

Right now I’m thinking about 2011, what I was able to accomplish, and what I wasn’t. One of the things I didn’t do was set hard and fast concrete goals. Especially for my writing. Thus I watched the days and weeks blow by while doing something else. Something that was just as important I’m sure, as keeping my dream alive.

Really? Where’s that little ‘I call bullshit’ icon when you need it. I’ve been reading a lot lately about how goals should just be generalized because we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. Well, there’s hard, and then there’s HARD.

Hard (meaning difficult, uncomfortable, or just what you really don’t want to do) is when you give up your favorite television show to write that fourth chapter whose beginning just escapes you because can’t figure out where to start it. Hard is when you get up early, or stay up late to write, because it’s necessary to your happy existence. Hard is when you spend your lunch hour writing, instead of going out for burgers or shopping.

And then there’s HARD. Really, truly, gut wrenching, life-changing HARD. HARD is when your spouse serves in the military, and you have to serve right along with them because they have a dangerous job, and you keep the home fires burning without them, every day. HARD is not having enough food to eat. HARD is losing a loved one. HARD is being homeless. Really homeless, like living on the street, or in your car.

See the difference?

I’m not really a resolutions kind of gal, but this coming year I will set goals. And the first one is not to whine about how ‘Hard’ my life is. I know people in all of those situations who’ve got it HARD. There are times when my life has been HARD. And I’m incredibly grateful that my life isn’t that way right now.

We’re all crazy busy most of the time. Yet we manage to make time for things that are important to us. And we’ll happily or maybe not so much, let the rest slide. I’m going to spend the weekend thinking about my concrete goals for 2012.

Once I get them on paper, I’ll let you know what they are. And you can follow along and see if I do better with concrete goals than rather nebulous ones. At this point I have to say that I truly do admire people who can use nebulous goals and be successful. That must be awesome. Truly. It just doesn’t work for me. Thankfully, we can always change our strategy.

It’s with that thought in mind, that I’ll raise a glass of bubbly over the weekend, and be thankful for all of my writing friends and fans, who inspire me to be a better person. I didn’t say a softer one, but truly, a better one.

Wishing each of you a Happy New Year. And may it be the best one ever!!

Writing Contest

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

The First Annual Lyrical Press How Lyrical is Your Romance? Contest opens on Monday, January 16^th. This contest is open to both published and unpublished authors.Entries must be complete works, ranging in word count between 15,000-100,000 words, any heat level, and fit into one of the following subgenre categories:

Contemporary romance
Historical romance
Paranormal or urban fantasy romance
Romantic steampunk
Romantic Suspense

Prizes:

1^st Place: $200 advance and digital publishing contract (advance payable as $100 upon finalized contract and $100 upon publication).

2^nd Place: $100 advance and digital publishing contract (advance payable as $50 upon finalized contract and $50 upon publication).

3^rd Place: Top-scoring contestant in each genre category will receive an acquiring editor’s critique of synopsis and first 50 pages of manuscript.

Guidelines:

File type: .rtf, .doc, or .docx only

12pt black font (Times New Roman, Cambria, Courier or Georgia preferred)

Line spacing: 1.5

Margins: 1" all

Page-breaks between chapters

Please include a title page listing the following information:

Legal name

Pen name

Email address

Contact phone

Working title (include series name and details if applicable)

Word count

Genre/category

Entries will be accepted from January 16, 2012 through February 5, 2012, and must be emailed to contest@lyricalpress.com. Entries sent to an email other than the aforementioned will be ignored. Please include book title and contest in subject line thusly: Booktitle – How Lyrical Is Your Romance?. Attach full manuscript, and 2-5 page synopsis in .rtf, .doc, or .docx format (Booktitle_MS and Booktitle_SYN as file names--your book title replaces “Booktitle”). After February 5, the contest will close, but we’ll still be accepting submissions as always at our submissions@lyricalpress.comaddress.

No entry fee required. Judges reserve the right to Decline to Judge any entry if it does not fit our lines, level of writing is not acceptable, or submission guidelines are not followed.

Entries will be judged on the following criteria: Hook, Pacing/Plot, Characterization, Dialogue, Mechanics, and Author Voice.

Winners will be announced on March 12, 2012 via our blog http://lyricalpress.blogspot.com/and direct emails to winners.

Guest Author Autumn Piper

2011-12-23T09:27:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. Today's guest is my fabulous friend and awesome author, Autumn Piper. She's one of the authors celebrating the Christmas Bash with Lyrical Press. (*waves* Merry Christmas, Autumn!) Without further ado, here's our guest.

With a little help from our friends.

Who among us doesn’t need friends? I know I do—and claim some top-notch, world class best as my own. (Sutton Fox included. Merry Christmas, Sutton!)

I think characters need friends, too. And those friends can influence how a character thinks, feels, acts. Sometimes in positive ways, and others… Well, we don’t need a lesson in peer pressure.

I love secondary characters—reading them and writing them. For me, they make the story whole and give us another look at how our characters act/react in different social situations. And my characters always, always have friends, to use as sounding boards, to lean on, to party with and forget their troubles, get razzed by, to celebrate the good times with.

In Waiting for Revenge, my lead character Mandy is pushed, pulled, influenced, tempted, and goaded by various other characters. Poor Mandy gets Advice Overload. She’s in a tough spot trying to decide what to do about her wayward—though not wholly bad—husband. (As if the holidays don’t come with enough hassles already, right?) Though she strives to keep her predicament private, someone else is always finding out about her troubles. Her great aunt gives her pretty stern advice and tells her to take her husband to task, her big brother thinks she should leave him immediately, and his wife proves herself a First Class Girlfriend as well. Her son, who above all else she tries to shelter, guesses something is up and wants to protect her, her marriage counselor advocates revenge… And above all, her heart tells her she’s over her marriage and moved on, but she just can’t get past fear and guilt to welcome in those new feelings for someone else. She’s in a real quandary, and unfortunately for Mandy, the more she discusses her situation with other characters, the deeper her confusion (something of a Quagmire of Indecision).

As we all do, she eventually figures out what’s best for her kids and herself, and goes for it, with a few bumps along the way. She gets her happy ending, survives her ordeal, and provides the reader with a few laughs along the way (and a few emotional patches, too, though it’s not a gut-wrenching, sad story)…and her friends are by her side at the end just like they were in the beginning. Just like true friends should be.

Here’s a link for the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNFue73I1Bg&feature=related

And the book’s page on the LPI site: (currently on sale for .69) http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_12&products_id=138

One good heartbreak deserves another.

Mandy plans to leave her husband the minute their month of counseling is over. How can she forgive his outrageous affair? It would almost be funny if the consequences weren't so harsh. They've got kids, and families with strong -- and warped -- opinions on marriage.

Her aunt thinks she should take a page from the black widow spider. Her brother's begging to avenge her broken heart, and their marriage counselor offers to play the willing victim in some payback sex.

While her clueless husband launches a campaign to win her back, Mandy meets Adam, the perfect shoulder to cry on. Will perfect justice prove just how sweet revenge can be when you wait for it?

Content Warning: Real people aren't all good or all bad. Neither are the characters in this story. The shade of right or wrong you see may depend upon whose glasses you are looking through.

If you're looking for a great read this holiday season, or anytime for that matter, you should give this story a try. I've read it, and highly recommend it. It's got engaging characters, an emotionally gripping plot we can all relate to, and hot romance. But don't think it's a sad story, Ms. Piper has crafted a story filled with her sharp wit, touching scenes, and enough humor to keep you turning the pages. What's not to love?

Holiday Reading

2011-12-16T16:00:00.000-05:00

Our regularly scheduled programming has been cancelled due to conflicting schedules. Those things happen. We'll try to get Ms. Selwyn to guest another day.

In lieu of guests, don't forget about the Twelve Days of Christmas.

The Passionate Critters are posting a great short free read every day.

Lyrical Press has fourteen authors celebrating their Christmas Bash with books that are 30% off.

Don't miss out on the fun!

Christmas Traditions at Ericka Scott’s House

2011-12-14T11:31:00.000-05:00

Don't you just love Christmas traditions? I do. Without further ado, here's fabulous author, Ericka Scott to talk about hers.

Around the Scott household, the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas all seem to be jam-packed with Christmas parties and family get-togethers. Some years, we have too many to fit into two short days. Over the last couple of years, I’ve let activities crowd out some of our most memorable traditions. Not this year.

This year, we’re having a real tree which we’ll decorate to the strains of NSync’s Christmas album (it’s tradition, you know). Then, we’ll gather around the fireplace to light our Yule log and eat sugar cookies we made to distribute to the neighbors as gifts.

These cookies are, in our eyes, masterpieces. No, they aren’t those gorgeous things you see in bakery windows, but have the quirks that our family is known by. We decorate Christmas fish, only one of which is given three eyes and made especially for our friend, Jon. There are some traditional shapes, stars and Santas, but you are just as likely to find rocket ships amongst the Christmas trees, a T-Rex waiting to devour the red and green bunnies, and there is always a haunted church cookie -- complete with sugar black bats in the belfry.

Given the oddities of our family, I guess it’s no surprise to find that my holiday tales aren’t full of Christmas cheer, instead they tout titles like A Christmas Curse, which can be found in the ‘Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas Anthology (http://www.erickascott.com/books/cursed-for-christmas-in-twas-a-dark-and-delicious-christmas-anthology/) and my latest, Tidings of Fear (http://www.erickascott.com/books/tidingsoffear/). I guess I enjoy making readers shiver from more than just the cold.

TIDINGS OF FEAR
A psychic, a skeptic, and a serial killer…

Psychic Lia Morgan sees portents all around her. Although estranged from her family, she joins the search for her missing sister. A simple case gets complicated fast when she discovers her sister’s plethora of secrets includes a son.

Professor Jared Trimble’s world has no room for paranormal mumbo-jumbo. When asked to consult on a case involving a series of crossword puzzles, he’s conflicted. Is he a suspect, or an investigator?

While Lia uses her physic gift and follows signs, Jared uses his wits and experience. When the two collide, passions flare and the final clue brings them both into the bull’s-eye of a serial killer’s target.

********

Excerpt

“Hello?” she called. A creak sounded from above and a trickle of discomfort slid down her spine. She pulled out her key chain, from which hung a small canister of mace. Another creak made her jump.

“Hello?” she called again. Taking a deep breath, she strode purposefully into the house and found herself in a small living room. Lia glimpsed a small alcove off to the side and expected to find a small dining area, or perhaps an attached office.

Her breath caught in her throat as she walked into another large living room and straight into the past. Positioned under the window were the couch and loveseat she remembered from growing up. A recliner sat in the corner, a newspaper already opened to the comics on the seat.

She shivered. A tall enclosed bookcase, the one that had resided in Lia’s bedroom, stood next to the window. If she stepped closer, she knew she’d recognize every title on its shelves.

A small wooden rocking chair sat next to the recliner. A Raggedy Ann doll vied for seat space with her twin, Raggedy Andy.

“Oh, God,” Lia said. The memorial to her family should have been macabre. Instead, it brought tears to her eyes. Even the antique desk her sister, Sylvie, had thrown a fit to own and then despised when computers became popular and her father wouldn’t let her buy a more functional desk had a place in the room. A smile tugged at the corner of Lia’s mouth.

She could almost hear Sylvie’s famous whine, “But, Dad…”

As memories flooded her mind, she had to blink back a sudden rush of tears. She took a step back, turned and nearly ran back to the hallway. A light dimmed and brightened in another room. Lia didn’t need to count the pulses to know there would be eight.

A short walk found her in the kitchen. The stainless steel appliances sparkled and even the floor seemed to have been freshly waxed. She wished her kitchen looked this good. A towering pile of newspapers indicated they were sisters, after all. The stack teetered on the corner of the kitchen table. All of them were opened and folded to reveal the crossword puzzle.

Had Sylvie left these here? She couldn’t remember her sister having a penchant for crosswords, but she obviously didn’t know Sylvie as well as she’d thought.

Or had someone else brought these in and put them there?

Speaking of which, where was her sister?

She headed upstairs, calling as she went. Just as empty as downstairs. And just as neat. A small blue plastic item on the floor of her sister’s office appeared to be the only thing out of place.

Lia scooped it up. A thumb drive. She went to put it on the desk when a loud creak sounded behind her. She shoved it into her pocket and fumbled for her keys.

Heavy footsteps approached up the stairs.

Lia turned as a shadow fell across the doorway.

*****

Check out the Free Reads Page on my website in December for our infamous sugar cookie recipe (it contains eggnog) and also one for a decadent chocolate Yule log (yum).

And yes, Virginia, there were once camels in California…

Ericka Scott is a multi-published, bestselling author of seductive suspense. She's written stories for as long as she can remember and reads anything under the sun (including the back of cereal boxes in a pinch). She got hooked on romantic suspense in her college days, when reading anything but a textbook was a guilty pleasure. Now, when she’s not chauffeuring children around, wishing she had a maid, or lurking at the library, she’s spinning her own web of fantasy and penning tales of seduction and suspense. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and three children.

Get a behind the scenes look at her writing and zany family on her blog at http://erickascott.blogspot.com

She also loves friends, so come friend her at http://myspace.com/erickascott

She's also on Facebook at http://facebook.com/ericka.scott and Twitter @ErickaScott

You can find out more about her books at www.erickascott.com

Thanks for being with us today, Ericka. We wish you much success with your books!

Great Free Reads

2011-12-13T10:38:00.000-05:00

Here’s something to help get you in the holiday spirit. Or keep you there if you’re waiting in line.

Come join the Twelve Days of Christmas with the fantastic ladies of The Passionate Critters. They’ve written short Christmas stories for their blog. Starting today, they’ll post a new one every day for your reading pleasure.

I’ve been fortunate enough to read most of them, and let me tell you, they rock!

The Passionate Critters

Don’t miss out on the fun!