Enter the Other World at your own risk…

What if you found out that you weren’t exactly…human?

Myah Sullivan is suddenly living that nightmare. There are Others in the world, dangerous, supernatural creatures that make her mind spin and cause her to question the reality she’s always known.

Oliver King is her savior, a vampire who tries to show her the way. Through her journey she learns far more than she ever thought she would about herself, and about the past. Soon, she discovers that there is so much more to meeting Oliver than mere happenstance.

Can Myah accept her new reality, or will she retreat into that normal, safe world she once thought was her own?

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
ML: In many ways, Blood Instincts is about accepting yourself, even if there are parts that you weren't aware of at first. I just thought that...well, what if the character found out one day that she was different from other people? What if it was a big secret, something fascinating yet dangerous? How would she cope with that newfound knowledge? And so, the second book of the Blood at First Sight Series was born.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
ML: This is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy with a slightly futuristic angle.

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
ML: Are you kidding? I love paranormal anything! Sign me up! I think I was a goner for supernatural stories from childhood, when my grandma told us ghost stories by the campfire. But mainly, I really fell in love with the genre when I first read The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause at the age of thirteen. That seriously blew my mind, and I was hooked on paranormal romance, even if it was a YA story.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
ML: As with any book I write, I develop both during the writing process. Random scenes come to me, and the details just fill themselves in over time. I also write a major outline to help me along the way. When I'm done writing a novel or story, though, I work on a full character worksheet, defining even more about the individual, and I start to add in those elements wherever necessary.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
ML: I've known a lot of family members who are extremely practical, and aren't so open-minded about life. You could say that Myah is a blend of all of them, with a touch of putting myself in her shoes.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
ML: The unsavory characters and elements in the story just came from my imagination. I tried to create people or aspects that would be off-putting enough to the heroine, things that might deter her from delving into the new world she found.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
ML: I think when any awakening occurs for a character, whether it's redemption from past mistakes, or learning some strange things about yourself, it can be a challenge to convey it well enough so that anyone can grasp what you're trying to express.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
ML: I don't want to give much away, but it was a lot of fun to bring new creatures into this part of the series, to describe them and imagine the wonder a character might experience.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
ML: For now, I write part time. The rest of the time I am not only doing the business side of being an author, but I also host three blogs.

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
ML: I am from a small town in the Midwest, particularly a little spot in Indiana. I was raised in a Victorian era farmhouse, and was the youngest of three kids. Our parents thought it would be cute to give us all 'M' names. Needless to say, all of my teachers compared me to my siblings. I spent a big part of my teenage years trying to establish my identity. To form my own opinions and be...well, me. Pretty much from the age of nine, I knew that I wanted to be a writer; furthermore, that I wanted to get published. Not for fame or anything, but simply because I had all of these stories in my head that had to be put on paper. In college, I pursued a Creative Writing degree. I loved taking all the workshops and helping my fellow writers improve their work. Of course, so many of them, including my professors, taught me a lot too!

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
ML: I think some of it came from the fact that I'm a bibliophile. I all but consumed books as a child, and that continued on into adulthood. I knew I wanted to be close to literature in some way, either through writing books or owning a bookstore. Eventually, it just made sense to write.

L: What are you currently reading?
ML: This time I grabbed a book from my TBR pile, an older title and a novella collection by Nora Roberts. It's called Winner Takes All.

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
ML: I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward. Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires is a close second. I also have a weakness for any romantic magical tales, historical romance and most types of contemporary romance. Now and then, I find an indie author that is quite enjoyable.

L: What are your future projects, if any?
ML: OMG...there so many! Don't get me started on the nearly 125 works in progress I have going. Beyond the five series already established on the market, I have plans for six other series and many standalones. First and foremost, though, I am working on a romantic comedy novel which will be part one of a six-book series.

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
ML: Hang in there. I know the journey is tough, and it seems incredibly daunting. Persistence and perseverance has always been my motto, and I hope it helps you too!

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
ML: Readers can contact me through my website or blogs, private message on Facebook, send a tweet on Twitter, or tag me on Google+.

A mysterious elderly stranger offers Colin Brayton, a bookstore owner, the job of appraising old books at a desolate colonial plantation. While working on the books, Colin stumbles across a series of diaries written in the late 1770s by fourteen-year-old Kate Dibble that chronicle an alien visitation.
Colin attempts to navigate a delicate balance between solving the mystery of the diary and simmering tensions with the beautiful, but aloof caretaker, Madeline Prentice. The strained relationship reaches a boiling point as a thunderstorm descends over the desolate property and prevents them from leaving. A malicious winged being emerges from the storm and demands the presence of The Ancient One in three days. When the diary hints of a buried spaceship, Colin and Maddy must put aside their differences to find the ship for their safety, and solve the mystery of the diary that hints at who The Ancient One is before the being seals their fate.

Ever since he began writing at the age of 10 in the basement of his parent's home, Glenn has been winning awards. Glenn wrote a short story in high school about talking houses that earned him first place where he won a pocket dictionary. Later he wrote a conspiracy novel about a secret formula hidden inside of Rubik's cube. The novel went nowhere but only whetted Glenn's appetite to write more.
At Gallaudet, Glenn churned out countless short stories of horror and science fiction for the University newspaper, "The Buff and Blue." He went on to win the Mac Dougall Creative writing competition and the Lillian Gourley Rakon Creative Writing Awards.
Taking a stab at screenwriting while in college, his first script, "Wrath of the Dragon," was a finalist at the 1988 Nissan Focus Screenplay competition sponsored by Columbia Pictures.
His screenplay, "The Alien Diaries" was a finalist during Amazon's monthly screenwriting competition.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SOCIETY

Beloved friend,

The year is 2084, and that famous Margaret Thatcher quote has become a reality: There really is no such thing as society. No one speaks to anyone else. No one looks at anyone else. People don’t collaborate, they only compete.

I hate to admit it, but this has had tragic consequences. Unable to satisfy their social urges, the population has fallen into a pit of depression and anxiety. Suicide has become the norm.

It all sounds rather morbid, does it not? But please don’t despair, there is hope, and it comes in the form of our hero: Renee Ann Blanca. Wishing to fill the society-shaped hole in her life, our Renee does the unthinkable: She goes in search of human company! It’s a radical act and an enormous challenge. But that, I suppose, is why her tale’s worth recounting. It’s as gripping as it is touching, and I think you’re going to love it…

Your trusty narrator,

PP.


*****************************
Praise for Sheldon’s other novels:
+ "Radical... A masterclass... Top notch..." - The Canary
+ "Darker than George Orwell's 1984" - AXS
+ "Magnificent" - Global Education Network
+ "A pretty remarkable feat" - BuzzFeed
+ "Candid and disquieting" - Free Tibet
+ "Breathtaking" - The Huffington Post
+ "Picaresque" – Scottish Left Review
+ "Unputdownable" – The Avenger
+ "Brilliant" - Middle East Monitor
+ "Strangely kind" – The Tribune

Joss Sheldon is a scruffy nomad, unchained free-thinker, and post-modernist radical. Born in 1982, he was brought up in one of the anonymous suburbs which wrap themselves around London's beating heart. Then he escaped!

With a degree from the London School of Economics to his name, Sheldon had spells selling falafel at music festivals, being a ski-bum, and failing to turn the English Midlands into a haven of rugby league.

Then, in 2013, he ran off to McLeod Ganj; an Indian village which plays home to thousands of angry monkeys, hundreds of Tibetan refugees, and the Dalai Lama himself. It was there that Sheldon wrote his debut novel, 'Involution & Evolution'.

With several positive reviews to his name, Sheldon had caught the writing bug. He traveled to Palestine and Kurdistan, where he researched his second novel, 'Occupied'; a dystopian masterpiece unlike anything you've ever read.
But it was with his third novel, 'The Little Voice', that Sheldon really hit the big time; topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, and gaining widespread critical acclaim.

In 2017 he returned with 'Money Power Love'; a love story that charts the rise of the British Empire, and the way in which bankers, with the power to create money out of nothing, were able to shape the world we live in today.

Now Sheldon is back with what is arguably his best novel to date, 'INDIVIDUTOPIA'. Fans of 1984 will love this dystopian classic, set in a world where corporations have destroyed society, and no one speaks to anyone else. This is a human story, full of hope, and an adventure, in which our hero does everything she can to escape...

On the wrong side of war, there is more than one enemy…

When Croatia becomes a Nazi puppet state in 1941, carefree young pilot Tony Babic finds himself forcibly aligned with Hitler’s Luftwaffe. Unbeknownst to Tony, his sweetheart Katarina and best friend Goran have taken the side of the opposing communist partisans. The threesome are soon to discover that love and friendship will not circumvent this war’s ideals.

Downed by the Allies in the Adriatic Sea, Tony survives a harrowing convalescence in deplorable Italian hospitals and North African detention stockades. His next destination is Camp Graham in Illinois, one of four hundred prisoner of war camps on American soil.

But with the demise of the Third Reich, repatriation presents a new challenge. What kind of life awaits Tony under communist rule? Will he be persecuted as an enemy of the state for taking the side of Hitler? And then there is Katarina; in letters she confesses her love, but not her deceit… Does her heart still belong to him?

Based on a true story, John Richard Bell’s The Circumstantial Enemy is an energetic journey to freedom through minefields of hatred, betrayal, lust and revenge. Rich in incident with interludes of rollicking humour, it’s a story about the strength of the human spirit, and the power of friendship, love and forgiveness.

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
JRB: I was born in Chigwell, UK and now reside in Vancouver, Canada. Before becoming an author of business books and historical fiction, I was the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and a global strategy consultant. My blog musings on strategy, leadership and branding have appeared in various journals such as Fortune, Forbes and ceoafterlife.com.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
JRB: This was a natural progression from blogging. Blogging led to non-fiction. Non-fiction led to fiction.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
JRB: The book is based on the true story of my 97 year old father in law. 17 years ago I wrote his biography. Granddad was 80 years at the time and he wasn’t about to be the first human being to live forever. The family had heard his tales over and over again – trials and tribulations of a young Croatian pilot coerced onto the wrong side of WWII. My daughter said, "If you don't write it, Granddad's story will be lost forever." That was the beginning of my life as an author. Several years later, I had this idea to fictionalize an already great story. The result was The Circumstantial Enemy.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
JRB: 20th century historical fiction

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
JRB: The novel was based on a true story

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
JRB: Conflict is vital to a good novel. When a good guy is caught on the wrong side of a war he encounters many enemies. I put together a stereotypical plot arc for the book and within that journey, emerged the characters. The next step was to develop them and know them like I know my own family.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
JRB: The book is based on the true story of my 97 year old father in law. 17 years ago I wrote his biography. Granddad was 80 years at the time and he wasn’t about to be the first human being to live forever. The family had heard his tales over and over again – trials and tribulations of a young Croatian pilot coerced onto the wrong side of WWII. My daughter said, "If you don't write it, Granddad's story will be lost forever." That was the beginning of my life as an author. Several years later, I had this idea to fictionalize an already great story. The result was The Circumstantial Enemy.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
JRB: It was only natural to create a character modeled on his wife. Her name was Katarina, the heroine of the novel.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
JRB: This was my first taste of writing fiction -- a huge challenge. A couple of thousand words of fiction later, I realized my naivety; I was in over my head, but that didn’t snuff my inspiration. I didn’t write another word for a year – reading every self-help book I could get my hands on regarding the art of writing fiction.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
JRB: I particularly liked the hero's time in two POW camps on US soil. The fact that the US housed 400,000 prisoners in 400 POW camps between 1943 and 1946 is a relatively unknown fact. Prior to 1944, the US attitude of what went on behind the barbed wire was the enemy's business. As such, Nazi elements ruled. This was the case in The Circumstantial Enemy. But a wise War Department official (Leon Jaworski, later to be the Watergate prosecutor), changed all of that for very good reasons.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
RJB: Part-timer

L: What are you currently reading?
RJB: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
RJB: Loved the early books of Wilbur Smith and most of Bryce Courtenay's novels including The Power of One and The Potato Factory

L: What are your future projects, if any?
RJB: A prequel and a sequel to The Circumstantial Enemy are in the works.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
RJB: My website is http://ceoafterlife.com

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
RJB: Here is the publishing reality. Publishers would rather release the next John Grisham legal thriller than take on an unknown. Literary agents shun the endless piles of queries and manuscripts from unpublished authors? Less than 1% of all newbie writers break through the slush pile. Why then, so aspiring writers keep trying. Because they love writing. Do what you love; love what you do. More on this from my blog 'Branding the Aspiring Novelist' https://goo.gl/zB8L6Q

A Girl’s Worst Nightmare is Her Mother ...
Priscilla Martin. She’s the diva of Morning Glory Circle and a driving force in the quaint California town of Snapdragon. Overseer of garage sales and neighborhood Christmas decorations, she is widely admired. But few people know the real woman behind the perfectly coiffed hair and Opium perfume.

Family is Forever. And Ever and Ever ...
No one escapes Prissy’s watchful eye. No one that is, except her son, who committed suicide many years ago, and her daughter, Claire, who left home more than a decade past and hasn’t spoken to her since. But now, Priscilla’s daughter and son-in-law have fallen on hard times. Expecting their first child, the couple is forced to move back … And Prissy is there to welcome them home with open arms … and to reclaim her broken family.

The Past Isn’t Always as Bad as You Remember.
Sometimes it’s Worse ...
Claire has terrible memories of her mother, but now it seems Priscilla has mended her ways. When a cache of vile family secrets is uncovered, Claire struggles to determine fact from fiction, and her husband, Jason, begins to wonder who the monster really is. Lives are in danger - and Claire and Jason must face a horrifying truth … a truth that may destroy them … and will forever change their definition of “Mother.”

Maybe my mind is a bit weird but this was one of the best books that I have read so far this year. Prissy Martin is possibly more messed up than the whole Foxworth/Dollanganger families!

Now this isn't a story for everyone. The story touches on some pretty tough topics such as incest, emotional and mental abuse, sexual abuse and Munchhausen Syndrome by Proxy. These topics, of course, are not easy topics to handle at all.  I definitely do not recommend this for everyone.

Prissy, from first appearances, is that annoying busybody of the neighbourhood. She is like a Stepford Wife, robotic in her dealings with anything that goes on in her cul-de-sac called Morning Glory. Everyone had their secrets and she knew them all. She despised them all for them, despite holding her own secrets. Many of these secrets being much worse than the neighbours secrets. As the novel went on, more and more was revealed. It was no wonder that Claire left as soon as she could.

Sadly Claire's husband Jason was blind to Prissy's mania and often thought his wife's reactions were pregnancy hormones. It took a long time for me to appreciate him as a character because of this. Claire, sometimes, was a little aggressive in her reactions. But after learning the secrets that even Claire was not privy to, it changed Prissy from mania to a complete detachment of reality. It was quite the story line and an exciting read too. I couldn't wait to find out what other skeletons could be dug out of the closet.

Tamara Thorne has collected ghost stories, true and fictional, since she saw her first Twilight Zone as a tot, and continues to this day. In addition to writing novels and stories of the paranormal, she also writes non-fiction and is an active ghost hunter. She makes her home in southern California with her husband and their feline family and when she’s not writing, can be found haunting ghost towns, phantom-filled hotel rooms, and other spooky places. Tamara loves to hear from her readers. Whether you have questions or comments or would like to share your own ghostly experience,come visit her at her website www.tamarathorne.com.

Alistair Cross' debut novel, The Crimson Corset, a vampiric tale of terror and seduction, was an immediate bestseller earning praise from veteran vampire-lit author, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and New York Times bestseller, Jay Bonansinga, author of The Walking Dead series. In 2012, Alistair joined forces with international bestseller, Tamara Thorne, and as Thorne & Cross, they write - among other things - the successful Gothic series, The Ravencrest Saga. Their debut collaboration, The Cliffhouse Haunting, was a bestseller. They are currently at work on their next solo novels and a new collaborative project.

In 2014, Alistair and Tamara began the radio show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, which has featured such guests as Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels, Jay Bonansinga of The Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake novels, Peter Atkins, screenwriter of HELLRAISER 2, 3, and 4, worldwide bestseller V.C. Andrews, and New York Times best sellers Preston & Child, Christopher Rice, and Christopher Moore.

Looking for the right gift for the book dragon in your life?
Check out Literary Book Gifts, a company that specializes in bringing books to life on men's and women's t-shirts, also totes and backpacks!

Titles include Jane Austin, F. Scott Fitzgerald, C.S. Lewis and more!

Alyssa D’Yaragen is just an elf trying to make ends meet. Thankfully, working as a freelance thief – a runner by the street name Lysistrata -- pays more than she would make in a month selling cell phones to retropunks at her antique shop. Though she’s low-tech, she has an advantage over her fellow larcenists. She has magic.

Logan Turner, a techie and fellow runner, offers to bring her in on a high paying run stealing data from megacorporation Americorp. She accepts, partially for the payout, mostly for the challenge. Things get complicated, though, when her ex-boyfriend Tristan McCullough shows up with apologies – and, infuriatingly, the perfect recon opportunity for the Americorp job. Adding more fuel to the bad-decision fire is the mysterious Seraphina Dubhan, and Alyssa finds herself falling hard for the enigmatic elf.

But when Alyssa suddenly becomes the target of mystical attacks, things stop being about the money and become all about survival. With others caught in the crossfire, she needs to find and stop the attacker before the Americorp job is ruined and she – or one of her friends – pays the ultimate price.

4.75

This was a wonderful blend of fantasy, myth and future. I love anything Fae, even though Alyssa is actually an elf. Close enough.
The elves have made themselves known to the human world and live side by side with them. Some favour the human world and have embraced the tech.

I loved that  Alyssa lived double lives. First life was owning a store front selling relics of the past and her second job is as a cat burglar. With her elf abilities, she was on a fast track to becoming one of the best. At least until she is put up against Logan who teaches her a few things.

When Logan was introduced, I was worried this was going to become one of those stereotypical new adult novel insta-love but the fact that Alyssa had no interest in Logan beyond working with him, that completely derailed all of that.
There was romance and I enjoyed that Alyssa toyed with the idea of either giving her ex another try or go for this sensual lady, Seraphina. She ended up picking Seraphina and the romance was quite evident without it taking over the whole story. I appreciate when authors do not turn their female leads into gooey pots of melted marshmallows when there is love involved.
It's just too bad that Seraphina duped Alyssa.

This is a fun story full of twists, turns, elves and fantastical assassins. I definitely recommend this to any urban fantasy readers.

Sarah Madsen is an author of many things, including novels, short stories, and RPG supplements. Slytherin. Consumer of gin cocktails and overpriced lattes. Enjoys dying her hair a different color every week and spending way too much time playing video games. Her debut novel, WEAVER’S FOLLY, a cyberpunky urban fantasy, is forthcoming from Curiosity Quills Press in Spring 2018.
When she’s not at Starbucks, you can find her on Twitter (@UnfetteredMuse), Facebook (facebook.com/SarahMadsenAuthor) or Wordpress (unfetteredmuse.wordpress.com).

Everyone has a breaking point. So begins Jon O'Bergh's suspenseful novel, The Shatter Point, an intriguing study of contemporary society wrapped inside a ghost story that is wrapped inside in a thriller. The novel confronts issues such as Internet celebrity, social media culture, and extreme thrills. But it also explores timeless issues of love, loss, and the ways in which we are haunted by our pasts. Weaving layers of truth and fiction, the story challenges our sense of reality with unexpected twists and turns.

Set in Southern California's Orange County and historic Pasadena, the plot follows two parallel sets of characters whose lives eventually intersect. Jada Mercer is used to getting her way, and she loves danger. When she meets Asher Williams, a sensitive musician in a band, she pressures him to prove himself through the rigors of an extreme haunt known as Horror Place. At the same time, the haunt's owners, Phil and Donna Woods, are locked in an escalating feud with neighbor Ruth Littleton.

The past intrudes in unwelcome ways for each character. Donna remains troubled by a previous marriage that turned sour when the husband became abusive. Her son Billy fears that he inherited his father's propensity toward violence. Feelings of inadequacy haunt Asher from his years being bullied. Ruth hides a series of traumatic incidents from her youth. Jada's craving for stimulation leads eventually to disaster. The terrifying consequences unfold step by step as the characters are pushed beyond the shatter point.

Much more than just a ghost story, the novel is a study of individuals under stress. The curious reader will discover different layers of reality versus fiction within the book. In a world haunted by the ghosts of the past—where reality is manufactured for popular consumption—how do we know what is real and what is fake, what is true and what is imagined? After the shatter point, the horror will become all too real.

Jon O'Bergh is an author and musician who loves a good scare. He was born in California and grew up in Orange County, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of California at Irvine. A fan of ghost stories and horror movies, Jon came up with the idea for The Shatter Point after watching a documentary about extreme haunts. He has released over a dozen albums in a variety of styles, including the atmospheric album “Ghost Story.” After many years living in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., he now spends most of his time in Toronto.

From the bestselling author of The Cornish Hotel By The Sea

Every summer has a story... Fun-loving travel rep Jess doesn’t want to be chief bridesmaid at her snooty cousin’s wedding, but it will cause a family feud if she refuses. She doesn’t want to fall in love either but when a raucous stag party arrives at her Majorcan hotel, Jess hits it off instantly with best man, Eddie. A summer romance is exactly what commitment-phobe Jess needs and, as the stag-do draws to a close, so does the holiday fling. She has no intentions of carrying on the summer fun but when Eddie turns up again, Jess is faced with a big dilemma.
Will this bridesmaid get the happy-ever-after she never knew she wanted...

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
KK: I’ve been a published writer for over thirty years. I write mainly romance and young adult novels now, but I’ve written many children’s books (120) and several short stories for women’s magazines. I’m also a writing tutor. I started my writing career working for Jackie magazine then other teen magazines and children’s comics such as Postman Pat and Winnie the Pooh, writing stories, comic strips and activities. Gradually I got some children’s books published and for the first twenty years of my writing career wrote mainly for children, before moving onto romance and getting my first romance novel, Never Say Forever, published in 2007 as a People’s Friend Pocket novel, it was then republished by a US company, and then by Accent Press.

L:  Who or what inspired you to be an author?
KK: My dad encouraged a love of reading and writing in me as a child, as did authors such as Richmal Crompton (Just William books), Enid Blyton and – as I got older – Agatha Christie.

L:  Who or what inspired your novel?
KK: I’ve often admired the travel reps at the resorts I’ve holidayed in, they work hard and play hard. I thought a story involving a character working as a travel rep would be really interesting. They have to cope with so many different customers, including stag and hen parties, and there might be times when they have a summer romance with holiday-makers. When my husband booked us an anniversary trip to Majorca a couple of years ago I thought that would make a great setting, popped in a few complications to the story, and off I went.

L:   What would you say is the genre of your novel?  
KK: Romance with a touch of humour.

L:  Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
KK: I like writing stories that readers can identify with, and most of us have had experience of falling in love and all the complications that brings. I keep my novels light-hearted and usually set them in holiday locations as I like to take my readers away from the stresses of everyday life for a while and provide a, hopefully, relaxing read.

L:  How did you develop your plot and characters?
KK: I work out the story outline so that I have a basic structure for the story, write character profiles to make sure I know my characters well, then I start writing. I write the first draft as it comes and often find that as I’m writing the characters will do something I hadn’t planned or the story will go off in an unexpected tangent, I go with it as long as it works. Once the first draft is finished I start editing and often do several rewrites before I’m happy enough to send it to my editor.

L:  Who or what inspired your protagonist?
KK: I wanted her to be a bit unconventional, fun-loving, extrovert. I flicked through some Pinterest pictures for inspiration and saw one of a woman with long, bright red tousled hair, casually dressed. She was perfect for Jess.

L:  Who or what inspired your antagonist?
KK: I wanted Charlotte to be the opposite of Jess, to be snobby, controlling, wanting everything to be perfect. I’ve known a few people like this so it was easy to draw on experience without basing her on one person.

L:  What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
KK: I always find setting and description the most difficult to write. I find that writing character, action and dialogue flows quite easily, but I really have to stop and think when I write setting and description. I think it may be because of all my earlier work writing for teen and children’s magazines where the word limit was too tight to allow for description, the picture told it all. When I’ve written my first draft I go back over it and add more description and visualization to the scenes.

L:  What was your favourite part of your book to write?
KK: I had a lot of fun writing the scenes with the guys on the stag do, but I think the favourite one was in the Caves of Drach. I visited them with my husband on our anniversary and was blown away by how magical they were.

L:  Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
KK: I’ve earned my living as a writer and writing tutor for the past thirty years, but now I’m concentrating on writing.

L:  What are you currently reading?
KK: Nothing at the moment, I’m too busy writing, but my Kindle is loaded up with a dozen or so books to read and I’m looking forward to reading Mandy Baggot’s latest book Desperately Seeking Summer.

L:  What are some of your favourite books or authors?
KK: I have far too many favourite authors, and books to name but Mandy Baggot is one of my favourites as is Sophie Kinsella and Sharon Shinn.

L:  What are your future projects, if any?
KK: I’m delighted to have recently signed a contract for two romance novels with Bookouture, and am now working on the first one, Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel, which will be out in November, the second book will be out in February. I’ve also signed with Littwitz Press for my YA books, and my afterlife romance, Rise of the Soul Catchers, was published by them in April.

L:  What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
KK: I always love to hear from readers.
Website | Twitter | Romance Facebook | YA Facebook

L:  Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
KK: Don’t give up on your dream. Keep writing, rewriting and sending off your work. And don’t forget to make time for reading, reading is the foundation for writing.

Giovanna has served the Holy Mother Church since the day they burned her at the stake. As a member of the Sinistra Dei, a secret order within the Catholic Church, Gia excelled at the art of assassinations.

Lately, the biggest crisis Gia has had to face is a long night at work. That is until her quiet world begins to unravel when her commander, and former lover, sinks into insanity. Before she can come to terms with his illness, and centuries of secrets and lies, dark immortals terrorize the French Quarter.

In the face of new enemies, old fears, a rising death toll, and the unexpected evolution of her supernatural powers—Gia is forced to choose between duty and loyalty to save those she loves.

This was quite an interesting urban fantasy. It was a new take on vampires and their existence. I definitely enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the characters being created mainly to work for the Vatican. Even more interesting that they can sink into a form of madness that makes them a threat.

Gia is a strong character. Despite the pain she endures and will endure. The tension between Lochlan and her, plus the tension between Lochlan and Torben is very apparent. I enjoyed the love and patience of Torben. What man will truly wait centuries to be with the woman he loves? Really quite formidable.

I definitely would love to read the other's stories to see how their personal stories and how they came to be where they are today.

If you are looking for a different take on vampires and enjoy a little sexy romance, this is a good place to start.

Kathryn M. Hearst is a southern girl with a love of the dark and strange. She has been a story teller her entire life, as a child she took people watching to new heights by creating back stories of complete strangers. Besides writing, she has a passion for shoes, vintage clothing, antique British cars, music, musicians and all things musical (including theatre). Kate lives in central Florida with her chocolate lab, Jolene; and two rescue pups, Jagger and Roxanne. She is a self-proclaimed nerd, raising a nerdling.

Aon, a solid core planet made from the priceless and most dense element in the galaxy, caladium, is under silent attack. Plans are made by off-worlders to dissolve the unbreakable core using crude oil obtained from 19th century earth. Once the oil is refined, the byproduct, gasoline, will soften the caladium, allowing it to be collected. It is soon discovered the core is made from living beings created from caladium itself. The off-worlders employ a band of corrupt inhabitants to carry on this work. They find themselves in a constant struggle with a small coalition of Aonians bent on saving their home world. Both factions clash with the indestructible core creatures. With horrendous beasts one step behind and deadly pitfalls ahead, the coalition struggles to finish its journey, hoping to insure their races’ survival.

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
LS: Born in Richmond, Virginia, I spent most of my adult life as a supervisor in the field of construction and fabrication. When my department was outsourced within two months of my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, I realized the need to transition onto a new path due to energy and mobility challenges. My son suggested I consider writing as a career; having enjoyed my short stories. I agreed to the challenge and my first novel, “Rising Tide”, was accepted for publication, released in 2009 then re-released in 2015 with additional content. "Rising Tide" has become a series with two follow up novels "Eden’s Wake" and "Deadly Reign," with a fourth in the works. I have also published "Terminal Core," a stand-alone science fiction novel. I write mainly science fiction, fantasy, dystopian and hybrids of all three genres, including action adventures, all with a Christian premise.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
LS: There were suggestions and support, but no real inspiration until I began to write. The action of writing itself inspires me to continue, especially when I learn I have brought pleasure to a stranger, hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
LS: When I write, I sit before my virtual sheet of paper moiling thoughts through my brain until an idea clicks. As soon as I begin to pen the manuscript it takes on a life of its own and writes itself. Fortunately, it pulls me along for the ride, and I can be sure of what a wild ride it will be.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
LS: Science Fiction / Fantasy, Hybrid . . . more on the sci-fi side.

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
LS: Sci-fi and Fantasy have been my favorites since I was a kid. When it comes to Fantasy, I don't do Kings, Queens, Knights, Fairies and never Unicorns. The only exception to this rule is J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
LS: If you'll give them a chance and not press, I find they develop more completely when left to their own devices. Of course I'll keep one hand on the steering wheel.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
LS: Once again, no inspiration. My novels will begin with a protagonist or one will make themselves known as the book progresses. It's possible the protagonist may die and bring about the need for another.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
LS: Same as above; however, there may be multiple antagonists that have to be dealt with until the ultimate evil one is exposed.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
LS: The majority of the book was extremely difficult.There were as many as six different groups, some from the planet Aon and others from 19th Century earth. In some cases, groups were mixed with both. Certain characters would travel from earth to Aon and visa versa. Add with these a number of off-worlders, dimensional travel and the core of a world made from living beings ready to attack and I had a challenge that kept me on my toes and then some.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
LS: There were numerous parts that were exciting to write, but the ending held a special meaning for me and was very unpredictable.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
LS: Full Time

L: What are you currently reading?
LS: Stephen King's Dark Tower Series

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
LS: Stephen King, Robert Heinlein, Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea"

L: What are your future projects, if any?
LS: I have two novels in the works: The fourth in The "Rising Tide" series and a stand alone, sci-fi fantasy, hybrid.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
LS:
Email: lynnsteigleder1@gmail.com
www.lynnsteigleder.com

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
LS: Don't let rejection get you down, it's a large part of the business. Don't take yourself too seriously. And above all have fun. Ben Fountain said it best, "If you want to write, then write."

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

It's been a while since I did a Teaser Tuesday and I'm hoping to bring it back. I've plenty of books I can share teasers from, indeed!

Page 164
Greek looked from Cole to me, me to Cole, different emotions pulsing from him. My spirit recognized them and informed my brain. Anger, amusement, affront, remorse, envy.

After apocalypse, there’s a whole world to reclaim…

It’s been a decade since the Viral plague that brought the dead back to life with a hunger for living flesh. The survivors have long since fled the big cities and resettled in the countryside, mountains, and plains, building a network of fortresses and cavernous sanctuaries.

As civilization rebuilt and reshaped itself in this nightmarish new world, there arose an overwhelming demand for the supplies and riches left behind in the remains of the old one.

A system of trade and barter formed around the market of these goods, a macabre economy for a dead world. Those brave or foolish enough to seek out treasure among the wastelands became known as the Reapers.

Gus and Oscar are a two-man reaping crew, facing down the horrors of a shattered world in search of its hidden wealth. But more dangerous than the undead Virals, and their various deadly strains, are the others like themselves, cutthroat scavengers bent on plundering the riches of the Reaperlands…

I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I have such a deep love and respect for post-apocalyptic stories. I've read many, watched many and played many games involving the topic. This one is just as awesome.

I enjoyed the story. The world building was impeccable. You could easily picture the now desolate Los Angeles as the main characters did their job. But it is no shocker, as Roy works in animation.
The characters are first introduced as Red and Blue as they do their job which is to retrieve the wealth left behind by the zombies. A job title called a Reaper.
Blue is significantly more reserved and calmer, whereas it is obvious that Red wears the right colour of passion and wild fires. He is much more excited for the kill and the gaining of treasures, dreaming of visiting brothels. The contrast between the two are really quite clear.

But damn, I can't decide which is more terrifying, the runner or Maude. Probably the runner. Having played zombie games with running zombies, either you get it or it gets you, most of the time.

The story itself is a very minimalist way of writing. Which can be quite tricky to read. There is some faltering in the flow of the story, which is where editing comes in handy. However, it didn't really take away from the story.

This is a pretty good short story and debut from Roy. Just when it was getting good, it ended. I want more, dang it! I look forward to Gus and Oscar's adventures.

I have been sitting in a fury of overwhelmed stress after taking my recent review of Mayhem's Children and trying to put it on Amazon. Only to find that I was cut off from being able to do so until I coughed up $50 of bought stuff on Amazon.

Dammit, Amazon! I'm too poor for this crap!

Now, I understand why they did that. It makes a lot of sense. It's to cut down on the fake, scammy and spammy reviews people leave. (Here's to less funny reviews of stuff people haven't ever bought before).

But as a book blogger, this was very alarming. Also, very expensive. D:

I have rectified the situation as best as I can (my poor, abused wallet). Hopefully it stays this way, otherwise "ugghhhh" will be my response again.

Rant over.

Ingrid always loved to sing. Auditioning for a summer job after high school shattered her dreams. She fled Germany for Detroit where she married with the hopes of starting a family. When hope crumbled, she attempts to sing again. Will singing bring the life Ingrid always desired, or will her mutilated soul lose her everything?

L: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
HGS: I have always been a dreamer, but also somewhat of an adventurer. Growing up in a small village in southern Germany I spent a lot of time outside, exploring my little world - strolling through the woods or lying in the grass and observing my surroundings. One of my favorite pastimes was watching the sky — clouds forming into all kinds of creatures that shifted, battled, embraced, danced, and played games with each other. In those early days, I started writing poetry. My favorite aunt, a voracious reader, soon infected me with her love of books and on my thirteenth birthday she gave me a diary. I was hooked. I wrote and wrote and wrote — mostly about my life. That diary became my silent confidant, a trusted reservoir into which to deposit the tumultuous thoughts and emotions of my teen years. Mesmerized with language in general, I left home to spend a year in London, England, to enhance my English language skills, before planning to go to France to learn French. However, fate intervened - and I soon found myself moving to the USA. As time went on, marriage, raising a family, plus getting a college education, literally took the wind out of my literary sails. Although I felt some inspiration here and there, I had neither much time nor energy for putting creative thoughts on paper. As much as I regret not writing more during those years, I take some comfort in the fact that acquiring a degree in journalism and interacting with people in a variety of other activities not only improved my English language skills but also contributed material for stories to be written in the future.

L: Who or what inspired you to be an author?
HGS: As I already mentioned, I was smitten with the magic of words even as a youngster. Then, throughout my school years, and in college, the praise I received for my compositions inspired me to devote even more time to tuning my writing skills. Unfortunately, in the process, I greatly neglected math, the one area that had never been my strongest ability. Years later, my marriage over, I finally reconnected with my first passion in life. I like to play with writing styles. And, over the years, my essays, articles, memoirs, and poetry were gradually published in the United States, the UK, and Canada. However, I felt driven to write at least "one full-length novel." At this time, I have completed three - and have a fourth one in the making.

L: Who or what inspired your novel?
HGS: I fall frequently back on experiences - both negative and positive - in my own life, which I then embellish with an imaginary story-line. I also like to use my fictional tales as vehicles to explore issues that are important to me. Therefore, my writing tends to become a mix of human interest and suspense. Even my shorter pieces often include a variety of personal memoirs, ranging from nostalgic to introspective to funny while my debut novel, "Burying Leo," dives head on into exploring the dark world of sexual abuse.

L: What would you say is the genre of your novel?
HGS: Women's Fiction (with an undercurrent of romance and suspense)

L: Why did you pick this/these genre(s)?
HGS: I think that beyond coming up with beautiful and/or powerful words, or putting enchanting, grammatically correct, sentences on paper, maybe a writer could stretch a bit further and turn those special skills into creating a vehicle to deliver a message close to his heart. Since I am personally deeply concerned with abuse of any kind, but particularly the mistreatment of women and children, in "Burying Leo" and one of my novels linked to it, I ended up choosing topics I was driven to tackle.

L: How did you develop your plot and characters?
HGS: "Burying Leo" developed rather gradually. Once again, falling back on a life time of personal experiences, I tried on different versions and various titles of what would eventually give birth to "Burying Leo." Extremely concerned with abuse situations, but also being a fan of mysteries and detective shows, along with an undercurrent of "human interest," I gradually embellished "what I know" with imaginary actions and outcomes that I hoped would give give credence to the strong instincts of survival we all carry within us.

L: Who or what inspired your protagonist?
HGS: Although Ingrid is a fictitious character, she is most definitely a composite of a variety of women I observed (and often admired) throughout life, mostly women who had been caught in some tough situations, but battled through it and came out on top – strong, resilient women. Therefore, Ingrid's hurt, confusion and, ultimately, her vindication resonated deeply with me. She is young, innocent, and very vulnerable. Even after being brutally assaulted, she is still determined to do "the right thing" by attempting to report the crime. She is also wounded, confused, needy, and maybe, therefore, not entirely responsible for some of the things she eventually does. In portraying this young woman's journey, I tried to show how quickly unexpected life can throw us a curve we have no control over - but, ultimately, we are called upon to dealing with the consequences of whatever it was we have to endure.

L: Who or what inspired your antagonist?
HGS: Leo Rohmann, the despicable bar owner who brutally assaults Ingrid, is a composite of men entitled to abuse a position of power to take advantage of a vulnerable woman dependent on their goodwill.

L: What was the most difficult part to write in the book?
HGS: The assault scene!!! However, this is also the part that does clarify what makes Ingrid "tick" throughout the novel.

L: What was your favourite part of your book to write?
HGS: My protagonist's ultimate triumph - in revenging herself and reclaiming her life's dream. When Ingrid, step by step, regains the courage to stand up for herself and finally reclaims her own identity: First in finding her voice again, then in wielding her own unique justice and getting her revenge, and eventually even defying her husband’s dominance.

L: Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?
HGS: Cater to my wonderful family!

L: What are you currently reading?
HGS: After recovering from the emotionally onslaught of “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn, I am currently relaxing with Abigail Tucker’s extremely informative as well as entertaining non-fiction book, “The Lion in the Living Room” (How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over The World). This particular New York Times bestseller is truly a cat lover’s delight.

L: What are some of your favourite books or authors?
HGS: Among my most memorable first exposures to American literature were the German translations of Pearl S. Buck and Mark Twain. I have since become familiar with Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck, Harper Lee, Margaret Mitchell, J.D. Salinger etc. My reading tastes vary. I love the classics and human interest stories, but I like crime fiction as well. One of my favorites in that genre is novelist and screen writer Elmore Leonard. I had the privilege of getting to know him personally. First, coincidentally, we occupied space in the same office building. Then, while I was working toward my journalism degree, I had the pleasure of interviewing him for a college writing assignments. And frankly, I was (and still am) in absolute awe of this prolific writer. Last but not least, I adore William Faulkner. At first it was hard for me to work through some of his dialogues reflecting the speech pattern unique to the American South, but once I became better acquainted with it, I was simply fascinated. I am extremely interested in linguistics, and Faulkner’s way of allowing his characters to communicate in their own local tongue imbues them with a regional quality that really makes their world come alive. But last if not least, after hearing about it for years, I finally read “A Tale of Two Cities” - and I was mesmerized. In applying a strange mix of poetic renderings, precise descriptions, and profound psychological insights, Charles Dickens paints an explicit and sometimes gut-wrenching picture of the often cruel events of the French revolution and the people caught up in it.

L: What are your future projects, if any?
HGS: I am currently editing another novel which slightly links to "Burying Leo." Next, I intend to pull together those multiple diary entries of my youth. After laboriously converting them from shorthand (my special teen year's key to secrecy) into a typed version - before translating it all from German into English - I intend to pull everything together into a something half-ways legible. Even if my life story never makes it into any kind of formal print, I sincerely hope that my early shenanigans will at least elicit an occasional awe and/or chuckle from my descendants.

L: What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?
HGS:
https://www.facebook.com/Helga-Gruendler-Schierloh-Author-1342386532549272/
Email: spaceplotter@yahoo.com

L: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
HGS: My own mantra: "Never give up on following your dreams!"