Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Blood Storm by Amber Kallyn (Giveaways too!)

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.
You can see the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE.
Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour!
It is my pleasure to feature
Amber Kallyn and her book BloodStorm!

About the Author:


One of those rare breeds, Amber Kallyn is an Arizona native who can trace her family's history through six generations in the state. She lives with her sexy husband, and their four very active children. Included in the menagerie are two cats (though there's always room for more) and two dogs. We won't count all the fish. She also writes urban fantasy under the name Higley Browne.

Amber loves the paranormal, from dragons to werewolves to vampires. She's currently at work on her next book, probably running around the house acting out a fight scene with her collection of swords and daggers. Or maybe, wishing she had claws to practice the other fight scenes.
A voracious lover of the written word, Amber found at an early age that she could read fast. Really fast. She devours novels by the day, novellas by the hour, and is always looking to get her hands on more.

http://www.amberkallyn.com/
http://amberkallyn.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AmberKallyn
https://twitter.com/#!/AmberKallyn
Newsletter signup: http://bit.ly/H04jPF

Bloodstorm: Heart of a Vampire Book 1
Release Date: April 13, 2012
Novella
Paranormal romance

Blurb:

When duty forces a shaman to stop a vampire from her revenge, love doesn’t just burn... it bites.

For two hundred years, Niki DeVeraux as been tracking the monster who murdered her family and made her a vampire. She finally catches up to him only to face more than she bargained for in a too-sexy sheriff who makes her remember she’s still a woman. With duties as Keeper of the peace and Sheriff, Shane Spencer must protect humanity and stop the friction between the local Arcaine races before it turns into an all out blood war.

When wolves start turning up dead, the tension between the races grows and suspicion falls on Niki. Shane knows she’s not to blame, and it has nothing to do with the primal urges she stirs within him. Working together, they must stop the hostilities from going over the edge. Trouble is, the desires raging between them might prove more dangerous than the surrounding threats.


Please welcome Amber who has graciously stopped by for an interview!
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?


I’m one of the cliché’s as I’ve been writing ever since I can remember. But it wasn’t until a few years ago I realized that just maybe, I could do this as a job. That realization changed my whole life and writing became a much bigger part of it.

How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

Um, a lot?  My first job was at a Sonic Drive-in as a car hop (the people who bring your food out to you on roller skates). It was also my second and third job as I moved a few times through Arizona. After that, I got into fixing computers. In fact, I was planning to get my college degree in technology. My biggest job is being a mom to my four kidlets, which I adore.

How long does it take you to write a book?

From start to finish a few months for a novella, and six or more for a full-length novel. I start with a skimpy outline with a sentence or two of what happens in each chapter, then I write from start to finish. After that, is the editing, which takes the most time for me. I’m happy to have found a process that works well for me :)

Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

I blame all of it on my muse. She’s a sneaky thing, not pouncing on ideas until they’ve had a while to ferment in my mind. But when they’re ready, she throws the characters at me--and they’re strong enough to demand I write them.

How do you decide what you want to write about?

When I’m working on a series, it’s easy. Otherwise, I just choose the character who’s threatening me the most :)

What books have most influenced your life?

I’m a mutt when it comes to reading. I grew up on a mix of Stephen King, Johanna Lindsey, Mary Higgins Clark as well as fantasy and sci-fi writers. As I grew older, the romance turned to the paranormal, and took off from there. I love to read, and I’m very fast, so I can read a novel in a day (just in my free time).

What is the first book you remember reading by yourself?

Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham. That story still has a special place in my heart.

What are your reading right now?

Anything I can get my hands on (or into my ereader), LOL.

What is your favorite comfort food?

Macaroni and cheese, mixed with diced spicy Kielbasa sausage. It’s warm, filling, and something I can make with my kids.

What do you think makes a good story?

Characters that I can fall in love with and ‘feel’ emotional about.

Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

Definitely Stephen King. I love his stories. He can take a cast of 500 and make you care about every single character. His stories touch me on so many levels.

What book do you read over and over again?

My bookshelves house hundreds of books, all of which I’ve read many, many times. But out of all of them, I’d have to stick with ‘The Stand’ by Stephen King. That story is so believable and the characters so awesome. It still gives me the creeps.

Fun Random Questions:
Dogs or cats? Cats :)
Coffee or tea? In the morning, coffee. Tea later in the day.
Dark or Milk chocolate? Milk. I save the dark for special nibbling occasions.
Rocks or flowers? Hard one. I collect rocks, but I’d have to say flowers.
Night or day? Let me stay up all night and sleep all day (don’t I wish, LOL)
Favorite color? Blue, any shade
Crayons or markers? Crayons, they’re less messy and easier to combine colors on the page
Pens or pencils? Pencils, as long as they’re mechanical. I need a nice, sharp point.
 
Giveaway info:
Giveaway Goodies:


Amber is giving away a $5 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky winner at this (and every) stop in the blog tour. Just comment below to be entered.

Amber will also be giving away a $20 Amazon gift certificate to the wonderful host who has the most comments at the end of her tour.

And she will be giving away another $20 Amazon gift certificate to the reader who leaves the most comments on all the blogs she’ll be visiting.

(if there is a tie, she will use Random.org to select the winner).

11 comments:

Amber Kallyn said...

Hi Beverly,

Thanks so much for having me over today :)

Amber Kallyn said...

I wanted to add for all your readers that Bloodstorm is FREE today (the 9th) at Amazon :)

Mary Preston said...

I enjoyed the interview thank you.

I have not read THE STAND by Stephen King, maybe I should - in daylight.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Amber Kallyn said...

Hi Marybelle,
I whole-heartedly recommend reading The Stand. Keep the light nearby :) It's not one of his scariest books in a horror way, but more like, Wow, that could really happen way. LOL.

Thanks for stopping by :)

Tina B said...

Great interview. Thank you for sharing. I agree with you on what makes a good story. I get really bored if I am reading a story where I don't feel the characters. It kind of feels like when I was in school and they are trying to force me to learn something I have no interest in. Lol, if that makes any sense. You must be awfully busy with 4 children. I commend you. I wish that I read fast. I have been trying to find a way to read faster, but have not had any success yet. Ah, well, I still read as much as I can.
I actually have never read The Stand. I have it, but it always looks so intimidating. I saw the movie and it is one of my favorites. I should really read it because I know that the books are always better than the movies. Maybe when I have a few free weeks.

Amber Kallyn said...

Hey Tina,
I'm still laughing :) I totally get the school thing. I had some boring classes where I only passed beacause I could write convincingly, LOL. Guess that led me here! I was an only child with a difficult mom, so books were my passion & escape. I've been reading adult novels since I was 7 or 8. I think that probably helped.
As for The Stand, I love the movie too. It's one of my 'watch every couple months'. But the book is absolutley better. Go read it!
Thanks for stopping by & for sharing :)

Certifible said...

This sounds like a great read

scarlettkitty@hotmail.com

Amber Kallyn said...

Hi Little Star,
Thanks :)

Sarah Elizabeth said...

I hope your dogs aren't reading this review Amber! They might think you love your cats more than them!
I loved green eggs and ham as a child, we had a cartoon version that we watched on the tv and drove my mum mad receiting the words! :)

Amber Kallyn said...

Hey Sarah,
My dogs are freaking out because we got 2 new kittens for Mother's Day :) I've never seen the video, but I can imagine, LOL.

Amber Kallyn said...

And the winner (as always, drawn by Random.org) of the $5 prize is Sarah:)

Congrats! You'll recieve an email from me.

Remember, the $20 prize for the person who comments on the most blogs during the tour is open until May 17th.