Blog Tour: About Face by Amy Lee Burgess (giveaway too)

This virtual book tour is presented by Buy The Book Tours.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Amy Lee Burgess and About Face.

Amy has joined us for an interview:

 When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

You mean get published? I’ve been writing off and on since I was ten, but I’ve only really gotten serious about it in the past couple of years. That’s when I first submitted a novel for publication to Lyrical and was offered a contract. I don’t mean to imply that only published authors are writers though. Far from it! It’s just for me the focus to write for a purpose other than just to get the images out of my head onto the screen came together when I realized I could improve and expand and venture out of my writing cave into a bigger, scarier world. But I’m glad I did it.

 How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?
Well, I still have a day job! I’m an admin assistant for one of the bigger oil companies. Prior to that I worked at a utility company and before that for a non-profit organization that awarded grants to the community for education, government and health. And before that I worked at a court reporting agency as both a notereader and project manager for an ongoing environmental law case. But my dream job would definitely be writing full-time. Preferably from a garret in Paris or Dublin.

 How long does it take you to write a book?
That really depends, but I’m pretty quick. Back in the day when I had one book going at a time I would finish it anywhere between eleven days and two months. Lately I’ve had to juggle writing two books, editing another and promoting and touring my latest book, About Face. Which is why I’m here today actually. So now it can take me as long as four months to finish a novel and that makes me sad. But in a way it’s a measure of success because I no longer have the time to focus on just writing. Now I have to edit and promote too. So maybe I am happy after all it takes me so long nowadays.

 What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I have so many. For one when I’m in an elevator alone at work I practice dialog for upcoming scenes. I’ve been caught more than once too.

 Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
Dreams sometimes. Stuart Townsend, the actor, has definitely inspired several of my heroes. He’s the inspiration for Liam Murphy in the Wolf Within series. Other novels that I adore. News articles. Songs. Where *don’t* I get ideas and inspiration would be an easier question to answer I think. Certainly shorter!

 How do you decide what you want to write about?
For the Wolf Within series I decided to enter NaNoWriMo one year and all I had in mind on November 1st when I sat in front of my blank computer screen was that I would write about a wolf shifter named Stanzie. All the rest just happened organically over the next eleven days which is how long it took me to write Beneath the Skin. That’s my personal best, by the way. I’ve never beaten that time and I’m not sure I want to. I did nothing but write every spare second. I had the flu too and so much of it was written in a literal feverish haze.

 What books have most influenced your life?
Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice is one. The Little House on the Prairie novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Every single Agatha Christie novel ever written. That woman was a genius.

 What are you reading right now?
I’ve got a couple novels going. One is Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie (for about the 20th time), another is The Persian Boy by Mary Renault and I’m also reading The Quest by fellow Lyrical author, Mary Abshire.

 What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Play Sims 3. Love that game. I also enjoy walking my two dachshunds, Nixie and Callie. And I am currently obsessed with The Walking Dead. Oh, and travel. I like to take long weekends and go to places like Las Vegas and Colorado. This summer I’m going to visit a wolf sanctuary and meet real wolves. I can’t wait.

 What is your favorite comfort food?
Wheat pasta and meat sauce. Lots of grated cheese.

 What do you think makes a good story?
I like mystery. Questions that need to be asked and solved. Add a dash of paranormal and I’m really intrigued. If there’s a handsome man in the mix, I’m in for the long haul.

 Who would you consider your favorite author and why?
At the moment my favorite author is Ilona Andrews (and it’s a husband/wife team so I guess it’s a “they”, right?) because I love Kate Daniels so much. Her romance with her shifter lion king hits all the right notes and she’s a fascinating fighter. I can’t write heroines who kick ass literally because I don’t have the fighting knowledge. So my women all kick ass with their minds usually. But Kate can fight and the fight scenes in these books are my favorite parts of the novels and that just never happens for me. Normally, I skip the fight scenes but in the Kate books I reread them. So I think that’s one reason why I love her so much right now. She takes all the things I don’t like about urban fantasy and makes those parts what I like best. That’s talent!

Fun random questions:
• dogs or cats? I have two dogs who would bite me if I said cats, but I have six cats waiting for me for on the Rainbow Bridge who would hiss hysterically if I said dogs. So I will say…both.

• Coffee or tea? Tea for sure. I drink coffee maybe once a month, but tea is every day!

• Dark or milk chocolate? Dark. Especially when eaten in a bubble bath with red wine or champagne.

• Rocks or flowers? Flowers. Although I had a pet rock once. His name was Henry and I loved him.

• Night or day? Night, night, night, night. But I hate driving in the dark so I have to get where I’m going by day and then spend the night wherever it is. Or someone else can drive. I’m down with that too.

• Favorite color? Green. Or purple. Not sure I can pick a favorite.

• Crayons or markers? I’m the world’s worst artist. I still can’t color within the lines, but I do better with crayons for sure.

• Pens or pencils? Give me a keyboard. I can’t read my own writing. But I hate pencils. They break too easily. So I guess I will have to say pens by default.

More About the Author:

Amy Lee Burgess is a transplanted New Englander living in Houston, Texas with two dogs and lots of DVDs. In an attempt to bond with the city after being forced out of New Orleans post-Katrina, she turned to her writing. Determined to finally finish that novel she'd been hacking away at since high school, Amy managed to come up with a wolf shifter character named Stanzie Newcastle. She and Stanzie have been BFFs ever since.

In addition to Stanzie, Amy has also forged a relationship with several vampires, a witch or two, and other assorted supernatural creatures she hopes will entertain her readers. But she will always have room for coffee and butterscotch squares with Stanzie.

About Face by Amy Lee Burgess:

Stanzie’s job as Advisor to the Great Council is discovering other people’s secrets. When those secrets are being kept by the ones she loves most, can she find the courage to expose them?

Under orders from a Councilor, Stanzie journeys to Dublin and the MacTire pack. Her mission: warn her estranged bond mate, Liam Murphy, to abandon his overzealous search for the man responsible for the death of his first bond mate. Not only is he endangering himself, but also disrupting the delicate balance between opposing factions in the conspiracy threatening to tear the Great Pack apart.

Liam needs Stanzie’s help to protect their Alpha, who has entangled himself in the conspiracy’s deadly web. But he also desperately wants her back. In a race against time, Stanzie and Liam discover enemies often wear the faces of friends.

CONTENT WARNING: Vulgar language, sexual situations, some violence

Excerpt

Our fingers were still linked when I opened my eyes hours later. The bedroom smelled of sex--of us--and while he wasn't snoring, Murphy’s breath was slow and heavy, the way I remembered from the nights we’d spent together in America.

For a moment I was filled with such aching happiness I almost expected to levitate off the bed. But then I remembered everything, and black despair bit into me so hard I wondered I didn't bleed.

He’d rolled off me at some point, but we were still on top of the covers. I let go of his hand and slid off the bed. I found his t-shirt and my panties, put them on and fled to the living room.

The remains of our dinner had congealed on our plates on the table. The lights were still on, and I got as far as the sofas before my legs went out from beneath me and I couldn't breathe.

Murphy appeared like a ghost in the bedroom doorway. His eyes were very dark.

“Can we talk about it, Stanzie?”

“What’s to talk about?” I drew one of the throw pillows defensively close to my stomach.

I loved him but he didn't love me. I’d tried so hard not to let that overwhelm me and make peace with it. Of all the people in his life he protected, I was the last on the list and that’s not where I wanted to be. “You chose Paddy and Mac Tire over me, and I guess I get that, but it hurts.”

“I had no idea you loved me.” His tone was raw and desperate. “I thought I was doing the right thing. You didn't need to be put at risk in this, and I thought I could--”

“What? Don’t lie to me, Liam. You didn't want me involved because you’re going to do something stupid to save Paddy and your father. Why should you martyr yourself for them?”

“Paddy came to me for help,” Murphy shouted and the muscles in his face strained as he struggled to regain control. “He had nowhere else to turn, don’t you see? It’s not like I could tell him to go screw himself. He’s my best mate.”

“But it’s okay to tell me to go screw myself, I guess. I’m your bond mate. You wouldn't come to my tribunal. You threw me out like so much garbage when Paddy told you his problems. And you couldn't even tell me why. You’re so hell-bent on saving everybody, but it’s always on your terms and you have to be the one to give help--you never want it in return. I would have helped you. I would have done anything for Paddy--he’s my Alpha--but you decided what was best for me in your typical high-handed Liam Murphy fashion, and to hell with what I thought, what I wanted.

“And then tonight you take advantage of the fact I love you so you can, what? Have sex?

Haven’t you screwed anyone in four months, or have you just screwed people over?”

His face blanched of all color, and he stared at me, his dark eyes bottomless.

“That wasn't just sex. Did that feel like just sex to you?”

“No, not to me. I love you. But that’s what it was to you. Will you please leave me alone? I’m tired and I want to go to sleep.”

“Stanzie, I know you’re tired, but we've got to talk about this.”

“In the morning. Maybe.” I turned away from him because I couldn't stand to look at the entreaty in his eyes. In a heartbeat I’d be across the floor to him, and screw that.

He abruptly gave in. “Look, you take the bed, I’ll sleep out here.”

“No, I’ll stay out here.” I was ten seconds from tears, and I wanted him gone so he wouldn't see.

“Stanzie, take the bed.”

“No,” I shouted, and the damn tears poured down my cheeks. “It smells like us in there, don’t you get it? And us is a lie. Just let me do what I want, goddamn it.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but then, defeated, retreated and did as I asked.

My Thoughts:
I would suggest reading the first four books in this series before reading this one, but it did stand alone.  I have not read the rest and I didn't feel like I was missing too much information, but I could tell that there was a lot that had gone on before and it would have been more meaningful to know more.

The story line is tricky and I couldn't decide who I would trust if I had been in Stanzie's spot either.  I liked the characters personalities for the most part, but there were times when I thought Stanzie was a little too wishy washy, but that could be because I didn't start at the beginning of the series.  Paddy, Liam, Fee and Stanzie were my favorite characters.  

The story speaks a lot about loyalty and love, betrayal and sacrifice, as well as duty.  The emotions run rampant throughout the book and I found myself snickering at times and in tears at other times.  I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Giveaway:  Clcik HERE to go to the giveaway.

 Buy Links: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - iTunes

Blog Tour: Mark of the Sylph by Rosalie Lario (Tourwide Giveaway)

This blog tour is presented by Entangled Publishing.

Click HERE for more information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

It is with great pleasure that I feature Rosalie Lario and

Mark of the Sylph.

Rosalie has stopped by for an interview:

? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been in love with books ever since I can remember. In fact, some of my earliest memories are of reading with my parents or sister. And from the beginning, the books I loved had paranormal elements to them. Since I loved books so much, I’ve always been fascinated by the thought of writing a book. But I never thought I had it in me. To actually sit down and hammer out a plot for months at a time? Impossible! But then, after my son was born, I found myself with a little bit of free time, and I started thinking how sad it would be if I encouraged my son to follow his dreams while I had never followed my own. So I sat down and wrote! Now, that first book sucked…but I was hooked. A writer was born.

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

In my early life, too many too count! Let’s see, I’ve been a cashier, a librarian’s assistant, a customer service representative, a retail salesperson, a secretary, a paralegal, and a lawyer! And now I teach Business Law part-time on a university level and write; by far my two most favorite jobs.

? How long does it take you to write a book?

A full length novel generally takes 2-3 months to write. Imagine that, 2-3 months! It’s a long time to focus on just one thing, but I’ve found that I absolutely love the process of creating and revising.

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I can only write after consuming half a liter of vodka. Kidding! (Sometimes I wish, though.) I guess my weirdest quirk is that I have to play a soundtrack of the Amazon rainforest, even if there’s a full-blown thunderstorm going on outside. Don’t know how I developed this silly quirk, but there it is.

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

Everywhere! I’ve always had vivid dreams, so a lot of my inspiration tends to come from those. But I can find ideas anywhere: movies, books, television. Even real life, ‘cause we all know sometimes that can be stranger than fiction!

? What books have most influenced your life?

Bunnicula was my introduction to the world of the paranormal, so I suppose I have that book to thank for my stories. Also The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning, and the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost.

? What are you reading right now?

I’m reading Entraptured by Elizabeth Naughton. Greek gods are a particular love of mine, since I majored in Classical Studies and Anthropology as an undergrad. In fact, I’m actually planning a series featuring demi-gods as we speak. J

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Not writing? Huh? Lol…well, I live in South Florida, so swimming, boating and snorkeling are my favorite non-writing activities.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

Mac-n-cheese. It makes everything seem better. J

? What do you think makes a good story?

Characters you can fall in love with. My stories are all character-driven. My take is that if I love the characters I write, readers will too.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

Right now it’s Jeaniene Frost, because I love her writing style. It’s fun and passionate and has lots of bite.

Fun random questions: 

• dogs or cats? Ferrets. Yes, I’m a ferret gal.
• Coffee or tea? Coffee
• Dark or milk chocolate? Both
• Rocks or flowers? Flowers
• Night or day? Depends
• Favorite color? Wine
• Crayons or markers? Markers
• Pens or pencils? Pens

More about the author:

Formally trained as a corporate and real estate lawyer, I practiced law for 5 years before finally admitting to myself that negotiating contracts wasn’t nearly as fun as dreaming up stories. As an avid reader of romances and supernatural stories, I knew I wanted to write urban fantasy and paranormal romance.  Tales of vampires, demons, and other supernatural beings ensued.

I’m currently working on the Demons of Infernum series, a series of paranormal romance novels featuring four sexy half-demon brothers and their reluctant heroines.

When not writing, I enjoy spending time with my husband and son in our home state of Florida, as well as searching out things that go bump in the night. I still haven’t found any, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

If I ever do find evidence of the supernatural, it remains to be seen whether I’ll jump around in excitement, or run screaming in terror (but I’m betting on the latter)!

Half-demon Taeg is desperate to free his pregnant sister-in-law, who is spellbound to an indestructible book that will create an army of the undead. He is convinced that an ancient sword can destroy the book and the spell forever, but this relic has been hidden for a millennia by a powerful glamour. The clock begins to run out on his search when an old rival goes after the book and Taeg’s family in his quest for revenge.

Librarian Maya Flores has a secret: she’s immune to magic and is well aware of the supernatural beings prowling the streets of New York City. Haunted by a brutal demon attack that took her family, she is on a one-woman mission to destroy the evil demons who did it—and any others who get in her way.

Maya is Taeg’s best hope for uncovering the sword.

Unfortunately, she wants nothing more than to kill him. As he fights for her trust and to save his family, she is forced to face the truth that not all demons are evil. And the worst part? She might be falling in love with one, too.

My thoughts:
Have you ever been faced with the reality of re-thinking everything you believe? Check out this story by Rosalie Lario; Maya is forced to do just that.

Fantastic read.  Fun, steamy, romantic, scary, filled with more emotion than expected.  The characters are wonderful.  I am quite certain that there is no human man that could compare to these amazing demons.  Maya is fierce.  Taeg is....incredible.  This story holds a little bit of everything.  Mystery, romance, action/adventure, fantasy, supernatural and they roll together seemlessly.  So well written that I couldn't put it down.  

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find Mark of the Sylph on:

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13584848-mark-of-the-sylph

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620612178/

Barnes & Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mark-of-the-sylph-rosalie-lario/1104828099?ean=9781620612170

Book Depository

http://www.bookdepository.com/Mark-Sylph-Rosalie-Lario/9781620612170

Find Rosalie at:

Website

http://rosalielario.com/

Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/rosalielario

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/rosalielario

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4843915.Rosalie_Lario

Blog Tour: Pooka in My Pantry by R.L. Naquin (tourwide giveaway)

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature:

R.L. Naquin and Pooka in My Pantry.

R.L. has stopped by for an interview:

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

Wow. A lot. I’ve been a security dispatcher, a customer service rep, front desk clerk

at a Disney resort, office manager, personal assistant, business owner. I’m in my

mid-forties and I’ve lived a lot of places. I’d say I’ve had a good twenty to thirty

different jobs in my lifetime.

• How long does it take you to write a book?

Two or three months to write it. But in the months leading up to the actual writing,

I’m thinking through the plot. Then the month or two after, I’m editing it before

sending it to my publisher. So, four to six months. That still doesn’t account for all

the work that goes into making it better after the fact.

• What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

My extreme prep-work before I start writing seems to amuse my friends. It’s an

elaborate dance of index cards, magnets, a gigantic wipe-off board, multiple colors

of wipe-off pens, and a lot of pacing, talking out loud, and wild gesturing in front

of the giant board. Most people who achieve this level of crazy get the benefit of

medication. I can’t even remember to take my vitamins every day.

• Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

I always like to know where I’m going with the next few scenes before I sit down to

write. If I sit down without a plan, I’ll stare at the screen and do nothing. I don’t have

to know everything. I just need to have an idea of where I’m going.

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

Websites like Phantoms and Monsters are good for coming up with types of

monsters. Still, real-life people are often the basis for the personalities in my books.

Pointy ears, wings, or glowing eyes are only physical traits. The odder a character

looks, the more likely I am to give him very human qualities and problems to make

him more believable.

• How do you decide what you want to write about?

I love urban fantasy, but I wanted to read a book about a character who wasn’t

broken or snarky or afraid of relationships. That’s how I decided to write this series.

• What books have most influenced your life?

Black and Blue Magic by Zylph Keatley Snyder

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip

The Tripods Series by John Christopher

• What is the first book you remember reading by yourself?

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum

• What are you reading right now?

A friend’s manuscript. It’s wonderful. I hope I’ll be able to tell you about it

eventually.

• What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Road trips, movie marathons, Lego building, and anything to do with Disney.

• What is your favorite comfort food?

Popcorn in a dark theater.

• What do you think makes a good story?

I think the entire point to a story is to take the reader out of her own life for a little

while. A good story should make you forget who you are and let you be someone

else, even if it’s only for a few hours.

Fun random questions:

• dogs or cats?

Cats

• Coffee or tea?

Coffee in the morning, then tea the rest of the day

• Dark or milk chocolate?

Milk

• Rocks or flowers?

Rocks if I’m buying them myself, flowers from my husband

• Night or day?

Night

• Favorite color?

Red. No, green. No purple. Wait, green and blue and purple swirled together. I kind

of like lime green, too. Wait, no definitely red. Gah! Why is this so hard?

• Crayons or markers?

Markers

• Pens or pencils?

Pens

Excerpt Pooka in My Pantry

Chapter 1

You help one monster in need, and everybody hears about it.

The recent appearance of various monsters and mythical creatures in my life took some adjustment. But no amount of flexibility prepared me to assist in the live birth of a sea serpent in my own backyard. That’s a lot to ask of anybody.

My swimming pool looked like a major crime scene, and I was pretty sure bits of mucus mixed with dried blood flecked my hair. I’d probably have to take out a personal loan to cover the water bill once I took a three-hour shower, then drained and refilled the pool.

When the sea serpent appeared in my pool a month before, I had no clue what to do about it. Fortunately, Maurice, my resident closet monster, was quick on his feet. While I stood slack-jawed at the kitchen window, he ran to get Molly to be our translator. Fluent in all sorts of crazy creature languages ranging from house pets to gargoyles, Molly, the brownie, lived in a mushroom house in my backyard with her kids.

As it happened, she was unable to decipher a word of sea-serpentese.

Fortunately, a pygmy dragon with a nasty cold had recently spent his convalescence in my garage. Molly spoke dragonish, and Bruce, the dragon, spoke serpentese. Problem solved.

Except it took over three weeks to find Bruce, leaving us with no idea why a listless, snorting sea serpent had moved into my swimming pool. Communicating in pantomime with a creature that had no hands was futile, absurd and probably hilarious to watch.

When Bruce (via Molly) explained the situation, I did my best not to panic. The sea serpent was pregnant, but she could tell something was wrong. Naturally, she came ashore to my house for help, since everyone in the supernatural community seemed to think I had the answer to every problem.

I had no experience delivering healthy babies of any species. All I had to go on were basic anatomy and zoology classes in college, and a wealth of medical procedural shows on television. And yet, something inside me clicked when Frannie went into labor and the baby stopped moving. I jumped into the water without a thought for my spangled, dry-clean-only shirt, or for the discomfort of wet jeans and high tops. In hindsight, I should’ve at least kicked off my shoes.

I’m not sure how to describe the supreme ick factor of having both arms shoved up to the elbow inside a sea serpent’s body. The baby was turned wrong, kind of folded in half and pointed to emerge center-first, rather than in a straight line with its head or tail facing the exit.

“Don’t push, Frannie,” I said. “I have to unfold the baby or it’ll stay stuck.”

Molly made a series of grunting snorts, which Bruce translated into a series of clicks and yowls. I felt the serpent relax around my squashed arms and wrestled the slippery baby into a better position. Another contraction hit and I stopped, waiting until I had more room to work.

The mournful cry from Frannie needed no translation.

When the contraction was over, I made another grab with one hand to hold the baby steady and pulled the head with the other. I’m not a dainty woman, but I’m not big enough to palm a basketball, either. That’s what it felt like I was trying to do in there, only the basketball in question had eyes I needed to avoid poking, and it was covered in what felt like tapioca pudding.

I got a good grip on a dorsal fin at what I hoped was the back of its neck as the next contraction hit.

“Push!”

Clacks and snarls followed down the translation line, and Frannie pushed while I pulled. My other hand shoved, guiding the rest of the baby straight. Once the head slipped into place, nature took over, and out everything slid. Right into my pool and all over me.

As an empath, I try never to leave the house without my protective walls up. The emotions of other people tend to overwhelm and drain me. But I was at home, and I was exhausted. I’d been so focused on the birth that I hadn’t built any barriers, so there was nothing between me and the small group around me to barricade my psyche against what wasn’t mine. I stood in the frigid water, unconcerned by my shaking body or the gore that covered me.

The emotional inrush saturated me in love and happiness.

Frannie nuzzled her new offspring, and a quiet joy settled over me, warming my freezing flesh. From Molly’s direction, relief lay across my shoulders like a heated blanket, and Bruce’s delight prickled my skin in electric jolts. My eyelids burned. I closed them to relieve the sensation. My back bumped against the side of the pool, and I let my knees bend so I could float.

Worry.

Panic.

They shot through the other emotions like tiny arrows. My eyelids cracked open, but only for a few seconds. Nothing was wrong. All was right. My job was done, so what would it hurt to take a little rest?

Thin fingers dug into the flesh in my arms, hauling me from the pool. I made a weak attempt to slap at the intruder.

“Zoey, come on, wake up.” Maurice was there, dragging me away from the water and piling towels on my wet skin.

My eyes snapped open. Well, crap. I lay flat on the pavement, still shivering, despite the previous illusion of warmth. Bodily fluids coated my skin, and Maurice had covered me with my good towels.

The closet monster’s big yellow eyes hovered inches from my face. His worry was so intense, it blocked all the warm fuzzy stuff happening behind him. He coaxed me to my feet, fussing at the towels to keep them from sliding off, and leading me into the house.

“Seriously, Zoey. I don’t know how you stayed alive before I got here. If you didn’t drown, hypothermia would’ve had you.”

Giveaway:



a Rafflecopter giveaway

My thoughts:
     I loved this book!  It was my first R.L. Naquin story and I am thrilled to say it won't be my last.  I am reading Monster in My Closet next.  I know that is out of order, but it happens.
     I'm not sure where to start with my thoughts on the story - how original it is? How great the characters are? How wonderfully written it is? What a fantastic storyline/plot it has?
     There were parts that I felt were written just for me.  I can't count the number of times I have heard, "You'll eat real food, not just sandwiches and takeout?" and I felt like Sophie was talking to me when she said, "Sweetheart, once you accept how special you are, you won't want anything less than what you deserve." I have heard that a few times as well. Zoey's collection of friends (family) warmed my heart.  I have always been a collector of misfits - they just seem to fit with me - I got all teary when Zoey started talking about the people that make up her family; how they are a mixed group and there is so much love there - I have always believed that you get to pick your family.
     Okay - so about the book....
The characters are wonderful.  They have been created with depth and incredible personalities.  There is a wide range of types; both "good"guys and "bad." You feel like you know them within a few pages and either love or hate them right away.  I found myself unable to choose which character was my favorite.  The story becomes personal and the pages seem to turn themselves as you can't wait to find out more.
     The plot is original, clever, imaginative and entertaining.  I found myself laughing out loud and almost in tears within paragraphs of each other.  It's a wide ride of emotions and intrigue.
     The writing is fantastic.  The author is a true wordsmith.  She seems to find just the right words to make the story all that you want it to be and more.
I enjoyed every page.

Blog Tour: The Demon's Daughter by Paula Altenburg (International Giveaway)

This blog tour is presented by Entangled Publishing.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Paula Altenburg and her book

Demon's Daughter.

Paula has stopped by for an interview:

 When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Paula: I never wanted to be a writer, I wanted to be reader. I have all these ideas running around in my head though, and I firmly believe in finishing things. I finished the first one to prove to myself that I could do it, and after that, I was off.

 How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?
Paula: I’ve always written. I’ve had so many jobs while I raised my kids, and then one that I really thought was going to be my career until retirement. I loved it. But after I sold my first series (with a writing partner), I talked to my husband about hopes and dreams, and his advice was that you only live once. He suggested I pick the job that makes me the happiest because it wasn’t making him at all happy to have me working at two. So here I am.

 How long does it take you to write a book?
Paula: I feel like I’m pathetically slow. Six months for a single title, three to four for a category. But then you start throwing in revisions and edits on top of the writing, and all bets are off.

 What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Paula: I really don’t think I have any writing quirks. To me, this is my job. I treat it the same as if I was still going to an office. (Except I write in sweatpants all day, and showering is optional when there’s a deadline involved, so maybe that’s the quirk?)

 Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
Paula: I always start with the characters and a situation they’re in, and it could be triggered by anything. I’m an abstract thinker, so “What if” scenarios are big with me. Something snags in my brain—a comment, an image, or a line from a song—and then my subconscious runs with it. You wouldn’t want to look inside that window. The mess isn’t pretty.

 How do you decide what you want to write about?
Paula: Same as above. Usually I’ve heard or seen something I thought was interesting, and my subconscious takes over. I’d make a terrible police crime witness.

 What books have most influenced your life?
Paula: I love books. I go through different stages where I read certain things almost exclusively, then flip back to something else. I’ll re-read well written stories, but they’re fiction and I recognize that. I really don’t have any preferences, and no one thing has influenced me. I think they all have. I’ll often go back to a book I read as a child just to see if it’s really as good as I remember, and I’ve never been disappointed.

 What are you reading right now?
Paula: My sister got me hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. I think the one I just started is called 61 Hours.

 What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Paula: I love movies. I read, and I like to run. Running hasn’t been happening for me with deadlines lately, and that’s the one thing I obsess about.

 What is your favorite comfort food?
Paula: Fresh-baked bread.

 What do you think makes a good story?
Paula: A talented writer or story teller, and there’s a difference between the two. I can appreciate a well-written book, but it’s talent that brings it to life. I always use George RR Martin as an example because he has this huge imagination and the talent to back it up. He’s good with all the writing elements required to translate his vision onto paper. I can totally get lost in his worlds, and each of his characters is individual.

 Who would you consider your favorite author and why?
Paula: I have favorite authors in each of the different genres I read, and no one sticks out in particular. Obviously, George RR Martin is the fantasy guy for me right now. Stephen King is horror. For paranormal romance and urban fantasy, I’m going with Larissa Ione and Kim Harrison—but my list isn’t exclusive. I’d have to say I chose these ones off the top of my head because they all write such fabulous characters, and for me, when I’m writing, the characters come first.

Fun random questions:
• dogs or cats? Cats
• Coffee or tea? Coffee
• Dark or milk chocolate? Dark chocolate
• Rocks or flowers? Rocks
• Night or day? Day
• Favorite color? Blue
• Crayons or markers? Crayons
• Pens or pencils? Pens

 The Demon’s Daughter by Paula Altenburg

Hunter is the only man capable of killing the demons that left the world in ruins. But when he’s hired by a notorious priestess to bring a thief to justice, the Demon Slayer gets more than he bargains for.  Airie was raised in an abandoned temple as a priestess’s daughter, having no idea of her true origins. In a time when any half-breed spawn of a demon is despised by mortal and immortal alike, not knowing the truth is the only thing keeping her safe.

Forced to flee her home in the wake of disaster and discovery of who she is, Airie must place her trust in a man who believes she should never have been born. And when a demon uprising threatens lives he has

sworn to protect, Hunter has to make a choice: abandon Airie to an uncertain fate, or overcome his own personal demons and love her for who she truly is.

My thoughts:

Well written.  Fantastic characters, interested and clever - created with depth and care.  The world building is exceptional.  The story is well thought out and much more than expected.  Do not miss out on this one!

Giveaway:

It's international - prize - an ecopy of this fabulous story!

Blog Tour: Succubus Rising by BR Kingsolver

This virtual blog tour is presented by My Addiction is Reading.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

The author has stopped by for an interview:

Where did you find the inspiration to write The Telepathic Clans Saga?

When I started thinking about what kind of character could be strong, kick-ass, and blatantly sexual while still being one of the good guys.

I started researching paranormal "powers", and managed to put together a coherent list of talents and myths people have envisioned through the centuries. One of the myths I find particularly humorous is that of the succubus. The medieval church used that myth to demonize sexual women. I thought about the idea of a different kind of succubus, a telepath who could drain a man’s life energy, but wasn’t aligned with the devil, and didn’t do him permanent harm.

From there the idea started to grow. I envisioned a matriarchal society, worshipping a Goddess, with Telepathic Gifts where the women are as strong as the men -- a society of equals. And in an equal society, women and men are free to express their sexual identities.

The idea of a powerful succubus, a member of a telepathic race, as a character for my books was born. Who better to fight against evil than the one thing a patriarchal society fears the most?

Was there a scene in the book you found particularly hard to write?
Not really. But making the sex scenes hot is hard, much more difficult than people think. When I first wrote them, they were very mechanical. It took a lot of revision and help from my beta readers.

Did you get inspiration from someone specific to write your characters?
The characters just come to me. I don’t have a problem dreaming up characters. In fact, I’ve been told that I include too many characters in my books. There are some fascinating people that ended up being cut. My books tend to start as an idea for a character, and then I develop a story for them.

How did you become a writer?
I’ve always had an active imagination and composed stories in my head. I started reading urban fantasy a couple of years ago and loved the stories. When I received a Nook for my birthday, I discovered self-published works. I was talking about that with a friend and mentioned that I thought I had a story that people would like and she encouraged me to try and write it.

Do you have a writing process/schedule? Is there a particular place you feel more inspired to write?
I can write anywhere. I’ve written in coffee shops, on planes, at a desk and sitting on the couch watching TV. When the story is flowing, it’s very easy and I can write anywhere, anytime. It’s the revisions and editing stages where it becomes difficult and I have to force myself to sit down and work.

What is the most satisfying part of being an author?
Seeing the cover on a web site is one. It’s a feeling of accomplishment. The other is having people tell me they enjoyed one of my books.

What do you usually do when you’re not writing?
Right now, I just started a new job and I’m working a lot of hours. That’s why the third book took so long to finish. Over the past four years, I’ve renovated a 100-year-old row house in Baltimore, doing much of the work myself. I like to travel and see new places, hike and ski. My two basset hounds like the hiking part most of all.

Are you working on any new projects at the moment?
I have two projects I’ve started. One is a paranormal mystery/thriller set in the Telepathic Clans’ world with a telepathic s detective. The other is a YA or New Adult paranormal romance in a completely different setting. The main character in that book is a Valkyrie going to university at Oxford. Eventually, I need to write the fourth book to finish Brenna and Rebecca’s story, but I have to get away from that world for awhile.

What advice would you give to anyone who wants to start writing?
First, have a good story. Second, spend some time learning the technical aspects of writing, i.e. how to tell that story. When I first started, I didn’t understand “show” versus “tell”. I still have some trouble with that. Third, find beta readers who will give you honest, in-depth criticism and listen to them. Last, find a good editor. I was a newspaper editor for five years and have been writing and editing in the business world all my working life. No one is qualified to edit their own writing. The easiest way to turn a reader off, especially a reviewer, is to have a book full of technical errors.

Succubus Rising

Book 3 of the Telepathic Clans Saga

BR Kingsolver

Book Description:

The Goddess has plans for Brenna and Rebecca, and the Goddess has a wicked sense of humor.

Rebecca Healy is a true wilder, growing up with no contact or knowledge of other telepaths. Discovered by a Clan member on the streets of San Francisco, she felt like she’d hit the jackpot. Finally, she knew what she was, or at least she thought she did.

When Brenna O’Donnell, long-lost heir of the O’Donnell Clan, and the strongest telepath in history, is returned to her family, she and Rebecca form a tight bond. Brenna has it all, looks, money, power, and men falling all over her.

Rebecca isn’t jealous, but it would be nice to find someone who would really love her and stick around in the morning. She’s intrigued by a handsome South American general, but of course, he has his sights set on Brenna. Carlos de Vargas wants more than love. His Clan has its back to the wall, and they hope for an alliance with O’Donnell. An alliance that would lead to war.

The story began in The Succubus Gift and continued in Succubus Unleashed. In Succubus Rising, questions are answered and new mysteries are revealed.

My thoughts:

Fantastic continuation of the series. The characters that we readers have come to know and love are back again. The plot is clever and have grown even more multi-faceted. You are in for an emotional rollercoaster - and it's moving fast! Can't wait for the next book!

Violet Dawn Blog Blitz!

This blitz is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Click here for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the Blitz!

It is with great pleasure that I feature Lynn Rush and book 2 in the Violet Night series, Violet Dawn!

Author Bio.

Driven to write, Lynn Rush often sees her characters by closing her eyes watching their story unfold in her mind. Lynn Rush is a pen name that is a combination of two sources – Lynn, the first name of her mother-in-law, who passed away and Rush –since the author is a former inline speed skater and mountain biker. All of Rush’s books are dedicated to Lynn, her namesake, and a portion of the proceeds benefits cancer research and awareness.

Book Information

In the darkest place, the Light shines brightest.

Emma’s love saved Jake from life as a vampire. But their happily ever after is threatened by a savage Vamp seeking retribution for destroying the Avenos Trinity of Evil.

A mysterious stranger enters the mix, coinciding with the first Vamp attack in months. Emma’s new friendship, and the suspicion and deceit surrounding it, further drives a wedge between her and Jake.

To complicate things, Emma is bitten by a Vamp with abilities no one has ever seen before, and that bite has left its mark.

A mark that might tear Jake and Emma apart forever…

Title:Violet Dawn (Violet Night #2)

Author:Lynn Rush

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Release Date: April 1^st, 2013

Links:  Amazon - Author's Amazon page - Goodreads - Facebook - 
Twitter - Pinterest - Author Website - Trailer - 

Giveaway:

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