Blog Tour: Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan (International Hardcover Giveaway)

This virtual blog tour is presented by Cedar Fort Books.

Click HERE for more tour information.
Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.
It is my pleasure to feature:
Rachel McClellan and Fractured Soul.

Rachel has joined us for an interview:

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

I’ve always enjoyed writing, but never believed I could be an author. It wasn’t until I traveled to Ireland and stood on the Cliffs of Moher, overlooking the massive ocean, that I realized I was the only person holding me back from following my dreams. I quickly got out of the way.

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

Argh! Painful memories. I’d rather not remember my bean-making days at Taco John’s or the hundreds of people I harassed from a call center. 

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

About six months.

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

I use an Alpha Smart to write. It’s basically a typewriter with a small screen showing only four visible lines of text.  I love it! It’s so light and the batteries last forever. I can’t imagine writing without it.

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

Surprisingly, there are still a few brain cells bouncing around in my head. Whenever they collide a character or idea is born.

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

I have a file of ideas. Whenever I’m ready to start a new project, I ponder over them, but only when an ending to one of the story ideas comes to me, do I actually begin writing.

? What books have most influenced your life?

Wow. That’s a hard one. I have the usual spiritual books I reflect on, like the Bible, to help me become a better person. I love To Kill a Mockingbird, Atlas Shrugged and The Angels are the Reapers. And The Book Thief. Oh, and books by C.S. Lewis.

? What are you reading right now?

I’m actually going back to re-read the Leven Thumps series. I love studying that book by Obert Skye. He is excellent at world building!

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

I love playing all kinds of sports and love snowboarding. Of course having four children has made my mountain-play time almost non-existent. I hope to get back into it as they grow older.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

Ranch dressing. And not that store bought crap in the plastic bottles. It’s got to be the homemade kind. I’ll dip just about anything in it.

? What do you think makes a good story?

A story that gets stuck in reader’s heads for days after they read it.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

Tough question. And when things get tough, I cheat. J Favorite children’s author – Dr. Seuss. Favorite middle-grade author – Obert Skye. Favorite YA author – L.J. Smith Favorite adult author – Dean Koontz.

Fun random questions: 

dogs or cats? Big dogs

Coffee or tea? Neither

Dark or milk chocolate? Creamy milk

Rocks or flowers? Rocks

Night or day? Night

Favorite color? Black

Crayons or markers? Crayons

Pens or pencils? Pens

More about the author:

Rachel McClellan was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she's not in her writing lair, she's partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel's love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was...

Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan

About Fractured Soul:

Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her new found friends and home, but the dark plot threatening Lucent Academy, a school that’s supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!

Find Rachel

Facebook  |   Blog   |   Website   |   Twitter   |   Goodreads  |  Book Trailer

Buy Fractured Light  Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble  Buy Fractured Soul  Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble  

Giveaway:

The publisher has authorized a giveaway and because I have over 1000 amazing followers, I am granted the opportunity to offer ONE (hardcover) copy of Fractured Soul INTERNATIONALLY!

Blog Tour: Into the Dark by Stacy Green (Giveaway too)

This virtual book tour is presented by Partners in Crime Tours.

Click Here for more tour details.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Stacy Green and Into the Dark.

Stacy has joined us for an interview:

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

I’ve always written in some form, starting with little stories as a kid and then into more short stories in high school. A college professor told me to go into magazine journalism as it was for writers who “wanted to publish a novel but never would.” I foolishly took her advice and put creative writing on the backburner for a long time.

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

Three full time jobs. I started out as a newspaper reporter for a small weekly community paper in the Des Moines, IA area, and then moved into advertising with another local company. When we moved to Cedar Rapids, I went to work for Yellowbook until the birth of my daughter at the end of 2005. Through all of that, I wanted to write but convinced myself I didn’t have the chops.

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

INTO THE DARK took about a year. My upcoming novel, TIN GOD, about six months, and I’m hoping to get the first draft of it’s follow up by spring. I learn so much with every book and continue to fine tune my plotting process, so things are getting faster.

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

I like natural light. I don’t like having a light or the reflection off my computer, and I tend to not be as productive at night. I suppose you could call that a quirk.

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

From lots of things. Bits and pieces from the news or television, someone in my life, personal experiences. A big part of both Nathan and Emilie in INTO THE DARK is based on my experience on trying to get beyond my own issues with past mistakes. My books are character driven, and I like to get beyond the surface and figure out what makes them tick.

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

I love suspense and thrillers, so I always know I’m going in that direction. From there, it usually starts with a “what if” question. INTO THE DARK’s question is: what if an obsessed stalker used the Las Vegas tunnels as a refuge, and what if that stalker was driven beyond more than obsession? TIN GOD’s is: what if a poverty-stricken woman discovers the secret she’s been hiding for years is the motive for a recent murder? They can be broader as well, and after I get the question, I start jotting down all possible answers and go from there.

? What books have most influenced your life?

Several, and they are varied. The Laura Ingalls Wilder books fostered my love for reading and history, Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles made me fall in love with the story and want to create one of my own, and Silence of the Lambs helped me to learn the value of a truly incredible and three dimensional villain. And there are several more I could list, but I don’t want to bore readers.

? What are you reading right now?

Getting ready to start Say You’re Sorry by Michale Robotham.

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

I’ve got a first grader, so my time is pretty well stocked. When she is home, I try to spend as much time as possible with her. Otherwise, I’m trying to catch up on my reading or television.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

Chocolate in any form. And good Italian bread.

? What do you think makes a good story?

Great characters who are more than just good or bad, someone I can empathize with. And a plot that keeps me guessing until the very end.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

Stephen King, and not just because of his stories. His no nonsense view on the craft is something every writer needs to follow, and he has an incredible knack for noticing the details about people–the flashes of color and personality–that make for engaging characters. He is very observant, and I think that is a big reason for his success.

Fun random questions: 

·        dogs or cats? Both, but I’m allergic to cats so we have three dogs.

·        Coffee or tea? Both, depending on time of day. Love a good cup of chamomile in the evening.

·        Dark or milk chocolate? Milk chocolate. Can’t stand it too rich.

·        Rocks or flowers? Hmm….depends on the rock, but probably flowers.

·        Night or day? Overall, I’m a night owl, but any more it seems to be day. I’m getting old, I guess.

·        Favorite color? Purple.

·        Crayons or markers? Crayons.

·        Pens or pencils? Pencils.

More about the author:

Stacy Green is fascinated by the workings of the criminal mind and explores true crime on her popular Thriller Thursday posts at her blog, Get Twisted. 
After earning her degree in journalism, Stacy worked in advertising before becoming a stay-at-home mom to her miracle child. She rediscovered her love of writing and wrote several articles for Women’s Edition Magazine of Cedar Rapids, profiling local businesses, before penning her first novel. Her debut novel, INTO THE DARK, is set in Las Vegas and features a heroine on the edge of disaster, a tormented villain, and the city’s infamous storm drains that house hundreds of homeless. 

Into the Dark by Stacy Green

Synopsis: 
A two-hundred-mile labyrinth of dark storm drains serves as a refuge for the delusional stalker who will go to any lengths to possess fragile, emotionally isolated Emilie Davis. To survive, Emilie will have to confront the secrets of her past she has kept locked away from everyone, including herself. Emilie is a master escape artist—she’s fled a manipulative mother and a controlling ex-husband. But it’s impossible to evade a stalker who uses a bank robbery as a ruse to kidnap her. He’s still out there, hiding in the Las Vegas tunnels and dodging police. Emilie’s life careens out of control as her assailant continues his pursuit. She has nowhere to turn but to Nathan Madigan, the hostage negotiator who worked the robbery. Nathan is haunted by his failure to protect a loved one fourteen years ago and dedicates his life to saving others. Determined to catch the lunatic hunting Emilie, he finds himself losing his professional detachment. He fears history is about to repeat itself if he cannot protect Emilie from the Taker’s obsession.

The police close in on the Taker’s identity as Nathan and Emilie grow closer to each other and to resolving the misery of their own pasts. At the height of The Taker’s madness, his attempt to replace someone he’s lost will either kill them all or set them free.

An Excerpt from INTO THE DARK

Moisture streamed down her face. The Taker had stayed so close, his breath against her skin and his fingers brushing against her arms more times than she could count.

“Darkness is our friend.”

The tunnels were dark. He wanted to drag her down there, stash her away in some filthy corner with no light and stale air. Locked away from everyone, forever.

Her lungs constricted as panic overwhelmed her. Her comfortable living room suddenly appeared sinister. The blowing wind outside sent a strange sort of murmur throughout the condo—a breathless, restrained whisper.

Emilie whirled in the darkness, squinting at the black lumps spread throughout the room. Her furniture, or was the Taker here? Had he somehow cut the lights to the building?

Claustrophobia attacked. The Taker closed in. His warm breath swept over her neck, and his saccharine scent crept into her nose. He had surrounded her again. She was trapped.

No. She whipped her head around searching in vain for some sign of his presence. He couldn’t be there, could he? Her tired, tormented brain was just playing a cruel trick on her. Please, just leave me alone.

Purchase INTO THE DARK

Amazon for Kindle

MuseItUp Store for all digital formats
Smashwords for Nook, 

Sign up for Stacy’s newsletter for member pricing on her upcoming novel, TIN GOD (April).

Website: www.stacygreen.net

Follow Stacy online at her blog, www.stacygreenauthor.com

Twitter @StacyGreen26
Facebook Stacy Green, Author

Giveaway:

ecopy of Into the Dark by Stacy Green