Review: Halloween Fantasies by Katie Salidas

Halloween Fantasies by Katie Salidas

***I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review and participation in the virtual book tour being presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Amazon Product Description:
    Touted as the sexiest party of the year, the annual Halloween Fantasy Ball is the one place a girl can let loose and succumb to her wildest fantasies. 
    Disguised as a sexy vampire huntress, Sasha captures the attention of Dante, a real life creature of the night. For Sasha, meeting bona fide vampire is enough to fulfill one of her life long fantasies. She's ready to go home a happy woman. 
     But Dante has other plans. It is after all, a night of fantasies, and he has a few of his own to share.
     This Erotic Paranormal novella is approximately 20k words (80 printed pages). It contains consensual M/F/M sexual situations. Adult readers only.
My thoughts:
Wow - this is a hot one!  Not your typical Halloween read - vampires...yes, drinking blood...yes, but horror and fear...no.  
This is a novella, so it's short.  You don't get a lot of background on the characters, or a load of character development, but the characters are charming, passionate, and entertaining!  
The Fantasy Ball is the Halloween party every girl has always wanted to get to go to, and of course Dante is the man that EVERY girl has fantasied about meeting at that party.  You get a little glimpse of Dante and his world - just enough to leave you hoping that there is another story on its way!
If you are looking for a hot, hot, hot Halloween vampire read - this is it!

Review: Born of Blood by Sherry Ficklin

Born of Blood by Sherry Ficklin

***I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon Product Description:
Sophie D'Angelo reluctantly takes over the Palmetto Moon Detective Agency in Charleston. Though she's the third generation proprietor she had different plans until her father passed away and left her the family business. And it seems like all Sophie's plans fail lately. Her fiance, Eric, is turned into a vampire on the eve of their wedding. She now has a business partner rather than a life partner--or so she thinks.

Their current case seems like the act of some random arson, but as usual Sophie lands in a tough spot--bound with duct tape in the closet of a burning building. Will she escape and manage to save Eric who is slumped beside her, drugged and vulnerable to little else but fire? Will she maintain a strictly business relationship with her former love, and what part in this ongoing horror story will Rayne, leader of the vampires, play in her case? What part might he play in her personal life? Read Born of Blood, the premier book in the edgy Palmetto Moon horror series to find out. Coming in October, 2011 from Tell-Tale Publishing Group.


My thoughts:
     I am a Sherry Ficklin fan.  I have read and reviewed two other books by her, Foresight and Secondsight.  Because I already love the Gods of Fate series, I opened this book with an expectation that I don't experience when reading a new author.  The expectation was great characters set in a well developed world bringing me a story that I wouldn't want to put down!
     I was thrilled to once again find THAT story!  
The characters are great!  Sophie is fabulous.  She is all about duty, family, sacrifice and doing the right thing for the right reasons.  Eric is wonderful.  He is just the right mix of good and bad boy to make you fall for him.  Tyger is that element that we all have lurking.  Rayne is a whole lot of WOW that makes you wonder which one you would choose if they were real.  Sophie's family is an interesting mix and then there is Mercy - what can I say - you're supposed to not like her.... 
     I like how the "real" world is mixed with the paranormal world, with the mixed emotions and reactions from the people in the story, I found the setting to be believable and well developed.  
   The story itself moves quickly and the plot is thought out and planned to keep the reader reading and enjoying every word.  A great first look at the Palmeto Moon Detective Agency!  I can't wait for more from this series!

Review: Ink by S.J. Davis

Ink by S.J. Davis

***I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review and participation in the virtual book tour presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Amazon Product Description:
“It’s a good day to die.” My mother holds my arm fiercely. “But as you grieve for me, listen for the voices. Then, you must get the ink.”

Sparrow stumbles between two worlds, light and dark, love and ate, what is real and what is in her mind. When her mother dies on the Reservation, Sparrow’s world is shadowed with anger and narrowed by pain. The voices arrive, but are they real? And how can a tattoo make her stronger?


My thoughts:
This is a whole lot of book in not a lot of pages.  The story is short, 80 pages, but is PACKED with powerful ideas, emotions, and images.  It questions the meaning of life.  I finished the story wishing it had been longer and hoping for the sequel.


The story tells of Sparrow's struggle, a struggle many people live every day.  The struggle with your inner demon.  That voice that tells you that you aren't quite as much as you could or should be.  The expectations of life and the people in it can be overpowering and all consuming, and this small, short story addresses that in a way that leaves the reader feeling empowered and ready to take control of life.


The author addresses and validates survivor guilt.  She talks about cutting as a form of pain release without judgement or scorn.  She tells a story of choices and how hard it can be to make them.  I enjoyed the story and can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

You can buy the kindle version HERE.

You can check out my tour post and author guest post HERE.

We have winners!

Born of Blood by Sherry Ficklin - ebook - Tamela F.

Grammar Girls books - Gwendolyn B.

Lost t-shirt - Linda L.

Rookie of the Year by  Caridid Pineiro
Sweety won and ecopy of Diamonds and Toads by KE Saxon

Blog Tour: Ink by Sarah Jane Davis!

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

You can get to the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE!

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour!

I am pleased to present: S.J. Davis and Ink.

INK
By Sarah Jane Davis
Genre: paranormal YA


“It’s a good day to die.” My mother holds my arm fiercely. “But as you grieve for me, listen for the voices. Then, you must get the ink.”
***
Sparrow stumbles between two worlds – light and dark, love and hate, what is real and what is in her mind. When her mother dies on the Reservation, Sparrow’s world is shadowed with anger and narrowed by pain. The voices arrive, but are they real? And how can a tattoo make her stronger?
Mateo arrives to guard Sparrow, but from whom? Layne holds on to Sparrow, but why? As the voices grow stronger and her pain expands, Sparrow finds that the shadows in the corner and the voices we fear most are the ones inside ourselves.


SJ Davis is the daughter of an ex-patriate British mother and a Southern Baptist ex-CIA father. As a child, she spoke in silly accents and recounted outlandish tales of fantasy over afternoon tea and to this day it remains her favorite activity. Born in Long Island, NY, she was raised in the suburbs of Washington DC and went to school for a very long time (University of Virginia and George Mason University), married an all-around wonderful man, had two kids (smart, funny, full of opinions), moved from Virginia to New Jersey to Philadelphia to Chicago, and began her writing career. She is a believer in fate, an avid tea drinker, a stiletto aficionado, Doc Marten worshipper, punk rock listener, and lover of flip flops and cardigans. She has a terrible sense of direction, loves gummy bears, and is a Johnny Depp fangirl.

www.steampunksarah.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/sarah.jane.davis (fan page)
http://www.facebook.com/sarah.davis.brandon
http://twitter.com/#!/SteampunkSarah
http://www.vamptasypublishing.co.uk/#/sarah-davis-brandon/4552691454 (author page at Vamptasy)

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5542711-sarah-davis-brandon

JS Davis: INK Guest Blog 

1. Where did the inspiration for INK come from?

I have Native American ancestry on my father's side and growing up I was fascinated with the culture. But, as an avid reader, I could never find anything to read that didn't come across as almost too "tribal" or educational. So, in creating Sparrow, I wanted to write about a girl who happens to be Native American, but is also a regular young adult in every way. And the Native American mythology is so rich and lends itself to a paranormal narrative and romance.

2. Are there any plans to add to the INK story?

Funny you should ask that...I am outlining more to the Sparrow story. I can't decide whether to write a follow-up novella or whether to make INK a full length novel. There is definitely more to Sparrow and Layne, and also more to learn about Mateo and how he arrives in Sparrow's life.

3. Do you have any writing quirks or things that you do to get into the 'Mood'?

I am ridiculously quirky and very OCD. I must have tea and I always wear my fuzzy leopard slippers. I usually have music playing also - sometimes the Foo Fighters or My Morning Jacket to get me in the mood.

4. What is the best thing about being a writer?

I love manipulating scenes and situations until they work...I wish you could rewrite and edit real life! I feel like the characters I write about are my friends and I enjoy hanging out with them. I miss them when the story is over.

5. Are you working on anything at the moment?

I am promoting INK and I also have a Steampunk (Victorian Dystopian) Vampire story that just came out from Vamptasy Publishing UK.

6. Is there any advice that you would give a budding writer?

Try to make small writing goals every day. Also, definitely join facebook and twitter. Social networking is fun, and you will meet so many people who want to help you and who will be there to encourage you.

7. What are you reading at the moment?

Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth. I enjoy it, I don't usually like zombie stories, but this one is really good.

8. Are there any authors that have inspired you?

I love Virginia Woolf and Anais Nin. Both are truly groundbreaking female writers. They lived freely and without apology for who they were and for what they wanted to accomplish.

9. When you write do you start out with an outline of the story or do you just start and see where it goes?

I have a basic story. Usually just characters and how they connect to one another, along with an obstacle or two. Then I dive in and see where it leads. About halfway through, I see where I am and then I plot where I need to go. It’s stressful but fun!

Blog Tour: Awakened by Blood Series by Marie Treanor

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!

I am pleased to present Marie Treanor!

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

When I was a small child.

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

Hmm, let’s see, I was an Editorial Assistant, a librarian (twice) and a researcher. I suppose that’s four, not counting voluntary jobs, summer jobs and Saturday jobs.

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

Probably about three months, if all goes well and real life co-operates. I may go back to it after that for one more self-editing pass, but it should be in at least reasonable nick by this time!

Although obviously it depends on the length. Novellas and short stories can take as little as four or even one week.

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

No, I’ve never quite got out of the way of grabbing any and every opportunity! Stems from the days of trying to write while at work or looking after children!

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

From all sorts of places – a face on a train, a snippet from a book, a few words overheard, a bit of history or an atmospheric building or ruin. I once wrote a story (THE DEVIL AND VIA), inspired by an item of news in Italy when I was on holiday there, about how priests were being trained to deal with disaffected young people who’d turned to Satanism. And KILLING JOE popped into my head with a television advert!

Others have a longer simmering time: BLOOD ON SILK and the other AWAKENED BY BLOOD books grew at least partly out of my longstanding love of gothic romance novels and Dracula films. Then one day Saloman appeared in my head, arising from his tomb and advancing on my terrified heroine through the dust.

 

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

I think the story decides for me! I write the one that wants to be written most.

? What books have most influenced your life?

I suppose the ones I read as a kid that made me want to be a writer: adventure stories mainly, by Enid Blyton, then Malcolm Saville. Jane Eyre made a big, early impression too.

Then Georgette Heyer’s The Masqueraders introduced me to a whole new world of fun and I was addicted to all kinds of historical. Loved The Stranger Prince by Margaret Irwin. And The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett blew me away. All her books do! The epic scale of War and Peace inspired me too. They also inspired in me a love of history which I went on to study at university, where I met most of my best friends of today.

Reading Dracula was another turning point. The idea and the weird sensuality of vampires began to fascinate me, and I sought out all the vampire books I could find. Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire made a HUGE impression that’s still with me.

Later, I discovered ebooks and paranormal romance. I think it was Ciar Cullen’s Ghosts of Key West (now re-published as Key West Magic) that opened my mind to the possibilities of the romance genre.

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

Enid Blyton’s Book of Fairies.

? What are you reading right now?

Alinor by Roberta Gellis – lovely romantic historical, part of a medieval series.

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

I like to read, watch films, spend time with my family and friends. I love travelling too, seeing new places and spending time in the sun.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

Cake. Chocolate. Ice cream…Mmm.

? What do you think makes a good story?

Appealing characters, good pace and fine, evocative writing.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

The late Dorothy Dunnett, a Scottish historical novelist, although she also wrote some very fun and quirky thrillers. She just tells a wonderful story, with characters who get under your skin, and settings that spring to life. Her writing is clear and witty, often understated and yet tugs at your emotions.

? What book, if any, do you read over and over again?

I tend not to re-read books very much now, unless I discover a sequel and find I’ve forgotten important parts of the book that came before! I did go through a phase of re-reading Georgette Heyer for the sheer escapism, but I haven’t done that for years – there are too many new books out there that I’m desperate to read!

Fun random questions: 

·        dogs or cats?  Dogs

·        Coffee or tea? Coffee

·        Dark or milk chocolate? Both, please! And if you could manage some white in there too, I’d be forever grateful…

·        Rocks or flowers? Flowers

·        Night or day? Got to have both!

·        Favorite color? Red

·        Crayons or markers? Neither

·        Pens or pencils? Both

   Author Bio: Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy. Marie Treanor has published more than twenty ebooks with small presses, (Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Changeling Press and The Wild Rose Press), including a former Kindle bestseller, Killing Joe. Blood on Silk: an Awakened by Blood novel, was her New York debut with NAL. In the Awakened by Blood series, Marie is delighted to be able to bring together her long-standing loves of vampire stories and Gothic romance. Website: www.MarieTreanor.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Treanor-Paranormal-Romance/105866982782360.

Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marietreanornewsletter.

Blog: Marie Treanor's Romantic Theme Party:

http://romanticthemeparty.blogspot.com/