Author Spotlight: Lisa McMann!

Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five, Book 1) by Lisa McMann
Age Group: Children, Middle Grade
Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Pre Order Links:

Amazon  ♥ Barnes & Noble ♥ Books a Million ♥ Walmart ♥ Target

Book Description:

Thirteen years ago, eight supernatural criminals fled the city of Estero to make a new life in an isolated tropical hideout. Off the grid, the missing criminals were presumed dead--but that wasn't really the case. Until recently, when the last one died.

Left behind alone on the island are their children:

There's Birdie, who can communicate with animals.

Brix has athletic and healing abilities.

Cabot is super-smart, but there's no sign yet of her special ability.

Seven's skin camouflages to match whatever is around him.

Tenner can swim like a fish and has heightened senses, including the ability to see in the dark.

When Birdie finds a map with a set of instructions directing her to a stash of treasure that's secret from everyone--including their missing parents--she knows it holds the power to change everything, for better or worse.

♥ ♥ ♥

What was the plot of your very first piece of unpublished fiction you ever wrote?

The first one I can remember: Baby May the elephant was having her 4^th birthday. She ran around the jungle (don’t ask me how she got between the trees) telling all her friends it was her birthday. Then they had a party by a pond. The end. I tell students now that I should have had a lion jump out at the party to give it a bit more action. But alas. I did not like putting my beloved characters in danger back then.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you wanted to be a writer?

It was through the above story, believe it or not. I wrote it in 4^th grade for an assignment, knowing that my teacher, Mr. Avink, would choose the best story in the class and send the writer to the Young Authors Conference—a one-day writing conference for kids. I won with Baby May’s Birthday despite the lack of conflict or antagonist. I remember the moment Mr. Avink told me the news. And I remember how I felt afterward as I went floating down the hallway, thinking, “I’m going to be… (dramatic pause) A WRITER.”

Do you have a favorite fictional character, male and female? Why?

Book Blitz: Winter's Heist

Winter’s Heist By Emily Duvall
Publication date: December 6, 2018
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
Summary: 

Beautiful. Haunting. Rare. The Fabergé Eggs are on display at the Carter Museum of History and Science. 

Jason Hood, the museum’s pretentious owner, knows their value is bound to attract attention, but the coordinated attack on the exhibit is not something he saw coming. 

A field trip to the museum for Amara Massey and her students takes a deadly turn. She finds herself at the center of a police investigation with few leads. 

Convinced Amara is withholding information, Jason pursues her to get the answers he cannot get on his own. 

The outcome neither of them expect is their surprising need for each other. What must they sacrifice to get everything they want?

—

Q&A WITH AUTHOR

Q: What is the first book that made you cry?

A: Not the first book, but a scene from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Harry witnesses Cedric’s death-I think I was just riding on the emotion of the series and then when that scene hit, I just started to cry. The dialogue and actions were beautifully written.

Q: What are some traps aspiring writers should avoid?

A: It is important for writers to create the story they want to write. I’ve made the mistake of letting people review manuscripts too early, and then making every little change. Feedback is extremely valuable, but there is a time and a place for incorporating suggestions and building confidence for what must stay and what should go. A writer can lose valuable writing time changing every detail based on each suggestion. Bottom line? Trust your vision.

Q: Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

Book Blitz: Claimed By Power

Claimed By Power by Zoey Ellis
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: April 3, 2017
Buy Link: Amazon
Summary:

Not all angels are angelic… 

Thea Robinson has never needed anyone’s charity. Sure, her impoverished existence isn’t desired by most, but her ability to manipulate people’s emotions helps her to blend into the shadows of an unforgiving city. 

When hideous creatures threaten her life, a surly but gorgeous stranger shows up revealing a world she didn’t know existed. She refuses to put up with his rude, arrogant attitude, but how do you dismiss a warrior angel? And does she really want to when his stormy gaze sends delicious thrills straight to her core? 

Cam is one of the most ruthless Power angels in the fight against evil. His devotion to kill demons has made him a celebrated warrior in the Angel Realm, even though his motivation stems from grief. 

When he is assigned to train and protect a half-angel just coming into her abilities, his rage is unparalleled. Until he realizes Thea isn’t like any others. She stirs a carnal passion in him that he can’t shake. He never counted on her being so beautiful… so fierce… so most definitely his. 

Claimed by Power is the first book in the Empire of Angels series, a paranormal alpha angel romance series. If you’re a fan of alpha heroes, powerful heroines, paranormal worlds and falling in love, Zoey Ellis’ riveting, sexy tale is perfect for you.
About the end: Although this book can be read as a standalone, Cam and Thea’s story does continue over the next two books. 

Sexual scenes and strong language included. Not suitable for readers under 18

 ♥ ♥ ♥

—

Q&A with author Zoey Ellis:

What motivated you to become an indie author?

I’ve always written stories, mainly to entertain myself, and would usually include friends and family in my tales. Sometimes life was so crazy, I’d just recount things that happened! Other times I made up new scenarios and worlds. Eventually, I entered competitions, took courses, wrote online group stories and shared my work frequently online. I received lots of feedback and therefore improved over time.

I felt discouraged to pursue writing as a career because of the lottery jackpot nature of the traditional publishing industry. When I realized writers could be successful at indie publishing, I thought ‘ah, maybe I could give this a try’ and hoped I could write something others would want to read. And even though I’m a baby indie, all the bloggers, writers and readers who I’ve been in communication with about my book have been so lovely and helpful. It’s really encouraging.

Why do you write Paranormal Romance?

I think deep, passionate, sexual romance is a beautiful part of human nature that is sometimes trivialised and boxed in when actually it can be such a powerful part of a real connection between people, even if other personality flaws get in the way. I also have a deep love for all things fantastical and so it only made sense to blend the two. The challenge of both together make it an enticing sub-genre to tackle.

Could you tell us a bit about your most recent book and why it is a must-read?

Book Blitz: The Adventures of Natalie Bloom (Bloom Sisters, #2)

The Adventures of Natalie Bloom (Bloom Sisters, #2) By Brooke Stanton
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: December 2, 2016
Buy Link: Amazon
Summary:

Natalie’s dreams are about to come true. She’s found the perfect spot for her new restaurant and a perfect business partner to make it happen – gorgeous Luke Hawker – until she discovers things are not as they seem. 

Luke has run off with her money, leaving her dreams crumbling around her. 

With Max Euston – her friend and secret crush -alongside her, Natalie must race against the clock to find Luke and get the money back before it’s too late. 

With twists and turns, Natalie won’t know who to trust (or love) until the very last page.

♥ ♥ ♥

—

Q&A with Brooke Stanton

When did you decide to become a writer?

I used to keep notebooks filled with short stories starting in middle school. If I’m going to be completely honest they were filled with some pretty risqué stories. I was young and didn’t know much about romance or sex, but my aunt wrote romance novels and I used to sneak and read them, so I tried to emulate her.

I didn’t really understand the subject matter. I don’t think I’d even kissed a boy, yet. Once I got to high school, I wrote more mainstream fiction in my spiral notebooks. They were never for anyone to see. Just my own enjoyment. I went to a performing arts high school and funnelled my creativity on stage at the time. But I always knew one day I would publish a book.

Why do you write?

I write for the same reason I used to get on stage and sing and act. It’s cathartic. I love diving into different stories and characters. It makes me feel alive.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Book Blitz: Draw Play

Draw Play By Tia Lewis
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: September 5th 2016
Buy Link: Amazon
Summary:

Jake: 

I can’t believe my coach assigned me a tutor. I’m all that on the field and between the sheets — who cares about my stupid grades? 

But Claire doesn’t treat me like I’m dumb. When we’re not busy fighting, she actually encourages me. And with those sexy curves of hers, I know just how to thank her. 

Claire: 

I hate football players, but I need the money. Jake is just as cocky and arrogant as the worst of them … but his touch sets me on fire. 

I have to believe he’s different, that he won’t use me and break my heart. Because I can’t stop wanting him. I just hope I survive the ride.

♥ ♥ ♥

—

Q&A with Tia Lewis:

What inspired you to write Draw Play: A Sports Romance?

I wrote the story back when I was in college so it was pretty easy coming up with the characters. I, of course, love sexy football players so everything seemed to fit together.

When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

There wasn’t a particular age since I’ve always been interested in storytelling. However, the last few years was when I thought I could make a career out of it and actually went for it this year.

What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?

Gosh. Probably when I was a toddler. I definitely didn’t know exactly what I was reading since I was so young but books were everywhere in the house. My mother is an avid reader and had piles of books all over the place so I would pick up one her books to read or one of the many in my children’s book collection.

What genre of books do you enjoy reading?

Book Blitz: Forestium (Portallas #1)

Forestium (Portallas #1) by Christopher D. Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publication date: February 28, 2016
Buy Links: Amazon ♥ B&N
Summary:

Joshua’s life is on the line, as he attempts to navigate through the magical world of Forestium to find the truth about his father. 

He and his companions will need to use all their cunning to stay alive and avoid the dark forces of the Goat. 

Will he find the magical orbs and open the Portallas, a magical gateway to other worlds, before he’s killed? 

Joshua sets out to learn the truth about his father. Along the way, he finds friends, enemies, adventure, romance and himself.

♥ ♥ ♥

Q&A with Christopher D. Morgan:

When did you first discover your love for writing? 

Actually, not until quite late in life. In fact, I was never very good at English when I was in school and writing was always a chore to be avoided at all costs. Being blessed with unintelligible handwriting wasn’t helpful either. Later in life, however, articulating myself through the written word became something I really started to enjoy.

Do you have a favourite place to write?

Not really, but it does have to be in a quiet environment. I’m very easily distracted. When I’m in the zone, I tend to quietly slip off to a cosy spot and get my nose down into the keyboard. I wrote Forestium: The Mirror Never Lies entirely from the family home. Often on the sofa, but sometimes on the bed or at the computer desk. I haven’t tried going to a writer’s retreat yet. Perhaps I’ll reserve that for a special occasion.

Do you have a writing routine or process that you adhere to? 

Author Spotlight: K.C. Tansley

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables #1) by K.C. Tansley
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: August 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

She tried to ignore them. But some things won’t be ignored.

Kat Preston doesn’t believe in ghosts. Not because she’s never seen one, but because she saw one too many. Refusing to believe is the only way to protect herself from the ghost that tried to steal her life. Kat’s disbelief keeps her safe until her junior year at McTernan Academy, when a research project for an eccentric teacher takes her to a tiny, private island off the coast of Connecticut.

The site of a grisly mystery, the Isle of Acacia is no place for a girl who ignores ghosts, but the ghosts leave Kat little choice. Accompanied by her research partner, Evan Kingsley, she investigates the disappearance of Cassie Mallory and Sebastian Radcliffe on their wedding night in 1886. Evan’s scientific approach to everything leaves Kat on her own to confront a host of unbelievables: ancestral curses, powerful spells, and her strange connection to the ghosts that haunt Castle Creighton.

But that’s all before Kat’s yanked through a magic portal and Evan follows her. When the two of them awaken 129 years in the past with their souls trapped inside the bodies of two wedding guests, everything changes. Together, Kat and Evan race to stop the wedding-night murders and find a way back to their own time—and their own bodies—before their souls slip away forever.

♥ ♥ ♥



Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always made up stories in my head. I thought it was normal. Growing up an only child, I learned to amuse myself by reading. After I finished a great book, I didn’t want it to be over, so I’d imagine myself into the story and go on adventures with the characters. Every night before bed, I’d spend an hour playing in the storyworld inside my head. It was a chance to be anything and anyone I wanted.

Which came first for you, the characters or the plot?

With this book, it was the plot. The murder mystery at a castle and the time travel were there from day 1. This book is very plot driven. The characters of Evan and Kat changed a lot along the way, but the plot—the bones of the story stayed the same.

Is there anything you found particularly challenging when you were writing 'The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts'?

Book Blitz: The Gatekeeper's Son (The Gatekeeper's Son #1)

The Gatekeeper's Son (The Gatekeeper's Son #1) by C.R. Fladmark
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: October 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Junya’s grandfather is a billionaire who keeps the secret to his success hidden in a heavily guarded safe.

His mother is a martial artist who wields a razor-sharp katana—and seems to read his mind.

And a mysterious girl in a Japanese school uniform can knock him over—literally—with just a look.

What do they know that he doesn’t?

Junya’s life takes a dangerous turn on his sixteenth birthday, when someone sets out to destroy not only the family’s business empire—the one that he’s set to inherit—but Junya himself. He’s fighting for his life, and doesn’t know who to trust.

What has his family been keeping from him?

Junya’s journey takes him from the narrow streets of San Francisco to Japan, and through hidden portals to the top of the ancient Japanese Izumo Shinto shrine, to places where death and violence are a way of life. And in a mystical world he’s never imagined, he finds his true destiny.

♥ ♥ ♥



Your book, The Gatekeeper's Son, takes place in two very different worlds and cultures, and you manage to slide from one into the other without any problem - even gracefully. How do you do it?

Japan is so different from any other place I’ve visited; it was as if I was on a different planet! On my first visit, I just walked around in awe. Huge glass towers, bullet trains and so many people! But then, you’d round a corner and find yourself in the quiet garden of a 800 year old Buddhist temple. The ultra-modern and the ancient co-exist everywhere so for me, it’s not hard to describe an ancient world beside a modern San Francisco.

Like most writers, I noticed on your website that you also work a full-time job. (Yes, we all need to eat and pay bills.) Do you have any secrets for juggling both at once?

Finding time is a constant struggle. With a busy family and a job, writing often ends up at the bottom of a long to-do list. I keep my laptop with me and when I’m waiting for my kids at music class or sports practice, I write. Then, of course, there is the late-night writing sessions that leave me bleary-eyed at work the next day. That’s all I can do until this becomes a full-time gig.

What is your favorite part about writing?

Book Blitz: Love At First Flight

Love At First Flight by Tess Woods
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Looking back on it now, I can see it was instant. The second we locked eyes. Boom. Just like that. The me I had spent a lifetime perfecting began its disintegration from that moment. And despite the carnage it brought to all our lives, I still don’t regret it.

What would you risk to be with the love of your life? And what if your soul mate is the one who will destroy you?

Mel is living the dream. She’s a successful GP, married to a charming anaesthetist and raising a beautiful family in their plush home in Perth. But when she boards a flight to Melbourne, she meets Matt and her picture perfect Stepford life unravels as she falls in love for the first time ever.

What begins as a flirty conversation between strangers quickly develops into a hot and obsessive affair with disastrous consequences neither Mel nor Matt could have ever seen coming. Mel’s dream life turns into her worst nightmare.

Love at First Flight will take everything you believe about what true love is and spin it on its head.

♥ ♥ ♥



What inspired you to write Love at First Flight?

I've always been inspired by the tragic love story, the story of great love that just can't be. My favourite book The Bridges of Madison County stayed with me years after reading it and played on my mind. Then I read Twilight and out of nowhere I had to write my own book. Before this I had never entertained the idea of writing.

But the longing in Twilight and the knowing that the one you love is the one that is dangerous for you resonated with me and I just had to write about that. So with the themes of desire and danger, I wrote a book about a married mother, because I wanted to write of what I know. I wanted to bring the great love story into the world of the typical suburban mum who is chasing after kids, working and running a home. I wanted her to have that Romeo and Juliet moment. So I wrote 'Love at First Flight'.

Did you use real events/people from your own life as inspiration when writing Love at First Flight?

Hell yes! I really do believe you write what you know. Of course the novel is a novel, not a biography, and I credit my imagination for it, but I have definitely taken inspiration from events and people in my life.

It is no coincidence that Mel has long black hair and is a health professional who falls for a tall, dark, handsome and broody, moody physio. That’s me and my husband! But the great thing about writing is that I get to make Mel as hot as I like and morph her into someone as sexy as Angelina Jolie - hey, it’s my prerogative isn’t it? Matt’s parents are very much inspired by own mother and father in-law who lived out in the country on a sprawling property where we used to go to wind down from the city with them.

Book Blitz: Numbers Game (Numbers Game #1)

Numbers Game (Numbers Game #1) by Rebecca Rode
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: March 16, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Treena can’t wait for Rating Day. Her high score will mean a life of luxury, showing the world that she’s a valuable member of society, not a pathetic waste of space. 

It won’t hurt her chances with her top-Rated boyfriend, either. But when the big day arrives, her true number shocks everyone.

To get her life—and boyfriend—back, she must go undercover and expose a military spy. Doesn’t sound too hard, except that someone seems to want her dead. And then there’s the mysterious soldier with a haunted past and beautiful brown eyes. 

Together, they discover a dark numbers conspiracy, one that shatters the nation’s future. They must band together if they are to survive the dangerous game of numbers—and the terrible war that rages within Treena’s heart.

♥ ♥ ♥



Will you tell us about Numbers Game?

Absolutely! In the New Order Republic of America, 16-year-olds are given a Rating, a number that encompasses what they’re worth to society. It determines their career, living conditions, and potential partners. This is the story of Treena, who gets a different Rating than the one she earned. She decides to fight for what is rightfully hers, determined to get her boyfriend back in the process.

Meanwhile, she meets Vance, a mysterious prisoner-turned-soldier who has his own agenda. When someone tries to kill Treena—twice—they uncover a dark conspiracy that risks much more than Treena’s Rating.

Great. You probably get this question a lot, but the concept is so unique that I have to ask—where did you get the idea for Numbers Game?

I love this question! My husband sent me to the bank to finalize the loan on the truck he was buying. I looked at my credit score and thought how strange it was that one number was supposed to incorporate everything about me—my purchase history, how reliable I’d been, whether they could trust me to make payments, that sort of thing. And then I thought how strange it was, that we as citizens are so trusting of the accuracy of that little number, and how important it is in our lives. It spiraled from there—what is someone was manipulating the numbers? What if the number included appearance and intelligence rather than just financial history? It didn’t take long for the plot to unfold in my mind.

What type of reader would like this book?

Book Blitz: Coral & Bone

Coral & Bone by Tiffany Daune
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: July 7, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. 

She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame. 

 Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. 

As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all.


♥ ♥ ♥



Can you tell me a little bit about your book and what inspired it?

I love mermaids and magick, so I thought why not bring them together. Of course I couldn't leave out shape shifters and sirens. I love fantasy realms and worlds. Heck my husband says I live in one, so why not write about one. Coral & Bone is set in the Earth realm and the underwater realm of Elosia. Coral & Bone is a meld of all my years of watching Disney movies and thrillers.

The Etlins in Coral & Bone are shifters. If you could be a shifter what animal would you want to be and why?

A crow because they are wickedly smart and eerie.

Coral & Bone is filled with magick and spells. If you could cast magick what would your first spell be?

Author Spotlight: Elizabeth Corrigan

Raising Chaos (Earthbound Angels #2) by Elizabeth Corrigan
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

When good fails, chaos rises to the challenge.

The daily life of a chaos demon is delightfully sinful—overindulging in Sri Lankan delicacies, trespassing on private beaches in Hawaii, and getting soused at the best angel bar on the planet. But when Bedlam learns that the archdemon Azrael has escaped from the Abyss in order to wreak vengeance against the person who sent her there—Bedlam’s best friend, Khet—he can’t sit idly by.

Only one relic possesses the power to kill Khet, who suffers immortality at Lucifer’s request: the mythical Spear of Destiny, which pierced Christ’s side at His crucifixion. Neither angel nor demon has seen the Spear in two thousand years, but Azrael claims to know its location. Bedlam has no choice but to interpret woefully outdated clues and race her to its ancient resting place.

His quest is made nearly impossible by the interference of a persnickety archivist, Keziel—his angelic ex—and a dedicated cult intent on keeping the Spear out of the wrong hands. But to Bedlam, “wrong” is just an arbitrary word, and there’s no way he’s letting Khet die without a fight


♥ ♥ ♥

What made you decide to write a series based on angels and demons?

My friend and I sometimes have the “werewolf vs. vampire discussion” because we are firmly on opposite sides. I just don’t see the appeal of turning into an animal, and he thinks having a room temperature lover sound seriously creepy. Plus, he says, vampires tend to be just as sexist and hierarchical as werewolves, and I have to concede that vampires, though better than werewolves, still aren’t that great. So I thought more about it and realized that I like stories with relatively clear cut good and evil, and I like religious fantasy. So if I can pick any supernatural race, I’m on Team Angel. So it only makes sense that I would make up stories about them.

Did you do much/any research for the biblical aspects of the books?

Author Spotlight: Rebecca Serle

The Edge of Falling by Rebecca Serle
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Growing up in privileged, Manhattan social circles, Caggie’s life should be perfect, and it almost was until the day that her younger sister drowned when Caggie was supposed to be watching her. Stricken by grief, Caggie pulls away from her friends and family, only to have everyone misinterpret a crucial moment when she supposedly saves a fellow classmate from suicide.

Now she’s famous for something she didn’t do and everyone lauds her as a hero. But inside she still blames herself for the death of her sister and continues to pull away from everything in her life, best friend and perfect boyfriend included. Then Caggie meets Astor, the new boy at school, about whom rumours are swirling and known facts are few. In Astor she finds someone who just might understand her pain, because he has an inner pain of his own.

But the more Caggie pulls away from her former life to be with Astor, the more she realises that his pain might be darker, and deeper, than anything she’s ever felt. His pain might be enough to end his life…and Caggie’s as well.

♥ ♥ ♥

Guest Interviewer: Mandy Teccia

We love the tagline on your blog, "The truth is I never know when an idea will pop into my head. Welcome to my life as a novelist." Tell us about where/when/how the idea for "The Edge of Falling" came to you.

Thanks! And it's true! EDGE came into my head one fall afternoon. I had just come from a meeting with my agent where she basically told me to take 6 months and write another book (no problem :) I had just finished FAMOUS IN LOVE (a novel I have that's coming out in Oct) and I remember thinking-- ANOTHER one? What will I write? And then Caggie just fell into my head. I was walking home, through the streets of New York, and it just hit me-- I want to tell her story. I want to set a book in Manhattan, and I want it to have something to do with "The Catcher in the Rye." The story just started to take hold from there.

One of our favorite things about your books is how the setting feels so important. The beaches and cliffs in When You Were Mine and New York City in The Edge of Falling each felt almost like characters themselves. How do you decide where to set your stories and how much does the setting itself matter to you?

Blog Tour: Five Years (A Fire in Redbridge) - Author Spotlight

Five Years (A Fire in Redbridge) by L.M. Langley
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Nothing much ever happens in Redbridge. Nothing, until Nate, a bright young man who is visiting his family during his freshman year, drives over the town bridge and onto his death.

Casey watches as her high school sweet heart leaps to his death. Together with Alex, his best friend, she will look into what happened. How far are they willing to go for someone they may not have known at all?

Casey has always been an outsider in the small town of Redbridge. Her only tether was Nate. When he died, she turned to the person who had been closest to Nate when they were in school, best friend Alex. Casey doesn't know that Alex has a few secrets of his own... secrets that are about to affect her life in unimaginable ways.

♥ ♥ ♥



Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you wanted to be a writer?

I've always wanted to be a writer, ever since I learnt to read.

What inspired Five Years?

I was reading the Barthes essay about the Death of the Author and thought, what if the author actually died?
What if you couldn't ask them any question?

Which came first for you, the characters or the plot?

The characters always come first for me, and the plot kind of followed from there.

Is there anything you found particularly challenging when you were writing Five Years?

Author Spotlight: Margo Bond Collins

Waking Up Dead by Margo Bond Collins
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥  Barnes & Noble

Book Description:

When Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex.

Now she's witnessed another murder, and she's not about to let this one go. She's determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison.

And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up in Alabama?

♥ ♥ ♥

When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always known. The first story I remember actually writing down was basically fan-fiction of The Wizard of Oz. I wrote it in long-hand in a yellow legal pad. I’ve been writing ever since. But about ten years ago, a friend suggested I join in National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org). Until then, I had always written short stories. That year, I finished the first draft of what would eventually become Legally Undead—it will be my second published novel, but it’s the first one I wrote.

What comes first for you, the characters or the plot?

Characters, usually. Or an idea or a phrase or a setting. Plot is something I have to work through. The other things tend to simply show up.

Do you have a specific time of day that you work on your writing?

Author Spotlight: Krista Holle

The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: October 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious. Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks. But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent. 

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him. It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior. Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief. 

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated. Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light. While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes. Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die

♥ ♥ ♥

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

I’ve always enjoyed writing but I knew I wanted to seek it as a profession when I sent The Wind Whisperer to a fifteen-year-old girl I’d never met.  I was in desperate need of a sample or “beta” reader.  Her father told me she stayed up all night to read it.  That was the best feeling in the world.

What comes first for you, the characters or the plot? 

The plot for me comes first. Without some obstacle to overcome your protagonist will simply spin in circles no matter how fascinating they are.

Where did the idea for "The Wind Whisperer" come from? 

Book Blast: Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)

Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2) by Pepper Winters
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date:
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

“All my life, I battled with the knowledge I was twisted… fucked up to want something so deliciously dark—wrong on so many levels. 

But then slave fifty-eight entered my world. Hissing, fighting, with a core of iron, she showed me an existence where two wrongs make a right.”

Tess is Q’s completely. Q is Tess’s irrevocably. But now, they must learn the boundaries of their unconventional relationship, while Tess seeks vengeance on the men who sold her. 

Q made a blood-oath to deliver their corpses at Tess’s feet, and that’s just what he’ll do.

He may be a monster, but he’s Tess’s monster..

♥ ♥ ♥

Would you tell something to us about your book? 

Tears of Tess is my debut and I like to think it’s a story about redemption and finding the perfect other, even if fate sometimes seems to have a sick way of bringing you together. Tess is a very strong heroine, and Q, well I don’t know how to describe Q. He’s delicious, he’s dark, he isn’t quite human in his desires.

How did you come up with the story? 

Tess came to me very strongly. I just went along with the ride. I didn’t really come up with it. Q evolved from a horrid anti-hero with no redeeming qualities to someone who is deserving of a women like Tess. I like to think they belong together.

When did you start writing? 

Blog Tour: Baby by Design (Designing Love Book 1) - Author Spotlight: Elley Arden

Baby by Design (Designing Love Book 1) by Elley Arden
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 11, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Trish DeVign knows what she needs to be single, successful and satisfied. She needs a baby. With recent relationships falling short of her expectations, she’s single by choice. With a thriving interior design company, she’s got successful covered. 

It’s the satisfied part that eludes her, and that’s her mother’s fault—not her adopted mother, but the mother who gave her away, sentencing her to a privileged life with two good people who don’t share with her a single drop of DNA.

Tony Corcarelli has spent his adult life as the black sheep of his large Italian-American family ever since he turned his back on running the family carpentry business so he could live a more laidback life, forcing his sister to take the reins. Now, Tony’s grandmother has cancer, and he’s expected to join the family in making her wishes come true. Unfortunately, the two things Nonna wants most for Tony are two things he can’t fathom: a wife and kids or the priesthood. There has to be another way.

When Trish asks her best friend’s brother, Tony, to escort her to a wedding, a night of fun and flirtation turns serious, with Trish confessing she wants a baby. Could a calculated conception be the answer they’ve both been looking for?

♥ ♥ ♥

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you wanted to be a writer?

I was always a writer. Starting when I was in elementary school, I spent hours on my mother’s typewriter. But, I didn’t realize writing could be a career until after my middle child was born. I had a pain-free birth with him. The contractions were little more than mild menstrual cramps, and I arrived at the hospital ready to push. It was magical—and not repeated with my first and third births. Lol. I wrote the story in email form, and that story went viral before I even knew what viral meant. Then, I was asked to re-write the story for an international midwifery magazine. And so it began.

What inspired Baby by Design?

At the crux of it, my family inspired Baby by Design—both the Italian-American culture and the interior decorating backdrop. I remember my critique partner saying how much she loved the characters and how real they seemed, and my response was, “They are real to me.”

Which came first for you, the characters or the plot?

Author Spotlight: Liesel K. Hill

Persistence of Vision (Interchron #1) by Liesel K. Hill
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy
Release Date: January 29, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

♥ ♥ ♥

Do you remember where your interest in writing came from or did you just always know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always been a big reader and a huge lover of stories. One of my earliest memories is of my parents reading great stories to me. I’ve wanted to write a book since I was only a kid, but I never really saw it as a career. I guess I always thought it would be something I’d do on the side. Not until I got into college did I decide to go after it whole-heartedly.

What comes first for you, the characters or the plot?

If I had to pick, I’d say plot, but really they come together.  I tend to envision a plot, but I also envision how characters will react in that plot, which means I already have a pretty good idea of who they’ll be. I just have to hammer out details.

Do you do research for your books? If so, how much?

Blog Tour: Geli Voyante's Hot or Not - Author Spotlight: Elle Field

Geli Voyante's Hot or Not by AUTHOR
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Chick Lit
Release Date: October 17, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

I think I will always be known as the Hot or Not girl, defined by it for the rest of my career. Even my tombstone will read: Angelica “Geli” Voyante, beloved trendsetter. Death? Not Hot.

Yet, it doesn’t sound right. Why won’t anyone realise that there is more to me than this fickle persona I have inadvertently become?'

Geli Voyante is bored of being the Hot or Not girl, even if it has the perk of sitting next to Theo, the newspaper's very Hot political columnist. She's also getting a little lonely being single.

When her arch-nemesis Tiggy Boodles gets engaged, and other loved ones start to settle down, it's time for Geli to convince Theo that she’s not as shallow as her column suggests and, more importantly, she’s the one for him. Geli should remember though that there are always two sides to every story, and that applies to people too.

♥ ♥ ♥



Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you wanted to be a writer?

I've always been a voracious reader who scribbled down stories so I think it was inevitable that I would become a writer, it was just a case of when and what genre! I dabbled in writing children's and YA fiction as a teenager, but it wasn't until I was twenty that I properly discovered chick lit and found my genre of choice. Although, who knows, maybe I will write a children's novel one day!

What inspired Geli Voyante's Hot or Not?

A few things inspired me to write this book and, before I knew it, it all came together and the book was there! I was actually writing another book at the time - The Dirtification of Tabitha-Rose which will be released in 2014 - when I spotted something that made me stop writing that and start writing Geli.