Blog Archives - Cassidy Crimson's Blog

Release Party A Manual for Marco

1/29/2015

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About the Book

An 8-year old girl decides to make a list of all the things she likes and dislikes about dealing with her autistic brother, and in doing so realizes that she has created A Manual for Marco.

“In a story inspired by a real-life family, Abdullah, who tackled cerebral palsy in My Friend Suhana, discusses life with an autistic sibling, as described by a girl named Sofia. Endnotes provide additional tips and information about interacting with those on the autism spectrum.”
–Publishers Weekly

“Through her genuine and caring accounts about growing up with an older, autistic brother, this 8-year-old also shows her love for her sibling who is special but sometimes does things that are not-so-special. I highly recommend this book written with sensitivity and beautifully illustrated.”
–Lorna d’Entremont, M.Ed., Special Needs Book Review

Book Excerpt

I walk into a house full of screams. It is not the first time.

Mom is struggling to get my brother Marco out of his favorite red jacket. Together they look like football players on separate teams. He’s not making it easy for her, but Mom is not giving up.

“Hi, Mom,” I say. She grunts in response.

I quietly put my backpack down and walk inside the kitchen to grab an apple.

In a short while, Marco walks away—with his jacket still on. Mom sighs. I hand her the remaining half of my apple and give her a hug.

My mom is no football player. Neither is Marco into sports. He has autism. It is a condition that makes it very hard for him to do things the normal way. He is one of those children who should have come with a manual. You know, those handbooks that tell you how something (or in this case somebody) works.

I didn’t come with a manual either, but Mom says I do things by the book. She says she means it in a good way. She is a doctor so I have to believe her. And although I can swim, dance, and do many special things, Mom insists that Marco is the special one.

About the Author

Shaila Abdullah is an award-winning author and designer based in Austin, Texas. She has written five books: Saffron Dreams, Beyond the Cayenne Wall, My Friend Suhana, Rani in Search of a Rainbow, and A Manual for Marco. The author has received several awards for her work including the Golden Quill Award and Patras Bukhari Award for English Language. Several academic institutions have adopted her books as course study or recommended reading, including the University of California, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Indiana University, Boston University, California State University, and George Washington University. Learn more about the author at www.ShailaAbdullah.com

Links

Website: http://shailaabdullah.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shaila-Abdullah-Author/140181920333

Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shaila-Abdullah-Author/140181920333

Blog: http://shailaabdullah.com/blog/

Book Excerpt from You Own Me

1/29/2015

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Book Excerpt

My Dad was never really one for showing emotions, or letting other’s show their emotions either. After my Mom died all emotions ceased to exist entirely. Any problems we might have disappeared along with emotions. My depression didn’t exist. My suicide attempt never happened. To my Dad, it was easier to just never talk about it and move on. He was an expert compartmentalizer. So the fact that he could ignore his daughter’s months long absence really wasn’t that shocking to me.

I can remember a very distinct conversation my Dad and I had while I was hospitalized after my suicide attempt. The wounds on my arms were still very fresh and occasionally they would bleed through the gauze and bandages. On every meeting my Dad and I had in the hospital, we never acknowledged where I was. We would talk about his work and my school (never mentioning that I wasn’t there). We would talk about my favorite TV shows. We would eat lunch and discuss if the lunch was good or bad.

Well, on one fateful day, my wounds began to soak through my bandages. It got so bad that I couldn’t ignore it anymore. The blood was dripping on to my salad. My Dad continued to chew his lettuce, not noticing or at least compartmentalizing away. I finally called a nurse who changed the bandages so they were good as new.

I remember thinking “he can’t ignore this.” The nurse had to take off the bloody bandages right in front of him. She had to redress my arms right in front of him. I even winced a few times. When all was said and done, it took at least ten minutes. The whole while he chewed away at his salad.

I looked up at him, my teenage self expecting some kind of reassuring words. I remember what he said to this day. “The salad is excellent with the vinaigrette.”

About The Book

Title: You Own Me

Author: Mary Catherine Gebhard

Genre: New Adult, Psychological Romance

“I’ll love you until you break my heart. I’ll give you the broken pieces of my heart as an offering to you, because you own it. Whole, shattered, alive, or dead; you own my heart no matter what condition it’s in. I’ll stay with you until you figure out how to feel. I’ll stay with you even if you never do.”

This is a story about happiness, and how it doesn’t simply happen because you fall in love.

Lennox is on the run from her ex-boyfriend. She had to drop everything, tell no one, and move to a new town, alone. She expected to be lonely, she expected to be afraid, but she never expected to meet a man named Vic who drove her crazy with lust and anger and called her “Lenny.” If it’s at all possible, Vic is more twisted than the man she ran away from.

She should ignore him, but they’re drawn to each other like magnets. Lennox ran from from Seattle to Santa Barbara to get away from violence, to create a new life, and to be something simple. Instead she’s found herself wrapped up in great friends and an epic love. This new life is the opposite of everything she wants, but it might just be everything she needs.

Author Bio

Mary Catherine Gebhard bites off more than she can chew and sometimes calls herself Eva Natsumi. She’s lived in Salt Lake City, Utah her entire life, but occasionally goes on vacation from reality. Don’t worry, she sends postcards.

Links

WEBSITE: www.MaryGebhard.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/marycgebhard

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MaryCGebhard

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/marycatherinegebhard

ADD YOU OWN ME GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22913328-you-own-me

Buy The Book:

Amazon eBook: Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon Paperback: Amazon (Paperback)
Smashwords: Smashwords

Author Interview Waiting on Justin Tour

1/27/2015

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Interview time! I'd like to welcome Lucy H. Delaney to my blog. She's the author of new adult contemporary romance "Waiting on Justin". Welcome, Lucy!

Q: Please tell us about yourself.

Um, well... I'm a thirty-something child of God trying to figure out how to get this life right. I'm a wife, who recently picked a fight with my hubby, a mom, with a daughter upset that I don't talk to her enough, a fitness and writing enthusiast, with insurmountable goals for 2015 glaring at me and an accounting clerk for a big business, with too much work to get done in one day and enough wife/mom guilt to keep me feeling inadequate for a lifetime. I escape it all in make-believe worlds where I do not exist and therefore can't be found wanting.

Q: Tell us about your book

Waiting on Justin is a love story between Justin and Haylee, two characters who grow up with parents who abuse and neglect them. They are forced to rely on each other for all their needs and eventually grow to love each other. Because there is a significant age difference between them they must keep their romance a secret. And then, as it often does, life interferes and they are torn apart. The story follows Haylee on her path through abuse, neglect, addiction, shame, denial and Justin's ever present love for her.

Q: What inspired you to write Waiting on Justin?

The story was inspired by the JAG students I worked with at the Wenatchee Valley Tech Center. I asked them to give me ideas for the book I would write for NANOWRIMO 2012. From the teleporting, to the California setting so much was because of their influence; however the two main characters aren't specific to any of my students. I created Justin and Haylee to be representations of children who grow up in high-risk homes.

Q: How much time per week do you spend writing/editing your work?

If I'm good and stick to my regular writing schedule, or especially inspired I usually spend about ten hours a week solely writing or editing. My regular schedule is to get up between 4:30 and 5 in the morning and be up in my beautiful little writing loft by 5-5:30. I read a Proverb a day, then crack my knuckles and get to writing or editing for an hour before I have to get ready for work. On the weekends Saturdays are my free-write days. The kids are doing their thing, the hubs is in his shop and I create imaginary worlds of love to the beat of my Pandora station for hours on end until I can't write anymore, or I can't justify the isolation any longer.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

I'm constantly dreaming up stories to tell. Right now I'm finishing up "Catching Tatum," which is in edit phase with my publisher, Booktrope. It is the first book in the series that Waiting on Justin will be a part of and covers some of Justin's time away from Haylee. I'm drafting "Finding Jordan" the third book in the series, where poor rebound boy, Jordan, finally gets a girl of his own. And I'm polishing up a sultry story called, "Scandalous Affair,"that will be out later this year as well. It's a hot and steamy story about a high profile lawyer, Wren, and the choice he has to make between his long time Hollywood lover, Chelsea, and the executive assistant Rowena, who sparked the scandal.

About The Book

Title: Waiting on Justin

Author: Lucy H. Delaney

Genre: New Adult

Can everlasting love grow amidst never-ending despair? Best friends Justin and Haylee learn early on that the answer is yes. Their parents would rather spend time drinking and partying than raising children, so the two rely on each other for the care and emotional support they need. Over time, Justin and Haylee become lovers despite the age difference between them.

Theirs is a forbidden romance that would destroy them both if discovered.

The older of the two, Justin is more than a little rough around the edges. He does everything he can to protect Haylee from as much abuse as possible, but when tragedy strikes there is nothing he can to do keep her from being taken into the foster system.

The system meant to save kids threatens to pull the two of them apart.

Haylee begs Justin to run away with her, but the powers-that-be force him into an inescapable corner.

Blaming Justin for the distance that separates them, Haylee shuts out everything and everyone from her past – including Justin. She tries to forget him. She tries to replace him. But he is always there. So is her own addiction. When it finally gets the best of her, she finds herself utterly alone.

She soon discovers what Justin has always known: Their love was worth waiting for.

About the Author

Lucy H. Delaney lives with her blended family in the Pacific Northwest town of Leavenworth, Washington, nestled at the feet of the Cascade Mountains. When not tucked away in her writing room making up stories or standing in her cubicle in one of the offices of corporate America, Lucy spends her time with family and friends.

Along with her husband and four children, Lucy loves to be in nature: She can often be found on her homemade backyard swing, curled up with a good book, hiking the surrounding mountains or running country roads and game trails. A fitness enthusiast who regularly practices crossfit, yoga, and distance running, Lucy also volunteers for the Chelan-Douglas CASA organization and her church’s AWANA program to help keep kids safe and smiling.

Connect with Lucy online

Twitter: @lucyhdelaney

Facebook: Lucy H. Delaney

www.lucyhdelaney.com

Links

Available on Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback versions.

Available on BarnesandNoble.com in Nook and paperback versions

Book Review Telemachus & Homer

1/26/2015

Title: Telemachus and Homer Author: Scott Locke

Genre: YA Fantasy

For every boy who grew up in his father’s shadow and every girl who has been underestimated, there comes a time to look within themselves to see if they have the strength to meet the challenges of the lives. For Telemachus this time arrives soon after Odysseus returns from his twenty year absence, when Telemachus comes to appreciate that his own life needs to be about more than waiting for his father to guide him. On the verge of embarking on an adventure, he learns that his community has been threatened and realizes that he does not know how to help. Swallowing his pride, he recognizes that Homer, a young blind woman is a necessary ally. Homer, like Telemachus has something to prove, for although she is respected for her knowledge, she feels unfairly defined by her community. Together, as the people of Ithaca’s last hope, they begin their quest.

A great book for fantasy fans. The start is a little slow, but once you get to know the characters, the plot starts moving faster. Homer and Telemachus are easy to relate with, especially for young adults, considering they go through similar problems most young adults face. The whole quest storyline was great, and reminiscent for the Greek quest-based myths.

Author Interview The Kiss of a Rose Tour

1/21/2015

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I'm interviewing Augustina Van Hoven today, author of paranormal romance "The Kiss of a Rose". Welcome to my blog, and thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

Q: Please tell us about yourself.

I was born in The Netherlands. I love to read paranormal romance, fantasy and science fictions stories. The Kiss of a Rose is my first published novel. When I’m not writing or working my day job, I’m either puttering in my garden or knitting.

Q: Tell us about your book

The Kiss of a Rose at its heart is a ghost romance. It tells the story of Rose Van Buren, a lady who died tragically in 1882. She is given a second chance at life if she can persuade a modern day politician to abandon his ambitions. Stephen Winship is a state legislator and a champion for the common man. He is fighting the state’s powerful governor, working hard to have sales tax removed from food. Rose haunts his dreams and tells him her story in an effort to show him where his ambitions will lead.

Q: What inspired you to write The Kiss of a Rose?

The main inspiration for THE KISS OF A ROSE came from the song with a similar name, Kissed by a Rose by Seal. I heard the song and had a flash of a grave stone covered with snow and a blood red rose lying at its base. I love a good ghost story and I have worked for years in my state’s politics so I combined these two elements and created the story.

Q: How much time per week do you spend writing/editing your work?

I write every day of the week. The time varies depending on my other commitments, but the range is somewhere between fourteen to twenty-eight hours per week.

Q: If you could meet three authors, which authors would you choose?

The first author I would have loved to have met is J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings series have been my favorite books since I was twelve. The second author is Diana Gabaldon. I love her OUTLANDER series and the third author, Jim Butcher. I really like his series THE DRESDEN FILES.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

I am currently working on a time travel series. The first book will be finished by the end of January. I love time travel stories, especially the fish out of water aspect of helping my characters survive in a time that is not their own. In this story the heroine finds herself in a small mining town in 1876.

About The Book

Title: The Kiss of a Rose

Author: Augustina Van Hoven

Genre: Paranormal Romance

A DISTANT PAST

In 1882, Rose Van Buren loved the wrong man and paid for it with her life. Now, more than a century later, the angel Gabriel has granted her another shot at living. In exchange, she must convince a smart, handsome, up-and-coming lawyer to set aside his lofty ambitions.

A FUTURE PRESENT

Stephen Winship is headed straight for the governor’s chair. He has a brilliant career, solid allies, and a seemingly perfect girlfriend. But night after night he finds himself dreaming of a heavenly beauty, a luminous but long-dead girl. Like some altered Ghost of Christmas Past, she shows him her own tragic tale in order to “save him.” And he’s beginning to see Rose is risking her heart as much as baring her soul. Yet falling for her will cost him everything—and open him up to a happiness he never imagined.

Author Bio

Augustina Van Hoven resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two dogs and three cats. She is an avid reader of romance, science fiction and fantasy. When she’s not writing she likes to work in her garden or in the winter months crochet and knit on her knitting machines.

Links

www.augustinaVanHoven.com

Twitter: @augustinavhoven

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Augustina-Van-Hoven-Author/336028986575129

Buy on:

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | Boroughs Publishing

Author Interview The Fire Mages Tour

1/17/2015

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I'm interviewing Pauline M. Ross today, author of epic fantasy adventure / romance "The Fire Mages". Welcome to my blog, Pauline, and thanks for answering my questions.

Q: Please tell us about yourself.

I live in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland with my husband, my grown up daughter and a mad cat. I like chocolate, whisky, my Kindle, massed pipe bands, long leisurely lunches, watching TV with my daughter, chocolate, going places in my campervan, eating pizza in Italy, summer nights that never get dark, wood fires in winter, chocolate, the view from the study window looking out over the Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond. And chocolate. I dislike driving on motorways, cooking, shopping, hospitals.

Q: Tell us about your book

‘The Fire Mages’ is the story of Kyra, a village girl, who isn’t content to settle there for the rest of her life. She is fascinated by spellpages, a system of writing spells with magical paper, ink and pens. She wants to move to the nearest town and become a spellpage scribe. And at first that goes well, and she seems to have a natural affinity for magic. But then her sister asks for a favour and Kyra’s promising life begins to unravel. Kyra’s story is all to do with magic: as well as spellpages and mages, there’s a mysterious city which is full of magic, and then there’s Kyra’s own affinity for magic. And of course there’s romance: Kyra is drawn to two very different men, a mage and a wealthy nobleman’s son.

Q: What inspired you to write The Fire Mages?

I started with the first line: “I was fourteen when the Kellon’s Steward first came for me.” Immediately, I could see Kyra - only fourteen, but already she knew exactly what she wanted, and it wasn’t anything to do with the Kellon, the local ruler, even though obliging him might benefit her family. She knew what she wanted to do - magic! She’s very determined, and I wanted to follow her journey to adulthood, to see how she found her destiny.

Q: How much time per week do you spend writing/editing your work?

I try to do some writing every day. I don’t always manage it, but I aim for an hour or two. Then editing is often additional to that. I’m not an author who spends vast amounts of time editing. I tend to edit as I go, reviewing what I wrote yesterday before I start each day, and sometimes rereading several chapters at a time, so there’s not usually much to change later.

Q: If you could meet three authors, which authors would you choose?

J K Rowling. Like half the world, I waited eagerly for each new Harry Potter book. It was such a massive phenomenon, and I remember the post offices hiring extra vans to deliver all the copies on the right day. I’d love to ask her how she coped with the pressure, and whether she’s finding it difficult to write more adult work now.

Jane Austen. She wrote such perfect books, and all in longhand, with no word processor, not even a typewriter or a secretary to help. And we know so little about her. I’d love to go back in time and watch her going about her everyday affairs, walking about the village, meeting friends. It would be fascinating.

J R R Tolkien. Not to chat, but just to shake his hand and thank him for kick-starting the whole modern fantasy genre. Although, if I could ask him anything, it would be a plea to make The Lord of the Rings shorter so we wouldn’t be cursed with so many trilogies now!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on the fourth book set in the Brightmoon world, called ‘The Mines of Asharim’. It features a young woman running away from a disastrous series of events, and trying to find a safe haven to hide away in. Of course, it turns out to be anything but safe, and she learns that sometimes you have to face up to what you are before you can come to terms with it.

About The Book

Title: The Fire Mages

Author: Pauline M. Ross

Genre: Epic Fantasy Adventure / Romance

Kyra has always been drawn to the magic of spellpages. She is determined to leave her small village far behind and become a scribe, wielding the power of magic through her pen. Halfway through her training, she has a mage as patron and her ambitions are within her grasp. But a simple favour for her sister goes disastrously awry, destroying Kyra’s dreams in an instant.

Devastated, she accepts an offer from a stranger to help her find out what went wrong. The young man sees growing power within Kyra, potentially stronger than spellpages or any living mage. The answers to unlocking that power may lie within the glowing walls of the Imperial City, but its magic is strong and the unwary vanish without trace on its streets. Thirsty for knowledge and desperate to avoid another accident, she feels compelled to risk it.

While she focuses on controlling her abilities, a storm of greed and ambition boils up around her. Kyra is a pawn in the struggle for dominance between unscrupulous factions vying for rule of her country. Trusting the wrong side could get her killed–or worse, the potent magic she barely understands could be put to unthinkable evil.

Author Bio

Pauline lives in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland with her husband, her grown up daughter and a mad cat. She likes chocolate, whisky, her Kindle, massed pipe bands, long leisurely lunches, watching TV with her daughter, chocolate, going places in her campervan, eating pizza in Italy, summer nights that never get dark, wood fires in winter, chocolate, the view from the study window looking out over the Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond. And chocolate. She dislikes driving on motorways, cooking, shopping, hospitals. ‘The Fire Mages’ is her second published work. ‘The Plains of Kallanash’ was published in September 2014.

Links

http://paulinemross.co.uk/

Release Day Party Valentine's Day is Murder

1/15/2015

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Under the Jamaican Moonlight

For a man who had given up on love, dining under the Ocho Rios’ moon reaffirmed that all things are possible. Jimmy Voigt sat across from Meredith, a woman who, just a couple months back, had been a stranger. She carried the black evening dress she wore elegantly, its straps loose and dangling over her shoulders. In the candlelight and a beautiful setting such as this, it was hard to resist her. A portion of him didn’t even want to try.

“Thank you for taking me with you, Jimmy.” She smiled at him, wistfully, as she lifted her wine glass for a toast. “To us.”

His lips twitched but he wasn’t sure if the full expression showed—he was terrified of falling in love. He went through with the expected response though. He clinked his glass to hers and watched as softness blanketed her features.

It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

They were both up with the sun and had met by the pool. They had spent the early morning strolling along the shore. With toes in the sand, they had shared whispered jokes and silly stories while the sea air cleared out any stench of the city and melted away stress. Tropical breezes also carried wafts of plant life and flowers.

“The Dunns River Falls was quite the experience.”

“You’re telling me.” He left out the fact that his knees had barked most of the way up. He found himself caring what she thought about him, which was a first since Clara.

While he had tried to put Clara from his mind, his ex-wife had a way of entering his thoughts at random intervals and at the most inappropriate times. He had loved her with his soul, but that hadn’t been enough. Maybe it was why he held back now. He feared that if loving someone with his entire being hadn’t been enough before, why would it be now? Yet, he had to shake the self-flagellation.

“The best part though, I must say, was snorkeling. The colors of those fish. Absolutely stunning.” Meredith took a sip of her wine.

Jimmy’s eyes fell to her slim fingers. When they held hands, they intertwined perfectly with his.

He needed to put the past behind him and leave it there. Sara had told him to open his heart, but he was starting to think it was secured behind reinforced steel doors. Still, he appreciated how far he had come—and not simply in literal mileage, but also in the emotional distance he had traveled to ask Meredith to accompany him to Jamaica. Really though, what fun was an island without a companion? Still, he wasn’t going to rush things and had ensured they had separate rooms.

Taking a long draw on his wine, he appreciated its flavor. He pursed his lips.

“You look mighty deep in thought.” Meredith laughed.

“Truth be told, I was.” If he allowed his mind to swallow him whole, it would. Enough of the scrutiny and inward reflection. He was determined to enjoy this moment in time—another wise piece of advice from Sara.

He reached across the table for Meredith’s hand. As hers molded to his, he had to admit that he felt better than he had in a long time. On some level, he felt more complete. If he had listened to his initial excuses, he wouldn’t be here with her. It was with that thought he realized she no longer wore the ring. He pinched his fingers around where it used to be.

She withdrew her hand and placed it in her lap. “You just noticed? I haven’t worn it since just before Christmas, but it was time for me to move on. I have a feeling it is for you too.”

Meredith’s husband had cheated on her after twenty years of marriage. She couldn’t forgive him. It was an offense Jimmy wasn’t sure he could have pardoned either.

Again, the internal talk would have him believe his situation hadn’t been the same. That somehow he’d suffered less the way his marriage had ended. All Clara wanted was more of him, yet it was a sacrifice he wasn’t able to make. He had continued to put the job first, and in the end, that’s all he had. Still, it had resulted in the same outcome as it had for Meredith—two hearts that had once been bound were ripped apart.

“I know you’re probably right.” Jimmy tried to smile. He hoped at least a glimmer of it came through. “I’ve been happy here with you. It’s been nice having a friend.” He knew it came out all wrong by the way her face fell and her eyes pinched.

“Yes, it is.” She cleared her throat as she took the napkin from her lap and put it on the table. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment.”

As she walked away, he felt like a schmuck, with a capital S. Why couldn’t he just put his reservations aside? What did he have to lose? His pride? He was certain his heart hung back, despite periodic suspicions to the contrary. All he had to do was breathe in, and breathe out.

His hand went to his neck and he stretched it side to side. It was then he felt a pinch and everything went black.

About The Book

Title: Valentine’s Day is Murder

Author: Carolyn Arnold

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Jimmy finally takes a vacation–and a chance on love–only to be abducted. His female companion originally thinks he had cold feet about their relationship, but Sean and Sara know there’s more to it. Jimmy isn’t the type to just up and disappear, let alone leave a lady stranded.

Setting out on their private jet, Sean and Sara reach the tropical paradise of Ocho Rios, Jamaica with sightseeing as the last thing on their minds.

With a gold coin being their initial tie to Jimmy’s kidnapper, Sean and Sara even speculate about the involvement of pirates. Yet as the hours pass, and there’s no word from Jimmy’s captors, Sean and Sara will need to figure out the real motive before it’s too late.

With help from their friend, Adam, back in Albany, the pieces come together and not a moment too soon.
Strap in for an adventure that will take you to the beautiful island of Jamaica and have you wanting a piña colada.

Author Bio

CAROLYN ARNOLD is the bestselling author of the Madison Knight series, the Brandon Fisher series, and the McKinley Mysteries. Her love for writing dates back to her teen years, but her passion was reignited in 2006 when a fellow employee said “tell me a story.” Since then Carolyn has never looked back.

Her writing has since been compared to New York Times Bestsellers such as JD Robb, Mary Higgins Clark, Sue Grafton, Michael Connelly, Tess Gerritsen, and more.

Carolyn was born in 1976 in a rural town of Ontario, Canada, and she currently lives with her husband and two beagles in a city near Toronto.

For more information on the author visit https://carolynarnold.net/

Links

Amazon – http://ow.ly/G4Yl6

Amazon UK – http://ow.ly/G4Ynv

Barnes & Noble – http://ow.ly/G4Ype

iTunes – http://ow.ly/G4Yqv

Kobo – http://ow.ly/G4YrU

Interview for the Black Lotus Tour

1/15/2015

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I'm interviewing Claire Warner today, author of historical romance "The Black Lotus". Thanks for answering my questions, and welcome to my blog!

1) What’s your name?

Claire Warner

2) Where are you from?

Bourne, a small town in Lincolnshire UK.

3) Can you tell us about your family?

I have three sisters, two older and one younger. I'm engaged to a man with 2 children from a previous marriage.

4) What do you do for a living?

I'm a civil servant, working mainly in admin.

5) Do you have any hobbies?

I'm roleplay, read and am involved in cosplay.

6) Do you have any pets?

No pets but my parents have two dogs that I consider mine by proxy.

7) How old are you?

38.
8) What challenges do you face?

Finding the time to write. With working a full time job, my writing time is limited to the evenings and some nights I am to tired to sit down at the computer to write.

About The Book

Title: The Black Lotus

Author: Claire Warner

Genre: Historical Romance with a paranormal twist

….though I would dearly love to play court to you, I would hurt you more than any other.”

It is 1752. The year that will change the life of heiress Melissa De Vire. As she makes her first steps into society, she meets Justin Lestrade and his world tears her perceptions apart. Drawn irresistibly to him, she finds herself sinking into a realm of feuds, magic and old curses.

Author Bio

By day I am a boring civil servant, but by night (and at weekends) I write stories. I love fiction, I love the way that words can draw you from your own everyday world.

I love to read. As a child I read all of the Enid Blyton books and devoured Roald Dahl. As a teenager, I discovered LJ Smith, Anne McCaffrey, Tamora Pierce, David Eddings and went through the phase of reading Point Horrors. As an adult, I found Kelley Armstrong, Raymond E Feist, Georgette Heyer, The Brontes, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Sheridan La Fanu and Henry James. I cannot imagine live without books.

Links

Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | Kobobooks | Nook
Website

Character Interview The Continuing Journey of a Different Necromancer

1/12/2015

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I'm hosting a character interview for the book tour for fantasy novel "The Continuing Journey of a Different Necromancer". I'd like to welcome author James Crofoot, and his character, Christina, to the blog.

1.     What’s your name?

My name is Christina, I’m the wife of Thomas the Necromancer. I never really knew my mother and father, they died when I was young.

2.     Where are you from?

I came from somewhere in the bluet mountains. Before I met Thomas I did a good bit of traveling with merchant caravans so I can’t be sure.

3.     Can you tell us about your family?

Thomas is really my family now, along with the rest of the small fishing village we’ve come to be adopted by. I have a son now, marcus is his name and he’s five. He really reminds me of his father with the troublesome curiosity. They say it takes a village to raise   family and Thomas and I really chose the right one. After Tom saving the people here a few times, they’ve made it clear they want us to stay with them.

4.     What do you do for a living?

Mostly bake bread now days, but I try to keep up with Thomas. He’s really like having another child around sometimes. He thinks oddly some times, always whining about how his craft, you know raising the dead. But I usually get him to do the right thing. I’m very proud to be his wife, he’s saved a lot of people over the years but he really does need a good bit of looking after.

5.     Do you have any hobbies?

Yes I really do. I like throwing daggers. Does that sound unusual for a baker woman? It’s just one of the things I like. Got my dagger from a group of bandits Thomas saved me from and I had to learn how to use it, it didn’t take long to learn it. Oddly, I am usually the one doing the knife work in the family. For instance, there was that murderer at the ghost summoning. He tried to get my Tom, I just couldn’t allow that to happen.

6.     Do you have any pets?

There’s a couple of dogs running around the village, we take care of them as a community. Just mutts, you know. They always get brought in somewhere during the cold winter storms.

7.     How old are you?

I think about twenty-six. Again I can’t be sure. Some people say I’m a little wiser for my age.

8.     What challenges do you face?

I’ve faced quite a few challenges. The worst one was probably when we had to sacrifice a very good man to safe a peaceful city. Keeping Thomas and his son at home and fed is my day to day challenge though. Both of them want to explore everything. Getting him to eat is sometimes pretty hard, he just forgets.

About The Book

Title: The Continuing Journeys of a Different Necromancer

Author: James J. Crofoot

Genre: Fantasy

Thomas now views his magic as less than good, but he must raise one more army. This one not of his creation though. For the first time he learns fear of the undead. More than ever, he longs to see the waters of the great sea to the west. Will he find peace there? Will Christina and he find a home with the people of the shores? Maybe. But, maybe he’ll have to fight magic darker than his own to keep his new home.

Maybe he’ll have to fight magic so dark that even a half demon witch fears it and must help.

Author Bio

James J has travelled on sea and land, managing to get two degrees and has attended Gotham Writing Workshop. Through it all writing remained his first love. Now he is publishing his work for your enjoyment. ‘The Continuing Journeys of a Different Necromancer’ is the sequel to ‘The Journeys of a Different Necromancer’, both available at MuseItUp publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashswords. He has also appeared in Silverblade Magazine. For notice of further publications, you can find him at www.crofootwrites.com

Links

MuseItUp Publishing

Amazon

B&N

Website

Author Interview Nanovision Tour

1/7/2015

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I'm interviewing Paul Harry today, author of YA science-fiction "Nanovision". Welcome to my blog, Paul. I hope you had fun answering my questions. I loved reading through your answers!

Q: Please tell us about yourself.

My journey as a writer started when I was a child growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. Back then it was a small, dusty town with a population of 60,000 and I grew up on the outskirts of town, surrounded by desert. In the early days Las Vegas wasn't the glamorous international destination it is now and as a kid there wasn't a whole lot to do. We only had three television stations and they went off the air fairly early, though that didn't matter, as I didn't get to watch a lot of TV. My father wasn't a big fan of the idiot box or the boob tube as he called it—he was a reader.

I can't remember exactly how young I was when he first gave me a book to read, but I do remember the book itself. It was A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. That book opened up the universe for me. It was unlike anything I had read before and I was taken away by the alien worlds that surrounded me. From that point on, I devoured every book in the series, and from there I went onto Burroughs’ Tarzan series. Along the way, I took in books on Asimov, Frederick Pohl, Robert Heinlein and many others. These were the writers that inspired me and filled my head with dreams of fantastic ambition. They were the cornerstone for me wanting to become a writer—that and the other curse my father gave me. He insisted that I learned how to type.

Q: Tell us about your book

Well, as I mentioned earlier, I grew up in Vegas and as fate would have it, I eventually went to work in the gaming business dealing both Craps and Blackjack. NANOVISION is, in part, the results of my years working in numerous gaming establishments including those on the Strip. The story is a culmination of what I experienced and learned; running the gambit of working for the mob, seeing the personal toll gaming can take on individuals, and the magical allure it has in drawing people in. Now understand, NANOVISION is a tale of science fantasy delving into realms of pure unadulterated make believe, but I hope the reader's journey will be enriched by the realism and attention to detail perhaps showing a side of the gambling industry that is not normally seen.

Q: What inspired you to write Nanovision?

This is perhaps the easiest question to answer. When you deal blackjack you realize people would give anything to know what the next card is. They want to know what the dealer's hole card is, and even more, they want to know what the next card coming out of the shoe is. If they knew–it would be game over for Las Vegas, but they don't. So they guess, they count, they analyze, they hope and they pray and most of the time they are wrong. But what if you were given x-ray vision and you could see the next cards coming? What would happen? How would it happen? And that's how NANOVISION was born–a little idea coupled with a dose of science and fantasy that relates the tale of Daniel–a young man violently wronged, then saved, and in the process given the chance of a lifetime to see justice served.

Q: How much time per week do you spend writing/editing your work?

Usually every day when I'm crafting the story or re-writing. I re-write over and over filling in the details and building the story like it's a paint by numbers set. First comes the skeleton, then the muscle, the skin and flesh, then I pass it out to people who will give me feedback. With their opinions and assessment I begin the process again. Even now, if I was to read Nanovision, I would probably see minute changes I could make, but there comes a time to quit and let the story be.

Q: If you could meet three authors, which authors would you choose?

Edgar Rice Burroughs–he was a prolific writer with a wonderful imagination. His books were one of the first in serial format, but they were fun, and who hasn't heard of John Carter of Mars or Tarzan? It was Burroughs who inspired my first work: The 5 Moons of Tiiana, also available on Amazon

Michael Crichton–he was a brilliant writer, physician, screenwriter and director. Jurassic Park is probably his most famous work along with the hit television series ER. What I like about his work were the cautionary warnings about unbridled technology and allowing the government to obtain too much control as in gene patenting.

Jack L. Chalker. I can honestly say I am not a fan of everything that Jack Chalker has written, but his series "The Saga of the Well World" was unbelievable. I cannot begin to describe the detail or the imagination he used to create the Well World. It has everything–science, magic and fantastic creatures beyond belief. It is one of the best I've ever read and I don't think it got half the credit it should have. Thanks to Amazon his books are available again.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

Unfortunately I'm in the marketing mode. It is my least favorite time. I would rather be writing. My next story will probably be HAVE GUN / TIME TRAVEL. It's the story of a bartender who is thrown back in time to the end of the Civil War where he must prevent the South from winning the war.

About The Book

Title: Nanovision

Author: Paul Harry

Genre: YA Science fiction / Fantasy

Synopsis:

Daniel Raye was only sixteen when he walked in on a mob hit against his father. Brutally beaten and left for dead, Daniel awakens in a hospital to find himself blind and with no memory of the hit. Placed in the FBI’s witness protection program, Daniel is relocated to Northern California where he’s given residence with a long, lost Aunt who runs a bio-tech firm called NanoBytes. Over time, Daniel rebuilds his life and adapts well to his newfound family, but as fate would have it, comes under the scrutiny of the mob once again–but not before his Aunt finds a cure for his blindness. Using a radical untested procedure incorporating robotic nanites spliced with the DNA from animals and insects, Daniel is injected with a serum that only a mad scientist could create.

Does it work?

Better than anyone imagined.

What would you do with x-ray vision?

Author Bio

As a young boy I cut my teeth on Marvel Comics, Edgar Rice Burrough’s serial novels,(John Carter & Tarzan)and classic movies like “The Day The Earth Stood Still.” I also spent many days reading classic science fiction works by authors such as Asimov, Heinlein, Clark, Silverberg, and Bradbury to name a few.

In school my favorite subjects were English and Theater Arts. It is the combination of all of this that led me into writing, especially screenplays. I love the visual medium of movies and television though too many movies today put special effects ahead of the story. I think the greatest compliment I’ve received about my writing is that people can see the visual images I am creating as I write.

NANOVISION is my latest novel and I think readers will have a lot of fun with it. In writing the novel I used my forty years of experience in the Las Vegas gaming industry as a background for the story. So for those of you who might ask—Are the casino scenes real? The answer is most definitely, Yes!

My other works on Amazon are: THE 5 MOONS OF TIIANA, and THE GARDEN, The Unauthorized Biography of Adam and Eve.

Links

http://bit.ly/Nanovision

https://twitter.com/Sphere_Books