Blog tour for Skinshifter by Alycia Christine,

Welcome to my tour stop for Skinshifter, the first in the Sylvan Cycle series by Alycia Christine. This is a high fantasy novel and the tour runs September 28 - October 9 with reviews, author interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.



About the Book: 

Skinshifters are a curse. The Asheken deadwalkers proved that fact when they used skinshifters to spy against the Sylvan races during the Second War of Ages. Now, after three centuries of peace, the deadwalkers have found a secret way back onto the Sylvan Continent and this time they seek not just to conquer their enemies, but to enslave them body and soul.
When the Feliconas Clan suffers the deadwalkers’ first raid, one werecat—a skinshifter who has concealed her abilities—survives the massacre. Even as Katja struggles with her grief and guilt over her murdered kin, she must unite with other Sylvan refugees to defeat the deadwalkers before they can butcher and defile the other races. But can this skinshifter trust her newfound allies or will their secrets prove even more treacherous than her own?

Goodreads | Amazon | Smashwords | B&N

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Skinshifter Novel Excerpt #3: Don’t Get Bitten!

They were about to continue onto the cave tunnel that led toward the first chamber when Katja heard a scraping hiss come from within its depths. The werecat stopped dead in her tracks and hissed a warning to Lauraisha. A large serpent was slithering steadily toward them through the tunnel, just beyond the torch’s circle of light.

When she turned to find an escape down one of the other five tunnels connected to the chamber, Katja realized by sound and smell that a basel snake now occupied every tunnel save the one they had just exited. The werecat could kill a single one of these serpents without much difficulty, but not four. A fully grown basel could be as long as eight body-lengths and as foul-tempered as a cornered bear. Their fangs dripped paralyzing venom, so a single bite from their powerful jaws could still inflict ample pain or even death.

“Lauraisha, stay away from the tunnels and be on your guard!”

“What’s coming?”

Before Katja could answer, the triangular head of the first basel slipped into view. Its head was the size of her chest. Lauraisha screamed as it struck. Katja feinted left out of the path of its attack and swept unsheathed claws at the snake’s right opalescent eye. The creature shrieked as Katja’s middle claw found its mark. She pulled her paw free and blocked the snake’s clumsy lunge with her opposite forearm—dancing away from the greenish-gray head.

She spied the shadows of the second and third snakes out of the corner of her eye. They had reached the tunnel entrances simultaneously. She lunged under the first basel on its blind side just as it reared its head, and she struck at its neck glands with both paws. She felt jarring pain as her paws struck bone and staggered under the snake’s weight as it began to convulse. She laboriously pinned the twitching body against the wall with a small boulder and then jumped back into the fray.

“Lauraisha, they’re most vulnerable if you strike at the spine just behind their heads!”

The human had drawn her forearm-length dagger and stood waiting in a loose stance for one of the two snakes to lunge out of the tunnels. Katja went to Lauraisha, grabbed the torch from her hand, lit the wall sconce behind her, and then threw the torch at the nearest basel. It hit the monster full in the face. The serpent shook and ducked its head, leaving the human open to strike at the base of its skull. Lauraisha seized the opportunity and drove her knife through the bone—the resulting crack was nauseating.

Two serpents now lay dead, but the other two had entered the cave. Katja had engaged the third, but Lauraisha stood vulnerable to the fourth because her knife was still lodged solidly in the second snake’s skull. Katja realized with horror that the human had no weapon, but the werecat could do nothing to help her while she was still fighting this serpent.

“Weave! Dodge! Don’t get bit—”

Katja heard Lauraisha scream just as the werecat sidestepped a ferocious lunge-and-snap. She swiped at the snake’s scaly head—leaving faint gashes along its length—and rolled to her left while trying to see what had happened to her companion. A chill crawled the length of Katja’s spine. Lauraisha was nowhere in sight. The fourth basel had now turned its full attention to Katja and the other snake.

“Lauraisha!”

The serpents’ malevolent hisses were all that answered her.

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“As involved as it is vividly eloquent, Alycia Christine’s Skinshifter…is fueled by engagingly twisted fantasy elements, vivid imagery, appealing characters, rousing adventure and terse storytelling.” –Bestsellers World

“Action is well done, tension is wonderfully detailed and maintained throughout, and fantasy readers will find in Katja an appealing, believable character whose quest and concerns drive a story line that is vivid, accessible, and involving.” –D. Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

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About the Author:

Alycia Christine grew up near the dusty cotton fields of Lubbock, Texas. She fell in love with fantasy and science fiction stories when her father first read Gordon R. Dickson’s THE DRAGON AND THE GEORGE and Robert A. Heinlein’s HAVE SPACESUIT—WILL TRAVEL to her at age ten. Her love-affair with fiction deepened when Alycia took a creative writing course while attending Texas A&M University. After that class, she was hooked as a writer for life. Her subsequent B.S. degree in agricultural journalism not only helped to hone Alycia’s skills with a pen, but also with a camera. Today she uses her skills as a photographer to capture the beauty of the world around her and add additional perspective to her fiction and nonfiction writing. Find her at http://www.alyciachristine.com.

Website | Twitter @AlyciaCZS | Facebook 

GIVEAWAY:

Four (4) special Book Bundles that contain a $25 gift card,

an eBook copy of Skinshifter,

and an eBook copy of The Dryad's Sacrifice (prelude novella) (INT)

Ends Oct. 14

Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

TOUR SCHEDULE:

9/28

Guest Post - Mama Reads Hazel Reads

Excerpt - Alpha Fangirl Book Blog

9/29

Excerpt - 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

Review – Candace’s Book Blog

9/30

Review - The Travelogue of a book addict - The Book Drealms

Excerpt - Coffee Books & Art

10/1

Interview - WS Momma Readers Nook

Review & Guest Post - Maureen's Books

10/2

Excerpt - Crystal's Chaotic Confessions

Excerpt - Books and Warpaint

10/5

Review - Terry's Book Addiction

10/6

Excerpt - CBY Book Club

Review - Alpha Book Club

10/7

Excerpt - My Love for Reading Keeps Growing

Review & Guest Post - Second Run Reviews

10/8

Excerpt - The Tome Gnome

Excerpt - Jael's Reviews

10/9

Review - Born Bookish

Excerpt - Turbulence In The Eye Of The Storm

Blog tour of Desire So Sweet by Tonya Brooks

Desire So Sweet 

by Tonya Brooks

Series: The Bad Baker Boys: The Beginning
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: September 7, 2015

He thought he was a monster...
Jed Baker had lived through hell on earth and had the demons to prove it. Then he met an innocent girl who gave his troubled soul peace, but he couldn't bear to taint her sweetness with the death and viloence threatening to consume him.
She knew he was a hero...
Ginny Lawson lived under the control of an abusive father who used her gentle nature and tender heart against her. She longed for someone to love her enough to save her, and when Jed rolled into town she knew that her hero had come.

BUY NOW
Amazon

EXCERPT

Ginny Lawson had become his salvation.

He was addicted to her sweet smiles. They were like sunshine, with the power to warm his cold, barren soul. Her cheerful nature was effervescent, bubbling over into the dark desolation consuming him. Those big blue eyes were so trusting, they made him want to protect her from all harm, including himself.

Jed Baker knew that he was the most dangerous thing Ginny would ever come in contact with. The taint of death and violence that filled his soul was toxic; the demons he carried within, a threat to everyone around him. If he ever allowed himself to care about her, he would destroy her.

Unfortunately, it might already be too late.

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Tonya Brooks

Tonya Brooks lives in Myrtle Beach, SC with her very own bad boy husband, who she happily admits is the inspiration for her male characters. She has two adult sons who refuse to read her books because mom's are not supposed to know about sex, much less write about it.
When asked about her books, Tonya's standard reply is, "This ain't your mama's sweet and tender romance novel." Her books deal with raw, gritty, painful issues that real people face, with focus on the strength in overcoming them and there is always a Happily Ever After.
Her alpha males are as hot as a sultry Southern summer night, and the females have as much sass as sex appeal. When they meet, passions ignite hotter than a day at the beach and sparks fly like the Fourth of July. Look out for unexpected plot twists, some colorful language and ribald humor. Oh, and a goat. On a leash.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Feel free to email her at: tonya@tonyabrooksauthor.com

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Facebook | Website | Twitter

Open Gates by D.T. Dyllin book blitz

Open Gates  

by D.T. Dyllin  

(P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #3)  

Publication date: September 28th 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis: 

P.J. Stone gets the answers to all her questions, but will she be able to handle the truth?

Bryn is gone, Jenna isn’t herself, and the world has been taken over by the alien Riders. The only constant in P.J.’s life is Khol, but even he might not be able to help pick up the shattered pieces of her existence. Will P.J. be strong enough to face her destiny when the time comes? Or will she lose everything, herself included?

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon

Excerpt 

 “Been waiting for me I see.” I smirked at Bryn’s father, raising my hands up to hip level while letting my dragon fire magic rise into my palms.

His eyes briefly flicked down to the means of his eminent demise before he met my gaze. “I knew you were looking for me, and I knew you would find me.”

“So you know that I’ve come to kill you then? Good to know I don’t have to explain it to you first.” I raised my hands, about to set him ablaze, when Khol stepped in behind me to whisper in my ear.

“Think about this. Please.”

“I have thought about it, and I’m done thinking, Khol.” I let my fire erupt from my palms, and it quickly engulfed its target—the man that raised Bryn as his own. He screamed as the white-hot flames hovered over his skin, kissing it gently at first, before curling its unyielding fingers into his tender flesh. It blackened quickly, and the Rider inside screamed along with its host, trapped and dying inside the prison of burning skin.

I watched with grim fascination as Bryn’s murderer burned alive. The scene was almost macabre, and yet the smell of charred flesh intermingled with the agonizing screams, instead of acting like balm to my pain, caused me to suddenly feel sick. A wave of nausea slammed into me, and sweat trickled down my spine. I forced myself to remain facing the scene until the scorched body dropped to the ground, still smoking. He was dead, and so was the Rider inside of him. Satisfaction was fleeting as guilt settled in its place. Maybe I could have saved Bryn’s father. Collateral damage, I rationalized. He had to die.

“There’s no one else in the building,” Khol said when I finally turned away from the blackened ashes that used to hold not one, but two lives. “They must have hoped that once you killed him you would be satisfied. They clearly sent him to his death.”

“And he went like a good little soldier? Just like that? That must mean they finally realize what a threat we really are, and they gave us what we wanted, hoping to appease me.”

“Or they just don’t want to be bothered anymore.” Khol wrapped me in his arms, shifting us out of the building just as a thick black smoke began to pour from the ceiling.

AUTHOR BIO: 

D.T. Dyllin is a bestselling author who writes both paranormal and contemporary romance. Anything with a love story is her kryptonite. Her obsession with affairs-of-the-heart is what first drove her to begin twisting her own tales of scorching romance.

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband and two spoiled German Shepherds.

(Author photo credit: Stephanie Saujon of La Photographie Nashville)

Author links:

• http://dtdyllin.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/dara.teresa
• https://twitter.com/DTDyllin
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5763250.D_T_Dyllin

Curse of the Sphinx by Raye Wagner book blitz - book trailers

Curse of the Sphinx 

by Raye Wagner

(Sphinx #2)

Publication date: August 9th 2015
Genres: Mythology, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

How long can a monster stay hidden in plain sight?

Seventeen year-old Hope Nicholas has spent her entire life on the run. But no one is chasing her. In fact, no one even knows she exists. With her mom, she’s traveled from town to town and school to school, barely staying long enough to meet anyone, let alone make friends. And she’ll have to keep it that way. It’s safer.

When her mother is brutally ripped away from her, Hope’s life shatters. Is this the fulfillment of Apollo’s curse, murder from the shadow monsters of the Underworld, or have the demigods finally found her? Orphaned and alone, Hope flees again, but this time there’s no one to teach her who to trust—or how to love.

Set in a universe where mythology is alive and well in the modern world, Curse of the Sphinx irresistibly blends action, suspense and romance.

Goodreads

Meet the author: www.smarturl.it/meetraye
Book trailer: www.smarturl.it/BNHRMS

Purchase:

Amazon

AUTHOR BIO: 

Raye Wagner grew up in the suburbs of Seattle, the second of eight children, and learned to escape chaos through the pages of fiction. As a youth, she read the likes of David Eddings, Leon Uris, and Jane Austen. Inspired by a fictional character, Raye pursued a career in nursing, and thought to help the world one patient at a time.

One summer afternoon, a plot dropped into her head, and she started writing.

Raye enjoys baking, Tae Kwon Do, puzzles, and the sound of waves lapping at the sand. She lives with her husband and three children in Middle Tennessee.

Origin of the Sphinx is her first publication, and the beginning of the Sphinx series.

You can connect with Raye Wagner via her website: www.rayewagner.com , or on Facebook.

Author links:

• http://rayewagner.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/Raye-Wagner-173068689524889/timeline/?ref=hl
• https://twitter.com/RayeWagner
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7127010.Raye_Wagner

The Clairvoyant’s Glasses by Helen Goltz, book blitz

The Clairvoyant’s Glasses  

by Helen Goltz  

Published by: Atlas Productions
Publication date: September 28th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Synopsis: 

When Sophie Carell was eight-years-old, her eccentric, clairvoyant great aunt, Daphne, predicted Sophie would be one of the greatest clairvoyants of her time. Sophie wanted to be a movie star. Her mother said not to worry about it—Aunt Daphne was daffy.

When Sophie is called to the reading of Daphne’s Will, she is given a pair of glasses that will change her life. But that’s not all she acquires. Along with the glasses, Sophie ‘inherits’ a protector—the handsome and powerful Lukas Lens; plus brooding Detective Murdoch Ashcroft who is keen for Sophie to fill her aunt’s shoes and put her talents to work for him.

Sophie has to decide if she will focus on her acting career or explore her new-found clairvoyant skills. But danger lurks around the corner…

 Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon

Excerpt

Sophie studied Lukas.

“You have more questions?” he asked.

“A thousand—like do you age normally, do you change at all when you are doing witch stuff and many more, but not for now, I need to take it all in.”

Lukas ran his hand through his light brown hair. “Good idea, enough for now. But in a nutshell… yes, I do age normally… look at Alfred. No, I don’t change into the Incredible Hulk and I’m on your side.”

Sophie smiled as she stood and walked to the window to look out on the street. “A month ago none of this world existed, now I’m hanging with a witch, it’s surreal,” she said.

Lukas rose behind her. “I imagine it is a bit daunting.”

“That would be the understatement of the year,” she said, turning to face him. “Can I ask you one more question today?”

“Of course.” Lukas leaned against the counter watching her, his hands flat on the counter top.

“Don’t be offended, but you’re not the most masculine guy—in your suit, you look like you’ve just stepped off a Calvin Klein fragrance shoot. How exactly does your line of the family protect us?”

“Mind power,” he answered.

“Is that enough?” Sophie lifted a glass paperweight that was reflecting prisms of light from the window and held it up in her palm.

Lukas glared at the glass prism, his pale blue eyes went amber; it shattered into pieces.

Sophie screamed and dropped the remaining shards from her hand. His eyes returned to a pale blue colour.

“I’ll do my best,” he assured her.

AUTHOR BIO: 

After studying English Literature and Communications at universities in Queensland, Australia, Helen Goltz has worked as a journalist and marketer in print, TV, radio and public relations. Helen is the author of seven books and is published by Clan Destine Press and Atlas Productions.

Author links:

• http://helengoltz.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/HelenGoltz.FanPage
• https://twitter.com/helengoltz
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4584438.Helen_Goltz

Publishers:       http://www.atlasproductions.com.au/

http://www.clandestinepress.com.au/author/helen-goltz

Publisher – Atlas Productions:

• Website:          www.atlasproductions.com.au
• Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/AtlasProductionsBooks
• Twitter:           @atlasloveswords

 Q&As with author Helen Goltz

1. In a nutshell what is The Clairvoyant’s Glasses about?
It’s about Sophie Carell who wants to be a film star. She auditions and has some small roles but she isn’t getting ahead in her career. Her best friend Lucy is a model and is getting regular work. Sophie’s great aunt, Daphne, is a renowned psychic and all her life, she predicts Sophie will follow in her footsteps. Sophie doesn’t want to know about it, but when Daphne dies, she inherits some special glasses with a power of their own, a long family history and two very interesting men—a protector, the handsome and powerful Lukas Lens, and brooding Detective Murdoch Ashcroft who is keen for Sophie to fill her aunt’s shoes and put her talents to work for the police service. She has some big decisions to make.

2. If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead characters?

I often have images of the characters in my head when I write them, so here’s my cast list:

• Sophie: Jennifer Lawrence
• Lucy: Emma Stone or Nina Dobrev
• Orli: Dakota Fanning or Amanda Seyfried
• Lukas: Robert Pattinson maybe … or Liam Hemsworth (a bit of Australian bias there)
• Murdoch: Zac Efron or Taylor Lautner or Evan Ross
• Daniel: Colton Haynes or Alex Pettyfer or Chase Crawford

3. What project are you currently working on?

It’s a year of firsts—The Clairvoyant’s Glasses is my first paranormal novel and I’ve just finished working on my first YA novel Ophelia, adrift. Both books are part of two-book series so I’ve got to get to work on book two! I’m half way through the second Ophelia book which is called Ophelia, aground.

4. What character out of all your books is the closest to your personality?
In The Clairvoyant’s Glasses, neither Lucy nor Sophie is like me, but there’s a bit of me in both of their emotions. Lucy is a bit naive, especially for a model and she hasn’t always had successful relationships. Sophie is confident but is a bit lost… she isn’t getting where she wants to go quick enough for her liking. I think the NA audience will relate!

5. Do you plot your stories or just sit down and write?

I’ll have an idea of the bones of the story and then I let it roll out. A couple of times I have sat down and planned the book, the plot, timeline and characters, but then I have found it hard to write because it was prescriptive. So in most cases, as I did with The Clairvoyant’s Glasses, I let it flow. I have to tell you, sometimes my characters really surprise. Something I just don’t see things coming. J

6. Do you read your reviews?

I love this question because I don’t think readers and reviewers realise the impact they can have on an author. I get reviews from NetGalley, Amazon and Goodreads and the positive reviews are really heartening. They give you a lift and make you feel like you are doing something right. I’ve had some gracious negative reviews too, and I understand not everyone is going to love your book, but the nasty ones do sting. You have to develop a bit of a thick skin, if possible.

7. Did you do a lot of research of The Clairvoyant’s Glasses?
I did actually. I wanted to be sure I was a little faithful to the genre and some of the psychic cases mentioned, like the Tichborne Affair, are based on true events.

8. What inspired this book?

I went to a psychic and she asked to hold something that was important to me. I gave her my wristwatch which was a gift from Mum. Then I began thinking ‘what if psychic power could be transferred by an object?’ That got me thinking about psychic talent being handed down from generation to generation. I was also terrified by Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, when I was a kid. My sister and I were babysitting our two younger siblings and we were up late watching it one night. I love birds, but they’ve always freaked me out just a little. They play a significant role in The Clairvoyant’s Glasses.

9. Did a psychic ever tell you anything that changed your life?

Yes, sort of but I didn’t act on it. I was engaged at the time when I had a reading and she told me that the man I was marrying would not be my great love. Another was to come. What do you do with that?

10. Who are the main male characters and why will we love them?

There are three delicious men in The Clairvoyant’s Glasses. Lukas the protector is tall, sophisticated, handsome (of course) and a powerful witch. Murdoch the police officer is the opposite—dark of feature, brooding, well-built and sure of himself. I’ve also included a very cocky Irish Journalist, Daniel who is sporty, boyish and trouble. Personally, I’m torn between Lucas and Murdoch. 

11. Sophie, the lead character, has a core set of friends and many of your characters receive support from friends but have little family. Is that intentional?

To some degree. Many people aren’t blessed with a good family or don’t have the network of family like our parents or grandparents did. So our friendships become family. Sophie is very much supported by the people around her, who stick by her even when she is ‘all about Sophie’.

12. One of your lead men, Lukas, had a bad childhood but he is the man he is today because of his grandfather. Did you research abandonment issues to flesh out his character?
I have studied psychology and I am fascinated by how our world influences our personalities and actions. Lukas’s situation was sad; he was orphaned as a teenager, so you understand why he is frightened to love too much. But his cousin Orli and his grandfather work at teaching him trust.

13. You talk about generational grudges and protection in your book. Is this based on the traditional battle between good and evil?
I guess it is in a way. In fantasy and fairytales there’s always been good and evil—the good witch, the bad witch, etc. But in The Clairvoyant’s Glasses, I think you can empathise with the baddies a little because the curse was earned. You can understand why the ‘curse’ was placed.

14. What's coming up next for you?
So many stories, so little time. I’m keen to get back to writing the next Mitchell Parker book—my vulnerable and sexy FBI agent. But I’m at proofing stage with a psychological thriller at the moment. Plus I am halfway through writing my second YA book, Ophelia, aground and I’ve got to start book two in The Clairvoyant’s Glasses series.

15. Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in this book?

If there is, I think it is about the importance of having people and pets in our lives. Not just family, but friends and support networks. Also, to remember that nothing is black and white… lives are complex and sometimes we have to allow for a little grey!

The Agony of Love by Helen Goltz

“Everything you say, I’m feeling it too,” he assured her. He felt a sharp tinge behind his eyes. He cleared his throat, looked away and looked back at her. “I’m falling in love with you Lucy.”

We’ve all been there … that first month of love; the ecstasy and the agony of all the promise and all the fear.

The wanting to call, not wanting to be too eager; hoping every text message, email, phone call is them; impatient with everyone who is not them.

Lying awake at night thinking of them and wondering if they are thinking of you. Being wonderfully exhausted the next day.

Thinking about that first kiss, trying to remember to capture every second of it in your mind so you’ll never forget it. Going back over every word they have said, every compliment they have given.

Worrying about their ex, their friends of the same sex, how long it has been since their last relationship. Not being truly calm until you are together.

Ah, the anguish of love! Capturing all the emotions of a romance scene is a challenge for any writer and I hope in the scene in my paranormal romance The Clairvoyant’s Glasses, where Lukas tells Lucy he loves her, readers will understand his vulnerability and how brave he was saying that to her.

I’m inspired by some of the wonderful scenes of love and loss I’ve read by authors who have captured the ‘anx’ perfectly. Such as Kylie Scott’s description in Play when Anne thinks she’s lost Mal: “Anger and sadness owned me” and in Lick when Evelyn loses David: “I had to chase him out of my mind a thousand times a day.”

Charlotte McConaghy’s beautiful characters in Avery are so rich in their depth of emotions. As the love builds between Ambrose and Ava and they are yet to touch as lovers, Ava inhales as Ambrose is “sinking down to press himself along the length of me. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might give out.”

Finally, here’s a thought for the true romantics—there are theories as to why we wear our wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand. The Romans believed there was a vein in this finger, referred to as the ‘Vena Amoris’ or the ‘Vein of Love’ which directly connected to the heart.

Long live love.

Naming a Character and Other Tough Decisions

Okay, it’s not like you are naming your first-born, but it might as well be. That name you choose for your characters must reflect the character through thick and thin; they have to live up to it or down to it; it might have to be sexy or tough or mysterious.

When choosing a name for my masculine stars in The Clairvoyant’s Glasses, I chose the name Lukas for my male witch because it was sexy, interesting and old-world. It didn’t lend itself to nicknames. For the street-smart police officer I picked the name Murdoch. I worked with a Murdoch once and the name says ‘reliable, strong, solid’ to me. Everything my Murdoch is. I looked up popular Irish names to select Daniel for my cute and trouble-making Irish journalist.

For the girls in The Clairvoyant’s Glasses, I took into account the era and the genre. I found some great ‘witch’ sites with witch names and their meanings.

I selected Orli as the name for my ethereal, white-hair spiritual female. Orli means ‘my light’. Sophie and Lucy were popular names in the year that those characters were born—I estimated their age and looked online for the ten most popular female names that year.

So, where do you source your names from? Here’s some of my sources:

1) Popular names lists for the year in question
Depending on the genre and when your book is set, there are plenty of lists online that can help. For example when I was writing the 1940s historical romance Autumn Manor, I Googled most popular boy and girls names in the 1920s, because my characters were now about 20 years old.

2) The cemetery
Yes, I get that it sounds a bit morbid, but I’ve found lots of great names from cemetery headstones. Lovely names like Matilda but most importantly, plenty of surnames, because they can be harder to ‘create’ than first names.

3) The newspaper or online
Who hasn’t done it? Been searching quickly for a surname that you are probably only going to use once (e.g. like a witness giving a report in your story) and glanced at the local paper or stories online and grabbed a name.

4) Work

Have you ever glanced down that work phone list, or been searching for a quick name and ‘borrowed’ a first or last name from the office? Mm, me either :)

5) Friends and family

Both handy sources for first and last names … just make sure you mix them up and you don’t insult anyone.

Hookah by Cameron Jace book blitz

Hookah  

by Cameron Jace  

(Insanity #4)  

Publication date: December 12th 2015
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis: 

A Plague Scarier than Death

Alice and the Pillar have to stop a Wonderland Monster who’d lashed out an incurable disease onto the world. Their biggest challenge is that the world loves this monster so much.

A Cure Larger than Life

The only way to save the world is to travel to the other side of the globe, and peek into one of Lewis Carroll and the Pillar’s darker pasts.
A Truth Madder Than Fiction

This time, the price of saving the world is too high. Alice will have to live with the consequences of the maddest logic of the world surrounding her.

Will Alice find who the Pillar really is? What he wants? Is she brave enough to handle the one Wonderland Monster she’d thought was a good friends? And even so, is the world ready the truth?

 Goodreads

Purchase:

: Amazon : B&N

Get book 1 (FREE): 

: Amazon : B&N

Expert 1:

“She’s not my daughter.” The Pillar purses his lips. He’s pissed at me. I know it. But you know what? I love the mushrooms’ effect. Because I don’t freakin’ care. “Don’t pay attention to her.”

“I’m beginning to lose my patience,” the machine gun man says. “You don’t know the password, and your daughter is a lunatic.”

“I told you she isn’t my daughter,” I hear the Pillar say while I’m trying to catch a diamond from the sky. “And I don’t know the answer to your puzzle. Divide a loaf by a knife? What kind of mathematical question is that?”

“Wrong answer.” The man is about to shoot the Pillar while I’m chasing stars.

This is when I find myself standing before the Pillar to protect him. “You will not shoot my father!” I have no idea what I am saying, or why I am saying it. It’s strange that in the middle of my hallucination I care for the Pillar.

“Tell her to move, or I will shoot you both,” the machine gun man warns.

Then another totally bonkers thing happens. This time it’s too insane to swallow.

“Tell you what? You look like you’re itching to shoot someone today,” the Pillar says, pushing me away toward the man. “Why not shoot her, and let me pass?”

Suddenly, I am two feet away from the machine gun itself, unable to determine if what I just heard was part of my hallucination or for real.

My attempt to turn back and confront the Pillar goes out the window when the machine gun man decides he’s had it with me.

He shoots me straight in the chest.

Expert 2:

"Have you ever jumped out of a plane in a parachute, down to meet up with people who’d take selfies of your blood on their faces for breakfast?

I am doing it right now. And guess what, it’s nighttime, so not only am I free-falling, but I am also doing it in the dark. That’s what I call a bonus.

Throwing away the Pillar’s goggles, I hear the plane explode in midair above me.

Oh my god, this is for real!

“I’ve always wanted to blow up my employees,” the Pillar shouts all the way down. I am not sure how I can hear him. “But you’ll be fine. Just pull the red lever when I tell you to.”

In spite of all the madness, I feel unexpectedly fine up here in the air. Fine is an understatement. I feel euphoric. I want to feel like this every day. It’s ridiculous how much I am enjoying this, although I may get face-palmed by the earth in a few seconds.

Mary Ann, also known as Alice Wonder, 19 years old, dead and gone. I imagine the scripture on my grave says. But who cares? She was mad anyways.

Suddenly I realize that the madness hasn’t started yet. Not at all.

Down below, I can see something glittering. The vast land where we’re landing is nothing but an endless field of ridiculously over-sized mushrooms.

Big mushrooms growing everywhere, whitening up the black of the night.

AUTHOR BIO: 

Insanity 4 is available for pre-order http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JAUABG

Cameron Jace is the bestselling author of the Grimm Diaries and Insanity series. A graduate of the college of Architecture, collector of out-of-print books, he is obsessed with the origins of folk tales and the mysterious storytellers who spread them. Three of his books made Amazon's Top 100 Customer Favorites in Kindle 2013 & Amazon's Top 100 kindle list. Cameron lives in California with his girlfriend. When he isn't writing or collecting books, he is playing music.

Sign up for his mailing list here: http://bit.ly/1sxp3p1

Author links:

• http://cameronjace.blogspot.ca/
• https://www.facebook.com/camjace
• https://twitter.com/cameronjace
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/995289.Cameron_Jace

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Dreamwielder by Garrett Calcaterra book blitz

Dreamwielder  

by Garrett Calcaterra  

(The Dreamwielder Chronicles, #1)  

Published by: Diversion Books
Publication date: September 29th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis: 

In a world shrouded by soot and smoke, young Makarria has literally been forbidden to dream.

Legend has foretold the demise of Emperor Thedric Guderian at the hands of a sorceress with royal blood, and the Emperor has made it his legacy to stamp out all magic from the Sargothian Empire in favor of primitive coal fired smelters and steam powered machines. When Guderian’s minions discover a Dreamwielder on a seaside farmstead, a chain of events forces Guderian’s new threat—the young Makarria—to flee from her home and embark upon an epic journey where her path intertwines with that of Princess Taera, her headstrong brother, Prince Caile, and the northman Siegbjorn, who captains a night-flying airship.

Dogging their every step is the part-wolf, part-raven sorcerer, Wulfram, and Emperor Guderian himself, a man who has the ability to stint magic and a vision to create a world where the laws of nature are beholden to men and machines. Only by learning to control the power she wields can Makarria save her newfound companions and stop the Emperor from irreversibly exterminating both the magic in humans and their bond with nature.

DREAMWIELDER will be available in eBook and print editions on SEPTEMBER 29, 2015.

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Purchase:

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Excerpt from Book 1, Dreamwielder

“Hold on, what do you mean you know what to do?” Caile started to say, but Makarria ignored him and sprinted off through the tunnel toward the city before the words were halfway out of his mouth. “Get back here!” Caile yelled, but Makarria paid him no heed.

Caile snatched up his weapons with a curse and ran off in the direction of Issborg. At the edge of the cavern city, he caught sight of Makarria nearly halfway to the other side—the only movement in the entire city. The Snjaer Firan were hidden away in their homes and had closed the shutters over every window. Only the blue daylight protruding through the glacier aboe illuminated the city. Damn it all, she’s fast, Caile swore inwardly as he chased after Makarria. When he finally caught up to her at the far end of the city he grabbed her shoulder and dragged her to a halt, heavily winded.

“Stop. Wait!”

Makarria pushed his hand aside and trotted on. “Please don’t try to stop me.”

“I’m not here to stop you. I’m here to help. Now just slow down for moment and tell me what it is you think you’re going to do that a sorceresses can’t.”

They were getting close to the chambers beyond the city now and Makarria slowed to a brisk walk. “I need to get Kadar into one of the chambers.”

“All right, that’s a start. What chambers?”

“A few hundred yards down the corridor on the right, there’s a bunch of caves with doors.”

“Does it matter which one we get him into?”

“No.”

“All right,” he said again. “And what do we do after that?”

“Then I do my work. Quiet now. We’re getting close.”

Caile bristled at being shushed. “Slow down then,” he whispered. “We don’t want to rush headlong into something.”

As if on cue, a heavy concussion echoed through the cavern.

“I’ve heard that sound before,” Caile whispered. “That’s sorcerers fighting.” He left his sword sheathed and instead strung his bow and notched an arrow, remembering what Talitha had told him about trying to kill sorcerers. Surprise them. Be unpredictable.

The sound of concussions and bellowing flames grew louder and more frequent as they continued on, and before long they could hear voices, although, they could not make out the words. Talitha’s indecipherable shouts were little more than guttural moans, while Kadar’s heavily accented words were taunting in their tone. Suddenly, dark figures appeared before them, and Caile almost let loose his arrow but luckily held it back at the last moment, realizing it was the Snjaer Firan warriors who had accompanied Talitha. There were only four of them, and they all huddled close to the wall at their right.

“We’re here to help,” Makarria whispered when one of them turned back to see her and Caile approaching. “Where’s Kadar?”

“Up there,” the man said with effort, and Makarria and Caile saw that he was badly burned on one side of his face. “Talitha is trapped on the far side, below the glacier.”

“Where’s the rest of your men?” Caile asked. “I thought there were twelve of you?”

“There were.” 

Caile pursed his lips and pushed his way forward past the four men to peer farther down the corridor. A torrent of flames spat forward in the distance, and for a brief moment Caile could make out Talitha’s form huddled behind a stalagmite twenty yards ahead and Kadar a little farther beyond her. Then the flames were gone and he saw only shadows again. Caile stepped back safely out of sight. “He’s got her cornered, and he’s too far away for me to get a clean look at him,” he whispered to Makarria. “How is it you think we’re going to get him into one of those caves?”

“I’ll get him into the open,” Makarria said. “When I yell, start shooting.”

“I don’t see how—” Caile started to say, but before he could get the rest of the sentence out Makarria strode forward into the middle of the corridor.

“Kadar!” Makarria yelled. “Kadar! It’s me, Makarria. Stop, please.”

“Makarria, no, get back,” Talitha’s voice rang out.

Makarria ignored her and walked on, fear in her belly. He won’t risk killing you—you’re too important to him, she told herself, but now that she was exposed, she wasn’t so certain.

Kadar peered out from his hiding spot and began laughing an oily, rodent-like laugh. “It is all right, Makarria. Yes, come to me. I would not hurt you.”

“Leave the woman alone,” Makarria said. “And then you can have me.” She stopped parallel to the first of the caves on the right. She saw in front of her the smoldering bodies of the slain Snjaer Firan warriors but quickly averted her eyes and kept her attention solely on Kadar.

“But I can kill her and still take you,” Kadar said.

“Not if I’m in the way, you can’t,” Makarria retorted, and she stepped forward to place herself firmly in the path between the two sorcerers. “Go,” she said, looking back toward Talitha.

“Are you mad?” Talitha hissed. “You’ll be killed.”

“Just go,” Makarria told her. “Trust me.”

In the distance, Kadar laughed again. “Go on. Let the little girl save you for now.”

“Go,” Makarria said again.

Talitha paused for a moment longer, then sprang from behind the stalagmite and scurried back into the cavern behind Makarria toward the others.

“My end of the bargain is met now,” Kadar said. “Now it is your turn. Come to me.”

“I’m right here. Come get me.”

Kadar stepped forward from his hiding spot, and when he spoke there was menace in his voice. “What is it you hope to accomplish, girl? Your dream powers are weak and unhoned still. I could burn you to ash or bring that ice crashing down upon your head before you even close your eyes, let alone dream.”

“Not if you want me to kill the Emperor, you can’t.”

Kadar smiled and his black teeth glimmered as he slowly stepped forward. “You are a clever girl. Too clever for your own good.”

He was almost upon her now. She waited one breath longer, then turned and sprinted away. “Now!” she screamed.

Caile stepped out into the corridor and loosed his arrow. It whizzed by Makarria’s ear, and Kadar leapt to the side, just narrowly dodging the projectile. He raised his hands to strike back, but Makarria had changed her course to run right for Caile, blocking Kadar’s line of sight. Caile fired another arrow over the top of Makarria, and this time Kadar had no choice but to jump for cover in the nearest of the chambers.

“He’s in!” Caile yelled, notching another arrow.

Makarria skidded to a halt and plopped down on her butt, facing back toward the chamber. “Keep him in there,” she said breathlessly and closed her eyes.

“I only have four arrows left—move fast,” Caile yelled, but Makarria was already halfway in her trance...

AUTHOR BIO: 

Garrett Calcaterra is author of the epic fantasy novel DREAMWIELDER, available from Diversion Books. In addition, he is author of the horror collection UMBRAL VISIONS, and co-author of the mosaic fantasy novel THE ROADS TO BALDAIRN MOTTE. His humor titles include CODE BROWN and A GOOD BREW IS HARD TO FIND. When not writing, Garrett enjoys hiking with his two dogs and quaffing good beer. Learn more at www.garrettcalcaterra.com

Author links:

• http://www.garrettcalcaterra.com/
• https://twitter.com/GCalcaterra
• https://www.facebook.com/writer.GarrettCalcaterra
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4423290.Garrett_Calcaterra

Inside The Dreamwielder Chronicles with Author Garrett Calcaterra

So Garrett, Makarria and Caile meet up in this first book and start to bond—how much can you divulge about Makarria and Caile’s relationship in the next book? Do they end up together?

Ha! Nice try. No spoilers here. I will say this, though. They are much closer in Book 2, and the plot is, in part, directly tied in to their budding relationship. Just remember, new relationships are always hard. Compound that with the fact that Makarria and Caile have some new, very powerful, adversaries, and you don’t exactly have a great formula for a normal relationship.

It sounds like Book 2, Souldrifter, is going to have just as much drama and action as the first book.

It’s actually even more action packed. I worked really hard to make sure Souldrifter was better than Dreamwielder in every way, so the plot is full of action and twists, there are great new characters, and Makarria and Caile continue to grow as individuals.

How many more books do you have planned for the series?
Just one more book after Souldrifter, to round it out as a trilogy. That’s the plan, at least. Who knows? I’m just now starting Book 3, so things could change.

How long did it take you to come up with the world of the Five Kingdoms? And did you draw the map in the books yourself?

That’s a good question. I’m not entirely certain how long it took me to come up with the world. All said and done, I spent a good six months outlining Dreamwielder, developing my characters, and figuring out the world—which included coming up with the history and mythology of the Five Kingdoms and, yes, drawing the map myself. I’m not a horribly good artist, but if I take my time, I can put together a decent map.

Your novella, The Knight’s Dog, has blown up on Wattpad and frequently gets compared to George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. For readers who haven’t read your work before, would you say that The Dreamwielder Chronicles fall into the same vein?

Well, I hate comparing myself to other authors, particularly authors I admire, like Martin! How about this? Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is definitely an influence of mine. It’s more apparent in The Knight’s Dog, but I imagine you can see the influence in the Dreamwielder novels, too. Since the series is aimed toward a YA audience, it doesn’t have quite as much, uh, “adult content,” but that’s not to say it’s not dark and complex.

Okay, last question. What made you decide to have a young female protagonist? And who would play Makarria in a movie?

Hey, that’s two questions! Ha! Okay, the second question first. I think Sarah Hyland would do a great job as Makarria in a movie. Or maybe Hailee Steinfeld. As for the first question, it’s pretty simple. My mom literally dreamt up Makarria! The opening scene in Dreamwielder is based on the dream she had. Once she told me about it, I saw all the potential in Makarria as a character and the world she inhabited, and I just had to write the novel.