ANNIVERSARY BLITZ - Worth the Fall by Claudia Connor

 Worth the Fall

Series: The McKinney Brothers #1
Author: Claudia Connor

Publisher: Loveswept
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 9, 2014

Blurb

They meet on a beach. . . . Abby Davis isn’t wearing a skimpy bikini or sipping umbrella drinks, not when she’s busy chasing around four little ones. And Matt McKinney isn’t looking for fun—he’s a Navy SEAL, a grown man with a long list of missions . . . and fallen brothers.

They only have a week. . . . Abby has brought her children to this beach to start over, to give them the enjoyable memories they deserve. Matt’s been sidelined by a combat injury, and haunted by the best friend he lost and the promise he made: to remain a SEAL—focused and dedicated. This leaves no time for what he’s always wanted: a family.

But a week is all it takes. . . . Matt opens her heart while Abby soothes his soul. And though they plan to say good-bye when the week is over, something magical happens on that beach, something neither can forget. Something utterly, completely worth falling for.

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NOTE FROM CLAUDIA & CHARACTER INTERVIEW

Happy first birthday to Matt and Abby!! I can't believe it's been a year since Worth The Fall left the nest of my tiny writing closet and went into the world. I can't thank you all enough for reading, for sharing, and for loving Matt, Abby, and the kids as much as I do. I hope you enjoyed catching up with them in Worth The Risk and you'll get another sweet update in JT's, book Worth It All.

Matt and Abby mean so much to me and Worth the Fall is about falling in love, making choices and taking chances. It’s also about believing you’re enough, believing you’re worthy of what’s being offered. I absolutely LOVE these characters. I spent three years with them before I ever considered writing their story, then almost three more years writing it. Any minute of any day, I can pop into their lives, be a fly on the wall. It’s like watching your favorite movie that never ends!

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Matt and ask him some fun questions. 10 questions, to be exact!

10 questions from Inside the Actor’s Studio:

"Thanks for having me." Matt sits back in the leather club chair and checks his watch. "I've got ten minutes before all hell breaks loose but we'll do what we can." *smiles*

1. What is your favorite word?

Hmm...The first word that comes to mind is glubs, Mary’s word for gloves. She’s three now and we were outside the other day and she said, “It’s cold. I weally need my glubs.” Now we all call gloves glubs. Makes me smile every time I hear it.

2. What is your least favorite word?

Vomit. Or more like the phrase, “I just threw up”. I cringe and thank God for my wife who handles things like that way better than I do.

3. What turns you on?

That’s easy. Abby. Everything about her turns me on. Dressed up and in heels, that’s killer. But a t-shirt and sweats does it for me too. Hair down, I run my fingers through it. Hair up, I kiss her neck. Hearing her laugh, seeing her smile, watching her...um...Sorry. *smiles embarrassed and runs a hand through his hair* Your fault for leading my mind there. Next question.

4. What turns you off?

Black licorice, black jelly beans. Always has. My brothers used to put all of theirs in my Easter basket. They paid dearly for that.

5. What sound do you love?

Favorite sound...I guess it'd be the combination of sounds when we're all out in the backyard and everyone's happy. Abby and I were just talking about this the other day, how much we love that sound. *wide smile* Even if it only lasts a minute without anyone needing a bandaid or fighting over a swing, it’s a beautiful sound.

6. What sound do you hate?

The alarm clock. Every damn morning. I still wake up around four, a habit from the military, but the alarm says time to get up. Time to leave Abby all warm and wrapped up beside me. Or okay...yeah. *sheepish grin* Maybe she's not always asleep.

7. What is your favorite curse word?

Fuck. It works. And when I’m alone I tend to let an entire string fly, get it all out. It’s obviously a no-go at home.

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

*thinks for a second, shakes his head slowly* Sorry. I got nothing. I honestly can't think of a single thing I’d rather be doing. Every house I flip is something new and different. Abby helps me with the details, like what tile goes with what granite, and all that. I'm home in the morning to help get the kids ready for school. I'm here at night for homework, bath, and bed, which can turn into a full scale assault. I honestly don't think my life could be any better.

9. What profession would you not like to do?

*shrugs* Anything that's not this.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

I hope he’d say, false alarm. Like, Hey, Matt. Just checking in, you can go back now. Because the thought of leaving my family is... It's just not something I ever want to think about.

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Author Bio


New York Times bestselling author Claudia Connor attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood education, and completed her studies in Sawbridgeworth, England. Always a lover of happy endings, she enjoys movies, reading, and spending her days putting on paper the stories in her head. She lives near Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters.
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Giveaway

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Authors Jacey Conrad and Gia Corona Character Interview and $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest LIVE Here!

While we absolutely adore the sexy, drool-worthy werewolf heroes in our books, what made co-writing this project so much fun were the scenes between Galina and her sister, Irina. So we sat down to talk about our process, female friendship and Gia’s attempts to make Jacey reveal embarrassing personal information on the internet.

How much of your own personalities are found in your characters? Gia: None. I am a shrinking violet who never says a raunchy word or steps foot out of line.
Jacey: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Wait, ahem, just one more.
HAHAHAHAHA!
Gia’s about as shy and retiring as a bag full of honey badgers. A lot of her take-no-prisoners, badass strength made it into Galina’s personality. And while Gia does claim that cartoon birds braid my hair every morning, I am not nearly as nice as Irina. But yes, some of my tendency to smooth feathers and natural reluctance to hurt feelings was the basis for her personality. And their snarkiness – hush, totally a word – came from both of us.
How do you feel about how the sisterly bond between Galina and Irina is portrayed? A lot of novels focus on the divides between women and set them at odds with each other. Why did you choose to have such a loving and supportive relationship front and center?
Jacey: I’m close with my younger sister and I think we’re pretty accurate in portraying that protective, supportive, “Call me at two am and tell me we gotta bury a body and I’ll be there, no questions asked” relationship. Galina and Irina faced so many obstacles, internal and external, they needed a “safe place” in each other. They formed their own pack within the Sudenko family, on their own terms. Without that core relationship, they wouldn’t have had much to fight for.
Gia: I love the dynamic of Galya and Rina. They are sisters—the only two women in a testosterone laden household (and culture). They had to stick together, but what’s even better is they really like each other. They are friends as well as sisters. I think that level of closeness really bolsters the two characters and allows them to be as strong as they are. They know they have each other’s love and acceptance and support.
The same goes for integrating Franny into the dynamic. She fits in so well with the main characters. In fact, there is very little female competition in the FROM RUSSIA books. Why did you choose to go that route and keep the conflict male driven?
Gia: I get really tired of women always being at odds in novels, especially in romance books. Women are lovely—and I have a wonderful bunch of female friends who are always deeply supportive and give me a kick in the ass when I need it. I wanted to see more of that on the page. It’s also why I think it is important that the obstacles to Galina and Andrey’s relationship are class and society based rather than it being competition with another woman. It’s nice to see the ladies sitting around talking to each other and being awesome friends and saving the relationship drama for the outsiders.
Jacey: So much of their world is male-driven. It just made more sense to anchor the story in the business problems that Galina wanted to take over, rather than having her fight for the little corner she was “allowed.”
Competent female characters often get called Mary Sues (in ways that characters like James Bond and Bruce Wayne don’t). Do you think Galina or Irina are Mary Sues? Why did you choose to write them this way?
Gia: I think calling either Galina or Irina a Mary Sue does women a disservice. I know a lot of women who have advanced degrees, own their own business, have high powered jobs, are wives with kids (and without!), know how to shoot guns, practice a martial art (or two), and strong and smart and gentle and kind. To say that a character can’t be all those things because it isn’t believable is to say a woman can’t be all those things. I don’t believe that. Women hold multitudes inside of them. I wanted to show that there are different ways to be a bad ass. Galina is one way, Irina is another.
Jacey: Well, who wants to read a book about a woman who has no life skills? Competent people are much more interesting. I think a Mary Sue is a character that has no weaknesses or flaws. They know exactly what to say or do in any given moment and never make a misstep. And our characters have flaws and missteps out the ying-yang. They tend to be a wee bit over-protective of each other. They’re make rash decisions and leap without looking on occasion. And they have sex in public places with an alarming frequency. I think we found a happy balance between flawed and functioning.
The conversations between Irina and Galina are fairly…blunt. Do you and your friends really talk to each other like that?
Jacey: Ha! The conversations between our characters could be taken word-for-word from the conversations we have with each other. We are terribly, terribly blunt with each other. I say things to Gia that I could not say to anyone else, because she knows that when I express an opinion, it’s not because I’m judging her – I honestly want to help her see something from a different perspective. And I want her to do the same for me. We need people in our lives that we can trust enough to do that. And, we’re funny as hell. There’s a weird snarky energy that builds the longer that we’re left unsupervised.
Gia: Oh my God, we are worse. So. Much. WORSE.
Jacey: It’s possible we are worse.
While writing the dialogue, do you ever feel like you should delete portions because you’ve gone too far?
Gia: I should probably have felt that way, but I have no shame and even less filter, so I’ll let Jacey answer that for me.
Jacey: There were times when I wrote a particular word or phrase and sort of recoiled back from the screen, as in, “Oh, man, am I really allowed to write that?” A lot of that comes from my genre romance background, where there are limits to which words you can use. Also, knowing that my mom may go rogue and read this.
There are lots of ways to be a strong woman. In what ways is Irina strong? What drew you to writing a character like her? Like Galina?
Gia: Irina is incredibly strong on the inside—she’s got a core of steel. It takes a lot to go through an abusive relationship and reclaim yourself when you come out the other side. And the way she handles her family and finally makes peace with everything that comes with being the “sweet human” in a family of supernatural creatures was just really awesome to see and write. Irina has quiet strength—it’s a lot less showy than Galina who is basically just a cannon blast waiting to go off in someone’s face. Which is a helluva a lot fun to write but Galya’s a lot more obvious with her “talk shit, get bit” attitude.
Jacey: Galina is strong in a lot of outward, obvious ways. She’s difficult to intimidate. She’s outspoken. She’s fiercely protective of her loved ones. She moves well in areas that are uncharted by women. And she’s a freaking werewolf, so physically, she’s scary strong. She’s so different from any other character I’ve ever written/co-written. And it was very freeing, writing some of the badassery that comes out of her mouth.
Irina is strong in a much quieter way. She’s put up with a lot of crap in the name of protecting her family. She sees the needs of her loved ones and she does whatever she can to make sure they’re met, even if it means sacrificing her own happiness. And when she finally hits her limit, she draws the line in a very definite way and goes about learning the skills she needs to protect herself and her loved ones. It was a challenge to write Irina without turning her in to a martyr. She really had to walk the edge between being a loving person and a wimp.
Irina clearly toughens up over the course of the book, do you think Galina takes on any of Irina’s personality?
Jacey: I wrote a good portion of Irina’s “toughening up” process, so I’m going to pass this one to Gia.
Gia: I don’t think Galina takes on Irina’s personality as much as she learns that it’s okay to be soft and to rely on other people a bit more, especially Andrey. I think seeing how Irina navigates the world they are in shows Galya that she can be in love and still have her independence and that softness does NOT equate to weakness.
Have you ever had sex in places/situations like the ones you put your characters in?
Jacey: I’m not answering that! My husband is a police captain in a very small town! I’m not confessing to public nudity!
Gia: The funeral home. JUST KIDDING! I do have some boundaries (very few). But yes, some of what I wrote regarding the sexual encounters did come from personal experience. My ex-husband was achef, after all, so restaurant kitchen hijinks were a thing. Also car sex (although it was not in a Maybach, more’s the pity). There may have been some other instances of public teasing on a really unhealthy level, but I’ll refrain from providing details of that.
Jacey: I KNEW some of those scenes in the FACILE restaurant series were a little too realistic! I. Knew. It.

Buy a print copy of From Russia with Claws from Amazon by clicking here.
Buy a Kindle copy of From Russia with Claws from Amazon by clicking here. – ONLY $2.99!
Books in the From Russia series in the order they should be read:
From Russia with Claws
From Russia with Fangs

About Gia Corona

Author Bio:

Gia Corona loves boots, boys, and bourbon, not necessarily in that order. When she’s not actively stalking Michael Fassbender and his abdominals, she’s watching questionable television or reading comics.

Connect with Gia

| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Books by Gia Corona |

About Jacey Conrad

Author Bio:

Jacey Conrad is a sushi-loving, pop culture nerd living in the South with her high school sweetheart. She delights in horribly made mutant shark movies and watching Sean Bean die in his various cinematic incarnations.

Connect with Jacey

| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Books by Jacey Conrad |

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide, except where noted.
Prize 1: 2 – $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
Prize 2: 2 – Print copies of From Russia with Claws (US Only)

Entry-Form

The Viper and the Urchin by Celine Jeanjean Book Blitz

The Viper and the Urchin

by Celine Jeanjean

Release Date: July 27th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:
Being Damsport's most elegant assassin is hard work. There's tailoring to consider, devilish poisons to concoct, secret identities to maintain... But most importantly, Longinus has to keep his fear of blood hidden or his reputation will be ruined. So, when a scrawny urchin girl threatens to expose his phobia unless he teaches her swordsmanship, he has no choice but to comply.

It doesn't take long for Rory to realise that her new trainer has more eccentricities than she has fleas. But she'll put up with anything, no matter how frustrating, to become a swordswoman like her childhood hero.

What she's not prepared for is a copycat assassin who seeks to replace Longinus, and who hires Rory's old partner in crime to do away with her, as well. Rory and Longinus must set their differences aside and try to work together if they're to stop the copycat. But darker forces than they realise are at play, and with time running out, the unlikely duo find themselves the last line of defence against a powerful enemy who seeks to bring Damsport to its knees.

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The Viper and the Urchin
Excerpt

Longinus sat at a corner table in the Hand and Tankard, surveying the room. He had swapped the black silks he wore as the Viper for simple leathers, the better to blend in with the crowd. He found it best to tone down his natural elegance when mixing with common folk. That said, he was unable to compromise on the cut of his clothes, and he had had his leathers tailored to within an inch of their lives. A shame that he was sitting down, really; they showed off his figure so exquisitely he should have stood at the bar, the better to be admired.

He listened to the talk around him, waiting for the gossip on the Viper’s exploits. He had spent the last few days locked away writing pamphlets about his most recent kill, and he had left them at the docks first thing that morning for a lucky few to find and read. He liked to think that his prose did more than inform the wider public of the Viper’s actions — it elevated their minds, too.

Which was why he was growing rapidly annoyed with the direction the conversations were taking: the weather, the upcoming Revels, and speculation as to whether the Old Girl, the Marchioness of Damsport, was going to pass the torch to her daughter. All of it without interest. It was incredible what mundane banalities the small-minded could find interesting.

Unfortunately, he had to rely on them to spread his reputation about town. His notoriety was improving, but it was nowhere near what it ought to be. The guards always tried to hush his activities, so he had to help things along by distributing his pamphlets. Notoriety helped him get commissions, but most importantly, one could only be an artist if one was spoken of. There was nothing worse for an assassin than obscurity.

At last, a woman he knew by sight on account of her starched white apron arrived. Mistress White Apron sat down and regarded the others around her table with the kind of smugness particular to a woman about to unveil a fresh piece of gossip.

“Have you heard the latest on the Smallport killing?”

At last! Longinus smiled. Mistress White Apron could always be counted on. Maybe he should find out where she lived and distribute his pamphlets directly to her door.

“Yeah, I hear it were that Viper character again,” said a sailor.

“Everyone knows that,” said the woman with contempt. “He leaves a card behind. But have you heard the particulars? Hmm?” She looked at the faces of her audience, so puffed up with self-satisfaction she almost seemed to be expanding. Longinus beamed. The saintly woman was about to unveil his new poison.

Mistress White Apron leaned forward. “I have it on good authority that he skinned his victim. Slipped the skin right off, like you do with a rabbit.”

Longinus almost fell off his stool. Skinned? Skinned? Had that idiot even read his pamphlet?

What is the point of me writing them if these simpletons blithely ignore them?

“Oh really? I heard it were poison,” said another woman.

“Not this time,” said Mistress White Apron. “I heard it from my cousin’s sister-in-law’s nephew. He works with the guards.” She lowered her voice. “I hear the Viper even drinks the blood of his victims, like a vampire.”

Longinus felt himself go green at the thought.

Ridiculous, this is ridiculous…

But there was nothing ridiculous about the image that was now firmly imprinted in his mind.

“You’re making it up,” said the sailor, obviously disgusted.

“I am not,” sniffed Mistress White Apron. “Just because you can’t handle —”

“If I might interrupt,” said a small pinched man at a table next to them. “I saw the body myself and…”

Longinus couldn’t listen to any more. The butchery of his art was almost as unbearable as the thought of the Viper drinking blood. He fumbled into his purse and produced two coins, which he threw on the counter before hurrying out.

The propensity of the common man’s mind to turn to the violent and bloody really was intolerable. 

An Interview with Longinus

Thank you for doing this interview Longinus! It’s a pleasure to have you here.

Well of course it is. I’d love to reciprocate, but I don’t yet know whether your questions will be any good.  Oh, haha. No pressure!

*blank face*

O-kay, let’s get right to it then. You’re afraid of blood – isn’t that a bit unusual for an assassin?

I’m not in the habit of enquiring after my colleagues’ thoughts on blood. For all I know it’s a widespread sentiment in our line of work. And I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. After all, no assassin worthy of the name would lower himself to use crude weapons like swords or knives – or in fact any other method that would result in bloodshed. They are the marks of an amateur.

There are many methods available to the elegant assassin – strangulation is adequate, as is drowning I suppose – but poison is obviously the most refined and therefore the only one worth considering.

Isn’t poison a little limited though?

Oh how little you know – the varieties of poisons are endless! You see the mark of a great assassin isn’t just in the execution of difficult jobs, but also in the variety of methods used. Poison, in its infinite variations is therefore the superior weapon.

For example, say I needed to kill someone in their sleep. Why, I have a poison for every possible sleeping position. There’s Deafly Silence – an auricular poison – that is applied with a funnel in the ear. Then Smells Like Death is an olfactory poison that can be waved under the sleeper’s nose, and –

Yes, alright. Let’s not go through every poison there is. Tell me about Rory. You two have a bit of a tricky relationship.

*Longinus sighs*

That girl will be the death of me. I have never in all my years met someone as rude and annoying. I am nothing if not a patient and generous soul –

Really?

A-hem! *Longinus glares*

Sorry.

As I was saying, I am nothing if not a patient and generous soul, but she tests even my limits. She is dirty, uneducated, crass, and worse she is grammatically incorrect. But I have to admit she has her uses, and an assassin such as myself should really have an assistant. So, I put up with her.

It’s for her good too. No doubt you’ll have noticed the effect my presence has had on her? She was a filthy street urchin when I first met her, and I’m sure you’d agree that she is now vastly improved. Almost respectable. It’s inevitable really: a man of my culture and elegance cannot help but elevate those around him.

Err, yes... I feel elevated as we speak.

You’re welcome.

Wait, why are you saying Rory’s your assistant? Isn’t she blackmailing you?

*stony face* No comment.

Okay, I guess I’ll move on. I understand you write?
Indeed I do! Mostly pamphlets detailing the exploits of the Viper – the name under which I work. I began writing them for purely practical reasons: to spread the word of my kills and build up my reputation. But, as with everything I do, I infuse them with such poetry that they are truly delightful little literary gems.

I wanted to ask –

Have you noted the expression ‘literary gems’? I don’t want to be misquoted now. Literary gem is the best way to describe my writing.

Yes, yes – I have it written just there.

Good.

I wanted to ask you about your fear of blood again. What caused that? Was it a trauma of some kind? Some difficult experience…
*Longinus looks troubled*

I don’t mean to pry, but if you could –
I have to go. I’m afraid I have a pressing appointment. *Longinus stands*

But I’m not finished!

Terrible shame, I’m sure, but I must dash. Especially if you’re resorting to this sensationalist nonsense. You could have questioned me about my poetry, you could have dug further into my skill with poison, or even asked me about my views on philosophy – and they are extensive – but no, you had to go there.

Well, I don’t know what I was expecting from someone so common. I’d ask you not to contact me again – I shan’t be giving any more interviews. Goodbye.

*Longinus leaves*

The Viper and the Urchin
Teaser 1

“Put on the gloves that I bought you,” Longinus ordered. “You should always wear  gloves when handling blades,” he added. “You will notice that despite my profession my  hands remain smooth, delicate, my fingers long and  fine, and devoid of calluses. Of  course, in your case your hands are already ruined. 

” He sighed. “We shall have to make  do with what we have. An assassin’s hands are just  as important as his clothing, you  know. Both are the sign of a consummate professional. There is no greater insult than  killing someone whilst inappropriately attired, and that extends to the state of one’s  hands. You see, while these little people are beneath us, we can still grant them the small
respect of being impeccably groomed as we witness their final moments.”

About the Author 

Celine Jeanjean is French, grew up in the UK and now lives in Hong Kong. That makes her a tad confused about where she is from. During her time in Asia she’s watched the sun rise over Angkor Wat, lost her shoes in Vietnam, and fallen off a bamboo raft in China. Celine writes stories that feature quirky characters and misfits, and her books are a mixture of steampunk, fantasy and humour.

Author Links:

   

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"Millennium" by Alex Steinberg (Virtual Tour)

Millennium  

By Alex Steinberg

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Length: 342 pages
Release Date: August 30, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1514285183
IMPRINT: Devil’s Tower

SYNOPSIS: 

After fighting off a rebellion that tried to take hold of humanity, Lieutenant Commander Keane Blaze is on the last ship evacuation the planet Ordem. Nobody seems to have any idea why they are leaving, until the USS Cloudshifter is shot down in mid-orbit. The only survivor: Keane. After being stuck in cryo-sleep for 1,000 years, he finally awakens to find that the galaxy has progressed without him; and into total war.

Getting back with humanity, Keane joins the battle with a handful of new allies, new tech, and one mysterious assassin from his past. In their way stands an alien race seeking the annihilation of Humanity and its allies. The stakes are high, and the risks even higher. For Keane, its a dream come true.

Available Here

 

Character Interview

[After-action report, Eskrate Military command. WARNING: May contain Spoilers]

[Interviewing Commander Keane Blaze]

Q: Commander Keane, what was it like waking up after being in cryo-sleep for 1000 years?

A: Well, I definitely felt well rested. I'll admit, it was a huge shock at first when my AI told me I had been in cryo-sleep for 1000 years. Everyone I knew and loved had passed away. But I had to keep moving on... I knew I couldn't stay there and cry myself into oblivion. That, and I was hungry.

Q: Your crew of soldiers is definitely a strange mix. What is it like working with them?

A: It's amazing having all of these different personalities come together in a way that can blow things up. Lynxie... well, for one, I thought she was dead. She's the most loyal person I know, and I can count on her for anything. Rippa is amazing, as long as you have some cover when he finds a rocket launcher. Trust me, you do NOT want to be close to him at that time. Imagine a tank on a sugar high, and that’s pretty much him. Prometheus, my big robot buddy, has a personality of his own. Usually, that personality involves his giant gun. My crew has assassins, soldiers, leaders, and followers. Yeah, we're a diverse group, but you'd better believe that we'll get the job done.

Q: Last question: How do you feel now after crashing your ship into the enemies and falling from great heights?

A: Honestly, kinda hungry. I could go for a burger. Also, my back is sore and I have a little limp when I walk. But, like I said, mostly hungry. Can I go now? Lynxie, Rippa and I are heading to 'The Bar.” Hey, why don't you join us?

[End of Interview.]

Song List

Switchfoot

Two Steps From Hell

Faunts

Imagine Dragons

Aviators

Martin O'Donnell

Ayumi Hamasaki

MonsterCat

Newsboys

Relient K

AUTHOR INFORMATION & LINKS

Alex Steinberg is a young author from Indiana, USA who spends his days trying to survive the horror of school (which isn't that bad, in all reality.) He loves writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy (and eating food, of course), and buries himself in stories of honor and combat. He hopes to go to college for Journalism. That's pretty much it.

*Amazon *  Smashwords * Twitter*

Guest Post

Millennium was an idea I came up with while mowing my front lawn on a hot summer day. I was around 12 years old at the time and had been writing a story featuring Jason Blaze and Suki Mokine as the main characters, who were some of the first people to leave Earth. This story was short, simple, and, quite honestly, bland. I loathed it. While riding on the mower I thought to myself, how can I make this story better? The answer was obvious: Start a new story. Thus, Keane Blaze, son of Jason and Suki Blaze, became the main character, and everything I had written before gave me the groundwork and a history for the galaxy of Millennium.

I expected it to be easy to write this story. I took the time and laid out the characters I wanted in it, as well as the plot points. I worked on it for hours at a time, but something didn't feel right. The plot just seemed to be lacking something. After a week of having writer's block, an idea formed. I feverishly started to write, adding in my newest character, Lynxie Puma. With her came a multitude of possibilities that I had never even imagined before. The Eskrate was born, as well as the details of the Actuell Race. Before Lynxie, there were no Cajin or Specter races. I attribute most of the book's plot to her addition.

With the plot formed, my only problem was actually writing the story. I wrote at home, at school, on the bus, and once even when my family took a vacation to Florida. I have fond memories of many teachers confiscating my writing journals because I was writing during class. I would stay up until midnight for days on end, writing, erasing, and tearing pages out of the journals in disgust. Every time I added a new page number to the top of the journal, I felt exhilaration.

Finally, in the month of February two years later, I wrote the final word, added a period, and closed the book. At that moment, my younger brother had a friend over and my mother was on the phone. Nevertheless, I bugged them both, my excitement on finishing Millennium uncontainable. I had never thought I would actually finish it! I was proud and I wanted to publish it.

I sent Millennium to Prometheus Publishing first, and after around six months of nervously waiting received an email that told me they were not interested in my novel. I was heartbroken, but I would not give up. I contacted Ace Books, Disney Books, and any other publisher accepting unsolicited materials. Some of their responses were swift. Some never responded. Either way, every answer was the same: Nobody wanted my book. I felt defeated and gave up.

Early in my junior year of high school, in 2014, was when I started to dream again of having the book published. I started anew the search for a publishing company. After a long journey, I contacted Ravenswood Publishing, sent them my novel, and waited. After a week or two, I received an email... they wanted my novel! I was overjoyed and wasted no time telling my family. Millennium underwent the editing process, ultimately provided by my own mother, and after many attempts at cover art, I hired WillowRaven studios to design the cover for the book. Everything was looking amazing, and I was, and still am, eternally grateful for Ravenswood's acceptance of my novel.

***

While I was writing Millennium, I knew one thing for certain: I wanted my characters to be different. I was tired of antiheroes, or just regular heroes who all acted the same. I wanted Keane to be honorable, and I wanted Lynxie to be conflicted. Neither one of them have any powers or abilities that make them special. Both of them have undergone intense training and use this to fight their enemies.

My main character, Keane Blaze, was not a challenge to develop at all. His parents are famous war heroes, and he is constantly judged by this, but he doesn't let it bring him down. He can be serious and tactful, but also humorous, and is often trying to make bad jokes to lighten the atmosphere, whether it be in battle or with friends. Keane understands how one little thing like a joke can affect the mood of the soldiers below him and boost their morale. Off the battlefield, I tried to give him a kind personality, seeing the good in people and being quick to trust and give second chances. He doesn't judge people by their occupation or past, which is a key when he is looking for allies. Trust, however, is his flaw, and can be used against him.

Keane is a fairly simple character who knows what he has to do and has no problem doing it. He doesn't have much to hide and has no problem talking to others. Lynxie, however, is much different. Having been kidnapped and tested on from a young age, she is very slow to trust and harbors a lot of anger towards others. She views herself as a monster for what others have done to her and for what she has done to others. Innocent blood stains her past, and these thoughts often haunt her at night. Lynxie is also conflicted, having fought on the wrong side in her past. She still views herself as evil, hated pretty much everything until Keane came along. With his help, Lynxie is able to see past her mistakes and start to see what she can become, realizing that she does not have to be a slave to her past. Vicious, yet loyal, she now defends those she cares for with her life, regardless of all her doubts.

Another one of my favorite characters, Rippa, is based on my younger brother Christopher-Ryan. Rippa is a Specter alien, which means he's, big, strong, and looks pretty scary. Regardless of his appearance, Rippa is never serious. Always making jokes and laughing, he is usually the life of the party, or battle for that matter. He has an intense love of heavy explosives and tacos, in that particular order. Rippa is the leader of his race, which leads me to consider having the rest of the Specter race carry some of his particular character traits in the sequels. An army of aliens telling bad jokes...what could be more terrible, or amusing, than that?

These characters will continue to evolve in the sequels to Millennium, but their core personalities will stay the same. And Rippa will ALWAYS love tacos.

CARRIE F. SHEPHERD "THE SCRIBING OF ISHITAR (SAGA)"

Title: Fall From Grace: The Scribing of Ishitar (Volume 1)  

Author: Carrie F. Shepherd

Genre: LGBT Fantasy
Length: 490 pages
Release Date: May, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0692023419

SYNOPSIS: 

Ishitar is born on the cusp of a great war between the two ruling Gods of the Heavens and Hells Realms. With his father in control of a repressive society and his mother fighting for free will for all, he believes the game that they play to be just that: a game. Little does he know that the players that he sees are not necessarily the ones who will influence the outcome.

Currently Available at:

Scratching the Surface...

1. What is your name?

I am Azrael. Though, quite possibly, you know me best as the Archangel of Death.

2. Why were you given that name?

My father has a very literal sense of imagination when it comes to the naming of his children. When roughly translated from the ancient texts Azra means “transition” and El “the hand of God”.

3. Is there a nickname you’re known by? Do you prefer it?

I have been called many things as the shadows pass me by; not all of them pleasant. Though I do have one that I prefer that has lately been given to me. I am known by the demon, Zamyael, as Mectador. She tells me that the term translates into the common tongue as gentle stranger.

4. What is your birth date and current age?

We do not have any concept of time where I come from so I can tell you neither. I am not as old as the first inhabited world but came to being well before the second was created.

5. What is your hair color and style, eye color, and skin tone?

I am brown skinned with black hair. It grows just past my shoulders in an equal length and tends to curl slightly. My true eyes are pools of blood which, when you look into them, pulse and churn.

6. Do you have any scars, tattoos, or piercings? What do they mean to you?

I have many scars, which are meant to serve as a reminder that I am to obey the rules and order of my people. As for tattoos, I have only one. But it is really a brand rather than a tattoo. It is Noliminan’s mark. It signifies his ownership over me.

7. Who are your parents?

My father is Lucias, who is now in exile but who once ruled the Thirty Realms of the Hells. My mother is Raziel. She once served my father but, for now, sits the throne in Lucias’ stead.

8. Do you have any siblings? If so, what are their names and ages?

Far too many to count. But if we are speaking true blooded siblings, meaning bred from the same parents, I have eleven[WU1] . They are Raphael, Michael, Metatron, Gabriel, Barkiel, Zadkiel, Camael, Haniel, Cassiel, Uriel and Mihr. Each serve Noliminan in one capacity or another.

9. Where did you grow up? How do you feel about it now?

I was raised primarily by my elder brother, Raphael. He was already in service to Noliminan, but not yet in the personal capacity that he serves our Lord now. We lived in the cottage that was, subsequently, left to me when Raphael was called to service. It is located within the Thirty Realms of the Heavens, but not in the castle proper. As for how I feel about the cottage now, I’m ambivalent. It was once the one place I could go where no one else would be and was, as a result, a place where I could find a small measure of sanity. Now it seems terribly lonely when I visit there.

10. Where do you currently live (town, neighborhood, locale)? Do you like it?

At the end of the First Rebellion, I moved to the cottage with Zadkiel, Zamyael and Ishitar. I remain there to this day and consider it to be the closest thing to a home that I shall ever know.

11. What sort of a home is it (castle, apartment, cardboard box)?

A small, three bedroom cottage. It is cozy and very much filled with love.

12. With whom do you live? How do you feel about that person / people?

Currently, my brother Zadkiel.

13. Do you have any pets?

Does Zadkiel count? His ego can sometimes take a lot of stroking to bolster his confidence.

Seriously, however, no. Neither of us have the time or patience for pets.

14. What is your current job title / social station / rank?

I am the Archangel of Death. I am charged with watching every soul throughout creation and passing judgment on them as they leave their mortal world. I am one of the twelve servants who serve Noliminan, the King of Lords and the Master of all Gods. My rank is higher than the other angels who serve within the Heavens, but lowlier than any of the Gods who serve beneath Noliminan.

15. How do you feel about this role?

My feelings with regard to my role are inconsequential. I am a servant and will perform whatever tasks my Master requires of me.

16. What is your ultimate professional or life goal?

Professionally speaking, I have no further goals. As I have stated before, I was created to live in service and shall do as I am commanded.

17. Who is your biggest rival / enemy? Describe them briefly.

Noliminan. He is an extremely powerful God with a very short temper and a rather cruel sense of humor. Although I love him, I also loathe him.

18. What is your greatest talent?

I play the harp. Rather well, actually.

19. How would you spend an unexpected day off?

A day off, unexpected or otherwise, would be an incredible gift for me. However, if I were granted an unexpected day off I would spend it in the quiet sanctuary of my home. Most likely I would spend the day sleeping. I haven’t slept since I was a very small child.

Going a bit deeper...

20. Is your family currently close? Are they a source of support or stress?

My siblings and I are extremely close. We rely upon one another to survive Noliminan’s unexpected storms. For the most part they are a source of support. Although, at times, my brothers, Michael and Metatron, are a grave source of stress. I understand they have no option but to follow Noliminan’s orders blindly, yet it is sometimes intolerable to listen to the internal struggles of their thoughts paired to the acts of violence that they must sometimes commit.

21. Have you ever been abused? If so, how? How do you feel about it now?

Yes. I have. Violently and often. As for how I feel about it, I have become numb to the situation. It is the only manner in which to survive a situation you cannot escape.

22. What is your relationship status at the start of the story?

As I am an angel and Zamyael is a demon, we are forbidden any type of relationship by the law of the Gods. Therefore my love for her was guarded.

23. Describe your past relationships. How many? Who? Why did they end?

I have only been in one romantic relationship. I would prefer not to discuss it.

24. What is your worst habit / vice?

I find great humor in playing games with those who I watch. Moving things around their home and making them wonder how their keys, say, were moved from the peg by the door into their freezer.

25. How do you feel, generally, about the opposite sex?

Generally, I do not notice either sex, male or female. I no longer afford myself the luxury of falling too deeply into attraction or love with another being as I understand how people feel about me and know, for the most part, that such will never be returned or, if it is, last.

26. How do you feel about romance at the start of the story?

I very deeply want to fall in love at the beginning of the story. However, my fascination with Zamyael is forbidden by the laws of the Gods. Therefore, I’m very leery of it.

27. How do you feel about children? Do you have / want to have your own?

I adore children. I have none of my own, though I’ve watched and nurtured many from a distance. I was heavily involved in the raising of Ishitar and, when he is in need of guidance, feel extremely fatherly toward him.

At your core...

28. What crisis are you facing at the start of the story?

At the beginning of the story I am forced to make a decision with regard to sharing the events of the rebellion with my mother. When I speak of what I know that is not common knowledge, there are always consequences. Be they wrought by Noliminan or the magic that I wield. I must decide if the punishment I will receive for telling my tale will be less consequential than the danger that Ishitar is in if he remains the subject of his father’s fascinations.

29. What makes this crisis such a challenge for you in particular?

Although I love Ishitar, I am frightened of what will happen to me. Also, I truly do not like to gossip. If I know something about someone, I fail to see how it is my place to share that information with others.

30. How would you define ‘power’?

Power, to me, is the ability to control a person or people. Noliminan, in my opinion, has the ultimate power in this regard. Even the votes at the Council are dictated by him, despite the fact that he does insist that any true law be based on the majority vote. The Gods understand that if they do not vote in his favor there will be unwanted consequences.

31. What would you never do, no matter the price?

My task is to lead a mortal soul to where it belongs when it passes into my world. I would never, under any circumstances, damn an innocent soul. Likewise, if I believe that the individual lived in a matter that requires damnation, I would never allow them the reprieve of being risen to the next level of their journey, be that reincarnation or into the service of the Gods.

32. What belief / person / institution would you die to defend?

My siblings. Most definitely. And, in fact, I was given the curse of my magic for doing just that. One of them was put between Lucias and Noliminan, each giving him a contradicting order, and he was left to decide which he would obey. When I attempted to discuss the matter with Noliminan he became infuriated and passed his own power of ubiquity to me..

33. Who has hurt you the worst in your life, and how?

Ishitar. The how will play itself out in the pages of these tomes.

34. Have you forgiven them? Could you ever?

Not as of yet. If I ever shall remains to be seen.

35. Who have you hurt the worst?

Ishitar.

36. Have they forgiven you? Could they ever?

I believe that he has. His mind is one of the few I am blocked from, however, so I cannot be certain.

37. What was your first impression of the hero(ine)?

It is truly debatable who the hero or heroine is during any of my tale. This is one of those things that waxes and wanes with time.

However, during the events that take place during the first revolution, which is recalled in Fall From Grace, it appears to be Lucias. Yet, in hindsight, I wonder if that is truly the case. If it were Lucias, I’d have to say terrified. Lucias is my father, but not an easy individual to know or love. Lucias has motivations which sometimes puzzle me. I suppose my first impression, given I was a small child when I met him, was fear of rejection and of his sometimes hard ways.

As for Ashes to Ashes, there is no clear hero there, either. If I had to choose, I’d say it was Aiken Darklief simply because he was the only God who actually took an interest in the war playing itself out on the mortal world of Anticata. He’s far younger than I am; I’ve watched him since he was born. My first impression was that he wouldn’t amount to much.

38. How accurate was this first impression?

I am still wary of Lucias. As for Aiken, he has definitely surprised me through the years.

39. What revelation surprised you most about him/her?

There are far too many surprises where Lucias is concerned to even begin to pick one. As for Aiken Darklief, as I said, I expected nothing to come of him. I knew he was Lucias’ son, and therefore powerful. But he is a fairy and—to be blunt—born of an extremely flighty race.

40. What was the most defining moment of your life at the start of the story?

Making the decision to speak of the rebellion with my mother, Raziel. I knew that there would be heavy consequences, but I also knew that I had no choice at the time.

41. Why should the reader care about your story?

My story allows the reader a glimpse into a world where loyalty is fierce and often time tested. The emotions that we feel for one another, be it love or loathing, run deep and our actions are borne from our heart. The story I share will, hopefully, allow the reader to see the cost of pushing such loyalty to the limits. Every soul has its breaking point, after all.

---

Title: Ashes to Ashes: The Scribing of Ishitar (Volume 1)

Author: Carrie F. Shepherd
Genre: LGBT Fantasy
Length: 400 pages
Release Date: June, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0692023402

SYNOPSIS:

Exiled from the Sixty Realms at the end of the Second Revolution, Iykva, one of the demons sent to propagate a new mortal race, longs for equality between his people and those of the exiled angels. Believing the key to this equality lies within the blood of his enemy, he strikes war on the first born of the race of the elves. Caught up in his parents' game to claim the ultimate power, Ishitar dismisses this mortal war as unimportant to his strategy of placing his own pawn upon his father's throne. Will the cost that he eventually pays for his ignorance be worth what little advantage he has gained on the kings' board?

Currently Available at:

Scratching the Surface...

1. What is your name?

Apprentice Lord Loki. I don’t have a surname. Or if I do, I never learned it. Anyway, it really doesn’t matter if I do. I shall always think of myself as born of the line of Dilthrop.

2. Why were you given that name?

Now that’s a damn good question. I never knew either of my parents and my adoptive father hadn’t the barest clue.

3. Is there a nickname you’re known by? Do you prefer it?

Oh yes. Each one of my geese have given me a special name known only to her. Whichever I’m with, I prefer her name for me in that moment.

4. What is your birth date and current age?

Too many suns have crossed the arc of the sky for me to count.

5. What is your hair color and style, eye color, and skin tone?

Dark brown hair, purple eyes, bronze skin.

6. Do you have any scars, tattoos, or piercings? What do they mean to you?

Only the scratches the goose I spent last night with raked across my back.

7. Speaking of, you do seem to have a knack with the ladies. Aside your nymph blood, what do you think draws them to you?

I’m not really sure how to answer that question. Every woman that comes to me does so for a different reason. A husband that ignores her. A boost from low self-esteem. Loneliness. But let us not forget how irresistibly charming I am. To be honest, I truly don’t pay too much stock in their reasoning. If I can make them forget their troubles, even for a short time, it isn’t very much my business what brought them to my bed.

8. Do you love any of them? Or are you just with them for the sex?

I love each and every one of them. In varying degrees and for different reasons, but yes. I do love them.

9. Aside from the obvious answer, are there any that you’ve actually fallen “in love” with?

Theasis. She was my first lover and I fell hard for her. I knew we’d never fit together romantically—not for very long, by any oar’s row. But yes, if I had to say I ever fell in love with someone I classify as my goose, it is most definitely is Thea. Other than that? No.

10. How do you feel about your appearance? Favorite / most hated features?

LOL! What do you think?! My favorite feature is my goatee. Although I was born a nymph, I was raised by centaurs. I had to earn the right to wear my goatee by completing all of the trials and tests that every colt in my herd must pass before he’s considered a stallion.

11. Who are your parents?

My biological mother was a nymph; my biological father was a merman. As I said, I’ve never met either of them. There have been suggestions that Lord Merrick—the God who governs the merfolk—was my father, but no one has come right out and admitted it to me. I tend to believe that’s the case, however, because, otherwise, I wouldn’t have become a God, myself, when my mortal veil was lifted. As to who my “parent” was, that was Chiron Dilthrop, the stallion who took me in when my mother abandoned me.

11. Do you have any siblings? If so, what are their names and ages?

I have no idea. My biological mother is, after all, a nymph.

12. Your boldness ends up getting you hurt. Will you share a situation where you think you should have held your tongue but did not?

Where do I start? Honestly, the times I wish I would have held my tongue resulted in other people getting hurt. Not me. Sure, I’ve had my fair share of punishments from Noliminan, but I brought them upon myself. And it isn’t really anything I said that I regret the most, but my actions. To be frank, the one time I wish I would have held back from giving into my true nature was when Raguel came to me seeking comfort. In the end, it was the fact that I took her into my bed that brought about her death.

13. When you found out that she was gone, did you know that it was her admittance that you and she had been together that caused her death?

I had no idea. Like everyone else, I thought she was a casualty of the rebellion. As time has passed . . . Well. Let’s move on, shall we? 

14. Of course. Where do you currently live (town, neighborhood, or locale)? Do you like it?

After Lucias was exiled I was left to govern the punishments over the damned. Thus, I still live in the apartment where my apprenticeship took place. It’s located on the thirteenth level of the Hells. Do I like it? Of course. It’s been home to me for far too many years for me to count. I have memories there—good and bad—that haunt me in every corner of every room. Would I like to return to the carefree days of my youth, when I lived in the forest with my herd? Most definitely. Given that isn’t an option, however, I’m content to stay where I am. For now.

15. Do you have any pets?

Do the damned souls in the basement count?

16. If you want them to. What, exactly is your current role where they are concerned? Are you still considered an apprentice? Or did your status change when Lucias was exiled?

My title hasn’t changed. Probably never will. Noliminan thinks that by calling me an apprentice he’s keeping me in my place. As for my role, when Lucias was exiled I took over punishing the souls that Azrael deposits into the basement.

17. How do you feel about this role?

I don’t have the stomach Lucias had for it, but after all of these years I also realize that if they are there it isn’t due to petty sins. Since the concept of reincarnation came into play, Azrael only delivers those souls whose acts are truly unredeemable into my care. After reading the list of sins committed that he leaves for me on their cages after they are delivered, I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that there’s nothing I can do to them that they don’t, rightfully, deserve.

18. Do you have any hobbies? Why are they important to you?

My herd has a unique version of polo that they play. Of course, being I’m a two leg, I always lost and, as a result, was the last colt picked for either team. But I loved playing it with them. It was one of the ways that they integrated me into the herd when they, very easily, could have rejected me. I visit the herd from time to time to join the stallions at this type of play. Of course, I’m still the last picked by either team.

19. Whom would you contact first to share good news?  

Funnily enough it isn’t either Lucias or Aiken. It’s Samyael. I will never be Lucias’ equal and Aiken and I, although he is my best friend, have a rather guarded relationship because of his feelings for me. I’m simply not comfortable with the type of comfort he can provide. Sam and I have become extremely close with one another over the years and I have learned that I can tell him anything and he will neither judge nor betray me. Frankly, at this point, I consider him as one of my sons.

20. What is your worst habit / vice?

Curiosity. Definitely, it’s curiosity. What, exactly, is the information buried within the forbidden tomes and how do I break their code?

21. Do you believe you’ll ever crack that code?

I’ll certainly go to whatever fate befalls me trying.

22. I know how valuable your time is, but I have one last question before I let you go. What, exactly, do Ishitar’s pies taste like?

Like nothing I can describe. Tastier than the freshly washed flesh of a woman’s neck.               

AUTHOR INFORMATION & LINKS

Carrie F. Shepherd grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. Raised outside of the predominating religion, she sought answers of her own. Fascinated by the mythology of the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, she delved into the old stories and meshed them with the new to create a fascinating world of good versus evil.

When not immersed in the world of the Gods, Carrie's full time job is in Regulatory Compliance. During her time off she enjoys hiking on cooler days or, when the weather permits, hanging out with friends and family by the pool.

Carrie now lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado with her fourteen year old daughter, her dogs (Commander Jon Snow and Sir Buns McGee of Bratwurst) and her cat (Blizzardfur).

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