Entangled Ever After Tour - Hot Reads & Giveaways!

Check out these fantastic titles from Entangled Publishing's Ever After imprint and enter to win some amazing prizes in their tour-wide giveaway! Which haunting reads are you most looking forward to this fall?

Haunted Chemistry

Lindsey Loucks

ISBN: 9781622662982

Book Description:

When bookish college co-ed Alexis heads to the laundry room in her new apartment, she runs into Ian Reese, the chem lab partner she crushed on all last semester. And the guy who stood her up on their first date. But she’s down for an awkward reunion, and no better place than her creepy laundry room.

Ian has every intention of making amends, but just when Alexis begins to trust him again, a new threat calls more than their future together into question. A ghost from the apartment’s past is hellbent on revenge, and if he wants to get his girl, he’ll have to get the ghost first.

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Mercy

Jan Doffey

ISBN: 9781622663347

Book Description:

Julia Klein’s life has begun to unravel—her daughter Amy has been suspended from school, Julia is about to lose her job, and her boyfriend Garrett is being transferred thousands of miles away.

Overwhelmed, she and Amy leave for a weekend at a rambling old colonial inn. Julia never suspects that Garrett, desperate to find a way to keep Julia in his life, has decided to surprise her by joining them. Nor does she expect her daughter to befriend a mischievous ghost...or that she herself would be possessed by the malevolent spirit of a long-dead mother.

As a dark secret emerges, Julia, Amy, and Garrett find themselves pitted in a fight for survival against a savage presence that intends to resurrect/repeat/relive a horrible crime committed two centuries ago.  And this time, Amy and Julia will be the victims.

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Northern Light

E.J. Russell

ISBN: 9781622662845

Genre: M/M Romance

Book Description:

Nothing gives art fraud investigator Luke Morganstern a bigger rush than busting forgers, the low-life criminals who dare victimize true artists. But when his latest job sends him to a remote cabin in the Oregon Coast Range, he’s stunned to discover the alleged forger is his former lover, Stefan Cobbe, the most gifted painter Luke has ever known.

Stefan, left homeless and destitute after the death of his wealthy partner, doesn’t exactly deny the forgery -- he claims he doesn’t remember, an excuse Luke can’t accept.

But Luke’s elderly client suggests Stefan may be telling the truth and presents another possibility – a dark presence in the woods, a supernatural fury simmering for decades. Luke must face down his fear of the uncanny – and admit his feelings for Stefan – if either of them is to survive.

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Ruby Hill

Sarah Ballance

ISBN: 9781622662258

Book Description:

From her earliest memories, Ashley Pearce has been drawn to Ruby Hill Lunatic Asylum, and she's not the only one. Decades after the abandoned hospital ended its institutional reign of torture and neglect, something lurks in the shadows. Since she’s a paranormal investigator, it's Ashley's job to find out what.

Crime scene expert Corbin Malone doesn't believe in ghosts. A born skeptic, he has no interest in entertaining the hype surrounding the mysterious deaths at Ruby Hill, but he won't turn his back while more women die. He agrees to an overnight investigation, never expecting his first encounter would be with the woman he pushed away a year ago. But when he discovers Ashley is a target, he learns his greatest fear isn't living with his own demons, but losing her for good.

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Wish Upon a Star

Michelle McLean

ISBN: 9781622663323

Book Description:

Ceri McKinley never stopped wishing that her ex-fiancé Jason Crickett would come back into her life. But when he finally does, he comes with a request that puts them both—and all of humanity—into jeopardy.

Jason only wants two things: to bury his brother properly and to convince Ceri to trust him again after he jilted her. But when Ceri agrees to help him get his brother back, they end up fighting for their lives as a zombie uprising threatens them all.

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One Thousand and One Nights

Ruth Browne

ISBN: 9781622663316

Book Description:

Sheri spends her days fighting zombies and her nights chained to a wall, earning her every breath by telling stories to her captor Aleksy—stories that make them both forget the ruined world. Sheri could put up with the conditions—at least she knows her sister is safe in the community Aleksy leads—until she realizes she’s falling for him...even though he wants her dead.

When Aleksy allowed Sheri and her sister into his compound, he didn’t know about the zombie bite on her back. It's only a matter of time before she turns into one of the rising dead and threatens their existence, but Aleksy has a secret need for Sheri and her stories. For everyone’s safety, he chains her to his bedroom wall, hoping for just one more day. But how long will the community allow Aleksy to ignore his own rule: always kill the infected. Always.

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Demon Chained by Erica Hayes

Demon Chained - The Shadowfae Chronicles

Book Five

By Erica Hayes




A powerful djinni, enslaved to her lamp. An undead thief, bound to a cruel demon's whim. A passion that will outlast death itself... 

A dark, delicious urban fantasy romance from the author of Shadowfae.

Jewel is a djinni of the lamp, an enchanted slave, bound to her owner by dark magical cravings she can't resist. She burns for freedom, and when her lamp is stolen—by Tam, a hot and dirty bad-boy thief—she vows to be rid of her new master at any cost. Even as she plots Tam's demise, the lamp's dark fascination makes her long to claim him as her own.

But the last thing Tam wants is a spellbound djinni who can't say 'no'. Cursed by a demon to suffer living death, he's tormented by undead longing for pain, pleasure, any sensation he can get. To have this exquisite, besotted Jewel at his bidding is pure torture... because Tam refuses to succumb to her magical allure.

Not when he knows she can't truly be attracted to an ever-dying freak. And not when he’s already on a mission from his cruel demon master: capture and deliver one djinni...

Warning: this novel contains a feisty magical heroine, a besotted fairy best friend and the hottest wise-ass dead-guy hero in town.

Genre: paranormal romance, urban fantasy romance
ISBN: 9780992277505
Word Count: 83,000
Cover Artist: Ravven

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About the Author:    

Erica Hayes was a law student, an air force officer, an editorial assistant and a musician, before finally landing her dream job: fantasy and romance writer.

She writes dark paranormal and urban fantasy romance, and her books feature tough, smart heroines and colourful heroes with dark secrets.

She hails from Australia, where she drifts from city to city, leaving a trail of chaos behind her. Currently, she's terrorizing the wilds of Northumberland.

Website: www.ericahayes.net
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ericahayes

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ericahayes.author

Let's take a peek at the first chapter.

Demon Chained

Chapter One 

The worst thing about being dead? Low blood pressure. Getting a hard-on is just about impossible.

But I've sure as hell got one now. Squeezing a smug murdering asshole's throat between my thighs does it for me every time. I jam my pistol harder into his forehead, banging his blond head into the metal floor, and I can't deny that adds a certain something, too.

Spit leaks in my mouth, thick and tasty, and I savor it. He can't move his arms, and his cool sweat soaks into my jeans. Bitch of a chafe there tonight. I remember to breathe, and the warm nightclub air tastes good, gritty with smoke and fear. "Tell me what you did wrong, bug guts."

My friend Gavain giggles. He's still lounging in the corner, shirt off, dark hair in tangles, blood-tinged fae sweat glistening on muscles stretched tight like wire. Gavain thinks all kinds of weird shit is funny. That's why he helped me lure this dog to his death. But I don't want to think about Gavain right now. I'm having too much fun.

The gangster grits broken teeth, his hair plastering in splashes of his own blood. "Don't know what you're on about."

Bzzt! Wrong answer. First rule of dealing with a reanimated psycho bent on revenge: tell him what he wants to hear.

I squeeze tighter, lean closer. My oily breath wets his face. "You killed me, motherfucker. You blew my goddamn brains out in front of my little girl. I'm still picking out bone splinters. Ringing any bells?"

Vertebrae pop as I twist my neck to show him the hole, black and sticky with rot beneath my long hair. I was going for a haircut that day, too, before the ambush. If they'd waited half an hour, kids would be running from me in the street. As it is, I can pass for living, just, so long as no one gets too close.

He chokes, either the smell or the pressure, and struggles, bare skin sticking on the metal floor. But he can't shift me. Not with the added weight of anticipation. I've waited a long time for this.

"Jesus, Tam, Joey pulled the goddamn trigger, you know that, I never knew he was gonna—"

"Do I look like I give a shit?" My finger jerks tighter on the trigger, and my teeth clamp together, gums crunching. Joey DiLuca's already top of my face-down-in-a-garbage-skip list. This asshole was just easier to catch. Fury dizzies me, and now my dick's so hard, it hurts. "Blood on my little girl's dress. Bits of my brains in her hair, you shit-eating little worm."

I'm trying to be cool and bad-ass, but my vision smears, black blood staining my tears.

Dying's nothing like they say. I remember everything, and I didn't see white light, or my grandmother strumming a harp, or any shit like that. Everything just stops, like you've pulled the plug on a movie projector. Hell's nothing like people say, either, except for one thing: it's full of snot-faced bureaucrats. Deals with demons take time, and I slammed back into my body too late. My daughter's corpse, flowering scarlet in her dead mother's arms, her murderers long gone. I hadn't spoken to my ex for eighteen months, and I wasn't allowed to see Katie, but it didn't mean she wasn't my sunshine.

My enemies kidnapped her to get to me, and when they had me, they killed her anyway, just for spite. She died because I was too slow. I can't bring her back. But I'll make this slick pretty-boy gangbanger regret ever laying his sleazy hands on her.

His chest heaves under my ass as he struggles to breathe. "Jesus, don't shoot. Crazy motherfucker, get off me—"

"Shut the fuck up." I drag his head back, and my fingers smear his hair. His wet blue eyes lock with mine. He sees his death, and pisses himself. I breathe again, and the warm salt tweaks my sluggish sense of smell. Jesus. The stink feels so good, a shudder rips through me, my balls tight and burning. Sensation plays hard to get when you're dead. If I come when I shoot him, I'm not responsible.

Mouth or jugular? I tap my pistol against his teeth, but he squirms and squeezes his lips shut. I trace the barrel down to his throat, where his pulse flutters, and shove it in tight. "See you in hell."

And that's when she walks in, and everything turns to shit.

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Spotlight & Giveaway: Heavy Metal by Natalie J. Damschroder

Heavy Metal

Goddesses Rising

Book Two

Natalie J. Damschroder

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
ISBN: 978-1622668908
ASIN: B00BFQANU0
Number of pages: 341
Word Count: 98,000
Cover Artist: Liz Pelletier

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Book Description:

The world is not what Riley Kordek imagined. On the run from those who’ve targeted her, all Riley wants is a chance to figure out her new ability to bend metal’s energy. When a hot guy who knows more than he should helps her escape her attackers, she thinks she might’ve found someone who can lead her to the answers she needs.

Three years ago, Sam Remington walked away from his employer and the woman he loved, and now, all he’s looking to do is fill the gaping hole left behind. Except, when Sam takes Riley to the Society for Goddess Education and Defense, the stakes rise beyond what either of them could have imagined.

After being alone for so long, falling for Sam would be far too easy—and far too painful, once his old flame calls needing his help. Worse, Riley uncovers a plot with disastrous ramifications not only for herself, but for Sam and the people he loves—and potentially every goddess in the country.

About the Author:

Natalie J. Damschroder is an award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance—Love with a Shot of Adrenaline. She sold her first book in 1999, and 2013 will see the publication of her 14th novel. She grew up in Massachusetts and loves the New England Patriots more than anything. (Except her family. And writing and reading. And popcorn.)

When she's not writing, revising, proofreading, or promoting her work, she does freelance editing and works part time as a chiropractic assistant. She and her husband have two daughters she's dubbed "the anti-teenagers," one of whom is also a novelist. (The other one prefers math. Smart kid. Practical.)

You can learn more about her and her books at:

www.nataliedamschroder.com

http://www.goodreads.com/NatalieJDamschroder

https://twitter.com/NJDamschroder

https://www.facebook.com/NJDamschroder

http://nataliedamschroder.blogspot.com/

Everybody Needs a Little Romance
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Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Strength of the Female Heroine

We're proud to present Michele N. Zugnoni to the Salon today with a wonderful post on strong females. Be sure to checkout her new novel Starfire and swag entries in the Scavenger Hunt.

When I was fourteen-years-old, I threw my first Buffy the Vampire Slayer slumber party. A bunch of my friends gathered in the living room of our split-level home and stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the TV screen as Kristy Swanson, the original Buffy, battled the undead and fell in love with a boy named Pike. It was the first time I’d ever seen a girl go head-to-head with the boys. For a little over an hour, my world transformed. No longer was I Michele Zugnoni, shy high school outcast; I had become Michele Zugnoni, Vampire Slayer. Joss Whedon changed my life with his outlandish sense of humor and his uncanny female heroine. Ever since, I’ve savored watching and reading about strong female characters who aren’t afraid to break a nail.

Too often, girls are inundated with weak-minded female heroines who depend upon the boys to fight their battles, to keep them safe from the wicked, wicked world. Take, for example, the archtypal romance heroine who fainted at any sign of conflict, or the traditional YA teenager who was taught that looks came before brains and if you had brains, then you certainly couldn’t be pretty. I still remember an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, in which David Silver struggled to come up with an adjective to describe his girlfriend, Donna. Donna had decided that if he called her pretty, then it meant she wasn’t smart; if he called her smart, then it meant she wasn’t pretty. In the end, David stammered his way through to calling her smart and pretty, and if I remember correctly, I don’t think Donna was very impressed. And what of it? Are we trying to tell our teenage girls that their options are limited? Why?

Today’s novels and television shows are introducing stronger heroines. I’m thinking here of tales like Vampire Diaries and Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series. But the weak female character is still prevalent in fiction; she pops up in a variety of novels and television shows, risking the loss of everything we’ve gained. And I wonder why that is; why do we feel the need to teach our girls that it’s okay to be weak, and that they don’t have the strength to take care of themselves? Why must we teach them to be entirely dependent on their male counterparts?

As I wrote Starfire, I found myself crafting strong female characters with minds of their own. They didn’t need the boys to fight; they didn’t need them to keep them strong. And while the romance is definitely sizzling in much of my novel, and the boys have minds of their own, equality is the order of the day. I love my heroines strong and feisty; I love creating women who can lead their men to war, who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. In more than one scene, Julia Kirkwood, my heroine, stands up to her father, the man who scares most of her world so badly, they cower in fear and avoid him in fright. Her strength acts as a catalyst, driving the story forward in much the same way any woman’s strength might spur her to greater heights. And isn’t the what fiction should be all about? Helping the character reach her full potential so that the reader might then realize potential of her own?

How about you? What do you think about today’s female characters?

Guest Vlog with Except from the Novel!



About the Author:

Michele is a recovering demon (AKA attorney) who left the legal field to follow her dreams of writing and teaching college-level English. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling as far as her credit card will take her, reading an assortment of fantasy and paranormal, and playing with her frisky animals (two black cats and two loud-mouthed cockatiels).

She’s loved vampires since she was four, when her BFF confided that her older sister was a vamp who enjoyed drinking blood. Like any four-year old, Michele thought this was the most awesome thing ever. Michele currently lives in Modesto, California, but will move to Santa Barbara to begin a Ph.D. program in education and literacy this fall.

www.facebook.com/MicheleNZugnoni   

www.starfireseries.com

www.twitter.com/Michele_ZZZ 

GIVEAWAY

Starfire is coming out July 30, and to celebrate, we're lookin' to give away some loot. To enter
this rockin' contest, simply follow the actions below, and you'll receive the corresponding
number of entries!!!

1 ENTRY
*Comment on any tour or Facebook post (see www.starfireseries.com for tour dates and info)
*Like Michele's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MicheleNZugnoni)
*Share Michele's Facebook page on your own Facebook or blog
*Like Michele's Twitter account (www.twitter.com/Michele_ZZZ)

3 ENTRIES
*Purchase Starfire and comment on Michele's Facebook page "I just purchased this fiery new
paranormal romance! Can't wait to read."

5 ENTRIES
*Review Starfire at Goodreads, Amazon, on your blog, or anywhere else on the web (but be
sure to let us know on Michele's facebook page).
*Host Michele on any virtual tour stop (interview, review, spotlight, etc.)

*1 Starfire shot glass
* 3 Starfire mugs (2 Julia/Clay, 1 Mia/Brennan)
*5 autographed copies of Goddess Kissed, the Starfire short-story prequel coming out Sept. 1
*10 red or black velvet bookmarks (with assorted charms)
*2 $25 gift cards to Amazon.com
AND THE GRAND PRIZE...
*1 $50 gift card to Amazon.com!!!

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Urban Fantasy Q&A and Giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Emily Goodwin into the Salon for the last stop on her tour. She's answering some questions for us and giving away an e-copy of her new release, Contagious. Please leave a comment to enter (be sure to include an email address) and we'll pick a winner after midnight on Tuesday, October 2nd.

How did you start your writing career?

I had always written stories in my head but never actually wrote them down on paper. I’m not really sure why. I think a big part of it was fear of failure. Over the years, I started writing short fan-fic stories but never—ever—let anyone read them. Then, one day I got of my psychology of personality class early and had time to kill before my next class. I went to the computer lab and just started writing Unbound. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.

Who is your favorite character from your books?

That’s hard to answer. Each character brings something different to the table and are fun writing about in their own ways. I usually feel attached to the characters in the current novel I’m writing. So, since I just finished Reaper, I feel like Anora is my favorite. But once I start writing The Truth is Contagious, Orissa will be my favorite again.

What is your current release?

Reaper, book two in The Guardian Legacies series, will be out on Halloween. It follows Anora’s life as a witch and shows that having magical powers doesn’t mean things come easily for her. It was a lot of fun to write; I enjoyed having an established relationship between Anora and her boyfriend, Ethan. This book is a lot darker and scarier than Unbound; I got creeped out more than once while writing it.

What is your next release?

I just started working on The Truth is Contagious, the final book in The Contagium Trilogy. I have two chapters done already. As long as my school load doesn’t pile up (I’m a full-time nursing student), I should hopefully get it done by the end of the year.

Do you do you research for your books?

Yes, I do a ton! Along with nursing, I have a degree in psychology, so I have a strong background in wanting things to have solid research and evidence. I write a lot of strange, random emails to people asking the ‘why and how’s of certain things that appear in the book, I probably bugged the crap out of my friend who lives in California while writing Beyond the Sea. I had her take a million pictures to send to me so I could visualize the setting of where Melia and Peter lived. I even spent time at a wound clinic, learning about different flesh eating viruses so my zombies would be as close to ‘medically possible’ as they could be.

What book are you reading now? 

I’ve been trying to find the time to finish Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy for a while now. It’s a really good book (and I recommend it!) but it’s hard to find time to read between school and writing.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a guest on your blog! :)

Contagious
Book #1 in The Contagium Trilogy

Emily Goodwin

Genre: Occult horror/zombie

Number of pages: Approx 340

Word Count: Approx 120,000

Cover Artist: SweetDreams http://dream-sweetdreams.deviantart.com/

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Book Description: 

“I wasn’t afraid of death. If I died, it would be over. My worst fear wasn’t of dying, it was of living. Living, while everyone around me had their flesh savagely torn from their bodies to be shoved into the festering and ever-hungry mouths of zombies. It terrified me, right down to my very core, to be alive while the rest of the world was dead."

In the midst of the Second Great Depression, twenty-five year old Orissa Penwell doesn't think things can get any worse. She couldn't be more wrong. A virus breaks out across the country, leaving the infected crazed, aggressive and very hungry.

Orissa will do anything-no matter if it's right or wrong- to save the ones she loves. But when she discovers that most of the world is infected or dead, she must decide if those lives are worth saving at all.

Author Bio:

Emily Goodwin resides in Indiana, where she lives with her husband and many four legged children, including their much loved German Shepherd named Vader. Accused of being a day dreamer, Emily began writing at an early age, making use of her active imagination. She has a degree in psychology and is currently working on her second degree in nursing. Emily likes anything paranormal, 80's rock, going on crazy adventures with her friends, making (and wearing) costumes, Renaissance Fairs, and is an animal rights activist.

 www.emily-goodwin.blogspot.com 

www.facebook.com/thecontagiumtrilogy

www.facebook.com/theguardianlegacies

www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomEmilyKG

0emilygoodwin – Twitter

Interview with Fantasy Author S.A. Hunter

The spirit of the forest, Elanraigh, speaks to a young girl, whose own spirit rides the wind in the body of a Sea Hawk.  Oh, I love the magic in that image.   I enjoyed reading this new YA Fantasy, Elanraigh – The Vow and getting to know the author, S. A. Hunter.  Please note, Sandy is also presenting to one lucky commenter an ebook of Elanraigh.

Cover Art: Amanda Kelsey

Welcome Sandy to the Salon,

Elizabeth, thank you so much for this opportunity to present Elanraigh to your blog members and fans. I was so delighted to find your site, and meet some more great folks who are fans of fantasy.   

How long have you been writing? What was the spark that started you to take up writing seriously?  

I’ve always had an imagination working in overdrive. That being said, I was in my late 30’s before I finally submitted anything to a publisher. I was taking a creative writing class at Douglas College and at the instructor’s suggestion submitted a science fiction short story to On Spec, where it was accepted. Since then I’ve had other fantasy short fiction and poetry published, Elanraigh, however, is my first novel 

 Elanraigh was six years plus to write in its original form (I later adapted my first  manuscript to YA). I was working full time with lots of night meetings, so Sunday was only available time to write. I’d usually try to get a least four straight hours in. I’m very grateful that in those days I belonged to a fantasy writers group, we met once a month and I was determined to submit chapters each meeting. Published authors all, their critiques were always of value--the meetings kept me highly motivated.  

What was the inspiration for this book? 

In 1995 I read an intriguing article in the Vancouver Sun, titled “Lumber firm wails the blues over “singing forest”. Apparently a local tree planter had a spiritual experience in a forest near Tenise Creek; she says, ‘something akin to the voice of angels rose from the landscape.” I tucked the thought provoking article away and some years later, was sorting through my tattered old file full of various newspaper and magazine articles, the “Story Idea File” and read the “singing forest” article again. I began to type and wrote, “The Elanraigh quivered with deep unease. Forest-mind sifted the westerly wind and breathed its warning.” And so a sentient forest came to be both a major character and the setting for my YA fantasy.                      

 What was the most difficult part of writing this book? How did you get through it? 

Do you know, the majority of the writing was a joy—I was a ‘seat of the pants” writer and the story and my characters carried me along with them. I’d get in a mind-space where things flowed…sometimes how it all came together amazed me. What was difficult was adapting the original 120, 000 wd. story to an 80,000 wd., so as to be more suited to a Y.A. market. Cutting whole scenes hurt and certain characters just had to go. However, I had to get through it and get it copy edited in time for Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Contest, so I got ‘er done. I didn’t win the category for the contest but I had a polished manuscript ready to submit queries on. 

 Was getting the language for this time period difficult? How did you go about getting it down for the book? Can you describe what it felt like during that period of writing? 

I’ve read a lot of fantasy that has had “historical” settings, particularly a medieval feel…perhaps you absorb a feel for the cadence of appropriate speech…I found it easy to write. With the “common folk” I allowed more of a ‘dialect” to be present, however, on the advice of an astute beta reader, I did delete the “thee’s” and “thou’s” in my original manuscript. As my beta reader pointed out, very few people truly know how to properly use those today—best to leave them alone. I’m very grateful for her advice. I do have a great affection for Mary Stewart’s Arthurian novels, especially “The Crystal Cave” and “The Sword in the Stone.” I’ve read those books many times, and much admire the writing. 

 What was the most important stage of writing this book? Can you describe what it felt like during that period of writing? 

I believe I’d say it was the final third of the book…from the critical battle off shore, and on. Now is when the threads must be gathered to weave the final pattern…the battle scene was vivid in my mind as I wrote and the elements came together well, however, two new characters, Duke Ambraud and the Besteri Mage came into being and I found myself fascinated with them… I knew I must either play them down, or a sequel would be in order. I enjoyed writing them so much (villains are such fun to write, aren’t they?); I decided I would indeed carry the story on in a second book. 

 What do you like about your characters? Are they like anyone you know? Anything like you? 

 Thera, my protagonist embodies many of the qualities I would love to meet in a person, well seasoned, however, with human flaws that have the potential to become strengths. It was critical to the story that Thera have both the ability, and grace, to learn from those around her. I like her; I hope my readers will too J  

I must admit I was an only child blessed with wonderful parents--my father exemplified to me all that was best in a good man;  Thera shares some “only child” traits (some good, some not)  and in my characterization of Duke ArNaronne, the Duke shares some characteristics of my father.  

That being said, there are many of my secondary characters I became extremely attached to, and had great fun with, and I’ve been thinking of delving more into their back stories. 

How did you come up with the names of your characters? 

I wanted to keep something of a Celtic flavour to names, and in many cases to perhaps give my  reader a hint of that person’s character…Duke Leon (lion); Lady Fideiya (fidelity); Nan (just has a homey feel to it). Of the elementals mentioned, particularly the Elanraigh forest (pronounced Ellen-ray) I wanted something sounding both Celtic and haunting. The little wind elemental, so helpful to Thera, is named Sussara (as susurrus, is the sound of a gentle wind). For the villains of the piece we have Memteth which is more Sanskrit of origin, referring to reptilian-like.  I think naming is a fun component in writing fantasy. 

  

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Read everything you can; both the genre you love, and other works, especially the classics—read for enjoyment and what you can learn—how did the author go about engaging you and creating a great story. Write always--if you’re not engaged in creating a work at present, then journal. Personally, I found belonging to writers groups helpful-- a “Fellowship of the Pen”-- and a source of mentors and friends. Critique groups are another matter, and not for everybody. If you have a work completed, or even an outline…and if you can possibly afford it… get to a Writers Conference! The workshops are an invaluable source of information and inspiration. Practice pitching your idea to actual editors/publishers/agents; a sweaty-palmed experience…something akin to walking barefoot over coals; however, after, you’re forever changed. 

Write what you love to read—don’t just pitch to the current commercial trend.

What can we expect new from you?  

A sequel to Elanraigh; The Vow is currently underway.  

Here’s the Book Blurb:

Only Thera of Allenholme hears the voice of forest-mind…and heeds its warning . Thera doesn’t know why the Elanraigh forest-mind chose her, of all the Allenholme folk, to hear its voice and to awaken her gifts of mind and spirit. The Elanraigh sends a warning dream; black sails swooping toward Allenholme from across the western sea—the Memteth, an ancient enemy, armed with blue fire that hungers to consume life. As Thera awakens to her gifts of bonding with raptor birds and reading hearts, the knowing; she also awakens to love. Will she choose Chamakin the young Ttamarini warrior who is a kindred in spirit to her, or the polished young nobleman who covets her beauty even more than her estate? Forest-mind is aware she is yet too young for such power and responsibility. It has no choice—the lives of all Thera’s people and the existence of the Elanraigh Forest itself, depend on Thera fulfilling her destiny. Can she learn what she must of gift, and heart, to survive what comes their way? 

Click on Amazon to buy.

Author Bio:

BR Photography

Sandra attended school in Victoria, B.C. and later graduated from the University of British Columbia with a B.A. in English Literature. After her daughter came along, she chose to work close to home and indulge her love of animals by working for an amiable, if thrifty, veterinarian. She believes in promoting the right of all creatures to live the existence that Nature intended. This value is strongly evoked in her novel.

Sandra’s always lived at the edges of ocean and forest, so it came naturally to have a sentient forest as a major character in Elanraigh: The Vow. She loves kayaking the scenic Island coastline, swimming and walking. She has a ready sense of humor and an optimistic outlook (a good thing when you’re a writer).

Her publications include Dark Fantasy short stories in pro magazines and she is currently working on a sequel to Elanraigh: The Vow.

Follow Sandy here:
Facebook
Sandy's Blog
Twitter

Thank you Sandy for the interview and for writing this enchanting book.

Don’t forget the giveaway, one lucky commenter wins a copy of Elanraigh – The Vow, so drop us a line. 

Till next time,

Elizabeth

Giveaways of “The Crooked God Machine by Autumn Christian

Please welcome Autumn Christian, who is our first horror writer to the Salon.  To introduce her to you, Autumn is giving away 10 copies of her latest dystopian horror novel, “The Crooked God Machine.”  

To enter leave a comment, follow our blog and follow Autumn on Twitter at @autumnxtian and send her a message with the tag #CrookedGodMachine .   

The cover design is a definite eye catcher that pulls you in to what looks like hair-raising ride.   Here’s the blurb:

Charles lives on the black planet, a place where plague machines terrorize citizens with swarms of locusts and rivers of blood, salesmen sell sleep in the form of brain implants, and God appears on the television every night to warn of the upcoming apocalypse. When Charles meets Leda, a woman who claims to have escaped from hell, he begins to suspect that the black planet is not at all, what it appears to be. After Leda disappears, Charles sets out to find her with help from his stripper ex-girlfriend, the deadhead Jeanine. Along the way, he will uncover the truth of the origins of the black planet, and discover the source of the mysterious voice that calls to Leda from the ocean waves.

 Review Excerpts:

 I can't recommend this book enough. It's a hidden classic and at times feels exquisitely intellectual. The story pulls themes from books like Angela's Ashes, The Diary of Anne Frank, and 1984 and paints them into something that looks like a Salvador Dali rendition of Stephen King. And yes I will stand by those comparisons. The book rocks.

This book is a must-read for fans of the genre. I don't actually read a lot of this kind of stuff because I think it's literary worth is often overshadowed by it's perversity and violence but this one, while containing a moderately high level of violence and unpleasant images, is full of heart and thick with substance. I read it through in two sittings, never wanting to put it down. If I didn't get such a late night start on it, I'd have easily read it entirely in a single sitting and as it was I had to force myself to put it down and go to bed.

I'm hesitant to classify this book in any particular genre but it's definitely dark, and it's definitely disturbing, and it's definitely beautiful, and sad, and not for the faint of heart or stomach. A tragic, endearing love story against a twisted backdrop that draws on the horrors of religious fanaticism, human complacency, and political corruption. At times it's terrifying, heartbreaking, sweet, wickedly funny, or any combination of the four

 Author Bio:
Autumn Christian is a horror writer who lives in the dark woods of the southern United States with poisonous blue flowers in her backyard and a set of polished cow skulls on her mantel.
She's been a freelance writer, an iPhone game designer, a cheese producer, a haunted house actor, and a video game tester. She considers Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Katie Jane Garside, the southern gothic, and dubstep as main sources of inspiration.

If you’d like to follow Autumn Christian around the Interwebs, you can find her at her website autumnchristian.net, on twitter at @autumnxtian or on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1344292368

 Leave a comment, follow our blog and  send Autumn a tweet to get your free copy of “The Crooked God Machine.”