Blood Rose Books

Sandra Brown: Lethal

2012-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

The most recent book from Sandra Brown enters into a world where one individual has the ability to corrupt many, even those in high up positions in all forms of law enforcement and government.

Honor was expecting to spend a quit day with her daughter Emily, when Emily informs her that there is a strange man in the front yard. Honor is quick to act to see if the man needs help, only to discover herself and her daughter to be his prisoner. But this is no Chance meet Coburn has specifically chosen Honor, but Honor does not know why. Coburn is a killer, he is accused of killing seven men at where he used to work but Honor is forced to go where he Coburn and the is on the run. Honor soon realizes that Coburn is not the only one that she has to be scared of, there is more than one person that wants her dead, very influential Book Keeper.

I'm at a loss on how to review this book. While I did enjoy the book I have found that Brown likes to follow a very similar formula when writing her books (and really why not, she is very successful with what she does). But it seems like her books have an a+b=c mentality especially after reading the Witness a few months ago. I think that this formula leads to predictability and lack of overall enjoyment of the book, as if you have read a Brown book before you already know some things are going to occur. So while I was entertained, I feel that this book it was lacking in originality.

The main characters are typical of most Brown book, a strong main female character who is somewhat head strong, protective, but looking to fall in love and a strong male character who is attractive, over protective and doesn't want to commit to anyone (as I said a+b=c formula). However, I did like the introduction of Emily who brought out the protective instincts in Honor. Emily was also a handful for a man like Coburn who has never been around children and wants even the scary man to kiss Elmo good night. Some of Emily's antics made me laugh and her character was refreshing at times.

I think my favorite character in the book is Diego who is not a main characters. I would have liked to read a book that just feature Diego. Diego is something that was a little different in a Brown book and was a nice side story within the novel itself. Diego is one of the Book Keeper's assassins who has recently found something to live for other than killing. What is funny is really the book could have been written without Diego it would have had the same result. I think this shows my overall lack of investment in the two main characters and their story.

I find that Brown's sex scenes within her newer books are broaching on erotica. While I do not mind them every once in awhile, I prefer them to be short, not as detailed or as prominent in the book or plot.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and it was able to keep me some what entertained and I really wanted to find out who the Book Keeper was, I think that is what kept me going and entertained in this book. However, I did expect more from a Sandra Brown book. I think if you like Sandra Brown books you will enjoy this one, it follows a similar formula to some of her other books. I think that if you have never read a Sandra Brown book I would start some place else, The Witness for example is one of her books that I really enjoyed.

Enjoy!!!

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Amanda Bonilla: Shaedes Of Gray

2012-02-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

In her debut novel Amanda Bonilla introduces the reader to a new world where the light and dark may not be what you expect.

Darian was made, loved and then left by her creator Azriel. Darian needed to learn how to survive on her own and with her unique skills of a shaede becoming an assassin was the perfect fit. As far as Darian has known she is the last of her kind or of any paranormal creature as she has never met another. But then a hit goes wrong, Darian is plunged into a world she knows nothing about. All of a sudden there are other individuals on the same playing field as her and her next target may be her final job. Darian is never one to turn down a job or leave one unfinished but this next one could end up being her last as there are others who would like to see Darian disappear permanently.

When I read the first few pages of this book, I thought that I had accidentally picked up a paranormal romance by mistake. The book starts off with some sexual tension and past romantic encounters that I was not expecting occur at the very beginning and I thought about putting the book down. However, I did not and I am glad that I continued to read as I did enjoyed the book in the end. The novel does have some dark and gritty edge to it, but not enough for me to forget the romance aspect that was throughout the book.

I loved the world and new paranormal "creatures" that Bonilla created. I really really liked that she introduced something new into the paranormal genre. I have never read about Shaedes or Lyhtan before and it is just refreshing to read something new. Shaedes have the ability to slip into darkness of night or the shadows of the day making them invisible, basically going from solid into a shadow. Very interesting talent and the Lyhtan who are the enemies of the Shaedes have the opposite ability. They are able to disappear in the light of day, which is good because they are not beautiful like the Shaedes, Lyhtans are ugly beast-insect type creates. Shaedes also have other talents but they were not a elaborated on as the slipping into/becoming a shadow and I am interested to learn more about what Shaedes can do.

I liked Darian as an interesting character, but within her character is what I disliked most about this book. I found that Darian was too Man-Crazy for me. I do not know how many times one has to read about how good Tyler looks or how Xaniers' voice was very seductive. In my opinion I think that the story and plot would have been better without the constant man neediness but yet having Darian state that she did not want a man in her life. It is this constant battle that Darian has which distracts from the dangers that are occurring around her and makes her more vulnerable to her enemies. Other than her constant thoughts about some men, I liked the rest of Darian's character. She is strong, adaptive and not as annoying as I have found other female characters within the paranormal genre. Bonilla did enough in giving Darian the ability to speak her mind and protect those around her but not in a bitchy or know-it-all way. I also enjoyed that Darian makes fun of herself and her winning personality, made me laugh a few times.

This is a good debut novel. I think those who like a paranormal novel that has a mixture of romance and action will really enjoy this book and find it as a great debut. Although Bonilla brings something new and different to the paranormal genre, I think readers who do not like romance in their paranormal books, may want to skip this one as the romance is present in almost every scene and plot line within the book. I will read the next book in the series because I am interested in knowing more about the Shaede world as I found this the most interesting aspect within the novel and just hope the romance aspect is not as overpowering in the next book.

Enjoy!!!!

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Leslie Tentler: Edge of Midnight

2012-02-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

This is the third book in Tentler's Midnight series, however, each book has been written as a stand alone and I did not find that I was confused or missing anything that occurred in previous books as this is the first Leslie Tentler book that I have read. In this novel Tenlter explores what happens when one of a serial killer's victim is able to escape and his obsession of continuing to complete his collection.

Mia Hale is a crime reporter for the Jacksonville Courier but Mia is about to experience the abductions she has been reporting on first hand. She is kidnapped by the serial killer known as the Collector. But somehow Mia is able to escape out of his realm alive, however, she has no idea how her memory after the initial kidnapping is blank. FBI agent Eric MacFarlane has been pursuing the Collector for a very long time and he has a personal vendetta against him as well. He believes that Mia is the key to finding the Collector but by using Mia he is once again putting her in danger. But as far as the Collector has is concerned Mia has always been his and he will stop at nothing the get her back.

This book was a pretty good read and was able to hold my attention from the beginning. I enjoyed Tentler's serial killer and Tentler's depiction of his family and life. The reader is able to see the factors that helped create Allen into the Collector. I see the Collector as an individual very similar to Casanova from Jame's Patterson's Kiss the Girls, though I appreciated that Tentler's Collector was more about about power, control, and not about sex. I think that Tentler did a great job of allowing the reader to see glimpses into the torture that the Collector inflicted on his victims but not too much that people would be disturbed. The main form of description comes through Mia as well as the state of the bodies when they are discovered.

The main interesting topic within this novel is the use of drugs in order to induce hypnotherapy to recover lost memories. I think that this is unique in books that I have read and the could very well be something that the military is trying to accomplish. I liked that Tentler was not afraid of adding something new to the genre and trying a new way of using a victim to uncover clues that could lead to the killer.

There was a little bit too much romance/sex scenes for my taste in books, but those who enjoy the combination of some thrills and romance will enjoy this book. I also found the interaction between the two main characters a little bit of a cliche now of days, FBI agent and victim falling in love is nothing new in these novels. There was also nothing very original about the main characters themselves that drew me in or get me emotionally invested as to what happens to them and this may be the flaw of writing a stand alone story. But for me the characters were just there interacting with the plot. I often find that authors will shelter their main characters too much and it leaves the story feeling flat. However, this is one aspect of Tentler's characters that I did enjoy was that she was not afraid of letting them suffer or get hurt.

Although there was a bit too much romance in this book for me and I was not able to connect to the characters as mush as I would like, I did enjoy the overall story of the book (and really it is easy to skim or skip over the sex scenes). I think that Tentler has a create mind and it shows in her ideas throughout the story. I think those who like their Thrills and Romance mixed together in a book will have a winner with Tentler. I would read another book by Tentler, probably from her Midnight series as I want to see what other type of serial killers that she has come up with as I think this is where she excelled the most within her novel.

Enjoy!!!!

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Simon Kernick: The Business of Dying

2012-01-25T18:57:00.000-08:00

In his first novel Simon Kernick explores what happens when a police officer is also a part time hit man.

DS Dennis Milne is a police officer (copper) who has seen too much and has realized that the system does not work in their favour. However, this does not mean that Dennis is above turning things back in their way. Dennis has crossed the line but not one that hinders his own morality, he has become a hit-man and he newest assignment is to kill 3 men, 3 drug dealers. But things go wrong and his target are not who they were supposed to be, and now Dennis has become the hunted, not only by the police but by whoever set him up. On top of everything in his secret life spinning out of control his real life work as a police officer is getting strained, but a when a young girl is murdered Dennis will stop at nothing to make sure that justice is served.

I enjoyed this book, it was a little it dark and very gritty and this writing style suited the plot line that Kernick wanted to achieve in this book. It was an interesting mix of the main character struggling within the politics of a police department, wanting to do what is right for the greater good, but at the same time questioning his own methods.

I liked Dennis as a main character. I enjoyed that he was part "copper" part hit-man who has his own sense of morality. I think ofter police officers wish that they could take justice into their own hands when they witness people get away with horrendous crimes. I think that Dennis is expressed in a real way if a police officer decided to cross that line. Dennis is not your typical main character in this type of book, he smokes, drinks too much and really is not in that great of shape, however, Dennis has two things going for him, him mind and he is a great shot. It is Dennis that makes this book. He is what everything within the book revolves around, therefore, he cannot be a weak character. If you have a problem with Dennis then you will not enjoy this book. I liked Dennis, flaws and all, he may not be the most likeable character because of some of the choices he makes, but he is a very real character.

What I really enjoyed in this book is that it was not dead body after dead body. Yes there are some murders/deaths within the book, but the books is not reliant on them in order to tell the story. This is not your hollywood type story, where there are epic gun battles, explosions every scene but this is not to say that it is lacking entertainment, Kernick just uses other ways (focusing on finding the murder, Dennis attempting to stay ahead of the game) to keep the reader entertained and wanting to read more. This also not to say that there is no action within the book, just not scene after scene where the main character achieves the impossible, as I have stated a few times now, very real type writing.

I really enjoyed this book by Kernick and I am looking forward to reading more. If you are looking for something dark, gritty and with a flawed character then this one is for you. I think this novel is well written and has an interesting plot line that is executed in a different way than other novel that fall into the mystery-thriller genre. I'll be looking for Kernick next time I head to the book store.

Enjoy!!!!!

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Ann Aguirre: Grim Space

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

The first in a futuristic sci-fi series Ann Aguirre takes the reader on a wild ride through space, discovering different planets and life forms, but also trying to stay out of the ruling organization's eye in order to complete their mission.

Sirantha Jax is the carrier of a the rare J-Gene that allows her to navigate Grimspace. However, Jax is the is the only survivor of a deadly space ship crash so she has been imprisoned by the Corp until they are able determine what happened.The problem is that Jax does not remember anything about the crash or what happened right before. The Corp is willing to uses ruthless interrogation methods in order to "make" Jax remember. But the problem is there are those that don't want Jax to remember at all and will go to extreme lengths to make sure she never remembers.

This is the first book that I have read by Aguirre and I picked it up because I have read great things about this series. I knew that I was getting into the sci-fi genre which is one that I do not visit that often, but I really wanted to try this one out.

I enjoyed this book, I think that Aguirre used a classic story (one company or country controlling everyone and a rebel group of people trying to change that) but revamped it into the future and Aguirre was successful in doing so. I appreciated that the sci-fi technology speak (basically what I always get lost in when I read sci-fi books) was kept to a minimal and was more present at the beginning of the books. By not focusing so much on the futuristic technology I found that Aguirre was able focus more on the story and the journey of the characters.

Grimspace is a very interesting concept. Those with the J-Gene are the only ones who are able to jump ships at warp speed from place to place. However, those who experience Grimspace know that is will eventually kill the jumper and they get lost in Grimspace. Even though jumpers know this they continue to jump looking for new place and the high they experience in there. Grimspace was like a J-Gene individual's drug. I hope that this addiction to Grimspace is explored more in the future as I think that it is a very interesting idea.

I did not like Sirantha Jax when she was first introduced as a character. I thought that I was in for another read of a cocky, know-it-all, sarcastic female protagonist (which if you cannot tell are not my favorite). However, I was surprised that Aguirre was able to develop and change Jax's character through out the book, that in the end I really did like Jax. She kept some of the good aspects about the kickass heroine but due to the experiences she has in this novel she was able to change her overall attitude and view of life.

Aguirre did a really good job at building the backdrop for the story and I also think that she was very creative in the creation of the planets that are visited within the book. One of my favorite parts was Baby-Z, a small part in some ways but bigger in others, I just really liked Baby-Z. The secondary characters are also fairly well develop, though I am interested in learning more about March's past This book has also been classified as a science fiction romance novel, however, I did not find that the romance in the novel over powered the story.

I think that this is a good start to a series, and I know that I am interested in reading more about Jax, this world and what happens next. I think readers who are not a fan of science fiction but would like to give it another try, this is a good place to start, as long as they are okay with a little bit of romance in the book.

Enjoy!!!!

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Sophie Littlefield: Horizon

2012-01-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

This is the third book in Sophie Littlefield's Dystopian series, you will need (you SHOULD read) the first two books in the series, Aftertime and Rebirth, before picking up this book.

Cassandra Dollar is a survivor and according to her this may be her one redeeming aspect. She has survived what few have, an attack by a beater and the many evils of mankind. With her daughter Ruthie now safe and beginning to thrive in the settlement they have found, Cass find herself falling into a familiar pattern of destruction. She is unable to out run the past and present as much as she tries. The world is still falling apart, with the ever evolving Beaters and the lack of safety from her fellow man, a stranger arrives with Hope. Hope of a new life north, but it will require a long hard journey, where there is no guarantee of safety or that everyone will make it there alive.

I cannot say enough how much I enjoy this series, I think that all the books have been great reads and each one did not disappoint. Each time I get a novel in this series, I am unable to put it down. Littlefield has a great ability for creating interesting stories, memorable characters and amazing world building. This book definitely has more Beater action than the second book, so if you were missing the Beaters from Rebirth, don't worry, there is a lot more in this novel.

I like that Littlefield gives the Beaters the ability of to learn. They are not smart, very far from it but they have what I think of as a Neanderthal smart. The Beaters learn by trying something, or watching another Beater trying something to learn from that Beater's mistakes. I also like that Littlfield gives Beaters who have been recently turned and those who have been turned for a long time different strengths and weaknesses, this makes them more unpredictable.

I know that there are people who read this series who do not like Cass, I personally like her. I like her flaws, her grit, her will to survive. I appreciate that Littlefield does not let Cass forget about her addiction to alcohol. I think that she is one of the most real characters that I have ever read in a paranomal series. I think the issues that she struggles with can be related to by many people, whether it is all or one of them. In this book you get to learn a little bit more about Cass's past as well as her time while she was a Beater. The one aspect in this book about Cass's character that I did not enjoy was that Cass's has begun to feel sorry for herself and this begins to over shadow other aspects of Cass's character that I like as well as some aspects of the story.

In this novel you also get to know more about Dor and Smoke, which is great, as you get to learn more and more about the men in Cass's life I think the reader begins to have their own opinion of who they think Cass should be with. There is the triangle dynamic within this book which I am sure will have you cheering for your favorite man (mine personally is Dor). Although there may be a triangle there is very little romance in this book. There are also some chapters and paragraphs from Sammi's point of view. I could see Littlefield doing a series (maybe a YA series) based around Sammi as she grows up in Aftertime. I personally found Sammi's point of views a little hard to relate to and her anger toward Cass was confusing and I do not feel like it was fully explained as to way she was so mad at Cass. This is why I think that a book from Sammi's point of view would have been better suited for a YA book youth are more likely to understand Sammi.

If you are reading zombie novels or want to read zombie novels, I suggest that you start here, you will not be disappointed. Littlefield has the ability to make you experience every emotion while you read and have you hanging on every word in this dystopian world. I am looking forward to reading more and more by Littlefield.

Enjoy!!!!

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John Dodds: Bone Machines

2011-12-31T19:16:00.000-08:00

From indie author John Dodds comes a very dark novel of a serial killer who murders for his love of his art.

Stephen Morrell is an artist with a very different medium. Decay, destruction, human bones, bodies, they are what make his art stand out. However, how he acquires his medium is his true art form and his victims will suffer for his art. They are men and women from around the Glasgow who have gone missing and yet the police are not willing to say that they are related. When people look at his art, he knows that they will never understand the true meaning of each piece of death that is portrayed, yet they attempt to and flock to see him. Ray Bissett is an investigative reporter who has put others on the line before just to get a story. He is drawn into the missing people story determined to show that they are linked, never realizing that this story is one that will hit very close to home.

I'm not sure how I found this ebook, but I thought it sounded interesting and I liked the name to I decided to read the first few pages to see if i would like it, I was hooked in from the first few pages. I did not want to put this book down, it had many of the elements that I look for in a thriller book.

The serial killer in this novel is Fantastically Sinister and Evil. I did not even mind that you know who it is at the serial killer is at the beginning of the book. Dodds does not go into too much detail of what is done to the victims but enough detail is given to give the reader the creeps but much of it is left to your own imagination which I think is worse. I like the interaction between Stephan's art and his victims (his real art form), as he displays many of the classic psychopathic tendencies. I also like how Dodds had Stephen have the ability to wear the mask of normalcy around everyone but his victims. This made him much more real and scary as he really could be anyone, anywhere. I really enjoyed the chapters from Stephan's point of view. How he views other people, how he hunts, his journal entries, all were really interesting and have the ability to really draw the reader in. The one thing I did not like was the "surprise" near the end of the book. This surprise used to be unique however, I have found more and more authors turning this way, therefore, the impact and uniqueness has worn off.

Outside of Stephen I found that this book was lacking in a few places. Ray is an investigative reporter but other than a contact near the beginning of the book, I found that he lacked in investigative ability or the right contacts to get the information that he needed. I think the individual in the story who had the most investigative ability is the forensic anthropologist, which is fitting as Stephan's artwork is mainly based in the use of human bones. I think that the investigative part of the story should have been based around her, have Ray as the secondary character.

I also found that the MP (member of Parliament) Robert Park and Miriam Allen issue was never fully finished or explained, and I am unsure if Dodds is going to release another book with the same characters in order to finish the Park's issue. It sounds like it but I do not think that I would want to read a book strictly about Ray and a possible corrupt politician. I think that Dodds novel should have forgot about the political angle and just stuck with the serial killer one as that was the best part of the book.

While this novel may be lacking in certain parts (oh and I will mention that there are a few spelling a grammar errors but nothing too major), I think that it is worth reading just for the serial killer aspects. This is where Dodds excelled in this book and would encourage me to read another novel by him if it is crime based. This is a FREE ebook and smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/46631), and one that I would recommend you try out, it is one of the better free ebooks that I have read.

Enjoy!!!!

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J.T. Ellison: All the Pretty Girls

2011-12-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

In the first novel of J.T. Ellison's Lt. Taylor Jackson and FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin criminal investigative series, there are missing girls and missing hands scattered across the southern United States:

One local girl is found, hand missing, and another girl goes missing right after, Lt. Taylor Jackson and FBI profiler John Baldwin get the call and discover there is another victim of the Southern Strangler. As much as Taylor wants to help Baldwin he is called away to each state that has been affected by the Southern Strangler and Taylor gets the call to help out with a serial rapist called the Rainman. What Taylor and Baldwin are unaware of is the Southern Strangler has made contact with a TV reporter in Nashville Whitney Connolly, who is determined to use the contact to make herself famous but at what cost? As the serial killer spirals out of control and more girls are murdered, there appears to be no end in sight and the only person who may know the truth isn't sharing.

This book was pretty good start to the series and I will be picking up the following book as I did like the story and the characters that Ellison created. However, I do not think that this is the best first serial killer or crime book that I have read. This book did not have as many twists and turns to lead the reader and detective astray as I would have liked. I also would have liked a few more chapters or sections that were from the killers point of view, as I think that by having these chapters the serial killer is more defined therefore more scary.

I liked Taylor and Baldwin together and separate as characters. I enjoyed that Ellison had them work on different cases in this book, but still seeking the others expertise while doing so. I think this separation of the cases is very true to life situations as the FBI is more concerned with national crimes and Taylor is restricted to the city of Nashville. Although Taylor and Baldwin are working on two different cases and helping each other out when they can you never feel lost within the separate stories or confused on who is working on what. I think that Ellison did a good job of weaving the crimes and stories together in such a way that the reader does not get lost within them.

Taylor is a strong female character and she has to be in as she is the head of a homicide unit and is looked upon to make the major decisions for her unit. I really appreciate that Taylor did not feel that she had to do everything herself and was not a know it all. She treated the detectives who she was in charge with, with respect and would seek their advice and knowledge when it was needed. I also think that Ellison did a good job showing what it was like to be a head of a unit and that the Lt. is responsible for more than one case at a time, to me this was a very realistic aspect of this novel.

Baldwin is also an interesting character. He has been with the FBI for a long time and is starting to feel like he is burning out especially with the case his is currently working on. He feels like he has found a place of peace with Taylor but is unsure how to explore it because his job takes he across the USA. Together, Taylor and Baldwin seem like a great partnership whether on a case or living together. I think that Ellison did a great job in creating a balance between the two in their relationship and the interweaving of their separate cases.

I think this was a pretty good start to a a series and I am interested in seeing how Taylor and Baldwin evolve no only in their relationship but within their perspective professions. I look forward to seeing the different stories that Ellison is able to create around Taylor and I hope Baldwin as well.

Enjoy!!!!

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Kathryn Stockett: The Help

2011-12-18T17:08:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the most popular books this year is Kathryn Stockett's novel The Help, where she explores the life of black women in Mississippi during the 1960s when the equality and integration movements started nation wide in the United States.

Skeeter is an aspiring writer who has grown up in Jackson Mississippi where segregation between blacks and whites is still the way of life, even to the fact where the black maids who work in the Jackson's white families home, are not able to use the bathroom within the house. Through her interaction with one of her friend's maid Aibileen and her love for her own maid growing up Constantine, Skeeter decides to write a novel from the Jackson's maids point of view, not realizing that by writing this novel could change everything in not only her life, but those who agree to be part of the novel.

I really enjoyed this book, the interaction between the three women and their different reasons for wanting to take part in writing the Help. I was not expecting it (because of what the movie trailer showed as Skeeter as the main character) but I really liked that Stockett had different chapters dedicated to each of the women. This allowed the reader to get to know each of the women individuals and really showed the disparity between Skeeter and Minny and Aibileen. It was very interesting to see the interaction between the women and how the each change throughout the book and how writing a novel changed them as well.

The characters within this book have been masterly crafted and you get to know each woman individually as there are chapters within the story that are dedicated to each characters. This helps give each women's perspective on what life is like and what is going on in Jackson Mississippi.

Skeeter, is a strong character who is attempting to understand the changes that are occurring across the United States as well as her own perspective on life as it has changed and does not fit any more with the girls that she grew up with. Raised by the family maid Constantine, Skeeter loved her like any girl would love the woman that raised her and this has shaped her view on the white and black situation that is happening around her and gives her the strength to want to write about it.

Minnie is the out spoken one of the three, who is not afraid to tell her mind to anyone, but knows that it will be this is also her downfall both within the work force but also at home. I really liked when Minnie went to work for Celia Foote, it showed a different side of Minnie that she really does have a caring side for white people even though she tries hard to hide it.

I think that Aibileen is my favorite character in this book, I cannot say how much I enjoyed her parts. Her strength and love for the children that she raises as her own is inspiring. She is a very soft spoken character, but who is probably the strongest of them all. Aibileen is trying hard to make sure that the children she raises feel important especially Mae Mobley who does not feel loved by her mother. Aibileen even begins to change how she raises the children through her process of telling her stories to Skeeter. As I said Aibileen is my favorite character within the book and I think the one who is explored the most.

I have seen the movie for The Help as well, and while it is a good movie, it does not hold a candle to the book. I found that there was lack of character development in the movie when compared the book. I also think that the movie did the book a disfavour by changing Constantine's story as to why she "left" and I think if they would have used the one from the book it would have showed more of the disparity between whites and black within the Jackson community.

I think that Stockett's novel is well written, has great story as well as fantastic character development. I think that is has a great message and could see parents reading this book with older children. If you were thinking of picking this book up, I would, you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy!!!!!

Phaedra Weldon: Wraith

2011-12-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, sorry it has been so long since I have posted a review. I`m just going through a move right now and I don't really think that would be an over all excuse but the past few books that I have picked up to read have been (for lack of a better word) Lemons. So I kind of lost my motivation in reading as I strive to finish reading these past few books but I really do try hard to finish every book I start reading.

In her debut novel, Phaedra Weldon takes the reader in the world of in between, where ghost and other things go bump in the night and not everything in there is friendly

Zoe Martinique is a Private Detective, but not of the cheating husband kind, more like a professional snoop infiltrating meetings that no one else is able to without someone else knowing she is there. Zoe has the ability of astral projection. Her spirit can leave her body and have all the abilities of a spirit free from a body plus some other Perks. Zoe should have known to stay away from the "oogy" feeling she was getting from the office building. After witnessing a murder by a fellow traveler Zoe has been scarred, literally and strange things are happening each time she leaves her body. But Zoe is determined to find the murder not only to help bring him to justice, but to find out what he has done to her.

I really wanted to like this book. I thought that the premise sounded interesting and that it might be something a little different in the paranormal genre. It took just over 250 pages (The books is about 375 pages long) to finally have this book pique some interest for me to read it, but it was like pulling teeth to get to this point. I found that other than the astral projection concept within the book (which is an interesting idea) that the book was severely lacking. This book lack imagination (other than the astral aspect), the writing style/language were hard to read at times, as well as I think that Weldon missed the mark in the character development.

The Highlight of this novel is Zoe's power. Not going to lie going Astral Projection is pretty cool and I like the integration of it into her occupation as a Private Detective or Professional Snooper. While I did find the Astral projection interesting and Zeo's ability to use it as her snooping tool, this was not enough for me to truelove enjoy this book.

I found that Zoe was very immature for her age (she is 28 in this book) and I was unable to relate to her thought process. She is a winy main character (I don't know how many times she wanted her mommy), who complains when she does not get her way. She also has the inability to learn from previous errors that she has made and it a little bit too man obsessed for my liking (this is not to say that there is a lot of romance in this book, very little actually, but she does think about men quite a bit). It also nagged me with the constant abbreviations for everything astral that Zoe's mom and Rachel had, we may live in a computer and texting world but that does not mean that I want to have them in the literature that I read. Also the over use of the word or "concept" of the word oogy really began to annoy me at the end and it was the use of this word that also attributed to Zoe`s immaturity

I think that Weldon had an interesting concept and premise, that if executed right would this would have been a great book. I think that the writing style and character development were not for me and were just lacking overall. Additionally, by the time I reached the end of the book, I was done, I do not want to read any more about Zoe, or her life. There is really nothing left in this book that would draw me in to read the next book, not even the interesting concept of Astral Projection.

Cheers!!!

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Scott G. Mariani: Uprising

2011-11-23T15:09:00.000-08:00

In Scott G. Mariani's debut novel into the paranormal genre he has created the Federation, an overseeing rule of Vampire, however, not all Vampires have accepted the rules (never harm a human, never fall in love with a human and never turn a human) and are prepared to do anything to turn things back to the old ways.

Alex Bishop is the top agent for The Federation in London, she knows the importance in keeping the Humans in the dark about vampire's existence and adhering to the laws of the Federation but Alex feels that there are more forces at work against the Federation even though her boss and the higher up Vampires believe it is nothing. Alex is certain that there is going to be a movement of vampire traditionalist. Joel Solomon is has a secret, he believes in vampires and has since he was very young when he witnessed he family murdered by one. Joel has put that image behind him but when a teenager recounts a gruesome murder that involves drinking of blood, Joel knows that he cannot ignore the existence of vampires any more. Alex and Joel have the same mission but different ideas of how it should end, Joel would prefer to see all vampires destroyed.

I am a big fan of Mariani's Ben Hope series and when I found out that he had written a vampire based one I knew that I had to pick it up. I think that Mariani has written an interesting story, but I do not think that it adds anything extremely new into the genre (and maybe at parts a little cliche but this did not distract me from enjoying this book). There were some interesting concept for example vampires able to take a pill that would allow them to go out during the day or a special chemical that would destroy a vampire with just a small tough. I appreciated that Mariani kept vampires true to their roots or being the evil creature and the need for human blood to survive. I understand that there are changes with the Vampire Federation being created but I think that Alex gets a little too much joy out of her job of scaring, hunting and killing to say that vampires are civilized creatures (though I'm sure that the Federation would disagree on that point).

I think that Mariani really excelled when he created the characters in this book for both good guys and bad and this lead to the over all believability of the book. The characters seemed so real that the world that Mariani created made me think that it could be real. I liked Alex as a character, yes in this book the female lead is the strong kickass type, but I did not find her annoying and I think that Mariani was able to have a strong lead female character (and be the kickass type) and not be the annoying character that I have found in many books in this genre. I think he found the right balance between strong female lead, kickassness and strong personality. I really enjoy learning about vampire's past when I read these types of books and I am glad that Mariani took some time to share parts of hers. I'm looking forward to see how much Alex can grow as a character and how her past will shape her future.

Joel is also an interesting characters and I found that enjoyed his parts more than Alex's chapters. I liked he rediscovery of vampires and that it was not something that he had made up when he was a child. I find that for Joel this novel was a coming of age one for him as he discovers his true calling in life and how he was not really doing what he was meant to as a detective.

I'm not sure how this book is classified at book store I know some people have stated that it is a horror book, I would not classify it this way. There are some detail that may be seen in a horror novel, but the whole book does not fit within that genre. I think Dark paranormal light might be the best way to describe this book (not sure if that makes sense or not though) I think that If you are looking for a good vampire read then pick this one up. It had the right mix of action, suspense, mystery and romance for those who enjoy this genre. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series

Enjoy!!

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Amanda Kyle Williams: The Stranger You Seek

2011-11-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

In her debut Amanda Kyle Williams takes the readers to Atlanta where it is part of a serial killers games to make sure that the whole city is on edge especially those who work within law enforcement.

Atlanta is not just suffering from a summer heat wave, a killer has emerged one where there appears to be no connection between the victims. The killer becomes more bold with each kill and taunting as the lead detective, Rauser, begins to receive letters from the killer with clues of who is next, but not enough information to stop it. This leads Rauser to contact his friend Keye Street, who was a profiler in the FBI before alcohol took away her job and her family. Keye does not know if she will be able to handle reentering the world of serial killer is this is what lead her to drink in the first place. But the choice is taken away from Keye when she becomes the target of the killer and it is made clear that Keye is not going to get away from this case unscathed.

I enjoyed how this book began with a chapter that is from the point of view of the serial killer. This chapter sets the stage for the entire novel and it makes you want to look over your shoulder thinking that someone is watching you.

I really liked the way that Williams portrayed the serial killer and the chapters that were from the killers point of view. They were twisted, insane and offered up information to the reader that further lead astray but helped them determine who the killer was. Although I do not think that Williams introduced anything new into the serial killer genre, I think that Williams wrote a complex serial killer figure, and this was my favorite part of this novel.

Keye Street is an interesting character. She used to be a profiler for the FBI but was kicked out because she became an alcoholic, however, I think that this is a very real problem within any police or law enforcement agency. I appreciated that Williams never had Keye forget that she was an alcoholic and that Keye still craves what a drink could do for her. There are some parts in Keye's interaction with other characters is that a few state that Keye is basically of herself and that everything is all about Keye. I did not get this impression at all in any of the relationships that Keye had. If anything I think that the character who wanted every thing to be about him is Rauser. He is the one that is always needing Keye and her expertise, he is the one who becomes so involved in the case that it does eventually become about his career. There is also supposed to be sexual tension between Rauser and Keye, I did not feel it at all. I think that they work great together as a collaboration in a case, but as a couple, I do not see it.

I think that Williams is a new author to watch out for. I think her development of her serial killer character was really well done and I really enjoyed Keye as a character. I think that Williams needs to focus more on her interaction between characters so that they are better defined and more concrete, however, this book was able to keep me entertained. I look forward to reading another Keye Street novel.

Enjoy!!!

NOTE: There are some descriptions of the murder scenes that may be disturbing to some individuals as many of them are sexual in nature.

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Jonathan Maberry: Patient Zero

2011-11-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Maberry bring us the start of a new series where war and biological warfare take on a whole new aspect and the government is willing to do anything to stop it.

Joe Ledger knows that it is going to be an interesting week when he is forced to kill the same terrorist twice, and he knows that there is nothing wrong with his ability to kill. Joe is Balitmore Police detective who is about to get offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to become part of a sercet government agency, but Joe does not know if he really wants to be part of something like that, nothing short of blackmail will make him take the job. Though Joe may be the new guy on the block he takes a no holds bar attitude and this is going to be put to the test as Joe's, get his first assignment before he has even joined the DMS, to stop a group of terrorist from releasing a bioweapon against America.

Ah Zombies, the ever so popular choice for the paranormal genre this year, at least it is alot harder to romanticize zombies than it was vampire a few years ago. Sometime people need to just get back to the basics of scary.

This book is a really good action adventure book with some great action scenes, suspense with a touch of mystery and a side of zombies. I think that the action scenes were really well laid and thought out. I was not scratching my head attempting to figure out how the characters within the book got out of situations or completed their "moves". I think that Maberry has a great ability to write actions scene that flow smoothly and keep the reader entertained throughout.

I think this book could have been written without zombie and still been a really interesting read, but does having Zombie in this book what makes this book special, in this day and age, No (Zombies are the new flavour), but if you like Zombies it is all the more reason to read this book. I think what actually set this book apart from other is the realism that something like this is possible maybe not zombies per say (but you never really know) but humans have had the ability to formulate many deadly pathogens in the past and really what is to stop one like this from being created or discovered (you can tell by the research that Maberry did in this book that he was trying to make it as real as possible).

There are several interesting characters within this book that I hope in time that Maberry will take the time to explore them further in future books. I liked Joe Ledger as a main character. He everything that I like in this type of book, a deadly individual who does not hesitate, but with his own set or right and wrong morals. Joe probably would be on the verge of being a psychopath if he was not able to keep his "three sides in balance" The Cop, The Warrior and The Modern Man. I think that this was a very interesting way in explaining Joe's personality as well as his ability to get the job done.

Actually one of my favorite character was Toys. I think he is one of the perfect bad guys that you would never see coming in real life. He plays all his parts well, and you begin to see that he is the true manipulator of the people around him and of his life. I wish there would have been more of him in the book. I also liked how the mind behind the pathogen was a woman and that woman came from a middle eastern extremist culture view on women, therefore, I thought it was an interesting aspect of the book.

I think that this is a well written book that any individual who is fan of action adventure genre with a USA vs the Middle East Extremist vibe to it will enjoy this book. If you are not a fan of zombie books but like action adventure then think of this book as using biological warfare and that should get you past the Zombie part. I am looking forward to reading more about Joe and more from Mulberry. I think this was a really good read.

Enjoy!!!

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Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games

2011-10-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, most people who have read my reviews or have requested reviews by me know that I do not read YA books. However, a friend of mine who is even more (for lack of a better word) anti-YA books than me, told me it was a fantastic read, so I borrowed her copy and away I went.

North America is in ruins, and has been divided into 12 districts with the Capitol overseeing all of them. Always making sure that none of the districts prosper too much and to make sure that the districts never forget that the Capitol defeated them all. Each year there is a lottery within each district when one boy and one girl are chosen in order to particpate in the Hunger Games. But these are not regular games, they are fights to the death and with each death of a child the Capitol reinforces their position as leader. This year Katniss Everdeen is heading to the games. She is skilled, has survival skills but has never had to face anything like this before. With Game Masters who move the game in the way they want, Katniss is by herself and will have to use everything she has in order to survive, as well as loose part of her humanity as a person acting with humanity will not survive the Hunger Games

I'm not going to lie, I really enjoyed this story, book and characters. I think that Suzanne Collins has done a great job in writing a book that will appeal to a wider range of audience than just YA audience. The farther the reader gets into the book the more that the characters become less age specific except for in one area (I talk about this farther below). I think that this is where Collins really succeeded in this book as it is what allowed it to be enjoyed by everyone. I also do not think that Collins went too far into the sci-fi/fantasy genre that individuals who do not like that genre would be hesitant to read this book. This book really about the survival of the fittest and is more like a modern Gladiator Games, where the ruler decides who lives and who dies

I enjoyed that Collins was not afraid to let her characters get hurt or experience Pain, both mentally and physically. This caused me to be more invested in the characters and the storyline, and it became that I needed to know who was still alive at the end of each day. I also liked how each district put forward different types of tributes and with each district the tributes excelled at different aspect in survival or killing and how some did not excel at these aspects at all.

I like Katniss as a character. She is smart, resourceful, compassionate and you can start to tell the type of woman that she could be become if she is able to survive the games. The thing I like most about Katniss is her mind and the way that she is able to adapt to each a situation and manipulate it to one that would benefit her the most.However, there are times within the book where she does show her age and does act like a brat, these were not my favorite parts of the book, I enjoyed her more when you could not tell her age or her actions were those that an adult book. But I recognize that this is a YA book and these attributes in her character are to be expected.

*****SPOILER BELOW******

My one criticism is that I did not find that Katniss and Peeta's relationship mature enough for me. I felt their relationship trying at times, and this part of the book was the least enjoyable for me. However, this is from an adults point of view, and how Collins wrote the relationship between Katniss and Peeta fits well within the YA genre. I think this might be the one aspect that may turn adult readers off this book/series as it did not have the "passion" of an adult book. But I will state again this is a YA book, therefore, it was right of Collins to not have an adult type relationship.

I think that Collins has created a book and possible a series (I have not yet read the next two books) that is able to go passed the YA genre and appeal to a more broad audience. I think that if you have been wavering about whether to read this series because it is YA book I think you should pick it up, be nicely surprised.

Enjoy!!!

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Sandra Brown: The Witness

2011-10-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

Sandra Brown brings together another mystery thriller that explores what happens when a small town will go to great length to protect their secrets

Kendall Deaton is the new public defender of a small town, where they were not expecting to hire a women for the job and they make it known. From the first news article it is questioned whether she can handle the job or not, but Kendall is willing to prove them all wrong, this is the opportunity she has been waiting. And she does, even ends up marrying the author from the original article and into one of the most influential families in town. Kendall believes that she has found her place. However, things are not all what they seem in this small town, there are secrets in this town that no one wants exposed.

I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed this book. I was a little worried after reading the Best Kept Secrets by Sandra Brown as I did not enjoy that book at all, but this book redeemed my trust in Brown as an author. I did not want to put this book down I had to know all the secrets of the town and what Kendall was running from. This book had everything that a reader would be looking for in a thriller as it had suspense, twist, turns, conspiracies and more.

Brown did a great job of crafting the story and creating suspense that will keep you on your toes. I enjoyed how Brown switched back and forth between the past a present as it kept me wondering what Kendall was running from as well as trying to figure out what her next move will be. I personally did not find it hard with the switches, but if you are not a fan of this writing style this book is not for you. It tended to be one chapter in the present next chapter in the past.

I liked Kendall as a character and her willingness to do anything for herself and her baby Kevin to survive. She is smart, has a great heart and I enjoyed her quick mind and how she adapts the situation in order to fit what she needs. Yes she is a manipulator and yes she is a liar but I think that she uses these traits when she needs them in order to survive. I also enjoyed her interaction with John and his confusion with his amnesia. I think that Brown did this interaction really well.

This book was fantastic and has put my faith back into Brown's novels. I think this is one of the best Brown books that I have read in a long time.

Enjoy!!!!

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Brian Springer: Blood Money

2011-10-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Indie Author Brian Springer introduces the reader to Blood Money, which explores how far governments are willing to go in order to ensure that they are always able to make profit, even if it means the death of thousands.

Jessica Robbins has achieved what was thought to be impossible. She has created a vaccine for the AIDS virus. This could save and prevent the disease throughout the world. There is just one problem, the government does not want the results or her vaccine to reach the public. The "cures" for AIDS virus is too profitable to the medical industry. Jessica attempts to escape and spread the word of her research, but she is caught by the government and whisked away to a "safe house". Kelton has his own sens of morality, that some may see as skewed at time, but he always believes that he is doing something for the greater good. Kelton has been tasked to retrieve Jessica so that she is able to spread the word about her vaccine. What was suppose to be an easy extraction has turns into a game of cat and mouse where Kelton and Jessica do not know who they can trust and if the vaccine is the only reason that they are being hunted.

I think that Springer has created some interesting characters and a possible series that I think will grab peoples attention. The plot was well thought out, written and explored in this book. I think the premise that Springer presented within the book is one that is really viable because at the core governments and corporations is greed.

Kelton is a fascinating character that I really want to know more about he is a good mixture of boy scout and vigilantly with his own moral code, which I found as an interesting combination. He does not like to be call a mercenary, even though that is what he is, but he likes to believe he has a higher moral code that mercenary's do. I enjoyed learning about Kelton's past, what made him the man he is in this book. I wish we would have learned more about his training, but I can understand if Springer is going to save that for the next Kelton book.

Jessica was not my favorite character in the first part of the book, I found her just an overly sexual character and just trying to use her sexuality too much in trying to seduce Kendal. I did grow to semi like Jessica later in the book, but I just could not get past how she was portrayed in the beginning of the book too truly like her as a character. I found the questions she asked boring, and just the conversation was strained at times, and I did begin to wonder about Springer's ability to write female characters.

The book did have a few slow parts in the book, especially in the conversation between Jessica and Kelton. There were times when I wanted the conversation to end or take a different direction as there were more interesting topics that could have been discuessed but were not. Most of the conversation revolved around sex and/or Jessica trying to convince Kelton to have sex with her. Which as stated above is why Jessica was not my favorite character. There were also times where things seemed a little bit too easy for Kelton and Jessica, that it took away from the suspense and thrills that could have been in the book.

I was impressed that Springer was able to create a story, plot and characters in this short book (it was just over 219 pages on my nook). I think Springer has created a character that I would like to return to, to not only learn more about but to see how his adventures unfold. Springer is an author to watch out for as I think once he hits his stride in writing he will create some great mystery/thriller/adventure stories.

Enjoy!!!

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Gemma Halliday: Undercover in High Heels

2011-10-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

This is the third book in the High Heels Series. The first book is Spying in High Heels and the second book is Killer in High Heels. While it is not completely essential that you read the other two books before this one, the build up of Maddie's life and relationships start, grow and blunder through the first two books and really they are just fun reads.

"Secret affairs, hunky gardeners, and housewives desperate enough to bare it all... welcome to Magnolia Lane, TV's hottest new prime time show." and Maddie's newest obsession. Maddie's life seems to be working out, well for the most part. She's not 100% sure where her and Ramirez stand (okay it is a very hot-cold relationship, but a girl can dream of the best) but on the bright side she has created her first Maddie Springer Shoes. But Maddie's favorite TV show is about to create some of its own drama when one of the rising stars is found on set and it looks like the true target was the show star. Ramirez is assigned to the case but not in the capacity he wants to be. But Maddie thinks the best way to get Ramirez's attention is to go undercover at Magnolia Lane and find the killer, but Maddie's snooping around is about to turn deadly.

I can always turn to Halliday when I need an all around fun read, after reading too much dark and serious books. She always knows just how to make me laugh and keep me entertained though out the book. I love just reading of the next situation that Maddie gets into, whether it is her fault or not. I have no idea where Halliday gets all her ideas for Maddie to get into trouble with, but they are all fall off the chair laughing ones.

I really liked Dana in this book and I'm glad that she got more of a role in this novel. It was nice to see the duo together again and all the schemes they can convince each other to partake in. I don't know how many times I laughed out loud in regards to Dana being part of SA (Sexaholics Anonymous)...That right there should make you want to read this book in this series, lol.

I appreciated that Halliday does not over do it with the sex scenes, they are hinted at, but she never goes into great detail with them. I think that she does it tastefully, and give enough of the steaminess that individuals who like to read novels that have more romance based to them will still enjoy this book.

Halliday writes fun easy to read books, that will put a smile on your face.The High Heel Series is for readers who like romance, comedy and mystery.

Enjoy!!!

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Thank You Everyone!!! Blogoversary Contests are CLOSED

2011-10-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I just want to say thank you once again to all the authors who were part of my very First Blogoversary. I also want to tajnk those who took the time to read, comment and enter the author interviews and giveaways of the authors. All contests are now closed and I will be choosing winner shortly (well random.org will be but you get the idea), so keep an eye on your email to see if you have won some books.

Cheers and Happy Canadian Thanks Giving this weekend.

Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: J. J. Westendarp

2011-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Today we have an indie author whose debut I just read a few weeks ago and I really enjoyed it and I cannot wait to read more

Please Welcome J. J. Westendarp to Blood Rose Books today.

Do you have a specific experience or book that you read that inspired you to become an author?

David Eddings, first and foremost, is the author I go to when I need inspiration. I know a lot of people look at his stuff as simplistic and not very deep, but I love the characterization he manages to accomplish in just about everything he wrote along with his wife, Leigh. He also had a knack for world building that I think any author would appreciate. Reading his stuff always makes me want to step up my game.

As an indie author, what has been the most challenging aspect in getting your book out there for people to read?

Finding people to read it, though a close second seems to be distancing it from other paranormal works that focus on romance and sex as selling points (which might lead back to the first point). Not that my books won't have either of those in small doses (very small), but that's not what I like to read and I write things that I want to read.

The paranormal genre has become extremely popular in the past five years, why did you decide to start your writing career in this genre?

It wasn't so much a conscious decision as it was the story I had in front of me. Spiral X started out as fan fiction that melded the worlds of Buffy and Blade, way back when they were popular. Once I realized I had a real story, I sought to make it my own while also keeping the spirit of the works that inspired its creation. And so was born The Eternal War.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

Comedy. Actors will tell you that comedy is the hardest part to play because timing is so critical to making people laugh. It's the same with writing. I wouldn't even begin to venture into writing something purely for comedic purposes because I'm fairly certain it wouldn't turn out nearly as funny as I would think it was.

Of all the different creatures that are now part of the paranormal genre why did you choose Vampire vs. Vampire Hunter?

Like I said earlier, it was the story I had in front of me, though I will admit that towards the end I was motivated by the idea that vampires needed to go back to being evil again. Of course, the most obvious foil to killing said vampires was a vampire hunter. There's a simplicity there that makes the story easy to explain.

It is some what rare for an author to write a main character that is an opposite sex from them, why did you choose to write a female protagonist?

Not entirely sure on this one. When I started writing I immediately did so from Cheryl's perspective without even thinking about it. Maybe it's because I've secretly wanted to be a badass chick who kills vampires all my life, but it might take years of therapy to sort that out if that's the case.

You went back to some basic roots of the myths about what hurts/kills vampires, do you think the faith based vampire hunting has been lost in the technological world of today?

Yes. I knew early on that I wanted to fixate more on the Buffy world of vampires, where faith plays a large part in dealing with them, though truthfully I was never sure if she truly believed that faith was a weapon. In making the world my own, the concept of The Eternal War, something that exists going back millennia even in our own literature (i.e. the battle for a man's soul), the idea of faith as a literal weapon was something that grew organically out of it. This is also an idea that gets explored a heck of a lot more in the second book.

In Spiral X, you introduce Vampires, but they are actually bodies produced by Demon inhabiting a human’s body. After Vampires, what would be your next favorite creature to introduce?
Zombies, which seems like a bit of a cliché, but I figured out a way for them to world in this setting which seems completely logical.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?
The follow up to Spiral X is currently in the editing phase and I believe I can have it ready for release toward the end of the year. No title as of yet. From there I will be working on a short story based on Tank and a steampunk fantasy novel that I have been working on in between other stuff.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. Haven't heard a single bad thing about it.

To find out more information on J.J. Westerndarp's books you can check out my review of Spiral X and J.J.'s website. He has also very nicley offer One Ebook copy of Sprial X as part of his interview. I cannot wait for his next book in this series to come out.

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a Follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join
2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. EBook provided by J.J. Westendarp

Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Dianne Sylvan

2011-10-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I'm very excited to have today's author on my blog. She has written started a great new series and had one of the best debuts that I read this year and she helped reinstalled my faith in vampire books.

Please Welcome DIANNE SYLVAN to Blood Rose Books today!

The paranormal genre has grown in the last five years, what do you think stands out about your shadow world novels?

I think that the Shadow World novels are different because the vampires that are in them are not all mopey self-loathing types who miss being human. My vampires really like being vampires, and they use their abilities to their utmost advantage to enforce the law. They’re also bound together by a mystical force that becomes more and more important as the story goes on. Also, I’m not afraid to let my characters do terrible things and make dreadful mistakes; that’s how they become who they are, by learning from the things they do wrong, like normal people.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?
Pure Sci/fi would be pretty much impossible for me. I don’t get anything out of outer space or robots or alien invasions. The closest I come is having geeky characters who know how to use computers.

Do you remember the first story that you wrote? Was it this story, another author or an experience that inspired you to become an author?
I’ve been writing since I learned how to read. I never wanted to be anything but a writer. It’s in my blood; I think about it every day, usually all day. If there’s something you can’t go a day without thinking about, chances are you should be that thing. Unless it’s illegal.

I understand that you are part of NeoPagan spirituality; do you find that this help and /or dictates your structure and develop your books?

I use a lot of mythological imagery in my books, and that will become more apparent as the series goes on – there are references to a lot of old gods and goddesses. There are also Witches in the series, and they are both psychic type fantasy witches and actual Wiccans, who practice NeoPagan spirituality. There’s definitely a mystical theme underlying the books.

Within the Paranormal genre there are various types of “Monsters” to choose from, why did you choose vampires?

They’ve been a fascination of mine since I was a teenager. I find werewolves dreadfully boring, I hate zombies, so the only other monsters I might try working with in the future are angels/demons or something like them. There will be other creatures in the Shadow World series (no werewolves, though).

Mira’s power is essentially based around her musicality. Do you have any musical talents?

I love music, and it plays an important part in my writing process; I tend to visualize what I’m writing as if it were a scene in a movie, and that includes the soundtrack. Songs can inspire entire characters and scenes. I don’t currently play any instruments myself but I do intend to learn piano one day.

Most of the book is based upon helping Mira get past her inevitable insanity, what was it about this aspect of the mind (insanity) that made you want to create a power around it?

I think that any kind of psychic gift, if left untrained, could turn to insanity very easily. There are a lot of people in mental institutions who aren’t exactly crazy – just very, very intuitive, or empathic, or have other mental abilities that aren’t understood by modern medicine so they try to medicate them away. I’m not saying everyone is like that, but it does happen. I have also seen musicians who can do amazing things with their music, change the mood of an entire audience in one song, and I asked myself what would happen if someone who could do that didn’t really have any control over it?

Mira is definitely not your typical female protagonist in the paranormal genre (really Faith is closer to typical these days) why did you choose Mira and her weaknesses as your main character?
I wanted to write a story about a survivor. Not someone who just hops out of the box as a heroine, but someone who has to learn to become one, who makes mistakes along the way and has weaknesses and flaws. Perfect people are not interesting to me. People without quirks and habits and loves of their own are boring. I wanted Miranda to reflect the real women I know – they’re complicated, multifaceted, and they’ve survived the worst life can throw at them.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?
I’m almost finished with Shadow’s Fall, the third book in the series. It will hit shelves at the end of March 2012.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).
Right now I’m reading Karen Armstrong’s A History of God, which is amazing. I’m also planning to reread the His Dark Materials trilogy soon.

I want to Thank Dianne for taking part in my Blogoversary and I am looking forward to the next books within her Shadow World Series. If you would like to find out more about the Shadow World and Dianne's novels check out my review of Queen of Shadows and check out Dianne's website. Dianne has very nicely donated one SIGNED copy of the second book in her Shadow World Series, Shadowflame. Thank You once again Dianne!!

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a Follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join
2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open to Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. Books are provided by Dianne Sylvan

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Blogoversary Author Interview: Xavier Lerent

2011-10-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Today for my Blogoversary, we have an author that was not afraid to take on tough issues and whose book had me feeling every emotion out there.

Please Welcome XAVIER LERET to Blood Rose Books.

You started your creative business life in film; do you find writing novel is a better fit for your creative mind?

I actually started by making theatre, writing and directing work, then moved into film. I think it suits me better writing novels. I like being in a characters head. It took me a while to change my focus because when writing scripts, and then directing them, you are on the outside of a character observing their actions, whereas in a novel you are inside the characters head, for me that is what is exciting about the novel.

You have stated you that you were a bit of rebel when you were younger, were you writing back then? If so how has your writing changed to where it is now? My writing has changed a lot. The obvious changes are the developments from plays, into film and finally into prose and novels. The real change for me has been delving into the internal life of my characters and letting that take control of my storytelling. I have always been politically and philosophically motivated to write. It is important for me to discover things about life and ask questions about the human condition. This has not changed.

I placed Heaven Sent as a modern Contemporary novel, where do believe that Heaven Sent fits within the fiction genre world?
I would describe it as contemporary fiction and alternative reality. Some might describe it as a coming of age story too.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

I think comedy is hardest thing to write. I used to enjoy directing comedy for the theatre but writing it is another ball game. And quality comedy does so much more than make you laugh. It can make us look again on a subject, see it with fresh eyes.

How did the story process start for Heaven Sent? Did you created the characters or storyline first?

I started with the characters, though they are fairly unrecognizable now from their original incarnations. Not much of their original experiences remain as much of those early character sketches were thrown out when I began to develop the story. In some ways I worked very much like an actor preparing a part. On one level there is the character experiences. But there is also another element that needs to be considered and that is the voice of the author – that is very much like another character in the work and that too has been transformed over the process.

Heaven Sent, touches on quite a few controversial issues, especially child prostitution, was this an issue you wanted to bring forward or did the story just evolve that way?

It was the character Daizee, she kept shouting at me to get up in the morning, she was the one who most wanted her story told. Though, to be honest I floundered a lot. Often I was writing stuff that was unnecessarily dark. It's interesting because now that the book has been picked up by a publisher they have asked me to calm it down a bit and cut out some big and overly dark elements. Less is more.

Daisy has quite a mouth on her, being from Canada I’m not as familiar with English “street” speech, is Daisy’s speech accurate?

I'm from Bristol and it is a thick accent with its own phrases that are particular to the region. There is a Bristolian dictionary, which I referred to quite a lot which I then mixed with more recognizably urban slang. My favorite entry in the That Be Bristle dictionary is under the H section - “This page has been left intentionally blank as no Bristolian ever pronounces the letter 'H' at the start of a word.”

Do you think that you would ever continue the story of Carlo and how Heaven Sent has changed him?

I don't think so. I am currently in the middle of re-writing the book for a publisher, which I am enjoying a lot. It is good re-connect with the characters and redevelop the book. However, I think that when this process is done I will need to move on. I have a couple of other novels in various stages of development and a bit of me is eager to go back to them – but then that might be because I got a bit stuck today.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

I have a story coming out in a collection at the end of September. But other than that I am working hell for leather on getting HS ready for my publisher.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

I am currently reading Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky which is just amazing.

I want to thank Xavier for taking part in an interview for my blogoversary and i am waiting for the next installment of his work. You can find more about Xavier's books by checking out my review of Heaven Sent and Xavier Website.

Jeannie Holmes: Blood Law

2011-10-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

In her debut novel Jeannie Holmes takes the reader in the world of the FBPI (Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigations) and a small town that is having some serious vampire trouble:

Now when you think of vampires causing a stir in a small town, normally you think they are chasing after the virgin daughter of the farmer, however, in this small town something different is happening. Some of the human have waged war on the vampire population living in their town and are willing to stop at nothing to see it happen. Enforcer Alex Sabin is with the FBPI and is responsible for Jacksonville, however, most of the local sheriff and police department do not respect or even like her because she is a vampire. However, Alex is the local paranormal expert and when Vampires are involved Alex is front and center. But these murders have a link to Alex's past and it is one that she is not sure that she wants to uncover the truth.

I've had this book on my shelf for almost a year now, and I kept passing it by as I was not into vampire based paranormal books for awhile. They were all sounding the same and having the same characters in them, that I was really looking for something different. This book took me a bit to get into this book and once I got halfway through I find that Holmes found her stride and the story became one that I did not want to put down.

I do not think that Holmes brought anything new to the paranormal genre, but Holmes did a good job of using what is already out there. I liked Holmes use of the FBPI and the integration into the American government and I also liked the anti-vampire sentiment of the people of the town were used. I think that Holmes was able to portray very real emotion and reason as to book. however, the story was well written and entertaining especially the second half of the book. This is one of the better books for combining supernatural creatures and law enforcement.

I did not mind Alex a s female lead, yes she was head strong but I think that Holmes did a good job in making her vulnerable but strong at the same time. However, there were times when I wanted to smack her for thinking that she always knows best and not taking others into consideration. I think my favorite part is when Alex interacts with her mother, nice to know that even vampires can be stopped by their mother's just saying their names. I wasn't the biggest fan of the relationship between Alex and Varik, I'm not too sure why, I just didn't feel the spark. I personally want know more about Stephen,

I think that Holmes did a good job with her first book I am interested to see how Alex's powers develop. So I will be picking up the next book in the series.

Enjoy!!!

If You Like This,

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Blogoversary: Author Interview & Giveaway: Richard Kadrey

2011-09-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Today we have an author who has a dark and gritty style of writing that I personally LOVE. and could not put down his first novel

Please Welcome RICHARD KADREY to Blood Rose Books Today!

I like that you have stated that it has been stated on your website that you have “no qualification for anything he does”. Do you agree with this statement? Do you think you had an easier or harder time getting your books published because of this and why?

I was a terrible student and barely made it through high school. The I was tossed out of college. The “no qualifications” line is me encouraging other underachievers to keep working at what they love. A diploma won’t get you published. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with making it through school. I sometimes envy those who did, but being largely self-taught I want other people know that they can do it too.

When you created the Sandman Slim series did you create Stark first or the world?
The genesis of the series is a common one for writers but probably a frustrating one for readers because there was no master plan. The series came from two sentences, each in a different notebook. The first sentence was, “Hitman from Hell.” The second was, “Name for a character: Sandman Slim.” That’s it. After that it was simply a matter of following the logic of where Stark came from, where he was going and what he wanted.

What was the appeal of writing the Sandman Slim series in the Heaven vs. Hell type book?

George Bush gets all the credit for that even though he sure as hell wouldn’t want it. When Bush and his fundamentalist Christian cronies came to power I didn’t understand them so I started reading about the history of the Christianity. That led me to the Gnostics, the heretical Biblical books and the history of the Devil. Over 2000 years there have been a lot of competing theories about how the universe really works. It seemed to me that these stories could form the background for a fantasy story as well as any of the usual fairy and folktales.

It appears that you have created a new or different structure of Heaven, Hell and how they interact with each other and those people on Earth, did you do any research on Heaven and Hell or created it how you thought it could be?

I did a lot of research. The religious elements that form the story background come from a lot of different religious and magical sects that I tossed into a blender and set on puree. I wanted to create my own mythology within the context of a specific belief system but not be tied to any single line of thought o rules. Partly it was more fun and partly I didn’t want readers to get too far ahead of the story if they figured out certain Gnostic or Kabbalistic ideas. I wanted to be able to surprise everyone, even those who recognized the more obscure bits of religious theory I was playing with.

Stark clearly has the anti-hero thing going for him, what do you think is the appeal of the anti-hero?
I don’t believe in anti-heroes. Few so-called heroes ever set out to be one. Anti-heroes are people who are just a little more vocal about not wanting to be dragged into saving a sinking ship, a busload of kittens of the world.

It has been stated by another reviewer that your books are similar to a Noir style film, do you have any interest in writing and developing a Noir film?

Sandman Slim has been optioned and a screenwriter is working on a first draft of the script right now. I helped develop the screen story but I have no idea if any of my ideas will be in the final script. It’s been fun learning more about how movies are made but in the end the movie belongs to the producers and the books belong to me.

You have a history in comic books and a passion for photography, any thoughts of combining the tow together?

No. When I finish a book my brain is so full of words that I’m almost incoherent. I have to get away from words to I go to photography, a purely visual medium. After a while, my brain fills full of images and I run back to words. Writing and photography are the cure for each other. As for comics, I’m talking over some ideas with a publisher right now but nothing has been signed so I can’t say much more than that.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

I’m working on the fourth Sandman Slim book right now. It starts exactly 100 days after book three, Aloha From Hell. The next three books are built on a story arc that I hope will rewrite the history of everything in the universe.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new one or an old favorite).

The Contortionist's Handbook by Craig Clevenger.

I really want to thank Ricahrd for being part of my Blogoversary. I really enjoy his writing style, honesty, and the characters he has created. Richard's publisher has very kindly donated 2 copies of the second book in the Sandman slim series Kill the Dead (Giveaway information before). To find out more information about Richard and the Sandman Slim book, check out my review of Sandman Slim as well as Richard's website. Thank You once again Richard!

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a Follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join
2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open to Canada/USA

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6.Books provided by Publisher

Blogoversary: Author Interview Donna Ball (writing as Donna Boyd)

2011-09-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I am please to introduce an author whose books span a wide range of genres and readers

Please Welcome DONNA BALL writing as Donna Boyd to the blog today!!!

You have written numerous books over the years, yet you have written several of them under different pseudonyms. Why do you use several different names to publish your works?
I write in multiple and widely varied genres—everything from western adventure to supernatural suspense. Publishers used to believe that readers wouldn’t follow a writer from one genre to the other, so when I switched genres I generally switched pen names. These days, of course, it’s easy for anyone to Google his favorite author and find all the different pseudonyms, and I have found that there is quite a bit of cross over by readers between my different pen-names.

You write both series and stand alone novels, which do you prefer to write and Why?

That’s a difficult question. I love writing series, because I can explore the characters’ stories in greater depth if I have several books in which to do it. The characters really start to live and grow and become part of your everyday life in a series. However, when the publisher inevitably cancels the series before I have finished telling the story, my heart is broken, my readers’ hearts are broken, and I am tormented by those characters’ untold stories for the rest of my life! So while series are what I prefer, stand alone books are safer.

Do you remember the first book that you wrote? How old were you and did this inspire you to become a full time writer?

Oh my, that does take me back. My first “book” was written when I was nine years old and it was a romance. I suspect it was inspired by one of the soap operas my mother watched. It received fabulous reviews from family and friends (although my mother, a Southern Baptist, found it a bit racy for her taste), and from that moment on I was hooked. It’s worth noting that I wrote 20-30 subsequent books before finally writing one that was publishable.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

I think roman a clef would be the hardest for me, because anything that is tied to reality takes the adventure out of writing for me. Half my motivation for writing is to see what happens next, and if I already know the ending… well, what’s the point?

You also have a passion for expressionistic painting and art, do you find that painting and writing complement each other when you are working on the other?
I use my painting to refuel my creative self. Writing is enormously stressful, with an extremely long delayed gratification cycle. I can finish a painting in a few days, or a week, and then I can step back and say “Wow! Look at that!” and I have something to hang on my walls. When I’m not on a deadline (and I actually can’t remember the last time I wasn’t on a deadline) I try to make a ritual of “art Sundays”, in which I take every Sunday off to do nothing but paint.

When you ventured into the paranormal romance genre, why did you choose werewolves? What inspired you to write about them?
I felt werewolves were the under-explored species of the paranormal genre. Everyone was clinging to the same tired old myths—the silver bullets, the full moon, the excruciating change from human to wolf, the human-killing, ya-de-ya. I was determined to take that worn-out construct and turn it inside out. My inspiration was the simple arrogance of the human race. What if we are not, in fact, the only sentient species on earth? What if we’re not even the dominant one?

The Passion focuses on the werewolf culture, what type of research did you do to put so much detail into the werewolf culture?

To be honest, the foundation for the character of the werewolf species I created comes from a thorough understanding of canine behavior. I had to know who they were and what they valued before I could begin to imagine their culture. A small example: domestic dogs value something that is stolen (taken from a human or a fellow canine without permission) far more than if the same thing were freely given. The lie is one of the most difficult concepts for a canine to master, so it makes sense that in werewolf culture, a well-told lie would also be highly valued. For the creation of the actual myths and legends that populate The Promise , I am eternally grateful to my former writing partner Shannon Harper (one half of Leigh Bristol and Taylor Brady) who did all the historical research on that book.

What was the most important aspect of this werewolf culture, within The Passion and The Promise that you wanted the readers to be aware of?

There were so many things I wanted readers to think about: the duality of our nature, the eternal battle between dark and light, savagery and restraint that exists both in us and in our mythical werewolf counterparts; the fact that the supposed “savage” werewolf actually values human life more than we ourselves do; the modern-day werewolf who has achieved global dominance by choosing, every day, not to succumb to his lower nature (I love the fact that in their culture, a child’s jumping rhyme includes the line “I shall not kill today, my friend, I shall not kill today”.) But I think the take-away from the entire series is laid out in the prologue of The Passion: I have known Nature, and I have known Civilization. Civilization is better.

Are you able to share any information on upcoming works or events?
I am delighted to announce, for your Blogoversary, that Renegade, the long awaited sequel to The Passion and The Promise is now ready for publication. The circuitous (and tortuous!) route this book has taken over the past twelve years would make a book in itself, but rest assured—every I is dotted and every T is crossed and we are a go for launch. I will be releasing details on my web site www.donnaball.net over the next few months but this is what I can tell my beloved, faithful readers: You will be shocked. You will be horrified. You will want more.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new book or an old favorite).

Okay, this will sound odd given all of the above but I hate, I mean actively hate what passes for urban fantasy these days. Having said that, I’ve recently discovered the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne, and it’s like ice cream dipped in dark chocolate coated with caramel for me: I totally can’t resist. Hexed is on my Kindle now, and as soon as I finish all my other proper literary obligations I can’t wait to dive in.

Thank you for including me in your Blogoversary edition! I am honored.

I want to say thank you once again to Donna for being a part of my Blogoversary, and for sharing the news on sequel to the Passion and The Promise. I am very excited to see what happens next. You can check out my review of The Passion and stop by Donna Ball's website, for more information on her other books.

Cheers!!!

Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Dakota Banks

2011-09-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Today I am very excited to bring you an author that really started me on the path of trying to find new authors who were on the darker side of the paranormal genre,

Please Welcome DAKOTA BANKS to Blood Rose Books today!

You began your writing within the suspense thrillers with a virtual reality science fiction aspect to them and you state you felt hemmed in by reality. Why did you feel hemmed in even by the science fiction genre?

My suspense thrillers (the PJ Gray series by Shirley Kennett, my real name) were intended to give readers a view into the developing world of forensic computer simulation. An elementary example would be a vehicle accident recreation shown in 2D or a 3D rendering on a flat screen. The cars approach the corner, the blue car runs the stoplight, and boom. That’s known as looking through the window virtual reality, meaning the viewer is outside the action and the cars aren’t seen at full size, just two inches long on the screen. In the PJ Gray books I used immersive virtual reality so the viewer becomes an actor in the scene (by wearing special glasses), can manipulate things, and the surroundings appear life-sized. I also enhanced the VR with artificial intelligence, so the computer could run through a homicide simulation using its best guess about how the crime was committed. All of this is what hard science fiction means to me: extrapolating current trends and technology and then looking at the effects on society. But I still kept things feasible and grounded in reality, even if it’s the reality of the near future.

Then I became intrigued with writing about phenomena that puzzle us now for which there may be no scientific explanations in the future, either because humans are flat-out making this stuff up or because we can’t wrap our minds around them. Examples: remote viewing, seeing auras, the gods and demons of ancient mythologies affecting our lives. That last one was the seed for the Mortal Path books.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

I think horror is truly difficult to write. The Mortal Path books have elements of horror in them, but building an entire book around horror and sustaining the feeling in the reader for more than brief scenes would be tough. I don’t mean slash and splash that is a pale imitation of horror. Anybody could do that.

The paranormal genre has grown within the past 5 years, what do you think it is about your books that have helped them stand out from other authors?

The paranormal genre has come to be almost synonymous with stories about vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, witches, ghosts, and the occasional zombie—especially vampires and werewolves. The Mortal Path books don’t have any of those characters, so they’re bucking the trend. Instead, the stories are based on ancient Sumerian legends come to life. A three-hundred-year-old woman used to be a Sumerian demon’s assassin, but now she’s into redeeming her soul by saving lives instead of taking them. I worried at first if I would find a publisher willing to take a chance on the series, but the HarperCollins’ Voyager imprint was eager to take it on and promote it as a fresh twist on the urban fantasy series.

There are various type of “Monsters” within the paranormal genre, why did you choose to focus on Demons and their Ageless Servants?

The demons I use are the Utukki, straight from Sumerian mythology, with cool names like Rabishu (Croucher), Tirid (Expulsion), and Sidana (Staggers). These demons were tasked with causing chaos, death, diseases, and general evil-run-amuck among humans. I’ve done a lot of research so that my stories fit neatly with the legends but allow me a departure point. The Ageless are my invention. They’re humans who’ve made deals to follow demonic orders (chaos, etc.) in exchange for immortality. This lets me explore evil and redemption outside the usual Judeo-Christian mindset, which means anything goes. So now we’re back to putting things in the stories that aren’t even vaguely grounded in reality. Fun! What’s a sparkly vampire compared to the Demon Rabishu?

The premise of your Mortal Path series is about redemption, what appealed to you about a redemption story?

I wanted to work with a character who was initially good, then became sucked in by evil and gloried in it. She stays young and beautiful, and lives a decadent life, by being a demon’s assassin, always furthering his evil plans. Could I take a reprehensible person like that and convincingly transform her into a seeker of justice and a saver of souls, including her own? Someone worthy of deep

friendship and love? Someone the reader would root for? My character, Maliha Crayne, is a work in progress who can sometimes alienate and go down the wrong path, but readers seem caught up in her quest, as am I.

I know I am interested in learning and exploring more of the Demon world you have created, are we going to see more of Rabishu in the next novel as well as more of the hierarchy of the Demon world?

Absolutely. As more Ageless are introduced, we see the demons they serve, and Maliha will be interacting with Ageless in every book, since she used to be one. There is also a story line that continues in every book concerning Maliha’s quest to collect artifacts that when assembled, can be used to destroy the demons. The idea in the story is that the activities of these demons over the last half a million years have stunted the advancement of the human race. If Maliha succeeds in destroying them and we’re freed—of war, disease, even death—what’s the future of humankind when we can finally express ourselves to the fullest? Okay, it’s a big idea, but this is a series. Series should have big ideas behind them.

Especially within your second book Sacrifice of your Mortal Path series, none of you characters appear to be safe, is this important aspect when writing a storyline and characters that can be hurt or killed off? Are you less attached to the characters because of this?

In the third book, Deliverance, this mortal fear is even more prominent. I don’t think any of the series characters are or should be safe, because of the dark nature of the battle for redemption. I’ve never promised that Maliha will succeed in saving her soul, or in the grand idea of killing off the demons. The odds were stacked against her from the start, and as she ages more and more of the abilities she enjoyed as an Ageless slip away from her. She’s going to have to work for every inch of progress. The friends she’s gathered around her might not all make it to the end of the series. My problem is I’m very attached to all of them. If a character is hurt or dies in this series, you can be guaranteed my tears are already on the page by the time the book reaches you.

You have created a very interesting possible triangle between Maliha, Jake and Lucius. Are we going to see more of the two male characters in future novels?

Yes. Or No....

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

Deliverance, book 3, will be released in March 2012. There’s been a delay between the publication of books 2 and 3 due to my sister’s slide into poor health and passing away. It’s hard to say it even now. She and I were very close and my writing fell by the wayside for a while. My editor was kind enough to work with me on the deadline for book 3, and I hope readers of the series will be patient.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

I was in the audience at the International Thriller Writers Awards Banquet in New York in July 2011. I heard J.T. Ellison speak as she accepted the Thriller Award for Best Paperback for her book The Cold Room. As I saw her overcome with genuine emotion on the stage, I felt respect flowing from one writer to another—not just from me, but from the whole audience. I have a copy of that book signed by J.T. I haven’t even read Chapter One, but I know it’s going to be great.

I want to thank you to Dakota for agreeing to be part of my Blogoversary and I cant wait to get my hands on the third book in the Mortal Path series Deliverance. If you would like to find out more about Dakota's books, check out my reviews of Dark Time and Sacrifice as well as check out Dakota Banks' Website.. Dakota has very nicely offered a one SIGNED copy (either ebook or paperback, will be winner choice) of the second book in the Mortal Path Series Sacrifice. Thank you once again Dakota.

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join
2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6.Book provided by Dakota Banks

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveway: Richard Doetsch

2011-09-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

Today we have an author that I just discovered this past year and I am very excited to read more and more of his books.

Please Welcom RICHARD DOETSCH to Blood Rose Books today!

Real estate, Extreme Sports and Writer, these do not seem to have anything in common to the regular individual, however, they are all passions of yours, what do they have in common for you?

They all in one way, shape, or form involve thrills and puzzles. In real estate you have the good and bad thrills of the transaction and the puzzle of trying to figure out how to create deals in volatile markets with people who only have their own goals in mind.

Whether it is skydiving, bunging jumping, or scuba there is an adrenaline component to what I love to do, a thrill aspect that creates a natural high, and a good type of addiction plus I’m always looking to figure out new ways to top myself with excitement.

And writing, for me is trying to capture all of those moments from life melding them into an exciting story, creating intricate puzzle-like mysteries and thrills that keeps the reader turning pages and up all night trying to get to the end before they have to go to work. It’s great fun to jump out of plane and turn that experience into a scene when I get home. Many times, it doesn’t even have to be the jump, or the scuba dive appearing in the story but rather the emotions of it the thrill, the sweaty palms which can be used for so many different scenes and moments.

What made you pick up a pen to become an author? Can you remember an experience or a book that inspired you?

About seven years ago, I was looking for a story that was different, that combined certain elements beyond the usual thrills: deeper characters, interesting facts, anti-heroes and a slight tinge of the impossible. When I couldn’t find it I decided to write the book I wanted to read which became The Thieves of Heaven. I was a voracious reader when I was younger of everything from Alistair MacLeane, to Dickens, Ludlum to Twain all of which drove my passion for story. These writers and many like them became my writing school, though I didn’t know it at the time.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

I already combine elements of historical fiction with romance, mystery, and thrillers…. I suppose it would have to be a decade spanning drama, one with multiple generations. The stories all have these central arcs but you have to illustrate it over decades or centuries creating characters whose lives can only tell a portion of the story. You can end up with dozens of main characters and that is not an easy task to get your mind around. But, to me, it makes it a challenge and something I would want to try. Previously, I had never seen a book written backwards and thought it would be a terrific challenge to attempt, so I wrote The 13th Hour which was not only one of the funnist things I’ve created but a story that has sold worldwide and will soon be a movie from New Line Cinema.

You have a written a good old fashioned but modernized Good vs Evil tale, what was the appeal in writing this type of story line?

It is the most basic stories and thematically is found in one way, shape, or form in most books. In The Thieves of Heaven, even though Michael St. Pierre is a thief he is still good, he is still the hero but he is painted in shades of gray which, to me, always makes the character more interesting and relatable. The same holds true for August Finster, a man whose darkness is painted with varying colors, who cares for Michael and his plight to save his wife , but who ultimately is only out for himself. So while it is a tale of good vs evil each has certain qualities that you wouldn’t expect in your heroes and villains.

I know you created Michael St. Pierre as a thief on purpose in order to give him a certain type of skill set outside of the more typical ex-military or law enforcement types, Do you think that Michael’s skill set and anti-hero aspect are more conducive to a thriller series?

I love the anti-hero, the Butch Cassidy Robin Hood type, those likeable characters who, though breaking the laws of the land, heart, and God, still do the right thing. To me the white night, the good sheriff, or the all around do-gooder can become boring, can be predictable. I think as a thriller writer it is my responsibility to entertain, to keep the reader guessing and involved and turning the pages as fast as he can. To get there I need someone who will break the law, who challenges the status quo, who will do anything including breaking the laws of man, the heart, and God to achieve his goal. Besides it makes them all the more fun to write.

I found Simon to be a very interesting character within the book. He follows God, yet was able to justify killing people as God’s work. Did you want Simon to be a different type of anti-hero, one that came from the church instead of regular society?

Simon is really an illustration of the type of person who will go to any extreme to defend what he believes in. We all have a strong faith in our beliefs be they religious, political, family; I always love the person who will go to the ends of the earth to put their lives on the line for what they believe in.

Is there something extreme that Michael has attempted that you would like to attempt?

Actually everything that Michael has done short of breaking into places comes from my life. The opening scene of The Thieves of Darkness where Michael St. Pierre is skydiving onto a 3,000 foot prison mesa comes directly from my life experiences (the prison is creative license), when he is falling from the plane at 13,500 that is not imagination, but reality. If there were no consequences I would love to see if I could break into some spectacular place with high security like The Louvre, The White House, or The Kremlin, it would be such a fun challenge to overcome the various obstacles constructed by the top security firms, to run around some forbidden place in the dark, being chased with no idea if my escape plan would work, to have to think my way out of pending doom.

You give a fantastic description of the Vatican even how many steps it takes to get from one place or another. I know you spend a lot of time researching in the library but have you had the opportunity to visit the Vatican?

Sadly, I’ve never been there, my kids varying schedules rarely gives us a moment when we can travel as a family to far off places. Though, as a result of my research I could probably tell you about almost every nook, cranny, and artifact as well as any tour guide.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

My latest Novel, Half-Past Dawn will be released September 27 from Atria/Simon & Schuster. The basic summary is:

Awakening to the mistaken headline that he and his wife, Mia, have been killed, District Attorney, Jack Keeler has only until dawn tomorrow to uncover an ancient mystery hidden in the depths of one of the country's most heavily guarded prisons. A thriller spanning time, an Asian people out of legend, an assassin who will stop at nothing to avenge his death sentence, and a diary who's contents may foretell the future, Half-Past Dawn is a race through the boarders of life and death, insanity and reason, and dreams and reality. 24 hours to find his wife, 24 hours to find his children, 24 hours before fate catches up with Keeler... and the rest of the world.

I wrote this story in late 2009 as a personal challenge to see if I could keep myself guessing while creating something new and different. As with all of my stories, it's never going where you think it's going though it does travel upon a break-neck rollercoaster and promises as much fun as The 13th Hour.

In addition, the screenplay for my novel, The 13th Hour, is done and will soon be in production at New Line Cinema, and I’m near completion on the screenplay adaptation of my novel The Thieves of Darkness which we will be announcing shortly, though I can say that I’m co-writing the screenplay with a major player in both huge blockbuster films and a big hit TV. And if you weren’t aware, Fox bought The Thieves of Heaven and it was adopted by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver who wrote and produced this year’s Rise of The Planet of The Apes which was fantastic.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite)? There are two: Moby Dick, which I haven’t read in 20 years and Ian Fleming’s Moonraker, the only James Bond novel I haven’t finished. For those unaware most of Flemings books have nothing to do with the movies titled after them.

I want to say Thank You to Richard for being part of my Blogoversary event. Richard has very nicely aggreed to have a giveaway and has some great books offered. The Giveaway is for 1 SIGNED hardcover of The 13th Hour, 1 SIGNED hardcover of Thieves of Darkness and 1 SIGNED hardcover copy of Half Past Dawn. If you would like to find out more about Richard's book check out my review of Thieves of Heaven and Richards Website. Thank you once again Richard

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join
2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

5. Books have been provided by Richard Doetsch

Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: T. C. Lotempio

2011-09-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I am very pleased to have the following author with us today. Her book was one of the first indie books that I ever read and lets just say that I am now hooked.

Please Welcome TONI LOTEMPIO to Blood Rose Books Today

The paranormal genre has grown in the past 5 years. Why did you decide to write within this genre and how do you think your books stand out?

I’ve always been a fan of anything supernatural – my dad took me to horror movies when I was little and I loved, loved, loved the soap opera DARK SHADOWS. I try to put elements in my books that aren’t as commonplace, like voodoo and parallel time to try and set them apart from the normal vamp/were/witch.

You began your author career with Bound by Blood, which you have classified as paranormal suspense, why did you choose to change to paranormal romance?

I love the mystery/suspense genre, have ever since I started reading Nancy Drew/Perry Mason when I was a kid. But romances sell better, so I made the switch. I’d classify my books more as romantic suspense. There are people who don’t’ think I have enough romance in ‘em.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

I think maybe a techno-thriller would be tough to write for me. I’m not very scientific oriented. Throw in stuff about chromosomes and biological splits and I’m totally lost. I’m also not very big on books about war, unless it’s space aliens. Then I might be interested.

You are a staff reporter and a reviewer for other author’s books, do you think that reviewing other people’s works have helped you become a better author?

Absolutely! I think any kind of writing that you do helps you become a better writer. The more you do something, the better you get at it.

What do you think that the most important thing for a reviewer to do when they are writing a review for a book?

I think it’s important to keep an open mind and to be very honest in your opinion of the book. I try not to be influenced by other reviews I might have read and to judge it on its own merit.

In No Rest for the Wicca, you have chosen to focus on voodoo, what appealed to you about voodoo over “regular” witchcraft?

I thought the dark side of voodoo, or “hoodoo” as it’s called, might be more interesting to write about – the lwas, or gods, the customs – and let’s not forget the zombies! I thought it might be something different.

Have you had any personal experience with voodoo?

Does buying one of those little dolls made to look like your boss so you can stick pins in it count? LOL. No, I have no personal experience. I did get much more interested in it after I saw the movie THE SKELETON KEY. That was the inspiration for another of my novels put out by Whiskey Creek Press, EBONY.

As an indie author, what has been the most challenging aspect in getting your book out there for people to read?

Finding time to do it all J It’s a lot of work – blog tours, doing interview, etc. Got to juggle a lot when you also work a 9-5 day job.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

I’m planning on releasing a Raven Grace novella around the holidays, and next year I’ll be releasing a YA indie with a tie –in to the Dark Shadows Movie in April. Maybe another paranormal/uf, but now that I have an agent I’ll have to wait and see. He’s got first dibs on my new manuscripts!

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

I can’t wait to read Michelle Rowen’s new paranormal mysteries featuring her character from BITTEN AND SMITTEN, Sarah Dearly! Unfortunately they won’t be out till 2012! Right now I’m going through Mary Janice Davidson’s Undead series – I’m up to book five.

I want to Thank Toni, for being part of my Blogversary. You can find out more about Toni's books by checking out my review of her No Rest For The Wicca novel and by Checking out her webiste: Toni Lotempio PNR Author. Toni has agreed to participate in an interview and she is giving away ONE Ebook copy of No Rest for the Wicca as well as ONE Ebook copy of Raven's Kiss. Thank You once again Toni for taking the time for this interview and giveaway, and I'm very excited for your next books.

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join
2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

5. EBooks are provided by Toni LoTempio

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Blogoversary Author Interview: Kari Stewart

2011-09-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

Today we have an author who I think took a different approach in the paranormal world and has created a fantastic world and characters.

Please Welcome K. A. Stewart (aka Kari Stewart) to Blood Rose Books today.

The Paranormal genre has seen a huge increase in authors and books over the last five years, what made you decide to have your first book enter into that genre?

It’s a genre that I love, first and foremost. I’ve always been a fantasy nut, and then when urban fantasy started popping up, it just seemed so logical! Of course, magic in the real world! I was really excited to go play with that concept. I think I’d have probably written the JJD novels even if UF wasn’t popular, just because it’s a story I love.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

Keep in mind that this answer is subjective. There are a lot of things I’m not sure I could write. Military thrillers, for one. Romance, for another. Not because there’s anything wrong with those things, but just because that’s not where my heart is, and I believe that writers should write what they love. That love shows through in the quality of the work.

Within the Paranormal genre there are various types of monsters and creatures to focus on, what drew you to and what was the appeal of the Demon aspect?

In Jesse’s world, I knew that I wanted to make it as close to our own reality as possible, but a little more warped. Vampires and werewolves running around was just too much, it wasn’t the feel I was going for. Demons, on the other hand… They’re sneaky, they’re subtle, and in the end, we (humans) are simply our own worst enemy. You never know when a demon is watching, when the voice you hear whispering to you isn’t your own. And I like the creepy-factor in that. Who do you trust?

You main character is male, which is growing in popularity, but the vast majority of authors us a female protagonist (as it seems that most people who read this genre are women), what were the pros and cons for you about having a male protagonist?

I actually started the JJD series because my husband wanted to see more male protagonists. At that time, the big name in male-lead UF was the Dresden Files, but after that, you really had to search. There were others, of course, but they were far outnumbered by the female leads. My husband wanted to see a hero more like him, just a dude who stepped up when life called. And that’s really where Jesse came from. I didn’t think in pros and cons, because I just figured if one person wanted to see more guys, there were others out there who did, too. And it turns out I was right.

You have Jesse James focus his talents around the samurai ways, have you done any training in the samurai ways or something similar?

No formal training, no. The idea for Jesse following the bushido came from my husband, who has always been interested in that time in history. In the course of researching for the series, I’ve gained quite a bit of knowledge myself, but it’s all from books. Now, I have gleaned basic fighting techniques from my daughter’s karate sensei. I know a lot about sword-making and usage from some friends (www.badgerblades.com). Things I piece together to get the facts that I need. Ideally, someday, I want to do martial arts training myself, but it’s one of those things that I’ll get around to eventually.

I found it interesting that you had Jesse be the character within the book that did not have any type of powers, why did you decide to make Jesse the “weak” one?

I don’t consider Jesse weak. If anything, he has to be stronger than anyone else, because he’s working at a disadvantage. His power comes, not from supernatural means, but from his force of will and determination. And I did that deliberately, because I wanted Jesse to be anybody. He could be you, or me, or that guy standing next to you. He’s just an ordinary guy, who happens to live an extraordinary life.

As you are a new author on the scene, what was the most difficult experience or aspect you had to get around in order to get your book published?

I actually got really lucky in my journey into publishing. I have friends who have seen rejection letters numbering in the hundreds, but for me the process went relatively fast. The writing and refining of that first book took way longer than the actual process of finding an agent and getting it sold to a publisher. If anything, the most difficult part is inside my own head, that little voice that always asks “Well, what if you’re not good enough?” Like I said, we are our own worst enemies.

Besides reading and writing what are some other hobbies that you enjoy partaking in?

I like archery (longbow or recurve, not compound). I grew up around horses, so I’ve always loved horseback riding, but I don’t get to do it much anymore. I play World of Warcraft, which probably makes me a pretty big geek. I still draw and paint from time to time, though most of my creative impulses go into writing anymore. And I collect obscure musical instruments.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

Book 3 of the JJD series should be out next summer, but I don’t have a concrete release date yet. (I don’t even have a firm title yet.) And I’m currently working on rewriting a few other works that are unrelated to Jesse’s world, in the hopes that I can get some other projects into publishing condition.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

Actually, I recently decided that I’m going to re-read ALL of the Dresden Files novels, so that’s on my to do list. I’m in the middle of Rob Thurman’s Basilisk at the moment, and I also have Kevin Hearne’s new Iron Druid series to get into. And there are a TON of new books out this year that I’m dying to read, so my reading schedule should be pretty busy.

I have only read the first book in this series but I was very entertained by the book, and really loved the characters that she developed. It is nice to have some strong Male leads in books these days as everything seems to have strong female lead. For more information about Kari's books check out my review of A Devil in the Detials as well as Kari's Website. Thank you once again Kari for the Author Interview.

Cheers!!!

Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: L.J. Sellers

2011-09-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

Today we have an indie author who I was just introduced to a few weeks ago but I am very excited to delve into the next book in her Thriller Series.

Please Welcome L.J. SELLERS to Blood Rose Books Today

Can you remember the first book that you wrote? Did it inspire you further to be a writer?

Indeed, I can. I sat down on August 7, 1989 and started a book called Personal Justice. It wasn’t publishable, but I had a blast writing it and started another one immediately after. I knew then that storytelling was my future and that someday I would make a living from fiction. It took a little longer than I expected, but I got there.

Do you find that having a background in both journalism and editing helps you as an author? How does it help you?

My journalism career taught me sound writing principles, and it also gave me self-discipline. I don’t have writer’s block. I map out my story, then sit down and write it. I may get stuck sometimes with plot issues that need rethinking, or have days that the words are slow, but once I start a story, I usually finish the first draft within a few months. On the other hand, editing fiction taught me to look for the same errors in my own work. So now I self-edit a lot as I’m writing.

What has been your biggest challenge you have had as an indie author?

I have the same struggle as all new authors: to connect with readers and get them to try my books. As an indie though, reaching readers is more challenging because I’m not eligible for review by the major publications, or by some minor ones either, nor can I enter award contests. So indies still face barriers and stigmas that make promotion harder.

Most of your books appear to fall within the thriller genre. With authors like James Patterson and Jeffrey Archer, do you think that it is a harder genre to break into?

Five of my titles are technically police procedurals, a subcategory of the mystery/detective genre, which has plenty of bestselling authors as well. Three of my novels are standalone thrillers, but all very different. Genre novels, compared to literary fiction, are actually selling better as ebooks, so I don’t think my stories face any tougher competition than any other genre. So many people read thrillers that it may actually be easier to find an audience.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

Any genre that I don’t read would be challenging to write in, but for me fantasy would be the most difficult. My novels are all grounded in realism, even my futuristic thriller.

You recently released a book that is outside the thriller genre and moved more towards futuristic thriller genre. Why the change and did you have difficulty changing to a new genre?

After writing five Detective Jackson novels, I needed a creative challenge. I also had so much fun writing from Lara Evans perspective in my last Jackson book I decided she needed her own story. In addition, I’d always wanted to write a futuristic thriller because some of my favorite books are in that genre (The Tomorrow File, The Handmaid’s Tale), and I had been thinking about the future a lot. So all those things came together and The Arranger evolved.

You tackle tough topics in your books. The Sex Club is about youth having sex and about a religious fanatic. How do you find that most readers respond to these topics and why did you choose such topics?

The Sex Club is my most provocative title, and at the time I wrote it, I felt strongly about the subject. I was concerned that abstinence-only sex education would have significant negative consequences for teenagers…and it did. My other novels also highlight social issues I care about, but they’re less political. I chose the crimes and issues I feel most passionately about or am most fearful of. I believe fear and passion are the best story drivers.

You have five books within your Detective Jackson series and you have three standalone novels. Do prefer to write a series or standalone? What are your plans for your new futuristic novel, The Arranger?

As a reader, I like both series and standalones, and as a novelist I enjoy both as well. There’s more freedom and creativity in a standalone, but there’s more structure and comfort zone in writing a series. So doing both is a great mix. The Arranger officially launches next month, and I’m doing an extended blog tour, as well as several promotions aimed at Kindle and Nook readers. I’m hoping to reach a whole new set of readers, but I also expect many of my Jackson fans to try the book as well. My beta readers have already asked if I plan to start a new series with Lara in the future—because they loved it and want more. It was meant to be a standalone, but I’ll keep my options open.

I know that we touched on it above, but could you please give us more information about The Arranger, and any other works or events that you have planned?

The Arranger features Lara Evans from my Detective Jackson series, but it’s set 13 years in the future, and Lara is no longer a detective and is working as a freelance paramedic in a bleak new world. She witnesses a crime, then goes to Washington D.C. to compete in the Gauntlet. There, she spots the shooter lurking in the arena, and soon lands in serious trouble.

Here’s the short blurb: In 2023, ex-detective Lara Evans just wants to win the Gauntlet, a national endurance competition, but a mysterious assailant wants her dead. Can she stop the killer and survive long enough to claim victory?

I’m currently working on the sixth book in my Detective Jackson series.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

There are so many thriller and crime fiction novels that look good to me right now, but I just downloaded Before I Go to Sleep, which is about a woman with anterograde amnesia. I find the subject fascinating, and the book has terrific reviews.

I want to that L. J. for participating in my Blogoversary. If you would like to find out more about L.J.'s books you can check out my review of The Sex Club and L.J.'s website. L.J. has also very nicely offered two Ebook copies of the first book in her Detective Jackson series The Sex Club and two Ebook copies of her new book The Arranger. That you once again L. J.

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join.

2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. EBooks are provided by L.J. Sellers

Sable Grace: Ascension

2011-09-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

In her debut novel Sable Grace introduces the reader to a world that is still controlled by the Greek Gods, but have the vampires working for them in order to protect their Chosen:

Kyana is a rare breed, considered an abomination by some as she is Half Vampire half Lychen, but it is this combination that makes her the best Hunter within the Order. Kyana has embraced more of the vampire side of her, but when the Gates of Hell have been reopened she is going to have to rely on both sides in order to close the gate, protect those that she loves and keep herself alive. Although Kyana has been given help from the Gods, the Gods are becoming weak and there is more to the gates being open, it is a conspiracy in the true sense, destroy those in power, and there may be nothing that Kyana is able to do to stop them.

This book was okay, but I was not as entertained by the book compared to other debuts that I have read this year. There was something missing in this book that would move it from okay to great and I think that it was the overall flow of the story that did not work for me. It seemed too pieced together, that it lacked the natural flow to the story. I think that Grace was attempting to do too much and mix too many genre in order to achieve it. I commend Grace though, for trying something new and different in an over saturated paranormal genre but I think it was just too much to try in her debut

I found I was unable to connect with Kyana, the main character. She was too full of herself and fell into the typical female lead in this genre, which I wish that authors within this genre would get away from. She was headstrong, would not list to other people's opinions and had to prove that she could do everything herself. She is the best hunter in the Order yet she still felt like she had something to prove. Also I wasn't crazy about her interaction with Ryker, they are supposed to have history and heat and want for each other, but I never really believed it in their interactions. I think Ryker is an interesting character and his path with Ares I think will be interesting, I just do not see him and Kyana together.

I disliked where Grace ended the book. The novel was already short, there could have been one more push at the end there, instead of what I feel back to where they were in the beginning, but starting again. It felt like one big circle and Grace was unsure how and when to end the book, so she just decided to end it now. I think Grace could have continued the novel a little bit longer and started the Hunt in this book, I think it would have rounded out the book better and it would have left the book off in a better place.

This was an okay debut, but I think that I had more issues with the novel than likes. I think that once Grace is able to hit her stride as an author and does not try to do too much in her novels they will be a must read. I may read the next book within this series, but it is not on my Must Read list.

Cheers!!!

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Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Sophie Littlefield

2011-09-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

Today I have an interview with an author whose books I have become totally engrossed in and I am always looking for more.

Please Welcome SOPHIE LITTLEFIELD to Blood Rose Books Today!

You began your writing career with crime fiction, why did you change to dystopia horror novel then to young adult?

I actually started my writing career with literary short stories about a thousand years ago. When my first child was born (he will turn 19 this fall) I wrote my first novel, a romance. Over the next fourteen years I wrote seven more novels. There were five romances in all, but when I had no luck selling them, I tried a police procedural (crime) novel with romantic elements.

That didn’t sell either, but I had been bitten by the mystery bug. My next book was what I call my “midlife crisis” book – I just wrote exactly what I damn well felt like, which was a pissed-off middle-aged mom (surprise, surprise!) with a major axe to grind.

After that series sold, and I had turned the second book in and didn’t know what to do next, my agent suggested I try young adult. I had loved fairy tales as a child, especially the dark and sinister European ones. BANISHED, to me, has some of the elements from those tales, from ancient curses and gifts to a multitude of threats including an evil grandmother and mysterious henchmen.

After that, I still had time before I was contracted to turn in another book, and I decided to try something darker yet. I have been a lifelong fan of horror, especially Stephen King, and the idea of creating a dystopic world and populating it with tormented characters was irresistible to me.

I love all my genres, and I’m very lucky that all publishers would like me to continue writing more books in each.

Do you remember the first story you wrote and did it inspire you to keep on writing?

The first long story I wrote, when I was about eleven years old, was about a girl who woke up in a shopping mall only to discover that everyone on earth had vanished, and she could shop for free for as long as she wanted. Since then I like to think that my themes have gotten a little more complex and my characters a little more layered J However, I needed very little inspiration to keep writing – it’s something I’ve never NOT done, if that makes sense. It’s an urge I can’t ignore.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

The answer varies for every author. Each of us finds herself more at home in some genres than others, but I think it’s important to push ourselves to do new things, even – especially – when we are out of our comfort zone and when we fail many times before we succeed.

For me, the biggest learning curve has been young adult fiction. I will humbly admit that it took four very significant rewrites to get my BANISHED into shape, and I am grateful to those who helped me. UNFORSAKEN – which comes out this fall – came more easily to me. And my latest young adult novel, which I am revising right now, has benefitted from the lessons I learned from both.

I think, looking back, that my challenge in writing young adult comes from the fact that I had developed a sort of atmospheric, narrative-heavy writing style. There is nothing wrong with that, and it is appropriate to some novels, but learning to write a faster-paced novel has made me a better writer in every genre.

Your Stella Hardesty series is about “taking care” of abusive men. Why did you choose to have your main character be a slightly older woman?

‘Cause I am one, sugar! When I started that novel I was forty-four years old, and given my track record, I was convinced I would be fifty by the time I found someone to publish it. Turns out I beat my deadline by a few years, but I still used my newfound middle-aged wisdom to paint that character.

My other series feature a 16-year-old girl and a thirty-year-old woman. One of the wonderful things about being my age is that I can relate to women at many stages of life. I remember what it was like to be in high school and I remember what it was like to be a young mother.

Why did you decide to do a dystopian novel, and the use zombies in your books? What do you think are the key aspects in creating zombies?

The zombies were truly an accident! In my young adult novel I had a very minor plot element in the first draft that was vaguely zombie-esque. When the editor asked if I could develop it into a full-fledged zombie subplot, I said “of course,” happy to have the challenge. I used to watch old black-and-white horror movies with my dad, so the lurching, creepy monster was something I had fun with.

When I wrote AFTERTIME, I wanted to try a different kind of zombie. The truth is that the creatures in AFTERTIME are not true zombies at all – they are not un-dead. They are victims of a fever that robs them of their sanity and gives them a craving for living flesh, so they are more like cannibals.

I think there are two ways to go with zombies. You can either cleave to tradition (Romero style) or you can break free and make up your own conventions. There’s no right or wrong – but being a person who does most things in her own stubborn way, I chose the latter.

Do you find that the dystopian novels have let you explore different aspects of human nature and psychology that you could not explore in crime fiction?

Great question! Yes, but I didn’t consciously set out to do so. It was only when the series was finished that I started thinking about personal devastations set against the stage of a devastated world. The great scale of an apocalypse is something you can’t really pull off in a crime novel, and I think the best crime fiction centers on a very small world, that of the individual. The way the perpetrators and victims of a crime are affected – there is nothing more personal (unless, I suppose, you write about political intrigue or spies or something like that – which I don’t.)

What do you think it is about Cassandra Dollar that appeals to readers?

Well, first I should say that there are plenty of readers that find her hard to relate to and even unlikeable. I understand that reaction, because she is very self-destructive by some measures, as well as untrusting and provocative. But I would say that those who have experienced grief and loss and shame tend to like Cass for her determination to rise above her circumstances, no matter what. Cass is broken, but she is determined. That spirit resonates with some of us.

Each of you adult series talks about some tough real life experiences (Child Sexual Abuse and Abusive Husbands), how do you find most readers react with the use of these subjects?

I’ve had victims of domestic violence tell me that my books were a gentle take on a horrific subject that worked for them. I can imagine no greater compliment. I don’t mean to suggest that I was trying to make something humorous from a terrible problem, but rather that I was trying to reflect one possible reaction that might be self-preserving and even life-celebrating. I wanted to create a character who was tough, strong, generous, and still very much a woman.

As for my young adult series, I have always felt it was important to be honest with girls about sexual predators and various forms of abuse. There are very, very few girls who are never the victim of unwanted attention. By telling the story of a girl who triumphs over her pursuers, I hoped to encourage a feeling of confidence and strength, a determination not to back down in the face of abuse, but to find alllies and fight back.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

UNFORSAKEN, the sequel to BANISHED, will be out in October. Meanwhile, the second in the AFTERTIME series, called REBIRTH, was just released and will be followed by the final volume, HORIZON, next February.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

I love to read romance for pleasure. I have read almost all of Kristan Higgins’ books, but I am saving JUST ONE OF THE GUYS for my vacation!

Thank you so much for inviting me here! - Sophie

I want to take this time to Thank Sophie for participating in my Blogerversary and taking the time to answer some questions. Sophie has very nicely offered to have a giveaway with her interview, therefore, I have one SIGNED copy of Rebirth up for grabs!. You can find out more about Sophie's book by checking out my reviews of Aftertime and Rebirth and Sophie's website.

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1.You do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join

2.Please Fill out the Form BELOW to enter

3.This Giveaway is Open USA only

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. The Book has been provided by Sophie Littlefield

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Bolgoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Gemma Halliday

2011-09-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

I am pleased to introduce an author who has kept me entertained and laughing out loud with her High Heels Series.

Please Welcome GEMMA HALLIDAY to Blood Rose Books today!

You have had various types of jobs both within and outside of the entertainment industry. Do you think that those experiences have shaped you into the author you are today?

Definitely. I’ve drawn on a lot of those experiences when creating plots and characters for my books.

The Romantic Mystery genre, can sometimes be a touch redundant in the format and has many top authors that have a set fan base, how did you choose the Romantic Mystery genre and what do you think sets your book apart from others?

I think that any genre is going to have a format that fans expect to see – whether it’s romantic mystery or science fiction. It’s what defines it as a specific genre, right? ;) So I certainly don’t feel confined as far as reader expectations go. There are a lot of places I can take my characters and plots within the context of a mystery. As far as what sets a book apart, I’d have to say voice is what makes any book stand out to me. So, hopefully my voice stands out to readers as well.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in?

For me, historical is something I would never attempt. I love to read them, but I think the amount of research involved, and the accuracy that historical readers demand, would be way beyond me. Kudos to those who write that genre well!

Within your High Heels Series, Maddie is very obsessed with fashion and shoes (I mean who does not love shoes), Did you secretly want to be a shoe designer or any type of clothing designer?

I love shoes almost as much as Maddie does, but I have to admit that I am not artistically inclined. So, no, designer is not in me. I love to live vicariously through Maddie, though!

Who is your favourite shoe designer? Do you have a picture you could share with us of your favourite pair of shoes you own or want to own?

Oh, so many to choose from! :) I adore the Michael Kors shoes I own, so he’s near the top of my list. Anything sparkly always catches my eye. The more colorful and sparkly the better! But these are probably my fav summer shoes this year:

Within your Hollywood series, the main characters are based out of a tabloid paper, what do you think that it is about celebrities that many people feel the need to know everything about them?

I think people are naturally curious about other people’s lives and how they compare to ours. With celebrities, it’s almost like we’re given a free pass to be nosey and dig into their personal lives. Personally, I think TMZ is one of ht most entertaining shows on TV. Lol!

As you have had some jobs, some within the entertainment series, I think everyone would like to know if any of your characters are based on people that you have had some real life experience with (celebrity or not)?

Oh, yeah! I often mold my characters after real people I’ve met, at last partly. I will say that none of my celebrity character are based on celebs that I have personally met. But I’ve used my friends and family several times over in my books.

You have the introduction of a new series coming out in spring of 2012 starting with the book Play Nice. This new series has been placed within the thriller genre, and even the premise sounds very different from your other two series. Can you tell us a little bit about the book and why you decides to venture into a new genre?

Yes, PLAY NICE is a little edgier than my other books. It’s a fast paced adventure, lots of intrigue, lots of action, with a mystery and romance woven in as well. It takes place in San Francisco (near my home town), and follows Anna Smith and Nick Dade, two assassins who have agendas very much at odds with each other. This book was a bit of a challenge for me as it does depart a bit from the feel of my more light-hearted, comedic High Heels and Hollywood Headlines books, but I really enjoyed writing a sort of “bad girl” heroine in Anna. She’s super kick-butt, super savvy, and a lot of fun to write. I think readers will agree that this book is still me, still the same voice I always have, but just a little more serious side.

Other than the release of Play Nice in 2012, do you have any other upcoming events or works that you are able to share?

Yes! I have a brand new mystery series for young adults starting in October, 2011, with DEADLY COOL. And I am also working on my 6th High Heels book, which I hope to have out by the end of this year.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite)?

Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich. I read the first chapter while standing in line to buy it, but haven’t had the opportunity to read more yet.

I know that I will be on the look out for Play Nice when it is released. Sounds like a book that is right up my ally and the Deadly Cool cover is amazing cover, I really love it.

I want to say thank you to Gemma for being part of my Blogoversary, taking time to answer some questions and for donating some books. You can find out more about Gemma's novles by checking out my reviews of Spying in High Heels and Killer in High Heels as well as Gemma Halliday's website Gemma has nicely supplied one ebook copy Spying in High Heels and one ebook copy of Hollywood Scandals. Thank you once again Gemma

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. You do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join.

2. Please Fill out the Form BELOW in order to enter

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. EBooks are provided by Gemma Halliday

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Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Reena Jacobs

2011-09-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

Today we have an author whose genre I do not actively read, but she an author who I have great respect for because of her strive to not only be a better author but is willing to take the criticism that goes along with it

Please Welcome REENA JACOBS to Blood Rose Books

You worked with delinquent girls outside of the school system, all who were violent offenders that had gone through the court system and were basically on their last chances, did you ever try your hand at writing while helping these youth out?

Other than high school, when I attempted one chapter and gave up, I never gave much thought to writing. After I dropped out of my psychology PhD program and didn’t have a job, I decided to take up writing as a way to be productive. That was August 2008. That writing excursion lasted for a month. It wasn’t until August 2009 that I seriously dedicated myself to writing. I’ve been working on my writing skills ever since.

Though my writing career is relatively short compared to others, I’ve learned an amazing amount. I’ve been quite lucky to be in a community with authors who are generous with their time and very helpful.

Are you still able to do work with trouble youth?

It’s been about five years since I worked in a child development center (CDC). I love working with girls between the ages of 12-18. They have their whole lives to look forward to… sometimes they just need a bit of encouragement and direction to take a step on the right path.

At the same time, the CDC environment was a little harsh for me. It took me about a year to get to the point where I could walk into a restaurant and not immediately claim the seat which put me in the best position to defend myself. Back to the wall with full visual was a way of life for me.

If I ever worked with delinquent youth again, I’d love to try a position as a social worker or parole officer. It would be wonderful to work with young people before they get to the point where they’re locked in a CDC (aka kiddie jail).

You gravitated towards writing paranormal romance because of your love for the genre. Why did you choose Weres as the featured creature in your book? And why Were-Tigers?

Vampires and werewolves—those are the typical paranormal creatures I read about. I hope no one holds this against me, but the idea of getting jiggy with a vampire is so not my thing. All I can think about is he’s so… dead. Ugh. So vampires have never been a real option for me in terms of romance.

Then there are were-creatures. The most popular seems to be the werewolf… but like I said, they’re popular, almost to the point of being overdone. I love big cats, my favorite types of animals, in fact, and tigers are so majestic. They’re wicked awesome. Were-creatures plus tigers = wehr-tigers. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

Historical fiction. History was my worst subject in high school. It was all so dry. Now that I’m older, history intrigues me, but I don’t have the foundation. It would take me forever to learn all the little details to write a realistic story. I know how persnickety die hard historians are about their fiction, so if I did try anything historical, it’d have to be an alternate timeline. I’ve been mentally toying with a science fiction idea. We’ll see if it’ll ever see the light of day.

As an indie author what has been the most challenging aspect you have had getting your books out there for people to read?

Getting noticed is like shouting into a crowd where everyone is listening to their iPods on high volume. Getting the works out there isn’t all too difficult; it’s finding an audience which is the killer. Hard work and A LOT of luck is what it takes these days. So I work hard and hope to get lucky.

When you first contacted me about reviewing your book, you knew my view about paranormal romance bordering on erotica, but you insisted on me reviewing your book. Do you find that criticism coming from people who do not normally read this genre helps you become a better writer? Do you think it will help your books to appeal to a wider audience?

In terms of criticism, I really think it depends. I try to look at reviews objectively and see the value of them. I understand my style isn’t for everyone, and I respect that. After all, I have my own preferences. So in that aspect, yes… criticism does have the potential to help me improve my writing.

Will it help me appeal to a wider audience? I don’t know. The stories I write are what they are. Though I might change minor details in a story like Shadow Cat to help the story line flow better, the essence remains the same—exotic, steamy, and adventurous.

In Shadow Cat, you have a lot of knowledge of the Malaysian culture. What type of research did you do, as you knew both the Malaysian culture and language?

I wish I had something marvelous to say about this area, like I spent a year trekking it in the Malaysian jungles. But in truth, my research was strictly online. During my early military days, I studied Korean (language and culture) on the Army’s dime. Though Malaysia and Korea are different, my days as a student prepared me somewhat for the research involved. It’s easy to offend across cultures, and I hope (cross my fingers) I got the nuances correct.

As far as the language, I used an English – Malaysian dictionary. Later, a young lady (Fiona Chan) helped me tweak the translations.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

I just released a work late July, I Loved You First. The quickie teaser: Alexandria Carmichael guards two secrets close to her heart. One--she’s in love with her best friend, Seth. Two--he’s gay.

For this work, I stepped away from the fantasy scene and focused on real life issues. Right now I’m on the tail end of the blog tour. Readers can find more information about the events and goodies up for grab on my blog.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

Just one? How about three?

I’m just starting Auction by Kitty Thomas. I’ve been looking forward to opening this work for weeks and finally found the time. From there, I’m heading to non-fiction. I’m normally not a non-fiction reader, but recently came into possession of two which are calling my name. The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan and Am I Really a Christian by Mike McKinley. Those are my next two reads, and I anticipate starting one of them this week.

I want to that Reena for participating in my Blogoversary. If you would like to find out more about Reena's books, check out my review of Shadow Cat as well as Reena's Website. As part of the celebration Reena has donated One Print cody of the winners choice of either I Loved You First or Shadow Cat (open to Canada or USA) as well as One Ebook copy of I Loved You First and One Ebook copy of Shadow Cat (Open Internationally). Thank You once again Reena!

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. Please leave a comment and/or question as well as a way to CONTACT YOU (you do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join)
2. Post my Blogoversay Button on your website, for 1 extra entry (please leave a link)

3. This Giveaway is Open Canada/USA for Print Copy, and Internationally for the Ebook copies

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. Book provided by Reena Jacobs

Cody McFadyen: The Face of Death

2011-09-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

This is the second book in a series, the first book Shadow Man is a fantastic read and really sets the stage for the characters in the second book and really give background on Smokey who she is and why she does the things.

Cody McFadyen explores the inner workings of a serial killer whose true victim is the one that he left alive.

Smokey is called away from her time off with Bonnie at the request of a girl, Sarah, whose family has just been murder. Sarah calls the man the Stranger, a man who has haunted her throughout her life, taking away anything that gave her comfort and made her happy. Sarah is to her breaking point it is either the Stranger or her, and right now the Stranger is winning. Smokey is her last chance. Sarah knows that Smokey has suffered, but is worried that she will not believe her as no one has in the past. Smokey knows she does not have that much time to save Sarah, but the Stranger is like a killer she has never come up against before, completely unique, with a focus on Sarah's life. There is only one thing common in all of Sarah's past, those who have been nice to her have disappeared or been found dead.

This book is fantastic, it has everything that you want in a thriller, with chills that will want you to keep the lights on but also read this book in one sitting.I t is completely different from the first book, in both story, plot line and writing style. We get the perspective from Smokey, but McFadyen also delves into Sarah's past by having her journal dictated in the book. Sarah's journal is extremely powerful and an effective way to tell her story. All in all just a really different and interesting storyline and plot that will have you on the edge of your seat, wanting to see what will happen next.

Smokey is one of the most real characters that I have ever read in a book/series. McFadyen has made her a three dimensional character, that an individual who has had her exact life would react this way. She knows that she does not have all the answers, is willing to look to others for them, she questions her decisions at work and at home, the same thing that any real person would. This is not to say that Smokey is at all a weak character, she is strong, especially when she is in her element, and would do anything to protect the innocent. I like her interaction with Bonnie throughout the book and I felt that having Bonnie in the story helped Smokey grow as a character. I do hope in future books we do get to know more about her team especially James, as he is a mysterious character that I think would be very interesting to explore.

McFadyen has the ability to take me through every emotion both positive and negative but yet still keep me wanting to read more. At points he had me on the verge of tears the next checking to make sure all the doors are locked. There are some disturbing scenes in the book, mainly these are confined to the crime scenes but as I said above Sarah's journal is very powerful and I think some people may have a challenge getting through it because of the content. However, McFadyen gives you enough detail, especially through Sarah's story, that will send chills up your spine. I think that McFadyen has found a good balance of just giving enough detail to keep his books within the Thriller genre and not venture into Horror.

There are times when serial killer books become typical and you know what it going to happen next; there is nothing typical about McFadyen's books. In short, I love this series, author, characters, story everything about it. McFadyen is a master when it comes to the serial killer Thriller genre, bring on the next Smokey book, I cannot wait (I have already picked it up, lol).

Enjoy!!!!

Note: Although there is not a great amount of description or detail, the main aspect around this book is a young girl who has had to suffer horrible events in her life, this would include sexual, physical and psychological abuse, therefore, some individuals may find it disturbing.

If You Like This,

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Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Julie Kenner

2011-09-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

Today we welcome an author whose Lily Chronicles Series I have really loved and is not afraid to take risks with her characters and story lines.

Please Welcome JULIE KENNER to Blood Rose Books Today!!!

You have known that you wanted to be a writer since you were a child. Why do you think that writing appealed to you even back then?
That’s a good question. The easy answer is I just think that storytelling is in my blood, just like aeronautical engineering is in my dad’s (he was building airplanes as a kid with his uncle) and being a lawyer or an artist is in other people. I was a strange combination of shy (would prefer to be home reading a book than in a big crowd of kids on a playground) and extroverted (would plot out and then act out stories with my best friend during classes—had some amazing English teachers who put up with that!). Bottom line, I just love getting lost in an imaginary world and then telling folks the story!

You state that your inspiration to start writing again was after reading a novel by Julie Garwood. What book by Julie Garwood was it that led to this inspiration and what was is about her writing that inspired you to pick the pen up again?

That story may have gotten lost a bit in translation because I never put down the pen—I wrote my whole life, though I certainly slowed down when I was practicing law. Eighty hour work weeks will do that to you. And until I started writing romance after discovering Garwood, I never finished a novel (though I did have a gazillion newspaper articles, two screenplays, a stage play, and a buncha short stories and poems).

But despite less hours for writing while I was practicing law, the craving to write didn’t go away; in fact, it came on stronger. So I tried to write legal thrillers—but to be honest, I was getting a bit burned out by the discovery process and I felt like that was coming through in the book. I was at a crossroads regarding what to write. Also, I had no time, and a 400 page manuscript is daunting.

One day, I was in the break-room with a friend, and she wanted to read instead of talk as she was at the end of a book. I was bored, and she passed me the one she’d just finished—a Julie Garwood historical. I devoured it, thought it was incredibly fun, and set off to write an historical romance. And failed miserably! I did not have the time to research (this was pre-Google!) and kept tripping myself up on details. But I had discovered romance. The same friend told me about the shorter Harlequins, which I had read before, but never really though of them (or of romance) as a separate genre. I bought some, was hooked – especially on Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Temptations—and was excited by the length. Somehow, 220 manuscript pages seemed much more manageable than 400. I wrote one, which is in a drawer, then wrote another. And since 220 + 220 is 400 I also started a full-length one. The second short one became my first book, NOBODY DOES IT BETTER, and the first long one became my second book, THE CAT’S FANCY.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

I think that entirely depends on the author. To be honest, I don’t really think in terms of genre, but in characters and stories. For example, though I tend to write actiony/paranormally things, I have an idea I love for a mainstream family drama. I’m hoping to find the time to write it.

You have a law degree, why did you choose the harlequin romance genre to start out instead of a Legal Thriller?

Hey! Look at me! I anticipated a question, LOL! See question 2, above. :)

When and why did you decide to try something different and enter into the paranormal genre?

Oh, it wasn’t different at all. All my short stories were paranormal; I consider Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie to be in my blood. But there was no paranormal market to speak of when I started, except for time travel. It was a big deal when CAT sold—I was told by a gobzillion people that it didn’t have a chance. And when Aphrodite’s Kiss hit the USA Today list, I know that publishers took notice and even had a few focus groups/internal discussions about paranormal romance.

The paranormal genre has grown within the past 5 years, what do you think it is about your books that have helped them stand out from other authors?

I think that all authors strive to set their books apart from other writers—it’s a crowded field out there, and readers don’t want to feel like they’re reading the same book over and over again. I like to focus in particular on the action; I like books that get going and never stop rolling, with really strong heroines.

The main paranormal aspect within your books is Demons. What is it about the Demon World that attracted you to base quite a few of your novels around them, where there are so many other monsters and creatures out there?

Nothing so thought out as all that! For the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series, I just wanted something other than vampires or werewolves, and the mythology of the demons inhabiting the bodies of the dead really appealed to me. With the Blood Lily Chronicles, the use of demons fit more with the overarching good v. evil context. Demons, to me, are “larger” than vampires, which resonate to me as more of a species than an otherworldly creature with heaven/hell implications.

That said, I happily write vamps and werewolves, etc. In my Good Ghouls series, Beth is a reluctant vampire. Similarly, in my J.K. Beck books, vampires and werewolves are major players!

If you could have one power that Lily has been able to acquire throughout the series which would it be and why?

Hmm! Lily has some issues; not sure I want to be her. But it sure would be nice to have some upper body strength. I’m working on that one, LOL!

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

The next three Shadow Keepers books are coming out in summer of 2012 (bumped back, but I think summer is a great release time). I’m working on the next Kate Connor book and on the third Ghoul book. I’m going to get my website updated with details soon!

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

I’ve been dying to reread Gone With The Wind! Going to take that with me on the plane in a few weeks when I head off for a short vacation!

Thanks for the great interview!

I want to say Thank You to Julie for being a part of my Blogoversary. To find out more about Julie's books you can read my reviews of Tainted and Torn as well as visit Julie's Website, and J.K. Beck's Website. Julie has also donated a book for a giveaway, though this one has a twist, the Winner can choose 1 book from Julie's back list (either written as Julie Kenner or J. K. Beck, she just has to have the book in stock.)

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

3. This Giveaway is Open USA only

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. Book provided by Julie Kenner

Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Trevor Shane

2011-09-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Make sure you check out all the other interviews and giveaways by checking out the Blogoversary Tab or Picture at the top of the page.

Today we welcome an author whose books was just released today, and I personally think that it was a fantastic read.

Please Welcome TREVOR SHANE to Blood Rose Books today

Children of Paranoia was just released today, any party or celebrations planned for this achievement?

Dutton is throwing me a book release party at BookCourt in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (I talk about it, and my love for BookCourt, a little on my website). I have a lot of friends and family coming, which is really nice. If anyone is in the neighborhood, they should definitely stop by. I think it will be a lot of fun. After that, I’ll spend the weekend with my family and slowly come to the realization that having my first book published hasn’t immediately changed my life.

Have you always wanted to be an author? Is there a book, author or experiences that led you to want to be an author?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an author. One Christmas my Grandmother brought me a subscription to a classics book of the month club. Every month, I’d get a new, beautiful, hardbound classic and read it over and over again. I must have read Treasure Island twenty times. I was a big daydreamer as a kid and wrote stories all the time. Then I grew up and the whole thing started to get away from me. I kept writing but only for myself. I almost lost faith that what I was writing was worth sharing with the world. Then I turned thirty and realized that I was running out of time to chase my dream. The idea for Children of Paranoia came to me shortly after that.

Children of Paranoia is your first published novel, can you tell us the process it took to get the book published?

The process of getting Children of Paranoia published was pretty typical. I wrote and edited the first draft and then began querying agents. My queries were pretty horrible. I remember at my first book signing a woman asked me to tell her what the book was about and I said that I found it difficult to explain concisely. To which she replied with a laugh, “It always is, isn’t it? They’re your children.” (This woman had obviously been around a lot of authors). It’s very true. My son is the most amazing little person I’ve ever met but I can’t describe him to you in three sentences—same thing for my books. Lucky for me, my wonderful agent (Alexandra Machinist at Janklow & Nesbit Associates—Linda Chester & Associates at the time) saw the potential for a great book in a lousy query.

After helping me to edit the book, Alexandra sent it out. We received a lot of interest but a number of people requested certain changes that I thought would weaken the book. It’s important to listen to advice but it’s also important to stand your ground. In the end, the book is going to have your name on it. Finally, we got the book in front of Dutton and my current editor Ben Sevier. It was clear from the beginning that he really understood what I was trying to do. Once Ben showed me that he understood what I was trying to do, I was much more willing to make changes for them. The editing process, and working with professionals, has really been enlightening. The whole process, from query to publication, took a little over three years which, in this business, is pretty quick.

The thriller genre has many different authors with different ideas of what it means to be a thriller author. What is one aspect that you believe needs to be in a thriller novel? How do you think Children of Paranoia stands out from other novels?

The key to a good thriller is to thrill, to get the reader’s heart pumping, to make people regret the moment when they have to put your book down. I think that the easiest way to separate genres is not by subject matter but by what aspect of writing is most important. For some genres, the most important aspect of the writing is the intricacy of the plot or the beauty of the language or the humor. For thrillers, I strongly believe that the most important aspect of the writing is the pacing. And it shouldn’t all be fast. You need to manipulate the reader so that the pace of their reading matches the action on the page.

I think (I hope) that Children of Paranoia stands out because of its characters and because of its unique concept. Dystopian novels are very popular right now and I’ve thought that one of Children of Paranoia’s central themes is that the world is always a dystopia for some people even if others are blind to it. When everything is falling apart around you, it doesn’t matter that everything is sunshine and roses for someone else. So the concept, which carries a dystopian outlook into regular life is, I think unique. Beyond that, I’ve been told that the characters, their struggles and their motivations really resonate with people. It makes people think about what they would do if they were in Joseph’s or Maria’s shoes.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

I think any genre would be nearly impossible to write in if I felt like I was trapped in that genre. All the fun is in playing with, and bending, a genre’s rules and elements. I’ve always felt like a genre is simply an extension of language and how successful you’ll be is directly related to how well you manipulate both the language and your readers’ expectations.

Where did you get your inspiration for this novel? Did you create the storyline, the war or Joseph first?

I thought of the first chapter first. I was walking down the street where the first scene takes place and the entire chapter popped into my head. The rest of the story evolved from there. The first question I struggled with was how to make someone who follows a woman home and strangles her in front of her house while her two children sleep inside into a somewhat sympathetic protagonist (hopefully this isn’t a spoiler since you can read the first chapter on my website). The only way that I could think of to make this character a likable protagonist was to make his victim evil. That begged the question of what is good and what is evil? I tried to capture that ambiguity as I developed the storyline and created the war in which the story takes place.

Joseph is a fascinating (and Fantastic) character, he borders on the anti-hero (which I love), what is one aspect of Joseph’s character that you hope that readers are able to relate to and understand about him? Was it hard to write Joseph in the end?

My goal was to make Joseph the most twisted everyman in the history of fiction. I want readers to be able to relate to and understand all of him. I want them to be able to slip into his shoes and try to think about what they would do differently if they were in his situation. Because of this, I think it was important to write Joseph as a quiet man of understated introspection. He’s no Hamlet. He’s a man who was taught how to act and not how to think. I hope the reader is then able to follow his path as he begins to, and in some ways is forced to, question the world around him.

I think that if you’re true to your characters and you understand them, then it’s never hard to follow through with the story in the most honest way possible.

Why did you decide to write a semi-journal format of a novel? What do you think the pros and cons are to the journal format?

From the moment that the idea popped into my head, I knew that Children of Paranoia would have to be told in the first person. All of the advantages to writing in the third person—the ability to be omniscient, the ability to step outside of a character—would have had a detrimental impact on the story because, in order to understand Joseph and feel his paranoia, you really need to step into his shoes. The idea to write this in a journal format and specifically in a journal format that is addressed to another character came later. My hope is that by writing in this format, readers get drawn more quickly into the story. Even if they can’t empathize with Joseph, they can empathize with the person Joseph is writing to. When he writes “you” he’s referring to Maria but my hope is that the reader forgets this at times and feels like he’s referring directly to them. I also think the first third of the novel is pretty male focused even though the book itself is largely about love and family. By making almost the entire novel an extended love letter, my hope was that those themes would grab people a little earlier.

The hardest part about writing in the journal format is fighting the desire to cheat. When you write a book like this, you (as the author) have to know everything that happens both to and around the characters but, with each sentence that I wrote, I had to ask myself, “Would Joe know that?” Because this is a journal written by Joe to a woman he has fallen in love with, I also had to ask myself, “Even if Joe knows that, would he have written that to Maria?” Joe’s pretty open in what he writes but there have to be limits. I think readers can have lots of fun theorizing about those limits (and reading between the lines in parts) but if you’re going to choose to write in this style, you really have to keep your discipline and avoid, for example, turning your narrator into a mind-reader.

I know it may be a bit premature as your first book came out today but do you have any information on the sequel to Children of Paranoia? (I cant wait to get my hands on the second book) Do you have any information on upcoming events that you are able to share?

First of all, Dutton will be publishing the entire trilogy. Though I think Children of Paranoia can stand alone, it was pitched and sold as part of a trilogy. I’ve been working very hard on book II. It’s basically been written but we’ve just started the painful editing process. I believe the plan is to try to publish each of the books roughly a year apart so hopefully book II will come in the fall of 2012. The feedback I’ve gotten so far is really great.

After the Release Party, I don’t have anything specific planned. I know that I’ll be doing a reading in Boston in the near future and have talked to some other bookstores about possible events but want to wait until the book is published to cement anything. Other than that, I’m open to suggestions if anyone out there has any.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite)?

My wife’s been raving about In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. We don’t always have the same taste in books and I read a lot more fiction than nonfiction, but when she likes something this much, I have to give it a try.

I want to say Thank You to Trevor for agreeing to be part of my Blogoversary. You can find out more about Trevor's books by checking out my review of Children of Paranoia and checking out Trevor's Website. Trevor has also donated one SIGNED HARDCOVER copy of his book as a giveaway, thank you once again Trevor.

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. Please leave a comment and/or question as well as a way to contact you (you do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join)
2. For an extra entry Post my Blogoversay Button on your website (please leave a link)

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. Book was provided by Trevor Shane

Sandra Brown: Best Kept Secrets

2011-09-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

Sandra Brown is the quenn of contemporary mystery/romance books. In Best Kept Secrets, Brown explores what a daughter will do for a mother that she has never known.

Raised by her grandmother it has been ingrained into Assistant DA Alex Gaither that her mother's murder was never caught and the wrong man was convicted of her murder. Alex is determined to win her dying grandmother's love by heading back to the small Texas town to unearth the true murder. However, some of Alex's most likely suspects are within the most powerful family, who will stop at nothing to protect their business, money, family and the promise of a brand new horse racing track. Alex needs to watch her back, as she has no friends in this town, and some people would like nothing better than for her to go the way of her mother.

I normally like Brown's books, they are usually a nice contemporary mystery novel, usually with some romance thrown in, however, this book is not a favorite of mine. The book started off interesting and got right into the premise and I thought this is going to be interesting how this plays out; however, there were some many elements that did not add up and that I did not enjoy within this book that I would not recommend it.

I think that the story or premise had promise: Girl who is ophaned by a murdered mother and raised by a grandmother who essentially pushed Alex into going into law school to figure out who actually murdered her mother. I think that this had promise and I think exicuted a different way it would have been great.

I did not like Alex as a character; Whiny, selfish, irrational, grasping at straws, she was everything that the other characters within the book, only looking out for herself. Plus she is supposed to be this up and coming star prosecutor but she was not concerned about looking for tangible facts, it was more about interrogating the main male characters and hoping that they would slip up, but then also hanging out with them socially because she was attracted to them. Throughout the whole book it was pointed out more than one time that she did not have a shred of evidence, only her own beliefs based upon conversations that she had had. Alex as a character was just a disaster for me.

I did not like that Alex who is 17 years younger than the men in the story, many of whom considered being her daddy wanted to have a sexual relationship with her. I just kept getting "this is just wrong" feeling any time this occurred. This aspect was not a good focus for the book. I wish that maybe there was someone outside of the group of suspects that was helpful to her and that would have been her romantic interest, not some guy that could have been her "daddy". I don't know about others who have read the book, but i definitely had thoughts that one of the main male characters could have been her father and to have that attraction between them, just felt wrong. I really wish Brown would have taken this in a different direction.

I have liked Brown's books in the past, this was just way off basis as to what she normally has, that I was thrown off. I found the characters and story both lacking. Will this stop me from reading Brown's books? No, it was more of a disappointment than anything else.

Cheers!!!

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Blogoversary Author Interview & Girveaway: S. L. Pierce

2011-09-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Today I am very happy to introduce everyone to another Indie Thriller Author whose, storyline kept me very entertained.

Please Welcome S. L. PIERCE to Blood Rose Books Today

Can you pin point an experience or book that helped you discover that you wanted to be a writer?

Crazy as it sounds, it was Stephanie Meyer. When I heard about her I thought 'She's never written anything and look what she did. I can do that. I've been reading all my life. I know what makes a book good.' As it turns out, it is easy to write a book. What's extremely hard is writing a good book. It took me two years to write Secrets and I learned a lot in the process.

You have an engineering background do you think it helps dictate the overall way you structure your books?

It definitely has an influence on my book structure. I am a just the facts kind of a writer, which in books means just the plot. That's one reason my first drafts are so bad. But I work hard to include good character development and an interesting plot. The result is a fast paced story without a lot of details about scenery and clothing. I understand it's not for everyone but I think there are readers who appreciate this type of book.

Most of your books appear to fall within the thriller genre. With authors like James Patterson and Jeffrey Archer, do you think that it is a harder genre to break into?

No, I don't think it's that much harder to break into. I think all the genre's are hard for indie's. But the good news is ebooks aren't something you just buy once every few years like pans or a couch. If you are a reader, you buy them all the time, over your entire life. So there is a market for all our books. Plus, the big writers usually put out only one book a year. Someone has to fill that void.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?
Fantasy, definitely. I just don't have the imagination for it. Maybe it's that engineering. background.

As an indie author, what has been the most challenging aspect in getting your book out there for people to read?

Time. Finding the time is a real challenge. I have four kids 7 and under and I am doing all the publicity myself. Tweeting, facebook, blogging, keeping up a website, requesting reviews, and doing interviews, for all of my books. Plus trying to write new stuff. It is very hard, but worth it, especially when I get some good feedback.

Do you have a writing routine and/or area that helps you develop your stories and get inspiration for your next book?

I have a loft area that I write in and unlike a lot of writers I know, I need absolute silence to write. I wish I could play music but it interferes with the characters dialogue in my head! So that's how I develop and write the stories. The inspiration, that is tougher. Secrets began because I wanted a female lead who was strong throughout the story and who didn't get captured by the bad guy in the climactic ending. The idea for The Devil's Game started when I saw a couple in a coffee shop and it looked like the man was really attracted to the woman but the woman just wanted to be friends. So I started thinking, what if there were this couple, but instead of him stalking her, someone else was stalking them? And Maren Kaye and I worked from there.

You have stated that you like to “Trim the Fat” in your books, in the form of the description that you give. What areas of description are you talking about and do you think that lack of description could hinder your stories at times?

As I touched on earlier, I leave out a lot of descriptive stuff like the kind of car someone drives, the scenery, the clothes people are wearing. The reason I do this is because those are the things I find myself skimming when I read. I don't believe it hinders the story at all because I work hard to make sure the plot is strong and the characters are multidimensional. I also think it gives the story a very fast pace. There must be other readers out there who are like me and will appreciate the lack of descriptive details. The only problem comes in the length of the book. They tend to be a little shorter than standard mystery/thrillers.

Within you novel Secrets, your protagonist is a former assassin, for you is this the “ideal” job for a character within the Thriller genre?

For me, yes because the former part let's Gwen have all the skills and attitude I want without the actual spy vs spy kind of stuff I am not really into. I think it lets her have a view of the world that bad people deserved to be punished, even deserve to die. I feel cheated a lot of times when the main character has a chance to kill a really bad guy, but doesn't. Maybe not a popular sentiment but it is just a book!

You newest novel The Devil’s Game just came out. Can you share a little bit about the book and the co author Maren Kaye?

The Devil's Game is a psychological thriller about a stalker stalking a stalker. But who is the stalker and who is the stalkee? We are incredibly excited and proud of this book and I think, once people try a little, they will see why. Maren and I met in a mother's group when I lived in North Carolina and we bonded over politics and women's rights. She is everything I am not in a writer! I am more mechanical and she is the fun. She compares us to a twinkie; I am the yellow spongy shell holding it all together and she is the creamy filling; the part everyone can't wait to get to.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

That's a hard one. If you had asked me a few weeks ago it was Dance of Dragons (5^th in the Game of Thrones) and the Silent Girl by Tess Gerritson. But since I just read both I'm not sure what's next. I'm definitely on pins and needles waiting for the new Jack Reacher book. Oh, I know one – the I am number four-the lost files and then The Power of Six. I know they are supposed to be teen books but they are fast and fun!

I would like to say Thank You to Sheryl for agreeing to participate in my Blogoversary. To get more information about S. L. Pierce books you can check out my review of Secrets and check out Sheryl's website Peirce Books. Sheryl has very nicely supplied one Ebook copy of Secrets and one Ebook copy of her new novel The Devil's Game.

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1. Please leave a comment and/or question as well as a way to contact you (you do not need to be a follower to participate, but it is always nice for you to join)
2. For an extra entry(+1) Post about my Blogoversay with it's Button on your website (please leave a link)

3. This Giveaway is Open Internationally

4. The Giveaway ENDS on October 7, 2011

5. The winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hrs to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen

6. EBooks are provided by S. L. Pierce

Ilona Andrews: On the Edge

2011-09-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

In the first book in a new series by Ilona Andrews, the reader enters the world of the edge, where the magic world and normal world meet and those who are able to live in both.

The Broken is the world where magic no longer exist, and is the regular world that most people know. They work and go to Walmart and never think that there is such thing as magic. The Wierd is where magic thrives and the area is controlled aristocrats who have the most powerful magical powers. And then there is the Edge, the are in between the two worlds, where the people who live on the edge can live in either area and are thought to be the lowest on the class scale on both sides. Rose lives on the edge and has had to protect her family ever sense she proved that she has very strong magic within her. Rose is used to protecting herself and family from blue bloods and fellow neighbors trying to make her into a brood mare, but something very dark has entered into the edge, something with very dark power that is looking for those who also have powerful magic. Old feuds and beliefs are going to be needed to set aside or the edge people are not going to survive, but Rose and her family are primary target and she is going to have to tap very deep into her power, if anyone is going to survive

I am HUGE Ilona Andrews fan. I absolutely love her Kate Daniels series, it is one of my favorites and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys the paranormal genre, so my expectations for this book may have been higher than normal for any other author. Just based off this first book I prefer her Kate Daniels series as there is more action and it has the darker edge that I like. Even comparing it to other books within the paranormal genre this book did not have enough action for me and definitely went more with the paranormal romance side of things.Yes there are some dark moments and the bad guy within the book is creepy, but there was also something missing for me in the storyline and plot.

I think that Andrews has created an interesting world and dynamic between the Broken and the Weird, and I'm hoping in the next book that she explores it more. Though based upon some events in the first book I do wonder if she will head back in that direction. I also found it interesting that only the individuals who are born on the edge, with the exception of some blue bloods, are able to travel very easily through the border. These people serve a great purpose but seem to be the poorest in each domain. I really like this idea and I believe that it was well described and created by Andrews.

I did like Rose as a character, for her love and protection of her family. She would put anything, including herself before she would let anything bad happen to her family. She also puts on a strong front so that her family will survive but you can tell that what she really wants is someone to share the burden with. I think that Andrews did a good job of making Rose a good mixture of hard and soft and had a believability in her character. Also Rose powers are very interesting and I'm excited to see how they will develop in the future. Her brothers too were also interesting characters, I think that Andrews did a good job of showing the interaction between the brother, their own powers and really boys will be boys, lol.

Although it is not my favorite debut of a new series, I am still intrigued as to what happens next to Rose and her family. I think that everyone who likes the paranormal genre should read (needs to read) Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series, but if you like your paranormal genre with a more romance aspect to it, then I think you will like Andrew's Edge series.

Enjoy!!!

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