Angie Fox: The Accidental Demon Slayer

In the first in a paranormal romance series Angie Fox takes the readers on a ride that literally consists of going to hell and back:

Lizzie has her life mapped out, well not just her life, her day to day is mapped out each day that she lives a fairly structured (and some would argue) dull life. The most exciting that happens to Lizzie on a daily basis is the children she teaches in preschool, but Lizzie's life is about to get all the more excited, unpredictable and dangerous. It begins with her biological grandma showing up, out of the blue. Lizzie didn't even know she had a grandma, let alone a Harley riding, butt kicking one. Lizzie is about to learn about her destiny and it nothing like she planned, its full the unknown excitement, danger and a very good looking shape shifting Griffin. Lizzie is going to have to choose whether she prefers her old or new life in order to save the world.

I wasn't 100% sure what I thought I was going to get out of this book. I knew it was going to be a paranormal romance novel, but I thought there would be more to it than that and this was true and not true at the same time. There were times when there was really interesting aspect within the book but then it would do an abrupt face and it was all about the sex feelings (even though there is only one sex scene) I'm not sure if Fox herself knew which direction to take the novel and I think it shows within her writing.

I had a hard time connecting to Lizzie as a character. I found for the most part she was really scatterbrained and her thought process at times was hard to follow. It was weird to me that she had just come into all of these powers and she knew (for the most part) what to do, how to do things in a matter of hours, maybe 2 days tops. This seems counter to Lizzie's character through out the novel and I cannot see

I think that anyone who reads this book and owns a dog will find Pirate really funny. Fox totally knew how to give that dog the right personality within this book. I think Pirate was my favorite part and made me think of what my pup would say to me at all those moments. I guess starting my review off with a secondary and maybe even tertiary character really show what I thought about this book, and there were times where I struggled to get through. I found for the most part, just a lack of interesting plot and I was not a fan of the main character, which I think can hinder any read.

Dimitri was an interesting character and I liked that he was a griffon, you don't see too many griffon's in the novels you read, especially shape-shifting ones, so that was a nice addition. Was not a fan of the romance (especially the instant attraction that seems occur in these novels) or the sex scene in the book, but that is just an overall personal preference of mine, so I am sure that others have enjoyed it. Additionally, Biker Grandma witches, say what? Who are obsessed with road kill, need I say more. The witches within the coven are brass, and bad-ass biker chicks who can hold their own in any battle and are slightly obsessed with roadkill and possums, but who can blame them if that is where they get their powers from.

The story overall was interesting and it basically wraps up enough in the end that I do not feel the need to read the other books in the series, now a series about Pirate, I would be all over that one, lol. I think Fox excels at writing her secondary characters as those were the ones that I found interesting. Overall, Fox needs to work on making Lizzie the character everyone wants to follow and know more about as she is the Main Character. This book was just okay for me, maybe those who want something of a lighter read will enjoy this and maybe those who like paranormal romance, but it was not for me. I cannot see myself continuing this series.

Enjoy!!!

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Blogoversary Winners!!!!

Hi Everyone,
First, I would like to thank all the authors that participated in my Blogoversary event this year who took the time to answer interview questions as well as provide giveaway for the readers of Blood rose Books. Secondly I would like to thank all those who stopped by read the interviews, enetered the giveaways and left comments on the post. Blood Rose Books is nothing without the readers and I hope that you were able to find some new authors to explore. Thirdly, all winners were chosen using the random app associated with rafflecopter, so make sure to check your emails to see if you have won. Just a reminder that the winners ave 48hrs to respond or a new winner will be selected.

Thank you everyone once again for taking part of my Blogoversary, I personally think it was a great success. Reviews will start again on Tuesday as I work towards my four year Blogoversary.

Cheers,
J9

Author Interview & Giveaway: Rhiannon Frater

Well another year, another Blogoversary, so Happy 3 year blogoversary to Me. I never thought I would make it this far with just a review blog, but I am so happy that I have. Now I could not think of a better author to share my Blogoversary birthday with. She is one of those writes that likes to push the boundaries in all her writing and happens to have a love for the ZOMBIES. Please welcome to Blood Rose Books today:

 Rhiannon Frater

 
What is it about Zombies that appeal to you?
I don’t know if I’d use the word “appeal” to describe my feelings toward them. I’m incredibly afraid of zombies, and I write about what I fear, so it’s a natural fit. 

What do you think that the hardest creature to write a novel about?
I’ve only written a short story about werewolves, but I suspect they would be the most challenging. They’ve undergone such a metamorphosis in pop culture into hot young men. I’d be inclined to go back to the cursed, tragic version. But how to make that fresh? New? Exciting? I don’t have an answer to that. 

The Urban Fantasy / Paranormal genres appear to be the genre that everyone is writing in these days (even authors that are well established in other genres) what do you think the draw to these genre is? How do you believe your novels stand out from the rest of the crowd?
Honestly, I think books with supernatural elements have been very popular due to the fact they have no resemblance to our real lives. The characters have abilities we don’t have, they don’t stress over the mundane daily things we do, and they’re usually incredibly attractive and live very dynamic lives. A reader can completely lose themselves in the fantastical elements. 

That being said, I think the reason why my books appeal to readers is because my characters still come across as real people even though they’re dealing with extreme circumstances and are possibly not even human (if they ever were). A lot of my fans tell me that they feel they know my characters like friends by the time they finish a book. That’s a huge compliment. 
 
Zombies have become the new Vampire or werewolf (everywhere you look there is a new Zombie novel/TV show/movie out) in the horror, paranormal and urban fantasy genres, why do you think that zombies have become so popular?
No other monster actually resets society and the world like zombies do. They are the ultimate game changer. They alter everything about the human existence. That’s highly appealing to people dealing with a lot of real life stress. Also, most people want to believe that somehow they would be a survivor, though the reality is that most would end up dead very quickly. 

Within your Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunter novels, you decided to write for a YA audience. Did you have any additional challenges changing from writing for an adult audience to a youth one?
The big challenge was, of course, how far I could go with the violence. It’s a mid-grade book with children characters from the age of six to fourteen. Though I wrote it for kids, I knew adults would be reading it, too. So it was a bit of a struggle at times. Happily, parents told me I hit the sweet spot with the gore/violence, so that’s a huge relief. 

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?
Personally, I only write in the genres I enjoy. I won’t write a book in a genre just because I think it will sell well, or it’s the big hot thing. Every book has a different set of challenges to be dealt with and every book has that one spot that just kills you on all levels. I fall in and out of love with every book I write. Some days I think it’s the best thing I’ve written, other days I’m convinced its dreck. I guess the hardest genre to write would be one you didn’t enjoy. But I’m not one to try to do that.
 
Within your As the World Dies series, why did you decide to have bisexual female protagonist?
Katie’s bisexuality was just a part of who she was. My characters pretty much pop into my head fully formed. It’s always fun discovering who they are and presenting them in a dynamic way to the audience. When I started writing the story, I knew Katie was married to a woman, but her revelation about her bisexuality left me in the odd position of having to figure out what that meant exactly. I had lesbian and gay friends, but at the time I didn’t know someone who was out as bisexual. I had to do a lot of research to make sure I depicted her accurately. 

Do you find that most people respond positively to having a bisexual lead protagonist?
Honestly, I don’t think most people even care. They just love her for who she is and are invested in her as a character. The very rare negative feedback I receive, I ignore. Those people often assume I’m bisexual or a lesbian pushing some sort of an agenda. Sometimes I do hear from bisexual fans, and it’s usually to thank me for an accurate portrayal.

Overall, people just don’t say much about her bisexuality (if at all) when they tell me how much they adore her. 

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

Pretty When She Destroys, the third book in the Pretty When She Dies trilogy, comes out at the end of August. I’m currently writing a modern Gothic horror serial called In Darkness We Must Abide. I have a slew of other things lined up, but I have to see how my contractual obligations pan out first before I know exactly what I’m writing next. As for events, I’m attending the South Dakota Book Festival in Deadwood in September. 

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).
Nomad by J.L. Bryan. It’s sitting on my Kindle waiting for me to find the time to read it. I can’t wait! He’s a brilliant writer. Jenny Pox is probably my favorite novel of all-time. 

I just want to say thank you once again to Rhiannon for being part of my blogoversary. I would recommend her books to anyone who is a fan of Zombies. Rhiannon has very nicely supplied two giveaway (INT & US), which you can enter with rafflecopter below. Good Luck :)

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Author Interview & Giveaway: Trevor Shane

Today's author has been part of all three years of my Blogoversary and I am very happy that I discovered his first book Children of Paranoia and his second book Children of the Underground is just as good as the first. Please welcome to Blood Rose Books today:

Trevor Shane

You now have three books, your Children of the Underground trilogy, under your belt. How has your writing process changed from book one to book three?
My writing process really hasn’t changed other than that I’ve gotten more efficient and, hopefully, better.  My process is, and always has been, to start with a complete chapter outline and then to start writing at page 1 and see where the writing takes the story. By the time I’m finished with a book, the only parts of the story that usually stay true to the original outline are the beginning and the end. That’s part of the fun of writing books--you rarely know exactly where they are going to take you.

What have you learned about yourself from book one to book three? 

That my imagination can go in some very dark directions. 

As a reader I became very attached to your characters, I cannot think of how attached you would have become to all your characters. Was it hard to end your series?

Ending the series was both incredibly gratifying and, as you’ve noted, incredibly hard. All told, I’ve spent over six years with these characters. Writing a series like this probably makes it a little bit easier since major characters come and go throughout the series. This year, I loved watching the video reactions of people watching the Game of Thrones Red Wedding episode where they unexpectedly killed off a bunch of major characters (I don’t even watch the show but I loved watching the reaction shots). As a writer, you often get as attached to characters as the reader, you’re only emotional advantage is that you usually know each character’s destiny. Still, I’ve read interview with J.K. Rowling where she talks about crying as she kills off characters. After finishing the series, however, I almost feel like it is emotionally easier to kill off characters then to leave them. It almost feels like I’m simply abandoning the survivors. I don’t want to ruin anything but I will say that there was one character that I had the hardest time leaving.At the same time, it’s been seven years and I’m really excited to see people’s reaction to the completed series (and excited to start writing something new).

What do you think are the main components of writing a successful trilogy?

Surprise people. Keep them on their toes. Make each entry in the trilogy a complete story with a something unique to say but always give your readers a reason to pick up the next entry.

There are quite a few well known authors out there that have long running series and characters, was it hard for you to have the children of the underground only be a trilogy and not a long running series? Why do you think that some authors do not want their series or characters do come to an end?

Money? But seriously, I simply think it’s a different style of storytelling--one that I could see embracing in the future. I think writers probably like writing series for the same reason that certain readers--or readers in certain moods--like reading series. It’s comforting to come back to the same characters and it can be very interesting to see how these characters that you feel you know very well react to different scenarios. But I think that, somewhat counter-intuitively, books in an ongoing series (one without a definitive end) are more about plot than character because you already know the main character and what you’re focused on is not character development but jumping quickly into the plot, which can be great. The character needs to be likeable but they primarily serve as conduits for the plot. That’s why a lot of the great detective books or spy novels are written in a series. Standalone books or set trilogies are, on the other hand, usually primarily about character arc. So it depends on what you as a reader or a writer want to focus on. That and money--if you have a successful series, it’s always easier to sell the next installment than a new idea. 

What is next for you? Do you have another novel or series in development?

Well, CBS Films recently optioned the movie rights to the Children of Paranoia series so I’m very excited about that. On the writing side, I’m about a third of the way into the first draft of a new novel.  It’s a stand alone novel (though it includes a character that I may want to serialize). It’s kind of a mystery novel but one where the clues to the mystery have all been implanted in the main character’s head when he inherited his father’s memories (oh, I should probably mention that in the world in which the book takes place, people can transfer their memories to other people when they die). It’s very different than Children of Paranoia, which is fun, but is still largely ground in themes about family.

Have there been any books that you have read in the last year that are must reads?

I’m currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo for the first time and it’s awesome to see how much fun some of the classics can be. The book that I’ve recommended the most in the past year is a non-fiction book: Far from the Tree by Andrew Solomon. It’s a fascinating look into the relationships of parents and their children who have vastly different identities than them, such is hearing parents with deaf children. He covers so much ground--dwarfism, autism, children conceived in rape, down syndrome--and the characters (they’re really people but they are so fleshed out that I’m comfortable calling them characters) are so sympathetic. It’s a must read for anyone who wants to write about family and a should read for anyone simply interested in the topic. 

I just want to thank Trevor once again for sticking with me for three years of Blogoversary and I highly recommend his Children of Paranoia series to everyone out there. I cannot wait to get my hands on the newest book Children of the Uprising which just came out today. Make sure to enter the giveaway (INT) below where you get to choose which book in the series you would like :)

 

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Author Interview & Giveaway: Seeley James

I'm always on the search for Indie authors. I think it takes so much courage to write and release a novel on their own and it takes even more to find readership for them. That is why when I read The Geneva Decision, I knew that I would feature this author in my Blogoversary. Please welcome to Blood Rose Books today:

Seeley James 

Is there a book, author, story or person that inspired you to become a writer?
Two books inspired me: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson and The Red Pony by John Steinbeck. I read them both when I was young. Treasure Island made me realize books could take you places and the Red Pony made me realize books could make you see, feel, even smell things.

What has been your biggest challenge as an indie author?
Getting my books into the hands of people who want to read them. When I published my first book, The Geneva Decision (Nov-2012), over 89,000 books were being epublished every month. That’s twice as many as were published in all of 2002. At least I outsold JK Rowling in the first three months.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why? 
Autobiography. People tell me to write my memoirs, including how I adopted a three year old when I was nineteen. But I can’t—if I wrote an autobiography, I’d have to sue the author for defamation.

Soccer star and head of a security company are not something you read about every day, where did the idea for Pia’s occupation come from?
Fiction heroes usually come from the military or police, as do most heroines. Since women are just now going into combat roles, I didn’t see that as a realistic path for a heroine. My daughter played soccer which led me to become a big fan. She also took up boxing, briefly. Those two disciplines showed me that while women are not as physically strong as men, their will to win is very much the same. Once you combine that strength of character with a surprise attack, you can overcome many limitations.

Pia Sabel’s occupation came from the need for putting her in dangerous situations. Police and private detective angles have been bludgeoned to death over the years. And I never much liked the Murder She Wrote premise. To me, a security company provides plenty of ways to cross paths with the wicked, as well as have the personnel to do something about it.

Do you play soccer? If so which position do you play? What team do you cheer for?
I never played soccer, but two of my three children do and I’ve spent a decade on the sidelines. My son plays outside mid and my daughter plays holding mid. Both have been perennial team captains.

I’m a serious fan of Phoenix Country Day Eagles (the school my children attend), Chelsea, & Portland Thorns (NWSL). My son is fan of LA Galaxy and my daughter loves Real Madrid (I’m pretty sure that’s because of Ronaldo).

Do you find that people are shocked to find that the individual who is writing about Pia is a man?
No, there are a few but not many. When I first started writing about a woman, I submitted many short stories to writing forums. I learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t. The main thing is: men and women have the same hopes and dreams and ambitions. We expect women to use manipulation to accomplish their goals where we expect men to use violence. But neither case is absolute.

Was it hard to get into the mindset of a woman and write how you think a woman would act?
Physically: Pia Sabel is very tall and strong to overcome the physical requirements of fighting in a man’s world. Thrillers tend to be violent journeys through a male-dominated kingdom of evil where the hero/heroine races to prevent a crime. Many heroines today are based on the average woman, ~ 5’7” who might know some martial arts—and they are inherently unrealistic in fight scenes with men. I searched high and low for an archetype for my heroine and settled on Devon Wharf, the former U of A goalkeeper who is 6’1”, good looking, and quite strong.

Mentally: The feminine mindset is something I’ve worked on extensively with female beta readers. I try to weed out male sentiments, but I’m not convinced it makes a huge difference in thrillers. Romantic entanglements would present a different circumstance, but thrillers are based primarily on saving lives—and there’s not a lot of gender difference in that. (I did have a reader tell me that a specific line uttered by Pia Sabel sounded more like a teenaged boy than an adult woman. I told her that she was the only reader to identify the one sentence my teenaged son insisted I add).

Why did you decide to also release a serial novel? Do you find that releasing a serial type novel is more challenging or easier that writing a full novel at once? 
Readers: When I embarked on writing Trench Coats as a serial, what appealed to me was the reduced reader-commitment. With so many indie authors hitting the market, I believed it would be easier for readers to try a short version before committing 10-15 hours of reading time. That part has worked out to be true.

Evidence: I have nearly eliminated the reviewers who say they’ve abandoned the book. All books big and small have ‘abandonment reviews’. Amazon is rife with readers who need to tell the world they did not finish a book but are reviewing it anyway—god knows why they would publicly admit to active ignorance, but there you have it. 

Writing: I have discovered it is more difficult to produce a coherent thriller on a serial basis. The writing process is more drawn out; allowing over-expansion of extraneous concepts that must be reined in. If I do another serial, I’ll write the entire novel first, then break it down. 

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?
I am working feverishly on Trench Coats, Episode IV: The Desperate and will release it on the first of October. Episodes V and VI will follow shortly thereafter.

For all your readers who drop me an email mentioning the greatness of Blood Rose Books, I’ll send the first four episodes free (ebooks)!

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).
Sorry, I must note two books: South by Lance Charnes (Due out in December) and Black Karma by William Davis. 

I want to thank Seeley once again for being part of my Blogoversary and I encourage you to not only enter the rafflecopter giveaway below (open INT) but also to take Seeley up on his offer for the first 4 books in his serial series. I think that we need to support Indie authors as much as we can
 :)

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Author Interview & Giveaway: Amanda Carlson

Maybe you have noticed like I have there are fewer and fewer strictly werewolf novels out there with many writers switching to the post apocalyptic and zombie genres so I was very happy to discover today's author and her novels Full Blooded and Hot Blooded this past year. Please welcome to Blood Rose Books:

Amanda Carlson

Is there a book, author, story or person that inspired you to become a writer?

I loved Judy Blume as a kid, and was a voracious reader, but I actually started writing at twelve-years-old. I don’t remember who or what exactly spurned me on to write, but the pull to create something new on the page was big, and I’m happy to say it’s stuck with me all this time.

What type of bump in the night creature terrifies you? Which do you think would be the hardest to write about?
That’s a tough one. I’m not a big true horror fan, so writing something like SAW would be very difficult. I think the humans-gone-wrong in those movies is the most terrifying, much more terrifying than any vampire or werewolf.

The Urban Fantasy / Paranormal genres appear to be the genre that everyone is writing in these days (even authors that are well established in other genres) what do you think the draw to these genre is? How do you believe your novels stand out from the rest of the crowd?
I think the “urban” part of fantasy—the part where it could be happening next door and you don’t know—is the allure. It puts a contemporary spin on fantasy and makes it more accessible to everyone. Readers can place themselves in the world and think, “What if this happened to me?” I believe my novels are very much their own spin on the urban fantasy genre. I work hard to make the tropes fresh and as new as I can.

I do not know if you have noticed, but I have, there appears to be less authors writing with werewolves as their main creature in your books, why do you think that this has occurred?
It’s because editors have momentarily stopped buying them J All genres cycle in and out of fashion at some point. Werewolves and vampires will never go away ever, but when the market gets saturated, the editors stop buying. Then, when there’s almost none on the shelves, and the readers are getting restless, they will start buying again (most will anticipate the resurgence and buy a year before you get antsy). I think I’ve managed to find myself in a very lucky place, because readers looking for vamps and weres have less books to go through to find mine!

A common theme within several werewolf based books is that a female werewolf is rare, why do you think that this is common theme?
I think it’s a good way to heighten the stakes. All tropes, across most genres, have been used at some point or another. Our job as authors is to take something that’s been done and put our own unique spin on it. Introducing something new to a story is one of my favorite things to do, because when an author does it well, it makes the reader feel like they’re reading it for the first time.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?
I’m not sure, since I’ve only completed urban fantasy novels, but I do know authors write what they love. They have a passion for the topic, and when the urge hits, they jump in. I wouldn’t say that one genre is harder than another—since every novel takes the author’s blood, sweat and tears to finish—I would just say every book is hard work in its own way. 

In your second novel Hot Blooded, especially near the end of the book, it takes a dark turn once they enter into Selene’s liar. Is it hard for you to tap into the darker side of the novel? Do you think all novels need a touch of darkness?
I don’t think all books need a touch of darkness. I happen to love happy books! For Selene, and what happens in Hot Blooded, I was purely writing true to her character. She was dark, but at the same time childlike—a supernatural who’d never fully grown up. This was her turf and that’s what she brought to the table. I didn’t have a hard time writing it, but maybe because I knew my heroine would prevail

Jessica is one of the best well rounded characters that I have read in a UF/paranormal novel in a long time as she uses her head, heart and wolf equally to make her decisions. What went into the creation of her character?
Jessica, in many ways, is how I view anyone who is human suddenly making a big change in their lives. How would they handle it? How would I handle it? I strive to be as realistic as I can in fantasy. I also believe this makes the book more approachable to readers. When I write her, I’m not thinking werewolf, I’m thinking a twenty-six-year-old who just went through a major life change.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?
The COLD BLOODED blog tour is running the rest of September and the entire month of October. I’m running 3 huge cross-blog giveaways, so stay tuned if you love awesome swag. More info about everything is on my website: www.amandacarlson.com I will also be at Coastal Magic in Feb. and I’d love to see you there! http://coastalmagicconvention.wordpress.com/ 

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).
*fingers twitch to pick up a book* I don’t get much time to read, but when I do I love Kristen Painter, Amanda Bonilla, Kristen Callihan and Julie Ann Walker. I don’t reread very often, but Harry Potter gets that prize for sure.

Thanks for hosting me on the blog today! I had fun stopping by. COLD BLOODED releases in a few short weeks and I’m so excited to share it with my readers. 

Thank you once again Amanda for being part of my Blogoversary and I think we can all relate about not having enough time in the day to read. You can enter Amanda's Cold Blooded Blog tour below (which she is running across a few blogs).

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