"I am ready to meet my maker. Whether my maker is prepared to meet me is another matter."
-Winston Churchill

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Bewitching Book Tour & #Giveaway: Omega by Susanna Sandlin



Welcome to Immortality and Beyond. May I offer you a drink?



I’ll have a Vampires Wine, of course!

BK: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was in high school. A friend and I started an “alternative” newspaper in the tenth grade that got confiscated after one issue, so in our senior year we founded the school’s literary magazine—which they’re still doing. My college degrees are in journalism and English, but I’ve spent all my career working in journalism until 2009 when I somehow found myself turning into a novelist.

BK: Please tell us a little bit about your current release...
Omega is the third book in the Penton Legacy series. It’s about a world in which a virus vaccine has made human blood poisonous to vampires, which has the vampire world on the brink of civil war and starvation. It all centers around a community in Alabama where a group of vampires who want to peacefully coexist with humans fight for their survival against a political vampire power structure that wants to destroy them. Each book has a different hero and heroine, so there’s romance and action. Omega is Will’s story. He’s a 60-year-old vampire turned in the late 1960s at age 22 who’s partnered with Randa, a female soldier-turned-vampire. The hippie and the soldier!

BK: What inspired this particular novel/book?
Will has been a character in this series from the beginning. Unlike most of the “old-world” vampires, he’s relatively young. He likes technology and music and modern lifestyles, so he does a lot of the planning and operations of Penton. I liked the idea of the “modern” vampire. Once I began writing this story, though, I realized Will had a lot of deep secrets he’d been holding inside, so he went from being a kind of shallow and Teflon-coated character to someone who’s very complex and layered.

BK: How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?
Paranormal romance, and especially vampire romance, has become a very crowded field. The Penton series is set in an almost post-apocalyptic setting, with the vampires on the bottom of the food chain for a change (and they don’t like it, as you might guess). I also wanted my vampires to have retained a lot of their humanity—they’ve intentionally lived among humans and not set themselves apart. So it really is an unusual setting for a vampire genre. There’s also a dominant external storyline—the siege of the town of Penton—that goes across the novels and holds its weight with the romance. It’s almost like a “paranormal romantic thriller.”

BK: What was the hardest thing about writing this story?
By the time I’d gotten to this book, I had literally driven my characters into a corner so tight that it was difficult to figure out how I could possibly get them out of it. It meant taking a huge twist in the endgame of the story—one that would literally change the world of every character in the series. I think it works, but it might take some readers by surprise!

BK: Which character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?
I love Will, the hero, because of all he’s been through in his life and how strong he’s had to be to survive it. But there’s a new series character, Cage, that I became very, very fond of while I was writing it, so I’m looking forward to exploring his story in more detail.

BK: Tell us about the one scene you had the most fun writing…
Will and Randa have always had a contentious relationship, and they’re both smart-alecks. So I figured it would take something explosive to get them to open up to each other. What’s more explosive than a grenade and the collapse of an underground bunker? Where she ends up pinned on top of him? I had a lot of fun with that scene. They’re in the dark. They’re pinned down and pinned together. They’re forced to actually talk to each other. It was delicious fun!

BK: Will this become a series? If so, what inspired it to be a series? OR If it is a series, what inspired it to become a series?
This was always envisioned as a series—a trilogy, actually. It was a story that needed more than one book to complete. I come up with the external story idea first, and then develop the characters. The trilogy is complete, but there are a few storylines I still need to wrap up, so I’ll be working on that later this year.

BK: Now for a little fun, and into your everyday life, What is a day in your life like?
It’s ridiculously boring! Monday through Friday, I’m up by 6, I make sure my blog is ready to go, and then I’m off to my day job as editor of a university magazine. I slave in the dayjob pit from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., usually eating lunch at my desk. I race home, feed my dogs, have dinner, watch an hour or so of TV, and then by 7:30 or 8 p.m. am writing. I write until about 11 p.m., read a while, zonk out, and then do it all again the next day. I usually take Saturday off, then write for 11-12 hours on Sunday. See…I told you it was boring! I very rarely deviate from this workaholic routine.

BK: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I’m trying to brush up on my rusty French with audio lessons that I mostly work on in the car going to and from work. I love music; my current favorite artist is a French-Canadian singer-songwriter named David Jalbert. He’s brilliant. I read, although since I began my book blog (Suzanne-johnson.blogspot.com) I don’t read as much for pleasure as I’d like.

BK: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?
Most people think I’m laid-back and easygoing, but under that calm exterior I am very driven and competitive.

BK: What do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?
I don’t have a single favorite. There are several authors I’d follow into a gator pit: Jim Butcher, JR Ward, Kim Harrison. Outside my genres: Alabama author Rick Bragg; Stephen King.

BK: What is one piece of advice you can give to aspiring writers/authors?
Right now, you think getting published is the goal, the hard thing. But it isn’t. Staying published is harder. Writing to deadline is stressful. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, but it’s stressful. So decide how badly you really want it.

BK: What are you currently working on?
I have a serial novel called STORM FORCE that will be released by Montlake Romance beginning March 19. Once its run as a serial is done, about July, it will be released in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. It’s about a combined team of former Army Rangers and their paranormal counterparts who investigate cases of domestic terrorism. It’s a “paranormal romantic suspense thriller.” Which should be fun!

BK: Where can readers connect with you?
Readers can find me at my website, on Twitter, on Facebook, via email, and on my book blog (as Suzanne Johnson), Preternatura.


About the Author:

Susannah Sandlin is the author of paranormal romance set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night. A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch and the horror fantasy of Stephen King. (Um…it is fantasy, right?) The combination of Howatch and King probably explains a lot. Currently a resident of Auburn, Alabama, Susannah has also lived in Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana.







Omega
Penton Vampire Legacy, Book 3
Susannah Sandlin

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Date of Publication: February 5, 2013

ISBN: 978-1612183596
ASIN: B0073XV3L2

Number of pages: 328
Word Count: approx. 88,000


Book Description:

The bloody war between the Vampire Tribunal and the defiant scathe of Penton, Alabama, rages on, forcing its residents and their bonded humans to retreat into the underground fortress of last resort: Omega. There, Will Ludlam is charged with the care of Penton's humans, though he longs to fight alongside his vampire brethren. He knows the risks: as the renegade son of the Tribunal's vicious leader, Will's capture could doom the resistance.

Yet he is determined to prove his worth to his adopted scathe, to his vengeful father and to former US Army officer Randa Thomas, his beautiful, reluctant partner. Randa has little faith that a former member of the vampire elite has what it takes to fight a war. But as their enemies descend upon Omega, Will's polished charm and Randa's guarded heart finally give way to the warrior within.

Fans of Susannah Sandlin's Penton Legacy are sure to devour this long-awaited third installment of the steamy paranormal series.


ABSOLUTION
The Penton Legacy, Book 2
By Susannah Sandlin

Release date: October 9, 2012
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Book Description:

With the vampire world on the brink of civil war over the scarcity of untainted human blood, battle lines are being drawn between the once peaceful vampire and human enclave of Penton, Alabama, and the powerful Vampire Tribunal.

A Scottish gallowglass warrior turned vampire in the early 17th century, Mirren Kincaid once served the Tribunal as its most creative and ruthless executioner—a time when he was known as the Slayer. But when assigned a killing he found questionable, Mirren abandoned the Tribunal’s political machinations and disappeared—only to resurface two centuries later as the protector and second-in-command of Penton. Now the Tribunal wants him back on their side—or dead.

To break their rogue agent, they capture Glory Cummings, the descendant of a shaman, and send her to restore Mirren’s bloodthirsty nature. But instead of a monster, Glory sees a man burdened by the weight of his past. Could her magic touch—meant by the tribunal to bring out a violent killer—actually help Mirren break his bonds and discover the love he doesn’t believe he deserves?

It’s a town under siege, a powerful warrior in a battle with his past, and one woman who can make the earth move—literally—as the Penton Legacy continues.



REDEMPTION
Book One Penton Legacy series
By Susannah Sandlin
Following a worldwide pandemic whose vaccine left human blood deadly to vampires, the vampire community is on the verge of starvation and panic. Some have fanned into rural areas, where the vaccine was less prevalent, and are taking unsuspecting humans as blood slaves. Others are simply starving, which for a vampire is worse than death—a raging hunger in a creature too weak to feed.

Immune to these struggles—at first—is Penton, a tiny community in rural Chambers County, Alabama, an abandoned cotton mill town that has been repopulated by charismatic vampire Aidan Murphy, his scathe of 50 vampires, and their willingly bonded humans. Aidan has recruited his people carefully, believing in a peaceful community where the humans are respected and the vampires retain a bit of their humanity.

But an unresolved family feud and the paranoia of the Vampire Tribunal descend on Penton in the form of Aidan’s brother, Owen Murphy. Owen has been issued a death warrant that can only be commuted if he destroys Penton—and Aidan, against whom he’s held a grudge since both were turned vampire in 17th-century Ireland.  Owen begins a systematic attack on the town, first killing its doctor, then attacking one of Aidan’s own human familiars

To protect his people, Aidan is forced to go against his principles and kidnap an unvaccinated human doctor—and finds himself falling in love for the first time since the death of his wife in Ireland centuries ago. 

Dr. Krystal Harris, forced into a world she never knew existed, must face up to her own abusive past to learn if the feelings she’s developing for her kidnapper are real—or just a warped, supernatural kind of Stockholm Syndrome in which she’s allowing herself to become a victim yet again.

Susannah Sandlin’s REDEMPTION is the first in the Penton Legacy series. Book two, ABSOLUTION, will be out September 18, and book three, OMEGA, on December 18.


Excerpt:




tour  wide giveaway details 

1 Kindle Paperwhite or Nook Simple Touch 
(or US$100 gift card for Amazon, B&N, or Book Depository)
5 $10 gift cards to online bookseller of choice





Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Bewitching Book Tours: Chatting with Erica Hayes - Revelation




Interview at Immortality and Beyond:

Welcome to Immortality and Beyond. May I offer you a drink?



I’ll have a Zombie Blast, thanks. Hold the brains.


BK: LOL. No brains :) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Doesn’t everyone? What's not to love about creating worlds and torturing the hapless characters inside? Just like little fishies in a barrel, they are… But writing fiction for a job is brilliant. Your own hours, your own tasks. The only job I've ever had where I wasn't bored after six months.

BK: Please tell us a little bit about your current release...

Fallen angels, demons, the apocalypse, hot romance. And zombies! This one has a zombie plague in Manhattan. But it's really about saving the world, one soul at a time – and the idea that your fate is what you make it.

BK: What inspired this particular novel/book?

Well, I was at my crit partner's house, and I had this random idea about the Apocalypse and fallen angel warriors and seven vials of wrath. I don't know where it came from. I never know. They just appear. Is that weird…?

BK: How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?

I include random homicides. You thought that guy was the hero? Bwahaha. Think again… no, wait, that's Game of Thrones. Damn...

Seriously? We're all different people. There might be no new stories, but only I write like me. Give five authors the same plot, they'll write five wildly dissimilar books.

I try to learn from my favorite authors, sure – I learn so much from studying what they do – but in the end, no one can write my story like me.

BK: What was the hardest thing about writing this story?

Actually, this one was kind of easy :) the characters just fell out from somewhere.

BK: Which character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?

The hero, naturally! Lune is to die for. He's strong, gallant, always ready to act. And he tends to say whatever comes into his mind. He's not a subtle man. If he wants something, you'll hear about it.

BK: Tell us about the one scene you had the most fun writing…

Can't give too much away, but there's this one scene where the hero makes a desperately romantic sacrifice. It's totally swoon-worthy. Also, I do love my villains, and the demons in this series are particularly juicy and nasty. Sarcastic little worms, too.

BK: Will this become a series? If so, what inspired it to be a series? OR If it is a series, what inspired it to become a series?

REVELATION was always intended as book one of a series. There are seven plagues of the Apocalypse, after all. Can't fit 'em all in one book!

BK: Now for a little fun, and into your everyday life, What is a day in your life like?

What, when I've finished swanning about in my private jet and lounging in the sun at my Caribbean beach villa?

I get up. I feed the cat. I read emails and do author promo on the internet. I shower. I go to the coffee shop and write. Then, I come home. Eat dinner. Watch tv, usually, or play games. Yes, my life is that exciting…

BK: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Slay zombies. They know this. They don't come round much anymore. So I like to go walking, and read, and play games. Currently I'm having an Assassin's Creed marathon. (Did I mention that Ezio is my secret boyfriend?) I also play a few instruments, so sometimes I even practice those, to my cat's disgust.

BK: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?

Me? This is just my mild-mannered secret identity. In truth, I am Cliché Woman, slayer of tortured billionaires and destined mates. Be afraid.

BK: What do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I don't have just one. Lately I've been reading a lot of fantasy. But I'm a sucker for a good historical epic. I'm obsessed with Hilary Mantel's WOLF HALL. Seriously, if you only ever read one 'literary fiction' book in your life… well, you won't read just one. I defy you not to one-click-buy the sequel immediately.

BK: What is one piece of advice you can give to aspiring writers/authors?

Don't be afraid to try new and strange things. You don't have to be like everyone else. Read other authors, learn from them, then go your own way.
And don't believe anyone who tells you indie publishing is sub-standard, or traditional publishers are eevil!, or agents are dinosaur parasites. None of it's true. We all have a place. Just get informed, and do what's right for you.

BK: What are you currently working on?

I finished a short story yesterday, called HUNTER'S HEART, about a demon-hunting vampire and her hellspawn lover. Phwoar. Moving on to something new and sekrit next…

BK: Where can readers connect with you?

Come by my Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/ericahayes.author) or chat with me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/ericahayes). I'd love to hear from you!



About the Author:

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

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

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








Revelation
The Seven Signs, Book 1
Erica Hayes

Genre: paranormal romance, urban fantasy romance

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

ISBN: 978-0425258378

Number of pages: 330
Word Count: 100K

Cover Artist: Kris Keller



Book Description:

A fallen angel with a mission and a medical examiner who's lost her faith are fighting for their souls in a glittering, near-future Manhattan...


Blind faith is for fools. That's what Dr. Morgan Sterling believes. And she's going to prove it by curing the zombie plague ravaging her city's slums. She's certain it's not a sign of the End of Days, but a nasty disease—until an angel appears in her morgue in a flash of glory.


Luniel is not just a fallen angel. He's a powerful warrior sworn to fight evil in hopes of a chance at redemption. He's after the demon princes who are stealing the seven vials of holy wrath which, when perverted, will unleash eternal hell on earth.


To stop the plague, Luniel needs Morgan's help, and her faith. But Morgan believes science is their salvation. If the zombie plague is a demonic curse—and if Luniel is true—he’ll have to prove it. Even if he loses his heart to true love or his soul to Hell...


Excerpt:





Monday, February 11, 2013

Bewitching Book Tour: Insatiable by Emily Kimelman




Welcome to Immortality and Beyond. May I offer you a drink>

Zombie Blast on the rocks please.

Zar, our Zombie Butler will fetch that for you. Zar…



Thank you Zar

*Drools* while handing drink over…

*Rolling eyes* You may return to your quarters now. Please don’t mind him, sometimes he just gets so excited when we have guest authors. He’s only ever bitten somebody once, *grins*.

No problem, *sips from glass* this Zombie Blast is delicious. Zar might drool but he makes one hell of a cocktail. Thanks for inviting me on your blog and offering up such delectable concoctions.

Now that we’re settled in, let’s chat. Shall we?

BK: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I was in college, about 22 years old. After high school I moved straight to London and started working as a photographer. While that was great and took me some amazing places including four months in Brazil, I realized it was not the job for me. So I went back to school unsure where I was going.

My boyfriend at the time, my best friend, and my brother, all pushed me toward writing. I shied away from it at first because I’m very dyslexic which makes spelling and grammar tough for me. I felt that I could not write professionally with my disability.

But I loved reading! So one day I’m on the subway headed to class reading a mystery novel when I realized it was terrible. I mean absolutely awful. That’s when it dawned on me: I can do better. So I did. And I have a great copy editor who cleans up all my mistakes... except she didn’t read this interview so please don’t judge me too harshly!

BK: Please share with us how your current release came to life...

INSATIABLE is the third book in my Sydney Rye series but I actually wrote it second. While writing my first book, UNLEASHED, I created a very detailed outline and a third of the way through I had to throw the whole thing away because my characters took over. So when I sat down to write INSATIABLE I just put my hands on the keyboard and said, “Okay folks, let’s go.” Sydney took the thing from there and I just sat back and enjoyed. Of course, she totally buggered off when it came time to do the hard work of editing.

BK: Do you let your characters tell the story, or do you often fight with them on the direction it will take?

I’ve fought for a couple of things but mostly I listen to the characters. If I try and get too involved it starts to sound forced.

BK: How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?

I am different from all the other writers in this genre so I make sure to fully express myself and that usually takes care of it. When editing if I find something that leans toward cliche I cut it quickly and without remorse.

BK: Which character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?

I can’t pick! Really, I love them all. Malina is so powerful in her own way, her sexuality is her weapon and she wields it with grace. Dan is super laid back and brilliant not to mention totally sexy. Mulberry is one of my favorite people in the world (and yes, I think of him that way). Besides Sydney and Blue he is the only character to appear in all three books. He feels like an old friend. And Blue, come on, I’m pretty sure that dog walks by my side while I dream.

And then of course, there is Sydney Rye herself. She’s the one who tells me the whole sordid tale with details and excitement. She keeps me interested and on the edge of my seat. Sydney Rye is the reason I sit down in the morning to write.

BK: Tell us about the one scene you had the most fun writing…

A large portion of INSATIABLE takes place in St. Thomas where my Father grew up and I was married. It is a complicated place often only seen from the deck of a cruise ship. I enjoyed bringing to life the character of the island, exposing it’s grimy side, and showing off it’s natural beauty. The scene I had the most fun writing takes place on the island but I don’t want to give anything away by telling you the details. Suffice to say there are guns, a chicken doesn’t make it, and it ends with a drink at the bar.

BK: If you were stranded on an island, which character in your books would you most want to be stranded with and why, and what is one thing that would be a must-have?

Hmm, I’d probably take Blue. He wouldn’t be much help with the building of forts or gathering twigs for a fire but he’d make me feel safe and I’m hoping bring me some creatures to roast over the aforementioned fire. I’d need a good knife. Or a satellite phone... can I have one of those?

BK: Now for a little fun, tell us a bit about what your office looks like. Do you need silence to write?

Right now I’m on a veranda at my friend’s house in Goa, India. I’m lying on the day bed, the sun is just starting to set. There is pink and white bouganvia hugging the boarder wall that separates their property from the dusty, rarely traveled road. Next to me are giant terra cotta pots filled with water plants that have fish darting amongst their roots. Lulu, a street dog my friend’s adopted when she was a puppy, let’s me know when any creature passes our gate by howling out a warning. A man wearing only white shorts ran down the road throwing rocks at a pack of dogs a moment ago.

I’ll be here for another ten days then we’ll go onto Ahmenebad for the kite festival, I’m not sure where I’ll find to write there but I’m hoping it’s a swinging bench or hammock. I love to move.

BK: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I hang out with friends, cook, read, drink, laze about in my PJs.

BK: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?

I think you can tell from my books that I am a thinking person who loves travel, dogs, and adventure. My stories are dark though, which readers might be surprised to learn I am not. I have nicknames that include “little miss excitement” and “little miss sunshine”, I am often accused of being a “positive polly”.

BK: What is the craziest thing you’ve ever wanted to write, or have written, even if it never reached public eyes?

I wanted to write a series called UNDERCOVER GIGGALO about a sexy man people would hire to help their shy friends come out of their shells. I wanted it to be a serial with each episode being a new case for him to “solve”.

BK: What is one piece of advice you can give to aspiring writers/authors?

I’m really trying to cut back on giving advise. But this drink is strong so I’ll dole out some nuggets (she says with a slur). This is an occupation not a job. Like occupy wall street, not like work on wall street. It is not easy to write books, long confusing, delightful, horrible little sh*t’s that they are, so get obsessed. I think about my characters all the time. They occupy my mind and my life.

Also, if you’re an author than you’re not normal so stop pretending to be. Get over trying to look good or be cool. Bare your soul (and avoid cliches).

BK: What can we expect from you in the future?

I’ve got a couple different works in progress but I don’t know which is getting done next. The only thing I’m sure of is there will be another Sydney Rye mystery coming out in 2013. Since I’m living in India for the next two months I think she’ll end up here for at least a part of the adventure.


BK: Where can readers connect with you?


I’m on twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and I’ve got a blog. Mostly I post pictures from where ever I am. On occasion I drop nuggets but first you have to get me drunk.


Thanks so much for having me on your blog. Your house is beautiful, your servant gruesome, and your beverages nice and strong.




Author Bio:

Emily Kimelman lives on a boat in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Sean and their dog Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone). Kimelman has a passion for traveling and spends as much time as possible in the pursuit of adventure.

Her Sydney Rye series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!





INSATIABLE
A Sydney Rye Novel Book Three
Emily Kimelman

Dark Murder Mystery

ISBN: 1470136023
ISBN-13: 978-1470136024

Number of pages: about 320
Word Count:  75,000

Cover Artist: Autumn Whitehurst

Book Description:

INSATIABLE is the third novel in my Sydney Rye Series of dark murder mysteries. This series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

INSATIABLE begins with private detective Sydney Rye living a simple, disciplined life in London, but when a dangerous man from her past calls, Rye finds she cannot turn him away. Robert Maxim explains that the daughter of a powerful friend has gone missing and he wants Rye to find her. In exchange he offers her something she had given up hope of ever having; freedom from her past.

With her dog, Blue, at her side, Rye meets up with her new partner, a handsome man she's not sure she can trust. Heading for Mexico City, they go undercover, posing as husband and wife. After meeting with the bereaved parents, Rye starts to sense that there is more going on than just a missing girl. But it isn't until they arrive in the Yucatan Peninsula, hot on the girl's trail in Paradise, that all hell breaks loose. Sydney has to reach out for help from old friends and deal with the consequences of her past, if she's going to find the girl and keep them all alive.



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