GFP Book Tour: At the Round Table & Giveaway with KH LeMoyne - Return of the Legacy

Welcome to Immortality and Beyond, my darker side. May I offer you a beverage? 

Oooh, so many options. I’ll have a tea and thank you so much for having me.

Thank you for taking time to chat with us today and now that we're all settled in my lair, I'm de-bite-fully glad you stopped in.

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

KH: Return of the Legacy is a fantasy romance and the first in the Portals of Destiny series. The series follows two families in their fight to protect the portals between magical worlds against an evil mage who will stop at nothing to absorb all the magical power in his path.

BK: What inspired this particular novel/book?

KH: I started on the Portals of Destiny many years ago. The historical embrace and rejection of magic over the centuries provided my framework for creating beings who fled to alternate magical worlds, the portals that secured those pathways, and an interlacing of Earth’s actual history. From there I researched magical elements, myth, and history, finally choosing the first of two families who would play the pivotal role in the series. Ironically, tarot cards gave me a visual idea for the four siblings from Tir Thar sought by the evil mage, Owain. The bloodline of the portal sentinels, the Makir and their partners, evolved from my consideration of other magical powers the series would require.

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

KH: I’ve written on and off for years and finally realized that some people actually write for a living. What a thought. I decided to migrate from my career in information technology and commit to writing.

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

KH: I twist all the research I have and create new magical rules for a unique approach. I like to think that my characters will resonate with readers and that they’ll think, “Wow, I really didn’t see that coming.”

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

KH: I started outlining this series and drafted the first book years ago. When I finally sat down with the intent of submitting to an editor, I basically went through everything with a red pen and made this story work for the writer I am now. My writing style, the way I handle plot, mystery, characters, and romance have all evolved. Layering the sensory and mystical components in every scene and for every character was challenging as well, but a great deal of fun.

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

KH: That’s too hard, but I’d probably choose Logan MacKenzie. He’s the true fighter in this tale with the most to lose. He is determined to save everyone, which is truly impossible. He has sacrificed for years without thought to his own needs, making him a man worthy of success. In spite of his leadership and power, which would normally inspire competition in Briallen, she trusts him and grows under his friendship. Their connection offers him a reward for his efforts and offers her an alternative to the paths she’d envisioned. I’ll admit, it’s a close tie for me between these two, because Briallen’s a woman coming into her own confidence and power and I love to see that.

BK: Which was your favorite scene to write?

KH: That’s hard to say. I enjoyed writing the magical sequences but I’d have to say the several action scenes with Logan and Briallen were the most fun.

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

KH: This is a series. The full series arc encompasses five books, all culminating with a confrontation with the mage of Brennagmore, Owain. That said, there is a spin-off story, Dragon Rider’s Gift, released in April. I became attached to the dragon riders in Return of the Legacy and felt they deserved their own shorter story for their battle against the mage. Perhaps other magical beings will get their own spin-offs as well.

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

KH: I write full-time so I’m up in the morning, take out the dog, grab breakfast, and then go through whatever administrative things need to be done. If I’m drafting a book, I try to get in three to five hours of writing in a day. The same goes for days of re-writes and editing. For me, that’s fun!

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

KH: I like to read but I don’t get much time to do that. My TBR pile is huge and my Kindle has at least a hundred stories waiting as well. I also like to spend time with my family and when the weather is nicer, I enjoy gardening.

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

KH: I’m fairly introverted. I used to think that was a norm for writers, but most of the female authors I’ve met are a quite social and full of energy. I guess I’m a throwback, but I do love meeting with writers and readers in small groups and online.

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

KH: I don’t have one favorite because I read a lot of different genres from urban fantasy to straight suspense thrillers. Lately, I’ve been sneaking time for bits of Patrick Rothfuss’s books and I’m hoping to get to the newer Pendergast novels by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.

BK: Please tell us one piece of advice you were given as an author that you carry with you when you write?

KH: Don’t expect the first draft you write to be your final story. Writing is about rewriting. I also think it helps to know that writing doesn’t get easier with each new book. But you do get more familiar with your own process from beginning to the end, which helps immeasurably.

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

KH: Keep writing. If you enjoy creating stories, don’t let anything stop you. You can fix anything but an empty page.

BK: What are you currently working on?

KH: Dragon Rider’s Gift will be out in April. My third book in the Guardians of Eden series, Destiny’ Mark, will be out this summer. And Rewards of Valor, the second book in the Portals of Destiny, is targeted for early next year

BK: Where can readers connect with you?

KH:

Website – www.khlemoyne.com

facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kh.lemoyne

twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/khlemoyne or @khlemoyne

A former technology specialist, KH LeMoyne now writes romance fulltime with series in urban fantasy, high fantasy, and scifi/futuristic. She lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and corgi. Much to her dismay, she rarely encounters supernatural beings other than on paper. Visit her website: http://www.khlemoyne.com/ or blog: http://fantasypoweredbylove.com/

Three magical dimensions…Two mystical bloodlines…One undeniable destiny.

Born a magical empath, Logan MacKenzie has spent his life protecting his family from discovery. Evil has found them anyway. What begins as Logan’s search for answers on Earth becomes a race for survival in the magical dimension of Loci.

The battle to save those he cares about will reveal his true lineage—the bloodline of the Makir, one half of a pair of sentinels chosen to guard the mystical portals between dimensions. The price of his acceptance: a love he never imagined possible and a heartbreaking choice.

Her family attacked, her home destroyed, and now stranded on Loci, Briallen of Tir Thar, descendant of a magical race, has only to summon the power within her to return to her own dimension—or so she had hoped. Unfortunately, her powers aren’t cooperating, and the sorcerer bent on her family’s destruction will stop at nothing to possess her.

Raised without knowledge of the portals, the Makir guardians, or her own destiny, Bri takes a leap of faith in an alliance with Logan. Embracing an uncertain power and accepting his goals as hers offers her the only way home. If they fail, the consequences of allowing the portals to fall to evil are unthinkable—the destruction of every magical dimension throughout space.


Excerpt:

It took several minutes for Logan’s pupils to adjust from sunlight to the interior of the cottage. Even so, it took several more minutes for Logan to interpret what he saw when he looked at the little girl. When he did, fear drove spikes through his muscles as he lunged across the room.

“No!”

A smoky glow, black and oily, clung to the girl’s face, seeping into her nostrils and the small crack between her lips. The black fabric quivered like a sick caress along her skin.

Without thinking, Logan tried to pull her to him. No clear plan of attack threaded through his thoughts, only the heart-pounding need to stop the evil infection from permeating the tiny body.

Instead, her body refused. A ton weight resisted his efforts to surround her with protection. The confused voices behind him rose as the child’s eyes snapped open. Red flames stared at him, a fierce, possessive force, hungry and angry at his interference.

Logan’s ring burned and glowed as he forced his hand to touch her face. His fingertips barely grazed her cheek when the child opened her mouth and roared. The hoarse projection of sound, a violent expulsion of energy, sent Logan flying backward across the room. His spine and head contacted with rock in a sharp, heavy crack that swept the air from his lungs. Body stunned but conscious, he turned his head as Bri dropped to her knees beside the twisting girl.

His mouth didn’t work to warn her.

Frozen, he could only watch while she strained to close the distance—two magnets repelling connection. The spikes of gold swirled in a fury around her, a merry-go-round of energy out of control, stronger than the blackness surrounding the girl. Tips of green and blue absorbed the fringes of the gold as a swath of bright red pulsed stronger and deeper within the core. She enclosed the girl in her arms and bent her face to the child’s neck. The variegated colors squeezed and pulsed. Each contraction of the womb around the girl forced the smoke to release and expel.

The evil struggled. The girl’s small limbs twitched with the battle. Bri held tighter. The colors around her brightened, clenched, and grew stronger.


What a tasty treat and the book sounds amazing KH. Now check out the giveaway, leave a comment for a chance to win, don't forget your email address so they have a way of contacting you and thank you for joining us in support of Goddess Fish Tours and Return of the Legacy.

Giveaway:

 $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour 

Follow the tour HERE for more chances to win.

VBTC Pit Stop: At the Round Table with M.C.V.Egan - The Bridge of Deaths

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

I will have the Frothy Guinness please.

Now that we're all settled in my lair, I'm de-bite-fully glad you stopped in.

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

The Bridge of Deaths is a Paranormal, Historical, Mystery, and Romance. It is based on actual event revolving an airline crash in 1939, but it was investigated combining traditional research with research done through very well-known psychics in South Florida and a Peruvian Shaman who is now a Lakota Indian known as Hernan Braveheart in New Mexico.  So it is a factual/fictional journey through past lives and historical archives to unravel what is what in pre WWII Denmark while falling in love in 2010 London. Oh yes, you said I forgot mystery, well the event itself was surrounded by mystery and intrigue. One of my readers called it Casablanca with a touch of the modern.

BK:  What inspired this particular novel/book?

It is the story of my maternal grandfather’s death. I say it was curiosity, but I have been told I was inspired by obsession.

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

I always knew I was a writer. To me the need to communicate is as essential as breathing. In my 30s I began to dabble in Astrology and my natal chart shows the moon in Gemini, so you could say from the standpoint of Astrology I was born to be a writer, for your friends out there who are great believers in fate.

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

I make sure that I remember that we are all unique individuals and in-as-much as our tools are the very same words, the order and spin that we each give them creates a very different and unique picture.  A writer can of course try to sound like another writer they admire, and it could come in handy if you wish to give a character a personality the readers can relate to. I am certain we all possess a unique voice. In the case of The Bridge of Deaths the unique manner in which fact and fiction were woven through the love=story of Bill and Maggie has been called “unusual” and unique” by many.

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

Probably the emotional aspect and the worry about my mother’s reaction, which at first was not fantastic…but today we are cool.

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

MAGGIE she is a free-spirited adventuresome 20 something. She is a pacifist and in today’s world I can only imagine that we are in dire need of many people like Maggie who are willing to oppose war. I am a wanna –be pacifist and I have never attended a protest; Maggie has the courage to do what I cannot.

BK:  Which was your favorite scene to write?

Now this is hard and fortunately because there are many, but I guess I need to choose the scene where Catalina is confused and decides to drive over to the psychic to ask if Maggie and Bill are on the up and up.

I enjoyed this because Rosella Call a psychic in Boca Raton, Florida did help me tremendously with psychometry holding various objects related to THE BRIDGE OF DEATHS  does actually work out of a large closet at an accountant’s office.  I have personally never been torn about going to a psychic, and certainly not one I know, but it was great fun to tap into what I have seen in others, the fear of knowing about the future, the fear of going against the religion they were brought up in. So giving the character those fears was really fun for me, and I also gave Maggie a little fear in that aspect.

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

Eventually, as I acquire more information, and it is happening as we speak, I do plan to write the sequel The Bridge of Secrets. This is however eventually and in a few years, I know after the 75 year mark other files will open up and I have already connected with some helpful and related individuals.

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

It is usually warm and sunny as I live in South Florida. I often visit Starbucks and enjoy a latte. I have to wing it as I never know what teen-age drama awaits. I try to do something nice every single day, maybe take a walk on the beach, or at nearby wetlands that are an amazing nature preserve, where I can see exotic birds, alligator and turtles, recently a family of bobcats is hanging about. I inevitably cook at least one meal and I write, at least notes on what I am going to write about. Married for over 20 years and guiding a teenage son is not a stage of life full of personal excitement, but I like my life and I can always have amazing adventures through the characters I create. And of course I visit facebook once or twice day and connect with people from all over the world.

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

I absolutely love to read, I love to travel and I like a wide variety of arts and crafts. I love to find difficult origami designs and play a little Sudoku or backgammon. I lead a full life, I am very lucky.

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

That  in most of my visits to psychics I asked them not to talk about the future and only help me find the past.

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

I like a very wide variety and I have so many favorite authors, but if I must choose only one I then choose W. Sommerset Maugham. That being said as a reader I am fickle and unfaithful.

BK:  Please tell us one piece of advice you were given as an author that you carry with you when you write?

Trust your voice, trust your unique mode of expression and honor it.

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

Trust YOUR voice and your unique mode of expression.  We are all individuals and as such your take on a story will be very different from mine or anyone else, trust your voice.

BK:  What are you currently working on?

A shorter novel called 4covert2overt it will have two unique and distinct voices as I am working with a clairvoyant co-author Jolie DeMarco owner of My Flora Aura in Boca Raton, Florida. This particular piece is far more paranormal than historical and the characters conflicts and dramas are very prominent and pertinent to the story, it is a big departure from The Bridge of Deaths.

BK:  Where can readers connect with you?

At my website feel free to use the contact form I promise to answer.

http://www.thebridgeofdeaths.com

On August 15th, 1939 an English passenger plane from British Airways Ltd. Crashed in Danish waters between the towns of Nykobing/Falster and Vordingborg. There were five casualties reported and one survivor. Just two weeks before Hitler invaded Poland with the world at the

brink of war the manner in which this incident was investigated left much open to doubt. The jurisdiction battle between the two towns and the newly formed Danish secret police, created an atmosphere of intrigue and distrust. The five casualties are; Cesar Agustin Castillo, a bio-

chemical engineer educated in both Germany and the USA,  he is  a Mexican national working for Standard Oil of New Jersey’s London branch. Samuel James Simonton, American national  also employed by Standard Oil of New Jersey’s London office with a very strong military back ground, graduate of West Point. Erich Bruno Wilhelm Beuss a German national a corporate lawyer who is travelling with his medals earned in World War I. Anthony Crommelin Crossley English Member of Parliament who is known and outspoken on the antipathy to Hitler and the Munich Pact. He is also the sole defender of the Arab cause in the matter of Palestine in the 1930s. Alfred Stanley Mardsin Leigh, employee of British Airways LTD. The sole survivor is the Pilot Clifford Frederick Cecil Wright. In the winter of 2009-2010 a young executive, Bill is

promoted and transferred to London for a major International firm. He has struggled for the better part of his life with nightmares and phobias, which only seem to worsen in London. As he  seeks the help of a therapist he accepts that his issues may well be related to a 'past-life trauma’. His love interest Maggie helps him in his quest and realizes that she too is part of the events as much in the past as she is in 2009-2010. Maggie and Bill find that through their love and the courage to submit to past life regressions. They begin to find more questions than answers.  They become very curious about events leading up to World War II and through

archives and the information superhighway of the 21st century Bill and Maggie travel through knowledge and time to uncover the story of the 1939 plane crash. Their quest includes a friendship forged through Skype with a middle-aged woman in Florida obsessed with the truth about her grandfather’s death. This woman has been working for nearly two decades with archives in Denmark, England and the United States to unfold the mystery that left her family scarred  and wondering.  Her meticulous search and actual copies of documents in the book help the reader understand that we are indeed dealing with true events.

All historical data is clearly documented and footnoted as many of the files used by the author were rather obscure and not found in any history books. All data from psychics and past life regressions is also very clearly documented.

The Bridge of Deaths is a love story and a mystery. Fictional characters travel through the world of past life regressions and information acquired from psychics as well as archives and historical  sources to solve "One of those mysteries that never get solved" is based on true events and real people, it is the culmination of 18 years of sifting through sources in Denmark, England and the United States, it finds a way to help the reader feel that he /she is also sifting through data and forming their own conclusions. The journey takes the reader to well-known and little known events leading up to the Second World War, both in Europe and America. The journey also takes the reader to the possibility of finding oneself in this lifetime by exploring past lives.

Excerpt:

CHAPTER 2

Maggie liked that bookstore and shopped there often. She had been raised with all that is unlikely, unconventional and supernatural (perhaps even magical). As a child her world was that of fairies, ghosts, wishes and the power of crystals and planets. She was taught answers were to be found in round circles called Astrology charts and that there were many people in the world who were psychic and could foretell the future. Although that world was an appealing world, it was inevitable that Maggie, as so many teenagers do, rebel against the beliefs she was raised with and seeks other philosophies.

She experimented with various traditional religions and belief systems to fill in the void felt by those lacking any sort of faith. She found that although she liked many traditional religions and appreciated what they stood for, it was indeed Buddhism that made her feel the most complete. Maggie was for all intents and purposes an illogical, whimsical, adventuresome and happy young woman. She slept soundly and lived a very complete life.

The philosophies of acceptance by which she lived her life made her compatible with most people. She had a nice relationship with her mother, a Danish Astrologer, and her father a successful English businessman, who was happy to receive a little guidance from the planets. (If anyone objected to this, he happily pointed out that it had worked for Ronald Reagan). Maggie often read the books her mother spoke about. And every once in a while she even joined her mother in some New Age ritual or other.

It was the excuse of searching for the perfect birthday gift for her mother that placed her at the same book section and store. Because from the moment she saw the tall, slender man walking down the street, she felt that she needed to follow him. This is not something she remembered ever having done before. She was pretty and more often than not men approached her. Experience had taught her that many men worth talking to, could be shy and sometimes needed to be approached. With the confidence that is often exhibited by very pretty women, she was not deterred in the least by his surprised reaction to her smile and so she spoke.

“So, which of the women in your life recommended that book to you? Your Mum or your girlfriend?”

She was indeed pretty and in as much as he was instantly attracted to her, it was not in a purely physical way. Someday as their love story flourished, she would explain to him, how when two souls from the past meet, they recognize each other. That this happened in love stories, to parents when they first encounter the eyes of their newborn, and to friends as well as enemies.

Like so many lovers do, when they first meet, neither one of them spoke the absolute truth. Like so many lovers starting out a new love story if they had known where this would lead, both of them might have run out of the bookstore. But they both chose to stay, and so on a cold winter day in January of 2010, when the world was mourning the passing of so many souls in an Island called Haiti, their love story began. He smiled back and answered her question.

“Why would it have to be a woman? Why couldn’t a man recommend it?”

“Oh I see. You are an American.”

“No, Canadian, actually.”

“Same difference, perhaps in America or Canada, a man other than the author would recommend Many Lives, Many Masters . But here in England, well it would have to be a girlfriend. Probably on her grand quest as to how you are soul mates eternally destined to be together, or a middle aged Mum, who just discovered Brian Weiss, that’s the author. So it is that; or you have some sort of existential crisis that lead you to find the book on your own. So Mum or girlfriend?”

“Hmmm, let me see. My mother prefers to pray and attend church. I don’t have a girlfriend and it was the medical background of the guy who wrote the book, Dr. Weiss that impressed me. So maybe I do fall into the existential crisis category”

Her beautiful eyes widened.

“Existential crisis it is then, but if you seek impressive credentials in past life therapy you might want to read this book, Other Lives, Other Selves . Tell me, what triggered your belief in past lives?”

“Belief!  I would not call it belief…. possibility. I’ve come to realize that strange things happen.”

“You know, once you read that book, you will believe. In life there are certain doorways that once you cross them, they will forever change you. And you might also resolve your existential crisis. What you will definitely find is that women love to sleep with men, who search for depth through such beliefs.”

So in that cold European winter when some in the world denied Global warming. He lay in bed, holding her, he could not imagine a less likely place to have encountered the perfect girl, the self-help section at a bookstore. She was by all accounts, very beautiful. Her laughter and smiley eyes were completely contagious. He was ready to settle down and she might be the one, even if that involved accepting some very unlikely ideas. There was the most extraordinary feeling of comfort in simply being with her.

Maggie had to laugh; she thought he’d be a quick and fun adventure, one that she would soon get out of her system. But this yuppie geek, as it turned out, was surprisingly from the very first moment special. This could be far more than a casual adventure.

Bill had not spoken to anyone about his problems. Not any one other than Doctors or therapists. Maggie worked counseling young kids. She was trained to ask just the right questions to make people talk. Bill was used to carefully giving only the information he wanted to give in business and in his private life. He sometimes caught himself telling Maggie much more than what he expected was safe. She thought that she knew just how to pry and could tell he was holding back, this of course made him all the more interesting.

Their love story grew and developed as some do. Maggie usually led and Bill followed. They enjoyed  the typical things new couples enjoy, going to restaurants, the cinema, shopping and museums. Sometimes, if the winter weather allowed they went for nice long walks. Before Bill met Maggie, he had spent all his time in London buried in his work, with his colleagues at the gym or finding ways to run away from the dreams and thoughts that haunted him. He did this by keeping his mind busy playing any distracting ‘Brain Game’ that helped him to forget the letters, the same five letters on the wings and on the side of the aircraft in his nightmares.

He liked to remember how it had been the day they met, there in the bookstore, by the self-help and philosophy section while holding the book Many Lives, Many Masters , a book that seemed sensible enough to explain past lives. (He had also noticed one, discussing future lives. That seemed ridiculous and he was wondering if in spite of Dr. Weiss credentials, this was the right way to learn more about the past life regression therapy.) It was right at that moment that she had smiled and spoken. The thought of how later that day before they left the bookstore together, they each purchased a book; he bought   Many Lives, Many Masters, and Maggie chose the one about future lives, Same Soul, Many Bodies ; the ridiculous one. They often visited Foyles on rainy days.

Maggie loved that bookstore so it could not exactly be said that she had followed him inside. That would have been completely out of character for her. She had not only felt attracted to his physique, but the way he moved as he walked it seemed to be in such a familiar way, there was a very strong force, there had been something she recognized from somewhere.

Then he absolutely surprised her, he went to the section she had least expected ‘his type’-the cute yuppie geek type, to chose, he went to her mother’s favorite section, The Self Help and New Age Philosophies section, and in his hand was one of the New Age beliefs basic books, Many Lives, Many Masters.

This was good; it could only mean that he was new to such ideas. That was an old book. It was from the 1980s. Maybe even older. It had to be that old, she remembered a copy or two in her parent’s house for as long as she could remember. This guy, this conquest-Maggie as many pretty young women do, conquered the hearts of men for sport, this conquest would be a breeze. It was then, when he spoke, and she heard his accent, an accent so familiar to her from the cinema and the Telly, the accent of all the handsome men of her fantasies, an accent that made him even more appealing. Unlike the man she had just met Maggie was very aware that she was a hopeless romantic.

M .C. V. Egan is 52 years old. She lives in Delray Beach, Florida with her husband and teenage son. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Swedish and on a good day can communicate in another language or two.  She defines herself as happy and happiest when being productive; her greatest goal in life is to learn something, anything new every single day of her life. 

www.thebridgeofdeaths.com

Immortyl Kisses:Warrior Rising FREE Today!

Free Today Only

It all begins at the Halloween Dance... 


Always the black sheep, not caring what anyone thinks, and not a very good dancer, Raine is forced to attend the high school dance with her best friend, Shania. The last thing she expected was to meet Tristan, the gorgeous new kid in school, or experience her first kiss. Envious she wasn’t the one that caught Tristan’s eye, Shania watches Raine leave to spend more time with him, but both girls have no idea that there is much more to him than beautiful green eyes and electrifying kisses. 


The heat ony begins with the kiss, but flames soon ignite when Tristan’s old nemesis, Logan, shows up. Not only must Tristan keep him from stealing his girl, but he must ensure that their secrets remain buried. When they rescue Raine from a rogue vampire, both boys must put their differences aside to protect her from the evil that hunts her. None of them expected she would have a secret of her own, including Raine. 


“You are a warrior, you just don’t know it yet.” 


Born into a destiny she knew nothing about, Raine soon learns that life is much more than it seems. She is a Shijin Warrior and it is up to her to save immortal kind from the very thing that is trying to end their existence. Hearts desires may get in the way, but the Immortyl Kiss may be just what can save them all.

The best thing is that you don't even need a Kindle, they have Free Apps for PC, Ipod, Android and more.

GFP Book Tour: At the Round Table & Giveaway - Ricochet by Sandra Sookoo

Sandra is a writer of romantic fiction. Her portfolio includes historical, contemporary, sci-fi and paranormal romances in full-length books as well as shorts and novellas. No matter if the heat level is spicy or sweet, she loves to blend genres and often times will add humor.

When not immersed in creating new worlds and interesting characters, Sandra likes to read, bake and travel. Her favorite place to spend vacation hours is Walt Disney World. It’s where dreams come true and the soul can play. If she’s not writing, she’s keeping things interesting at her Believing is Seeing blog or spending time with her husband, who patiently answers questions she has about men and/or sci-fi-related subjects.

You can write to Sandra at sandrasookoo@yahoo.com, visit her website at www.sandrasookoo.com or look her up on Facebook and Twitter. All links are provided on the front page of her website.

Website: http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Believing is Seeing blog: http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sandrasookoo

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sandra.sookoo

Welcome to Immortality and Beyond Sandra! I have to say that I absolutely LOVE  the cover of Ricochet! I can't wait to read it! 

Thanks for hosting this stop on the blog tour!

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

It’s a sci-fi romance called Ricochet.  It’s a fast-paced gallop through a make believe galaxy where the hero and heroine are doing a space rally.  She wants to win but he’s only competing to chase down a target—he’s a bounty hunter.  Trouble is, they both have huge egos which clash all the time.

BK:  What inspired this particular novel/book?

Well, in the last two years, I’ve found I really like writing sci-fi stories.  The idea was inspired by a failed antho idea, and since the story had become way too long to include anyway, I just kept writing.  I loved exploring Stratton and Willa’s characters in this book.  They’re so plucky and kick-ass.

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

As soon as I realized I could make up my own worlds and stories then put them on paper.  I’ve always been an avid reader, so it was only natural.  I wrote my first story about all the kids in the neighborhood.  Since then, it’s literally been burned, since it was so terribly bad.

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

I like to think I put my own stamp on it.  There are always threads of humor in my stories and there’s always emotion as well.  I’ve been known to make a person cry a time or two.

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

When the inevitable “dark” moment came up, there was a part of me that contemplated breaking the hero and heroine up for good.  The events leading up to it were fraught with tension, and when that bad scene ran its course, I was exhausted, just as the characters were exhausted.  I really felt bad for these folks!

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

LOL oh, I can’t answer that.  Both Willa and Sin leap off the page and demand equal amounts of attention.  It’s hard to choose, and they’d probably shoot me if I did!

BK:  Which was your favorite scene to write?

There’s a particular scene where the two are in a land rover, racing across the desert.  The way Willa urges Stratton on very much mirrors the act of sex.  Poor Sin has a hard time of it.

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

Nope.  It’s a stand-alone.

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

LOL Um, about as far from exciting as you can possibly get!  I do errands in the morning or maybe some housecleaning and laundry, then I buckle down to write.

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

Read, bake, cook, devour cookbooks, talk about Disney.  I hang around Disney forums a lot.  Can’t be away from the Mouse!

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

I’m not a big fan of dogs or scary movies.

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

I love reading cozy mysteries.  My favorite authors in that genre are Laura Childs, Kate Collins and Donna Andrews.

BK:  Please tell us one piece of advice you were given as an author that you carry with you when you write?

Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.  If you want to, go for it.

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

Don’t ever give up.  As Dory from Finding Nemo says “Just keep swimming.”  It only takes one “yes” to get a contract, and during those down moments when you just want to throw in the towel, the next moment after that is the winning one.

BK:  What are you currently working on?

At the time of filling out this interview, I’m working on a contemporary novella, also my 4th re-imagined fairy tale, plus another full length action-packed sci-fi romance.  It’s a little busy here right now!

BK:  Again readers can connect with Sandra here.... 

Website:  http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Believing is Seeing blog:  http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/sandrasookoo

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/sandra.sookoo

Willa Rayes, only daughter of a legendary Lingorian fighter pilot, can fly any ship in the galaxy. Better than her brothers, in fact. But does that get her any respect? Not as long as she has breasts. Winning the Nebulon Trike will not only force her family to notice her, it’ll be her declaration of independence from men in general.

Then she meets her race partner, Stratton Sinnet. Arrogant and chauvinistic, he ignites her libido like no man ever before. And threatens to send her well-planned strategy straight to hell.

A bounty hunter by trade, Sin enters the Trike for one reason: money. Somewhere among the racers his quarry is hiding, but he’s not worried. He always gets his man, and winning the race will be a nice bonus. It sure would be a hell of a lot easier, though, if he wasn’t saddled with a know-it-all navigator who’s getting on his last nerve—and under his skin.

As the checkpoints go by and the danger escalates, the fight for control, the lead—and satisfaction—approaches supernova heat. Burning away their resistance, and the tough shells that protect their one vulnerability…their hearts.

Excerpt:

She took a deep breath, and the smile flickered again. Beneath the sweat and nerves of the crowd, the sharp scent of rocket fuel permeated the air. It blended with mechanics’ grease and heated electrical wiring and the organic smell of brand-new leather upholstery, topped off by paint fumes. The ships that would be employed during the race were housed not fifty yards away, and her fingers itched to familiarize herself with the steering mechanisms and instrument panels of the one that would be hers to command during the race.

This was where she felt most comfortable; this was where home would always be, here amidst spacecraft of every shape and size. Being one with her ship, accepting no excuses, executing each command with inherent confidence, always in control with no margin for error. It was the best feeling in the world.

Excitement shot through Willa’s stomach as she craned her neck in an attempt to see above the heads and shoulders of the beings clustered in front of her. Being five and a half feet tall in a galaxy populated with much taller beings might have put her at a disadvantage. However, she played her height challenge well; it made her faster and able to squeeze into some ships the others couldn’t hope to fit into. Unfortunately, the lack of height meant the extra inches filled out her breasts and hips, making her a universal object of male appreciation.

Not that she cared. She wasn’t here for a hookup. She was here to crush egos.

Giveaway:

Sandra will be giving one randomly drawn commenter from her tour a gift bag full of travel sized Bath & Body Works in Charmed Scent - so be sure to leave a comment and your email address to enter! 

(Open to US/Canada Only)

Follow Sandra's Tour HERE for more chances to win!

Sandra, thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. I already bought your book and it's waiting for me on my Kindle :). I wish you much success in the future!

Book Tour - At the Round Table with Janine McCaw & Helens of Troy Giveaway

Today, Janine McCaw is joining me at the round table. I'm so excited as this book looks phenomenal, Gilmore Girls meets Buffy? Who wouldn't be intrigued by that? Yea, I know! I'm loving it! Janine is also kind enough to offer not one, but TEN ebook copies to TEN lucky winners today. She has even offered a bonus 11th ecopy if a "Helen" comments to win! How cool is that?  So be sure to leave Janine a comment and don't forget your email address so we have a way to contact you should you win. Want an extra entry? Well duh! Who wouldnt? All you have to do is share the post, facebook it, or tweet it and leave an extra comment that you did so and there you go! You have extra entries! Each comment is numbered so please leave a separate comment for each task. Winners will be drawn using Random.org and announced next Thursday - yup, so there's plenty of time to get your entries in :). You don't have to follow the blog, but it would be awesome to have you.

Now without further ado, I bring you Author Janine McCaw!


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

Helens-of-Troy is the story of three “Helens”, 15 year old “Goth Chic” Ellie, her mother Helen and her hottie of a grandmother, Helena. Children are being murdered in their small town of Troy, and the three women have an unusual connection to the crimes.

BK:  What inspired this particular novel/book?

I love the paranormal. The title came to me first. I was reading about the Helen of Troy we all know, and I thought, what if there were three of them. And what if they were kick-ass demon fighters? 

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

I talked to imaginary people a lot as a child. I think it started then.


I used to do the same thing, the voices in my head lol.

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

The Helens definitely are multi-dimensional. They’re funny, but show their serious side when they need to.

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

The characters kept trying to take over. I didn’t want it to become all about the teenagers. Remember the original 90210? There were parents in the beginning, and then they kind of disappeared. I didn’t want this to happen to the Helens.

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

Helena LaRose. She’s not quite ready to admit she’s as old as she is, and being 51, I can really relate to that.

BK:  Which was your favorite scene to write?

I liked Ellie and Gaspar BonVillaine’s scenes together because Gaspar was such a psycho. Here’s a teenaged girl chained up with a nutcase, and she’s got to try to keep it all together.

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

Yes, I am working on the second installment, Helens-of-Troy: Nightmare on Jacey Street now, and have at least a third installment planned. Horror happens around the holidays for the “Helens” and luckily there are a bunch of them.

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

Normally it’s quite together, but lately my job has had a tendency to take over all my free time. The juggling act I thought I was so masterful at is tumbling down around me. But it will get better.

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

I love photography. I’ve also take up bike riding again. It’s true, you never do forget how to ride one, but it hurts more these days.


I too love photography and any art really. We have much in common. I hear about being sore. I felt it after riding with a new dog we had, he needed vigorous exercise or he got nippy. We're no spring chickens anymore haha.

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

I really wanted to be a hockey player, but the NHL isn’t big on women.

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

I like to read biographies and mysteries and stories that let me escape. I’m not so big on romance novels. I read a lot of Janet Evanovitch.

BK:  Please tell us one piece of advice you were given as an author that you carry with you when you write?

Story matters.

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

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Start with small pieces and work your way on up.

BK:  What are you currently working on?

Aside from additional installments in the “Helens” series, I’m also working on “The Inn at Hazy Waters” kind of a Fantasy Island meets 

BK:  Where can readers connect with you? 

They can reach me via the “Helens-of-Troy” facebook page, at their website www.helens-of-troy.com or on Twitter.

“The Gilmore Girls meet Buffy the Vampire Slayer”

Fifteen year old Goth-chic Ellie has a lot of explaining to do. She’s just moved to the small town of Troy, fought with her uptight mother Helen, met the boy of her dreams and found a dead body on her sexy “new-age” grandmother Helena’s porch. All on the first night!
But Ellie’s not alone. Helen is hiding something. Helen knows all about the kind of eerie dreams her daughter is having — the dreams that show the whereabouts of the missing children of Troy — because she’s had them herself. But she’ll never admit it. Not while Ellie’s sex-crazed friend Ryan is safely behind bars for the murders. Helen knows what it’s like to be attracted to dangerous men.
Then there’s the little matter between Helena and Gaspar Bonvillaine, the teenaged vampire who is learning to feed on young prey. Now that he’s caught Ellie, he doesn’t know whether he wants to kill her or turn her to the dark side and keep her forever. Helena should have finished him off when she had the chance.
To survive the vampire feeding frenzy surrounding them, mom Helen needs to come to terms with her own insecurities and deal with the gifts she has. Helena must learn to ground herself for the good of mankind and more importantly her own family. And Ellie has the toughest choice of all. Ellie must decide whether its time to let her own childhood go and become the woman she is destined to be, one of the ageless and timeless “Helens of Troy”.

Excerpt: 

Helena LaRose dragged the body out of the house and rolled it up and across the canopied swing on her front porch. First went the feet, then the torso. By the time she got to its flailing head, the rules of motion took over, and the corpse moved itself. Its weight caused the creaky three-seater bench with the weathered cushions to rock, hitting Helena straight in the kneecaps as it swung forward.

“Easy there, Sport,” she said, reaching forward and slowing the swing to a halt. “There will be no swingers on the porch tonight. I’ve got a reputation to maintain.” If the corpse was trying to get one more kick at her, it would have to do better than that.

Taking a step back to observe her handiwork, Helena knew that something wasn’t quite right in Deadville. “I should have thought more about this,” she said to herself, struggling to prop the body upright. “He’s just not a looker.” His lifeless arms flopped around her, hitting her in the head. “Son of a bitch,” she sighed.

She brushed back a strand of dark hair that had fallen in front of her eyes, and put her hands on her hips in exasperation. Moving cadavers around had certainly been a lot easier when she was younger.

“Do you need some help there, Helena?” asked the old man who had been silently viewing the entire scene from the sidewalk. “I don’t think he’s obeying the laws of physics. I’m pretty sure dead weight isn’t supposed to move around.”
She jumped. There was nothing worse than being caught in the act. She had hoped to keep things undercover a little longer. Timing never had been her thing.

She turned and gave her neighbor a wary smile. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to sit in the rocker today, Mr. Wagner. I know you’d prefer to stretch out on the swing for a bit of a rest on your afternoon walk, but it’s occupied at the moment.”

“So I see,” Mr. Wagner said, taking it all in stride. He sat down in the pine rocking chair next to his usual spot. “I guess I could break from my routine just for today.”

“Thank you,” Helena replied.

Mr. Wagner glanced at the body and pouted. “You’ve covered him with my blanket. The one you always give me to use. Do you think you can get me another one? I’d take it from him, but there’s just something unsettling about using a blanket that has covered a dead guy.”

“I’ve got another blanket ready for you, Mr. Wagner. It’s in the front hall. Cotton. I know wool makes you itch. The newspaper is there, too. I’ll get them both for you.”

“Don’t get old, Helena,” he sighed. “It’s a bitch. Stay young and beautiful like you are.”

Helena laughed. At fifty-eight, she was hardly young, but there was some kind of ageless beauty about her that was hard to dismiss.

“Young is a relative thing, but thanks, Mr. Wagner. How about I put the kettle on for us while I’m inside?”
“Can I have regular orange pekoe today?” he pleaded. “None of that herbal stuff?”

“Do you really think you should, Mr. Wagner? The anti-oxidant level is so much higher in the rooibos I blended for you.”

“Helena, stop being the naturopath that you are and give an old man a decent cup of tea. I’ll sign a waiver if you like. I rely on a little caffeine to keep my eighty-three year old heart pumping. I like coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon and a stiff shot of scotch at night. Write that down in case your doctor books don’t cover the real secret to a long life.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Wagner,” she laughed. “Just don’t let it get around. It’s bad for my business. I spend a lot of time telling my clients that peppermint tea is the elixir of life. You’re right though, peppermint schnapps may be closer to the truth.”

Don't forget about the giveaway! Follow Janine on Facebook or Twitter, leave a comment, share the post and let us know where all in a separate comment, and include your email for a chance to win 1 of 10 ecopies of Helens of Troy. If a "Helen" comments, then there will be a bonus #11 ebook to be had too! :).

Follow Janine's tour HERE, there's also a monthly giveaway over at the VBT Cafe' Blog.

Thanks for stopping in and chatting Janine! So much fun and I wish you much success in the future!