Tuesday 31 January 2012

Cover Interview: Devon Ashley


1. How did you come up with the cover for your book? 
Well, I wanted something simplistic and pretty. I happened to find a pic of a young woman that resembles my main character Jenna, sitting pretty in a wedding dress. I made it shades of pink to resemble her prom dress and added a slight cloud effect to make it a little more dreamy (since one of Jenna's relationship occurs in dreamland).

2. Who designed the cover of your book?
I pretty much create all my covers. I've been unemployed the past year so paying someone to do it for me just hasn't been in the budget.

3. Which is your favourite cover of all the books you have written? 
Probably this one cause I actually got to make a pretty one for once. My Immortal Archive books I like to be simplistic and mostly black.

4. Is there anything you would change about your book covers?
Well, they are what they are and I'm actually pretty happy with them, but I'm sure if I handed the project over to a real designer they'd come up with something fantastic that would drop my jaw and blow my mind. As for FIB, I would love to change the background and have it look more like the in-between world Jenna experienced in chapter two.

5. Have you ever read a book just based on its cover? 
I'm a sucker for a beautiful cover, so yeah, I've fallen for this.

6. Has the quality of the cover of a book ever put you off of reading it? 
Well, I try not to let the cover impact my decision whether or not to read something, but let's be honest, we're all guilty of it at some point. I won't name books but there have definitely been a few I have yet to read cause the cover didn't grasp my attention enough to get me really excited.

7. What is your favourite book cover? 
Of all time? Hmm....I like the Hush, Hush and the Chemical Garden book covers.

8. Would you have different book covers for different countries?  
I can understand the reasoning behind it, but nah...I personally won't do it.

9. Have you ever bought a specific edition of a book because of it’s cover? (For example a UK, US or Canadian version) 
YES! I actually have the first edition, first prints of the clothbound UK Deluxe Harry Potter books. I liked them best so those were the ones I collected. And it just so happens that the first few books only had like 200 hundred printed so they're now worth more than I originally paid. :)

Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Monday 30 January 2012

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

ISBN: 9780373210268
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 293

Become immortal or die trying.
It's always been just Kate and her mum - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerising. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

At first I wasn't keen on reading The Goddess Test because of some of the reviews I had read, but I actually really enjoyed reading this book! I loved Aimee Carter's modern twist Greek mythology! My favourite character was Diana Winters, Kate's mum was my favourite character because despite everything that appears to be going on in her life she still has time to listen to her daughter's worries & problems. Diana was also my favourite character because of her determination and faith. I really like the cover of The Goddess Test! The image alone is great, but coupled with the text and the Greek patterns it's amazing and suits the book perfectly!

Available at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk.

Author Interview: Joshua Goldfond


Joshua Goldfond has written The Hunting Of The Bubblenuff.


1. What is your name and where do you call home? 
Joshua Goldfond. Astoria, NY.

2. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
"The Hunting of the Bubblenuff: A Fabian Vermeer Story". A fantasy/satire/YA story in which an short, awkward Inquisitor hunts monsters with his tall, kindly female bodyguard. (17)

3. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series? 
I have a couple of ideas, but for the time being I'm just trying to get this book out there.

4. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I've been writing in some form or another since I was a kid. 

5. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Certainly. If anyone is interested, you know how to reach me...

6. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
The cover was designed by a talented cartoonist named Geoff Vasile.

7. How did you come up with the title for your book?
The title is a spoof of a Lewis Carroll novel called "The Hunting of the Snark", which I would also recommend. 

8. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I generally prefer printed material, but I've started getting more into eBooks. I released this book as an eBook so that it was cheap and accessible to readers. 

9. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
I am self-published on this book. I guess that makes me an indie author.

10. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
Right now I'm reading "Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann, and "420 Characters" by Lou Beach.

11. Where can your readers follow you?

Twitter: TheOculusOnline





Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Sunday 29 January 2012

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

ISBN: 9780312532765
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Pages: 289

Eager to learn everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way. But just as her powers are increasing, Damen’s are waning.  In an attempt to save him, Ever travels to the magical dimension of Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen’s tortured past; a past which he has always kept hidden from her. But in her quest to cure Damen, Ever discovers an ancient text that details the workings of time. Now Ever must chose between turning back the past and saving her family from the accident that claimed their lives - or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows sicker every day...

I didn't enjoy reading this book as much as the first, for me there wasn't enough action spread throughout the whole of the book. The link between the Buttercups on the cover and the actual story were quite vague and confusing. I didn't know until I researched it later but Buttercups represent immaturity, and although the cover is beautiful I think something like a Forget-Me-Not flower would have been more suitable (because it represents true love and would also symbolise Ever's longing for Damen to remember her). I didn't really have a favourite character in this book because for me Ever was a bit too desperate & needy, and Riley wasn't around enough.

Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Evermore by Alyson Noel

ISBN: 9780312532758
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Pages: 306

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school-but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste. 
Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head-wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea who he really is... or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.



Whilst at first I wasn't very eager to read this book, (because of  it being classed as a romance), I really enjoyed reading it! I loved the hidden meaning behind the red tulips and white rosebuds! My favourite character was Riley Bloom. Riley was my favourite character because of her mischievous, bubbly nature. I like the play on words within the main character's name, Ever Bloom as in, forever in bloom (because of the immortal parts in the book). I really like the cover of Evermore, the person in shadows represents Ever and her past and the bright, red tulips represents part of the story and how it brightened her life at that time.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Friday 27 January 2012

Excerpt: Pride's Run by Cat Kalen


Excerpt:


California Wine Country
August 23rd, six days until full moon



The click of the lock at the top of the stairwell is my only indication that morning is upon me. My ears perk up and I listen for the coming footfalls. The weight on the stairs combined with the creaking of each wooden step will let me know which handler has come for us this time, which unlucky puppet has drawn the short end of the straw and is stuck with letting the dogs out, or in this case, the werewolves.
Sure, he’ll come sauntering down the stairs sporting a brave face and looking at me with cold, dark eyes meant to intimidate. But the wolf inside me can smell his inner fear. Despite the fact that I’m the one caged, underneath the handler’s cool, superficial shell he’s the one who’s truly afraid.
A long column of light filters down the stairs and I blink my eyes into focus as the bright rays infiltrate the pitch black cellar. I don’t really need to blink. Not with my exceptional vision. But I do it anyway because sometimes I simply like to pretend I’m a normal seventeen year old girl, one who can’t see in the dark. It’s nonsense, I know. I’m not fooling anyone. Least of all myself.
The door yawns wider and before the first heavy boot, soiled with old blood that he’ll pass off as wine stains, hits the top step, my senses go on high alert. I never know what morning will bring—or who will bring it.
A breeze rushes down the stairs ahead of the handler, carrying the aroma of the grand estate with it. I push past the metallic scent of dried blood to catch traces of grape juice in the air, a common smell on the majestic vineyard—that and illegal drugs, the estate’s real source of income. Going beyond those familiar fragrances, I breathe deeper and get hints of fresh bread baking in the upstairs kitchen. It must be Thursday. Mica, the estate’s cook, always bakes on Thursday.
In my human form I roll onto my side and lean toward the smell. Wistfully, my tongue darts out and brushes over my bottom lip. There is something about that scent that always entices me and before I can help it I envision myself eating a warm slice covered in rich creamy butter, crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.
My nostrils widen, but I know the bread isn’t meant for me and not even one delicious crumb will pass over my dry lips. Not unless Mica sneaks it to me. As much as I’d love to taste her offerings I don’t like it when she takes chances for me. Disobedience is far too risky for the aging housekeeper. Despite that, my stomach growls in response to the aroma and I fight off the cravings. I can’t hope for bread when it’s unlikely that I’ll even be given a scrap of food today, especially if I can’t please him.
My master.
A boot hits the second step—the handlers always descend slowly—and as I stretch my legs out on my dusty mattress I hear the waking groans of Jace and Clover stirring in their own cages beside me. I glance their way, and that’s when my attention falls on the one empty cage in the cellar. My mother’s den. I breathe deep and fight off a pang of sadness that I cannot afford to feel.
I turn away from the empty cage and stare at the gray cement walls. I can’t bear to look at her den any longer. It only reminds me of how they killed her and how all the pups were forced to watch—to learn that disobedience comes with a price. Guilt and sorrow eat at me to think that she’d died trying to free me.
When step number five creaks, I diligently try to shake off the memories. The handler is close which means I can’t think about my mother right now. I push all thoughts of her aside, knowing that right now I have to think about my father and what he taught me before the master killed him. Never let them see your fear.
I harden myself.
Prepare.
Before my master’s puppet even reaches the bottom step, I know it’s the one they call Lawrence, the handler I hate the most. The one with a weak mind, strong back, teeth like baked beans and beady eyes that fit his ugly rat face.
He likes to call me kitten. I have a few choice names that I’d like to call him in return, but I always bite the inside of my cheek to resist the urge. Partly because I’d be whipped and partly because Miss Kara educated me and taught me all about manners. I realize that an educated wolf with manners might sound laughable. In my line of work, however, education and manners are as lethal as a bear trap to those I hunt. That’s how I lure my marks, how I bait my prey. A pretty face and good grace go a long way for a trained killer like me.
My glance wanders to my leg, the one peeking out from beneath my ratty blanket, and my eyes are drawn to the long jagged scar tracking the length of my calf. I grimace. Even with my education and manners, I never forget what I really am. I’m never allowed to.
“Hey kitten,” Lawrence says. Most would think the nickname is a play on my birth name, Pride. But I know it’s the handler’s way of cutting me down, to find control where he feels none. My parents called me Pride because I was their pride and joy. Lions live in a pride and since lions are cats…
He tosses a collar and chain into my cage. “Leash up.”
I take note of the gun in his holster before my glance locks on his. As I give him a good hard stare, he flinches. The movement is slight, but I notice it. Dressed in my knee length nightgown, long hair loose around my shoulders, I might look like an average seventeen year old girl—harmless and innocent—but we all know I’m not.
Even though Lawrence keeps his face blank and stares down at me with those dark eyes of his, he reeks of terror. The scent is like a mixture of hot sweat and rotting compost. Oh, it’s not pretty by any means. Nevertheless, the werewolf slumbering restlessly inside me feeds off his fear, thrives on it, so I inhale and draw it deep into my lungs.
Without taking my eyes off his, I take my time to leash up. My movements are slow and deliberate as I position the collar. Metal grinds metal and the sound cuts the silence as I secure it around my neck. The handler winces. So do the older, more obedient wolves that I bunk with.
Jace cuts me a glance, chocolate eyes now milky from old age warn me to behave. I realize he’s doing it for my own good, but this morning I’m cold and hungry and in no mood for Lawrence’s insults. Clover makes a noise to draw the handler’s attention away from me, and all sets of eyes shift to her.
As Clover tries to pacify Lawrence, averting her gaze in a show of respect and making small talk about the weather, Lawrence opens my mother’s former cage and pulls out her cot. He gives it a good hard shake and the breeze stirs the dust on the unfinished boards masquerading as our ceiling. The particles dance in the stairwell light before falling to the cold, cement floor.
When Lawrence tosses the cot into a corner I stiffen. It can only mean one thing. My mother has been gone for a little over a year now, and I know the master rarely keeps a cell empty for long, which makes me wonder when and how he’s going to fill it?
Who will he breed?
I cringe at the thought of bringing puppies into this world, but know it’s not something I have to worry about. The master would never breed a wolf like me. My mother always said I was a survivor, the only pup in a litter of three to make it, but hey, a runt is a runt. Thanks to Darwin and his theory of ‘natural selection’ a runt is a heritable trait that a pack can do without. When it comes to canine reproduction, only one motto dictates: runts need not apply.
Deep in the bowels of the estate’s basement, the master keeps other wolves, separating the strong and young from one another. I’m smart enough to understand that he distances us so we can’t conspire against him or speak telepathically. Wolves can only use telepathy when in animal form, however. Well, most wolves that is. Oddly enough, I along with Stone, an alpha wolf two years my senior are able to communicate while in our human forms.
Sometimes the master does in-house breeding, sometimes he sends us out to one of his associates—other drug-lords who also harbor werewolves. It’s like he’s running a regular old puppy mill in here. Except his puppies kill for him. Which begs the question, what does my master have in store for me today?




Promotion: Pride's Run by Cat Kalen




Pride’s Run
By Cat Kalen
Genre: Paranormal YA


Blurb:
Seventeen year old Pride is a tracker—a werewolf with a hunger for blood. Taught to trick and to lure, she is the perfect killing machine.
Kept leashed in the cellar by a master who is as ruthless as he is powerful, Pride dreams of freedom, of living a normal life, but escape from the compound is near impossible and disobedience comes with a price.
When she learns her master intends to breed her she knows she has to run.
But Pride soon learns that if she is to survive in the wild, she must trust in the boy who promises her freedom, the same boy she was sent to hunt.
With life and death hanging in the balance the two find themselves on the run from the Paranormal Task Force—officers who shoot first and ask questions later—as well as her master’s handlers.
Can Pride flee the man who has held her captive since birth and find sanctuary in the arms of a boy who has captured her heart? Or will her master find her first?


Buy Links



Barnes and Noble:  Coming Soon. 

Monday 23 January 2012

Hollow Pike by James Dawson

ISBN9781444004816
Publisher: Orion
Pages: 416

Something wicked this way comes... She thought she'd be safe in the country, but you can't escape your own nightmares, and Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her. Lis thinks she's being paranoid - after all who would want to murder her? She doesn't believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn't believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you're alone in the woods, after dark - and a twig snaps... Hollow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps.


I was sent an ARC copy of Hollow Pike to review by James Dawson, and I absolutely loved every moment of reading it! I found this book to be a bit like a paranormal version of Mean Girls or Pretty Little Liars. My favourite characters were Lis and Laura. Laura was the classic popular girl, that everyone both admired and hated and Lis was the new girl. Laura was one of my favourite characters because of her sharp tongue and fierceness. Lis was also one of my favourite characters because of her independence and determination. I love the cover of Hollow Pike! The colours are amazing, as are the aspects of the image with hidden meanings such as the branches and the birds.

Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Sunday 22 January 2012

Birthday giveaway!


Since it's my 16th birthday on the 29th of February, me and my mum (from JeanzBookReadNReview) decided to host a giveaway that would end on my birthday.

So we are giving away one paperback copy of Forgotten by Cat Patrick along with a bookmark to a winner from the UK, and we are also giving away two bookmarks to another two winners internationally.


Through My Letterbox! 22/01/12


What came through my letterbox this week:


Fated by Sarah Alderson (paperback)
I enjoyed reading Hunting Lila so much that my mum bought me this book by Sarah Alderson as well!

The Future Of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (paperback)
Both me and my mum had heard about this book on Razorbill and liked the sound of it, so we bought from our local Asda.

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter (paperback)
Both me and my mum had requested the second book in the series, Goddess Interrupted on Netgalley, so my mum ordered the first book for us both to read as well.

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz (paperback)
Again both me and my mum had requested the second book in the series, Spellcaster on Netgalley, so my mum ordered the first book for us both to read as well.

The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker (paperback)
Me and my mum were kindly sent an ARC copy of this book to read and review by Susanne Winnacker!

Unbound by Emily Goodwin (e-book)
Me and my mum were kindly sent an eARC copy of this book to read and review by Emily Goodwin!

Saturday 21 January 2012

Author Interview: Kiera Cass

Kiera Cass has written The Siren and The Selection.

1. What is your name and where do you call home?
I am Kiera Cass, and I live in Blacksburg, VA. It's a small town. We have a lot of cows.

2. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
The Selection is the first book in a trilogy, and I'm so excited about where it's going. I'm in the process of editing the second book right now!

3. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
The brilliant minds at HarperTeen designed the cover for The Selection, and I genuinely don't think it could be any better! Early on, I pitched ideas to my editor, and I'm so glad they didn't pan out! They were awful compared to the final product.

4. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I like REAL books. I like the smell and the feel. I do prefer paperbacks, just because they travel well.

5. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
Originally, yes! The Selection is with HarperTeen, but in 2009, I self-published a fantasy/ paranormal book called The Siren. I still really love that story!

6. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
Keep learning! There's so much going on behind the scenes of making a book, so get online and see what other newbies are going through and learn as much as you can!

7. Where can your readers follow you?

Website: kieracass.com




Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Friday 20 January 2012

Promotion: The Mers by Ami Blackwelder



The Mers: A Mermaid Dystopian
By Ami Blackwelder
Book 1 Mer Chronicles

What lies beneath the surface?

One hundred years from now, the world has changed and brought with it, new forms of life.

Who are the Mers? Who is Mira?

Mira always knew she was different. Growing up with Mers, she never quite fit in. When Mira breaks the rules and takes Niren across the border that divides Ellis Island and New Jersey, a  border that divides two vastly different worlds, she thought the journey to find out who she really is would be an easy one.

But as the world in Jersey proves to be a convoluted mix of Aristocrats who hate the Mers, Pirates who want to sell them, and Magi who want to use them...finding her true identity will be a challenge, especially when her best friend Niren is a Mer willing to fight to the death.   


Thursday 19 January 2012

Author Interview: Jack Blaine

Jack Blaine has written HELPER12 and Twitch.


1. What is your name and where do you call home?
My name is Jack Blaine, and I live in the United States.

2. Do you have a pen name?
I do!  A few of them.

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
My latest book is called Twitch, and it will be out by the end of February.  It’s a companion novel to Helper12.  It follows the story of a minor character in Helper12 and explores her experience in the same dystopian future.

4. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I just always wrote.  I wrote poetry, and short stories, and then I started writing books.

5. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
I don’t generally.  I do send review copies to certain review blogs, but that’s it.

6. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
I do my own covers.  It’s one of the things I love to do and it helps me with the writing.  I find that thinking about the cover often brings forth lots of details about the book that I can incorporate into the story.

7. Which is your favourite cover of all the books you have written?
I can’t decide between the two I’ve designed so far.  Helper12’s cover appeals to me because there is an element form the book that doesn’t exist in real life—the tattoo—that is captured on the cover.  I’ve always loved that in book covers—seeing something that exists only in the imagination brought to life.  Twitch’s cover appeals to me because the woman IS Twitch—come to life in that tough but tender expression.

8. Is there anything you would change about your book covers?
Nope.  I think they are both fine the way they are now.

9. Would you have different book covers for different countries?
I think the book covers for Helper12 and Twitch are universal.  It is fun to see different interpretations though.

10. How did you come up with the title for your book?
I titled both books after their main characters.  Lucky for me the main characters had interesting names.

11. Is there anything you would change about your book? And why?
Oh, there always is something, isn’t there?  But once the books are published and read, you have to remain mum about that.  For me, it’s mostly stuff about details, moments I might have wanted to explore more fully.  But nothing substantive, to be sure.

12. Do you have a book trailer? And what are your thoughts on book trailers?
I don’t have book trailers for Helper12 or for Twitch.  I would love to have, but I can’t seem to find the time, and I don’t think my skills would do them justice.

13. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I still prefer paper, whether it’s hardback or paperback.  But I get the appeal of ereaders.

14. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
Yes.  I also have traditionally published books (under a different name, and no, I won’t tell) and have enjoyed both experiences in different ways.

15. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
I’ve read The Road by Cormac McCarthy several times.  Also Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro.

16. Have you ever read a book just based on its cover?
Nope.

17. Has the quality of the cover of a book ever put you off of reading it?
I have to admit that, yes, if a cover seems badly made, I tend to seek other books instead.

18. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
Just finished A Gift Upon the Shore, by MK Wren.

19. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
Best advice is to learn all you can about pacing and character development, and keep practicing.  Also, have fun!

20. Where can your readers follow you?







Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Author Interview: P.R. Mason

P.R. Mason has written Entanglements.


1. What is your name and where do you call home?
My name is Patricia Mason and I write young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance under the name P.R. Mason. I also write steamy romance as Patricia Mason. My home is the weird and wonderful city of Savannah, Georgia. I was born and raised in the Midwest. And while I loved my friends and family there, and had an established professional career, once I'd visited Savannah in 2001, I couldn't resist its siren call. I'd always dreamed of completing a novel and Savannah just seemed to be the inspirational muse I needed. 

2. Do you have a pen name?
My most recent two releases, Entanglements and Fated Hearts are under the name P.R. Mason.

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
Twenty or less.
That's so hard. Okay, here goes: Entanglements - Opening a vortex sucks! Kizzy Taylor must enter a dangerous dimension to save her stepsister, but will she get home?
Twenty words exactly!

4. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
I just released a novella entitled FATED HEARTS, which explores the question of predestination. Here's the blurb:

EVE has always played by the rules, afraid to take chances. HOLDEN wants to change that. She's certain they've never met before...or have they? Holden seems so familiar, but who is he? What is he? Yesterday her biggest challenge was trying not to bomb on her SATs. Today, paranormal forces have transformed an ordinary high school dance into a test of fate vs. free will and loving Holden could be Eve's end.

A sequel to Entanglements is also in the works. RESISTANCE takes up the story of a fighter in the human resistance who, along with her alchemist/vampire hero, must defeat an army of soul sucking golems. I expect to release the sequel in March of 2012.

5. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Absolutely, Fated Hearts will be FREE for download on January 25th. I'm hoping readers will check it out and, if they like it, leave a review on Amazon.com. I'd also love to give an ebook copy of Entanglements to a randomly chosen reader who enters a comment to this post.

6. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
Tara of Fantasia Frog Designs (fantasiafrogdesigns.wordpress.com/) was the fabulous artist behind my book cover.

7. Which is your favourite cover of all the books you have written?
The cover for Entanglements is my favorite. I love the gothic feel of it. As I was writing the book I imagined that Kizzy (the heroine) looks exactly as she does on this cover. In fact, I had written this passage for the novel:

"Mom had always said I should have been born on the Fourth of July because I was like a firecracker, always going off. I'd had a habit of darting in one direction or another, with this activity or that project. Even my hair, a garish red, exploded out of my head in a riot of curls if I didn’t studiously flatten it with the strongest flat iron money could buy."

So the depiction of Kizzy on the cover was absolutely perfect.

8. How did you come up with the title for your book?
This probably sounds strange, but the name came from the quantum physics theory of entanglements. Scientists have found that a particle may be tweaked and second particle will react even though it may be miles away from the first and even though there is no discernable connection between the two. It's theorized that the connection exists in an alternate dimension of which it is believed there are at least seven. I began to wonder whether people could also be connected through alternate dimensions. Savannah is known for being the most haunted city in America. However, it is not as widely known that there are many alleged vortexes in Savannah. When I combined this with the quantum mechanics theory, the plot was born.

9. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I have to say my ereader has taken over from paperbacks as my favorite format. Downloading an ebook not only satisfies my taste for immediate gratification but once I'm done, I can store my favorites for re-reading without cluttering up the house.

10. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
I've read and reread a number of books. The Harry Potter books of J.K. Rowling and J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series come to mind.

11. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
I'm in the midst of reading the George R.R. Martin series that started with Game of Thrones in paperback. I'm also reading Linda Andrews' apocalyptic romance/thriller called Redaction via Kindle.

12. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
Read a lot, write a lot and learn your craft. The book "The Fire in Fiction" by Donald Maass is amazing. And I love Michael Hague's books. But I think the most helpful book I've ever read on fiction writing is "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. Although it's about screenwriting, the principles are just as applicable to novel writing.

13. Where can your readers follow you?








Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Promotion: Entanglements by P.R. Mason



Entanglements
By P.R. Mason

Blurb:

Teen KIZZY TAYLOR is just hoping for an evening of fun when she joins her friends in a spelunking expedition through an under-city tunnel. But fun turns bizarre when Kizzy accidentally opens a vortex and her stepsister is swept through to an evil alternate dimension. The only way to rescue her stepsister is to reopen the vortex and go in after her. But is her new boyfriend, ROM CALIXO, going to help Kizzy or try to stop her? And if she can get past Rom, will she be able to get back home?

Amazon Paperback        Amazon Kindle               Smashwords                   BN

Tuesday 17 January 2012

The Baby Merchant by Kit Reed

ISBN: 9780765315502
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 336

Among careerists who postpone parenthood, fertility problems abound. Adoptions have always been difficult and now America's borders have been closed by the Centers for Disease Control. Babies are high end commodities in this economy, microchipped at birth to protect them from theft. 
Tom Starbird rescues "unwanted" babies--but he's tired of meeting wealthy would-be parents' demands for "perfect" children. Tom is shutting up shop when Jake Zorn, the Television Conscience of Boston, blackmails him into doing one more job. 
Desperate to find one last perfect baby, Tom finds the lovely and very pregnant Sasha Egan. Stalked by her unborn child's father, on the run--Tom guesses she will be glad to be rid of her burden.  Neither he nor Sasha could predict that the baby she never wanted is the one thing in her life she will do anything to keep.



I thoroughly enjoyed The Baby Merchant. Whilst both Tom Starbird and Sasha Egan were either unwillingly or unknowingly involved in Jake Zorn's search for a baby, they had starkly contrasting opinions and lives, which made reading from each of their perspectives fascinating. My favourite character was Sasha, because despite being indecisive and inexperienced she remained determined to make sure her child would have the best care... whether that meant him being with her or with another family. I really like the cover of The Baby Merchant it depicts the story within perfectly! The baby in the case represents the business like manner with which Tom Starbird treated the babies that he rescued.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Author Interview: Travis Lee

Travis Lee has written The Journey Through Nanking.

1. What is your name and where do you call home?
My name is Travis Lee, and I currently live in the United States, though part of me will always belong to China.

2. Do you have a pen name?
No.

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
The Journey through Nanking - A girl lost from her family in a warzone must conqueror her fears in order to survive.

4. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
I've written some since then, and I'm writing one right now. I have a few I'm going to try to sell, and others I'll self-publish. No, this book is not part of a series.

5. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Absolutely.

6. How did you come up with the title for your book?
I drew the title from what happens, on a basic level, in the book.

7. Is there anything you would change about your book? And why?
No. Nothing.

8. Do you have a book trailer? And what are your thoughts on book trailers?
I'm not well-known, so I don't think creating a book trailer would be worth it. If a book trailer helps a writer sell more books, then I'm all for it.

9. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
No preference. There are some really kickass audiobooks out there, such as anything read by Frank Muller.

10. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
Yes.

11. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
I reread The Alchemist quite a bit. Ditto for The War of Art. Both those books help me when I'm down.
12. Have you ever bought a specific edition of a book because of it’s cover? (For example a UK, US or Canadian version)
No. In fact, I'd say a cover does not influence me to buy a book.

13. Has the quality of the cover of a book ever put you off of reading it?
No.

14. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
Native Son, by Richard Wright. Paperback.

15. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
If you know you're meant to write, then do it, no matter what. There are people who say they don't have enough time to write, but I think they're not trying hard enough. No matter how big a family you have or how many hours you work, you can find time to write. It may be difficult, but if it fulfills you, it's worth it.

16. Where can your readers follow you?

Blog:
 http://www.travis-lee.net

Facebook page:
 http://www.facebook.com/TL1138

Goodreads author page:
 http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5423344.Travis_Lee

Twitter:
 http://www.twitter.com/TL1138

Other:
 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/author/travis/

Amazon:
 http://www.amazon.com/Travis-Lee/e/B006RXSEC0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Smashwords:
 http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/travislee

Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!