Review! Lady of The Drake

Hello, hello, and welcome to another day on the blog! Today, I'm hosting J.V. Altharas for an interview and review of Lady of The Drake.

Enjoy!

Interview:

Welcome aboard! Tell us a little about yourself, please.

I’m an author, singer, podcaster and sex educator with a penchant for smut and fantasy fiction. I’ve always been a storyteller in one way or another, and I’m really glad I started writing fiction again.

What about your latest release?

Lady of the Drake is a genuine fantasy novel that’s also a smokin’ hot erotic romance. Dragons have always been my favorite paranormal characters, and I really tried to envision them in new and exciting ways for this book. There are classic elements like shape-shifting, but I wanted the rest of their magic to be as much a part of who they were as things they could do.

Lana and Alaron were both fun to write, and I hope this book does well enough to turn it into a series. I didn’t have room to do nearly as much as I wanted with a lot of the supporting characters, and I’ve got a lot lined up for them if I get to write sequels. So far it’s gotten a lot of great reviews, so I‘ve got my fingers crossed.

Ok, let’s get down to the fun stuff. If you were stranded on a lush tropical island, and all of your basic needs were met, what two items would you have with you? What person would be with you? Remember, you’re stuck there for an indefinite period with only each other to occupy the time.

The person is easy…I’d take my submissive, Shara. I can’t imagine better long-term entertainment. If all my basic needs were met, I’d also take a chess set and a bamboo rake to turn the beaches into giant Zen gardens.

If you could play opposite any of your lead characters, which one would it be and why?

Lana, from Lady of the Drake. She’s the first female lead I’ve written who’s absolutely fearless and absolutely shameless. She doesn’t know how to live at anything less than full-throttle, and I had a great time writing her.

If you could lead any of your secondary characters, which one would it be and why?

Celeste, also from Lady of the Drake. She’s a lot more complex than I had time to show in this book, and she needs some time in the spotlight.

You’re locked in a closet with Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, three paperclips and a string. How do you get out?

-Tie the string into a lasso.
-Slip the lasso under the door and into the next question, snagging myself a pencil.
-Use said pencil to eliminate Johnny and Colin, for being unable to get out of a closet without help from an author. Also, I don’t like the way they’ve been flirting with Kate. Coincidentally, my competition for her attention has also disappeared.
-Twist two paperclips into lock picks.
-Rub the pencil on the door frame until there’s enough graphite to lubricate my half-assed lock picks.
-Pick the lock, freeing Kate and I from our imprisonment. We’ve really bonded over the course of the ordeal.
-Show Kate what else I can do with a pencil.

Name five things you can do with a pencil.

-Open an envelope
-Stir paint
-Draw on a naked body for the sensory stimulation
-Clitoral massage with the eraser
-Get out of a closet

  

Who’s your favorite character from your book(s)? Why? Don’t worry, we won’t tell.

Ariel, one of the slaves from the Tales of Aeodar series I’ve just started releasing. I’ve only published one teaser short so far, but I’ve written a lot of her and she’s a really dynamic, interesting character with a deep understanding and acceptance of her own submissive nature. She’s also first-slave to one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, which comes with its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. I can’t wait to finish up a few more of the pieces I’ve got going and share more of her with my readers.

Where can we find you around the vast interwebs?

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JVAltharas

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/JV-Altharas/100492053336458

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JVAltharas

Ending the Sexual Dark Age, our (warning) gleefully explicit and brutally blunt sex education podcast: http://www.sexualdarkage.com

  

What about your books? Where are they being sold at?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_at_ep_srch?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=J.V.%20Altharas

Ravenous Romance (best prices, all digital formats): http://ravenousromance.com/authors/altharas_j_v/

Free shorts at Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/author/JVAltharas

Thanks for dropping in! Any last words?

Thanks for having me as a guest, I had a great time with some of these questions. Hopefully I’ll be back in 2012 to talk about a sequel.

Review:

Lady Of The Drake is a story of love found in the most unexpected places.

We meet Lana, a midwife and healer for her small village, as she treks into the mysterious forest in search of a cure for a plague hounding her friends. She meets Alaron, keeper of the forest, and we're immediately introduced to their incredible passion for each other. As their story progresses, we see the bond they form clearly and share in Lana's distress as she's separated from her love, and the life changing decisions she must make in order to be happy.

I found this to be an enjoyable story, with lots of wonder interspersed into the lines. The author creates a world easy to escape into, and the love scenes are fantastic. Overall, I give this one four stars.

A good read for a quiet weekend.

The Big Boom

Welcome to flash fiction day! This is the last one for 2011, and I'm glad to celebrate it with the company of the flashing crew. Don't forget to check them out!

Enjoy!

“Adelaide.”

The single word drew my attention to a raggedy looking man leaning against a light pole. What’s his face from the old house, the crazy guy who told me the city would blow up in seven days.

That was, what? Six days ago.

I backtracked a few steps to lean next to him. “What’s your name, slim?”

“You don’t need to know my name. Thought I told you not to come downtown.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, well. You know what they say about the lure of the lights and all that.”

“You’re too smart to be doing this to yourself.” He glanced over to me, and I noticed for the first time how calm he was. No twitching, no incoherent talk. Just as calm and steady as a sunny day. “Why do you destroy yourself?”

“Gee, slim, I don’t know.” I stepped off the pole and turned my back to him. “Maybe my daddy didn’t love me enough.”

“Bullshit.” He stepped up behind me and I felt his hot breath on my cheek when he spoke again. “Leave. Now.”

Slim’s voice sent goosebumps across my skin and I rubbed my arms. “Why?”

“Up to you, mama,” he said, suddenly backing away. But he grabbed my arm before I could run for my life. I knew I should have finished off that tequila before I left the house.

“What are you doing?” I struggled in his grip, my efforts futile. Slim was much stronger than he appeared.

“Come on,” he said, and tugged me into his side. “We’re taking a walk.”

I stayed silent as he drug me along the crowded streets of downtown. People jostled by, unaware of the silent struggle with their heads tucked securely up their asses. So long as that smart phone was visible, they didn’t care.

We finally reached the hub of downtown, a section of old buildings fashioned in a large circle. The courthouse sat to our left and police headquarters to the right, the same building I’d gone into just a few days before.  The police didn’t notice us, either. They were too busy getting a group of rowdy protesters to move. Slim smiled and led me down a small alley between the buildings.

“Where are we going, slim?” I asked in a sweet voice, hoping to disarm him.

He finally let go, but beckoned me forward. “I want to show you why you shouldn’t have come back down here.”

Apprehension slammed into me with a gale force, leaving my heart pounding and breath coming fast. I stepped forward cautiously, following him into the shadows. Slim lifted a trash can to reveal a hole in the ground and pointed.

I leaned around him and gasped. Wires, thousands of them, ran in intricate patterns to a hub of some sort. It seemed to pulse with anticipation of the lives it would steal, the mangled bodies left behind in its wake. I glanced up at Slim and found him nodding with excitement.

“See, Adelaide? This doesn’t just end here, either. We’ve set this bitch up all underground.” His arm swept 

the area to indicate the size of the beast below us. Energy hummed through my feet as I prepared to run. “There’s another set up on the other side of town and too many more to count across the nation.”

I fell back against the wall, clutching my chest as panic rose inside of me. “Why, slim?”

“Why what? Why two? You know, double your pleasure, double your fun.” He winked, and for the first time I saw his calm clarity for the truth: madness.

Utter madness.

“Oh, my god,” I whispered.

“Twenty three minutes, mama.” I bolted down the alley, his laughter following me the entire time.

What do I do? All these people, all oblivious to what crawls beneath them. I looked to the protesters at the police station, embroiled in a meaningless battle with the law. Who cares? Freedom means nothing in the aftermath.

I ran up to them and grabbed an officer. He jerked away and stared at me.

“The hell do you think you’re doing?”

Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I pointed to the alley where slim had just emerged from. “A bomb,” I said, willing him to believe me. “There’s a huge bomb in that alley.”

He frowned, waffling back and forth. Finally, he relented and stepped down from the first stair to meet my gaze. “A bomb?” I nodded. “In that alley?” Another nod.

“Hey! Johnston!” Oh, god. The cop who didn’t believe me.

The officer stepped over and spared me a glance. “Yeah?”

“This young lady seems to believe there’s a bomb in our alley.”

Before Johnston could form the clever reply, I threw my hands up, exasperated. “Will you just come down there and I’ll fucking show you.”

They kept their hands trained on their guns, which was probably a good idea seeing as slim was hanging around. “Here, right here.” I pointed to the trash can. “Lift that up.”

Johnston stepped around me, keeping a side eye on me the whole time. He kicked the trash can away to reveal the hypnotic core of the massive bomb beneath our feet.

I swallowed. “I told you. He said there’s twenty three minutes to the explosion.”

Before I could blink, I was being dragged out of the alley and tossed onto the street. After an agonizing minute of delay, a whole shebang of cops ran into the street. The radios crackled and feet pounded past me as they tried to decide how best to evacuate the area.

I didn’t need to be evacuated. While they were distracted, I got to my feet and ran. Three city blocks between me and the monster, I still didn’t stop running.

Even the ground rumbling beneath me couldn’t stop my feet. I didn’t stop until the blast threw me from my feet.

~End~

The other great flashers:

LM Brown 

West Thornhill   

Freddy MacKay  

Elyzabeth VaLey   

Julie Lynn Hayes

Tom Mach Guest Blog!

Please welcome back Tom Mach, who I'm offering a second day since I forgot to previously post his blog. Without further ado:

How I Let My Imagination Run Wild With My Murder Mystery

by Tom Mach

I think writing is the only profession where you can literally get away with murder without fear of being arrested. I don’t know if this is true for other authors, but when I wrote An Innocent Murdered, I got into the heart and mind of each major character, including the murderer herself. I could sense the anger building up in her heart as she confronted the priest in the rectory….

She slipped the Smith & Wesson into her pocket and removed a knife from her bag. “There’s nothing to talk about, you son of a bitch.”

He dropped his hands for a moment. “Please let me at least say a prayer.”

“Go ahead and beg for God’s mercy, you pervert!”

He made the sign of the cross with his crucifix. “Oh my God,” he muttered, “I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee.”

His squeal vibrated across the room as she slashed his throat. After his body slumped to the floor, she plunged the knife into his abdomen. He made a gagging sound from his throat as if he were drowning in his own blood. She plunged the knife into him again. And again. And again.

As I wrote this scene I could feel the weight of the gun as I returned it to the bag I carried and I took a good look at the sharp knife I removed. I could sense his entire body shaking and when I slashed his throat it felt as if I were carving up a turkey. My anger rose as I continued to stab him. After this scene, I had to take a break and regain my sanity before returning to my computer to type more.

It was rather interesting for me to pretend to be a woman in An Innocent Murdered.  To do this, however, I had to draw on whatever experiences I had with women involved in different lifestyles. Take, for instance, a former nun named Susan Stratford, who plays an important part in An Innocent Murdered because she helps Matt solve a cold case involving the murder of a child 25 years ago. Since I attended a Catholic elementary school, I knew several nuns and today I know a couple of nuns who go to my church. I became familiar with the daily routine they need to go through, and even though Susan is no longer a nun, she still has strong religious convictions. Imagine her dilemma, then, when Susan confesses to Matt that she was a virgin for 46 years and has never even seen a naked man before, and wants the experience of sexual intercourse. When Matt disrobes for her she still evokes memories from her past about her intense feelings for God….

Her face turned crimson as she stroked his penis while touching his testicles. “I’m sorry, Matt. I’m probably embarrassing you by doing this.”

“No, not all.”

She looked up at him. “From what I’ve read, these testicles create the sperm while the penis ejaculates it into a woman’s vagina to create life. It’s wonderful the way God designed man for procreation. Isn’t it?”

“I can’t argue with that.”

She noticed his penis beginning to grow as she fondled it. “I mean, God produces human life from life. We’re all participants in the act of creation.”

“If feels as if I’m in a religion class right now.”

“Sorry. I can’t help but see God in everything.”

When I wrote about Susan, I felt her dilemma and guilt about satisfying her curiosity while being convinced she was sinning. One thing I’ve learned is that women tend to be much more involved and interested in relationships than in the sex act itself. Therefore, when Heather, an African-American woman with whom Matt wants to have sex with talks to him, she is much more interested in knowing about his ex-wife and his son Billy….

“Was your ex also an African-American woman?” Heather asks.

“Yeah. She was an oboist with the Arkansas Symphony. Also taught music. But she had an ego larger than a full orchestra.”

Heather cocked her head in curiosity. “What was it like for Billy to be biracial—I mean to have a black mother and a white father? Did he have problems with his school friends? Did people see him differently?”

“Not at all. Billy grew up in the eighties. By then folks were far more tolerant than they used to be. I’d say he had a pretty normal life—but a short one, of course.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. It must have been agonizing to lose a son at such an early age.”

“No need to apologize. Bad things sometimes happen to people.”

It became painfully quiet for a moment, but Heather laughed lightly to ease the tension. “You seem to have a fixation for black women.”

Initially, I had difficulty getting into the skin and mind of Detective Matt Gunnison. When I first wrote about him he was just a detective solving a case. But in my heart and mind he was much more than that.  I finally began to identify with him when I made him a full human being, complete with a horrible event from the past which soured him, his love for kids, his tenderness to people such as Susan, the former nun, his anger at Heather for using him, his intuitive sense in trying to solve the case, and his intense sorrow at learning how and why an eight-year-old girl was murdered 25 years ago.

I love it when my imagination runs wild and different characters form in my head and develop a personality of their own. During the time I am writing about a particular character I feel as if I am magically transformed into being that character. It’s fun being a person with a different background, a different perspective, and a different gender and race. But I’m so glad that when I actually see myself stabbing a victim, I am not brought up on charges of murder. This is because writers have a lot of freedom. It reminds me of the story of the pope, the president, and a writer in the same canoe when it capsizes. With the island too far from shore, neither the pope nor the president can save themselves, but the writer simply walks on water and arrives safely at the island. How is that possible?

Anything is possible with creative writing—even first-degree murder!

 

LINKS FOR VBT: AN INNOCENT MURDERED

http://www.tommach.com/

http://twitter.com/kansasauthor

http://www.facebook.com/kansasauthor

http://www.amazon.com/An-Innocent-Murdered

http://youtu.be/ndsPTht08EA

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/74459

 

Tom Mach’s Bio

Bio:

Tom Mach wrote two successful historical novels, Sissy! and All Parts Together, both of which have won rave reviews and were listed among the 150 best Kansas books in 2011.Sissy! won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award while All Parts Together was a viable entrant for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Award. He also wrote a collection of short stories entitled Stories To Enjoy which received positive reviews. Tom’s other novels include: An Innocent Murdered, Advent, and Homer the Roamer.

His poetry collection, The Uni Verse, won the Nelson Poetry Book Award. In addition to several awards for his poetry, Writer’s Digest awarded him ninth place in a field of 3,000 entrants. His website is: www.TomMach.com He also has a popular blog for writers of both prose and verse at http://tommach.tumblr.com

Book Blurb:

Father O'Fallon has been murdered, and police officer Jacinta Perez is arrested and charged. Detective Matt Gunnison, however, is not convinced and with the help of Susan, an ex-nun, he discovers a fascinating link between the priest's death and the death of a child 25 years ago. Will Matt be able to solve both murders? See video: http://t.co/H1siZOg

Blog Hop: Rebecca Royce

Welcome back! Today, I'm hosting Rebecca Royce. She's another splendid author form the Madame Eve's 1NS Christmas anthology! She's here today with an interview, so without further babbling from me, enjoy!

Please tell the readers a little about yourself:

As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework. I hope, these days, that my parents think it was worth it.

I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. We live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.

I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing. I've been told I'm a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

How about your latest release?

I’ll Be Mated For Christmas is a 1NS story from Decadent Publishing. If you are unfamiliar with that line, they are, essentially, multi-authored short stories that take place in one evening, at a date arranged by the mysterious Madame Eve and it takes a look at how one night can change your life. 

Here is a blurb for I’ll Be Mated For Christmas.

Bethany Johnson grew up one of the only humans in a pack of werewolves. She didn’t have an easy time and her self-confidence was almost non-existent. Finally, after some serious psychotherapy and the help of weight-loss surgery, she is feeling like the Bethany she has always wanted to be. But now she has to say goodbye to the werewolves in her life. Out with the old and in with the new this year…

Luke Denarius is the new Alpha of the Delta pack. He’s never met Bethany but the second he scents her he knows she is his. No way is she going off to Italy for adventure and hot sex with other men.

With the help of Madame Eve these two will find that a mating is in the works for Christmas.

What was your primary inspiration for this book?

I had written a 1NS story before called One Night With A Wolf. The idea was presented to me to write a holiday-themed novel and I started to play around with some ideas of who the characters could be and what their individual stories were.

My best friend is a bariatric surgeon, she does weight-loss surgery and I’m always, always impressed with her abilities. She gives people a second chance at life that they might never have been able to have on their own. Maybe they never would have gotten that weight off on their own. 

I had wanted to write a heroine who had weight-loss surgery and was starting over with a new life but still had to deal with some of the ramifications of why she had gotten into that position in the first place.  This seemed like the ideal setting. And Bethany was born. After that Luke just presented himself to me.  They were a perfect fit.

Do you have any muses?

I have a muse and she dictates what I write. LOL

Do you control your characters or do they flog you into shape?

They flog me into shape. Its really not pretty.

When you write, is there a special routine you follow?

I open up a Word document. I save it. I put it in double space and I write until I reach page 13. I know this sounds odd but its my routine.  In the first draft, all of my chapters are 13 pages. This alters greatly with the editing process.

If you could be one animal, person, or at a place for a day what/who/where would it be?

Just for one day, I’d like to be a pampered Siamese cat.

Five random facts about you:

I have red hair and fair skin. The sun is not my friend but I love it.

I have a Border Collie and a Beagle. 

I love to read and if I have nothing else to do in a day, I can read a whole book in one sitting

I’m a worrier.

I love red wine when we’re out to dinner

Are you working on any new releases later this year?

I am always working on something else. LOL. On my blog, www.rebeccaroyce.com I keep the most complete list of upcoming books.

Anything else you’d like to say?

I’m just so glad to be here and so grateful you had me today!

Contact info (Facebook, Twitter, website, blog):

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-Royce/172551376131638?sk=wall

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/rebeccaroyce

Website: http://www.rebeccaroyce.com

Blog: http://www.rebeccaroyce.blogspot.com

Flash Fiction!

It's Wednesday again! This brings us to a new piece of flash fiction, and a start to an apocalyptic story I'll be penning over the next year or so.

Yes, it takes me that long to write a full novel. I'll never be able to pump one out faster than a rabbit breeding.

Anyhoo, enjoy! And don;t forget to check out the other great stories being offered this week!

Meet Adelaide:

The overwhelming stench of rotting alcohol and comatose bodies filled the room as I stirred to life in the early morning sun rays. Groaning, I flung an arm over my eyes and rolled to my side.

“Psst,” whispered a voice nearby.

I didn’t want to drag my eyes open just yet, only to be faced with the pathetic reality my life had become. 

Booze and drugs, and liquor and repeat. But the stranger wouldn’t be ignored.

“Hey,” he whispered, louder this time. “You. I saw you move. Look here.”

“What?” I mumbled without opening my eyes. He didn’t answer. “I said, what the hell do you want?”

“Smells like pine needles in here, don’t it?”

His proclamation forced my screwed shut eyes to open just a sliver. “Smells like what?”

“Pine needles, mama. Pine needles.” He stopped and sniffed the air, his hands twitching and body rocking ever so slightly. “Or maybe cat piss. I can’t ever tell the difference.”

I shook my head and rolled over on the dirty mattress, attempting to squeeze the image of a thousand bed bugs crawling over me out of my head. The idiot next to me scooted closer. “Do you mind?” I glanced over my shoulder. “I’m trying to get some sleep.”

“You should listen to me, baby. I got some things going on. Some big things.” He smiled manically and began to rock again.

With an extensive sigh, I rolled to my back and propped up on my elbows. “The hell are you talking about, you crack fiend?”

“Ain’t no crack fiend. No crack. No drugs, no booze. I’m using this as my cover. Just another bum here, cops.” A trickle of laughter flowed from his chest.

My eyebrows shot up. “Right. Cover for what?”

“For the big bang.” His fingers flexed and he leaned closer so that all I could smell was his rancid breath. “I got plans. Plans for this city and the country.”

“You’re awfully ambitious.” I tried to scoot back but he advanced again.

“I have friends. They’re everywhere. In seven days, we launch the bang and the whole world gonna feel this shake.”

The way his eyes changed from fun bum to intense truth made me shiver. Every instinct in my body told me to run, far and fast, maybe to Canada. “You’re freaking me out.” I stood in a smooth movement, or as smooth as my hungover body would allow, and dusted myself off. “I’m out.”

“Stay away from downtown, mama. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

I just gave a sharp nod and left. The shanty staircase felt like it might collapse under my malnourished weight, but I made my way to the street outside and pulled a cigarette from my pocket. The lighter shook in my hand as I tried to get the first inhale.

As I walked away from downtown, I thought about the bum in the building. How long had I known him? Six, seven months? And never once had I seen him drink or take a hit of anything.

What if he was telling the truth?

Maybe I thought my next move was a good idea because I had a little alcohol still running through me. Didn’t take much to keep me drunk the next morning when my liver was already on its last breath. The police station loomed in front of me, intimidating and busy. People flowed in and out in a steady stream past me as I walked in. The woman at the front desk looked me over once.

“How may I direct you?” Her nasally voice filled with pretention, and I wanted to slap her. I wasn’t always an alcoholic. I used to be pretty, like her.

“I need to report a, ah…threat to the city, I guess.”

“Have a seat down the hall in the waiting area and an officer will be with you shortly.”

“Thanks.”

The waiting room was crowded with women and men and children. They were all waiting on mom/dad/husband/wife to get out of the slammer so they could go home and repeat the cycle endlessly. When an officer stepped up to the door and beckoned me, I hopped up without hesitation.

Anything to get away from that doe eyed toddler looking at me around her mommy’s bruised face.

“Hello, ah…”

“Adelaide,” I supplied.

“Adelaide. I’m Officer Johnston. Pease, have a seat in here and we’ll discuss your issue.”

“Well, it’s not a personal issue,” I said as I sat down on the hard chair. Johnston sat across the steel table after the door was shut and looked at me.

“So what sort of issue is it?”

“All right, look. I was down at this friend’s house and this guy was talking to me like we’re friends or something. I’ve seen him around here and there, you know…” Oh, god. I’m rambling. “Anyway, he tells me he’s got something big planned for this city and he has friends in the rest of the country waiting. And they’re going to show this place the big boom or something like that.”

“Do you find him credible?”

“Here’s the thing.” I leaned forward, wringing my hands. “I’ve never seen him drink or take a drug. And he warned me not to go downtown.” I paused. “Seven days, he said.”

“I see. Well, thanks for your time and the notice. We’ll be on alert.” He held the door open for me.

I blinked, a little shocked at the blow off I was receiving. But I stood and walked by, pausing when I was just out of the door. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“To be honest, Adelaide, why should I put any stock into something someone like you says?”

I lit another cigarette outside and took a long drag.

Someone like me, he said. I snorted. He’ll be praying he’d listened when the whole fucking city blows up.

~End~

The magnificent flashing squad:

West Thornhill  

Lily Sawyer   

Pender Mackie 

AJ Jarrett 

Freddy MacKay  

Mathilde Watson

Julie Lynn Hayes

Review: Farsighted

Welcome to another day on the blog! But today is a little different, because instead of the usual interview, you're getting a review of Farsighted by Emlyn Chand and a chance to win a copy of this book!

Enjoy, and make sure to leave some love.

And check out the end of tour giveaway here!

Farsighted:

Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still "see" things others can't. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider.

Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival--an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

Review:

Right from the opening of this story, you can tell Alex Kosmitoras is not an ordinary kid. His deep perception of the smells and sounds surrounding him are amazing, and this author does a fabulous job of using those sensory explanations to tell us about the world surrounding Alex. Typically, a character can see the beautiful faces around him, or see what's coming ahead. But since Alex is blind, this proved to be a bit of a hardship.

Alex must learn to use his ability to see the future to help save his friend, Simmi. Ms. Chand does a good job of weaving troubles and humor into the story to keep us turning the pages. And a page turner it is. I was a little disappointed in the quick ending, but she did leave it open for a next book. I'll be letting my tween read this one and expanding her world beyond vampires for once.

Excerpt:

“Did Dad tell you? A new tenant moved into the old pharmacy next door.”

“Really?” I ask, not letting on I already know. If I feign ignorance, Mom’ll divulge all the details. “What is it?”

“It’s a psychic shop,” Her voice crackles with excitement like a fire that’s just beginning to burn. “The All-Seeing Miss Teak. Isn’t that cute? Miss Teak, Mystic. Ha, I wonder if that’s her real name.”

I laugh. “That is funny. Never had a psychic in town before. What’s she like?”

“Oh, she’s very friendly. Why don’t you go over and say ‘hi.’  I’m sure she’d like to meet you.”

“Okay, I think I will.” I’m incredibly intrigued, because first off, it’s a psychic shop—how weird is that?—and second, its presence made Dad super uncomfortable—also very cool. I waste no time heading next door to check out the scene.

As I step cautiously into the new shop, a recording of soft, instrumental music greets me. I can make out chimes and a string instrument I don’t recognize but for some reason reminds me of snake charmers. The smell of incense fills my nostrils, which explains the burning I detected earlier.

“Hello?” I call out into the otherwise quiet room.

Nobody answers. I walk in deeper, sweeping my cane out in front of me in a metronome fashion. This place is new to me, so I need to be especially careful while moving around.

Thump! Despite my precautions, I stub my toe on something hard, big, and made of wood. Just my luck to stub the same toe twice in one day. I reach down to press my fingers into my throbbing foot to alleviate some of the pain. Something teeters before rolling off of the chest and across the floor; the sound it makes indicates a curved path. Suddenly, the object stops. Somebody’s stopped it.

“Hello?” I call again.

“Hello,” a deep, feminine voice responds, placing more emphasis on the first syllable than the second.

“I- I’m sorry I knocked that thing over. I didn’t mean to…” I hope she’s not angry. Probably not a good idea to get on a psychic’s bad side.

“That wasn’t just a thing, it’s a crystal ball,” she says as she walks over, sending my blood pulsing through my veins. I sense her looking at me for a moment before she places the ball back on top of the chest.

“Can it see the future?” I ask, allowing my curiosity to outweigh my uneasiness.

“No.” After a pause lasting several beats, she continues. “But I can see the future sometimes when I look into it.”

“Oh, okay.” I tighten my hand around my cane and turn to leave. It may not be the most polite thing to do, but all of this hocus-pocus stuff is freaking me out more than I would’ve guessed.

The psychic lady speaks again, stopping me cold. “Don’t run away, Alex Kosmitoras.” She must’ve spoken to Mom earlier today. That must be how she knows my name.

“I’m not running away,” I say meekly. “I’m just going back over to Sweet Blossoms.”

“Don’t run away,” she repeats—this time she speaks louder and with more energy. “Don’t run away from your abilities. They are gifts.”

“What?” I ask in confusion. What abilities is she talking about?

“You already know. Watch. Listen. Be open to your gifts.”

I turn to face Miss Teak, but find she’s already gone, returning to wherever she was before I got there.

Is it safe to leave? I trail my fingers across the wooden box I ran into earlier; a thick coat of dust clings to the tips as I pull away. If this shop just opened, why is it already so dirty? I wipe my hands over my shirt to get the gritty substance off. Shivers rock my whole body. Something about this place is wrong, and I’m not sticking around to figure out what. Tapping my cane along the floor, I’m able to find the exit without knocking into anything else.

Buy Links:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Farsighted-Emlyn-Chand/dp/0983930805/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

B&N - www.barnesandnoble.com/w/farsighted-emlyn-chand/1106607652

Smashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/91611

About the Author:

Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb.

Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

Guest Blogger: Ashlynn Monroe!

Hi, folks! Please help me welcome Ashlynn Monroe, multi published author and host of a giveaway! Enjoy!


I'm thankful to so many people this year.  It's been a great year for me as an author.  I've been very lucky to learn from wonderful editors who've improved my knowledge of the craft I adore.  Writing is in my blood.  I've had so many wonderful readers reach out to me.  It's wonderful when someone tells you that your work has touched them.  In thanks, I want to give away goodies during the holiday season.  I'm going to be giving away audio books, tote bags, t-shirts, and eBooks.  Like me on facebook, Ashlynn Monroe Author, to keep up with the giveaways. 


I have three new releases in December.  A Healer’s Touch from Wild Horse Press, Salvation book three in my Vengeance series from Decadent Publishing, and A Daddy for Christmas from Silver publishing will all be available throughout December.  I’m looking forward to readers enjoying these books. 


A Daddy for Christmas:

When Charlie St. Claire became the caseworker for three, terrified little boys, she didn’t mean to let herself love them. But she did. The boys had unique issues, but with her typical, positive attitude, she wanted to give them a better life.

Richmond Wolfe hadn’t seen his sons in years. He couldn’t help what he’d become, but he’d tried to protect his children by leaving. Now some city girl do-gooder wanted his kids. He wouldn't give them up, not to her or anyone. He loved them that much.

Charlie soon discovers Richmond’s terrible secret and it puts her and the boys in danger. Her burgeoning feelings for the hunky outdoorsman fill her with confusion… and something more. Maybe her boys could use a daddy for Christmas.

A Healer’s Touch:

As if being a young single mother wasn't challenging enough, Phoebe is also the last adult descendant of the witch that cursed Willow Lake in response to her betrayal and murder. Phoebe inherited the family curse, but with love and compassion, she uses her magic for healing.

Fabian Sterling likes money, he likes power, and he likes Phoebe. He's also the ancestor of the man who burned Phoebe's witch ancestor at the stake. Can passion overcome a grudge that's lasted for centuries?  

When he looks at Phoebe, he doesn’t see a witch, only an angel.  How can anyone so beautiful be reviled by an entire town? Fabian vows to protect her, whatever the cost.

Salvation:

Audra Jacobs finds herself alone and uncertain.  Her overwhelming power is keeping her from her family, and her lover.  The mysterious Phoenix has told her things that she can’t believe are true about her new power.  She was brought back from the dead for a reason; she just doesn’t fully know what it is yet. How can she be a hero when her life is falling apart?  Could she even accept being normal again if she’s given the chance?

Cain Maddox loves Audra; the demon living inside of him loves her too.  The Phoenix living inside of her wants to keep them apart, but he’s determined to save her—again.  When a higher power gives him an ultimatum, he has to choose between Audra and his freedom.  Their enemy is closing in, and hurting the innocent people who love her.  Whom can a hero call when he needs a hero?  How can Cain keep her safe when he can’t even touch her?

Buy book one Vengeance http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=66&products_id=239&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414

Buy book two Retribution

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=66&products_id=250&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414

I hope you’ll check out these books, and take part in the giveaways.  Comment here to win a 2012 calendar, emery boards, magnets and other fun swag today!  I’ll contact the winner and request the physical address to send the goodies.  I hope you have safe and happy holiday celebrations!