Just Imagine

Feeling chatty?

Welcome to my blog! Pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee and read what's on my mind. I've a vicious sense of humor, an apprecation for romance and a mad addiction to writing.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Unbridled Magic. Dangerous Attention. Trial by Fire by Margarita Gakis.



Today it’s my pleasure to interview Margarita Gakis, author of Trial by Fire, Covencraft- Book One.

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Publisher: Fable Press
Date of Publication:  6/25/2013
ISBN: 978-1-939897-03-9
ASIN: B00CX779MK
Number of pages: 325
Word Count:  84,000
Cover Artist: Steven Novak


GIVEAWAY! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win an eCopy of Trial by Fire for your Kindle. Five copies are being given away.

Book Description



Jade leads a structured life:

Routine job.

Caffeine addiction.

No serious relationships.

And now, she can spontaneously set things on fire with her mind.

Well... perhaps “normal” was never in the cards for her. As she questions her own sanity and spirals out of control, a man appears on her doorstep and tells her that, like him, she’s a witch.

Pulled in all directions, her unbridled magic draws dangerous attention and Jade wonders if she’s made the worst mistake of her life by joining a coven, or if she’ll even live long enough to regret it.

Interview Time!


SKY:  What inspired you to write this book?

MARGARITA:  Wow. That’s a hard one. You know, I played around with these characters for a long time and they’ve gone through a few iterations – different settings and plots and this one finally gelled together and I felt like it ‘worked’. I always knew I’d write this book, I just didn’t know when. There was a particular book that inspired me somewhat for Jade’s characterization but I don’t want to say what it is because it may be a spoiler for the series, and also, it’s by a well-known author and I cringe to think he/she may end up stumbling upon my reference and just be… horrified that his/her book was somehow related to mine!

SKY: How did you come up with the title?

MARGARITA:  For a long time, I just called this book “Book 1” in my head as I always knew I wanted to write a series. I’m not sure where the title Covencraft came from, but I started using it to mean the entire series of books. When I sent the book into Fable Press, that’s the title I used. Matt and Mike [Fable Press partners] came back and asked if I wanted that for the series or the book. I said “well, I kind of want it for the series but that leaves me without a title for a book and I hate titling!” Matt came up with a bunch of ideas based on his reading of the book. It was really interesting to see what someone else’s overall impression of the book was – he came up with a lot of great ideas! I really liked ‘Trial by Fire’ as my lead character, Jade, has an affinity for fire in her witchcraft and I also liked the statement it made about the overarching plot of the book, which is her joining and coven and having it not go so well! I thought it was a good fit.

SKY:  If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

MARGARITA:  Henri! He’s a… good soul, if that makes sense. He’s a friend to my main character and I feel like he’s the kind of guy that would be a good friend to anyone. He’s a loyal guy. He’d stick with you through good times and bad. And he’s a coffee aficionado so he’d know the best places to go get it.

SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.

MARGARITA:  My heroine, Jade, finds out she’s a witch. It takes place in a world where Supernatural people are known about, but Jade has never identified as anything else but human. She starts bleeding out enough power to catch the interest of the supernatural community and a local coven is charged with bringing her into the fold. Jade has to decide if being part of a coven is something that she wants, or maybe even needs. She offers to give it a try and once at the coven, finds out that there may be other beings interested in her power – whether or not it’s still attached to her living body. Jade has to figure out who would be after her power while at the same time, trying to figure out if she belongs.

SKY:  If you had to sell your book based on one run of dialogue (start quote to end quote), which would it be?

MARGARITA:  “You’re very powerful and I think you could be quite useful to me in the future. And you’re not a screamer. Not that I don’t love a good scream, but when you’re trying to do business, screaming tends to hamper things a little. But, here’s the thing,” he leaned in a little closer and dropped his voice slightly. His lips were disgustingly close to hers, so close that she didn’t really have anywhere else to look. But she couldn’t look at his eyes - they made her stomach roll, made bile rise up in her throat. What the fuck was going on? She forced her eyes sideways, staring at the lamp on the nightstand with its strange pattern of vines and leaves, twisting and turning up the base, a glass lampshade with a leaf pattern on top. She’d thought it was so pretty when she first saw it. She stared at the glass, trying to find the pattern in the graceful twists and turns. “I’m not the only one that noticed how powerful you are. And more unfortunately, I wasn’t even the first.”

SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.

MARGARITA:  I’m currently working on the second book in the Covencraft Series, tentatively titled Counter Hex. While I don’t have all the plot details fleshed out, it’s about Jade learning more magic and learning how it all fits into her life. At the same time, it appears that other witches in the Coven are having problems and/or losing their magic and Jade is unaffected. It sort of leaves her as a person of interest or suspicion in a place she already wasn’t sure she really belonged.

SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?

MARGARITA:  I think she’s a wounded soul that doesn’t quite realize it. She wouldn’t take the time to think about it in those terms but she has had a lot of cards stacked against her in her life. She’s practical and can be a bit emotionally stunted. She doesn’t always ‘get’ people or social interactions simply because the history of her life leading up to now hasn’t shown her any really healthy relationships. I think inherently she wants to fit in, whether or not she knows it. She can be abrupt and it can come across as cold or distant, but I don’t think she sees that yet. She’s growing as a person and I think she’ll get there, she just needs more time and more stability.

SKY:  What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?

MARGARITA:  I really enjoy paranormal, urban fantasy and romance. I like the imagination aspect of it and the world building. I find that most readers are ready to accept any new world as long as the world building and ‘rules’ are consistent. Inconsistent rules lead to unhappy readers!
I’d love to get more into horror but I feel I need to read a bit more in that genre before I start getting serious. I’ve played around with horror in some shorter work and I find it’s hard not to “over-horror” things too quick! I need to work on building that intensity and the discomfort that sometimes accompanies a good horror story.

SKY:  Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?

MARGARITA:  I like them all I find that short stories have been a little harder for me and it’s something I want to develop. In short stories, so much can be about what you don’t say and I do find it hard to let go of that element of control and hope that my reader gets there on his/her own. But short stories can be very powerful and I think they’re a medium we don’t see enough of. I also like plotting longer pieces like novellas or novels simply because I feel more invested as a writer, and I hope the reader feels invested as well.

SKY:  Thanks for joining me today, Margarita! Wishing you much success always.

About the Author



Margarita loves the art, creativity and romanticism of storytelling. Sometimes, however, the act of putting pen to paper proves challenging, elusive. She develops genuine, relatable characters which grow in the hearts of her readers. From that foundation, the stories flourish into a warm friend.

She enjoys pursuits which blur the lines between the analytical and creative sides of her brain. This includes her day job in electronic data management, where she uses her creativity to solve logical problems, and also her lessons learning to play the cello, where she finds beauty in the structure of music and the instrument. She believes there is a place for both logic and imagination to work together. When they do, the results are magical.

Margarita has a special spot in her heart for dogs and lives with three of them. It can be a little overwhelming but the quality snuggle time makes up for it.

Margarita lives in Calgary, Alberta with her family.



Twitter:  @margaritagakis 





Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Love Blooms Across Species, Culture, and Time. Scent of Salvation by Annie Nicholas.



Today I’m thrilled to welcome over Annie Nicholas, author of Scent of Salvation, Chronicles of Eorthe Book 1. Not only are we celebrating this ‘hot off the press' release but I’ve also included a fabulous interview!

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher:  Samhain Publishing
Date of Publication:  July 30th, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-61921-748-5
Word Count: 98,000
Cover Artist: Kanax

Amazon    BN   Apple

Book Description



Love blooms across species, culture, and time.

Chronicles of Eorthe, Book 1

Stranded in another dimension, on a primitive version of Earth, Dr. Susan Barlow needs to find a way to survive. There’s no electricity, no cities, and to her shock, no humans. Instead, she faces a population of werewolves, vampires and incubi. The people are vicious but she must find her place among them. And live.

An illness is killing Sorin’s pack. As alpha it’s his responsibility to save them, but it’s a battle this warrior doesn’t know how to fight. Then a blue light in the sky brings a creature he’s never seen. She calls herself human, but to him she smells like hope.

Sorin offers Susan a safe haven in return for a cure, but she’s not that kind of a doctor. She’s a doctor of physics, not a physician. Yet as they search for a cure to save a dying people, they find something special—each other.

But even with Sorin’s protection, Susan can’t help but wonder how long she can survive in a world without humans…

Time for the interview!


SKY:  What inspired you to write this book?

ANNIE:  I love telling this story because it shows how twisted my mind is. LOL

Both my sons were very ill with strep throat. Fever for days. When one was awake, the other was asleep, and vice versa. In other words, I had slept more than a few hours in days. I felt like the Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and antibiotic dispensing machine.

About two in the morning, I had both boys in one bed so I could watch them together. My oldest’s fever was raging and I was waiting anxiously for the meds to kick in or I’d have to place him in a cool bath. Again. I was sitting on the floor and rested my head on the mattress and fell asleep.

In a matter of minutes, I dreamt of this whole world. I spent the next nine months writing book one and about a year editing it. If you’ve read where this story comes from and read the book, you’ll see much of the inspiration within it.  By the way, my boys are fine. Thank goodness for antibiotics. :D

SKY:  What made you choose the main setting for your book?

ANNIE:  I love creating elaborate worlds. Creating Erothe gives me so many options. If I get tired of writing wolf shifters then I could go to the dragons in the far east or the incubi in South Amerigo or the vampires in Europa.

SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.

This is series about Eorthe, an alternate Earth, where humans never existed. Instead it’s populated by every creature in our mythology. The first book is to establish this new world where the people like vampires, shifters, and many other things have never been influenced by human morals or culture.  The shifters are feral, the vampires blood thirsty, and incubi to die for…literally.

Dr. Susan Barlow, a human physicist on our Earth, has created a Dimensional Gateway machine that the US military has seized. Feeling betrayed by her colleagues, she destroys her life’s work to keep it from being abused. This causes a gateway to open and tosses her through to the unknown. This city girl born and raised is lost in the woods, in another dimension, where no one has ever heard of a human.

SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.

ANNIE:  The cover has the face of my hero, Sorin, on it. This world is fierce and savage just like my hero. I think it depicts the flavor of the story very well.

SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.

ANNIE:  I am currently working on the third book of The Angler series titled Release. It’s due to be available on October 21, 2013.

SKY:  Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.

ANNIE:  There are many scenes I’d share but these three male shifters together crack me up.

Scratching his chin, Sorin continued watching the guards pace the wall but the eastern sentries passed at a slower march than the northern. “We’ll have to climb the wall under cover of night, take out the guards and search the castle.” With an army of shifters, they might succeed. He gazed at his exhausted, recently poisoned companions.

They were doomed.

“And how do we escape with the females?” Ahote asked.

“On my magic unicorn.” Sorin pointed at his cock then punched the hunter in the shoulder. “How do I know? We run. My main concern is getting inside. I must have missed the lesson on raiding castles as a pup.”

“I didn’t.” Peder spoke into the thick silence. He crouched low under both their sharp gazes. “I listened to stories the old ones told. Actually, I begged them to re-tell them when I could. About when the vampires first arrived on our lands.”

“And what is your idea?” Sorin prompted his resourceful omega.

“We’ll need a cart, some peasant’s clothes that fit me and a skunk.”

Sorin refused to blink, afraid if he looked away, he’d miss his Peder blooming into a possible hunter.

“Sounds like the making of a nasty joke.” Ahote chuckled.

“We’ll separate and meet back here. Peder, you find the clothes and I’ll get the cart.”

“What? That leaves me with the…“ Ahote’s eyes went wide and he grimaced.

SKY:  Are your book/books available in audio? In other languages? If so, give us more details about where we can get them and what languages they’re in.

ANNIE:  I have three audio books. Starved for Love a very hot succubus/incubus love story from Carina Press, Bait book one of The Angler series, and Catch book 2 of The Angler series.

SKY:  Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.

ANNIE:  Most of my books are in series.

The Angler is a first person point of view books about Connie Bence. She starts her journey as professional vampire bait for slayers and her journey goes from there. These books are action packed and suspenseful. First book, Bait, is free everywhere.

The Vanguards are novellas written in the third person point of view. These stories about a small pack of omega wolf shifters in Chicago and their journey/growth. Each novella is has a new hero/heroine. There are six books in this series. First book is $0.99 everywhere.

Confession of a Succubus series is about Pia Blyton, a succubus with a big broken heart. She wants to fall in love and have relationship but it’s hard when she has to feed from having an orgasm every three days and it can’t always be the same guy or he’ll die. Monogamy just can’t be in her cards. Book one is titled Starved for Love.

Thanks for having me!

SKY:  My pleasure, Annie! Wishing you much success always.

Excerpt


Before Susan could explain anything about dimensions and gateways, the door to Kele’s chamber crashed open, and Susan jumped to the balls of her feet, prepared—to what, fight? Was she nuts?

A female blocked the entrance, her muscular physique hinting at enough strength to twist Susan into a pretzel without breaking a sweat. The newcomer flung her black hair over her shoulder.

Rising with grace, Kele straightened her dress before addressing the intruder. “Mother.”

“Daughter, I heard you’ve brought home a stray along with the Apisi alpha.” The female’s stare drilled into Susan, her sneer far from welcoming.

Susan’s breath caught in her throat. Black, soulless eyes ate her gaze. Her fingers clutched the lapels of her jacket as she pulled it closed. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants and offered her hand. “I’m Dr. Susan Barlow.”

The female shifter narrowed her eyes, nostrils flaring.

Susan withdrew her untouched hand, then hid it behind her back and glanced at Kele. Maybe she should have sniffed her mother instead? She wished someone would give her the Dummies Guide to Shifter Society and a little time to study it.

Kele’s mother crossed the room in two great strides and swung her arm.

Susan did her best impression of a statue. She didn’t budge as the impact of the slap swerved her head to the side and dragged her gaze from mother to daughter. Both of them were flushed with emotion yet at opposite poles of the color spectrum—one dark as an oncoming storm and the other pale as the moonlight.

The back of Susan’s heel caught the edge of the cushion and she landed hard on her back.

The bitter flavor of blood swept over her taste buds. “What the hell?” She rubbed her jaw and glared daggers at the crazy woman looming over her. Just as quickly, she schooled her expression to something less threatening before she insulted the bigger shifter further. With the tip of her tongue, Susan explored her mouth. She didn’t encounter any big gaps, so no lost tooth. A small blessing.

Kele’s crazy mother hovered over Susan’s face and bared her teeth. In beast form, her expression would have appeared fierce, but in human form it seemed terrifying. With an easy grace, she flipped Susan onto her stomach. A bony knee pressed between her shoulder blades, making her kiss the floor. Pain shot across Susan’s upper back and neck.

“How dare you come into my den and not submit to me.”

“She’s not a shifter!” Kele shouted. “You can’t expect her to know how to be polite.”

Something ran over Susan’s hair, and the sound of sniffing followed. She tried to take a deep breath but the weight on her back made it difficult.

The nutjob exhaled in disgust. “What is she?”

“A human.” Kele peered at Susan’s throbbing face as she stroked her hair. “Please, I wanted to teach her how to behave before meeting you and father.”

“Your father.” The bitch snorted. “It’s bad enough he’s entertaining a vampire and dealing with trespassing alphas. We don’t need any more vermin within the den.”

Susan was jerked from the ground by her hair and dragged across the floor. Pain shot into her scalp while she scrambled to support her weight with her legs.

“Let go. Let go.” The shifter world was more brutal than anything she’d ever experienced. Susan slapped at the crazy woman’s hands tangled in her hair.

“My daughter took too many liberties in offering you shelter. You’ll need to find another den to take you in.”

At a loss, Susan yanked and squirmed but only made the pain worse. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kele leap.

The petite blonde used her wiry strength to jump across the room and land on her mother’s back. The collision knocked them both to the ground in a knot of arms and legs.

Untangling her limbs from the struggling shifters, Susan could finally elbow the bitch in the face. The impact made a satisfying crunch. She pulled back her arm for a second shot, but Kele grabbed her and half carried, half dragged her out of the chamber.

“Hurry, we need to reach my father before she beats you into cinders.”

Not needing any further incentive, Susan ran after her new friend. “Your people are crazy.”


About the Author



Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon’s ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.

Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and Lyrical Press.











Monday, July 29, 2013

Her Secret Life Threatens To Destroy Everything. A Bandit's Broken Heart by Michelle McLean.

 
 
Today it’s my pleasure to interview Michelle McLean, author of A Bandit’s Broken Heart, A Blood Blade Sisters Novel- Book Two.

Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous Imprint
Genre: Historical Romance

Number of pages: 167
ISBN: 978-1-62266-228-9
ASIN: B00DFFGNI0
GIVEAWAY! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win a $20 gift card and a Blood Blade Sister necklace- It has the sisters' signature red poppy and a dagger pendant –open to US Shipping.


Book Description

 
A woman with a past

Widowed mother, Brynne Richardson, gave up her bandit activities when she left California to make a fresh start with her young daughter in Boston. Working for a handsome doctor fulfills her need to be useful and independent, but he creates another yearning she can’t deny.

A man with a purpose

Dr. Richard Oliver assumes Brynne is just another debutante hunting for a rich husband, until she intrigues him with her steady hand for stitchesand guns. He cant put her out of his mind, but the young widow has mysteries hes determined to unravel.

A love in danger

When smugglers raid the much-needed supplies from the clinic, Brynne must resurrect her bandit persona for the good of the sick and the poor. Her secret life threatens to destroy everything she's worked so hard to protect her life, her family and her heart.


Interview time!


SKY:  How did you come up with the title?

MICHELLE:  This book was actually the easiest of the trilogy to name. This is a bit of a spoiler if you haven’t read book 1, but my main character Brynne is a widow. Her husband was murdered in book 1 so the title of book 2, which tells her story, is very apt. She is broken-hearted. Book 2 is about her journey back from heart-break.

SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.

MICHELLE:  This story focuses on two main conflicts; Brynne’s inner struggle and her personal healing journey, and her fight against a group of smugglers she rubs the wrong way. Brynne really struggles with who she really is and who she is trying to be. She moves to Boston for a new start. She wants to get away from all the sad memories in California, so she leaves that life behind. Only it’s a case of “you can take the girl away from the bandits, but you can’t take the bandit out of the girl” :)

Brynne, despite her best efforts, just doesn’t fit into the Bostonian societal circles. She’s bored, she has too many weird quirks, and she just can’t stop secretly helping those who need it :) She also falls in love with a kind, handsome, and very eligible doctor which brings up a host of new inner conflicts as she battles her feelings for her new love, and her feelings of love and loyalty toward her dead husband.

In the meantime, she manages to tick off a group of black marketers who decide to exact revenge on her and those she loves. When that happens, Brynne resurrects her full bandit persona and rides off to kick a little bad guy tail :)

SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.

MICHELLE:  I love my cover! My publisher did such an amazing job. The whole tone of it is just perfect – from the autumn colors (autumn is my favorite season, a little sad maybe, leaving summer, weather turning colder, yet heading into the wonderful holiday seasons…it’s the precursor to all the merriment that can be found even in the “deadness” of winter), to the model gazing off into the distance, seemingly reflecting on her life and future. It just fits the book perfectly :)

SKY: Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.

MICHELLE:  Yep, currently working on book 3 of the Blood Blade Sisters series. It’s entitled A Bandit’s Betrayed Heart and will tell the youngest sister, Lucy’s, story. This book is set in the South about a year after the Civil War and will follow Lucy as she searches for her lost love…and what happens after she finds him :)

SKY:  What sort of personality does your hero have?

MICHELLE:  Dr. Richard Oliver is very kind, hard-working, generous, loving, and just a tad arrogant :) He’s turned his home into a medical clinic for the poor and spends his days trying to help those in need. He’s also very used to being the most eligible bachelor in town, and while he doesn’t really relish that position, he isn’t used to having to work to get a girl’s affections. So Brynne is a bit of a mystery to him. One he is intent on solving. ;)

SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?

MICHELLE:  Brynne is the most refined of the three sisters, but she’s still a feisty country girl who will fight tooth and nail to protect those she loves. She’s very loyal, level-headed, hard-working, and self-sufficient and is used to being in charge. She can also be rather stubborn :)

SKY:  Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.

MICHELLE:  I really liked writing the scene where Richard goes with Brynne on his first heist. Brynne sets off to steal back some medical supplies and Richard follows her. She reluctantly allows him to go along. It was fun because the typical roles were reversed. Brynne was the “bad guy” leading her “good guy” boyfriend into trouble. Richard was up for it, but a little bumbling and it was a lot of fun having Brynne be in the tough guy roll with Richard being the more inexperienced, straight-laced one :)

SKY:  Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.

MICHELLE:  I prefer to write indoors. I love my desk. It’s set up right in front of a floor-to-ceiling window and looks out at our neighbor’s cow pasture :D On the other side of the pasture is a 200 year old cemetery with an old brick church. It’s a great scene to stare out at when I need a little inspiration. Usually if I’m working late at night, I’ll take my laptop and squish down on the couch surrounded by a bunch of pillows :)

SKY:  Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.

MICHELLE: The Blood Blade Sisters is my first series. The first book, A Bandit’s Stolen Heart, released this past spring. It introduces all the sisters and tells the story of how and why they became bandits. The romance focuses on the middle sister, Cilla, and her love interest Leo. Book 2 in the series is the one this blog tour is for, A Bandit’s Broken Heart (see the above answer for tidbits on the plot) :) And book 3 was the other one I mentioned above, A Bandit’s Betrayed Heart, that will follow the youngest sister, Lucy.

I also have something in the works that will be a series of fairy tale retellings set in the near future/present day. They will have a bit of a twist and will have some suspense and possibly some sci-fi elements :)

SKY:  How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?

MICHELLE: I’ve been writing in some form or another my whole life. My mom still has a story I wrote when I was four or five :D But I started writing with the goal of being published about 10 years ago. My first book, a non-fiction called Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers, was published by Career Press in 2011. And my first novel, a historical romance, To Trust a Thief, was published by Entangled in Jan of this year.

SKY:  Great interview, Michelle! Thanks for joining me today.


About the Author



Romance and non-fiction author Michelle McLean spent 98% of her formative years with her nose in a book indulging in her love of reading and research. Expanding that love into writing was inevitable. Michelle has a B.S. in History, a M.A. in English, and tends to be a bit of an organized mess with an insatiable love of books and more weird quirks than you can shake a stick at.

She is the author of the historical romances To Trust a Thief and the Blood Blade Sisters trilogy, the non-fiction Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers, and several upcoming historical, paranormal, and contemporary romances. She is also a contributor on The Naked Hero, and the Operation Awesome, Scene 13, and Scandalous book blogs as well as maintaining her personal blog. If she's not editing, reading or chasing her kids around, she can usually be found in a quiet corner working on her next book. Michelle resides in PA with her husband and two young children, an insanely hyper dog, and two very spoiled cats.

If you would like Michelle's signature, you can request one for her ebooks through authorgraph.com or request a signed bookplate through her website.

Visit Michelle's Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f322/

Monday, July 8, 2013

Love. Death. Supernatural Romance. The Whispers Series by Joanna Mazurkiewicz



 Today it’s my pleasure to interview Joanna Mazurkiewicz, author of The Whispers Series (Books 1-3). 

Genre: Paranormal Romance.

ASIN: B00BZVTSP6
Number of pages: 454
Word Count:  246, 491

Amazon    BN   

Book 1- The Whispers of the Sprite 


When Ania moves from London to Swansea city in Wales she is hoping that her life will get a bit more exciting, after all she is running away from her controlling mother to taste more freedom and feel more independent. Everything seems to be going the way she wanted until she almost dies while taking a quiet walk around the beach in the late evening.

When she opens her eyes, nothing seems the same...

She starts seeing people that no one else is able to notice. An enchanting looking man keeps following her and Ania’s life seems to getting more exciting than she ever wished for.

After the attack something changes inside her, she has been blessed with the new frightening gift of seeing and hearing sprites all around her... the magical creatures that only existed in folklore, myths and legends of Britain.

Gabriel is attractive and handsome but no ... he is not a vampire. He keeps coming back and Ania feels an instant connection between them but this might get her into more trouble. Supernatural romance is not on her mind right now.

Because he is forbidden to even touch her ... the line between the death and love has never been so thin and the sprites won’t stop whispering until ... she will choose to love or abandon Gabriel

Book 2-The Dark Night Whispers 


This year Ania is hoping to snap out of her depressed mood. She spends her summer locked up in her room, thinking about Gabriel who is somewhere between life and death.

So when Adam, Gabriel’s best friend, turns up on her doorstep and tells her that he can take her to him, Ania refuses because she can’t go through the same hell again. Her heart has already been ripped out of her chest.

She returns to Swansea to start another year at University, but her education is not the most important thing – she ends up getting more involved in the new and dangerous world of the Sprites. This year doesn’t seem to be any easier than the last one, and on top of everything else, she has to find the cure for the Iron curse before Gabriel’s life will end forever.

All at once, Ania is juggling her University work, investigating the kidnapping of a young girl from America for the University paper and trying to fight with the attraction to a handsome blond-haired Sprite who has appeared in her life so unexpectedly.

To confuse Ania even more, she is finding well-known fairy tales in her pocket. They don’t seem to make any sense until she makes a decision to follow her emotions and start looking for her real family.

Will she ever get to the end of this emotional rollercoaster?

Book 3- Her Secret Whisper


When Niamh McDonald opened her eyes in the dark cave, she didn’t expect to be a prisoner so far away from home. She didn’t expect to be rescued either.

Niamh was kept in the darkness, not knowing what creature has captured her. Then her life spins out of further control as she discovers her family from California have been lying to her all this time – she’s adopted.

Niamh returns to California, shocked and traumatised. She cannot forget that she is adopted. And then, out of nowhere, a stranger visits her to tell her she isn’t human.

Niamh cannot take any more surprises, so she decides to go back to her place of birth – Wales. She needs her questions answered. Her life transforms further as she finds that Sprites have existed throughout centuries and she is not the only one who can see them.

So why is she connected to Ania, the scrawny Russian girl who rescued her from the dark cave?

Interview


SKY:  What inspired you to write this book?

JOANNA:  I was inspired by British folklore and other books, I had the idea in my head for a while but I never had time to finally put it down on the paper. I knew that I wanted to write a romance with supernatural creatures so one day I began writing and I never stopped.

SKY:  What made you choose the main setting for your book?

JOANNA:  The whole idea came to me while I was attending Swansea University and I wanted to set it up in Wales, on the Welsh coastline.

SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story

JOANNA:  I picked up that stock picture straight away as soon as I saw it. The main characters always met in the night and I thought it would fit perfectly in. It’s also a paranormal romance so fantasy background was ideal.

SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.

JOANNA:  I am currently finishing contemporary romance, it’s titled Beautiful Pain and is set in Belfast. I will reveal the cover shortly, the description can be read HERE

SKY:  What sort of personality does your hero have?

JOANNA:  He is mysterious, magical and arrogant. He is breaking all the rules just to be with Ania.

SKY:  Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.

JOANNA:  I like writing in my room, no distraction and noises. Just me and the laptop.

SKY:  How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?

JOANNA:  I have been writing since I was a teenager but finally finished my first book in 2012, so I have been published 8 months and so far I have 6 titles available.

SKY:  What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?

JOANNA:  I am focusing on Paranormal Romance but I have a few contemporary romances in mind.

SKY:  Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?

JOANNA:  I like writing novel not a short stories. I think it’s quite hard to develop characters in a short story.

SKY:  Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.

JOANNA:  I love writing series. The Whispers Series it’s my first series, I recently published £6.19 per Witching Hour, this is the first book in a new series (Paranormal Personnel Saga #1)

SKY:  Great interview, Joanna. Wishing you much success!

Excerpt


‘I need to get going,’ I say to Gosia when I look at my watch. When I finally realize how late it really is my heart starts racing.

‘Come on, just one more,’ insists my friend, grinning. She is already tipsy, rolling her blue eyes, as she sips her pink cocktail.

‘You know my mother. She is probably already freaking out,’ I respond and look through the messages on my phone; I received five up to eleven o’clock asking me where the hell I am, but since then nothing else. It’s odd; my mother wouldn’t usually just stop texting, she would start calling until she got through to me. If she knew the name of the bar, she would probably call here just to make sure that I am still alive. Gosia’s ears are ruby red. She is gazing at me looking amused.

‘Whatever, I am staying. That bloke at the bar can’t take his eyes off me.’

‘Well, take care of yourself then. You have to visit me in Swansea when I get settled,’ I say and kiss her on the cheeks, glancing at the man that she is talking about. She’s right, he is looking at her. Around five foot seven, dressed smart with polished leather shoes. He’s her type.

‘I will,’ she nods and hugs me tightly.

When I leave the South London bar, it’s nearly one in the morning. I glance at the taxi for a long moment but then I change my mind. I don’t manage my money well and I am leaving to start my new life tomorrow, so it’s necessary for me to save the cash. I pass through the familiar roads, calculating how long it will take to get to my street. It’s a rather warm September night, although the dark clouds in the sky indicate that it might start raining soon. After half an hour of intensive walking I leave behind the traffic, taking my usual shortcut. These parts of city seem to be asleep. Complete darkness surrounds me. The roads are clear and the unnatural silence fills the air.

I stop and look at my phone again, wondering why Mum hasn't called me yet. She always calls me, even if she knows that I will be home within minutes, just to check. I feel slightly anxious walking alone at this late hour. The streets are so silent; there is no one around, not even cars passing through, which is odd. It seems as though the city has collapsed into a winter’s sleep, instantly forgetting that it's still summer, like some lost soul trying to make its way to Heaven but getting to Hell instead. I think about the enjoyable evening that I had with Gosia. She was excited for me finally gaining a new independence and a new life in another city.

I shiver when the wind starts howling and look around, hoping to spot any living soul near me, but I am alone. I take another shortcut and then feel horribly lost. The silence seems different and I cannot understand why there are no cars around. I stop for a moment to wrap myself in a light cardigan that I find in my rucksack. Only a few seconds pass, but during this short period of time I feel like I am being watched. My subconscious is laughing out loud. I look around but the streets are uninhabited and silent. No one is around but my mind is playing tricks on me. I inhale the thick air filled with my own fear and a cold shiver flows down my spine. A harsh, bitter wind starts to blow again and simultaneously a few streetlights go out, enveloping the street in an unexpected dimness.  The tar-black darkness that surrounds me obscures my senses; I can't see anything and my eyes focus, trying to get used to the gloom.

I stop abruptly and for a moment hear only my shallow breaths, then I hear someone’s movements and my heart starts racing while my mouth gets unpleasantly dry. I stop breathing, trying to pinpoint the noise, but everything is still again. The silence buzzes in my ears. My heartbeat quickens, making my mind spin. Suddenly, one of the streetlights comes back on again. I blink rapidly and continue walking while looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. The houses and streets seem to be under a spell. There is not a human being anywhere around me.

I continue walking, but I don’t hear any more odd movements. Soon I locate a familiar path and reach my street within minutes. I begin to wonder if I actually heard anything and my rational side keeps telling me that it's only my imagination. I approach the house, wondering if my mother will be waiting at the window for me, but all the lights are off.

I exhale, still feeling slightly apprehensive, staring at the round of semi-detached houses in the cul-de-sac. I stop and put my rucksack on the floor to find the keys, and then I hear that movement again and lift my head. The dark figure is walking towards me slowly. This time I am fully aware that it’s not my imagination.

‘Peaceful night?’ says the stranger walking by when I finally have a key in my hand. I smile weakly, dismissing her statement.

In the light from the street I glance at the stranger one more time. The strong fragrance of her perfume reaches my nose and I inhale, recognising lavender. I manage to get a look at her face. She is an older lady with short, silver hair and big, wide, dark eyes, but it's too dark to tell if I have seen her before. As she starts to disappear into the dark alley, the rain starts drizzling. For a moment I wonder what she is doing here. I toy with the idea of her visiting anyone I know. I shake my head, thinking it’s been a rather strange night.

My thoughts are still on the odd noise that I thought I heard in the alleyway. While walking upstairs to my bedroom, I look in to make sure that Mum is still asleep and I quietly close the door. Normally she would wait for me to tell me off. It’s not like her; she always makes sure that I am at home at a reasonable time. I take off my clothes and soon drift off into a dream, forgetting about the woman on the street.

About the Author



Joanna Mazurkiewicz was born in Poland. She moved to United Kingdom when she was only nineteen and just finished high school. She had aspired to be a writer upon completion of the Harry Potter series but also enjoyed reading books like 'Gone with the Wind', 'Animal Farm' and 'The doll'. She graduated from Swansea University with a bachelor degree in American Studies. While studying in the UK she made a decision to start writing fiction in English.

The "Whispers of the Sprite" is her first debut novel and she is currently working on the second book in the series. Joanna lives in Cowbridge, a small town in South Wales near Cardiff with her boyfriend Bruce. She enjoys cycling around Welsh countryside some of which has become the settings in her first series.

Visit Joanna's Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads 

Twitter @joannamaz


Monday, July 1, 2013

1000% Clickworthy. NOT to be Missed!



Only a little over a week into summer and heart-thumping fun is already exploding in the wild world of books! Bet you’re wondering what I’m ‘talking’ about. Well, something eye-popping is happening thanks to Bewitching Book Tours and over THIRTY-FIVE participating authors.

Have I got your attention? Great! Because you’ll be hard pressed to find anything like this…

Bewitching Book Tour Sizzling Summer Giveaway.



Now through July 21’st you can enter to win any of the following FOUR MEGA prize packages. Each Rafflecopter is listed below and OMG are they amazing!!!

Check these out…


Giveaway One: Kindle and swag packs



http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f305/

Giveaway Two: Print Books




http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f306/

Bewitching Giveaway Three: YA Books




http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f307/

Bewitching Books Tours Summer Giveaway Four- Ebooks 




http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f308/