Category: Author Interview

Interviews with authors about their new releases or their writing

Judy Penz Sheluk

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview
Audiobook Series Tour: Marketville Mysteries by Judy Penz Sheluk

Author: Judy Penz Sheluk

Narrator: Claira Jordyn

Series: Marketville Mysteries, Book 1

Publisher: Judy Penz Sheluk

Released: Jul. 31, 2017

Genre: Mystery

What goes on behind closed doors doesn’t always stay there. Calamity (Callie) Barnstable isn’t surprised to learn she’s the sole beneficiary of her late father’s estate, though she is shocked to discover she has inherited a house in the town of Marketville – a house she didn’t know existed. However, there are conditions attached to Callie’s inheritance: she must move to Marketville, live in the house, and solve her mother’s murder. Callie’s not keen on dredging up a 30-year-old mystery, but if she doesn’t do it, there’s a scheming psychic named Misty Rivers who is more than happy to expose the Barnstable family secrets. Determined to thwart Misty and fulfill her father’s wishes, Callie accepts the challenge. But is she ready to face the skeletons hidden in the attic? Find out.
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Judy Penz Sheluk is the Amazon international bestselling author of the Glass Dolphin Mystery and Marketville Mystery series. Her short stories can be found in several collections, including Live Free or Tri and The Best Laid Plans, which she edited. Judy is also a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com.
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Narrator Bio Claira Jordyn is an on-camera and voice over actress based in New York City. She can most recently be heard on a variety of television and radio commercials encouraging you to ski in Colorado, shop at Old Navy and also to try a particularly popular makeup brand this holiday season. She can also be heard reading countless books including Opaque, The Endless Horizons Sagas and an upcoming retelling of children’s fairytales. She lives just north of New York with her husband and super mutt Junebug, loves telling stories for a living and is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do that every day.   I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Judy Penz Sheluk. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Q&A with Author Judy Penz Sheluk
  • Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
    • I believes it completely depends on choosing the right narrator. I have a collection of three short mystery stories that comes in at about an hour. Kate Tyler narrates that and she does a great job, absolutely nails it. But as much as I enjoyed working with her—she’s a complete pro—and loved her narration of Live Free or Tri, she didn’t have the right voice for Calamity (Callie) Barnstable, the protagonist in my Marketville mystery series. Find the right narrator, and any book will be a good fit for audio. After all, just like traditional readers, audiobook listeners have a variety of interests.
  • Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    • Not initially, no, in fact, when I first started writing I never thought any of my books would end up on audio. However, when we were recording (narrator Kelli Lindsay) A Hole in One, book 2 in my Glass Dolphin mystery series, Kelli pronounced Graham Gilroy as “Gram Gilroy.” I’m from Canada (Toronto area) and here Gram is short for Grandma…we say Gray-ham. I consulted with fellow members of Sisters in Crime and discovered this is very much a regional thing. Some parts of the U.S. say Gray-ham, and others, like California, say Gram. Because the book is set in Canada, Kelli switched to the Canadian pronunciation.
    • Fast forward to writing A Fool’s Journey, book 3 in my Marketville mystery series, and I have my protagonist, Callie, entering a foyer. Now, in Canada we say Foy-eh, but I know from watching house hunting shows set in the U.S. that Americans say Foy-ur. To avoid another Gram/Gray-ham situation, I switched it to “Callie entered the front hallway.”
  • Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    • All of my books are loosely inspired by real life events, emphasis on the loosely. The idea for Skeletons in the Attic came to me while I waited with my husband, Mike, in our lawyer’s office in Newmarket, Ontario. We were there to update our wills, and our lawyer’s goldendoodle kept us company while our lawyer was detained at court. The opening scenes of the book are culled directly from that experience: While Mike spent the time reading back issues of Bicycling Magazine, I started thinking… “What if I was here, not to update my will, but to inherit…what if there were strings attached…what if I inherited something I had no idea had existed…what if that something was a house in a small town called…Marketville.” I started scribbling notes down (I always keep a notebook and pen in my purse) and by the time our lawyer arrived I had finished chapter 1.
    • In the case of Past & Present, the inspiration came from a train case found at the back of my late mother’s clothes closet. I’d never seen the documents inside—her immigration papers from 1952, an old passport, her mother’s death certificate, among other things—made me want to delve into a past she’d pretty much kept to herself. Before long, that research became Callie’s research. The book is dedicated to the memory of my mother, Anneliese Penz, and there is a character in the book named Anneliese Prei, who was murdered in 1956 in Toronto, after immigrating to Canada in 1952. Prei was my mother’s (my grandmother’s) maiden name, something I learned for the first time from the death certificate in that train case. A personal aside: Skeletons in the Attic was the last book my mother read.
  • How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
    • Burn-out is what I felt working in a 9-5 corporate world, mostly in management positions. In 2003, I walked away from that life and started to work as a freelance journalist, which eventually led to Senior Editing positions for several different magazines. In 2012, I went to a writing conference as a reader and came away knowing I had to write a book; the result was The Hanged Man’s Noose (published July 2015 in print/ebook and in Nov. 2017 in audio). My writing journey hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve never looked back. There’s something magical about creating a world, living in it for weeks and months, and knowing when to write THE END. By the time I do that, I’ve already got an idea or two for another book.
  • If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
    • I’ve been told that this series would adapt well to film, so I love this question. In Skeletons in the Attic, Callie is 36, so perhaps Evangaline Lilly, who is also Canadian. Kate Hudson would make a great Chantelle Marchand, Callie’s best friend and, in Past & Present, her business partner. But wouldn’t it be fun if the role of Callie became a breakout for an actress hoping for the perfect part. Let’s put that thought out there in the universe: The Marketville Mystery Movie Series. I do like the sound of that!
  • What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
    • There’s an old saying: You can’t judge a book by its cover. You also can’t judge a person because they choose to listen to a book, for whatever reason, instead of reading it. Even when it comes to “real reading” people have different preferences: hardcover, large print, paperback, e-book…as an author, I’m delighted if someone enjoys what I’ve written, regardless of format.
  • In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
    • I’ve written two series (Marketville and Glass Dolphin mysteries), and zero standalones, though I am working on a standalone. The pros of a series is you create a world and then keep adding to it, so it becomes familiar, not just to the author, but to the reader. The cons are exactly the same: it becomes familiar, meaning the author must allow the characters to grow and age. A standalone can be freeing…everything is shiny and new and you don’t have to worry if your character suddenly does something completey out of character (in the way you would with a series) because no one really “knows” that character yet. The con is that from a marketing perspective, there’s no one following the series, or waiting for the next book in the series. Because there is no expectation, it’s easy to put the project aside for another day.
  • What’s your favorite:
    • Food: cheese pizza, but any non-meat topping pizza will make me smile
    • Song: Bulletproof by Jim Cuddy
    • Book: Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery, which I first read as a young girl, and is one of the few books I’ve read more than once.
    • Television show: Gilmore Girls
    • Movie: The Sting (tied for second, Primal Fear and The First Wives Club)
    • Band: Blue Rodeo
    • Sports team: Toronto Maple Leafs though I’ve recently hopped on the Raptors bandwagon
    • City: Toronto
  • Are any of those things referenced in appearance in your work?
    • Callie loves pizza, though she orders it with hot peppers and extra sauce. I mention Blue Rodeo and Jim Cuddy in my Glass Dolphin series. And there’s a scene in A Hole in One, book 2 in my Glass Dolphin series, where Arabella recites lines from The Sting. That’s an old movie, but it holds up. If it was re-released, as is, it would still be a runaway hit. Great cast, great writing.
  • What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
    • I always answer this question with a quote from Agatha Christie: “There was a moment when I changed from an amateur to a professional. I assumed the burden of a profession, which is to write even when you don’t want to, don’t much like what you’re writing, and aren’t writing particularly well.”
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Shiloh Walker

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Shiloh Walker and I met at an event in Indiana. She’s one of my daughter’s favorite authors.

Author Bio

Shiloh Walker is an award-winning writer…yes, really!  She’s also a mom, a wife, a reader and she pretends to be an amateur photographer.  She published her first book in 2003. Her latest romance, SPECTRE, released in July 2019.

She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance, and urban fantasy under the name J.C. Daniels.

Tell us about yourself.

I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for more than twenty years and we have three kids. I love to read and I play with photography. If I had my way, I’d live in Scotland, although I really do love Canada, too.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I’ve had stories in my head all my life, but I didn’t start writing them down all that much until middle school. It seemed like the natural thing to see if I could make it as a writer.

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in?

I stick with fiction, but if the storyline appeals, I’ll read just about anything. I don’t tend to read much in the way of straight historical fiction or westerns, but aside from that, I’m open to almost any storyline. I tend to stick to thrillers, romance or urban fantasy for the most part, though. As for writing, I write romance and urban fantasy.

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

Adults, across the line.

What is your current release or project?

I’ve got a couple of things I’m playing with that I don’t want to go into a lot of detail about just yet…I’m one of those writers who don’t talk much about things early in the process. I’m also reissuing the last few books in my Grimm series, which I’m both happy and sad about. While I’m going through these books, it makes me remember how much fun I had with them, which is fun…but the series is also over, which is the sad thing.

Tell us about the key characters

Well, since I’m in top-secret mode about the new projects, I’ll tell you about the Grimm book I’ve got coming out this month… Furious Fire, which is the second to last book in the series, featuring Finn, a recurring character in the series who finally gets his happily ever after. I’m not going into detail about his partner, though… that is somebody people need to read to understand. The book sets the stage for the final battle, which takes place in Grimm’s End.

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

He is the love of all her lives…

Grimm’s Circle, Book 8

Thomas Finn, troublemaker, gunslinger, guardian angel…loner. More than a hundred and fifty years ago, he was shot in the back then brought back to life just in time to watch a demon masquerading as his best friend kill the love of his life.

Now, as a Grimm, he satisfies his need for vengeance hunting down demons like the ones that took Rebecca from him. His mission: kill as many as he can, then, when the time comes, go down in a blaze of glory. But with each kill, he comes closer to a line no angel should cross.

Her name was Rebecca. Then it was Tilly. Then Ada. Now, Kalypso. She’s lived so many lives, she can’t even remember when or why it started. All she knows is, she’s always searching for a man with golden eyes that make her burn. And when she finds him-as she always does-she knows that spark of joy means she’s only seconds away from death…again.

This time will be no different…unless something breaks the cycle once and for all.

Warning: Contains the Groundhog Day of star-crossed lovers, a pissed-off guardian angel, a demon-hunter with an axe to grind, and the battle to end all battles. Be warned…there’s pain ahead in this book. Oh, and that HEA finally happens. For these two, anyway.

Share an excerpt.

In that moment, I came awake, my body shuddering as pain gripped me.

I gasped and in a blink, two men stood over me.

One was Will and I glared at him balefully.

Okay, yeah, I’d been the one to pounce on his back and send the two of us tumbling to the ground—or…through it?

I still didn’t know.

But whatever had happened, it resulted in me hurting more than I could remember hurting, short of dying.

I didn’t think that was happening. Not yet, at least.

But then my gaze skipped over and hit the other man.

Memory slammed into me, swamping me.

Open your mouth now…his voice, a croon in my ear, his hands gentle on my face.

I sucked in a breath and that very action brought tears to my eyes, but it wasn’t enough to make me look away from him.

Silvered moonlight washed the color from his eyes, from his hair, leaving him cut with swathes of pale light and deep shadow.

His face was harder.

Grimmer.

But it was him.

My throat locked.

A name sprang to my lips, but instinct had me locking it back.

Thomas…

Tommy.

Open your mouth now. Shaken, I tore my gaze away. Unable to find a single thing to look at, save for his profile or the star-studded sky overhead, I closed my eyes.

Tommy. It’s Tommy. Thomas…It connected in my head.

His name was Thomas. Thomas Finn.

Reflexively, I clenched my hands into fists.

“Do you remember what happened?”

The low, cool voice forced my attention away from Thom and I found myself looking at Will.

Oh, bite me. The comment burned on the tip of my tongue, but I held it back. It was my own damn fault I was lying there, feeling like I’d been worked over by a couple of the meaner demons—the nasty ones who liked to eat people. They were vicious and once I’d stumbled across a group of them, interrupted meal-time. If I hadn’t had the Glock I coddled like a baby, I never would have made it out of that alive.

Two of them had still gotten their hands on me and I’d spent two weeks pissing blood and eating nothing any harder than mashed potatoes while healing up the damage they’d done.

It was the most damage I’d ever taken.

Right now? I didn’t feel quite that bad. But it was close.

“Remember?” I curled my lip at him as I slowly worked on getting my arms under me. That hurt. I eased upright. That hurt worse. Something ground inside me and I gasped.

Okay, broken ribs. Lovely.

Panting, I made it upright and saw that Will was watching me with unsympathetic eyes.

Off to the side…I swallowed, tried not to let myself think about him, his name…the wisp of memory that was his hands on me. I remembered that. Bits and pieces of a life I’d suspected but never really remembered. That had changed now.

“Sure.” I settled my weight back on my hands, doggedly focusing on Will’s face. “I remember you grabbing me, knocking me out. Then I’m in a hotel room and you won’t let me leave. You yammering in my ear—then inside my head—and then without explaining jackshit—you tell me I’m free to go.”

Silver flashed in those eyes. A silver glow. It was eerie as hell.

I tensed and braced myself to grab for a weapon, only to remember he’d taken most of them. And I hadn’t gotten them back.

His voice was still soft as he asked, “Do you remember what happened next?”

“Oh, yeah. That was the Tilt-A-Whirl ride from hell, man. Now. Where are my weapons? Get them and I’ll get out of your hair.”

“Will you…?” He drew those words out, a thin, mocking layer of amusement under them as he rose and turned.

Thom spoke then, and I flinched at the sound of his voice, still so familiar, even after all these years. But it should be…I dreamed about him all the time.

But he never sounded so cold, so hard. So angry.

“She’s human.”

He said it the way he might say she’s a bug.

The ache inside me grew.

Do you have a favorite scene?

Yes…but I’m not sharing it.

What advice would you give a beginner?

Finish the book. Then start the next one. Finish it. Get a couple of books under your belt so you can figure out what your voice is and what kind of stories you want to tell…and so you teach yourself to finish the books you start.

Social media links:

Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/AuthorShilohWalker

Twitter https://twitter.com/shilohwalker

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shiloh_walker_author/

Other Bookbub  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/shiloh-walker

Follow on Amazon

Mercy DeSimone

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Mercy DeSimone and I met through social media. She and I are both the youngest of six!

Author Bio

 Mercy DeSimone is the pen name of a corporate refugee who decided that life was meant to be more fun. She now works in the Beauty industry where she is finally able to indulge her love of lipstick and rainbow hair colors. A self-professed champagne snob, cocktail enthusiast and overall Queen of Useless Trivia, she is fluent in Schoolhouse Rock and indulges her caffeine addiction 5 shots of espresso at a time.

Mercy believes that life has a soundtrack and is an avid music lover. She creates Spotify playlists for every book she writes. Her Spectral Vibrations playlist is an eclectic assortment of old school vinyl and new alt/indie vibes that help tell the story lyrically.  https://open.spotify.com/user/kooifok72s5lb4jkr2dtik48t/playlist/0E8QXhUWgpZvrnYVoKqOZA?si=pO0X1zQwTPWZsKlDbhsxnQ

When not writing and listening to music, she can be found whipping up cocktails and contributing pins to her Pinterest boards for FoodPorn and Great Wines For Wine Snobs On a Budget.

Tell us about yourself.

As the youngest of 6, I’ve always been a voracious reader. To this day I have an obsession with Dr. Seuss. I don’t remember being read to as a child, but my mother and some of my siblings were also obsessive readers. I do remember my sister passing books down to me after she had grown too old for them (she’s 10 years older), some of which, like A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, became lifetime favorites. I also remember stealing my mom’s racy romance novels when I was 12. 

I love to cook, and music holds a huge place in my heart. My employees often say they can track me by my incessant humming to some internal soundtrack. 

My idols have always been authors, chefs and musicians. In a perfect world, I would have my own talk show where I’d invite a great chef to cook for us, my favorite musician to play for us, and we’d all sit down with one of my favorite writers for great food, music, and conversation. 

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

 I never consciously said ‘I want to be an an author’. I always considered myself more of a storyteller and thought I should have my own talk show or be a DJ. In a previous job, I used to do events around the country where I would speak to small audiences and come back with funny stories, and people would say you should write a book.

Even now, my coworkers occasionally say ‘let’s write a book’ about something funny or strange that happened with our customers.  When someone says, ‘you can’t make this stuff up’, I laugh. Well apparently you can -because one day my co-writer on our first book challenged me to write something with her, based on a funny Facebook thread that went viral. After that, I decided I can do this. There are stories to tell, and I have a voice. Now it’s time to see if those stories resonate with others the way I hear them in my hand. 

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in?

I grew up reading historical romance, then high fantasy, PNR and urban fantasy. I also love Contemporary romance. My first co-write was Contemporary romance and my new book is sci-fi romance. I guess in the end, I pretty much read anything, but I like stories that are more uplifting, and I think that carries over into what I want to write. 

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

 My first books were definitely adult with some steamy and explicit sexuality. My new sci-fi romance is also 18+ but is more of a medium burn. As a Reverse Harem writer, we seem to automatically get pegged as more adult writers because the choice of multiple, consensual relationships are outside of everyday norms. 

What is your current release or project? 

My new book baby , Spectral Vibrations, is my first solo full length book and releases this month. If all goes as hoped, it’s the first of a three book arc in a sci-fi romance. I’ve also started another RH Contemporary Romance, as well as a techno thriller. The techno thriller is way outside of my wheelhouse, but it was brought to me by a friend who is not a writer. He really needed someone to give life to the story in his head and I said I’d give it a shot, but it’s not a sexy book and is more about the action and conspiracy vs. the relationships.  We’ll have to see if I can slip some romantic longing in there somewhere.

Tell us about the key characters

 In Spectral Vibrations, our characters live on another planet called Krysalis.  Our FMC is Tanzy. She’s a scientist, a Violet, and an Empathic Healer. Orphaned at a very young age, she eventually bonded to her best friend and fellow scientist, Laz. He’s a Blue aura, and also helps lead their science team.

We also have Titan, a politician with a Yellow aura who is appointed to oversee Tanzy and Laz’s science team when their leader is murdered. Jasper is a Red Warlord who acts as a ceremonial guard for the leaders of Krysalis, and has a particular interest in Tanzy. Finally, on Earth we’re introduced to Dixon who is a widower and former army contractor, who literally stumbles across Tanzy in the desert when she crashes to Earth. 

Tanzy is a smart but simple girl who is driven by her love of science and discovery. She’s not particularly ambitious, and she has no desire for power. When she gets thrust into the middle of a power play, she’s a bit disoriented but she’s not naive, and she shouldn’t be underestimated. If forced to play the game, she will make it a point to not only learn, but excel at the game.

7. What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

  In the mood for something different? Here’s a quirky little RH space oddity… 🔜 Coming soon to a Kindle near you!  

In a galaxy far away, a supernova changed a world forever. Energy became the daily fix, sex became currency, and children were a thing of the past. How do you create a future when you can’t move beyond the present?   They say you can’t hear a scream in space… but some of us can feel the pain. 

 Deep Space

 Auras

 Good Vibrations

 Karma Chameleons & a Squeazel

 Houston, we have a problem. Did you get all that? 

      All I ever wanted was to be a Scientist; what I never anticipated was becoming an Empathic Healer. Luckily, my bondmate, Laz, has always been my center. As a Duo, we have power, but someone believes that we can be more. 

WHERE WORLDS COLLIDE…..

     The day I crashed to Earth, a secret buried in the past became an opportunity for our future. What happens when power is suddenly up for grabs, on a world where the color of your aura determines your path, and your vibrational frequency determines your strength? 

Could the ruling Spectrum soon be a thing of the past? Only if I can create a Spectrum of my own – with the sexy men who keep hovering in my orbit, hoping to anchor their frequency to mine..

 ️ Duos, Triads and Quartets, oh my! It’s a cat and mouse game in outer space. What color is your aura?

️    Share an excerpt

“Come on, take that pretty face of yours in there and give her vibration something to spark at.” I can’t help teasing him, even though I know it’s cruel, considering the obsession he’s had with her for so long. We’re not usually competitive, but it would be hard to stand by now and watch her bond with Jasper when I can’t have her myself.

Growling low in his throat, Jasper gives me a disgusted look before turning toward the door and stopping abruptly again.

“What is the goal?”

Shrugging my shoulders, I wave him on. “Just find out what’s she’s up to. Either get her to finish, or find out why she’s hesitating. We need to end this charade so we can move on.”

Rolling his eyes, Jasper punches the door release before heading down the hall. Facing the screens again, I watch Tanzy lounge on her stool, feet swinging as she hums to herself. I can’t help but smile at her unaffected sense of serenity as she waits… for what, I can’t imagine.

At the hissing of the door lock, she suddenly straightens and turns toward the computer as if she’s been studiously researching all this time. Her docile smile freezes for a moment when she sees Jasper; clearly she was expecting Marin. But she recovers quickly, eyes darting back down to her page before acknowledging his presence.

“Are you finished?” Jasper asks her as he stops at the edge of her table, feet planted and arms crossed over his broad chest.

“Almost. I just need to cross-check this one result,” she says slowly, drawing out the words and squinting at the screen, making a good show of being engrossed in what she’s doing. “There,” she says satisfaction evident in her face, “that should do it.”

Turning her gaze back to Jasper she stares at him innocently. “What are you doing here? Is Marin on his way, or do I need to  call him? I thought there wasn’t a time limit.”

She throws question after question at Jasper to keep him from asking questions of his own. I have to admit, it’s a good tactic, but she doesn’t know my friend. He’s like a boulder – silent, massive, and impenetrable.

Finally discomfited by the silent, unyielding expression on his face, she starts to fidget, twisting the cup in her hand awkwardly, as she waits for him to speak. Peeping up under her bangs at him as if assessing his mood, I find myself watching her carefully, wondering what’s going through her mind. If I hadn’t been watching so closely, I probably would have missed it; the small arc of energy that sparked from her hand toward Jasper as she raised it to push away from the table. Leaning heavily on the console, I push my face closer to the observation screen, searching for another sign.

Do you have a favorite scene?

It’s always easy to go for the sexy scene, and I do love one where she finally gets to explore sex closer to the way we understand it.  But I believe my favorite is probably a flashback and what I like to refer to as the “Bambi” scene. If you’re a Disney fan, you instinctively know what that’s going to be about. 

What advice would you give a beginner?

Stop comparing and just keep going. It’s so easy to get caught up in what other people are doing, and feeling like you’re not measuring up to more prolific writers. This has to be about YOUR journey. I fall in and out of love with my book over and over during the process of writing. The trick is to always end when you’ve found your passion for the story. No matter how discouraged you feel on certain days, be willing to put words to the page even if they’re nonsense.  There’s always a kernel of truth or magic in everything you write. You’ll never know if you don’t allow it to happen. 

Social media links:

️ Merciful Haven Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MercifulHaven/?ref=share

️ Amazon Author Page
http://tinyurl.com/yy44sg2q

️ BookBub:bit.ly/MercyDesimoneBookBub

️ Instagram: MercyDeSimoneAuthor

️ Twitter: @desimonemercy

Purchase books:
 Books2read.com/SpectralVibrations
 Books2read.com/railed
 Books2read.com/declansplayroom

Brittany Cournoyer

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Brittany Cournoyer and I met through social media and is another Midwestern author!

Author Bio

Brittany was born in a small town in Alabama and moved to Indiana when she was thirteen years old. She currently resides there and works as an operator at a local hospital. When she isn’t working, she loves to spend her free time writing stories, playing with her puppy, Delilah, watching television, and spending time with loved ones.

Tell us about yourself.

I currently reside in Indiana where I work part-time as a switchboard operator at a hospital. When I’m not working, I’m either writing, spending time with some of my favorite people, or spoiling my dog, Delilah. While at home, my television is usually on the ID channel or food network, which is ironic since I can’t even boil water. I love movies (the scarier, the batter), and music from the 70s and 80s. And that’s pretty much it 😊

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I’ve always loved books. There are videos of me my mother has where I’m sitting on her lap at 7 years old reading a book out loud to her. The older I got, my love and passion for books increased until I decided to try and write my own.

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in?

Oh, I absolutely love to read second chance romances and the fake relationship. But, oddly enough, I’ve never written one.

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

Definitely adults.

What is your current release or project?

I have a release coming at the end of October entitled Sinister Shadows.

Tell us about the key characters

Duncan awakens in a hospital with no memory whatsoever. He only has the word of his husband, Pierce, to go by. Only, Duncan doesn’t remember being married or who Pierce is…

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

Who is Duncan Reynolds? Pierce, the man claiming to be my husband says that’s me.

A racing heart and a need to breathe are my only memories when I wake in an unfamiliar room surrounded by strangers. With nothing else to go on, I have to trust the people around me to help me remember.

As days stretch into weeks, I know the reoccurring dreams of dark alleys and sinister shadows can’t be ignored, and the only person I have to help me is Pierce. With my memory slowly starting to return, I know things aren’t always as they seem. Will searching for the past lead me closer to my husband or toward the danger that’s lurking just out of sight?

Share an excerpt

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound of feet heavily pounding against the pavement mingled with the loud pants of air that burst from his lungs.

As sweat slickened his body, making the fabric of his T-shirt stick to his skin, his chest heaved from exertion as he ran down the alley. But he refused to stop and catch his breath. The pain in his side was minute compared to the feeling that spurred him on—fear.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Putting one foot in front of another, he allowed the terror that coursed through his veins be the driving force behind his feet. Tears streamed down his face and his mouth as dry. His entire body was shaking from the run, and his feet were aching. But he couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop. Stopping would be his undoing, and he had to keep going.

Shadows danced across the brick buildings on either side of him as he made his dash down the alleyway. Every little noise had him jumping, and every movement from the corner of his eye had him veering off his direct path a little. But he couldn’t be deterred. Not when he was so close to his destination.

A streetlamp illuminated the end of the alley, casting a tiny bit of light, a beacon for him to find his way out. All he had to do was make it a few more steps…

Do you have a favorite scene?

I do! It’s a pivotal point in the book where everything starts to come together, and I hope when people read it they ask themselves “What just happened?”

What advice would you give a beginner?

Don’t give up. Even when you think no one will ever give your work a chance, or that what you wrote isn’t good enough, keep going.

Social media links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittany.cournoyer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCournoyer84

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bcournoyer/

Other: https://linktr.ee/Bcournoyer

Purchasing links: amazon.com/author/brittanycournoyer

Leslie Swartz

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Leslie Swartz and I met through social media.

Author Bio

Leslie Swartz is a 39 year old ex-poet and mother of three. She moved around a lot growing up, from the hood to the country to the suburbs, each place influencing who she would become as a person and as a writer. The tragedies endured in her childhood helped fuel her creativity, earning her first place in a second grade writing competition. She went on to win several more writing contests and was published in her local paper at age twelve. She took a distance learning course through The Institute of Children’s Literature after high school before deciding that what she wanted to write was much more adult. Her biggest influences aren’t just great poets and authors like Poe, Shakespeare, Stephen King and Anne Rice, but also amazing song writers including Freddie Mercury, Don McLean, and Paul McCartney.

Tell us about yourself

I’m a thirty-nine year old mother of three with an eccentric personality and more story ideas than I’ll be able to write in my lifetime.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been writing since I was four. I don’t remember a time when ‘novelist’ wasn’t my dream job. When I saw ‘Legend’ for the fist time when I was five, I decided my career would be based on writing something that Sir Ridley Scott would be proud to direct.

What genres do you read/write?

I like to read horror. Stephen King has been my favorite author since third grade. I don’t consider myself to be a horror writer, though some have disagreed with that assessment. I have ideas for horror novels, but they’re on the back burner while I focus on my current series. I write paranormal urban fantasy, so while there are vampire, ghost and demon characters, I don’t think my work is particularly scary.

Is your book for adults, young adults, or children?

The Seventh Day Series is definitely adults only. Graphic language, sex and violence are prevalent.

What is your current release or project?

Book Two of The Seventh Day Series will be released today. It’s the second in a series of at least five, but probably seven. Book One, ‘Seraphim’, is available now on Amazon.

Tell us about the key characters.

My main characters are “Wyatt”, “Gabriel” and “Lucifer”.

“Wyatt” is pretty broken at the beginning of the series. He has mental health issues that drive his wife away, he’s borderline suicidal. At his core, he’s a selfless, kind protector of humanity. And, he’s low key Thor.

“Gabriel” is the bisexual Messenger of God whose back story is pretty much a mystery in book one. She has several super powers and is generally sick of everyone’s bs, but she’s hilarious and loves her family, even when they drive her insane.

“Lucifer” is like “Klaus Mikaelson” without the warm and fuzzies. He’s God’s strongest and most devoted servant, but spending millenia in Hell has made him a little unhinged.

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

Seraphim

Wyatt is a typical schizophrenic firefighter with daddy issues when his life falls into shambles. His wife leaves him, he loses his job and the voices in his head are getting louder. Just when he thinks he’s finally made a breakthrough, a woman interrupts his therapy session, setting his life on a course more unbelievable than his hallucinations.

Gabriel is the Messenger of God and she loves humans. Like, all of them. Beautiful men, gorgeous women… and sometimes both at the same sexy time. But when she’s called to save the world from a long forgotten enemy, she drops everything and gets to work. 

Four angels, born human, must join with Lucifer to stop the sadistic and sexually deviant Lilith from destroying the Gate between Heaven and Earth, enslaving humanity and slaughtering millions. 

Seraphim tells a disturbing, yet hilarious story of complex familial and romantic relationships on a backdrop of the Apocalypse. Set in present day NYC during God’s rest.

“Like if Dean Winchester and Buffy had a baby and it grew up a little slutty.”–Allen Black

Please share an excerpt

“Was it you?” Lilith asked as she approached. “Did you kill my subordinates? Seems so unlike you, destroying all of the so called innocent people my followers  were populating, but it has been a couple thousand years. People change.”

“I didn’t kill anybody,” she replied, her fear turning to anger as she thought  about the demon that killed her brother and how he was only there because of her,  the psycho that now threatened to take her own life. She let the pain of her loss fuel  her rage, believing it was her only chance at getting out of this alive.  

“No,” Lilith said. “I didn’t think so.”

“But, I’d have no problem putting your little girl wearing ass down.”

“Well, that’s hostile.”

“I’m about to show you hostile, bitch!”

Lilith came closer, the look of bewilderment returning to her face. “Even at full power, which you’re obviously not, you don’t stand a chance against me alone, and you know that. So, I ask you again, what are you doing here?”

Valerie shakily pulled her knife from her pocket and held it to her enemies  throat.

Lilith giggled. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m dead fucking serious, bitch.”

“Have it your way,” Lilith sighed, waving her hand, throwing Valerie into a  wall across the room. She slammed against it and crashed to the floor. She struggled  to stand back up as Lilith moved toward her again.

“If you didn’t kill the demons in the theater,” she gathered. “Then, someone  else did. Who else is here? It can’t be Michael, he’d never leave Father unguarded  during his sleep. Is it Camael? I thought I felt his presence a few weeks ago, but it’s  been so long, I could have been mistaken.”

She grabbed Valerie by the throat and slammed her into some chairs. She  climbed on top of her, squeezing with one hand her cheeks and chin while she  decided what to do with her. 

“This is quite a beautiful body you’ve chosen, sister,” she said, looking Valerie over. “Tell me, is incest still as taboo as it was in the beginning? So many things have changed.”

Valerie panicked, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She started to  hyperventilate, which only excited Lilith more. She slid her hand down from  Valerie’s jaw to her chest and began unzipping her jacket, a mischievous smile  creeping across her face. As Lilith slipped her hand inside the jacket, running her  hand along Valerie’s left breast, the knife, which remained clenched in Valerie’s  hand, erupted in flame. Without hesitation, she plunged the fiery pocket knife into  the monster’s gut.

Do you have a favorite scene?

I have two favorite scenes, the first being “Lucifer’s” church scene. Throughout the book, it seems like he’s kind of a jackass, but relatively harmless. A reader may not understand why “Valerie” and “Tae” are so afraid of/angry with him, until that scene. It really sums up who he is outside of “Gabriel’s” influence, left to his own devices. The second scene is a short interaction between “Gabriel” and “Lucifer” after they’ve seen the carnage “Lilith” left at a sorority house. It’s some funny banter that includes my favorite line in the book: “Battier than the underside of a haunted bridge.”

What advice would you give a beginner?

The best advice I could give a new author would be, EDIT. Use beta readers (after you’ve copyrighted your manuscript) and if you can’t afford a professional editor, use every editing software you can. I published ‘Seraphim’ thinking it was properly edited. It wasn’t. I had to go in and fix a ton of typos and punctuation issues. Two hundred and sixteen people downloaded it looking like trash. It haunts me. When you think your book is done, leave it for two weeks, then edit again. You’ll be stunned by everything you missed.

Social media links

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/89742.Leslie_Swartz

https://www.amazon.com/LESLIE-SWARTZ/e/B07T8QXVV9?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Blog-

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/89742.Leslie_Swartz/blog

Purchase links

US ebook- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

US paperback- https://www.amazon.com/SERAPHIM-Seventh-Day-LESLIE-SWARTZ/dp/1097632806/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

UK- https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

DE- https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

FR- https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

ES- https://www.amazon.es/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

IT- https://www.amazon.it/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

NL- https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

JP- https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

BR- https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

CA- https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

MX- https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

AU- https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

IN- https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07RPZ72Q4

Book Depository

https://www.bookdepository.com/Seraphim-Leslie-Swartz/9781097632800

Nephilim

Seraphim Audible

iTunes

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/seraphim-the-seventh-day-series-book-1-unabridged/id1481485949

Mandi Konesni

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Mandi Konesni is another Midwestern author who I met through social media.

Author Bio

Mandi resides in Ohio, where she shares her workspace with an ornery bassle pup. In addition to writing, she runs an online storefront, a roleplaying website, and is a 3rd Degree High Priestess. She’s an avid reader and blogger, who adores music. Whenever there is a concert in town, you can bet she’s taking the night off and cheering on her favorite bands. She can easily be bribed with peanut butter M&Ms, gemstones, hot lead singers, and gargoyles.

Tell us about yourself.

So, I’m Mandi. I’m 35 years old, an Ohio native, and a 3rd Degree High Priestess. I love crafting… I’ll try to craft pretty much anything once, but I can’t draw to save my life. I can mangle a stick figure. I’m safest writing, if given the choice between the two 🙂 I have a 10 year old bassle pup, which is a cross between a beagle and a basset. She pretty much runs my life, and she’s so adorable that I’m completely okay with that!

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I can’t honestly remember how I got started writing… it seems to me that I was always telling stories, a pen in one hand and a journal in the other. In my teens, I started gravitating towards poetry, but began writing adult themed short stories shortly after that. The rest, as they say, was history.

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in?

I will read pretty much everything once. If I get bored, I’ll even read the back of packages. (True story!) In general, my favorites tend to be paranormal romance, menage romances, thriller/mystery type reads, and true crime stories. Which does make sense, as most of that is what I like to write, also!

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

Most of my writing is geared towards adults. Mature teens could probably read the Kira Malone Chronicles, but they need to be aware that there are some gory/scary parts that frightened grown adults, so it will be scary in parts. I’m working on developing a series for young adults, though, as my nieces have asked for something they can read.

What is your current release or project?

My latest release is Ashes of Eden. It’s a paranormal romance involving angels and demons, Heaven and Hell, and all the crazy paths that connect them. It’s definitely my ‘new’ favorite, I really took everything I’ve learned from every release up to now and applied it to this novel, so I’m pretty proud of it!

Tell us about the key characters.

The two ‘star-crossed’ lovers are Raziel, a fallen angel who is trying to earn back his wings and Baylin, a cambion female who is hiding from her past. Together, the two of them have to come to terms with who and what they are in order to literally save the world. Since Baylin is kind of a mouthy, sassy, take no orders type of woman, things don’t go as easy as Raziel hopes.

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

After being tainted by Leviathan blood, an Archangel must collect angelic relics and return them to Heaven before the transit of Mercury to prevent the Undoing… a period where demons can take control of the earth and negate the power of Heaven.

To earn back his wings, he’s tasked with preventing this from occurring by any means necessary. Even if it includes working with a Cambion female who is too nosy for her own good, or getting caught breaking into the Vatican. They did say ‘any means necessary’, didn’t they?

Evil is insidious, and lurks in the most unassuming of disguises. But people are stronger together, and true love is worth fighting for, even if you have to give up everything you thought you needed and wanted in order to keep it. He may be a protector of the world, but he failed to protect something far more important- his heart.

Sometimes, redemption comes in a way you least expect it to. Sometimes, sacrifice is worth the cost.

Share an excerpt

Clearing his throat, he couldn’t help the faint ghost of a smile as she jumped, eyes widening as she whirled on him, spatula in hand like a weapon. “I apologize, Ma’am. I should have announced my presence before entering.”

“I think I liked you better when you were dying. My name is Baylin, not ma’am. I am not old enough to be a ma’am, thank you very much. And stop with the old-world politeness crap. You’re in modern day America, speak like it. I’m making cinnamon pancakes. If you don’t like them, tough, I don’t take special requests. We got milk, orange juice, apple juice, water, tea, or soda. Pick your poison, glasses are on the top shelf. I’d like apple juice, if you would.”

Raziel stared, slightly open-mouthed. She’d said all of this without taking more than a breath or two, while flipping the pancakes on the griddle at the same time. Her free hand pointed towards the cabinet where he assumed the glasses were located, and she never once turned to face him. The irreverence was something he was not used to, but the smell of food was making his stomach cramp in hunger. He’d intended on leaving right away, but he supposed it would be only polite to stay since she’d already cooked for him.

Dutifully collecting glasses, he poured apple juice in both before putting them on the tile coasters helpfully located on the table. Taking the chair he’d used last night, he kept quiet as she worked, not wanting to distract her. As she sat across from him, he thanked her before bowing his head to give thanks. He may be Fallen, but he wasn’t completely lost yet.

Glancing up, he spotted Baylin eyeing him curiously. For the first time in a long time, a flush heated his cheeks. She knew he was something ‘other’, but as she’d caught him fighting demonic factions, she’d likely assumed he was aligned with a different one of theirs. Seeing him praying was likely unexpected, given what little she’d managed to ascertain about him since she’d given him shelter only a few short hours ago.

He supposed he should come clean, somewhat. She couldn’t know everything, of course, but he could at least give her something in thanks for her help. “My name is Raziel. I am… was an Archangel. Obviously some habits still hold sway. I have a mission to accomplish. What you stumbled into last night was the aftermath of it. Or, a part of it. I won’t be taking up much more of your time or generosity, though I thank you for your hospitality. It is appreciated.”

“An Archangel. I don’t think I’ve ever met one of those before. You guys aren’t really well represented on Earth, you know. What do you mean ‘was’? Are you Fallen? Did you break a vow? Something worse? Is that why you have a mission to do? You don’t have to worry about taking up my time. I already talked to Lenore first thing this morning and explained the circumstances. She gave me a few days off to look after you and make sure your wounds were tended to.”

Raziel’s lip twisted into a grimace, but he covered it by quickly shoving a forkful of the pancakes into his mouth. He couldn’t answer those questions without revealing his deepest shame, that he hadn’t Fallen. He’d been changed against his will. His absolution depended on finding these artifacts and bringing them home. That she’d already requested time off work didn’t bode well for him getting rid of her easily. She seemed determined to see him through the healing period. Something which he did not need. Noticing she’d gone quiet, he glanced up, spotting her toying with her food. She’d eaten only a few bites, compared to his plate, where half the stack was gone. “You okay?”

Shaking her head in the negative, she pushed the plate aside. “I suppose I should tell you a bit more about myself as well. So you don’t find out some other way. I’m a Cambion. My mother was human, but my father was a demon. They were killed when I was just a child. I don’t remember much of them. Just bits and pieces. I promise you, I have no ties to the demonic beings here. This place is warded because they came after us. My dad dared to love a human, for that, we all had to die. Since I lived, they’ve hunted me ever since. I have no allegiance to those murderers and monsters. Anyone who takes a life is foul and deserves to die. You’ll come to no harm here.”

Do you have a favorite scene?

I love almost every scene with Gabriel! He’s just so snarky and bad-tempered. It’s so fun to play him and Raziel off of each other, even more entertaining when Baylin gets added into the mix. They are definitely not a good trio for working together, and as Gabriel is the cause of the biggest misunderstanding in the story, the camaraderie does not get better between he and Baylin by the end. In fact, I’m pretty sure neither can stand the sight of the other by the time everything is over. -laughs-

What advice would you give a beginner?

Forget following trends. Forget trying to be perfect, or judging yourself by what everyone else is doing. There will be bad days, months. Years. You will look at your pros and cons list for continuing on and feel discouraged and like a failure. Things will happen that will make you feel like you’ve done everything wrong, or aren’t giving enough. Do not let those voices win. Writing is a passion, and we must do it first and foremost because we love it and HAVE to write.

After that, everything else? We can learn to market better, to promote, to find better genre-specific covers. We can learn to tweak our voice as authors, to craft better narratives. That can all be taught, learned, or come with experience. But never forget to remember to love what you do. Don’t ever let the pressures of it being a career make you feel like a failure because you aren’t hitting the same goalposts someone else is.

Your goalposts might just be a little different and tailored to YOU.

Other books by Mandi

Half Past Dread

Shadows of a thousand years.
Rise again unseen.
Voices whisper in the trees,
nothing is ever as it seems.

Monsters exist, whether they be real or wholly in our minds. Some of us enjoy the fear of the unknown, the thrill of danger that comes from something we can’t understand. Others like to delve into the deepest recesses of the human mind, to discover what lurks beneath an ordinary facade.

Whether you want to be afraid of what lurks in the dark, or to wonder about the evil surrounding you everyday, Half Past Dread has something for everyone. A Liliom Press publication, enjoy 4 chilling stories from our spookiest authors yet!

A.L. Gray
Mandi Konesni
Michelle Savage
J. Truesdell

Kira Malone Chronicles

PREY- Not everything that goes bump in the night is your imagination. Kidnapped by a monster from lore she never believed in, Kira realizes the world is far scarier and more terrible than she ever imagined. Trapped and injured, the prey must be stronger than the predator. What do you do when you have no other choice? You fight. You survive. You live to battle another day.

ROGUE- What could be worse than horror movie rejects preying on women? Those that feast on pregnant women. Armed with nothing more than courage and a little luck, Kira and Andy dive into a case that could prove deadly in so many ways. When it comes to legends, mothers really don’t always know best.

RELIC- You’d think ‘don’t steal’ would be fairly self-explanatory, but there you’d be wrong. Stealing from an archaeological site is just asking for trouble, as our hapless victims soon learn. Desperate to solve the case before anyone else gets hurt, Kira and Andy put themselves in harm’s way, unleashing a vengeful creature hellbent on their demise. When seconds count, help is minutes behind.

Risque Romance Vol 1

AWAKENED- Mia was perfectly happy with her boring mid-twenties life, thank you very much. So she didn’t have many friends, or a man. Maybe her job kind of sucked, and hobbies hadn’t caught up with her yet. There was still plenty of time, at least that’s what she told herself each night before tucking into her lonely bed. Then tall, dark, and sinful Erik blazed into her life, showing her all that she was missing…and more. After finally experiencing real bliss, could she truly let him go?

ENTHRALLED- Tired of living a solitary existence for centuries, Dieri Bastiz sought peace from the Romani that had cursed him so long ago. The same ones that he’d hunted until he’d sated his thirst for vengeance. When Mirela appears into his path like a bird in flight, he finds the spark his life had been missing for so long. Yet all is not as it seems at this quiet faire. Can monsters truly be redeemed, or does loyalty reign?

What would you risk, to have it all?

Risque Romance Vol 2

UNLEASHED- Naomi Trahern is as straight laced as they come. She deals in facts and cold hard science. Stubborn to the core, she hasn’t met a theory she can’t solve. That is, until a visit to the Amazon rainforest yields a sample she just can’t explain. Trapped with a larger than life jaguar in a sunken temple, Naomi is forced to accept that her cut and dry world isn’t so easily explained after all. When two worlds collide and the steamy jungle unleashes fantasies hidden in the depths of night, can Naomi embrace the extraordinary and unexplained, or does reality rear its head and pull her home?

CONSUMED- Bored of a solitary existence, a titan goddess creates Esoteric Inc, an agency that handles cases “normal” Private Investigators wouldn’t touch. Then Ryder Dreki, alpha of the Icelandic dragons, steps into her office. His request? Assist him with locating a kidnapped dragonling as well as the Stone of Wisdom, stolen from his hoard. When Ryder demands to accompany her, she soon realizes that dealing with a hot-headed, arrogant dragon was definitely not in her job description. When Ryder is attacked, Electra must choose… protect the world, or protect the scaled menace she’s grown to love.

What would you risk to have it all?

Links

Website- https://www.mandikonesni.com

Newsletter- https://www.mandikonesni.com/newsletter

Review Request Form- https://goo.gl/forms/9qzsXMPeDYxa2SsA2

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mandikauthor

Twitter- https://twitter.com/mandikauthor

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/mandikonesni/

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/author/mandikonesni

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/mandi_konesni

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/mandikauthor/

Bookbub- https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mandi-konesni

Purchase Links:

Jo Seysener

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Jo Seysener and I met on social media. She’s from Australia which is one of my favorite places and one I want to visit.

Author Bio

Tell us about yourself.

Jo Seysener is a mum of three crazy kids and a rambunctious, 32kg lapdog. When she’s not exposing her kids to cult stories from her childhood, she can be found attempting to re-life browning herbs and tortured orchids. She writes picture books for children through Library for All – a non-profit organisation encouraging literacy in third world nations. She also writes speculative fiction for adults, collecting a growing number in anthologies. Jo lives with her husband near Brisbane, Australia. She adores alpacas.

I’m a SAHM of three amazing, young children who both give me joy and test my love daily. I live near Brisbane, Australia with my husband and 32kg lounge shark and muse. My kitchen shelf is decorated with tortured orchids and herbs in their umpteenth season of browning off. I adore alpacas.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

Like so many authors, I wrote from a young age. Then I graduated, began working several jobs to pay rent and survive uni…began working on my career. Writing suddenly wasn’t so significant.

At 34 I had my second child, and as a stay at home mum I have time (you, hearing those scoffs in the back ground – with kids, how do you have time?). I found it when the kids had an afternoon nap on hot days, hiding beneath ceiling fans away from the sun or on fresh mornings waiting for dance lessons to finish. Plus, we worked hard and were triply blessed with three sound sleepers just after my third child arrived.

I got involved with local groups, slammed myself with my first NanoWriMo and joined a stack of groups on social media. Suddenly I was in my element writing every day, and loving it.

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in?

Writing – I write picture books for Library for All, a not-for-profit Brisbane based organization who aim to increase literacy in third world nations. They are wonderful to work with and always looking for new authors. http://Libraryforall.org

I also write speculative fiction for adults and am dabbling in romance this November for NanoWriMo.

I love to read college romances, dystopia and post-apocalyptic (Hugh Howey is my spirit animal). I adore historical fiction with an enormous word count that takes an age to finish, and I hate book hangovers ( thanks so much, Sarah J. Maas).

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

I write for all – titles like Greg and the Egg and duology Shari’s Busy Family & Feeding Shari are aimed at younger children and families; Veritas’ Ark and Sideshow Alley are speculative fiction for the New Adult market and adults. Next year will see more in the YA market.

What is your current release or project?

Sideshow Alley is on preorder now. It’s my first shot at publishing an anthology. A few years ago when I began meeting local authors, the wonderful ladies at the Springfield Writers Group helped get me on my feet and steer me in the right direction. I was blessed to be in their first two anthologies, and it made me realise I needed to give back. I fell into a group of uncertain and emerging local writers and decided to offer them the same opportunity as I was given. This morning I created a pre-order link, announcing 16 new author’s first publication. Cue mass celebration.

Tell us about the key characters.

Sideshow Alley is an anthology based around the magic and mystery of the carnival – and those who live there, focusing on both the light and dark side of surrealism.

Veritas’ Ark follows a young woman in search of herself in a punishing environment. Far in our future, the Earth has rebelled against humanity’s abuse. One wrong move – a sin – could be devastating to the community. Veritas is great at ignoring the rules, though Jase usually keeps her on track. Mind, they get into their fair share of trouble, with Jase’s younger brother Nestor, who seems determined to make Veritas’ life hell, as the catalyst.

Share an excerpt

Veritas’ Ark

His frame filled the doorway; one hand holding the door open, the other braced on the door frame. Lean muscles bunched beneath the soft fabric our weavers made, tendons lacing tanned forearms. He looked too big for such a fragile place but I knew he wouldn’t break anything. After all, he was the one who built the greenhouse.

For me.

His lips parted and he inhaled sharply. “V, what did you do?”

The words came out fast, breath hissing along with it. My grin faded and I followed his gaze as it swept the room with precision, missing nothing.

The greenhouse was a long, slim building, the delicate glass panes held firm by giant buttress roots Jase had encouraged to grow, thick trunks that framed my gardens. Where light normally shone through was covered with dark green foliage, the heart shaped leaves overly large just the way I had designed them. But that wasn’t what held his attention.

Plants grew out of control all the time. It was the Earth’s prerogative. I was allowed to cultivate, even cross a few plants together. Pollinate what the insects couldn’t. But that was where it ended. I wasn’t allowed to Create; certainly not like this. 

Tiny, glowing balls hovered in the air, suspended on thin vines almost invisible in the dim light. One of the Sky People had described a sun to me and I had been determined to make one, even though I knew it would get me into strife.

Jase stared at the mini suns, his hand drifting up to touch one. It bobbed against his skin and he grinned. I sighed with relief until his eyes flashed at me. I gulped.

“You shouldn’t have done this,” he growled, voice low enough to send sparks up my spine. I shifted uncomfortably. I hated Jase being angry with me. The corner of his mouth tugged us as he continued playing with the plant. It wrapped his around his arm, crawling up to his neck. He batted it away.

“This is too much,” he murmured. “You’re pushing it too far.”

Do you have a favorite scene?

Later in the story there is a community dinner scene at the edge of the clearing. Jase and Veritas disappear into the trees to a favourite rock where they watch twilight fall over the frozen skyscape where rainbows dance above them. Veritas watches Jase flirt with another girl after an enormous day, wondering if he should be spending more time with someone far more normal that her.

Through her bluster – the great ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ attitude – Veritas shows a vulnerability she usually hides from everyone  – including herself. 

Social media links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joseysener

Twitter www.twitter.com/JSeysener

Instagram www.instagram.com/fancynancyer

Other

www.joseysener.com

Blog link www.fourquills.com

Purchasing links

www.books2read.com/SideshowAlley

Alexandria Sure

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Alexandria Sure and I met at an event in Indiana. She’s another midwesterner so I had to ask her. Her book is on my to read list.

Author Bio

Alexandria Sure is from Michigan and adores her supportive family, her two rescue pups, and her mighty Spartans. Her coffee obsession leads her to writing in local coffee shops where characters come alive between salted caramel lattes and large cups of “cold brew extra cream two Splenda,” which are usually on the counter when she walks in because the baristas know her car. (Thanks, Biggby!)

When she is not writing, she spends a great deal of her time perfecting her craft. She is an active member of Capital City Writers Association and attends several writing conferences each year.

Sure’s first novel, Before Him Comes Me, is an unconventional romance of self-discovery.

Tell us about yourself.

 Hello. My name is Alexandria Sure and I write contemporary romance. I’ve published three books out; Before Him Comes Me, In the Pursuit of Charity, and Credence Woods.

I reside in the great state of Michigan in the heart of Spartan country. Can you tell I am a major Michigan State fan? My two Jack Russell Terriers, Oliver and Elliott, run right over my life and keep me on my toes. My addiction to coffee is so strong that I named my read group, Sure’s Coffee Shop.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

My first attempt at writing a novel was Before Him Comes Me.  I started writing September 1, 2014.  I was 44. In other words, I didn’t know I could write a book until an author friend told me to put my behind (not the word used) in the chair and start writing. I was a reader … not an author. But, I learned that three hundred words every day for a year equaled a first draft. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in?

I am a fan of the romance genre. I love it!! I can’t get enough of it. When I am not writing or editing … I read romance. When I say read, I mean devour. I took the summer off from writing and I read roughly forty books. I decided to go back and read the ‘classics’. (Well, my classics) Christina Lauren, Raine Miller, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Sylvia Day, Kylie Scott. Then I dove into new-to-me authors and fell in love with Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. I could go on and on but I’ll spare you. LOL

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

Excellent question!

Before Him Comes Me is the first BDSM book written without sex. In the Pursuit and Credence Woods deal with body image and acceptance. I would say my books are for adults because of the themes.

What is your current release or project?

Well, my current project is being announced TODAY! I have been invited to write in the Cocky Hero Club and I couldn’t be more thrilled. It is an honor to write in a world that I have enjoyed reading. I hope you will join the Cocky Hero Club group to learn more.

In the Pursuit of Charity excerpt

“I heard you the other night collecting money from your bet.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re going to need to be a little more specific than that, I’m afraid.”

What the hell? Who is this girl? Is she running numbers?

Linc closed his book and leaned forward. “The night after the playoff game in the diner. OT foul shot. ‘Padgett is your boy!'”

She laughed, and it sounded like pure happiness and smart-ass twisted into a bow.

That laugh is amazing.

“Easy money,” she said, as she continued laughing.

As suddenly as she laughed, she stopped. “What do you want? I need to study. I don’t have time for jokes–”

“Great, let’s study,” he said, cutting her off. He opened his textbook and started reading. He felt her studying him, but bore in on the Principles of Secondary Education.

After an hour, Linc stretched and stood up. Linc’s eyes traveled over her face as if she were a live painting. She looked up him, and his heart flopped.

“Would you like a refill?”

“I’m fine.”

“Finally, we’ve found some common ground. But I was asking you what you want to drink.”

He watched her expression morph from confusion to embarrassment. Her mouth opened and shut without words escaping.

You could tell me your name.

As Linc approached the counter, Shelley greeted him with a full-teeth smile. “Well, look who came back. What can I get for you today?”

“Do you see the girl over there in the oversize MSU shirt? Do you happen to know what she orders?” Linc turned to catch the girl looking him over. Her eyes quickly returned to her book.

And, there it is. Confidence level back where it belongs.

Annoyed at being ignored, the barista’s bubbly disposition faded. “She’s a vanilla latte and a coffee cake muffin.”

“I’ll take two of the latte things.” After checking the numbers on a twenty, Linc paid for the coffee. He turned, hoping to catch her eyes on him again.

Come on, Pretty. Show me your eyes.

“I’m going to make yours special,” Shelley added with a wink, as she handed him the change.

He leaned against the counter and examined his dollar bills for winning numbers. Shelley winked again as she set the coffees on the counter.

Thanks, but no.

Linc placed one of the cups in front of his tablemate. “One vanilla latte.” He settled in across from her with his first ever vanilla latte.

“This one’s yours.”

Linc smiled at her. “Nope. They’re the same.”

Alexis slowly turned the cup around to reveal a phone number written across the cup in black marker.

In the Pursuit of Charity blurb

He expected her to recognize him.

He expected her to be seduced by his charms.

He expected her to fall for him.

Expectations are a funny thing …

When his parents named him Herbert Lincoln James, they already had expectations that Linc would attend an ivy league university and go into politics. Linc didn’t. As captain of his swim team, he was expected to win the big relay to carry his swim team to the state championship for the first time in decades. Linc didn’t. Society expected him to walk past her. He couldn’t.

She expected him to see through her.

She expected him to make her into a joke.

She expected him to be cruel.

Expectations are a funny thing …

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/WHqBAGeHFqA

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2s7BLC0

In the Pursuit of Charity author notes

In the Pursuit of Charity is about the captain of a college swim team who falls for a large woman. The story explores the reactions friends, society, and Alexis, the woman he falls for, reaction to a gorgeous guy wanting an obese woman. This is a story that has made readers experience all the feels. This is a very personal story as I weighed over four hundred pounds when I wrote it. I hope that you will give it a chance.

Tell us about the key characters

Not ready to share that yet but, when it’s time, I will definitely come back and spill all the beans.

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

LOL… I still need to write it.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

Outline … then it gets thrown out the window once I am in the thick of it all

Do you have a favorite spot to write?

My home office and/or Starbucks. 

What do you do when you are not writing?

I work full-time.  So … there is not a lot of extra time.  I squeeze family and friends in when I am able.  Luckily, they are supportive of my writing.

What advice would you give a beginner?

Sit down and write. If you have a story in your head … behind in the chair and do it. Also, reach out to your writing community. NaNoWriMo is next month and that is an amazing place to start getting your feet wet. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to write 50K words in 30 days. There are online and local groups that one can join to get involved in their local writing community. nanowrimo.org 

Author Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pqQ8DR

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alexandria-Sure-283345031858469/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexandriaSure

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwBP8A7XIMZub-rMph6uFKA

Instagram: https://instagram.com/authoralexandriasure/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9841965.Alexandria_Sure

Website: https://alexandriasure.com/

FB Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SureCoffeeShop/

Mahogany SilverRain

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Mahogany SilverRain and I met through social media. She writes about diversity in her children’s books (Under K.R. Vance). Her book is based in Georgia which made me chuckle as two of my daughters live in Atlanta.

Author Bio

I have eleven self-published books, including a children’s book about my family and it’s multiracial status. My husband is Italian/Dutch, his daughter from is first marriage is Malaysian/Japanese, my eldest daughter is Hispanic/Native American, I am Creole/Haitian/Nigerian and according to tests, 20% Asian, and 15% Hispanic. 

My children’s book is called My Rainbow Family.  I plan to write more children’s books in the future as K.R. Vance. My other books under Mahogany SilverRain are mainly paranormal/diverse/contemporary/historical romance. I currently have ten published on Amazon.

I have been through quite a bit of changes and challenges, but I will always keep going because my life was spared last year when bilateral pulmonary embolisms, (blood clots in both lungs), nearly took me out. I want to do my best to serve my purpose on this earth. I love to help people, I love to compliment and lift people up.  You never know what kind of day someone is having and if a smile or a kind word can make their day, then why not do that? I have a big heart and I genuinely love people. I live with my husband and two of our six children, including the family’s pets of three sassy cats and one silly, but lovable German Shepard in Warner Robins, GA.

Tell us about yourself.

In addition to being an author, I am also a personal trainer, a bodybuilder and I won 2nd place overall in my first Women’s Bodybuilding competition in 2014, fulfilling a dream I had as a teenager. I completed it in my 40’s! However, life happens and two years ago I needed back surgery and this year, neck surgery. I don’t like taking pain pills so I had my doctor put in permanent spine stimulation. I literally have to ‘charge’ my battery in my back every Friday!

My kids call me a cyborg because I have so much metal in my body. It keeps the pain at bay as it provides direct stimulation to the nerves. My orthopedic surgeon says I have degenerative discs that break down over time, it slowed me down quite a bit, but I am making a good recovery and I can get back to doing some of the things I like to do. I am also a licensed Zumba instructor, a yoga instructor, Tai Chi and group fitness trainer. While I can’t lift weights anymore, I put together a series of movements that I can do. Tai Chi for balance, yoga for balance and strength, Zumba and walking for cardio, and resistance bands for strength as well. I am also a licensed and certified to teach ESL (English as a second language), to young students ages 5-12. I am currently working with students in Beijing, China.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

Thirteen years ago, after my younger sister, Heide Hubbard, passed away. She always encouraged me to publish, but I was too afraid. I published my first book in honor of her.

What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?

I love to read paranormal romance, the genre I write in plus mysteries, science fiction and crime thrillers. Having a Christian, spiritual background and being from New Orleans, LA, I have learned a lot about the supernatural and the spirit realm. I write these things in my books not just to entertain readers, but give them a glimpse of what is possible. I am a firm believer that everything is possible and nothing is purely coincidental.

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

Adults

What is your current release or project?

Tell Me You Love Me is book one of the Kenya Clark Series and the second one, The Rise of Lucius Morningside is set for November 1st release. I have also written a special edition of Love Bytes: A Vampire’s Tale as a prequel to my novel, formerly known as The Blood Rose. I am working on the second novel to Blood Rose, (no formal title yet), the second book for Passion’s Pride series, (all cat shifters because I love cats! Leonessa is a lion and Alejandro is a jaguar), called Passion’s Pride: Alejandro. It will be my first male lead as I mainly write about heroines, but I really like this story of a man searching for himself and discovering love along the way. I am also considering telling my life’s story, all the struggles, physically, mentally, all the pain and heartbreak and how it has shaped who I am today. I also have an audio book of Passion’s Pride: Leonessa on Amazon. The producer, Tony Walker is awesome and I love how engaging his voice is; his accent for Leonessa and the people of Freetown, Sierra Leone is impeccable!

Tell us about the key characters.

Kenya Clark is a special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Paranormal Crimes Investigation Unit. She is also a mambo, which is a Vodoun priestess. She has an ability to see the crimes from the eyes of the victim by touching an object in the crime scene. She is tough, sexy, intelligent, but gun shy when it comes to relationships because she is carrying a torch, (for fifteen years), for her boss, Deputy Director Daniel Michaels. She respects his position and her own and she doesn’t want to mess that up.

Daniel Michaels is a tough, old school cop turned federal agent. Handsome and fast becoming a silver fox. He is in love with Kenya, but doesn’t admit it to himself or her until he sees her with Darrin Selinsky, a fellow agent. Daniel trusts Kenya to do her job and admires her.

Darrin Selinsky is also an agent, but not with the Paranormal Crimes Investigation Unit. Handsome, cocksure with an itchy trigger finger, he’s considered as the bureau’s golden boy. He is pulled in on Kenya’s case because the initial investigation warranted someone with an Egyptology background. He does not like the supernatural because he was duped by crafty witch and it left him heartbroken, penniless and a little bitter. However, once he gets to know Kenya, he comes to respect what she does professionally and personally.

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

Breaking the laws of magic, it unleashes a supernatural serial killer on the city of Atlanta, Georgia…

They have given special Agent Kenya Clark of the GBI Paranormal Crimes the case. Her assigned partner, Darrin Selinsky, hates having anything to do with the supernatural. Kenya has a gift that allows her to see the crime through the eyes of the victim. However, in this case, she sees through the eyes of the killer! To solve the case, she must find out what her connection to the killer is, but will Darrin swallow his pride and let her perform her duties using supernatural means, even if it messes with his mind, body and soul?

Share an excerpt.

Hawkins hated supernatural crime scenes like this and still believed that the Paranormal Crimes Investigation Unit of GBI was a joke, but his captain insisted they needed to cooperate with the Agents and he did so grudgingly. He motioned for Kenya to follow him, and Kenya withdrew her hand nonchalantly, following closely behind him, shaking her head at his rudeness.

What a jerk! It was bad enough she had to work with Selinsky, but now she had to deal with Detective Hawkins, who seemed agitated by her presence.
It was nothing she had not dealt with before, fellow officers thinking her abilities were a joke and not real police work. However, being a former police officer, she at least deserved a professional courtesy.

No such luck as Hawkins curtly showed her to the master bedroom and made a hasty retreat downstairs without so much as a quick briefing on the crime scene, but no matter, she could manage much better on her own. Kenya entered the bedroom, quietly feeling the energy in it.

She always carried a small bottle of Van Van oil in her left pants pocket for spiritual protection along with a small bottle of sea salt and her standard issue Sig Sauer P228 tucked firmly in her shoulder holster for corporeal protection. She never left her home without anointing herself and any jewelry she wore that day with the Van Van oil. She looked around the nicely decorated bedroom with its soft blue tones, nothing overly masculine, and she felt that maybe Steven’s late wife had her influence here.

She walked cautiously toward the body on the four-poster bed, but turned around suddenly as she felt a presence in the room and looked toward the master bathroom where Agent Darrin Selinsky jumped, slightly startled by her presence. He did not realize anyone was in the room. He was tall with a lean muscular build, shifting his weight uneasily in his boots, faded blue jeans, white shirt, and blue blazer. His brown hair was short around the sides, back and longer on the top. Kenya thought maybe that he had been in the military at some point. His pale green eyes watched Kenya with suspicion.

He had been there for about half an hour waiting on her and seeing her now; He thought she looked way too attractive to be in law enforcement or a witch, but it could be just a glamour. Darrin really did not want to be here. They had briefed him on Kenya’s credentials when they gave him the case. However, it was Kenya’s supernatural abilities that bothered him the most about her. Witches, what was so special about them, anyway? He thought to himself. As for Darrin, he thought they should bring back the witch trials and burn them all, and then maybe crimes like this would not happen.

“Aw and here I thought I could watch the show without interruption,” he began, “oh well, don’t let me stop you, go ahead and do your ‘hocus pocus’ thing so we can wrap this up!” Darrin folded his arms, leaned on the doorway, and sucked on the inside of his jaw impatiently.

“Well, you are the expert on Egypt, why don’t you tell me what happened?” Kenya replied.

“Oh Darlin, this has got nothing to do with anything Egyptian, this one is all yours. I don’t even know why Director Michaels asked me to join you. Clearly, this is beyond me, but hey, if you two want to be alone, I’ll give y’all some privacy, I mean it is an impressive erection and it shouldn’t go to waste… “ His sarcasm dripped from every pore like sap from a tree.

Kenya swallowed hard and tried to remain professional even though she wanted so badly to beat his butt for being disrespectful. There was no reason for him to be this unprofessional and crass.

“First off, I’m not your darling and second, there is enough negativity in this room already, I don’t need yours, if you don’t want to be here, there’s the door because I have a job to do and I will do it! And if you say anything remotely sexual to me again, I will bring you up on sexual harassment charges so fast, your head will spin!”

“Ooh did I piss off the big bad witch?” Darrin retorted.

“I’m a priestess, not a witch, and no I’m not totally pissed off yet, but whatever did this to our victim just might be, so unless you want her hunting you, I suggest you leave me to do my job, OK?”

Darrin felt a sudden chill go up his spine at Kenya’s words and he cleared his throat, “Oh my bad, excuse me… so what makes you think a woman did this?” He asked, not turning off the sarcasm despite his growing fear.

Kenya did not answer but shot him a look of disgust coupled with impatience. His irritating presence would be a hindrance to her. She motioned for him to leave.

He paused before taking a step. “Right… well I’ll just be in the hallway if you ah… need me for anything.” He could not get out of there fast enough, Kenya did not look threatening, but something in her eyes let him know he was on shaky ground if he continued to mess with her.

Kenya knew Darrin did not mean what he said, his pain and his pride had been showing and even as irritated as she was, she had forgiven him instantly, but it was still nice to see him bolt out the room so she could work.

She noticed the dust for fingerprints on the bedroom furniture so it would not be an issue for her to touch something now. The only way she could know what happened was to touch the bed, without gloves.

After making sure Darrin was actually in the hallway, she touched the headboard of the master bed. She immediately saw Steven lying there, happy, smiling and reaching for her.

This vision was different, she should have been seeing this through Steven’s eyes, not looking at Steven, something was wrong. She walked over to him; he pulled her in for a kiss. It felt so real, the whole scene playing out before her until Steven took his last breath. Suddenly, Kenya awoke from her vision to find she was naked and straddling Darrin Selinsky on the bed, his hardness deep inside her.

“What the hell? Selinsky!” Embarrassment and fear flooded her body.

“Whoa, take it easy will ya? You don’t have to be so forceful Clark, but if this is how you work, I think I will enjoy working with you,” he teased nervously, unsure of what was happening. Darrin had felt Steven’s happiness and lust, but also felt his pain and anguish; It excited and unnerved him at the same time.

Only moments before Kenya’s vision began, Darrin’s curiosity had gotten the better of him and he peeked into the bedroom to watch Kenya work when she called to him. He didn’t really understand why he went back in except that he felt drawn to her, lustfully wanting her as if driven mad with desire by something. She was attractive, but this was something he had never felt before. It was as if he were completely in love with her. His body throbbed and stiffened as she pushed him on the bed and removed his clothing. He kissed her hard, full of want and need. He caressed her and felt a longing he never felt before as he began to remove her clothing.

“Tell me you love me,” she had whispered to him. He professed his love without a thought. Joy and ecstasy filled him as she removed his clothing and found him hard and ready, she eagerly straddled and mounted him. He grabbed her hips and thrust himself inside her. After a few moments, his body tightened and his release was imminent, only he began to have trouble breathing.

He looked up at Kenya, her eyes glowing as she showed no signs of stopping but continued to rock her hips faster. He released powerfully inside her, caught between pleasure and pain, his chest tightened and he began to panic when suddenly, Kenya snapped out of whatever trance she had been in and stopped moving, breaking the connection.

Kenya quickly moved off him, breathing heavily, mortified as she realized she actually just had sex with Darrin! Something was wrong; She usually only viewed what happens to the victims, not physically act it out! She searched the room for her clothing, her gun and holster, grabbing them and retreated hastily into the bathroom.

Her head throbbed, her heart pounded in her chest. What the hell was that? Ok, breathe Kenya, there has to be an explanation! Kenya began to take slow deep breaths and then she cringed even more as she realized Darrin came inside her, without a condom! Could this day get any worse?

Darrin slowly stood up and dressed not understanding everything that just took place. His chest ached and his head throbbed as he went to the mirror over the dresser, smoothed his dark brown hair back into place, a bit unnerved, and embarrassed though he would try not to let it show. The smell of Kenya’s sex and the smell of coconut oil lingered on his clothing. Despite everything, he still felt somewhat excited and tried to settle his body and his mind. Aw hell man, shake it off, just shake it off. This was some powerful magic and though he was afraid, at the same time he sort of liked it.

Kenya fixed her makeup and hair in front of the bathroom mirror. After a few more deep breaths, she pulled herself together and forced herself to walk back out to the bedroom where Darrin stood leaning against the far wall near the bedroom door. He stared at her silently, a look of curiosity coupled with a boyish smile. He could not help himself.

“You, ah… wanna explain to me what just happened here Clark? Is this something that you usually do when you investigate?” His voice was shaky, his earlier arrogance now completely gone.

“I’m not really sure… I mean, honestly it’s never happened like that before,” Kenya said, her voice almost as shaky as his. “I usually only see what happens, and it’s usually through the victim’s eyes, not the killer’s… I don’t know why I actually… why we…,” Kenya felt her face heat with embarrassment and she blushed. She had no real explanation, and she worried that Darrin might not believe her or worse, think she seduced him on purpose. That was the last thing she would ever want to do. It was unprofessional, and she was not looking to date anyone, especially anyone from the bureau.

“Wow, really? That was really ah… intense, for lack of a better word.” Darrin finally managed after a few more awkward seconds. He could not stop the nervous smile that formed on his face. He wanted to say amazing because he had enjoyed it, a bit too much maybe, until he had trouble breathing. He didn’t want to reveal or admit that part, he just met her today but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was definitely something different about Kenya, and he wanted to know more.

“It’s been like that my whole life, the visions, I mean. My dad says it’s my gift, a blessing, but sometimes… it doesn’t feel that way…” Kenya’s voice trailed off. She was too ashamed to look at him directly, but slowly, she forced herself to.

Darrin’s smile faded as he suddenly realized she had not meant for this to happen and worse off, he could see she how embarrassed she looked. Darrin suddenly felt bad for teasing her. She was genuine and the look of pain and shame on her pretty face was priceless. He could not imagine going through something like that at every crime scene. He also realized he had been wrong to judge her prematurely; She had an excellent reputation as an agent and he had not been a professional with her at all.

Do you have a favorite scene?

Yes, the scene in chapter thirteen when they are in Darrin’s truck on their way to another crime scene. The tension between them is priceless. He had just kissed her for the first time at Wally’s Soul Food Cafe and they sat in silence thinking about that kiss.

“Darrin drove them to the house in Decatur, a very nice suburb of Atlanta. They were silent the whole way save for an occasional cough or clearing of the throat. Both were deep in thought about the kiss they shared at the cafe. Luke Bryan’s song, I Don’t Want This Night To End, was on the radio. Darrin tapped his left foot to the song and Kenya reached over and gently laid her left hand on his right leg and squeezed lightly. Darrin’s body reacted, and he turned to look at her. He picked her hand up, squeezing it before kissing it softly. He turned back to looking at the road, cradling her hand in his.”

What advice would you give a beginner?

Have thick skin and do not give up! Keep writing no matter what others say, keep actively pursing your dream. Be open to constructive criticism. Learn from your mistakes but don’t let anyone keep you from writing. Everyone has doubts now and then. Learn how to write a hook to catch the reader’s attention. Other writers know how you feel, join a group and surround yourself with positive people who will help and encourage you. There are lots of Facebook groups for writer and authors, also Hope Writers and Word Weavers are two fantastic groups for aspiring writers and authors.

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/ladymahogany3

Blog link https://www.mahoganysilverrain.net/blog
Purchasing links https://www.mahoganysilverrain.net/product-page/tell-me-you-love-me-kenya-clark-series-book-1-epub

Sean Vlk

by eileentroemel, posted in Author Interview

Sean Vlk and I met through social media. His debut novel was publishing in August.

Author Bio

Sean Vlk was born in St.  Petersburg,  FL on July 5, 1988 to parents,  Mark Vlk and Valerie Beasley.  At age 3, his parents divorced,  and he went to live primarily with his father in Lincoln, CA.  His father, through no fault of his own, was working the majority of the time for the US Coast Guard; a 20 year veteran, leaving Sean alone to his own devices. Throughout his childhood he enjoyed  many pleasures: cinema; music; reading; and most importantly–discovering his passion for writing.  He began writing small poems,  short stories,  and novella for his friends and acquaintances in school, finding that most found his work to be amazing,  creative and detailed. 

​Today,  he resides in the scenic countryside of Odessa,  WA,  with his partner,  Tasha,  and his three children: Jude; Kyla; and Riley. He released his first novel,  The State,  through self-publishing on August 24, 2019

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Sean K Vlk. I recently self-published my debut novel, The State, back in August of this year. I’m a lover of all literature. Reading and writing have always been two of my biggest hobbies in life. I always wanted to see my story, my words, between pages. Always. It’s an amazing feeling, it truly is.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

Honestly, since I was a young child–perhaps, around age ten or so. I used to write shorts, poetry, and novella for friends and family, who all seemed to like the work. I always enjoyed that fact: creating fictional characters and stories which people could relate to. There was, and is, just something special about that connection between the writer and their readers.

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in?

I am very eclectic when it comes to reading. Very. I simply cannot stress that enough. For example, I just finished doing an ARC reading for a fellow author (a wonderful horror piece by the title of A Necessary End). Now, I am rereading the philosophical piece, Simulacra and Simulation by Baudrillard. I have always been like that, one mixed bag of genres. From King to Fitzgerald, Bellamy to Huxley, Bradbury to Tolstoy. As such, yes, my writing reflects that eclectic mix.

My first novel, The State, is an adult dystopian with a mixture of themes ranging from love and hate, life and death, to philosophical ideals on existentialism and perceptional altruism. My current project, The First Sacrament, is a horror novel battling the guises of modern comforts, technology, the social hierarchies, death, and the overall duplicitous nature of people in general. After, I have a wide range of projects for consideration, ranging from crime thriller, to sci-fi, and even to western.

So, all in all; to answer the question, yes, the entirety of my body of work will eventually reflect my reading habits. Moreover, I will always sprinkle more into a certain genre than the norm. Besides, nobody likes reading something too one dimensional, right?

Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

Generally, my novels (as well as my shorts) would not be appropriate for anyone other than adults. I am usually very detailed, and my tales are heavy with violence, gore, some language, and even a little coitus. Now, that is just a broad description, as it were, not necessary describing my work as a whole. However, in the case of my debut novel, The State, these all happen to ring true. Fancy it as a movie with an R rating, if you wish. So, if you wouldn’t take your child or teenager to an R-rated movie, you probably wouldn’t want to let them read my books. Of course, that’s all a matter of parental perspective. I allow my oldest daughter, age twelve, to read my work. She both grasps and enjoys it, much as I did at her age. To each their own, I suppose.

What is your current release or project?

The State would be the newest book released, however, The First Sacrament is my current WIP.

Tell us about the key characters

The key characters in The State:

Agent 216 is the protagonist. Sort of a Winston-type character of Orwellian design, however, with one minor adjustment–he’s not simply a paper pusher. No. Agent 216 is a brutal, antihero in the beginning of the tale, committing grave atrocities and ruthless acts of callousness against innocents. In all honesty, he begins as someone you absolutely love to hate. A narcissistic, violent, sociopath.

However, throughout the book, he transitions from his position within the State, eventually becoming the leader of the rebellion, the Resistance. His journey is so moving, that most (not all, mind you) have been rooting for him by the end of the book. I won’t give away any details, but it gets a little tense in the third act.

Other mentionables (though, not all) would be Ophelia (his love interest),  the Commander (Resistance leader),  the Chancellor (State leader) , and the Prime Minister (the voice and face of the State).

In The First Sacrament:

Sawyer Briggs is the protagonist. A dark, lonely teen battling his own demons. Rowan is his love interest. The Giant or Elgin would be one of the main antagonists of the tale, although, characters such as Colton and KC run close seconds. Again, there are plenty more, but, just a taste is all for now.

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

The State

Embrace! Respect! Submit! The State is the last, and only symbol of control in the not-so-distant future. Fear is the only existence most know. Servitude is the brand upon all. The Resistance is the last, and only semblance of hope; of freedom. Journey with the struggles of the protagonist, Agent 216, as he makes the tumultuous transition from top Agent of the State to the eventual leader of the Resistance. It is a journey hard-fought, wrought with love and hate, death and life, violence and compassion, loss and gain. Yet, with determination and purpose he, as all within the Resistance, continues to fight for the one thing essential to existence—freedom. Will the Resistance prevail? Or will the State?

The First Sacrament ( WIP synopsis currently)

Twenty-four high school teens awaken in an abandoned slaughterhouse in Rosemont, WA. How did they get there? Why are they there? Answers, unfortunately, that come with a price. Beware the commencement of the ritual, the twenty-four pitted against one another for the amusement of a cult of unknown origin. Twenty-four hours to kill twenty-three of the others. Kill or be killed. No way around it. Death is inevitable. No one but the victor may leave the slaughterhouse alive. Who will it be?

Share an excerpt

The State, Pg. 24

(I’ll skip the excerpt from the other)

In essence, he was the State and the State was him. A singularly combined entity, one formed and stabilized by the diligence of statesmen like himself. That was the power of the State — a virtually unbridaled sense of entitlement enhanced by blind obedience and aggregate ferociousness. It was his duty therein to facilitate that power, to keep the cogs of the machine turning. If not for him and others like him, the State would cease to exist. Their very way of life would shatter in a cataclysm of anarchy and degradation rivaling that of ancient roaming barbarians. The State was the only way to survive.

Do you have a favorite scene?

Hmm. That’s a tough one. I really don’t want to give spoilers. For me, its probably a scene during the Hanging Day; a public execution of sorts, where someone is placed in the gallows that was not supposed to be there. That scene, writing and reading it, had me pumping my fist in the air with joy. The ‘fighting the system’ moment come to fruition, so to speak. For most, it’s one of the favorite parts of the book.

What advice would you give a beginner?

I would definitely advise someone starting out to do their research, as far as marketing is concerned. Find your target audience, explore what your genre has to offer, and most definitely, place your work on preorder while doing so. Reviews are what you need. That will help you reach your audience. And, read. Again, that’s: read. Reading gives the most basic blocks to writing in any field. As such, the more you read, the better your writing will become.

Social media links:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thestatenovel/

All works can be found on this website:

https://seanvlk.weebly.com

Purchasing links

The State

Ebook

Paperback

Hardcover

http://www.lulu.com/shop/sean-k-vlk/the-state/hardcover/product-24237773.html