An Interview With Ember Raine Winters

Today on ARCBookBlog we have Ember Raine Winters, who has agreed to be interviewed by me, before we get to the questions, though, this is what Ember has to say about herself.

Ember Raine Winters went to community college to study political science and philosophy. She is currently taking classes to get her BS in business majoring in Sports management. She is an avid reader who enjoys fantasy and science fiction with a little romance thrown in as well. She loves writing Science Fiction, mainly dystopian, but is trying her hand in Fantasy as well.

Now it’s time for a few questions.

Me – What inspired you to write your most recent book?

ERW – My most recent book Beautiful Delusions was a labor of love. I saw a decided lack of heroines in romance who suffered from PTSD and since it is a cause extremely close to my heart, I decided to write just that.

Me – Are your characters based on people you know?

ERW – The main character Kaylee and her sister-in-law Tara are loosely based on me and my sister-in-law. We both went through similar situations and have a kind of vulgar sense of humor! *chuckles* Everyone else are made up characters.

Me – Do you get ideas for books from things you see or experience, or do they just pop into your mind?

ERW – Many of my ideas are from things I see or stuff I hear on the news. A lot of Beautiful Delusions came from some of my own experiences.

Me – What genres do you write? Are they what you want to write? (I’ve always wanted to write fantasy, but crime and sci-fi are the genres I feel comfortable with, and where my ideas fit)

ERW – So far, I have written YA Dystopian and Romantic Suspense. They are genres that I want to write. I love writing more action packed stories. I eventually want to write some fantasy. I think it will be fun. It will probably be fantasy romance though.

Me – Which of your characters is your favourite?

ERW – By far, my favorite character is Trey. He is a supporting character in Beautiful Delusions but will eventually get his own book. He is the ultra-cocky, egomaniac and he is hilarious. He acts like a caveman and an overgrown child at the same time.

Me – Do you know where your stories are going to finish when you start?

ERW – Not at all! *laughs* I have no idea what is going to happen until I get there. My characters don’t give me that information. HAHA!

Me – What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to research or make up for a book?

ERW – The weirdest thing for me was probably having to research how long it takes for someone to bleed to death when they get shot in the femoral artery. It was extremely unnerving.

Me – If your book were to be adapted, would you prefer it to be a film, TV series or stage play?

ERW – I think if it was my choice I would say a movie. I don’t think it would make a good stage play.

Me – Would you ever permit/license the characters/world you have created for fan-fiction?

ERW – I think fanfiction would be the ultimate honor. To know that people like my stories and characters enough to write their own? I would absolutely love that.

And now a couple of slightly more fun questions

1 – Tea/Coffee or Hot Chocolate?

I’m really not into any of them. My vice is Diet Pepsi.

2 – Up early or up late?

Late. I am a night owl.

3 – Fast food or fancy restaurant?

Neither? I like more basic restaurants not so much fancy but also not fast food. Unless, it’s Taco Bell. I love Taco Bell!

4 – Dress up or dress down?

Dress down

5 – Watch a film or read a book?

Read a book

6 – Classical music or pop?

Pop

Beautiful Delusions (Pride and Honor Book 1)

Kaylee
One night . . .

One terrible accident . . .
That was all it took to turn my entire life upside-down. My PTSD is worse than ever. The terror I thought I left in my past is back, and this time I might not survive the horrors he promises to bring.

An old friend, Griffin, my best friend at one time bulldozes his way back into my life. He has the power to consume me. I want him… and that is terrifying. Can he actually protect me from the evil that wants to tear me apart?

Griffin
Fifteen years . . .

That’s how long I have let the guilt eat me alive for hurting her with my words the way I did. I never thought I would get the chance to atone for my sins. Now that I do, I will stop at nothing to help her, save her . . . keep her.

The only thing I want, apart from Kaylee in my bed, is to protect her from the monster who wants to destroy her.

Get your copy here 

https://twitter.com/ember_winters

http://www.facebook.com/authoremberrainewinters

http://emberrainewintersbookblog.wordpress.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15140261.Ember_Raine_Winters

Win a copy of Dangerous Victor

Do you like romance, I know there’s a lot of you out there that do, well here’s a great opportunity for you, my Goodreads friend Aislinn Kearns is running a giveaway for her most recent release, Dangerous Victor, which is part of her Soldiering on series.

There are 2 copies available to win, and you can try for your copy by entering at the following link

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251231652/

Even if romance isn’t your thing, you could help Aislinn by letting your friends who do like it about the competition

Dangerous Victor

Aislinn Kearns

 

 

Radha Iyer knows there’s something terribly wrong happening at the casino she manages. Her staff are acting cagey, the finances don’t add up, and then her Head of Security is found murdered in his own home. She’s out of her depth and desperate for help.

Zack Walker has kept to himself since the day an IED left him permanently scarred. When Radha calls Soldiering On for help, his degree in math makes him the obvious choice to go undercover as the new Head of Security to help her discover what’s going on and who’s responsible.

But the conspiracy they uncover goes deeper than either of them could have imagined. When their investigation is compromised, it puts them both in mortal peril and on the run. With nowhere to turn they must rely on each other, but danger and betrayal lurk in every shadow…

 

An interview with Groovy Lee

Today I have Groovy Lee on ARCBookblog, a lady who gives me TV envy, because my big screen clearly isn’t big enough. Before I get too upset about that, here’s Groovy to tell us all a bit about herself.

I was born in the deep south where the number four has two syllables. I somehow did not acquire that distinct Southern accent, but I am accustomed to expressions of “Yall”, “Ain’t”, and when I’m really mad–“Ain’t gonna!”.

I’m also addicted to bottled tea and cooking shows; I crochet and collect crystal. My best friend and Queen is my daughter who gets a foot massage from me after a long day:)

My most favorite time of the year is tennis season. When the French Open, Wimbledon, and The US Open are airing, you can look for me, but you won’t find me. Unless you know where my 53″ television set is. Even then approach me with all the care you would a Grizzly–exactly, you wouldn’t! My daughter is prohibited from communicating with me unless it’s a code 10 emergency; And even then I’ll direct her to the neighbor for help–just kidding, she knows how to dial 911

I write Romantic/Suspense, Suspense, and wholesome, passionate Romances that deal with matters of the heart. No sexually graphic stories or one night stands. I write about love, not lust. If my stories bring a smile to just one person’s heart, then I’ve done my job. That’s what it’s all about.

One of my books, Cause She’s A Good Girl, was featured on a popular Nashville Morning Show, Talk of The Town, and given a highly recommended by BookWoman. I’m still smiling at that:)

Thanks to all of you who have added me to their list of authors they are fans of. I’m so honored! And I love when people friend me:) I’m not a big fan of Facebook or Twitter, but I invite you all to email me with your suggestions or questions.

You can contact me here on Goodreads or atreyhu@att.net.

Thank you for your time and Good Reading!

http://www.groovylee.com/

Now that we have the bio portion of this interview out of the way, it’s time for the questions.

Me – Is writing a full-time occupation, or do you have a job that keeps you from it?

Groovy – I’m so blessed to be able to write full-time.

Me – What aspect of publishing do you find the easiest?

Groovy – Pushing that button that turns your manuscript into a bona-fide book. Everything else is hard work, but a joy.

Me – What do you find the most difficult?

Groovy – I’m sure I’m giving the same answer as everyone else, but it’s the promoting part I find the hardest. I’m an introvert. Selling my work or me as an author is not easy. I wish there was a red button to push where all of your fans were waiting. Wishful thinking—right?

Me – What is your perfect writing environment.

Groovy – When I’m beginning a story on paper, it’s upstairs on my bed while Perry Mason is on TV; when it’s time to work in front of my computer, it’s when no one is home and there’s quiet.

Me – Do you have a process you follow when writing a book?

Groovy – Not really. I just write down what my characters tell me to.

Me – Would you rather be critically successful or financially successful?

Groovy – That’s a good question. I think critically successful. I want the whole world to love reading my books. The financial success will come automatically when they purchase them.

Me – If you could pick 1 celebrity to read your book and give an opinion on it, who would it be?

Groovy – At first it was Prince. But now that he’s no longer with us, it’s Oprah. Because if she likes it, so will her millions of followers.

Me – Do you find it easy to avoid being distracted when you sit down to write?

Groovy – It depends on what stage of writing I’m in. If it’s the beginning stage, no; but if I’m trying to edit, yes. I need quiet to get the flow of the story and make sure the scenes are coming together.

Me – If you have published already, what has been the most successful technique/site/opportunity for you in terms of getting either exposure or sales?

Groovy – So far for me, it’s Goodreads. I’m active on a lot of forums, and my books get a lot of exposure there.

Me – Last but not least, and something a little fun, what is your favourite animal, and why?

Groovy – Let’s see—Dogs are extremely smart and loyal; horses are THE most beautiful animals; there’s a Hawk that flies around my house, and he’s absolutely breath-taking; Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite shows. Each species come in all sorts of colors and sizes, so I can’t pick a favorite, sorry.

If you’d like to know more about Groovy you can check out the following links

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Amazon Author Page

A Body Resurrected

Sixteen year-old Mira is an Egyptian girl who lives a quiet life in her small village in Lower Egypt 3303 B.C.E. But two visitors from the planet Aut are about to change that. The first “flying metal” that whips across the sky carries a murderous plague by the name of Demen. The second one that follows, brings a bounty-hunter named Weir. Against her father’s wishes, Mira becomes Weir’s accomplice in his mission to apprehend Demen before another woman dies by his hands.

But there’s a problem: Demen is now a powerful Pharaoh in the city of Sharkura. Will apprehending him cost Weir and Mira their lives?
Almay, California, USA, twenty-first century:

Tina Leggs oversees the artifacts and exhibits of the Graham-Arlee museum. She has no idea that the mummy exhibit that’s drawing huge crowds, is the same Demen that her ancestor, Mira, bravely faced centuries ago.

Demen is no longer a powerful Pharaoh. Now, he’s nothing more than a museum exhibit since he was discovered in the Valley of the Kings. But a rare occurrence will give him life once more. And his desire to kill the misery known as woman is as strong as ever.

Enter Q, a second bounty-hunter sent from Aut to capture him. Like Mira, Tina has been cast into the role of ally to this handsome visitor. Amid the destruction Demen is causing, and the risk to their lives to stop him, they realize their deep love for one another.

But, will she leave her family on Earth for the sake of that love?

Amazon

 

Soldier on with Aislinn Kearns

Aislinn Kearns, who I know from Goodreads, has a new release coming out; actually it’s already available to buy via pre-order. Dangerous Victor is a part of her soldiering on series, which focuses on a security firm operated by wounded soldiers.

Dangerous Victor

Aislinn Kearns

 

 

Radha Iyer knows there’s something terribly wrong happening at the casino she manages. Her staff are acting cagey, the finances don’t add up, and then her Head of Security is found murdered in his own home. She’s out of her depth and desperate for help.

Zack Walker has kept to himself since the day an IED left him permanently scarred. When Radha calls Soldiering On for help, his degree in math makes him the obvious choice to go undercover as the new Head of Security to help her discover what’s going on and who’s responsible.

But the conspiracy they uncover goes deeper than either of them could have imagined. When their investigation is compromised, it puts them both in mortal peril and on the run. With nowhere to turn they must rely on each other, but danger and betrayal lurk in every shadow…

This book has been the most challenging of the series to write – in the best kind of way. I think it’s my favourite so far.

Fun fact: This was the book that sparked the whole idea of the series. I actually started writing a very different incarnation of this book more than a year before I wrote anything else in the Soldiering On world. Before I even had a proper idea for the series!

I hope you all enjoy reading it!

Additional fun fact: a decent portion of this book is set at the same time as Guarding Sierra! You don’t have to read one to understand the other, but it might be fun to see where they overlap.

March 2 will be the big day, but if you can’t wait ’til then

Preorder it now!

An Interview With RL Jackson

Today’s guest on ARCBook blog is RL Jackson, who was instrumental in setting up the blog-a-go-round that I have recently been a part of, and which has resulted in me interviewing some lovely people. Before I get on with the questions, let’s find out a little about my guest.

R.L Jackson writes fiction and enjoys reading Romance, Fantasy, Dystopian, YA, and everything in between. She is also a seasoned screenwriter, an avid movie lover, ruthless supporter of all things creative and a hopeless romantic. Residing in the Sunny state of Florida, she plans on bringing many more worlds, from different genres to light in the near future.

And now it’s time for the questions.

 

 

Me –  How long have you been writing?

RL – I’ve been writing my whole life essentially, from short stories to screenplays and then on to novels

Me – Is writing something you’ve always wanted to do? 

RL – It is something that i’ve always wanted to do, and something I have been actively pursuing for a while now

Me – How would you describe yourself as a writer, a plotter or a pantser? 

RL – I’m not sure what pantser means, but i love a good plot. I try and create multiple dimensions in my characters as well as the stories..Always leaving clues that no one realises until later

Me – Do you write every day?

RL – I write almost everyday, whether it’s my own blog, new novel ideas, or current feature film or tv pilots

Me – What is your favourite genre?

RL – Too many to count, lol, but I guess my least favorite would be horror. Now I like vampires and witches, and I’ve come around to zombies, but ghosts and aliens..no thanks, lol

Me – Is your favourite genre one you write in? 

RL – Yes, I think if theres something you enjoy about a genre, you should attempt to write in it, but don’t pigeon hole yourself either. You should branch out and try other things as well

Me – If you could have written any book in history, what is it?

RL – The one I wrote. Any others works out there, are theirs and encompasses who they are. My book encompasses me, so Crashing Into Me is my answer.

Me – What would you like to achieve with your writing?

RL – I’d like to continue to creative interesting stories, screenplay adaptations of said stories, that I eventually turn into feature films. I’m actually reverse engineering a screenplay into a novel, so that will be interesting, lol

Me – Which of your books is your favourite?

RL – This is my first novel,so that would be this one. My very first short story in middle school “cyclops” is up there because its what sparked my love of writing…Cyclops…the memories, LOL

Me – Tell me about your next release.

RL – The next release will be Book Two of the Crashing series, as well as a YA Fantasy I’ve been working on for some time. Which will come first, I’m not sure, but I plan on taking my time to create quality material.Not a fan of pumping out books “willy nilly”

Crashing Into Me

A year after being left at the altar, headstrong E.R Nurse, Lana McKenzie is finally piecing her life back together. Tired of dealing with seeing her ex and his new girlfriend at every turn, she longs for blissful solitude and can’t wait to enjoy a peaceful vacation alone in the mountains. However, her plans go awry when a rude stranger literally embeds himself into her life and mind.

Handsome, wealthy, and troubled, Kayden Capshaw is struggling with the death of his brother, while also trying to escape the claws of his controlling mother. In his grief, the last thing Kayden wants to deal with is the fallout from his last run in with the law. Yet, he also longs to get to know the woman now snowed in with him at the house on the hill.

The ice between them thaws every minute they spend together, and they find that they have more in common than they realize. Will they find a way to make it through, or will it all, like the snow, melt away?

Book Release Date:FEB 14, 2017

If you would like to know more about R.L. Jackson, visit the following links.

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon (Pre-order)

USA Today bestselling author Rainy Kaye

As part of my ongoing effort to be more inclusive on this blog, and not restrict it solely to the genres I am personally interested in (romance readers and others are people too and shouldn’t be ignored), I am today showcasing Rainy Kaye, USA Today bestselling author of paranormal romance and her book Summoned, the first in the summoned series

Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the meantime, she’s a USA Today Bestselling author who writes paranormal novels.

She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA, and has been traditionally published by Bastei Lübbe. Her works include the Summoned series, The Deepest Black, and The Withering. She has also co-authored several novels.

Her lair is located somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona, which she shares with a variety of furry creatures. You can follow them on Instagram and find out more about the author on Twitter –  Facebook – and her site

SUMMONED

Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told – literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker. Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well.

When he meets Syd – assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd – he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can’t tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn’t the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl’s ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming – the wish that will destroy him.

A dark twist on genie folklore, SUMMONED follows a reluctant criminal as he unravels the mystery of the paranormal bond controlling him.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

 

Funny, flippin’ good and free

You all like things are funny, good and free, don’t you? Of course you do, who doesn’t, nobody I want to know, that’s who.

Well if funny, flippin’ good and free and three things you look for in a book, then look no further because I have what you’re after, Mirth Defects by Clint Forgy.

I read and reviewed this book a while ago (the review is currently my most popular post, by a long margin and can be read here) and consider it the best indie book I’ve read all year; it’s filled with the funniest anecdotes you’ll find.

It’s not on sale yet, but if you’re interested in getting your hands on a copy, just nip on over to http://clintforgy.com/books/ where the author is very kindly offering up free copies to visitors.

A newborn boy begins the search for his soul mate.

From the day he was born, JD Ferguson knew what was missing: his soul mate. Mirth Defects, the prequel to The Seduction of Granny, is a fiction novel about the early years of JD Ferguson, his brother Bob, their buddies Gasser Jameson and Tiny Steele, and the adventures they experience growing up in the fictional town of Roadapple Ridge, Iowa.

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I heartily recommend you pop on over to http://clintforgy.com/books/ and take advantage of Clint’s generosity, especially if you like reading about tales of childhood and growing up, trains, and boys with more interest in having fun than behaving.

Bargains, bargains, bargains

You like a bargain, don’t you? Of course you do, who doesn’t.

Well, for all of you out there who like a bargain, or better yet, something free, the writer’s group I am part of on Goodreads has a big event this weekend with lots of books listed as free or at reduced prices in a variety of genres. If you’d like to fill up your kindle with some new reading material, here’s the place you need to go  http://events.supportindieauthors.com/event.php

There’s some great reads here, and some great authors to support, so please dig into your pockets, you won’t have to find much, and you’ll be hard-pressed to get a better return on your investment.

Mirth Defects

Clint Forgy

I was given an advanced copy of this book for review and I’m glad I was. I like comedy but as a visual medium, it’s not a genre I usually read because it’s very hard to get right, so I was a little nervous about this book; my uncertainty disappeared by the end of the first page. This is exactly my sense of humour; it’s a little anarchic, a little crazy, a little cringe-inducing, a little bit of everything really, and a lot of good.
This is the tale of JD, growing up amongst his family and friends; he is a massively confident young man, who’s not afraid of a challenge, knows what he wants, and is determined to get it – at no time, though, does he cross the line into being cocky or unpleasant, and that’s difficult to manage.
JD is well-written, his personality lends itself to caricature but Clint Forgy manages to avoid that and keep him as a very realistic, if slightly over the top, character, the sort you would have a great time with if you were mates. The same can be said for his friends and family, they are all believable (I’ve known a few people in my time who would have fitted right in with them, myself included for the sense of humour) and that is important because one or two of the scenes and situations descriptions are a little too madcap – if it wasn’t for the writing and the believable characters they might ruin the book.
There are a few pop-culture references that I felt were unnecessary, but that’s just my opinion.

If you enjoy a humorous tale, then this is almost certainly going to tickle your funny bone and I recommend you give it a go.

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If you’d like to know more about the author, look him up on his site and see more of his humour, which will probably make you laugh out loud.

Free for today

Romance is one of the two biggest genres in literature, which makes it very popular, also very popular are free things – I don’t know anyone who can resist the chance to get a bargain, and free is just about the best bargain you can get.

Since that’s the case, it seems to me that a free romance novel should be just about as popular as it’s possible for something to be, and with that in mind, here today is a free romance from one of my fellow indie authors, D L LeBlanc.

Broken: Frost Series Part 1

After a man had left her broken, she successfully shut herself off from all men. She loved her organised, boring life; until she meets him. Could he break through her barriers and make her want to live & love again?

He wasn’t looking for anything serious. He was there on business, and his motto was get in, get out, and move on; until he meets her. Could she break through and become more valuable to him than his business empire?

At the time of writing this post, this book is free, and can be found by following the links below, enjoy

Kindle US

Kindle UK

Kobo

iTunes