Angel's Betrayal by H.A. Somerled - Interview and Giveaway

H.A. Somerled is stopping by the Party Pavilion today on her virtual book tour. She's giving one lucky commenter a digital edition of the book in the winner's choice of format. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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Tell us a little about how you got started as an author and how you came up with the idea for this book?

I took a correspondence course through the Long Ridge Writing Group and after I was done, I took a free class about plotting a novel at the Missoula Public Library. It was being taught by a local author, and now friend, Danica Winters. She helped me find a publisher, looked over my submission, and assisted with writing a query letter. I was accepted and am now submitting my third book with Books to Go Now. She also got me into her critique group, which is helpful, supportive, and soul crushing all at the same time.

The idea for the Angel Hacker series came from a week of binge watching British drama’s Sherlock and The Adventures of Merlin. I was so enthralled by the two main actors (Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Morgan), I began fantasizing about a story with them as brothers. After a couple of inspired nights, I thought to myself, if someone is going to write this, it might as well be you. That is around the same time I found the free class at the library. It was kismet!

Where do you get your ideas for characters? In particular, did you steal some characteristics from yourself or people you know for the main characters?

As I mentioned, I love watching British television, and also thrilling spy/crime dramas like Person of Interest and The Blacklist. I love big twists and characters you can’t put a finger on. I based a lot of Angel on myself, my former intelligence experience, and her sarcasm.

Which author/authors or particular books have inspired you?

I always enjoy Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, but I admit I was inspired by The Millenium Series (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and such) by Stieg Larsson. I was enthralled by Lisbeth Salander, and found myself skipping Mikael’s parts to get to hers. I also based Angel on Lisbeth-- smart, smooth, calculating--except that Angel is more human, she has a sense of humor, where Lisbeth has lost touch with humanity, and rightfully so, I guess.

What were some of your favorite reads of the past year?

Takedown Twenty - by Janet Evanovich, Sacre Bleu - by Christopher Moore, Beautiful Ruins - by Jess Walter, and Where’d You Go, Bernadette - by Maria Semple

For the aspiring writers out there, can you tell us something about how you develop your plot?

I guess you can think of it like pitching a tent. (Bear with me if you’ve never gone camping...) Is the ground stable, have you searched out the best spot to lay down? Do you have sturdy framework, are all the holes patched up? Are the loose ends tied down? Would it withstand a critical gust of hot air?

And did you bring the marshmallows?

Tell us about your future? Next book?

I am starting a new series, a steampunk pirate novel. I’m trying to decide which genre to pitch it under, sci-fi? Fantasy? Mystery? It has elements of all three. Plus it’s about Pirates!

After that I am toying with a fourth book in the Angel Hacker series or starting a Sorority Murder Mystery series.

It's summertime and insects are not the only things flying in the London skies.

Oliver and Danny Murray return in this explosive second-in-the-series novel.

When two CIA agents appear in Oliver Murray's office, he knows nothing good could come from it. An American drone has gone missing and the agents believe that one of their own may have taken it. The agent in question is Sara Parsons, also known as Fallen Angel.

Maintaining her innocence, Angel tries to find the real culprit, but when one of the agents sent to apprehend her turns up dead in her flat, Oliver has a hard time believing her. With the help from his brother, Danny, Oliver betrays his own instincts and decides to help Angel find the true murderer and drone thief.

About the Author:

H. A. Somerled lives in the Missoula, Montana area. After an uneventful tour in the U.S. Navy, she followed her passions and enrolled in Culinary School. She graduated from the Colorado Institute of Art and has also completed a writing course from the Long Ridge Writer's Group.

She has two dogs, a puggle named Fritter and a pug named Flapjack. She considers herself lucky to be single and claims she's half the age she really is.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Blog
Buy Angel's Betrayal at Amazon.

Goddess Fish Party Pavilion: Lockdown by Samie Sands

Goddess Fish Party Pavilion: Lockdown by Samie Sands:

The zombie genre is currently a highly saturated market, full of weird and wonderful tales all with a unique take on this horrifying world. It’s challenging to write something that stands out and is different, but that’s what I wanted to achieve. Luckily, since Lockdown has been released, it has been described by reviewers as ‘zombie chick-lit’ which ‘breathes new life into a tired genre’.

I wanted to write a story that didn’t sit solely within the horror field, my aim was for the plot to incorporate fun in amongst the awful situation which is why Lockdown traverses into sci fi, fantasy and also romance. The main character in the book is not your typical zombie apocalypse survivor. She isn’t someone with a military or survivalist background or even medical training, she’s not in any way a ‘bad ass’, she’s just a girl-next-door type with no special skills to help her pull through this nightmare.

To begin with Leah, who’s a news researcher, stumbles across a zombie apocalypse prank online. Through her job and the nature of the Internet this very quickly goes viral and starts to be taken far too seriously. As Leah tries to save her flagging reputation, the government are planning a Lockdown—which involves quarantining everyone inside their own homes. As much as the entire thing seems ludicrous, it soon becomes clear that there might be more to this virus than anyone first suspected. It’s at this point in the plot that everything begins to descend into a nightmare.

Lockdown is set to become a trilogy with the second book on it's way. To keep up to date with this (and for all the social media links) check outhttp://thelockdown.co.uk 

Final Excerpt World Change

"Your sister is dead. High Priestess Sari needs the life of offworlders to survive. Your sister was sacrificed."

"That's not funny, Tina isn't dead, this is a dream and you're not real. You're a vampire, and vampires don't exist except in myth. You were created to show how the aristocracies were bleeding the peasants dry. Not really bleeding them dry. How did you know my name?"

Clare looked at the room. The food, everything around her appeared real. She needed to wake up now. Grabbing the glass from beside the bed, she smashed it on the tray and scraped it across the palm of her hand. The pain hit immediately as beads of blood formed along the cut.

This wasn't meant to happen; she was meant to wake up. This felt too real, and what was even more real was the look on Trevi's face. His pupils were almost colorless and he opened his mouth in a snarl to reveal fangs. He was on top of the bed crouching above her. It was difficult to see anything of the man who had spoken to her a moment before. He bent down and laid his face next to hers. His cheek cool against hers. As he straddled across her middle, he grabbed her injured hand. Holding it to his mouth, he licked the blood away. Clare fought him and pulled away but he held on tight. Her hand was stinging but when he moved his head away, it was healed. As quickly as he had jumped on the bed, he was gone across the room and crouched in a corner.





Maggie Mundy

Author ~ Dark Speculative Fiction

http://www.maggiemundy.com

Blood Scent

World Change out now with

www.roguephoenixpress.com

https://twitter.com/MundyMaggie

Now Touring: Tower of Obsidian

 

Journey back through time – to a kingdom where loyalties change hands and a duke plans to secure his kingdom through any means necessary, where oaths are broken and dismissed to forge new alliances, resulting in treachery.

 

Journey to save the one who was stolen from you – from the forests of the Emerald Isle to the icy waters of the Nordic New World. Journey by horse, ship, and wing.

 

Journey to the Tower – the Witch’s Tower that curses the people forced to serve it.  Journey and kill the witch that plagues you and be free – face her dragons without becoming one yourself.

 

For the journey to the tower is only the beginning. Climb the tower and kill her; climb the tower and save her. The story has been told a thousand times, the only thing that is guaranteed to change is you.

 

Tour Review Dates:

6/9/2014 Our Wolves Den
6/16/2014 Straight from the Library
6/23/2014 The Reading Addict
6/23/2014 MAD Hoydenish
7/7/2014 Deal Sharing Aunt

 

 

 

Lockdown by Samie Sands

The zombie genre is currently a highly saturated market, full of weird and wonderful tales all with a unique take on this horrifying world. It’s challenging to write something that stands out and is different, but that’s what I wanted to achieve. Luckily, since Lockdown has been released, it has been described by reviewers as ‘zombie chick-lit’ which ‘breathes new life into a tired genre’.

I wanted to write a story that didn’t sit solely within the horror field, my aim was for the plot to incorporate fun in amongst the awful situation which is why Lockdown traverses into sci fi, fantasy and also romance. The main character in the book is not your typical zombie apocalypse survivor. She isn’t someone with a military or survivalist background or even medical training, she’s not in any way a ‘bad ass’, she’s just a girl-next-door type with no special skills to help her pull through this nightmare.

To begin with Leah, who’s a news researcher, stumbles across a zombie apocalypse prank online. Through her job and the nature of the Internet this very quickly goes viral and starts to be taken far too seriously. As Leah tries to save her flagging reputation, the government are planning a Lockdown—which involves quarantining everyone inside their own homes. As much as the entire thing seems ludicrous, it soon becomes clear that there might be more to this virus than anyone first suspected. It’s at this point in the plot that everything begins to descend into a nightmare.

Lockdown is set to become a trilogy with the second book on it's way. To keep up to date with this (and for all the social media links) check out http://thelockdown.co.uk 

Another excerpt from World Change
They were high above a city. She hated heights. The flying man appeared human as only two arms carried her and she couldn't see any wings. There wasn't enough light to make out his appearance.

Clare gripped on tight as she took a look at what was below. The city looked like Florence but different. There were no cars and they must be having a power cut because the streetlights were all out. Flying over the rooftops she could see well-lit courtyards where people gathered, but they were all in costume.

The two moons came out from behind a cloud and the moonlight enabled her to get a better look at the man who held her. He had fangs, like a vampire. Maybe the soldiers with the swords might have been a better option. If this guy wanted to bite her, she had nowhere to go but fall to her death. She thought about screaming again, but how would the people below get to her. What if they were like the soldiers?

He didn't stop in the city but kept flying. It became so dark below she couldn't make anything out. Finally, they landed through treetops into a small glade. He let her feet drop so she could stand but her legs gave way. He picked her up again and gently placed her next to a tree. The moonlight hardly penetrated through the treetops, and she couldn't tell if he still had fangs.

Maggie Mundy

Author ~ Dark Speculative Fiction

http://www.maggiemundy.com

Blood Scent

World Change out now with

www.roguephoenixpress.com

https://twitter.com/MundyMaggie

Interview with Samie Sands

1. Can you please tell me a little about yourself and your book?

I'm Samie Sands, an author from the UK. I live in a small seaside village, but love to travel for writing inspiration. Lockdown is a zombie chick lit style book which follows news researcher Leah as she accidentally sends a zombie apocalypse viral. The government decides to quarantine everyone inside their own homes and soon Leah starts to see that this might be for the best...

2. What was the inspiration behind Lockdown?

I wrote the story that I wanted to read. I love zombie fiction, but the main characters tend to be military men with unbelievable survivalist skills. What about the rest of us? I'm sure we've all thought how we'd cope in a zombie apocalypse, and it was through these thoughts that my characters were born.

3. How would you describe your writing style in three words?

Fast-paced, funny and descriptive.

4. What makes your writing stand out from the crowd?

I don't like to stick to one genre, or follow the typical rules. In Lockdown Leah is a flawed character, unlike other books I've read where authors have made their characters perfect, but I think these faults make her more believable and easier to relate to.

5. Who would you like to play your main characters in the film?

I'd love Rachel McAdams to play Leah, Michelle Rodriguez to play Michelle and James Macavoy to play Jake.

6. Do you base your characters on yourself or anyone you know?

Leah started off very loosely based on myself, but she very quickly took on her own personality and blossomed into very much her own person.

7. What's next for you?

The sequel to Lockdown is in progress and should be ready for release this year and I'm also creating a zombie anthology so am currently looking for contributing authors for this (http://thelockdown.co.uk/zombie-anthology).

8. Where can people find out more about you?

The Lockdown Website: http://thelockdown.co.uk

Author Website: http://samiesands.com

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

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

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

Please join me on my tour for Elliot K. Carnuccis is a Big, Fat Loser

Please join me on my virtual book tour for Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser: A Book About Bullying. This funny, sad, and zany book is great for middle grade kids. It takes place in a funeral home where Elliot lives with his workaholic dad and wild and wooly grandmom.

You can see my other books at www.catherinedepino.com

Thanks for looking at my book. I'd love to hear from you. You'll find my e-mail address on the website. I've written four other books about bullying: two for kids, one for parents, and one for teachers. If you write to me, I'll definitely write back.

Excerpt from Chasing Fireflies - Appears in Timeless Escapes: A Collection of Summer Stories

Excerpt:
He bent forward and pushed it toward her. “No, but it is the temporary residence of the person who stole my beach shoes.”
Her hand missed the pitcher handle when she reached for it. “I stole nothing. Hell, I should do you a favor and toss them in the ocean. They’re disgusting. How do you even have the nerve to give them to someone to wear?” She rested her elbows on the wide chair arms to steady herself.
Jack stood and leaned over her, placing both of his hands on the arms of her chair. “Maybe, but they’re mine and I’m here to claim them. Where are they please?” he whispered like it was an invitation for her to come closer.
She sank deeper into the chair. “I’ll get them later.” She slid down lower as she grew nervous. She never planned on meeting someone and he interested her but she was still coming to terms with her breakup. “I want to read my book and finish my drink.” She pressed her palm to his hard yet inviting chest. With the sun in her eyes she could only feel him and smell the sweet scent of pineapple, coconut, and a slight hint of rum that told her he was close. His chest pressed against her hand and she didn’t resist.
He leaned in closer and gently cupped her face. His skin was surprisingly soft—not weathered like she’d imagined. He lingered.
Damn sun. She couldn’t see him.
She closed her eyes and relied on the image of his magnificent eyes burned into her memory. She leaned back and welcomed his lips as he kissed her—softly, tenderly. It wasn’t the kiss of a craggy seafaring captain. No, it was the kiss of a man who knew what he wanted but who had been hurt. Confident, but enough reluctance to be wary. “I’ll be back later to collect my shoes. I’d prefer you didn’t toss them in the ocean.” He backed away as she sank into the chair and dropped her book.

Lita Harris
Author ~ Women's Fiction ~ Contemporary Romance
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Lockdown Sample

LOCKDOWN EXCERPT:

“Ok, it's official. I'm dead. I'm actually going to be killed.

Then I'll lose my job, my important position complete with my beautiful nameplate, with Leah Watton in shiny silver print. Of course, this will lead me to get kicked out of my flat and I'll end up living in some cardboard box on a skanky street corner, drinking cider and trading war stories around a bin fire.

Or the much worse option, I'll be forced to move back to my parents’ house.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

All for one idiotic joke. I can't believe it, I've nearly wrecked my career already, and it was only just beginning. I can really feel the panic welling up in my stomach now. After those three long years at university studying journalism, the thing I was so sure I was destined to do with my life, which in the end turned out I actually hated. Those long depressing months of sending out CV's to every stupid newspaper, magazine and supplement going—my parents had always made it very clear that they expected me to use my degree sensibly, especially as they may have helped me now and again, financially, after I got into a bit of credit card debt. I got rejected time and time again, even by a cheese periodical. Seriously, they said at the interview my lack of passion for the subject was apparent. I mean, what sort of person is passionate about cheese?

Finally I got a chance, well more like a small teeny tiny stepping stone, one that would actually go down well with my family. A news researcher. I mean, it's for the least watched local news program ever, in a small rural part of the country where nothing exciting ever happens, but it totally counts. I was so relieved, but definitely not happy to get this job. Still, I can't afford to lose it.

I'm such a fool. I only did this to impress Jake. Damn it. I've been trying to get his attention since I walked in on my first day and saw him smiling into the phone and twisting his hair in that cute way he does when he's concentrating. He’s absolutely gorgeous—tall, dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, a smile that lights up a room. I was instantly smitten, and have since spent my days catching any glimpse of him that I can.

He definitely likes to think he's the joker in the office, so after spending hours every night trying to plan sexy outfits—which believe me isn't easy if you're 5’3”, with dull mousy brown hair that match your eyes exactly and a figure that could do with losing about 10 pounds—to combine with flirting and trying to seem like a really cool girl with such an interesting social life—none of which caused him to even blink an eye in my direction—I thought I'd try a different approach to getting his attention.

He's one of those guys constantly emailing stupid YouTube videos to everyone, often with a fake news story attached, usually mocking one of our more recent, tedious stories. So I found a great one of a 'zombie' attack. It's brilliant. It looks so realistic and although it’s in a foreign language and you can barely make out any words, the narrator sounds terrified. It made me laugh when I found it, and I knew Jake would find it funny, so I set it up.

But then came the error. I feel icy and uncomfortable even thinking about it. I accidentally sent it to Jamie King, the big boss. With a whole bloody news story attached...”

For more and to read all the Amazon reviews of Lockdown check out http://thelockdown.co.uk/sample

Excerpt World Change

She turned to run but he was on top of her, pinning her to the ground. She held her breath too frightened to breathe. With the moonlight behind him, his face was in shadow. He sniffed her then ran the tip of his tongue down her cheek to her neck. Clare swallowed as she struggled to breathe. Her heart beat so fast she could feel it through her chest. If he was going to bite her, then maybe this drunken illusion would be over. He didn't bite her. She could feel his fangs as he ran them up and down her neck. Where they touched, her skin tingled. He licked the blood away and the pain eased where her skin had been pierced by the spear. The calming thoughts of before were returning. She should be fighting him but it was the furthest thing from her mind. He was turning her on and she could feel the ache between her legs as his tongue swirled on her neck.

"Go ahead, do what you have to do. Maybe it will bring reality back."

He didn't bite her. Instead he trailed kisses from her neck to her lips. She should push him away but she opened to him. His cool tongue probing. He tasted sweet. Clare had never thought herself into erotic fantasy, but she felt an irresistible attraction to this man she was finding hard to control. Her tongue entered his mouth searching for his fangs. They scratched her tongue and she heard him groan as a sweet taste entered her mouth. It was at that moment her world became dark.

Maggie Mundy

Author ~ Dark Speculative Fiction

http://www.maggiemundy.com

Blood Scent

World Change out now with

www.roguephoenixpress.com

https://twitter.com/MundyMaggie