Chatting with... Author Jordan K. Rose

Today I’m thrilled to have author Jordan Rose as my guest! She and I have “swapped blogs” for the day, so you can also find me over at her place, answering her interview questions about writing, reading and mermaids, as my blog tour continues to Splash into Summer from one blog to the next!

But before you leave to check out Jordan’s site, linger a few minutes to hear what she has to say about writing, superpowers, and her new book slated for an October release date. (I’m not sure I can wait that long!) So without further ado... Jordan K. Rose!

Hi, Jordan! Give a brief bio and tell us what kind of books you like to read and write.

Hi Katie. Thanks for having me on today. I’ve been writing for about 4 years. And in the past year I’ve learned that I am most productive during the summer months when I spend less time at my computer! I spend as much time as I can at the beach during the summer months and while I’m there I read and read and read. Then, when I’m at my computer I’m very focused, not to mention relaxed.

I love to read (and write) vampire stories, though I do enjoy most any paranormal romance, too.

What's your favorite part of being an author?

I’d say it’s a toss up between meeting new characters and meeting readers. However, I will admit that meeting readers does make me appear less crazy since everyone can see them and knows they really exist instead of me standing there talking to air!

What’s your approach to writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?

I’m a go with the flow kind of girl. I do not plot, though I typically have some idea of where a story is going to land.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

I don’t think I’d have a superpower. If I did, I’d spend all my time obsessing about it and never get anything else done.

Tell us about your new release!

My next novel, The Demon Mistress, is slated for an October release. Here’s the blurb:

What’s a girl to do when she discovers her husband, who happens to be the Master Vampire for the New England Region, has been lying to her for, oh, say a hundred and eighty years?

Well, it all depends. If she’s accidentally released forty demons from some creepy old book, unintentionally announced the existence of vampires on The Internet, kidnapped a werewolf, enraged a lovesick vampire by stealing his approved mate, and attracted the attention of The High Commander for The Vampire Federation, not to mention gotten stoned and mastered the forbidden art of demon calling, she might be willing to call it even.

Or, she might plead her case at an Inquisition and hope like all hell, she isn’t staked before sunrise. Eh, a slightly busier night than usual, but nothing Eva Prim can’t handle.

Readers can follow Eva’s adventures, get sneak peeks of The Demon Mistress, including the upcoming cover reveal and be guaranteed a Friend For Eternity by joining Eva’s Snack Of The Week Club at www.evaprim.com.

Wow - cool badge! I really need to check that out. But wait, let's finish the interview! Okay, if you’re casting the movie of your book, who would you choose to play the main characters?

This question is always hard for me. Whenever I think of leading actors/actresses I can only ever think of them and the movies I’ve seen them in. I’d want someone that people didn’t have a set impression of so I’d love to sit through the casting calls and pick someone yet unknown!

Where can readers find your books and where can you be found on the web?

My first book, Perpetual Light, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance Ebooks from Crescent Moon Press.

Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Light-ebook/dp/B007COSXB0/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1330177727&sr=1-3

Barnes and Noble Link:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perpetual-light-jordankrose/1109252447?ean=9781937254063&itm=1&usri=perpetual+light+jordan+rose

All Romance eBooks link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

My second book, The Demon Mistress, the first Eva Prim novel, is set to release in October. Learn about Eva’s Snack Of The Week Club at http://evaprim.com/AboutSOWClub.html

Cool! Thanks so much for sharing with us today! If you want to know more about Jordan, you can find her online in the following spots....

Find Jordan on her website at www.jordankrose.com. 

Follow her tweets on https://twitter.com/#!/jordankrose 

Like her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jordan-K-Rose/307285709309992

Find her on Pinterest at: http://pinterest.com/jordankrose/

Thanks for visiting today, Jordan! It’s been fun!

More photos from Son of a Mermaid Launch Party...

 Sunday's Book Launch was a big hit, with gourmet cupcakes and crafts for younger readers. These girls enjoyed coloring their own mermaid-themed bookmarks at the craft table, and many other readers took some home to decorate later...

The party started on the outside deck of Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore, on Main Street in Chatham. The covered deck stretches between the main bookstore and the Children's Annex. It was fine for a bit, while the sun was trying to decide whether to make an appearance... but once the sun gave up we moved the party inside next to the fireplace! Who knew it could be so chilly on Cape Cod for Memorial Day Weekend?

 It was great to chat with older book buyers, who were purchasing the books as gifts for nieces, nephews and grandchildren. One industrious shopper from New Jersey bought two as Christmas gifts for her grandkids and had me sign them - Christmas! Planning ahead!

Several young visitors asked to have their pictures taken with "The Author" - a new experience for me! But lots of fun. Even some of the girls I knew from volunteering at school and with Girl Scouts got a little tongue tied to see me in the role of Official Author. 

 All in all a wonderful event, and I'm so grateful to the bookstore owners, the fabulous mother-daughter team of Joanne and Caitlin Doggart, for inviting me to share my special celebration with them and their patrons.

Is It Summer Yet?

Memorial Day Weekend is officially over. It was cold, wet, foggy, cloudy, chilly, blowy, and downright gross here on Cape Cod... until Monday morning, when the sunrise was crisp, clear and beautiful, as was the day. After the morning ceremony at the town bandstand, we spent the rest of the day at the Community Garden, trying to get the weedblock down and some of the tomato plants in the ground at our little plot.

The book signing at Where the Sidewalk Ends booksellers on Sunday was a huge success - Huge! Thanks to everyone who braved the traffic (which was some of the worst I've ever seen!) Didn't quite sell out of books, but almost! There were only 4 copies remaining in the store when I left. Which are signed, by the way, if you want to snap them up ;-)

In the virtual world, my Splash Into Summer blog tour continued its journey, visiting author Patricia Lee up in Canada for an interview and analysis of my characters. Have you ever thought about what "color" would best describe one of your characters? Interesting!

And don't forget the RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY that I'm hosting - plenty of time left to enter, but don't forget to enter! If you click on this link, or the badge in the top left corner, you'll go to the page with the rafflecopter. I still need to figure out how to post it along the margin... maybe later this week. Not today.

Today I have review copies of my book to mail out - one requested by the Cape Cod Times! And a press kit to drop off at the middle school to see about getting on their summer reading list - I mean, the book is set here in town, why not?

Busy. Busy. Busy. Need to schedule some time to enjoy early summer... maybe next week. In the meantime, here are some pretty pictures from the weekend...

Paperback Launch Party at WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS!

Today is the official launch party for SON OF A MERMAID! I'll be at Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore on Main Street in Chatham from 2 - 4 p.m. signing books and celebrating! We'll be on the deck with cupcakes, balloons, crafts and raffle prizes!

If you're on Cape Cod, stop by to visit!

Where the Sidewalk Ends is a cool, indie bookstore owned by a mother and daughter who share a deep passion for books. It's one of my favorite spots on Cape Cod, and if you've never been you need to add it to your list!

OOh, gotta go! Don't want to be late to my own party!!

Puppy Tale Friday: More of the Same

Puppy is getting used to the construction, but both dogs are still unsettled by what they perceive as the invasion of their turf. I mean, the squirrels are running free in their yard! 

How can we allow this to happen?! Squirrels! Really!

And as many times as I try to explain that the door to the backyard now leads to nowhere, Puppy still begs to be let out there - "Just this one time, Mom,"  to chase the invading squirrels and rabbits - oh and that orange tabby cutting through the yard right this minute. (The nerve of some cats! Open the door! Open the door!)

 The cement was poured for the basement walls at the end of last week, tar, backfill, feet for the garage, and now new forms are set up to hold up the garage slab. So kind of more of the same, but in a different spot. And a few of the sand piles are gone now from the front yard. (You'll notice that the piles are missing on the right side of this next photo. Rest assured, they are still there on the left...)

 I don't think they will be pouring cement today as the sky is pouring rain and the wind is near hurricane force this morning. Hoping it calms down for the long weekend....

If you are on Cape or coming to the Cape for Memorial Day weekend, check out the interview I did in this week's CAPE COD CHRONICLE. And be sure to stop by Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore on Main Street in Chatham on SUNDAY MAY 26 FROM 2P.M. TO 4 P.M. for my Book Launch Party! Cupcakes and books and more. I just received my first shipment of books too - they weer on my doorstep last night when I got home from my daughter's track meet. What a nice surprise! So shiny!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Splashing Over to Kate Evangelista's Blog

The Blog Tour continues over at Kate Evangelista's blog.

I know I say this every time I talk about Kate, but she was the author who first made me take a look at Crescent Moon Press, back when her YA novel TASTE was having its first cover reveal. She has a new book just out from another publisher titled ROMANCING THE BOOKWORM... sounds like a fun summer read! She's an awesome author, a fun lady, and I'm so lucky now to call her my friend!

Today I'm talking about something different in my guest post! Umm, no, I'm really not. Still all about my new book! Today there's a short excerpt from SON OF A MERMAID, showing the first time the reader really gets to see some mermaid magick. And gets to know for sure that the mysterious girl on the beach is REALLY a mermaid.

And Kate has the Rafflecopter on her blog as well - so if you haven't entered yet for your chance to win an ebook or a beach stone necklace or some awesome swag.... what are you waiting for? Click on over!

Keep Splashing Into Summer... Visiting The Writing Nut Today

The Splash Into Summer tour continues today in two more fun spots:

I'm over at THE WRITING NUT where I'm Nutschell's guest on her Wednesday Workspace feature.

Want to see what my mess desk looks like? The things I need to write? My puppy when she could still fit UNDER my desk (instead of being the same size as the desk!) Stop by and say hi!

I'm also visiting with author Cindy Young Turner, and answering her questions about my writing and inspirations. And whether I like coffee or tea (Tea! As if!) Stop by and make Cindy feel loved!

* * *

And big thanks to everyone who showed up to the Twitter party - and then moved with us to Facebook when Twitter crapped out. Tech rumour has it that our party wouldn't work because The Voice uses Twitter for live feedback on the show. Oh well - we had a BLAST on Facebook! Congrats to all the winners - I will get my share of the prizes in the mail today!

TWITTER PARTY TONIGHT! 8-10PM EST! #MAGICKED

'

Tonight is the night! We're going to rock the Twittospherewith our #Magicked Party!

Five authors with new releases out this spring from Crescent Moon Press, and what do we have in common?

Magick!

Each of our five books are based in the "Real" world, but each weaves magick throughout the story. And tonight we're going to weave some of that magick across Twitter so that our hashtag totally takes over the Tweeting Universe. Or at least we'll try!

Join us from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time as we chat, ask trivia questions, assign tasks and give away some cool prizes - ebooks, swag, necklaces... and that $100 gift card grand prize! Should be awesome! 

If you don't already follow me on Twitter at OkatieO, you can find the party by searching the hashtag #MAGICKED. While it's my first Twitter party, Lynn Rush is an old pro at this and should be able to keep things moving at a burning pace. (Maybe I'd better limber up first...)

Just one question... Do You Believe in Magick?

See you tonight!

Guest Author Lindsey Loucks and THE GRAVE WINNER

Today I'm excited to have author Lindsey Loucks on my blog, answering questions and talking about her new YA book, THE GRAVE WINNER.

And in a neat little twist, I'm over at her blog today talking about SON OF A MERMAID! Both of our novels were released last week from Crescent Moon Press. 

Both of our books are YA, and both involve magick. In both her book and mine, the main characters find out secrets that have been hidden from them. -secrets that change their lives forever. AND... I totally enjoyed reading her book! I'll be posting my review soon, but trust me. Good book with a unique concept and characters.

Tomorrow night, we'll both be hosting a BIG TWITTER PARTY with tons of COOL PRIZES!!! Necklaces, swag, ebooks and $100 gift card! Look for the hashtag #MAGICKED. Authors Lynn Rush, Kary Rader, and Maer Wilson are also hosting - it should be a fast and furious night! Hope to see you there!

Okay, on to the interview....

Hi, Lindsey! Give us a brief bio and tell us what kind of books you like to read and write.

Hello, Katie! I work as a K-12 librarian, and when I’m not talking about books, I’m reading or writing them. I love to read all kinds of books, but especially those that are dark, atmospheric, and with a touch of romance. Coincidentally, those are the same kind of stories I like to write!

What's your favorite part of being an author?

So far, my favorite part was telling my mom last Mother’s Day that I had just signed a publishing contract. I could hear her smile over the phone!

What’s your approach to writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?

Maybe a little bit of both. I usually have a vague idea where I’m going, but I like to let the characters take the reins and lead me in directions I never knew existed. Sometimes they lead me over rugged terrain, but it’s always a lot of fun!

Besides being an awesome author, if you could have one superpower, what would you choose?

My superpower would be to make people’s daydreams come true. *rubs hands together and laughs maniacally* That would be very interesting!

Tell us about your new release, THE GRAVE WINNER

I’d love to! Here’s the blurb:

Leigh Baxton is terrified her mom will come back from the dead -- just like the prom queen did.

While the town goes beehive over the news, Leigh bikes to the local cemetery and buries some of her mom’s things in her grave to keep her there. When the hot and mysterious caretaker warns her not to give gifts to the dead, Leigh cranks up her punk music and keeps digging.

She should have listened.

Two dead sorceresses evicted the prom queen from her grave to bury someone who offered certain gifts. Bury them alive, that is, then resurrect them to create a trio of undead powerful enough to free the darkest sorceress ever from her prison inside the earth.

With help from the caretaker and the dead prom queen, Leigh must find out what’s so special about the gifts she gave, and why the sorceresses are stalking her and her little sister. If she doesn’t, she’ll either lose another loved one or have to give the ultimate gift to the dead – herself.

Okay, if you’re casting the movie of your book, who would play the main characters?

Tough question. Taylor Momsen might work for Leigh, but I’d have to actually talk to her to see if she could pull it off. Leigh’s dad would have to be Aaron Eckhart. As far as the rest of the characters, I haven’t found anyone yet.

Where can readers find your books and where can you be found on the web?

The Grave Winner will be available as an ebook and paperback from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

I’m usually frolicking all over the internet, but mostly at these places:

http://www.lindseyrloucks.com

http://www.facebook.com/LindseyRLoucks

http://www.twitter.com/LindseyRLoucks

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6151511.Lindsey_R_Loucks

Thank you so much, Katie, for having me!

Thanks for stopping by, Lindsey! And thanks for having me over to chat on your blog today, too! Let's do this again sometime!

Does anyone have any questions for Lindsey? And don't forget - TWITTER PARTY TOMORROW - 8-10 p.m.EST, hashtag #MAGICKED

Puppy Tale Friday: Sunrise Over Different Sands

This is the reason Puppy is so happy lately. Seven sunrises a week at her favorite sandy spot. With the construction going on, I have no option to be lazy about it. Just do it.

In construction news, the forms for the foundation are all in place, so I assume we're expecting a visit from the cement truck in the near future. Maybe today.

 Puppy checks out the forms being assembled in the sandpit...

 The "concrete forms" will hold the cement in place as it dries and forms the walls for the new basement.

So, Vicki asked last week for me to explain what's actually being built. The large window on the left edge of the remaining house is to the existing (tiny) (miniscule) kitchen. We're expanding the kitchen (and will break through that wall once the new structure is in place.) We're adding a mudroom entrance to the kitchen area, and family room behind the new garage. The new garage will be a little closer to the street to allow room for the room behind it. There are no new bedrooms being added, but we will get a new guest bathroom off the family room and new French doors out into the backyard to replace the slider that never worked properly (ever.) And best of all, there will be room for my washing machine and dryer to live inside the house from now on, instead of in the garage. Which means I'll never have to worry about the water lines freezing in the winter, or getting up at 3 a.m. to run laundry in the middle of the night when the temperatures dip below zero. (I won't miss that at all!)

Puppy doesn't care about any of this. She can't read the plans and has no idea what's to come. She just knows she gets to enjoy the sunrise every morning now.

And she's happy.


P.S. In book news, I'm continuing on my Splash Into Summer blog tour. Today I'm talking about mermaids through history over at Kary Rader's blog 

There is also going to be a post soon on Manga Maniac Cafe blog  (well, she told me it would be today, but I don't see it over there yet.)

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway - click on the tour badge up in the left-hand corner to go to a page with the Giveaway and enter to win!

Guest Blogging and Today's Interview... Are Mermaids Real?

Day Two of my Splash Into Summer tour, and I'm already wishing I'd hired someone to manage all the details for me, lol!

Today I'm guest blogging at Constance Phillips spot. She's the author of the paranormal romance FAIRYPROOF, and the historical paranormal romance about Harry Houdini, RESURRECTING HARRY. We're discussing whether mermaids might actually exist... what do you think? Come read my arguments and tell us your own thoughts!

I'm also being interviewed by Wendy Russo on her blog - Wendy is the author of that great new YA novel JANUARY BLACK. (If you haven't read it yet, you really should! And she's got some cool contests of her own going on right now, so be sure to stick around and check out her website!)

Wendy asks great questions, which evolved organically over the course of a long email conversation. It was a cool way to be interviewed - unique, like her novel!

And don't forget the Rafflecopter giveaway is now open - enter to win your own copy of SON OF A MERMAID and your own mermaid necklace!


AND AND AND... if you're already sold on buying SON OF A MERMAID... why wait? Order today at Amazon in paperback or for your Kindle!

Happy Birthday to SON OF A MERMAID!

Happy Book Birthday to SON OF A MERMAID!

To celebrate, I'm kicking off my SPLASH INTO SUMMER blog tour today! I'm appearing on three different blogs today, hosted by Shawna Romkey, Danielle DeVor, and Louann Carroll. Swing by for a visit, as well as a few chances to enter my Rafflecopter Giveaway, which opens today!

And make sure to drop by my Facebook page to keep up to date with the latest news and reviews!

So, come on! Splash on in and play with us! What are you waiting for?

Book Review: THE GRAVE WINNER by Lindsey Loucks

THE GRAVE WINNER

By Lindsey Loucks

Published by Crescent Moon Press, available May 15, 2013

BLURB:

Leigh Baxton is terrified her mom will come back from the dead -- just like the prom queen did.

While the town goes beehive over the news, Leigh bikes to the local cemetery and buries some of her mom’s things in her grave to keep her there. When the hot and mysterious caretaker warns her not to give gifts to the dead, Leigh cranks up her punk music and keeps digging.

She should have listened.

Two dead sorceresses evicted the prom queen from her grave to bury someone who offered certain gifts. Bury them alive, that is, then resurrect them to create a trio of undead powerful enough to free the darkest sorceress ever from her prison inside the earth.

With help from the caretaker and the dead prom queen, Leigh must find out what’s so special about the gifts she gave, and why the sorceresses are stalking her and her little sister. If she doesn’t, she’ll either lose another loved one or have to give the ultimate gift to the dead – herself

MY TAKE:

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from the author. And I'm so glad I did! The book will be available May 15th, and I totally recommend grabbing a copy for your beach bag!

Fresh ideas, crisp writing and a compelling storyline make The Grave Winner a great choice for summer reading!

The story starts fast, jumping right in and answering questions later. We first meet the main character Leigh Baxton at her mother's funeral, standing graveside with her father and little sister Darby. We don't know how her mother died, but we can see this is a turning point in Leigh's life.

The story is all told in first person from Leigh's point of view, and we hear her sarcastic, rebellious voice right from the get-go. She throws curse words at the "in" crowd and doesn't follow direction well, even when it's in her own best interest. But she does have a good heart and strong family bonds, as well as a fierce sense of loyalty to her friends.

She also has a secret thing for her best friend's older brother, Callum, or Cal. Suddenly he seems to be paying attention, seeing her for the first time. This could be great... if only there wasn't a dead cheerleader back from the grave and stirring things up in Leigh's once sleepy Kansas town.

Hooked yet? Me too. I think I may have to read this one again! (And keep my fingers crossed for a sequel!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lindsey R. Loucks works as a school librarian in rural Kansas. When she's not discussing books with anyone who will listen, she's dreaming up her own stories. Eventually her brain gives out, and she'll play hide and seek with her cat, put herself in a chocolate induced coma, or watch scary movies alone in the dark to reenergize.

She's been with her significant other for almost two decades.

Check out her website for more information and to contact her. She would love to hear from you! http://www.lindseyrloucks.com

Puppy Tale Friday: Life in the Sandpit

Construction continues at our house, and the dogs are busy watching the progress. They must be wondering what on earth is going on... and why we don't let them play or dig in the new sandpit that is our yard.

The first cement was poured this week. Not much else has happened, as we wait for the next phase to begin.

The back yard is just as sand-pitty, as they placed much of the excavated material behind the house to form a new yard. Which makes up for the space we lost because of this project. The dogs haven't been allowed back there yet, as there is literally nothing but a sandy mess all around the pool fence. No dirt. Just sand.

The dogs are still enjoying their (very) early morning romps on the beach as well as their mid-day romps and sunset romps. The mid-day walks will have to be changed to street-only very soon as Summer Beach Rules go into effect next week. But we'll still be up there at 5 a.m.

Splash Into Summer Blog Tour for SON OF A MERMAID

Are you Ready to Splash Into Summer?

Join me as I tour the blogosphere, talking about my new YA novel and giving away some cool prizes. Here's the list of where you can find me. Come visit some new blog friends, leave comments and win goodies through the end of Spring, as we head into Summer with a Big Splash!

(If you want to get yourself and your blog added to the tour, email me or leave a comment and I'll get in touch! The more people splashing around the blogosphere the merrier!)

And make sure to check out my author page on Facebook for updates and info, HERE.

May 15 – Shawna Romkey

May 15 – Danielle DeVor (5-star Book Review!)

May 15 – Louann Carroll ( Interview and 5-star Book Review!)

May 16 – Wendy Russo

May 16  - ConstancePhillips

May 17 – Kary Rader
May 17 - Manga Maniac Cafe

May 20 – Lindsey Loucks

May 21 – TWITTER PARTY turned Facebook Party

May 22 – THE WRITING NUT: Wednesday Writer's Workspace

May 22 – Cindy Young Turner

May 23 – Kate Evangelista 

May 26 – BOOK LAUNCH PARTY at WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS bookstore, Chatham

May 27 – Pat Lee 

May 31 – Jordan Rose

May 31 – Penelope Marzec
May 31 - The Book Maven: Fresh Faced Friday(Book Review!)

June 3 – Maer Wilson

June 3 – The Cover Contessa

June 4 - Angela Felsted

June 5 – Rebecca Trogner 

June 11 - Loose the Hounds with Courtney Farrell

June 15 - ALL THINGS MERMAID PARTY at BEACH COTTAGE LIVING, starts at noon!
Beach Cottage Living is located at 457 Lower County Road in Harwich Port. This eclectic shop is filled with cool things for your home and garden - and this Saturday will be all about MERMAIDS, including my book! Join us for cupcakes, friends, shopping and fun!

June 14-17 - CMP SUMMER LOVIN' BLOG HOP
* 20 authors * 20 blogs about Summer Love * Great Prizes and Swag * Grand Prize Kindle Paperwhite! *

June 18 – Jody Kessler

June 19 – Jody Kessler (Book Review!)

June 20 – Summer Solstice BOOK PARTY at The LITTLE BEACH GALLERY, 5-8 p.m.

The Little Beach Gallery is located in the heart of downtown Hyannis, on South Street.

Event hosted by CapeWomenOnline magazine and Love.Live.Local as part of Cape Cod Mariner Days - lots more details to come!

There are still dates available, and there are still a few tour dates on my list that aren't quite confirmed yet. So stay tuned for updates!

June 23 (a little outside the lines) - READING FOR FUN


AND... I finally figured out how to use Rafflecopter successfully. I think. So I've got an official-looking giveaway going on, starting May 15 and running through June 21. Enter here or at any of the blog tour dates listed. And good luck!!!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: RELICS by Maer Wilson

RELICS, By Maer Wilson

Published by Crescent Moon Press, May 2013

BLURB:

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they're nothing like your mother's fairy tales.

Most of Thulu and La Fi's clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding relics for an ancient daemon is simple. The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground - Earth.

Hoping to create chaos, Gabriel opens portals to other worlds and the creatures of magic return to Earth, stunning humanity with their existence. When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi's job becomes personal. They'll need powerful allies in the race to find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that's what grateful dead, magical allies and daemonic clients are for.

MY TAKE:

With this well-crafted debut novel, Maer Wilson has laid the groundwork for a great new series of detective books. This refreshing take on urban fantasy has strong elements of family, love and commitment woven throughout, making it different from many of the darker novels in the category.

RELICS is the first book of a new series about a paranormal detective agency, run by two humans with unusual powers and unusual nicknames, Thulu and La Fi.

We first meet La Fi as a child, when she was still known as Fiona. Her parents die and her unusual abilities manifest themselves – she can see, hear and talk with ghosts. She meets Thulu on the first day at her new school, and the pair become inseparable. He also has an unusual talent, for finding lost things. His family – the tight knit Thulukan clan – welcomes La Fi and her grandmother into the fold with open and loving arms. The theme of strong family bonds, love and commitment run all throughout this novel.

Fast forward to the present, where La Fi and Thulu are married and running their own successful detective agency, working to bring resolution to the dead. They have a quiet, happy life but when a case brings them in contact with a Daemon, things start to get strange. When the Daemon hires them to find some relics that will prevent global disaster the action ramps up and trust me, you’ll never think of Angels versus Daemons in the same way.

The story is told all in first person by La Fi, with lots of mundane details thrown in about the food she’s preparing and the restoration work she and Thulu have done on their home. The details keep you grounded in “reality” while all manner of extraordinary creatures and events are introduced into the tale, in the same way that Charlaine Harris’s Sookie keeps us grounded in reality with her details about clothes, television shows and her tanning efforts while vampires, werewolves and the fae battle in and around Bon Temps.

The Thulukan Agency may not be the first paranormal detective agency out there on the shelves, but it is certainly one to watch. I look forward to reading many more adventures as Thulu and La Fi expand their agency.

About the Author:

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she's a writer.

She's always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she's not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. She also co-hosts the literary podcast, "MythBehaving" and writes for two gaming fansites.

She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two dogs, a chihuahua and a poodle. RELICS is her first novel and Book 1 in "The Thulukan Chronicles." RELICS releases through Crescent Moon Press on May 1, 2013.

Meet Author Maer Wilson, and her debut novel, RELICS

I'm thrilled to have Maer Wilson as my guest today, talking about her new book RELICS and what inspires her. Her book was just released on May 1st by Crescent Moon Press - and I will post my review of the book tomorrow (fyi, LOVED it!)

So, welcome, Maer! Tell us a little bit about yourself, and about what kind of books you like to read and write.

First let me thank you for letting me visit, Katie. I’m a former stage actor and now I pass on what I know by teaching college. I live in the Southern Nevada desert with my two dogs.

I read Fantasy, Sci Fi, Horror, Mysteries and I write Urban Fantasy.

  

What's your favorite part of being an author?

I love getting to play in the worlds I make up. Exploring all the potential stories in those worlds is more fun than I ever could have imagined.

What’s your approach to writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?

I go with the flow. I have a general idea where I’m going to end up, but the process of getting there sometimes takes me completely by surprise. More than once I’ve been writing and think, “Wow, I didn’t know that!” It’s funny, but exciting at the same time.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

Immortality because there is just so much I would love to do and experience that one lifetime just doesn’t seem enough.

Tell us about your new release, RELICS

Relics is an Urban Fantasy that takes place in San Francisco and follows the exploits of husband and wife detectives, Thulu and La Fi. The couple’s clients are usually dead, which is fine with them since they work only with the supernatural. But their simple job to find lost relics for an ancient daemon turns into a grand adventure when the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, confirming that humans are definitely not alone.

Okay, if you’re casting the movie of your book, who would play the main characters?

La F - Jennifer Lawrence

Thulu - Chris Hemsworth

Jones - Shemar Moore

Reo - Chace Crawford

Nana Fae - Meryl Streep

Where can readers find your books and where can you be found on the web?

  

Maer’s Website: http://maerwilson.com/

Maer’s Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maer-Wilson-Author/149085628472833

Maer’s Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MaerWilson

Relics at Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17767013-relics

Relics at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Relics-Maer-Wilson/dp/1939173310/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_E8ZZ

Relics at Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relics-maer-wilson/1115158495?ean=9781939173317

Relics - The Book Trailer link on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un2PHs5oGwg

Thanks again for letting me stop by!

Thanks, Maer, for chatting with me today! I really enjoyed your book and look forward to reading more adventures from the Thulukan Agency!

About the Book:

Most of Thulu and La Fi's clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding relics for an ancient daemon should be simple.

The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground – Earth.

Stunning humanity with their existence, portals to other worlds begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth.

When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi's search becomes personal. The couple will need powerful allies in the race to find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that's what grateful dead, magical allies and daemonic clients are for. 

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they're nothing like your mother's fairy tales.

Praise for Relics

"'Relics' is a powerful read which will challenge long-held perceptions of good vs. evil and Light vs. Dark well after the book is finished." Diane M. Haynes, author of Rift Healer, YA finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.

“In Relics, author Maer Wilson takes everything you think you know about the creatures of the fantasy world and twists it around to create a unique and engaging story.”  Constance Philips, author of Resurrecting Harry and Fairyproof.

“The perfect paranormal detective, Wilson’s unique and suspenseful tale pulls you in and doesn’t let go.”  Jean Murray, author of Soul Awakened and Soul Reborn.

Book Review: Forest of the Forsaken, by Joanne Brothwell

FOREST OF THE FORSAKEN

By Joanne Brothwell

Published February 2013 by Joanne Brothwell

Available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BCRURI0/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb

BLURB:

In this eerie adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, the fairy tale ending may be far from happy.

Following her mother’s death to cancer, Meg’s world crashes in around her. Her father re-marries within weeks of their loss, her witch step-mother is cold and rejecting, and her new step-brother, Joey, has some rather unusual sexual preferences. Meg’s only hope is to move away and leave her father and the tainted memories behind.

When her father forces her to attend his honeymoon with this new and unwanted blended family, Meg finds herself in the remote wilderness of the Rocky Mountains, miles from civilization. Meg begins to see things in the forbidding forest—strange, unexplainable things she believes are the result of compounding stress. But when her father and step-mother disappear, leaving Meg and Joey to fend for themselves, lost and without supplies, she realizes her paranormal visions are not merely her imagination after all.

Meg’s knows of the dangerous and tortured demons of Joey’s past but her heart can’t resist him. Bound together in desperation and fear, their romance blooms bright and all-consuming despite the evil magic of the formidable forest.

Will Meg and Joey find their way back to civilization? Or will their love wither in submission to the shadows within the Forest of the Forsaken?

MY TAKE:

A fast read that zips along at breakneck speed and sizzles with heat between the two main characters, this adult paranormal romance has few slow moments. Told in first person from the main character Meg’s point of view, the romance keeps shifting from dark to sweet, from lust to love, from sizzling to tender over the course of the story.

This is a reinterpretation of an old Grimm Brothers fairy tale, an adult retelling of the story of Hansel and Gretel. Let me emphasize the “adult” part of that sentence, as I mistakenly thought this was YA and (oh boy!) it’s not at all. I bought this before the cover redesign – and I have to add that I love the new cover art. With the more adult looking characters and the darker, creepier overtones, it’s beautiful and scary, and does justice to the story.

My favorite parts of the writing were the descriptions of both the evil forest (its own character, really) and the witch’s house. And the sex scenes. Ms. Brothwell does a great job bringing heat and darkness to the characters interactions and feelings. While I would’ve liked to have Joey’s character arc better defined (I desperately want him to be a totally changed man in the end!) I enjoyed this story immensely. It was a great escape – a guilty pleasure that I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, hot read for a day at the beach.

About the Author:

Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis. Of course, her two pets, a retired police dog with titanium fangs and a feral barn cat missing two toes, make the safety of surrounding wildlife, at best, uncertain.

Joanne is known to daydream, and ever since grade school has been accused of having a poor attention span. The truth is, Joanne has an alternate reality inside her head, where characters speak to her, sometimes so loudly (and incessantly) she just can't hear anything else!

You can rest assured you'll see much more of Joanne's writing in the future, as those characters in her head, having tasted the sweet freedom of release, simply refuse to be silenced!