Blood Fugue, Moonsongs Book 1 by E.J. Wesley Cover Reveal Party

Author E.J. Wesley is throwing a blog party to celebrate the release of his new book cover and wants you to join in the fun. Jump over to his blog to learn about how you can win some awesome prizes, including $50 toward a cover of your own and advance reader copies of Blood Fugue.

Cover work by Sketcher Girl, LLC - http://sketchergirlstudios.com/

What's the Story About? 

“Some folks treated the past like an old friend. The memories warmed them with fondness for what was, and hope for what was to come. Not me. When I thought of long ago, my insides curdled, and I was left feeling sour and wasted.”

Jenny Schmidt is a young woman with old heartaches. A small town Texas girl with big city attitude, she just doesn’t fit in. Not that she has ever tried. She wears loneliness like a comfy sweatshirt. By the age of twenty-one, she was the last living member of her immediate family. Or so she thought…

“We found my ‘grandfather’ sitting at his dining room table. An entire scorched pot of coffee dangled from his shaky hand. His skin was the ashen gray shade of thunderclouds, not the rich mocha from the photo I’d seen. There were dark blue circles under each swollen red eye. A halo of white hair skirted his bald head, a crown of tangles and mats. Corpses had more life in them.”

Suddenly, instead of burying her history with the dead, Jenny is forced to confront the past. Armed only with an ancient family journal, her rifle, and an Apache tomahawk, she must save her grandfather’s life and embrace her dangerous heritage. Or be devoured by it.

BLOOD FUGUE by E.J. Wesley, is the first of the MOONSONGS books, a series of paranormal-action novelettes. At fewer than 13k words, BLOOD FUGUE is the perfect snack for adventurous readers who aren’t afraid of stories with bite. Available wherever fine eBooks are sold September 2012. 

Join the Party!

The Open Vein, E.J.'s blog - http://the-open-vein-ejwesley.blogspot.com/

E.J. Wesley on the Twitter - https://twitter.com/EJWesley

Cover Reveal - CONJURE by Lea Nolan with g*veaway

Be careful what you search for…

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

CONJURE on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13425130-conjure

Lea's website: http://www.leanolan.com/ 

Lea on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lea_Nolan

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview with Faye Robertson, Author of Bloodlust

Please welcome Faye Robertson to the blog!

Let's start the interview. Faye, when did you first consider yourself a writer?

I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was fifteen. I’ve always told people that I’m a writer in my spare time, and I tell unpublished, struggling writers that now. If you writer—you’re a writer. An author is different. I became an author when I had my first book published at the beginning of last year.

I agree wholeheartedly! Most, if not all, authors are also readers. What books have most influenced your life most?

Oh, there are so many. I read a lot of historical romances when I was younger, and I loved Kathleen Woodiwiss’s A Rose in Winter. I fell in love with the hero, and I’m sure every single hero I’ve written since then has been based on him. I also loved Sharon Penman’s historical novel Falls the Shadow about Simon de Montfort. I fell in love with him too. It’s important to have a hero the reader can fall for, I think. That’s what I aim for when I write, anyway.

I think all female readers want to fall in love with the hero, I know I do! What book are you reading now?

I’m reading K A Mitchell’s Collision Course for a new reading group. It’s my first ever M/M romance. Sheesh. It’s hot. Oh, and I’ve just finished the Fifty Shades trilogy, which I adored. I know there’s a lot of criticism about it, and I’m not sure it quite deserves all the publicity it’s getting, but I thought it was wonderful, full of passion and emotion.

Everyone's talking about Fifty Shades. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I have a lot of “must-buys”, not all romance. I love Nicci French’s psychological thrillers because they’re in the first person and her writing always captivates me. I love Sharon Penman’s historicals because she really draws you into the period and she’s great at characterization. For light romance, I like authors like Leslie Kelly and Sarah Mayberry because they’re sexy and funny. I’ve recently fallen for Shannon Stacey, who writes warm, funny romances. Oh, and I love Nora Roberts for her sheer writing ability. But who doesn’t?

I don't know! lol What was the hardest part of writing Bloodlust?

With most books, I get halfway through and think it’s rubbish and end up going off and writing something else. Then I come back, re-read it, think “actually that’s not too bad” and go on to finish it. I certainly did that with this one. The mid point slump is the hardest part.

Ah, yes, the murky middle. Time for some fun questions! What paranormal creature would you be and why?

Ooh. Vampires have most fun, I think. I like the whole sucking thing. Although I think being a shifter would also be great fun. Knowing my luck I’d shift into a rabbit or something, though.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

The power to be able to do all the housecleaning and laundry in an hour, please.

If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and why?

I like to think I’m a lioness, and that’s what I aim for—to be brave and honest and stand up for my friends and family. In reality, I’m probably more some sort of lemming. I’m always getting myself into ridiculous situations and I’m amazed I haven’t committed career suicide yet by saying something I shouldn’t have in public!

Thanks for having me here :-)

Faye x

Thank you for stopping by! Now, a little about Bloodlust: 

It had to be nuns.

Some vampires had a thing for B+. Some preferred redheads. Others preferred blondes.

For Jasper, it had to be nuns--and he's been regretting that since the day he bit Amabel de Woodville, almost two centuries ago.

She'd done something to him. Something that restored his conscience, pointed his moral compass straight north, and ended his career of seducing virgin nuns and killing as he pleased. But even worse--she'd gotten under his skin, and he hasn't forgotten the green-eyed witch who'd been immune to his charms.

When Amabel ends up in his office, still as young as the day they'd met and seeking a charity sponsor, Jasper has the chance he's ached for: to show her the pleasure that's haunted her dreams for decades. He's taken the virginity of a hundred nuns...but a vampire nun? That's new.

And Jasper has always enjoyed a challenge. 

Buy link: Amazon

Interview with Becca Puglisi, co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus

I have another interview for you all today with Becca Puglisi!

Becca Puglisi is one half of The Bookshelf Muse blogging duo, and co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression. Listing the body language, visceral reactions and thoughts associated with 75 different emotions, this brainstorming guide is a valuable tool for showing, not telling, emotion. The Emotion Thesaurus is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Smashwords, and the PDF can be purchased directly from her blog.

Onto the interview! Becca, what book are you reading now?

Oh, you caught me between books, which hardly ever happens. But I just finished reading ABOVE, by Leah Bobet, and it. was. awesome! It had the most intricate, ornate voice, and the story was absolutely unique. Loved it.

That book sounds so good! I've been meaning to read it. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Seriously, Nicole? Just ONE author? Can’t do it. Let’s see...definitely Stephen King, for his fearlessness and his ability to tap into reader emotion. And Rowling is right up there, too. Her vision is so amazing--anyone who can even loosely map out a 7-part series from the get-go and remain true to it all the way through definitely has mad skillz.

LOL I couldn't list just one either. Who doesn't like King and Rowling? If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

One of the first books I ever re-read was THE BLUE SWORD, by Robin McKinley. In ninth grade, I checked it out from the library, read it twice in a row, then bought it so I could read it literally to pieces. And now, twenty-something years later, I’m still re-reading and devouring her books. Her world building is so...tactile. When I finish one of her books, I’m nostalgic for the setting as much as I am for the characters. And the stories themselves are always complex. She’s a master storyteller who has stood the test of time. I’d love to learn whatever I could from her.

I love Robin McKinley! Time for some fun questions. What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?

A veterinarian. I thought it would be all puppies and kittens, and maybe horses and cows, but didn’t realize it would start off with mostly chemistry and biology and quite probably end with an aneurism. It took me less than one college semester to realize veterinary medicine was not my calling.

I wanted to be a vet for all of two days. My allergies wouldn't let me even if I had wanted to. What paranormal creature would you be and why?

I think it would be fun to be an imp. In real life, I like the idea of playing practical jokes, but since the retribution is usually bigger and far worse than anything I could dole out, I’m usually too much of a wuss to commit. As an imp, though, I’d be invisible and no one could see me. And no one would try and outdo an imp, so I could pretty much get away with anything.

Now that's a great choice! And readers, you want to get a copy of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression if you don’t already have one. I do and I love it. It's such a wonderful resource. Because Becca and Angela are awesome, they're giving away a PDF version of The Emotion Thesaurus! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment saying what emotion you would look up first in your copy. Good luck!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Becca!

Interview with Dina Rae, Author of The Last Degree

Everyone, allow me to introduce Dina Rae.

Dina Rae is a new author here to stay.  As a former teacher, she brings an academic element to her work.  Her two novels, Halo of the Damned and The Last Degree, weave research and suspense throughout the plots.  Her short story, Be Paranoid Be Prepared, is a prequel of sorts to The Last Degree, focusing on the James Martin character.  Dina also freelances for various entertainment blogs.

Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago.  She is a Christian, an avid tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories.  When she is not writing, she is reading novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Brad Thor, George R.R. Martin, and Preston & Childs.

Website | Blog |

And now, onto the interview! What inspired you to write The Last Degree? 

I was a teacher and then got laid off.  I used my extra time to pursue my dreams of writing a novel.

That's great. Whenever you can turn a negative into a positive, that's always a good thing. Do you have a specific writing style? 

So far, I like to write in 3rd person, lmtd. POV with verbs in the past tense.  I also like to have 3-5 subplots that eventually merge towards the end.

How did you come up with the title? 

The Last Degree in the Scottish Freemasonry is the 33rd degree.  My novel is about this inner circle along with other secret societies who plan for New World Order.

Oh, that's interesting! Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?  

The book is fiction but based on mainstream conspiracy theories that have been discussed for decades.  I hope readers will be entertained, learn something new, and somewhat reflect on a possible upcoming Apocalypse.

Nice. Since most authors are also readers, what books have most influenced your life most?  

So many books, hard to choose, but Stephen King’s The Stand and Jerry Jenkins’/Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind Series always comes to mind.

Oh, good ones. What book are you reading now? 

I am reading four books right now-Angelology in my car on CD, The White Queen on my ipod, Soul Sisters on my computer, and The 12th Imam on my Nook, all are very enjoyable.

Are there any new authors who have grasped your interest? 

I read 50 Shades of Gray and was disappointed.  James is a wonderful story teller, but I’m just not interested in that kind of story.  Thought the ending was perfect-she dumped the weirdo and moved on, but I guess there are two more books.  I loved Justin Cronin’s The Passage, but was too long.

I haven't read either of those. What are your current projects? 

I am writing a sequel to my other novel, Halo of the Damned.  It’s about a fallen angel who forms his own religion and tries to sever all ties with Hell.

I love sequels. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?  

Everything is challenging-the manuscript, getting published, promoting the book-it doesn’t end.  I find the biz fascinating and am learning something new each day.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? 

Very tough question-so many, but Dan Brown is one of my favorites.  I love how he weaves research into the story and how he gets me to go onto Google and check some of his plot lines.

I actually haven't read anything by him yet either. I have so many books to read! How long does it take you to write a book? 

Three to six months.

Wow! What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? 

I like to write each chapter longhand, then again longhand in a different journal, and then type it into the computer.  Four handwritten pages will magically turn into 8 typed by the third draft.

Now that's impressive! Time for some fun questions. What paranormal creature would you be and why? 

I would love to be witch and fly on a broom.

LOL! What makes you laugh? 

Myself, my family, and almost anyone who is really trying to be funny.

Aw. My family makes me laugh all the time too, sometimes even when they aren't trying to be funny! If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want.  

Wow!  Sounds like an episode of Ancient Aliens-one of my favorite shows!  I would want to be a judge so that justice would be fair and not in the alien race’s favor.

Oh, good one! If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be? 

Danarys of Game of Thrones-She’s gorgeous, fierce, immune to fire, and a leader.

Nice. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with the time? 

Travel the world.

You'd let me go with you, right? :) If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why? 

Jesus Christ and I hope that someday He invites me to eat with Him.

Great choice! If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? 

Easy Breezy.  I would build myself a dream-bunker in the Rocky Mountains.

Thanks so much for dropping by!

Thanks so much for having me as your guest!

The Last Degree is a fictionalized account of how Freemasons and other secret societies set up the world for takeover. Ancient writings foretell a ‘Shining One’ who emerges as the world’s prophet. A murder of a Most Worshipful mason resembles a secret oath. A cop gets too close to solving the crime. Paranoid preppers go underground, preparing for war.

Headlines such as the Norway massacre, meltdown of the European Union, unscrupulous media, animal die-offs, Middle Eastern unrest, and U.S. shrinking power make the plot relevant to present day. This book is an ode to Christians, Birthers, 2012ers, Truthers, preppers, and/or other conspiracy junkies who enjoy Dan Brown, Jesse Ventura, Brad Meltzer, Alex Jones, Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye.

Purchase for only $1.99:

Amazon

The Last Degree will be FREE Sept. 27^th – 28^th!

Excerpt:

Dwight took off his crown, signifying he was no longer playing King Solomon.

“Sacrifice is expected for ones that you love.  Do you love me?” Dwight shouted.  “Then bow down before me and offer praise!”

Everyone knelt and laid their head down to the floor, chanting 'Most Worshipful,

Most Worshipful' several times before Dwight commanded them to get up.

In a manic energetic state, Dwight vociferated, “Et vitam impendere vero!”  All repeated, with the three new pledges joining in.  Minutes later, he began to calm down.  “To sacrifice life for truth - that is what we must always do!  You must trust me as your Most Worshipful and sacrifice at my command!  Are you prepared to do this?”  All three pledges nodded.

Dwight pulled the content baby out of Arthur's arms and threw it high into the air.  As the baby began to descend, Dwight took his sword and hacked through its neck, decapitating it before it hit the floor.  Only the three pledges shrieked in horror.  He sinisterly smiled as he picked up the head and body, revealing it was only a doll.

“Don't believe with your eyes, but believe with your knowledge.  We are his chosen and will soon be exalted.”

The three men looked down at their hands and tried not to scream.  They were covered in blood.

“Sacrifice, my brothers, sacrifice.  I will teach you well.  You are all Chiefs of the Tabernacle!  Let us go and celebrate!” Dwight gleamed.

Check out The Last Degree Prequel as well—Be Paranoid Be Prepared!

Cover Reveal - LM Preston's The Pack with g*veaway

The Pack (Book 1) Cover Reveal for New Edition. The Pack-Retribution (Book 2) available for review via netgalley.com, comes out in print this September, 2012 and the publisher updated the cover of The Pack to match.

The Pack

Description:

Shamira is considered an outcast by most, but little do they know that she is on a mission. Kids on Mars are disappearing, but Shamira decides to use the criminals most unlikely weapons against them the very kids of which they have captured. In order to succeed, she is forced to trust another, something she is afraid to do. However, Valens, her connection to the underworld of her enemy, proves to be a useful ally. Time is slipping, and so is her control on the power that resides within her. But in order to save her brother's life, she is willing to risk it all.

Praise for THE PACK

- I was most impressed by the author's world building abilities. Mars felt real right from the beginning. I gave it to one of my sons to read. lHe did tell me that "the fighting moves were interesting" and he thought "her sword and weapons were cool.".~By Kristien Howell

- A treasure for scifi readers ~ Midwest Reviews

- This sci-fi for YA jets along, full of action and humor and pathos and even a bit of romance. ~Darby Karchut

Excerpt:

She decided then and there that she would give the Security Force just two days before she would attempt to find him herself. Kids of various Security Force Elite members and the Mars Planet Police were sporadically kidnapped over the years, never to turn up again. Shamira swore she would find them and bring pain to those that took them. As she sat there daydreaming of what she would do to those who hurt the missing kids and Officer McCann, she heard a crack. Without realizing she was doing it, she’d pressed her fork so hard onto her plate that the plate snapped in two.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-LM-Preston/dp/0984198970/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1343303112&sr=8-3&keywords=The+Pack+by+lm+preston

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pack-l-m-preston/1020408061?ean=9780984198979

Books A Million:

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Pack/Lm-Preston/9780984198979?id=5433057156989

Smashwords:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140645

Contact

LM Preston

www.lmpreston.com

Blog: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/

Tweet Me: http://twitter.com/LM_Preston

Facebook:http://tinyurl.com/2fev6qc

Giveaway details: To win a print or ebook copy of the book with the new cover leave a comment. Extra entries for liking LM Preston's facebook page and liking The Pack on Amazon.