Showing posts with label #paranormal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #paranormal. Show all posts

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Deanna Jewel, Author of Whispers at Ghost Point on An Avid Reader's Haven Blog

Deanna chats with me about her new release Whispers at Ghost Point on Haven's blog this week. She is giving away a $10 GC and Five Ecopies of No Turning Back. 

I had the pleasure of critiquing Whispers for Deanna. You'll love this story filled with paranormal, mystery and romance!

Click the link below the visit the interview. 


Link:

An Avid Reader's Haven: Meet Deanna Jewel, author of Whispers at Ghost Point


Thursday, January 10, 2013

New Release! Whispers at Ghost Point by Deanna Jewel




Louise, thank you for inviting me to your blog. Readers, thank you for stopping in to check out my new release! I have a soft spot for lighthouses and romance so these two went together very well for me. I visited St Augustine Florida just before Halloween and got to tour the lighthouse and keeper's house for a ghost tour! No, we didn't see any ghosts but if you believe in orbs showing up in pictures, then yes, I captured them! I really wanted to experience something but didn't get to. The tour was still awesome!


We did take another tour of an historic jail in St Augustine. Now just before we entered, my camera worked just fine. Once inside, the flash wouldn't work no matter what I did! I was not happy at all. As soon as I stepped outside to look at the gallows, I could snap a photo with the flash...go figure!


Now back to my book. The e-book released on the December 24th at Smashwords and the December 27th at Amazon. By mid January, the e-book should be at all online stores. The print copies should be available by the end of January for those who love their paperbacks! Those will also be at Amazon, B& N and at my website store for those who may want an autographed copy!

Information about Whispers at Ghost Point can be found by visiting my webpage for Whispers - there you can read an excerpt, read Chapter1, watch the book trailer, and click on buy links if you're so inclined to find out what happens at the lighthouse with Dana and Mitch!


My newsletter has information and news which I hope you want to receive. If so, you can sign up at my website and blog. I pick one winner a month to receive a tee shirt, gift card and goodie bag!

Thank you all for stopping by. 


CONTEST:  eBook giveaway!  Leave a comment about why you love reading along with your email addy for a chance to win No Turning Back. I will pick one winner to gift the eBook from the comments.


* Site Links *


* Buy Links *


For a chance to win a signed copy of No Turning Back - click here! I've read No Turning Back. You can read my review on Amazon (Brenda Woody). You'll want to read NTB before reading Whispers at Ghost Point. ~ Louise 

 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Book Tour & Contest "Whispers at Ghost Point" - Deanna Jewel

Follow Deanna's Whispers at Ghost Point Book Tour. Enter her contest through the Rafflecopter below and good luck!

'Whisper's Tour Dates'

Oct 28 - Nov 2
at Louise James' Blog

Nov 1 - 4
at Lara Hogg

Nov 5 - 9
at Katie Salidas

Nov 5 - 9
at Tracy Krauss

Nov 12 - 16
at Charmaine Gordon

Nov 19 - 23
at Marti Melville's blog

at Karen Hooper's Blog

Nov 23 - 30
at Cate Master's Blog

Nov 26 - 30
at Renee Vincent's Blog

Nov 28 - Dec 2
at Hywela Lyn's Blog
 

Follow Deanna on her blog under GFC or NetworkedBlogs and visit her web site. You can connect with Deanna on Twitter: @DeannaJewel, Goodreads and Facebook.


No Turning Back on Sale for $0.99 






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Interview with Melanie Pronia, Author of Psychological and Paranormal Thrillers

I'm excited to introduce Melanie Pronia, Author of Psychological, Paranormal Mysteries and Thrillers. Melanie is visiting with me this week. We met on Facebook and once I saw her books, I knew I had to chat with her. Plus we have a lot in common.


Melanie resides in Florida with her family and is busy crafting stories for her Mortality Series.


Louise: Melanie, welcome to my blog! I’m so excited you could join me for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Melanie: Thank you, Louise, for having me. After I finished writing my first novel "Journey of Souls", I started marketing for a literary agent. I was rejected so many times that I have since lost count.  In July of 2010, I was offered my first publishing contract by a brand new company, unfortunately six months later the publisher closed up shop and did not live up to her end of our contract. I was devastated, but I thought about it and decided that I was tired of waiting to be discovered and self-published.

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release.

Melanie: My most recent and third novel is Five Sisters. This story is bold and blunt and meant for the open minded. My characters are Pagan and a few of them are lesbians as well. They are a coven of Witches, who also happen to be a renovation and cleaning team and are contracted to renovate an infamously haunted house, Willcraft Manor, which was built by a man suspected of Witchcraft.



Set in the bible belt of Jacksonville , Florida , Five Sisters Renovation and Cleaning, is a brand new company that also happens to be a coven of Witches, headed up by their fearless leader and high priestess, Martie.

The House
The Palm Breeze Inn, formerly known as the historical, Willcraft Manor, is a three story antebellum that has sat in the quiet town of Palatka , Florida for over one hundred years.  It was built as a family home by Lucien Willcraft who was rumored to be a Witch.

The Ghosts
In the year 1915, every member of the Willcraft family was murdered in their home, excluding Lucien, who seemed to have just disappeared. Even today, the mass murder remains unsolved.

Can a team of hand tool wielding Witches right the wrongs of Willcraft Manor and get out alive?

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?  

Melanie: I always plan out the main and supporting characters. I create a character sheet and really try feel and think about how my characters would react to certain things. I like to get to know them very well before I start writing their story. 

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits to share?

Melanie: For Descent, I had to do a lot of research of both Scizophrenia and Anti-freeze poisoning, I like to know what I’m talking about. For Journey of Souls I had to research a bit about historical places and events but for Five Sisters, there was very little research, as my own hobbies and life styles easily meshed with those of my characters. 

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Melanie: It’s definitely a combination of both. When I wrote Descent, I just went with my emotions, there was no outline, and I wasn’t even sure how I would end the book until I got there.  Journey of Souls was completely outlined while Five Sisters was just a basic outline.  

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Melanie: I do write full time now, but only because I was laid off from a really good job as a Human Resources Specialist that I loved and have been unable to find other work. I am okay with that though as my writing isn’t yet paying the bills but it is starting to take off and I am forming a fan base.  


Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Melanie: Nope, no ritual at all. I write when I can, when it feels right, when I need to meet my self-imposed deadlines and the only item I need is my computer. 

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Melanie: Up early around 7:00 or so, write until about 10:00 and often times I’ll take a break and nap. Sometimes I’ll pick back up around 2:00 in the afternoon, and most often I do my writing at night, very late into the night.

Louise: I’m a night owl too and do most of my writing in the wee hours. Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Melanie: This summer I expect to release two books. One is a non-fiction called, "Amateur Ghost Hunters – A Guide for Beginners", which I hope to have out this month and the other is my Strange Girls series, which is inspired by true crimes and about the odd things that young women do to themselves and each other. I am currently writing, "Heathen Child", which is the second book in the Mortality Series and prequel to "Journey of Souls" which I hope to publish a month before Christmas. There are several more books in the works. One is a Fairy Tale Erotica collection and another is "In the Shadow of Death", a paranormal thriller.

Louise: Good luck with the sequels. Readers like to know what books authors like to read and who inspires them. What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Melanie: I enjoy mysteries, thrillers, drama and paranormal (when paranormal novels are done right). The author whom I respect the most is Stephen King. 

Louise: I got to see Stephen King when he came to Savannah! You’ll have to check my post from February in the Blog Archives. Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Melanie: Support your local, Indie and Self-published Authors, we are the future of writing!

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Melanie: Readers can fine me on my Web site  www.melaniespronia.com

And my Books on Amazon 

Readers, I'd like to gift one lucky commenter an eBook (winner's choice). Drawing will be held Saturday, June 16.


BIO: 
Melanie S. Pronia is a novelist of mystery, thrillers and paranormal romances.  She is also an amateur ghost hunter, herbologist and tarot reader. Melanie was born in south New Jersey and moved around the U.S. quite a bit, but spent most of her time growing up in Virginia Beach , Virginia as a Navy Brat.  She currently resides in Orange Park, Florida with her husband and two sons. She considers, Descent, her best work thus far.



Twitter @MelanieSPronia


Five Sisters Book Trailer







Excerpt
“I’ll stay if you want me to,” he whispered.
            “No, you go home, get some rest, we’ll be fine,” she could see the hurt look in his very blue eyes as he stepped back before swiftly jerking her against him and sealing the emotions with a forceful kiss.
            “Wow,” Cynthia breathed out, “someone’s got it bad.”  They watched his tail lights becoming smaller and smaller before they quickly disappeared.
            “Nah, he’s just worried,” Martie answered, hardly paying any attention.
            “I wasn’t referring to him, Martie.”
            Martie glanced over at her before looking down at her knees,
            “Yeah, I know,” at the moment she didn’t sound very happy about it.
            “You know, if you had wanted him to stay, he could have,” Daphne spoke quietly.
            Martie looked at her both surprised and happy that Daphne was in her own way, giving Martie her blessing.
            “I know, but then we would have had sex,” she simply answered.
            “And oh my god! That would have been terrible! You slut!” Cynthia jeered sarcastically before laughing.
            “No,” Martie jumped up, “I mean,” she walked in a circle while Daphne and Cynthia stared at her with barely concealed humor, “I don’t know what I mean,” she quickly stopped and stared at them with bright, beseeching eyes.
            “We get it,” Daphne said, and without missing a beat, “you’re scared.”
            “No!” Cynthia placed her hand across her chest dramatically, “Not Martie! She’s not afraid of anything.”  Finally Martie was able to laugh with them. 
            When the silence returned, Cynthia stared straight forward and mumbled quietly,
            “At least you’re not a cougar.”
            “What,” Martie asked her as if she had gone insane.
            “Jessie, he’s only twenty five,” Cynthia said quietly.
            “Oh no! And you’ll be what, 80 in two months?”  Martie gasped, “oh, the horror!” she finished dramatically.
            “Stop it!” Cynthia tossed a leaf at Martie, trying not to laugh.  “I’ll be 30, but I might as well be 80.  My little brother whom I still consider a kid is a year older than Jessie.”
            “Well then,” Martie smacked her hands together loudly, very pleased that she was no longer the current topic, “We’ll just have to get you a chastity belt so that you don’t commit statutory rape, you fucking pedophile!”  As both Martie and Daphne burst into cackling laughter, Cynthia attempted to glare at them seriously before she started laughing with them.


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

An Avid Reader's Haven and A Naughty Reader's Boudoir; Bringing Readers and Authors Together!


Readers, find new authors, read intriguing interviews and get to know the author behind the books. Browse the pages on our blogs and main sites, and explore a world of Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, YA, Suspense/Mystery and Eroticism. Click on 'Forums' to comment in discussions or start a new topic! Visit our featured Authors on their own pages; Naughty's Authors and Haven's Authors. 

 

Authors, visit An Avid Readers Haven for all genres (except erotic). Not to frown though; we also have A Naughty Reader's Boudoir for you sexy writers!


We feature author interviews on our blogs, book reviews and advertising packages to meet any author's budget; just click the tab 'Advertise with Us'. Need an eBook cover, book trailer, bookmarks or postcards designed? We're for you. Click on 'Design with Us'. 'Contact Us' to schedule an author interview or request a book review.

Join and follow our sites. We bring readers and authors together to share and chat about the books they love to read and write!

 


Reader's Haven Blog 

Follow on Twitter: @Readers_Haven


Naughty Reader's Blog

Follow on Twitter: @Naughty_Readers 


An Avid Reader's Haven; Deanna Jewel and Louise James
A Naughty Reader's Boudoir; Brenda Woody & Steve Tindle and Tonya Kinzer


Saturday, May 26, 2012

Read Minds or Jack Minds? The Mindjack Triology by Susan Kaye Quinn

 
 Mind Games (Mindjack Origins)

       Raf, a regular mindreader, is in love with Kira, the only girl in school who can't read minds. Raf struggles to keep his thoughts about her private, but secrets are something that only zeros like Kira can keep. As he works up the nerve to ask Kira to the mindware Games, his friends have other games in mind for him.

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a 
dangerous thing to keep.

       Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. 

     But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.
 

Mind Games
FREE E-Book Smashwords
$0.99 Ebook  AmazonBarnes and Noble
International: UK, FRDEITES

Open Minds
$2.99 E-Book AmazonBarnes and NobleSmashwords
Paperback Amazon, Barnes and Noble
International: UKFRDEIT, ES
 
Closed Hearts
$2.99 E-Book Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords,
Paperback Amazon 
International: UK, FR, DE, IT, ES
 
 
Now about the Author ~ Susan Kaye Quinn!

Raised in California, Susan wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends...during class. Already the rebel. She pursued a bunch of engineering degrees and landed a job with NASA, and then NCAR. From designing aircraft engines to studying global warming, Susan went back to her life long dream....writing.

Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as much as she can handle!

Susan's Books can also be found on iTunes, Kobo, Diesel and Sony

Monday, May 7, 2012

Don’t make rookie mistakes. Learn from an insider! Go Publish Yourself by Katie Salidas VBT Pit Stop May 7


Self-Publishing made simple. Get your polished novel ready for Kindle, Nook, or Print in thirty days or less.

Avoid the common stumbling blocks and get on the road to successful self-publishing. This handy dandy guide, filled with insider’s tips and tricks, will unscramble the world of self-publishing into simple, easy-to-follow steps. 

What’s in the book?
Common Misconceptions
The Business of Self-Publishing
Basic Costs & Budgeting
Publishing Formats: Epub, Kindle, Smashwords, & Print
Cover Art
Interior Layout
Pricing
Printing and Distribution
Marketing Basics: Platform Building, Book Signings, Blog Tours, etc.


And much more!

Don’t make rookie mistakes. Learn from an insider!
Katie Salidas is an author with several successful self-published titles. Each of her titles was created in the DIY (Do It Yourself) style, without the aid of author service companies. Through trial and error she has gained the knowhow to successfully publish print and ebooks. Go Publish Yourself! has that knowledge assembled into an easy-to-use format, packed with no-nonsense tips and quick and dirty tricks, so you can take your novel to the next level.

So, what are you waiting for? Go Publish Yourself!


Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.  She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, She still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
 And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.


Twitter 


Managing writing, marketing, & blogging with a new baby in the house.

Let’s just call this sleep deprivation 101.
I’m really not the one to ask because I have yet to figure out how to juggle working at home with a newborn. And as I am learning, trying to do it all with a newborn is tough. It’s funny, but I just posted a few days ago on Facebook that I haven’t written anything substantial since my boy was born. Blogging and marketing have taken up what little free time I have left. I just don’t have the brain power left to string together coherent sentences. I fear my next novel might read something like those “See Spot Run,” books. LoL.
But since I was asked to write about how I do (or don’t) make it work. Here’s a little insight into a day in the life of a Write at Home Mom.

My day goes a little something like this:
6:00 AM - Baby boy is up, but I’m not ready to start the day. We attempt to nurse in bed and sleep for a little bit longer.
7:00 AM – Alarm starts going off. I can’t ignore the call of the morning, though I really want to! Time to get The Girl up and ready for school, make breakfast, pack a lunch, feed The Boy again, and attempt to get dressed somewhere in between.
9:00 AM – The Girl is off to school, The Boy is starting to look like he might take a morning nap. Time to get some social networking done, and maybe throw in a load of laundry.
9:30 AM – Damn that nap was short. “C’mon baby, momma was just getting started. Oh well, let’s pull out the toys and play.”
12:00 PM – Grab a quick bite to eat while The Boy is sleeping next to me on his play mat. Yes, I regularly picnic on the living room floor next to my sleeping baby. Napping in a crib, in his own room… Nope, we’re not that cool. We sleep wherever he wants to sleep at this point.
12:30 PM – Really, only a half hour nap? Guess I’m not getting much done today. Oh well, more play time with the cute little baby. Hey let’s play “help mommy fold some laundry,” and Dance around the living room while sweeping the floor. I’m lucky if I get even the smallest amount of cleaning done. My house is such a mess. Let’s just say, I won’t be hosting any dinner parties anytime soon.
1:30 PM – Nap time. Quick! Grab the computer and answer some emails before The Boy wakes up again.
2:00 PM – The Boy is up again. I wonder if I put Baby Einstein on if I might get at least 30 more minutes of work done? Hmmmm. Probably not, but we’ll try.
2:30 PM – I think I’m more glued to the TV than The Boy. There is something hypnotic about those darn movies! Let’s play it again.
3:00 PM – Where did the time go? Let’s pack up in the stroller and walk to get The Girl from school.
9:00 PM -  Dinner, dishes, homework, bath, and bedtime are all done. Both of the munchkins are sleeping. I really want to lay down too, but I know I should do something productive. Do I dare attempt a shower, or jump right in and get some work and writing done?
12:00 AM – The Boy wakes up for a midnight snack.  I realize how fast time does fly, and after writing one blog post, I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything. I better get some sleep though, the night is fading away and I’ve got another full day ahead of me.
3:00 AM – Middle of the night baby wake up time… Mommy says “Just let me sleep 5 more minutes, baby.”
6:00 AM – The Boy is awake… Time to start a new day… “Where’s my coffee?”

It’s so funny how quickly the day disappears when a cute little baby occupies your day. That little smile and those squeaky giggles are worth getting behind on your work and enduring the sleepless nights. At some point though, work does need to get done. And I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually… Maybe when The Boy is in college. LoL!

You can find Go Publish Yourself and all of Katie's books on Amazon.
 


www.virtualbooktourcafe.com

Friday, April 27, 2012

Author Interview with Cait Lavender on her new release "Hunter Moon" VBT Pit Stop Apr 28

Click on the image to visit Cait's Meet & Greet with VBT Cafe.

I'd like to introduce Cait to you today. But first a little about her passion for writing.


Cait Lavender is a twenty five year old wife and stay at home mother of one in Central California. Living on a cattle ranch and raising her daughter doesn’t afford her much leisure time, but when she has a spare minute or two she loves riding horses, baking and reading everything she can get her hands on. She grew up loving the written word and creative writing and finally decided to work on her dream of becoming a published author.
She has two short stories, Cowboy Moon and Fool Moon which is included in the Cupid Painted Blind anthology, and a full-length novel, Hunter Moon, both available on Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She’d love to hear from you on her Facebook author page, @caitlavender on Twitter or on her blog, www.caitlavender.com

Louise: Cait, welcome to my blog! I’m so excited you could join me for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Cait: It was about a year ago. The main thing that got me started was seeing all the other indy pubbed authors that were doing so well! It was so encouraging knowing others had breached the gap and survived without the big publisher’s backing them up. With the help and encouragement from some very lovely ladies in my writer’s group, I finished my first book and published it.

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release Hunter Moon without giving too much of a spoiler away.

Cait: It’s a paranormal romance set in a small town in Central  California. Shelby Flint is a cattle rancher, struggling to make ends meet. Her cousins are trying to take her land away, someone has set up shop and is growing pot on her land somewhere, sabotaging her property and trying to kill her. And worst? A gorgeous game warden is poking his beautiful nose into her business and getting under her skin.


Bawling cattle tore Shelby Flint from her bed. With lawyer fees to pay in her struggle to keep her ranch from the clutches of her greedy cousins, she couldn’t afford the loss of even one calf. When she sees a large wolf circling her cows, she aims and fires. While the wolf escapes, Shelby can’t seem to get away from her troubles when a marijuana grower sets up shop on her land, sabotaging her property and eventually coming after her. Adding to that, a handsome game warden is poking his nose into her business and working his way underneath her skin. Shelby will have to fight harder than she ever fought before to keep from losing her heart and everything she ever loved.

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Cait: I have a rough idea of who they are, but they really do grow and evolve as the story progresses. Characters I was only using to fill a need turned into something more, making me like them and give them a more prominent role than I had intended. A few I’ve liked so well I’ve written shorts just to get more from their perspective.

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

Cait: I have made some great contacts with the California Game Wardens, a large animal veterinarian, a Iraq war vet. The trick about getting the dog drunk is totally true! (Read it and you’ll know what I’m talking about)

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Cait: I’m mostly a pantser. I start with a general idea of the protagonists, antagonists and basic plot and pretty much make up everything else in between. 

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Cait: I am a full time mom, part time cook and laundress and when I’m finished doing all that, if I’m lucky, I’ll have a few hours to spare for writing before I drop into my bed from exhaustion.

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Cait: Not really. Like I said, I don’t get as much time for writing as I’d like, but I do have a spot on my couch that I take over when I’m writing.


Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Cait: Well, most of my day is taken up by chasing my kiddo around the house and cleaning up the trail of destruction behind her. My writing day starts at about 8 pm, her bed time. I crawl on my couch, grab my laptop and start writing until I either can’t think anymore or I start to fall asleep, which is usually around 1 or 2 am.

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Cait: Well, I’m working on a book in a new series. It’s set in the same world as the lupine moon series but revolves around the more unsavory aspects of it. There’s a hot Knight, a nerdy but cute college girl and some evil witches. I’m hoping to have it out by the end of summer!

Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Cait: If it’s fantasy, I love it. Always have. As for favorite author, that is just impossible to do. But I love Terry Pratchett, Karen Marie Moning, Jane Austin, Christopher Moore to name a few.

Louise: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Cait: Enjoy! I wrote these books to make you laugh and I hope I’ve done that. I want to take you away from your life for a few pages and take you somewhere funny, surprising and hopefully entertaining!

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Cait: You can find me on Facebook, Facebook Fan page, Twitter @caitlavender and my Web site.
You can buy Hunter Moon on:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords


Louise: Cait, thank you again for visiting my blog. Reader's, Cait is featuring an eBook giveaway of Hunter Moon to one lucky commenter.  Comments will close 11 PM PST tonight, so be sure to let Cait know you stopped by and good luck in the drawing!