Faery Realms Guest Author: India Drummond

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

Blood Faerie is an urban fantasy that takes place in Perth, Scotland, where I lived at the time I wrote the Caledonia Fae series.

When police discover a mutilated body outside the abandoned church where exiled faerie Eilidh lives, she must choose: flee…or tap into the forbidden magic that cost her everything.

2. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

The Caledonia Fae series is something of a mashup of genre. When asked, I usually refer to Blood Faerie as a “supernatural serial killer” book. I hope that readers who enjoy either crime novels or fantasy will find something about the story they enjoy and possibly a new twist on the themes they haven’t seen before.

3. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

Caledonia is the old name for Scotland, where many of the characters in the series are from and where much of the inspiration arose for me. So it seemed natural to call it Caledonia Fae. “Blood Faerie” refers to the antagonist of the book, a dark, twisted faerie who uses blood magic to kill.

4. Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

I design all my own cover art. When I first released the books, I had a picture of a character on the front. When I tested out this new style, my sales jumped dramatically and I noticed a lot more male readers subscribing to my mailing list all of a sudden. The symbology reflects the darkness of the themes, but I also liked the inclusion of the greenery, because not all is darkness. There’s growth, change, discovery, and even love.

5. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Probably the antagonist, Cridhe. It’s really fun to create a character who is completely mad!

6. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

The entire story was first inspired by an abandoned church in Perth. Everything flowed once I asked myself what was really going on inside that forbidden, dilapidated old building.

7. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

Unique? I’m not sure. I think I like what a lot of people like: good food, new places, sunshine, meeting new people. I’m currently staying in Italy and learning to speak Italian. It’s not a talent, though! I find it really difficult to get beyond the basics, but I do enjoy it.

8. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

Readers can find me on my Facebook author page and on my blog. For more about my books, check out my Amazon author page.

9. What can we expect from you in the future?

My latest book is an epic fantasy called Spirits of Light and Shadow. It’s the first in a planned trilogy and a bit of a departure from the faerie books in that it’s got a darker tone to it. Still, I hope readers who enjoyed the Caledonia Fae books will like this one too. I’m also in the process of co-writing a book called The Lies Dragons Tell with fantasy author K.C. May. I’m very excited about that project. I’ve never written with someone else before. It’s both challenging and inspiring!

10. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Tell a friend! (Or share the link on social media.) Word of mouth is the best advertising. I know when a friend recommends a book to me, I trust that way more than reviews from strangers or blurbs from the author.

11. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thanks for hosting me today! It’s been a pleasure!

16. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Eilidh detected the greasy scent of evil moments before she heard the scream below. She perched in St Paul’s steeple, watching Perth’s late night pub-crawlers through rotting slats. The scurrying footfalls of humans did not hold her interest, nor did the seeping ruby blood that spread quickly over the flat, grey paving stones. Instead, her eyes turned north along Methven Street, seeking the source of that familiar smell.

Evil smelled like nothing else, worse than a rotting corpse, worse than sewage and disease, more vile than the fumes that billowed from modern machinery, more cloying than the shame of drunken whores. This particular evil was fresh, but not quite pure. It mixed with rage but was contained, refined, as though gestated in the belly of ancient hatred. This evil held promise, and for the first time in decades, Eilidh hesitated, slightly afraid.

*****

Thank you India for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview! I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.

Faery Realms Guest Author: Dana Michelle Burnett

Hello Readers!

In celebration of the release of Faery Realms, I will be hosting some of the authors of this fabulous book bundle in the coming weeks and months.

The first author who has been so kind to share her time and thoughts is Dana Michelle Burnett.  Dana is the author of the novel Gypsy Faery Tale Book One.  Instead of doing a traditional interview, Dana thought it would be fun to put together a playlist she uses to inspire her work.  Music is such a wonderful way to feed the creative mind, and I'm glad Dana is willing to share her inspiration with all of us.  Enjoy!

To learn more about Dana Michelle Burnett and her books, visit her website at: http://www.danamichelleburnett.com/

Play List for Once (Gypsy Fairy Tale Book One)

While I was writing my novella Once, I really wanted to surround myself with the look and feel of the world and culture that I was trying to create. To do so, I found music to be the perfect porthole.

The Celts by Enya
www.youtube.com/embed/rGwUpsyDJTk

I Will Find You by Clannad
www.youtube.com/embed/SXCRskhLfEA?list=AL94UKMTqg-9D2rnSP_PeDZBwiqbJ10ewh

The Old Ways by Loreena McKennitt
www.youtube.com/embed/0SG6ZITbWpU

Galaway Bay by Celtic Woman
www.youtube.com/embed/Zf3HjUF5dn4

Danny Boy by The Irish Tenors
www.youtube.com/embed/lXQ03XUwe_s

Do you have a favorite Irish song or Ballad?

The Twelve Days of an Indie Author's Christmas: Year 3

It is becoming a tradition of mine to post this every year around Christmas, for both my fellow indie author friends and for my readers, just for fun ;).  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Winter Solstice, Festivus, Hanukkah or any of the other wintertime holidays, I hope this list brightens your day a little :).

The Twelve Days of an Indie Author’s Christmas

On the First Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

A fan letter with a smiley :)

On the Second Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Two new blog followers

On the Third Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Three website views

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Four compliments about my series

On the Fifth Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

A five star review!

On the Sixth Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Six books shared with friends

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Seven likes on Facebook

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Eight Twitter followers

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Nine brand new readers

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Ten adds on Goodreads

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Eleven friend requests

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, my readers gave to me:

Twelve ebook sales

Author Spotlight: Interview with Chris Rakunas

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

Tears for the Mountain is a non-fiction about a medical mission trip to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.  A portion of the proceeds benefit the orphanage where the story is based.

2. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

The audience is meant to be the general adult public.  The reason that the book is interesting is that it chronicles one of the medical mission trips to the island.  I wrote the book to show what mission work is really like, and I tried to not glamorize it or do anything other than give the reader a feeling for what it was like to be there on the ground.  Not all of the stories in it are heart-breaking.  There is hope and humor in it as well.

3. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

The title comes from two things.  First is something that Miriam Frederick, the Mother Teresa of Haiti, said to me.  We were flying to Pestel, which is a remote village on the end of the southern tip of the island, and it is a very mountainous region.  I mean the mountains just shoot up from the ocean, forming some of the most beautiful landscape I’ve ever seen.  As we were landing, she said to me that the word Haiti means mountain.  Later, we were driving through Port-au-Prince and I saw a piece of graffiti on a wall.  It was a map of Haiti with an eye in the center and a tear coming out.  I took a photograph of it, and that photo ended up being the cover art for the book.

4. Tell us a little bit about your cover art.  Who designed it?  Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

Ken Tupper, the publisher at Divertir, really did all the design work for the cover.  The photograph is the one I mentioned above, and it really describes the feeling of everyone in the entire country at the time. It was very difficult, not only for those who had lost family members or been injured, but for anyone just to see an entire nation in ruins.  The colors are the colors of the Haitian flag.  We wanted to have a clean and simple design that let people know that the book was about Haiti and what had just happened there.

5.  Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

It’s a toss-up for me between Miriam Frederick and Dr. Stephen Schroering.  Miriam really is the Mother Teresa of Haiti, and just to be in her presence is to be near someone special.  She has been in Haiti since Reagan was president, and I have no idea how many children she has saved.  When she walks through the refugee camps and slums, she touches and hugs every child and mother that she sees.  It’s just amazing to see her in action.

Dr. Schroering is an orthopedic surgeon who volunteers his time down there.  Many US doctors rely on complex lab and radiology tests to treat their patients, but Dr. Schroering makes the best with what he has there.  I never once heard him complain that he didn’t have his regular tools.  The only thing he complained about was not being able to do more to help.  He’s a breath of fresh air in the medical community.

6. How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?

Ooooh, that’s a tough one.  There were many people I met in Haiti who were there to ‘assess the situation.’  That’s what they said they were doing when I asked them.  They weren’t doing anything but watching.  I had a specific task to accomplish, which was delivering supplies to hospitals, and I thought it was really disgusting that someone would come to a disaster site, see all the pain and suffering, and not do anything but look.  It was as though they were on a suffering safari.

7. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

I would have included pictures in the book.  When I tell people that Port-au-Prince was reduced to rubble, I think that they think I’m exaggerating.  But every time I show people the pictures, they are taken aback.  It’s really hard to put both the natural beauty of Haiti and the extent of the damage into words.

8. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

When the book was first released, it was the #1 selling Social Policy book on Amazon.com.  I was really proud of that fact.

9. What other books are similar to your own?  What makes them alike?

Paul Farmer, the UN Special Envoy to Haiti wrote a book about his experience on the ground, and it’s really good.  (It’s hard to beat his work)  The difference between the two is that he is a Harvard professor, a high-up UN member, and a physician.  I’m just a regular Joe who got caught up in the event, so our perspectives are quite different.

10. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

When I’m not writing, I like to play guitar, scuba dive, and cook.  But probably my strangest talent is my ability to laugh and have a good time through anything.  I’ve been kidnapped in Eastern Europe; accidentally taken a flight to Seoul, Korea; and dodged the police in rural Mongolia.  I always seem to have a blast, no matter how strange things turn out.

11. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

The best way is to go to www.facebook.com/ChrisRakunas.  I post regularly there, but only when I have important events to report.

12. What can we expect from you in the future?

I have another book with Divertir Publishing coming out this summer.  It’s fiction, and it’s called The 8th Doll.  The book is a fast paced action adventure story that ties together the Mayan apocalyptic prophecy, facts about the architecture and culture of the Mayans, and a murder mystery.  It is the first of a 4 book series, and I have just finished the follow up, The Eye of Siam (although I don’t have a release date for that yet).

13. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Please tell all of your friends about Tears for the Mountain.  I find that posting on Facebook and other social media sites really helps.  I am always appreciative of reviews on Goodreads or Amazon as well.  If you have a hard time explaining why the book is so powerful, you can also share the promotional video with friends and let the pictures do the talking for you.

14. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Write.  That’s it.  More people spend time talking about writing or thinking about writing than anything else.  Just be disciplined and dedicate time to your writing.  Let me put it to you this way: when you’re sitting on your deathbed, do you want to say, “Man, I’m really glad I watched all those American Idol episodes!” or “Man, I’m really glad I got to tell the story I wanted the whole world to read!”? 

15. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

I am always very thankful when fans send me notes about the book.  I’m sure Stephen King and Suzanne Collins get tired from hearing from their fans, but I never do.  I am very appreciative of everyone who reads TFTM.  If you want to share the story with your friends, you can send them either of these videos to explain:https://vimeo.com/42841856
http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2012-01-23/SWFL-author-doctor-share-message-of-help-for-Haiti

16. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Here are the passages that cover us going from the airport to the orphanage on the first night.  This really captures the way the entire trip was: two emotions that seem totally wrong hitting you back-to-back.

1.7
As the jeep pulled away from the airport, Miriam told me to sit in the front with her. It was hot enough that I had to roll down the window, which just added to my paranoia. Were we going to drive through the city safely? Would we be attacked, four people in the city in a nice jeep? My hand was on my knife, and my heart was jumping through my chest.

Instead of finding people, though, I found that Port-au-Prince was deserted that night. We drove down the main thoroughfare without seeing anyone else. There were no vehicles. There were no pedestrians. There was just the smell of smoke in the air and complete blackness around us, since there were no street lights to light our path.

The walls of the compounds we passed whizzed by, occasionally giving me a glimpse of what was inside. One of them had an eerie, flickering yellow glow, two soldiers with machine guns and a Humvee inside. Another had some sort of factory. A third housed unfinished construction. But, for the most part, there was nothing to see on the way to the orphanage.

After a few roundabouts, we turned onto another main road. Theodore told me that this road went all the way from the capital out to the outskirts and was meant to be the start of a highway that would reach the end of the island, but it just was never finished.

Along the sides were shops with colorful paint jobs. The words in Creole were unknown to me, but some of the pictures made it obvious. Still, there were no people on the road, just the smell of smoke. It reminded me of India, a third world country that just dealt with its own problems in a way that was different from how we did. Instead of letting trash pile up, there were some burning trash heaps on the side of the road. Instead of flowing water and sewers there were mystery puddles in the gutters.

I felt better knowing that there were no people to face. It sounds terrible, but at that moment I was not looking to help someone else; I was just looking to get where I needed to be safely. The fear of the unknown was gripping me hard.

Miriam started to pull the jeep over, and I noticed a small road hidden between two shops. In our way was a pile of tires, two levels high, with giant rocks in the middle of each tire. A face appeared from the shadows and approached our jeep. Theodore stuck his head out the rear window and spoke with the man. After a moment or two, the man removed some of the tires and rocks and let us in.

“He is protecting the neighborhood tonight,” Miriam said. “No one in Haiti wants to sleep inside anymore, so they are all sleeping in the streets. He is making sure that no one but people who should be here get in.”

As the jeep started down the bumpy dirt and rock road, I looked to the sides. There were makeshift shanties and shacks, with towels, sheets of plastic and plain sheets hanging down from the sticks and PVC pipes that were the frames.

“Here is where most of the people are living,” Miriam said.

Some of the people were sitting in white plastic chairs, the type of cheap patio furniture a bachelor would have in his home. But for these people, that was the extent of their homes. There were mothers holding babies, small children peering out through the corners of the shacks, and some people just stretched out on the ground, their bodies turned away from the road.

The dirt path went on and on.

Miriam stopped once. “Here,” she said, pointing to the left. “Here, Chris. This was a school.” I squinted at the gate and saw some writing in Creole. I could make out the words Notre Dame, and the picture of the cross made it evident that it was a Catholic school. “There were five priests and about 80 children inside when the earthquake hit.”

“What happened to them, Miriam?” Steve asked. I didn’t want to hear the answer, since we all already knew what it was, but she said it anyway.

“All of them died.”

We continued to pass people sleeping in shanties until, finally, Miriam stopped in the middle of the road.

“Here we are,” she said.

1.8
My eyes followed Miriam’s motion to my right as she said, “That’s the main building of the orphanage.” At first, I could not even see the orphanage because there was a forest on my immediate right. The road stopped and abutted a short concrete wall, maybe only 2 feet high. There was a lot, perhaps 30 feet by 200 feet, which had short trees and shrubs in it. There was no lighting and no sounds except the running of the jeep’s engine.

“You can see the top part there, where the roof collapsed in the earthquake,” Miriam said. My eyes adjusted, and I could finally see the building. It reminded me of the old Firestone factory that had been abandoned in Los Angeles—a few stories tall, but very, very long and with many broken windows. It was dark inside, and I saw no movement around it.

“Unfortunately, with the roads being what they are, we can’t actually drive all the way up to the main gate, but it’s just a short walk through the trees. Then there’s a small fence on the other side to hop over.” I looked back at Miriam, and she smiled apologetically. “It won’t be hard for you, dear.”

I looked at all the trees between here and there, all of the dark places for someone—or something—to hide. Instinctively, my hand gripped tighter on my knife, and my heart kept going a little bit faster. The cool breeze that had been coming off the mountain suddenly stopped, and the air in the jeep was a little bit hotter. I became aware of the beads of sweat running down my back, and the taste of the dirt and grit in my teeth.

The forest between me and the orphanage was only 60 or 70 feet long, but the distance started growing in my mind. How many trees had someone hiding behind them? How many holes were in the ground? How many homeless people were tucked up under a tree, people that I was about to step clumsily on in the middle of the night? Maybe they had nothing, but possibly a machete or—

As I calculated the odds, I looked back at Miriam and remained silent. After an agonizing silence, she broke out laughing, put her hand on my arm, and said, “Gotcha!”

Everyone else in the jeep started laughing, and I realized, very thankfully, that they were just messing with me.

“Did we get you? Did we get you?” Dr. Schroering asked.

Miriam smiled and said, “I couldn’t help it. Welcome to Haiti. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.”

“Well,” I said, “as soon as we get in, I’d like to change my shorts if you don’t mind.” Everyone laughed as the jeep pulled forward, passing more shanties with people trying to sleep around them. When we reached the end of the street, we turned left, and off in the distance I could see a great gate ahead of us.

When we finally pulled up to the 20 foot tall metal gate, I heard some rustling behind it. Someone from the guard tower climbed down and started to open it. It was as though we were medieval knights coming home to the castle and the portcullis and drawbridge were being opened for us. The jeep slowly rolled in and the three men, shotguns slung over their backs, nodded to the jeep as we entered the orphanage.

*****

Thank you Chris for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview! I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
*****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

Author Spotlight: Interview with Diana Wilder

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

The title:  Pharaoh's Son

It is classified as Historical Fiction, and fits into the 'Historical Mystery' category.  Because it has a strong supernatural involvement, I also classify it with 'Historical Fantasy'.

Tagline: Something hidden deep in the temple is stirring.  Something that must be found and brought to the light before the walkers in darkness find it and turn it to evil.

2. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

Pharaoh's Son is written for those who enjoy good, multi-layered mysteries, adventure, and good historical fiction in an authentic setting.  It offers these with a twist.

3. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

'Pharaoh's Son' is the literal translation for the ancient Egyptian title 'Prince'.  The story revolves around the actions of several princes - sons of Ramesses II ('the great').  It was a working title; it stuck.

4. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Without a doubt it is Hori, the Crown Prince, one of the three major characters.  He is a complex man, with some unexpected quirks.  Historically, he was the Commander in Chief of the armies of Egypt.  I envisioned one who held such a position as very direct,, intolerant of waffling, and tending to speak to the point.  He is all that, but he has some traits that set him aside.  He was called back to the capitol before the start of the story, and he took it as exile and indulged his sense of outrage and anger.  At the start of the story he has a sense of having done wrong and wanting to set it right: but how to go about it?  He is intuitive - many soldiers are, and, unexpectedly, he plays the harp when he wants to relax. 

5. How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

The unappealing characters, for me, are the whiners,  There is one, a villain, who is resentful of those who have wealth and privilege.  He becomes involved in the plot and comes up against Hori, to his detriment.  This man changes in the course of the story, and his final appearance, alive, shows resolution, determination and concern for others.

6. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?

I'd change the title.  'Pharaoh's Son' is, indeed, the translation for 'Prince' in ancient Egyptian.  But so is 'King's Son'.  I had originally given the book that title.  I used 'Pharaoh's Son' instead thinking it would appeal to a wider audience.  Ignoring instincts without thinking things through is not a good idea.  Whether or not Pharaoh's Son appeals to a wider audience, I think 'King's Son' would have been better.

7. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

The other major Prince in the story - Khaemwaset ('Khay' in the story) actually did go crawling around the pyramids and investigating the Necropolis outside ancient Memphis.  He is considered the first archeologist in history, and if you visit that area you will find inscriptions from him, by permission of his father, that read rather like museum labels.

8. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

I make the best chocolate stout cake you will ever eat.  Aside from that and writing, I show cats and clerk for show judges, and I work in graphic design in a small way.

9. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

I have a blog at http://dianawilder.blogspot.com.  This has my thoughts and ramblings on various subjects.  My website is www.dianawilderauthor.com.  I'm also on Goodreads.

10. What can we expect from you in the future?

I'm currently working on a story that comes before Pharaoh's Son.  It's a little different from my usual.  It involves a highly-placed man - Ramesses' father - dealing with the needless death of his son.  He learns of the death only after his son was buried. The story covers the summer after his son's death, when he stays in a small village of artists and makes himself useful.  It's been challenging to deal with a character who is very private and self-possessed as he faces his grief - and falls in love.  The initial manuscript is nearly finished, and the book is set to be released  the end of July.  The (more or less) finalized cover is on my blog.
I'm working in other periods, as well, with three other stories in the works.

11. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Pass the word on.  Write a review.  (And I'd love to hear from anyone who enjoyed one of my books).

12. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

In each case I would say 'if you aren't enjoying it, don't do it'.  Life is too short to suffer through books that don't 'speak' to you, or to write books that you can't get your heart and soul into.  As a writer, the advice I was given was 'Write Good Books'.  My initial reaction was a variation of 'duh', but as I thought things through over the years I realized that I was not being told to write books that sell well, but to write books that were the very best that I, myself, could make them.  My stories deserved nothing less than my best effort - and those people who trusted their time to me and read my writing absolutely required it.  How could I not give them my best?  To the writer, I'd say that people can tell when something is cranked out to make a quick sale, or to pander to a trend.  People are perceptive, and they can tell when they are being manipulated - and no one deserves to be the target of manipulation.

13. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Criticism is a good thing.  Even something that says 'It stinks!' can be taken the right way.  But also be aware of what it is that you want, what is imperative for you, what is good quality, and stick with it.

14. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

I'd be delighted!  This is a scene from the beginning of the story, one of my favorites:

**   **   **

In this scene, Khay (the first Prince you meet, is going inside the temple's pylon - facade - to see if he can find out what made a 40-foot statue suddenly fall over.  He is accompanied by the Guard Captain - Achtoy.  Khay has a  sprained ankle from the fall of the statue and can't move quickly).

The brilliant sunlight stopped abruptly as Khay ducked beneath the lintel of the small, dark doorway that opened into the pylon's inner stairway. He hesitated at the threshold and looked up the incline of steps to the small window that opened from the landing.

Achtoy, who had gone ahead of him, paused at the landing and looked back and down. "Highness?" he said.

Khay took a deep breath. For a moment it had felt as though a voice had whispered in his ear.

Achtoy's hushed voice awoke echoes that rippled through the darkness like the flight of bats. "Is anything wrong, Highness?"

"It's nothing," Khay said as he started up the steps. "I'm a little out of breath. It's dark and close in here."

Achtoy nodded--Khay caught the motion in the darkness--and went on ahead up the steps, his sandals whispering on the smooth stones.
The sense of foreboding grew as Khay went deeper within the mountain of stone. His heartbeat began thudding in his ears.

A long landing leading to a small room had been built into the stonework, and four windows opened out over the courtyard. Khay hesitated. He wanted to pause and gaze out over the fallen statue, but the dark closeness was drawing in about him. He hurried on.
The feeling of danger increased as he emerged from the stairway, but it was easier to master in the full sunlight. Khay took a slow breath and then moved to the edge of the rampart, where a staff lay discarded. It was a Was scepter, a jackal-headed staff used almost exclusively by priests.

He lifted the bronze-pointed butt of the staff and cocked an eyebrow at Achtoy. "There," he said. "This is what they jabbed the colossus with."

"Your Highness is right," the Guard Commander agreed. "I can see the scarring on the point, but from this distance, standing atop this pylon, it'd be impossible to reach the statue. Do you think it could have been used from the window in the landing?"
"Probably," Khay replied. "I think it was a gesture of pure annoyance."

He leaned on the pylon and gazed down at the wreck of the colossus below. The gouges on the statue's left shoulder could be clearly seen, showing paler where the paint, the red-brown of a sun-bronzed man, had been chipped loose from the creamy limestone beneath. Running up the back slab of the colossus was the legend:
 
Erected by the Son of Re, the Lord of the Two Lands, Seti Mery-En-Ptah, in the Second Year of His Reign, to the Glorification of the Great God Ptah, Mighty One of Memphis.
 
The inscription was broken midway down, and on the very base of the plinth, where no one would normally see it, was the throne name of the king.
"'How the mighty are fallen'," quoted Khay, gazing down at the statue. Its mate, standing on the left side of the doorway, seemed to be looking down at the broken colossus with, Khay thought suddenly, a mixture of envy and surprise.
Achtoy turned and started to say something.

"Hush," said Khay, raising his hand. The drone of voices below sounded like shouts in the sudden stillness. "Silence them," he said.

The stillness surged back and in the sudden hush Khay heard the sound again, a grating noise, like a stone being dragged across a stone courtyard. A wave of pure foreboding suddenly engulfed him. It felt as though a huge hand had reached into his breast and wrung the air from his lungs and the blood from his heart. . He reeled and took a half-staggering step sideways.

"Call to the people below," he said through lips that were suddenly white and stiff. "They must get away from the pylon at once!"

He tried to lean back against the wall while Achtoy obeyed, but the sun-warmed stone seemed to heave and move like a living presence behind him, and he felt a quiver beneath his hand, as though he were touching the flank of a restive horse.

"Now let's get down from here," he said as Achtoy turned back.

"Give me your arm, Achtoy. I can't move quickly with this ankle, and we don't have any time to waste!"

They hurried down the stairway, their footsteps echoing.

Khay drew a shaking breath. "Faster," he said. "I can hear the stones moving.

"Highness--"

"Run!" Khay snapped.

They erupted into bright sunlight, into the middle of a murmuring throng.

"Clear the courtyard!" Khay shouted. "Out of reach of the obelisks! Hurry!"

The crowd surged away from the pylon in a widening circle, but their motion seemed as slow to Khay's anguished gaze as the painful, labored movement in a stifling nightmare of closeness and terror.

The rumble that Khay had heard only in his mind burst upon them like a cataclysm.

The statue!

The cry was torn from every throat as a quiver shook the second colossus. The king seemed to be trying to break free of the encasing stone and step away from the pylon.

A crash split the air; the colossus strode forward in a shower of falling stones and reeled, the ground collapsing about its base. It turned slowly, halfway toward the pylon; Khay could see the faint, calm smile in its downcast eyes before it crashed headlong to the ground beside its mate.

The two faces almost touched, almost kissed in greeting before the dust billowed up about the statues and slowly subsided, lightening the brown shoulders, dulling the gold leaf that adorned the headdresses, the royal crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt.

The wails of the bystanders changed to shrieks of dismay and snatches of terrified prayer as the face of the pylon rippled like a gauze hanging before a high wind. The roar of the wind was suddenly the roar of stone being torn asunder.

The pylon seemed to tower up and up, building cubit upon cubit, ready to break and crash over them like a great wave of stone, almost translucent in the brassy midday sun. The roar built to a shriek as the massive gateway shuddered and broke into a crash and spray of splintering stone.

Khay's dazzled eyes were riveted to the brightly painted carvings that disintegrated as he gazed. The vulture-goddess, offering the feather of triumph to Seti, wheeled and screamed. Armies raised their hands with cries of dismay, besieged cities tumbled, weapons clashed and broke, chariots splintered. Khay seemed to see his grandfather throw up his arms to shield his face as the southeast pylon gateway of the great temple of Ptah at Memphis subsided against the ground in a wave of rubble.

 

*****

Thank you Diana for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview! I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
*****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

 

Author Spotlight: Interview with Cheryl Landmark

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline.


My latest book is a fantasy called “Pool of Souls”, which is set in the fictional world of Regalis.

Joining a rebellion against a renegade queen and her soul-killing talisman, the Pool of Souls, leads Cazlina Narzin and her mare, Miris, into a world fraught with danger and evil.

2. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

This should appeal to those lovers of fantasy who enjoy a fast-paced, action-packed, character-driven story with a strong but vulnerable heroine, a dashing rogue with an irrepressible sense of humour, many other interesting and provocative characters, and plenty of humour, evil and danger.  There is a hint of romance in the book, but it doesn’t overshadow the action or fantasy elements.

3. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

When I first had the idea for the book, I was searching for a different type of magical talisman than, say, a medallion or a crystal orb or a magical sword.  Somehow, out of the fertile field of my imagination, I thought of a pool of some kind, which drains its victims of their energies and life forces.  Thus, the Pool of Souls was born.

4. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Well, naturally, I love my heroine, Cazlina, who is the embodiment of every good quality I wish I possessed myself!  But, aside from her, I think my next favourite character would have to be Miris, Cazlina’s faithful mare, who shares a unique and unbreakable bond with Cazlina and sometimes acts as her conscience.  I just love Miris’ sense of humour!

5. How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?

Well, in terms of who is the most evil character in the book, Captain Lerant, Queen Saranor’s commander in charge of her army, takes that dubious honour.  You would think it would be the queen herself, who, make no mistake about it, is indeed as evil and terrible as they come.  But, Lerant has no conscience and is truly repulsive with his deliberate cruelty.

6. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

Don’t get me wrong.  I love absolutely everything about my book.  But…I suppose if there is one thing I wish I had spent a bit more time on developing, it would be the background of Jorin Montrill, the dashing rogue I referred to in Question 2.

7. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

Some readers may think “Oh, no, another Disney talking animal!” story, but I believe they will be pleasantly surprised by the relationship between Cazlina and Miris and their interactions with each other.

8. What other books are similar to your own?  What makes them alike?

I think there are plenty of fantasy books out there that encompass a lot of the elements I have incorporated into my book.  But, I’d like to think that, because it’s my story, it’s totally unique, LOL!

9. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

Well, I’m not sure how unique it is, but I do love putting together challenging jigsaw puzzles--shaped puzzles, two-sided puzzles, puzzles which depict a picture totally different from the one on the cover--you name it.  The more challenging, the better!

10. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

You can check me out on my website at www3.sympatico.ca/cheryl.landmark or on my Author Profile on Goodreads.com.

My books are available in both ebook and paperback versions on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and CreateSpace.

11. What can we expect from you in the future?

I’m currently working on a dog detective series and another fantasy, both of which I hope to have published in the very near future.

12. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Readers can help immensely by posting reviews of the book on such sites as Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, etc.  Word of mouth is so important to getting authors, especially indie and self-published ones, noticed in the reading community.  Most of us don’t have a lot of ready cash to shell out for expensive advertising and promotion, so I think having reviews on these various sites goes a long way toward helping to promote our writing.

13. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Never give up, first and foremost.  If your passion is writing, stick with it through thick and thin and work at getting it published, whether it’s through the traditional route or self-publishing.  If you choose to send your manuscript to a big publishing house and they send you back a rejection, don’t let it discourage you.  Keep trying, if not with that publisher, with another.  And, if your choice is self-publishing, don’t be intimidated by the process.  It’s really not as challenging or formidable as you might think.

Above all, believe in yourself and your talent.  Don’t let it languish in a dark closet or drawer somewhere.

14. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Only a very big thank-you, Jenna, for posting this interview and giving me a chance to introduce myself to your readers!

15. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

The mare sounded apologetic but urgent. I’m sorry to disturb you, Caz, but I think you should know that someone is trying to steal me.

Cazlina Narzin became fully awake but didn’t move. She kept her breathing quiet and steady, as though still in the rhythm of sleep, but every nerve and sinew in her body tingled with alertness. Her hand tightened on the hilt of the dagger tucked into the waistband of her trousers.

She spoke to the mare through the telepathic link that bound them. I’m awake, Miris.  Where is the scoundrel?

She heard the mare snort gently. He’s near my head and about to grab my halter. I really think you should do something, and fast. The mare's tone suddenly changed. Oh, my, Caz, he’s a handsome devil!

Miris! Cazlina thought, reproachfully. Now is not the time to admire the rogue's looks.

Sorry.

Cazlina opened her eyes cautiously. In the pale moonlight, she could dimly make out the shape of a dark figure standing near the mare’s head.

Miris, move closer to me, Cazlina instructed. I want him where I can reach him easily.

The mare tossed her pretty head and sidled away from the dark figure reaching out for her. Cazlina heard a soft curse from the would-be thief and then his low voice trying to coax the mare back to him. Miris pranced skittishly toward where Cazlina lay silently on the ground under the big oak tree, staying just out of reach of the figure and forcing him to follow her.

This is fun, Caz! Miris said. I’ve never had anyone try to steal me before.

Well, don’t enjoy it too much, dear one, Cazlina replied, dryly. Just move a little closer now.

When she judged that the thief was near enough to take him by surprise, she jumped to her feet, drawing the dagger out at the same time.

"Touch that horse and I’ll slice the fingers from your hand," she said, coldly.

Caz, such violence!

Quiet, Miris. Let me handle this my way.

The figure stopped dead when she suddenly rose from the ground in front of him. Then, he straightened to his full height, which was well over six feet. In the light of the moon, his keen eyes scrutinized her closely, and a faint smile tilted the corners of his firm mouth. He wore dark clothing and a shabby cloak.

"I mean you no harm,” he said, holding his hands out to the side.
Cazlina stared accusingly at him, the point of the dagger just under his chin. "You were trying to steal my horse."

He chuckled and shrugged. "She’s such a fine specimen. I couldn’t resist taking a closer look at her."

Miris pricked her dainty ears forward. Well, Caz, he can’t be all bad. At least, he appreciates splendid horseflesh when he sees it.
Never mind, Miris. He’s still a scoundrel and a thief.

The mare snorted delicately. Yes, but what a handsome thief.

 

*****

Thank you Cheryl for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview! I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
*****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

Author Spotlight: Interview with Larry C. Kerr

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

By the Light of the Moon. Horror. A morning of baseball turns terrifying. The horror in Blacksville has just begun.

2. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

I wanted something that gave a clue about the book’s horror character.

3. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

I would have to say the protagonist, John Reynolds. He’s not really based on me but we have similar backgrounds. However, at least one reader really liked Cindy, who was a werewolf victim.

4. How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

Police Chief Harley Winston, although he did turn out to be an okay guy. I think it was because he was a foil for John Reynolds.

5. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?

Perhaps I would make it more imaginative about the werewolf. I wanted the werewolf character to be a traditional sort of werewolf, but it may have been too traditional.

6. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

It gave me a small taste of what famous authors go through and some opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise gotten.

7. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

I also run competitively. I have run a marathon and participated in the National Senior Games.

8. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

My web site is www.larrykerrauthor.com. My e-mail address is larryk929@yahoo.com

9. What can we expect from you in the future?

I have another novel scheduled to come out in September of October. It is historical fiction and is the first manuscript I wrote. By the Light of the Moon is the second.

10.  Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Readers, support your authors and open yourself up to more than one genre.

Writers need to be persistent. They need to persist with writing and perhaps be even more persistent with submissions.

11. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thanks for the interview opportunity.

12. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

He was going full bore, concentrating totally on the ball, when his right foot slipped on something wet. He didn’t go down on that step, but when his left foot struck the ground and slid, he was a goner. Tommie threw out his arms in front of him in an effort to break his fall, but they went out from under him and he slammed into the ground in a spray of red sending him skidding along on his belly. What had he fallen into? Whatever it was, it stunk. Cow shit? No, it didn’t smell like that. He didn’t have a reference for how this smelled. When he stopped sliding, Tommie opened his eyes and saw that he was covered in red.

“What is this?” he asked as he pushed himself up.

He stopped when he saw it.

“No! It can’t be!”

He blinked his eyes, wiped his glasses and looked again. It was still there.

Tommie tried to shout, but his voice failed him at first, then he screamed. He leaped up from the ground as if it were electrified and ran back toward the field, screaming the high-pitched screams of a boy who has not yet reached puberty.

*****

Thank you Larry for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview! I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
*****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

Author Spotlight: Interview with David McGowan

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

The Hunter Inside – A serial killer thriller with a supernatural twist, packed with suspense and psychological horror! Fast paced with real menace!

2. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

Grown-ups who are not afraid of books with a little bit of the fear factor in them!

3. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

It’s a tough one to answer, but I think it came about because of the fact that the characters in the novel are being stalked, or hunted, by someone or something that can get inside their heads. Therefore, the novel is about the hunter being inside the characters, and vice versa.

4. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

My favourite character is Sandy Myers. She is the mother of twin boys, works, and is completely 100% focussed on her family and their futures. She is on the cover of the book!

5. How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?
There are several unsavoury characters in The Hunter Inside. Obviously, the evil and barbaric killer would be the least favourite of my characters, but you’ll find several to choose from!

6. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

The opening. I think I found it pretty hard to write the opening as it was my first novel and I edited it so many times. I got to a certain point and it just seemed to click, and from then on I loved every minute!

7. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

My novel is set in and around New York and New Jersey. Bizarrely, I’d never visited these places until after I’d finished the second draft of the novel!

8. What other books are similar to your own?  What makes them alike?
I’ve always been a big fan of Dean Koontz. I would say The Hunter Inside has a very Koontz-esque feeling to it. It is a real page-turner from page one, laden with suspense and excitement on every page. Everyone who’s read it has said they struggled to put it down!

9. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

Wow, I wish I had time for hobbies! There aren’t enough hours in the day. I’m working two jobs, promoting The Hunter Inside as an indie author, and writing my second novel as we speak (currently almost 20 thousand words written).

10. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

I have a website and author blog at http://davidmcgowanauthor.com, you can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dmcgowanauthor, or you can visit The Hunter Inside’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/thehunterinside.

11. What can we expect from you in the future?

My second novel, which I’m currently writing at a frantic pace (over 6 thousand words in the last three days!) is called From the Sky. It is about how a small town in Northern California is affected by the arrival of visitors from the sky, and how a band of characters must undertake a pilgrimage across land and over mountains to a destiny they are unsure of. It is very much influenced by Stephen King, and I’m sure some would say it’s almost like The Stand and Under the Dome rolled into one. If it’s even 1% as good as those two then I’m sure people will love it!

12. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Spread the word to your family and friends, on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Kindle forums – anywhere you can think of! Also, I am currently running a very special offer. If you read The Hunter Inside and like it, and post your review at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and email me your details to gow2002@sky.com, you will receive From the Sky FREE when it is released!

13. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Why not consider self-publishing for Kindle and other tablet/reading devices? It’s a lot of work and really tough going at times, but the rewards are marvellous, it’s so enjoyable, and you will have complete control over your work and how it is represented. You’ll also get a better cut of the profits, and won’t be tied into any contracts! In the 21st century, the power has shifted from big publishers to individual authors, and it’s an exciting time to be a writer!

14. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

I would like to thank you so much for the opportunity to appear here, and say to anyone struggling to write – don’t give up! Check out my blog for some great tips and advice to help motivate you to get that novel written and out there and in the hands of readers.

15. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Okay! Here is the opening of the second section of The Hunter Inside:

It had been cold for a couple of weeks. Too cold for Connecticut at this time of year. The nights were like winter and the mornings always brought a frost that coated the ground and affected anybody who was forced to venture through it. Paul Wayans had been affected by this. He had never been a big fan of cold weather, and although he didn’t have to rise early in the mornings, the cold often kept him awake at night, yearning for the warmth of a wife to comfort him through to a warmer, sunnier day.

For five years he had hoped that day would come – the day when the torture of losing Marcie would be replaced with something other than depression – but each day he had felt the same chill that now bit at his joints and made getting out of bed difficult. The chill went further than his stiff fingers; it went all the way to his heart, and Paul did not think the sun would ever rise on that warmer day he envisaged. It was like a sailing boat that bobbed up and down on the horizon but never got any closer.

It was normally about eighty degrees at this time of year. The theory of global warming actually making the Earth hotter seemed to have by-passed New Jersey; the temperature hadn’t gotten above sixty for four weeks. Bill Arnold had been affected by this. The journey he had undertaken had been made ten times more difficult by the cold. Extra layers made it difficult for him to turn the wheel at any great pace and this, coupled with the effect of the early morning frost upon the roads, had made him fear being part of an accident not unlike the one he had witnessed as he returned to Glen Rock. It also made him wonder if he had made the correct choice of career.

It had affected Sandy Myers, who was finding it nearly as difficult to get herself out of bed as she was to rouse the children each morning. Sean and David’s reluctance to come to life each morning, and their subsequent disinclination to move away from the fireplace each day made her wish for sunny, warm mornings when the world seemed better and children wanted to play and everybody had an extra spring in their step. Sandy loved the sun.

Day after day the sun did not seem to want to shine though, and this had the same effect on Special Agent Sam O’Neill as it did on Sandy Myers. His bed was the only place he wanted to be, and he always wore the wrong clothes for the climate that he was by now starting to get used to. Things would be different if he had somebody to keep him warm at night and to give him advice on the clothes he chose each day, but the demands of murderers had put paid to his relationship with Louise after just six months of dating. Every day was now a bit of a challenge.

 
The being that was affected most by the cold snap of weather was the huge figure that stood in the shadows forty feet from the front door of Paul Wayans’ house, hidden by the darkness and crouching beside a tree that stretched about twenty feet into the air. The tree was something that he needed, as he was over eight feet tall, and his reason for visiting was not a friendly one. And he was a he – as he developed he felt more and more male. Testosterone flowed through him, especially on nights like this one, and despite being only half complete, his body told him he was male.

The cold had slowed him down and made his actions difficult to accomplish, sapping vital strength from his body and diminishing his strength; threatening his objectives with every minute that passed, and making him hungry to succeed and achieve his goals while he still could.

Everything had to be right. No mistakes could be made if he was to achieve his destiny.

This was something that the shadow constantly considered as the day passed and preparations were made, and while anybody else would have thought that Paul Wayans had decided to stay away from home, he knew differently. He had known exactly where Paul Wayans was, and had not been surprised when he saw him for the first time, walking up the road to the drive of the house and pausing, before finding the paper that was nailed to the door. Neither was the shadow surprised to see Wayans enter the house after removing and inspecting the message that he had prepared earlier in the day at some distance from his current location.

His dreams were not really dreams. Whether awake or resting, he saw these people going about their everyday lives. His head was a constant whirl of activity as he moved towards his goals.

He knew their names, addresses, even their thoughts.

He knew what their next move would be, but they didn’t know his.

They only knew what he wanted them to know. He was in control and determined; more determined every day, that the cold was not going to beat him.

Nobody would stop him.

Not now.

Paul Wayans was afraid. The shadow hiding behind the tree knew this and this was what he wanted. Wayans heart beat at twice the normal rate and this was a thing that brought strength to the figure, who remained in the same position, crouched at the base of the tree, waiting for Wayans to leave the house.

He fed off the fear of his intended victims, waiting for the time when it was at a peak, before taking them and taking their strength, their knowledge, their lives.

So far it had been easy. The people he needed to give up their lives had done so without too much of a fight. Now the time had come again, and now the urge was stronger. He was nearly complete, but fear was not enough to keep him strong for long. Tonight was definitely the night for him to feed again. He could not wait.

*****

Thank you David for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview! I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
*****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com