Announcing Tears of Crimson Halloween Promotion (weekend 27-28 Oct)
Good morning everyone. I’ve been traveling in Germany this week, but managed to get included in a wonderful promotion for Halloween this upcoming weekend. Many great authors will come together and offer their books at 99c or for free. I will post again on saturday with the exact details, but here is a taste of what it will be like. š
Included will be my Clockpunk fairytale “The Unfinished Boy”, so stay tuned. š
Here is the list of books, which is still being updated.
Freebie: The Angel Genome
This is just a quick note to readers who haven’t read the anthology “Extinct doesn’t mean Forever” by Phoenix Sullivan, or specifically my short sci-fi story “The Angel Genome.”
“The Angel Genome” is FREE today on amazon.
Lucia doesnāt believe in angels but she might believe in a small boy cloned from a forgotten race.
4.2 stars, 8 reviews
Happy Reading! š
New Release (free!): Mantis (a short story set in the world of Rex Rising)
Sorry I haven’t been around, but I’ve been busy preparing the third book in the series of Elei’s Chronicles, entitled “Rex Equilibrium” which will be out after the first week of November. š
Meanwhile, I’ve decided to publish a short story set in the world of Rex Rising, just to whet your appetite (but also to give you some background information on a character appearing in book 3).
Those of you who have read “Hera” (for free on amazonĀ AND Smashwords), I’m sure you remember her encounter with a boy called Mantis. Since Mantis will make an appearance in Book 3, I’ve decided to tell you the story of how he came to be who he is… And how he met another of our heroes long before the events in Rex Rising.
I have put “Mantis” for free on Smashwords, and hope to get Amazon to make it free too. But for now, here it is:
Summary:
Before the events in Rex Rising, before Elei met Kalaes and Hera, another boy reached the island of Dakru, and this one was filled with rage. Because the regime took everything from him and he’d make them pay. This is the story of Mantis (whom you will meet in Rex Equilibrium, Book 3 of Elei’s Chronicles, coming out next month).
Grab a copy, and get ready for book 3. š Happy Reading!
Pronouncing the names in Rex Rising
Sometimes when I create a world and live in it long enough, I forget that readers who get my books don’t know how I imagined something to look or sound. Add to that the fact that I’m not a native speaker of English, and things get complicated.
This issue was brought to my attention recently from two different readers with two different questions.
The first had to do with the meaning of names and foreign words in the text. I wanted to give the Seven Islands a feeling of not being exactly like our world, and using such words and names helped paint the picture, I believe. Yet, the reader had a perfectly valid point – how about a glossary? So, I added such a glossary at the end of each book, and you can also find it in the “Rex Rising” section of this blog. š
The second reader wanted to know how the names were pronounced. I admit I hadn’t given this any thought at all… Bad me. I mean, I know exactly how they are pronounced, but I never thought that there might be different ways to pronounce them. To my defence, in Greek you pronounce the words the way you see them, and there aren’t any options, so sometimes I forget that in English this isn’t so… and also that the way I read a name in English (influenced by my Greek heritage and my Latin lessons back at school) might differ.
So, here is a brief guide to the names I consider essential. Feel free to ask me for more if you want! (i’m marking with bold the stress on the word)
Elei: E-le-ii
Kalaes: Ka-la-es
Hera: He-ra (as in “her”)
Maera: Ma-e-ra
Pelia: Pe-li-a
Alendra: A-le-ndra
Menes: Me-nes
Gultur: Gool-toor (I understand from the way my friends write the word they read it as “Gultar” – that’s alright. The Gultur themselves pronounce it differently from us mere mortals…) š
Dakru: Da-kroo
Is this helpful or not? Let me know! š Happy reading.
Guest book “Moonlight”: vampires and werewolves by Katie Salidas
My good author friend Katie Salidas (hello, Vegas!) is what you might call a paranormal expert – at least in her fantastical worlds, or rather her fantastic version of Vegas and surrounding area. In her alternative world, vampires and shifters share the cities with “normal” humans, and the boundaries often fall. If you have read her series “Immortalis: Carpe Noctem” you know what I’m talking about. š
If you have, then you’ll surely remember Fallon, Alyssa’s best friend, a normal but very interesting human. Fallon is spunky and outspoken and falls in love with a werewolf! I really loved her character and was very excited when Katie said she’d give her a book to tell her story. So here it is! Moonlight – An Immortalis Companion Novella. š
What it’s about:
Good girls donāt wear fur, or fight over men, and they certainly donāt run around naked, howling at the moon.
But then, no-one ever called Fallon a good girl.
As a human unofficially mated to an Alpha werewolf, Fallon is being pressured to ābecomeā…or be gone.
Her mate Aiden, the interim leader of the Olde Town Pack, is in a position that demands he either choose a wolf mate…or leave the pack forever. No matter how hot the sex with Fallon is, he canāt ignore centuries of tradition.
Become a wolf or not. If only the choice were that simple. Fallonās options are further clouded by the overt presence of other females desperate to be the Alphaās mate. And when these bitches get serious, itās not just claws that come out. If Fallon wants to keep her man and take the title sheāll have to exert a little dominance of her own.
Where to find the book:
Read an excerpt:
Long pajama pants, a sweat shirt, fuzzy socks, and still I felt frozen. Iād been here a couple of months but still hadnāt gotten used to the cold. Boston was an arctic tundra compared to Las Vegas and that blistering desert Iād come from. Iād be warm soon enough, though. Aiden was due back at any moment. That man was hot! Wolves have more than just good looks working for them. They run a few degrees warmer than us humans. And I needed that heat. The thought of him snuggling up next to me, fur coat or not, was enough to keep the icicles at bay for the moment, but I was still cold.
Teeth chattering, I pulled the thick feather comforter up to my chest and snuggled into the fluffy, king-sized down pillows. I doubted I would ever get used to the winter. But, if I wanted to stay with Aiden, Iād have to. As the future Alpha of the Olde Town Pack, he was a Boston boy for life. That also meant I would have to make some life changing decisions.
The thought of that wiped the smile from my face.
Aiden was my love, and I knew he loved me for who and what I wasāhuman. But the packā¦ they wouldnāt accept a human as their Alpha Female.
I buried my head under the blanket as if it would shield me. Iād been avoiding facing the inevitable, but a decision had to be madeā¦ soon.
The bedroom door opened with a slight creak.
āFallon, babe. You still awake?ā Aiden called out in a whisper.
Perfect timing! A thrill of excitement ran through me. āYeah. Come cuddle. I need to steal your warmth, Iām freezing over here.ā
He gave me a quick sidelong glance then looked at the wall. āIt helps if you turn on the heater.ā
āThereās a heater in here? Why didnāt you tell me?ā I felt a little embarrassed for not thinking of something so simple; but in my defense, I hadnāt lived at the sanctuary long.
āYeah.ā He tapped a finger on the thermostat mounted to the wall. āLooks like Brady is up to his old games. The thermostat is off.ā He clicked the switch, walked inside, and shut the door.
Instantly, I heard the fans kick on. Warmth rose to my cheeks, but it wasnāt from the heater.
āThat bastard!ā I said, angrier at myself for falling for another one of his tricks than anything else.
Aiden didnāt bother to hide his snicker. āHe is who he is. But you probably should have checked the thermostat instead of turning our bed into an igloo.ā
āThat would have been the smart thing to do. But then I couldnāt have hot Eskimo sex with you.ā
Without another word, Aiden tore off his clothes and dove into bed, under the covers. Snaking his arm around my waist, he pulled me in close and nuzzled my neck. My body began to warm, melting against his. Aidenās chin stubble scratched a little but not so much that it hurt. Besides, I loved a little rough touch from my man. His thick scent, fresh from the hunt, filled my nose. Thereās something about that heady odor of patchouli and cologne mixed with a little sweat that sends my heart racing.
Oh, yeah. This is my happy place. Safe in Aidenās arms, I felt like the world could go to hell and Iād still be okay. This is love, right?
Twenty-six years old and Iād never really been in love. Sad to say, I know. But love had never been a high priority on my list. School, family, friends, sureā¦ but men had been merely blips in the radar. They were temporary distractions; fun little bumps along the road of life. With Aiden, it was different. He made me want to stop bumping along the road and find my home, with him.
āHow was the hunt?ā I scooted closer, reveling in his delicious warmth.
āThe new recruits were naturals.ā Pride filled his voice. āYou should have seen them. Everyone transitioned this time, and theyāre all acclimating well.ā
āThatās wonderful news.ā The last group hadnāt been so lucky. āBut I couldnāt take the cold tonight. Iām still too much of a desert rat.ā
His warm hand dipped under my sweat shirt. āYour blood will thicken in time.ā He tip-toed his fingers up to my breasts. āHow about your day? What have you been up to while I was playing in the snow?ā
āNerd stuff.ā I purred. That man had a sinful touch. āI got the new server online and finished configuring the firewall. I still have to set up a few new user accounts, but other than that, not much.ā
āI have no clue what you just said, but I think itās sexy when you talk computers. Say something else.ā
About Katie:
Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women,Ā She can get the munchkins off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.Ā She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtimeā¦ 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 saleā¦
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.
http://www.katiesalidas.com/
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Salidas-Author/214780936916
LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=58814031&trk=tab_pro
Twitter
http://twitter.com/QuixoticKatie
Interview with author Valerie Laws
Iām Valerie Laws, a novelist, poet, playwright, sci-art specialist and performer. Iāve had eleven books published, twelve plays produced, and many commissions and Writer in Residence posts. Iām now Writer in Residence at a London Pathology Museum of human specimens, where Iāve written about the dead bodies at dissections, at a university brain institute, and at a physic garden growing mind-altering plants. Iām famous for spray-painting poetry on live sheep in my Quantum Sheep project, which got a lot of media attention and still does! I live by the sea in North East England and am a fanatical swimmer. I swim a mile five times a week and love to snorkel in as many oceans as I can on my travels. I love to perform my work and to make people laugh, and make them cry too.
LYDIA BENNETāS BLOG – THE REAL STORY OF PRIDE & PREJUDICE is my 11th book, my first indie e-book. Itās a comedy, telling the story of Jane Austenās novel in the voice of Lydia Bennet, the outrageous, sexy, shameless youngest Bennet sister. Sheās just like a modern teenager, so Iāve written her āblogā in modern teen language, but Iāve invented 19th Century explanations for her slang. Lydia knows a lot of what went on unknown to Lizzy, Darcy and even Jane Austen, as she was manipulating the action behind the scenes to get her way and get her man, the ultimate bad boy Wickham! Itās on kindle at http://amzn.to/LydBBUK (98p) and http://amzn.to/LBBUS ($1.55) and Smashwords http://bit.ly/LBBSmash. Itās collected some ace five star reviews, some from respected authors.FutureVision Sale! YA sci-fi/dystopian promotion 21-22 August!
Aug 21-22 only! Discover your future on our special Amazon page at http://smarturl.it/future
Finished reading the Hunger Games trilogy? Finished the Divergent and Delirium series? Wondering what other YA sci-fi dystopian to read?
Four authors banded together these two days to offer their books at a low price and give you a wonderful ride in their pages.
And the novels are…
Never Too Far
by Thomas Christopher
99Ā¢ (Reg. $2.99)
A harrowing story of love and survival.
Semper
by Peter Dudley
99Ā¢ (Reg. $2.99)
Daneās sixteenth birthday holds a choice he didnāt expect to face: Should he take his place as Semper, obeying his cruel uncle and twelve generations of Southshaw Truth, or should he follow his heart and risk exile and death to unearth the real truth? An exotic huntress, a mythical ghost-man, and a tailorās daughter hold the keys to his answer. And to the survival of Southshaw itself.
Saving Mars
by Cidney Swanson
$2.99 (Reg. $5.99)
When the food supply of Marsā human settlement is decimated, seventeen-year-old Jessamyn Jaarda, the best pilot Mars Colonial has ever seen, flies to Earth to raid for food. Earth-Mars relations couldnāt be worse, and her brother is captured during the raid. Breaking rules of secrecy and no contact, Jess finds an ally in Pavel, nephew to a government official, but their friendship only makes more agonizing the choice before her: Save her brother or save her planet?
Rex Rising – Book 1 of Elei’s Chronicles
by Chrystalla Thoma
99Ā¢ (Reg. $2.99)
In a world where parasites create new human races, Elei leads a peaceful life — until a mysterious attack on his boss sends him fleeing with a bullet in his side. Pursued for a secret he does not possess and with the fleet at his heels, he has but one thought: to stay alive. His pursuers aren’t inclined to sit down and talk, although that’s not the end of Elei’s troubles. The two powerful parasites inhabiting his body, at a balance until now, choose this moment to bring him down, leaving Elei with no choice but to trust in people he hardly knows. It won’t be long before he realizes he must find out this deadly secret — Ā a secret that might change the fate of his world and everything he has ever known — or die trying.
Rex Cresting – Book 2 of Elei’sĀ Chronicles
by Chrystalla Thoma
$3.99
Still recovering at a hospital on the north coast of Dakru, Elei is convinced that his part in bringing down the Gultur is over. Rex has infected the other race and their dictatorial system is starting to collapse. Not every Gultur, though, has been affected, and on top of that, inside Elei’s body, Rex has matured and goes through another transformation. Elei isn’t sure he can survive Rex’s new strength — but that may prove the last of his worries as the Gultur descend on him again.
(Some profanity and violence)
Click on the image below for the amazon page ofĀ the promo, and HAPPY READING!!!
Free book – and have you visited our Summer Splash Blog hop?
Have you noticed that there’s an awesome blog hop running – with great prizes, from book copies to kindles? š
Go to my page here and participate! The blog hop runs until the 31st.
Or just go directly to the official site of the blog hop!
Also, don’t forget: today and tomorrow, my novel Rex Rising is FREE on amazon!
Recommended by Free Kindle Books and Tips!
Summer is made for reading – so download, read and have a great time! š
Rex Rising wins 3rd place in Underground Book Reviews contest
Happy Sunday everyone. š I have dipped beneath the radar once more, due to work, and won’t be surfacing until next weekend most probably, but I wanted to share this piece of news:
Rex Rising has won third place in the Underground Book Reviews Summer Reading List contest (TheĀ Readers’ Choice winners). I’m happy, of course, and here is the lovely badge sent to me to display proudly:
The results of the contest are here
Have a great day all! š
Free book today and general update on writing
Morning boys girls and androids. š
I’ve been absent for some time – work (translations) and writing took up my time and wrenched me away from the internet and my blog.
So I’m back, beware! And I’ve got a couple of updates for you.
First of all, Rex Rising is free today (16th May) and if you haven’t got a copy, grab it now, as I don’t know if and when I will ever set it free again. Instead I will be concentrating more on writing and publishing new stories.
Second, I’d like to give an update on my dragon book. For those of you who didn’t hear about this, I’ve signed a contract with Tyche Books (the same lovely people who published the “Ride the Moon” anthology in which I have a short story) to write a non-fiction book about dragons. Now the book has an official page – and this means I have to put my butt down in a chair and start writing! š
Third, I’m writing book 3 of Elei’s Chronicles (Rex: Equilibirum) as we speak and I’m currently half-way through. I’m very excited about it, and I hope you’re looking forward to it as well…
Have a very nice day! š
Interview with Guest Author SB Knight
Today I have as my guest published author SB Knight. His paranormal fantasy (vampires) “Born of this Blood” has recently been published by MuseItUp publishing with more books in the series (The Blood Chronicles) coming out later this year and the next.
Chrys: Hi dear Brian, welcome! Tell us a few things about yourself!Ā
Brian: Hello! Where do I start with this question? I am an American author. I’m not sure what that means but the first time I was called that I thought it interesting. I have also been referred to as a southern gentleman and if anyone has heard my accent they would know the southern part is very true. I work hard on the gentleman part of that description. I enjoy traveling and plan to do more of it in the coming years. My time in Italy was fantastic!
Ā
Chrys: Tell us about your published novel Born of Blood, what is it about?Ā What inspired you to write it?
Brian: Born of Blood is my debut novel and book one of the Blood Chronicles. It is the harrowing story of a family fighting to survive, and possibly defeat, the immortal monster that stalks them relentlessly. But this age old evil has dark plans and, if successful, will prove that there is a fate worse than death.
What inspired me to write Born of Blood? First, I am a big vampire fan. I should clarify here, I am a big Bram Stoker type vampire fan. I like intelligent, cunning, brutal, vampires. That type of vampire seems to be disappearing from books in this day and age. I wanted to see if I could write a vampire novel with the type of vampire I like and a plot that is both exciting and unique. Yes, that was a big challenge. Unique plots are rare when it comes to vampires but I stumbled upon an idea one day that blossomed into something I believe is both unique and exciting. As it turned out, the story grew from one novel to a series of three.
Chrys: I see that Born of Blood is a series – have you already written the sequels? Was it hard/easy?
Brian: Yes, the second book of the Blood Chronicles series will be released in October of this year. For me, the trick was to continue the overall story but make book two strong enough to carry its own weight. Many see the middle book or middle movie the weaker of any series and I tried to avoid that. The easy part was knowing where I was in the story, how to start this novel, and where I wanted to end it. The hard part was making sure I picked up all the unfinished story lines from Born of Blood so they could either continue or finish in the sequel. The fun part was seeing a new portion of the saga unfold before my eyes.
Chrys: You are a fellow Muser – published with MuseItUp as I am. How did you find the whole publishing experience? Was it as you imagined it to be?
Ā
Brian: Before I came to MuseItUp I submitted a different novel to other publishing companies and was rejected. Yes, I received a heavy dose of rejection and it was not fun. I shelved that novel and wrote Born of Blood. To be honest, I had thoughts of not submitting Born of Blood to publishers either. I was very close to leaving it on the shelf.
I remember talking to my wife about it and making the decision to take a chance with it so I began looking for small publishers who published Dark Fantasy. I submitted to three companies and all three were interested in it. This might surprise some but I researched each company as much as I could. MuseItUp had the advantage because I knew Lea from the online conference she has every October. It was tough getting noticed by publishers but extremely exciting once I did. I would say it was what I imagined it to be except for one thing, MuseItUp made the experience more of a friendly atmosphere compared to the all business atmosphere I was prepared for. I was very happy about that.
Chrys: Do you only write dark fantasy? What are you working on currently?Ā
Brian: At this time yes, I am writing only Dark Fantasy. I have plans to venture out one day but I’m not sure when that will happen. I truly enjoy writing the stories that dance in my imagination. Currently I am working on my third novel which is a departure from the Blood Chronicles. I have received feedback from my beta readers and making one last run through the pages before I submit it to my publisher. So far the feedback has been very good as many refer to the story as intense. It is my hope that you will see Demathia Rising released sometime next year. You can stay up-to-date on that and all my novels on my website: www.sb-knight.com.
Chrys: What can we find you doing apart from writing fiction?
Brian: Aside from writing I am also a civil and environmental engineer (that happens to be my full time job). I enjoy being outdoors, planting my garden every year, building things as small as race cars with my son to as big as a stone patio in my back yard. I also fish, hike, and go camping; although I don’t do those as often as I would like. You will also find me playing and watching sports.
Chrys: What advice do you have for aspiring novelists?
Brian: Patience andĀ perseverance. The patience will pay off when you are waiting to hear back from publishers. The perseverance will be critical when you receive rejections, negative feedback, and/or no response at all. Don’t just write, challenge your writing. Find the areas where you feel weakest and write to those areas. Each story is a new idea but also a new opportunity to expand and sharpen your skills. Recognize that each day you write, even if it is just 5 words, is an accomplishment and gift. There are many writers in the world but there are many more who dream to write.
Guest Author Katie Salidas and release of “Soulstone”
Today I have here author Katie Salidas. Katie writes about vampires, and her series “Immortalis Carpe Noctem” has just seen a new addition – Book 4 of the series, called “Soulstone”, has just been released.
Chrys: Hi dear Katie and welcome. Can you tell us what the inspiration behind Soulstone is?
Katie: Soulstone is book 4 in my Immortalis series. The overall inspiration for the series has always been exploring what it might be like to really live as a vampire. I donāt like to sugar coat things I like to deal with the nitty gritty of it all: what would it be like to drink blood, to kill, to deal with humans and werewolves, witches, etcā¦Ā But, for Soulstone, the main plot point and driving force behind the story was to answer the question, āWhat will happen to Lysander.ā That was the spark that ignited the story into existence.
At the end of book three, Pandoraās Box, I left readers with that question as well as a magical artifact that had the capability of trapping a vampire soul within it. This irresistible item is not only important to Alyssa, our main character (since it holds the fate of her lover within it), but also the Acta Sanctorum, a dangerous fanatical religious organization bent on the destruction of anything āUnnatural.ā
Once those elements were put into place, the story blossomed up around it, taking us through the streets of Boston to the snowy woods in the north and the Olde Town werewolf packās sanctuary for a huge battle.
Ā Chrys: Wonderful. Just one more question: Is this the last book of this series or should be expect more? What else is in store?
Katie: I have a feeling Alyssaās adventures will continue on for a long time to come. Iād personally love to give this series the same longevity as other popular Urban Fantasy works like the Sookie Stackhouse series, but itās best to take things one book at a time.
Iā havenāt yet started on Book 5, but I left plenty to continue on with. What will happen to our mortal friend Fallon? Will she turn wolf to remain with her lover and Olde Town wolf pack leader, Aiden? Will the Peregrinus clan be able to turn the tables on the Acta Sanctorum and finally rid the world of them? How will Ian deal with his eternal injuries, and what happened to Zuri? There are many many questions that have arisen and still need to be answered and as long as Alyssa has a story to tell, I plan on continuing on with this series.
Thank you so much for reading, and if you want to check out my other novels, you can find me atĀ http://www.katiesalidas.com
(New Release)
Soulstone (Book 4)
Itās a desperate time for rookie vampire Alyssa, and her sanity is hanging by a slender thread. Her clan is still reeling from the monumental battle with Aniketos; a battle that claimed the body of Lysander, her sire and lover, and trapped his spirit in a mysterious crystal. A Soulstone.
Unfortunately, no amount of magic has been able to release Lysanderās spirit, and the stone is starting to fade. Weeks of effort have proved futile. Her clan, the Peregrinus, have all but given up hope. Only Alyssa still believes her lover can be released. In despair, Alyssa begs the help of the local witch coven, and unwittingly exposes the supernaturals of Boston to unwanted attention from the Acta Sanctorum.
The Saints converge on the city and begin their cleansing crusade to rid the world of all things āUnnatural.ā In the middle of an all-out war, but no closer to a solution to the dying stone, Alyssa is left with an unenviable choice: save her mate, or save her clan.
Pandoraās Box (Book 3)
After a few months as a vampire, Alyssa thought sheād learned all she needed to know about the supernatural world. But her confidence is shattered by the delivery of a mysterious package ā a Pandoraās Box.
Seemingly innocuous, the box is in reality an ancient prison, generated by a magic more powerful than anyone in her clan has ever known. But what manner of evil could need such force to contain it?
When the box is opened, the sinister creature within is released, and only supernatural blood will satiate its thirst. The clan soon learns how it feels when the hunter becomes the hunted.
Powerless against the ancient evil, the clan flees Las Vegas for Boston, with only a slim hope for salvation. Could Lysanderās old journals hold the key? And what if they donāt?
And how welcome will they be in a city run by a whole different kind of supernatural being?
Werewolvesā¦
Hunters & Prey (Book 2)
Becoming a vampire saved Alyssa from death, but the price was high: the loss of everything and everyone attached to her mortal life. Sheās still learning to cope when a surprise confrontation with Santino Vitale, the Acta Sanctorumās most fearsome hunter, sends her fleeing back to the world she once knew, and Fallon, the friend sheās missed more than anything.
Alyssa breaks vampire law by revealing her new, true self to her old friend, a fact which causes strong division in the group that should support her most: her clan.
Immortalis Carpe Noctem (Book 1)
Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition… that’s the hard part.
Bleeding to death after brutal mugging, twenty-five year old Alyssa is rescued by the most unlikely hero: the handsome and aloof vampire, Lysander.
His gift of immortal blood initiates Alyssa into a frightening, eternally dark world filled with: bloodlust, religious fanaticism, and thousand-year old vendettas.
With Lysander as her guide, Alyssa will have to learn what it takes to survive in the immortal world. She’ll have to find the strength to accept her new reality and carpe noctem; or give in, and submit to final death.
To purchase the Immortalis books (In print and ebook):
About Katie Salidas:
Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women,Ā She can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.Ā She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtimeā¦ 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 saleā¦
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.
Guest Author: Marion Sipe
Today I have a guest, a great author of epic and urban fantasy, Marion Sipe. Her epic fantasy book “A Sign in Blood” is free today, so if you haven’t grab a copy. I highly recommend it.
So, I give the floor to Marion!
Hello all!
I’m Marion Sipe and I’m here today with Chrystalla Thoma (Thank you, Chrys!) to talk about my epic fantasy novel, “A Sign in Blood”.
For me, it’s the characters that make a story.Ā While you have to have a good plot, and hopefully a fascinating world, none of it matters if the characters can’t pull their weight.Ā And two of my favorite characters from “A Sign in Blood” are Bastian and Carial.
They’re a lot a like in some ways, and totally different in others.Ā They’re both trying to make the world a better place, to help those who can’t help themselves.Ā They’re both rebels and renegades, but they come from very different places.Ā While Carial was raised in the rebellion, Bastian was raised in the temples.Ā In some ways, he’s more of a realist than Carial.Ā Carial is an idealist, while Bastian is practical and down-to-earth.
Because Bastian’s position as Full Rank Clergy puts him right in the enemy’s midst, he’s also more paranoid and suspicious than Carial who has beenāmore or lessāinsulated by the rebellion.Ā Until betrayal comes to the Underground itself, which rather flips Carial’s world upside down.Ā That’s not to say that Carial’s had it easy.Ā His people are constantly hounded, unable to settle, unable to create any real life for themselves.
So, while Bastian and Carial are from the same culture, and agree about many things, their essential viewpoints are quite different.Ā Which made their interactions a lot of fun to write. Ā While they strive for the same goals, they often have different ideas about how to get there.Ā They’re both caught in the middle of something huge, with people looking to them for guidance, and they’re both risking their own livesāas well as the lives of othersāin ways with which they’re not always comfortable.
I also really love these characters because they’re not your typical “hero” types.Ā Bastian is a scribe and a translator, and if you handed him a sword he’d probably hold it between his thumb and forefinger.Ā He just wouldn’t know what to do with it, and he’d be cautious.Ā Carial is more of a fighter, but his people aren’t allowed to possess things like swords and, though he’d love to get his hands on some, he’d have only a little more idea what to do with one than Bastian.Ā Instead of eschewing weapons, however, he and his people make their own, working with what they’ve got to try and even things up.
He’s not always happy with the results.Ā There are times when he can’t do enough, or when the options are whittled away and he has to take the course of action he thought he’d never use.Ā Both he and Bastian are faced with some hard decisions.Ā As to whether or not they make the right onesā¦ Well, go grab a free copy and find out!
To learn more about Marion Sipe, A Sign in Blood, or her other works, visit:
http://marionsipe.blogspot.com
Where to find “A Sign in Blood”:
Remember that the novel is *free* today.
Interview with EPIC winner author Cyrus Keith
Today I have as my guest author Cyrus Keith. He writes techno-thrillers of high caliber and has just won the EPIC award in the category thriller for his first novel out “Becoming Nadia”!!!
Not that I’m surprised, having read Cyrus’s books (it’s a trilogy! all amazing novels!) – but a thrill all the same. š
So, without further ado…
Chrys: Cyrus, how does fame feel after winning the EPIC award (and did you invest in a good pair of sunglasses to avoid paparazzi?)
weird, really. I was on the phone at the elevator right after the ceremony, and when the doors opened here was this whole load of people! So, thinks I to myself, let’s make the most of the moment. And I says out loud into the phone (’cause that’s what I do on the phone) “Hey, Guess what I have in my hand? I just won the EPIC Award for Best Thriller!” And someone in the crowd says, “Where can I get it?” So I whips my hand to my suit jacket pocket and out come the promotionalĀ bookmarks. Everyone got one, and I got to tell my friend what just h
appened, and about twenty minutes later I actually remembered to breathe.
us: I’m excited to say I submitted Part Three of the NADIA Project to my publisher last Tuesday before I left for EPICon. Critical Mass closes out the NADIA Project, but I still have a surprise coming, a bonus if you will. It’s coming quick, and it’s going to be so cool I wish I could tell you about it! But I guess I’ll let everyone who’s interested keep up with me on Facebook. You can see photos of the EPIC conference at the beautiful (and haunted) Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, too. 
,Ā and I have two historical novels on the back burner. There’s yet another rip-roaring techno-thriller in the works as well. I’ll probably be using different by-lines for these diverse projects, to establish brands in those genres. But they will be there.Quick announcement: Rex Rising on sale for a few days!
For the release of Rex Cresting (Book 2 of Elei’s Chronicles), I have decided to put Rex Rising (Book 1 of the series) at 99c for a couple of days.
In celebration.
So, if you haven’t already, grab a copy and get ready for book 2. š
Happy Reading! š
Rex Cresting (Book 2 of Elei’s Chronicles) is out now!
So, after many delays and much ado, here is the sequel to Rex Rising:
REX CRESTING (BOOK TWO OF ELEI’S CHRONICLES)
Still recovering at a hospital on the north coast of Dakru, Elei is convinced that his part in bringing down the Gultur is over. Rex has infected the other race and their dictatorial system is starting to collapse. Not every Gultur, though, has been affected, and on top of that, inside Elei’s body, Rex has matured and goes through another transformation. Elei isn’t sure he can survive Rex’s new strength — but that may prove the last of his worries as the Gultur descend on him again.
Links:
So I am glad I more or less made the third of my deadlines (first it was Xmas 2011, then end February 2012, then first week of March 2012)! š I will write more about this experience and the series and everything on another day.
Let me only add that Rex Rising (Book 1 in the series) is free today and tomorrow, in case you haven’t got it yet.
Link:
Book 3 (Rex: Equilibrium) is due out this Summer.
Happy Reading!
Join my mailing list!
If you want to be informed right away when a new release is available, you can subscribe to my mailing list.
I will only use it when I release something new, and I promise I wonāt clutter your inbox or share your e-mail with anyone else.