COVER REVEAL - UNDEATH AND TAXES by Drew Hayes

I can't hide how excited I am for this book to be released. I read and loved the first book concerning Fred, the vampire accountant, and this follow-up sounds just as good.  If you've not already added it to your 'to be read' pile, then do so NOW!!!!!

Blurb

 

After discovering just how filled with magic, intrigue, and adventure the parahuman world of being an Undead American can be, Fredrick Frankford Fletcher did exactly what was expected--he became a certified parahuman accountant. Myths and legends, as it turns out, are not so great at taking appropriate deductions and keeping their receipts, and Fred is more than happy to return to a life others view as woefully dull, expanding his accounting business to cater to various monsters and their respective financial needs.

Said monsters are, unfortunately, still spectacular at pulling Fred into trouble, though. And despite merely wanting to stick with simple paperwork, Fred once again finds he is going to have to deal with enchanted weaponry, government agents, possessed houses, and one enigmatic dragon’s interest. In the parahuman world, any business can turn deadly, even one as mundane as accounting.

 

Add Undeath & Taxes on goodreads

Author Bio:

Drew Hayes is an aspiring author from Texas who has written several books and found the gumption to publish a few (so far). He graduated from Texas Tech with a B.A. in English, because evidently he’s not familiar with what the term “employable” means. Drew has been called one of the most profound, prolific, and talented authors of his generation, but a table full of drunks will say almost anything when offered a round of free shots. Drew feels kind of like a D-bag writing about himself in the third person like this. He does appreciate that you’re still reading, though.

Drew would like to sit down and have a beer with you. Or a cocktail. He’s not here to judge your preferences. Drew is terrible at being serious, and has no real idea what a snippet biography is meant to convey anyway. Drew thinks you are awesome just the way you are. That part, he meant. Drew is off to go high-five random people, because who doesn’t love a good high-five? No one, that’s who.

See Drew told about himself in first person on his website and twitter.

Interview and review of GAMBIT by C. L. Denault

MY REVIEW:

Gambit has been on my to be read list for what seems like ages, and last Saturday I found the time to sit down and read it. Everything else stopped. I only lifted my head several hours later when I’d finished.

Cary’s story drew me in completely. I haven’t lost myself this much in a book for ages. I never wanted it to end, and whereas it has a satisfactory ending (for now) I nearly cried when it finished. I want more!

I want more of Willow.

I want more of Asp (Something about him makes me smile but also worry)

I want more of Tem (Bless, please don’t forget him)

And I NEED more of Reece!!!

Reece is the sort of man that you can’t help but develop strong feelings for—ones of hate, admiration, confusion, or even pure unadulterated lust. No guessing which category I fall into. I loved Reece from the moment he stepped through the doorway of the tavern. The way Cary revealed his character, bit by bit, was wonderfully done. And I think there is a lot more of him to come—he’s hiding something and I can’t wait to find out what.

There were a few times when I wanted to shake Willow. Some of her decisions were crazy, but she’s only sixteen, so that’s what I’d expect.

I also developed a fond liking of the Ritters. They sound so vile, but they purr! How can anyone hate a creature that purrs and is completely devoted to its owner? Please, please let me have one.

Seriously though, Cary has developed a full set of well-developed and different characters. They came alive on the page for me. The world building was intricate and at times jaw-dropping. Her descriptions were vivid and beautifully written.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series to be out. I NEED to find out what’s in store for Willow, and Reece.

Gambit is a must read for fans of Divergent or Hunger Games. I’m even going to stick my neck out and say IT’S BETTER than either of them!


INTERVIEW

I was lucky enough to interview Cary and ask her a few questions about Gambit, Willow and Reece. And in case my review didn't give it away, YES, I am a huge fan of Reece.

What inspired you to write Gambit?

I was watching an episode of Alphas on the Syfy channel one day and thinking about what life would be like for people with extraordinary abilities. They always seem to be in hiding, unable or unwilling to reveal their true identities. So I wondered what would happen if they became celebrities instead—a powerful, influential group of people that grew too numerous to control. What if the governments of the world decided to wipe them out, sparking a global war that devastated our planet? I pictured the aftermath of such a war—with the extraordinary humans in charge, oppressing the normal population—and let my imagination take over from there.


What were the challenges in bringing it to life?

At first, there weren’t many. Getting the story out of my head and into written form was incredibly exciting. I wasn’t on social media or part of a writing community at the time, so the only distractions were my family responsibilities and my INFJ Café blog. I finished the first draft in six months, and those were the most thrilling months of my life! The real challenges were learning to revise my own work (which I did many times), seeking feedback on the manuscript, and trying to decide the best route for publishing.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

I’ve tried sticking to an outline, and it’s almost impossible. I prefer building the world as I go along and having the freedom to follow inspiration as it strikes.

Which actress/actor would you like to see playing Willow/Reece or any other characters from Gambit?

Chloe Grace Moretz occasionally comes to mind when I think of Willow. Chloe is such a lovely mix of youth and maturity. If she could pull off a hot temper and a Scottish accent, she might be a good fit. And Chris Hemsworth radiates a sensitivity and depth of passion that would be perfect for Joshua. I’m afraid the rest of the cast is still a mystery to me.










As you well know, Cary, I’m a bit of a Reece fan. If I asked him out on a date where should I take him and what should I talk about? (Presuming he agreed)

Oh, he would agree. He doesn’t have much of a social life and would love to have a special lady take him out on the town. Be prepared to talk about yourself, as he’s trained in gathering information and will make sure you’re the main topic of conversation. He has cultured tastes, so you can’t go wrong with an upscale restaurant, theatre, or museum. A walk along the beach at Ravenscar afterward would appeal to his senses and lower his guard enough for you to find out a little more about him. All in all, it could turn out to be quite a romantic evening. Just make sure he leaves the Ritters at home. ;)

Can you give us any hints about what happens in the next book in the series?

If all goes well, readers of the next book will learn more about how the prodigies came into power, bits and pieces of the truth behind Reece’s argument with Joshua, and what the Council has in store for Kane. They’ll also meet Thess in greater capacity and find out just how Morry Roanoke reacts to those who threaten her reputation. And Willow is certain to find her way into more trouble—or, more likely, it will end up finding her.

In Earth’s battle-ridden future, humans have evolved. Those with extraordinary skills rise to power and fame. Those without live in poverty.

Sixteen-year-old Willow Kent believed she was normal. But when a genetically-advanced military officer shows up in her village and questions her identity, long-buried secrets begin to emerge. With remarkable skills and a shocking genetic code the Core and its enemies will do anything to obtain, Willow suddenly finds the freedom she craves slipping through her fingers. Greed, corruption, and genetic tampering threaten every aspect of her existence as she’s thrust, unwilling, into the sophisticated culture of the elite Core city. To ensure peace, she must leave the past behind, marry a man she’s never met, and submit to the authority of a relentless officer with a hidden agenda of his own.

Her life has become a dangerous game. How much will she sacrifice in order to win?

Get Gambit in paperback or for your kindle today!

C.L. Denault is a speculative fiction writer who loves dreaming up tales of adventure and intrigue. A former systems analyst, she gave up her nerdy code-writing skills to care for her family (including a son with special needs), and currently lives among the vast stretches of cornfields in Illinois.

Writing stories and posting on The INFJ Café are her biggest passions, along with drinking coffee and watching sci-fi. When she’s not hanging out with her husband and kids, she can usually be found at a library or tucked away in the shadowy corner of a hip coffeehouse. She’s also been glimpsed sneaking into her garage, late at night, to work on her time machine.

Her debut novel, Gambit, is the first in a Young Adult dystopian series.

Find out more at cldenault.com, twitter or facebook.

 

OFF BOOK - Blog Tour

It gives me great pleasure to have Jessica Dall with me today on her blog tour.

I managed to ask her a few questions about her writing and what else she gets up to.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I’ve always more or less been a writer, scribbling ideas down here and there and writing little stories. My first book I wrote, though, actually came from a bunch of my friends writing fan fiction. It’s a bit of a train wreck and will forever be buried deep on my hard drive (though I admit I used a small clip in my most recent novel Off Book as an example of a bad first novel) but I ended up taking the idea of a Harry Potter fan fic and turned it into my own (pretty awful) novel.

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

I’ve been lucky to have a pretty smooth run of things when it comes to my writing. I’ve always had supportive people around who have helped me every step of the way. I was also very lucky to marry a wonderful man who happens to come from a family of academics who all love research so I’ve had amazing added support there for the past few years. For Off Book, my largest struggle likely was making sure every non-original character used (the characters run into a few from other books) was public domain. That took some time looking into.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

I tend to have a really hard time putting actors to my characters since they tend to look a certain way in my head and it’s rare to find someone who matches up exactly. For Off Book, though, I’d rather like to see some fresh faces playing the leads. Actors that aren’t really know yet.

What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

I’ve always loved writing, so I’ve never had a problem with starting things. Starting is relatively easy. Sticking with a story all the way through to the end—even when I start hitting that bad slump in the middle that always seems to come—has been the hard part. That I’ve just started to force my way through saying I’ll fix the bad parts in editing.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

Even when I try to outline, I find myself going off the rails quite a bit, so ninety-nine percent of the time I just start writing and see what happens. I’ve always said that if I’ve created characters realistic enough that they can direct the plot without me I’ve created good characters.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

I find writing to be the easy part of the process. I’ve done NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) since college, so I’ve gotten used to writing quickly. Getting a first draft normally only takes me a couple of months. Getting from a first draft to what is published, however, can take much, much longer.

Where can you see yourself in five years time?

I’m rather lucky in that I’m already doing most of what I hope to be doing in the long term. In five years I hope I’m still writing and editing and teaching and, ideally, making a good living from it.

How do you relax?

It’s a rather boring (or perhaps expected) answer, but I write. If I get stressed, being able to escape into another world is great to relax. Outside of writing, I knit and am a singer (though the second one has dropped off more than I might like).


Many thanks to Jessica for taking the time to chat.

About OFF BOOK:
Twenty-year-old Eloise has learned all she can from the School, where characters live until joining their novels. No one knows genre and plot structure better than her, but despite her knowledge, she’s yet to be assigned to her own story. All her friends are off starting their lives with their authors—and if Eloise doesn’t get assigned soon, she’ll fade away, forgotten by all.

When she is suddenly offered a job at the Recording Office, she takes the chance to write her own future. Suddenly living among the post-storied, Eloise meets Barnaby Fitzwilliam, a former romance novel hero who hasn’t lost any of his in-story charm. But just as their relationship begins to get serious, everything Eloise has been taught gets turned upside down when she’s sucked into a novel she was never meant to be part of.

Now, caught where the only rules are made by the authors and truly anything is possible, Eloise must find her way back home—or else her life might end before she ever gets the chance to live it.

Set in a world dictated by Authors, OFF BOOK explores the story beneath the stories we all know and love, taking readers and characters alike on an adventure just waiting to be written.

Add OFF BOOK on goodreads

About the author:
Jessica Dall finished her first novel at age 15 and been writing ever since. She is the author of such novels as Grey Areas and The Bleeding Crowd, the Broken Line Series, and a number of short stories which have appeared in both literary magazines and anthologies. When not writing, she works as a freelance editor and creative writing teacher in Washington, DC.

Find Jessica Dall on twitter, facebook, and goodreads. 

RELEASE DAY - OFF BOOK by Jessica Dall

Today see's the release of another book from REUTS Publications. It's amazing to see all these great books released by my publisher. Every one of them is great, and every one of them is different!

Check out the trailer and all the book info including that very special link to where you buy it!

Pop back later next month when I'll be interviewing Jessica to find out more about her and her writing.

About OFF BOOK:

Twenty-year-old Eloise has learned all she can from the School, where characters live until joining their novels. No one knows genre and plot structure better than her, but despite her knowledge, she’s yet to be assigned to her own story. All her friends are off starting their lives with their authors—and if Eloise doesn’t get assigned soon, she’ll fade away, forgotten by all.

When she is suddenly offered a job at the Recording Office, she takes the chance to write her own future. Suddenly living among the post-storied, Eloise meets Barnaby Fitzwilliam, a former romance novel hero who hasn’t lost any of his in-story charm. But just as their relationship begins to get serious, everything Eloise has been taught gets turned upside down when she’s sucked into a novel she was never meant to be part of.

Now, caught where the only rules are made by the authors and truly anything is possible, Eloise must find her way back home—or else her life might end before she ever gets the chance to live it.

Set in a world dictated by Authors, OFF BOOK explores the story beneath the stories we all know and love, taking readers and characters alike on an adventure just waiting to be written.

Start reading today!

About The Author:



Jessica Dall finished her first novel at age 15 and has been writing ever since. She is the author of such novels as Grey Areas and The Bleeding Crowd, the Broken Line Series, and a number of short stories which have appeared in both literary magazines and anthologies. When not writing, she works as a freelance editor and creative writing teacher in Washington, DC.

Find Jessica Dall on twitter, facebook, and goodreads. 

NEW ADULT - My Opinion

There’s always seems to be some debate raging about New Adult, and seeing as my current Romantic Fantasy is New Adult, I thought I’d add my views on this genre.

For me – the age of the characters immediately plays a part in whether a book should be New Adult or not.  You can’t write about 22 – 25 year olds and try to pass it off as Young Adult—it just won’t work or fit. I also think the topics written about tend to be more adult. You’re dealing with characters that have lived a bit, have experienced many things (even sex) so you’re not necessarily dealing with ’first times’.  

Also, these characters are still learning. They’re not grown ups. They’re stuck in the middle land, and it’s a great, crazy place to be.

New Adult characters have great back stories, some tragic, many inspiring, but all of them have arrived thrown into the adult world with a thirst for life and a passion for what’s to come. And that’s what really defines them for me--and that’s what makes them New Adult rather than Adult.

Whether these characters are set in school or college, ‘yawn, yawn,’ (Sorry – my personal love/hate with YA and NA) or starting a new job in a new town, or stepping away from the familiarity of home, they all have fantastic opportunities opened up to them.

It’s a fantastic genre to write in, an exciting blank page to throw a rainbow of words at. There are no immediate restrictions, no worries about whether the characters will offend. If it’s New Adult then readers should expect a little more of a rough ride than a book that sits within Young Adult, and potentially even more of a rough ride than within the Adult genre. Where's the fun if you know how to deal sensibly with situations because you've experienced it all as an adult?

‘That’s all fine, Melody,’ you may say. But hear me out, here comes my grumble:

Some people tend to have certain expectations about New Adult, and top of that list seems to be sex. And lots of it. The more the merrier, a sex scene each chapter please, I don't care that they've only just met--please make them have sex! In the car, in the toilets, around the back of the building . . . and so it goes on.

I say 'No!'

Now, I’m not opposed to a bit of horizontal wriggling, and Sachael Desires, my next book in the series does include a sex scene.

But why do people expect it as given, and complain when there's none there? Seems I’m writing in the wrong genre if that’s what I should be writing.

But, I know I'm not.

I could actually take this further and say that I’m offended by anyone who picks my book up and expects it to have a sex scene in just because it’s New Adult. Do readers expect sex in every adult book they read? Probably not—so why in every New Adult book?

 

 

When I wrote Sachael Dreams I didn’t set out to NOT write a sex scene, it was always a possibility. But with the way the story progressed, I felt it didn’t warrant one. There’s plenty of unspoken passion, sexual tension and lots of smoochy moments, but the whole of Azariah’s character, his reassurance of not using Estelle to impregnate her, would have been ruined by them having sex.

'You're a prude, Melody.' I hear some of you shout. I can confirm that I am definitely not, I have written words in the past that would set your screen on fire. And I’m certainly not shy about writing sex scenes, but the story HAS to need one, almost demand one for it to work. It shouldn’t be forced or put there just because it’s a New Adult book.

 

I’m sure Sachael Dreams isn’t the first New Adult book that doesn’t include a sex scene, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

What do you think? How would you classify New Adult? What do you think sets it apart from Young Adult and Adult? And what do you think about 'expected' sex scenes?

And now, I shall be quiet.

Melody xx

BOOK COVER REVEAL - OFF BOOK by Jessica Dall

It's my pleasure to bring you another of my fellow REUTIES book cover reveals.

Here it is:

 

 

Isn't it beautiful? Another book to add to my ever growing to be read list.

 

 

About OFF BOOK: 

Twenty-year-old Eloise has learned all she can from the School, where characters live until joining their novels. No one knows genre and plot structure better than her, but despite her knowledge, she’s yet to be assigned to her own story. All her friends are off starting their lives with their authors—and if Eloise doesn’t get assigned soon, she’ll fade away, forgotten by all.

When she is suddenly offered a job at the Recording Office, she takes the chance to write her own future. Suddenly living among the post-storied, Eloise meets Barnaby Fitzwilliam, a former romance novel hero who hasn’t lost any of his in-story charm. But just as their relationship begins to get serious, everything Eloise has been taught gets turned upside down when she’s sucked into a novel she was never meant to be part of.

Now, caught where the only rules are made by the authors and truly anything is possible, Eloise must find her way back home—or else her life might end before she ever gets the chance to live it.

Set in a world dictated by Authors, OFF BOOK explores the story beneath the stories we all know and love, taking readers and characters alike on an adventure just waiting to be written.

Add OFF BOOK on goodreads or request to be part of upcoming blog tour.

About the author:

Jessica Dall finished her first novel at age 15 and been writing ever since. She is the author of such novels as Grey Areas and The Bleeding Crowd, the Broken Line Series, and a number of short stories which have appeared in both literary magazines and anthologies. When not writing, she works as a freelance editor and creative writing teacher in Washington, DC.

Find Jessica Dall on twitter, facebook, and goodreads. 

EXCLUSIVE - Interview with Melinda Michaels

A few week ago I featured the cover reveal for Golden by Melinda Michaels.  This week I was lucky enough to catch her for a few questions. If you want to find out more about Melinda and her writing then keep reading.


What inspired you to write Golden?

I have an affinity for fairytales and the constant role they play in our lives. We’re always looking for our Prince Charming and our happily ever after, but I found that constantly searching for something makes us unappreciative of what we have. I wanted to rework a fairytale to show that no one is perfect and happily ever after takes hard work and sacrifice, not just in a grand gesture sort of way, but in everyday life. 

What were the challenges in bringing it to life?

At first I was trying to make it a high fantasy novel, but I couldn’t do it authentically. I didn’t want to hurt the story by trying to make it something that it wasn’t, so there was a lot of back and forth trying to understand where it wanted to go. I had a hard time with that.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

Initially I’ll write down a paragraph detailing a whole story then put it away for a week or so. If it’s still nagging me after a few days, I’ll sit down and write an outline and synopsis. After that comes my least favorite part. I’ll write a very in depth character analysis for my main characters. If they flesh out in the analysis I know I have something and then I’ll begin writing.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

That depends! I wrote the first draft of Golden in two months, I wrote the first draft of its sequel, Roses in ten months. If I’m relaxed it is usually a faster process, but when I worry I scrutinize my work and it slows the process.

Did you always want to be a writer? Why?

At first I wanted to be an actor, because I thought I’d like to live in a movie. Then I learned there were directors who made movies, so I wanted to be a director. Then I found out that writers were at the creative center, so I wanted to be a screenwriter. When I found out all my favorite movies were actually books and I started reading, I realized what I finally wanted to do. This was all before the fourth grade so I guess yes, since I was nine years old I’ve wanted to be a writer. I think it was because I enjoyed living in my books, I could travel anywhere to anytime in history. I wanted to create worlds to live in too.

What jobs did you have/do you have before you began to write?

I’ve had a ton of jobs over the years, from waitress to assistant, to working in home health care. I was always writing though. Every free moment I got, I was working on my stories.

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?

That’s a good question! It may sound cheesy, but I would love to claim authorship to The Sneetches and Other Tales. I think The Star Bellied Sneetches is brilliant and I would be so annoying if I wrote it. I would brag all the time and all my friends would end up hating me.

If you could be character in Golden who would you be and why?

I would like to be Hanna and I relate to her awkward side, but there’s no doubt that I’m more like her friend Carly. I have a history of being overly dramatic and while writing it I was always agreeing with Carly.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character(s) from Golden?

I think Carey Mulligan would look most like Hanna, Jake Weary as Owen and I don’t know for William. He was pulled from several images and I’ve searched for his lookalike, but I can’t find him.



Many thanks to Melinda for taking the time to answer my questions.

Start reading Golden today!

About Melinda Michaels:

Melinda Michaels is the author of Golden and currently lives in Milford, Pennsylvania. A self-proclaimed historian with a rare sense of humor, Melinda finds an immense amount of joy in knowing useless facts, exploring historical places and drinking copious amounts of coffee. When she’s not writing she can be found researching obscured time periods for her own amusement or refurbishing old furniture.

Melinda loves Philadelphia and visits often to enjoy the city with her husband Andrew. Together they have three rambunctious pets. Archie the Beagle, Winston the Boston Terrier and Beatrice the cat.

Golden is the first in a Young Adult magic realism series.
Find Melinda Michaels on facebook, twitter, or her website.