Booking Through Thursday: What a Character!

Okay ... today's questions number two. The first, for me, is simple. The second not so much.

Are there any fictional characters whom you have emulated (or tried to)? Who and why?

Both my answers took place when I was a tween/teen.

The first was Eilonwy from "The Chronicles of Prydain" which was one of my favorite all time books as a kid. I just loved her -- all flash and fire and temper, but beautiful and smart. I really wanted to BE her. It was also the first time I'd really been affected by romance in a book. The ending of The High King made me sigh.

Then, I decided I *had* have a fire lizard (from the Dragonriders series by Anne McCaffrey). So, while I didn't exactly emulate a specific character (though I loved both Lessa and Menolly), I had a friend of mine who was an artist, make me a life-sized cardboard cutout of a fire lizard, and I carried that sucker around with me. Somewhere I have a picture of me with it.

Oh... this same friend and I used to roleplay as middle school kids when we were on recess from the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. She was Dororthy and and I was Ozma.

Boy, looking back on that, I was kinda odd... lol!

What literary character do you feel is most like you personality-wise (explain)?

This one I don't have an answer to. I can't ever remember reading something and thinking, "Gee, she's just like me."

Who's loyal with a sarcastic sense of humor, reasonably intelligent, but has been known to fall up stairs, has a deep love for all God's creatures, prefers to be alone and has a few very good friends instead of hundreds of acquaintances?

That's me.

Review: Edge of Midnight by Leslie Tentler

The writer becomes the story when crime reporter Mia Hale is discovered on a Jacksonville beach—bloodied and disoriented, but alive. She remembers nothing, but her wounds bear the signature of a sadistic serial killer. After years lying dormant, The Collector has resumed his grim hobby: abducting women and taking gruesome souvenirs before dumping their bodies. But none of his victims has ever escaped—and he wants Mia back, more than he ever wanted any of the others.

FBI agent Eric MacFarlane has pursued The Collector for a long time. The case runs deep in his veins, bordering on obsession…and Mia holds the key. She'll risk everything to recover her memory and bring the madman to justice, and Eric swears to protect this fierce, fragile survivor. But The Collector will not be denied. In his mind, he knows just how their story ends.


We hosted Leslie Tentler on our blog during her tour for this book, and I'll admit -- I'd never heard of her until that day. But I was intrigued by the blurb and decided to grab a copy of the book once I saw that she'd reassured our commenters that they didn't have to be read in order. I'm so glad I did (and SO very glad I discovered her -- I've since gotten the other two books in the series).

Edge of Midnight features a truly deranged villain. You know, the kind that keeps you up at night or invades your nightmares when you sleep. He does terrible things to the women he kidnaps and murders and enjoys every bit of the torture he inflicts.

Enter our tortured hero, Eric. His wife was one of the victims of The Collector, chosen specifically because she was married to him. Now, Eric is determined to find this serial killer no matter what he has to do.

I loved that Eric had such deep feelings about everything. He didn't really shut himself off after his wife was murdered, though he certainly had reservations about ever getting involved again. Of course, when he met Mia, those reservations were tested.

Mia is such a strong woman. She survives being taken by The Collector, and then undergoes so much in order to regain her memory so they might find him. She's the perfect foil to Eric. She did do a couple of things that might be considered TSTL (that's "too stupid to live"), but I still admired her.

This was a book I didn't want to put down. I thought about it when I wasn't reading it, I made a point to find time to read even with my crazy busy schedule. I had to know how everything would work out. It was a perfect balance of nail-biting suspense and romantic love story. I highly recommend this story to all romantic suspense lovers out there.

Ms. Tentler, I'm so glad I found you! I can't wait to dive into your other two books.

4/5



FTC Disclaimer: This book is from my personal library.

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Educating Ethan by Jennifer Lynne

Today we're welcoming author Jennifer Lynne to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her contemporary erotic romance, "Educating Ethan".

The author is giving away a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

I asked the author to share some things we'd never guess about her .... take it away, Jennifer!

Thank you for having me here at It's Raining Books for my tour stop today. Here are ten things that I don't think you'd ever guess about me (though there's quite a bit out there on the net if you know where to look!):

1. When I was a child I visited the beach with my family, and went exploring in a cave while the tide was out. I poked my head up through a hole in the low cave roof and found I was right next to where the family was picnicking. After surprising them all, and sharing a good laugh, I went to duck back down and found myself stuck. I remember screaming madly for a snorkel while my parents tried to manouveur my head back through the hole, wondering when the tide would be back in and how long I could hold my breath. Funny now, but a nightmare at the time!

2. My favorite flower is a gerbera. I think they look like happy flowers, and I love the brightly colored ones – especially orange.

3. I played softball for many years as a child and young teenager. Short stop and first base were my usual positions, and I have a couple of little trophies that still sit on one of the shelves in my study.

4. I'm afraid of storms, especially thunder and lightning. I think it may stem from a storm I lived through as a child, when a large eucalypt tree fell on our house, while we were in it (the house, not the tree!). The tree landed across my parents' bed and demolished the front corner of our home. Luckily we were cowering in the back half at the time. What a mess. But afterwards it was very exciting to be the centre of attention when all the neighbors came out and saw what had happened. But I am very nervous during a storm even now - we had one today, actually, and the cat and I were as jumpy as each other. She hid under the coffee table. I wasn't quite that undignified!

5. I don't like chocolate. There, I said it! I will occasionally have some dark chocolate, but can certainly live without it. I'd much rather have cheese, dip, nuts and potato crisps to nibble on.

6. I worked for one night as a flower seller visiting restaurants. That job only lasted one night because the third place I went to, some guy picked me up and put me over his shoulder and said he'd buy me instead. I was seventeen at the time, and too meek to grab his balls and twist those suckers, which is what I'd do if someone tried that now! I finished my shift, got picked up by my mother (we don't get our driver's license until the age of 18 where I live) and promptly burst into tears. Quitting was a huge relief.

7. My first car was a 1973 Toyota Corolla coupe – mustang yellow. It was old and I practically had to help carry it up hills, but I loved that little car.

8. I did macrame as a teenager. I cannot believe I am admitting that on the internet, but yep, I did. Made lots of hanging basket holders for my long-suffering family.

9. My aunt, who lived in England before her passing, was invited to Sean Connery's BAFTA after-party and I happened to be in England at the time. She asked me to come shopping with her so we could pick out a dress for her to wear. That was fun, but I wish I'd been able to tag along to the party!

10. Lucky last – green is my favorite color.

Giveaway Question:

I've bared some of my deepest secrets today! Now I'd love to hear from you about a childhood memory, or anything else you'd like to share. Don't forget that all comments on my post here at It's Raining Books will go in the draw to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card. Winner will be announced at the end of my blog tour on Mar 30th.

If you'd like to follow my tour, next stop will be my author interview on Mar 28th at http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com

Thank you again for having me visit today!

Ida Deloraine intends to build herself a new life and a new career in catering, after a painful divorce. When the much younger Ethan Holt moves in across the street, an innocent flirtation quickly becomes serious when the two realise their age difference is no barrier to all-consuming passion.

But Ethan is the exact opposite of what Ida is looking for in a sexual partner. He is young and vibrant, with his life and his dreams still ahead of him, whereas hers are all in the past. Can Ethan, who is fighting his own demons in the form of a car accident, failed marriage and forced career change, convince Ida to overcome the past and live for the moment?

And just who is educating who in this cougar encounter?

Jennifer Lynne is a multi-published author who writes sensual and erotic romance from her home in Melbourne, Australia. She has two novellas published with Red Sage, including Seducing Serena in Secrets Volume 28 Sensual Cravings, and Pandora's Gift. Her first sensual romance with Breathless Press, Educating Ethan, will be out in February. Jen lives in hope that readers will continue to enjoy her novella-length tales of love and lust!

Find Jennifer on the web at:

http://www.jenniferlynne.com.au/blog
http://twitter.com/#!/JenniLynnAuthor
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Lynne-Romance-Author/297504180262670
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3228070.Jennifer_Lynne
Buy Link: http://www.breathlesspress.com/educating-ethan

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Safari Moon by Ann Christine

Today we're welcoming author Christine Young writing as Ann Christine to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the contemporary romance, Safari Moon. We loved the book, and posted a review here.

Christine is giving away:

Ann Christine will be giving away the following prizes:

* A Safari Moon bookmark to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop.
* ebook copy of The Gift (part of A Valentine Anthology) and Star Crossed (part of St. Patricks Day anthology) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
* One commenter during the tour will win the right to have a character named for them in her next release--either Ghost Dance (a western historical romance) or Rebel Heart (science-fiction romance)
* Two randomly drawn commenters during the tour will each win a $25.00 GC to Starbucks
* The host with the most comments (excluding the author's and the host's) will win a $15 GC to Starbucks

So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

I asked Christine to share five things we wouldn't guess about her. Take it away!

Wow! This is a really hard question. I am pretty much an open book. My bio really has most of what is important to me and my life, and the interviews I have completed have uncovered many secret quirky things about me: lifting weights while I'm trying to think of the right word or the best sentence and my habit of playing games like Cityville. I tell myself these things help me think. Maybe they do…maybe they don't. So here goes.

1. I have always been an avid swimmer and started swimming competitively at the age of six. I loved this but eventually burned out. As a teenager I wanted to do more with my life than spend it in chlorinated water and trying to get the ever present green out of my hair. In high school, though, I did swim on the team. My specialty then was the 200 yard freestyle event. My junior year I qualified in this event for state but did not make the finals. However my team's 200 yd. freestyle relay did make the finals and placed 6th. By accident when I received my medal for this event, I received the 6th place medal for the 200 free. I always thought this was kind of eerie.

Although most of my books have a swimming scene such as a lake, a river, or hot springs, in Safari Moon I don't have a swimming scene, but there is a pretty hot, steamy shower scene. Nyssa and Solo were caught in a wild Alaskan storm and raced to the hot shower to avoid hypothermia. And boy did they avoid it. Don't leave this to your imagination, read it.

2. I love art, no surprise here because I've included some of this in my other interviews. Originally I was an art major at Oregon State University. At that time OSU now OS was considered an engineering school and called the "cow college" because of it's agricultural program. When my children were approximately 2, 6, and 10 years of age I did colored pencil portraits of each one. They are still hanging on my walls. Hmm… I think I should do portraits of my granddaughters. My artistic nature was incorporated into Solo's characterization. My high school boyfriend was the photographer for the school yearbook. While his adventures in photography didn't take him to the Alaska, I did tag along on most of his photo shoots.

In Safari Moon Nyssa may have a little more of my personality than I had thought. However, I always wanted to be the one taking the pictures not the one sorting and cataloging.

3. One summer when I was about 20 while I was riding my bicycle, I was stopped by a traffic policeman. I was in a hurry, biking on my ten speed and on my way to work at the local pool. I had to make a right on a one way street. Well, there were no cars coming so I didn't stop. And then I saw it, the patrol car. I didn't receive a ticket and I was a lot more careful after that. Before I zipped through the stop signs, I really made sure there were no police cars around. Even when I owned a car I often rode my bike to work—just for fun.

In Safari Moon, Nyssa owns a bicycle shop and takes people on bicycle tours all over the world. The tours last about a week to ten days and they travel an average of 50 to 80 miles a day depending on the terrain. One of the reasons I talk about the bike tour to Athens that Nyssa is planning is because my parents took a bicycle tour in Greece. Greece was one of the many places they toured on their bikes. Nyssa's second job as a tour guide was created because of my parent's wonderful experiences. A bicycle tour has been on my to do list for a very long time.

4. My husband and I recently bought a timeshare in Manhattan. It is about 10 short blocks from Times Square. We spent a week in Manhattan last fall and would very much like to go back in December to see all the Christmas lights.

Nyssa's first career choice was an investment broker on Wall Street. She was extremely successful but eventually decided she did not like the pressure, the greed and the hunger for power. I have family who live in New York, Brooklyn to be exact, although they are hoping to move back to Oregon. I also have extended family who live in Athens, Greece and Albania.

5. My friends and family know that my husband grew up in Bend, Oregon. His father was county commissioner there for many years. I always liked to visit and enjoyed the summer weather, hating the winters of snow and ice. After a few visits I knew I would never want to live there.

Safari Moon begins in Bend, actually Sisters, Oregon. Sisters is a small town west of Bend in the mountains. Solo has a secluded cabin in Sisters and is able to easily commute to Bend. When his add in the local paper for an assistant backfires and reads that Solo is looking for a "willing, eager, and able woman" to help him with his photo shoot in Alaska he wakes to find a half naked woman in his cabin and a pet skunk.

I'd like to thank it's raining books for hosting my Safari Moon tour. Please leave a comment. Oh, and don't forget to buy Safari Moon. (just a little shameless self promotion)

Solo St. John, a wildlife photographer, is preparing for a trip to Alaska. Suddenly, Solo finds women of all sorts invading his privacy, his home and his office, all cooing nonsense words and blatantly throwing themselves at him. Solo doesn't know why, and he has no idea how to rid himself of the persistent women. He finally decides to beg a favor of his best buddy Nyssa Harrington.

In love with Solo for the past ten years and knowing he doesn't return her feelings Nyssa doesn't want to talk to Solo. She knows if she accepts his phone call, she will not be able to resist the temptation to hope again.

About the author: Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling. Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel to Kensington. Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children. Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press. Christine is the founder, editor and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

Website: http://christineyoung-romancewriter.blogspot.com/
Rogues Angels blog: http://www.roguesangels.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Young/350132315013316
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/achristay
Publisher: http://shop.roguephoenixpress.ieasysite.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=SAFARIMOON

Review: Safari Moon by Ann Christine

(A full length contemporary romance published by Rogue Phoenix Press)


Solo St. John, a wildlife photographer, is preparing for a trip to Alaska. Suddenly, Solo finds women of all sorts invading his privacy, his home and his office, all cooing nonsense words and blatantly throwing themselves at him. Solo doesn't know why, and he has no idea how to rid himself of the persistent women. He finally decides to beg a favor of his best buddy Nyssa Harrington.

In love with Solo for the past ten years and knowing he doesn't return her feelings Nyssa doesn't want to talk to Solo. She knows if she accepts his phone call, she will not be able to resist the temptation to hope again.


Imagine, if you can, our hero, sound asleep and dreaming a delightful, erotic dream. Suddenly he is awakened by an almost naked, sexy woman, walking into his bedroom accompanied by her pet skunk.

And that is how Safari Moon begins. I chuckled to myself as I continued reading. It seemed that he, a wild life photographer, put an ad in the paper for an assistant, but somehow his Grandfather changed the ad and it now stated that he was desperately in need of a wife. Immediately our handsome, confirmed bachelor is surrounded by a bevy of giggling, panting, eager women wanting to marry him.

How he plans his escape from all the desperate women involves an old friend he gets to help him. Since the friend is presently engaged to someone else and doesn’t really want to get involved, it's more than a little complicated. They arrive in Alaska, planning on pretending they are an item. Then Grandfather and Grandmother arrive. The story continues with much laughing on my part, and many misunderstandings, especially when the fiancé shows up.

The story is funny and complicated due to the fact that each of the two main characters are trying to pretend that they really don’t care about each other. And since neither is able to keep his or her hands off the other, the story becomes hilarious.

Safari Moon is not your typical romance, and I really loved it.

5/5



FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author and Goddess Fish Promotions in exchange for my honest opinion.

Virtual Book Tour: The Familial Witch by Bri Clark

Today we're welcoming author Bri Clark to the blog on her tour with Bewitching Book Tours for her paranormal romance, "The Familial Witch". You can follow the rest of her tour here.

Now... here's Bri!

Sometimes you simply need to check out. Authors, artists, musicians, and even you need to recluse yourself from the world at times. There are multiple reasons for self-induced seclusion. A person may need a break from stress, emotional turmoil or certain people in their lives. Artists may hide themselves away in a studio creating their latest piece of soulful inspiration. The next club stomping hit may be mixing away now as we speak by a musician within the confines of their studio.

Then there is the author, the writer, the blogger and the poet, whatever you call them, they are all creators. Recently, I launched my own company called Belle Consulting where I do literary strategy. It immediately took off and I couldn’t be more thrilled…or stressed.

Did you know that Public Relations is the 3rd most stressful job in the US—only coming in behind airline pilots and air traffic controllers? Reason being is you can work your butt off and still not have results. And you’re paid to produce success.
So can you imagine trying to write a novel under all that constant worry?

With that said, my lovely, amazing, couldn’t be more husband has sent me away for 3 days and 2 nights to finish The Eternal Witch. I was 3/4s of the way through it and I’m now going to finish.

As we speak, I’m at a lovely cabin on a lake in the mountains away from my business, family and life. And I am bound and determined to finish this novel and get started in the next if I’m lucky.

Lucien Lemione the clan leader of the feared and revered Eternals is faced with the ultimate betrayal. His second in command for two centuries has not only created the most grievous of offenses but also commissioned the creation of liquid silver. When poisoned by this toxin, an immortal suffers a fate much worse than death, frozen in an internal prison. After being wounded when found spying, he hides deep within the eerie woods that encircle the Triad Mountains. Desperate and in pain, he prays to an offended mother goddess for help. Her answer: a woman, but not just any woman. A witch.

After losing her entire coven at the hands of the Eternals, Aisleen is the last of her kind. She retreats from the world to Trinity Forest where she is giving the opportunity of a lifetime, or perhaps a test of principles. It’s there she discovers the man she heals is the Eternal that wiped out her people. Although she is bound as a healer, she could be creative in her revenge. Aisleen knows who and what Lucien his…but does not speak of it. There can be no future with Lucien for she can only be with a mortal man. Even if she wanted to be with him, can she forgive the man that caused the genocide of her people?

Lucien must act quickly for the survival of his clan is at stake. However, Aisleen’s ethereal beauty and emerald eyes keep pushing those thoughts far from his mind. Determined to find out what secret she hides, he prolongs his time with her. When his people need him most what will he choose…duty, desire, or will he make his own fate?

You can choose love but you can’t choose destiny.

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Publisher Buy Link

Bri Clark is a real example of redemption and renewal. Growing penniless in the South, Bri learned street smarts while caring for her brother in a broken home. She watched her mother work several jobs to care for their small family. Once her brother could fend for himself, Bri moved on to a series of bad choices including leaving school and living on her own.

Rebelliousness was a strong understatement to describe those formative years. As a teenager, her wakeup call came from a fight with brass knuckles and a judge that gave her a choice of shaping up or spending time in jail. She took that opportunity and found a way to moved up from the streets. She ended up co-owning an extremely successful construction business. She lived the high life until the real estate crash when she lost everything.

She moved west and found herself living with her husband and 4 kids in a 900 square foot apartment. She now fills her time, writing, blogging, leading a group of frugal shoppers and sharing her southern culture. Her unique background gives her writing a raw sensibility. She understands what it takes to overcome life’s obstacles. She often tells friends, “I can do poor. I’m good at poor. It’s prosperity that I’m not used to.”

Bri and her husband Chris live in Boise. Bri is known as the Belle of Boise for her true southern accent, bold demeanor and hospitable nature.

Bri boasts several positions in the publishing industry. An author, professional reviewer, blogger, and literary strategist she enjoys all aspects of her career from the creation of story to the branding and marketing needed to make her books successful.

Twitter, Facebook, G+, Goodreads, Blog

Virtual Tour and Giveaway: Return of the Legacy by K. H. LeMoyne

Today we're welcoming author KH LeMoyne to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her paranormal romance, "Return of the Legacy".

The author is giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Additionally, she'll choose two randomly drawn winners of the Dragon Rider’s Gift eBook (A Portal Tale), due for release May 1, 2012. So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

I asked the author to share some things we'd never guess about her .... take it away, Kate!

FIVE THINGS YOU MIGHT NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME

I’d like to thank you for hosting me on It’s Raining Books. It’s really a pleasure to be here and talk about the secret me. Just kidding on the secrets, but there are a few things that I think most people wouldn’t expect from me.

First, I’m a tarot card collector. I own about forty sets of tarot cards. These run the gamut from the more commonly known Rider-Waite to a fun Dragon Tarot pack. The Shapeshifter Tarot actually provided some inspiration for a story I wrote. While I understand the basics behind the suits and cards, it’s the artwork and my fascination with the tiny sets that holds my interest. Several of the accompanying books are rather good, especially those that evolve outside the standard for tarot readings. Most people may not realize that tarot cards didn’t actually come into popularity until after the fourteenth century and while many of the current sets cards are fairly new there are cards from almost every corner of the world. A number of the packs have incredible design and artwork and, like books, many are put out through publishers. As a writer, I enjoy using visuals to stimulate new ideas and extend creativity. These are great fun.

Second, I’ve researched and grown herbs for many years. Granted, my garden has fairly typical and recognizable culinary herbs. While there are many esoteric herbs, the ancient uses for some herbs you might recognize like Foxglove (originally the basis for the digitalis used in heart medications, though I believe this is no longer the case), Feverfew (having obvious links to reducing fevers but linked to treatments for migraines and headaches as well), and Frankincense (not surprisingly, has its roots in religious purification, protection, and exorcism) might be of interest. I do not use these herbs and would caution against that. But I do create scenes based on their history or presumed magical properties. There are a number of sites now for information on the Internet but I usually go to Gerard’s Herbal, The Earthwise Herbal, and several other sources to add details for stories. As a writer, this expands a scene with layers and symbolism as well as authenticity.

Third, I’m a corgi lover. My husband and I have owned three Pembroke Welsh Corgis: Merlin, Lady, and now our third, Bella, the Diva that rules the household. I considered including a corgi in a story, due to their mythic history as use for fairy steeds, but I held back. I’ve collected a number of corgi memorabilia over the years as well.

Fourth, I cook international dishes to relieve stress. I enjoy cooking but writing doesn’t usually allow time for complicated recipes. When I get to the end of a book or have a break while a manuscript is with an editor, I like to try new things. It’s cathartic and since new recipes require my entire attention, I can’t drift off worrying about a story. Or at least that’s what I like to pretend. Not to mention that my husband loves to try anything new. Most recently, I tried a wonderful recipe for Cuban pork roast. This was a two-day marinated leg of pork in spices and mojo sauce that cooks at a low heat slowly for several hours. Yes, mojo is a real sauce –there are several purchasable varieties. I highly recommend them for pork, chicken, and beef. This particular recipe went very nicely with black beans and rice. For a short while I was on an Indian menu kick. Very fun but a little time consuming: grilled tandoori chicken, Machali Ke Tikke (marinated salmon), Kofta in Yogurt (spicy meatballs), basmati rice, Masaledar (spicy green beans), Pool Gobi Aur Aloo Ki Bhaji (cauliflower with potatoes), and cucumber raita…among other dishes. This was a wonderful way to experience new flavors and aromas, though sometimes they do linger for a few days in the house. I apologize if I butchered any of these names because, truly, they were wonderful dishes!

Last, and perhaps this is easy to guess, house cleaning is the last thing on my to-do list. Ever. I choose writing over everything else so the dust bunnies and cobwebs in my house can almost claim their own paranormal series. And while some people are organized enough that they can raise the kids, work ten hours a day, write, and clean the house—I’m not one of them. The truth is, I have no interest. I used to work ten hours a day in a technology field, commute, and raise a child. The house didn’t rank then either. I like to think I’m consistent!

Three magical dimensions…Two mystical bloodlines…One undeniable destiny.

Born a magical empath, Logan MacKenzie has spent his life protecting his family from discovery. Evil has found them anyway. What begins as Logan’s search for answers on Earth becomes a race for survival in the magical dimension of Loci.

The battle to save those he cares about will reveal his true lineage—the bloodline of the Makir, one half of a pair of sentinels chosen to guard the mystical portals between dimensions. The price of his acceptance: a love he never imagined possible and a heartbreaking choice.

Her family attacked, her home destroyed, and now stranded on Loci, Briallen of Tir Thar, descendant of a magical race, has only to summon the power within her to return to her own dimension—or so she had hoped. Unfortunately, her powers aren’t cooperating, and the sorcerer bent on her family’s destruction will stop at nothing to possess her.

Raised without knowledge of the portals, the Makir guardians, or her own destiny, Bri takes a leap of faith in an alliance with Logan. Embracing an uncertain power and accepting his goals as hers offers her the only way home. If they fail, the consequences of allowing the portals to fall to evil are unthinkable—the destruction of every magical dimension throughout space.

Warning: This is a fantasy romance, containing magic, love, and courage. The omission of vampires and shapeshifters is intentional.

A former technology specialist, KH LeMoyne now writes romance fulltime with series in urban fantasy, high fantasy, and scifi/futuristic. She lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and corgi. Much to her dismay, she rarely encounters supernatural beings other than on paper.

Visit her website: http://www.khlemoyne.com/
blog: http://fantasypoweredbylove.com/
Links:
Purchase locations - Available in ebook & paperback from: Black Opals Books, Amazon, B&N, All Romance/OmniLit, Smashwords
facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kh.lemoyne
twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/khlemoyne or @khlemoyne

Virtual Book Tour Review and Giveaway: The Reluctant Marquess by Maggi Andersen

(A full length, historical romance published by Knox Robinson Publishing)



This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Maggi is giving away a $10 Amazon GC to one lucky commenter during her tour, so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!



Charity Barlow wished to marry for love.

The rakish Lord Robert wishes only to tuck her away in the country once an heir is produced.



This story is about an impoverished young woman who has been orphaned and left to the guardianship and care of a Marquess, a friend of her father. Upon arriving on his doorsteps, she finds that he has died, and she has been left in the care of his nephew, the new Marquess.

Upon being informed that the previous Marquess has left a will stating that she and the nephew must marry, in order for him to obtain his inheritance, she reluctantly agrees.

The Reluctant Marquess follows the results of this quick decision and is fun to read. She is new to London society and has much to learn. He isn’t much help at the beginning. There are, of course, many misunderstandings, strong feelings, and trouble. There are also many sweet portions to the story.

The author's vivid way with words clearly shows a London as it really was in those days with chamber pots emptied out of windows, beggars on almost every corner and prostitutes giving men the eye. Ms. Andersen really put us right in the story with her description of the setting and the people.

The hero has many personal problems to resolve and the heroine has to learn how to understand him. They both have very strong personalities and there are many ups and downs in the relationship. In the beginning there are more downs than ups. They have to learn to give and take before they can really know each other and solve the problems in their relationship before there can possibly be a HEA. This was a different sort of historical romance that I enjoyed reading.

3/5 Flowers



FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author and Goddess Fish Promotions in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Not-So-Perfect Princess by Melissa McClone

(A full length contemporary romance published by Harlequin)


Dutiful Princess Julianna has a secret—she's actually happiest makeup free, sailing with the sea breeze in her hair. Her attraction to rebel prince Alejandro is instant— but her intended is his brother, the proper but dull Enrique!

For the first time, Julianna's irresistibly tempted. Before long, she's spending her nights sailing with gorgeous Alejandro while the rest of the palace believes she's sleeping. Soon she'll have to choose—remain the perfect princess, or follow her heart and stop sleepwalking her way through life.…



Another of the Once Upon A Wish miniseries stories by Harlequin. Each story is based upon a fairy tale. This story is based on Sleeping Beauty.

In this story, the princess, who has been raised to always follow the dictates of her father and society, hates her life. Although she is rebellious inside, she is never allowed to show it. She is a strong minded woman, and would love to rebel, but doesn’t really know how. It is fascinating to watch as she slowly, but surely, rebels against the life she was given. She becomes the Not So Perfect Princess, making her the perfect woman.

Princess Julianna’s father has again arranged a marriage for her. Twice before, the marriages he has planned have fallen through. Although she would like to marry for love, she accepts. She has decided that she might become her own person when she marries. Her alternative is to remain at home and be unable to ever be the real Julianna.

She travels to a small kingdom on an island off the coast of Spain. There she meets her future husband, Enrique and his brother, Alejandro. She is immediately attracted to the wrong brother, but as a princess must, refrains from showing any emotion. She accepts the engagement and ignores the attraction she feels.

Although she loves the sea and sailing, her father has forbidden it, and her future husband informs her that he will forbid it too. How this sleeping beauty wakes up and does what she wants to do gives this story a delightful twist. How she manages to obtain both her love of sailing and the love of her life, is fun, interesting and shows how a person can quietly change the way she has been forced to live.

Though the story is a little predictable, it is well written. The characters become alive before your eyes, and it is fascinating to watch them all grow and change.

4/5 Flowers



FTC Disclaimer: This book is from my personal library.

Virtual Tour and Giveaway: Bones by KJ Dahlen

Today we're welcoming author KJ Dahlen to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her suspense novel, "Bones". I have to admit, I've been lurking on her tour stops and really regret not reviewing thing one! Looks like I'll be buying it to add to my Nook instead. *G*

KJ is giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate, plus the chance to help her with her new book--the winner will get to write a short blurb and K.J. will write the book based on it--to one randomly drawn commenter. That's really cool!! So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author, win a GC and have bragging rights on helping plan her next book!

KJ was kind enough to answer my many questions. Thanks, KJ!

Why did you choose to write suspense?

I love suspense, the "I-can’t–wait–to-turn-the-next-page" kind of story. I don’t care for all the blood and gore but the spine tingling suspense is what I like. I write the kind of stuff I love to read. I love to put unexpected twists and turns into my stories to create the edge of the seat suspense thrill.

What kind of research went into your story to make sure the details were correct?

I write fiction, most of what I write is pure imagination but when I need facts I usually check the internet. I’m told I have a vivid imagination and I like to use every ounce to make my stories better.

Do you have any writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Not really. I usually sit down and rough out the way I want the story to go but somewhere along the line the story takes on a life of its own and goes off in a different direction. I usually write my best in the early morning when my creative juices are pumping. I have a comfortable chair and a table with my laptop and with a cup of coffee I can write for hours.

Plotter or Pantser?

I like to write out a plot but I don’t always stick to it. My characters go off and do their own thing at times and it usually works out, sometimes better than I plotted!

Anything new coming from you? If so, please share!

I’m always working on something. Right now I’m working on the second of three books titled The New Brotherhood-The Covenant. The first in the trilogy is titled The Prophet – The New Brotherhood and the third will be titled, The New Brotherhood – Reborn.

I also found four books I wrote years ago and I’m going to rewrite them and hopefully get them published. I also began a new Series titled The River Foundation Case Files.. The first story there is A Murder In Her Past…Always busy…

Anything you'd like to ask our readers?

To read my books? *G*

Also to let me know if you like them or not I always welcome feedback from my readers.

When human bones are discovered in a cave just outside of town, it’s up to Sheriff Max Reardon to find out who the bones belonged to. But someone in town doesn’t want the bones identified and they go to great lengths to try and stop Max’s investigation.

They break into Max’s house and try and destroy the evidence and when that doesn’t work they frame Max for murder. Can Max clear his name and bring the murderer or murderers to justice?

Kim lives in a small town (population495) in Wisconsin. From her deck she can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. She lives with her husband Dave and dog Sammy. Her two children are grown and two grandchildren and for that fact she feels blessed. She loves to watch people and that has helped her with her writing. She loves to create characters and put them in a troubling situation and just sit back and let them do all the work. They surprise even her at times. They take on a life of their own and the twists and turns become a story. She found she liked mystery/thrillers the best. She likes to keep her readers guessing until the very end of the book.

Email: kjdahlen1@yahoo.com
Web site: www.kjdahlen.com
She is on facebook and twitter

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: However Long the Night by David Pereda

Today we're welcoming author David Pereda to the blog on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for However Long the Night, "a contemporary mainstream novel with a romantic flair, a love triangle, suspense, a pinch of corporate shenanigans and a historical background". We loved the book, and posted a review here.

David is giving away a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today (he especially loves questions -- so ask him one!) AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

David was gracious enough to answer my questions.

Why did you choose to write suspense?

I like the genre. It’s fast, requires skillful plotting, interesting characters, and usually, definitely in my case, exotic locales. But I actually don’t really write suspense. I write thrillers.

What kind of research went into your story to make sure the details were correct?

Two types of research:

(1) I’ve either lived in, or traveled to, more than twenty-five countries. Meaning: I’ve been to all the countries I describe in my books – and However Long the Night is no exception; and (2) if some details escape me or I’m trying to describe a place I’ve never been to, like the Roncalli Lighthouse, I resort to rigorous research via Internet and libraries.

How does it feel being a male author in a genre dominated by women? Do you think it gives you and advantage or disadvantage?

Who says thrillers are a genre dominated by women? Harlan Coben, Dan Brown, John Grisham, David Baldacci, Jeffrey Archer, Joseph Finder, W.E.B. Griffin – to name a few – are all men. While more than 75% of readers are women and there are a number of outstanding suspense women writers, the thriller genre is dominated by men. It is an incredibly tough genre, by the way, since all those men are outstanding thriller writers, but I like competition. My objective is to be mentioned in the same sentence with them within the next 2-3 years, if not sooner.

There are no writing advantages or disadvantages in terms of sex. It all boils down to how good you are as a writer and how well you are able to reach your reader and make her a part of your story. If you succeed, you are a knockout artist; if you fail, you are the one being knocked out of the marketplace and ignored.

Do you have any writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

No. I’m plain vanilla when it comes to writing. In that sense I am like Dostoyevsky who, according to history, pounded away at his novels undeterred while the creditors were pounding on his front door.

Plotter or Pantser?

I’m a plotter – but once I have my plot in place and have my characters defined and know where I want to go I’m liable to change directions. My favorite motto is: do always the unexpected. I do.

Anything new coming from you? If so, please share!

I’m halfway through the third installment of my Havana Series of thrillers. This one is a departure from the previous two books in the series in that the plot takes the main characters to the Middle East – where I lived for a while too, by the way. Also, because the main focus switches from assassination and politics to the kidnapping of one of the twin girls born to Raymond and Sonia in the second book of the series. One of the twins gets kidnapped and that sets off and incredible sequence of events. The book is titled Twin Powers, and I expect to have it published in 2013.

Anything you'd like to ask our readers?

Other than have you read my books and, if not, why not?

Yes, I do. I’d like to ask your readers which are their top three favorite books and why?

To the first three who answer, I promise a signed copy of However Long the Night in return. But there’s a caveat. As you know, nothing in life is free. The three winners must agree to write a review of However Long the Night to be published in your blog at your discretion once they finish reading it.

Thank you David!

What if you found out your success was built on lies told by your father that caused great misfortune to people dear to you? What if you had the opportunity to do something about it…twenty-five years later and at the risk of your own life? Would you or wouldn’t you?

This is the dilemma award-winning Miami Architect Cid Milan suddenly faces in this 90,000-word, mainstream novel. A Cuban immigrant forced to abandon his country as a teenager during the tumultuous Mariel boatlift of 1980, Cid is a self-made man who arrived in the United States with nothing. He’s an example of what can be accomplished in America through hard work and determination. He hobnobs with the Mayor, has a sexy model for his girlfriend, and is building the most luxurious condominium on Biscayne Bay. But when his dying father, Colonel Jose Milan, a well-known political dissident, confesses to him a shocking family secret from Cuba, Cid’s life implodes.

Colonel Milan reveals that in order to ensure Cid could leave Cuba unharmed, he collaborated with Castro’s police -- willfully betraying both Cid's best friend, Joaquin, and forsaking his pregnant girlfriend Sandra. Overnight, Cid’s world is turned upside down. Trying to unravel the mystery of his own past, Cid realizes there’s only one thing he can do: return to the land he abandoned. In his quest to learn the truth, Cid rediscovers himself and his roots as he reunites with Joaquin and searches frantically throughout Cuba for Sandra and the secret she has kept from him all these years: his son. In the process, Cid learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption that changes his life forever.

Author Biography:

David Pereda is an award-winning author who enjoys crafting political thrillers and mainstream novels. His books have won the Lighthouse Book Awards twice, the Royal Palm Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Readers Favorite Awards. He has traveled extensively around the world and speaks several languages. Before devoting his time solely to writing and teaching college-level courses, Pereda had a rich and successful international consulting career with global giant Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked with the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifPhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifferu, and Qatar, among others.

A member of MENSA, Pereda is the regional director of the Florida Writers Association and the co-founder of AWE (Asheville Writing Enthusiasts). He loves sports and has won many prizes competing in track and show-jumping equestrian events.
Pereda lives with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.

Please visit him at…
www.davidpereda.com
www.twitter.com/DavidPeredaAVL
www.facebook.com

Review: However Long the Night by David Pereda

(A full length suspense/thriller with romantic elements published by Eternal Press)

What if you found out your success was built on lies told by your father that caused great misfortune to people dear to you? What if you had the opportunity to do something about it…twenty-five years later and at the risk of your own life? Would you or wouldn’t you?

This is the dilemma award-winning Miami Architect Cid Milan suddenly faces in this 90,000-word, mainstream novel. A Cuban immigrant forced to abandon his country as a teenager during the tumultuous Mariel boatlift of 1980, Cid is a self-made man who arrived in the United States with nothing. He’s an example of what can be accomplished in America through hard work and determination. He hobnobs with the Mayor, has a sexy model for his girlfriend, and is building the most luxurious condominium on Biscayne Bay. But when his dying father, Colonel Jose Milan, a well-known political dissident, confesses to him a shocking family secret from Cuba, Cid’s life implodes.

Colonel Milan reveals that in order to ensure Cid could leave Cuba unharmed, he collaborated with Castro’s police -- willfully betraying both Cid's best friend, Joaquin, and forsaking his pregnant girlfriend Sandra. Overnight, Cid’s world is turned upside down. Trying to unravel the mystery of his own past, Cid realizes there’s only one thing he can do: return to the land he abandoned. In his quest to learn the truth, Cid rediscovers himself and his roots as he reunites with Joaquin and searches frantically throughout Cuba for Sandra and the secret she has kept from him all these years: his son. In the process, Cid learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption that changes his life forever.


I started reading this not really knowing what to expect. I only hoped I wouldn’t be bored. Well, I was far from bored, I was fascinated.

The story starts with a Cuban family being forced to leave Cuba during the boatlift of 1980. The story is focused on Cid Milan, who was a teenager when he first arrived in the United States.

When we meet him, he's a very successful architect in Miami, and I expected the story to follow in a predictable pattern. He was handsome, wealthy, had a large company, and a beautiful girlfriend. However, he wasn’t totally content with his life. He spent very little time with his family as there was, apparently, a lot of conflict with them. This is when I began to be really hooked because there was clearly more to this than I had first believed.

When his dying father requested that he come to see him, he did so, begrudgingly. Once there, however, he found out that twenty-five years before, his father had done something to him and to someone he loved which was unforgiveable. Now he realized that he would have to return to Cuba to resolve the situation. He talks his brother into accompanying him and makes his plans.

I became totally involved now. What would happen to him when he returned? Certainly it would be extremely dangerous, but he felt he had to go. I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know what would happen.

This was fascinating to me, as I discovered all the difficulties he faced as he tried to resolve all the problems his father had caused. It was so interesting to follow him in Cuba, a country which we have heard so much about, but in these past years have really not known much about and what was happening there, and how dangerous it actually was.

I was on the edge of my seat as the mystery of what had happened slowly unfolded. I was completely involved in the characters and the story. Mr. Pereda is very skiled, and his writing kept me glued to my chair, flipping pages, dying to see how everything was resolved. The result was a very unusual but very happy ending.

This story was probably one of the most well written that I have read in a long time. It really kept my interest, was well worth all the time I put into reading it, and it was something I kept thinking about long after I set my eReader aside. I would give this a 5 Plus, if that was possible.

Rated 5/5 flowers.


FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author and Goddess Fish Promotions in exchange for my honest opinion.

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: The Philip Dolly Affair by Jeffrey Ross and Jann M. Contento

Today we're welcoming authors Jeffrey Ross and Jann M. Contento to the blog on their tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for their novel, "College Leadership Crisis: The Philip Dolly Affair", a satirical look at community colleges.

The authors are giving away a novel-companion e-form [PDF] “chapbook” of poetry “voiced” by one of the novel’s characters, panish Professor Jack Frost to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a fun new book AND win!

I asked Jeffrey and Jann to tell us five things (each!) about themselves we might not guess. Take it away, Jeff and Jann!

1. Jann: I witnessed the nation-wide “ceremonial ringing” of the Liberty Bell during the country’s bicentennial year -- July 4th, 1976. I hitched a ride with some friends to Philadelphia that summer, exclusively for the event.

2. Jann: I really like shirts and ties on women-- think Annie Hall.

3. Jann: I have worked for pay in a number of physical labor-based occupations. I ingested road dirt from construction sites, cleared soot-filtered nostrils as a hot-tar roofer, maneuvered a forklift in a propane-scented warehouse, sodded grass patches on well-watered soil, and moved innumerable mattress sets and box springs up endless stairs… all after earning a baccalaureate degree.

4. Jann: I do not own a microwave, a television, or a cell phone.

5. Jann: I appreciate warm, home cooked meals made from all fresh ingredients.

*

6. Jeff: On the night of July 20, 1969, while Neil Armstrong and team were on the Moon, I was fishing in the Blue River, cane pole in hand, with my Uncle Valta and Grandpa [Sam] Ross. I remember, very clearly, sitting in tall weeds on the bank, smelling the damp Nebraska air, swatting mosquitoes, and gazing at the pock-marked Moon so far away as it listed slightly in the night sky….

7. Jeff: I rode a Yamaha 350 from Nebraska to California and back with my friends Mike and Brian (also on Yamaha 350’s). We took in Albuquerque, Phoenix, Shttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifan Diego, LA, Ely, Denver and all sights in between.

8. Jeff: I would rather have a bowl of my grandma’s hamburger and noodles than any delicacy prepared by any chef on the planet earth. Anytime, my friends.

9. Jeff: I prefer the solitude of my Quonset hut cabin to any script-drive vacation in a beach house, time share, Disknee Cruise, gym membership, theme park, or resort. I fully embrace life—not the script, not the TEXT.

10. Jeff: I don’t own a smart phone. Probably won’t. Have you noticed how everyone in the country can be seen staring at a hand held device 24/7?

While community colleges are currently receiving heightened attention, this novel provides a behind-the-scenes analysis of many whispered truths, those simmering but unspoken workplace behaviors, issues, and machinations every worker (Everyman!) will recognize. A humorous and biting read with a clever mix of satire, political intrigue, failed romances, and tragic-comedy, this novel will open your eyes to the truth about community colleges …

About Jeff and Jann:

Jann M. Contento has a broad range of experiences in higher education including student affairs administration, athletics, and institutional research. He is currently working in a community college setting and has co-authored several articles on leadership and college culture.

Jeffrey Ross, who resides in Gilbert, Arizona with his wife and son, is a writer, rockabilly musician, and former full-time community college teacher. He has had four "Views" pieces published on InsidehigherEd.com since 2007, has authored and co-authored several op-ed articles on community college identity, purposhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife, and culture, and has recently had several pieces published on the Cronk News higher education satire website.

Online Presence and Social Media Links

Facebook Page

Getting to Know Phil Dolly Blog

Twitter Account @SalinasChick\

Jeffrey Ross Creative Efforts Home Page on Web Eden (Music and More)

Jeffrey Ross Open Salon Blog—other poetry and essays

Lunar Love Blog Hop WINNER!

We ran all commenters and followers through www.random.org and the winner is:

Lauren Rura!!!!

We've emailed the winner and will get her book to her shortly.

Thanks to everyone for entering.

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Evil Ambulance by Mark Rinker

Today we're welcoming author Mark Rinker to the blog on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for his debut novel, a YA horror called "Evil Ambulance".

Mark is giving away a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

Mark was kind enough to answer my many questions. Thanks, Mark!

Why YA?

Well, my first draft of this novel was not written as a YA book. I wrote the initial version and wasn't happy with it. The story didn't, honestly, make a lot of sense, and was kind of all over the place--but I liked the basic idea and setup, and so came back to it a year or so later. At the time I was re-reading some YA books I'd enjoyed as a kid, specifically the Friday the 13th YA series by Eric Morse, and also checking out some recent YA fiction like the Twilight series and the Hunger Games, and I started considering whether Evil Ambulance might not work as a YA novel. The entire thing changed very much between that original version and the (much better) version that I ended up with. I made the character eighteen instead of twenty-nine, and re-started from there.

Why horror?

I've always loved reading and watching movies, and am a lifelong fan of horror; from my first viewings of Jaws and Halloween when I was very young, to reading Stephen King's masterpiece The Shining at age ten, I've been hooked on the genre.

Where did the idea for this story come from?

I think there's a big shortage of vehicular horror stories out there! Actually, I came up with it while driving. It's not that all that interesting; I saw an ambulance in my rear view mirror and came up with the idea of a demonic, or possessed, ambulance driving around town stirring things up.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I've been writing stories since I was a little kid, but didn't realize that's what I wanted to do until after college. I studied film and video production and found, about two years into my schooling, that I had very little talent as concerned cameras or computers, and got most of my enjoyment out of writing screenplays. I did a few of those, before concluding that I'd be more satisfied writing short stories and novels, rather than screenplays that likely would never be filmed.

Any odd/fun quirks you'd like to share with us?

I don't think there's anything TOO odd! I don't like watching TV without the volume cranked up, and I'm unable to watch Fast Times at Ridgemont High without moving my lips along with each line of dialogue.

What's one thing about you we might never guess?

I'm very interested in animals, particularly smaller ones: chinchillas, hamsters, small dogs. I've loved animals since I was a kid, and have been a vegetarian for about ten years. My chinchilla, Gizmo Giraffe, sits in his cage and watches me while I write.

Are you working on anything new?

I started work on a novel (not YA, or in the horror genre) during the period between the original draft and the revised draft of Evil Ambulance. That one is, at least for the moment, titled The King of Wolves, and is about religion, neuroses, and revenge, and is a pretty dark story. I hope to have a good draft of that completed early in the year. I also have some ideas for Evil Ambulance 2, which I'll likely start on in the next few months.

What's the book about?

Eighteen-year-old Eric Donnelly moves to a small town in Pennsylvania, to live with his uncle, Dan, while his parents finalize their divorce. Dan has recently purchased an old house which sits atop a three-mile hill overlooking the town of Riverwood; a house which is host to the decades-old presence of Victor Devlin, a homicidal ambulance driver responsible for a series of brutal murders years before. Eric soon finds himself alone, as the spirit of the ambulance driver begins to inhabit his uncle’s body, and each night Devlin’s ambulance appears in the driveway, eerily glowing, calling to Eric.

Tell us about you and where we can find you on the 'net.

Mark R. Rinker was born in California, but has spent most of his life in eastern Pennsylvania. His short story, “Dog Mask” was published earlier this year by Dark Gothic Resurrected magazine, and Evil Ambulance is his first novel.

http://www.markrrinker.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/markrrinkerpa
(twitter) @markrrinker

Virtual Tour and Giveaway: Flidderbugs and Doodling by Johnathan Gould

Today we're welcoming author Jonathan Gould to the blog on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for his humor/satire novels "Flidderbugs" and "Doodling" (he calls them "daglit" - he says,"dag is Australian slang for someone who tends to go against whatever is fashionable but in a kind of funny and appealing way - and this is how I see my books. They're both quite cartoon-like in many ways, fun for children to read but with quite a bit of humor and satire that appeals to adults as well.").

Jonathan is giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

I asked Jonathan to share some things we'd never guess about him.... take it away, Jonathan!

FIVE THINGS YOU'D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME.

It’s really nice to be here at It’s Raining Books. Just give me a moment to put up my bibliographical umbrella. That’s better. Now, what are five things you’d never guess about me? Gee, tough question. Given that I suspect most of you out there don’t actually know me, I could pretty much say anything I wanted to. But anyway, here are five fairly random things which, while possibly seeming a bit trivial, actually play a part in having a deep understanding of what makes me tick.

1. I’m very ordered, in a completely disorganised way. Do you see that mess on my desk? Well obviously you don’t. But believe me, it’s there. And if it wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be able to function. Within this apparently random disorder, I know exactly where everything is. If it were to be tidied up in any way, I wouldn’t have a clue what to do. (Now I just have to convince the wife)

2. I like shouting at inanimate objects. Let’s face it, they’re the most sensible thing to shout at as far as I’m concerned. And the reason is obvious. They don’t shout back. If I shout at anything vaguely animate (and I suppose I’m talking about people here), they have a disturbing tendency to respond, even (especially) if they’re my kids. And what am I supposed to do then?

3. My hair has a mind of its own. It likes to stick up in odd kinds of places and in odd kinds of ways. No matter what I might try to do to style it, it always ends up doing its own thing. My wife has suggested I invest in a comb, but hey, I don’t want to go overboard about it.

4. I always type with a pen in my hand. Don’t know why. Might be some sort of psychological need stemming from my childhood. For a while, I tried holding pens in both hands and using the ends of the pens to press down on the keyboard, but alas, it was most inefficient. So now I just hold one in my left hand while using my patented “one finger with my left hand and three fingers with my right” typing technique.

5. I really don’t care what other people think about me. No, truly, I don’t. I hope you don’t get upset about that. And I hope you don’t think it’s arrogant of me. Please let me know if the idea offends you in any way because I’d hate to think I was offending people. And if any of you have any sort of problem with anything else I’ve included in this post, please let me know so I can remove the material of concern straight away.

Neville Lansdowne fell off the world.

Actually, he did not so much fall off as let go. The world had been moving so quickly lately and Neville was finding it almost impossible to keep up.

Doodling is an engaging comic fantasy which relates the events that befall Neville after he finds himself abandoned by the world and adrift in the middle of an asteroid field. Douglas Adams meets Lewis Carroll (with just a touch of Gulliver's Travels) as Neville wanders through his new home, meeting a variety of eccentric characters and experiencing some most unexpected adventures.

As Kriffle the Flidderbug investigates why his fellow 'bugs find it impossible to agree on the pressing issue of how many points there are on the leaves of the tree on which they live, he finds that the truth is more complicated, and ultimately more terrifying, than he ever could have imagined.

Flidderbugs is a political satire, a modern fable, or maybe just a funny little story about a bunch of insects with some very peculiar obsessions.

He calls his stories "dag-lit" because they're the sort of stories that don't easily fit into the standard genres. Some might think of them as comic fantasies, or modern fairytales for the young and the young-at-heart.

Over the years, his writing has been compared to Douglas Adams, Monty Python, A.A. Milne, Lewis Carroll, the Goons, Dr Seuss and even Enid Blyton (in a good way).

http://www/daglit.blogspot.com

And he's only just entered this world of social networking - so if you meet him somewhere out there, please be nice to him.

https://twitter.com/#!/jonno_go

https://www.facebook.com/jonathangouldwriter

Purchase Doodling from:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
iBookstore
KoboSony Bookstore

Purchase Flidderbugs from:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
iBookstore
Sony Bookstore
Kobo