Jason Werbeloff & 'Defragmenting Daniel: The Organ Scrubber' @JasonWerbeloff @GoddessFish #SciFi #Thriller

Today we have author Jason Werbeloff visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Human. Male. From an obscure planet in the Milky Way Galaxy. Sci-fi novelist with a PhD in philosophy. Likes chocolates, Labradors, and zombies (not necessarily in that order). Werbeloff spends his days constructing thought experiments, while trying to muster enough guilt to go to the gym.
* He's written two novels, Hedon and The Solace Pill, and the short story anthology, Obsidian Worlds. His books will make your brain hurt. And you'll come back for more.

A look into...

~ Blurb ~ 7 stolen organs.
1 vengeful victim.
A gruesome sci-fi thriller.

* Organ scrubbing was a bloody job, but somebody had to do it. Daniel, an orphan from the Gutter, was put to work scrubbing kidneys at aged twelve. The job had its perks: a warm bed, Law and Order reruns, and an all-you-can-eat Mopane worm buffet.
* Until the Orphanage stole Daniel’s parts, and sold them on the organ market.
* Now Daniel has grown up, and yearns to become whole again. The cybernetic organ replacements just aren’t the same – he needs his parts back. But the new owners of his organs won’t give them up. Not without a fight.
* Just how far will Daniel go to regain his missing pieces? And how much more of himself will he lose along the way?

Defragmenting Daniel is a cyberpunk crime thriller that will unnerve you. Every part of you.

“A work of great imagination. Powerful and gripping.” | “A stark and moving experience.” – ReadersFavorite.com, 5 Star Review

The Organ Scrubber is the first fragment of the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy: Fragment 1 – The Organ Scrubber | Fragment 2 – The Face in a Jar | Fragment 3 – The Boy Without a Heart ~ Excerpt ~ * “Don’t worry about stepping on the limbs,” said Shoulders. “They’re crunchy underfoot, but you get used to it. Forensics cleared the scene before we got here.”
* Kage knelt down. Examined a hand. Such small fingers. He shivered.
* “Told you. No forensic traces on any of the limbs. No need to examine them. The vic fell from above.”
* Kage looked up. In silhouette above the mobile spotlights, he could barely make out the ceiling. But there it was, a few yards up. He thought he saw square outlines of light perforating the concrete ceiling every five yards or so, stretching ever deeper into the vast underground hall.
* Shoulders was on the move, ascending the mountain of human limbs. Kage followed. He scrabbled up the pile of arms and legs, toes and fingers, elbows and knees. He was surprised how yielding they were. How they bent under his weight. But Shoulders was right. He couldn’t ignore the crunch of breaking bones.
* “Why’d we legalize this?”
* Shoulders threw him a look. “Why not? They’re Gutter kids. This way at least the Bubble gets to have its fun without anyone getting hurt.”
* One of the hands twitched, and Kage almost lost his footing.
* Shoulders held Kage by the wrist. “Woah, you don’t want to be doing that. Those fingernails will rip you open if you land badly. Happened to Jensen just before you got here. Poor guy almost lost his cheek.” Shoulders shone a victory smile.
* “Thanks,” mumbled Kage.
* “Vic’s just on the other side of that ridge.” Shoulders pointed to a mound of limbs that looked a little fresher, a little more plump and moist, than the rest.
* Kage trudged on behind the Detective. Climbed the hillock of arms. Had to grab hold of more than one to ascend it.
* “What … what do they do with them?” asked Kage, breathing heavily under the mask. Beads of moisture condensed on the curve of his lower lip.
* “Do with what?”
* “The body parts?”
* “I hear they send the fresh ones for scrubbing. The rest …” Shoulders shrugged. “The vic’s over here.”
* More mobile spotlights, their metal poles staked in the pile of flesh around the body.
* Kage looked for the flashing red light at the bottom-right corner of his vision. Recording. Good.
* He knelt down. Pulled out a pair of gloves from his leather jacket pocket. He shuddered to think what the jacket would look like after this mess. But that wouldn’t matter if he solved this case. It was the Mayor’s brother. Captain Weeks would pay plenty to the investigator who solved this. Buy Defragmenting Daniel: The Organ Scrubber here... The book will be free on Amazon for 4 days, August 24 – 27 2016. Find Jason Werbeloff here... Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter | Sound Cloud | Twitter | Website Thank you for joining us here today, Jason Werbeloff! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Jason Werbeloff will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave a comment AND use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jo A. Hiestand & 'Last Seen' @GoddessFish #Mystery #Detectives

Today we have author Jo A. Hiestand visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Jo A. Hiestand knew in grade school that she wanted to be a mystery writer. But life got in the way: singing in a semi-pro folk group, traveling to New Zealand, working as a camp counselor, co-inventing P.I.R.A.T.E.S. (a mystery-solving treasure-hunting game), becoming a tour agent for a Scottish folk singing group, attending a citizen police academy and riding along with police officers… But she needed to immerse herself in All Things British for her books. England beckoned and she responded.
* She bee-lined to Derbyshire, feeling it was the ‘home’ of her books. Derbyshire also bestowed the essential English police contacts and transformed the St. Louisan into an Anglophile.
* She’s returned nearly a dozen times to Derbyshire, researching and photographing for her McLaren cold case detective novels.
* In 1999 Jo returned to Webster University to major in English. She graduated in 2001 with a BA degree and departmental honors.
* Her cat, Tennyson, shares her St. Louis home.

Today Jo A. Hiestand will be talking about how she became a writer and what inspired her in regard to the story she's promoting.
The Journey to become a writer, and what inspired me during the creation of the McLaren mystery novel LAST SEEN...
* It’s kind of weird, when I think of it. The entire path of how sixteen books were written – six published in the McLaren Mystery series – has been a succession of amazing links.
* Call it God-directed or Fate or Luck… It began when I discovered Ngaio Marsh in the late 1970s.
* Now, not to insult anyone’s intelligence, but unless you are a true-blue mystery fan, you might not know of Ngaio Marsh. She was one of the four Queens of the Golden Age mystery, along with Allingham, Sayers and Christie. Marsh is my favorite author. She wrote English mysteries although she was a New Zealander.
* I went to New Zealand in 2006 when I could no longer ignore my

Steve McHugh & 'Lies Ripped Open' @StevejMchugh @GoddessFish #Adventure #Fantasy

Today we have author Steve McHugh visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Steve’s been writing from an early age, his first completed story was done in an English lesson. Unfortunately, after the teacher read it, he had to have a chat with the head of the year about the violent content and bad language. The follow up ‘One boy and his frog’ was less concerning to his teachers and got him an A.
* It wasn’t for another decade that he would start work on a full-length novel that was publishable, the results of which was the action-packed Urban Fantasy, Crimes Against Magic.
* Steve McHugh lives in Southampton on the south coast of England with his wife and three young daughters. When not writing or spending time with his kids, he enjoys watching movies, reading books and comics, and playing video games.

Today Steve McHugh will be talking about how he became a writer and what inspired him in regard to the story he's promoting.
* Before I was about 13, I didn’t want to write, I probably wanted to be a ninja or astronaut or something else that was as exciting to a 10 year old boy. A ninja astronaut possibly, if such a thing exists, and if it doesn’t, it really should because that would be awesome.
* Anyway, I was probably 11 when I was given Treasure Island to read, along with a bunch of Sherlock Holmes stories and some others I can barely remember. The Sherlock ones stuck out the most in my mind, they were the ones that made me go to the library in search of others to read. At some point in the local library, I moved from there into the realm of the choose your own adventure books.
* I devoured these like a ravenous beast, always hungry for more and never really satisfied that I’d read enough, right up until I was 13 and my English teacher told me to branch out, to read something more challenging, more diverse. I took him at his challenge and went to the library again (something I’d find myself doing more and more over the years), and picked up Terry Pratchett and David Gemmell. They were soon joined by Stephen King and countless others, and that was it. I wanted to be a writer.
* When it came to writing out my school report about what we wanted to do when leaving, I wrote author and was told by my teacher to write something more realistic, something more… well, boring to be honest. I choose accountant. I have never been an accountant.
* That’s not to say I went straight from age 16 and leaving school to become an author. It took me 9 years, until I was 25 and about to become a father for the first time, when I finally decided to get serious about it. It took another 8 years before I’d get published, the majority of that time just learning my craft and trying not to suck at something I’d fallen in love with.
* Since that day in April 2012, I’ve become a best selling author with five published books, the most recent of which is Lies Ripped Open. And frankly it’s been an incredible 3 ½ years.
* Lies Ripped Open is the accumulation of the previous four books worth of story and questions. It answers a lot of those questions, and asks several of it’s own, but it’s a story I knew I was looking forward to writing from the first word of book one, Crimes Against Magic.
* I can tell you wholeheartedly that writing is the greatest job I’ve ever had, or could ever imagine doing, the fact that I get to tell stories for people to read and enjoy is something I will never ever get tired of. And long may that continue.
A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Over a hundred years have passed since a group of violent killers went

Lori Power & 'Hit ‘n Run' @GoddessFish #Mystery

Today we have author Lori Power visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Turning passion into words in print is a dream come true for Lori Power.
* From Radio host (best job ever!), DJ, news reporter to newspaper journalist, like many author’s, Lori has been writing most of her life.
* In writing, Lori has discovered a truism: everyone has a great story to tell. All you need to do is listen. Over the years, with all the people Lori has meet previously and daily, both professionally and personally, with an ear to the ground, readers can often find these ‘character’s’ fictionalized in Lori’s stories.
* Lori’s first novel “Storms of Passion” was published by Wild Rose Press under their Champagne line, in 2014 and received a 5-star Author’s Favourite seal of approval in 2015.
* Collaboration is important to improving one’s craft and as such, Lori is an active member of the Romance Writers of America, TransCanada Romance Writers, The Alberta Romance Writers Association and belongs to both a Critiquing group and a Beta Reading weekly group.
* Lori looks forward to continuing to find the good story; hashing out a scene, having fun with a character and writing the story she would love to read.

Today Lori Power will be talking about how she handles balancing life and writing.
* Balancing life and writing is a struggle for all authors, but especially for those of us not yet able to earn an independent living from their writing. Added to the struggle is the balance of family, commitments and life in general.
* Organizing is key.
* Inherently, I am a structured person—day timer and lists—check it off and move on. Doing this, being too regulated, sometimes interferes with the creative process. If I don’t allow for liquidity, then the writing becomes forces, so I try to find a happy medium.
* My weekly writing group and Beta reading ‘family’ allows me to structure meeting time into the calendar. Friday’s new materials from my Beta group arrives and this has to be returned to them for Monday. I know typically how long it will take me to read each of their submissions and be able to get back to them. Then on Monday evenings, I stake time for the phone call of the weekly review—how many words written for that week—hot topics of conversation—marketing our books, what works, what doesn’t, etc. Then I allot time to write when I know historically I am my most creative.
* The liquid occurs when the opportunity presents itself. A good for instance, is most of us have smart phone now, they come complete with loads of applications. On my morning runs, my mind is most open to ponder scenes, when I am struck by one that I know will work, I simply switch on the microphone and start the dictation process. By the time I’m back at my desk, a small amount of editing places that scene or idea right where it belongs.
* In this regard, I approach my writing, much like I approach my business; know yourself and what works for you, and build around that.
A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Determined to build a better life, and forget their past, a freak accident

R. Scott Mackey & 'Courage Resurrected' @smackey17 @GoddessFish #Mystery

Today we have author R. Scott Mackey visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* Scott Mackey lives in Northern California, where he writes both fiction and non-fiction. His first book, Barbary Baseball, achieved critical acclaim from baseball historians for its quality research and writing. He followed that with two young adult novels. His popular Ray Courage Mystery Series includes Courage Begins, Courage Matters, and Courage Resurrected. The fourth book in the series, Courage Lies Beneath, is scheduled for release later in 2015.
* Scott's career arc has included stints as a corporate communications manager, college professor, copywriter, bartender, and youth sports coach. In addition to obsessing over punctuation and grammar, he cares about his family (including his dog and cat), the San Francisco Giants, and his rather sad golf game.

Today R. Scott Mackey will be talking about how she handles balancing life and writing.
* Good question. I’m not sure if I always do a great job of balancing the two, especially when I’m writing a new book. I do try to allocate certain hours of the day just to writing. This is typically two to four hours in the morning. I may then return in the evening for two more hours of writing. In between, life happens.
* The problem for me is disengaging in the morning and going about the rest of my day. My mind is constantly returning to the story, and I find myself making mental or written notes on parts of the book that need to be reworked, expanded, edited, and so on. Sometimes, I will flash on an idea that completely changes the story’s direction. That happened to me in Courage Matters, the first book in the Ray Courage mystery series. I was driving at the time so I had to pull over and spend about thirty minutes writing notes to myself. I completely changed the final third of the book, but in the end, the book was much better for it.
* The same was true when I wrote Courage Resurrected. This story has a lot of moving parts and some tricky scene sequencing to keep track of. I’d be having dinner with my wife wondering “Does the Mastrov scene with his mistress need to move to the next day? Or can it come before Ray leaves for San Francisco.” That kind of thing. I’m sure it was very annoying for my wife having me, literally, in another world.
* Overall, however, I do try to compartmentalize my writing time from my family time and my other obligations. Especially when writing my first drafts, I need to have solid blocks of time—no less than two hours—to get significant writing done. Anything beyond four hours at a stretch is just too exhausting, and I find myself needing to go workout or play golf to get away from my work. A look into...

~ Blurb ~ * Ray Courage’s wife Pam died thirteen years before in a car accident. Or did she? Ray’s world is turned upside down when he receives a series of e-mails from someone claiming to be his dead wife, accusing him of attempting to kill her and vowing revenge. Ray sets out to find the identity of the e-mailer only to discover the circumstances of his wife’s apparent death appear to be all but accidental.
* Soon Police Detective Carla Thurber comes to suspect Ray of killing his wife, and of a subsequent murder of Pam’s confidant. Meanwhile, a murderous predator who does not want the facts of Pam’s death to surface aims to stop Ray. In the greatest challenge of his life, Ray must outrun the police and elude those who are out to kill him as he seeks the truth about his wife’s death. ~ Excerpt ~ * After she left I took out my phone and opened the email from Pam1111, fully intending to delete it after a quick glance. Instead of some offer for an erection booster or the chance to aid a Nigerian princess, the message gave me an immediate chill:
* Ray,
* How could you have done that to me 13 years ago? Me, the person you said you loved? Well, it didn’t work. I’m not dead and I am going to make you pay after all these years. Better look over your shoulder.
* Pam Buy Courage Resurrected here... Amazon Find R. Scott Mackey here... Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website Thank you for joining us here today, R. Scott Mackey! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! R. Scott Mackey will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave a comment AND use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome special guest: author Melanie Surani ~ @melsurani @GoddessFish

Today we have author Melanie Surani visiting.
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* When Melanie Surani isn't cutting hair, she's thinking about killing people (for mystery novels). She grew up in Memphis, TN before taking extended trips to Toronto, Canada, Eichstätt, Germany, and Philadelphia, PA. She lives with her husband and cat in New York City.

So, Melanie Surani, what/who inspired you to become a writer?
* Ultimately, my parents probably inspired me. From a very early age, I thought being a writer was as normal as learning to read. Even today, so many people I associate with are writers. But when I expressed this to someone, he just shook his head and said, "not everyone wants to do that."
* What inspired me more than anything else was my parents reading to me. It wasn't just bedtime stories when I was little, my dad read the classics to me and my sister. Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, etc. And because I was homeschooled, I would read a chapter in a book to my mom in the morning, she would read something to me and my sister, and every night before bed, I was allowed to stay up an extra 45 minutes to read something of my own choosing. Books were everywhere, and writing became a natural way for me to express myself.

When did you attempt your first story? What length was it? What's become of it?
* My first story was in the first grade, called The Bad Carwash. It was the front and back of a piece of paper, and I have it in a notebook.
* I can't remember why I wrote it — maybe it was a school project, or maybe I thought I could write something like the books I was reading. All I know is that once I started writing, I felt like it was something I should have been doing already. That lightbulb of inspiration flashed on and never switched off.

How many stories did you complete before you sold your first?
* I probably had dozens finished before I sold anything. I was constantly writing something as a kid and teenager, which was bad news for my family because we only had one computer, and I was on it as much as I could be. But I also had a loose-leaf notebook I used to hand write things when I couldn't type.

What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?
* The best piece of advice is the quote from Toni Morrison: If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, you must be the one to write it.
* The worst was probably that I shouldn't write male main characters since I'm female.

The book you’re promoting, is it a stand-alone story or part of a series?
* Awake is stand-alone. I had thought about expanding the story into a sequel or series, but I love the way it is right now. There might be a loose end or two to inspire my readers into thinking what might come next. I wouldn't be opposed to reading some fan fiction, if someone wants to take a stab at it, but for now, my part is done.

What sparked the idea for the story/series?
* Awake came from a dream. I wrote a novel called Nocturne based on that dream, and it contained none of the same characters I ended up using, and very little of the existing plot.
* My main inspiration for what became Awake came from Madame Tussauds' Chamber of Horrors (and specifically the rumor Charles Dickens started that anyone who was able to spend the night there would win a cash prize) and the TV show LOST. While the novel isn't "based on" either of those things, they certainly inspired ideas. 1) Wouldn't it be cool to be locked in a museum and not know how to get out or why you're there? (Chamber of Horrors) 2) Wouldn't a novel that slowly revealed answers to mysteries be interesting? (LOST)

*** Now for some fun info… ***
Would you/have you own(ed) a snake or some other exotic pet?
* I've actively looked into buying a cheetah. After seeing a photo of Josephine Baker with a cheetah on a leash, I've wondered why anyone would keep such a dangerous animal with them. After a little research, though, I learned that cheetahs don't think of humans as a food source because we're bigger than they are, and if you raise them from cubs, it's possible to domesticate them.
* The downside is that they eat so much every day and need many acres of land to run, and you cannot litter train a cheetah. Much too expensive, and they're also endangered. Also, have you ever seen a tiny house cat flip out and attack something? A bigger one would do the same thing.

Which do you prefer: rain or sun & warm weather or cold weather?
* Probably rain. I grew up in Memphis, TN, where the summers get upwards of 100º, and now I live in New York City, where winters get down to 5º. I don't like either one. If I had to pick between hot and cold, I'd pick cold because I can always put something else on. If it's too hot, even if I walk around naked, my skin is still gonna feel like it's melting, and I'm gonna be in a bad mood.
* I'm about to move again, this time to Edinburgh. The temperature there is a moderate 50-60º in summer, 30º in winter, coupled with drizzle almost every day. That's seeming like a really good deal right about now, especially with the temperature climbing to 85º the past few days. It's difficult to walk to work and not stink when I get there.

If you could live anywhere in the universe, where would it be and why?
* I'd probably stick with Earth because I know people here.
* My dream right now is to move to Edinburgh, Scotland, and I'm putting the wheels in motion for that one, partly for the weather reason I mentioned in the previous question. Edinburgh is big on literature — so many writers have lived there and been inspired by the medieval architecture. It's really one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited. It was clean, fun to explore (some streets are "upstairs" — it's really strange how the hills effect the landscape), and the people were so friendly. In New York, I'm lucky if I can get the cashier to tell me what my total is, in Edinburgh, the cashiers held little conversations with me. Nobody bumped me on the sidewalk, and people said "excuse me" when they wanted something I was blocking. I felt that old knot of anxiety loosen and disappear when I was there. Sure, it was a vacation, but I've visited other cities that didn't feel that way — places I would visit again, but wouldn't stay.

If you were stranded on a desert island and were only allowed to have five modern conveniences with you, what would they be?
* Air conditioning; a fully stocked and operational grocery store; a yacht, so I can leave said stranded island; wifi; my laptop
*** About the book… ***

~ Blurb ~ * In author Melanie Surani’s edgy thriller novel, opera singer Joshua Gray wakes in an eerie art museum exhibit. He comes to believe he’s been kidnapped and abandoned. And he isn’t the only one…
* As Josh and four others struggle to piece together their new reality, they discover the museum’s main building has been razed and the place is boarded with no obvious exit. Who left them in the museum and why? How can they escape? The only link that binds them together is a mysterious woman named Blair, who they each encountered before blacking out. Josh unexpectedly finds himself drawn to one of the other captives, a long-time fan named Sophia. Their attraction plunges the group into a dark pool of suspicion. When allegiances shift and pieces connect, the strangers are forced to reassess their situation. Is the real danger inside or outside of the museum?
* Suspenseful, romantic and filled with drama, Awake will keep you up all night.
~ Excerpt ~ * Costumed mannequins, wearing everything from Rococo dresses to the "50's Housewife," lined the room and clustered in the center. They had coverings over their heads: burlap sacs sewn to fit the face, or draped with gauze over antlers, or covered in feathers.
* One of them might move.
* To get to the rest of the exhibits now, she either had to go through or turn around and catch it from the opposite direction. As she turned, though, an Employees Only sign caught her eye.
* The door opened with a creak. Sophia checked the costumes for any sign of life before ducking inside and slamming the door. She panted for a moment with her eyes shut. When she opened them a crack, the light hadn't come on. After waving her arms over her head, she threw the door open again with a hammering heart.
* Like so much topiary at the Overlook Hotel, she expected the mannequins to have clustered around the door. Of course, nothing had changed since she'd checked the gallery before. She eyed the figures again, before propping the door open and returning to the dim office.
* Unused items crammed the floor. A computer and phone sat on the single desk, files stacked on the floor. An empty closet in the back stood open, yawning darkness. Multiple metal signs leaned against a wall, notices pointing toward restrooms, galleries, a café, and the lobby.
* "Damn it," she whispered. Who the hell took all the signs down?
* Sophia picked up the phone, pressed the switch-hook, but no dial tone sounded.
* "Why…" Why leave the electricity on and cut the phones?
Buy Awake here... Amazon Find Melanie Surani here... Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Thank you for joining us here today, Melanie Surani! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your work.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Melanie Surani will be awarding a $30 Starbuck Gift Certificate to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment AND use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops (find them here: _) for a greater chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Look At Beth D. Carter & 'True North' @BethDCarter @Totally_Bound #motorcycleclub #menage

Today is my birthday and in celebration I'm happy to open my blog to my good friend and fellow author, Beth D. Carter! She has an awesome four book MC series with two companion books to follow and she's here to share some info on one.

First, Beth, what would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* A long time ago, my husband-at-the-time got into riding Harleys. I loved the exhilaration of being on the back of the bike. I had a jacket with red flames and our bike was painted cherry red. I even took a three day course to get my motorcycle license, and I passed…even though I laid the bike down twice.
* So when I write about what it feels like to be on a bike…I’m doing that from memory.
* I love to hear from readers so I’ve made it really easy to find me on the web. You can find my links later on in the post.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* First I'd like to share my thoughts on how "A Cover Says it All" and then I'm going to talk about True North.
* There is perhaps no other creative outlet that bares the writers soul quite like writing. Whether it’s writing poetry, songs or stories, the modern day bard has to tap into deep recesses of the soul. Writing stories can be a rollercoaster journey, full of emotional ups and downs as the writer tries to convey believable characters and situations. A writer pours their very essence into their creation, much like Dr. Frankenstein into his monster. Add a little electricity and pretty soon the author is shouting “It’s Alive!”.
* The first thing that draws our eye is beauty. And beauty is everywhere; the color and texture to a painting, the sun setting in the horizon, a favorite actor or actress, and in simple things like the smile of a child or the sparkle of a diamond ring. Is it no wonder, then, that the cover of a book must be absolutely perfect to set apart from the competition and draw the buyer’s eye?
* I will admit I am one of those people who will judge a book by its cover, at least initially. I see a beautiful cover and it makes me want to read what it’s about. I see a cover that’s not visually appeasing and I tend to pass it by. But with the rise in ebook publishing, it’s forcing the graphic artists who design these covers to be better and bolder. A cover artist is tasked with the job of interpreting the story through art, incorporating all aspects of what the bosses want verses what the author wants while producing something that will draw the reader/buyer in. It’s not an easy job.
* Now-a-days, with the cost of books (even ebooks), a story has to take full advantage of every strategy to grab the readers’ attention. The cover has to incorporate a lot detail, so it’s very important that the cover artist bears in mind not only the story, but what brings the story alive. Most publishers won’t consider that far, only content with producing a sexy look to market the book. But writers put their souls into each story, and the passion and romance pouring from the cover is very important.
* For my new novel “True North”, the heroine is Native American. I sent the cover artist the specifics of who she was, her personality, and what she was supposed to look like. I even sent a reference picture. I got an email saying that becasue my publisher was based in England, they didn’t have Native American stock photos. All she could promise was to do her best so I put my faith into the artist’s hands. She didn’t fail to deliver. Imagine my surprise when I received the proof of my cover and saw the lovely lady on the front.

* It is said a picture is worth a thousand words and I firmly believe that having a great cover is one of the best assets an author has. Even in the digital evolution of e-books, a cover is one of the most important aspects of giving personality to the story. It guides the reader into seeing the hero and heroine, bringing them to life and adding depth to the drama unfolding. All of which is needed for that brief time where the reader escapes into fantasy.

So, share a bit about True North and the series.
* True North is the second book in the Red Wolves Motorcycle Club Series. While the first book was more the precursor to this world, this book jumps right into the club. North Tabion is the president, and he’s trying to move the club out of the illegal activies into legit business. His best friend is the town sherrif, Givon Halloran. They grew up together with abusive fathers that made as close as brothers. When Allis comes into the mix, their friendship only grows deeper as they have to protect her from numerous threats.
* The series of the books, in order, are: Along Came Merrie, True North, When Dove Cries, and Lily Roar.
* There are also two companion books to the Red Wolves series: Mad Delights and Madness Ends, which feature the Men of Hell MC.

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
* I love the tv shows Sons of Anarchy and Longmire, so my brain started to crossbreed the two. I didn’t want to do the obvious, though. One of the hardest things to deal with is the fact that the men are outlaw bikers. On one hand you have to stay true to the ideas set forth for one percenters but on the other hand, it’s a story where the heroes need to be redeemable. On SOA, they’re gun runners, drug runners, and have no hesitation killing someone. I decided to focus on a smaller club setting, more of a family. The first book is pretty tame, but the following books are focused on human trafficking, so things escalate. In True North, there is violence. You’ve been warned.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
* Hands down, North is my favorite character, and I think he’s my favorite through the whole series. He’s got a sarcastic sense of humor that I really love. His interactions with Givon are hilarious.

What's your favorite line in the story?
* Instead of a line, there is a scene where North talks Givon into getting his first tattoo. Givon is slightly...hesitant...to go under the needle. This scene kinda sums up their relationship perfectly!
** Once the stencil was in place and Branch had new gloves on, Branch bent over Givon’s side and touched the needle to skin.
** “Holy fuck!” Givon yelled, although he didn’t move a muscle. “This fucking hurts!”
** “Shut up, you pussy,” North said.
** “What the hell did I sign up for? Shit! Are you almost done?”
** North seemed to have a hard time holding in his laughter. “He just started. Don’t move.”
** “I’m not moving! Christ, the last thing I want him to do is make a mistake then I have to get a bigger tattoo to cover it up. Fuck. This is the last time I let you talk me into doing something like this.”
** “Once you get one you’ll want another,” North warned.

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * North Tabion and Givon Halloran have been friends for all their lives. Each has survived an abusive father, only to end up on opposite sides of the law as adults. Givon is the town Sheriff while North is the leader of the outlaw motorcycle club, the Red Wolves. But they’ve managed to maintain a friendship that means everything to them.
* Allison Evening is on the run, hiding out from an ex bent on vengeance and tending bar when she’s kidnapped to be sold into human trafficking. In a desperate attempt to free herself, she runs, only to be shot down and left for dead.
* North and Givon are in the right place at the right time. They save Allis and as they nurse her back to health, the three find a bright, burning love. But when her past catches up with her, the only way to save herself and her newfound love is if she, North, and Givon can follow love’s true path. ~ Excerpt ~ * It took North a moment to figure out what had woken him up. His pocket vibrated with a text message causing him to sit up abruptly and pull his phone out. Two messages had come through from Draven. The first one asked if he was still at the hospital and the second was reminding him of church today.
* Absently he wiped the drool from his chin and blinked as he looked at Allis. She lay there smiling at him then reached up to smooth down his hair. He’d slept with his head on the edge of the hospital bed so Lord only knew what he looked like. His lower back was killing him from hunching over all night.
* Givon was still sleeping and North winced at seeing his friend’s head tucked onto his chest. Giv was going to have one helluva of a neck kink. He rose and stretched, his back popping. Then he bent over and placed a tender kiss on Allis’s forehead. Her eyes widened and he had the insane urge to claim her lips next and kiss her until they were both breathless and squirming. He wondered if his thoughts reflected in his eyes because damned if it didn’t look like an answering passion flared to life in her dark gaze.
* Instead of caving in to his base desire, he swiped a finger down her cheek, memorizing the softness of her skin, before reluctantly backing away from her and leaving.

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Thank you for joining us here today, Beth D. Carter! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

A Look At Bethany-Kris & 'The Score' @BethanyKris @LoveBitesSilk #mystery #romance

The Score by +Bethany-Kris Bragdon

The Russian Guns, book 3

Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romantic Suspense, Mafia

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Blurb:
In the mess of love and life, nothing and no one is left untouched.
* After everything the Russian mob boss Anton Avdonin has done to keep his family safe from the dangers of the world surrounding them, he never thought it would come down to this. The officials are knocking, the charges are piling, his wife is hurting, and they’re facing a fate he never thought to consider. He didn’t just make one mistake … no, he made many. It’s time to answer for them all.
* Viviana “Vine” Avdonin is stuck watching the life she adores crumble around her. Bad decisions have led to terrible consequences in more ways than one. She doesn’t have time to recover from one devastating tragedy that leaves her shattered before the next one is crushing down, too. Saving her husband from a life sentence might be the easiest thing she has to do when her own misdeeds are staring her in the face.
* Together, Anton and Viviana have survived more than once, but this path will be by far, the hardest they’ve ever walked. Sometimes they have to walk it alone … because forgiveness isn’t always black and white and love can be blurred by pain. With the blissful ignorance gone and the blinders removed, how much of themselves will they have to sacrifice to come out on top one last time?
* When everyone has a score to settle, it’s hard to notice the person causing the most heartache is the one staring back in the mirror.
Final instalment to The Russian Guns ~ Sequel to The Life
*Please Note: The Score is not a standalone title. The first books in the Russian Guns series (The Arrangement, followed by The Life) should be read first*

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* Anton flinched, disgust filling him to the brim. This whole situation was horrible, and he felt dirty with ten grimy fingers pointing straight at his guilty chest.
* “Well, aside from firing her, there’s not much I can—”
* Anton didn’t get to finish his sentence. A loud bang and shouted orders rang out in the downstairs of the club. The tinkling sounds of canisters popping along the empty floor echoed up to their spot. There was no denying what was happening downstairs.
* “Fuck,” Ivan muttered.
* Instantly, Anton was off his office chair, ignoring the gun he knew was in the desk, and the information of a shipment, never mind the laptop he should have tried to somehow destroy. No, instead, the only thing he could think of was the little boy on the floor with wide blue eyes and terrified, reaching for his father.
* “Papa?” Demyan cried.
* “Shhh, little man,” Anton whispered.
* In his arms, he held his son tighter and turned his back to the door of the office. It seemed like only milliseconds, but his mind was running a million miles a minute. Anton couldn’t begin to understand why the officials would be raiding his club. His guys certainly hadn’t been given any indication and they’d all been pretty quiet.
* Demyan’s shaking increased as the shouts down below became louder. “It’s okay, Demyan, it’s okay. Papa’s here.”
* The sounds of a dozen or more pairs of boots pounding up the metal staircase ratcheted up Anton’s nerves to a breaking point.
* “Anton …” Ivan started to say. “Anton, give me your son!”
* The hardest thing Anton ever had to do, next to walking out of his house that morning knowing his wife’s heart was breaking, was hand his trembling, scared, and crying son off to another man. It was safer for Demyan, though.
* No doubt, they weren’t there for Ivan.
* Anton watched Ivan curl a fighting Demyan into his chest as he got to his knees on the floor and automatically put his hands behind his head. The less threatening he seemed at their entrance, the less likely they were to cause him harm, never mind his son seeing it.
* “Demyan, it’s okay,” Anton repeated when the first kick to the door landed with a solid thump. The second and third only followed louder, harder. “Hide his face, Ivan!”
* When the door finally broke, it wasn’t a second before Anton found himself face down on the floor, his son’s cries overtaking all other sounds. Cuffs tightened around his wrists to an almost painful point, but Anton refused to show it. A boot landed hard between his shoulder blades, keeping him pinned to the floor even though he wasn’t fighting.
* “Papa!”
* “Anton Daniil Avdonin, you’re under arrest for the murder of Sonny Carducci, Tatiana Belov, Sergei Belov …”

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A Look At Bethany-Kris & 'The Life' ~ @BethanyKris #romance #crime

Today we have author Bethany-Kris visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* I’m a twenty-four-year-old Canadian with too many animals and two young sons aged four and a half and two and a half. I’m expecting my third son mid-November, which pretty much guarantees the piles of dirty laundry, fighting, and noise is sure to reach epic proportions in my home. Nothing I can’t handle, right?
* Right …
* I often write more than I clean or cook. Nobody told my spouse he was getting Suzy Homemaker here when he signed on with me. I don’t think my mind ever shuts down, even when I sleep, considering when I dream, it’s often where my next scene comes from. There’s always something better to be doing rather than sleep, anyway.

What story are you going to tell us about today?
* The Life is the second book in my Russian Guns series. For now, I’ve decided on three books, which technically makes it a trilogy, but since I’ve left it open for myself to bring back a past event, there very well could be a fourth, and possibly a spin-off with a secondary character who comes in at the end.
* The Russian Guns follows Anton and Viviana Avdonin through the turmoil of an arranged marriage and living life in the Russian Mafia as a high ranking member—Anton is the Boss of his Bratva—and the dangers that come along with that. Their life in the mafia is constantly bringing them face to face with danger and death, not to mention threats from other families, as well as Federal officials.
* Currently, two books in the series is out and ready to read. The Arrangement should be read first, followed by The Life. The Score, the third and final installment to Vine and Anton’s story, will be released late October 2014.
* As far as the other possibilities for the series … I’m leaving that up to the silent characters in my thoughts who have yet to speak out and tell me what they want told.

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
* I have very few interests or hobbies in life, honestly. My kids, and writing ... when I have time, reading. That’s really all I’m interested in.
* Organized crime just happens to fall into my interests. It’s usually completely unhealthy and a little bit obsessive. The curiosity kicked in when I was in my late teens and I’ve studied just about everything I could get my hands on since then in relation to anything mafia or mob. I found it fascinating, especially the lifestyle and the values both for women and men involved. Frankly, I was more interested in who these people were rather than how bad they were. I can write the bad boy without needing to know why … it’s understanding people who were raised in a different kind of world than me I wanted to learn about.
* People often ask if I read organized crime romance because I write it and give such in-depth looks at the inside life … The answer to that is very little. I read one, a YA, and mostly because that author had a personal inside look at the Cosa Nostra and human trafficking, more so than I did, so it was kind of research mixed in with fiction. I don’t want to read about organized crime, I want to write about it.
* As of now, it’s just about all my muse wants to focus on. All that studying and research is really coming in handy, let’s just say that.

Describe the hero in five words.
* Anton is dangerous, magnetic, handsome, difficult, and possessive.

Describe the heroine in five words.
* Viviana is beautiful, stubborn, graceful, intelligent, and easily jealous.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
* Anton … just because. It’s Anton. The man didn’t shut up in my head for one second from the day I started his story until the day I finished it. I have never had a story or characters easier to write than him. I didn’t have to flourish my paragraphs and chapters with pretty words and prose to show how much he loved his girl … everything he ever did or said screamed it without me adding to it.
* As an author, you can’t ask for a better character than that, never mind an anti-hero in a romance … Today, he’s quiet, now, but he made me a better author just by existing in my mind for a short while.

What's your favorite line in the story?
* “…Above all else, Viviana was still life to Anton. Golden, beautiful, and true. After all, every King needed his Queen …”

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * The mafia life is a dangerous one revolving around honor, duty, and greed—a troublesome thing like love isn’t meant to play a part, but no one follows the rules.
* Surrounded by men waiting for the Russian mob boss to show weakness, Anton Avdonin should have known showering affection so openly on his new bride wasn’t a good idea. Of course, that didn’t stop him. When Anton’s wife begins attracting unwanted attention from an unknown source, he’s determined to find out just who is playing the risky game and put a stop to it by whatever means necessary.
* From a Cosa Nostra princess to a Bratva queen, Viviana “Vine” Avdonin was made for the life. Pregnant, safe, and loved, she’s more than happy to move on from the history that haunts her to start out fresh. Then again, someone else has other plans. Old rivals from the past and bad blood from the present have mixed in the worst way, threatening to take away the things Viviana loves the very most. No matter what, she can’t let that happen.
* Both Viviana and Anton know there’s only one way this can all end and it’s up to them to do it. But, who is behind the veiled threats and personal attacks, and how far are they willing to go to get what they want? When the truth finally surfaces, the consequences will be devastating and no one could have seen it coming.
* In a life where everybody plays for keeps and no one fights fair, one mistake might cost them everything.
* *Please Note, The Life is not a standalone title. The first book in The Russian Guns series (The Arrangement) should be read before the second book* ~ Excerpt ~ * Anton rested back to the headboard to catch his breath and brought his wife closer to his side with one arm. Not bothering to make any attempt to leave his sweaty grasp, Viviana laid a soft kiss to his arm as his hand rubbed up her naked side.
* After falling into bed around three in the morning once Erik and Ivan were gone, Anton was woken up by his wife not a couple of hours later. It wasn’t like her to be up so early, never mind wanting to fuck like they had, given the new pressure and pain she’d been experiencing in the mornings. Anton had no idea what came over Viviana, but he sure as hell wasn’t about to complain.
* Their coupling had been rough—rougher than he liked given her stage of pregnancy. But even when he tried to slow them down, to take her softer, Viviana wouldn’t have it. Anton wasn’t one to deny his wife, especially not of that.
* “Jesus Christ,” he mumbled into the palm of his hand. Even though his body was still humming from her high, his mind was downright exhausted. Three hours of sleep wasn’t new to Anton, but he could use a bit more. “Thanks for the wake-up call, baby.”
* Viviana giggled, but even the sound felt off. “Yeah, I guess.”
* “Hey,” he said into her hair. The grip he had on her tightened momentarily. “What’s wrong?”
* “Hmm?” Viviana turned just enough to lean up and press her silken mouth to the underside of his jaw. “Nothing, just thinking about Sergei.”
* “Don’t fret over that idiot. He’s not even a blip on my radar. We’ll get that dinner done and move on.”
* Anton was lying through his teeth, but concerning his wife just wasn’t okay with him. What he wanted her doing was focusing on the end of her pregnancy, their son, and her health. He was the boss, so he’d handle the Bratva issues. There was no way she was going to be brought into the crossfire of Sergei’s nonsense, so he didn’t think she had any need to be properly informed.
* “Actually,” he said, thinking about his conversation the night before with his spies. “I think you might just show, and then go. You haven’t been feeling terribly great lately, so it’s not a stretch to think you might not feel well that day. Just stay long enough to say hello, forgive Tatiana if you want, and then Rory will escort you home and Joe will follow. Business as usual.”
* “Forgive her if I want,” she repeated dully.
* “It’d be better if you did, or at least say you do, but it’s not expected. You did ask for her, though, so you have to be respectful about whatever you choose to do.”
* Viviana snorted. “When am I ever not? Can I claw her eyes out after?”
* “No,” Anton said, laughing. That’d surely be a sight. He bet Viviana would give Tatiana one hell of a run for her money. “Not while you’re pregnant with my child, anyhow.”
* “Yeah, but making her swallow a few teeth would sure make me feel a heck of a lot better.”
* “My God. You know there’s nothing there, right? Her and me, I mean. That’s not … It’s just not there, baby. You don’t have to be jealous.”
* “I’m not jealous, Anton.” Strangely, he believed her. Viviana shrugged under the weight of his arm resting around her shoulders. “Why should I be … of Tatiana? I have exactly what she doesn’t. Everything she thought should have been hers is mine. I have your life, your son, and your love. Even if she was nothing more than your whore, which she isn’t, she still wouldn’t have any of those things. So no, I’m not jealous of that girl. On the other hand, I do wonder if she is envious of me.”
* “I have no doubt of that.”
* Viviana sighed. “Exactly. Tatiana has defied her father, you, and God knows how many others just to hurt me once. That was before we were married, before Demyan, and she only managed to sling words. This time might be different. At this dinner, she’s going to see me pregnant, happy, and protected, all because of you. Again, all that she doesn’t have and everything she wanted. So it brings me back to safety, I guess. You made it clear you don’t want her in any way so would she hurt me, or worse your baby, because of her resentment? Is she that crazy over you?”
* Anton stayed silent, letting his wife’s words sink in as he considered them. It wasn’t that what she said didn’t make sense, because it did, but he wondered why Viviana had asked for Tatiana’s presence at all.
* “You asked for her to be there, Vine. If you were worried about all of this, why ask at all?”
* “I also asked for no guns.”
* “And I’ll make sure that’s adhered to as best I can,” Anton said, still feeling confused. “You won’t take a step into any establishment unless it is weapon free.”
* Viviana felt tense in his arms. “You don’t need a gun to kill someone.”
* “She won’t have any chance to be alone with you.”
* “I know.”
* “Then what?” Anton asked.
* “I want this done,” she said so low he strained to hear. “Put an end to it, however you have to. I don’t want to worry about her or her goddamned family after it’s over. I don’t want to think if she can’t hurt me, she’ll go to the next best thing.”
* “You’re worried she’ll try to hurt Demyan.”
* “Or you. To me, that’s just as bad.”
* “You know that’d never—”
* “No, I don’t,” Viviana interrupted coolly. “But if I didn’t have them to worry about, it’d be one less thing for me to consider.”
* It was only then that her hidden meanings were starting to dawn on Anton. Viviana never asked him for anything in regards to business. She didn’t like to have her hands in his pots, so to speak. This was entirely different, especially if she was asking what he thought she was asking.
* “Come on, Vine …”
* “I want it done,” she repeated thickly. “Please.”
* “On your head, though? You want that on your mind, bloodying up your hands, too?”
* “Please?”
* “Stop it,” Anton said, practically spitting the words. “Fuck, just don’t say that shit. I’ll handle it.”
* “Before or after one of us is dead?”

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Thank you for joining us here today, Bethany-Kris! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

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