.Author Interview:#GIVEAWAY Alexa Egan Demon's Curse @AlexaEganBooks

Awaken the Curse (Imnada Brotherhood 0.5)

by Alexa Egan

ebook, 100 pages

Published November 20th 2012 by Pocket Star

Now available only as an eBook, the dark and sexy prequel to the Imnada Brotherhood series about a clan of shape-shifters and telepaths living secretly as humans for centuries.



One very passionate and very scandalous kiss separated university student Justin McKeegan and professor’s daughter Kate Lacey. Now five years later, Justin, the new Lord Duncallan, receives an unexpected summons from Kate’s father begging him to come to Wales. When Justin arrives, he finds Professor Lacey has vanished while studying a mysterious ancient obelisk, and everyone blames the nightwalkers, sinister creatures said to haunt the surrounding remote Welsh mountains. Do these legends point to the existence of the Imnada, a race of shape-shifters said to have died off a thousand years ago? Or is the professor’s disappearance the result of a very human villain? Justin and Kate are determined to find out the truth, knowing it may be the only way to find her father.

Even as they work to unravel the mystery, they find that they’re not the only ones interested in the obelisk and the lost race of Imnada. Treasure hunter Gilles d’Espe believes the ancient dolmen is the focal point of the shape-shifters’ power and would do anything to lay his hands on the last of four silver disks he needs to unlock the dolmen. A disk that hangs around the neck of Justin McKeegan. While Cade, a local villager, is determined to refute both the claims of nightwalker sightings and the power of the dolmen as superstitious nonsense.

Justin and Kate soon find themselves fighting for their lives. Yet every hour they spend together makes it harder to lay aside the bitterness of the past and a very new and very real temptation













Demon's Curse (Imnada Brotherhood #1)

by Alexa Egan

Mass Market Paperback, 370 pages

Published December 26th 2012 by Pocket Books

Goodreads

 

 

 

 

A fast-paced and captivating debut—the first in the dark and sexy Imnada Brotherhood series about shape shifters in Regency-era England.

A rising star on the Covent Garden stage, Bianca Parrino believes she has everything she wants. Independence. Wealth. And a life finally free of her violent, abusive husband. But when her close friend, Adam, is murdered, and Bianca is suspected in his death, she is unwittingly drawn into the search for his killer, and soon must question everything she believes—about her friend, about herself, and about a world she never knew existed.

A member of the mysterious race of shape-shifting Imnada and part of an elite military unit, Captain Mac Flannery gathered intelligence during the Napoleonic wars. As a result of a savage massacre, Mac and the men he served with are cursed. Now one of them has been found murdered, and Mac suspects the existence of the Imnada has been discovered at last. His only link to unearthing the truth is the beautiful actress who turns up unexpectedly at Adam’s funeral.

Before long, Mac has more to contend with than Bianca’s overt mistrust, his ill-fated attraction to the haughty and beautiful actress, and his ongoing search for an end to the curse. Because Adam’s killer is back, and Mac is next on his list

Hi Alexa welcome to Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Reviews

 

 

Thanks so much for inviting me here today.   

1) Your debut book Demon's Curse seems to be an exciting, mysterious, romantic suspense filled book. With a mythical race of shape-shifters, and romance tell me how you came up with this plot? 

 

Don’t laugh, but my very first thought when coming up with the series was ‘why not have aliens in the regency?’. Needless to say, my agent was skeptical about little green men hanging with the beau monde. So I tweaked the idea a bit, added an Arthurian twist, two warring magical races, threw in a battle-toughened group of shapeshifting ex-soldiers, and…oh yeah…a really nasty curse.  

 

  2) How many more books will be part of this series?   

 

At this point there are three full-length novels and three novellas planned. Titles and release dates are below. But I really hope readers enjoy my regency shapeshifters so I can play in this world for a long time to come.  

Nov. 2012 - Awaken The Curse (novella) 

Dec. 2012 - Demon’s Curse (novel) 

Sept. 2013 - Unleash The Curse (novella) 

Oct. 2013 - Shadow’s Curse (novel) 

Spring 2014 - Vanquish The Curse (novella) 

Spring 2014 - Warrior’s Curse (novel)   


3) Tell me about yourself, fav.reads, etc.. 

 

I’m a slightly frazzled forty-something with a wonderful supportive husband, three children who still require way too much of my time, a cat named Olive, and a brand-new pound puppy. We live in a rambling old house that exists in a perpetual state of renovation. And when I’m not writing, I can be found curled up with the family watching movies or curled up in a chair reading a book.  

 

As for favorite reads, I could wax poetic for hours about my must-read authors from Jane Austen to Mary Stewart. I grew up a huge SF/F fan devouring McCaffrey, Lackey, Norton, Bujold, and Vinge to name a few. But interspersed in there were tons of historicals from writers like Dunnett, Gabaldon, Cornwell, and Penman. And of course romance of any subgenre. I love Julia Quinn and Kristin Higgins, Karen Marie Moning and Hester Browne. I always come away thinking, “boy I want to write like that when I grow up.”  



 4) What are you working on now? 

 

Right now I’m juggling revisions on Shadow’s Curse while finishing up the second novella Unleash The Curse.    



 5)  Tell me the different animals/creatures we can find in your book? 

 

This is a Regency setting where otherworldly creatures secretly exist side by side with humanity. The Fey-bloods (humans bearing the blood and magic of the Fey) are the most numerous and the most powerful, but hidden for thousands of years are the five clans of Imnada shapechangers who were almost wiped out in a war following the betrayal and murder of King Arthur. Each of the five clans shift to a specific animal aspect; wolf, eagle, panther, lynx, and seal, though in ages past, they had the ability to shift to any animal and some of the most powerful still retain this gift. The Imnada remain isolated from the outside world as much as possible, but this seclusion has come at a price and they are slowly dying out. This dilemma underpins the entire series as they have to decide whether to risk a resumption of war with the Fey-bloods or certain extinction. 

 

**AUTHOR QUESTION FOR MY READERS---*Answer in the comment section, below.
 
 

 The paranormal genre has given readers vampires, shifters, angels, ghosts, wizards, time travelers, and now zombies as heroes. What’s your favorite paranormal creature to read about? Your least favorite? And what do you think is going to come next? 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, I look forward to reading your book!

 

 

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.Interview: Ellen Oh -Author of The Prophecy

Today, on the blog I have a mini-interview with the author of the upcoming debut, The Prophecy. The Prophecy is book #1 in this fantasy series.






The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms… is a girl with yellow eyes.

Expected publication: January 2nd 2013 by Harper Teen

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope…

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

   

Map of the Seven Kingdoms of the Prophecy Series:

Illustrated by the incredibly talented Virginia Allyn

Early buzz

 

“What an adventure! I fell in love with the lush, richly woven world of PROPHECY. Kira is truly a force to be reckoned with. When I finished my journey with her, all I wanted was more. Spectacular!” – Marie Lu, author of the LEGEND trilogy

“Filled with ancient lore, political intrigue, non-stop action, and a fiercely determined heroine, PROPHECY is a rich and thrilling read—my favorite kind of book!” – Robin LaFevers, author of GRAVE MERCY

“With betrayal, demon attacks, and the threat of war, Prophecy grabs you from the start and never lets go. Oh has written an exciting debut woven with Korean myth and lore, and sets us on a heroine’s journey with Kira that promises more fantastic adventures to come.” – Cindy Pon, author of SILVER PHOENIX and FURY OF THE PHOENIX

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the blog Ellen!


1) Your debut YA novel, The Prophecy is set to be released in January 2013. Tell my readers, what they can expect from this book?

Well Prophecy is a fantasy book that happens to be set in a world that is like ancient Korea. So it is filled with the sights and sounds and cultures of Korea, in a fantasy setting involving demons and Heavenly Maidens and dragons. I'm hoping it is like nothing that your readers have ever experienced before.



2) I checked out your Bio page, on your site. WHOA, you have accomplished quite a bit! But, I must say what I found the most amusing and surprising was your Brooklyn Girl story found HERE! OMG, girl you rocked it!!!! o-O
OK, so maybe not so much, but still, how the hell would you know he was falling down!? May I suggest your next book be an Urban Fantasy, with a kick ass chick, who just happens to go by, Brooklyn Girl!!! <3>



Ah, so you want the story of my life, now, huh? I would be Brooklyn Ninja Girl, able to beat up drunken frat boys with her lightning fast fists of righteous feminist fury! ;o) I had a lot of pent up anger as a kid that kind of spilled over into my twenties. It took having children myself to beat the anger out of me. Now I'm just too tired to be so angry all the time. But I'm really good at writing about violent action! (clearly I have a bit too much experience with that sort of thing.)



3) Will we see more from The Prophecy, and what are you working on, now? -Hopefully, the Brooklyn Girl story? ;)

Well Prophecy is part of a trilogy, and I'm currently working on Book 3 at the moment. It's an interesting phenomenon that the story seems to be getting more exciting and action packed as I go along, which makes me happy as an author. (And makes my editor happy as well!)



4) How long did it take you to write The Prophecy, and where did you draw your inspiration from?

Ok so this can be a long story so I'll try to make it a bit shorter. But it really all started with Genghis Khan. I read a biography about him and learned more Asian history, especially Korean history, then I'd ever learned previously. It was fascinating and I just wanted more. Unfortunately, it wasn't easy to find all the books I needed. It took about 10 years of research and learning about ancient East Asian history and learning the legends and myths of Korea that culminated in to my writing Prophecy. Prophecy itself took about 6 months to write but two years to rewrite.


5) Where do you see yourself five years from now, and would you want to continue being a writer?

I love being a writer because I seem to be a natural storyteller at heart. I may not be the perfect wordsmith but I do know how to tell a good story. I think it's because I'm such a visual person so stories come to me in technicolor, 3D, surround sound in my head. And usually in vivid detail. I have more stories in my head then time to write them. So yeah, I hope this writing gig works out for me! I can't imagine anything better.






Thanks so much for stopping by, Ellen! Can't wait to read your book, much success to you!



Author Bio:


Writer, lawyer, college instructor, donut-slayer, chocolate lover. Addicted to diet coke. Likes to quote extensively from the Princess Bride, Monty Python and Godfather movies. Never leaves home without her iphone, chapstick, a book and her American Express card.

Ello is short for Ellen Oh. Transplanted from Brooklyn, NY, I'm a lawyer, a writer, and a college instructor now living near the nations capital. I have three smart, beautiful little girls and an ultra-supportive husband who tells me to write every day so that maybe, one day, I'll actually get a book published.  My first book, Prophecy,Prophecy Series Bk 1, is being published by HarperTeen for release in Winter 2013! Life is very good.








Author Links:

Ellen's Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Website



                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Interview + #Giveaway: Surprisingly Supernatural by S.J. Drum

Surprisingly Supernatural

by S.J. Drum

Published August 1st 2012 by Eternal Press

When Elaina moves to Yellow Springs after the death of her parents, she discovers her mother’s life was steeped in secrets and there’s something very strange about the town and its residents. There’s a pixy clan taking up residence in her inherited home, a gorgeous but strange elf bent on making her his, and a handsome, troubled man who seems to be able to read her mind. Thrust into a supernatural war, Elaina’s forced to choose sides between the two men who’ve begun to mean everything to her.



1) How did you get started on the writing bandwagon?
 
I have a BA in Studio Arts and Psychology, so artistic pursuits aren’t new to me. However, after my first child was born and I began my journey as a stay-at-home mom, I felt my brain melting into a puddle of dirty diapers and baby talk. After reading a few hundred books (insomnia is a bitch), new, original scenes started popping into my head and I began writing them down. A little over a year later, my first book was finished. A year after that, it was published under the pen name Clara LaVeaux and titled A Life Beyond Yesterday. Then, I discovered Urban Fantasy and began writing SURPRISINGLY SUPERNATURAL as S.J. Drum.



2) Tell my readers what your books are about, and what sets them apart from every other paranormal book out?

 What I love most about Surprisingly Supernatural is the setting. It’s set in the small town where I live and I’ve included a few of the local businesses in the book. I’ve always enjoyed books set in a real-life place. Even if I don’t live close enough to actually visit, it’s still fun to google the town and take a virtual tour. I like that my readers will be able to do this with Surprisingly Supernatural.

 As for what it’s about… When Elaina moves to Yellow Springs after the death of her parents, she discovers her mother’s life was steeped in secrets and there’s something very strange about the town and its residents. There’s a pixy clan taking up residence in her inherited home, a gorgeous but strange elf bent on making her his, and a handsome, troubled man who seems to be able to read her mind. Thrust into a supernatural war, Elaina’s forced to choose sides between the two men who’ve begun to mean everything to her.

 Though I don’t write in the Steampunk Genre, as such, I include many Steampunk elements within each story. The Elves live in a Steampunk-ish realm and have many magic-powered Steampunk machines.

3)Tell me a little about yourself?

I’m a former Zookeeper/Elephant Handler turned stay-at-home mom/Writer. I have a terribly expensive and utterly useless BA in Studio Arts with a minor in Psychology and currently live near Yellow Springs, Ohio with my husband and two small children.

When I’m not changing diapers or writing, I enjoy scuba diving and have been known to make an elephant do a headstand. I also write an erotic series with tattooed heroes, first-in-series is SINFUL SOUTHERN INK (Ellora's Cave 7-6-12).

4) What books have you read lately?

 Oh, man. Can I say I read the 50 Shades series without being pelted with rotten tomatoes? LOL Cause I totally read them, even though I’ve been reading erotica forever. I write in both the Urban Fantasy and Erotic Romance genres and felt I needed to read 50 Shades because everyone I know kept asking me what I thought of it. (Including my mom *shudders* and my mother-in-law)

5) You’re a character in your book, who are you, and what can you tell me about this character, and why you chose them?

  I’d have to say Emile. He’s a secondary character but kind of steals the show in my mind. Emile has a great sense of humor, he’s hot as hell, can kick serious ass, and is the only Elf I know who carries an Ipod. Here’s a link to his character page: http://sj-drum.blogspot.com/p/emile-solar-elf-clan-character-page.html

Emile’s Stats

Height: 6'3"

Build: Think "navy seal centerfold"

Eyes: Icy Blue

Hair: Long white blond

Hobby: Women, music, and (sometimes) men

Occupation: Solar Elf Clan Soldier

Favorite Song: "Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood

6) On a rainy day you can find me___________?

 Sharing the living room with two pissed off toddlers, watching a movie, either Coraline or The Goonies.



7) What would you do with a million dollars? 

 I’d like to say something admirable, like donate to charity, but I doubt I’d get that far. A million dollars doesn’t cover as much as it used to. I’d finally pay off my students loans and all our bills, then buy a house on a beach where my kids could play without worrying about getting too close to the road. Then I’d pool the rest of the money into a babysitter, a cleaning lady, and some super awesome promotional materials for my books. Oh…and a boob job, to make them smaller. lol

Thanks for visiting my blog SJ!

Former zookeeper turned author S.J. Drum writes Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Novels, each with a bit of Steampunk flair. She also writes an erotic series with tattooed heroes, first-in-series is SINFUL SOUTHERN INK (Ellora's Cave 7-6-12).

S.J. has a terribly expensive and utterly useless BA in Studio Arts with a minor in Psychology and currently lives near Yellow Springs, Ohio with her husband and two small children.

When she’s not changing diapers or writing, she enjoys scuba diving and has been known to make an elephant do a headstand.

 2 E-book copies (2 winners) of Surprisingly Supernatural
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Interview: Katie Jennings Author of The Dryad Quartet Series

  

                                                                                        

                                                                   

Breath of Air (Dryad Quartet #1)

Firefight in Darkness (Dryad Quartet #2)
A Life Earthbound (Dryad Quartet #3)
Of Water and Madness (Dryad Quartet #4)

Check out the trailer for the series!

Interview

  

1) Tell me a little about yourself?

I’m a mid-twenty-something year old girl with an imagination for days and a supportive husband who thinks I’m a colossal nerd. I write because I love it, and because breathing life into characters is the greatest escape I’ve ever found. Most of my time is spent puttering around online, editing my latest book, or feeding people food to my cat. I live just north of Los Angeles, and enjoy reading fantasy and romance novels, watching Once Upon a Time, playing around on Photoshop, and finding new music to fall in love with. I believe in, above all else, happy endings.




2) When did you decide to start writing, and how did you come up with the idea for your books?

I started writing as a hobby when I was thirteen or fourteen, but The Dryad Quartet is the first full book series I’ve written. 

I began formulating my ideas for the Dryad Quartet with the basic premise that I knew I wanted to write about people who could control the elements.  I knew I wanted specific characters for each element, Air, Fire, Earth and Water, and that they would be responsible for maintaining the balance of our planet.  From there I started researching into mythology and took much of my inspiration from that, utilizing characters such as Mother Earth, Father Sky, the Muses, the Fates, etc.  I brought them all together and then decided I wanted the entire series to be set in modern times, in our own world, essentially.  I myself prefer fantasy that is relatable that way; with places and people that we ourselves can understand but is made extraordinary by the fantasy element in the story.  So while the characters themselves may live in a fictional land, Euphora, they still interact with our world.

3) Explain to my readers what your books are about, and why we would enjoy reading them?

The Dryad Quartet is a contemporary fantasy series revolving around the fictional land of Euphora, where beings inspired by Greek mythology exist to preserve the balance of nature and human life, and to protect the living from the evil residing in the Underworld.  Take a journey into a world where Mother Earth and Father Sky exist, secretly hidden from human awareness, and yet crucial to the creation and stability of our world.  They are joined by those who control the elements, the Dryads, as well as the Fates, Muses, and Furies, all of whom play an integral role in preserving Earth and guarding those who inhabit it.

The books are geared toward readers who love fantasy, romance, adventure, mystery, and Young Adult books.

4) As an author, what would you say is the most difficult part of writing promoting or writing?

 The most difficult part, without a doubt, is marketing.  Writing comes naturally; it’s a fun and exhilarating experience for me.  But when I got into this I didn’t know the first thing about marketing or how to promote myself.  I tried to research it a little bit, but I really jumped in feet first hoping I could somehow make it all work out.  Let’s just say I’ve learned A LOT in the last few months since I released my first book.  And really, I’m still learning.  I think every author who chooses to self-publish goes down this road of trial and error, joy and heartache.  It’s a never-ending battle to fight to stay above water.  But, I would be lying to myself if I didn’t say that it was all so worth it, especially when fans contact me and tell me how much they love the books.  It’s what keeps me going.

5) What has been your inspiration, when it comes to writing?

People are my inspiration, without a doubt.  I love delving into different personality types and exploring traits and flaws and quirks.  I refer to my astrology handbook frequently when brainstorming for a story, and try and make my characters feel real and personable.  I love characters that are the furthest thing from perfect, and strive to accomplish that in each book I write.

Other than that, music is another big inspiration.  My newest book that I will be releasing in August (unrelated to the Dryad Quartet) was completely inspired and based upon one of my all time favorite songs.  I took what the song meant to me and built an entire story around it, and then found other songs to supplement my emotions about the characters I had created.  Adele and Florence and the Machine are huge inspirations to me, as well as Jason Mraz, Fleetwood Mac, and Elton John.

6) Favorite books read, so far this yr?

I had the pleasure of reading this EXCELLENT book series called The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.  My friend forced them on me, but I’m so glad he did.  They are about a professional Wizard living in Chicago who deals with paranormal events, vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc.  Not only are the books hilariously funny at times, they are also disturbingly scary, which is a unique blend I have never read before.  The main character, Harry Dresden, is one of the best literary characters I have ever read about.  He’s witty, sarcastic, chivalrous, daring, and oh so nerdy, and I just fell in love with him from the very start.

7) What is your latest project?

I just recently finished and am editing a family dynasty fiction novel. It is about a prestigious hotel family; an American empire that has its roots in the Industrial Revolution and its home in the posh Upper East Side of New York City. But the family’s past comes back to haunt the newest generation as their great grandfather’s suicide from nearly sixty years earlier is suddenly discovered to have been murder. Throw in a lot of hidden motives, lies, more murder, and a complex cast of characters that weave together to form the great Vasser hotel family. It’s a bit darker and more adult than the Quartet books, and runs more along the vein of a romantic/mystery/thriller novel.

 Thanks for stopping by my blog, Katie, It was a pleasure learning about you and your series. Much success to you!

Katie Jennings site

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