Author Feature: Tina Blenke

                                                                                

Meet Tina Blenke! Tina is a fantastic new up & coming LGBT author with a bright, smile & intriguing mind! I had a chance to do a quick Q&A with this lovely young lady & here are the answers! I hope you'll enjoy it!

The author contact info is at the bottom of this interview! 

Thanks so much, Tina! We adored this session!

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(Q): What do you feel is the biggest reward to you with writing?

(A): I just need one reader to tell me it was the most perfect story that made them laugh, brought them to tears, and made them feel good about the characters. I have a beta reader that told me she thought about my characters all day, she was drawn to the story and my main characters so much that she dreamed about them that night, too. This moved me. It made me feel special to know that I had taken all of the emotion that I felt in telling the story and transferred it so effectively that she felt it on the other side of the book. Just one reader is all it takes for me.

(Q):  Who are some of your favorite authors & why? 

(A): Yikes, this is a tough question because there are so many that I love and I’ll feel bad for leaving anybody out. The first author I ever read in M/M romance was K.A. Mitchell and it’s because of her that I fell in love with gay romance. Collision Course is the book that I credit with my own personal reason for writing M/M instead of M/F and it’s all because I fell in love with Joey and Aaron. This is my definite go-to book when I need a quick escape to something warm and familiar. Another favorite author is Cardeno C because I know that this will have me laughing out loud and filling me full of “aww” moments. It also helps that CC also writes paranormal like me. Outside of romance, I love to read Stephen King and Rob Thurman, two fantastic thriller authors. King makes me afraid to turn pages while Thurman has me lusting over snarky characters one minute and enjoying violence and gore the next. What’s not to love? A new author to the scene is PT Denys. She had me shredded and left for raw after reading her novel. I was such a mess after reading Violence Begets that I had to stop reading all novels for nearly a week and then recuperate with Collision Course. Then, I have a long list of favorites that make up my immediate buy list that include Damon Suede and Stephani Hecht and Kade Boehme.

I love to read all the time. No kidding, I read a minimum of an hour a day and more if I’m lucky. I read first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. My nose is constantly glued to my Kindle app.

(Q): What are the biggest hurdles to overcome as an author? 

(A): Finding the time to write is always a challenge since I’m the primary bread winner in the family with a demanding job as a business analyst. Sometimes, I can write thousands of words in one sitting and the prose pours out of me like fine wine and other times I have to force words onto the page in an effort to get started. It all depends on the week. After that, I have to admit that the marketing portion is the most challenging for me. I’d much rather write stories, read novels, or talk about books. That is my passion. Marketing is a new world for me and is definitely a huge hurdle.

(Q): Is there any advice that you can offer for new writers? 

(A): Just write. Write what you know about and what you feel most passionate about. I dragged through the completion of my first novel because I wasn’t in love with one of the main characters but once I fixed the problem, I completed the story in a few months. The same thing happened with my second story to be released in November. The story came to me and it was written and signed within a few months. In the meantime, I’ve had another story that’s taken me over a year to write but I keep plugging away. Eventually, the characters will find their groove and it will be a fantastic story. But if I don’t take the time to write, then my dream sits there on my laptop and nobody will be able to read it. If you want it, then take it. Dust off that story, finish it, and submit it. It might get rejected and then you polish it up again and re-submit. Don’t let somebody else tell you that your dreams aren’t good enough. Everybody has a story to tell.

(Q): Tell us a few random personal things about yourself personal & professional!

(A): I’m a seasoned world traveler and have lived in several countries on a few continents. Because my father was in the Air Force, I’m used to moving every few years and I get antsy when I’ve been in one place too long. I combat the need to move by redecorating and painting various rooms in my home or traveling throughout the year to visit family scattered all over the states. I enjoy traveling to GayRomLit and meeting with fellow authors and readers for a week of retreat and debauchery. 

Outside of the reading and  writing world, I like to crochet. I’m working on a TARDIS afghan at the moment since I’m a huge Doctor Who fan. I love to cook and I enjoy watching football and I absolutely love to snuggle up with my three dogs. I have a Husky and two Chihuahuas that make up my own little pack of hellhounds.

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  ~~~CLICK HERE TO FIND TINA ON FACEBOOK~~~

Winter's Demon by Eric R. Asher

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Winter's Demon ~ Book Three in The Vesik Series
Book 2: Wolves And The River Of Stone
Book 1: Days Gone Bad

Review:
This is "Winter's Demon", the third book in Author Eric R. Asher's "Vesik" Series. I was extremely excited to get a chance to read it, as I've been a huge fan of Mr Asher since his first book, "Days Gone Bad" and I wasn't disappointed! One again, Eric wrapped me up in his web of dark humor & even darker urban fantasy & reeled me in! You know how you occasionally find a book that you just can't put down, no matter what you try? Well, this entire series has been that way for me! 
Eric's lead character, Damian, has been growing by leaps & bounds, as he adjusts into the world of necromancy, demons, fae, voodoo, vampires, werewolves & more.. As you would expect, Damian is constantly surrounded by death & evil, yet he sticks to his roots & works hard to not let it corrupt his soul, along with his mentor, the necromancer, Zola.. Damian's vampire sister, Samantha, and his best friend, the fae warrior, Foster, are at his side once again, along with several other favorite characters from the past books. 
Damian's mother is kidnapped by an evil necromancer & his father is devastated. Damian will do anything in his considerable power to bring his mother back home safely.
Damian, Zola, Samantha, his father Dimitry, Foster, and the rest of the Fae & vampires & even the quirky, yet loyal fire demon, Mike, work at Damian's side to help bring down the evil that has taken his mother & has even further plans to wreak disaster on the world..
The action is non-stop, yet easy to follow along. Eric has this intense way of writing his heart & soul into Damian's character & it shows in so many ways. Damian's loyalty is rarely questioned & his strength rarely falters because he knows he's not only fighting to get his mother back, but he truly is fighting to save the world. There are many intense, gory situation in the book and they are oftentimes accompanied by Mr Asher's trademark dark humor & it makes the book flow wonderfully, without any boring parts and you never feel left out of the world he has created. 
Damian's best friend, Foster brings in lots of extra laughter & shocked gasps, with his quirkiness & his naughty sense of humor. Foster became one of my favorite book characters after the first Vesik novel. This is one unique character that you absolutely must check out! His humor & unwavering loyalty to Damian brings so many scenes together in perfect harmony. We all need that best friend in our life, who is there regardless of what difficult times are ahead or regardless of what danger you find yourself in.. Foster is that friend, indeed.. (A little note.. You must check out the coffee mug hot tub scene!:) 
The battles for Damian's mother & their very lives are intense & you'll be gripping the edge of your seat, making those little gasping noises as you read, because again, Eric knows how to write an truly engrossing novel!
The humor I love so much ends up showing up when you least expect it & sometimes you'll be crying one moment & bursting out in laughter, snot-bubbles & all, the next moment! Seriously, if you are a fan of urban fantasy plus some intense dark humor, you don't want to miss this author! 
Check out Eric Asher & Winter's Demon today! 

Platinum Reviews gives Eric & Winter's Demon:
5 Platinum Rings! 

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Blurb:

Some things can never be undone. The horrors I've defeated—or even caused—with my own hands … they are nothing compared to what’s coming. Philip Pinkerton has brought his madness upon my family, my own blood. His army of necromancers is on the move, harbingers of a great darkness. I fear the war has begun ... and damn, I don't get paid enough for this.

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Excerpt:

“Zola, it’s okay. Thunderbirds have never acted against the Fae,” Cassie said, her hands out in a placating gesture.

“And if we had come to find you?” Zola asked. “If we had set foot here without Amon and the bird decided we were an imbalance?”

Cassie’s hands fell and she turned toward Edgar. “Would he destroy them?”

Edgar shrugged. “It is unlikely. The old Fae legends are much more severe than a living Thunderbird. There is far more evil in the world than there are things trying to destroy it.”

We all stared at Edgar. A shiver ran down my spine. For all his talk and disdain for all necromancers, he’d just said—out loud—we aren’t all evil.

Edgar laughed, pulled his bowler off, and bowed slightly. “Don’t take that the wrong way. You still irritate me to no end.”

“That’s a relief,” I said. “Thought my world was ending there for a second.”

“Not yet,” Edgar said as he started back up through the cavern.

I scooted closer to Zola as Edgar became a shadow in front of the cavern entrance. “What the hell is going on with him?”

“He has hidden himself from the world for many years,” she said. “Not many people have been betrayed as badly as Amon. Those that violated his trust the worst were necromancers.”

“Betrayal leaves a mark,” Cassie said as she came up behind us, picking her way around the debris on the floor of the cavern. “Most of us were surprised when he joined the Watchers. He’d been all but a hermit before that.”

“So what’s the Thunderbird like?” Foster said to Cassie as he landed on my shoulder. I guess he’d decided the risk was over for the moment.

I caught Cassie’s frown as the sunlight temporarily blinded us.

“It is … different,” she said. “I understand it thrives on balance, but I don’t think it is always balance as we see it.”

“Gods rarely see things the same way we do,” Zola said.

“A god?” I slid on a patch of loose rocks as I contemplated what that could possibly mean. “Thunderbirds are Old Gods?”

“Shit,” Sam said. “You mean that thing is a god?”

“Oh yes,” Zola said.

“What’s an Old God?” Dad asked.

“Some things you are better off not knowing,” Zola said as she patted Sam’s arm.

“Bullshit.” Dad turned to face us in the entryway, somehow seeming to block the entire cavern entrance. “You let this man drag me down here as bait, bait for some kind of god that’s sensitive to the fact I just
lost my fucking wife! You think there’re worse things I don’t need to know? Things I can’t deal with? I’ll tear this world in half to get her back!” His chest heaved and a vein throbbed at his temple.

Zola folded her hands gently over her cane and sighed. “Ah meant no disrespect Dimitry. Would you not do this to keep your children safe, to help find your wife?”........
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~~~CLICK HERE FOR ERIC'S FACEBOOK FAN PAGE LINK!~~~

~~CLICK HERE TO GO TO ERIC'S WEBSITE~~

~~CLICK HERE TO FIND ERIC & HIS BOOKS ON AMAZON~~

~~CLICK HERE TO GET WINTER'S DEMON ON AMAZON~~

Author Feature: Meredith Millen

 

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We took some time to chat with the lovely Author Meredith Millen for a brief interview recently. Mere will be releasing her second suspense novel in July, so keep an eye out on this fantastic author! 

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1) Why did you decide to start writing?

I started writing  because I needed an outlet for all of my emotions when I found my birth family.

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2) Do you think authors can succeed in multiple genres or should they stick with a single genre?

I believe authors can succeed in multiple genres, but that they have one specific one that will out shine the rest.

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3) What do you feel is the biggest reward to you with writing?

I feel the biggest reward to myself with writing is a safe and effective way of venting out my frustrations and mixed emotions.

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4) Who are some of your favorite authors & why?

A few of my favorite authors are Cassandra Clare - I am a huge fan of the shadow hunter world and I love how she gets my emotions wrapped up in the story and makes me feel like I'm there. I also love JK Rowling for her imagination and drawing my attention into a series so much that I now will (time allowing) will sit and read for days at the time completely losing myself in the series I'm reading. Rick Riordan, Pittacus Lore, James Dashner, and James Patterson are also a few of my favorites.

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5) What are the biggest hurdles to overcome as an author?

The biggest hurdle I've had to overcome is actually letting someone else read my work. Growing up I wrote, but to this day what I wrote is still locked up where no one else can read it. Until Searching for Blood no one read any of the short stories I wrote growing up. Once I finished the book I started with my best friend and then slowly branched out, getting a few opinions of people I trusted before even considering releasing it to strangers.

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6) Is there any advice that you can offer for new writers?

Don't over think things, don't push yourself to write. Just let it come. Sit down with your idea and see what becomes of it.

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7) Tell us a few random personal things about yourself, both personally & professionally!

I came up with the idea for my series while sitting on the couch talking to my birth father after my grandmothers funeral just 11 months after meeting her for the first time at 25 years old. I had no idea what I was going to do with the idea but it's evolved into one of the most amazing things I've ever done and I'm very proud of the work I've done and most importantly it was the best outlet I could have imagined for my feelings. It was much easier for me to write down my feelings and vent them out through my characters than it was to talk to someone, because no matter what I said they always "understood", but in reality everyone I talked to couldn't understand because they never went through it themselves. I love spending time with my daughter, cooking, playing pool, swimming, traveling, reading, and of course writing.

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Thank you, Meredith! Best of luck on the upcoming release!

You can find Mere here on Facebook!
~~~CLICK HERE FOR MERE MILLEN ON FB~~~

Payton's Pursuit by Joanne Jaytanie

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Another amazing romantic suspense novel from Author Joanne Jaytanie! Payton's Pursuit is the second book in The Winters Sisters series & considering I loved the first novel (Chasing Victory), I was certainly exited to read this one. Ms Jaytanie did not disappoint her fans! Payton's book was filled with adventure, drama, romance, laughter & more! 
Payton is Victory's sister and a co-CEO of The Winters Corporation. Collin is a former military man who was kidnapped & turned into a human guinea pig by an evil corporation that injected him with wolf DNA, leaving him with special abilities that he struggles to control. Payton has to come to terms with not only the fact that she's psychic, but also that she is some sort of grounding force for Collin, able to calm him when nothing else can. Payton also finds out that her very own mother played a role in the fact that she has psychic abilities. Payton has to hunt for the secrets to this & deal with some very real dangers trailing after her.. 
Joanne has this unique ability to put the reader directly in the character's shoes & you literally feel the danger & excitement in this story! 
This is one compelling & captivating book that you definitely need to check out if you are a lover of romantic suspense! 

Platinum gives Payton's Pursuit & Joanne:
5 Platinum Rings!

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Blurb:
Payton Winters is thrust into the position of CEO of The Winters Corporation after the sudden death of her parents. Suddenly confronted with the knowledge she was born with special abilities, she finds herself in the dilemma of being a grounding force to people who possess psychic powers. She has unwillingly become the mental anchor to the one man she wants no part of, Collin McBain. While on a routine mission, Collin is drugged, tortured, and injected with wolf DNA. Now believed dead, he is secretly assigned to the Winters Campus. 
Faced with the reality that her life is based on half-truths, Payton is on a pursuit to uncover her mother’s scientific research. She desperately needs to understand why she and her two sisters were genetically altered before birth. Payton’s path to discovery is littered with danger as she finds herself embroiled in a world of secrets, lies, kidnapping, and murder. She struggles to understand the events of the past in order to cope with her future. Will Payton’s pursuit for the truth be her last?

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Excerpt:

“Payton has a good point,” Willow said. “If she feels energy the way you think she does, then why doesn’t she pick up on your energy?”
“I don’t claim to have all the answers—yet. But my thoughts are it has something to do with the fact that we are triplets. She doesn’t feel my energy because it has been a part of her since she was born,” Victory said. “She may not possess my energy, but she is familiar with it, so my energy does not affect her; it’s normal to her.”
“If what you say is true about Payton’s ability to feel others’ energy, that could be a real issue considering our primary research for the next five years, and that she happens to be the CEO of our company. She can’t exactly stay away from the campus and run the company at the same time,” Willow said.
“Don’t panic. Payton can work through her new-found abilities. I did and I can help her. We need to find a way for her to shield herself in extreme situations,” Victory said.
“How long do you think it might take you to find some answers?” Payton asked.
“I’m not sure. Everyone is different. However, there is one positive effect of your ability,” Victory said.
“Really, please tell me, because I don’t see anything positive from where I sit,” Payton said.
“You seem to be a grounder for the person with the extreme emotions. Collin noticed that you have an effect on his emotions. He confided in me that your presence has the ability to calm him no matter how upset he gets.”
“Really? I’m glad for him, sincerely. Regrettably, it’s at those times I feel like I’m being drained. If I am going to function around him and any others, I need your help, now,” Payton said......

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~~CLICK HERE TO LIKE JOANNE ON FB~~ 

~~CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK ON AMAZON~~~

Cover Reveal For Gemina: The Lost Legionnaires by Tamara McHatton & Lysa Demorest

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Here is the cover reveal for Gemina: The Lost Legionnaires by Tamara McHatton & Lysa Demorest!
The book features cover model Charles Paz, aka: Fifth Element! 
The book will be released in April 2014! Watch the fan pages for updates!

Blurb:

Axilla goes against orders to find out the fate of his outpost, only to realize he has made the greatest sacrifice of his lifetime. His existence now rests on his skills to survive his captivity as a Roman gladiator.
Corvina, the scarred protector of her outpost, faces challenges to her loyalty as a constant reminder of her failures. Powerful forces put her in the center of Rome to spy and safeguard her people and the old Roman ways.
It falls to the lost Roman legionnaire and the scarfed woman to orchestrate the heroic plan of saving an empire from itself. They coordinate a daring escape and set the challenge on the very steps of Rome's aristocracy. A fight to inspire a rebellion, a fight to inspire a revolution....


~~~~ CLICK HERE FOR TAMARA'S FAN PAGE ON FACEBOOK~~~

~~~CLICK HERE FOR LYSA'S FAN PAGE ON FACEBOOK~~~

~~~CLICK HERE FOR FIFTH ELEMENT/CHARLES PAZ'S FAN PAGE ON FACEBOOK~~~

Smoke & MirrorZ by Cynthia Lucas

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I read the blurb for 'Smoke & MirrorZ' when Ms. Lucas started promoting it & thought that it might be an interesting book, as I've adored Ms. Lucas's work in the past, so I added it to my list... I'm so glad I did! Wow! This book captivated me from start to finish! I was immediately drawn in when I read the foreword that Ms Lucas added to the book, reminding people of how rampant domestic violence is in the world today.. It touched my soul, as I've dealt with such violence in my past so I knew I just had to read this book.. And read it, I did.. Actually, 'reading' is putting it mildly.. I felt more like I was getting lost in a world that I not only related to but also one where a knight in shining armor was rushing to save the damsel in distress from the nightmares of her past... even though it was a reluctant 'knight' who just happened to be a Jinn and a 'damsel' who wasn't about to let him into her world or her heart.. The "Arabian Nights" theme was captivating & enthralling! Scheri went through so much pain & my heart wept for this beautiful, yet damaged woman.. Z had an ulterior motive for offering his help to her originally, but then even his jaded defenses eased up & slowly started letting Scheri into his heart, even when he didn't realize it was happening.. The mystical background was incredibly thorough & Ms Lucas clearly put a lot of time into researching her story, adding all sorts of  fascinating info about the Jinn (genies). She wrote the characters with true heart & soul.. The horror that Scheri went through was so well-described & heart-breaking.. And when it came to all the 'Smoke & MirrorZ' in Z's unique life, nothing was missed.. Especially the true terror that wan through my heart when reading that no matter how much Scheri & Z ended up letting each other in & changed their lives for each other, the abuser in Scheri's life still found her again.. Will Z & Scheri be able to get through a new nightmare when there is a sadistic killer involved, one who has no plans of letting Scheri escape? Will Z's magic be enough to save her from the demented mind of a madman? You absolutely MUST read this book & find out! 
Not only was this book well-written, it was absolutely a perfect mix of breath-taking & heart-breaking and I, for one, cannot wait til Ms Lucas's next novel to hit the shelves! Also, I do have to mention that the trailer for this book was absolutely fantastic! It stars Cynthia & the gorgeous Grigoris Drakakis (who is also the cover model on the book) and was truly one of the best book trailers I've seen from an indie author in.. well.. forever! Don't miss out on the book or the trailer! 

Platinum Reviews gives "Smoke & MirrorZ" and Cynthia Lucas: 
5 Platinum Rings!

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Blurb:

A woman on the run....in fear for her life
A down on his luck genie with an attitude working as a carnival magician. With limited powers and his own existence in serious danger, can he find the love in his heart and the power in his soul to save her?
Scheharazade ‘Scheri’ Bloom is on the run after marrying the man of her dreams...a wealthy lawyer who turns out to be more like a monster from her nightmares. Abused physically and emotionally and forced to be a prisoner in her own home, no matter how many times she tries to escape, he has the money, power and connections to have her tracked down and brought back to suffer the wrath of his anger at her leaving.
After finally finding a way to escape, she takes to the road and with the little bit of money she’d saved up running out fast, she soon finds herself drawn to a small-town carnival, where she hopes to make a few untraceable dollars working a ride or concession stand. Instead she meets the enigmatic and egotistical magician known as ‘Z’.
Amazed by Z’s skills in illusions, like the audiences who come to see him day in and day out, she soon finds herself in danger again...not so much from her abusive husband as from everything she doesn’t want to feel from the moment she lays eyes on the handsome entertainer who looks like an Arabian Knight come to life and seems to sense every secret she can’t tell him about herself.
What Scheri doesn’t know is that that Azizi ab’d al Jadu, the man known as ‘Z’ is harboring a few secrets himself. Magic is real, and not all illusions are ‘smoke and mirrors’. Z is no mortal man, but a half-breed Ifrit Jinn....a down on his luck genie, living as a carny here in the world of man. Born out of the forbidden love of a Jinn and a disobedient Angel, he is on the run from his own kind for refusing to abide the laws of both Jinn and Allah’s Watchers. And after breaking The Law and taking human form of his own free will to come through the large gold mirror that is his portal into the world of humans....he finds his once vast powers limited by the mortal realm and all the wondrous and distracting sensations of a human body.
Z has little interest in being anyone's savior...but when Scheri’s husband finally tracks her down with the help of one of Z's most dangerous enemies, Z soon finds that it's going to take more than magic to protect the woman who has stolen the heart he didn't know he had. Can he somehow regain the power he needs to save her?

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               ~~~CLICK HERE TO CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA ON FACEBOOK~~~

                   ~~~CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK ON AMAZON~~~

            ~~~CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CINEMATIC TRAILER ON YOUTUBE~~~