Release Day Blitz Unhuman Light by Chris Stoneheart
Welcome Chris Stoneheart author of Unhuman Light for a release day blitz!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Chris and Unhuman Light! Pssst…. Make sure you read all the way to the end and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.
What inspired this particular story?
So many things came together to create this universe. Shared mythologies in cultures across the world has to mean there’s something to the myths – right? So, my muse tried to figure out how those not-so-mythological beings might have adapted to live in our modern world, where a huge percentage of humans have a camera phone ready to document anything unnatural. Not that I believe werewolves and vampires are real, but if they were, pretending to be human would be more important than ever in our modern world. Vampires, werewolves, and the members of the various pantheons — what might their lives look like today?
And what about dragons? How were they never real? And what if there were shapeshifter dragons who survived after all of the real ones were killed? How would they survive when their species doesn’t exist anymore?
What do you want your readers to take away from your books?
I want them to question their reality a little, to think a little deeper about society and its rules — and why we have them.
Is it possible to pull from the theories of Einstein and Joseph Campbell in a single book/series, without making it so heavy it’s no longer entertainment? My readers will have to be the judge of whether I pulled it off.
Mostly, I want to entertain them. I want them to come away from my novels thinking about the characters and plot, and what might happen in future books.
Why do you write what you write? Ie. Contemporary, paranormal, suspense, etc.
It’s all Tolkien’s fault. He’s the one who made me question whether the trees are sentient, and if so, whether some might be jealous of the mobile life forms. Also, elves and dwarves and giant spiders, not to mention wizards who can work magic. We got to know Gandalf the grandfatherly-type before we saw the scary side of him, and that made an impact on me in elementary school, when I first read The Hobbitt. Then, when I read The Lord of the Rings in middle school, I was officially a fan of fantasy. I’ve had this series and these characters in my head for decades, and I’m thrilled I can finally share them.
Thanks so much for having me on the blog today! If readers want to find Unhuman Light, they can go to: https://books2read.com/unhumanlight
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Chris Stoneheart, Chronicles of the Light, Unhuman Light, Urban Fantasy by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Interview Jim Stein Author of Strange Omens
Give a warm welcome to Jim Stein author of Strange Omens.
1. What secret do you use to blast through writer’s block?
Sprints and dog walks. Aside from simple procrastination, writer’s block tends to hit me in two forms, not knowing how to write and not knowing what to write. Sprints work wonders when I fundamentally know where the story needs to go, but can’t quite commit to putting something on “paper.” It’s a strange feeling to stare at that blank screen, have a vision, but find that no opening phrase or scene feels right. When I don’t know how to jump into the writing, I set a stopwatch for 15-30 minutes and force myself to commit. The pressure of time disables my inner critic and lets the words flow without censure. A successful 15-20 minute sprint hits 300 words, but can yield up to six or seven hundred if I’m really in the flow for a half hour.
My other form of block comes when I’ve lost the thread of the story, drifted too far from my planned outline, or simply run into an interesting dead end. When I or my characters have these issues, I’d rather regroup than write through a complex problem off the top of my head. So when I don’t know what to write, I put my legs in gear, grab my voice recorder, and head to the trail with Marley our great dane. Dictating ideas and possibilities helps me work out the path forward and generally brings surprising clarity. I do a lot of verbal brainstorming, then circle back to flush out the promising ideas. I’m honestly surprised every time at how productive and energized that hour makes me when I get back to the keys. I’ve come up with everything from the rules of my magic system to scene outlines while walking the old railroad trail and talking it out. Marley’s a great listener, though I do ask her entirely too many questions when she’d rather just enjoy the cows or interesting smells along the river.
2. Who is your favorite character of all of the books you’ve written and Why?
Oddly enough, Pina, a three-foot tall forest sprite has been the most fun. I think it’s because she’s such a departure from my own persona that I get to sort of let loose. Pina’s a fun-loving little creature who everyone adores. She has a kind of wide-eyed innocence despite being powerful and centuries old. She’s not a slave to fashion or human concepts, but does love exploring and learning. I just wrote a 12k word short called “Pina’s Holiday Adventure” as a bit of a reader gift. I find I just like writing about her, especially when she’s playing with Max, the half-mastiff, half-rhinoceros mutt that Ed rescues in book 1. Max of course was inspired by Marley my muse. It’s hard to have a bad day when you’re in Pina’s head.
3. How long have you been writing?
I started writing full-time in 2015 after retiring from the Navy. I’ve always been fascinated with Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, read voraciously, and tried my hand at a few high-school and college classes that taught fiction and poetry. I also drafted my first novel and wrote a dozen short stories between 2003 and 2014. The shorts are very Twilight Zone-ish and the novel is a fantasy/Scifi cross-over that I’ve revised a dozen times. I’m not certain it will ever see the light of day, but it proved I could string 100k words together and work with an outline. Since 2015, I’ve completed the first two books in my legends Walk series, am about five months from publishing the final book, and have drafted a light Science Fiction novel, which will be next in the hopper to revise and edit after Strange Medicine (Legends Walk book 3) goes out.
4. Do you see yourself in your characters?
I do, which can be a challenge. As a new author, cultivating a unique voice while getting each of your characters to have their own voice is a bit of a conundrum. I consider myself fairly level-headed. Decades of running professional projects taught me the value of striving to see things from different viewpoints and taking everyone’s recommendations into consideration. I often find myself shying away from having characters take what might be considered stupid (or at least uninformed) actions because it isn’t something I’d do. If that tendency gets out of control, the story can quickly turn vanilla, with all characters acting the same and “being reasonable,” which leads to dullness. I’m not a fan of conflict for conflict’s sake, stereo-types, or tropes, but sometimes have to segment my characters’ view-points so they don’t all turn into animal-loving, video-game-playing, open-minded people who have a deep interest in geeky science and engineering.
A sneak peek between the pages of Strange Omens!
“What now, Ed?” Trinity asked from my left.
We crouched behind a rotting car covered in vines and watched the Grims. Bald Jim looked to be in charge. Shawn sat on the ground at Dan’s feet, head hung low. The bruise around his eye and dried blood on his lip testified to the fact he had gone down fighting. Dan probably wore the Hawaiian shirt and posed as a victim.
Trinity had enough sense to tail them without trying a rescue. We caught up to her just before the Grims stopped at a massive bronze doorway totally at odds with the architecture of the ruined city. The thing was better suited for a medieval castle, though I had to admit it was effective. Jim and Dan argued over how best to get inside.
“Five of them and four of us,” I said.
“They’re bruisers,” Quinn whispered. “No offense, but we couldn’t take any of them, except maybe scraggly Dan.”
“Where’s it lead?” Trinity asked.
Good question. The out of place obstruction melded into the stone archway across a low entrance to what might be a basement level. The arguing continued as Jim tried an incantation. The door rebuffed his attempt. Oily bits of the magic passphrase dripped to the ground. Though a simple spell, the darkness of it differed from the elements Quinn and I used.
“You’re doing it wrong,” Dan complained to the men gathered at the door.
“He’s such a little shit.” Trinity’s lip curled.
“For once that’s working in our favor,” Quinn said.
Dan stalked over to the others, grabbed something small and metallic out of Jim’s hands, and examined the door. Magic formed around another incantation. Shawn sat unguarded at the entrance to the alcove. We scurried out from behind the car, circled the intersection, and crept along crumbling brickwork. The line of the alley kept us out of sight until I peeked around the corner. The Grims argued on, ignoring their dejected captive. Shawn stared at the pavement.
“Shawn.” No response. “Shawn! Time to go.”
Bleary eyes ringed with bruises met mine. He must have taken a good shot to the nose for double shiners to be rising so quickly. Recognition slowly dawned, followed by half a smile that dropped away. Shawn held up his hands. I’d missed the thin cord that bound wrists to ankles. It was silvery gray, looking more like yarn than rope.
“For crying out…” Quinn whipped out a knife and crept forward.
The moment her blade touched the cord, there was a flash. Quinn yelped and dropped her knife.
“Hey!” Dan looked up from the brass key in his hand.
“Just grab him!” I shouted.
Quinn hauled Shawn up by his armpits and pushed him forward. The cord forced him into an awkward half-crouch. I grabbed his arm to haul him down the street, but he stopped short and fell to the ground. Quinn and I pulled but couldn’t budge him. No one weighed that much. The cord flashed and flared, its strange power anchoring Shawn to the spot. More than that, a tether of power slowly dragged him back toward the doorway as the Grims advanced.
“Leave him. In fact, leave the girl. Two for the price of one!” Dan grinned his stupid parody of a Bright’s smile.
Each man carried a small club, undoubtedly weighted for maximum punch. Quinn worked at the bindings. Her strange watery power flowed along the cord looking for a way to loosen the knots. The Grims strode forward, in no hurry and—I like to think—wary. I could have taken Dan and the freak sporting a Mohawk. But I’d spent all year practicing my spells for a reason.
I reached for Earth to throw up a barrier and buy us time. Just as I was about to cast, flames leapt up between us and the men, effectively sealing them in the alcove. Trinity stood rigid, locked in concentration as she poured on more Fire and drove them back amid squawks of protest.
“Let me try.” I hunkered down to examine the cord.
Earth was ready at my fingertips, but when I tried to manipulate Shawn’s binding—as I would stone or metals—there was no purchase. The men tried end runs around Trinity’s flames, holding the woman’s concentration and forcing her to expend too much power. Another minute and we’d have to carry her out. Quinn saw it too.
“Help her!”
I dredged up a bit of old-school metal, Metallica’s “Seek and Destroy,” forging Fire to bolster Trinity’s spell. I split off a portion to attack the ropes. Fire was an enigma, representing the most restorative and destructive of the elements. I honed the lyrics down to a laser focus, emphasis on the destroy part of the tune to cut and burn. The cord swelled, resisting the heat, but frayed edges soon curled away from the core.
Shawn’s invisible bond contracted, yanking him toward the wall of fire. Quinn grabbed him around the waist but was dragged along. Even if Trinity and I cancelled our spells, they would be pulled across searing concrete into the midst of the waiting Grims.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Jim Stein, Legends Walk - Book Two, Strange Omens, Urban Fantasy by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Christmas Traditions-Karily Bentley Author of Demon Lore
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Karilyn Bentley, author of Demon Lore. Now out on audio book! Yippee! Great Christmas gift. Just say’n. Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets see what Christmas Traditions Karilyn is sharing and a little about Demon Lore’s audiobook. Thanks for joining us!
What makes you angry?
Injustice in the world.
Do you throw a Christmas get together?
Does inviting the whole family to go ice skating count? It started off small and now all the kids (aka my nieces and nephews) look forward to it all year along.
Favorite holiday memory
When I was a child, we didn’t have a lot of money, so we’d make “special” gifts. Like a 24 carrot necklace (get the pun??). We’d also hide the gifts, then attach yarn to them so you’d have to unwrap the ball of yarn to get to your gift (while crawling over and under other’s yarn strings). Dad would hide gifts and write funny poems telling where to find them. He’d usually write two to three poems per gift. We’d have to run around the house trying to figure out what the poem was talking about in order to find our gift.
Who is your favorite character of all of the books you’ve written and Why?
Gin Crawford, the heroine of the Demon Huntress series. She’s snarky and troubled and it was fun to watch her grow and change. Writing a snarky character was fun because she says things I wouldn’t dare. Since she’s imaginary she can get by with it. <grin>
If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
I’d love to have telekinesis. That way I could move things by thinking of it. Like, sit and write while dusting. I hate dusting! <g>
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN: Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite Christmas movie: A Christmas Story
Favorite Christmas book: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
Last Christmas or holiday book read: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Favorite color: Green
Stilettos or flipflops or elf shoes: Elf Shoes
Coffee or tea or hot chocolate: tea
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: ebook or paperback
Pencil or pen or candy cane: Candy Cane
Favorite Christmas Carole or song: Wizards in Winter (by TSO)
All-time favorite Christmas present: jewelry
Favorite dessert: Carrot cake
Christmas Candy or Cake: Cake
Favorite thing to do to relax during the holidays: read
Champagne or gin or eggnog: champagne
Paranormal or Historical: Paranormal
Wonder Woman or Top Model or Tinkerbell: Wonder Woman
Favorite Christmas or holiday TV show: The Grinch
Hot or cold: Cold
POV: First
I’d die if I don’t have: lotion
Review or Not: Review
Tell us a little about Demon Lore, narrated by Joan Kukore.
Gin Crawford has enough problems dealing with her empath abilities. Finding out she’s the world’s newest demon-slayer is the last thing she needs. Unfortunately, when she slips on a mysterious bracelet she is given no other choice. On the plus side, her new gig comes with Tall, Dark and Handsome, a mage who may or may not have her best interests at heart. Thrust into a power-play between good and evil, Gin must choose a side before she becomes the next victim in the ongoing battle.
The audio book is wonderful! I listened to a snippet of it. I love audio books to listen to while running errands, or taking a break out in the sunroom.
A peek between the pages of A DEMON LORE. To hear a snippet of the audio book, click here.
The evil man-thing stands on my porch, his lips turning in a menacing smile of death. I don’t need to touch him to know he wants me dead. Muscles freeze, trapping my breath in my lungs. Like a rabbit in view of a wolf, I’m immobilized, waiting for death’s blow. Time slows, his gaze locks on mine, trapping me in place.
Move, move, move! My mind screams as the man’s fingers twitch.
But the spike of adrenaline explodes into my limbs too late to stop the backhand blow slamming across my jaw.
I superman it halfway across the living room. Land on the hardwood floor in a thud of pain-ridden limbs. My jaw morphs into a screaming ball of nerves. My head no sooner hits the floor than I hear the bracelet scream, a high-pitched wail quivering through my skin like vibrations from a tuning fork. The bracelet tightens around my wrist, cutting off the circulation, and then it loosens with a pop at the same time I hear the door click closed.
Ohgodohgodohgod, I’m going to die. I don’t want to die. No, no, no, no, no. Pain and terror hold me crumpled on the floor as my mind crawls backward in time.
But I’m no longer a child, fearful of fists and words, cowering on the ground.
I’m a fighter.
My head spins, but I refuse to lie on the floor waiting to be killed, so I attempt to stand. Evil Guy laughs as I ass-plant it. Laughs as a moan escapes my lips. He takes a step toward me, right arm drawn back for a hit. His fist hurls toward my face, but I manage to block it with my left arm. My right arm, the one with the bracelet, shoves forward, slamming into his chest.
His black eyes widen, mouth open in surprise, his hands fluttering to his chest before dropping. I stare at my hand, stare hard, for I’m as surprised as Evil Guy. The bracelet had become a sword, a long, thin spike of metal extending from the silver links, straight into Evil Guy’s heart.
A sword?
Definitely a sword. The flat of the blade rests against the back of my hand, cool metal heating from the warmth of my skin. Small silver links circle around my palm, lending stability to the two-foot long sword.
I’m not sure which scares me more, Evil Guy paying me a visit or the fact the bracelet performed a morphing trick.
Links for Demon Lore: Amazon B&N The Wild Rose Press iBooks and Audible
About the Author:
Karilyn Bentley’s love of reading stories and preference of sitting in front of a computer at home instead of in a cube, drove her to pen her own works, blending fantasy and romance mixed with a touch of funny.
Her paranormal romance novella, Werewolves in London, placed in the Got Wolf contest and started her writing career as an author of sexy heroes and lush fantasy worlds.
Karilyn lives in Colorado with her own hunky hero, a crazy dog nicknamed The Kraken, a silly not-quite-a-puppy, and a handful of colorful saltwater fish.
Where to find Karilyn
Website: www.karilynbentley.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarilynBentleyAuthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/karilynbentley1
Blog: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4051943.Karilyn_Bentley
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karilynbentley
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ba_0Rf
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karilyn-bentley
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Demon Lore Audio Book!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Audio Book, Dark Fanasy, Demon's Lore, Karilyn Bentley, Urban Fantasy by Tena Stetler with 14 comments.
Holiday Recipe & A Magic Redemption
Happy holidays to all! I’m so excited today is the release of A MAGIC REDEMPTION, the fifth book in A Demon’s Witch Series. Yippee!! Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets see what A MAGIC REDEMPTION is all about! Also, check out my Holiday Recipe for Fantasy Fudge. Pssst. To celebrate my new release I’m giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift card. Read to the bottom of the post, tell me the name of Synn’s pup in the comments to be entered for a chance to win Thanks for joining us!
A Magic Redemption has been in the process for quite some time. Synn the heroine of the book has wandered in and out of most of the books in A Demon’s Witch Series. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin. When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she sees an escape and exchanges valuable information for protection and takes freedom in Ireland. Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family’s Irish pub. He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn’t bothered by her past. He must find a way to convince her, their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams.
I always knew I’d have to tell Synn’s story, but had to wait until all the pieces fell into place from the other books in the series. I’m super excited to share her incredible adventure and heart-warming story with you now. I certainly hope you enjoy reading A Magic Redemption as much as I did writing Synn’s tale.
Although A Magic Redemption is the fifth book in A Demon’s Witch Series, it can be read as a stand-alone like all the other books in the series. Before we get into A MAGIC REDEMPTION, a little holiday fun and a recipe!
Twinkle Bright – Elves Secret Santa
Direct from the North Pole, welcome to the Elves Secret Santa party! Here at the North Pole it’s extremely busy, but we still have time for a little holiday fun and shenanigans.
Let me introduce myself. I’m an elf and my name is Twinkle Bright because my elf hat has twinkle lights wound all around the scalloped edge and the pointy top.
I make yummy Hot Chocolate for Santa and the elves from a secret family recipe passed down from generation to generation. My hot chocolate keeps everyone warm and toasty inside at the North Pole. There is even an automatic dispenser in Santa’s Sleigh providing him with hot chocolate during his travels on Christmas Eve. It goes good with the cookies the children leave for him.
While I am mixing up large batches of hot chocolate, I listen to Christmas Carols from a variety of pop, country and rock artists. I always taste each batch to insure it’s up to elf standards. . You would think I’d get tired of hot chocolate, but no — never. I love the steaming chocolaty drink. I usually keep mine in an insulated mug so it stays warm while sampling the cookies in the elves’ bakery. Frosted sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are my absolute favorites.
Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. But you must promise not to tell…anyone.
We do a secret Santa gift exchange around here and this year I got Bob, her job at the North Pole is name checker to make sure Santa has all the correct spellings of the girls and boys. One year she spelled Chrys’ name Chris and wow what an uproar.
Luckily Santa caught it, but we had to rush to change all the tags on her packages. Whew!
I’m getting Elf Bobi a package of 120 different color markers in a jewel encrusted case for marking off the correctly spelled names after she checks them.
Do you think she’ll like that?
Do you like fudge? Great, I’ll share with you my favorite Fantasy Fudge Recipe.
3 cups of sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 – 5 oz can of evaporated milk (do not use sweetened condensed milk)
1 – 12 oz package semi sweet chocolate chips
1 – 7 oz jar marshmallow cream
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
You may add chopped nuts if you wish
Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to a full rolling boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir constantly
Cook for four minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees.
High altitude takes about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and marshmallow cream, stir until melted.
Add vanilla and nuts. Stir until blended.
Pour into a greased 9×13 pan, spread evenly.
Cool completely and cut into squares.
A sneak peek between the pages of A MAGIC REDEMPTION!
He showered, pulled on sweats, and stretched out on his empty king-sized bed. After his long flight, a peaceful sleep came quickly until Synn’s nightmare invaded his dream world. Gut wrenching terror tore through him until he was able to disengage himself from the nightmare. There’d be no phone call this time. For a moment he considered shifting, but he might need a vehicle after arriving at her home. He yanked off his sweats and pulled on jeans, a sweater, donned a coat, and grabbed his keys.
He found her sitting cross-legged on the bedroom floor. Storm curled in her lap. The usually active pup was lying still just peering up at her. When Gavin approached, Storm moved one ear forward and turned her head to look at him. “It’ll be okay, girl.” He knelt in front of Synn, brushed the hair away from her face. A vacant stare met his gaze into her eyes like she was in a trance. This couldn’t be good.
He’d seen her nightmare. Something was trying to control her. He wouldn’t let it happen. Releasing a breath, he took hold of her shoulders. She’d been like this once before. When she came out of it anyone within arm’s reach could be in danger. Though her magic was tempered these days, it wouldn’t be for long… Changing strategy, he repositioned himself behind her, caught her up in a bear hug, and pushed the pup out of her lap. Storm yelped and went grudgingly but refused to leave her side.
“Synn, it’s me Gavin; you’re safe.” He gave her a little shake. Arms and legs began flailing. She let out a blood curdling scream and kept screaming until he thought the neighbors a few miles away would hear and call the police. He held her tightly, sat down on the floor, and pulled her into his lap. “Synn. Synn. You’re all right. We’re at the cottage.” The screams turned to sobs. She leaned her head back and blinked.
Panic seized her. “Gavin, you’ve got to get out of here. He’s coming for me and will kill everyone associated with me, including Storm.” She reached for the pup cuddling her close to her chest. “I’m so sorry. I knew this would never work. I don’t deserve a normal life.”
“That’s enough. It was a nightmare. That’s all.”
She turned her large aqua eyes on him and raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
Available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon AU, Amazon CA, Kobo , itunes, The Wild Rose Press, Barnes and Noble Wal-mart.com
About the Author:
Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends. After many years as a paralegal, then an IT Manager, she decided to live out her dream of pursuing a publishing career.
With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of witches, shapeshifters, demons, faeries, and gryphons, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Thank you so much for indulging my excitement at the release of my eighth book with The Wild Rose Press and reading a bit about A MAGIC REDEMPTION! I hope you enjoyed the recipe!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Magic Redemption, Fantasy Fudge, Ireland, magic, Mystery, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Twinkle Bright the Holiday Elf, Urban Fantasy, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
