My publisher, the amazing Moon Rose Publishing, has taken the stories from the “A Celtic Tapestry” anthology and made them available for single purchase! Each story was also given a fabulous cover of its own!!! So, now you can pop on over and pick up a copy of “Shore’s Edge” for yourself or as a gift for someone. It’s a favorite piece of mine, so I may be a bit biased.
Gorgeous. And the story’s not half bad, either.
Happy reading!
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Waking Up Dead
When Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex. Now she’s witnessed another murder, and she’s not about to let this one go. She’s determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up in Alabama?
Enjoy the excerpts!!
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Excerpt 1
When I died, I expected to go to heaven.
Okay. Maybe hell. It’s not like I was perfect or anything. But I was sort of hoping for heaven.
Instead, I went to Alabama.
Yeah. I know. It’s weird.
I died in Dallas, my hometown. I was killed, actually. Murdered. I’ll spare you the gruesome details. I don’t like to remember them myself. Some jerk with a knife–and probably a Bad-Mommy complex. Believe me, if I knew where he was, I’d go haunt his ass.
At any rate, by the time death came, I was ready for it–ready to stop hurting, ready to let go. I didn’t even fight it.
And then I woke up dead in Alabama. Talk about pissed off.
You know, even reincarnation would have been fine with me–I could have started over, clean slate and all that. Human, cow, bug. Whatever. But no. I ended up haunting someplace I’d never even been.
That’s not the way it’s supposed to work, right? Ghosts are supposed to be the tortured spirits of those who cannot let go of their earthly existence. If they could be convinced to follow the light, they’d leave behind said earthly existence and quit scaring the bejesus out of the poor folks who run across them. That’s what all those “ghost hunter” shows on television tell us.
Let me tell you something. The living don’t know jack about the dead.
Not this dead chick, anyway.
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Excerpt 2
As Molly straightened up, the man slipped the wire over her head and twisted it around her neck. She struggled, but he pulled the garrote tighter and tighter.
I was screaming at the top of my ghostly voice, for all the good it did me. I moved up behind the man and beat at his back with closed fists–fists that slipped in and out of his back without ever making real contact. He shuddered a little–clearly he was one of the very slightly sensitive ones–but he didn’t loosen his hands.
I reached up and tried to grab the wire, tried to pull against the pressure he was exerting on the wire and it did loosen for an instant. But only for an instant. The living have more control over solid objects than the dead do. I never resented that fact more than at that moment.
But I kept trying. I kept trying as Molly’s face turned purple, then blue, then black, kept trying even as she drooped in the man’s grip.
Then he loosened the wire and it was too late. I watched that wispy, light-on-fog life force slip out of Molly and move on to wherever it is that other people go when they die. I was glad she didn’t show up next to me as a full-blown ghost. At that moment, I wouldn’t have wished my impotent half-existence on anyone.
I couldn’t help thinking that if I’d been alive, I might have been able to save her.
If I could have cried real tears, I would have. As it was, I was sobbing hoarsely and calling the man every dirty name I could think of.
I was still cursing as I followed him around the kitchen. First he opened the pantry and pulled out a box of Hefty garbage bags. Then he grabbed a knife out of the block on the counter. And finally, he picked up Molly’s body and carried it to the bathroom.
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Excerpt 3
“Hey,” I said, hurrying after the woman. “Wait up.”
“I know you’re not talking to me,” she said. She stared straight ahead and pushed her cart down the middle of the aisle toward housewares.
“I am talking to you. Look. I know this is really weird, but I need your help.”
“Well, I’m not talking to you. I don’t know what your problem is, but you can take it somewhere else.”
I wanted to reach out and grab her cart, to make her stop and talk to me, but of course I couldn’t. Which gave me an idea.
I scurried out in front of her, planting myself in her path.
“Move,” she said.
“Not until you hear me out. Please?”
She moved her cart to the left. I stepped out to intercept her. She moved to the right. So did I.
“You got some kind of death wish or something?” she asked.
I laughed and shook my head. “If only you knew.”
“I’ve got no time for this,” she said. And she slammed into me with her shopping cart.
At least, that’s what she planned to do.
The shopping cart, however, slid right through me. When it stopped, the basket had sliced cleanly through my midsection. The bottom rack merged with my ankles. From my perspective, it looked like two perfectly solid objects–me and the shopping cart–had melted together. I don’t know what she saw.
Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
The woman’s eyes widened, then rolled up into her head as she slumped to the ground in a dead faint.
I bent down to try to wake her up, but no matter how hard I concentrated on making contact, I couldn’t even touch her.
I hate being a ghost.
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Author’s Bio: Margo Bond Collins lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, several spoiled cats, and a ridiculous turtle. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters. Waking Up Dead is her first published novel. Her second novel, Legally Undead, is an urban fantasy, forthcoming in 2014 from World Weaver Press.
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Facebook Novel Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waking-Up-Dead/502076076537575
Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead
Book Trailers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j_TmvpxxBw
I wanted to take a sec to spotlight one of my paranormal colleagues, the talented Alexia Purdy! Right now, her novel, Disarming (Reign of Blood #2), is on sale for 99 cents until October 25th. As if that weren’t exciting enough, the first book in the series, Reign of Blood (Reign of Blood #1) is FREE! So snap up these two books for a steal!
Book 2 of the Reign of Blood series.
The world has changed. One must adapt to survive or hold on to the crumbling shards of humanity.
April continues to hold her fragile world together, but the ties that hold her family together are quickly unraveling. Rumors of a massive human underground settlement draw her to the shadows of the city once more in search of other survivors more like her, even with the hybrid vampires opposing her every move.
The darkness hides secrets along with the continued threat the Feral Vampires create, but a greater evil hides within the city. Something tells April that the humans will be less than welcoming of her, and that’s if she can find them before the Vampires do. Joining sides with the enemy might be the only choice she has left.
And here’s the first in the series!
“Never tease anything that wants to eat you. My name is April Tate and my blood is the new gold. Vampires and hybrids have overrun my world, once vibrant with life, but now a graveyard of death shrouded in shadows. I fight to survive; I fight for my mother and brother. The journey is full of turns that I am quite unprepared for. And I’m just hoping to make it to the next Vegas sunrise…”
In a post-apocalyptic world, a viral epidemic has wiped out most of the earth’s population, leaving behind few humans but untold numbers of mutated vampires. April is a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in the remains of Las Vegas one year after the outbreak. She has become a ferocious vampire killer and after her family is abducted, she goes searching for them. What she finds is a new breed of vampire, unlike any she has seen before. Unsure of whom she can trust, she discovers that her view of the world is not as black and white as she once thought, and she’s willing to bend the rules to rescue her family. But in trying to save them, she may only succeed in bringing her fragile world crashing down around her.
Alexia Purdy’s Bio:
I am so excited to be part of a massive 99 cent sale that is going on from October 21 through October 25! A dozen different authors have come together and are offering 28 of their books for only 99 cents! Covering a wide variety of genres, there’s something here that’s sure to interest you! Take a look and click on the pics to purchase your copies today! And be sure to stop back by tomorrow, because I’ll be hosting a feature on Alexia Purdy and two of her great paranormals!!
Be sure to check out these great books available now at a fabulous price!!!
Yes, Michael, I know this feeling.
As my birthday looms on the horizon, I thought I would mitigate the sting of growing another year older by offering up the chance to win some really great books. My excitement for you to enjoy some great reads almost makes up for the fact that I am crawling another year closer to death. *awkward pause* Well, at least it takes my mind off it for a little while. So, kick back, run through the rafflecopter, and enter for your chance to win one of several awesome prizes being offered by some of my talented writer friends. And myself, of course. Good luck and Happy Birthday to me!!
Happy Birthday, old sport!
Check out the rafflecopter and enter! Remember, you can earn new entries everyday through September 21st (my birthday) by tweeting daily!!
If you don’t know Elle J. Rossi, fix that.
Not only is she extremely talented, funny, and an all-around great gal, she’s my literary compadre over at Moon Rose Publishing! Well, she’s got a new novella coming out, bringing us back to the world she created in “Crimson Beat” from the A Celtic Tapestry anthology.
So check out this hot new cover, and put “Alabaster Nights” on your reading list NOW!!!
A Vampire with a soul. A Huntress with a knife. In Nashville, Blood equals Power. Will one taste of Josie Hawk cost Keller everything?
Just had to reblog this post which highlights Karen Aminadra’s new release, Relative Deceit!!! Go out and get this one. A surefire great read!!
Welcome to the blog tour of Relative Deceit! This wonderful novel is being re-published through Moon Rose Publishing on the 30th August 2013, and is a crime thriller that will have your brain in knots. A fortune, a family, and one man greedy for it all. Scroll down to find out more, and get ready to add this to your summer reading!
The Blurb!
Sir George, Baronet of Bancroft Hall, has run his family and their fortunes into the ground. All seems hopeless, until they are visited by their cousin, Gregory Rogers. He promises to return the family to their former glory, but is he all he seems?
Driven by jealousy, greed and desire, nothing will stop Gregory Rogers from taking that which he believes is his. He’ll do anything to gain money, Bancroft Hall and the power that comes with the title of Baronet.
Even murder.
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It’s been a while since I posted a Books Worth Buying segment, so I thought I would remedy that. Here you go. Another book worth shelling out your cash for: Killing Plato by Jake Needham.
It’s a legal thriller, emphasis on thriller. I picked it up on an Amazon freebie, but I liked it so much, I went back on bought the first book in the series. You don’t need to have read it, as the backstory from the first book is skillfully woven in so you get the picture. Now, I love thrillers. It’s one of my favorite genres. Needham delivers on this point and several others. I found myself engrossed in the story with its breathtaking look at ex-pat life in Thailand, along with the complex and multi-faceted characterization. In short, it’s a great read.
Plato Karsarkis was an international celebrity straight out of Vanity Fair until a New York grand jury indicted him for smuggling Iraqi oil and charged him with racketeering and espionage. There was also the matter of a woman he may or may not have murdered to cover everything up. When Karsarkis flees the United States one step ahead of the FBI and vanishes, the world’s media whips itself into a frenzy. Jack Shepherd was a politically connected American lawyer until he traded the fierce intrigues of Washington for the quiet life in Bangkok. Everything was going pretty well for Shepherd in Thailand, too, and then one day he walks into a bar on the jet-set island of Phuket and finds the world’s most famous fugitive waiting for him.
We’re back again with another author interview! This time, The Tarasphere is proud to bring you J.A. Howell and her newest release, Possess My Heart (Book 3 in the Possess Saga). First, let me say, that if you haven’t heard of this series, run out and buy or download the first two books. I have read and loved them both. Howell’s characters are real and compelling and the woman knows how to spin a good story. I guarantee once you start, you’ll be clamoring to get your hands on everything she’s written.
Now, the interview!!!
What was your favorite part of Possess My Heart?
There is quite a bit of humor in the story and I think those were probably my favorite parts as I let my goofy side show a bit more. Overall, the sheep shit scene, where Aggie slips in sheep crap, Camden laughs at her, and she promptly throws a handful at him that smacks into the side of his face.
What do you wish was different about the book?
You know? I’m not really sure. I’m pretty happy with it but I am sure there are always going to be things I could have improved with the story. I could see showing more insight into Camden’s life, but since the story is all from Aggie’s POV, it’s limited. With her cousin, Grant, being Camden’s best friend I could have given a bit more of a view into his life in that way though.
Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
Right now I am obsessed with the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. All time favorites are still Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, and Kurt Vonnegut.
As the Possess Saga moves on, do you find the characters harder or easier to write?
With this one I was diving a bit deeper into Aggie’s character, but overall the story just flowed as I was also introducing new characters into the series. As I am returning to Harley and Nolan in later books it is a bit of a challenge, but one I definitely enjoy.I’m getting more into their pasts and their relationship is progressing from where it was at in Possess.
How strict are you with plotting? Do you outline or go where the story takes you?
I will plot, but it will be more of a big picture plot. As I progress, I make more detailed plots for the next few chapters I’ll be working through. Generally, regardless, the story still sometimes takes on a life of it’s own and pulls me into a completely different direction.
What is your writing routine?
I work during the weekdays so I come home, chill out for an hour, then dig into writing, usually while puffing on an e-cig and drinking green tea 🙂
Which comes first? The character’s story or the idea for the novel?
At first it was the idea for the novel, then the characters came. However, with the characters in the Possess books some of them have inspired their own stories/series. For example, Brody came before his novella. While working on Possess I decided I had to see what happened to him before he died. Same with Possess My Heart. I put Aggie through the ringer, so she deserved her own story.
Tell us more about Midtown, and how many books do you see set in this location?
Midtown is a small fictional city in Rhode island that seems to have a high population of Irish, lots of pubs and bars, and is centered around Midtown University. So far all my books, even my first, Mistaken, which is actually 10 years later from the beginning of Possess, have been set in Midtown. I have 2 more Possess novels, 1 standalone Possess novel (it’s meant to bridge the gap to the next series), and then the Into The Fade Series, which will be 3 books. So overall as it is now, 10 books are going to be set there. I’d like to keep that running through later series as well, but we will see. Only so much craziness can happen in one little city.
What project are you working on now?
I am currently working on To Have & To Haunt, the fourth book in The Possess Saga. If you could guess from the title, there are upcoming nuptials…and some other not so great things about to happen. 🙂
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
I’ve gotten some not so kind reviews, comparing my writing to that of a thirteen year old’s text messages, but I wouldn’t call that criticism, just…rudeness. In the past I have had to work at developing my characters better after criticism I’ve received from readers and betas, which I’m glad to have gotten. The best compliment I’ve gotten has been multiple readers telling me how much they fell in love with my characters, because they mean a lot to me too.
If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
My father, we lost him suddenly, so it would be nice to catch up and get in things we didn’t get to say to each other. My Grandma and Grandpa on my mom’s side because they had so many amazing stories from living through WWII Italy and growing up there. It would be nice to get more of those stories from them and be able to preserve those tales to share with my nieces and nephews that never got to meet them.
Now the fun questions:
Favorite junk food? Kit Kat bars!
Tea or coffee? It depends on my mood. I’ve got my kuerig and a huge stock of coffee, as well as a giant basket of different teas.
Favorite superhero(ine)? Why? Alucard from Hellsing (An amazingly awesome anime). He is the most badass vampire ever, and instead of being super evil, he actually is the good guy. He is also a bit nuts, which makes me love him more.
Favorite color? Lime Green
Favorite place you’ve visited? Seattle. I think I’m a hipster, but I just don’t want to admit it. Shhh.
What’s one quirky or fun fact about you? I sometimes narrate my pets when they sit there making faces at us because they want something. I also change the lyrics of songs into ones about my cat’s undying love of all things edible. I could probably make a compilation CD with one of those cheesy informercials.
And now that I have you captivated, here’s a little more about Possess My Heart…..
“You can’t leave me because I’ll only ever love you.”
What was supposed to be a final goodbye turned into one last piece of unfinished business for Brody Walsh.
As long as Aggie Walker’s heart still belongs to him, he’s destined to remain in limbo, watching over her.
But when her family decides to send her to Scotland for the summer and she meets Camden MacTavish, it seems despite their constant head-butting that there may be something more between them.
That is, if she is willing to let Camden in.
As Aggie finds herself torn between her lover lost and her lover anew, it becomes clear that she cannot hold on to both. If she decides to let Camden into her heart, she will have to let Brody go. And if she can’t let Brody go, she risks losing Camden-and a second chance at love.
Forever.
Bio and Links for J.A. Howell:
J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook
with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.
I am so pleased to have Tyffani Clark Kemp here on The Tarasphere today! A fabulous author and friend, she’s got a new release that I’m sure you’ve seen floating about the intarwebs. So take a moment and settle in, we’re gonna sit down and get to know a little more about this great writer. Links to the goods will be provided at the end. You’ll want to stick around for those.
On to the interview!!! ALLONS-Y!!!
In case you didn’t know.
What was your favorite part of Shaggy Maggie? There’s a scene where Magda catches Harvey skinny dipping with his girlfriend. She tries to steal his clothes, but being the clumsy thing that she is, she slips and falls. Harvey rushes over to make sure she’s okay, but, of course, he’s naked and Magda stares up at his “business,” complete with Prince Albert piercing. “Merry Feckin’ Christmas to her.”
What do you wish was different about the book? I’m actually pretty insecure about this one. As much as I loved the story, I felt like it wasn’t my strongest piece. It’s shorted than what I’m used to writing, so maybe that’s why I’m a little worried about it? I’m not sure what I would have changed persay. I just felt it needed…more. Everyone who has read it has loved it though. So it’s probably just me being a diva author. lol
Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books? Oh, I have so many favorites and they are all across the board. Ted Dekker, Lori Wick, Tara Wood (yes, you), J. A. Howell, Miranda Stork…I could go on all day. Patricia Briggs. I LOVE her Mercy Thompson series. Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite books. The Princes, by Lori Wick.
How strict are you with plotting? Do you outline or go where the story takes you? I usually just go where the story takes me, but lately I’ve taken to needing to plot. I’ve been having trouble getting my thoughts under control so I have to write out a timeline to make sure I’ve got everything I want in the story.
What is your writing routine? Do it whenever I can. I don’t really have much of a routine. I just do it.
Which comes first? The character’s story or the idea for the novel? Usually the idea. The character’s story comes as I write.
I’m already in love with Harvey and Magda, you know that. Any more books with these characters in the future? YES! I have three more planned. Want to know the names? Beckman’s Bane, CaitaLynn’s Curse, and Lender’s Lament. Magda and Harvey will be in the background of these stories, but they’ll be there, causing trouble and getting hurt. LOL. I can’t say when these will be available, but Beckman’s Bane will hopefully be ready next year. And there will *hopefully* be a surprised to go with them. All I’m saying is, the series title is The Shaggy Maggie Band.
What project(s) are you working on now? Right now I’m getting my erotica novel The Man Without Rules ready to format and print. Sebastian Boa will have you begging for more. I can guarantee it. I’m also trying to get Hunted ready to go in October. It’s the sequel to my vampire novel, Scorned.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? I was told that my characters in Scorned weren’t well developed in a review. It wasn’t even a bad review, but I thought I did a pretty good job. LOL. The best compliment was at ConCarolina’s this year. Allen Wold, a prominent science fiction writer raved about Scorned and bought a copy. He had me sign it and said he was going to put it in his “to be read pile” by his bed. I think that will forever be a defining moment in my career as a writer.
If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why? David Gandy, because I have an obsession with his face. LOL. Chris Hemsworth, because I want to ask him to be Gabe when we make the Beast Within movie. And C.S. Lewis. I just want to talk books with him.
David Gandy, people. Because I also have an obsession with his face. UGH.
Now the fun questions:
Favorite junk food? Sour Punch straws and chocolate. Together. Seriously. You need to try it.
Tea or coffee? I’m not a huge fan of either. But I’ll probably take coffee over tea.
Favorite superhero(ine)? Why? Superman. Because he’s super. =)
Favorite color? Purple
Favorite place you’ve visited? Washington State. I went for a wedding. I went to Forks. It sucks. Seattle was everything I hoped, though.
What’s one quirky or fun fact about you? My knees go backwards.
All I have to say about Shaggy Maggie is that this book is on my TBR list. So steel yourselves, people. When I read it, there will be a review. In the meantime, here’s the fab cover and blurb. Click on it to get your very own copy.
Harvey Young, rock star lead of the Scottish band Shaggy Maggie, has dreamed his whole life about the red-haired girl from the school bus that he bullied until she ran away. He’s resigned himself to groupie fill-ins. There’s no way he’ll ever see her again. Why torture himself pining for his lost youth?
Magda Canady may be on the unlucky side, but her life is starting to work itself out. She’s an editor for a New York Publishing company and her long-time lawyer boyfriend is taking her home to Scotland to meet the parents and his younger brother. But the trip holds more danger than she could have imagined. Between a psycho stalker and the boy who tortured her through high school, she might lose her mind – and her life – before it’s all said and done.
When a chance encounter brings them together once more, it’s the past, the present, and a little psychosis that may get in the way of the future that was always meant to be.
About the Author:
Tyffani Clark Kemp has been writing since she discovered in the sixth grade that it wasn’t enough just to read about fantastic places, but she could create her own. She weaves small bits of herself into everything she writes whether it be a science fiction piece about aliens or a dramatic romance fraught with conflict and love. In September 2012 Tyffani and a friend started SideStreet Publishing LLC. She lives in South Carolina with her family and her fluffy shii tzu-mix dog who things he’s a Saint Bernard.
FB: www.facebook.com/authorclarkkemp
Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6557179.Tyffani_Clark_Kemp
Website: www.tyffanickemp.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/moviestareyes
The Tarasphere 