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Please give a warm welcome to A.S Fenichel! She’s here to chat about her new release Ascension.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in five words or less.

[A.S.] Moody, tenacious and deeply empathetic.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about your book?

[A.S.] Ascension is the book of my heart. Not that I don’t love all my books, I do. I really do. But there is something about Ascension and The Demon Hunter series that sparks giddy excitement every time I think about it.

Here’s the description. Tell me what you think.

Ascension

The Demon Hunters, #1

When demons threaten London, Lady Belinda answers the call. 

Lord Gabriel Thurston returns home from war to find his fiancée is not the sweet young girl he left behind. She’s grown into a mysterious woman who guards her dark secrets well. When he sees her sneaking away from a ball, he’s convinced it’s for a lover’s rendezvous. Following her to London’s slums, Gabriel watches in horror as his fiancée ruthlessly slays a man. 

Lady Belinda Carlisle’s only concern was her dress for the next ball—until demons nearly killed her and changed everything. A lady by day, and a demon hunter by night, she knows where her duty lies. Ending her betrothal is the best way to protect Gabriel from death by a demon’s hand. 

Gabriel soon realizes, like him, Belinda has been fighting for her country. He joins in the fight, determined to show her that their love can endure, stronger than ever. 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[A.S.] Sometimes I get little snapshots of scenes in my head. That’s what happened with Ascension. I had a snapshot (a vision if you will) of a Regency debutant sneaking into a garden in the wee hours. She had six inches of mud at the bottom of her gown and her hair was hanging in a mess. From there the why and how and who just tumbled out.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

[A.S.] I love creating strong female characters and Belinda is fabulous. Writing her kept me in the moment even when life got in the way.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What gave you the most trouble with this story?

[A.S.] When I set out to write Ascension I wrote the first four or five chapters and hit a wall. I couldn’t figure out how to go forward. It was so much story and I admit to being intimidated by the task. One day I was out for a long walk and it HIT me. There was more than one book. I didn’t have to get everything into this one volume. I had time. After that it went much more smoothly.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had a theme song, what would it be?

[A.S.]

Can’t Go Wrong – Phillip Phillips

or

Nothing Is Easy – Jethro Tull

It depends on the day . ?

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing you won’t leave home without.

[A.S.] My iPhone

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name three things on your desk right now.

[A.S.] My iPhone, My date book opened to this week, A cup of coffee.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could trade places with anyone for just one day, who would you be?

[A.S.] Oh man… I’m pretty comfortable in my own skin. I might like to be a stupendous athlete for one day. Since it’s something I am soooo not. Maybe Mike Trout, Derek Jeter or Maria Sharapova.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are some books that you enjoyed recently?

[A.S.] I just finished Icing on the Cake by Karla Doyle. It was sweet and spicy. Ms. Doyle excels as witty banter and I love that.

I’m reading Beyond Pain by Kit Rocha. So far The Beyond series has been fresh, exciting and wonderfully touching.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[A.S.] I love to travel. My husband and I do as much as we can. We also love to cook and have friends over for dinner. We specialize in Italian cooking and even went to a cooking school in Tuscany for our honeymoon. I garden, not well, but I do it. We have a cat and a dog who take up a lot of my time. I’ve always had a cat in my life, but we recently adopted an older dog who needed and deserved a good home. I’ve never really thought of myself as a dog person, but I’m totally in love.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[A.S.] I absolutely love to chat with readers. Here are some ways to reach me via social media, but they can always email me at [email protected]

http://asfenichel.net/

http://asfenichel.net/blog/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5154640.A_S_Fenichel

https://twitter.com/asfenichel

https://www.facebook.com/A.S.Fenichel

https://plus.google.com/113195747154467378107/posts

http://pinterest.com/asfenichel/boards/

Ascension

The Demon Hunters # 1

By: A.S. Fenichel

Releasing October 6th, 2014

Lyrical Press / Kensington

Blurb

When demons threaten London, Lady Belinda answers the call. 

Lord Gabriel Thurston returns home from war to find his fiancée is not the sweet young girl he left behind. She’s grown into a mysterious woman who guards her dark secrets well. When he sees her sneaking away from a ball, he’s convinced it’s for a lover’s rendezvous. Following her to London’s slums, Gabriel watches in horror as his fiancée ruthlessly slays a man. 

Lady Belinda Carlisle’s only concern was her dress for the next ball—until demons nearly killed her and changed everything. A lady by day, and a demon hunter by night, she knows where her duty lies. Ending her betrothal is the best way to protect Gabriel from death by a demon’s hand. 

Gabriel soon realizes, like him, Belinda has been fighting for her country. He joins in the fight, determined to show her that their love can endure, stronger than ever.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/08/ascention-demon-hunters-1-by-as-fenichel.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22595242-ascension?from_search=true

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ascension-Demon-Hunters-S-Fenichel-ebook/dp/B00MMMGY2M/ref

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ascension-as-fenichel/1120138658?ean=9781616505592

Kensington: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/30949

Author Info

A.S. Fenichel gave up a successful career in New York City to follow her husband to Texas and pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She’s never looked back.

A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.

Multi-published in erotic paranormal, contemporary and historical romance, A.S. is the author of the Mayan Destiny series, Christmas Bliss and many more. With several books currently contracted to multiple publishers, A.S. will be bringing you her brand of romance for many years to come.

Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in the East Texas with her real life hero, her wonderful husband. When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, and puttering in her garden.

Author Links

Website: http://asfenichel.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/A.S.Fenichel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/asfenichel
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5154640.A_S_Fenichel

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Two (2) $10.00 Amazon or B&N Gift Cards)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Interview with A S Fenichel, Author of Ascension and Giveaway appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

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May Contain Spoilers

Review:

I wanted to like Marked by Hades better than I did.  I thought there were some pacing issues that hindered my enjoyment.  Maybe it’s because I couldn’t stand Pario, the evil villain of the piece.  Pario is a demon, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow Lucifer so the demons can have their merry way without his interference.  Pario believes that Yvonne knows the location of the weapons needed to overthrow the lord of Hell.  Yvonne has been banished from the underworld for helping Sadie, a Gatekeeper, escape after she was captured by the demons.  Yvonne has no memory of her other life, when she was Dyre, a demon.  The setup is a little complicated if you are jumping into the series blind, but the confusion doesn’t last long.  I was able to read this as a standalone without too much difficulty.

Yvonne wakes up on a bench in a park, naked and with no memories of her past.  She is helped by a nice stranger, but when she touches him, he turns to dust.  She quickly realizes that any living thing she touches is quickly reduced to dust, so she takes measures to avoid touching anyone again.  She wears leather clothing and never venturing out without her gloves.  She takes day jobs, hoping to earn enough money for a hotel room and to ease her unhappiness with a few stiff drinks.  When she meets Justin, her life teeters out of control.  Justin is the companion to the Gatekeeper of North America, and it’s their job to keep humanity safe from demons.

Justin  has been alive for centuries, and he’s become jaded with his existence.  He hasn’t found his fated mate, and isn’t even sure that he wants one.  He’s doing just fine by himself, killing any demons unwise enough to venture into his territory.  When he sees Yvonne turn a man who is trying to attack her to dust, he is intrigued. Who, and what, is this woman? And why does he feel so attracted to her?

The fun aspect of this story is how Justin fights against his fated mate.  Once he discovers that Yvonne was a demon, he has nothing but contempt for her.  He refuses to consider that she could have just been a victim of circumstance.  Becoming a demon is a choice, and he can’t forgive her for making it.  Yvonne really did the get the short end of the stick.  She was compelled to do the unthinkable to save her family, and was forced to watch as her sacrifice was in vain.  Once a demon, she longed for closeness and a connection with anyone or anything, a need that the other demons mocked her for.  After she helps the Gatekeeper escape, she is cursed to the worst fate possible.  She can’t get close to anything, because she’ll only turn it to dust!  What a crappy fate!

I did not enjoy most of the time Yvonne spent back in the underworld.  She is treated horribly, and it made me feel uncomfortable.  Worst of all, because she’s lost her memories again, she doesn’t realize how poorly she’s being treated, or that she’s being manipulated to help bring about Lucifer’s downfall.  I really wanted her as far away from Pario as she could possibly get.  Certain plot points felt a bit repetitive, too.  It seemed like most of the characters were kidnapped and held by the demons, at one point or another, so the suspense was not as strong as it should have been. 

Marked by Hades is a fast read, and despite some quibbles, it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon. 

Grade:  B-

Review copy provided by publisher

From Amazon:

One choice away from eternity… For 911 years, Gatekeeper companion Justin Bradford has denied the possibility of being mated to only one woman. He enjoys them all too much to settle down. So when he feels his mate’s Ahavah mark surface, his first instinct is to ignore it. But when he sees the leather-clad beauty in need of his help that’s easier said than done…

Yvonne wakes up naked on a cold park bench in a small town with no memory of who—or what—she is. All she knows is the gentle man who woke her was turned to dust when she touched him. And now the strange mark that appeared on her shoulder throbs in the presence of the raven-haired man now offering to help her…

As Justin and Yvonne navigate the mystery of her past, their bond grows, but the secrets they discover and the sacrifices that must be made could be enough to rip them apart for eternity.

The post Review: Marked by Hades by Reese Monroe appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

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Title: Demon Love Spell V 1 Author:  Mayu Shinjo

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Mayu Shinjo’s works.  Her titles usually feature a douche bag uber alpha hero and a timid, naïve heroine.  I usually don’t enjoy reading stories where the hero treats the heroine, his supposed love interest, like crap.  That’s one of the problems I have with Black Bird, though I find myself helplessly flipping through whatever new volumes happen to end up in my hands.  I don’t want to like it, but I do.  Ugh!  Demon Love Spell reminds me a lot of Black Bird, so if you are a fan of Kanoko Sakurakoji, you might want to give this series a try.

Miko is a shrine maiden, and while everyone else in her family can see spirits, she can’t sense them at all.  Disappointed in herself because she has no sixth sense, she nonetheless studied hard to recognize and banish demons.  So while she is familiar with their characteristics and their powers, she can’t see them, which makes carrying on the family tradition unlikely.  Still, she has hopes and she is dedicated to both the shrine and her family legacy.

When an incubus begins to prey on girls at her high school, a moment of high emotion gives her the strength to seal his powers and confine him into an itty-bitty demon form.  Once the most powerful demon, Kagura is now helpless against stronger demons, and he can’t revert back to his former self, a tall, stunningly gorgeous young man who knocks the ladies dead.  He is a sitting duck, and so is Miko.  Since she was powerful enough to seal away Kagura’s powers, all the demons want to kill him and eat Miko to gain her strength.  Eek!  She can’t even see her enemies unless she is holding chibi Kagura!  How can she defend herself against a bunch of big, bad, ugly monsters?  To make matters worse, she can’t remember which spell she used to seal away his powers, so she can’t change Kagura back to his powerful self.  She isn’t even sure that she wants to; he’ll just go back to preying on innocent women and stealing their life essences, anyway!

Kagura can enter Miko’s dreams when she’s asleep, so he steals into them and seduces her in order to gain back some of his strength.  Miko can’t remember a thing in the morning, but she feels a burning sense of embarrassment, and she’s exhausted.  Like she was up all night long.  Which she was, in her dreams, romping around with Kagura.  She begins to question why she is forming an emotional attachment to the perverted demon, and wonders if he has cast a demon love spell over her.  She doesn’t trust him, but she can’t stop her growing feelings for him.

I enjoyed this introduction to the series.  It’s a fast read, it’s brainless, and it’s fun.  Despite some awkward proportions, Mayu Shinjo’s art is attractive, and her guys are hot, hot, hot.  The characters are engaging, and though the plot is predictable, I found a lot to like in the first volume of Demon Love Spell, and I will follow the series for at least a few volumes to see how things work out for Miko and sex obsessed Kagura.

Grade:  B

Review copy provided by publisher

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4 Star The Templar Chronicles, Book 1: Jack Templar Monster Hunter Jeff Gunhus 184 Pages    Ages 8 to 12 …………………….. Back Cover: If you have this book in your hands, I assume you are already a monster hunter or in training to become one. I hope my story helps you in the many fights ahead. However, [...]

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Jill Archer is the author of Dark Light of Day, an urban fantasy about a law student who is training to represent demons.  I think the premise is brilliant!  I don’t know what’s scarier – lawyers or demons! (Just kidding!)  Jill dropped by the virtual offices to introduce herself and to chat about her new book.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Jill Archer] Eclectic night owl who loves Sour Patch kids, Twizzlers, organic salads, Vitamix smoothies, my Keurig coffee brewer, wine, books and movies.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The Dark Light of Day?

[Jill Archer] In a nutshell, Dark Light of Day is about Noon Onyx, a first year law student who is being trained to represent demons. But the story’s as much about Noon’s magical and romantic struggles as it is about her academic ones. I should also mention that, even though the book is considered "urban fantasy," the setting is not contemporary. The story mostly takes place in New Babylon, a city with a circa 1900′s technology level that was built on top of the ancient battlefield of Armageddon in a country called Halja.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Jill Archer] Noon Onyx is very loosely inspired by the librarian Evelyn "Evie" Carnahan from the movie, The Mummy.

I used to be a lawyer. A few years ago, I was at a writer’s group event and sat next to a librarian during one of the lunches. We each commiserated with the other about how dull we felt our day jobs were, a feeling each of us couldn’t believe the other had. It led to a discussion about Evie’s character and I got the idea to see if I could somehow create a similarly bookish lawyer character who lived in some sort of "otherworld."

Around the same time, I came across my old copy of Scott Turow’s ONE L ("the turbulent true story of a first year at Harvard Law School") and thought, "Hey, how cool would it be to write a story about a first year law student who is being trained to represent demons?"

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?

[Jill Archer] Weaving together the sub-plots. Dark Light of Day has fantasy, romance, and mystery elements. I tried to tie the sub-plots together with common themes, motifs, and/or plot nexuses.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Noon?

[Jill Archer] Strong, smart, and kind

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Ari would never have in his pocket?

[Jill Archer] A cell phone, a match, and a flower. (No boutonnieres for Ari either!)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Noon’s single most prized possession?

[Jill Archer] Despite her privileged background, Noon’s not that into material possessions. She does love her collection of high necked sweaters, cloaks, and wraps though because they allow her to hide the telltale "demon mark" of a waning magic user.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Jill Archer] My love of nature, forests, and flowers helped me to create two of the main types of magic in the book: waning magic, the dark, destructive, fiery magic that’s used to control demons, and waxing magic, the soft, creative, nurturing magic that’s used to grow gardens and heal people. The idea evolved from my fascination with the duality of nature’s forces (forest fires versus summer blooms, tsunamis versus spring rains).

Other creative influences: demons and deities from around the world, Christian mythology, pagan holidays, even legal concepts. I played fast and loose with all of them. I tried to be respectful of my sources, while at the same time staying true to my primary goal, which was to write an entertaining story. I thought it would be interesting to create a world within which the traditional sides of bad and good were more muddied than they are in our world.

I’ve also been influenced by other authors. I admire writers such as Lois McMaster Bujold, S.M. Stirling, Colleen McCullough, Naomi Novik, and Elizabeth Peters. I would never, and could never, emulate their style, but just reading their work and knowing there are writers out there writing such fantastic novels influences me to put out the best work that I can. When I read the work of someone I admire, it’s an invigorating feeling!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Jill Archer] An idea, a computer, and coffee.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Jill Archer] The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan. Last summer, I attended a writer’s workshop presented by him and Simone Elkeles. It was tearfully funny, but the point is the moment David described that book, I knew I would like it. I left the session and went straight to the temporary bookstore that had been set up in the hotel for the conference and bought it. When I finally read it, I didn’t just like it — I loved it.

I love that the story is told out of order. I love that it’s not told in chapters but in dictionary entries like "kerfuffle" and "cocksure." I love its ending, its humor, and its honesty. But most of all, I love how the reader has to work a little to get it. It’s not a story that’s spoon fed to you. And yet, it’s very light and easy to digest. You can read it in a night if you want or easily before bed over the course of a few. It was in my TBR pile for a year, but it was worth the wait.

If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien. My fourth grade teacher read it aloud to the class that year and I was hooked from that point on. What a story! I just read it to my kids this past year and then we all watched the movie. So fun!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Jill Archer] I like to hike and bike, although I don’t have as much time to do those things as I would like. Of course, I love to read. I also love to watch movies and, occasionally, TV (I’ve been known to go on a streaming binge if I find a series I particularly like). I love to hang out with friends and family. We take a lot of day trips. My husband is a recreational pilot and we have a small Cessna that we fly around in on the weekends.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Jill Archer] I have a website and blog through WordPress, which people can find at www.jillarcher.com. I blog about books, movies, interesting people I’ve met, day tripping in our little Cessna, and miscellaneous things I find interesting. Although it’s time consuming, I enjoy blogging. I like to write shorter pieces on a variety of topics just to keep things fresh and I love connecting with other people who have blogs on subjects that interest me. Recently, I experimented with a summer romance guest blog series and that’s been tons of fun! I’m also on Twitter (@archer_jill) and Facebook.

I appreciate your interest in Noon Onyx and Dark Light of Day. Thank you, Julie, for interviewing me for Manga Maniac Cafe. Best wishes and happy reading to you and your readers!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

Dark Light of Day can be pre-ordered from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below:

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Cover Shot! is a regular feature here at the Café. I love discovering new covers, and when I find them, I like to share. More than anything else, I am consumed with the mystery that each new discovery represents. There is an allure to a beautiful cover. Will the story contained under the pages live up to promise of the gorgeous cover art?

Bloomsbury revealed the cover for Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black yesterday.  I like the how the lack of background distractions draws your eye to the model and her weird, red, flower petal imploding costume.  At least, I think they are flower petals.  The book sounds interesting, so I’m curious about whether or not it will live up to my expectations, which are, admittedly, high.  Are you looking forward to Dance of Shadows?

In stores December 2012.

    

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Ryan Inzana is an artist and author.  His latest release, the graphic novel Ichiro, hits stores next week.  Ryan stopped by the virtual offices to talk about his new book, so read on to see what he has to say about Ichiro.

[Manga Maniac Café] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Ryan Inzana] I am an illustrator, writer and comic artist.

[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about Ichiro?

[Ryan Inzana] It is a graphic novel about a boy’s adventure through a mythological world. Along the way, the protagonist, whose name is Ichiro, deals with issues of cultural identity, war, history and loss. And monsters, there is an abundance of monsters.

[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the book?

[Ryan Inzana] The first seeds of the book were planted on a trip I took to the Peace Park museum in Hiroshima, Japan. I was there with my wife and her family, who are originally from the area.  It is at once both disturbing and enlightening to visit the museum. Not only do you find out about the atom bomb and its effect, but you learn the history of World War II as told from the perspective of the Japanese.

When most Americans think of Japan and World War II, they immediately think of Pearl Harbor. The history most school children learn in the United States labels Japan as the aggressor and America as the victim that begrudgingly enters the fray only after being attacked. But in front of me in Hiroshima history told a very different story, the roles of aggressor and victim seemed to be vastly less defined. Most importantly, the museum gives you the stories of the average people that were killed in the blast, not some faceless enemy, but ordinary people. History in general and war in particular are a lot less black and white than some make it out to be.

I wondered, how would I explain this all to my son, that long ago the country where his father was born fought a war against the country where his mother was born. That scores of people died and that both sides had good intentions and bad intentions but most of them wished the war would simply just end. That now America and Japan are friends and the world is ok? There are still scars. I left the museum and looked up at all these modern buildings that stand in today’s Hiroshima City. For the first time, I gave some thought as to why Japan’s cities look so new and futuristic, it’s because the old buildings were bombed into rubble during World War II so they had to rebuild.

The experience made me feel conflicted, but it also made me curious. I started talking to people, reading books, doing research. This all led me to think more broadly about war and humanity. One aspect that really interested me in my research was the role that Shintoism and Japanese mythology played in World War II. There is a notion, not just in World War II Japan but probably in every country that has ever engaged in large scale combat, that God (or Gods, as the case maybe) not only supports war, but has a stake in it and has bet on the fill-in-the-blank country to win it all. I thought to myself, if the Gods are so pro-war, maybe they are fighting amongst themselves. And so I imagined an epic mythological battle going on in the heavens that mirrored the real world conflict that is going on today.

The character of Ichiro really came out of the "how would I tell my son about this" thought that I had. The mythological characters in the book are in part based on their descriptions in the Kojiki, which is Shinto scripture. Also ukiyo-e prints, Japanese handscrolls and screen pain

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Hildie McQueen is the author of Desperate Betrayal, a paranormal romance that kicks off her Protectors series.  Hildie stopped by the virtual offices to chat about her book and her writing.

[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about yourself?

[Hildie McQueen] I’ve been described as a party on wheels, because I’m loud and boisterous. Let’s see, I’m a woman that blossomed at forty, I took matters in hand and began doing what I’ve always wanted to do. I got married, got a tattoo, began to write and enjoy life to the fullest. I live in the sunny south with my wonderful handsome husband, two Chihuahuas and a cat that has some kind of affliction because he acts like he’s never seen me, every single day.

I write mostly paranormal, although, I’m toying with the idea of writing contemporary and I have a western historical in the works. Yet, paranormal is my first love.

[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about your book, Desperate Betrayal?

[Hildie McQueen] It’s a story about a guy, who happens to be an immortal demon slayer, and a girl, who is half demon. It’s a story of how these two meet in the midst of a terrible event in her life. How she is faced with a decision of whether or not to betray him in order to save her sister’s life. Desperate Betrayal is a fast paced emotional roller coaster that will have the reader cheering for Cyn and Emma’s relationship to the very last page.

[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Hildie McQueen] Now this is a difficult question for me, but I suppose I began to think about a story with a powerful alpha male with a soft side, a double life and how he’d cope. Cyn became this man; I made him immortal and a warrior then added the element of being a single parent. Emma, on the other hand, I created around whom I thought would make a good heroine for him.

[Manga Maniac Café] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?

[Hildie McQueen] Without a doubt, the fight scenes — keeping them realistic and ensuring specific moves and motions could actually be done by a fighter. My husband helped me with them and since he reads a lot of fantasy. Thankfully he guided me through some of them.

[Manga Maniac Café] What are three things Emma would never have in her purse?

[Hildie McQueen] Wow this is an interesting question. Emma is a headstrong no-nonsense kind of girl, so she’d have the bare essentials in her purse. So I don’t think she’d have things like hand creams, jewelry or any type of snacks.

[Manga Maniac Café] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Hildie McQueen] I will have to say Jane Austen, I know it sounds cliché but her writing amazes me, her style is simple yet so engaging at the same time. On a more modern front, J.R. Ward is one of my greatest influences.

[Manga Maniac Café] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Hildie McQueen] A Car. Driving, it’s where my characters figuratively sit in the passenger seat and talk to me.

Music. I listen to country music when I write, love the stories in the songs.

Friends. Some of my best ideas come from conversations with my crazy friends.

[Manga Maniac Café] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Hildie McQueen] Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell, I read it over and over as a kid. What a great story.

[Manga Maniac Café] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Hildie McQueen] I love to read, I read almost every night. I also have an open home, people are always d

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I’m super excited to have author Suzanne Warr on my blog today with a little chat about demons, and a free story too! Enjoy!

I try to get cozy with my demons. Not just the kind I keep around my house so they can answer my questions about demon anatomy and what a demon would really do if the daily sacrifices dried up—this last question isn’t something I like to dwell on, given the vagaries of a writer’s finances!—no, I like to keep my other demons close, too. The ones that wake me in the night with haunting dreams, and create instant tension between me and anyone unfortunate enough to tweak the demon’s tail. Emotional demons. They may not make your life comfortable, but they’re your best friend if you’re a writer.

Of course, I like to tap into laughter, innocence and hope as well, but they’re much easier to get to know. And they’re easier to see when I’ve woven them into a story with plenty of primal emotion that taps into my darkest fears. October is a great month for that kind of story. When else can you find side-by-side jolly orange pumpkins and flickering jack-o-lanterns? Delighted kids in costumes, and blood-streaked faces of decay? Not to mention glistening spider webs, spun from sunshine, and the twisted, alien presence of the spider himself, waiting in his web. This bit of spidery flash fiction was originally published in AlienSkin magazine, but has long since been out of print. Enjoy!

 

Never Alone

by Suzanne Warr

 

Timmy lay very still, holding his Spiderman in a soft embrace. He concentrated on breathing. In . . . and out. Around him loomed the shadows of a home i.v., oxogen tank, and medicine bottles.

Timmy rolled his eyes to the right and saw It just above his pillow, dangling from a web.

He caught his breath–but It came no closer. He let his breath out, and It swayed. Its legs fluttered like the frayed edges of a web, but he knew it was no web. He could feel Its uncanny intelligence at the edge of his thoughts.

Timmy’s voice was soft as a sigh. “Who are you?”

The answer came back in his mind.

I am a ghost spider.

“Did you come for my soul?”

The spider curled its legs in and out, like someone scratching their head.

I do not guide you to your God. I am a creature of this world. I come not to take your whole soul, but to taste it.

Timmy gripped his Spiderman doll, his fingers squeezing into the stuffing. “Why would you want to taste me?” he asked. “I’m sick—I probably taste really bad!”

Every flavor is unique. Taking just a taste will not hurt you. Wait.

Timmy felt a little pinch, then smelt a whiff of toasted cheese.

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I had a lot of fun writing my second YA book DEMON WHISPERER.   It’s plum full of interesting characters and crazy situations. One of my favourite characters is Uncle Eldon.  He’s so evil and creepy, that he gets to do all kinds of bad things that heroes should never do, which was why it was so much fun to write.  Soemtimes authors just want to be bad, and creating these kind of characters is our way of acting out without having to suffer the consequences.  Here’s an excerpt of when Caden first meets Uncle Eldon….

Trying not to take in a deep breath, I stepped down into the hole in the floor.  I inched down rung by rung until my feet hit hard packed earth.  Happy that I managed to not fall, I glanced around checking out the situation.

A soft warm glow came from the far side of the room.  I walked toward it, completely aware of the old saying—a moth to a flame.  And we all knew what happened to the stupid moth.  Engulfed in flames and burnt to a crisp.  That happy thought kept my legs from moving too fast.

After a few more feet, everything came into view.  And I nearly swallowed my tongue in surprise.  This was nothing of what I was expecting.  I couldn’t even have dreamt up this situation.  And I’d been to hell.

Aspen was leaning against an old bookcase, crammed full of books of every size.  Some books laid strewn across the dirt floor, their pages creased or ripped.  In the middle of the room, if you could call it that, was an old worn easy chair.One of those that with a lift of a lever a person could be transported to paradise.  In front of the chair, sitting on a wooden crate was an old TV in an oversized wooden frame like they used to make in the 70’s.  Some sitcom was flickering on the screen.

And standing in front of the chair was an old man.  Or at least I thought he was old.  His back was bent a bit, with a slight hump behind the shoulders.  And his hair was thin, wispy and gray, barely enough to cover his bald pate.  He was grinning like a maniac at me and that’s how I was able to count how many teeth he had in his head.  Four.  All of them brown with rot.

“You brought me a visitor,” he said, his words slurred, his voice as brittle and rough as sandpaper.  I shuddered.  It was like nails on a chalkboard as he talked.

He shuffled a few steps toward me.  That was when I noticed his right ankle had a wide metal cuff around it, and attached to that cuff was a thick chain, and that chain seemed to be connected to a hook in the floor.

I glanced in confusion at Aspen.  She didn’t meet my gaze but instead ripped open the package of steak she’d been holding.  She tossed it to the old man.  “Here’s dinner.”

He caught it deftly then tore into it without fanfare.  I wanted to look away as he ripped and shredded the meat with his four teeth but I was too mesmerized by the grotesque spectacle.  I’d been to hell so I’d see worse, much worse.  But on this plane, in his realm, shit like this just wasn’t supposed to occur.  Humans were supposedly civilized.  Weren’t we?

She held up the other steak and pointed to the legs of lamb I was still holding.  “There’s a midnight snack, and breakfast and lunch for tomorrow.”

The old man shoved the last bloody morsel into his mouth, and then wiped his dirty fingers onto his filthy pants.  “You want something from me.  You never bring me this much at one time.”

She grabbed the lamb from me, and then took it and the package of steak toward a small white freezer I hadn’t seen on first inspection.  She opened the lid and dropped the meat into it.

“We need information.”

He grinned again, licking his flaking lips.  “Really?How interesting.”  He turned toward m

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Title: No Proper Lady Author: Isabel Cooper Publisher: Sourcebooks ISBN: 978-1402259524

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

I was originally attracted to this book by the gorgeous cover.  A quick scan of the synopsis heightened my interest in No Proper Lady.  Terminator meets My Fair Lady?  Heck, yeah, I’ll take that bet!  I eagerly dove into the story, and I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.  The plot is unique, the setting is intriguing, and I liked both leads.  I can hardly wait for Isabel Cooper’s next book!

Joan is a fighter, and she is one tough chick.  In a last ditch effort to save humanity, she is sent back in time to assassinate the man responsible for the fall of the human race.  Leaving behind everything she has known, and more importantly, everyone that she loves, Joan’s ticket to the past is irrevocably one-way.  She can never go back to be with her family and her friends.  If she fails her mission, she dooms them to death and destruction.  Joan has survived the horrors of her world, and when she arrives in Simon’s, she is taken aback by the beauty and quiet of his world.  Of the future she and her people were robbed of.   The stakes are high in this game of hers, and Joan isn’t about to fail.  For her, failure is simply not an option.

Simon is having a troubling time himself.  His former best friend has betrayed him.  His sister was almost lost to him, a vessel for a demon.  He frets about how he will keep Eleanor safe, and he worries about how far Alex will let his dark arts sway him.  House parties and genteel manners no longer seem important to the English nobleman; everything that he holds dear is now at risk of being sucked into a darkness so evil there will be no escape for any of them.  When Joan’s time travel spell poofs her in front of Simon, he suddenly has an ally and someone who might just understand how urgently Alex needs to be stopped in his tracks.

I love time travel stories, and this one is a good one.  Joan makes a huge sacrifice to make her journey back in time, and Simon, though slightly skeptical of how awful the situation in the future truly is, readily makes enormous sacrifices as well. 

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone
by Laini Taylor

Karou is an art student living in Prague. But unknown to her friends, she has a secret life as foster-daughter and errand-runner for a demon. Karou grew up in the shop of a chimera named Brimstone, who collects teeth (for what purpose, Karou doesn't know) and pays for them with wishes. But Karou doesn't know who she is, really. There is an emptiness inside her that makes her feel that there should be something more. Until she meets the angel, and he tries to kill her.

Anyone who thinks that YA fiction is easy to write should read Laini Taylor's books. Taylor has obviously worked hard to perfect her craft, and it shows in every word, every metaphor. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is her best book yet: a magnificently written story in every way. The mystery of who Karou really is, and what's really going on, is compelling, and draws you in as it gradually teases out the reveals.

There is romance—oh, yes, such a romance—but there is also so much more than that. War, and the way that war corrupts all the participants, is a major theme of the book. Daughter of Smoke and Bone shows all too clearly the devastating consequences of war, and the way that each side vilifies the other to justify its own position. This is a book that I think will appeal to teens and adults of both genders.

I hope I won't be spoiling anything to warn that the book ends on a cliffhanger. I didn't realize that it wasn't a standalone book until I got close to the end of the book, and I started realizing that things weren't going to wrap up in time.

Buy Daughter of Smoke and Bone from:
Amazon.com
Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound
Barnes & Noble

FTC required disclosure: Reviewed from ARC. Review copy provided by the publisher to enable me to write this review. The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

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Bridget Liu is just a typical teen -- when she's not banishing demons, that is. As if hearing the voices of hellspawn isn't bad enough, her mysterious new powers appeared not long after her father's brutal murder. All Bridget wants is to reclaim her normal life, one without exorcisms or murder trials, visits from the Vatican or annoyingly persistent sons of the local police sergeant. Unfortunately for Bridget, that's not going to happen anytime soon -- because the forces of Hell have a message for her, and they'll stop at nothing till she heeds their call.

In Possess, debut author Gretchen McNeil blends ancient legend with unearthly horror to create a striking demonic mythology -- a fresh look at the other side of the angel coin. Bridget's adventures in exorcism are spine-tingling, and every chilling encounter will leave readers trembling -- especially the particularly hair-raising scene in a doll shop (shudder). Her strange new powers and a string of unnerving warnings from demonic messengers give the novel a streak of mystery, and readers will eagerly piece together the puzzle -- trying to stay one step ahead of Bridget as she learns the truth about the legions of Hell.

Bridget is an admirably independent heroine, determined to fight her own battles and carry her own crosses. Though she's more than a little damaged by the loss of her father and the discovery of her alarming new abilities, her flaws give her an honest, raw edge that will resonate with readers. Many of her relationships are rough around the edges, but the mutual adoration between Bridget and her little brother Sammy jumps off the page. Bridget is like a mother to Sammy, and her never-ending patience with his 8-year-old antics is endearing -- showing a softer side to balance her usual tough-as-nails veneer. Bridget tends to be one of the guys, and I would have loved to see more attention given to her best friend Hector, who is the perfect storm of sass and snark and insecurity.

This paranormal horror story is part murder mystery, part romance -- but unfortunately, the romance falls a little flat. Matt is a nice enough guy, if a little cliche -- the All-American, popular jock who falls for the school outsider. Yet, his constant "caretaker" attitude is cringe-inducing, especially since Bridget can clearly hold her own (probably better than Matt can). The fact that Bridget finds his overbearing behavior appealing is rather disappointing after her robust determination to remain a lone wolf. If ever there was a heroine who didn't need a hero, it's Bridget Liu. There is something not quite right about Matt -- but only time will tell if this is intentional foreshadowing by the author, or just a lackluster love interest.

Possess is a dark and edgy paranormal thriller, and McNeil doesn't shy away from creepy blood rituals or crazed demonic victims. There are clearly unknown depths to explore in this eerie new world, and readers will be eager for more of its infernal history and lore.

Rating: 

Disclosure: I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.

This novel hits shelves today! Click here to purchase Possess by Gretchen McNeil.

Part of the 8 Comments on Review: Possess by Gretchen McNeil, last added: 8/25/2011