Author Interview with Aella Black


Day: What literary pilgrimages have you gone on? For Example, Hemingway’s house.


Aella: I’ve been to Concord, Massachusetts, home of Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Alcott house is worth going to see! My dream literary pilgrimage is to England to do a Jane Austen tour, as well as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien in Oxford.


Day: If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?


Aella: I feel fortunate to have already lived on four continents, and I often “write what I know.” But I’d love to live in Scotland and perhaps use the Isle of Skye for the setting for a novel.


Day: Picture this: You feel uninspired while you have sat at the computer for an hour without conquering any words. How do you get your creativity flowing?


Aella: I’d take my dog for a walk. Getting out in nature is a necessity for me.


Day: Are you a plotter or a Pantser?

Aella: Both when necessary, but primarily a Pantser.


Day: What is your most unusual writing quirk?


Aella: Writing while pedaling on my desk bike. Not sure if that’s a quirk, but it’s unusual.


Day: What is your favorite genre to read, and why?

Aella: Honestly, my mood changes from week to week. Romance is a favorite, but I also love fantasy, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and historical fiction. And all of those with at least a romance sub-plot.


Day: Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?


Aella: Both. I always like to bring “something new to the table,” but I also understand the value of writing to market and the popularity of tropes.


Day: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?


Aella: Write, even when you think you don’t have time. Make time. You have so many stories to be told, and sometimes the window to tell those stories closes and won’t reopen. Tell them now.


Day: What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?


Aella: ProWritingAid (editing software) and Vellum (formatting software)


Day: As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?


Aella: A dog, maybe? Niko (my dearly departed German shepherd) and Travis Barker (my current senior rescue) have been the best writing buds anyone could ask for, so they deserve mascot status.


Day: How many published and finished books/Vellas do you have?


Aella: 4 published books (a trilogy & a novella), and 1 finished Vella (3 incomplete)


Day: What does literary success look like to you?


Aella: New York Times best-seller list. Seeing my books in a brick-and-mortar bookstore. I’m not there (yet).


Day: What’s the best way to market your books?


Aella: Social Media, newsletter promos, and paid advertising


Day: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

Aella: I generally research as I go. Often it’s setting or job particulars.


Day: How many hours a day do you write?


Aella: Not nearly enough. I have a full-time job, so 1-2 hours maximum.


Day: Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Aella: No, but great idea!


Day: What was your most harrowing scene to write?


Aella: The novella I wrote called “Midnight Mayhem” takes place during a terrorist attack in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Because that’s very much the reality we live in and could happen anywhere at any time, it was difficult to write.


Day: What is your favorite time to write, and why?


Aella: I write best first thing in the morning, with a good cup of coffee (and preferably a
tasty pastry).


Day: Do you feel like it’s most important to have A) Strong characters B) Mind-blowing Plot twists, or C) Epic settings Strong, interesting characters

Aella: Strong, interesting characters.


Day: Can you give a shout-out to a fellow author?


Aella: Yes, my writing sprint partner is Rhonda Hopkins, who has a fantastic YA paranormal cozy mystery series called the “Witches of Whispering Pines.” She and I will be co-writing a YA series, “The Gemini Prophecy” next year!


Aella’s Top 3 Vellas are:


Break Every Chain

High school senior Maverick Mason has what every guy his age wants: the girl, the grades, the god-like status. Amira Abbasi is the same age and lives in the same town, but her reality couldn’t be more different. In fact, no one outside her household knows she exists. A chance encounter may change that–will it make a difference if her fate has already been sealed?

Christmas Cruise on the Danube (Under a pen name-Selah Beckham)

Single and orphaned at thirty, Evie Broussard is afraid the holidays will never be the same. And they won’t–but that doesn’t mean she can’t start new traditions. A last-minute trip to see Christmas markets in Europe might be just what she needs. Only Evie finds things aren’t quite what she expected. Then again, nothing could have prepared her for Keller Kendrix and his crew.


Point Break (Under a pen name-Selah Beckham)

Kaden James is one surf competition from going pro when disaster strikes. Then his fiance throws salt in the open wound. With a battered body and broken heart, he may have given up, but his friends haven’t given up on him. Dakota Eriksen is just what the doctor ordered–quite literally. She has a strict hands-off policy with her PT patients, except when hands are required to do her job. Since Kaden wants nothing to do with her–or her hands–it should be easy to steer clear. Or is it?


Aella’s Top 3 Books are: (all available free with Kindle Unlimited):

Lock Down

My superpower? I can’t die. You can imagine how much it hurts when they test that out…

Phoebe Atkinson has always felt different, but in the typical angsty way most teenagers do. She had no idea just how different until that fateful day she died—and then came back to life.

It appears that sort of thing is frowned upon because Phoebe awakens to find herself locked up in Leavenworth, a notorious prison that now holds teens with supernatural abilities.

Behind bars, some are welcoming and others are… not. One group in particular seems determined to make the lives of Phoebe and her new friends as miserable as possible.

Although Phoebe’s life before being imprisoned was far from perfect, she wants it back. And she will… if they don’t find a way to kill her first.

Regardless, she’s no longer going to stand by and be the rule-follower she’s always been.

Look where that got her.


Power Up

Out of the frying pan into the fire…


Break Out

Everyone has their breaking point…


You can find Aella at: Facebook, Instagram, Website, and Tictoc.

Author Interview With Valerie Claussen

  1. Day: What literary pilgrimages have you gone on? For Example, Hemingway’s house.

Valerie: I’ve never gone on any but would like to someday. My travel focus is visiting ancestry sites and bucket list places.

  1. Day: If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

Valerie: I would choose Ireland. That’s actually something I hope to do one day but for a few months.

  1. Day: Picture this: You feel uninspired while you have sat at the computer for an hour without conquering any words. How do you get your creativity flowing?

Valerie: Getting up and moving around helps, taking a relaxing shower or browsing images on the subject helps a lot. 

  1. Day: Are you a plotter or a Pantser?

Valerie: I’m a bit of both. I write out all my ideas (brainstorm), make a brief outline, and dive into writing.

  1. Day: What is your most unusual writing quirk?

Valerie: I think my biggest quirk is that I always need to be writing two polar opposite stories at once. If I start a sweet fantasy, I’ll also work on something dark and dramatic.

  1. Day: What is your favorite genre to read, and why?

Valerie: Fantasy is my favorite genre because it encompasses so many types of stories and can take place in both the real world (urban fantasy) or a completely new universe.

  1. Day: Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Valerie: I enjoy hearing readers’ feedback, but I’ll always write what I think best suits my original stories. Sometimes that works out and gives them exactly what they want, sometimes, it’s a pleasant surprise.

  1. Day: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Valerie: I would tell her to not be afraid to share her work. I waited far too long to allow my first novel to be published.

  1. Day: What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

Valerie: Probably writing software was the best money I’ve spent on anything directly related to writing.

  1. Day: As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

Valerie: That’s an interesting question. I’d probably say a free-spirited dolphin that likes to travel between different oceans, as I like to write in different genres.

  1. Day: How many published and finished books/Vellas do you have?

Valerie: I believe I have around eighteen at the moment.

  1. Day: What does literary success look like to you?

Valerie: It means my stories have made a positive effect on my readers, whether by inspiration or pure entertainment.

  1. Day: What’s the best way to market your books?

Valerie: That’s something I’m still learning. Social media has helped find the most readers. I’m currently looking into having someone manage my Facebook page so I can spend more time on writing and less on self-promotion.

  1. Day: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

Valerie: That entirely depends on the book. I can spend a few days or a few hours before starting to write, but I’ve also done research after a story is in progress. The internet is a wonderful thing to be able to use anytime I need to fact-check.

  1. Day: How many hours a day do you write?

Valerie: That also depends. I can write anywhere from a couple of hours to eight.

  1. Day: Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

      Valerie: I love placing secrets and little Easter eggs in my stories. It tickles me when a reader finds me on social media and messages me about them.

  1. Day: What was your most harrowing scene to write?

Valerie: I can’t share the detail because it’s a heavy spoiler, but in my fantasy novel, Sustain, there’s a scene where the protagonist has to do something extremely painful and self-sacrificing for the greater good. I needed a tissue box beside me to write it, even though I knew what was happening.

  1. Day: What is your favorite time to write, and why?

Valerie: I’m content with writing any time of the day, but I seem to power through more late at night. Maybe it’s because I’m a bit of a night owl.

  1. Day: Do you feel like it’s most important to have A) Strong characters B) Mind-blowing Plot twists, or C) Epic settings?

Valerie: My primary focus has always been the characters. When they’re the top priority, everything else falls into place.

  1. Day: Can you give a shout-out to a fellow author?

Valerie: Melody Moss is an outstanding dark fiction writer who is getting her feet wet but has great potential. https://www.amazon.com/Melody-Moss/e/B0B99BLNSD

Valerie’s top three Kindle Vella stories are:

The Experiment 

 What would you do for a quarter of a million dollars? A group of eight surrender control of their lives to participate in a social experiment with rising stakes and unforeseen challenges. Their only significant decisions are the doors they unlock to an unknown space. Join Cora as she embarks on a fun, sweet, and romantic adventure of a lifetime with rising tension, frustration, limited privacy, and desire.

Outside the Lamp 

At seventeen years old, what Avalie wants most in the world is to be with Albert. However, his father has other plans for him. To keep them apart, he imprisons the genie in a lamp. By chance, the magical object eventually finds a kindhearted human named Elijah. Together, they begin a quest in a modern world to help Avalie find Albert, let her people know of Albert’s father’s treachery, and search for someone to be Elijah’s forever love.

Lakeside 

A young woman returns to a small, remote lakeside town to spend the summer before her senior year with her estranged father. She encounters a menacing doppelganger, sparking memories, and the dark secrets of her forgotten past begin to unravel. She realizes that sometimes it’s better to forget.

Valerie’s top three novels currently are:

Sustain 

A time long past—humans were defenseless and kept at the mercy of powerful beings who controlled their world through natural magic. Sustain is a fantastical tale that follows the lives of the most influential Kastelian family of that age.

Cole, the eldest of three handsome sons, was a strong, arrogant man born into privilege, power and hatred. Raised by his merciless father—a self-proclaimed king—Cole and his brothers were key players in his father’s plan to annihilate their adversaries.

The family’s loyalty is tested when Cole brings a mysterious stranger named Arna into their lives. With this new addition to their world—danger follows her—as secrets unfurl around them.

Can Cole learn to distinguish between good and evil, despite his upbringing? Will he defend or destroy the ones he cares about the most?

At its core, Sustain is a story of growth, courage, sacrifice and extraordinary love.

Heirdom 

Alice always believed her life was ordinary. She’s devoted, a good girl who has always done what was right. Until the day she inherited a mysterious family heirloom from a father she never knew. An heirloom that is the key to unleashing the unfathomable magical properties hidden within Alice’s blood. Powers she knew nothing about and can scarcely comprehend. With the appearance of two strangers claiming to be warlocks, the unravelling of years-old secrets and misrepresented bloodlines begins.
Luke will stop at nothing to gain the right to rule, even if it means manipulating Alice and her newfound powers for his own gain. The only thing stopping him from achieving his throne is the one thing with which his powers cannot seem to help. He must learn to love.
Dimitri would do anything for Alice. He owes a debt to her family that can never be repaid, but falling for Alice was not how he planned to repay it.
Can Alice come to terms with who she has become? Will she learn who to trust before it is too late?
Heirdom is a fantastical tale steeped in magic and action. At its core, it is a story of discovering love, the value of friendship, and the sacrifices people make for those they care about.

“It feels like he’s always in my head, whether he’s speaking to me or not, just sitting in the shadows of my mind, silently watching me.”

“There were so many layers to him. I wondered if the ones that stirred madness would someday consume those that sought to be good.”

The Curse of Allston Manor 

Lillian longs to see the world. Instead of soaking in incredible sights, learning different cultures, and eating delicious food, she gets shunted off every summer while her parents travel without her. When someone she thought she could trust kindles a rumor about Lillian, it spreads like wildfire through her small Arizona town. Lillian suddenly finds herself a pariah. Now more than ever, she wishes to escape. When the abnormally perfect William and Olivia move into the beautiful Victorian manor they inherit from their uncle, Lillian finds herself inexplicably drawn to them. The twins are reclusive, never seeming to leave their home despite the business and millions left to them by will. But shy, William is growing restless, and overbearing Olivia is pushing everyone to their limits with her antics. Still, they are the rare few who don’t treat Lillian as an outcast. Lillian wonders, however, if there could be an ulterior motive to their benevolence. The twins seem to want something from her, but Lillian can’t figure out what. “The Curse of Allston Manor” is rife with betrayal, sacrifice, and love. Unexplained happenings, pranks that cross the line, and stolen dreams cause chaos to escalate to a boiling point. This book will grab you from the first page and leave you desperate to find out what happens next.

For more of Valerie’s work, check out her Amazon Author page! Follow her on Twitter @valerieclaussen!

Witch Hunt

 

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Title: Witch Hunt

Series:  The Witch Game Novels, Book Two
Author:  Kasi Blake
Published:  October 6th, 2015
Publisher:  Clean Teen Publishing
Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance


Synopsis:
A magical game of hide-and-seek begins.
Find the missing player and win.
The game resets.
They all forget and start the game again.

     Seventeen-year-old Starr Hughes hasn’t believed in magic since the day her mother died. As an aspiring reporter, the only thing she cares about is cold, hard facts. So when she hears the popular kids at school (the It-Squad) are about to start a secret game, she wants every detail, especially since she has a major crush on gorgeous Dylan Winchester. Hiding under the headmaster’s desk, planting bugs, and breaking into a classmate’s home are all on her to-do list. With her boy-crazy best friend Lily at her side, Starr discovers that witches are not only real, but they also need her help. Someone is using the game to steal their memories, their powers, and perhaps even their lives.


Get Book one, Crushed FREE on Amazon!

 
 

~Excerpt~
 
     “It’s him,” Starr said as she grabbed Lily’s foot. “He’s here.”
     “Huh?” Lily halfway sat up, looking dazed. “What are you talking about?”
     “Dylan Winchester is at my house.” She couldn’t believe it was true even as she heard herself say the words. “He’s knocking on my front door. What do I do?”
     Lily sighed. “Answer it so he’ll stop with the pounding.”
     Starr glanced down at what she was wearing, black pajamas with purple and silver stars on the top. “I can’t let him see me like this.”
“He already saw you in pajamas once. What’s the big deal?”
     And that was when Starr’s ears picked up voices coming from downstairs. Someone else had already opened the door to their young visitor. Hands over her mouth, she freaked out. “Oh no! Dad is talking to him.”
     Wide awake now, Lily leaped off the bed. “We’d better stop your dad before he says something that will embarrass you for life and ruin your rep at school. As your best friend, if you go down, I go down.”

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About the Author:
     If you ask Kasi Blake how old she was when she started writing, she will probably say twelve. That’s when she wrote her first short story. But it started long before then. Her first characters were invisible friends she played with as a child. In the third grade she wrote a one-page story about a mummy for an assignment, and the teacher read it to the class. Even though she was embarrassed, the other kids laughed in all the right places, and she realized she could affect other people through her writing. She loves to get lost in emotional stories, crying and laughing with the characters, so she thinks it’s the most amazing thing in the world to be able to do this for other people.
     Kasi is a hardcore Supernatural fanatic and practically has the shows memorized line for line. If you want to see her freak out, tell her you’ve never watched an episode. Then be prepared to listen to a long list of reasons why you should. In her spare time, when she’s not reading or writing, she does nail art, engages in day-long shopping trips with friends, and takes care of her many animals.
     Originally from California, she resides in the Midwest on a farm with cows, chickens, ducks, a dog, and two cats.


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Clean Teen Publishing Links:
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Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • If US, the winner will receive a mystery box from Clean Teen Publishing
  • If International, the winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

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Awakened (The Gods and Guardians Trilogy #1)

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Title:   Awakened
Series:  The Gods and Guardians Trilogy #1
Author:  CJ Anderson
Published:  August 28th, 2015
Genre:  YA Sci-Fi Fantasy
Content Warning:  Mild violence
Recommended Age:  13+

 
 
 

~Synopsis~

 

     The new guy in town has a few secrets …one of which is the ability to levitate and use telekinesis to move objects – Dru Sanjay hasn’t been able to share his secrets with anyone. That is until he meets…HER.
     Alayna West can see and experience emotions as color. Her only desire is to complete high school, go to college and create a better life far away from her rural roots. But plans change when she meets…HIM.
     When Dru and Alayna meet they experience a hair raising, skin prickling, and unexplainable connection. As Alayna is drawn into Dru’s world, she learns of the Guardians; others like her who have special abilities, whose genetics can be traced back to the Gods. Only the Gods and the other Guardians are actually extraterrestrials who have been banned from Earth for the last 2,000 years.
     Alayna’s plans for a better life are shot to H-E-double toothpicks when she discovers another gift and Dru struggles with keeping his last secret. All the while, the chemistry between them, along with outside forces, pose a threat that could change their futures forever.

 

Excerpt from Awakened – Book 1 of the Gods and Guardians series by CJ Anderson

 

“It all happens so fast. Dru is calling my name and I look up toward the cliff. When I move my head I catch a glimpse of something in my peripheral vision; something big, something that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up straight. It’s some sort of large and scary looking creature and it’s prowling straight toward me.
The creature is as large as a bear, but it has the body and head of a lion with something that looks like a goat rising out of its back and a long tail, at least six feet long, whipping around with the head of what looks to be a large, creepy venomous snake. My pulse quickens as if fear itself were trapping me and I’m incapacitated.
I think I must be either a) dreaming, b) crazy, or c) dead because then I see Dru flying through the air. What the hell? He is going to kill himself! What is he doing?
Dru slams into the monster; it flies through the air and then drops to the ground. As far as I can tell, with the exception of the snake, which is partially smashed beneath the body, the monster is knocked out. The snake head is making a high pitched hissing sound and it makes me feel sick to my stomach.
Then, Dru is right beside me holding me tight against him. Both of our hearts are pounding.
“Alayna! Alayna, luv, are you OK?” Dru asks, his voice uneasy.
I’m baffled. “Me? Am I OK? What about you? You just jumped, no flew, no, I don’t know what the hell you did but you just slammed into a…a …a…was that a chimera?!…and after jumping from that height, you just walked away!” I stammer.
“I know,” Dru says, “and I can explain. But first, I think we need to head back the way we came before our friend wakes up. She is going to be pissed off!”
He grabs my hand and we run. I’m fast, but it’s hard to maneuver through the woods with all the brush and vegetation, much of which is waist high.
We’re about a quarter mile from the motorcycle when we finally see the trail. Dru slows down for just a moment, looks around and grabs my hand. “Faster!” He yells. “It’s coming.”
I chance a quick glance behind us and see three enraged heads. One is roaring, one hissing, and one is making a terrible ear-deafening bleating sound. I run faster than I have ever run before, even faster than yesterday at the track. Adrenaline is rushing through my veins so quickly that it keeps me going.
We’re almost there but the creature is gaining on us. We can see the motorcycle at the bottom of the cliff. All we have to do is run down the hill and turn the corner and we will be home free.”

 
 

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                                          About the Author:


     CJ Anderson has been obsessed with science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. Star Wars, Superman and Transformers are among her earliest memories. But it was Madeline L’Engle’s book, A Wrinkle in Time, that first grabbed her attention as an elementary student to the genre in the world of books. She has been reading Young Adult, Science Fiction and Fantasy ever since!
     Creating stories has been a life-long journey for CJ. As a young child she create stories to tell her imaginary friends. Later on in school, when she became bored during class, adventures in fairytale lands, were a common theme running wild in her imagination. It never really occurred to her to write them down, though, until she was older and taking a class on creativity. Once she started writing, she never wanted to stop. She says it’s one of the best decisions she’s ever made.
     CJ has been teaching Gifted & Talented for six years and has been both encouraged and inspired by her students. She lives in Iowa with her husband, two beautiful daughters and two cats. When she isn’t writing, teaching or spending time with her family, you can find her working out, reading or fangirling, of course! The God Kissed: Awakened is her first novel and the first book in a planned trilogy.


Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • A $25 Amazon gift card
  • 5 $5 Amazon gift cards

Giveaway is International.

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Minutes Before Sunset

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Title:  Minutes Before Sunset
Series:  The Timely Death Trilogy #1
Author:   Shannon A. Thompson
Published:  July 28th, 2015  
Publisher:  Clean Teen Publishing
Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance
Content Warning:  Violence, Adult Language
Recommended Age:  13+


 

 

~Synopsis~

 

     Two destinies. One death.

     “Her kiss could kill us, and my consent signed our death certificates.”

     Eric Welborn isn’t completely human, but he isn’t the only shade in the small Midwest town of Hayworth. With one year left before his eighteenth birthday, Eric is destined to win a long-raging war for his kind. But then she happens. In the middle of the night, Eric meets a nameless shade, and she’s powerful—too powerful—and his beliefs are altered. The Dark has lied to him, and he’s determined to figure out exactly what lies were told, even if the secrets protect his survival.

     Jessica Taylor moves to Hayworth, and her only goal is to find more information on her deceased biological family. Her adoptive parents agree to help on one condition: perfect grades. And Jessica is distraught when she’s assigned as Eric’s class partner. He won’t help, let alone talk to her, but she’s determined to change him—even if it means revealing everything he’s strived to hide.




Excerpt from Minutes Before Sunset by Shannon A. Thompson:

 

“You look mad,” he said, quieter this time.
I wouldn’t look at him. “I am.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t get you,” I admitted. “I have no idea why you’re acting this way, and it makes me feel like I don’t know you.”
“I didn’t realize you wanted to know me,” he said, and I turned around, momentarily meeting his eyes. They were dark, shadowed by an expression I hadn’t seen before.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked, feeling heat crawl over my neck. “We’ve already spent a lot of time together.”
“For a project that’s completed, Jessica,” he said, and he shook his head, driving silently through my neighborhood. I waited for him to speak, but he didn’t. Soon, we were at the end of my driveway. Eric shoved the gears into park, and I reached for the door, but he locked it.
“Why are you so interested in my life?” he asked, and my heart pounded. I didn’t say anything. His eyes met mine, filled with an intensity that made me shudder. “It’s not that great.”
“I know,” I managed. My voice was shaking.
            His face reddened. “But you ask questions.”
            “And you answer them.”
            His mouth opened, but then it snapped shut. He sighed, turned away, and grabbed the steering wheel as if he were driving again. We remained parked. “I’m Eric James Welborn,” he stated, his voice wavering into an awkwardness I’d never heard with his normally confident and cocky attitude.
            James? His middle name felt personal—like he had opened up a side of himself he’d forgotten about. But I didn’t feel intrusive. I felt comforted, like I already knew the answer before he’d spoken it. But I hadn’t.
            “Your name doesn’t tell me who you are,” I said, surprised by my fluidity.
            He barely smiled. “Maybe I like it that way.”
            “I don’t.”

 


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About the Author:
Shannon A. Thompson is a twenty-three-year-old author, avid reader, and habitual chatterbox. She was merely sixteen when she was first published, and a lot has happened since then. Thompson’s work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies, and her first installment of The Timely Death Trilogy became Goodreads’ Book of the Month. As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson spends her free time writing and sharing ideas with her black cat named after her favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. Between writing and befriending cats, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in English, and she travels whenever the road calls her.





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Clean Teen Publishing Links:



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There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • A bookmark swag pack and winner’s choice of any Clean Teen Publishing eBook.
Giveaway is International.

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So Shall I Reap

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Title:  So Shall I Reap
Series:  The Unseen Series
Author:  Kathy-Lynn Cross
Published:  June 30th, 2015  
Publisher:  Clean Teen Publishing
Genre:  YA Paranormal
Content Warning:  Violence and adult language

 



~Synopsis~

 

     There is no protection from the Unseen.

     Las Vegas, Nevada can’t contain Alexcia Crystalline Stasis, who is living the ideal teenager’s dream as the school’s elite socialite. That is, until a fatal car accident changes everything. Now Alexcia’s emotions are on the verge of combusting. As if mourning the loss of her boyfriend isn’t enough, she is also dealing with extreme night terrors that leave her wondering if she just might need to be fitted for a straightjacket.

     Tevin isn’t your normal daemon. He’s the leader of his clan, and he also happens to be a very active Grim Reaper. He never wanted to be charged with babysitting the one girl who can sway Creation’s Balance. Tevin has known and kept Alexcia safe most of her life. Now that he has to become even more personally involved in her protection, Tevin finds himself having a hard time separating his sworn duty and pure curiosity. What does make Alexcia tick?

     Will Tevin be able to keep Alexcia safe from the Unseen? And will Alexcia’s emotions eventually help Tevin attempt to understand what being human is all about? Or will the entities and assassins’ of the Unseen get what they want … her dead.


 

Excerpt from So Shall I Reap by Kathy-Lynn Cross:

 

     Flames and darkness served as a reminder of the future we faced. Resting both forearms around my middle and feeling defeated, I shuddered. Filling in my view with his unreadable stare, he then glanced away briefly and whispered, “I wonder if a soulless creature is worthy to be bound by a heart, tied to a soul? Yet, as you stand there looking at me, I continue seeing the eyes of the child I once knew. Do you still want to offer me your soul?”

     Without hesitation, sorrow for him exploded inside my chest. Thin lines of ink trailed down his cheeks, and I reached up to caress this face while pulling him closer for a chance to kiss his lips. Even for a moment, to give him a taste of my soul.

     How did I know him?

     I hadn’t grasped the words he spoke, let alone the feelings I had for him. Without conscious control over my voice, it answered him for me, “I can only choose what is right and pure. This is my only function. My heart is all the power I can give you right now.” I was unsure what I meant, but he smiled at me. The creatures formed a tighter circle around us and their wings appeared to be dripping hot silver acid that melted into what looked like cloaks made of the same black mist rising from the ground. Without notice, I found myself wrapped within two massive wings.

     His wings sizzled as he pulled me into his icy embrace, leaning in to whisper against the inner part of my ear, “They say love knows no bounds. Death only has one boundary, and you cross over it when your heart stops. But written on the Unseen scrolls, it states this one emotion will last even after the breath ceases.”

     With his trail of words still lingering against the inside curvature of my ear, my composure disappeared. The blankets were wrapped tight around me like a cocoon. If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn it had snowed in the room overnight. Shadows were thick and barricaded the bedroom and closet doors. No escape from the nightly terrors. Rubbing the grit from each lash, I unwrapped from the cocoon of covers, followed by flopping one leg at a time to the floor. My mind was clouded in the thick fog making it difficult to push off the bed. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever been so weak and chilled from sweating. An overwhelming need washed over me to open the drapes and cleanse the bedroom from the unknown with the glow from the streetlights. His presence remained in the room with me. Turning slowly from the window, it felt as if I were wearing lead shoes. Pushing their weight toward the mirror, I was horrified at the face gaping back at me. I leaned closer to try and comprehend what the glass was telling me. Two small, dried streams of red gleamed on my cheeks. I was frozen in a nonexistent moment of time. My breath caught as I gasped… and woke up.
 
 
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About the Author:

     Born in Pomona, California, Kathy-Lynn Cross lived there for twelve years until her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada—where she resides still to this day. Inspired by the backdrop of Sin City, Kathy-Lynn took her English professor’s advice and wrote about the hometown that she knew.

     Kathy-Lynn wasn’t always a writer. In 2008, when her niece was hospitalized, Kathy-Lynn decided to do something special for her so she wrote a short tale for her to read. After devouring it in a single day, her niece and the nurses in the pediatrics wing quickly asked her, “What’s next?”

     That was when a new chapter in her life opened up, and Kathy-Lynn realized that she wanted to become a Storyweaver.

     Kathy-Lynn loves the color red and obsessively uses it in everything, including her bottle-blonde hair accented by red highlights. She has a knack for baking and cake decorating—that is, when her fingers are not busy writing mayhem. When recharging, you could find her curled up with a cup of coffee and a good book or spending time with her hubby of nineteen years, two kids, four cats, and the family dog.



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