Still Me by JoJo Moyes – Review, Q&A & Giveaway

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Barb

Still Me by JoJo Moyes – Review, Q&A & Giveaway

Still Me
Me Before You series – Book #3
by JoJo Moyes

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the superrich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New York life within this privileged world.

Before she knows what’s happening, Lou is mixing in New York high society, where she meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. In Still Me, as Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets–not all her own–that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?

Review:

Still Me by JoJo Moyes is the 3^rd book in her Me Before You series. We once again get to follow Louisa (Lou) on a new adventure that takes her to New York. Her friend, Nathan, gets her a job being the assistant to the wife of a wealthy family (Gropniks). From the start, Lou is excited to arrive in New York City, and at is very bubbly and talkative when she is at the customs check point. Nothing changes for Lou, as she is as sweet and adorable as ever. Though she leaves her boyfriend, Sam behind in England for a year, she is very much looking forward to enjoying the sights and fun of NY.

Lou begins her job working for Agnes Gropnik, who wants Lou to go with her everywhere, even pretending to others that she is a friend. Agnes is a polish immigrant who marries the very rich, and lives in the world of high society; with Lou helping her to be more confident. Agnes will have Lou do things for her that will come back and haunt her later.

When given the chance to go home for a short visit, she catches Sam with another lady, and is destroyed by his betrayal. She refuses to talk to him, and goes back to NY quickly. Lou will meet a handsome young man (Joshua), who resembles Will (her ex who died), and together they form a friendship, that will eventually lead to an affair. Just when she makes friends, and is happy on the job, she is fired for something she did not do.

Luckily, she goes to the aid of an older woman next door to the Gropniks, who was rushed to the hospital after a fall. Lou will accept the lady’s request to stay at her house, and take care of the dog (Dean Martin lol), and in time the woman will come home and Lou will remain to take care of her too.

What follows is a story that has Lou going through various different emotions throughout. Her contentment with the first job, then the betrayal of Agnes and loss of job, then happiness working for the older woman, which also opens the door to learn more about fashion. We also get to see her relationship take a turn with Joshua, that make her realize that intermingling with the rich is not her; she does need to discover the real Louisa Clark.

Through her ups and downs, she will come to realize that she still truly loves Sam. Will Lou allow Sam back into her life and trust him? Will Lou stay in New York or go back home to England?

I did enjoy Still Me by JoJo Moyes, as it was a refreshing and continuous look at a wonderful heroine, who won our hearts way back in Me Before You. I do suggest that if you have not read this series, to start with the first book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

Q&A with Jojo Moyes, author of STILL ME
(Pamela Dorman Books/Viking)

In STILL ME, you bring Louisa Clark, the beloved character you created in Me Before You, to New York City. Why the transatlantic journey?

I really wanted to stretch Louisa in a place where she would be out of her depth. What’s one of the wildest, most metropolitan places you could land a small-town girl? The heart of Manhattan. I have spent a lot of time in the US over the past five years and most trips begin with some time in New York so I have long been viewing the city through alien eyes myself. It’s tough, exciting, challenging, and unforgiving and enormous fun. The perfect backdrop for Lou’s adventure.

NYC is far from Lou’s home in Stotfold, England—what was your research process for finding the places and experiences that Lou enjoys in the Big Apple?

As well as the time I spend on work trips, I came out in October and did a week’s solid research. I tried to do all the things that I put Lou through—except sleep in a horrible hotel with bedbugs! A friend got me into one of the really exclusive apartment buildings overlooking Central Park, which was invaluable, and the owner then put me in touch with a very experienced realtor who gave me chapter and verse on the realities of living in one of these places. It’s VERY specific, in the same way that it would be if you were a North or South Londoner, and it was important to me that I didn’t get things horribly off-key.

Reading STILL ME is like catching up with an old friend. How did it feel to revisit the story of Lou Clark and some of the other familiar characters, such as Treena and Ambulance Sam?

I absolutely love writing Louisa. By now she does feel like an old friend. It’s really hard sometimes to find your way into a character, and with her it’s like slipping on your favorite clothes. I know her. I know how she would react to any given circumstance. She’s genuine and funny and a bit daft. But what was fun in this book was to really push her forward a bit. She grows up a lot, especially in the last third of the book. I think like many of us she is really still working out who she is.

One character remarks that New York suits Lou. What is it about Lou that makes you want to take her on new experiences? Why do you think she resonates with readers?

I think Lou is very identifiable for a whole raft of people. In Me Before You, it was about being aware that life had somehow slipped away from you and reaching an age and finding yourself leading a very small life—and not being entirely sure how you got there or whether you even wanted to be somewhere else. But in After You a lot of readers seemed to identify with her grieving process—the difficulty of everybody else expecting you to move on and be cheerful and outgoing when you really don’t feel like that at all. Most importantly, Lou is someone who really tries to do the right thing—but often does the wrong thing—which I think makes her like an awful lot of us…

Class divide is a major theme in your books—Lou often finds herself in circles far different from her working-class upbringing, with employment to the Traynors in Me Before You and the Gopniks in STILL ME. Why is this dichotomy important to you and in your writing?

I think in this book it’s much less class than money. All good narratives thrive on tension, and if you push together rich and poor or upper and working class then you have an inbuilt tension in your story. It’s a growing issue in society—the polarization of money and opportunity—and for most people we will only ever have our noses pressed against the window.

At the same time, I think a lot of us now have the lives of very rich people broadcast to us daily—whether they be Kardashians or movie stars, on Instagram or via other social media, which makes that difference more obvious. With Lou, I wanted to ask how it would feel to step into one of those lives.

There is a thread in STILL ME about a public library on the brink of closing in Washington Heights. What significance does the library play in your life and why is it important in the story?

I am passionate about libraries—they are one of the few cost-free resources that offer people not just shelter but the chance to entertain or improve themselves. I spent some time at a library in a very mixed area of Washington Heights where I saw quite how many different functions the public library performed—from a learning opportunity to a safe place, to somewhere people could make job applications, or just escape from their lives for a while. It really worries me how hard libraries are being squeezed in both the UK and the US. There are so few places that don’t require a financial transaction, that really are just about the joy of learning. Once they are gone we won’t get that resource back again.

Another prominent theme in STILL ME is the struggle for women to “have it all.” Louisa finds herself between the pull of New York high society and her life in England; Mrs. De Witt was torn between her fashion career and family life; Agnes struggled to maintain her old friendships after marrying into wealth. Why is a woman’s unique balance to play many roles in life while staying true to herself important to discuss?

When I was a girl I assumed I was the equal to any boy and that I would be treated the same as an adult. For the most part that was the case—until I had children, at which point I discovered that there is always a choice to be made, always a compromise, and that in most cases that belongs to the woman. I’m lucky enough to have a husband who supports my work and does his best to be an equal partner in all ways—but I am a rarity. I know elderly women who had to give up their careers to follow their husbands, and I know younger women who gave up their jobs because their partners couldn’t be home for the children. I hope that one day we can find a way to make this a little more equitable. It’s good for men, too!

Fashion is a significant element in Lou’s story, notably the red dress and bumblebee tights in Me Before You. In STILL ME, Louisa becomes involved with an East Village vintage emporium, and Mrs. De Witt is revealed as a former fashion magazine editor. What is your interest in this world?

Well, most of my friends would laugh at the idea that I was massively interested in fashion. My default uniform is shirt, jumper, jeans, boots. I rarely wear anything else. But it feels like such an integral part of Louisa’s character, and over the past few years I have discovered a love of vintage clothes. I have a number of vintage outfits—and suppliers—and I find them so much more enjoyable, both to buy and wear, than just a chain boutique. It’s partly textural—the work that goes into some of these older clothes—beading, cutting, stitching—is just beautiful. Even I can appreciate it!

In a couple of your books, including STILL ME, you created dogs that, much like your human characters, have distinct personalities and quirks. Why do your animal characters receive such prominent roles?

I guess because animals are such a fundamental part of my own family. We joke that if we didn’t have our animals we’d have nothing to talk about. All our animals have distinct voices that we use for them (for some reason Eric, our shorthair cat, has a Spanish accent, whereas BigDog, our rescue Pyrenean, has a more lugubrious tone). I think anybody who has close contact with an animal knows that they have just as much personality and just as many expressions as humans do. If I’m writing one into a story, I can’t see why it shouldn’t have a fully formed character in the way that a human does.

Your books always evoke a wide range of human emotion—on one page, you leave readers laughing out loud and on the next, reduce them to tears. Is it a difficult process to combine such an accurate portrayal of the comedies and tragedies of life? How do you create such deep characters and storylines?

Thank you! I consider that an enormous compliment. I guess it comes from the fact that I try to write the books I like to read—and if a book can make me laugh or cry then that author earns my undying loyalty. The key to writing them, I think, is that both laughter and tears have to come from a place that is honest—something that feels true to the character. If I know the character then as I write their experiences I feel what they are feeling—it then becomes easier to translate that emotion onto the page.

What was the Me Before You movie experience like? If you were to cast STILL ME, who do you see playing some of the new main characters?

Writing and being part of the filming of Me Before You was, without doubt, the best—and most challenging—experience of my professional life. I was on the steepest learning curve and I worked flat out for months. But I loved the cast and crew and the director, producers and I are still good friends, so it never really felt like work.

If I were to cast STILL ME I would obviously want Emilia Clarke to return as Lou. And having Sam Claflin as Josh would be a lovely way of bringing him back in! I have no idea who would play Margot—but I always saw her as looking a little like Iris Apfel, the famous NY society fashion icon.

What’s next? More adventures for Lou?

I’ve been saying no, as I would hate to be seen flogging her to death. But when I think about never writing her again I feel ridiculously sad. Maybe a short story?

Jojo Moyes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of After You, Me Before You, Paris for One and Other Stories, The Horse Dancer, One Plus One, The Girl You Left Behind, The Last Letter from Your Lover, Silver Bay, and The Ship of Brides. She lives with her husband and three children in Essex, England.

JoJo Moyes Links:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram

JoJo Moyes’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of STILL ME to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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8. Giveaway open to USA only

9.. Giveaway runs from February 1-6, 2018

An Interview with Fitness and Cover Model Mike Chabot at The Reading Cafe

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Sandy

An Interview with Fitness and Cover Model Mike Chabot at The Reading Cafe

Mike Chabot 5 TRC: Hi Mike and welcome to The Reading Café.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow Mike : Instagram / Facebook-Mike Chabot Fitness / Facebook-Mike Chabot Model

Mike: I’m a 26 years old fitness model and personal trainer who devotes his life in helping others get the mindset and physique they always dreamt of. Since I can remember, I’ve always done a lot of sports; it’s always been a big part of my life. Soccer has been my main sport. I played for about 10 years and nowadays I prefer playing tennis. I’m a very competitive person. At the age of 16, I discovered at first fitness and strong man competitions. I was intrigued to know how those people could achieved such a perfect physique conditions so I started training on my own.

I always have been the kid who aspired for more in life. I definitely wanted to make a lot of money to achieve freedom. While I was studying finance and administration in college, I started a window washing company that allowed me to know that I wanted to be self-employed. After 3 year in college, I decided to drop out since I knew it wasn’t for me. I also closed my company because I realized I wasn’t happy doing something that wasn’t my passion.

Back in 2011, I was involved in a motorcycle accident that forced me to stop training for 6 month and 3 years later I still have some pain and limitations. While I was recovering from this accident, I started being interested in personal development and the ways to reach happiness. Since fitness was my passion and I wanted to be in contact with people, it just made me even more motivated to become a fitness model and personal coach. My message was clear: Training is not only about having the best shape of your life. It’s also having a strong mindset that will help you become a better person and focus on your goals.

Mike Chabot 1

Now on top of being a trainer, I am an international fitness model. I did photoshoot with clothing brand such as PUMP, Fitness revolution and more. I’m also a book cover model which and at the moment I did around 130 covers most of them are New York Times Best Seller. My goals for the future is to partnership and model for luxury brand such as Hugo Boss, Nike or other big name.

TRC: What were your dreams and aspirations growing up?

Mike: I wanna invest in technologies, learn more and build an empire in multiple niche

TRC: What first sparked your interest in modeling? Is there a defining moment where you knew that modeling was something you were interested in pursuing?

Mike Chabot duo

Mike: Well I always been interested into modeling but not conventionnal run way more like billboard or magazine and commercial so as soon as I was *famous* enough to be a public figure I started.

TRC: Have you ever had a photo shoot that went completely wrong?

Mike: Not really but yes sometimes it can be a waste of time or disorganized.

Mike Chabot 6 TRC: Nudity in modeling or acting can be controversial. Some pictures can cross the line between sexuality to pornography. What would you tell young models/actors /body builders just entering the business about nude modeling and photography?

Mike: I would tell them no never do any nude picture, you can play on the edge to tease but don’t go full nude. Even ass picture I suggest you keep it for a big role or big brand if needed.

Mike Chabot trio 1 TRC: The modeling industry exposes you to many people and sometimes it can be very stressful. What do you do when the stress becomes overwhelming?

Mike: I’m not a person who has a lot of stress so I’m always good with it. I always trust the process even if I had bad decision or money problem back them. Its part of the game either you are ready to risk or you don’t play

TRC: At times, there has been a ‘stigma’ surrounding the male model and the romance-cover industry but the popularity of the romance storyline has skyrocketed in the last few years especially with the erotic and sensual cover images. What is your opinion about the recent popularity and the very busy industry of the ‘romance cover model’?

Mike Chabot duo4

Mike: Well if thats what they want I am fine with it, the life in general is more sexual than ever so why not. Sexuality is a good thing and being open about it is fine by me.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Mike: Of course it does since it will give you a visual of the character you will fantasize on.

Mike Chabot 3 TRC: Do you remember the first romance cover on which you appeared? Do you have a favorite?

Mike: I do have a few covers I prefer and yes I remember the first few covers I sold, damn its been a while.

TRC: Do you know the number of novel covers that your image has appeared?

Mike: Around 160-170 so far but they aren’t all published yet

TRC: What do you do to relax?

Mike: Watch tv series or movies, read or chill with my dog or friends

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Invest in Bitcoin and help others

Master the foreign exchange

Build my personal brand to a whole new level

Play in a tv series and a movie

Travel the world and find the right person to build everything with me.

Mike Chabot 4 TRC: What is something that few people know about you?

Mike: I have some OCD and I’m a gamer (love all the super heroes stuff and pc gaming)

TRC: Who or what are your inspirations?

Mike: I really love The Rock, Gary Vee, Richard brandsom, tony robbins and a few other people.

TRC: What type of music do you listen to? What songs are on your current playlist?

Mike: It always depends on my mood I love all music

TRC: On what on your currently working?

Mike: My mobile application ‘Mike Chabot’ to help even more people with the fitness lifestyle and learning BTC and FOREX

Mike Chabot duo 3

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Mike: Be happy and be patient life is a marathon not a sprint so don’t try to cheat the process

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: sushi and burgers

Favorite Dessert: Now that I am lactose intolerant there are not a lot of desserts I can eat but it used to be cheesecake and chocolate cake

Favorite Movie: there are so many lol

Favorite TV Show: Suits and Game of Thrones

Last Movie that you saw: Kingsmen, The Golden Circle (wasn’t really impressed)

Secret Celebrity Crush: Celebrity I don’t really have; Instagram model I really like is Anllela Sagra

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Used to be milk but I can’t anymore

Do you have any pets? An English bulldog named Boum Boum

Pet Peeve: I can be impatient or impulsive haha

TRC: Thank you Mike for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success. We look forward to seeing many more covers.

Mike Chabot duo 6

Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Barb

Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Flame in the Dark
Soulwood series – Book #3
by Faith Hunter
Release Date: December 5, 2017

Flame in the Dark Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Nell Ingram has always known she was different. Since she was a child, she’s been able to feel and channel ancient powers from deep within the earth. When she met Jane Yellowrock, her entire life changed, and she was recruited into PsyLED—the Homeland Security division that polices paranormals. But now her newly formed unit is about to take on its toughest case yet.

A powerful senator barely survives an assassination attempt that leaves many others dead—and the house he was visiting burns to the ground. Invisible to security cameras, the assassin literally disappears, and Nell’s team is called in. As they track a killer they know is more—or less—than human, they unravel a web of dark intrigue and malevolent motives that tests them to their limits and beyond.

Description:

Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter is the 3^rd book in her Urban Fantasy Soulwood series. Though this is a spinoff from Hunter’s wonderful Jane Yellowrock series, this is a totally different kind of storyline.

Nell Ingram is our heroine, and in Flame in the Dark, we learn more about her powers. Nell is now a member (probie)of Psyled, a Homeland Security division that investigates paranormal cases. Also on the PsyLED Eighteen team are two others we know from Jane Yellowrock, Rick LeFleur and Soul. There are werewolves, witches, empaths, and even a dragon that work together.

Nell is now a more confident and stronger person, and knows she is not human, but does not know what she is. Nell has an ability that allows her to feel and absorb the earth’s powers, to heal her or fight off enemies. By the end of Flame in the Dark, we will know exactly what Nell is.

At the start of Flame in the Dark, the PsyLED team is called on a case where a Senator and his family have been attacked. The team senses a paranormal element in the attacks, but cannot determine who the target is, which they originally thought was vampires. As more attempts and murders happen, it becomes apparent that the villains are pyro’s, with the victims being burned. Nell’s unusual ability allows her to put her hands into the earth to scent, vision or feel strange and dark vibes of something very dark and dangerous.

What follows is an intense, exciting, gripping and violent tale, where Nell will find herself in bad situations that threaten her own life. With people dying, she will have to go above and beyond to discover who and what is causing these horrific deaths. I was so engrossed into this story, I was unable to put the book down. Flame in the Dark was very well written by Faith Hunter.

What I also enjoyed was the team camaraderie between Nell and her team, especially as they learn more of what she is, and try to help her. We also get to know about Nell’s younger sister, who is slowly developing the same kind of powers, which Nell wants to help her slowly learn to control. But best of all, I loved the slow build budding romance between Occam and Nell, which we expect to become full blown in future books.

This is really a difficult review to do, as telling too much more would be spoilers. I will say that besides being suspenseful and exciting, it was also amazing & wild to see what Nell can do. There was so much more in this book (murder, strange fires, dark and horrific villains, and a fantastic cast of characters you enjoy the ride with), something you will need to read and find out.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

Guest post-White and Red I often get asked – when you write a novel, do you start with Characters or Plot?

Every book is different, but with the Soulwood series it was character all the way! Well, that and the big question of all writers – What If?

Early on, I knew several things about Nell:
* that she would be a cult survivor
* a woman who loved a solitary existence, off the grid, in the hills near Knoxville.
* would become a member of a paranormal team of crime solvers
* that she would solve murders committed by paranormal means
After that it was a matter of deciding on each book what crime needs to be solved and what kind of paranormal creature committed the crime.

Nell—who she is, where she comes from, how she lives, who she loves—and a conflict idea for a story, or one of those unanswered “What If” questions, all have to come together for a book to work.

I always say (and please forgive the one “teachy” note in this post): Your main character has to have at least one great strength and at least one great weakness. The weaknesses make the conflict worse, the strengths and developing strengths save the main character and resolve the plot. This is called the marriage of character development and plot conflict. (End of teachy stuff.)

In Nell’s case, she is a polygamous cult survivor in a modern day alternate reality who starts out the series trusting no one and no thing, living off the grid and making a living as a farmer. She is in danger every day by the members of the cult who want her back inside so they can get her farm and who would then burn her at the stake as a witch because she is a paranormal being. Nell lives in danger. That danger and the fact that she knows so little about the modern world are her main weaknesses.

Her strengths are her individuality, her ability to adapt and survive, and her fearlessness when it comes to protecting other potential escapees from the cult. These women include her sisters, and half-sisters. Her adaptability means that when she is asked to join a law enforcement team to hunt down criminals, she is able to take her strengths and merge in to the team.

All memorable characters have these strengths and weaknesses , and if a reader analyzes the characters, each and every one will grow through the weaknesses, as well as rely on their strengths. The character becomes a friend as you read. I hope you’ll take a chance on Nell.

Faith Hunter
www.faithhunter.net
https://www.facebook.com/#!/official.faith.hunter
Twitter at @HunterFaith

About The Author
FaithHunter1Small

Faith Hunter is the New York Times bestselling author of the Jane Yellowrock series, including Cold Reign, Shadow Rites, Dark Heir, and Broken Soul; the Soulwood series,
set in the world of Jane Yellowrock, including Curse on the Land and Blood of the Earth; and the Rogue Mage series, including Host, Seraphs, and Bloodring.

Giveaway

Faith’s publisher is offering a paper copy of FLAME IN THE DARK to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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7. Giveaway is open USA only

8. Giveaway runs from December 6 – 10, 2017

Ace

Berkley Bookmas: Jayne Ann Krentz – Book Recommendations & Giveaway!

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Barb

Berkley Bookmas: Jayne Ann Krentz – Book Recommendations & Giveaway!

BerkleyBookmasBanner_v5

The Reading Cafe is so excited to participate in Berkley Bookmas and today we are hosting Jayne Ann Krentz with her book recommendations for Historical Mystery Lady Sleuths! Berkley Bookmas is chock full of exclusive content from some wonderful authors like exclusive excerpts, deleted scenes, author recipes and more! Check out the calendar of events below:

The New Lady Sleuths of Historical Mystery
By
Jayne Ann Krentz

The female detective has been around for quite a while – think Agatha Christie – but it seems to me that we are watching the rise of a new genre: the lady sleuths of historical mystery and suspense.

These unusual and intrepid heroines are women of their eras – the stories are often set in the Regency or Victorian period – but they defy the conventions of their times which is, of course, what makes them so interesting.

These are not your traditional “puzzle” mysteries nor can they be labeled “cozies.” They are novels of intrigue and suspense featuring fully realized female characters with unique skill-sets who solve crimes, have dangerous adventures and, yes, sometimes get entangled in romantic relationships.

I’m having a fabulous time discovering new authors in this genre. If this sounds like something you might enjoy – or if you’ve got someone on your holiday gift list who loves historical suspense and mystery – below is a selection of titles that have come to my attention. I think they are excellent examples of the new lady sleuths of historical mystery and suspense.

A CURIOUS BEGINNING, by DEANNA RAYBOURN: The first title in the Veronica Speedwell novels. Set in Victorian England, the novels feature a delightfully outrageous heroine with an intriguing past who is a professional butterfly hunter and a fearless sleuth.

A STUDY IN SCARLET WOMEN by SHERRY THOMAS: This series features a real twist on the Sherlock Holmes legend – meet the fascinating and very unique Charlotte Holmes.

BEAUTY LIKE THE NIGHT by JOANNA BOURNE: A novel in Bourne’s terrific Spymaster series set against the backdrop of Napoleonic France and Regency England. Lush, elegant, well-researched and romantic.

DEATH BELOW STAIRS by Jennifer Ashley
Kat Holloway is a cook who takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat can deal with the family’s eccentricities as long as the various members of the clan stay away from her kitchen. But murder below stairs changes everything.

CITY OF LIES by VICTORIA THOMPSON
The first in the A Counterfeit Lady series featuring Elizabeth Miles, a woman on the run. Here’s the setup: Elizabeth has some unusual skills and she uses them to relieve so-called respectable men of their ill-gotten gains. But she has recently outwitted a brutal man who has sent his thugs after her.

THE ANATOMIST’S WIFE by ANNA LEE HUBER
Scotland, 1830. Following the death of her husband, Lady Darby has taken refuge at her sister’s estate, finding solace in her passion for painting. But when her hosts throw a house party for the cream of London society, Kiera is unable to hide from the ire of those who believe her to be as unnatural as her husband, an anatomist who used her artistic talents to suit his own macabre purposes.
That’s my starter list. I’d love some more suggestions from you. Got a title or author working in this new genre you’d like to recommend?

Wishing you the best of the holidays and a sparkling New Year!

Sincerely,

Jayne

About The Author
Jayne Ann Krentz

Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers, including the upcoming romantic thriller Promise Not to Tell. Jayne has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name, as well as historical and futuristic romance novels under the pseudonyms Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle, respectively. Learn more at jayneannkrentz.com and connect with her on facebook.com/JayneAnnKrentz.

Giveaway

Berkley Bookmas is graciously offering a giveaway of one $100 Visa gift card, and a book/galley/bound manuscript by each of the authors participating.

Click this link to enter giveaway: http://bit.ly/2zlFxAq

For tomorrow’s fun, head to one of the following blogs:

Berkley

Dangerously Divine by Deborah Blake – Review, Interview & Giveaway

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Barb

Dangerously Divine by Deborah Blake – Review, Interview & Giveaway

Dangerously Divine
Broken Riders series – Book #2
by Deborah Blake
Release Date: November 28,2017

dangerously divine Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
The Riders: Three immortal brothers who kept the Baba Yagas safe, now stripped of their summons to protect. But fate is not finished with them—and their new callings are even more powerful…

Though his physical wounds have healed, Gregori Sun, the eldest of the Riders, remains in spiritual turmoil. His search for his mother, the one person able to heal his soul and save his life, is failing—until he crosses paths with a beautiful and fascinating librarian who might be the key to his salvation…

Ciera Evans’s bookish ways are just a guise. The product of a difficult past, she has dedicated her life to saving lost teens—by any means necessary. She works alone, but when a dark, brooding stranger proposes they team up to solve both their problems, she is tempted—in more ways than one…

After Ciera and Sun’s plans are derailed by dangerous enemies, they find themselves entangled in an ungodly affair—one that will force them to either find new strength together or be forever haunted by their pasts alone.

Review:

Dangerously Divine by Deborah Blake is the 2^nd book in her Broken Riders spinoff (Baba Yaga) series. Having enjoyed the first book in this series (Dangerously Charming), I looked forward to reading this book, and I am happy to say I enjoyed it as much or even better.

Gregori Sun, our hero, is a broken rider, who due his torture by the hands of insane Baba Yaga witch, has lost his immortality. Gregori feels lost, unable to feel his spirit, and enters a monastery, where he feels he is now best suited to be. Gregori, at the same time, spends his spare time at the local library, trying to research clues to finding his spiritual mother, who can help heal him; and teach him how to use his new found healing powers.

Ciera Evans, our heroine, is the librarian, who helps Gregori find the books he needs. Ciera, leads a secret life outside of the library. She is hiding from Victor, a dangerous man who imprisoned her and had her on drugs. She was saved by a friend, who was murdered, and now Ciera is a vigilante, helping abused teens, fighting the dangerous men who hurt them, and revenging the man who murdered her friend.

Gregori is intrigued by Ciera, who he keeps running into, whether at the library, soup kitchen (where she works), or on the streets. He finds himself becoming attracted to her, as she is to him. But both know there can be no future. When Gregori starts getting closer to finding his mother, someone is out to stop him and a god of winter brings down havoc of ice and snow that threatens the town. Bella (one of the Baba Yaga’s) and her dragon/cat Koshki , come to help Gregori. Together they will ask Gregori’s father (God of Spring ) to help stop the horrific storm

At the same time, Ciera finds herself in terrible danger, as the person she has been hunting has found her, and now she is at his mercy. Will Gregori be able to find her and save her? What follows is an exciting adventure, which kept us glued to the book during the last half. I loved Gregori and Ciera together, as they were different, but similar in both being effected by tragedies; but I rooted for them to find their way to each other.

To tell too much more would be spoilers, which I do not want to give, as you need to read both books in this series. Dangerously Divine was an enjoyable read that was exciting, intense, a sweet romance, great couple, and fun spending time with a Baba Yaga and Koshki (very funny) . Dangerously Divine was another fun story. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

Catching Up Purple

Hi Deborah. Welcome back to The Reading Café.

TRC: Dangerously Divine was released yesterday, which is the 2nd book in your Broken Riders series. For those of who have not read this series, can you please tell us the premise of Broken Riders?

Deborah: The Broken Riders is actually a spin-off from my Baba Yaga series. The Riders are three mysterious men who have aided the Baba Yaga witches for centuries. But something terrible happened to them in the third Baba Yaga book, Wickedly Powerful, and now they are broken men, trying to figure out who and what they are, since they can no longer be who they were. (Plus, there is romance, of course.)

TRC: Can you please give us a brief description of Dangerously Divine ?

Deborah: Though his physical wounds have healed, Gregori Sun, the eldest of the Riders, remains in spiritual turmoil. His search for his mother, the one person able to heal his soul and save his life, is failing—until he crosses paths with a beautiful and fascinating librarian who might be the key to his salvation…

Ciera Evans’s bookish ways are just a guise. The product of a difficult past, she has dedicated her life to saving lost teens—by any means necessary. She works alone, but when a dark, brooding stranger proposes they team up to solve both their problems, she is tempted—in more ways than one…

After Ciera and Sun’s plans are derailed by dangerous enemies, they find themselves entangled in an ungodly affair—one that will force them to either find new strength together or be forever haunted by their pasts alone.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for your Broken Riders series?

Deborah: Three, one for each Rider.

TRC: Broken Riders is a spin off from your Baba Yaga series. For those of our members who have not read this series, can you please give us a description of the premise of the Baba Yaga series?

Deborah: The Baba Yagas are an updated version of the Russian fairy tales about powerful witches who are tasked at maintaining the balance of nature, guarding the doorways to the mystical Otherworld, and occasionally, if they can’t avoid it, helping a worthy seeker. There are three very different women who are responsible for the United States: Barbara, Beka, and Bella. They each travel in their own moving house (the old tales say that the Baba Yaga lived in wooden huts that traveled through the forest on giant chicken legs, but Barbara prefers her Airstream trailer, which is less likely to be noticed) and travel with their companions, the Chudo-Yudo dragons, each of which is disguised as a normal, albeit huge, animal. Barbara’s Chudo-Yudo is a large white pit bull, for instance. Who doesn’t want a dragon-dog?

TRC: You have a another series, Veiled Magic, which you have written two books. Can you please give us the premise of this series, and how many books are you planning?
Deborah: These books are urban fantasy, set slightly in the future in a world much like ours, where Witches are one of six major Paranormal races, and the only ones to have revealed themselves to Humans. Donata Santori, the protagonist, works as a Witch Cop, using her ability to speak to the dead to talk to the victims of crimes. It’s a dreary job, but things get a lot more interesting when she stumbles across a dangerous secret from the depths of Paranormal history, and enlists the help of a half-dragon forger, a disgraced shapechanger, and (somewhat reluctantly) a mischievous Kobold.

The third and final book in the series will be out in March of 2018.

TRC: Can you please tell us what you working on now, and what you have upcoming in 2018?

Deborah: I’m working on a couple of things, including the third Broken Riders book, a Women’s Fiction novel, and a romantic comedy.
TRC: What is your writing process? Do you like to outline your story before you start? Do you have a specific place you like to write? Is there a special time of day that works best for you?

Deborah: I am definitely a plotter. I usually have an outline for the story that is anywhere from twelve to twenty pages, plus extensive notes on character, setting, plot, etc. I try and write up all of that before I start writing, although of course things sometimes change over the course of the writing process.

I usually sit on the recliner couch in my living room with my laptop to write (I need peace and quiet, and am always impressed by people who can write in coffee houses), most often with a cat to supervise me. I have a day job, so I usually write in the evening, pretty much seven days a week. On the days I don’t work, I often do a second stint earlier in the day. Mornings and evenings seem to be best for me, although I have had books where that oddly wasn’t true.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Deborah: I’m so excited to have this book out in the world (it was delayed, so it has been thirteen months since the first one in the series came out). I hope everyone loves reading about Gregori’s adventures.

Thank you, Deborah for giving us an update on Dangerously Divine, as well as what we can look forward to 2018. It was a pleasure having you visit us again.

Giveaway-Purple-White

Deborah’s publisher is offering a paper copy of DANGEROUSLY DIVINE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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9. Giveaway runs from November 29 to December 3, 2017

An Interview with Fitness and Cover Model Zack Salaun

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Sandy

An Interview with Fitness and Cover Model Zack Salaun

Zack Salaun 1 TRC: Hi Zach and welcome to The Reading Cafe. We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow Zack: Instagram / Facebook /

Zack: Well, I grew up in Northern California and later moved to Southern Cali where I have stayed since I was 18. I have always loved being active and hated being told what to do. I have always questioned the commonly accepted and asked “why” and that attitude along with a love for life has led me to where I am today.

TRC: What were your dreams and aspirations growing up?

Zack: I always wanted to be a professional motocross racer. My first love was always dirt bikes.

TRC: What first sparked your interest in modeling? Is there a defining moment where you knew that modeling was something you were interested in pursuing?

Zack Salaun trio 1

Zack: Modeling was never my interest, but the idea of waking up to a life I loved was always my goal. I just want to be excited to wake up every day and do whatever it is I have to do. Happiness is all about loving your push. Modeling was simply the first thing that allowed me to get paid to be fit, travel and meet new people.

TRC: Have you ever had a photo shoot that went completely wrong?

Zack: Not really. I am pretty selective when choosing who I shoot with so I generally have chemistry, or if they are new, I make the chemistry 🙂 I love people.

Singe TRC: Nudity in modeling or acting can be controversial. Some pictures can cross the line between sexuality to pornography. What would you tell young models/actors /body builders just entering the business about nude modeling and photography?

Zack: I don’t think there is anything inherently right or wrong about nudes. There are tasteful ways to do it and trashy ways to do it and there are both benefits and advantages to baring it all. What I would say is that there are consequences to all our actions and with today’s internet, some will choices will never go away. It all comes down to who you want to be and where you want your career to go. Some of the greatest models have done some wild shit that made their career, and there are some other incredibly talented models that did some questionable things that halted their career right where they stood. That being said, I believe anything can be overcome if you work hard enough. Again, it all comes down to who you want to be and how hard you are willing to work?

TRC: The modeling industry exposes you to many people and sometimes it can be very stressful. What do you do when the stress becomes overwhelming?

Zack: Have a meltdown… I joke, but that does happen. I turn to doing the things I love like mountain biking, climbing, surfing, MMA and other things like that. Its also incredibly important to build your circle of friends and loved ones with care. They are your rock and foundation. The modeling and fashion worlds can be strangely caustic, so its important to have people that help ground you.

Zack Salaun trio 3

TRC: At times, there has been a ‘stigma’ surrounding the male model and the romance-cover industry but the popularity of the romance story line has skyrocketed in the last few years especially with the erotic and sensual cover images. What is your opinion about the recent popularity and the very busy industry of the ‘romance cover model’?

Zack: I think its wonderful that this niche is growing. I think it would be even better if it grew large enough to allow the models to make a full time living doing it, which isn’t the case now. As for the genre itself, I believe that if people are entertained and enjoy it, then it belongs in this world.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Zack Salaun 2 Zack: Absolutely. I can’t speak for the readers, but the genre is based on fantasies. If the cover model happens to fit someone’s ultimate desire the book is simply a way to further bring it to life and experience it on a more intimate level. I am sure there are plenty of cases where readers just love the style of the author, but I would wager that many of those relationships began because a cover caught someone’s eye.

TRC: Do you remember the first romance cover on which you appeared? Do you have a favorite?

Zack: Actually, I can’t 🙁 I’ve been on quite a few over the last few years and I keep myself quite busy with my business. I’m honored and grateful for all of them. The fact that someone wanted my silly face on their work of art is a beautiful thing. I’m still not used to the whole thing. Picking a favorite would be tough. There are so many great ones. Wander and Andrey do an amazing job with the photos and then the cover art happens. I’ve had a few that I love, picking one just isn’t possible.

TRC: Do you know the number of novel covers that your image has appeared?

Zack: oooo…I’m not totally sure but its over 30 at this point.

Zach Salaun duo 1

TRC: What do you do to relax?

Zack: What every guy does…write or read generally (you thought I was going somewhere else with that 😉 Swimming always helps too.

TRC: 😉

TRC: What three things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Zack: The 3 things I will accomplish in the next 5 years:
Bring my business to a 7 figure passive, residual income annually.
Finish the book I am writing
Own 5 investment properties

TRC: What is something that few people know about you?

Zack: I value time far more than money

Zack Salaun trio 4

TRC: Who or what are your inspirations?

Zack: I am inspired by life and living it uncaged. Happiness and beauty begin when we are genuine and to live truly as ourselves we have to be free from the common barriers we allow to hold us back, like money, jobs, fear, and normal…whatever that is. I am inspired by those that have done that before me and those that are willing to risk everything for the chance to live life completely on their own terms.

TRC: What type of music do you listen to? What songs are on your current playlist?

Zack: Oh I listen to a ton of different stuff. Classical, classic rock, alternative rock, instrumental, electronic, dubstep, trance, rap… it really depends on my mood, but the common theme is whether it is saying something worth listening to.
Led Zeppelin, Chevelle, TOOL, Blackmill, Glitchmob, Atmosphere, RHCP, Mac Dre….list goes on

Zack Salaun 6

TRC: On what on your currently working?

Zack: I am currently focused on my business. I teach active people how to create passive income so they can do more of what they love. Its my passion and I love waking up to it.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Zack: Only that I am grateful for everyone out there that reads this and supports me. It means the world to me that anyone wants to hear what I have to say. So, Thank you.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: How can you pick one?

Favorite Dessert: I usually eat too much dinner

Favorite Movie: Snatch

Favorite TV Show: Rick and Morty

Last Movie that you saw: Liar Liar

Secret Celebrity Crush: Allan Watts

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark

Do you have any pets? Not anymore 🙁

Pet Peeve: Fake people or Being rude

TRC: Thank you Zack for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success.

Zack Zalaun duo 2

The Lullaby Girl (Angie Pallorino #2) by Loreth Anne White-Review, Interview & Giveaway

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Sandy

THE LULLABY GIRL (Angie Pallorino #2) by Loreth Anne White-Review, Interview & Giveaway

THE LULLABY GIRL
Angie Pallorino #2
by Loreth Anne White
Release Date: November 14, 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, murder, mystery, suspense

The Lullaby Girl

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 14, 2017

Detective Angie Pallorino took down a serial killer permanently and, according to her superiors, with excessive force. Benched on a desk assignment for twelve months, Angie struggles to maintain her sense of identity—if she’s not a detective, who is she? Then a decades-old cold case washes ashore, pulling her into an investigation she recognizes as deeply personal.

Angie’s lover and partner, James Maddocks, sees it, too. But spearheading an ongoing probe into a sex-trafficking ring and keeping Angie’s increasing obsession with her case in check is taking its toll. However, as startling connections between the parallel investigations emerge, Maddocks realizes he has more than Angie’s emotional state to worry about.

Driven and desperate to solve her case, Angie goes rogue, risking her relationship, career, and very life in pursuit of answers. She’ll learn that some truths are too painful to bear, and some sacrifices include collateral damage.

But Angie Pallorino won’t let it go. She can’t. It’s not in her blood.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE LULLABY GIRL is the second instalment in Loreth Anne White’s contemporary, adult ANGIE PALLORINO murder/mystery/suspense series focusing on Vancouver Police Department sex crimes Detective Angie Pallorino, and her partner/lover Detective Sergeant James Maddocks. THE LULLABY GIRL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion.

Told from several third person perspectives including Angie and James THE LULLABY GIRL picks up immediately after the events of book one-The Drowned Girls-in which Angie Pallorino discovered that the life she lived has been based on a lie. Our heroine has recently been demoted and assigned desk duty in the face of violent take-down that was deemed excessive and unnecessary. Now with time on her hands, Angie begins a personal investigation into a thirty-year old cold case that will alter her life in more ways than one. Going rogue, and without the help of the man that she loves, Angie will come face to face with her past-a deadly encounter meant to end her life-a second time around.

Meanwhile, James Maddocks investigation into a sex-trafficking ring has caught the attention of the FBI and Canada’s RCMP. Partnering with the elite forces James will discover similarities between his case, and the one Angie has been investigating; and a potential showdown with the people in charge places Angie in the direct line of fire as she inserts herself where she doesn’t belong.

THE LULLABY GIRL is a story of betrayal and revenge, of power and control. The imagery and descriptive nature of the story line is dramatic and realistic. The emotional fall out is palpable and intense; the suspense is riveting and powerful. Loreth Anne White’s attention to detail is brilliant; the character development and world building is phenomenal; the energy and passion inspiring; the delivery fluent and artistic- a movie for the mind.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Drowned Girls
The Lullaby Girl

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview

TRC: Hi Loreth and welcome to The Reading Café.

Congratulations on the recent release of THE LULLABY GIRL.We would like to start with some background information.

Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Loreth Anne White 2 Follow: Faceboo k / Twitter / Goodreads / Website

Loreth: Thank you for having me here! I’m excited to share Book 2 in my Angie Pallorino series with everyone. I’m a South-African-born-and-raised Canadian who lives in the stunning but wet, cold, and grey mountains of the Pacific Northwest. While it’s chocolate-box beautiful I miss blue African skies and sunshine and the wild ocean like a small hole in my soul. Like most writers, I’ve always loved books and stories. I’m a wife, a mother, a pet and nature lover, and weather influences my moods far more than it probably should.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Loreth: I’ve been lucky to have been surrounded by people who fed me books and stories from a very young age. From my Dutch grandfather, to my mother and father, my English teachers at school, my lecturers at university. Over the years these people all kept opening doors with secret keys to worlds of imagination.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties have you encountered writing and publishing your stories?

Loreth: Early on, when I first seriously sat down to write a novel, I was still working as a journalist. By far the most challenging hurdle was to come home after a day of overtime, deadlines, and solid writing at work, and then to try and write even more at night and over weekends while still balancing family commitments. Also, at that time, my girls were young, we were new immigrants who lived in a very small space. Our jobs were insecure, and I had no writing corner I could truly call my own—I wrote at a tiny table in our bedroom for the most part, where I could hear the noisy neighbours through the thin condo walls. Writing a novel, in some respects, seemed a ludicrous idea at the time. But I managed to sell that first one to New York, and while many more challenges lay ahead–and still do—it’s a journey I am pleased I started, and it’s a road I am happy to travel.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of THE LULLABY GIRL and the Angie Pallorino series?

Loreth: My Detective Angie Pallorino starts out in The Drowned Girls working sex crimes. It’s her wheelhouse. She’s good at it, and fiercely-driven to do it for reasons she doesn’t fully understand at the start of the series. By the end of that first book Angie has taken down a serial killer, permanently, and according to her superiors, with excessive force. Now, in The Lullaby Girl, Angie is forced back into uniform and she’s been benched on a desk assignment for 12 months. This challenges Angie in every way possible—if she’s not a detective, who is she? Then a decades-old cold case washes ashore, and Angie is pulled into an investigation she recognizes as deeply, frighteningly, personal. It could be a key to her past.

Driven and desperate to solve her own cold case in spite of her probation, Angie goes rogue, risking her relationship with Detective Maddocks, her career, and her very life in pursuit of the answers to her origins. But Angie will learn that some truths might be too painful to bear, and some sacrifices include collateral damage. And she’ll have to make some hard choices.

TRC: What type of research/plotting do you do, and how long do you spend researching /plotting before beginning a book?

Loreth: It depends on the story. I read non-fiction books, biographies, watch videos, movies, interview experts, do courses, and attend workshops. For example, for my Angie series, I read text books written for cops on how to investigate various kinds of homicides and crimes. I’ve done workshops conducted by law enforcement personnel, spoken with cops, and attended events like the wonderful Writers Police Academy that comes complete with hands-on weapons experience. And of course, there’s the writing craft aspect as well—for that, also courses, workshops, and better than anything—reading other novels in the genre.

TRC: How do you keep the plot(s) unpredictable without sacrificing content and believeability?

Loreth: I can only hope the plots are unpredictable while still delivering on genre expectations! I think the key is to develop rich characters who have their own unique takes on a plot situation, and to allow a unique setting to become character as well. Combined with one’s own voice and one’s own world view, hopefully the result is something fresh.

TRC: How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

Loreth: Hah! My editors and reviewers and readers all began to sit on my shoulder as I wrote. They’d jeer and point at the screen and yell: no, no ways can you do that! Oh no, that sucks, that’s silly!! …. I still struggle to shut them out and let my ‘girls in the basement’ loose–in private–on the first draft.

TRC: What was your hardest scene –ever-to write?

Loreth: I can’t think that there was any one scene particularly harder to write over any other. I do however find sex scenes challenging to craft because they need to deliver so much in a romance novel, in terms of not being gratuitous, in showing real character development, in driving the plot forward, and in still complicating or ramping up the suspense element of a romantic suspense.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Loreth: Yes!

The Drowned Girls TRC: When writing a story line, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Loreth: They go hand-in-hand as the story develops.

TRC: How do you select the names of your characters?

Loreth: I do think about marketing and back cover copy when I consider names. I think about what might resonate with readers, and how some names might put readers off reading a story. Also, I try limit names starting with the same letter, or ones that sound too similar. And then I consider the sound of the name itself and try to match it to character. For example, for a certain kind of hero, or villain, one might want a harsher, or shorter sounding word. Or maybe something softer for a female character. Or, if she’s bad-ass, maybe certain names could undermine that tough quality. Then … at the final stage, an editor might still ask you to change a name! This happened to me with my book A Dark Lure. Cole, my hero, was initially named Hunter, and I was (rightly) asked to change this because of the hunting theme and metaphors already playing strongly through the novel. But to this day, when I get reader letters that mention Cole, I scratch my head thinking, who in the hell is Cole!? (to me, he’s still Hunter 🙂

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the story line so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Loreth: This is a big craft question! Bottom line, I think the key is to have real-time, blow-by-blow beats occurring in a scene–without summarizing–in order to make readers feel right there, part of the unfolding events. The summarizing–or introspection or ‘telling’–works better in the sequels that bridge the real-time scenes. It also helps to decide on who the focal character in each scene will be, and what his or her scene goal is. This goal, ideally, should be apparent to the reader at the outset, and the blows should come as that goal is obstructed beat-by-beat throughout that scene—either via dialogue/argument, events, or physical action. And at the end of that scene, that focal character should have arrived at a new direction, a next scene goal in mind.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Loreth: I used to. Now I prefer quiet. But I do listen to music in between, or before writing, to set mood/tone. And yes, I pick music I think might help amplify the tone I am seeking.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Loreth: That authors enjoy writing!

TRC: What is something that few, if anybody, knows about you?

Loreth: Ooh, I don’t know … I was a competitive swimmer and once eyed by coaches as a potential Olympic hopeful. I still love long-distance, open-water swimming and have trained in the past with guys like Lewis Pugh who have crossed the English Channel and who swim the most extreme polar ends of the earth. I enjoy cooking, but not baking. I cannot sing to save my life but wish I could. I don’t like ice cream.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Loreth: Right now I’m tackling a project that is challenging me in new ways. It requires more research than I’ve ever done. There is an epic romance at the core—a love triangle–where my characters face impossible choices against extraordinary circumstances. And there’s a mystery. It’s something that is really pushing me beyond my traditional comfort zone. Which is both a good thing and scary! I’m terribly excited about it so far, but the perennial writerly struggle remains: Will I ever be able to meet my own vision for this idea? Perhaps not. But as my mother-in-law used to say: if you aim for the star you might hit the top of the tree. Heh. So I’m trying.

LIGHTNING ROUND

● Favorite Food – cheese!

● Favorite Dessert – more cheese! (and dark chocolate and espresso coffee)

● Favorite TV Show – too many to name, but at the moment I am hooked on several great Nordic noir-ish crime series, and UK and other European crime shows.

● Last Movie You Saw – Victoria and Abdul

● Dark or Milk Chocolate – definitely dark and fine and bitter

● Secret Celebrity Crush – I love Helen Mirren, Judy Dench, Emma Thompson – all wonderful celebrity role models who show women both young and old that females can age with ferocity and grace and embrace the wisdom acquired over years on this earth, and who are not shy of the wrinkles that come with that hard-won place.

● Last Vacation Destination – Australia

● Do you have any pets? – Hudson and Brunswick, my black labradog and my orange cat, and some wild birds who flap outside my window to be hand fed.

● Last book you read – Love In The Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

TRC: Thank you Loreth for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of THE LULLABY GIRL. We wish you all the best.

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The Endangered Series 1-3 by S.L. Eaves-Reviews and Guest Post

Posted on November 18, 2017 by Sandy

The Endangered Series 1-3 by S.L. Eaves-Reviews and Guest Post

The Endangered Series

Prey Til the End PREY TILL THE END
Endangered #3
by S.L. Eaves
Release Date: November 14, 2017
Genre: adult, paranormal, vampires, werewolves

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon. uk /

The 3rd installment brings the The Endangered Series to a gripping conclusion that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the last page.

Seven years have passed since Lori exiled herself from her clan. Seven years without bloodshed, without demons, without torture, without premonitions. Seven years of peace and quiet in the civilian life she’s cultivated for herself.
Seven boring years.

Then Vega appears at her doorstep with alarming news: a former member of his clan is responsible for the recent string of homicides across the southwest and the Purebloods are holding her clan responsible. To make matters worse, this traitor is working with an enemy from Lori’s past who is hell bent on revenge.

Now she’s faced with returning to the world she’s tried so hard to escape in order to save the only family she has left. Lori finds unlikely allies in a slayer and a werewolf hybrid, both survivors of S&D Pharma’s experiments. Together they fight to stop the vampire’s killing spree and absolve her clan from the Pureblood’s wrath. That’s if a ghost from her past doesn’t succeed in stopping her first.

•••••••••

REVIEW: Wow !!!! What a great ending to a fantastic trilogy.

Seven years have passed since book 1 & 2 (which I really think you’ll need to read before the last book) seven long boring years, she hasn’t seen or heard from her clan since her self exile. The war seems to be over, casualties on both sides, and the humans are safe (for now)

But they need her help, a member of her old clan has been murdering humans, and her clan is being held to account.

But is it all as it seems ? Are there more questions than answers? And why do her clan want her help now ? And why her ?

The story moves along at the same fast pace as the last two books.

Lori seems a lot more confident now, but still has moments of doubt and self
loathing (things she did in the other two books) . Again the secondary characters are all well written, loved the interaction with the
hybrid werewolf, slayer and Lori. And the face from the past ?!?! Wasn’t expecting that one !! ?

This book was full of many twists and turns that will keep you guessing as to what
will happen next. It wasn’t too hard to sit and read in one afternoon.

It was a shame to say goodbye to Lori and the world SL Eaves created. Could have happily read another book (or three) ?

Copy Supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B

_________________________

THE ENDANGERED
The Endangered #1
by S.L. Eaves
Release Date: September 4 2014
Genre: adult, paranormal, vampires, werewolves

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /

Book One of The Endangered Series introduces Lori, a newly turned vampire who’s been pulled into the middle of a war against werewolves who are infecting humans and threatening to take out the last of their kind in the process.

S&D Pharmaceuticals is developing a new vaccine with sinister side effects. A viral outbreak has the humans begging for a cure and Striden, the CEO of S&D, offers a remedy that promises to cure the virus, but is engineered to turn its unsuspecting patients into werewolves.

The werewolves are opposed by an allegiance of vampires who, while initially out for revenge, stumble onto the wolves’ plans for mass infestation. Among the vampires is an ambitious rebel named Catch and his newly turned protégé, Lori. Catch brings this treacherous world to Lori’s doorstep and turns both their worlds upside-down in the process. Secrets are exposed, allegiances are formed, and blood is spilled as they do everything in their power to preserve both their own kind and their food supply.

••••••••••

REVIEW: This book is an extremely interesting and imaginative book. Totally different to anything I’ve read before. I liked the style of the book and it grabbed me from the very beginning, and right up till the end. It’s an extremely fast paced book with full of adventure. The characters were very well written and they held your attention from the start. This was the first time I have read any of the authors work and I really enjoyed it. The story flowed very well and I didn’t want it to end. There were many twists and turns.

So ….. vampires and werewolves are at war with each other, (humans aren’t aware of them as of yet) and werewolves are plotting for domination, the vampires plan to stop them.
If they don’t, then their meals (the humans) will disappear, and that’s the end of the vampire race.

Humans are being turned into werewolves, (a virus is spreading through the human population) and beg a huge pharmaceutical company to cure them, but the cure doesn’t work.

Lori use to be a human, but was “turned” by Catch. Lori is reluctantly “recruited” to the vampire cause. If she doesn’t help, she won’t last long without blood, and nor will her new family.
Catch is an unusual character (he’s never turned anyone, so it was nice to see how he grew as he taught Lori) Her vampire “family” are a great addition to the story, and you can’t help but hope they win against their enemies the werewolves.

The author had such a way with words, you could see yourself in The Covenant, or the many sword fights (I had myself ducking a few times?) the world of vampires and werewolves according to author was a very fascinating world.

If you have a thing for vampires, or if you love a good action book. Then “The Endangered” is for you.

And I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B

_____________

DEAD AND DAMAGED
The Endangered #2
by S.L. Eaves
Release Date: September 2, 2016
Genre: adult, paranormal, vampires, werewolves

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /

Book Two of The Endangered Series picks up with Lori attempting to track down the
source of stealth technology rogue vampires are using to hunt humans. Her pursuit
leads her into the arms of a government agency with similar objectives. A temporary
alliance is formed in an effort to stop the corporation responsible for putting the
technology in malignant hands. Their mission goes awry, however, and leaves Lori
with more enemies than friends.

Her situation worsens when Marcus learns that the corporation has also been working
with vampires to develop daylight suits and synthetic blood. He convinces his clan
that this organization and its infinite resources will be a valuable asset in the
evolution of their kind. They begin questioning Lori’s motives and Marcus takes the
opportunity to capitalize on their distrust. Consequently, Lori soon finds herself
on the run from her former clan and turns to Vega for help exposing the truth behind
Marcus and his new deceitful allies.

••••••••••

REVIEW: Oh My God !!!! I didn’t think the second book could get any better than the first
one ….. boy was I wrong. A few twists and turns and I’m on the edge of my seat.

In this second installment of The Endangered trilogy, we find Lori struggling to
find her place in the vampire world. (She was a human until turned by a vampire
called Catch)

Lori decides to side the with humans in a government agency, they want to help
destroy the werewolf plan of domination, (they designed a virus to turn humans into
werewolves) but this doesn’t help Lori, in fact, she becomes suspect in the vampire
world. (Lies and mistrust doesn’t help Lori’s cause) and then has to outrun both her
old vampire family and the werewolves.

Lori has grown since the last book, and her finding her vampire feet, has made for
great reading….. from taking bullets (which don’t kill vampires) to falling six
stories from a building (she lands on all fours like a cat). She still has her
doubts and would swap being a vampire to a human in a heartbeat, but she knows there
is no going back, so will do her best to rid the world of werewolves.

The cast of secondary characters are just as strong as the first book. And the
antagonist exchanges between Lori and Brixton. And the loyal friendship of Quinn
make great reading.

I would recommend you read “The Endangered” first, which will make “Dead and
Damaged” more sense.

I will be eagerly awaiting the next and last instalment.

Reviewed by Julie

Copy supplied for review

Guest Post

How The Endangered Became a Series by S.L. Eaves

When it was released, The Endangered was never intended to be more than a standalone novel. I’d signed a book deal with a now defunct scifi & fantasy house, Zharmae Publishing Press, and the book sold well for them (though clearly not well enough) and sat in the publisher’s top five the year it was released. On the heels of its modest success, they reached out to me with a series contract. This was met with panicked resistance from me initially. I work full-time and the first book came together after years of work and a very daunting editing process. To say I was less than receptive to the idea of going through the process again is an understatement. A series is a big commitment. But after some discussion with the staff at Zharmae and some coaxing by my editor to flush out the short story I’d tacked onto the first book as the epilogue, the beginnings of a concept for the sequel began to form. They were also very supportive in my desire to write a more grounded, spy-centric story.

For the second book in the series, Dead and Damaged, I focused on two major plot pieces from The Endangered: the death of a major character that would have a ripple effect across the remaining characters, impacting all their relationships, and a secret that would serve as a catalyst for Book Two’s main story. With these two notions in mind, I took the epilogue from the first book as a baseline and set out to writing. Roughly three months later I had the first draft of the sequel hammered out.

Once the ball got rolling, Dead and Damaged poured out much faster than I’d expected. The characters backstories and relationships were solidified in The Endangered. The world was built. Book Two was a breeze by comparison. I also opted to go with a primarily linear narrative based on one central storyline and told almost entirely from the main character’s point of view. Which helped improve the flow and pacing.

It was also a conscious effort on my part to correct certain “flaws” of the first book, which jumped around as a result of its origin – short stories strung together over several years didn’t flow as smoothly as I’d have preferred. When you have to force the puzzle pieces to fit the result is a weaker, unnatural structure.

Another important factor is it more accurately represented what I wanted to write about at the time – less Blade/Underworld and more Mission Impossible/Metal Gear Solid. Personally, I feel that you can tell when the author is having fun writing versus when they’re just trying to get it off their plate. While I enjoyed writing the stories and characters that would eventually form The Endangered, piecing together the book with a team of editors felt like a second job. But I learned a lot from that process and was better prepared to navigate those waters with the follow-up efforts.

I started working on Book Three, Prey till the End, during the writing and editing process for Dead and Damaged. Having the ability to anticipate future entries in the series gave me more flexibility with the story arcs and I feel both books benefitted. What I hadn’t anticipated was the publishing house shifting from pressuring me to crank out more entries in the series as quickly as possible to suddenly going dark. At one point I didn’t even think Dead and Damaged would be published. From a writing perspective, the train was on the tracks and I was plowing forward, with or without a publisher. Eventually Book Two did get released. And by this point I was roughly halfway through the manuscript for Book Three. Then a few months later the publishing house closed. I debated shopping the series around, but going through the whole process of re-releasing the first two books in the series (and changing it into what the new publisher envisioned – because that comes with the territory when they own the rights) was less than appealing. Instead I opted to complete Book Three and independently publish the series.

This also impacted Book Three’s story because I decided that I did not wish to continue the series independently. For better or for worse, Prey till the End, the third installment in The Endangered Series is my most ambitious piece of writing to date. With it, I had two main stories I wanted to tell. The challenge was intertwining and eventually concluding them. My other objectives with Prey till the End were to address the aftermath from the events of previous books as well as tie up loose ends. Part of this involved utilizing the characters established in previous books; taking their stories further, giving them new challenges and new environments to play in, while also added a couple new characters to the mix to keep things fresh.

I loved telling this story. Loved. But I struggled mightily to make it work. It’s fair to say only twenty-thirty percent of what I wrote made it into the final manuscript. Tons got cut. Mainly as a result of the story’s evolution during the writing process. The story I initially envisioned didn’t quite work on paper. For example, I had one chapter outlined and storyboarded out, then two or three paragraphs in I realized it wouldn’t work. As mentioned earlier, I’d learned with the first book not to force in the puzzle pieces. The result was much smoother and plausible than my initial idea.

One challenge when you’re three books into a series is keeping it interesting and unpredictable. For instance, I initially intended to rekindle a relationship from Dead and Damaged, but found it had run its course and became bland, so I went a different direction to keep the characters compelling. I took the same approach with the main character’s interaction with a major character from Book One. The two characters rarely shared the same space “on screen” in The Endangered (and when they did they were fighting) so I wanted to give them more dialogue together and let the story develop naturally based on their interactions. Decisions like that helped drive the narrative to new directions.

Ultimately, the biggest hurdle was the conclusion. With the last book in a series you feel the weight of the whole series; you want to give the characters a satisfactory send off, to solve open mysteries, to tie up loose ends, and manage relationships/arcs while staying true to the characters and their journeys. All without repeating events or exposition from previous books or seeming cliché, contrived or tedious. I really felt that burden with Prey till the End. Tying all the books together to create a cohesive series turned out to be less challenging than wrapping everything up. But I tried to trust in the characters to lead me to where they needed to go. I was along for the ride during much of the writing process. And hopefully readers will join me in this journey and enjoy reading this series as much as I enjoyed writing it.

about the author

SL Eaves Follow: Goodreads /Website / Twitter / Facebook

S. L. Eaves is a Philadelphia area native who received undergraduate degrees in film and writing from University of Pittsburgh. She returned to Philadelphia to earn her MBA in marketing from Drexel University while freelancing as a writer and brand consultant. She penned the first two books of The Endangered Series for Zharmae Publishing and went on to complete the series independently after the publishing house closed. Presently, she works in marketing and escapes into the world of fiction every chance she gets.

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