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A Strange There After (Savannah Shadows #2) by Missy Fleming-Review & Interview with the Author

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A Strange There After (Savannah Shadows #2) by Missy Fleming-Review and Interview with the Author

A Strange There After

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 26, 2014

Ghosts exist. Quinn Roberts knows this because she is one – kind of. The spirit of a dysfunctional ancestor, Catherine, has evicted Quinn from her own body, forcing her to live in a world with the paranormal. No one can see, touch or hear her, except the ghosts she grew up with and the bane of her existence, a self-centered paranormal investigator named Boone.

Forced to watch the growing bond between her boyfriend, Jason, and the body snatcher, Catherine, Quinn delves deeper into the history of her family in search of a way to reverse what’s been done. What she finds is a dangerous entity more terrifying than anything she’s encountered before. He’s willing to grant all her desires…for a price.

As Quinn faces painful decisions and makes unlikely alliances, she learns how far she will go to get her life back. Desperation is a wicked thing and she soon realizes that recovering her body may only be the beginning of her end.

••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: A STRANGE THERE AFTER is the second instalment in Missy Fleming’s contemporary, young adult Savannah Shadows paranormal storyline focusing on a centuries old curse that has followed Quinn Roberts family through the generations. As the sole surviving Roberts family member, Quinn has become the target of ghosts and spirits avenging their death at the hands of Quinn’s ancestors. Now that Quinn’s spirit has been forced from her own body, she must find a way to let everyone know that the spirit inhabiting her body is not Quinn but someone who hopes to make the switch permanent.

Missy Fleming continues the world building from book one where Quinn’s life read like a Cinderella fairy tale including the wicked step-mother and step-sisters but in A STRANGE THERE AFTER the fairy tale takes on a more sinister note. With her extended family out of the picture, Quinn will discover that not everything they did was under their control. With the Savannah, Georgia area notorious for hauntings and magical incantations Quinn, along with the help of her best friend and a young psychic with connections to the other side, Quinn sets out to find a way to reverse the curse set upon her family for hundreds of years.

A STRANGE THERE AFTER is a young adult storyline (written in first person POV) with all the hallmarks of the genre-a love triangle; absent parents; misguided and misunderstood youth; villainous adults; and the requisite mean girl who pushes Quinn from her body and takes over her life as well as her boyfriend. Quinn’s friends try desperately to find a way to reverse the curse but Quinn takes it upon herself to make a deal with an otherworldly spirit only the Devil himself would love.

The storyline is well paced; there is mystery and suspense; perceived betrayal and broken hearts. The secondary characters are colorful but Quinn’s long suffering boyfriend plays only a small role in the second storyline. The reader is pulled into a story where voodoo, magic and revenge have crossed hundreds of years to finally come full circle with the last of the cursed family. Once Quinn is out of the picture, what’s an angry spirit to do for fun?

Reading Order
1. Happily Never After
2. A Strange There After

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview orange:black

TRC: Hi Missy and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of A STRANGE THERE AFTER.

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

Check out Missy’s Website

Missy FlemingMissy: I live in beautiful Bozeman, Montana, not far from Yellowstone National Park. Being outside, especially in summer, is a bit of a necessity, so that often leaves me with less time for writing than I’d like. I love traveling, am an adoring aunt, and spend a lot of time with my family. When I’m writing, I always have to have something on in the background; music or the TV. For some reason, I am not the type who does well with silence.

TRC: What or who influenced your foray into writing?

Missy: As much as I hate to admit it, I’d have to say it started with Stephanie Meyer. If it weren’t for Twilight and the craze causing me to pick the book up, I might not have fallen as hard and fast as I did for the Young Adult genre. Although I grew up reading Nora Roberts, I find it MUCH harder to write adult books. My other biggest influence is my critique/writing partner. She has been amazing at giving me tough love, helping me become a better writer. I will always be thankful to her.

A Strange There AfterTRC: A STRANGE THERE AFTER is the second installment in your young adult, paranormal Savannah Shadows series. Would you please tell us something about the series and book premise?

Missy: Quinn Roberts has grown up in the shadow of her stepsisters, often neglected by her stepmother, and can’t wait to get away from them, even if it means leaving her beloved childhood home. Quinn is a sensitive, meaning she can hear and see ghosts. But there is something evil in her house, affecting her stepmother. The further she delves into the history of her family, the more disturbing things she finds. And as the series progresses, she winds up in a position she never imagined, fighting for her life and to get back all she has lost.

TRC: The first book –HAPPILY NEVER AFTER- followed the ‘Cinderella’ outline. What was the deciding factor to use an established fairy tale formula for the introductory storyline?

Click HERE for our review of Happily Never After

Happily Never AfterMissy: Personally, I love fairy tale retellings and I love ghost stories—much like what Marissa Marr has done with her Cinder series. Putting those beloved stories into a modern setting makes them relevant to new readers, makes them more relatable. I wondered what it would be like if the fairy godmother was a ghost and the prince, an actor. In the second book, I kind of flirted with the whole Rumplestilskin tale, about trading favors and making good on a contract or partnership.

TRC: Why Savannah, Georgia? Do you have a connection to the town and the people?

Missy: Savannah is steeped in history, especially the kind centered around the paranormal. It is said to be the most haunted town in America. It seemed to be the perfect place to set the story. The town has always fascinated me.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background, history,etc) did you encounter writing this particular story and series?

Missy: Believe it or not, I have never been to Savannah, so I have to always consult maps and visitor guides. In book two, I had a whole new set of obstacles. I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read the first, but involving Quinn became nearly impossible. I had to get inventive and introduce new characters to make it work. It frustrated me to no end, but I am extremely happy with how it turned out.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Missy: Three. I will be starting the third book very soon. Been jotting down notes and ideas so it’s time to make sense of them.

TRC: Why your interest in writing ‘young adult’ storylines? Have you considered writing other genres? Adult storylines?

Missy: I love the younger voice. The stories come easier to me. It’s hard to explain. I have an adult/women’s fiction I’ve been trying to tweak for years, but it never feels just right. While I can pop out a YA book in a few months. I think I may venture into New Adult eventually, but right now, I am happy where I am. I love the genre and I think it still has a lot of places to go.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters (Quinn, Catherine, Abby, Jason, Boone) in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

Missy: To me, Quinn has always been either Victoria Justice or Vanessa Hudgens. They both have the same look as Quinn and I’d totally cast either of them.

For Abby, I would choose Taylor Swift. I think she’d be great in that part, feisty and determined.

Jason is a tough one. Maybe Brant Daughtry from Pretty Little Liars or Chase Crawford.

Boone was based off of Zak Bagans from Ghost Adventures, a little embarrassing to admit, but I can’t see him being cast as anyone else. Maybe Zak wants to try out acting!

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Missy: I like to think of the least predictable road, what would be the least cliché option. I don’t want to ever be just another paranormal. I want to be different. It can take a couple tries, but eventually you find something that fits and it feels good.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Missy: The characters direct me. There’s been plenty of times I am surprised by where the story has gone, how a certain character has evolved. I never intended to bring another love interest into the story for Quinn with Boone, but it happened that way. I wasn’t sure how this experience would change her but it does. She surprised me and I love it when that happens.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline 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?

Missy: Sometimes, I think writers try too hard, they overreach, have the characters react to something and go overboard. To me, emotion comes from the simple things, from a struggle the everyday reader can relate to. And it has to feel real.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

Missy: I don’t force it. Even if it puts me behind schedule, I don’t force it. It will only make me more frustrated. Often, I will switch to some other project for a bit or lay in bed at night working through it in my head. Walking away is often the best medicine.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Missy: My sister is a good one. She’s read most of my works in progress. The best person I have is a fellow writer. We write and edit together and I have learned so much from her. She’ll tell me exactly why she doesn’t like something and often, I have to mull it over to realize she is right. We have our routine down to an art.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Missy: A historical Young Adult set in the 1860’s gold rush in Montana. While that may not sound like something a lot of teens would read, I’ve added the whole Hatfields & McCoys element, or more recognizable, Romeo and Juliet. It’s about a girl who has lost everything and takes a chance to go west, leaping into the unknown, and is caught between two warring families. It does have a love triangle and the gold rush town it is set in actually still exists today. The boom and excitement of instant wealth is just the backdrop to the story. It’s my first historical and I’m really happy with how it’s turning out. Well, I still have to figure out the end, so we shall see.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Missy: Thanks for this opportunity! As an author, I am still learning the ins and outs of marketing myself. Sites like this have helped immensely. I am that writer, and reader, who gets so caught up in their current project, they often forget the real world exists out there. I’d love to hear from any of my readers so feel free to contact me through Goodreads or my (very neglected) website.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Love any kind of seafood. And popcorn. That’s my go-to snack.

Favorite Dessert
A certain chocolate cake of my mom’s. And angel food cake.

Favorite TV Show
Once Upon a Time – go figure – and Scandal. Also ADDICTED to Game of Thrones

Last Movie You Saw
New movie? I’d have to say that would be Frozen. And I am in love with it.

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark!

Favorite Song (at the moment)
Happy by Pharell. It’s just a happy song. How can anyone hear it and not want to smile or move?

Secret Celebrity Crush
Ian Somerhalder. Not only is he hot but he is into environmental awareness and an animal lover. Whole package

Last Vacation Destination
Just got back from Orlando two days ago. It was a work thing, but we spent a couple days extra going to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Lots of people but something about that place is amazing. So much to see and do.

Pet Peeve
Oh wow. Not sure. People who think they are entitled to certain things. Like on an airplane. Just because you get on first doesn’t mean we’re leaving any sooner, so stop pushing your way through the crowd!

TRC: Thank you Missy for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success. We wish you all the best.

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The Colors of Blue by Lance McCulloch-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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The Colors of Blue by Lance McCulloch-Review, Interview and Giveaway

The Colors of Blue Banner

The Colors of Blue
by Lance McCulloch
Release Date: November 11, 2013
Genre: romance, contemporary

The Colors of Blue

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

THE COLORS OF BLUE by Lance McCulloch

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 11, 2013

The Colors of Blue is an intelligent and compelling mainstream romance whose characters peel away complex layers of deceit, grief, loss and discovery during a riveting journey that at last binds hearts together and renews the promise of true love.

From the novel’s first page, Sara Field emerges as a woman of unique gifts whose soul resonates to a kaleidoscope of colors—a sixth sense that infuses her world with an understanding beyond the apparent. Yet somehow the colors fade in the glare of urban life and heartbreaking betrayal, and her struggle to retrieve those vibrant hues borders on the unbearable. Can she ever regain the innocence and wonder of that magical young womanhood? Perhaps—when she finds the spectacular beauty of the San Juan Mountains and the Tres Piedras River.
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Half a country away, Rick Wheeler mourns the death of his extraordinary wife and feels himself crumbling under the burden of despair even as he builds a financial dynasty. Will nothing lift the gloom, relieve the cruel devastation of his loss and renew his heart? Ah, yes, there is one thing—fly-fishing on the Tres Piedras River. Time here is satisfying and soul-renewing. But he is still alone.

The rest, woven into a tapestry of adventure, intrigue, revelation, and even serendipity, invites each reader to participate in a life-affirming search for the colors and connections of love and the depth of meaning they give to the human spirit.

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE COLORS OF BLUE by Lance McCulloch is a contemporary storyline of romance and love. The focus of the story is on ranch hand Rick Wheeler and primary school teacher Sara Field-the woman who will open Rick’s heart and mind to second chances and finding love.

The premise of the storyline is the building relationship between Rick and Sara but, also the rebuilding of trust. Rick and Sara have both suffered heartbreaking and painful losses but none more so than Rick. At a weeklong getaway prior to Sara’s sister’s wedding, Rick and Sara will meet for the first time opening their eyes and their hearts to the possibility of a future but not before betrayal and misunderstandings will pull them apart.

THE COLORS OF BLUE is a storyline with a slight paranormal edge. The writing is as calming as it is beautiful with descriptive narration and scenery. Lance McCulloch weaves a wonderful tale that is romantic in its presentation; graceful in its approach; passionate in its maturity and imagination.

The storyline is told through present day, memory flashbacks and dreams. The reader is introduced to a cast of secondary characters that will make you fall in love with their perceptive understanding about two people meant for one another. Sara and Rick are drawn to one another such that the reader will be drawn into the storyline that is emotionally seductive. There is no foul language and no sexual situations but the sexual tension between Sara and Rick is palpable.

Lance McCulloch has written a captivating and breathtaking storyline where two people will find love. The Colors of Blue is a story of pure romance; of developing friendships; and learning to let go. If you are looking for a story with romance, seduction and a happily ever after THE COLORS OF BLUE is an incredible journey that you don’t want to miss.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview-Blue

TRC: Hi Lance and welcome to The Reading Café.

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

Follow Lance: Goodreads / Website / Facebook /

Lance McCullochLance: I’m a 49 years old and only recently become a full-time author. Me, my wife Jennifer and three daughters all call Boulder, Colorado home. I have a degree from the University of Colorado in Chemical Engineering and spent the last ten years of my life starting and running a gear and technology company. I love the outdoors and fly-fishing has been my go-to Zen for many years.

TRC: What or who influenced your foray into writing?

Lance: Around 2003 I started a technology company in Boulder, Colorado. Several years later the company had arrived at a unique GPS technology with military applications. In 2007, a large public company approached my six-person company exploring a relationship to distribute our products. I was excited and believed that we had hit the jackpot. Unbeknownst to me, this company had an agenda that was outside of the terms of the distribution contract we signed. The terms of that agreement made them the exclusive distributor of our product and when they missed a major US Army contract, they simply stepped away.

Their actions set forth a sequence of events including the loss of my company and a lawsuit against the large company. I loved my employees and losing them and my company were some very darkest times in my life. I needed something positive. One day I closed the door of my office and simply began to write. My book, The Colors of Blue, was the best and most positive thing to come out of those hard times, although, when a Dallas, Texas jury convicted the company of fraud in 2013, it was not bad either.

The Colors of BlueTRC: THE COLORS OF BLUE is your first published novel (November 2013). Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Lance: The Colors of Blue is a contemporary story of love, loss, and recovery. It is a story of the human spirit told through the eyes and experiences of the two main Characters, Sarah Field and Rick Wheeler.

Sarah was born with a special gift, a sixth sense that allows her to see colors that have great meaning. During a week in the Colorado Rockies with her sister and a group of friends, Sarah meets Rick Wheeler, at first glance a river guide with a tragic past. Here, as she sorts through the deceit by her fiancé, her colors begin to appear again. Then arrives the odd colors of blue, ones she has never encountered before. But Sarah struggles with these new colors, continually overshadowed by the presence of her cheating fiancé, like herself a guest at the Colorado ranch.

TRC: What do you tell the critics/potential new readers as it pertains to the male perspective when writing romance novels?

Lance: Romance is nothing more than a delightful process to arrive at the most basic necessity of any human. That necessity is love. I set out to write a story of loss and discovery of this most basic need. If my readers feel or see it as a romance, so be it; my writing comes from the perspective of a man who felt the loss of a mother early in life, who felt the sudden and tragic loss of a father in a plane crash, and the vulnerability of a man with unmatched love for a beautiful wife and three daughters.

TRC: Did you learn anything about yourself when writing the book?

Lance: I’ve spent half of my life being an engineer and business owner as a practical means of supporting my family. What I’ve discovered is that writing provides an internal joy beyond what I ever found in the ‘practical’ days of my life. I think I will keep writing because life is too short. ☺ I’d also like to go looking for sunken treasure in the Caribbean, but I’m pretty sure that pictures of my sun-drenched body in speedo would sink that adventure.

TRC: Is THE COLORS OF BLUE a stand alone novel or do you have plans for a series?

Lance: Sarah and Rick’s story begins at the end of The Colors of Blue. It must continue and I know their next journey. However, I am compelled by another problem in the Colorado Rockies that is begging to be sorted-out first!

TRC: Are any of the characters based in reality or a culmination of many different variables?

Lance: When I was in my 20’s I lost my mother to cancer. My parents always had a great relationship and I watched as my father contended with this loss. Although I did not set out with the intention of writing my father’s story, I’ve realized that I have spent many hours fly-fishing and sorting through how he dealt with losing his wife. That event was certainly a core influence on my story.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background, etc) did you encounter writing this particular story and series?

Lance: I believe there are a hundred ways to tell the same story. However, there is a real art to keeping an audience involved and turning pages. My background is Chemical Engineering, about as close to Creative Writing as oil is to water. I worked the hardest on structuring the story with strategic and creative ways to keep the audience involved.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

Lance: Sarah would be Keira Knightley with dark, curly hair. I will not comment on Rick for fear of damaging a late night image built by the female reader. I mean, would you pick up the book if I told you Rick looked like Will Ferrell? Don’t worry, he does not!

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Lance: As an author, I find myself creating primary events and experiences for my characters while knowing how they will react and respond to each. The readers get to know my characters through these primary events but also the small scenes I create that may seem unimportant but work to round out the character. In an interesting way, I create the primary events and the characters responses and then the characters tell me how they will respond in the smaller scenes. This is a good question. It’s allowed me to arrive at the conclusion that my characters are smarter than I am. ☺

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline 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?

Lance: I believe it goes a long way to build a story that any reader can see, feel, smell, and touch. When each of us walk through an airport we each take-in the scene and all that fills it. If characters in a book see, feel, hear, and smell things that the reader would experience in the same way, they become real; they become believable. I would guess the most common mistake is to create characters that are too perfect, that sense things the average reader would miss.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

Lance: Studying engineering in college, I found that if I worked hard on a problem yet could not solve it, it was best to simply leave it alone for some period of time. That did not mean that I was not working on it, only that it was my subconscious rather than the conscious part of my brain that was doing the work. Commonly, this is called ‘sleeping on it.’ However, often it takes more than a single night. Thus, I try to identify the problem I face in the story, whether it is a sequence of events, the reality of a scene, dialog, or something else and then consider all of the options to solve the problem. I will then work on another section of the book and wait until the problem solves itself. If you see my iPhone, it’s full of message to myself when I’m out shopping, having coffee, or a glass of wine and suddenly the solution arrives. Now that I think about it, it often occurs when I’m drinking wine; maybe we are on to something here? ☺

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Lance: I do not find myself bouncing specific ideas but I will give my wife ‘raw’ chapters. She is the one for me. I’ll watch out of the corner of my eye as she reads to see if I’ve created the right reaction in her. By now, I know most of her facial expressions.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Lance: My next story is set in the small town of Silverton, Colorado. The title is ‘The Funny Little Corners of Love.’ Dan receives a letter from his estranged, alcoholic brother. In it, his brother tells him that he has found their missing father and that he should return to Colorado as quickly as possible. From here, we are off and running to reunite brothers in a mystery with recognizable, human themes.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Lance: I would just like to thank The Reading Café for this interview and everyone who has taken time read. Thanks ☺

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Sushi

Favorite Dessert
Cheese cake, add some strawberry to the top.

Favorite TV Show
Modern Family

Last Movie You Saw
Anchorman 2

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk Chocolate by a mile! Add almonds and I’ll follow you over a cliff!

Secret Celebrity Crush
Sandra Bullock

Last Vacation Destination
Hawaii, The Big Island.

Pet Peeve
TV or Radio News with an agenda.

TRC: Thank you Lance for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of THE COLORS OF BLUE. We wish you all the
best.

giveaway

Lance is giving away a copy of THE COLORS OF BLUE to 20 (twenty) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

4. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. The giveaway is open Internationally.

6. The giveaway runs from April 3 to April 8, 2014

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Fine Tuning Hanna by Tiina Walsh-Review and Interview with the Author

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Fine Tuning Hanna by Tiina Walsh-Review and Interview with the Author

Fine Tuning Hanna

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date

Would saying the magic words ‘I love you’ in time have stopped it all going so wrong for Hanna? Or was some other power at play? Finnish piano-tuner Hanna Suvanto loves her new life and friends in Dublin. And the icing on the cake is meeting Ireland’s premium bachelor, the personal development guru, Sebastian O’Reilly. But their whirlwind romance hits a serious obstacle when Hanna’s stay is unexpectedly cut short. Sebastian seems strangely unconcerned about her departure – and then Hanna makes a shocking discovery about the man she thought she knew. Heartbroken and disillusioned with love, she returns to Finland, resolving to rebuild her life. Back in Ireland, Sebastian can’t get Hanna out of his mind. Surely there is more to her abrupt departure than meets the eye?

REVIEW:

Fine Tuning Hanna is a 282 page good read! It’s a great love story with many interesting well written secondary characters.

Hanna Suvanto is a pretty Finnish young woman, working in Ireland. She is a piano technician, mostly tuning pianos for concert halls. She meets and falls madly in love (and her with her) with a positive thinking speaker, Sebastian O’Reilly (God, I love that name! – LOL). Our author gives us a wonderful story with great scenery, wonderful scenes of love and friendships, while teaching us about positive thinking theory. Very interesting stuff!

They have a whirlwind wonderful time, while the deadline for her to return to Finland ticks away. Then a spiteful woman brings the thing to a seeming halt…resulting in heartache, confusion for Sebastian, and so much more. Will they reconcile? Will love be thwarted? Ahhh….

Fine Tuning Hanna is an interesting mix of learning cultural differences, positive thinking theory, friendships and love. There are, of course, the elements of heat-break and redemption! An interesting and intriguing rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, betrayal, and ultimate friendship.

I don’t do spoilers, because you need to read the wonderful details as the author unfolds the story to you. I’m not sure if this is the author’s first book, but it’s well done and I thoroughly enjoyed the story, shed a few tears, laughed out loud and found my heart pounding a few times! What else is there?
Get a nice glass of wine or your favorite beverage, cuddle up and enjoy, I did!

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Georgianna

Interview

TRC: Hi Tiina and welcome to The Reading Cafe.

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

FOLLOW: Website/ Facebook/ Twitter

Tiina WalshTiina: I grew up in Finland but when I was 19, I moved to Ireland, fell in love with an Irishman and have lived in Ireland for the past 16 years. My native language is Finnish. I own and run several companies in the real estate sector in Finland and Ireland, which involves traveling back and forward between the two countries a lot. I have always wanted to be a writer, and finally realized my dream of becoming a published author in 2013.

TRC: FINE TUNING HANNA is your August 2013 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Tiina: The book tells the story of Hanna, a Finnish female piano tuner working in Ireland. She falls in love with a famous Irish personal development coach, Sebastian. After the initial romance, things go badly wrong, Hanna goes back to Finland heartbroken, leaving Sebastian baffled by her abrupt departure. But since it’s a romance, there is a happy ending for the couple!

TRC: Who or what was the inspiration behind the characters and the storyline?

Tiina: To some extent, the main character of Hanna is based on me – although it’s my husband who is a piano tuner / player in real life! A lot of the cultural observations about the Finns and the Irish are based on my own experiences. Both myself and my husband are very keen on personal development, hence it was easy to choose Sebastian’s profession ( and he looks quite a lot like my husband…)

Some of the other characters were loosely inspired by some of my friends, yet all characters grew to be their own persons as the story developed.

The storyline itself developed little by little from my initial idea of a Finnish-Irish love story, which incorporated the idea of the main couple at some level not feeling “good enough” for the other one, and both of them having to “grow” during the story to realize that their ideas of themselves were holding them back in achieving a good relationship.

Fine Tuning HannaTRC: How much of the “positive thinking theory” premise is derived from your husband? Do you believe in the power of positive thinking?

Tiina: My husband and I discuss positive thinking ideas a lot, and I confess that I often consult him and his wisdom – he really is very knowledgeable and passionate about positive thinking! And yes, I really do believe in the power of positive thinking, as I have seen endless amount of evidence to support these ideas in my own life, and we both continue to study the topic further all the time.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Tiina: It would make my ego very happy to think I’m the director, but after the initial idea for the storyline, I’m afraid the characters decide what happens next, and I often feel like a mere spectator of the events unfolding – an act very similar to reading, which is my passion in life.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Tiina: Definitely a pantster. I have not learner the art of “looking around the corners” which I presume is what a plotter can do. I have just finished the manuscript of my second book and this, as well as FINE-TUNING HANNA, was written entirely in a pantster mode. But saying that, I have a great idea for my third book, and I have a feeling that some plotting will be required- I don’t know, as I haven’t started it yet!

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline 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 writers fail in this endeavor?

Tiina: The writer must concentrate really hard in feeling and listening to the character, in order to bring the characters’ true emotions alive – only if they ring true, will the reader be engaged. Rushing the storyline and not editing the book enough times to catch more details of the situations unfolding, will make the emotional state of the characters feel too shallow to engage the reader.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Tiina: My beautiful characters keep me on my toes! And my excellent editor…

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines?

Tiina: I have a lot of anxiety and deadlines in my day job, so I don’t really feel any anxiety in regards to writing. But then again, as a self-published author, I get to choose what I do and when – one of the reasons why I chose to go down this path. The plan is to publish a book a year, which I believe to be achievable to me, since I love being a (evening time) writer so much.

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

Tiina: Tough question! Perhaps the fact that some people seem to think that as a non-native English speaker/writer, I shouldn’t be able to write books in English. If only they knew the amount of English text I “devour” all the time…

TRC: Writers Block is a very real phenomenon for many authors. How do you handle the stress and anxiety of Writers Block?

Tiina: I just don’t write when I don’t feel like it – I can’t say I have felt the Block, but it’s probably because I only write when the Muse takes me.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas with family, friends and fellow authors. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Tiina: I bounce ideas with my husband and my best friend, who is a famous Irish harpist – a true artist. Funnily enough, neither of them are great readers,
yet extremely insightful when it comes to the story format.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Tiina: I’m working at the ideas level of my third book, and I’m excited and terrified in equal measures about starting the book in early 2014. This is going to be my biggest challenge yet, and I sincerely hope I’m good enough to bring the book alive.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Tiina: Thank you for this opportunity! I have enjoyed thinking about your questions.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Meatballs and mash potatoes (typical Scandinavian fare)

Favorite Dessert
Something very chocolaty

Favorite TV Show
The Mentalist

Last Movie You Saw
The Family

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Both

Pet Peeve
My husband keeps using my pen in the home office – it’s mine!

Secret Celebrity Crush
Edward – wait, he’s not real! Not so fussed about the actor, though…

TRC: Thank you Tiina for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of FINE TUNING HANNA. We wish you all the best.

Tiina: Thank YOU.

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Her Wicked Angel by Felicity E. Heaton-Blog Tour, Interview and Giveaway

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Her Wicked Angel by Felicity E. Heaton-Blog Tour, Interview and Giveaway

Her Wicked Angel Banner

Her Wicked Angel
Her Angel #6
by Felicity E. Heaton
Release Date: September 21, 2013
Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Her Wicked Angel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

The King of Demons and the Devil’s right hand man, Asmodeus is a dark angel born of evil and created for destruction. When his master orders him to venture into the mortal world and retrieve a female for him, he seizes the chance to leave Hell for the first time, uncaring of what the Devil has planned for her… until he sets eyes on the most beautiful woman he has ever seen—a female who awakens new feelings within his black heart, unleashing passion so intense that it controls him and desire he cannot resist.

He will not let his wretched master have her. She will belong to him.

Liora is a witch with a bad reputation and an obsession with fighting demons. A mission gone wrong sees her sent to Paris to cool off, but when a dark and deadly warrior with a gaze of golden fire lands in her life, she ends up burning hotter than Hell for the wicked angel. Nothing will stand between her and the immense, forbidding male. Not her cousin. Not Asmodeus’s sworn enemy and twin, Apollyon. And certainly not the Devil.

Caught up in a tempest of danger and soul-searing passion, can they survive against the odds and seize their forever after?

Interview beige 2

Felicity HeatonTRC: Hi Felicity and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of Her Wicked Angel.

Felicity: Thanks for having me here.

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

Follow:  Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Felicity: Sure I can. I’m a paranormal romance writer, although I do also dabble in science fiction romance. I’ve been writing since 2005, and went indie in 2006, before all the cool kids were doing it. I’ve written over forty-five books in my career as a writer, and around forty of those are still available. I love to write passionate paranormal romances, with high-octane action, intense emotion, and heroes who will make your toes curl!

At the moment, I have two major series on the go and one I completed this year, and I have another series about to begin in December. The completed series is the Vampire Erotic Theatre series, with the delicious heroes of Vampirerotique, London’s premier naughty theatre for vampires. The ongoing series are the Her Angel series with my take on sexy passionate angels determined to protect their women from a terrible game between Heaven and Hell, and the Vampires Realm series I write as F E Heaton, which is packed with twisting plots, vampires to die for, and is a huge world encompassing ten books at present.

Her Wicked AngelTRC: HER WICKED ANGEL is the September 2013 release in the Her Angel series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Click HERE for our review of HER WICKED ANGEL by Felicity E Heaton

Felicity: Her Wicked Angel is the sixth book in my popular Her Angel paranormal romance series. It’s about Asmodeus, the wicked King of Demons and the Devil’s right hand man. He’s an angel born for destruction and evil, but beneath his cold and often cruel exterior there is a glimmer of good, a seed that he hides from his master and the three realms (Heaven, Hell and the Mortal realms) because in his world, good is a weakness.

When he is sent to the mortal world to retrieve a female for the Devil and sets eyes on the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, a woman who challenges him at every turn and seems to have a mystical power over him, that sliver of good begins to grow and he realizes that he can’t let his master have her… because he wants her for himself.

Liora is a witch and has always known that angels existed, but she never thought she would meet Asmodeus. The glowering dark angel warrior with his black wings and golden eyes makes her burn hotter than Hell itself and she can’t resist the fierce attraction that blazes between them. He’s dangerous and deadly… and he might just be her only hope for survival.

TRC: The last three books appear to building up for a war within the series. Would you please tell us whose storyline is next and which direction will the story take?

Her Angel Series

Click HERE for our review of HER ANGEL series books 3-6 by Felicity E Heaton

Felicity: I can admit that the next novel will feature Nevar as the hero and that it is going to be epic, but can’t say much more than that without giving away huge spoilers for both his book and for Her Wicked Angel. Nevar is very much an angel on the brink. He’s been through a lot since his first appearance in the fifth book in the series, Her Demonic Angel, and in his book, he’s going to have to come to terms with some things about himself and learn to deal with them, and in turn become more like the man he used to be.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, historical, theological etc) did you encounter writing this particular series?

Felicity: I had a great time coming up with the series and didn’t really have any problems at all. It all sort of took shape during my regular walks to work when I was employed in London.

I was walking to work one morning and questioning a plot idea I had been writing down notes for. It was a vampire romance at the time but I wanted to see how I could make it different, and then for some reason I decided to see if it would work better with angels rather than vampires as the protagonists. It would. Because I started thinking about angels for that story, I started thinking about them in general too, and what it would be like to have an angel series where the angels weren’t all fallen and were still working for a higher power, but while they were messengers of God, they were their own beings too, able to make their own decisions and pursue their own passions without castigation. They’re all male and they’re passionate, frivolous at times, and like to bend the rules as much as they can without breaking the ones still in place, and they’re curious about anything that was previously forbidden, such as alcohol and other things, just like a human would be.

I wanted the first angel I introduced to straddle the line between good and bad. I wanted him to be dark, powerful, and alluring. I started to research angels and look for names for this hero forming in my head, and I came across Apollyon. There’s some debate about whether Apollyon is an angel or another name for the Devil. Either way, he’s cited as being the “Great Destroyer” and “King of the Bottomless Pit”. I thought he would be perfect as the hero I had wanted to write, and Her Dark Angel began to take shape in my mind and the series formed with it.

TRC: Have you ever had negative comments regarding the theological direction of Her Angel series?

Felicity: Never. Readers from around the world love the series and I’ve never had a negative comment about it from any of them. I had been concerned about it at first, and especially when Her Guardian Angel came out as that was all about an eternal game between Heaven and Hell, and let’s just say that good and evil isn’t white and black in that game. Both sides do some terrible things. The first three books have been translated into Spanish by a large publishing house there and have been well received, which really surprised me given that it’s a very religious country.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in the series, which models, rock stars or actors would be represent your projected image?

Felicity: Someone once suggested that Bradley Cooper could play Apollyon and for some reason that has stuck in my head and every time I see him in a movie (especially if he has longer hair), I just see Apollyon. Other than that, I can’t honestly think of anyone I would cast in the roles of the characters. I’ve always said that if someone made a movie of any of my books, I’d want to cast people who really looked like the characters, and that would probably mean a lot of unknown or little known actors.

UnleashTRC: UNLEASH was the sixth instalment (May 2013) in your Vampire Erotic Theater. Would you please tell us something about the storyline?

Felicity: Unleash featured a very popular hero of mine, Snow. I don’t think I’ve ever written a hero who has captured as many hearts as he did from the very moment he burst onto the scene in the first book in the series, Covet.

Unleash begins with Snow in a bad place because of his bloodlust, a terrible affliction that means he loses control and he has to chain himself in order to protect others from his thirst for violence and bloodshed. He receives a visit from someone while he’s in the grip of his bloodlust and is roused by her singing to him, but she remains a mystery at first. When she reveals herself, Snow is enchanted by the beautiful, mysterious female. She awakens his protective streak and stirs dark desires to claim her as his female, even though he knows that he will ruin her if he does.

Aurora is tied to Snow, and has been since an event long in both of their pasts. When she sees him losing himself to his bloodlust, she breaks the rules to come to him and aid him, guiding him out of the darkness, but she can’t resist returning to him even when she knows she mustn’t. It takes a single forbidden kiss to unleash emotions she shouldn’t possess, leaving her torn between duty and desire… and then it’s a race against time to save Snow’s soul and maybe her own in the process.

TRC: Do you have any plans to continue this series? Novellas? Re-visits?

Vampire Erotic Theatre

Felicity: There’s a new series in the works that is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series. The Eternal Mates series is set in the wider world that Vampirerotique is only a tiny part of and features all kinds of paranormal species—from demons and witches, to dark elves, shifters, vampires and fae—as well as a demon hunting organisation. I will be releasing the first book in the series, Kissed by a Dark Prince, in December 2013 and the second book, Claimed by a Demon King, in early 2014. Both of those books will feature cameos by heroes and heroines from the Vampire Erotic Theatre series.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Felicity: The characters always direct the story. I try to rein them in at times and make them conform to the plan we laid out, but sometimes they will go off on a tangent and I sit back and let them play.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Felicity: A plotter. I write outlines for all of my books, compiled from all the notes / scenes I’ve written down while working on other stories and then filling in the gaps. The outline for my current WIP is around 25,000 words! That just shows you how serious I am about plotting before writing. It really helps me work in any plot twists and misdirection if I plan it all out in advance.

TRC: Has there ever been one of your characters that you would have liked to re-written, perhaps change up the personality or characteristics-good or bad?

Felicity: None. I love all my characters and I wouldn’t change any of them.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Felicity: Sometimes I bounce ideas off a fellow author who writes as Alexandra Marell / C A Nicks, and my husband is always there for those long sessions where I try to tie his brain into knots by talking about whatever series I’m writing at the time… I like to watch his eyes slowly glaze over and then give him a pop quiz at the end.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline 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 writers fail in this endeavor?

Felicity: This is all about creating believable characters that readers can relate to and feel something for. I tend to do what I call “method writing” where I live the emotions my characters are experiencing at whatever given point I’m at in the book. I really pour emotion into my stories and craft characters in such a way that they’re imperfect, have pain in their past, and things they need to overcome. I feel with them. Laugh with them. Cry with them. When I’m writing a scene that is tearing them apart inside, then I’m feeling that too. I often cry when writing scenes in books and I’m not afraid to do very bad things to characters in order to pack a real emotional punch into the book. With Unleash, I cried every time I read certain scenes too, which was a first for me.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Felicity: This is where writing an outline comes into play so beautifully. I can play with misdirection and layer in clues and hints, and lead readers on false trails. It’s all about those drip-fed clues and then a big reveal. Because I write paranormal romance, I can get away with some pretty big twists without sacrificing believability. It just sort of happens in a smooth manner that ties everything together and suddenly things make sense to the reader.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines?

Felicity: Not very well. I do my best to have a very clear schedule, complete with a wall planner in combination with one very busy diary, and also another calendar in a spreadsheet for my writing schedule, AND a series of Google calendars that tell me all the guest posts / interviews / giveaways / cover reveals / etc that I’m doing. My schedule is always hectic. My diary is always full. Each day is packed with everything I have to do—writing, guest blogging / tour posts, interviews, blogging, promotion, work on upcoming tours/cover reveals and work for current events like those, plus so much more. Sometimes the pressure can become too much and I just have to accept that I’ve tried to push myself too hard. It’s very easy to be unrealistic with deadlines but I’m trying to get better at allowing enough time.

TRC: If you could be a contestant on a reality television program, which program would you chose and why?

Felicity: I’m going to admit now that I really don’t watch reality TV. I can’t even think of a program name.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Felicity: I’m currently working on Claimed by a Demon King, which will be the second book in the Eternal Mates series. After that, I’ll be working on the first Guardians of Hades book.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Felicity: Only that it was great to be here today and I hope readers will check out the rest of the Her Wicked Angel tour, and that they can visit my website to learn more about the series and download long samples of the books.

Readers can learn more about the Her Angel series at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebookseries.php?series=Her%20Angel

Readers can follow the tour (and enter the grand giveaway) at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/her-wicked-angel-book-tour.php

FREE EBOOK: Want to get a free taste of this series? You can download the first book, Her Dark Angel, for free at selected ebook stores (and two other free paranormal romance ebooks too). Find all the links at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food – Anything with cinnamon in it.

Favorite Dessert – Anything with cinnamon in it – yes, I love it that much.

Favorite TV Show – Several… The Vampire Diaries, Game of Thrones, Agents of SHIELD (so far), Once Upon a Time, Lost Girl… the list goes on.

Last Movie You Saw – In the cinema, it was White House Down. At home, it was a really terrible sci-fi rom-com called Earthbound that I would like to erase from my memory.

Dark or Milk Chocolate – Dark all the way!

Favorite Flower – Purple and white tulips.

Last Vacation Destination – The wilds of Scotland, but that was a family visit. Last non-family visit was Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Pet Peeve – When people spell piqued wrong (and other words).

Secret Celebrity Crush – Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth all the way!

Thank you Felicity for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of Her Wicked Angel and Unleash. We wish you all the best.

Giveaway beige

Be sure to follow this fantastic tour to learn more about the passionate heroes and sassy heroines! You can also find yourself in with a chance to WIN a $50 or $25 Amazon Gift Certificate if you follow the tour. More details, including how to enter and a full list of stops, are available at the Her Wicked Angel Virtual Book Tour page: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/her-wicked-angel-book-tour.php

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All of the books so far in the series are available in paperback, and in ebook from Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Barnes and Noble. Excerpts are available for all of the current releases in the series, so you can get a taste of these paranormal romances.

Read more about Her Wicked Angel below, and visit my site for links to all the retailers and a 6 chapter excerpt:

Her Wicked Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 6)
by Felicity Heaton
Books in the Her Angel romance series:

Her Dark Angel (Her Angel romance series book 1)

Her Fallen Angel (Her Angel romance series book 2)

Her Warrior Angel (Her Angel romance series book 3)

Her Guardian Angel (Her Angel romance series book 4)

Her Demonic Angel (Her Angel romance series book 5)

Her Wicked Angel (Her Angel romance series book 6)

Find out more about the Her Angel series at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/series/54822-her-angel

About Felicity Heaton:

Felicity Heaton writes passionate paranormal romance books as Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!

If you’re a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, Felicity Heaton’s best selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series she writes as F E Heaton or any of her stand alone vampire romance books she writes as Felicity Heaton. Or if you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try Felicity Heaton’s new Vampire Erotic Theatre series.

In 2011, five of her six paranormal romance books received Top Pick awards from Night Owl Reviews, Forbidden Blood was nominated as Best PNR Vampire Romance 2011 at The Romance Reviews, and many of her releases received five star reviews from numerous websites.

Follow:  Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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