June 11, 2012

Shadow Visions Virtual Tour: Guest Post with Gabriella Hewitt

Shadow Visions Virtual Tour

Welcome to Wickedly Bookish's stop on the Shadow Visions Virtual Book Tour brought to you by Innovative Online Tours. With us today we have Gabriella Hewitt, author of the paranormal romance Shadow Visions. Today, she shares with us some of her research for the novel and compares Aztec culture to our modern culture. Enjoy and don't forget to come back Saturday when Gabriella returns for an interview!

Welcome Gabriella and thank you!

Guest Post with Gabriella Hewitt
  
The fun part of writing SHADOW VISIONS based on Aztec mythology was getting to do the research. Some of the things I found out had me smiling and heralding the Aztec culture. Other things had me cringing and shaking my head.

In a way, we are not so different than the Aztec people of the past. And in another way, we are completely different.

Here is a quick comparison list of how we are alike and different:

ALIKE:  Aztecs liked to eat meat and tons of it. (Throw some steak on the BBQ any day)

DIFFERENT: Aztecs ate deer, rabbits, and dogs. (Sorry but chewing on Bambi, Thumper and Fido doesn’t sound tasty to today’s modern girl.)

ALIKE: Corn tortillas on the Go! The tortilla shells were a staple of food and young women made them as a right of passage. Warriors ate them fresh or carried them on long journeys because they kept well. (Ancient Taco Bell)

DIFFERENT: Aztecs worshiped corn. Yup, they even had a corn god named Cinteotl. According to About.com contributor, http://atheism.about.com/od/aztecgodsgoddesses/p/CinteotlAztec.htm.>Austin Cline “During the festival of Hueytozoztli, "great watch," Cinteotl was honored in order to encourage the growth of corn. First a procession of virgins would march to the Temple of Chicomecoatl, and then an impersonator would be sacrificed.” (Nice. Wonder how that would go over with the Dept. of Agriculture today?)

ALIKE: Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! The Aztecs loved it as much as we do today. They ate it, drank it and used it as an aphrodisiac. (We’ve perfected it and made chocolate pens to write naughty messages on our lover’s body and then lick it off!!)

DIFFERENT:  Chocolate was considered decadent and only for the rich.  Today anyone can enjoy the delicious delicacy without fear of retribution from the gods. (If you’re really feeling rich, Hershey’s Amusement Park offers a chocolate infused mud bath. Now that sounds divine.)
 
In many ways we are alike and different. Definitely one thing is for certain, whether it is modern times or ancient times, Aztec Warriors are considered hot and sexy.

 EXCERPT Publishing, Ltd. publication

“Don’t come any closer or I’ll shoot.” Her gun shook in her hands as if she were a damn rookie. She fought to control her emotions but they swirled inside her. If she didn’t pull it together another tornado would manifest, and that frightened her more than the half-naked man with the eagle eyes in front of her.

“Not another step,” she ordered, but he continued to stalk towards her.

She held her stance. Her finger trembled on the trigger.

He reached her. His chest pressed to the muzzle. He easily towered over her. She stared up into his golden eyes. No fear. Instead, she read another emotion in his eyes.

Desire.

She should have felt threatened, and she did, but not because she believed he meant to hurt her—it was much more fundamental than that. Her whole body seemed to come alive in his presence. Her breath shortened and she felt a flush stealing up underneath her tanned cheeks. She lowered her gaze and let her weapon fall to her side. Keeping her fingers tightly wrapped around the grip reminded her to remain grounded. Her reaction to him was so totally unlike her.

Up close, she found herself staring at a broad chest covered with a mantle of feathers. The man was made of solid muscle. Without volition, her gaze traveled upward, noting the powerful shoulders, the hard jaw, the firm lips and the stern expression he wore.

“You’re very brave, but your gun won’t help you against the tzitzimime.”

Ixa swallowed, searching for her voice. “Who are you? What are you?”

His hand came up. Gently, he traced the image of the hummingbird tattooed on her right bicep. Her muscle quivered under his touch. “Just as I thought. You bear the mark,” he murmured.

In the distance she heard the confused shouts of her fellow officers. “They’ll be here soon.” They would have heard the shots. They’d be searching for her.

“I distorted the sound so they check in a different area. They will not be upon us yet.”

“You can do that?” It didn’t seem possible, except she didn’t have an explanation for anything that had happened. Her brain seemed to be functioning in first gear, unable to catch up to anything that required substantial thought.

“I can do many things, you will find.”

He cupped her chin and tilted her head. His golden eyes came closer until his head blotted out the sky and everything around her. Helpless, she waited for his lips to touch hers.

His lips brushed hers, once, twice. She let out a sigh. He pressed down a third time and she leaned into him, but before she could deepen the kiss, he released her and stepped back.

Her entire body zinged with energy. She stared up at him, bemused.

He chuckled, which snapped her out of her daze. Had she lost her mind?

“Don’t ever do that again.”

He smiled, an incredibly sexy smile that made her nerve endings sing with need. Before she could lash out at him again, he raised his arms up. A breeze passed around them, ruffling the feathers adorning his chest. His image wavered and bent. She heard bones cracking, reshaping. Wave after wave of feathers burst forth in a soft, rippled covering. Where a warrior once stood, now a large eagle spread its wings and gave a loud cry. The eagle flapped its wings and took to the skies.

Ixa gasped. The gods will find a way to convince you. Her abuelo’s words echoed in her mind.
About the author:

Gabriella Hewitt is the pen name of creative writing talents Sasha Tomaszycki and Patrizia M.J. Hayashi. Together they weave tales of romantic suspense and dangerously sensual paranormals. Check out the website www.GabriellaHewitt.com to find out about upcoming releases and events on their blog.


Twitter  @GabriellaHewitt

Goodreads  www.goodreads.com/author/show/1361127.Gabriella_Hewitt

Don't miss out on the content available on each stop of the Shadow Visions Virtual Tour!

5/6 I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!, Bio/Excerpt/Synopsis
5/7 A Soul UnsungGuest BlogThursday
5/10 Ramblings of an Amateur Writer, Interview, Give Away
5/11 Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy, Review
 5/16 Simply Ali, Interview
5/18 Tea and Book Guest Blog
5/20 TBR Bio/Excerpt/Synopsis
5/21 I Just Wanna Site Here and Read, Guest Blog Give Away
5/25 Books Reviewed by Bunny, Interview
5/25 Sapphyria's Book Reviews Bio/Excerpt'/synopsis
5/29Redheads Review It Better /Bio, excerpt, synopsis
5/29 Reviews by Molly Review
5/29 My Secret Romance /Bio, excerpt, synopsis
5/31 Adventures of a Frugal Mom, Excerpt
5/31 Good Choice Reading Guest Blog Give Away
6/5 Journey with Words, Guest Blog, Give Away
6/5 Understanding Shae's Story Review
6/7 Ramblings from this Chick, Bio/Excerpt/Synopsis, Give Away
6/7 Reviews by Molly Guest Blog
6/11 Storm Goddess Book Reviews & More Review
6/11 Wickedly Bookish, Guest Blog
6/13 Miraculous, Review
6/13 Fictional Candy Bio/Excerpt/Synopsis
6/13 Adventures of a Frugal Mom, Review,
6/16 A Soul Unsung, Bio/Excerpt/Synipsis,
6/16 Indie writers review, Review
6/16 Wickedly Bookish, Interview
6/25 Words I Write Crazy /Review
6/27Reviewing Shelf /Review
7/1 Ramblings From This Chick /Bio/excerpt, synopsis, Guest Blog
7/1 Red Headed Bookworm /Review
7/1Lissette E. Manning /Review
7/1 The Lucky Ladybug /Review and Give Away
7/3 vampires, werewolves, and fairies, oh my! /Guest Post & Give Away
7/3 Reader Girls /Guest Blog


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June 9, 2012

Guest Blog with Adrienne deWolf: Real Magic

Writing Novels That Sell
I'm very excited to welcome back Adrienne deWolfe! She shared some valuable information on writing wildly popular romances when she visited us last month, and has returned with some truly magical insight on the writing process. Thank you Adrienne, your words have inspired me to keep writing through the block!

Real Magic:  Intuition Helps Authors Write Books

By Adrienne deWolfe

Writing fiction has always felt like magic to me -- especially when I'm in the creative flow, and ideas are pouring through my brain faster than I can type. I've heard other writers describe this flood of imagination  as the whispering of their “Writing Muse.”

But what exactly is a Writing Muse?

When I learned that Jess loves to read Paranormal, Fantasy and Romance novels, I thought it might be fun to give her (and you!) a peek into “real” magic -- in other words, how I developed my Intuition and used it in my writing career. 

Back in the Dark Ages (before the Internet was invented,) I used to develop mental health seminars for a hospital.  One day, while I was eating lunch with a guest speaker, we got into a lively discussion about Imagination – which eventually led to a juicy conversation about psychic phenomena and Intuition.

"There’s nothing in the least bit strange about a Writing Muse,” my lunch companion announced.  “Imagination is closely connected to Intuition. Intuition results from the body-mind connection.  Everybody is psychic."

I choked on my mouthful of tuna salad.  I mean, I grew up in a family of die-hard Science Fiction and Fantasy readers – but we were “too rational” to think that Psychic Phenomena could be real! 

But there I was, dining with a prominent psychotherapist, who was telling me to disregard all my linear, small-minded thinking.  I figured the man had to know what he was talking about:  he was a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas! 

So I admitted, "I’ve always wanted to tap my Intuition – you know, whenever I want to.  Is that possible?"

He shrugged. "Go to a bookstore.  Buy an audiotape with exercises."

And I thought,  The book store!  Of course!

Needless to say, I practically flew to Barnes & Noble. 

That decision to develop my Intuition saved my life.  I’d only been practicing the exercises on my tape for seven days when my Intuition triggered.  It warned me not to accompany an overly friendly man into a restaurant parking lot.  That man was later arrested for abducting women from shopping malls.
“The Intuitive Mind is a sacred gift, and the Rational Mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
~ Albert Einstein
Since that fateful day, I’ve had all kinds of interesting adventures with my Intuition. 

For instance, while writing my fourth award-winning historical Romance novel, Scoundrel for Hire (eRelease:  Autumn 2012), I realized that I needed to purchase a book of Shakespearean quotes for research purposes.  

As I was driving along the freeway, my Intuition urged me to delay my trip to the mall and turn my car into a shopping center.  After I parked, I discovered that a used book store had opened there one week earlier.  (I swear, I had no conscious knowledge of this opening!)  I introduced myself to the owner and told her my mission.

The owner said I was out of luck.  “It's finals week at the University of Texas,” she explained.  “I sold my last book of Shakespearean quotes earlier this week." 

Even as she was apologizing, her hand reached behind her back and pulled a book off the shelf.  (She DID NOT turn to face the stacks.)  Suddenly, she was frowning and staring down at the volume, as if she had no conscious memory of reaching for it.

"That’s odd," she said. "I could've sworn I sold this book of Shakespearean quotes yesterday." 
(Picture Adrienne humming the theme from the Twilight Zone.)

Another fun moment with my Intuition came as I was promoting my fifth award-winning historical Romance novel, Always Her Hero (Release:  Autumn 2012 under new title, His Wicked Dream.)   Intuition whispered in my head, "This one’s going to be a hardback!"  And I scoffed.   “Yeah, right.  There’s no way that Avon Books is going to print Always Her Hero in hardback.” 

As it turned out, I was right.  But so was my Intuition!  Within three weeks, my editor called me with the good news:  Doubleday’s Book of the Month Club wanted to buy the rights to print  Always Her Hero as a hardback!

Whether you’re a paranormal reader or writer, you’ve probably wondered – like me – if there might be some small truth behind the supernatural phenomena in your favorite novels.  For some people, exploring this interest is frightening.  For others, it’s a lark. 

For me, it’s a fascinating hobby that earns me an income.  The editor of a local newspaper called me one day and said, “I hear you’re a freelancer who writes about freaky things.”  (At least he didn’t call me a “freaky writer who freelances!”) 

Mustering my dignity, I asked, “What’s the assignment?”

“Some ghost hunters are coming to town. They’re investigating spook sightings at a pizza restaurant.  You available?”

(Picture Adrienne muting her telephone and snickering at her UNBELIEVABLE GOOD FORTUNE!)  “That all depends,” I drawled.  “How much do you pay?”

For those of you who like haunted pizza stories, you’ll find the three articles that resulted from that assignment on my blog at WritingNovelsThatSell.com.

I developed that website because my passion is to help other writers live their publishing dream.  Since I’m on my book tour, stop by and enter my raffle!
In the meantime, I continue to develop my Intuition.  If you’re as fascinated by the supernatural as I am, visit the writing resources pages that I’ve created for Magic and the Paranormal, Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Creativity and Writers Block on my website, WritingNovelsThatSell.com.


About Adrienne deWolfe

Originally published by Bantam and Avon Books, Adrienne deWolfe’s five novels have won 9 awards, including the Best Historical Romance of the Year.  She has 2 Historical Romance (ebook) trilogies planned for release this Summer/Autumn:  Wild Texas Nights and Naughty and Nice.  Adrienne loves to mentor aspiring authors, which is why she offers professional story critiques, as well as online writing workshops and courses.  Visit her online home, WritingNovelsThatSell.com  to download her free report, 20 Questions Editors Ask Before Buying a Book.  You can also follow Adrienne on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.
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June 8, 2012

Review: Bloodsucking Fiends

Bloodsucking Fiends
Christopher Moore
Love Story #1
Genre: Humor, Parnormal Romance
Rating:3 

Jody is down in the dumps, literally! Jody wakes up underneath a dumpster after being attacked  on the streets of San Fransisco. Subsequent events lead her to realizing she has been turned into a vampire. Searching for a way to accommodate her new lifestyle, Jody meets C. Thomas Flood, an aspiring writer, and asks him to move in with her. While she sleeps during the day, Tommy does her bidding. However, the vampire who turned Jody isn't happy with her arrangements and starts to leave a trail of murders around San Fransisco that point the cops straight to Jody and Tommy. What's a girl to do?

You've gotta love Christopher Moore and his wonderfully hilarious novels. This man manages to make his books both colorful and dark at the same time!  Jody was a pretty kick-ass redhead and Tommy is absolutely adorable. I've noticed though that Moore's male leads tend to feel very similar to me. Tommy is another case of the beta male, just as Charlie was in A Dirty Job. Tommy seems to cower a lot, but in his favor he takes direction fairly well. Subsequently, this means that most of Moores heroines are very strong, self-sufficient, grown women. Love this!

As for the story, it was jut ok for me. There wasn't anything wrong with and it was quite entertaining in fact, but it really didn't compare to the first book of his I read, A Dirty Job. I feel like this was one of his earlier books and his craft has refined quite a bit since he wrote this. I've heard from others that the following books in this series are much better. 

If you've read A Dirty Job, you will find a familiar face in this book. The Emporer of San Franisco, a delightfully exccentric homeless man, makes what I'm assuming is his first appearance as this book was first published in 1995, here. I found him very endearing in ADJ, and was very happy to see him again.

The Final Verdict:
Not Moore's best, but certainly not the worst. A darkly funny vampire tale that will leave you wanting more of Moore.

FTC Disclosure:
This book was purchased by me, the reviewer. I have recieved no compensation for the views stated above. All opinions are my own. 
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June 7, 2012

Thursday's Dirty Little Secret #21

My favorite meme of the week! Dirty Little Secret is hosted by the lovely ladies of Under the Covers. This awesome meme challenges book bloggers to share a new dirty little secret each week.


To participate in the meme all you need to do is:


1. Be a follower of Under the Covers.
2. Create a post in your blog taking the meme image (code above) and copy instructions.
3. Answer the question we propose! This can be done in any way you like, post a video, write a post etc.
4. Then add your link at Under the Covers


Non-bloggers, leave your answer in the comments! 


This week's question is:

Share your experiences with blogging! 
List TWO "Don't" and one "Do" when it comes to blogging and reviewing.

DON'T: get discouraged! If you are just starting out, it can be easy to feel like no one is reading. I know when I first started I had many blogs that I looked up to and felt like I would never get to where they are. While I'm still not quite there, I have grown so much since I started a year and a half ago. Give yourself a chance to grow and don't give up!

DON'T: be afraid to be different! There are so many types of book blogs that focus on different genres and even mix it up with movie and product reviews. Each one is awesome so don't be afraid to be yourself and do what's right for you. Romance, paranormal, and YA book blogs seem to be the most popular, but if that's not what you're really into, then don't conform just to get followers. I do a little bit of everything here, but I used to be afraid to post certain reviews because I felt like my readers wouldn't be interested in them. I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of them either also loved those kinds of books or found a new genre to love! 

DO: network with your fellow bloggers! It's important to make friends with other bloggers, reviewers, and readers in order to develop your skill and make connections. I stayed fairly shy for the first year of my blog and stuck to posting my reviews. I ended my first year with only 45 followers. I was pretty bummed, but it taught me a lesson and pushed me to pull my head out of the sand and meet new people! I'm so glad I did as there is a crazy amount of sweet, honest, and bad-ass bloggers out there. Literally within  just a few months after I made the plunge, my number of followers exploded to about 5 times the previous amount. As you can see, not only do you get the benefit of making new friends and connections, but also you learn about events within the book blogging community. Blog hops/giveaways, weekly memes, and read-a-thons are excellent ways to meet MORE people and expand your readership.  So get out there and have fun!
  
So, what's your dirty little secret?
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June 6, 2012

Dead Hot Summer 2012



Welcome my Wicked Darlings to Wickedly Bookish's very first signature event inspired by my friend and fellow Goodreads reviewer Wigs. Thanks so much for the help! Dead Hot Summer is a themed content event and challenge that dares you to delve into entertainment featuring the delightfully dead and undead creatures we have come to know and love. This summer, why not ditch that fluffy beach read and sink your teeth into some dead hot fiction?

There are two parts to this summer long event.

Dead Hot Summer Content Lineup
During the months of June, July, and August, you can expect to find daily dead hot content to feed the need! Subscribe to stay up to date with book and movie reviews, virtual tours, author interviews and guest posts, giveaways, True Blood updates, and much much more. 

Dead Hot Summer 2012 Reading Challenge & Giveaway
Join us this summer by challenging yourself to adding some deadly spice to your reading list. 

Challenge Details
Duration: June 1st - August 31st

Sign Up: Any time during the challenge period by linking your initial post to the Linky below. Bloggers, please include the event/challenge button on the sidebar of your blog so that others can join in too!

Genre: Must be death related i.e. horror, science fiction, dystopia, apocalypse/post-apocalypse

Other Qualifying Elements: This is not a zombie exclusive event! Books for this challenge can fit other genres as long as they include a dead, undead, or death related  character i.e. necromancer, god of death, angel of death etc. Zombie, vampires, ghosts, and the like all count. Non-fiction books about death related subjects also count. Be creative in your choices and have fun!

Giveaway: At the end of June and July active participants can enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card or Book Depository credit (each month) through the Rafflecopter in Wickedly Bookish's monthly update post . Active participants who make it through August can enter to win a Dead themed mystery prize pack the same way. More info and hints as to the contents in August! To be considered an active participant you must follow the guidelines below and post at least a monthly update of your progress in your location of choice. As long as we can find it, you're in! More details on where and how to post below.

Choose A Level:
  1. A Dead Simmer: 1 - 5 books: A sampling of what the dead have to offer for beginners or those on a busy schedule
  2. In a Dead Sweat: 6 - 10 books: For those who may still be limited on time, but want to challenge themselves a bit. 
  3. The Scorching Dead: 11 - 15 books: A challenge for the avid reader!
  4. Crispy When Dead: 16 + books: The monster challenge for those who read around 100 books a year. To all ye who attempt this, I salute you! Death's devotees. 
Participation Guidelines
  • Books must be read during the challenge time frame. If you sign up after the challenge begins, any related books read from June 1st to August 31st count towards your final tally.
  • Books read for this challenge may crossover to or from other challenges.
  • Audio, print copy, and ebook formats are all acceptable.
  • You may increase your level at any point if you meet your goal early.
  • You must have somewhere you can update us on your progress! Bloggers make sure to do at least a monthly update on how many and which books you have read for the challenge and leave a comment on our own monthly progress post with the link to yours. Non-bloggers, update us using Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, or any other site that allows you to track books and/or post updates. Make sure you include a direct link to this page in the linky below. 
  • If you are tracking through Facebook, make sure to like the Wickedly Bookish Fanpage and tag us in each of your updates so we get them!
  • If you are tracking through Goodreads, make sure to friend Wickedly Bookish so we can see your current reads and updates!
Suggestions to Get You Started

Sure zombies and vamps are the obvious choice here, but part of this challenge is to open up your mind to the many unique and creative ways death is incorporated in today's popular fiction. Here are some examples to get your brain juices flowing!
Hopefully that helped! Don't be afraid to be creative. As you can see from the above suggestions, you absolutely do not have to stick to traditional genres or creatures. :-)


Sign Up
Make sure to grab the button. You will need to add this to the sidebar of your blog (if you have one) and include it in each of your update posts. Make sure to add your name to the Linky along with the URL of your initial Dead Hot Summer post. Make sure you state which level you are going for and any books you may have in mind to read!



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June 5, 2012

Teaser Tuesday #19

A big thank you to my favorite model Robyn Watson for not only taking this gorgeous picture, but also for allowing me to use it here on my blog! You are amazing girl!

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Should Be Reading where we book bloggers give you lovely readers a tantalizing taste of whatever it is we are reading right now. To play along:
  
•  Grab your current read
•  Open to a random page
•  Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•  BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•  Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is:
The Restorer
Amanda Stevens
Graveyard Queen #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
 "Because what the dead want more than anything is to be part of our world again. They're like parasites drawn to our energy, feeding off our warmth. If they know you can see them, they'll cling to you like blight. You'll never be rid of them. And your life will never again be your own."
 pg. 9

I'm very excited to be reading this book with a buddy on Goodreads this month! It has gotten amazing reviews and promises to be intensely creepy. Can't wait to get farther into it!

What's your teaser this week?   
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June 4, 2012

Desires Unleashed Virtual Tour: Guest Post with D.N. Simmons

Welcome to Wickedly Bookish's stop on the Desires Unleashed Virtual Book Tour brought to you by Innovative Online Tours. With us today is author of the Knights of Darkness Chronicles D.N. Simmons to discuss her paranormal romance series.

Part of Wickedly Bookish's Dead Hot Summer Lineup. 

 A Very Wicked Welcome to D.N. Simmons!

Guest Post with D.N. Simmons

Hello,

It's so great to be here and to get this wonderful opportunity to discuss my exciting series. I'm a long time fan of the supernatural and in particular; vampires and shape-shifters. I believe that is why my first novel/series involves the two awesome species. I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the television show, "Forever Knights" but there was always something sexy about the vampire master, Laquoix. He was dark, dangerous, spoke in a smooth, measured tone and an aura that could make you pee your pants or snatch them off! But he had a sense of loyalty and a strong sense of responsibility that I found sexy.

It was those qualities that I feel make a great vampire. Someone who could be powerful, yet gentle. Cruel but also merciful. That's the kind of character that has depth, they're complex and enthralling. I wanted to make sure that I instilled those traits in the vampires of my series. I hope that you all get a chance to read the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles and meet the vamps and shifters of that world. :D

Once again, thank you so much for this opportunity.

D.N. Simmons 

Synopsis
When a grisly decapitated corpse pops up on a Chicago Street,
drained of blood, the highly-trained, government-funded special police force assigned two of their best detectives to the case. S.U.I.T. Detectives Warren Davis and Matthew Eric delve deep into their investigation to discover just who or what is leaving mutilated bodies in public places. They soon realize that the killer or killers is one step ahead of them and if they are going to stop the menace before another innocent human is viciously attack, they are going to need help. 

Natasha Hemingway liked her life just the way it was... normal and supernatural-free. The vampires and shape-shifters were just where she anted them to be--far away from her. All was going well until an unfortunate accident landed her in the hospital. It was then that she discovered she had an ability that could help her save countless lives. All of a sudden, she finds herself thrust into the dangerous and alluring world of the supernatural and into the arms of two very sexy and deadly vampires. 

Original, gritty and sprinkled with just the right amount of humor and wit, the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles will suck you in and take you for a ride you won't forget. You don't want to miss out on this amazing series

About the Author
D. N. Simmons lives in Chicago IL., with a rambunctious German Shepherd that's too big for his own good and mischievous kitten that she affectionately calls "Itty-bitty". Her hobbies include rollerblading, shooting pool, bowling, reading, watching television and going to the movies. She has been nominated at Love Romances and More, winning honorable mention for best paranormal book of 2006. She has won "Author of the Month" at Warrior of Words. She was voted "New Voice of Today" at Romance Reviews and "Rising Star" at Love Romance and More.

To learn more, and have the opportunity to speak with the author personally, please visit the official website and forum at www.dnsimmons.com . D.N. is always interesting in meeting new and wonderful people. 

 
 
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June 2, 2012

The Becoming Virtual Tour: Review

Welcome to Wickedly Bookish's stop on The Becoming Virtual Tour brought to you by Innovative Online Tours.
Part of Wickedly Bookish's Dead Hot Summer Lineup

Review
The Becoming
Jessica Meigs
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Zombies
Rating: 4

The Becoming, the first book in a new trilogy and Meigs' first novel follows three main characters as they experience the initial outbreak of the zombie virus Michaluk and fight to survive. Cade, Ethan, and Brandt pick up other survivors along the way, but when Ethan insists on returning to Memphis to find closure with the loss of his wife, Cade and Brandt forge on to find a safe place for their group.

Finally! A strong female lead character in a zombie series other than the Newsflesh Trilogy! I've been reading a lot of zombie fiction lately and I have to say I'm sickened with the amount of wimpy, whiny, practically useless female lead characters. The Becoming was a breath of fresh air for me and certainly for the genre itself. Finally a woman who can hold her own and is just as gritty as the boys. While there were still times I was frustrated with Cade's often overly dramatic actions, I still enjoyed her character. 

 Really each character Meigs has crafted for this novel is well developed and relatable. For me, there is nothing better than well written, character driven apocalypse fiction and this novel delivers it in droves! 

 One other thing that really stuck out to me was how much more cinematic this novel felt to me than others I've read of the genre. In the first chapters of the book, the tension is slowly and carefully built, setting the reader up for horror moviesque anticipation for the action to kick off. The tension had me biting my nails as I waited for the first zombie to rear its ugly head. This is one of the first zombie novels that truly made me experience horror rather than simulating it with over the top gore and action. Meigs played on my worst fears from the very beginning, sucking me into her world completely.

I think the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way about this book was the fact that the main characters took forever to catch on to what was happening. As this book is set in our world, which has been saturated with zombie movies, books, and pop culture for decades, I would have expected the main characters to have caught on right away. Instead, they spend the first quarter of the novel going, "This is so weird! I wonder what could be happening?" Umm... duh... A real world example would be the incident in Miami recently where a naked man was gunned down by police as he ate the face of another naked man. Although it has been ruled that the man was incredibly high on an illegal narcotic that caused him to act this way, many people associated the actions with zombie like behavior. No, I'm not insane, I don't think the zombie apocalypse is upon us, my point is, people are smarter than you think. It doesn't take an erstwhile Marine you randomly meet to tell you its freaking zombies chapters later. I really felt this dumbed down her otherwise impressive and capable heroes for me. Really, this may not make much of a difference for other readers, but it is kind of a sore spot for me when it comes to zombie fiction in general. 

The Final Verdict
Regardless this was an amazing read for me full of action, true horror, and visceral emotion. Well written and superbly edited, The Becoming is a zombie novel you don't want to miss.  Looking forward to the rest of the series!

FTC Disclosure
I was provided a copy of this book by the author and IO Tours in exchange for an honest review. I received no compensation for the views stated. All opinions are my own.

  About the Author

Jessica Meigs is the author of The Becoming, a post-apocalyptic thriller series that follows a group of people trying to survive a massive viral outbreak in the southeastern United States. After gaining notoriety for having written the series on a variety of BlackBerry devices, she self-published two novellas that now make up the first book of the series. In April 2011, she accepted a three-book deal with Permuted Press to publish a trilogy of novels. The first of the trilogy, entitled The Becoming, was released in November 2011 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Audible in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats. It was also named one of Barnes & Noble’s Best Zombie Fiction Releases of 2011 and Best Apocalyptic Fiction Releases of 2011. In March 2012, she released a related novella entitled The Becoming: Brothers in Arms. The second novel in the series, The Becoming: Ground Zero, is coming in July 2012 from Permuted Press, with a third novel, The Becoming: Revelations, to follow. A fourth and fifth book are currently in the process of being written.

            Jessica lives in semi-obscurity in Demopolis, Alabama. When she’s not writing, she works full time as an EMT. She enjoys listening to music and spends way too much time building playlists for everything she writes. When she’s not rocking out at concerts or writing or working, she can be found on Twitter @JessicaMeigs, on Facebook at facebook.com/JessicaMeigs, and on Goodreads at goodreads.com/jessicameigs. You can also visit her website at www.jessicameigs.com.  

Don't forget to stop by the other stops for this tour!
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June 1, 2012

Dead Meat Virtual Book Tour: Review

Welcome to Wickedly Bookish's stop on the Dead Meat Virtual Tour brought to you by Innovative Online Tours. I'm excited to share this bone jarringly kick-ass survival horror novel with you all. What better way to kick off June than with some zombies? On this stop, you will find my review, an author bio, and a link to pick up your own copy.

Review
Dead Meat
Patrick Williams & Chris Williams
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Zombies
Rating: 5

"Beliefs or anxieties, they don't matter. One way or another, death comes in the shape it wants and doesn't guarantee a pretty ending."

Tragedy, horror, and the instinct to survive will do crazy things to a person, but how will they effect two young men who have barely struck out into adulthood? Dead Meat follows a small group of survivors as they discover the true extent of their recently ravaged world and find out first hand that the promise of living another day will make you do things you never imagined were within your nature.

This was how I interpreted the tone of the book as there are moments you start to second guess the sanity of the main  characters Benny and Gavin. As a psychology major, I was immediately taken by the depth of each character and the range of development they go through. The action scenes are well thought out and spectacularly executed, but the true achievement of Dead Meat is in its characters. The Williams boys have obviously taken great pains in bringing the main characters to life and exploring the depths of human emotion, both light and dark, and it absolutely shows. What books have you read lately where you met a character who disturbs and terrifies you one moment, charms you the next, freaks you out again, and then heads straight into becoming one of your favorite, albeit slightly douchey, anti-heroes of all time? The anti-hero is a difficult character to pull off, but when done right, these characters always top my list, because we don't often get to see authors really push the limits with the classic hero. I can't even begin to describe how perfectly Benny both fit and exceeded my expectations. I hated Benny. I loved Benny. He frightened and repulsed me and with a turn of the page, he was being charming and heroic. WTF Benny? Why are you so crazy awesome? I haven't had a character mess with me like this...well...ever! 

"'Open the door,' I whisper. I swallow to moisten my throat and say it again, this time much louder. 'Open the door.'"

And that ending? Obviously I won't spoil it for you, but HOLY CRAP! I never saw it coming and I usually have the story figured out fairly early on when I read. I will say that I'm fairly heartbroken over it, but satisfied all the same. 

I think the only complaint I have about this book is the female characters. There are only two, and both are fairly underwhelming. Not that they aren't well developed, they are, but one only makes a short appearance and the other is truly vile. I wanted at least one good, strong, female character, but didn't find it here. However, I can't exactly hold it against the authors as again, through the depth and realism of these characters, they show important aspects of how humans can experience and react to life and death situations.

The Final Verdict
Dead Meat is gritty, stunning, character driven zombie horror fiction that asks readers, what would you do to survive when you have everything to lose? Another edition to my must read zombie fiction list.

FTC Disclosure
I was provided a copy of this book by the authors and IO Tours in exchange for an honest review. I have received no compensation for my review. All opinions stated are my own.

About The Authors 
Chris Williams and Patrick Williams are southern-bred boys with a diehard passion for horror, primarily horror films. Dead Meat is Chris and Patrick’s first adventure into the world of prose, as Chris is a graphic artist and Patrick focuses more on poetry. The success of Dead Meat has led to the planning of numerous other projects that will be announced in the near future. Both Chris and Patrick live with their wives and children in North Carolina’s Triangle area.

Website - http://deadmeatnovel.com

Twitter- @DeadMeatNovel

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dead-Meat-A-serial-novel/120042249197  

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Meat-ebook/dp/B007J6W7DG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top  

Barns & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-meat-patrick-williams/1039647708?ean=9781618680242

Don't miss the other stops on this tour!





 
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