Q+A with Julie Anne Lindsey (Goddess)

Please welcome today's guest author, Julie Lindsey!  Julie is the author of the Calypso young adult paranormal romance series, including her upcoming release GODDESS.

Q+A with Julie Anne Lindsey

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Julie:  I began writing about 6 years ago when my daughter was an infant. She kept me up all night and during the days, I homeschooled her 5 year old brother and potty trained her 2 year old brother. I was spent and desperate for something that was my own. I saw Twilight on Pay Per View and was immediately drawn in. It was the escape I needed. Afterward, I devoured the books and decided I wanted to do the same thing that author had done. I wanted to write something that would make another woman somewhere in the world smile. I wanted to give her a reprieve like Stephenie Meyer gave me. So, I opened Google and typed “How to write a book.” I’ve been trying to figure it out every day since.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Julie:  I love asking What If? A whole lot of my ideas fall into the paranormal spectrum, but I’m cautious about trying to put them on paper. I have a lot of respect for the genre and don’t want to screw it up. That said…I’m new to the industry, so I haven’t been labeled by genre or put into a brand specific cage yet. I’m still able to write whatever I want, and I do. I dabble. I’ve written in different genres as I try to find my voice, or where my style fits best in this life. The Calypso books are my first attempt at paranormal. I love mythology and saw a whole in YA where I thought my stories could fit nicely, I gave it a try. The concept behind Prophecy and Goddess is that Vikings were (are) a specific blood line of demi gods and they live among us. The thing I wanted to explore about that was: What if one young girl discovered their existence? What if she was one of them?

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Julie:  I want the power of persuasion. If only this was an option *begs*. Here’s why: I have a hard time speaking up, fighting back and getting what I want. I’m not great at peopling, especially in person. Words only work for me on paper. Speaking gets me tongue tied and I know it, so too often I say nothing when I have something I wish I could say. I hate that about me. Not being able to defend my thoughts and opinions in the face of an adversary is the worst feeling ever. I wish I had the ability to get my thoughts into words right when I need them and to make the other person see the validity in my position.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Julie:  I think this is a story for readers who enjoy mythology, strong female characters and action. I’ve got true love like Princess Bride. Hot men like the CW and lots of action to pin it together.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Julie:  I would cast Jamie Campbell Bower as Liam and Danielle Campbell as Callie.

Thank you Julie for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

Goddess (Calypso #2) by Julie Anne Lindsey.

Two weeks ago, Callie Ingram was just another high school senior with her sights on a swimming scholarship. Now, she’s the resurrected leader of the Vikings, balancing her classes with learning mythological history—and sparring sessions with her gorgeous demigod boyfriend, Liam Hale.

When Zeus returns to collect the favor she owes him, Callie is tasked with uniting the warring Viking clans and leading them into battle against Gaia’s frost giants. If she fails, everything she risked her life for will be destroyed…and her best friend will die. But one teenage girl rallying all of the vengeful clans won’t be easy. And things only get more complicated when a new prophecy puts her future with Liam at risk. Now, Callie will not only have to win the battle, but she’ll have to take the fate of her heart into her own hands.

Release Date:  October 13, 2015
Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
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To learn more about Julie Anne Lindsey and her books, please visit her website.

Q+A with C.J. Daugherty (Endgame)

Please welcome today's guest author, C.J. Daugherty!  C.J. is the author of the Night School series, including new release ENDGAME.

Q+A with C.J. Daugherty

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

CJ:  When I was 19 years old I got my first newspaper job writing for a small local weekly paper while I was still at university. I've never done anything for a living except write since then. Aside from an unfortunate waitressing job in the French Quarter. I'm a bad waitress. I wrote my first bad novel in 1998. I wrote my second bad novel in 2002. Neither of those books were published, for good reason. I wrote my first good novel in 2010 - that was Night School, the first book in my series.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

CJ:  I'm attracted by the limitlessness of it, and the pace. When you need to get your characters out of trouble, fighting with fists is exciting. Fighting with swords is BETTER. Flying and fighting is best of all.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

CJ:  While I'd like to be able to fly, my fear of heights would make that disastrous. So I think I'd like to be able to tell if someone is lying to me. Truth detector.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

CJ:  Night School Endgame is out this week in the US and Canada. It's a non-paranormal book written like paranormal. So I've used the paranormal style, and set it in a mysterious, nocturnal boarding school, but the characters have no paranormal abilities. The secret society I've created is based on real secret societies. I've just upped the ante a bit with murder and world domination. In Night School, the blood-sucking vampires are bankers. On the other hand The Secret Fire, my new series that comes out this autumn, is paranormal. It takes the concept of alchemy and makes it as kick-ass as it always should have been. No long beards. Just enough violence.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

CJ:  I would want to leave it up to Night School fans. And Night School fans tell me they want Lily Collins, Gregg Sulkin and Colton Haynes and they want them NOW.

Thank you C.J. for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

Endgame (Night School #5) by C.J. Daugherty

Broken. Scattered. But not defeated.

The spy is gone but the cost has been high - the rebels at Cimmeria Academy have lost their leader and Carter West is missing. Nathaniel can taste victory. But Allie and the other survivors aren't done yet. First they have to get Carter back. Then they plan to make Nathaniel pay.

One way or another - the game must end.

Endgame is the thrilling fifth and final book in the internationally bestselling Night School series.

Release Date: June 4, 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult
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To learn more about C.J. Daugherty and her books, please visit her website.  Have a question for C.J.?  Leave a comment below.  We love comments!

Q+A with Temple West (Velvet)

Please welcome today's guest author, Temple West.  Temple is the author of the YA paranormal romance novel VELVET.

Q+A with Temple West

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Temple:  As early as humanly possible.  My first memory of writing a complete story was for my 4th grade Young Authors event.  We got hard-cover blank books to write and illustrate our stories and mine was called The Princess Who Learned to Laugh.  It was awful, but had a fairly concrete narrative structure.  My favorite was an unfinished story from 3rd grade, though, about evil candies in space.  I think the villains were Red Hots.  I still have that in a box somewhere in my dad's garage.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Temple:  My brother and my dad are to blame for that one.  Every night before bed, my dad used to read me The Chronicles of Narnia.  My brother was also hugely into fantasy and I would steal his Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind books when he was done with them.  As a teenage girl, I wanted fantasy with a little more romance in it, so paranormal seemed like a good genre compromise.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Temple:  Well, if we're talking straight-up superpowers, I would choose the power of flight.  I used to dream regularly about being able to fly like Peter Pan or Superman, no wings or rocket packs, just the ability to fly anywhere I wanted by the power of my own will.  I think flight represents the idea of freedom, of liberation, of being boundless, and that really appeals to me on both a personal and narrative level.  If I had to be a paranormal creature, however, I'd probably choose some sort of fairy or elf creature.  I like their elusiveness, mystery, and forest habitat.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Temple:  Because the mythology is different.  Also, there's tons of banter. It's a serious story, but it's also got quite a bit of humor.  While book 1 really sets up the world and characters and hints at the greater mystery and mythology, books 2 and 3 will really dive into new territory, especially as it concerns vampire lore.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Temple:  I know she's technically too old, since she's now playing a college-age student on The Vampire Diaries, but I absolutely love Kat Graham.  She's got an intensity and seriousness to her that I adore, but she can also be light and funny, which I think is a perfect combination for the role of Caitlin Holte.  For Adrian, I've actually got about half a dozen options, but I love Logan Lerman for the exact same reasons.  Range and emotional depth are key.

Thank you Temple for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

Velvet (Velvet Trilogy #1) by Temple West.

First rule of dealing with hot vampire bodyguards? Don't fall in love.

After losing both her parents before age seventeen, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before the terrifying encounter with a supernatural force. Then, she learns that her hot bad-boy neighbor, Adrian—who might have just saved her life—is actually a half-demon vampire.

Suddenly Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart?

Release Date:  May 12, 2015
Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
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To learn more about Temple West and her books, please visit her website.

Q+A with Tina Connolly (Seriously Wicked)

Please welcome today's guest author Tina Connolly!  Tina is the author of SERIOUSLY WICKED.

Q+A with Tina Connolly

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Tina:  I didn't really start writing till after college. I ended up on night shift in a call center which meant that A) I couldn't do theatre, and B) there was a lot of downtime. I joined forces with a couple other folks in the call center and we started a critique group. Which meant I had to write stories for the critique group to crit. I remember it being hugely hard for a long time. As an inveterate bookworm, I had a lot of knowledge about what a good story/book looked like, and zero knowledge of how to make one. So there was a big disconnect as I struggled to write something as good as the things I loved reading.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Tina:  You know, a lot of Seriously Wicked probably came out of my love for funny YA stories (Ellen Conford was one of my big author crushes growing up.) But of course one of my big loves is fantasy, so even the funny YA story had to have some witches in it. ;)

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Tina:  It would definitely be some sort of teleportation or flying. I loathe driving and am not terribly fond of airports either, but I have family and friends all around the world I wish I could see more often. If only I could pop in and out for tea (or cocktails!)

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release, Seriously Wicked.

Tina:  Well! It's a lighthearted book about a girl who's stuck living with a wicked witch. It's a fast, fun read, full of dragons in garages and demon-infested boy-band boys, so in my quite humble opinion it would be perfectly delightful for whiling away any time you need whiled away.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Tina:  Oh, you know what, I coincidentally actually just answered this over at My Book, The Movie.  I came up with Kiernan Shipka as our plucky heroine Cam, and Rila Fukushima as head girl Sparkle, among others.

Also, I totally imagine witch Sarmine as Meryl Streep from The Devil Wears Prada, right down to that fabulously perfect haircut.

I'm a little stuck on the perfect boy-band boy though – if it were ten years ago I'd go with Zac Efron for the acting/singing/comedy chops, but I'm not sure whom to cast now. He needs to be able to switch between sweet boy-band boy and cold-hearted (but Elvis-imitating) demon on a dime. Suggestions...? :D

Thank you Tina for joining us today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Tina Connolly and her books, please visit her website and you can learn more about Seriously Wicked below.

Seriously Wicked by Tina Connolly

The only thing worse than being a witch is living with one.

Camellia’s adopted mother wants Cam to grow up to be just like her. Problem is, Mom’s a seriously wicked witch.

Cam’s used to stopping the witch’s crazy schemes for world domination. But when the witch summons a demon, he gets loose—and into Devon, the cute new boy at school.

Now Cam’s suddenly got bigger problems than passing Algebra. Her friends are getting zombiefied. Their dragon is tired of hiding in the RV garage. For being a shy boy-band boy, Devon is sure kissing a bunch of girls. And a phoenix hidden in the school is going to explode on the night of the Halloween Dance.

To stop the demon before he destroys Devon’s soul, Cam might have to try a spell of her own. But if she’s willing to work spells like the witch...will that mean she’s wicked too?

Release Date: May 5, 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult
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Do you have a question for Tina Connolly?  Ask away in the comments section. We love comments!

Q+A with Nadia Nader + The Enchanted Rose $50 Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author, Nadia Nader!  Nadia is the author of THE ENCHANTED ROSE.

Keep reading for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Q+A with Nadia Nader

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Nadia:  I began to write seriously a couple of years ago. Prior to that, I have been keeping diaries since I was in elementary school. I started writing short stories in fourth grade. It wasn’t until recently that I attempted writing a full novel.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Nadia:  I’m an escapist. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres and I enjoy the supernatural. Give me magic, shape shifters, vampires, witches, and demons and I’m a happy bookworm and writer! I love the creation of new worlds and including paranormal elements.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Nadia:  I would love to be a shape shifter. I would enjoy to experience heightened senses and experience the world as another being. Imagine being able to shape shift into a bird and experiencing flight! Or what about turning into a wolf and running through the woods at night? Those sound great to me. I would love to see the world through different eyes.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Nadia:  The Enchanted Rose is full of twists and turns. I think readers would resonate with Vivian and her struggle to re-establish normalcy in her life despite the fact that nothing in her life is normal anymore.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Nadia:  I can see Selena Gomez playing the role of Vivian. I keep changing my mind about the leading guys. There are so many good looking actors out there I can’t commit to one!

Thank you Nadia for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Nadia Nader and her books, please visit her website.  You can also learn more about her novel The Enchanted Rose below.

The Enchanted Rose by Nadia Nader.

When Vivian’s mother dies in a tragic accident, Vivian’s world is turned upside down. Her life, as she knows it, is over. A new life, full of her mother’s secrets, begins…

Sent away by her father to live with two eccentric aunts on the mysterious Tremaine Estate, Vivian comes to learn that a powerful curse lurks over her family – one that only she may have the power to break. With each day she spends in Misty Hills, Vivian uncovers more unsettling discoveries about the town, her reclusive family, and herself.

Can Vivian let go of every truth she’s ever believed and discover who she really is, before the dark secrets hidden within the supernatural town threaten to consume her and those she loves?

Release Date: January 14, 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult
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The Enchanted Rose Giveaway

The author is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner!

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  This is a book tour giveaway, so the winner will be randomly selected by the author or publisher.  Giveaway ends June 2, 2015.

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Q+A with Jessica Minyard + Stones and Finger Bones Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author, Jessica Minyard!  Jessica is the author of Stones and Finger Bones.

Keep reading for a chance to win Stones and Finger Bones by Jessica Minyard.

Q+A with Jessica Minyard

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Jessica:  That’s hard to say. My “official” bio says I wrote and illustrated my first story in the fourth grade, but I’m sure I was writing before that.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal fantasy genre?

Jessica:  I’ve always been here, I suppose. I grew up reading Lloyd Alexander, Gail Carson Levine, Donna Jo Napoli, Anne Rice, J.K.Rowling, Jennifer Fallon, and Sara Douglass. Although, Douglass might have been too heavy for my 12/13 year old self.

If there was something fantastical, otherworldly, or mythical about a book, I was reading it. So it just came as a natural progression that I started writing fantasy.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Jessica:  The ability to quickly move from one place to another. Teleportation. Flying. Disapparating. Anything works.

Commuting makes me ragey and I would save so much time!

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Jessica:  Magic! Mayhem! Kissing! Handsome rogues! Narcissistic sociopaths! What’s not to enjoy?

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Jessica:  Ack. This is a hard one! Truth be told, I really have no idea. I know some writers like to cast their characters, but I am not one of them. If someday, somehow, Stones was being made into a movie, I would not want to be involved with the casting process, because I would fail miserably!

Let me give it a try though…

For Aurelia, I might cast Rose Leslie, because she’s a ginger and has an interesting face.

For Rycen, Alexander Uloom is the winner, because of the intensity of his eyes and his mouth. It was hard to find someone with a mouth I liked. Just Google him. I promise you won’t be disappointed!  

Thank you, Jessica, for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Jessica Minyard please visit her website.  You can learn more about her book Stones and Finger Bones, and enter for a chance to win, below.

Stones and Finger Bones (The Black Towers #1) by Jessica Minyard.

Aurelia Barone, Jewel of Starry Stone, harbors no illusions about the purpose of her life as heir to the throne. But after two failed betrothals, she starts to feel like nothing more than a pawn being moved aimlessly about a game board.

Until the night she loses everything.

Kidnapped by a wise-cracking mercenary with more than one identity, Aurelia embarks on a mission across land and sea to avenge her father’s death.

But an evil is rising from the ashes of memory. Insidious magic is stirring. The dregs of a once-powerful nation are thirsty for blood and revenge.

They seek to harness Aurelia. To tempt her. To manipulate her.

And if necessary, to destroy her.

Release Date: February 10, 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
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Stones and Finger Bones Giveaway

The author is giving away a signed paperback copy of Stones and Finger Bones by Jessica Minyard, and four prints of hand painted, original character portraits!

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  This giveaway is a Book Tour giveaway, and the winners will be randomly drawn by the author or publisher.  Giveaway ends April 9, 2015.

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Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Fairy, Texas with Margo Bond Collins

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.

This week's stop is Fairy, Texas and our special guide is Margo Bond Collins.  Margo is the author of the Fairy, Texas young adult paranormal series.

Margo's Top 5 Spooky Places in Fairy, Texas

In my novel Fairy, Texas, the town is a small, but thriving, community—there's a high school, a downtown, a few restaurants, even a Sonic drive-in.  In reality, Fairy, Texas was never as big as the town in the book, and is now a something of ghost town (appropriately enough for this feature!).  But the fictional version of Fairy is based on several of the nearby towns in North Central Texas, where I grew up, and there's no lack of  spooky to be found. So the following list includes the spooky places in and around Fairy, Texas—and the towns that inspired the novel.

1. Fairy, Texas

Originally called "Gap," but later re-named after the local schoolteacher, Fairy Fort Phelps (sometimes listed as Felps), who grew to be only 2'7".  There is little left in Fairy other than a few buildings and the cemetery.

2. McDow's Hole

McDow's Hole, a small, natural reservoir, was a logical place to settle. Near modern-day Dublin, Texas, this watering hole was also the site of a nineteenth-century mystery. In the 1860s, Charlie and Jenny Papworth moved to the area with their young son Temple, and soon had a second soon. Not long after their second son was born, Charlie received word that his parents had died and that he had inherited their furniture and would have to travel 200 miles to pick it up (the nearest train station at the time).  When he left, he asked his wife to spend the nights with one of two neighboring families.

But one night Jenny never arrived at either home. The next day, the neighbors found no sign of Jenny or her infant, but there was blood on the floor of her cabin—and her five-year-old son Temple was discovered cowering under the bed.  Jenny and the baby were never found.

Ever since, there have been tales of Jenny and the baby haunting the area, showing up in the cabin itself and floating above the water of McDow's Hole itself. And despite the fact that the land is now closed to trespassers, people still make the trek out to wait to see Jenny Papworth and her baby late at night.

3. Hico, Texas

In 1879, two men broke into the home of Hico resident Ike Malone and threatened to kill him. The townspeople sent out riders to catch the men, and they were temporarily imprisoned in a shed belonging to the Malone family. But late at night, a mob of roughly seventy-five men arrived, and the robbers were shot to death.  By 1882, the reports of ghostly sights and sounds from the shed were common enough that the local paper printed a story about them. The shed is long gone, but many of the buildings in this Texas town boast ghost sightings.

4. Granbury, Texas Opera House

The Granbury Opera House was constructed in 1886, and performances began in 1891, often consisting of traveling shows. Plays are still performed in the Opera House, and various people associated with shows have reported hearing footsteps pacing the balcony and seeing a man in a white shirt, dark pants, and tall boots.

Perhaps most interesting is the local rumor that John Wilkes Booth was not, in fact, killed after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, but instead escaped to Granbury to live under the pseudonym John St. Helen with his cousin (a woman whose maiden name was, in fact, Booth), where he performed bit roles at the Opera House, served drinks at a bar next door, and drank alcohol only once a year—on the anniversary of Lincoln's death, when St. John would get blindingly drunk and quote Shakespeare.

5. Stephenville, Texas UFO Sightings

 The latest batch of UFO sightings—centered in Stephenville, Texas, but occurring across this particular stretch of Texas—occurred in 2008 and 2009. Strange lights moving through the sky were reported by dozens of eyewitnesses and have not been explained.  These sightings bear a resemblance to those discussed in an 1891 newspaper article from Dublin, Texas.  (All I know for sure is that I spent my entire childhood watching for UFOs from my home in Stephenville—and they didn't appear until I had moved away!

Thank you Margo for giving us such a haunting tour of Fairy!  

To learn more about Margo Bond Collins and her books, please visit her website.  You can add her Fairy, Texas series here on Goodreads.

What did you think of Margo's picks for spooky places?

Last week on Paranormal Road Trip we visited Kingsholme, Faerie with C.T. Adams.  Next week we'll be traveling to Sonoma County, California with Sharon Hamilton.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!

Q+A with Kate Avery Ellison + Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Kate Avery Ellison!  Kate is the author of the Frost Chronicles and the Secrets of Itlantis series, including OF SEA AND STONE.

Keep reading for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Q+A with Kate Avery Ellison

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Kate:  I began writing when I was about eight, I think. I wrote “books” that had chapters and a beginning, middle, and end, although they were only a few pages long. I was a big Nancy Drew fan so I started out writing a mystery series that had a total of fourteen books in it, I believe.

I began writing seriously with the intent to publish when I was about seventeen. Health problems got in the way for a while, but I published my first book around age 24.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Kate:  I’ve always loved the fantastic. I think sci fi and fantasy make it easier to explore difficult concepts in an abstract and less threatening way, so they’re good for writing on topics relating to justice and change, and for pushing the boundaries of thinking and understanding. And hey, dragons and magic are a lot of fun. Also, I just like to let my imagination run wild. I like to look at the world and think, what if ___ were different? How would we live? How would we think?

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be?

Kate:  So if I could have one supernatural talent, it would be the ability to always give the perfect gift, just exactly what the person wants to receive and the most appropriate and touching/meaningful/useful thing.

Why?  I think it would make birthdays and holidays a lot easier, and I like to make people happy. Also I don’t think it’s very easily exploitable by, say, a government or terrorist organization, so it wouldn’t make my life complicated or dangerous.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Kate:  Well, my two newest releases are A Gift of Poison and the 4th book in the Secrets of Itlantis series, For Wreck and Remnant. A Gift of Poison is one of my favorite books I’ve ever written, and readers who like dragons, magic, sword fights, tales of vindication/cleverness/proving oneself against huge odds, or steampunk fantasy should really enjoy it. The main character Briand is really scrappy and she has a lot of grit. She’s “enlisted” (basically kidnapped) into helping a secret group of fighters who serve the true prince as they use dragons in the war against a psychopathic ruler. I have another book coming out in the same world very soon called The Season of Lightning.

Readers who are enjoying the Secrets of Itlantis series should like For Wreck and Remnant because it has some nice romantic elements between a certain two characters, as well as a LOT of answers about some of the biggest mysteries of the series.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Kate:
Aemi – Jessica Szohr, as she can do that sharp, kind of wild look that really makes me think of Aemi, and the actress has a diverse ancestry like Aemi.
Nol – Jake Abel. I think he has the right “handsome but snobby/broody look” Nol has going on for the first part of the book.
Kit – Blake Lee, only with really curly thick hair and more of a tan than normal.
Lyssia – Jena Malone. She’d make a good Lyssia.
Tob – Thomas Brodie-Sangster. He was so loveable in The Maze Runner, and Tob is a very loveable character to me. He has a good energy to him too.
Merelus – Liam Neeson, he has the right gravitas mixed with kindness.
Annah – Nicole Galicia is probably way too young to play Senator Annah, but I like her.

Of Sea and Stone (Secrets of Itlantis #1) by Kate Avery Ellison

All her life, clever Aemi has been a slave in the Village of the Rocks, a place where the sea and sky meet. She’s heard the stories about the fabled People of the Sea, a people who possess unimaginable technology who live below the waves in the dark, secret places of the ocean. But she never dreamed those stories were true.

When a ship emerges from the ocean and men burn her village, Aemi is captured, and enslaved below the waves in Itlantis, a world filled with ancient cities of glass and metal, floating gardens, and wondrous devices that seem to work magic. To make matters worse, her village nemesis, the stuck-up mayor’s son Nol, was captured with her, and they are made servants in the same household beneath the sea.

Desperate to be free, Aemi plots her escape, even going so far as to work with Nol. But the sea holds more secrets than she realizes, and escape might not be as simple as leaving...

Release Date: February 2, 2014
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
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Thank you Kate for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

You can learn more about Kate Avery Ellison and her books by visiting her website.

Kate Avery Ellison Book Giveaway

The author is giving away print copies of stand-alone novel A Gift of Poison (US/CA) and a $25 Amazon Gift Card (INTL)!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below.   This giveaway is part of the Of Sea and Stone Book Tour, so giveaway winners will be selected by the author or publisher.  Giveaway ends February 19, 2015.

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Good luck!

Romance Is In The Air Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on the Romance is in the Air giveaway hop!  We have teamed up with a ton of fantastic blogs to bring you Young Adult and clean romance book giveaways.  Keep reading to see what we're giving away here at From the Shadows!

Romance is in the Air Giveaway

We are giving away a complete ebook set of the Spirit Guide young adult paranormal romance series!

Win She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, Legend of Witchtrot Road, Brush with Death, and The Pirate Curse.

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Winner will receive all 5 books in the Spirit Guide young adult paranormal romance series in their choice of Kindle, PDF, and ePub format.  Giveaway ends February 14, 2015 midnight EST.


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Visit all of the Romance is in the Air participating blogs for more YA/clean romance giveaways.

Good luck and thank you for hopping by!

Love books?  Don't miss our special February is for Paranormal Romance giveaway.  Visit guest posts from your favorite paranormal romance authors during the month of February for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card (or Paranormal Romance book from The Book Depository). 

Beginning February 5th, we'll also be giving away a book from Felicity Heaton's Eternal Mates paranormal romance series in our Eternal Mates Giveaway.  

And that's not all!  We are also celebrating 6 months of Paranormal Road Trip blog posts with a giveaway.  Enter our Paranormal Road Trip Giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Q+A with Author L.A. Starkey and Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author L.A. Starkey!  L.A. is the author of DECEIVED, the first novel in the Soul Keeper young adult paranormal series.

Keep reading for a chance to win Deceived and Destroyed by L.A. Starkey!

Q+A with L.A. Starkey

EJ: When did you begin writing?

LA:  I started four years ago in my early 30’s actually. I know most people will attest to having been writing since they were in grade school or high school, but I’m forever a reader more than a writer. I realized a few years ago that I’d read so many books (crazy amounts of books) that I’d figured out how to spot plot holes, bad characterization and poor flow. I figured if I could see all of that then maybe, possibly, I could write a novel myself with the right storyline involved.
I enjoyed reading so much that I wanted to give someone the experience that so many had given me, putting a smile on their face or a tear in their eye – whatever it meant for them. I just decided today to try it and within a few minutes of starting my characters took the show and the novel was done before I knew it. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life and I’ve done it many times since.

 EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

LA:  I love disappearing when I read. I live a fast-moving crazy life and so where I am looking for adventure in the pages of a novel, I’m really also looking for something that could NEVER-EVER happen. I want to jump into a world where things exist that only do so in our imaginations. Paranormal novels do that for me every time. I try to read or write other genres and it never works out for me.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

LA:  Oh man… That’s like giving a kid a candy store and asking them to choose their favorite type. I guess I’d be a vampire. Not that I would enjoy the blood sucking part of life, but life sometimes sucks so…. SeewhatIdidthere? Flying, living forever, moving fast, scaring and intriguing people, changing life and seeing so much? I’d totally sleep in a casket for those powers, especially if my male counterpart was a hottie, which is a must!

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

LA:  My Soul Keeper series has it all: love story, adventure, horror, paranormal elements, loss and despair, loads of humor and multiple characters for you to love. People will enjoy it because it because it will surprise you about the time you feel like it’s starting to slow down a little and the love story will cause your heart to beat a little fast. The ending is a cliff hanger and I know some people aren’t too fond of those, but I rarely encounter cliff hangers in life except at the end of a TV series season, so I’d prefer them in my books. Leave me wanting more… that’s what I tried to do to.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

LA:  Let’s see… Marcus and Nicolas are twins so I’d pair them up with Kellan Lutz. Samantha would be Victoria Justice, and Julie would be Annasophia Robb.

Deceived (Soul Keeper #1) by L.A. Starkey.

They say a soul is the immaterial essence, the animating principle, the actuating cause of an individual life.

But what if you had to share yours with the one person you hated the most?

The soul mate principle states that for every one soul there is another that will recognize its match, hence creating the perfect union.

But what if you had two soul mates, which would you choose?

What if your choices had eternal ramification?

Deceived, the debut novel in the Soul Keeper Series, is a modern day love story about the implications of having more than one soul mate, and having to choose between the two of them. The decisions of the gods has left the next generation, their heirs, torn between fate and reality, and the balance of the future hangs in anticipation of what's to come.

Release Date: August 28, 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.

Thank you L.A. for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

You can learn more about L.A. Starkey and her books by visiting her website.

Deceived Giveaway

The author is giving away signed copies of Deceived and Destroyed by L.A. Starkey.

To enter, use the rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is open to US and Canada only.  This is an Xpresso Book Tour giveaway, therefore the winners will be selected by author or publisher, not From the Shadows.  Giveaway ends February 12, 2015.

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Good luck!

Q+A with Vanessa Barneveld Author of This Is Your Afterlife

Please welcome today's guest author Vanessa Barneveld!  Vanessa is the author of This Is Your Afterlife, a young adult paranormal romance about a girl who can see ghosts...including the ghost of the guy she's been crushing on.

Q+A with Vanessa Barneveld

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Vanessa:  I first started writing short stories in my early teens. I had a healthy addiction to series fiction, and when I ran out of books to read, I’d try to write my own. Writing is incredibly hard work, but also incredibly fun. What could be better than making up stories for a living?

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Vanessa:  When I wasn’t reading all kinds of fiction as a teenager, I was virtually gobbling up a collection of magazines called The Unexplained. They were chock-full of eyewitness accounts to nightmarish stuff like spontaneous human combustion, UFO abductions and, my favorite, hauntings. These apparently true stories not only prevented me from having a good night’s sleep, they gave me a story idea or two.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Vanessa:  I’m about to become a godmother, so I would love to be a fairy godmother, one who can make other people’s wishes come true. I’d do my best to be responsible about it, though. One person’s wish cannot have a hurtful impact on another or cause the stock market to crash or whatever. Hmm, fairy godmothering could actually be a troublesome talent. Maybe it’s safer to choose the ability to fly like Superman instead...

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Vanessa:  This Is Your Afterlife is a fun, quick read that brings new meaning to “teen spirit.” Sixteen-year-old Keira has finally got what she’s always wanted – the popular, hunky captain of the football team in her bedroom. Problem is he’s not in the flesh. He’s a ghost. Being a practical sort of girl, Keira takes on the job of finding out who killed Jimmy so he can move on to the next world. Readers tell me they love the book’s blend of humor, mystery and romance.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Vanessa:  During the making of my book trailer, I spent days trawling a stock image site for models who resembled Afterlife’s three pivotal characters. Tough job, but somebody had to do it. You can see my cast here. I think they look perfect, but if I had a Hollywood-sized budget, these are my top picks:

Kate Mulvany as Keira. She’s an award-winning actor friend of mine here in Australia who is the same height as Keira. I’m sure Kate wouldn’t mind dyeing her golden hair black for the part. Kate was in the recent film adaptation of The Great Gatsby.
Brenton Thwaites from The Giver would play the ghost, Jimmy. Brenton’s also Australian and has a lovely blend of athleticism and sweetness.
Tom Welling, if he’s willing, should be Dan, Jimmy’s brother. Tom is not Australian, but this Smallville star is rather hot and fits the mental picture I had of Dan when I wrote the book. (And let’s just pretend these three talented actors are around the same age, shall we?)

This Is Your Afterlife by Vanessa Barneveld.

When the one boy you crushed on in life can't seem to stay away in death, it's hard to be a normal teen when you're a teen paranormal.

Sixteen-year-old Keira Nolan has finally got what she wanted—the captain of the football team in her bedroom. Problem is he’s not in the flesh. He’s a ghost and she’s the only one who can see him.

Keira's determined to do anything to find Jimmy's killer. Even it if means teaming up with his prickly-yet-dangerously-attractive brother, Dan, also Keira's ex-best-friend. Keira finds that her childish crush is fading, but her feelings for Dan are just starting to heat up, and as the story of Jimmy’s murder unfolds, anyone could be a suspect.

This thrilling debut from Vanessa Barneveld crosses over from our world to the next, and brings a whole delightful new meaning to "teen spirit".

Release Date: October 21, 2014
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Add to Goodreads.

Thank you Vanessa for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Vanessa Barneveld and her books, please visit her website.

Have a question for Vanessa? Ask away in the comments below!

Shades of Chaos Dystopian Authors Talk Apocalypse Survival

I recently had the opportunity to talk with the authors of the SHADES OF CHAOS young adult dystopian book collection.  Since the nine books in the Shades of Chaos collection deal with post-apocalyptic futures, I decided to ask these authors about how they would prepare for the apocalypse.  Four authors shared what's in their apocalypse survival kits and one author shared her apocalypse survival tips.  Let's see what they had to say!

Pst!  We're also hosting a book giveaway.  Keep reading for a chance to win Shades of Chaos.

Apocalypse Survival Kit

What's in your apocalypse survival kit?

Alexia Purdy

1. Hunting Knife
2. A lighter
3. A small pot to boil water in
4. Food of some sort
5. Lip Balm, lots of it.

Chystalla Thoma

When I sat down to think about this topic, I realized that the items I would have in my survival kit would very much depend on the sort of apocalypse the world has come to. Is it radiation from a nuclear blast or ozone layer disappearing? Is it a flood? Is it aliens? Vampires? A plague?

So I decided I will focus on the apocalypse that has created the world of my series Elei’s Chronicles. In the events that lead to the Seven Islands, the mutations and the settings of Rex Rising, we have a world that managed, through war and negligence, to completely strip away the ozone layer. Prime danger is radiation from the sun, which not only will cause radiation poisoning, but also cancer if withstood long enough. Crops and animals will also die, if left exposed, leading to famine.

So what would a survivor need in such a scenario?
Suit: Covering myself to deflect the radiation would be paramount. I imagine a specially made suit with a helmet and visor, gloves and boots, to protect my skin. The suit would have to be light and yet made from a sturdy material, containing elements that don’t let radiation penetrate.

Weapon: Not a gun, but something that doesn’t need specialized ammunition. Maybe a sort of sling that throws stones, or a flamethrower if there are still places to get fuel. I’d need the weapon to protect myself from animals and other humans who will attack me to get my suit and everything else I own. Until deep underground or underwater cities are established, the world will be in upheaval. Plus, once those cities are established, they won’t take in everyone, leaving many of us on the outside.
I will also need this weapon to hunt for food.

Water purifier: Finding clean water will be a huge problem with so much death around. I will need a small gadget that can work even manually into which I can pour contaminated water and receive clean, drinkable water.

Medicine: a first aid kit, hopefully antibiotics, too, if I can find them. We are so used to cleanness and doctors close by in case we need anything. Any wound could spell death if left filthy and untreated.

Cameron Jace

Although I write apocalyptic books, I am never interested in survival kits. Call me pessimistic, but I don’t see a use for them. If the #$@$ hits the wall there will be no time to arrange for such things, let alone taking care of what’s left of your family.

The optimum kit though would always be your brain and how fit you are.
What will a gun be to you if you can’t run, or have spent time to learn how to shoot it—killing yourself is an option but then if you’re so desperate you could have done it way before the zombies knocked on your walls, and made the world a happier place.

I know this should be a post about kits. And, excuse my ignorance, I had to search Google for it. I mean, really, apocalypse isn’t about surviving to me—I know you’re not a fan of me already. It’s about two things, always:
1) How society ever got to that reckless point of no return?
2) What you learn about who you really are is such a dreadful situation.

So my kit would hardly be a sword, gun, car, comfy backpack, red glow sticks, shovel, self powered flashlight and radio, pocket knives, waterproof matches (seriously, who invented that?
No, none of that crap.
Not to mention I got all the above from the internet—which will most probably not be at your service when the apocalypse hits. Neither will blogs or writers be available. Don’t take it personally. It’s an apocalypse. God is not punishing you alone at the moment. It’s the whole world he’s aiming at.

So, kits.
Yes. I forgot.
I must talk too much, which isn’t a good ‘kit’ for apocalypse, especially ‘zombies.’ They’re not fond of fluff talk.

Anyways, here is my kit, simple, useless, but I love it:
Items are mentioned in particular order (you can’t favor one over the other here) :
Me (in order to save my ass, I am very important. If I have already worked on myself. If I have a purpose, I will leave an impression in this mess. Not survive. Leave a human strain, that is.)
Very close family members. I say wife and kids. Sorry mom and dad. I am just being practical.
A novel, just sayin’.
Something I can hit with, a baseball bat maybe. Guns always get out of ammo.
You will not like that one: a shovel. To bury loved ones with dignity, assuming I managed to die last as father who should take care of family.

And that in my humble opinion is the most important: to make sure at lease one person survives each situation. You don’t think that’s a kit? A surviving ‘life’ is all the hope we can get. Main rule in any situation: die as many, one survives, go produce, dies as many, make sure one survives and so on. This or we will be dinosaurs.

Katie Salidas

What a great topic, and honestly something I have considered lately. Not that I am one of those people who overly prepares for the unknown, but it’s always there in the back of my mind, being a mom, what would keep my family going in the short term if the worst would happen.

So, with that in mind (being a mom) I think I need a good first aid kit. My kids hurt themselves enough with proper medical attention around, gods forbid they hurt themselves with there is none.

Second to that, I need good defense. Not being a gun person, nor someone who wants to carry around bullets either, I go for something sharp and hand-held. A nice blade or two.

Now that I’ve got the bandaids and blades taken care of, my third selection would have to continue on the practical path. Good, simple, and useful. Lighter – fire is necessary! A tent – because I doub’t we’ll have real shelter and need some protection from the elements. And since I only have five choices, the last will be a good pair of comfortable shoes for me and the family. Why? Because I’ll bet there will be a lot of walking after the end of the world as we know it. Comfortable shoes are a must.

I wonder… what 5 Items would you choose?

Apocalypse Survival Tips

Megan Duncan

It could happen tomorrow.  Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting in a sunny park.  The grass is green, the trees are tall, and the laughter of children is filling the air.  You find an empty bench and take a seat so you can enjoy your favorite creamy ice cream cone when…
BAM!
Apocalypse!


What are you going to do?  Drop your ice cream and run screaming, of course, but after that?  What can an innocent unsuspecting human do to survive?


That’s where I come in.  Like any apocalyptic/doomsday fanatic, I am well educated you in the guidelines of avoiding extinction for such an event.  I know what you’re thinking, but an  apocalypse could totally happen!  I swear I’m not crazy.

I have compiled a short list of five of the top tips, so that you can stay alive during such an epic catastrophe.


Five Very Important Apocalypse Survival Tips
Apocalypse monsters (zombies, vampires, and demons) are liars.  Never ever believe what they tell you.  If they say, “Please come outside.  We just want to be friends.”  What they really mean is, “Get out here, so I can eat you!”

Always be sure you are the fastest runner of those you travel with.  That way you can be sure you will never be the first to be eaten.  Cindy-Sue might have been your friend, but it’s not your fault the demon thinks she’s so tasty. Besides, she always ate all the pork n’ beans and that’s your favorite post-apocalyptic survival food!

Start your stockpile! Horde as many hostess twinkies and cans of spam as you can. It might not be the healthiest diet, but they don’t expire and spam will probably be the only thing left on any grocery store shelf.  Spam, or cannibalism? Your choice.

Anything can be used as a weapon.  If you are fighting a monster and all you have is duct tape, a knife and a broom.  Make yourself a medieval spear!  You’ve seen 300 and Troy a million times right?  Good!  Then you should be a professional.

Find your fortress. At some point the monsters will find you and the siege will commence. This doesn’t mean you have to make it easy for them. So get to your local hardware store before everyone else, and board up those doors and windows! No place is safe enough!

Good Luck!  Sleep tight and don’t let the monsters bite!

Shades of Chaos Giveaway

We are giving away an ebook copy of Shades of Chaos to one lucky winner!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email so we may contact you if you win.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Giveaway ends November 22, 2014 midnight EST.

Shades of Chaos by Cameron Jace, Katie Salidas, Chrystalla Thoma, Alexia Purdy, Megan Duncan.

Dare yourself to enter into post-apocalyptic future with this gritty collection of first-in-a-series books by six bestselling authors! Discover unique worlds packed with non-stop action, adventure, and suspense set against a gritty, futuristic backdrop.

NOTE: Together, these books have over 320 5-star reviews on Amazon. Over 1400 pages of stories, with *exclusive* content from Alexia Purdy, Katie Salidas, and Chrystalla Thoma! Best for ages 16 and up.

Release Date: June 2014
Add to Goodreads.

What's in YOUR apocalypse survival kit?

We recently had a similar discussion about the zombie apocalypse here.  

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop: Win Legend of Witchtrot Road

Welcome to our stop on the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!  In honor of Teen Read Week, we've chosen a spooky young adult book for our readers.

Keep reading for a chance to win a *signed* copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road.

Legend of Witchtrot Road (Spirit Guide #3) by E.J. Stevens.

Surviving agitated ghosts, irritated witches, angry werewolves, and the horrors of high school has never been so hard.

The night of Samhain may be behind them, but Yuki and her friends have only begun to face the challenges of their paranormal gifts. Tensions are rising--in the pack, at school, and within their tightly knit group of friends.

The tragic death of Wakefield High student Dylan Jacobs has emotions boiling over. The J-Team, Yuki's arch nemesis, have turned the entire football team against her. They claim that Yuki is a witch and blame her for the death of their fellow teammate. Will Yuki be able to solve the mystery of Dylan's death, and the legend of Witchtrot Road, before tempers flare and things turn violent?

Emma is the friend that Yuki turns to when things get tough, but she's been behaving strangely. Emma has been acting distant and seems to be coming down with a mysterious illness. What will Yuki and her friends do if their healer is truly sick?

Calvin has become Alpha and wants the best for his pack. He is a dedicated and compassionate leader willing to do anything for the good of his people, but will Cal be able to hold the pack together when a fiery, young werewolf comes seeking revenge?

Simon may still be a roguish playboy, but he is taking his role as Calvin's second in command deadly serious. Will Simon be able to focus on his pack duties when he is forced to face his dark, emotional past?

Release Date:  October 4, 2011
Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal Mystery, Paranormal Romance
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Spooktacular Giveaway

We are giving away a *signed* trade paperback copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road and Legend of Witchtrot Road swag (bookmarks, postcard, and sticker) to one lucky winner!

To enter, please use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Giveaway ends October 31, 2014 midnight EST.

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Good luck and thank you for stopping by From the Shadows.

Let's hop!

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Technology and Medicine in Violet Storm by Anna Soliveres + Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Anna Soliveres!  Anna is the author of VIOLET STORM.  She will be sharing a special guest post on technology and medicine in her new young adult novel, Violet Storm.

Keep reading for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and other fabulous prizes!

Technology and Medicine in Violet Storm

In Violet Storm I introduce the concept of modification, a cure of sorts for a deadly disease called vaincre. Modification is a procedure whereby a patient's infected (or non-infected) parts are replaced or melded with synthetic materials and biological tissues to create a stronger, durable, and more powerful human. So now, in this new world, exists extraordinary augmented people known as Modi's.

I was first inspired by the idea of creating stronger humans (by using synthetic materials) when I first began to imagine what a stronger "me" might look like. When I was young, I was bullied from elementary all the way up until freshman year of high school. Back then I used to dream of being taller, stronger, faster. One of the ways I saw my dreams being fulfilled was by being genetically modified, but I also wondered what it would be like to be "rebuilt" with synthetic materials, making me inhumanly strong. The latter idea is where modification came from. I didn't want to label Modi's as a type of cyborg or venture into that territory. I wanted to create something a little more unique (without any robotics or programming). I had a really hard time forming or even explaining this kind of technology. It wasn't until I visited my local tech museum where I saw an exhibit on amputees and prosthesis. It was called biohybridization. And there it was: the starting point for modification.

Violet Storm (Modi #1) by Anna Soliveras.

Several hundred years into the future, The Cleansing, known to some as the End of Days, forced the government to create Arks to shelter its people. When Earth became habitable again, new territories rose up from the ashes: Agria, the City of Light, and the Outer Boundaries. For a while, they lived in peace.

A brilliant surgeon known for his invention of Modi’s—the only cure for the deadly disease, vaincre—has gone rogue with his experiments, and the Monarchy is desperate to shut him down. That's where Aeva Storm comes in, a champion athlete with an ego to match. Aeva is the surgeon's secret weapon against the Monarchy. And they'll never know what hit them. After reconstructing her body to become a Modi unlike any he's ever created, Aeva is forced into a fight against all odds. She'll have to break loyalties, hurt family, and turn her back on newly awakened love. Thousands of lives hang in the balance in a battle that will set forth a new era.

Join Aeva on her quest to see whether she's got what it takes to go up against the most powerful humans ever created.

Release Date:  March 28, 2014
Genre:  Science Fiction, Young Adult
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Thank you Anna for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

If you would like to learn more about Anna Soliveras and her books, please visit her website.

Violet Storm Giveaway

The author is giving away a signed copy of Violet Storm, promo card (swag), $25 Amazon gift card, a Fitbit Zip!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below.  This is a tour giveaway, so winners will be randomly selected by the author or publisher.  This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends October 14, 2014.

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Good luck!

Q+A with Jandy Salguero + The Sending Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author, Jandy Salguero!  Jandy is the author of THE SENDING.

Keep reading for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Q+A with Jandy Salguero

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Jandy:  I can't remember not writing stories... My first success was in fourth grade when I wrote "Fluffy", a short story about an abandoned cat. It won first prize in a contest for the school, and I thought I was really hot stuff! :P

In my adult life, writing is something I need and crave. On my best or toughest days, it focuses, calms and makes me feel whole.

EJ:  What brought you to the fantasy/science fiction genre?

Jandy:  Oh, Mrs. Schwartz, my seventh grade reading guru. It sometimes takes a special person to instill a life-long love of reading. She was that all-important person for me. It wasn't until I got into high school and college, though--to the detriment of my school work--that I discovered the rich worlds of fantasy and sci fi. I devoured series by Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, and many more, amazed that these worlds existed--and that no one had TOLD me about them!

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Jandy:  Oooo, that's a good one. I would be an animal shape shifter of some kind. The possibility of change is intriguing to me, and when I read that genre of paranormal, it's fascinating to experience the character's unique bond with nature.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Jandy:  We read to be engulfed by new worlds, to experience what we normally might never experience in our own lives--hotter romance, deeper love, vividly different surroundings, and life-altering events that fire us into stronger beings than we might have thought possible. The Sending has all of those components and will bring you on a fast-paced journey to experience them all.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Jandy:  As a reader, when I see my beloved books translated to film, I find it distracting when big name actors are cast. Here's a list of my lessor-known picks for my main characters. Mara is latina, and a very intense person. Naya Rivera could pull that off beautifully. Daneel is that all-american good guy, whose safe, ordered world is turned upside in the first chapter of the book. For him, Jesse Roberts fits the swoon-worthy bill.

Other main characters:
Liam, funny, cocky yet fiercly loyal- Alex Fuentes
Mace, dangerously sexy- Tyler Hoechlin
Petra, blond, beautiful and wicked deadly- Katya Eltsina

Thank you Jandy for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Jandy Salguero and her books, please visit her website.

The Sending (Senitha's Light #1) by Jandy Salguero.

A city's peace is shattered when two university students go missing, and only Daneel and his friends know the shocking truth of what happened. Finding themselves under attack, Daneel leads them in a race to escape the mounting violence.

Mara is willing to kill for the beliefs of the faction that raised her. But as she seeks out her mark, using a rare, mystical form of travel known as the Sending, Mara discovers a powerful connection that challenges the truth of everything she’s been taught.

While Daneel fights to protect those he cares for, Mara must choose whether to cling to the ideology of her home—or open her scarred heart to a searing attraction and the promise of a new life.

Release Date:  August 20, 2014
Genre:  Science Fiction, Dystopian, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.

The Sending Giveaway

The author is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal cash to one lucky winner!

To enter, use this Rafflecopter form.  This is a tour giveaway, so the winner will be selected randomly by the author or publisher.  Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.  Giveaway ends October 13, 2014.

Good luck!

Update:  The Sending is FREE on Kindle now through Sunday, October 12th.