GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep: June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Sheep Book Review: Haunting Warrior by Erin Quinn


Haunting Warrior, by Erin Quinn, is the second installment in her PNR Mists of Ireland saga. Originally released in early 2010 I happened to run across the re-released mass-market paperback in the aisles of my grocery store, of all places! Haunting Warrior is absolutely a well-written and whimsical tale but not really what you would expect for a PNR.

Plot:
When his father vanished after uncovering the secrets of the ancient Book of Fennore, Rory McGrath transformed from an innocent boy into a troubled, cynical man. Leaving Ireland, he shunned his family, his heritage-and the very magic that defined his people for centuries.

Then he began dreaming of an ethereal beauty, who calls him to return home to a destiny that will take him beyond the realm of anything he imagined.

Lured to the castle ruins where his father disappeared, Rory is plunged back in time, and into the body of another man-a man betrothed to the very woman of Rory's dreams. In possession of the secrets of his past, his family, and his identity, her hold on Rory is inescapable. For she is his doom, his salvation-and his destiny.

Haunting Warrior opens with our Irish lead male, Rory, who’s currently residing in America plagued with the recurring dream of a young fiery gal on what seems to be her wedding night. As the story starts to unfold in the first pages you quickly find that things are not what they seem, a family of ghost comes to haunt in the present as Rory is forced to return to Ireland. These first few chapters really sucked me into the book from the start.

Saraid comes into the story as the young gal who’s been forced into a marriage with a savage rival clan's bloodthirsty son. Hated and feared in equal measure, this warrior male and soon to be husband is the key to Saraid’s clan's peace and the end of a long and gruesome war. What I liked about Saraid was her spirit and wit; even in the face of danger she tuffs it out with gritty courage and determination to get the job done, whatever that job may be. Body and soul this gal’s got a lot going for her mixed with passion and loyalty that only added to the overall character.

What threw me for a loop though was the epic feel of this story, it has such a strong fantasy flavor it felt more like a regular fantasy book instead of a Paranormal Romance. With loads of magic and spells and a book that holds deep and dark magic I would think this should be moved to a Fantasy Romance genre. As with fantasy you can really dive deeper into the world of myths and legends.

A few of the dream sequences were a little over the top and dragged longer than they should have. In addition, some of the fighting sequences between the bad guy overlords with powerful armies and the smaller folks who should have been out numbered seemed to stretch the already fantastical scale far into the “ok this is just so fake” category. But that being said the tale itself is one that’s well thought out and gripping.

The romance between our lead pair was believable and touching at times as their feelings grew throughout the story, but as we move along it becomes rushed and predictable. Even though plenty of time is given to “inner debate” the actual act of romance (or gettin it on) felt pushed along. I wouldn’t want to read the story again BUT I was happy with what I got and would most definitely try this author again.

Getting 3 and ½ Sheep
KD

Friday, June 29, 2012

Alpha Male Diner: Guest Cook Kasey Mackenzie + Give Away

Welcome back to the Alpha Male Diner! Kasey Mackenzie has stopped by to share her finger licking-good recipe for Warhound. And as always...don't worry, you will want this dish going straight to your thighs...



Scott Murphy (Warhound)    
Recipe created by Kasey Mackenzie   
Blackhearted Betrayal

1 half-Irish, half-Egyptian Warhound
Shoulder-length auburn hair
Amber yellow Hound eyes
Deeply-bronzed skin
Delectable warrior’s body
Deadly weapons secreted everywhere
add: Boldness, confidence, loyalty
Wicked sense of humor

Take one insanely sexy, shape-shifting Warhound in human form.  Add the loving influence of a woman as tough as he is, but soft enough to bend when needed—just like him.  Stir in all kinds of supernatural trouble to pump up the combustion between them.  Keep the two on their toes by mixing in various friends, enemies, ex-lovers, and a whole lot of complicated history so things never get boring.  At the end of this spicy cooking marathon, depend on one thing:  these two will melt into a perfect, harmonious whole of kickass and take names.  Always together, fiercely loyal to each other, but able to stand on their own two feet when needed.  Now imagine that the woman is you.  Et voila!  Way better than “finger-licking good”.

Sampling of recipe
potential spoilers for Blackhearted Betrayal
***
I turned to Scott, only to find him nocking an arrow to his crossbow. “So when did you take up archery?”

He laughed at the question I’d blurted out unintentionally. “I don’t tell you everything, baby. Have to keep you guessing so you don’t get bored.”

As if that would ever happen in a relationship involving a Fury and a Warhound . . . I was just relieved to find we could share a moment of humor in light of all the crap going down. “Can I count on you Shadowhounds and Charlie to cover our perimeter?”

“Consider it done.” His glance fell upon Jeserit, setting up shop at the center of Sahana’s perfectly sketched pentagram. The muscles in his jaw tightened, and he pulled me to him roughly. My eyes fluttered shut, and I drank in the feminine scent of berry-flavored candy contrasted with the more masculine musks and sandalwoods that comforted my soul because they meant Scott was nearby. He sucked down those candies to stave off his cigarette cravings, the smoking a habit he’d given up for me.

Rather than kissing me as expected, he ran his hands through my hair and murmured sweet Egyptian nothings in my ear. I didn’t waste magic translating his mother’s tongue, just savored his scent, sound, and most importantly, touch. For this one moment I could forget we were on a desperate quest to stop Anubis before he could bring war to both our world and the immortal; forget that Scott had betrayed Anubis the way Jackal-Faced betrayed his fellow gods; forget that one of us might well have to make the sacrifice Jeserit had made when she chose to carry on knowing that her husband faced certain death. For now, we were just Scott and Marissa, two people who loved each other, who always had and—I hoped—always would.

I opened my eyes to find his devouring my face as if he could imprint it onto his memory the way a food connoisseur would a meal. My pulse skittered as emotion welled inside me. “Gods, Scott, I love you.”

“I know,” he murmured, fisting his fingers in my hair possessively. “As much as I love you. I gave up my god for you, Marissa, and I would do it again, a thousand times over. This is love, not whatever emotion is driving—Anubis—to betray immortal law and steal the free will and bodies of those weaker than he. Remember that no matter what happens, but also remember this: Your Mandate must come first.” I opened my mouth, but he pressed a finger against it. “I know you, Riss, and I saw that silent war waging across your face back in the oasis. Love is important and worth fighting for—worth dying for—but true love would never ask someone to sacrifice honor and duty for mere selfishness. You do what you have to and let the rest of us do what we have to. Even if that means letting go.”

Like I’d had to let my grandmother go. Like Jeserit had to let Mijai go. I’d had no choice but to accept Vanessa’s passing months earlier, and that had been the most gut-wrenching loss of my life—worse than losing my father, mother, or grandmother. Scott I loved with even more strength, more fire and passion, and I couldn’t imagine living life without him again. But, if push came to shove, could I honor our love and his request and fight on if I had to?
“I—I will.”

Scott pressed a frenzied kiss against my lips before pushing away. “I knew you’d make the right choice.”

From the acclaimed author of Green-Eyed Envy comes a tumultuous tale of unrest among the Furies...

As Boston’s Chief Magical Investigator, Riss Holloway has been responsible for solving any crimes committed by or against supernaturals. But now she’s taking a leave of absence from the Boston PD and heading home--to focus on her duties as a Fury: like assisting her mother with an unsettling friction brewing in the Sisterhood, a faction of Furies sworn to serve all the Deities equally. These days, someone is playing favorites, drawing Riss into a tumultuous civil war embroiling every god and goddess. What was once a precept, to stand as a united whole policing arcanekind for millennia, has been divided by something Riss never imagined—and choosing sides could be the most dangerous move she’s ever made.

Kasey Mackenzie lives with her husband and son in St. Louis, Missouri; home of the Gateway Arch, the baseball Cardinals, and the world’s greatest thin-crust pizza.  Kasey was one of those students who always had her nose in a book—so no big surprise when she was voted “Teacher’s Pet” in her high school yearbook.  Today, she is a voracious reader of fantasy, romance, suspense, and “soft” science fiction.  She adores her German shepherd puppy, two cats, playing softball, and has recently taken up knitting.  So far she can cast on, do the knit stitch, and cast off.  Hey, it’s a start!

Kasey can be contacted via email at k a s e y a t k a s e y m a c k e n z i e d o t c o m removing all spaces and substituting the @ and . symbols.  She welcomes any and all reader reactions (assuming they are courteously made).  She does reserve the right to mock and snark at any and all rudely-made comments–she is an urban fantasy author, after all!

Shades of Fury series
Red Hot Fury
Green-Eyed Envy
Blackhearted Betrayal


GIVE AWAY
Kasey is offering two winners a copy of 
Blackhearted Betrayal 
(US/CAN only)


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Angels VS Demons Blog Hop


update
GRAND PRIZE WINNERS! OMG
the winner of the Kindle Fire was from our blog!! Woot! Sheep power.

Kindle Touch Winner: #1291 from I Smell Sheep: 
Stephanie Huff
Amazon $60 Gift Card Winner: #4695 from Dani Harper's Blog: Drake 

our prize winner is
Tabatha Hansen 


Thanks to the Paranormal G-Spot and Romance With a Bite you can visit 102 blogs for a chance to win 102 prizes! Plus...there will be two Grand Prizes at the end of the hop.
We want to know:

Demons or Angels


I can't decide which I like more...and since I couldn't decide I didn't think it would be fair to make you decide either. So we are offering a taste of both!


Darkness Devours (Dark Angels #3) by Keri Arthur
Half-werewolf, half-Aedh Risa Jones can enter the realm between life and death, and she can see the Reapers who collect the souls of the dead. Now, she is using her gifts—and the investigative know-how of a man who broke her heart—to find a cabal searching for the power to control time, reality, and fate. And this is besides her work for the Vampire Council, half of whom want her dead.

But for now the Council needs her alive. Someone is killing blood-whore addicted vampires, and Risa must find the guilty party. If she succeeds, she may finally convince the council to lift the execution order on her life. But before she succeeds, she must first survive…
Buy: amazon-Book Depository




Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend (Demons #1) by Linda Wisdom
Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer—that is, until she’s assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and a sleazy boyfriend. A group of satanic Mayans priests has decided Courtney has a drop of divine blood in her—making her just the virgin sacrifice they need to release their God and rule the world.

To prevent this catastrophe, Maggie must team up with half fire demon Declan, the proprietor of Damnation Alley, an underground club and busy demon portal. Declan will be damned if he’ll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some evil Mayans. So he decides to seduce the sexy witch in an effort to discover what the law enforcement agency knows about the Mayan’s plans, but then things get more than a little hot, and Declan finds himself seriously entangled with the sexiest woman he’s ever met…
Buy: amazon-Book Depository



Where Demons Fear to Tread (The Company of Angels #1) by Stephanie Chong
Fledging guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares to enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission—to retrieve the wayward Hollywood "It Boy" she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure-seeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…

After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy-sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries-old feelings. Now, their high-stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell… or a deliciously hot heaven.
Buy: amazon-Book Depository

A Madness of Angels (Matthew Swift #1) by Kate Griffin
For Matthew Swift, today is not like any other day. It is the day on which he returns to life.

Two years after his untimely death, Matthew Swift finds himself breathing once again, lying in bed in his London home.

Except that it's no longer his bed, or his home. And the last time this sorcerer was seen alive, an unknown assailant had gouged a hole so deep in his chest that his death was irrefutable...despite his body never being found.

He doesn't have long to mull over his resurrection though, or the changes that have been wrought upon him. His only concern now is vengeance. Vengeance upon his monstrous killer and vengeance upon the one who brought him back.
Buy: amazon-Book Depository



What you can win:
1. Sheep Prize Pack (pic above)
(4 books, a sheep, zombie hunting license, moon pie, Kool Aid, sheep swag, envelope of secret swag stuff!)
2. At the end of the hop one grand prize winner will get a Kindle Touch and one will get a $60 Gift Card!

How to win:
1. leave your contact info!
2. Tell us
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Check out the other stops for more chances to win and more chances at the grand prizes


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Devon Monk's TIN SWIFT blog tour + Give Away

Welcome to Chapter 7 of Devon Monk's online story
Hang Fire

HANG FIRE is a steampunk short story set in late 1800's America. It takes place between the Age of Steam book #1, DEAD IRON and book #2 TIN SWIFT. The story is broken into 20 "chapters" and posted, one chapter at a time, on 20 awesome blogs. To read the whole story, start at chapter 1 at www.candacesbookblog.com and follow the "read the next chapter" links at the end of the post. This story won't be found anywhere else on the web or in ebook form!

Today we start off with the cursed bounty hunter Cedar Hunt, who has just discovered his good friend, Rose Small, is about to be killed by a strange steam matic. Then we switch to the airship the Swift and Captain Hink who must out-fly the bigger, heavier-gunned airship crewed by glim pirates, before they blow him and his crew out of the sky....


...read chapter 6 at: Fantasy Literature

HANG FIRE - Chapter 7


Cedar Hunt sighted down the length of his rifle, taking aim at the metal contraption bearing down fast behind Rose Small.
Rose was dazed, her hat having fallen back to rest between her shoulders, the chin strap tugged tight around her throat. A thin streak of blood smeared the side of her cheek.
Her horse was nowhere to be seen. Cedar knew she was a smart woman and wouldn’t have gone running off on foot into the forest on a foolish whim.
She must have heard Cedar yell. She must, at this moment, hear the metal device puffing and clattering behind her.
But she turned toward him, not toward the danger.
And in doing so, put herself dead center in the line of fire.
Cedar swore under his breath and jerked the rifle down. He bolted across the forest floor, aiming to reach Rose before the matic did.
Wil, still in wolf form, and Mae Lindson rushed after him.
Maybe it was the flicker of light sliding like oil down the trip wire. Maybe it was the sudden knowledge that Wil was trying to twist to the side before his feet hit the ground.
Whatever it was, Cedar had just enough time to pivot and wrap his arms around Mae before the forest floor opened up beneath them and they fell into darkness.

The Swift fell through the sky like a man tripping off a cliff.
“Hold her steady!” Captain Hink yelled. He braced one boot against the open door and gripped the overhead bar as his airship screamed down, her tin bones singing, all the steam and power out of her, just like he’d told his crew he wanted.
Mr. Guffin, at the helm, was swearing in French and doing a surprisingly good job of it. That might have made Hink wonder about the man’s parentage, if they weren’t currently plummeting to their imminent death.
Mr. Ansel worked the Swift’s wings, keeping them tight, so they could take the fall as level as possible. He was also singing a song he must have picked up while they were out Chicago way. It was a mournful tune that went well with the short, stout man’s surprisingly operatic voice. Hink would have enjoyed hearing the whole diddy, but Mr. Ansel only sang when things were going very, very wrong.
And that was about to change.
The two airships on their tail were still climbing, still gunning ahead. Heading for the glim fields. Headed for Captain Hink’s glim stake.
Which was another thing he wasn’t about to let happen. All the Swift needed was a belly full of fire to bring her back to life.
“Hit the bell,” he hollered to Mr. Guffin. Then, back toward his boilerman who would not hear him through the thick metal door at the rear of the ship. “Molly Gregor, give her steam!”
Mr. Guffin was tugging on the bell wire so hard, Captain Hink thought he’d break it straight through.
They needed canons, they needed lift, and by God and glim, they needed steam.
“Steam,” he whispered, “give her steam, give her steam.” Every kick of his heart tapped out a beggar’s eternity.
He glanced out the port door. Land was coming up pretty damn fast to make acquaintance of his little ship. And though he’d had more than his share of chances to look his own death straight in both eyes, he was not about to go softly into that night.
“Molly!” he yelled.
Then he felt one shuddering thump.

...read chapter 8 at All Things Urban Fantasy

TIN SWIFT (Roc Trade Paperback Original; $15.00; ISBN: 978-0451464538), the second book Devon Monk’s widely-praised Age of Steam series hit shelves on July 3rd!
In steam age America, men, monsters, machines and magic battle to claim the same scrap of earth and sky. In this chaos, one man fights to hold on to his humanity--and his honor. . .

Life on the frontier is full of deceit and danger, but bounty hunter Cedar Hunt is a man whose word is his bond. Cursed with becoming a beast every full moon, Cedar once believed his destiny was to be alone. But now, Cedar finds himself saddled with a group of refugees, including the brother he once thought lost.

Keeping his companions alive is proving to be no easy task, in part because of the promise he made to the unpredictable Madder brothers—three miners who know the secret mechanisms of the Strange. To fulfill his pledge, Cedar must hunt a powerful weapon known as the Holder—a search that takes him deep into the savage underbelly of the young country and high into the killing glim-field skies defended by desperate men and deadly ships.

But the battles he faces are just a glimmer of a growing war stirring the country. To keep his word Cedar must navigate betrayal, lies, and treacherous alliances, risking everything to save the lives of those he has come to hold dear…

***GIVE AWAY***
Devon Monk is offering one winner

1. Copy of Tin Swift 2. Tin Swift magnet 3. Handmade (by me) signed steampunk airship bookmark



To enter:
1. Leave contact info
2. Tell me what Steampunk accessory would you like to own
*followers get double entries

Find Devon Monk online:

Sheep Comic Review: Witchblade #157

Witchblade #157 (ARC)

On Sale: June 27,2012
Story by: Tim Seeley

Art By: Diego Bernard & Fred Benes
Cover By: John Tyler Christopher
Variant Cover by: Diego Bernard & Fred Benes
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: MAR120525


"PORTALS," Part One
Even as she struggles to make ends meet as a PI, Sara Pezzini can'thelp but be drawn into the corrupt supernatural underbelly of Chicago. Herdiscovery of mystical portals around the city will lead her to a realm unlikeanything she's experienced before and bring her face-to-face with a formerbearer of the Witchblade!
Sara has started to adjust to living in Chicago, along with dealing with supernatural things. I don’t think portals were one of those things Sara was ready for. Sara takes it upon herself to track down these portals; during her search she comes across what she thought was a“standard mugging”, instead Sara is seeing two orc like beings threatening some guy, that oddly knows who Sara is, but Sara doesn't know who the guy is.
One of the orcs calls Sara a “metalmancer” and tried to attack her. Sara has a great line at this part, which gives you an idea of what kind of world these guys come from,“Yeah I don’t play Warcraft.” Sara wants to find out more about why there are orcs in Chicago, once going through the portal Sara cannot believe her eyes. She has walked into a world that looks like a steampunk World of Warcraft. Sara has never been here before, but oddly enough the witchblade itself has. Sara is confronted by two police officers, who tell her that she is inviolation of Beliesan Law. Sara asks to see the sheriff, shortly after her request she is brought to Sheriff Godliffe. When Godliffe sees this female, her reaction is nothing short of shock. In her drunken state, sheriff Godliffe yells at her officers that she will deal with this woman herself, after getting Sara alone the sheriff asks if “this bearer has a name.” This means she knows about the witchblade. Sara gives her name, and in return the Sheriff tells Sara that her name is Katarina.
Katarina informs Sara that the witchblade rejected her at one point, and after that incident Katarina has been living in Faerie. The people of Faerie made her sheriff since she saved their lives in the past. Sara asks Katarina for her help; Sara tells Katarina that someone from the human world was brought to Faerie against their will. Sara puts the pieces together that she was placed in a fantasy world, with a century old witchblade bearer, and in the middle of a possible assassination plot.
To me this is a major leap from the “original” stories that Sara has been put through, granted being the bearer of the witchblade, nothingis really normal anymore. I am looking forward to what happens to Sara in the Portals story line.

4.5 Sheep
~DD~







Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Sheep Comic Review: Mind The Gap #2

Written by Jim McCann
Art and Covers by Rodin Esquejo and Sonia Oback
Variant Cover by Francesco Francavilla
Released: June 27, 2012
Image Comics

Last issue's THREE cliffhangers are answered here, leading to even more questions surrounding the attack on Elle Peterssen. A new person is introduced, but are they friend or foe? And Elle quickly finds that the situation she is in has rapidly gone from a 10 to 10,000!
The anxiously awaited ongoing mystery deepens as the web of suspects and lies spreads.


Where we left off:
"Elle Peterssen, a young woman from an affluent New York family, was attacked and left for dead on the 50th St. subway platform. Inches from death Elle slipped into a coma. As word spread among her family, friends, and doctors, it became clear that this was no ordinary mugging- Elle was targeted. By whom and why began to sow seeds of distrust among everyone in her life, causing fights and warning those responsible to start covering their tracks. Only Elle holds the key to solving the mystery. However, Elle is trapped in a place called The Garden, a sort of space between life and death. And she's not alone..."

"The Garden is filled with the minds and spirits of others hovering near death or in a coma, waiting to pass on or awaken from their sleep. Among them is the charmer Bobby Plangman, a young sophisticated man who helps guide Elle through this new "world". Ella has much larger problems, not only has she been left an amnesiac, learning about herself from what she hears others say, she quickly experiences a very strange experience when she touches the body of a dying man. Meanwhile, a hooded figure continues to carry out orders given by a mysterious source. No one knows who it is, for whom the person is working, or when they'll strike next. Only this is certain...Everyone is suspect."

In #2 the mystery unfolds some more and we're given the pleasure of spirits inhabiting bodies, mysterious texts messages, a nicely illustrated explosion, and Elle meeting someone in The Garden who might be able to unlock some of the mystery to why she was attacked. Overall I think the illustrations are beautifully done; really enjoy the different point of views and perspectives Esquejo and Oback give the readers, they really pay attention to the little details. This is a series where you have to pay attention to the little details because there's Easter eggs planted to give you some clues as to what is happening.

With their illustrations and McCann's writing they all do a great job of painting this vivid and mysterious story for us. In #2 McCann does a really nice job with balancing the different intertwining story lines, which is important considering all the characters that the readers interact with. I'm enjoying the ride McCann and crew are taking us on and if you're into mysteries now is as good as ever time to give this series a looksie.


I give Mind the Gap #2 4.5 hooded sheep.



Guest Reviewer: Bunni Darling


Sheep Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Writer Seth Grahame-Smith's screenplay of his novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a very fun historical fictionish romp through the life of our beloved 16th president. Director Timur Bekmambetov does a really good job of bringing the piece to life.

Let's get the obvious out of the way. If you're going to see this movie, it's with the understanding that you're not about to watch some period drama. You're there to witness Abraham Lincoln... the dude in the top hat... kick vampire ass... and bear witness you shall for this movie delivers some serious Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon wickedness with the cinematography of 300.
You can break the plot down to a pretty standard Dark Knight tale of kid grows up to avenge the death of a parent. The twist here is, the target of vengeance is a vampire! Naturally, the first attempt is bungled and Abe ends up with a bitter, washed out, former slayer. A cool training montage later, hatchet wielding Honest Abe is off to kick butt, take names, and destroy undead.

Unlike say, Inglorious Bastards, the writer doesn't go out of his way to break with history. To us, the very casual historian, we're not privy to the exact number of children the Lincolns had... or the exact whereabouts of Harriet Tubman... or the night train schedules between Washington and Gettysburg... but we do tend to remember bits like Pickett's Charge... Why'd Robert E. Lee order such a crazy attack? You'll find out in the film!

I'm going to give this film 4 campy, vampire slaying sheep!

~Richard Lee

Monday, June 25, 2012

Sheep Interview: Jess Haines + Give Away

check out Jess's theme music!
Theme
Today we have Jess Haines. She writes one of my favorite urban fantasy series - H&W Investigations. Book 4, Stalking the Others, comes out July 3 and it was worth the wait! Full of action, killing and smut romance. My review of Stalking the Others will be posting very soon.
Sharon: Welcome to the Flock Jess…grab a moon pie, some Kool-Aid and a chocolate sheep! I read the FAQ on your website and you pretty much answer every possible personal and professional question so we are going to have to get creative with you…yeah, we just might go “there”.


Sharon: So which part of the chocolate sheep did you bite off first?
Katie: She seems like she would go right for the head first! Just my take on her. *winks*
Jess: Ha! Katie knows me too well. *g* I would definitely go for the head first.


Sharon: For the readers who haven’t been on our Earth very long and don’t know about your incredibly fun Urban Fantasy series, H & W Investigations, would you please tell them a little about it?
Jess: Absolutely. The series is about Shiarra Waynest, a private detective who keeps getting dragged into supernatural messes. Most urban fantasy novels center around a protagonist who has special powers. Sookie Stackhouse can read minds, Harry Dresden and Rachel Morgan can cast spells, Anita Blake can raise the dead (and bring all the boys to the yard with her magic hoo-ha), etc.

Shiarra is a vanilla human playing with the big boys in the supernatural community. In that way, she’s my “special snowflake”. She has a couple of magic items to help her out, but for the most part, she has to rely on her wits—what few she has—and her friends to help her out.

Katie: There's a saying that goes something like "walks quietly but carries a big stick" if you could carry ANY weapon, stick or whatnot, what would it be?
Jess: I would carry a sword. I already own several. *g*
Sharon: Have you studied sword fighting?
Jess: Yup. I’m still very much a novice, but I was briefly in the SCA. Plus, I think I have memorized every move from the sword fighting scene in Princess Bride.

Sharon: It is kind of hard to ask questions about the latest book Stalking the Others without spoiling things for people who haven’t read the series or this book…hmmm, let’s just say Shiarra finally gets some! Did you have this “event” planned out since the beginning of the series or did you recently decide this “event” would happen with person X?
Jess: I've known for a while it was going to happen. I was going to wait until the very end of the series, but I figured four books is long enough for everyone involved to go without. (As a side note, you would be shocked—shocked—at how many fan letters I got begging for me to write a sex scene. And I've cherished every one.)
Sharon: You done good with it too ;)
Jess: Why, thank you! You have no idea how many shades of red I turned while writing it, lol.

Katie: I've read that you mentioned being a "workaholic" when do find time to rest and if you could go on a vacation right now today where would it be?
Jess: My schedule has been pretty wacky for a while. If you knew what it was less than a year ago, you’d probably be surprised I managed to do things like grocery shopping and laundry, let alone write books.

Nowadays, resting usually comes on the weekends. That’s when I catch up and take a breather.

If I could take a vacation anywhere in the world, I’d visit Ireland or Scotland. Both places fascinate me, and I would love to explore the castles and lochs! Maybe shoot for a Nessie sighting, too.

Sharon: I love the clever titles you have. They give a clue as to what is going to happen. Do you come up with the titles and how far ahead do you have them planned out? I know the next book is Forsaken By Others and I am dying to know why <G>.
Jess: Aw, thank you! Well I do come up with the titles, the ones you see on the book covers aren’t always the first one I picked. For example, HUNTED BY THE OTHERS was originally DEALING WITH THE OTHERS. Doesn’t quite have the same ring, does it?

As for FORSAKEN, well, let’s just say that Shia’s burned a few bridges in STALKING THE OTHERS, and the consequences of her actions are about to catch up with her…

Katie: If you walked into a bar and saw two vamps a shapeshifter and fae could you come up with a joke on the fly?
Jess: Oh, lord. Okay, I came up with a little something—though you may or may not find this as funny as I did at 1AM:

Two vampires, a werewolf, and a fae walk into a bar. One vamp turns to the other and says, “I like your hunting dog.” The shapeshifter looks annoyed, but makes no comment.

The other vamp, in an attempt to return the polite compliment, looks at the fae who was trailing behind them. He frowns, noting the guyliner, eye shadow, and tight clothing, then says, “Your progeny knows we aren’t supposed to glitter like that, right? That whole thing about sparkling is a myth.”

The first vamp says, “Don’t know. It’s not mine. I thought it was yours.”

The two vamps turn to the fae. With a hand on his hip, he gives them both an arch look. “What? I’m just fabulous, bitches. Deal with it.”
Sharon: BWAHAHAHA..Ha…ha…I liked it.

Katie: NICE!!! *High fives Jess* Jess: Hehe! I try, I try…

Sharon: How many books can we look forward to in this series?
Jess: Right now, I’m contracted through six books. I've got ideas for more, but we’ll see what happens once I turn that last book in.

Sharon: Why are you so mean to Shiarra?
Katie: Hey now! Let's not judge I'm sure she has her reasons.
Jess: Poor Shia. I really do give her a hard time, don’t I? Sadly, my stories about her wouldn't be nearly so entertaining if I didn't make her life miserable.
C’mon, you have to admit it makes for some juicy drama...
Sharon: true, in Deceived by the Others she threw down! I loved the last line of that book:
“The hunt for those who had wronged me was on.” BITCHES! <G>
okay, she didn’t say that last word out loud, but you know she thought it. Which brings me to one of my favorite quotes from Stalking the Others:
“Knock, knock, bitches.”
Jess: She totally did think it. And yes, I love that line. Also, if anyone is getting the idea that I over-use the word “bitch” well… yes. Yes, I do.

Sharon: You call yourself weird a lot in your FAQ. Finish this sentence: People think I am weird because….
Jess: …I like terrible movies, play tabletop RPGs, build my own computers, dress up in costume for Ren Faires, collect swords, and will try almost anything. For example, I’ve eaten bugs. They were delicious.



Don’t judge me.
Sharon: Who? us judge? *eyes the sword Jess just pulled from behind her back* we don’t judge….What bugs did you eat?
Jess: I've tried crickets and mealworms. I’m not about to try it again anytime soon, but they weren't as foul as I was expecting.

Sharon: Latest game obsession?
Jess: Plants vs. Zombies. I’ve already beaten it somewhere between eight and ten times. My Zen garden is nearly complete. C’mon, water plants!

Sharon: We got to talk bad movies. What are your go to movies when you need a fix? Do you watch the SyFy channel originals? Aracnoquake comes on this Saturday.
Jess: Oh, lawd. I love me some cheesy movies. Mostly, I love to MST them. Or watch the old school MST3K show.
My go-to bad movies include such classics as The Pest, Judge Dredd, Demolition Man, Tank Girl, Blade III (I’m only in it for the Ryan Reynolds parts, I swear!), Tremors, and more.
Sharon: Tremors ROCKS! Kevin Bacon ROCKS!
Katie: Next to Footloose that's one of my top favs!Jess: God, yes! Young Kevin Bacon! *fans self*
we interrupt this interview for a moment of Bacon...
we now return you to the interview...
I used to love watching SyFy, but these days I only have a Netflix subscription. While their selection of bad movies does include some genuinely bad, unwatchable stuff, I was thoroughly entertained by Uwe Boll’s parody of a Uwe Boll movie. Have you seen Blubberella? Just sayin’.
Sharon: can’t say that I have, but you darn tooting I’m going to <G> How about Big Trouble in Little China and Escape from NY?
Jess: As much as I like them, I don’t re-watch them like I do the other movies I listed. Though I do love me some camp.

Katie: How many vampires do you know personally? And much more importantly how many of them are single?
Jess: Hee! Oh, if only… There are always the men-folk of my series. I hear Angus MacLeod (Royce’s head of security, a Scottish vamp) is on the lookout for a lady friend. And if you recall Mr. Seawater Eyes from TAKEN BY THE OTHERS, that’s Sebastian. You might be safer with his human twin brother, Thad, but both of them are still pretty new to the vampire scene. Watch your step around them…

Sharon: During a zombie apocalypse, which fictional character (can be anyone) would like to have your back?
Jess: Ash from the Evil Dead movies. He strikes me as the ultimate survivor.

Sharon: What if every time you entered a room a theme song/music would play…what would yours be?
Jess: Richard Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra (aka, the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey – see here if you’re unfamiliar
Sharon: Unfamiliar? Do you know how old I am <G>? I remember when it came out.
Jess: Hehe! I was thinking more those in the audience, but I won’t tell… ;)

Sharon: What is a pet you would love to have?

Jess: An African Grey parrot. I’ve always loved animals, and I already have or had every pet I’ve ever wanted. Right now, the menagerie includes: 4 birds, about a dozen fish, shrimp, a frog, and 3 lizards.

Rapid Fire- these can get a little rough…

Sharon: dirty dancing or waltz
Jess: Dirty dancing, baby.

Katie: Cover me in Jell-O or cover me in whip cream? (not literarily me)
Jess: Whipped cream. That stuff is the bomb-diggity, yo.

Sharon: dark chocolate or milk chocolate
Jess: Dark chocolate.

Katie: Wild West or Medieval Times?

Jess: Medieval Times. Haven’t you seen that show? Love those giant turkey legs.
Sharon: We have eaten at Medieval Times quite a few times they don’t give you silver ware.
Jess: I know. It’s awesome.

Sharon: “I am the law” or “they drew first blood”
Jess: “I am the law.” You should hear my roommate pull that line. Cracks me up every time. *g*
Sharon: You know they are remaking Judge Dredd…
Jess: Wait, what?! What?! How did I not know about this?! *rushes to IMDB*
Katie: Yup, Karl Urban is playing the Judge. *drool*
Katie: Coke or Pepsi?
Jess: Coke.
Sharon: *sob* my soul just died a little…
Katie: *fist pumps* Heck yes to the Coke!
Jess: *pat, pat* There, there. It’ll be okay. Here, I’ll share some of my Smoke & Stout chocolate bar with you…
Sharon: *sniff* Okay...

Sharon: “Do you think I’m sexy?” or “ I’m sexy and I know it!”
Jess: I choose a third option:



Sharon: LOL! That is a good one too.

Katie: Pigeons or Ravens?
Jess: Ravens. Much smarter than flying rats.
Sharon: HEY! Some of my best friends are pigeons….okay not really, just trying to cause drama..
Jess: Funny story. I used to hang out at this Wendy’s in downtown LA. One time, it felt like every pigeon in the city was hanging out on the patio with me. One of the pigeons even landed on the table I was sitting at, and took food out of my hand. It had twine wrapped around its toes cutting off the circulation. It let me pick it up and take the string off for it. Hung around long enough to eat a few more fries, then went on its merry way. Weird, huh?
Sharon: *wipes tear from eye* you are like a pigeon hero!

Sharon: boy next door or boy toy?
Jess: Boy next door.

Katie: Jog or Speed walk?
Jess: Jog. Speed walking just looks silly when most people do it.

Sharon: evil eye or stink eye?
Jess: Evil eye.

Thanks again so much for having me!

Sharon: Is there anything else you want the readers to know…links, singings, the last time you shaved your legs…;)
Jess: Let’s see… Links to stalk me:

Signings:
Saturday, July 7, 2012
2:00PM
Dark Delicacies Book Store
3512 W. Magnolia
Burbank, CA 91505

Saturday, August 11, 2012
2-4PM
Authors After Dark Convention (signing open to the public)
Royal Sonesta Hotel
300 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Sunday, February 10, 2013
3-5PM
Olde City New Blood Convention (signing open to the public)
St. Augustine Beach Front Resort
300 A1A Beach Blvd
St. Augustine, FL 32080


And I last shaved my legs two days ago. You’re welcome. *g*

Sharon: *headdesk*


***GIVE AWAY***
We would like to thank Jess and her shaved legs for visiting. Enter the rafflecopter do-hickey. At the end of the tour 15 people will be chosen to win a copy of Stalking the Others