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Sunday, May 31, 2015

Book Review: Cold Burn of Magic (Black Blade Book 1) by Jennifer Estep

Cold Burn of Magic (Black Blade Book 1)
by Jennifer Estep

Paperback, 368 pages
Published April 28th 2015

by Kensington
There Be Monsters Here. . .

It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power.

I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick.

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. . .


I’ve been on my own for four years ever since my mom was brutally murdered by one of the families! I am the best thief you’ve ever seen rube or magick. No one can touch me. Then it happened. I was just minding my own business waiting for Mo to pay me when they walked into the store and my life was changed forever.

Estep has created a unique story line with a twist of medieval in it and relatable characters. Good read from start to finish and a promise of more to come. A new author for me that I will add to my must read list. A little love, a lot of mystery and fun encompasses this story.

Getting 4 sheep






Denise B
About the Author:

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.
The Elemental Assassin series (for adults)
The Mythos Academy series (for young adults)The Bigtime series (for adults)

Jennifer has worked as a features writer and page designer for a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper and has more than 10 years of journalism experience. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and other writing groups.

Sunday Swag: Chloe Neill


Sunday Swag Team!
Riverina Romantics 
 I Smell Sheep 

Featured Author: Chloe Neill


About the Author:
Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Devil’s Isle, Chicagoland Vampires, and Dark Elite series. She was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest. When not writing, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys–her favorite landscape photographer/husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. (Both she and the photographer understand the dogs are in charge.)






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Saturday, May 30, 2015

Book Review: Eighth Grave After Dark (Charley Davidson Book 8) by Darynda Jones

Eighth Grave After Dark (Charley Davidson Book 8)
by Darynda Jones
Pages: 304
Sometimes I wonder if the purpose of my life is to serve as a cautionary tale to others.
-T-shirt

Charley Davidson has enough going on without having to worry about twelve hellhounds hot on her trail. She is, after all, incredibly pregnant and feeling like she could pop at any moment. But, just her luck, twelve deadly beasts from hell have chosen this time to escape onto our plane, and they've made Charley their target. And so she takes refuge at the only place she thinks they can't get to her: the grounds of an abandoned convent. Of course, if hellhounds aren't enough, Charley also has a new case to hold her attention: the decades-old murder of a newly-vowed nun she keeps seeing in the shadows of the convent.

Add to that the still unsolved murder of her father, the strange behavior of her husband, and Charley's tendency to attract the, shall we say, undead, and she has her hands full...but also tied.


Charley tends to get herself into trouble even when she has the best of intentions. Act first, think later should be her motto according to those around her! She just wants to help those that need it whether it’s a client or a ghost. Who would have thought that helping people would get her in so much trouble?

Hilarious as always, Darynda once again brought her A game to this book. When I first started to read her books it was on a recommendation from another author that I loved and wasn’t sure if I wanted to invest my time in a new author but thought what the heck! So glad I did because this is one of my favorite series and I always hate when the book ends and the wait begins for the next one. Quirky and funny are only two of the words used to describe Charley Davidson the lead character in this book. My favorite parts of each of Darynda’s books are the slogans at the beginning of each chapter. She really should make t-shirt and bumper stickers out of them.

Getting 5 sheep






Denise B

About the Author:
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NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

Ink Well with Amanda Clemmer: All About Story-Crafting

All About Story-Crafting 


“According to the pacing chart, there should be a slight drop near the end of chapter 2, allowing for the future buildup…”

It’s a question I’ve been asked before, and it’s a question people are certainly going to ask in the future: how do you plan your stories? Some authors love intricate planning stages with outlines and possibly years of research before getting to the actual writing, and some like to make it up as they go. Most fall somewhere in the middle.


Results? Guaranteed.
Good results? Debatable.
Me? I’m a mad scientist when it comes to writing and planning my novels. I love learning and applying new methods, but I just can’t seem to get caught up in a single routine! I wrote a vampire novella about ten years ago that involved planning down to the paragraphs before I wrote. It gave me a lot of confidence in my sense of direction and kept the story from falling flat… but it took out a lot of the excitement on my end of the spectrum. Later I wrote a fantasy novel that I drafted by hand, with the specific condition that I could not plan anything beyond the current handwritten page. The story was cliché in many areas, but the writing itself was lovely and expressive as anything.

These days I’m a little more practical. I think about my books before I write them and decide how much planning I want to do. I usually want a sense of direction but plenty of wiggle room to let the novel build on itself. My recent release, Automaton, hinged on the single idea of a person being replaced by a machine who believed itself to be that person. The original idea was very different than the result. It was going to be sci-fi. A vital crew member on a starship would fall ill and leave the ship’s doctor with no choice but to rebuild him.

Then the questions came. Would it be better if the main character were a male or female? What species or race would he be? Was he going to be entirely robotic or just have some central organs replaced? And—most jarring of all—what if I switched genres? That’s something I’ve been doing a lot lately. Switching genres when planning a story to see what it would look like. Sometimes the results are weird and laughable, and sometimes they’re brilliant.
Or maybe they should all be sheep. 



Steampunk was the first genre to come to mind. I’d never written anything Steampunk before, but my love for science fiction and historical fiction could make it work. Instead of a robot, I would have an automaton. The ray gun adopted as the main character embarks on her quest would be a clockwork and steam powered pistol, complete with gears. The setting would have Victorian elegance—with all the action of a space opera. My novel was turning into something different, something beautiful and unique—and I liked it. 

My tips for story crafting are simple. Experiment. Don’t let yourself settle for good enough. And don’t be afraid to challenge what you’ve assumed this whole time—ewe never know when you’ll discover a goldmine!

Automaton
by Amanda Clemmer
e
book, 107 pages
May 22nd 2015
Last Thursday I awoke to learn that I died almost a month ago. I was rebuilt from a highly experimental process of clockwork and cloning, and I don’t know why. One man knows my secret—my creator, the lead of the Leona Scientific Laboratory. He says knowledge isn’t free. I say that unless I know why I’m here, he’s the one who’s going to pay.

My friend Jack Beasley has offered his help. He has inside knowledge about the laboratory and the man who runs it. I think he also knows something about me that he isn’t sharing. There’s no one I can trust now. Not even myself.


About the Author:
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Hello! I’m Amanda Clemmer, and writing lengthier fiction has been a passion of mine for most of my life. I graduated with a degree in English Literature and Writing from the University of Northwestern in St. Paul in 2012, and immediately afterward became a writer/contributor (and later managing editor) of Comicbooked.com.

After getting engaged in 2013 and moving halfway across the country, I decided to take my fiction writing more seriously. I left my position at Comic Booked to focus on my more immediate projects and wedding planning. In that time I realized that I had several different fiction projects that I was working on, but I needed to find ways to motivate myself to finish them, edit them, and make them shine!

Friday, May 29, 2015

Book Review: College Arcane (A Novel from the Demon Accords #8) by John Conroe

College Arcane (A Novel from the Demon Accords #8)
by John Conroe
Pages: 479
April 8, 2015

Book 8 of the Demon Accords. College. A time of transition from youth to young adulthood. New lessons, new responsibilities, new distractions. A period of life treasured by most. Unless you happen to attend an institute of higher learning where the bullies are werewolves, the teachers are sadists, and the pretty girls are all deadly. A school like that demands a special kind of student, someone with the skills and power to survive. Someone like Declan O'Carroll.

Declan has been hiding who he is a very long time. Now that he is at College Arcane that may be a little hard to do especially since the staff and his other class mates continually keep underestimating him. He has power and he sure isn’t going to let some bully prove otherwise.


This is one of my favorite series and Conroe did not disappoint me. College Arcane introduces some new characters and lets us learn more about a few from previous books. I love when an author can keep a story going and expand it and that is just what Conroe was able to do with College Arcane. Very imaginative and fun with a little love thrown in for us romantics. Can’t wait for his next book. If you haven't read this series than I highly recommend you invent the time because it is so worth it!

Getting 5 sheep





Denise B


About the Author:
website-FB
Conroe wrote his first readable novel, God Touched, right after finishing his daughter's copy of Twilight and muttering: "Vampires don't farging sparkle!"

With seven more books in the series and a stand alone novel (Black Frost), he doesn't seem to be slowing down. He cut his reading teeth on the likes of Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, JRR Tolkien, Robert Heinlein, Andre Norton, and H. Beam Piper.

Financial professional by day and author by night (actually by morning), he bangs out his stories with fingers that are usually sore from forge burns or getting beat up at the dojo.

Interview: My Eternal Soldier by Krystal Shannan + Giveaway


Today we have the lovely Krystal Shannan back. We interviewed her last year (here). Not wanting to bore her or you, we came up with some fun questions! Sit back and hear about the third book in her sexy Sanctuary, Texas series along with some other interesting things...

Sharon: Tells us a bit about My Eternal Soldier? What exactly is this Eternal Soldier?
KrystalMy Eternal Soldier is the next piece of the Sanctuary Texas saga. Readers got to meet Eira (kickass vampire) in the last book, MY DRAGON MASTERS, when she saved Diana from being killed. The oracles in town told her she was chosen to protect them, but she didn’t listen. She’s not really keen on taking orders, LOL. But now she needs help to save her friends and Sanctuary is her only choice, but it comes at a price. Oh, and did I mention that the love of her life is an immortal Elvin warrior who killed her a thousand years ago? Oh, and that he’s smok’n hot, broody, and rides a badass motorcycle?


*Sharon tries to keep her inner elf fangirling to herself*
twitch, twitch

Sharon: If a girl wanted to move to Sanctuary, Texas what would be some places to work, hang out and live to meet some sexy supes?

KrystalWell, there’s Rose’s Cafe. That’s where all the gossip starts and ends, plus the Brownies that work in the kitchen make the best food on the planet. Pixies help out as wait staff, but they run the market across the street and can grow pretty much any fruit or vegetable the town needs with a little shake of faerie dust. You could also try out Calliope’s shoppe (also in town circle). She’s an ancient Greek siren who kills any man she falls in love with, but she makes the coolest clothes --- self-cleaning and personalized to magickally size themselves to fit only you.

Sharon: Do you hoard collect anything? (if you have a pic of your obsession that would be great!)
KrystalI collect lizards. Not real ones, just decorative metal, pottery, beaded, rubber. When I first got married I had these little bitty rubber ones and one day I decided to play a trick on hubby. I glued one to the inside of a kitchen cabinet...the horrified yell later that evening when I sent him to retrieve plates was very rewarding. I have yet to repeat the scenario and accomplish the same results. Needless to say, he’s not a fan of my fake pets which I still leave lying around the house in odd places (on purpose) from time to time.

Sharon: What song(s) make you want to jump up and dance like no one’s watching?
Krystal: Shhhhh…. I don’t normally tell people this. But I love Taylor Swift’s SHAKE IT OFF. You know the youtube videos that float around FaceBook?...Yeah, those would totally be me in the car when nobody's looking.
Sharon: Me too! *whispers* Me too...<G> I'm digging her new song Bad Blood too.

Sharon: Show us what you would wear (dress, shoes, tiara…) on the Oscar’s red carpet (you know, when your book gets turned into a movie)? And who would be your date?
Green dress, silver shoes, but I’m not really a tiara kind of gal :-)

My date would always be my husband. But if I got to cast this book and chose the lead to play Killian, I would not be opposed to having Chris Pine on my other arm ;-)

Sharon: Thanks for the repeat visit! Let's head down to the dungeon where we can listen to some Taylor.


The Facebook party will be on June 5th at 6:00 pm CST. There will be giveaways and lots of fun so please let your followers know about this event! 
Don’t miss the opportunity to win more prizes and learn more about My Eternal Soldier. Come join the party on June 5th! https://www.facebook.com/events/1400406676919927/


My Eternal Soldier (Sanctuary, Texas #3)
by Krystal Shannan
June 1st, 2015
The saga continues with the vampire Eira and an immortal Elvin from the Veil. Join me in Sanctuary again for an adventure that will knock the breath from your chest, bring tears to your eyes, and keep you turning the pages all night. Its Werewolves, Djinn, Dragons, Vampires, and more!

The last time he saw her, his sword was in her chest.

Inner demons have haunted Killían North since he killed the only woman he ever loved on a battlefield a thousand years ago...at least he thought she’d died. He unexpectedly gets a second chance to win her heart again, if he can just stay alive to do it. Evil lurks around every bend in the road. Magick, romance, and heart-pounding suspense greet them at every turn. But he’s determined to find a happily-ever-after with the woman he loves no matter what.

The last time she saw him, she was dying...

When the werewolf rescue squad Eira Rennir sets off with is ambushed by SECR military forces, she barely makes it away with her life. Willing to do anything to save her friends, Eira agrees to the mysterious destiny in Sanctuary she’s been avoiding for months.

Only with help from Sanctuary, can they find a way to save her friends from the treachery of Xerxes and forge a new destiny with each other in a world that’s been torn apart by hatred and prejudice.

Exclusive Pre-Order
iBooks @ http://bit.ly/1sOlKLB 



“Calliope, I’d think I died and gone to heaven if the NFL started up again,” one of the male Lycans hollered from his table.

“When you finally keel over, Liam, the NFL will probably start fresh just to spite you,” she shouted then leaned over to Diana. “Liam used to play professional football before the Riots.”

Diana shrugged. “I don’t know what football was.”

“A game that Americans loved before their country fell apart,” I answered.

“Big guys ran a pigskin ball up and down a field, tackling each other to try and keep the opposite team from scoring points.”

The two Lycans rose from their table, came over, and very unceremoniously shoved their way into our booth.

“Hey, wolf man!” Calliope growled as she and Diana scooted farther into the booth to accommodate Liam’s massive frame.

Finn slid in next to me, and I glared, but didn’t say anything. I was used to Lycans —especially the alpha males that always did whatever the hell they wanted.

“What Calliope isn’t telling you, Eira, is that she loved football, too. She could scream and curse with the best of us at the big screen,” Finn replied, his deep voice rolling from his chest like warm honey.

“What I miss most is oogling all those tight asses,” Calliope returned. She seemed perturbed, but I caught a flicker of amusement in her sparkling brown eyes. The woman was a terrible flirt. It had probably been her intention all along to seduce the two Lycans into sitting with us.

I sighed. Football hadn’t been a sport I enjoyed. I much preferred the MMA style fights and other hand-to-hand combat sports. Even the obstacle courses were more interesting than chasing a damn ball up and down a field of painted grass.

About the Author:
Krystal Shannan goes to sleep every night dreaming of mythical realms with werewolves, vampires, fae, and dragons. Occasional a fabulous, completely human story slips into the mix, but powers and abilities usually crop up without fail, twisting reality into whatever her mind can conceive.

As a child, her parents encouraged her interests in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and all things historical and magickal. As an adult the interests only grew. She is a child of Neverland and refuses to ever stop believing in fairies.

She is guilty of indulging and being a Buffy the Vampire Slayer groupie as well as an Angel fan. For those of you unfamiliar with the world of Joss Whedon, you are missing out! She also makes sure to watch as many action and adventure movies as possible. The more exciting the better. Yippee-Ki-Yay..... If you don't know the end of that phrase, then you probably don't like the same movies.

She writes stories full of action, snark, magick, and heart-felt emotion. If you are looking for leisurely paced sweet romance, her books are probably not for you. But, for those looking for a magical ride, filled with adventure, passion, and just a hint of humor. Welcome home.

Putting Magick in Romance one Soul Mate at a Time.


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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Sheep Movie Review: Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland
Directed by Brad Bird
Rated: PG
Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy 


Plot:
From Disney comes two-time Oscar (R) winner Brad Bird's riveting, mystery adventure "Tomorrowland," starring Academy Award (R) winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as "Tomorrowland." What they must do there changes the world-and them-forever. Featuring a screenplay by "Lost" writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, "Tomorrowland" promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.

Tomorrwland is a fun ride at Disneyland and it should have stayed there. The whole movie plot was over bloated with dramatic end of the world nonsense, kids getting hit by cars and a creepy old dude (Clooney) who played closer to an ice-cream-man-pedophile then anything else.

Nothing really makes sense, until possibly the last bit of the movie when it's all "unveiled." But by the time we get there, the lackluster characters and hokey plot have wet my movie blanket. Or maybe it was all the Cokes I sucked down to stay awake.

Long lulls of boring progression have the redundant plot points banging their robotic heads against the walls. CAN NOT COMPUTE! Mayday, mayday! On a good note, the graphics were great, a lot of the robots where neat but this alternate reality/futuristic storyline just never took off the ground for me. I should have stayed behind and enjoyed my Mickey Mouse pancake.

Disneyland is all about "dreams coming true" and "when you wish upon a star", I don't know how this one fell apart so badly, what with all that magic voodoo they have access to. But it did. I say pass on this one and wait for the DVD.

Getting 1 and 1/2 Sheep





KD

Tara Fox Hall Guest Post: Rules for being a villain. + giveaways

RULES FOR BEING A VILLAIN
  • PLEASE don’t wait to kill your enemies. Be expedient in any and all killing. Whether it’s a monologue, an overly complicated deadly trap that needs hours to actually kill the prey, or something unrelated like your best girl betraying you or choosing not to put out when requested, its all bad logic and strategy. You lose your focus, you lose audience points and their interest, and thus you deserve to be vanquished by something as benign as a concealed splinter of wood harvested from a boxcar wall with a watch chain.

  • Have an interesting or sexy name, or one so simple it’s equally creepy. R.I.P stands for Rest In Peace, an epitaph found on tombstones. It also happens to be the name of a demon in my Promise Me Series, who got his nickname from all the priests and do-gooders who keep sending him back to Hell with that parting comment. Any name that will fit a dark hero (Lash, Erik, Devlin, Vince, Harrison, etc.) is just as good for a sexy villain, IMHO. And no one is going to forget the seemingly-sweet-but-truly-evil cannibalistic Mary or The Governor from Walking Dead, either.

  • Be either handsome/interesting enough for sex appeal, or ugly/odd. Pretty much anything is possible for a villain’s physical form anymore: shifter, vampire, magical creature, human, all the way down to the Christian demon with reddish skin, short black horns, and black hooves.

  • Have a great sense of humor and don’t stick to traditional roles. Nothing is more compelling that a villain who dashes off great one-liners and keeps his audience guessing on what he’s going to do next. Predictability is boring in villains just the way it’s boring in heroes. Be someone we love to hate, and yet can’t bear to take our eyes off of.

  • Don’t be smart up until the very end and then do something stupid. Go out with a bang, but not because you blew yourself up with a stick of dynamite you meant to kill someone else with. If you have to fall, go out in style. And if you’re redeemed in the final scene, don’t trade in your hard-ass steel-toed shoes for a pair of candy-ass loafers. Stay true to your character and keep your balls intact. Which leads to…

  • Don’t compromise your evil to turn sickeningly sweet in a total character reversal over your love interest. Redeem yourself for love, yes, but redeem while retaining your evil charm, history, and nature. What’s the point of finding redemption in love if the sins you’ll need solace for aren’t huge? I don’t want some pure as the driven snow Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet. I want someone to get down and dirty with, an Alpha male who is going to make me laugh before and after he makes me come. I want some high cold walls insulating his heart to the point I wonder if he has one, because when he finally does show some emotion his feelings will be all the stronger for being repressed so long.

by Tara Fox Hall
April 30, 2015A chain of tragic events culminating in the shattering of the magical “dream bond” between Theo and Sar turns the lovers against one another, as Ulysses attacks from all fronts, hoping to destroy Devlin for good. The return of Lash reignites the fire between he and Sar, even as he saves her daughter Elle from certain death. Finally joined under Oath, Lash, Devlin, and Sar face the storm of Ulysses’ wrath, knowing it will take their combined strength and courage to save all they love from his tempest of vengeance.


Buy Links: 
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PK5n2O
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/vJw2MO
Melange Books (PDF and HTML): http://goo.gl/P3To8d
Smashwords: http://goo.gl/2iu916


Excerpt:
It was now or never. I said a quick prayer as I slid my hand to my belt, flipping open the blade as I yanked it free. I kneed Theo as hard as I could. He let out a cry, struggling to hold me. I stuck the knife Lash had given me into his arm, and he snarled in pain, flinching back from me, but he still had me with one hand. I bit his wrist as hard as I could, then jerked free. Theo was almost fully shifted into cougar form, but he was not only injured, he was tangled in his clothes. I ran out of the room as soon as I’d unlocked the door, and upstairs to the study, the knife still in my hand.

Before I reached the top step I heard a throaty purr, and heard clawed feet scrabbling on the stairs as they bounded up them after me. I got into the study just in time to slam the door and lock it, hoping to God Danial hadn’t moved the gun he had kept here since the attacks by Manir more than a year ago. Because I was running to a dead end with no way out, if what Theo had told me about teleporting was true. But I’d never have made it out the front door before he was on me. I tried to teleport immediately, and nothing happened. I tried the phone to call Terian, and got only static. An extension had to be off the hook somewhere.

Shit!

The office door shuddered under Theo’s assault. He roared, and hit it again. Danial, however, had put this door on after the assault by Manir. The reinforced steel and oak creaked, but it held.

I wiped the knife off on my pants and folded it up, clipping it back to my belt loop, thanking God I’d put it on tonight. Unlocked the hidden safe in the wall, I retrieved a gun and bullets from inside, swearing because it was a regular silenced gun, not an explosive bullets gun. At least the rounds were jacketed hollow points. I had just gotten the first bullet into the chamber when I heard a key in the lock.

The door opened, and Theo stood there, nude, his blue eyes determined, a key in his hand. His arm where I cut him was still bleeding. “I’m not healing, Sarelle. You have werepoison on your blade,” he growled, advancing slowly. “That’s Lash’s knife clipped to your belt! I recognize it!”

I trained the gun on him, holding it with both hands so it didn’t shake too much.

“That’s a regular .38. You shoot me, you’d better hit my heart,” Theo growled. “Because you miss, and I’ll be on you in a second. This little chase you’ve led me on is over! Terian isn’t here to save you! Danial and Lash aren’t here to save you! And Devlin will be too late!”

“You have one chance to leave,” I said in a hard voice. “Or I will shoot you, Theo.”

Theo looked at me for a few moments, and then he lunged for me with a roar.

About the Author:
Tara Fox Hall’s writing credits include nonfiction, erotica, horror, suspense, action-adventure, children’s stories, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal fantasy Lash series and the paranormal romantic drama Promise Me series. Tara divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice. All of her published children’s stories to date are free reads on www.childrens-stories.net.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Movie Review: Zombeavers (2015)

Zombeavers (2014)
Director: Jordan Rubin
Writers: Al Kaplan (screenplay), Jordan Rubin(screenplay)
Stars: Rachel Melvin, Cortney Palm, Lexi Atkins
R | 85 min | Comedy, Horror
20 March 2015 (USA)
A fun weekend turns into madness and horror for a bunch of groupies looking for fun in a beaver infested swamp.

Available now on Netflix (go watch it!). When I first heard about Zombeavers I giggled/snorted cause I'm all about that life. I immediately went looking for an interview with someone from the movie and managed to score one with writers/composers Al and Jon Kaplan (interview here). And yes, they are as awesome as you would think.

This movie gives you everything you think it will and more. It is one big horror movie cliche, but what makes it work is they know it and make no excuses, turning into a campy piece of work. There were actually some twists I didn't see coming. But that very last scene of the movie is priceless because you know exactly where it is going.

When I first started watching I wasn't all on board. I started nitpicking at the acting and dialogue. And who in their right mind would go swimming in that nasty a** looking water. But give it time! Once you acclimate to things and see that first Zombeaver you will be hooked! I was really impressed with the gore effects. While the Zombeavers don't look "real" by any stretch, they are fabulously gross little creatures (actually they're pretty big) and their snuffle/growling is perfect.

The theme song for the movie, that plays during the ending credits, is amazingly funny. Don't listen to it on Youtube because it will ruin a lot of the "gottcha" moments. Also make sure you watch to the very end of the movie credits.

Should you watch it? Hell yeah! If the trailer gets you all excited then you are gonna love it.

4 "Watch the road!" Sheep 




SharonS

Guest Post: Fire’s Field by Jillian Jacobs Book Tour


Last night, the Elementals watched Fifty Shades of Grey together. Here are some of Flint’s quotes during the viewing. 

“Does he have 50 ties?”

“Slug bug!”

“Is his ex-girlfriend Jean Gray from X-men?”

“Is this truly what women want? A rich, pretentious man?”

“She’s not very articulate for an English major.”

“Is the pencil a phallic symbol?”

“Hey, she didn’t finish her tea or muffin.”

“Uh, oh, drunk dialing.”

“Nice Alice in Wonderland reference, with the drink me and swallow me notes”

“Why is he strapping her in so tight?”

“Is the red room soundproof?”

“Is there a bounce house in there?”

“...and this rod is called the penetrator.”

“Hey, didn’t he just break a rule? Get out the penetrator.”

“Have you ever played submarine and periscope? Tub sex, rocks!”

“I would sign just to drive those cars.”

“Why do they keep saying, Laters, Baby?”

“I’d be skimming that contract. At about page 2, I’d be out. Bullet points, people.”

“So he’s transparent and she’s all wishy washy? I feel for the guy.”


So, Flint on a scale of 1 to 5 what would you rate the movie?

5 on the gal’s hot body. After living for 500 years, I’ve done all of those things and more. Kinky, dominant, submissive, all sex is hot sex. Count me in.

I’d give the guy a 5 on his clothing choices, too. He lit up those suits.

Right, but what about the movie overall?

Ask me after I watch with Violet.

Fire’s Field (The Elementals Series #2) 
Jillian Jacobs
Bound by a dark enchantment, only an elemental flame can light the way.

Vengeance
Forged in rage and sorrow, a dark witch’s spell travels down her ancestral line to Violet Levina. Enchanted with the power of the entire Electromagnetic spectrum—microwaves, gamma rays, radio waves, Violet is cursed with limitless energy and the obligation to destroy an insidious creature composed of dark matter.
Justice
For over five hundred years, Flint has served as Fire, aiding Earth’s environment and its people as one of four Elementals. Yet only once in his long existence has he been burned. A flaming redhead ignites the embers of his heart, but he finds her resistant to the heat building between them.
Illumination
Knowing she must fulfill her destiny, Violet travels to her ancestral home in Ireland, accompanied by the fiery Elemental. Not fooled by his charms and brazen demeanor, Violet wishes only to shield him from the coming battle, but can’t deny the flames of desire flickering when she is at his side.
Love
While standing together against unrelenting adversaries, false friends, family betrayals, and an underlying seed of darkness, they must burn bright or the ruthless power behind the ancient spell will turn everything to ash.

With Flint as her beacon in a field of darkness, Violet will discover that love holds the most powerful magic of all.


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Fire’s Field Prologue Excerpt:

They were coming for her.

On the eve of her mother’s 25th birthday, a young witch fought back chills as the sounds of braying bloodhounds echoed through the forest. A single red stroke, mixed with the faintest purple, lit the darkening sky, as night, along with death, crept closer.

At the banks of River Nore, Sorcha rocked back and forth, tears of innocence-lost escaping down her cheeks. Heart splintering, she searched her memory for a spell to ease her mother’s torment. With her hands locked in the fabric of her mother’s woolen dress, she chanted pleas to the Goddess Isis to hear her cries and heal her mother.

To no avail.

The only answer came in the form of the demon’s sickness dripping from her mother’s mouth in a sludge of grimy gray mud.

Fear unlike anything she’d ever felt iced her heart, as once more she begged, swore her very life in exchange for the continued beat of her mother’s heart.

A piercing pain shot through her overburdened mind as the beast fought to break through her mental shields. Weakened by her angst and un-tested youth, she left a crack exposed, and the beast slipped in. Squinting her eyes closed, her entire body shaking with the will to deny the sick beast entrance, she couldn’t prevent his foul words from seeping through.

“Your mother paid for her defiance, for her inability to accept this gift only I could give her. Look at you simpering and shaking, if you weren’t so weak I’d use you, but no matter, I’ll be back.”

Drained from holding back the tempest, Sorcha let loose true sobs for the loss of the deepest love of her life, her solid fortress during every storm, the lyrical voice singing away her nightmares. Ignoring her drenched skirts, she released all her torment against her mother’s breast, barely catching the beat of her mother’s weakening heart between each aching moan torn from the depths of her soul.

No one came to her aid. No one soothed her broken spirit.

The sounds of the hounds drew closer, their howls a mad cacophony in her surreal world. The yellow-glow from fire-tipped sticks, created a mystical glow in the woods before her. Snaps and cracks of branches reverberated across the forest as the frenzied townspeople advanced to accuse and convict one of their own—a witch.


About the Author:
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In the spring of 2013, Jillian Jacobs changed her career path and became a romance writer. After reading for years, she figured writing a romance would be quick and easy. Nope! With the guidance of the Indiana Romance Writers of America chapter, she’s learned there are many "rules" to writing a proper romance. Being re-schooled has been an interesting journey, and she hopes the best trails are yet to be traveled.

Water’s Threshold, the first in Jillian’s Elementals series, was a finalist in Chicago-North’s 2014 Fire and Ice contest in the Women’s Fiction category.

Jillian is a: Tea Guzzler, Polish Pottery Hoarder, and lover of all things Moose.

The genres she writes under are: Paranormal and Contemporary with suspenseful elements.