Interview: D. B. Reynolds, author of The Stone Warriors Series (Books 1-4) + giveaway

Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

DB: I was a voracious reader, even as a child, and that led me to writing. But it’s difficult to earn a living that way, so off I went to university and a proper job for many years. But then I decided to take a German language class, mostly because it was one of my darling husband’s SIX fluent languages! While perusing the local college’s night school offerings, I happened to see a writing class being taught by an editor whose name I recognized from her many years at all the big Syfy publishing houses. I’d read so many of her authors’ books and just had to meet her. So, I enrolled in her class instead. During that class, I wrote a couple short stories as assignments, and she told me I should really be writing seriously. So I did.

Tell us something really interesting that's happened to you!

DB: I’m lucky to have travelled all over the world, which I love. I’ve been to many interesting places, seen history being made, but the one trip that was truly a dream come true was my trip to Antarctica two years ago. It was alien and exciting, everything I’d always hoped it would be. We went out on heavy-duty Zodiac rafts every day and saw many different species of whales within touching distance. We crossed the Antarctic Circle, visited the Ukraine science station, and were nearly swamped when a HUGE ice formation collapsed almost right on top of us. It was exhilarating, thrilling, and something I’ll never forget!

If you knew you'd die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?

DB: First, I’d quietly put my affairs in order to make it easier for my family. And then, I’d take a lovely bottle of wine and a bunch of junk snacks and sit in my yard, reading while I enjoyed the sunshine and listened to the birds sing. And when it was too late for that, I’d go to bed and read anything I wanted, as long as I could.

Who is your hero and why?

DB: A lot of people talk about the heroes in their lives, but I don’t really have one. There are people I admire—my wonderful husband for surviving a hellish childhood, before going on to become a good and compassionate man; my mother, who overcame personal demons to become the strongest woman I’ve ever known; and certain public figures who have risen to the responsibility of making (or at least trying to make) the world a better and safer place that they were born into.

What kind of world ruler would you be?

DB: I don’t want to rule the world, or even a country. That’s a terrible job. I love my solitude far too much to live such a public life.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less!

DB: Tall, blonde, intelligent, introverted, with a rebellious streak that got me into lots of trouble when I was younger.

Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?

DB: I think my Vampires in America would make a great TV series, but here’s the thing…I worked in television/movies for many years, and I’ve also watched a lot of movies. Screenwriting is very different from book writing, and movies/television are very, very different than books. Unless you’re very powerful, like J. K. Rowling, you have very little creative control over the casting and dramatic presentation of your work. Some authors have contracts that specify the series, for example, must follow the books for the first season, but after that the script writers can go anywhere they want. A good example is True Blood, which was based on Charlaine Harris’s brilliant Sookie Stackhouse series. IMO, the producers absolutely destroyed that series, and I’m not the only one who feels that way. Would I like the money and increased sales that would come from a series based on my books? Hell, yes. But I’d probably have to force myself not to watch it.

What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

DB: Hmm, I had to think about that one, but the answer is none. I have gone on historical pilgrimages, though, because I’m a huge dork who loves history.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

DB: A dragon, just because I love them, even though I’ve never written about them. I have several throughout my house, though.

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

DB: I have many, which I write as Vampire Vignettes and post on my blog. They never stay there long, however, because they end up in print and e-book anthologies.

How did you come up with the title of your first novel?

DB: I’m terrible with titles. I couldn’t come up with one I liked for RAPHAEL, and so I simply went with his name, and I’ve been doing it ever since with subsequent characters. That was also true with my Syfy Romance, Shifter Planet. That was never supposed to be the final title, but it stuck.

If you could spend time with a character from your books who would it be? And what would you do during that time?

DB: I love all my characters, each in different ways. But if I’m going to spend time with one of them, I’d want to have fun. I’ve always thought Rajmund would be the best guy to spend an evening with. He’s smart and very handsome. He has a dry wit, likes to have a good time, and isn’t too terribly neurotic. No drama.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

DB: I sometimes base a character’s description off a real person, but for the most part they’re from my imagination. I have very vivid mental images of my characters. The one exception is that the personality and personal values of all my male characters are based at least in part on my darling husband.

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reins of the story? 

DB: I always have control of my stories. That doesn’t meant they don’t change as I’m writing, but it not because of anything the characters do/don’t do, or become.

Dragan (The Stone Warriors Book 4) 

by D.B. Reynolds
January 24, 2020

250 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
It was a time when gods walked the earth, when armies fought not for bits of land, but for the very existence of humanity. On such a battlefield, five formidable warriors stood against an evil greater than any the earth had ever seen. But evil is not an honorable foe. Betrayed by someone they trusted, the warriors were cursed, one by one, tossed into the maelstrom of time, imprisoned in stone, their freedom resting on nearly impossible conditions. Until…. Dragan Fiachna, heir to the curse of royal blood, a horror hiding behind a beautiful face…. you shall remain locked in stone until a maiden, untested and pure, shall find grace in your beast and safety in your nightmare.

Dragan Fiachna, born to a life of loneliness, cast into stone by a sorcerer’s curse and imprisoned forever in darkness. He is freed at last, only to discover his enemy still lives and is plotting the death of millions in his quest to rule this new world.

Maeve Collins, brilliant, courageous, and compassionate enough to believe a stone statue can have a soul. Shocked when her beautiful winged man breaks free, horrified at the torment he’s endured, she dedicates herself to reuniting him with the warriors he calls family.

But she never planned on falling in love.

Racing across half the country in search of the only man who can stop their foe from fulfilling his merciless scheme, Dragan and Maeve discover they’ve unwittingly stolen the one artifact that can defeat their enemy. And he wants it back. Pursued by assassins, they fight their way to Dragan’s brothers, only to discover the war for this world has already begun….

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Gabriel (The Stone Warriors Book 3)

by D. B. Reynolds

October 30, 2018

266 pages
It was a time when gods walked the earth, when armies fought not for bits of land, but for the very existence of humanity. On such a battlefield, five formidable warriors stood against an evil greater than any the earth had ever seen. But evil is not an honorable foe. Betrayed by someone they trusted, the warriors were cursed, one by one, tossed into the maelstrom of time, imprisoned in stone, their freedom resting on nearly impossible conditions. Until. . . .

Gabriel Halldor. . . one of the fiercest warriors the world has ever seen, but his tremendous skill can’t save him from a sorcerer’s curse. Trapped in stone and left lying in darkness for thousands of years, he is, at long last, brought into the sunlight of a Japanese garden, where a young girl comes to sit at his feet and read him stories as she grows to womanhood.

Hana Himura. . . beloved granddaughter of a Japanese mob boss, raised to the life of a warrior. When death comes for her grandfather, he sends her to the one guardian courageous enough to protect her from a sorcerer who will stop at nothing to have her.

Raphael. . . the most powerful vampire lord on earth, and the only man who can save Gabriel and Hana from an enemy who would enslave them both.

Running from the certain death that awaits them in Japan, Hana and Gabriel flee to Malibu and the vampire lord her grandfather called friend. Raphael is magic and power combined, and Gabriel and Hana will need both if they’re going to survive long enough to defeat their enemy and light the flame of desire that’s been simmering between them for years.

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Kato (The Stone Warriors Book 2) 

by D. B. Reynolds

June 23, 2017

254 pages

It was a time when gods walked the earth, when armies fought not for bits of land, but for the very existence of humanity. On such a battlefield, five formidable warriors stood against an evil greater than any the earth had ever seen. But evil is not an honorable foe. Betrayed by someone they trusted, the warriors were cursed, one by one, tossed into the maelstrom of time, imprisoned in stone, their freedom resting on nearly impossible conditions. Until . . .

Kato Amadi . . . born of darkest sorcery, unstoppable on the battlefield, his magic is as deadly as his blade. But not even magic could save him from vicious betrayal. Trapped for millennia in darkness and silence, he is freed at last, only to find himself in the middle of a battle against the very beasts of hell he was created to destroy.

Grace Van Allen is a scholar of ancient languages who toils in the dim recesses of a museum basement with only a beautiful stone warrior to keep her company. But when Grace calls upon her silent warrior to help her translate an obscure new language, she breaks the ancient curse holding him prisoner . . . and frees three deadly demons to rampage through her city.

Tracking demons is what Kato was born to do, but he’ll need Grace’s help. And when they discover that Kato’s enemy is still alive and still plotting against him, their hunt takes a dangerous turn, one that might just prove fatal for both of them . . .

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Damian (The Stone Warriors Book 1)

by D. B. Reynolds

June 15, 2016

252 pages

It was a time when gods walked the earth, when armies fought not for bits of land, but for the very existence of humanity. On such a battlefield, five formidable warriors stood against an evil greater than any the earth had ever seen. But evil is not an honorable foe. Betrayed by someone they trusted, the warriors were cursed, one by one, tossed into the maelstrom of time, imprisoned in stone, their freedom resting on nearly impossible conditions. Until . . .

Damian Stephanos honed his skills in battles fought with magic as much as swords. Caught by a deadly spell that left him trapped for centuries in darkness and obscurity, he is finally freed, only to discover that his enemy still lives. Determined to find him—and to free his brothers in arms—he first must fulfill his blood debt to the woman who released him from his torment. Unfortunately, being so close to this enticing female is another type of torment altogether . . .

Cassandra “Casey” Lewis is a hunter. Possessing the rare ability to sense magic, she spends most of her time shadowing arcane collectors, and more often than not, stealing the dangerous artifacts she pursues. Her job is risky, especially when she’s stealing from one of the most powerful sorcerers alive. But having a gorgeous warrior by her side is a definite bonus. He’s great in a fight . . . and in other places, too.

Following a trail of dead bodies, the two of them must join forces to track down the sorcerer who cursed Damian, and who now plans to turn an ordinary magical device into a deadly weapon. Risking everything, including their hearts, they’re about to discover that trusting each other might be the hardest thing of all.

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D. B. Reynolds is the RT and Epic Award-Winning author of the Vampires in America series of paranormal romance, and an Emmy-nominated television sound editor. D. B. currently lives in a flammable canyon near the Malibu coast, and when she's not writing her own books, she can usually be found reading someone else's. You can visit D. B. at her website Dbreynolds.com

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Cover Reveal: Hunt of the Gods (Areios Brothers #2) by Amy Braun

Hunt of the Gods (Areios Brothers #2)
by Amy Braun
June 4, 2019
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Two months have passed since Derek Areios—war-scion and heir of Ares—and the band of rogue scions he’s aligned with recovered both the Thunderbolt of Zeus and the Heart of the Devourer and returned them to the Gods. During the battle, Derek discovered he could control not only the element of fire, as all war-scions can, but also the dark element “aether,” making him the only scion alive to wield two types of elemental magic.

Commanded by Zeus to retrieve the Trinity Weapons and the Shards of Cronus, Derek and the rogue scions are thwarted in their goal by a gang of water-scions with a grudge against one of the rogues—Thea, heir of Poseidon. Both groups travel to an uninhabited island to recover one of the Shards––the Eye that belonged to Cronus, King of the Titans. But what they encounter will lead them down a path of brutal betrayals, hard truths, painful memories, and desperate actions.

With angry and impatient gods breathing down his neck, a curse that allows Ares to control him, a prophecy he’s desperate to avoid, a magic spear corrupting his thoughts, and two forms of elemental magic, Derek has a lot of baggage—and a lot of power. Will the price of using that power to satisfy the Gods be too much for him to pay?

Mythological monsters, explosive magic, and devastating truths take center stage in the second novel of the action-packed AREIOS BROTHERS series from Amy Braun.

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Amy is a Canadian urban fantasy and horror author. Her work revolves around monsters, magic, mythology, and mayhem. She started writing in her early teens, and never stopped. She loves building unique worlds filled with fun characters and intense action.

When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, watching movies, taking photos, gaming, struggling with chocoholism and ice cream addiction, and diving headfirst into danger in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

W.I.P. it Real Good: UF Author A.R. Braun + giveaway

Liam’s shoulders relaxed. He sighed and slumped in his seat. “I’m going to get premature gray hairs because of you,” he grumbled.

I smiled. “I hear silver hair is in style.”

Liam snickered. “Silver clashes with my dark and broody image.” His smile was half its normal wattage. Tension balled like a fist in my chest.

“It’s going to be okay, ace. I—”

“Dude, do not say ‘I promise.’ That’s too corny, and…”

And I won’t trust it went unsaid.

“Okay. Then I’ll wait until I can say, “ ‘I told you so.’”

Liam rolled his eyes. He was nervous, but he wasn’t turning away from me. That was the most I could ask for.

One of my favorite parts of writing Storm of the Gods was the banter between main character Derek and his younger brother Liam. They always jump to snark at each other, and while Liam will never admit it, Derek is always quicker on the draw and usually gets the final word in.

Unfortunately, more often than not, the banter ends with a dark undertone: either they remember the years of abuse and pain inflicted on them from their past and the road it led to, or Liam’s stress and concern about Derek’s absent concern for his own safety clings to their words.

Five years before the events of Storm of the Gods, Derek and Liam suffered a traumatic battle which nearly killed Liam and irrevocably scarred Derek’s mental state. Since neither brother has wanted to truly confront or return to those memories to get past them, it often leads to arguments and even some resentment. Derek will do anything to keep his little brother alive, and Liam will do anything to stop Derek from throwing himself into situations that will get him killed. This gets further exacerbated because Derek’s powers are almost double that of any war scion (a descendant of the re-awakened Greek God Ares), and that much power often leads Derek to push his limits until he sees nothing but an enemy to attack and a challenge to overcome. When he recovers, Liam is quick to jump at him and beg for him not to do it again, a promise that is becoming increasingly difficult for Derek to keep.

Their brotherly love is intense and complicated, and they both have a long way to go to find their inner peace. But like all good brothers, they will never quit on or abandon each other, and they will always jump at the chance to tease one another.

Storm of the Gods (An Areios Brothers Novel)
by Amy Braun
August 27th, 2018
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
The first in a brand new urban fantasy series where gods roam and mortals fight, STORM OF THE GODS follows two brothers who are caught in a conspiracy revolving around ancient artifacts, and find themselves siding with their supposed enemies rather than the Olympian who demands their loyalty…

Thirty years ago, the gods of Greek legend returned to the world. Their return restored their powers, which had been spent in a cataclysmic battle with the Titans. With the ancient deities imprisoned in Tartarus, the Olympians now reside in Néo Vasíleio, formerly known as California.

Twenty-four-year-old Derek Aerios is a war scion, a descendent of Ares, the God of War. He and his brother, eighteen-year-old Liam, capture mythological creatures and rogue scions as part of Ares’s elite military force. As he struggles to cope with his violent powers and the scars of a traumatic childhood, Derek tries to keep the two vows he has made: protect his brother, and never kill a human again.

But when Ares forces him to hunt and kill four rogue scions under Athena’s control—by threatening Liam’s life—Derek chooses to go after the scions in order to save his brother and keep his promise to himself.

Yet the closer Derek gets to the scions, the more he realizes that his orders are part of a deeper conspiracy that put him at odds with his mission and his conscience. Athena may not be the enemy, a traitor could be in their midst, and the Titans could be closer to freedom than ever before.

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Amy is a Canadian urban fantasy and horror author. Her work revolves around monsters, magic, mythology, and mayhem. She started writing in her early teens, and never stopped. She loves building unique worlds filled with fun characters and intense action.

When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, watching movies, taking photos, gaming, struggling with chocoholism and ice cream addiction, and diving headfirst into danger in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

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Book Review: Ode to the Queen (Grace of Gods, #1) Kyleigh Castronaro

Ode to the Queen (Grace of Gods, #1)
by Kyleigh Castronaro

July 22nd 2014

238 pages

Do you love Greek Mythology, Romance, Greek Gods, Olympians? 

Explore Mount Olympus with the other Gods as 21st century adults find themselves the vessels of reincarnated Greek Gods. 

Savannah has been kidnapped. By a man who claims he's a Titan and she's one of the Greek Gods. Except, she doesn't know who her Goddess is and no one will tell her. So, it's a little farfetched and she wishes it isn't true but the evidence is piling up against her. 

While left to figure it out for herself, Charlotte is happy to make her life a living hell and the friends she does make turn to enemies. And then there's Aidan: the arrogant and mysterious King of the Gods. Savannah finds herself drawn to him despite her best efforts not to get involved with another guy. She doesn't need this kind of trouble when her life is already upside down; being a Goddess is hard enough. 

When a Titan tries his hand at repeating history, Savannah finds herself swept up into a plot straight out of Greek Mythology. She learns to make sacrifices for the ones she cares about as she tries to save her fellow Greek Gods and Goddesses. 

Driven by fate and a past she knows nothing about Savannah must navigate her new world as one of the Greek Gods Olympians, learning to be her own heroine. Will history repeat itself or will the New Olympians write their own myths? 

Get your hands on this story of reincarnation, Greek Gods and Goddesses; free now! 

As an attendee of Once Upon a Book (OUAB) this summer, I set out to read as many attending paranormal writers as possible. Canadian author Kyleigh Castronaro initially caught my attention for her beautiful cover design. I read Ode to the Queen, a modern reboot of Greek Mythological elements.

While Savannah believes she’s been admitted to a prestigious university program in Greece, she soon realizes she’s part of a much bigger plot set in motion by the Titan Atlas. Atlas has assembled a group of 20-somethings who have been knowingly or unknowingly playing human hosts to the spirits of gods, goddesses and other players from ancient Greek mythology. For her part, Savannah will come to be the reincarnation of a major ancient Greek goddess, she just must discover which one.

Grace of Gods is classified as a YA series. I typically avoid YA like the plague as I’m exhausted by the angst and self-doubt inherent to many characters in YA fiction. At times, Ode to the Queen reads like Bachelor in Paradise: Mount Olympus Edition. Savannah is constantly at odds with Aidan, her love interest, in an exhausting push-me/pull-me dynamic. While she is plagued with insecurity for much of the book, she begins to come into her own and harness the power of her goddess. I read the book quickly, was entertained for the most part, and found the concept completely compelling. I love learning and the full inclusion of Greek mythology made for an endlessly fascinating read.

Book two, Gods Save the Princess, centres on Hades and who I suspect will become Persephone, giving it the potential to be a deliciously dark read. I also plan to check out Castronaro’s Desecrated Beauty, a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, but with vampires. Desecrated Beauty is part of the author’s Twisted Fairy Tales series, a seemingly more ‘adult’ collection. Stay Tuned!

Three Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

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I’m fairly confident that I came out of womb reading the book. I’ve always loved stories in whatever medium they come. Books, movies, television shows… It didn’t matter. I didn’t discriminate (I still don’t!). It was only a natural progression that I become a writer myself.

I’ve been telling stories for as long as I’ve been reading. Even if it was just standing in front of my family acting out dramatic retellings of my day or making up stories of my own it didn’t matter. It was only a matter of time until I branched out into being a real writer and sharing my stories with friends and strangers alike. And you know what? It’s the best job in the world.

I write dirty, sexy stories about humans & their supernatural lovers. I grew up dreaming of being a Greek Goddess, not a Princess, so I wrote a book about it. In my Grace of Gods series normal humans find out they possess the souls of Greek Gods within them. They are whisked out of their lives and brought to Mount Olympus, thrust into the new and dramatic lives of their Gods.

Sign up for my Newsletter and get the second book free too! http://www.kyleighcastronaro.com/gstp/

Excerpt Spotlight: The Knight (R. Caine High School Book Two) by Victoria Danann + giveaway

The gods are playing games with their own children on the most treacherous terrain in the universe… high school.

The Knight (R. Caine High School Book Two) 

by Victoria Danann
April 26, 2017 
Genre: YA Paranormal, Teen
Publisher: 7th House Publishing,
Imprint of Andromeda LLC
ASIN: B06W5QZ81Q
Number of pages: 268
Word Count: 63,000
Cover Artist: Victoria Danann

"FIVE STARS for one of the most peculiar high school experiences of all time!" - The World is Hers for the Reading

New York Times bestselling author, Victoria Danann dishes up a stunning new teen/young adult series like nothing else.

Jean Marre's recent life has been one big surprise right after another. First his family moved to SoCal from a remote French Canadian town. Then he began feeling a strange compulsion to watch over a smart little blonde named Ever Moore. In fact he found himself restless, distracted, and uncomfortable if she wasn't around.

Before there was time to adjust to any of that, he was informed that his parents were going to South Africa for a few months and leaving him with his mother's friend, who happened to be Ever's mother.

Life just couldn't get stranger.

Or could it?

Find out why readers are calling #rcainehs funny, fast paced, and fabulous with flair.

If you haven't already read the introduction, The Game Begins, get it on Amazon and start reading today.

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Excerpt:
Jean Marre folded himself into the front passenger seat of Ever’s car to ride to school. For the entire fifteen minutes it took to get there, neither said one word to the other. That did not, however, mean that they didn’t dork with each other all the way there.

Jean Marre’s opening shot was to change her satellite radio to a different channel. Hair Band Nation. She gaped at him for a full four seconds when her eyes should have been on the road before punching the number one button to return to Sounds of the SuperNow. He stared at her blankly for a matching four seconds then, without taking his gaze away from her or changing expression, reached over and pushed the button to return to “last played”. Hair Band Nation.

After three more volleys, Ever turned the radio off with a snarl. When Jean Marre started to reach for it, she gave him a look that froze his had midair. He withdrew the offending appendage, but the challenge Ever offered with her look brought a gleam of amusement to his eyes.

He did not touch the radio again.

Instead he rolled down his window which, of course, threatened to make a beachy wreck of her hair. She rolled it back up. He rolled it down. She rolled it back up and, with a sneer of victory, pushed the child lock into place before he could do it again. His bark of laughter surprised her and, if she was being perfectly honest, pleased her.

She was not being perfectly honest. He had a nice laugh, but she was not ready to give him any concession.

She pulled into her assigned parking space, which was located in the remotest region of Mongolia because she was a sophomore, got out, and started walking without looking back. It was a hike, but at least she could bring a car, unlike freshmen.

Halfway there she looked over her shoulder. Jean Marre was about twenty feet behind her. “Don’t worry about me.” He grinned. “I like the view from here.”

Understanding the implication, Ever sped up, which made Jean Marre laugh loud enough for her to hear. The boy seemed to revel in being exasperating. That realization caused Ever to think she needed to reform her approach to Jean Marre. Perhaps she needed to think in terms of opposite world, since everything she did rendered the reverse of a desired effect.

She stopped, got control of her breathing, waited for him to catch up and fell in at the same pace. She would never admit that they were walking together. Only that they were moving toward the same place at the same time at the same speed. Together.

When he said, “Excellent choice,” she knew she’d been manipulated. By a boy who didn’t even want to go to college. It was vexing, to say the least.

About the Author:

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Victoria Danann is the New York Times bestselling author of eighteen romances. For the past four years in a row, Victoria's Knights of Black Swan series have won prestigious Reviewers' Choice Awards for both BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES and PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVEL OF THE YEAR. This past year three of her series and three of her novels were nominated. Two of her series took the top two places and two of her books took first and second place in the PNR Novel of the Year category.

In addition to vampire hunting knights, Victoria writes other paranormal romance, scifi, fantasy, contemporary bikers, and teen.

The rich characterizations come from being a lifelong student of behavior, casually, and a serious student of behavior academically. She has also studied comparative religion, myths, and Dark Ages history.

Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.


Victoria co-hosts the popular ROMANCE BETWEEN THE PAGES podcast which can be found on itunes http://apple.co/2fhRrOE or at → www.romancecast.com  

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Spotlight:The Divinities Series by Lia Davis Re-Launch Tour + giveaway

Witches blessed with god-like powers band together to fight in an ancient war between witches and demons. 

Revised and re-released – Forgotten Visions available now! And Death’s Storm coming Oct 5th.

Forgotten Visions 
Series: The Divinities #1
Author: Lia Davis
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: August 24, 2016
Length: 67k words
Format: Digital/Paperback
ISBN: 978-1944060152
Kalissa Bradenton isn’t your average coffee shop owner. Born to an elite witch bloodline with a rare genetic mutation, she’s a Divinity on a mission. Her investigation into the deaths of her parents sends her straight into the middle of an ancient war between witches and demons. After a near-fatal accident, a childhood friend, Ayden Daniels, comes to her aid and triggers visions of a past she doesn’t remember, sparking an old flame and new desires. With their history slowly becoming clearer, Kalissa eagerly sets her sights on mending Ayden’s heart and gaining his trust—until a ghost from her past returns to claim her as his demonic mate.

While investigating a series of Divinity murders, Ayden, the new sheriff of Maxville and grandson of the oldest living Divinity, comes face-to-face with the one woman he hopes to have little to no contact with. Old pain rises instantly and is quickly followed by anger and resentment. Through his rare power of adaptability, however, he learns that things from his past may not be what they seem. Hope fills his broken heart, and determination pushes him to do whatever it takes to win Kalissa once more before he loses her forever.

Together, they must find the strength to mend their tattered souls and learn to love again, while fighting an evil out to destroy the world.

Available at: Amazon

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Death’s Storm
Series: The Divinities #2
Author: Lia Davis
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 5, 2016
Length: 47k words
Format: Digital/Paperback
ISBN: 978-1944060176
Technical genius and demi-goddess—a.k.a Divinity—Khloe Bradenton relies on no one for help, and she definitely doesn’t need comfort from anyone but her twin. After her parents were killed by the demons over two years ago, she graciously accepts her role in the war between the demons and witches. But when a creature far more dangerous than the ones responsible for killing her parents claims he is her guardian and steps in with help she never asked for, she is torn between her desire for the dark predator and memories of the painful loss she endured at the hands of her enemies and from those who claimed to love her in the past.

One of the last Death Demons still in existence, Jagger has pledged his life to the Goddess of Witchcraft, Hecate. Charged with guardianship of the Divinities—one particular spitfire, in particular—he was told never to approach them, but simply to aid from a distance. But when Khloe sacrifices herself to save her twin and best friend and thus becomes the demons’ prey, Jagger has no choice but to reveal himself to her. However, he is taken by surprise when the desire to claim her as his own emerges, and his need for her burns hotter than her Fire. But in the midst of the war, their feelings for each other could prove more dangerous than the demons out to destroy them.

Available at: Amazon

$.99

More books from The Divinities coming this fall! 

Dark Divine: coming November 9, 2016 

Divine Awakening: coming December 14, 2016: 

About the Author: 

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In 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and publishing and never looked back. She has published more than twenty books, including the bestselling A Tiger’s Claim, book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle she throws at them, they come out better in the end.

While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that others can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.

Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it! Sign up for her newsletter, become a member of her fan club, and follow her on Twitter@NovelsByLia.

Celtic Deities in my Fiction with Ann Gimpel (GenTech Rebellion Series book tour)

Celtic Deities in my Fiction 

I tread carefully when I include gods in my fiction because I want to be respectful. I try for a balanced approach, but there will always be those who love something I’ve written and those who feel I should’ve done it differently. That’s particularly true for mythological figures.

During my psychoanalytic training in Jungian approaches to dream work, I read a lot of mythology. Hundreds of books. Not just Greco-Roman myths, but also Celtic, Norse, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Judeo-Christian. One thing that struck me is the diversity in different researchers’ depictions of gods and goddesses including their personalities, their relationships with one another, and their role in their respective pantheons.

When I’ve included gods and goddesses in fiction, I’ve tried to stay with the mainstream impressions of them. That being said, once they become fictional characters in my mind, they develop their own personalities, ideas, and ways of being in the story world. One thing I do aim for is consistency across books. For example, Arawn, god of the dead, revenge and terror, and Gwydion, master enchanter and warrior magician, are in my Dragon Lore Series, and also in the Earth Reclaimed Series. They’re the same person, no matter which of my books they show up in. The same can be said for Ceridwen, who is in the Dragon Lore books and also in The Witch Chronicles Series.

For those who might be curious how the gods showed up in my books, it surprised me too. The authors among you will understand when I say writing is an altered state of consciousness. The story flows through me, but I’m more a medium at that point than a mastermind pulling puppet strings. Characters come to me in dreams, while I’m out walking, and when I’m writing too. 

My fond hope is I don’t disrespect any of the gods or goddesses in Celtic lore, but I’m always interested in feedback from readers. If any of you have read my books and have thoughts about the gods and goddesses in them, I’d love to hear about them.

Thanks so much for reading this post. Love to see more of you on my website, blog, FB or Amazon pages.

GenTech Rebellion Series Backstory:

Sometime between the interminable wars in the Middle East and 9/11, the United States moved forward breeding a race of super humans. Clandestine labs formed, armed with eager scientists who’d always yearned to manipulate human DNA. At first the clones looked promising, growing to fighting size in as little as a dozen years, but V1 had design flaws.

Seven years ago, a rogue group turned on their creators, blew up the lab, and hit all the other breeding farms, freeing whomever they could find. In the intervening time, they’ve retreated to hidden compounds and created a society run by men. Women are kept on a tight leash because the men fear if they discover their innate power, they’d launch their own rebellion.

Winning Glory

GenTech Rebellion
Book 1
by Ann Gimpel
Dream Shadow Press
Release Date: 4/21/15
Genre: Military Romantic Suspense
The line between hunter and hunted thins, blurs, and finally shatters.

Being a genetically altered human without a name grew old, so Glory named herself. Surrounded by a maze of unpleasant alternatives, she makes a bold choice and ends up a fugitive in the midst of a Minnesota winter. Once she’s on the run, she discovers how unprepared she is for life outside her protected compound.

CIA agent, Roy Kincaid, devoted his career to hunting super humans who staged a rebellion seven years before. He’s not making much headway, so he goes deep undercover. One blustery night, a striking woman staggers into the café where he’s catching a late meal. Part waif, part runway model, the half-frozen woman arrows straight into his heart.

Glory’s flat out of alternatives, but death in the storm might be preferable to telling the tall stranger looming over her anything. Sensing Roy is dangerous, she pushes into his head seeking clues and discovers he hunts those like her. Maybe she can fool him, just for tonight. Get a hot meal and dry motel room out of the deal. If she’s lucky, he’ll never find out she’s on the run from the same group he’s targeted for death.

The thing she didn’t count on was falling in love.

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Excerpt

“Dessert, hon?” The waitress sidled back over to him, and Roy realized he was her only customer.

“Sure. What do you have?”

She rattled off a series of pies and cakes. He chose apple pie with a scoop of ice cream, and she left with his dinner plate. Roy slumped against the chair. He had to keep going. No choice. Not really. A good night’s sleep, coupled with the first adequate meal he’d had in a couple days might make a big difference in his attitude. At least he hoped they would.

He’d just begun on the pie, which had a surprisingly flaky crust, when a rush of cold air yanked his attention toward the door. A tall woman walked in. Long, dark hair caked with snow swirled around her, and she held her body tightly as if she were really cold. Roy glanced at her feet and was shocked to see a pair of tennis shoes with holes in them. Good God, had she been outside with such inadequate footwear? Didn’t she understand she could freeze to death? Even his stout boots didn’t do much to divert the cold.

Keeping her gaze downcast, she made her way to the counter and sat.

“Coffee, hon?” The waitress asked.

“How much is it?” the woman inquired.

“Two bucks.”

“Oh.” The woman’s shoulders drooped, and she swiveled the stool around, getting ready to go back out into the storm.

“No, you don’t.” The waitress’s voice sharpened. “I’ll stand you a coffee. You look about done in.”

The woman’s even features melted into what looked like relief before she turned back to face the counter. “Thank you. That’s really kind and I appreciate it. My wallet was stolen, and—”

“Never you mind.” The waitress patted the woman’s shoulder. “Bet you’re hungry too.” She poured hot coffee into a mug and handed it to the woman, who drew the steaming liquid to her lips.

“Maybe a little,” the woman ventured. She clasped the cup with fingers white from cold.

By now, Roy knew he was staring, but he couldn’t make himself turn away. There was something waiflike and alluring about the tall woman with long, black hair. Snow dripped off her, creating puddles around her stool. All she wore against the winter weather was a thick, gray sweater and worn jeans. No scarf. No gloves. No hat. He was close to certain her wallet hadn’t been stolen. She looked more like an abuse victim on the run to him. Maybe he could help her get to her intended destination, if it wasn’t too far out of his way.

He pushed his chair back and made his way to the counter. “Say—” he began, but she started and drew away as if she expected him to hit her.

I was right. Abuse victim for sure.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He kept his voice low, soothing. “Order whatever you want, and I’ll pay for it.”

She kept her gaze on her hands clutching the coffee cup. “I can’t let you do that, sir. I’m all right. Truly I am.”

Without waiting for an invitation, he took the stool next to hers and called to the waitress. “Bring her the same meal I just had.”

“You got it, hon,” rang from the direction of the kitchen.

“You are not all right,” Roy said. “You’re thin as a rail, and you were shivering when you came in here. In fact, you still are. I’ll bet your shoes are wet clear through.” When she didn’t respond, he ploughed on. “Let me help you.”

She shook her head. “Don’t want your kind of help. It always comes with strings.”

“Mine doesn’t.”

He pushed a little with his enhanced mental ability to get her to look at him. If she did, maybe she’d see truth in his eyes. A shudder ran down her thin frame, but she dragged her gaze upward reluctantly. Roy felt bad for forcing her, but he didn’t have time to soothe her wounded places, which he suspected ran deep.

Eyes a shade of green he’d never seen inspected him. Long, thick lashes framed those eyes, and they were set in a face with high cheekbones, a high forehead, and black eyebrows winging a track over porcelain skin.

“Who are you?” The words tore from him. He hadn’t meant to say them. She was nervous as a feral cat as it was.

She shook her head sadly. “No one. I’m no one. You’ll forget all about me when you leave here.”

Something shifted in his mind, but he fought it. Before he could determine if something real had just happened or if he were imagining things, the waitress showed up with the woman’s dinner.

“Here you go, hon. Hope medium’s okay for that steak?”

“Fine, thank you.” Before the words were out, the woman picked up the fork and knife and shoveled food into her mouth.

Roy congratulated himself on a good call. Even though she’d been reluctant to admit it, she really was starving. He had no idea what she’d do tomorrow or the next day, but it wasn’t his problem. While she ate, he observed her from the corner of his eyes. In addition to being hungry and underdressed, she looked young. Maybe twenty. He’d be surprised if she were much more than that.

He shook a mental finger at himself. The country was full of abused women running from the men who used them as punching bags before they raped them. It was one part of law enforcement work he’d never understood: why the women kept going back for more.

“There are safe houses for girls like you,” he said, and could’ve kicked himself. What the hell was wrong with his mouth tonight? He couldn’t seem to keep words on the other side of it.

She stopped chewing long enough to glance at him. “What’s a safe house?”

“A place where women like you can go so whoever’s after you can’t get to you.”

“What makes you think someone’s after me?” Color splotched across her white cheeks.

Roy took a deep breath. “I was a cop for a long time.”

Her entire body tightened, and he wondered if he’d been wrong about why she was out in the storm. “You said was.” She swiped a paper napkin over her lips. “Are you still?”

“No. Not anymore.”

She took another bite, clearly thinking about what he’d said. “These people you think are after me. Could they still find me in a safe house?”

He wanted to lie to her, but didn’t. “Sure. Anyone can find anybody with the Internet and all, but the people who run the safe houses won’t let anyone who might hurt you inside.”

She drew her arched brows together and drank some coffee. “I’d have to go outside sometime. Work. Earn my way.”

He nodded. Those things were all true. He scratched his head and pushed too-long hair out of his eyes. “Sometimes, when a man is really persistent, there are ways of setting you up with a different identity in a different part of the country.”

Interest lit her features, and she cut up the last of her steak. “Where would I go to have that happen?”

“I’m not sure, but we could check with local agencies in the morning.”

A blank expression washed over her face, as if someone had shut out a light. She shot him a look she might have given yesterday’s overripe trash. “Morning, huh? You’re just like all the rest of them, mister. Means I’d have to spend the night with you.”

Roy winced. He hadn’t been thinking. Of course she’d make that connection. “No.” He shook his head emphatically. “I’d buy you your own room for the night. You can clean up, get some sleep, and we’ll regroup in the morning after breakfast.”

She narrowed her eyes, and he felt himself drawn into their depths. “My own room with a locked door?”

He nodded solemnly, willing her to believe him. If he could just do one decent deed, it would make up for the last two weeks of beating his head into a brick wall. Maybe it would give him enough juice to keep hunting for the scientists who were a bunch of Houdini fuckers.

“Mmph.” She started on her potato, taking large bites. In between them, she said. “I’m trying to figure out your angle. If I’ve worked my way around to believing you won’t hurt me by the time I’m done eating, I’ll accept your offer.”

It was the best he was likely to get. Roy stood. “Fair enough. I’m going to finish my pie.” It was sitting in a pool of melted ice cream, but he didn’t mind. “If you’d care to accept my help, just stop by my table on your way out. If you walk past, I give you my word I won’t bother you.”

“Deal.” She said around a mouthful of food. Swallowing, she twisted to look at him.

It felt as if she were staring straight through him, but Roy held his ground even after he identified a zing of power withdrawing from his mind. What the hell was she, anyway? When she returned to her dinner, he retreated to his pie, thoughts racing a mile a minute. What the fuck was he doing? If he were smart, he’d forget his offer, throw enough money on the table to cover both meals, and run like hell for his car.

There was something about the woman, though, an appeal that drew him, snared him, and wouldn’t leave him be. He ate mindlessly, not tasting the pie. He knew the feel of freak mind control. Was that it? Had he inadvertently stumbled onto one of them?

Impossible. They’re never by themselves, and whatever she examined me with didn’t feel quite right.

Plus, she didn’t resemble the ones he’d killed before. They had dark hair, but animal eyes. Amber, not green like hers. Of course they’d been men, but simple genetics argued they’d all look much the same if they came out of the same petri dishes.

Were there other augmented humans beyond those he already knew about? The thought fascinated and chilled him at the same time.

He scraped his fork over the plate and realized it was empty. Slugging back long-since-cold coffee, he dug for his wallet and extracted what he was certain would cover dinner, laying bills on the table and placing his empty mug atop them.

The woman looked almost done with her meal. What would she do?

What would he do if she walked by him and out the door? Would he be able to keep his promise and not go after her?

About the Author:
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Ann Gimpel is a mountaineer at heart. Recently retired from a long career as a psychologist, she remembers many hours at her desk where her body may have been stuck inside four walls, but her soul was planning yet one more trip to the backcountry. Around the turn of the last century (that would be 2000, not 1900!), she managed to finagle moving to the Eastern Sierra, a mecca for those in love with the mountains. It was during long backcountry treks that Ann’s writing evolved. Unlike some who see the backcountry as an excuse to drag friends and relatives along, Ann prefers solitude. Stories always ran around in her head on those journeys, sometimes as a hedge against abject terror when challenging conditions made her fear for her life, sometimes for company. Eventually, she returned from a trip and sat down at the computer. Three months later, a five hundred page novel emerged. Oh, it wasn’t very good, but it was a beginning. And, she learned a lot between writing that novel and its sequel.

Around that time, a friend of hers suggested she try her hand at short stories. It didn’t take long before that first story found its way into print and they’ve been accepted pretty regularly since then. One of Ann’s passions has always been ecology, so her tales often have a green twist.

In addition to writing, Ann enjoys wilderness photography. She lugs pounds of camera equipment in her backpack to distant locales every year. A standing joke is that over ten percent of her pack weight is camera gear which means someone else has to carry the food! That someone is her husband. They’ve shared a life together for a very long time. Children, grandchildren and three wolf hybrids round out their family.