Sherry Soule's Moonlight Mayhem Tour + Give Away

The winner of this contest is:

Mirela

Today we have YA author Sherry Soule taking over the Flock!

Pay attention because there will be a quiz! Really...

This giveaway is open internationally! So let’s tell the blogging world!

Hi everyone, I’m Sherry Soule—waving from Castro Valley, California, where it gets foggy even during the summer months. But even with the fog burning off by afternoon, I’m relaxing on the sofa and blabbering on Twitter about my life-long obsession with books.

It’s a real honor to be a guest today as part of my Moonlight Mayhem Blog Tour this summer and meet all these awesome booklovers.

My tour has a great response and it is nice seeing the familiar names in the comments box at each stop. For those of you who haven’t heard of my epic Moonlight Mayhem blog tour it’s not too late to join the fun!

To celebrate the release of author, Sherry Soule’s newest paranormal novel, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM, the second book in the epic Spellbound Series, take this super fun quiz to discover which paranormal pet you’re fated to own, and score a Kindle or Nook version of the first book in this unforgettable YA series, BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN!

Most heroes need a sidekick, and if fate smiles upon you, then you’ll have a paranormal pet watching your back. But which one best suits YOU?

Take this quiz and be sure to check the bottom of the post for the details regarding this random giveaway.

What size pet would you prefer?

a) Small

b) Medium

c) Large

d) Gigantic

Do you mind a pet that might shed?

a) Loose fur? I’m cool with that

b) Rough scales are acceptable

c) Transparent coat? No biggie

d) Shedding pelt—ain’t a problem

How would you like your pet to greet people at the door?

a) Rub their ankles and purr

b) Spitting and growling

c) Bark and sniff hand

d) Snarling and howling

How much protection would you like to have?

a) Minimum – docile and fluffy

b) Moderate – Vicious yet cuddly

c) Extreme - Invisible but deadly

d) Tremendous - Bite anyone who messes with me

What would you like to feed your new pet?

a) Tuna and bowl of milk

b) Human emotions—fear, anger, lust, vengeance

c) Nothing

d) Chew on skeleton bones—they make a tasty snack

Where will your pet sleep?

a) On my lap

b) Hiding in the shadows

c) Never sleeps

d) Curled up in a cozy cave

What type of toys would your pet like most?

a) Mice and squeaky toys

b) Stuffed dinosaurs or dragons

c) Chase balls and fetch newspapers

d) None. Does not play well with others

If you answered...

Mostly a's: Your pet is a cat! Witch’s has used familiars for years to help increase the power of their spells. Cute and helpful!

Mostly b's: Your pet would be a Shade! These affectionate creatures are a cross between a puppy and a dragon. Small but fierce!

Mostly c's: Your supernatural pet is a ghost dog! These creatures are often dubbed hellhounds, too, and they are vicious animals. Muscular and opaque!

Mostly d's: Your pet is a ferocious lycan! These were-creatures make impressive guard dogs. Clever and scary!

MOONLIGHT MAYHEM Synopsis:

Otherworldly Creatures. Dazzling Magic. Fiery Romance.

Shiloh Ravenwolf thought she was getting used to the strange events in Whispering Pines, until the full moon brings another surge of supernatural threats to her coastal town. Ferocious wolves, deadly necromancers, and shambling zombies have descended upon the neighborhood, so Shiloh needs to gain control of her magical abilities—fast!

It sucks that she has a crippling fear of the dark, which for a demon hunter can be an epic problem.

When her classmates are attacked by a mysterious creature and her father is murdered, Shiloh vows vengeance. Forcing her phobias aside, she forms an unlikely coven of supernaturally gifted teens to help her eradicate this menace. Except that's not all Shiloh has to worry about. She’s battling a different monster within herself and struggling not to become the very thing she fights: evil.

But with demon blood inside her—anything can happen…

Moonlight Mayhem is the second novel in the unforgettably epic Spellbound series

By Sherry Soule

Where you can find author, Sherry Soule online:

Official Blog: http://www.sherrysoule.blogspot.com

Official Spellbound Series Universe: http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com

Twitter @WriterSherry: http://twitter.com/writersherry

Awesome Book Trailers/YouTube: http://youtu.be/5uqVXKygvUs

  and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o44sW-gFtvA

goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11634793-beautifully-broken

Random winner will be picked on July 1st and be posted at the top of this quiz, please check back on that day to find out if you’re the lucky winner.

Giveaway details for a Kindle or Nook of BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:

1.) You must comment with your quiz results

2.) Be a follower of Sherry’s blog

3.) Be a follower of this blog

4.) Follow us both on Twitter

Good luck!

Sheep Comic Review: Double Jumpers Issues #1 & #2

Double Jumpers Issue #1 and #2 (of 4)

Writer: Dave Dwonch

Art: Bill Blankenship

adult humor

Action Comics

“The warped minds of Dave Dwonch and Bill Blankenship continue to deliver you the gender bending, level ascending, doom impending, never ending story that can only be called…DOUBLE JUMPERS!”-Action Lab

# 1 After Jason and his team of programmers get stuck in their virtual reality game, Dungeon Lords, they must find a way back to the real world.

Unbeknownst to them, the fantasy characters they inhabit have taken control of their bodies… and now wizards and warriors run free in Las Vegas!

In issue #2, things go from bad to worse as the Dungeon Lords programmers embark on a quest to the fabled kill screen, their journey taking them into the mines of Maladore.

Plus, there’s more gender bending mayhem as the “real” Dungeon Lords start a brawl in the local T&A eatery, Peepers!

Written by Dave Dwonch (Space-Time Condominium) and with art by Bill Blankenship (Thunderchickens), this mature-readers series is ideal for fans of epic fantasy action and old-school platform gaming.

Double Jumpers #2 is available for pre-order (Diamond Code JUN120756) with an August release in comic book shops, and various digital distribution outlets.

This is a great start to a fun series, it's like Freaky Friday times four! Three computer game designers and one intern are creating the ultimate gaming experience, letting players become fully immersed in the virtual reality game Dungeon Lords. The game characters have been programed to have personalities to give a more “real” experience. Jason is the leader of the team and has a sexy nerd vibe going, he is also dating his boss, Danielle, who is a hard ass. Helping Jason is Milo, the stereotypical computer geek with no social skills and a jerk to boot and Andrew is the shy nerd. The intern, Maxine is a smart-ass tough girl. There is a glitch in the game and the team decides to play and find out what is wrong. There is a mix up during the “jump” into the game and Milo the jerk ends up in the female character and Maxine ends up as the male barbarian. Something goes wrong and the characters jump out of the game into the team’s bodies leaving the team in the game. The characters are stereotypical gamers, but very likable and relatable.

The writing is the strong point of this comic, it is witty with lots of pop culture references and the story is told in a clever way with the mixing of the game world action and the real world. The game characters are experiencing the joys of Las Vegas, NV and Jason’s credit card while the team has to fight their way through the game they created to reach a kill-switch in hopes that will jump them back into their bodies. The art work is bold, colorful and clean. The panel layout doesn’t vary much throughout the comics but I like the abundant panels on each page and the use of long rectangular panels.

Action Lab comics may be a small press, but they are producing quality comics.

5 “I have a bad feeling about this” Sheep

SharonS (edit by BAK)

ABOUT ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT

Action Lab Entertainment was founded in 2010 by a group of indie comic creators with the sole intent of publishing the most diverse, thought provoking, entertaining comics on the market.

Their first major release, FRACTURE, was released in July 2011 followed by the three-time 2012 Glyph Comics Award winning and two-time 2012 Eisner Award nominated PRINCELESS. Action Lab continues to publish genre spanning comics from the all-ages MONSTERS ARE JUST LIKE US, and mature reader books like SNOWED IN and DOUBLE JUMPERS.

Legacy of Wolves, by Marsheila Rockwell

Overall I actually liked this book and I'm going to do the best I can to explain that, but first I want to talk a little bit about Dungeons & Dragons, and more specifically the Eberron setting. As pretty much all of my readers know, Dungeons & Dragons is the tabletop RPG beloved by nerds for generations. Originally created by Gary Gygax in 1974 the franchise went through a number of different companies and a couple of rule changes until getting picked up by Wizards of the Coast, who created the 3.0 and 3.5 editions. Currently D&D is in its fourth edition, however due to fan backlash Wizards is looking towards creating a fifth edition and what will happen after that remains to be seen.

However, the D&D rulebooks don't provide much by the way of setting. Sure there are pantheons of deities and the planes of existence, but much of the world creation is left up to each game's Dungeon Master. Eberron was created by Keith Baker and was the winning entry in a 2002 survey by Wizards for a different setting for D&D stories. I actually never learned that much about Eberron because none of my friends were ever particularly interested and Eberron is...well, it's different. As in, we have magic lightning-powered trains and halflings riding on dinosaurs different. So I was initially a little worried about reading this book because I knew next to nothing about the setting and was afraid I would quickly get lost and confused in the universe. And despite some initial disorientation, Rockwell's writing managed to get me comfortable with the universe very quickly.

Rockwell's writing does an excellent job in explaining at least some aspects of the Eberron setting. In a universe as rich and complex as Eberron one book simply would not be enough to cover everything. However, I now have a better understanding of the powerful merchant houses whose influence and finances rival medium-sized nations, as well as the religious tension between followers of the Silver Flame and followers of the Sovereign Host. Thanks to her I came away from Legacy of Wolves with a much better understanding of the Eberron universe and an interest in learning more about it, whether through stories by other writers or through playing the Eberron setting.

I was extremely thankful for the plot of Legacy of Wolves which did not follow a standard fantasy plot which I have become particularly tired of reading recently. (I.e. the heroes go on a quest to defeat some sort of evil. Original when Tolkien did it, kind of boring seventy years later.) Legacy of Wolves follows the investigations of Irulan Silverclaw, paladin Andri Aeyliros, dwarven inquisitive Greddark d'Kundark, and to a lesser extent the bard Zoden ir'Marktaros, into a series of grisly murders in the city of Aruldusk which are being blamed on the local shifter population. Shifters, descendants of lycanthrope and human parents, have never had an easy existence around Aruldusk, a city ruled by the church of the Silver Flame which has a long-standing vendetta against lycanthropes. Although many now know shifters are not evil like their lycanthrope kin, old prejudices remain and many shifters were killed in the church's Purge.

Irulan, both a shifter and a follower of the Silver Flame, goes to the church's headquarters to beg an audience when her brother is imprisoned as a suspect in one of the murders. The Keeper of the Flame, the leader of the Silver Flame, is worried by Irulan's tale and sends paladin Andri Aeyliros with her to investigate the murders and prevent a repeat of the Purge. Meanwhile Zoden ir'Marktaros begs his cousin the queen for aid when his twin brother, Zodal, is murdered right in front of him. Zoden suspects that there is more to this chain of murders and that they had meant to kill him rather than Zodal. Although his cousin cannot officially provide support, she hires the dwarf inquisitive Greddar d'Kundark to investigate the murders and help keep Zoden alive.

The only issue I had with the actual murder-mystery plot is that we get two or three leads on the murders in Aruldusk which turn out to be red herrings. Seriously I got to about the three-fourths mark in the book and I still had no idea who the actual killer could be so I was getting a little frustrated. In mysteries I like to at least have an inkling before the big reveal. That complaint aside, I ended up really liking the story and the incredibly deep world in which it was set.

Story and setting aside I had a little trouble with the characters. Most of the main characters were either orphans or estranged from their parents which is so over-used with Dungeons & Dragons character that it's practically a cliche at this point. Did it make sense within the context of the plot? Yes, but I was internally kind of going, "Oh, come on, more orphans?" (That's more the complaint of a bitter DM who's seen too many bad character backstories, though.) The other issue I had with the characters was the romance between Irulan and Andri, and not because the romance existed at all! I know I give Katie a hard time but I'm not opposed to seeing characters enter and pursue relationships. It just felt rushed, in my opinion, because they had known each other for about a month in the book and it felt like an unrealistic time frame for that sort of relationship to develop.

All my little itty-bitty issues aside, I actually really liked this book. For fans of D&D and the Eberron setting, or people who are curious about Eberron in general this is a really good book to pick up. And if you're interested in reading a mystery in a fantasy setting Legacy of Wolves is a great example. I definitely recommend all my readers go check it out.

B.A.

The Darkness Tour with Tes Hilaire and Elisabeth Staab + give away

What could be better than settling in with a rich glass of red wine, a decadent dessert, and a good book? Not much, right? Well today we’re going to give you our recipe for the heroes of our novels Deliver Me from Darkness and King of Darkness. Forewarning, these men are hot, hot, hot and filled to the brim with sexy alphaness, making this tasty treat more than just dessert, but a full course meal!

Thad (Vampire King)

Recipe created by Elisabeth Staab

King of Darkness-Book #1 Chronicles of Yavn Series

2 baby blue eyes

1 head of dark blond hair - military fade cut

2 razor sharp fangs that extend for feeding

A generous helping of royal blood

4 cups sensuality

2 cups tortured sensitivity

Coated with hard muscle and smooth skin.

Caution!: Hot blooded, prone to mood swings, mates for life.

Makes: Powerful projectiles of fire, once he finds the prophesied mate to unlock his preternatural abilities.

Sampling of the Recipe:

“See, that’s your problem, Isabel. You’re thinking way too much,” he said darkly. He reached around and grabbed the handle for the refrigerator door. “You’re hungry?”

“A little.”

“No, you must be very hungry,” he corrected. Well, hell. “You haven’t had anything but doughnuts recently.” Thad leaned down, his breath deliciously hot on her neck. He tapped playfully at his own pulsing artery. Quirked his eyebrow. “Besides, I can feel it.”

Isabel closed her eyes. She didn’t have a snappy comeback. No doubt he could sense her desire, too. This whole situation was a mess. Being near Thad was like having committed to a diet and then stumbling into one of those all-you-can-eat buffet places. There was just something about him, especially when he was so warm and she was so cold. Her body, her libido, her whole being sought him out...

Roland (Former Paladin turned Vampire)

Recipe created by Tes Hilaire

Deliver me from Darkness-Book #1 The Paladin Warriors

To make this recipe you need a man-shaped container of approximately six feet in height:

2 rich coffee colored eyes

1 head of shoulder length black hair

2 razor sharp fangs that elongate when…emotional

4 cups lust

A pinch of honor

Fill to the brim with a tortured soul

Makes: One very sexy alpha hero with vigilante tendencies.

Caution!: Pupils dilate and turn crimson when angry. If this happens, do not attempt to fix your recipe. Find his bond-mate immediately then run like the hounds of hell are chasing you.

Sampling of the Recipe:

...“Weak.” The vile word rolled like a jagged stone in his mouth.

“That’s right.” Her mouth curled up in a saccharine smile, small white teeth flashing as she leaned closer into his personal space. “Weak.”

Weak indeed. If he had been a weak man, then every time he’d gone on the hunt he’d have let instincts overtake him. Succumbed to the call of blood pumping through the veins of his prey. Just like a weak man, when faced with a friend’s request to harbor a young innocent that would tempt every aspect of his being, both vampire and Paladin, would have turned his back. If he was weak, he would have continued to deny what he already knew in his heart, in the hollow place that once held his soul: She was his mate. And if he was weak he would have used that as an excuse to take what he wanted from her, to claim something he had no right to claim.

He was not weak. At least, not completely. Though there were times when he faltered. Like now, looking down into those beautiful brown eyes that were trying to bore a hole in his head. Melted chocolate. He wanted to drink them in, the same as he wanted to taste the full strawberry pink lips that were currently pursed in smug challenge.

She probably didn’t even realize she had thrown down the gauntlet, probably thought she was being defiant, showing her strength by daring to get so close. Stupid woman. Hadn’t anyone ever told her not to play with fire? If her brown eyes were an addiction he could drown in and her lips an edible fruit, then her smooth skin was the fuel of his desire, her crisp floral scent the accelerant. An inch closer and they were both going to go up in flames.

One kiss. One taste. One moment…

About the Authors

Elisabeth Staab still lives with her nose in a book and at least one foot in a fantasy world. Her bestselling paranormal romance novel, King of Darkness, is available now. Her second book, Prince of Power, releases in January. Find out more at ElisabethStaab.com

Tes Hilaire’s idea of a perfect vacation would include her porch on a sultry summer night, a good glass of rich, red wine, and a book about darkness, passion, torture and love. Her first novel in the Paladin warriors series Deliver Me from Darkness is available now. The next, Deliver Me from Temptation, releases in December. For more, visit TesHilaire.com.

DELIVER ME FROM DARKNESS BY TES HILAIRE – AVAILABLE NOW

A stranger in the night…

He had once been a warrior of the Light, one of the revered Paladin. A protector. But now he lives in sin darkness, and the shadows are his sanctuary. Every day is a struggle to overcome the bloodlust. Especially the day Karissa shows up on his doorstep.

Comes knocking on the door…

She is light and bright and everything beautiful—despite her scratches and torn clothes. Every creature of the night is after her. So is every male Paladin. Because Karissa is the last female of their kind. But she is his. He may not have a soul, but he can’t deny his heart.

KING OF DARKNESS BY ELISABETH STAAB – AVAILABLE NOW

ETERNAL COMMITMENT IS NOT ON HER AGENDA...

Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human—although drifting through the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the sexy, arrogant king of the vampires, this party-girl's life turns dark and dangerous.

BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF THE VAMPIRES...

Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate had gotten it seriously wrong...

visit the other blog tour stops

***Giveaway!***

Thanks for joining us today! Two lucky commenters will win a cool swag pack with all sorts of yummy goodies.

This includes a Vera Bradley Book Cover!

Prize Pack #1

includes a King of Darkness note pad

Prize Pack #2

To Enter:
1. leave a way to contact you
2. Just tell us what you’d like on your recipe for an Alpha Hero... or if you’re too shy, just say hi :-)

*followers get double entries!

I Smell Sheep would like to thank these two fabulous alpha cooks for making our mouths water! 

Sheep Interview: Joleene Naylor + Give Away

Check out Joleene's theme song (Beemp3.com)

Today we have the wonderfully talented author, artist, photographer Joleene Naylor. Got a story about this one :) When I first got my kindle, years ago, I went looking for cheap ebooks. The first one I downloaded was Shades of Gray by Joleene. I fell in love with her writing and Jorick, the vampire hottie. It is dark, fast paced and violent, like vampire books should be! The fourth book in her Amaranthine series, Ashes of Deceit, just came out and this is her first ever blog tour! So show her a big sheep welcome...or you might end up in the Facebook dungeon.

Sharon: Welcome to the…er

*psst…Katie? Are we calling it our "Lair of Lust"or “Den of Smexy Men” now?*

Katie: Since I just ordered us the Den of Smexy Men sign I'll say we go with that!

Joleene: Ooh! I want a sign! And thanks for having me! The Den of Smexy Men is a great place to hang out *wink*wink*

Sharon: See, I told you she was cool

Sharon:  Grab a moonpie and some Kool Aid. You should probably grab a weapon too, just saying…

Joleene: Hmmm. “Kool Aid” and “weapon” in the same sentence makes me nervous, but the moon pie soothes away the worry. Marshmallows and chocolate can never be evil. But just in case, can I have a sword? I’ve always liked swords.

Katie: Yes, you can have the nerf sword!

Sharon: I got a hammer!

Joleene: Yay! Nerf Sword! *swishes wildly* For some reason people usually to take these away from me….

Sharon: not here, we encourage it.

Sharon: For those of the flock that don’t know who you are, even though I fangirl about you and your books all the time, could tell us about your vampire series?

Joleene: I have a promotional blurb written up that’s full of dark descriptive words and sounds like every other vampire series out there, but I think I can simplify. There’s Katelina, the human. There’s Jorick, the hot vampire. They meet in book 1, kill some stuff, wash off the blood, fall in love, and then get dragged into an even bigger mess for the next book. Add a dash of lunatic side characters, the evil vampire “police squad” known as the Executioners and Malick, the ancient – and somewhat sadistic - head of the vampire Guild, and there’s a recipe for disaster. Oh, and all without glitter or teenagers.

Katie: Who is the sexiest vampire male in your series? As you see I get right to the most meaningful questions.

Joleene: Weeeeeell… Verchiel is hot in a naughty kind of way, but when it comes to sexy it’s Jorick. He has that brooding alpha thing down pat.

Sharon: Mmmmm *thinking about brooding Jorick*

Katie: And how tall is this man?

Sharon: about 6 foot drop dead gorgeous

Sharon: How many books do you see for this series and do readers have to start with book one to understand what is going on?

Joleene: As many books as I can squeeze out of it! Whoops, did I say that out loud? Hee-hee! Seriously, it will take at LEAST two more to wrap up the mess I created in the fourth book, but I’d be happy to go forever. As for whether someone would need to read them all, I’ve tried to weave in enough explanations that each book could be read alone, or so that someone could pick it up mid series and join in, but as with any series one misses a lot of subtlety that way. I have a friend who started with book three and has never back tracked to read one or two, and he understood the fourth book. But I think those two are really linked, so a new reader would probably need to at least start with the third book.

Katie: If you could have one night with any vampire who would it be and why?

Joleene: Ooh! That’s a hard one. Most of the vampires I like to read about I wouldn’t want to hang out with because, while it’s great to read about them killing one another, I don’t want it to happen to me *wink* I think the vampire who would be the safest (and most fun) to hang out with would be Vampire Willy from Jonathan Harvey’s short stories.

Sharon: a vampire named Willy…seriously? Well, Willy Wonka maybe <G>

Joleene: Which Willy Wonka? The Gene Wilder one or the Johnny Depp one, coz, you know… Johnny Depp and all… *wink*

Sharon: O_o you have to ask? <G>

Sharon: Why did you choose the self-publishing route and are you glad you did?

Joleene: Yes, I’m glad I did. I don’t make millions (neither do most traditionally published authors for that matter) but I own all the rights to my work. No one can tell me “You can’t give that away” or “You can’t post that!” or even “You can’t write that!” I don’t have to scramble to find a publisher for my next book because my contract was dropped, or because my current publisher doesn’t like the direction my new book is taking, and I don’t have to worry about “earning out”. The main thing I lost by going the self-publishing route is the “validation” of a publishing house, but unless it’s a big name author, the average reader has no idea what publisher their ebook came from, anyway. I know until I started researching self-publishing I had no idea.

Katie: It sounds like a lot more creative freedom?

Joleene: Yeah it is. I’ve talked to some traditionally published authors whose agents/publishers basically told them what to write because there is a model for what will sell, and of course since it’s a business the publisher’s goal is to sell… I just wouldn’t like that very much.

Katie: Do you know any good vampire jokes?

Joleene: if by good you mean terrible, then yes!

Why did the vampire buy cold medicine?

For his coffin.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Okay, I’ll stop.

Sharon: O_o *pssst…Katie, laugh…it would be rude not to…*

Katie: *fake laughs*

Joleene: *looks suspicious at the not-quite-authentic laughter* I have more…

Sharon: *stuffs moon pie in Joleene's mouth* enjoy! moving on... 

Sharon: Has the series changed from your original vision of it?

Joleene: Oh yeah. Oren was supposed to be the competing hottie, but he wouldn’t cooperate. Verchiel was supposed to die three seconds after he showed up. I tend to be a panster, so things almost never work out the way I initially think they will. But I like being surprised.

Katie: If I, let's say, wanted to lure a vampire to my local park what would I need to do?

Joleene: First you’d have to find a vampire and then if you just casually said, “Hey, wanna go to the park, all alone, in the dark? And by the way, I have no friends or family to miss me!” they’d be eating out of your – er – hand in no time.

Katie: Ha! My "hand". *winks* I'm with ya.

Sharon: you are also a talented photographer and artist. You even have an ebook-cover business. Is there one area you enjoy more than the other?

Joleene: It fluctuates. Right now I really want a break from all the graphic design work and I want to focus on writing, but next year I may be tired of writing and want to concentrate on photography and then later I’ll want to get back to drawing. Yeah, I drive everyone nuts, husband included.

Sharon: Your vampire series is dark, violent and action packed. Why did you choose this route instead of the sparkly way?

Katie: Hey! Leave the technical vamp questions to me Sharon!

Sharon: bad, Sharon! Into the corner with the brooding vampire Jorick!

Joleene: Just don’t let Katelina see that! *winks* Not to say I didn’t like Twilight on some levels (it’s a fun fluff read – dodges Katie’s projectiles) but when someone first mentioned sparkly vampires to me, my reaction was “What?!” I actually wrote Shades of Gray in 2005, before I’d ever heard of Twilight (was it even out then?) I was reading the Anita Blake books at the time (the first books in the series, before it turned into Erotica) and have always been a big fan of Anne Rice’s vampires, so I suppose I just sort of combined them. Anne Rice has some good brooding, but it needed more romance and more violence, and Anita Blake needed a little less tough-ness. Basically I wrote the kind of vampire book I wanted to read. Oh, and that would look good as an anime. I really want to see an Amaranthine anime.

Sharon: oh, that’s right. You love anime. Is that why you have drawn sketches for all your characters? They are fabulous by the way.

Joleene: Thanks! Hee-hee, yeah, those future anime artists have to know what to base them on. Actually, I considered a graphic novel version of the first book, but never had the time to get to it.

Sharon:  If a theme song/music played whenever you entered a room, what would yours be?

Joleene: Ha ha! People actually used to sing at me when I entered rooms. It was “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. Sadly, I do not have flaming locks of auburn hair, ivory skin and eyes of emerald green, and I doubt very much I could steal anyone’s man… but hey.

Sharon:  What fictional characters would you like to have your back during the zombie apocalypse?

Joleene: The Elric brothers. All that Alchemy has to be handy. And Hei from Darker than Black. Also Robert Neville from I am Legend because he did pretty good on his own with a zombie apocalypse and then Thor just because he’s hot…. *cough*

Sharon: oh, snap! Back away from the hammer… he is mine! Tell her Katie…

Katie: Really, I would rethink that answer Joleene. She's a TAD obsessive about her Thor-soon-to-be-baby-daddy.

Sharon: *nods head* AND Optimus Prime-soon-to-be-robot-baby-daddy.

gratuitous OP picture

Joleene: Oh… um… Couldn’t I just borrow him? *eyes hammer* You know what? I think Ed and Hei will do nicely… Never mind.

Rapid Fire or time to be silly

Sharon:  4 Turtle doves or 2 French hens?

Joleene: 2 French hens.

Sharon: Why?

Joleene: I am totally imagining chickens with lithe French mustaches and barrettes… “Oui, oui.”

Katie: Sand Castles or Legos?

Joleene: Legos! They come with cool mini figures!

Sharon: do they have Thor or Optimus?

Joleene: I bet they have Thor. If not someone needs to petition Lego!

Sharon:  steampunk or splatterpunk?

Joleene: Steampunk.

Katie: City Gal or Country Gal?  

Joleene: How about a city gal who likes to live in the country but stays away from things like bugs and farm animals? (unless there is a camera involved)

Katie: It's supposed to be either or! lol

Sharon:  monkey business or horse play?

Joleene: Monkey business.

Katie: These arms of mine or Try a little tenderness?

Joleene: These Arms of Mine

Sharon:  watermelon or blue berries?

Joleene: Watermelon. It’s almost the Fourth of July, after all!

Katie: Back or Front?

Joleene: Front! No, back! No, front! No-

Sharon: *whacks Joleene on the head with Thor hammer Katie gave me for my birthday*

Katie: Good thing it's foam.

Joleene *rubs head* *whispers to Katie* You’re right! She IS dangerous with that thing!

Sharon:  Seinen manga or josei manga?

Joleene: Seinen – though I like a lot of Shonen too!

Katie: Coke or Pepsi?

Joleene: Pepsi!

Sharon: see? She is so cool!

Katie: BOOOOOO to Pepsi!!!!

Joleene: Pepsi rules!

Sharon:  Millennium Falcon or Serentity?

Joleene:  Millennium  Falcon. It would take a lot to be cooler than Han Solo! ;)

Sharon: Is there anything else you would like to add before you are dropped into the labyrinth infested with Minasheeptors to find your way out?

Joleene: Thanks so much for having me, you ladies have been a blast. And hey! Do I get to hug Baaart before I go?

Sharon: *shoves Baaart into Joleene's arms*

You can find more of Joleene Naylor and her vampires at her website or check out her blog or her facebook page

Follow the tour for more chances to win! Tour links

GIVE AWAY

 winners choice of any of her ebooks.

 Sheep swag and a set of Joleene's bookmarks!

1. Leave a way to contact you 

2. tell us would you rather be a vamp or date a vamp?

*double entry for followers!

Book 1: Shades of Gray - Katelina’s "friend-with-benefits" is murdered for stealing something from a coven of vampires. Hunted as an accomplice, she must rely on Jorick to survive. But what happens when her knight in shining armor turns out to be one of the monsters?

Book 2: Legacy of Ghosts - For Katelina and Jorick, peace is hard to come by. Kateesha plans to fight the same battle as Jorick’s fledgling, but a common enemy isn’t enough to overcome previous betrayals.  Drawn into a deathly conflict, Jorick and Katelina must overcome old regrets, or lose their future to the ghosts of their past.

Book 3: Ties of Blood - A trip to Katelina’s home starts a chain reaction; she and Jorick meet Verchiel, a too friendly vampire, then the police arrest Jorick for kidnapping. Worse, The Guild wants to question them.  Will Malick, the head of the vampires, punish them? Or will the mysterious vampire following them do the job first?

Book 4: Ashes of Deceit - Katelina and Jorick must rescue a captured vampire and discover who kidnapped him and why. The truth isn’t easy to find. As Oren’s attack on the Guild draws closer, Jorick and Katelina are led back to the Citadel. When the flames of war ignite, can they rise from the ashes, or will they be consumed?

all her ebooks are $2.99 or less for kindle. They can also be found at Smashwords

print copies can be bought too.