Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Guest Blog & Giveaway: The Necromancer's Betrayal by Mimi Sebastian

UFI welcomes Author Mimi Sebastian. Thanks for Joining us!!

Songs in My Characters’ Heads
Mimi Sebastian

Great to be back on UF Investigations!

I love a good movie sound track. How a good song complements a scene, sets the mood, tone, brings on the tears or makes you want to rock out. I often write listening to music, from rock to the Lord of the Rings or Transformers soundtracks, I let the music set the mood and help me find the right words. Some of my characters have their own song or certain scenes are written with a song in mind. Here is a sampling of the many songs on The Necromancer Betrayal soundtrack.

6 Underground by Sneaker Pimps
Fade Into You by Mazzy Star
Providence by Ani DiFranco
I Bleed by The Pixies
Dangerous by Big Data

6 Underground with its fuzzy, techno beats and sense of aimlessness set the stage for Ruby’s relationship with the vampire Lysander. I wrote a scene of them together with this song in mind. Both of them want to lose themselves in each other, forget about everything happening around them, but ultimately they can’t, as the song says, without falling from grace. It’s sad and bittersweet and whenever I think of them, I think of this song.

Talk me down, safe and sound
Too strung up to sleep
Wear me out, scream and shout
Swear my time's never cheap
I fake my life like I've lived
Too much, I take whatever you're given, not enough
Overground, watch this space
I'm open to falling from grace.
(Song by Chris Corner, Liam Coverdale-Howe, Ian Pickering, John Barry)

Dangerous by Big Data also plays into the Ruby and Lysander complication. I hear this song when Ruby ventures to the vampire club to ask for Lysander’s help, but also for other reasons she’s not quite ready to admit?

Nobody's listening when we're alone
Nobody's listening, there's nobody listening,
No one can hear us when we're alone
No one can hear us, no, no one can hear us
And I've gotta get out of here
Sink down, into the dark
Keep on running
I've gotta get out of here (Keep on running)
Sink down, into the dark
You understand, they got a plan for us
I bet you didn't know that I was dangerous
It must be fate, I found a place for us
I bet you didn't know someone could love you this much
(Song by David James Jr. Minehan)

 On the other side, there’s Ewan, the love Ruby can’t have. Kept apart by demon traditions, they are unable to unleash their desires. However, that doesn’t always stop them, and when they do give in to those passions, it’s exciting but haunting like the song Fade Into You by Mazzy Star.

I want to hold the hand inside you
I want to take the breath that's true
I look to you and I see nothing
I look to you to see the truth
……
Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it's strange you never knew
(Song by Hope Sandoval, David Roback)

I have always loved the Pixies, since my college days. Frank Black is a maniac. I Bleed, is not only a great play on the whole vampire feeding thing, but touches upon Ruby’s dilemmas, how she’s being pulled in different directions. And I love the line, behind my smile it shakes my teeth.

As loud as hell, a ringing bell
Behind my smile it shakes my teeth
And all the while, as vampires feed
I bleed, I bleed, I bleed
Prithee, my dear, why are we here?
Nobody knows, we go to sleep
As breathing flows, my mind secedes
I bleed, I bleed, I bleed, I bleed, I bleed, I bleed
There's a place in the buried west in a cave
With a house in it in the clay
The holes of hands, you can place a hand in hand
I bleed, I bleed, I bleed
(Song by Charles Thompson)

Thanks for stopping by today. You can find all these songs on iTunes or Youtube. I hope they inspire you as much as they did my writing and characters! You can visit my blog under each book title for more soundtrack songs.
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Mimi Sebastian raised herself on books and the strange and unusual, and an unhealthy dose of comics and movies. When a career as a punk guitarist failed to materialize, she completed her degree in urban planning, spent two years in the Ivory Coast with the Peace Corps, and another three years in Brazil. By day, she debates the merits of transport oriented development, by night she writes about necromancers and pirates. She’s convinced she could live off coffee, ice cream, and comic books, but is sure only one of those is good for her health.

She's a member of Romance Writers of America and the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA. A transplant from the beaches of Florida, Mimi now wanders the desert in Phoenix, AZ, and attempts to balance writing with a day career, fantastic family, and household diva: her Amazon parrot.

Find Mimi and her books
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The Necromancer's Betrayal
Necromancer #2
Amazon
 Her powers have been hobbled. Her enemies are growing stronger.

Old loves challenge her. And her worst betrayer may be herself.

Necromancer Ruby Montagne is battling for her life in the realm of demons. Unfairly branded for the death of a fellow necromancer, she's got to prove her innocence without the full use of her magic. And the real culprit is still on the loose.

While someone is stalking her friends among the witches, Ruby searches for answers inside the dark intrigues of both the demon and necromancer worlds. Ruby must confront this new, sinister threat while reconciling her feelings for her former lover, a demon warrior. Only it's difficult . . . because a sexy vampire is making it clear that he'd like to be more than just friends.

The competition for Ruby's trust heats up as the enemy pushes her toward a dark side that could threaten the entire realm. Yet what can Ruby do when she's not even sure what she is? With the fabric separating the realms at stake, she must decide whom to trust. But will the ultimate betrayal be her own?

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Review: Destiny by Celia Breslin

Destiny
Release Date: November 3, 2014
Publisher: Champagne Books
ASIN:  B00O6A77FG
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Urban Fantasy

In HAVEN, San Francisco nightclub owner Carina Tranquilli survives a vicious attack by her vampire family’s longtime archenemies. Several weeks later, as she struggles with PTSD and survivor’s guilt, supervillain Dixon resurfaces and kidnaps two of her best friends. To save them, Carina must comply with the evil bastard’s unusual demands. The kicker? She must tell no one what she is up to.

Meanwhile, she has a new dance club to open for the preternatural community, a fated soul mate acting secretive and distant, and a sexy, new, undead friend who’d love to take Alexander’s place in her heart and bed.

Blackmailed, betrayed, tempted…sometimes destiny has a wicked sense of humor.

It seems like I had been waiting FOREVER to read DESTINY and when it finally came I jumped right in.

I am going to jump right in on Carina. Carina has had to deal with A LOT since she found out who she is and who her family really is. I tried to cut her some slack, but I think she made some pretty crappy decisions in DESTINY. I understand the situation and why she kept her secrets, but I think she should have trusted her loved ones a little more and asked for help. She's still mad at her father and refused to speak to or see him even though I think he could have also helped the situation. In fact her friend specifically told her to contact him and she didn't. She should have put her pride aside in that instance. I think it would have saved her (and others) some pain. But alas everything worked out in the end and she will be a stronger person going into book 3. I really wanted Rina to learn more about herself. With all the strife going on in DESTINY and the people around her constantly keeping her in the dark, that just didn't happen. The good news is that I think book three will be dedicated to just this.

There are some issues with Rina and Alexander in DESTINY. Alexander has been ordered away on tour and she could really use him by her side. He becomes distant, she starts questioning things and bam lots goes on on that front. Don't be too sad though.

I think DESTINY was just as well written as HAVEN. I think there was some significant growth happening with the main characters and the world was just as well explained. I was happy with the new characters that were introduced and I'm excited to see what they will bring to future books. Not sure what the future will hold for Rina, but I want to continue the ride.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

New Releases: 11/16-11/22


Mon. Nov. 17th

 Hellish Haven by L.K. Below

Tue. Nov. 18th

 Bound by Ink (Living Ink #2) by Marcella Burnard
 Stolen (Heart of Dread #2) by Melissa de la Cruz, Michael Johnston 
 Superheroes Anonymous by Lexie Dunne

Happy Reading!