Sunday, March 31, 2019

Week in Review: 3/24-3/30



Books Received for Review

Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs

Books I've Read

The Darkness We Crave by Katie Mae
The Light We Seek by Katie Mae
The Storm We Face by Katie Mae
Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs
Ruins of Fate by Jamie A. Waters

Reviews Posted

Nothing this week...

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Promo: Forever Wolf by Maria Vale (@MariaValeAuthor, @SourcebooksCasa)

* Wednesday- Promo: Unbearable Failure by ML Guida (@mlguida2, @RoxanneRhoads)

* Thursday- Q + A: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan (@glitzandshadows, @wednesdaybooks )

* Friday- Interview + Giveaway: Iron Circle by Justin Joschko (@justinjoschko, @RoxanneRhoads )

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?


You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, March 29, 2019

Interview + Giveaway: Iron Circle by Justin Joschko (@justinjoschko, @RoxanneRhoads )

UFI welcomes Author Justin Joschko. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

I really like working in the garden. Summers up here in Ottawa are short, so I start my seedlings indoors where possible. I bought UV lights a couple years ago and set up a small nursery in the basement, which has been a big help. Results are mixed: I had more ground cherries last year than I knew what to do with, but the slugs ate more of my kale than I did and my carrots never grew more than a finger-length. Each year I annex a little more of the backyard for raised beds. Eventually my wife will cut me off, but so far I’ve been getting away with it. Sort of like Germany in the 1930s (note from my agent: please don’t compare yourself to Germany in the 1930s).

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I already mentioned gardening, but during the parts of the year where there’s snow (so the entire year minus six or so weeks), I’m usually reading.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

When it’s done. I usually enjoy reading what I’ve written during the editing process (unless it stinks, which is always depressing). But the initial act of laying words on a blank page is more pain than pleasure, to be honest, a bit like hacking a path through the jungle with a machete. Sometimes you discover things in the undergrowth, though, and that can be exciting.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?

I have three kids and a full-time job, so a writing routine is a luxury I can’t afford. I just sit down when I have a free moment and write as much as I can. I’m fortunate in one respect, though, which is that I actually write best in short bursts. Some writers produce their best work by sequestering themselves and pounding out 10,000 words in 8-hour marathons. I don’t have that kind of stamina. The flips side is I can jump in and out of a manuscript without getting disoriented.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?

I liked Neil Gaiman’s NEVERWHERE and China Mieville’s KING RAT, which are the first Urban Fantasy books that spring to mind. In terms of Paranormal stuff, I’m a huge fan of Stephen King, who was my first and largest motivation for becoming a writer. I also love Shirley Jackson—WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE is one of the greatest literary achievements of the 20th century. Going farther back, I enjoy moody, turn-of-the-century horror writers like Lovecraft and Blackwood. Guys who use words like “eldritch” and “ichor.” You gotta love eldritch ichor.

How would you pitch the YELLOW LOCUST series to someone who has not heard of it before?

A seventeen-year-old street brawler named Selena and her younger brother Simon flee the tyrannical state of New Canaan, carrying with them a data stick containing information on a terrible new weapon. Their goal is the Republic of California on the far side of the continent, which faces imminent destruction if they don’t get the data stick there in time. Along the way are innumerable dangers—slavers, killers, and the ever-present threat of starvation. And New Canaan is never far behind.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that IRON CIRCLE (book 2 of the YELLOW LOCUST series) is set in? 

The story is set about 150 years in the future, and a hundred years or so after society’s collapse. The cause was environmental degradation and global war, culminating in the widespread use of a terrible biological weapon called Yellow Locust.

Quite simply, Yellow Locust is an uberweed: it takes root amongst crops and outcompetes them into oblivion, rendering vast swaths of farmland unusable. Mass starvation followed and populations plummeted. On the eastern coast of North America rose the tyrannical state of New Canaan, a theocracy predicated on its own twisted reinterpretation of the Bible, and determined to spread its influence across the entire continent.

As IRON CIRCLE begins, we join Selena and Simon midway through their journey, in the foothills of the western mountains. Misfortune waylays them in Nuevo Juarez, where the despotic Jefe Thorin has newly seized control. Selena finds herself sold into slavery, and must fight her way free so that she can finish her journey to California and save the beleaguered republic before it’s too late.

Do you have a favorite scene in IRON CIRCLE?

I really enjoy writing fight scenes, and IRON CIRCLE has a few to choose from. There’s also a sort of Spartacus moment near the end, which I really liked writing.

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about? 

The Mayor of Fallowfield is probably my favorite, just in terms of his pompous dialogue and Machiavellian instincts. Selena is tricky to write for, though I’ve gotten more comfortable with her over time. Her stoicism can feel flat if not handled properly. But villains are always more fun to write than heroes, I think.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

Book 3 is in the works, but in the meantime I’ve written a book set in my hometown of Niagara Falls about werewolves. It’s something of a horror story crossed with a police procedural. 
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Justin Joschko is an author from Niagara Falls, Ontario. His writing has appeared in newspapers and literary journals across Canada. Yellow Locust is his first novel. He currently lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.



Find Justin and his books
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Iron Circle
Yellow Locust #2
Amazon
The path west is long, but despite Selena’s progress, New Canaan is never far enough behind her. It was there that her parents were killed, forcing her and her little brother Simon to flee the tyrannical state. Now, New Canaan wants control over every last inch of America-That-Was. Only the Republic of California can stand against it—but not without the data stick in Selena’s pocket, rumored to contain vital information about New Canaan’s deadly new weapon.

As winter closes in, Selena races south in search of an open passage to the coast. She must pass through Nuevo Juarez, where a ruthless leader named Thorin has seized power. Selena runs afoul of Thorin’s men and is separated from her brother, captured, and auctioned off at the city’s thriving slave market.

Her only way out is through the Iron Circle, a fighting ring where the city’s most fearsome warriors pit their skills against one another. As the populace and Thorin watch Selena rise through the ranks, Selena earns a reputation she doesn’t want and the attention of man with the power to destroy her and what’s left of America-That-Was.
 Excerpt:

Selena grabbed her opponent’s left wrist. His skin was hot and clammy, its greasy expanse flecked with patches of flaky, dry crust. Suppressing her revulsion, Selena brought the man’s arm up behind his back and, with modest but steady pressure, eased him to his knees. The man obeyed without struggling. Whatever spirit his disease hadn’t eaten away had been beaten out of him by Thorin’s strongmen. He was defeated before he’d even entered the Iron Circle. The least Selena could do was signal this defeat gently.
She laid him on the ground and pressed his shoulders into the dirt. He seemed to get the message, for when she released him, he stood slowly, nodded at her in uncomprehending thanks, and scuttled out of the circle. She imagined he wouldn’t get far and would likely face his punishment in some other form. There was nothing she could do about that, but at least she wouldn’t be the one providing it. In recognition of this resolve, she stepped back and raised her arms to the crowd, beckoning their ire.
The crowd obliged, hurling incomprehensible epithets and pounding their fists on the railings. Selena ignored them, summoning her inborne Seraphim’s hauteur. She set her eyes instead on the clutch of fighters awaiting their own bouts, scanning for an ideal target. There was no shortage of options, but Selena was choosey. It would have to be someone who appeared unbeatable, and he would have to be among Los Hermanos.
One presented itself almost immediately. The Hermano who’d gestured obscenely at her before the fight was now tapping his friend on the chest with the back of his hand, signaling his derision at the spectacle before him. She scoped the topography of his muscles, sized up his potential speed and power, noted points of weakness: long hair and beard for easy grabbing, an offset knuckle that would weaken his left jab, a peculiar slope to his jaw hinting at an old break. He commanded respect from his peers, which meant he was good—but also meant he was cocky. Selena was good, too, and no one here had seen her fight.


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Thursday, March 28, 2019

Q + A: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan (@glitzandshadows, @wednesdaybooks )


UFI welcomes Author Emily A. Duncan. Thanks for Joining us!!

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have a dark fantasy that I poured 11 years and half a million words into and then scattered other drafts: A space opera about technomagic, a contemporary fantasy about demons, scattered interconnected short stories about a vaguely Soviet Russian world. A lot of my effort was spent on that original dark fantasy, though.

How do you select the names of your characters?

Name generators and google! It sounds haphazard but I have an instinct for names that Feel Right for a character and fit the setting I’m working with; I know them when I see them. Sometimes I end up with something that might be a little unwieldy (Malachiasz, alas), but once it’s set on the character there is no changing it for me.

Do you recall the first ever book you read?

Ever? Lord, no, I have the memory of a goldfish, I can’t remember anything. But I deeply loved Brian Jacque’s Redwall series as a child, it is definitely what sparked my lifelong fascination with monasteries.

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EMILY A. DUNCAN works as a youth services librarian. She received a Master’s degree in library science from Kent State University, which mostly taught her how to find obscure Slavic folklore texts through interlibrary loan systems. When not reading or writing, she enjoys playing copious amounts of video games and dungeons and dragons. Wicked Saints is her first book. She lives in Ohio.

Find Emily and her books
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Wicked Saints
Something Dark and Holy #1
BUY
“Prepare for a snow-frosted, blood-drenched fairy tale where the monsters steal your heart and love ends up being the nightmare.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

“This book destroyed me and I adored it.”- Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
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Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Promo: Unbearable Failure by ML Guida (@mlguida2, @RoxanneRhoads)


Unbearable Failure
Bears of Aria #2
Amazon
He’s on a mission that could destroy his family, but he has to learn the truth. Only his mate is willing to stand by his side.

Vaughn: I won’t rest until I find out the truth.
No matter what––even if it disgraces my father.


Rumors are floating around that my father a decorated captain abandoned his crew on the cruel planet Sutois to save his own skin.

I can’t believe it’s true. He isn’t a selfish coward. Or is he?

But I have another problem. Our women are dying on Aria and we don’t know why.

An Earth woman may have the cure, but she won’t hand it over.

I don’t like kidnapping, but she leaves me no choice.

And she’s my mate.

Sandra Rotella: Everyone thinks I’m a failure. I’m here to prove them wrong.

My mom and stepfather are respected scientists and so far, none of my experiments have worked.

But one.

This is my chance to prove I’m as good as my parents.

An alien is desperate for the formula, desperate enough to kidnap me.

And he tells me we’re fated to be together.

That isn’t logical. He can’t take away my only chance for success.

I’ll fight to get back home.
Excerpt:

Vaughn, the Intrepid’s science officer, reviewed documents on the ship’s computer of his father’s mission on Sutois and there wasn’t a shred of evidence that his father had abandoned his crew on that cruel planet.
The screen turned blurry. He rubbed his tired eyes and exhaled a frustrated breath. He hadn’t had a good night sleep since that day Nucl had accused his father of being a coward.
The door to his quarters buzzed open. Dread crawled up Vaughn’s dry throat.
His older brother and captain, Tash, stormed inside with a scowl. His green eyes were dark and the scar on his throbbing cheek was white. “Why do you have your damn intercom turned off? I’ve been trying to reach you.” His voice was less than pleased, meaning Vaughn was at the bottom of the food chain.
Heat burned on Vaughn’s cheeks and his ears. He immediately turned off his computer. “I’ve been doing research.”
Tash crossed his arms over his chest. “Still trying to prove that Dad was a yellow-bellied coward?”
 His gut tightened. “No. Not at all.”
“Then why do you insist on believing Nucl?” He spun his computer and turned on the screen to reveal the last page Vaughn had been reviewing.
Vaughn winced and avoided his brother’s accusing gaze.
“Dad was a well-respected star ship captain for the United Planet Confederation.” He pounded his fist on the table. “He’s an admiral, for Shade’s sake.”
“I realize that Tash, but I need to know. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
 His brother’s eyes clouded over, and he turned away. “Then, you’re a fool. Nucl was completely mad. He betrayed his own people on Sutois. Feeding our people to the Gogs.”
Nucl’s betrayal had ripped his brother apart, making him doubt his ability to be captain.
Vaughn wanted to believe him, but the hair on the back of his neck itched and cold chills crept down his back. Insanity was just too easy to accept. “Tash, there was nothing you could do.” Vaughn could still remember the screams, the horror, the constant death, and he shuddered.
Tash cast him a lost look, then hung his head. “Dad would have a found a way. I was the captain. I should have way to save my crew.”
Tash never thought he could live up to their dad’s reputation, but he was a better captain than their father had been. “You did everything you could do.”


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Award Winning Author M.L. Guida loves science fiction and the paranormal. From Star Trek to Dark Shadows to Supernatural, she fell in love with things that go bump in the night. But it was the heroes, she loved the best. Whether it's a shape shifter from outer space or a vampire from the past, her wounded heroes always find a way to win the heart of the heroine.

Sign up for M.L. Guida's Supernatural Scroll  Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/6ICXv

Find ML and her books
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Monday, March 25, 2019

Promo: Forever Wolf by Maria Vale (@MariaValeAuthor, @SourcebooksCasa)


Forever Wolf
The Legend of All Wolves #3
Amazon  BN  Apple  IndieBound
Born with one blue eye and one green, Eyulf was abandoned as an infant and has never understood why, or what he is...Varya is fiercely loyal to the Great North Pack, which took her in when she was a teenager. While out on patrol, Varya finds Eyulf wounded and starving and saves his life, at great risk to her own.

Legend says his eyes portend the end of the world...or perhaps, the beginning...

With old and new enemies threatening the Great North, Varya knows as soon as she sees his eyes that she must keep Eyulf hidden away from the superstitious wolves who would doom them both. Until the day they must fight to the death for the Pack's survival, side by side and heart to heart...

The Legend of All Wolves Series:
The Last Wolf (Book 1)
A Wolf Apart (Book 2)
Forever Wolf (Book 3)

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Photo by Eva Qin

Maria Vale is a logophile and a bibliovore and a worrier about the world. Trained as a medievalist, she tries to shoehorn the language of Beowulf into things that don't really need it. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two sons and a long line of dead plants. No one will let her have a pet.


Find Maria and her books
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Sunday, March 24, 2019

Week in Review: 3/17-3/23



Books Received for Review

Shadow Frost by Coco Ma
 Ruins of Fate by Jamie A. Waters

Books I've Read

Vital Found by Kaydence Snow
Devil Forget Me by Karilyn Bentley
Curses and Crowns by L. Danvers
The Devil's Own by K.A. Fox

Reviews Posted

Boundary Broken by Melissa F. Olson (@MelissaFOlson)

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Interview + Giveaway: Immerse by Tobie Easton (@TobieEaston, @RoxanneRhoads)

* Wednesday- Promo + Giveaway: A Phoenix Is Forever by Ashlyn Chase (@GoddessAsh, @SourcebooksCasa)

* Friday- Cover Reveal: Neliem by Clare Di Liscia (@diliclare, @RoxanneRhoads )

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?


You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Cover Reveal: Neliem by Clare Di Liscia (@diliclare, @RoxanneRhoads )



Neliem
Amazon
Half the population of the island of Madera are dead, killed by an unforgiving and indiscriminate plague. Oriana dreams of escaping her life of ruthless cruelty from the people who now rule over those who remain. No telling whom the plague will strike next, Oriana means to find freedom for herself and her people. Drawing strength from ancient tales of her enemy, young Oriana transforms herself from victim to warrior with the help of a mysterious and powerful dagger given to her by a kind and dying boy.  
   
Years later, during her enemy’s betrothal ritual, Ezra, a boy she has never before seen, selects her as his mate. With servitude her only option, Oriana accepts the offer. Whisked away to a seemingly perfect world, Oriana discovers sinister secrets at every turn, including the identity of Tristan, a boy with whom she shares an undeniable but impossible connection.

Why would a boy she doesn’t know wish her to be his betrothed? Why does she feel such a strong pull toward a stranger? Someone in Ezra’s family not only knows the answer to both those questions, but also about the dagger Oriana possesses. He will do anything to stop the union. Now, with everything on the line, Oriana turns inward to find the strength she needs to seize the full power of the dagger so that she may protect herself and save her people.
Excerpt:
Before I clear the field, I realize too late that it’s a trap. I have been herded like a sheep, far from the few scattered homes, toward the deserted cliffside where no one will hear my screams for help. Another boy with flaming red hair stands behind a tree waiting for me; I recognize him from the market. I can smell him, sweaty with a tangy sweetness that can only mean one thing. He’s been eating apples and waiting for some starving girl foolish enough to think she could steal some fruit.
I reach for my dagger, strength pulsating so deeply that I nearly drop it from my sweaty palm. Then, the voice of the boy of my dreams, whispers, “Hold it steady, Oriana. You can do this.”
I tuck all fear down deep within me. Later, I tell myself; later I will worry.


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Born in Queens, New York, Clare Di Liscia moved to California as a small child and grew up in the hills by Dodger Stadium. Constantly roaming the woods, she took to embellishing on the stories of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle Duck to fill her imagination. To her horror she soon realized there was no way to fit a miniature tuxedo on a frog. Fortunately in sixth grade, Clare won a short story contest with the grand prize of fifteen happy meals. She would like to point out that two of those meal tickets were missing by the time her mother handed over her prize. After traveling extensively throughout South America and the Caribbean, Clare attended KU Leuven, in Belgium for University where she studied Dutch and French. Clare graduated from Cal State Northridge Film School, earning Dean’s List recognition with a BA in TV/Film. In 2006 she placed in the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting beating out 4700 other applicants. After joining SCBWI, Clare won 1st place HM in the Sue Alexander for her YA novel, now titled NELIEM.

Find Clare and her books
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Thursday, March 21, 2019

Review: Boundary Broken by Melissa F. Olson (@MelissaFOlson)

Boundary Broken
Release Date: March 19, 2019
Publisher: 47North
ASIN:  B07J6HZC65
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Years ago, boundary witch Allison “Lex” Luther made a promise to an alpha werewolf. Now, just when the supernatural community in Colorado is enjoying a period of hard-won peace, the alpha turns up at Lex’s door to call in his marker. Two of his pack members have disappeared in the Colorado sand dunes, and he needs safe passage to hunt for them.
With her friend Simon Pellar along for backup, Lex ventures into the dunes to search for the missing couple…but what they find is only the opening move in an ambitious assault against those who hold power in the Colorado Old World. An old enemy has returned to tear their peace apart, and Lex is soon embroiled in politics she doesn’t understand, from a time before she had magic.
To save her friends and her way of life, Lex will have to cross every line she’s drawn since learning what she is—and it may still be too late.

I loved getting back to Lex in BOUNDARY BROKEN.

I enjoyed the storyline in BOUNDARY BROKEN. A lot of things are changing in Colorado and BOUNDARY BROKEN seems to be the beginning of those changes. The wolves play a big role in things and I enjoyed seeing them stick up for their pack and help Lex in finding out who was targeting them. 

It's fun to see Charlie a little older. She can talk and interact now and it adds some new aspects to her character and the story. I continue to love Simon and Lily. I always enjoy their involvement in each mystery/event. Quinn didn't do much for me in BOUNDARY BROKEN. Maybe because he wasn't really involved a lot? I wish he was more able to be on Lex's side in situations. You can definitely feel the tension through the pages when he has to distance himself from things. 

I love the whole world that Olson has created with all the series that make up the Old World. I always look forward to each book and I consider them must reads at this point. I will look out for the next book.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Promo + Giveaway: A Phoenix Is Forever by Ashlyn Chase (@GoddessAsh, @SourcebooksCasa)


A Phoenix Is Forever
Phoenix Brothers #3
Amazon  BN  Apple  IndieBound
She didn't see this hot cop coming.

Dawn Forrest is ready for a big change. She's determined to put her criminal past behind her and only use her extraordinary psychic abilities for good from now on.

Luca Fierro is a Phoenix shifter and rookie cop with something to prove. The last person he should tangle with is a newly reformed bad girl, especially one as irresistible as Dawn. But he needs her help to find a missing child, and every minute counts. This case is going to put their skills to the test and force them to keep their sizzling attraction at bay...

Excerpt:

She stepped outside and spotted Luca waving from his car. She strode to it briskly and got in.
“Thanks for meeting me. I need your help.”
“With what?”
“A missing child. You can’t tell anyone else, or it could mess up the investigation.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh no. A missing kid? That’s awful. Boy or girl? How old?”
“A four-­year-­old girl, and there are no leads. We’re trying to find her quickly, before anything worse happens. You can’t tell anyone.”
“I wouldn’t know who to tell, except maybe the cops. But—­oh wait, here you are.”
He smiled at her joke.
“Do you have anything that belongs to her?” Dawn asked.
“No. The detectives would have that stuff. But I’m afraid they won’t consult a psychic.”
“Yeah, I doubt that too, but I need something to go on. Just some way to latch onto her energy.” And, hopefully, see out of her eyes.
“Would it help if you saw her home from the outside?”
“Maybe. Do you know where she lives?”
“She’s actually sort of a neighbor. Her place is around the corner from where I live, but I don’t know the family well.”
“Take me there.”
“This may be tricky. I can’t be seen at or near the house. It might look like I’m interfering with someone else’s investigation.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing?”
“When you consider the first priority is preserving life, I don’t really have a choice. I just have to be careful not to compromise the case. If someone took her and procedure isn’t followed, no matter how guilty he is, the perp could walk away unpunished. That’s the last thing anyone wants. For someone like that to be free to do it again would be a crime in itself.”
“I get it.” Dawn understood what he was saying, and she even knew some people who had gotten off on a technicality—­Ice Spider, for one—­but it seemed cumbersome to follow procedure when a child’s life was at stake.
Luca drove her to his house and gave her the Richardsons’ address around the corner. Dawn couldn’t help but stare at the outside of Luca’s home. The neighborhood was definitely upscale and a far cry from her run-­down area. The four-­story brick building had beautiful wrought iron railings and sconces on either side of the large front door. Clearly, his parents had done well. Or they’d inherited a fortune.
“Remember, don’t look conspicuous,” Luca said as Dawn got out of the car. “The forensics team could still be there gathering evidence.”
Dawn nodded and tucked some loose wisps of her punk pixie hair behind her ears. Not that that would make a difference. They had decided while she was doing her psychic thing outside the missing girl’s house, Luca would change and meet up with her at the Starbucks two blocks away in about half an hour. Dawn had no idea how long it would take, but half an hour would be plenty of time for her to try to get some vibes about the little girl.
---
Luca was tired, but he imagined the detectives on this case weren’t getting much sleep either. Dawn had said she needed something that belonged to the girl. Maybe he could transform again early tomorrow morning after his shift, search for an open window, and fly in to grab something from the girl’s room. The Richardson family had been renting the upstairs apartment of the old Bixby home. The owners had passed away a few years back, and their kids had turned the massive house into three separate apartments. Smart move.
Even though Luca’s dad had inherited their brownstone from his grandfather, who’d inherited it from his great-­grandfather, Antonio complained that the taxes were like paying a mortgage that never ended. Phoenixes could live to be five hundred years old but not in the same place. People got suspicious eventually, so after a good number of years, the house was passed on to the next generation.
Luca hoped Dawn could glean something from the facade of the residence itself—­also without attracting attention. Chances were the detectives had gathered many of the little girl’s things, but if he could fly in and grab a T-­shirt or a toy that could be helpful to Dawn, he’d have to be careful not to be seen. A bird flying around with a stuffed animal in its beak would look pretty weird. Besides, the detectives probably took her favorite toys and recently worn clothing for the K-­9 unit to sniff.
Luca wished he could share his shape-­shifting ability with Dawn. She’d probably understand, right? One weirdo to another. But the stakes were too high. He’d never even told Lisa about it. Now, he was glad he hadn’t. Her father would probably have him committed to the state hospital.
He jogged up the steps to his home and let himself in.
“Luca! I was getting worried,” his mother greeted him. “How was your night, honey?”
“Good, Ma, but I’m on my way out again. I just have to change clothes.”
Gabriella leaned back and studied his face. “So soon? Aren’t you exhausted?”
“Not really. I got a second wind.”
She tipped her head. “Well, I hope you get some rest before you get the wind knocked out of you.”
“I will.” Despite wanting to protest her fretfulness, he kissed her cheek. Then he jogged downstairs to his bedroom in the finished basement.




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Award winning author, Ashlyn Chase specializes in characters who reinvent themselves, having reinvented herself numerous times. With a degree in behavioral sciences, she mainly worked as a psychiatric nurse and Red Cross RN. She’s happily married to her true-life hero husband who looks like Hugh Jackman if you squint.

Find Ashlyn and her books
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Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Monday, March 18, 2019

Interview + Giveaway: Immerse by Tobie Easton (@TobieEaston, @RoxanneRhoads)

UFI welcomes Author Tobie Easton. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

I like to sing around my house—badly and a lot.  My dog judges me.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

When I’m not writing, I’m reading, and when I’m not reading, I’m traveling.  I LOVE travel, so I try to make it a priority.  My favorite thing is exploring new worlds—whether on the page or off.  I also find I get some of the best ideas for my writing when I’m travelling, even if I’m just on a weekend trip.  Nothing leads to new ideas like seeing and experiencing new things.  And as for guilty pleasures? I’ll go with reading fanfiction. Buffy the Vampire Slayer forever and ever (along with a growing new obsession for Supernatural)!

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

Finishing. Ha!  No, in all honesty it’s probably a tie between brainstorming—when all those early ideas start rushing in—and the magic moments during drafting when the characters’ voices completely take over.  It’s a lot of hard work to get to those voicey moments, but they’re the absolute best.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?

I don’t have routines that I absolutely must follow, but I do have a few that make things easier.  I find that sticking to a set schedule really helps me.  I try to write at the same time of day with the same tea and the same music; it helps cue my brain that it’s writing time and gets me in the right mindset.  One tip I learned from Gretchen McNeil that I like a lot is to set a timer for 25 or 30 minutes and write, then take a 10-minute break, then repeat over and over so I’m basically writing in sprints.  That helps me avoid distractions like checking my email or going on social media, because I tell myself I can do those things during the breaks.  I also do a lot of my brainstorming in the bathtub. 

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?

I really like Wendy Higgins, Jessica Spotswood, and Adriana Mather.  They all write unique characters who feel real, richly detailed worlds, and romance that keeps me turning pages.

How would you pitch the Mer Chronicles series to someone who has not heard of it before?

The Mer Chronicles series follows the descendants of the Little Mermaid and offers readers a peek into a world where Mermaids aren’t just real but live secretly among us on land.  It’s a great fit for people who love magic, fairytale retellings, and romance—and, of course, Mermaids!

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the Mer Chronicles is set in?

The first book in the series, Emerge, takes place 200 years after Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.  It adds on to the end of his story—namely by explaining that the Little Mermaid unleashed a curse on all Merkind.  I won’t give too much away, but that curse has led many modern-day Mermaids to live on land in Malibu, California, keeping their true identities secret.  They live in beautiful beach houses with secret, underground grottos and sea caves.  The second book offers readers an opportunity to explore the world under the waves and the third book shows what daily life is like in the ocean’s royal palace.

Do you have a favorite scene in IMMERSE (Book 3 of the series)?

This is so hard to answer without spoilers!  I’ll keep my answer a little vague to be safe.  My favorite scene comes toward the end of the book when my four main characters all need to work together, in spite of their trust issues, to pull off some complex, ancient magic.  I’d worked out the details of that spell—and the twists the characters encounter—when I first plotted out the series (before my agent and I sold the first book to my publisher), so I’d literally had that part in my head for years.  Finally getting to write it was so exciting, and I hope readers love it just as much.  Oh! In addition to that scene, there are a series of shorter scenes at the very end of Immerse that are brief interactions between different pairs of characters. They show a bit about how each character has changed over the course of the series and give hints at what’s in store for each one after that last page, so I really loved writing those, too.

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about? 

My answer to this question changes constantly because the characters in the Mer Chronicles series feel so real to me at this point that I can’t pick an absolute favorite.  But for Immerse, my answer to both your questions is actually the same: Melusine.  Ever since she first appeared as the villain in Emerge, she fascinated me, and by the time I’d delved deeper into her character for Submerge, I was hooked.  I had always liked the idea of exploring her P.O.V., but the prospect of writing from her perspective was intimidating to me at first because, unlike my protagonist who was raised in the human world, Melusine grew up under the waves, and I only wanted to write her if I felt like I could be true to all the details of that upbringing—in everything from her opinions on every issue she encountered to the expressions she used.  By the time I sat down to write Immerse, the third book in the series, I’d been writing in the Mer world for years and I finally felt like I could do Melusine’s P.O.V. justice.  That’s why Immerse is told from two perspectives; it alternates between Lia’s chapters and Melusine’s, which allowed me to explore a lot of new layers of the Mer world this time around.  Her voice is deliciously dark and offers a fun counterpoint to Lia’s bubbly optimism.  I’m SO excited for readers to get to hear directly from Melusine herself!

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

I write what I would most like to read, which means I like to write books that feel magical—whether that feeling comes from magic itself, from beautiful, alluring settings, or from the sparkle and temptation of first love.  I do have a new project I’m working on right now.  I can’t say much about it yet other than that it’s in an opulent new setting that I think will really appeal to my Mer Chronicles readers and that there’s a hefty dose of forbidden love (surprise, surprise). 
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Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she’s grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie hosts book clubs for tweens and teens (so she’s lucky enough to spend her days gabbing about books). She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies.

Find Tobie and her books
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Immerse
Mer Chronicles #3
Amazon
Immerse is the spellbinding and breathless final installment of the Mer Chronicles series where descendants of the Little Mermaid must face deadly magic, shifting alliances, and the dangers of forbidden love.

Lia can’t wait for her parents’ coronation. Now living in the sparkling palace beneath the waves, she sneaks off to Malibu whenever possible to see Clay. Tucked away in an abandoned seaside mansion, Lia and Clay devise a plan to ensure they can stay together forever.

But when an old enemy resurfaces and Lia is restricted to the palace for the safety of all Merkind, she and Clay are ripped apart once more.

She fears not only for Clay, but for her best friend Caspian, who seems to be swimming down a dangerous path. He has invited the conniving Melusine to the coronation ball, convinced she’s capable of change. And no matter how hard Lia fights it, showing up on Caspian’s arm is just the start of Melusine’s insidious return to her life.

With threats Below growing more ominous by the day and a powerful ancient ritual looming, soon the two girls can’t escape each other. As their fates grow increasingly intertwined, Melusine might be the only one who can help Lia find the answers she desperately needs to save everyone she loves and to achieve her happily ever after. But can Lia trust her?
 Excerpt:

I wish Clay were here to see this. The thought flits through my mind again and again. When my family and I swim through the sparkling entrance of the palace, I wish I could grab his hand. As we’re greeted by hundreds of nobles swishing their tails in applause, I imagine the excited words he’d whisper in my ear. And as we start down the center aisle toward the thrones at the other end of the cavernous chamber, I yearn to show him how beautifully this room has been restored since he and I were last here.
Approaching the thrones, we process over an exquisite mosaic made up of abalone, mother of pearl, and troca shell pieces. It takes everything in me to keep my face neutral, to keep my head lifted and my sunbeam crown upright. This is the spot where, not so long ago, Clay risked his life to save mine. I glance around me at the splendor and the celebration. Clay’s sacrifice made today possible, and he’s not even here to see it.





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Sunday, March 17, 2019

Week in Review: 3/10-3/16



Books Received for Review

Devil Forget Me by Karilyn Bentley
The Devil's Own by K.A. Fox

Books I've Read

Air of Darkness by Rose O'Brien
Grave Destiny by Kalayna Price
Wolf Hunted by Sadie Moss
Wolf Called by Sadie Moss

Reviews Posted

Off Planet by Aileen Erin (@aileen_erin , @inkythemonster)

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Promo + Giveaway: Mer Chronicles Books 1 + 2 by Tobie Easton (@TobieEaston, @RoxanneRhoads, @Month9Books)

* Wednesday- Promo + Giveaway: Winter's Web by Jennifer Estep (@Jennifer_Estep)

* Friday- Interview: Blood Lust by L.M. Mountford (@RealDarkinferno, @RoxanneRhoads )


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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?


You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, March 15, 2019

Interview: Blood Lust by L.M. Mountford (@RealDarkinferno, @RoxanneRhoads )

UFI welcomes Author L.M. Mountford. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

I’m afraid my Bio will tell most readers everything they want to know, but I can disclose that I am something of a protégé in the kitchen.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?
 
Well I do enjoy a bit of reading but in my down time I love to game on the Xbox. Unfortunately, I don’t get much downtime.

What is your Favorite part of writing?
 
Coming up with the ideas. I love weaving stories out of air.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?
 
Nope, I just sit down and try to punch out a few words.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?
 
Afraid I don’t read much in the paranormal genre, I’m more the action/historical fiction type. Though I am a lover of Fantasy and particularly George RR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire Series (The inspiration for Game of Thrones, my favorite show of all time!) 

How would you pitch Blood Lust to someone who has not heard of it before?
 
It’s Vampires, Sex and Violence, what more do you need 😉

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Blood Lust is set in? 
 
It’s an Paranormal Reality running Parallel to our own where Vampires live in secret.

Do you have a favorite scene in Blood Lust?
 
Nope, I like it all really. I think it’s a good little introduction to a series, with everything I want out of a book – Sex, Violence and a hint of Mystery.

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about? 
 
My favorite would be Jake from Broken. The hardest, well that would also be Jake.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?
 
Well, I’m afraid most of my projects are now sequels to my currently released stories, the primary being the sequel to my debut, Sweet Temptations. If you haven’t read it, it is available for free - https://claims.prolificworks.com/free/kcCtI

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A self-confessed tiger fanatic, L.M. Mountford was born and raised in England, first in the town of Bridgwater, Somerset, before later moving to the city of Gloucester where he currently resides. A fully qualified and experienced scuba diver, he has travelled across Europe and Africa diving wrecks and seeing the wonders of the world.

He started writing when he was 14. Under the pseudonym Dark Inferno, he has written more than thirty fan fiction stories. When he was 21, he started publishing independently through KDP and Smashwords, continuing Erotica, before switching to dark and contemporary romance.

Sign up to his newsletter and receive weekly updates about his writing progress, cover reveals, public appearances, reviews, and a FREE eBook. That's right, a free book in every email. And, sometimes even chances to win advanced copies of his next book before anyone else. So, subscribe to his mailing list today, and keep up will all his new releases and special deals, exclusive to his inner circle.

Find L.M. Mountford and his books
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Blood Lust
Thirst #1
Amazon Smashwords iTunes Kobo Nook
The Thirst always wins…

Sooner or later, the thirst always wins…

After a thousand years, Lucian had given up any interest in the world. His only concern that night was finding his next drink, preferably from a flavoursome twenty-something with loose morals and no expectations. Then he saw her…

Kate is just a girl from the country, who came to the city with her brother to find a life away from their parents’ car crash. That is until the police came knocking on her door one morning and ripped her new life apart. Now she has nothing and no one, with only one on her mind. Revenge.

When these worlds collide, and the things that go bump in the night come calling, can these two mend the rifts in each other and give them what they need?
Excerpt:

It was time.
The last light of dusk was slipping into inky black and high overhead, through the canopy of clouds and pollution, the heavens have come alive with all the magnificence of the celestial sphere. Thousands of sights no human eye could ever see.
The hour of the wolf, the time of the vampire, had come. The time to hunt, to feed...
I inhaled the backstreet in a breath and a shiver slithered down my spine at the heavy perfume of things that didn’t bare contemplating. Needless to say, it was rank. Human cities often carried a certain pungency about them, so much waste and body odour, pressed together in such tight quarters, left its mark. They had gotten use to the stink and given enough time, even a vampire could adjust. But that place…
Its particular ripeness was absolutely foul.
I pressed on regardless. Lured by that single overpowering aroma that clung to this place. Beneath the stink of shit. Blood. It lead me like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey, teasing my fangs, my mouth watering.
Sooner or later, the thirst always won.   
And I’d left it too long.
The way was dark but up above and all around, the city burned bright. False light. Humanity’s instinctive terror of the dark and all that lurked within, cloaked by darkness, had driven them to harness the power of the sun and turn night into day. Edison’s great folly. The old man had sought to create a warm light for all mankind, warmth and safety for every home. Instead, his invention had made them arrogant. Naive.
Man had grown careless, wrapped in their protective cocoon. So they’d forgotten the perils of the night, the hunters in the shadows and all the things that fed on them when the sun went down.
And had allowed darkness to creep back into their world.
I paused mid-stride. The trail swung off the beaten path and down the mouth of an alley a few meters ahead and i felt the instinctive thrill. I was getting close.
Men. Four of them. All in leather and denim. Huddled so close together that to any passers-by, they looked just like any other a bunch of dudes out smoking, drinking, and whiling away a night on the town. But the smell was on them. Blood and fear. It was old, maybe weeks dry, but they were rank with it. And their eyes were all fixed on the mouth of the alley, waiting.
They’d do. A small smirk tugged irresistibly at the corner of my mouth. It would be so easy.
Though they gave no outward sign of noticing me, their hearts quickened as I walked into the open, the palpitations pulsing through their clothes. Then they all turned and the biggest of the group, a brute of a man with a face like a bulldog and a spider web tattoo etched across his shaved pate, stepped forward. “Hey man!”
Spinning round, I did my best to look surprised as he pushed himself forward and walked towards me. The others fell into step, spreading to his left and right. “H-hi, can I help you?” I said, my voice shaky.
“Yhea,” Spider Web’s stride quickened, moving in for the kill. “Gotta light?” His hand was in his jean’s pocket. No doubt a ploy to make me think he was reaching for his cigarettes. Idiot. He had something there. Its outline was clearly defined against the denim, but it was too long and thin to be anything like a carton of smokes. A flick knife probably. Knife crimes had been on the rise over the last couple of years. Easier to conceal than a firearm, with a considerably lower criminal sentence for carrying one if caught.
They were out of the alley and encircling me, closing in. I pivoted right then left, making a show of trying to watch them all at once, of being afraid to have my back to even one of them. “E-excuse me?”
Just a few steps closer.




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