Interview + Giveaway: Taming Demons for Beginners by Annette Marie (@AnnetteMMarie, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Annette Marie. 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 a slow-burn-romance addict, both in what I read and what I write. I can’t get enough of that irresistible push and pull, that tantalizing will-they-won’t-they teasing. If you enjoy that, you’ll probably love my books.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

I love anything arts and crafts! Aside from writing, I draw, paint, sculpt, and sew. I have an entire room of art supplies and half-completed pieces, plus a bad habit of starting more projects than I have time to finish.

What is your favorite part of writing? 

Starting a new series is my favorite part—meeting new characters and delving into a new world is so exhilarating.

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

I prefer to be on my laptop and reclined in my favorite chair with music on. I start by reading over whatever I wrote the previous day, then I dive right in where I left off. Pretty straightforward. :)

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

So many I could never choose favorites! I recently read the Tainted Accords by Kelly St. Clare and it was a fantastic series. She has a new series coming out really soon and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

How would you pitch Taming Demons for Beginners to someone who has not heard of it before?

Taming Demons for Beginners is packed with adventure, humor, magic⁠—and the unexpected but completely enthralling relationship between a shy bookworm and the lethal demon she accidentally binds into a contract in exchange for...cookies?

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Taming Demons for Beginners is set in?

Taming Demons for Beginners is set in the world of The Guild Codex. In it, a magical community hides just beneath the surface of modern society. Magical people—mythics—join guilds, which both protect and regulate them, ensuring that magic stays hidden from the public. There are a lot of rules—and lots of fun and dangerous ways to break those rules.

Do you have a favorite scene in Taming Demons for Beginners? 

All my favorite scenes are huge spoilers! But I will say they all involve hilarious, heart-pounding, and/or intriguing interactions between Robin and her mysterious demon.

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

I’m continuing down the wild, interweaving roads of the two Guild Codex series, Demonized and Spellbound. Robin, an unlikely demon contractor, and Tori, the feisty human bartender of a magic guild, are delving into deeper and darker adventures with each new book, and I can’t wait to see where they end up next.

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Annette Marie is the author of Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

Find Annette and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Taming Demons for Beginners
The Guild Codex: Demonized #1

Goodreads / Amazon

Rule one: Don't look at the demon.

When I arrived at my uncle's house, I expected my relatives to be like me—outcast sorcerers who don't practice magic. I was right about the sorcery, but wrong about everything else.

Rule two: Don't listen to the demon.

My uncle chose a far deadlier power. He calls creatures of darkness into our world, binds them into service contracts, and sells them to the highest bidder. And I'm supposed to act like I don't know how illegal and dangerous it is.

Rule three: Don't talk to the demon.

All I had to do was keep my nose out of it. Pretend I didn't find the summoning circle in the basement. Pretend I didn't notice the shadowy being trapped inside it. Pretend I didn't break the rules.

But I did, and now it's too late.

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From the author of The Guild Codex: Spellbound comes a new series that will plunge an unprepared young woman into the darkest magic of the mythic world.

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Interview + Giveaway: Immortal Defiance by Laura Maybrooke (@LMaybrooke, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Laura Maybrooke . 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 an accountant. But I swear, I’m not boring! I’m a cake-making, pen-wielding, paintbrush-behind-my-ear type of a gamer girl.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I am also an artist. I have been posting my art online (under a few different names over the years) for more than twenty years now. Easiest place to find my artwork is either at my twitter @LMaybrooke or by visiting Deviantart (https://www.deviantart.com/lauramaybrooke).

I find that my writing and my art hobby support each other very well, because I can bring the story to life.

What is your favorite part of writing?

I think many would find this answer odd, but I love editing. Editing is my favorite part of writing. I know, I know, most people dislike that. But I love editing because that it when the story truly begins to take shape and sheds all the excess under which the diamond hides.

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

I am pretty relaxed about writing. I write whenever I can. I work a fulltime job and have family, which means writing time is in great demand. I have no time to be picky. The only thing is I must always have my music – it helps me to concentrate on the task at hand.

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

Kelly Creagh with the Nevermore series and Nora Roberts (when she writes fun paranormal & fantasy romance) and getting into Sarah J. Maas now.

How would you pitch IMMORTAL DEFIANCE to someone who has not heard of it before?

Immortal Defiance is a slow-burn paranormal fantasy romance, where the lines blur between heroes and villains, and where things are far from what they seem. In its heart is an elven heroine who finds that not all heroes are good… or even alive.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that IMMORTAL DEFIANCE is set in?

The story of Immortal Defiance, a story of friendships, valor, and courage against the backdrop of a freedom war, is set on the medieval-like continent of Caeryn. There’s magic, wizards, talking dragons, ancient castles, and a cure that may be deadlier than the poison.

Do you have a favorite scene in IMMORTAL DEFIANCE?

As a matter of fact, I do, yes. However, telling it here would spoil a huge part of the book, so I will go with one of my other favorites. I have also done a character art picture of this scene and will have it posted for you here. This is where a part of the world’s lore comes into play.

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

I confess to being partial to my dark hero / antihero / villain Krath. He is complex and multifaceted, and I am happy to know others have also found him so. My hardest to write about was Nemnyan, the trusted friend sidekick, but he, too, grew to be a character in his own right as the books progressed.

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

Immortal Defiance is part of a trilogy, the first book. Books 2 and 3 have already been written, and they are currently in the editing stage. My goal is to have both books out in 2020.

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“I live in my own little world. But it’s ok, they know me here.” (Who besides me has this fridge magnet; raise your hand!)

That’s sometimes what it feels like. Who says stories aren’t real? I live in the land of the Midnight Sun and Polar Nights, together with my husband and daughter, and a cast of fantasy characters running around in my head. It’s busy here. Care to stay and chat a while?

Laura Maybrooke is an 80s’ child, who works too much and writes too little, but who’ll never say no to a thrilling romance, a high fantasy adventure, or a cookbook full of delicious treats she’d like to bake one day.

Find Laura and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

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Immortal Defiance
Dulcea's Rebellion #1

Goodreads / Amazon

Some things never die. Hope. Heroes. Defiance.

Things take a strange turn for Dulcea, the elven enchantress turned war heroine and Dragonmistress, when a countryman's betrayal lands her in enemy hands.

As she awaits her execution, a stranger with mysterious powers offers her another chance at life. Will she die here or risk what sinister fate he has in store for her?

Can Dulcea reclaim her rightful place and lead her army once more? Or does Krath, the man who travels the Realm of the Dead as one of its own, prove to be the obstacle that fells her rebellion?

… Or will this immortal vampire warrior turn out to be the best chance she has of defying the ancient evil arising in the west?

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Interview + Giveaway: The Long Night: Blood Will Be Served by M.G. Darwish (@infrangilis, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author M.G. Darwish. 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?

My stories are dark, and if there’s one thing I don’t particularly enjoy, it’s books that are too predictable or often shy away from portraying the darker side of reality. Although what we write is fiction, but I find stories that shy away from horrendous life or death situations to be boring. There was one time where I was challenged to write a “happy” book and ended up with a story of ducks just trying live their lives (but the mother duck was brutalized and killed in front of her own children by a pack of wolves -who then proceeded to kill all the children). Recently, I was asked on Twitter why all my stories are dark, to which I responded with: “Tragedy and calamity bring the best in us -I believe, a candle will only shine its brightest in the dark.”

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I love to read -obviously- books and random articles about ancient civilizations and old pantheons and try to get the reasoning behind every statement and law that was used. Aside from that, I really just enjoy working on stories (some of which do not see the light of day, and just remain in my folders). 

What is your favorite part of writing?

It has to be the outlining process. That is where I generally plan the twists and turns in the story and sometimes it gets so.. tedious that in order to pull off the plot twist, the story has to ease readers into it. There's just something about outlining that I absolutely love. That is what writing is all about, and if done correctly, it all builds up and creates one hell of a world for readers to delve into.

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

I light a few candles, close the lights, connect my laptop to my giant TV and my 'writing' chair (it has bluetooth speakers on the back and it vibrates!). There are also two types of writers, those who can only write when listening to music, and those who can write in absolute silence. If you're the latter, congratulations, I hate you, you magnificent ******.

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

I actually don't read a lot of Urban Fantasy, but I'd mention the Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare as being one of my top reads recently. I tend to enjoy dark fantasy (The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, and the Witcher Series).

I'm currently reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas as well (I'm at Heir of Fire) and plan to go on a reading sabbatical pretty soon and finish the entire series.

How would you pitch The Long Night (Fortier Series) to someone who has not heard of it before?

I wrote Fortier for many reasons, one of which was the growing misrepresentation of true vampire origins nowadays. It portrays the darker side of vampires, in how vicious and deadly they could be. It's definitely not for the soft-hearted as one reader found out and couldn't finish the book.

It is definitely not the usual "vampire" take and forces readers to forget any preconceived notions of vampires, this can be a different take on vampire mythology all-together. What makes it so exciting (for me at least) is how the bulk of the cast are as ancient as they can be. For example, the main character has lived during the times of the Roman Empire and the Fall of Carthage. So if you enjoy a bit of history, this is definitely one read you'll enjoy.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that The Long Night (Fortier Series) is set in?

It takes place in modern Texas. Vampires have lived for almost as long as humans deep underground after the Salem Witch Trials, they are families, ruling hierarchies. They trade, and buy just as any mortal would do.

Nearly all historic events and civilizations have influenced the world of today, as most characters have deep roots in history as they have lived it. There are also ground rules set by the Elders for all vampires to follow, one of them forbidding the supernatural from contacting the natural world. Yet within every society, there are rebels and mischiefs as much as there are those who live and honor the rules.

Do you have a favorite scene in The Long Night?

There was one scene in particular that sparked the entire concept of the book in my head. I knew that whatever happened, I just had to reach that point in particular. I can't really mention what it is, but the combination, tension, and conflict of power around just one table was thrilling to write.

You hear stories how authors kill their darlings, and to me this scene was a prime example of such practice. When I first wrote that scene, it was just like I imagined it (I avoided writing it in advance, to serve as a motivation to continue writing) but in the grand scheme of things, it just fell short. It was hurting the plot more than it was helping and that is why I completely rewrote it to the point where I couldn't recognize it -being my favorite scene to write- but all in all, it was for the greater good.

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

You would imagine it would be Alfred, the main character but no. It was Dave. An insecure, dimwitted but kind writer who had a death wish. I loved writing his character and the growth and impact that he had on the story almost demanded that I write something exclusive to him.

The hardest character to write for was -ironically- the main character Alfred, and not just because he scared the heck out of me. In terms of writing, you have to avoid writing overpowered characters; that is a sacred law. A character without weakness is just lazy writing... or is it? There are so many things you can do with a character like Alfred, so what if he's the Strongest? What sense of danger would he be in? Can he be everywhere at the same time? Those are some of the questions I had to answer when writing the book.

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

I have another series called "Titanlord" which was my first real project. Book 1 is out right now, and currently, I'm in the process of finishing the first draft of book 2. Meanwhile, I've already started outlining the next installment of Fortier. I do have a working title, but I think a better announcement here would be the first few words that open the next book:

You are your father's son.

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M.G. Darwish is an award nominated author who writes dark, twisted and action-packed fiction. He tries his best not to base his characters on anyone he knows in real life to avoid that extra weird conversation about how they were brutalized and killed in the book. Oh and he’s terrified of a penguin uprising more than ghosts and demons.

He is best known for his Secret of the Moonlight which was featured on Wattpad.

Find M.G. Darwish and his books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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The Long Night: Blood Will Be Served
Fortier #2

Goodreads / Amazon

The Vampire Alfred, is known as the Fortier. Vicious, renowned and feared.

Alfred Zeidan is proclaimed Fortier, the Strongest amongst the vampires. After ending a century old feud between the two most prominent vampire houses, he sets out to rid his race of a shadow that has long haunted them.

The Elders have been the deciding factor in the fall of so many civilizations that date back to Carthage and the Romans. So many have fallen to them, but now Alfred as the Strongest takes on this challenge.

No one has ever considered a world without the Elders running it, would it spread chaos in the Underground? Or will it shift the balance of the supernatural completely? One thing is for certain: Alfred intends to see this through. Will he succeed? Or will succumb as those before him?

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Interview + Giveaway: Beasts of the Frozen Sun by Jill Criswell (@JillCriswell, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Jill Criswell. 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’ve always been captivated by heroes and heroines from sci-fi and fantasy stories, and it’s shaped some of the most important decisions in my life. I was determined to travel the world after watching Indiana Jones movies as a kid. I starting working out and took martial arts because it made me feel more like my favorite female warriors—Ripley, Sarah Connor, Valeria (from the Conan series). I started writing because I wanted to make my own characters and stories that were like the ones I loved. 

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I read a lot, especially young adult fantasy (currently reading The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen, and loving it). I try to work out every day to stay in shape. I hang out with my husband and my daughter, and if I have any extra time, I like to binge-watch shows (currently catching up on season 6 of The 100).

What is your favorite part of writing?

When something surprises me! Sometimes I think I know what’s going to happen in my story, and then my characters go off-script or something I never planned for drops in like a bomb. Once a writer creates a world and characters, they really do take on a life of their own.

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

It often depends on the scenes I’m writing. Usually I need music that fits the scene’s mood. Sometimes the words come easily and I write straight through for hours, sometimes I take lots of breaks to mull over details and plot points. I have a convertible desk, so sometimes I stand up to write and sometimes I sit down. Sometimes I drink hot coffee, sometimes cold coffee. Whatever keeps me writing is what I do. 

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

For urban fantasy, I love Karen Marie Moning, Ilona Andrews, and Sarah Fine. For high fantasy, I love Juliet Marillier, Jacqueline Carey, Leigh Bardugo, and Sabaa Tahir. Recent books that knocked me off my feet are The Fever King by Victoria Lee, The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty, and The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.


How would you pitch BEASTS OF THE FROZEN SUN to someone who has not heard of it before?

Beasts of the Frozen Sun is a young adult fantasy inspired by Viking invasions in Ireland. It's about Lira, a chieftain’s daughter with the power to read a person's soul, who saves Reyker, a foreign invader sent to attack her village. Despite being from enemy nations, they begin to care for each other. But Lira’s father and Reyker’s warlord will do anything to keep them apart, forcing them to choose between loyalty and love, between the fates of their countries and the desires of their hearts.


Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the FROZEN SUN SAGA is set in?

Glasnith (based on ancient Ireland) is an island nation divided into villages ruled by chieftains, the patriarchs of powerful clans. In every clan, one female magic-bearer is born each generation—the Daughters of Aillira—to help protect Glasnith in the name of the True Gods. Glasnith has a bloody history of wars between gods and men that ravaged the lands a thousand years earlier.

When a tribe from the Frozen Sun (based on ancient Iceland) invades, Glasnith’s clans turn on one another, and the island falls into chaos. Blood spills, gods walk the earth once more, and a new war between mortals and immortals begins that threatens to destroy Glasnith and its people.

Do you have a favorite scene in BEASTS OF THE FROZEN SUN?

There’s a scene where Lira winds up a hostage of one of Reyker’s arch enemies. It’s very cinematic and has a great mix of all the things I love to write—an action-packed emotional battle scene, followed by romantic confessions and a bit of kissing. There’s a lot of meaning packed into a handful of pages, and I had a great time writing it.   


Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?
It's hard to choose between Lira and Reyker. Lira starts out an idealist, but as the people she cares for die or betray her and the gods she worships use her as a pawn in their schemes, her character gets darker and darker. Reyker has already hit rock bottom, and his journey is about clawing his way back to redemption, with many setbacks and relapses along the way. Both of them are flawed and struggling through tragedy and trauma, which made it fascinating to write from their points of view.

Lira’s father, Torin, was the most difficult to write because he’s neither a hero nor a villain, but has aspects of both. He wants power and status, but in his mind, it’s a required tool to protect his people. He does horrible things to achieve this power, but he thinks the ends justify the means. I wanted him to be monstrous, but still sympathetic and honorable, and that was a hard line to straddle.


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

Right now, I’m focused on promoting Beasts of the Frozen Sun and finishing up work on the sequels (which should be released in 2020 and 2021, respectively). But I do also have a draft of a Hindu-inspired young adult fantasy sitting on my computer, just waiting for some attention, so I’m hoping to polish that up and make it my next book project.

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Jill Criswell is a writer of Young Adult Historical Fantasy. She was born and raised in the swamps of northeastern Florida. She earned degrees in English and Psychology and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida. Her greatest passion, besides reading and writing, is traveling the world; she's visited fifty countries across six continents, falling in love with places like Iceland, Namibia, and Cambodia. She works as a university English teacher and lives in South Carolina, near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and daughter (who is named after a volcano in Iceland).

Find Jill and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Beasts of the Frozen Sun 
Frozen Sun Saga #1

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Burn brightly. Love fiercely. For all else is dust.

Every child of Glasnith learns the last words of Aillira, the god-gifted mortal whose doomed love affair sparked a war of gods and men, and Lira of clan Stone knows the story better than most. As a descendant of Aillira and god-gifted in her own right, she has the power to read people's souls, to see someone's true essence with only a touch of her hand.

When a golden-haired warrior washes up on the shores of her homeland--one of the fearful marauders from the land of the Frozen Sun--Lira helps the wounded man instead of turning him in. After reading his soul, she realizes Reyker is different than his brethren who attack the coasts of Glasnith. He confides in her that he's been cursed with what his people call battle-madness, forced to fight for the warlord known as the Dragon, a powerful tyrant determined to reignite the ancient war that Aillira started.

As Lira and Reyker form a bond forbidden by both their clans, the wrath of the Dragon falls upon them and all of Glasnith, and Lira finds herself facing the same tragic fate as her ancestor. The battle for Lira's life, for Reyker's soul, and for their peoples' freedom has only just begun.

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Interview + Giveaway: Demon in the Whitelands by Nikki Z. Richard (@NikkiZRichard, @RoxanneRhoads, @Month9Books)

UFI welcomes Author Nikki Z. Richard. 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 have a ragdoll kitty named Audrey Hepburn. It’s the perfect name for her. She’s prim and prissy but has a heart of gold.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I love music! I’m a musician, and I play bass and sing in a pizza-punk band, Infinite Pizza. A lot of free time goes to that. And binge-watching anime series on my iphone.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

My favorite part of writing is the excitement and relief I feel when I’ve completed any 1st draft. I’m a huge nerd, and editing/revising is super enjoyable to me. The actual writing-down-the-words process is always so much work for me. My mind is constantly going, and I’m like a child when it comes to sitting down and writing

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

Most definitely. I can never write inside my house. There are far too many distractions and I’m not disciplined enough to focus in the vicinity of a television. I either find a place to write outside or hole up inside a coffee shop. I also have to be listening to music. I honestly don’t know how to write without a soundtrack.

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

Octavia Butler is by far my favorite author. She’s the first African-American woman to come to international fame as a science-fiction writer. In Dawn, the first book in her Xenogenesis trilogy, Butler explores such progressive queer themes. In Parable of the Sower, Butler imagines a dystopic future not-too-far from where we are in America now, and preaches the inevitability of change. She even wrote a vampire novel, Fledging, which should tickle the heart of any gothic literature lover.

How would you pitch Demon in the Whitelands to someone who has not heard of it before?

At its core, Demon in the Whitelands is about sixteen-year-old Samuel trying to reconcile his father’s religious piety with the ugliness and disparity he sees in the world. When he ends up becoming the caretaker of a “demon girl” by the mayor of Haid, he finds himself in a dangerous game of power, violence, and control. If you’re into YA dystopian literature with sensitive characters, queer themes, and a bit of gore, Demon in the Whitelands might be right for you.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Demon in the Whitelands is set in?

Demon in the Whitelands is set in a dystopic future where exceptional sciences have been banned and all religions have been consolidated into one, the Holy Roots. The story takes place in Haid, a lumber town in the heart of the Whitelands, where it’s notorious for it’s cold climate and snows nearly 10 months out of the year.

Do you have a favorite scene in Demon in the Whitelands?

Early on in the novel, there is a scene where Samuel catches and kills a deer caught in a     ground snare. Feeling sympathy for the animal, he thinks about Zei, and what it means to be held captive. He also contemplates his own weakness, and wonders if he will ever measure up to his father’s standards. It’s a quiet scene, but (to me) it’s probably one of the most authentic scenes in the novel.

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

My favorite (and most difficult) character to write about is Zei. They are a genderless humanoid being with uncanny strength, predator-like eyes, a missing arm, and mysterious scars covering their body. Zei is so interesting, particularly because they don’t have a voice: the ability to speak. That fact also makes it so hard to write about Zei. How do I read intention, feeling, and thought into a character who literally has no voice? I’m hoping to do far more exploring of Zei’s origins in the sequel.


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

My biggest upcoming project is a new-adult queer dystopian novel that’s sort of     a hybrid between Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Naomi Alderman’s The Power. I’m also working on the sequel to Demon in the Whitelands!

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Nikki Richard is a sensitive queer writer with moods and coping mechanisms. An MFA graduate from the University of Baltimore, she lives in the city with her hot wife, amazing daughter, and fluffy cat.


Find Nikki and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook
 

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Demon in the Whitelands
Amazon

Sixteen-year-old Samuel, son of devout cleric, has endured shame and prejudice his entire life. Although he is destined to become clergy too, he longs for an ordinary life in the whitelands away from demons and holy roots.
When the mayor claims to have captured a mute demon girl, Samuel is forced to become her caretaker. But as Samuel gets to know the prisoner, he finds her not to be very demonlike. Instead, she is intelligent, meek, and an exceptional artist. Despite her seeming goodness, some more concerning things cannot be explained. Samuel is hard-pressed to reconcile her uncanny strength and speed, missing arm, ambiguous gender, and the mysterious scars covering most of her body.

Samuel forms a deep attachment to the girl with predator eyes and violent outbursts, against his father’s advice. Their friendship could turn into something more. But when Samuel discovers the mayor’s dark intentions, he must decide whether to risk his own execution by setting her free or watch as the girl is used as a pawn in a dangerous game of oppression, fear, and murder.

 Excerpt:

After a while, the buck quieted its struggle. It panted wildly, its dark tongue hanging out the crack of its mouth. Samuel got to his knees, drawing closer. The deer twisted its neck in horror, its dark eyes watching him. They were wide and black. The eyes of prey.
Samuel reached inside his jacket and got the knife.
“It’s okay,” he said softly as he straddled the deer’s torso, making sure to fully secure him underneath his legs. The buck’s muscles twitched, but the creature could do nothing. How had the girl felt when she’d been caught in the bear trap, iron teeth snapping into her leg? Like the buck? Did she think she’d be free? Somehow, he couldn’t picture her as a deer. She was more like a scrappy wolf cub.
Or a demon.

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Interview + Giveaway: Helix by Mary Ting (@MaryTing, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Mary Ting. 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 used to teach kindergarten for almost twenty years. I stopped when I decided to become a full-time writer. I wrote my first book Crossroads when my grandmother passed away to heal the loss of her. I based it on dreams I had in high school. I never wanted to be an author. It just happened.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I love to watch movies and TV series with my husband. If we’re not going out as a family then we sit and TV binge for several hours. I also love to travel. I’ve been on eight cruises.

What is your favorite part of writing?

My favorite part of writing is the escape, when I get to be any character. Male or female. I can be mean or nice. I can create any world I want.

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

I get everything done first—make phone calls, run errands, feed the dog, send kids off to school, start dinner, and then I sit by the window with Mochi, my dog, next to me and I start typing. I can’t have distraction. I can get through a chapter faster that way

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

Alexandrea Weis (Blackwell, Death by the River, and Realm), Sarah J. Mass, and Jennifer Armentrout.

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

ISAN series is dystopian/science fiction novel. What destroyed us (the meteors) also gave us the high-tech. It’s fast-paced story with lots of action and dash of romance. It’s about friendship, loss, family, learning and growing of oneself, and kick-butt girl assassins. With each book, the world expands, and the readers will learn what it means to be resilient with Ava, the protagonist.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the ISAN series is set in?

The series is set in the future. 
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into four quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.

Do you have a favorite scene in Helix, book 2?

There are too many. LOL.  But one that sticks out to me is the masquerade ball. Elegant gowns and tons of action.

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

Ronin Witch is coming out in the fall 2020 with Vesuvian Books, based on Japanese mythology. If you like fairytale retelling, Jaclyn and the Beanstalk is currently out. The story is set in the 16th century that weaves religion, magic, and monsters.

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International Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Mary Ting writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers all over the world. Her books run a wide range of genres and her storytelling talents have won her a devoted legion of fans and garnered critical praise.

Becoming an author happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she had in high school. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, Mary retired from teaching after twenty years. She also had the privilege of touring with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book: No Bullies Allowed.

Mary resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two little dogs, Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry.

Find Mary and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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Helix
International Sensory Assassin Network #2

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 Alliances are forming. The resistance is growing. Everything is about to change.

With her memory still fragmented, Ava returns to the International Sensory Assassin Network (ISAN) to find the twin sister she never knew she had.

But as Ava hunts for information, she finds herself tangled in a web of yet more lies and conspiracy. The Helix serum may not be required to access her superpowers, and the number of male assassins—previously considered too volatile to tolerate Helix—is growing in every territory.

The more Ava uncovers, the more of a threat she becomes to ISAN. Her only salvation may be to join the rebels—if she isn’t killed first.

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Interview + Giveaway: The Ghost Seekers by Devon Taylor (@devontwrites, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Devon Taylor. 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?

    Hmmm. That’s a good question. I talk about being a dad a lot, and I talk about my love for heavy/fast/loud music a lot, both of which are things that people don’t automatically assume about me. Let’s go with the fact that I’m a budding home cook. Over the past few years I’ve gotten the chance to really teach myself some great techniques in the kitchen, and one of my favorite things to do is to put on some punk rock and make a good meal for my family.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

    Whatever free time I get is usually spent with my kids or my wife or both. And if I have some time just to myself that doesn’t involve writing or reading books, I try to spend it catching up on TV shows or movies. For instance, I’ve been wanting to watch Supernatural for years now, and I’m still about, uh, fourteen seasons behind, so....

What is your favorite part of writing?

    Definitely the escape. Writing, like reading, is one of those things that allows you to escape into your own head for a while. With reading, you’re given a roadmap and some descriptions, and your imagination takes over, filling in the rest. With writing, you’re the one who’s in charge of creating that roadmap, transcribing the story that’s unfolding in your head. And I think the best part is that no one will ever truly understand what that story looks like to you, just like you’ll never truly understand what it looks like to them. Everybody carries around their own version of the same story, including the person who created it.

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

    I’m not really a ritualistic writer. As long as I have my laptop and some coffee, I’m usually good to go.

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

    Anybody who knows me knows that I’m a huge Stephen King fan, which probably sounds like a cliché but it’s one hundred percent true. The Dark Tower series is a pinnacle for both those genres, I think. I’ll also say that one of my absolute favorite books from the last couple years is The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert.

How would you pitch The Soul Keepers/The Ghost Seekers to someone who has not heard of it before?

    The elevator pitch for the series that I always gives is kind of like this: A paranormal fantasy about a young man who dies in a tragic car accident and immediately emerges in the afterlife, where he’s led to a massive seafaring vessel called the Harbinger, the crew of which are tasked with gathering the souls of the dead and bringing them back to the ship for protection from soul-eating monsters and, more recently, a demon who’s after something far more powerful than just the souls the crew of the Harbinger are sworn to protect.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that The Soul Keepers/The Ghost Seekers is set in?

    Both books toggle back and forth between our world (the living world) and an alternate plane of existence that is essentially the afterlife. It looks like an endless ocean but it’s referred to as a river. This is where the Harbinger, a massive, city-size ship, sails and where the souls of the dead are brought for protection. At the beginning of the second book, though, (spoilers, if you haven’t read The Soul Keepers yet) the Harbinger has been sunk. So most of The Ghost Seekers takes place in the living world, following what’s left of the stranded crew as they try to get back to the ship and save the souls that are still trapped there.

Do you have a favorite scene in The Soul Keepers/The Ghost Seekers?

    I have many favorite scenes, but I think the one that tops the list comes about three quarters of the way through The Ghost Seekers and is basically just one massive spoiler. So I won’t go into too many details, but it’s a really amazing convergence of a lot of the elements in the story and introduces a character who is also one of my favorites of the series.

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

    I don’t know that any of the characters were necessarily difficult to write about. I think one of my favorite characters in the books, though, is the villain, Urcena. She’s evil just for the sake of being evil, and even though she ultimately has a purpose behind her actions, she enjoys doing what she’s doing in a way that makes her delightfully chaotic.

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

    Right now I’m working on a novel that’s a little more grounded in reality but has a lot of urban fantasy elements, along with some elements of sci-fi and horror, and so far I’m totally in love with it. Hopefully you’ll be seeing that sometime soon.

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Devon Taylor was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two daughters. His day job consists of sneaking around the house with ninja-like stealth to avoid waking up his kids. When not writing, reading, or tediously typing out text messages with all the correct spelling and punctuation, he spends his time with his family. THE SOUL KEEPERS is his debut novel.

Find Devon and his books

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The Ghost Seekers
The Soul Keepers #2

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“A fantastic high-stakes adventure on a ghost ship sailing forever into eternity, where every soul is (literally) worth fighting for—what’s not to love?” —Rin Chupeco, author of The Bone Witch and The Girl from the Well, on The Soul Keepers

There are worse things than death.
The Harbinger is lost, sunk to the bottom of an otherworldly sea. Every soul that ever died and was protected within its hold has been lost along with it. But at least that precious cargo is out of reach of the demon Urcena and her army of soul-devouring monsters.
For now.
The soul keepers are broken, scattered, and barely clinging to existence without their ship or any way to collect or protect the souls of the newly dead. If they are to have any hope of stopping Urcena’s horrifying plans to destroy the fragile balance between living and dead, they will first have to survive long enough to locate the ghost of one of their own, who sacrificed himself to save the rest of the crew.
Devon Taylor’s cinematic and pulse-pounding duology comes to a thunderous conclusion in The Ghost Seekers.

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Interview + Giveaway: Altered by Vicki Stiefel (@VickiStiefel, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Vicki Stiefel. 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 was the first person in my extended family to get a tattoo. I now have seven—I get them because I love them and also for each book published. The tattoo on my hand—my most popular—is often remarked upon by strangers. love it, but who knew others would?

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

Climbing mountain peaks and soaring in hang gliders. In my dreams. Rather, I read, play with my pup, knit, fly fish, drink wine while watching Stranger Things, and occasionally scuba dive (this one’s real).

What is your favorite part of writing? 

I love to edit because because the words I need to massage and refine are already on the page. All of which is easier than creating words from thin air. And yet, if truth be told, my favorite part of writing is my first draft. Why? Because I get to meet new people and explore new worlds, even if that sometimes feels harder than lifting the Titanic from the ocean floor. Yup, first drafts are both terrifying and thrilling. And who doesn’t want to be terrified and thrilled?

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

I write every day. Even if the writing’s lousy. Even if I stumble over every other word. Even if it’s frustrating as hell. Because just like with tennis or skiing or golf, muscle memory comes into play. The routine keeps me writing-fit. And, yes, the discipline works, even if occasionally I have to toss a bunch of words away.

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

 Number one fave is Grace Draven’s Radiance. I love all her writing, in fact. I also love books by Ilona Andrews, Amy Harmon, Thea Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Jeaniene Frost, and many others. Add to the pile Nalini Singh, Anne McCaffrey, and many more.

How would you pitch ALTERED to someone who has not heard of it before? 

Mashup Pitch: ALTERED is a combination of Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series (for the romance and symbiont animal/human relationships) and Anne McCaffrey’s Pern/Dragon series (mistrals fly, though they don’t breathe fire), with a healthy dose of Outlander travel (parallel world travel) and romance (Rafe and Kit sizzle).

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

Eleutia is Earth, but not. Rather it’s a parallel world unknown to Earthly humans. Though much is similar to our Earth—weather, topography, etc.—humans, creatures, and lifestyles on Eleutia evolved very differently. Clans exist throughout the world, ones that are human, but with their respective animal counterparts or symbionts.

Scientists (Alchemics) control Eleutia, but that control is near invisible unless someone steps out of line. So laseblasters, hovercraft and other high tech gear exist, but so do flying horses (mistrals), a Clan of cast outs, and semi-human goddarts with delay arrows within a society that’s primarily agrarian/trade. Only the Alchemics are allowed to invent technology, and they parse it out in small doses, while they forbid the use of any but Small Magics.

But darkness is slowly blanketing Eleutia—but 20 percent of all births are female—the human species on Eleutia dying out.

Do you have a favorite scene in ALTERED?

Gosh, I have so many favorites, but if I have to pick, I’d say the climax. Kit chooses, and I’m hoping Kitlyn’s choice pleases, surprises, and thrills readers.

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

I’ve got seven other novels. As I write a novel, their characters are my favorites. But looking back, I’d say Kitlyn because of her circus days and her premise—how does a middle-aged woman react to being in her own new and younger body? Kit’s pretty together, but she’s also a stranger in a strange land. Kit challenged me in many ways, and the more complex she became, the more I loved her.

What about the hardest to write about?

Rafe, Kit’s love in Altered. I’m always most comfortable writing brooding, isolated, and tortured heroes. While Rafe has his problems, he’s a man who fits his life and is comfortable with it. He’s a good guy, and the test for me was making him as fascinating as my broody-moody heroes. I figure readers will tell me if I’ve succeeded.

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

Many! I’m currently writing Changed, the second book in the Made Ones Saga. I’ve said it will be out in 2020, but if I get it done sooner… I’m also mind-mapping the third book in the series, as well as writing a novella for the saga. Last, but definitely not least, I’m working on Chest of Fire, the fourth book in my Afterworld Chronicles.

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Vicki's fantasy romantic suspense series, The Afterworld Chronicles, launched with Chest of Bone, followed by Chest of Stone and Chest of Time. She is currently pounding the keys on her series' fourth novel, Chest of Fire, and the first in a new series, The Made Ones Sags: Altered.
Her mystery/thrillers include Body Parts, The Dead Stone, The Bone Man, and The Grief Shop, a Daphne du Maurier prize winner. All feature homicide counselor Tally Whyte. All are available as ebooks.
She co-wrote (with Lisa Souza) and photographed the 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters. With her late husband, William G. Tapply, she ran The Writers Studio workshops in creative fiction.
Vicki taught fiction writing and modern media writing at Clark University.
She loves both a well-crafted sentence and unlocking the doors of a student's imagination.
She grew up in professional theater and planned to become an actress, with a bent for song and dance. She didn't. Instead, she's been a professional photographer, a high-school teacher, a hamburger slinger, a scuba-shop manager, and an editor.
She's Blake's and Ben's mom, her favorite role of all.
Her passions include scuba diving and fly fishing and knitting; photography and movies; vinho verde and bourbon (not together!); Maine lobster and chocolate (also not together!); and musical comedy scores, which she sing in the shower, unfortunately not an Equity venue; and a fascination with people in all walks of life. .

Find Vicki and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Altered
The Made Ones Saga #1

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    The Eleutians are dying out, one female at a time. To save their species, the powerful Alchemic Clan conscripts women from parallel worlds, altering them into the perfect breeding stock.

    Kitlyn, a retired circus equestrian broken in both body and spirit, awakens on a strange world in her own much-younger body. She has been transformed into a Made One, but the gift of youth and the promise of a new life come at a terrible price.

    Rafe, the Wolf Clan’s warrior champion, vows to find the cause of the species’ decline. He’s certain the Alchemics’ bid to save the Eleutians is but a thin veneer masking a dark purpose.

    That vow becomes hard to keep with the threat of an inter-clan conflict and the arrival of the proud Made One named Kitlyn.

    To save herself and those like her, Kit must carve a dangerous path in this new reality and make a choice that may cost her her freedom, her life, and the life of the Eleutian warrior she’s come to love.

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Interview + Giveaway: Midnight’s End by Jill Ramsower (@JRamsower, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Jill Ramsower. 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 do all my own graphics—teasers, banners and ads. I’ve spent many an hour watching YouTube videos learning how to work photoshop. It was a pain in the rear, but now that I’ve caught on, I love having that creative freedom to make certain my graphics accurately represent the feel of my novels.


What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

Down time? Ha! The life of an indie author rarely allows for down time. If I did happen to have time to kill, I would read or do crafts. I also love traveling, so even if I’m not on the go for a book signing, I plan trips for fun as well.


What is your favorite part of writing? 

The plotting/planning! I love crafting the story, figuring out what twists and turns will unfold. I am a big plotter, so by the time I get to writing, I’ve envisioned the story all the way through and can struggle with getting distracted by the next story.


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

Not really. I get my best work done early in the morning, so I’ll sneak into my office and write in my pajamas before the rest of the house is up.


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

My all-time fave is the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. Her work inspired me to write The Fae Games books, and I aspire to write as well as she does. I also love: Amelia Hutchins’ The Fae Chronicles, Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey, Karen Lynch’s Relentless series, anything Kresley Cole, Sarah J. Maas, or Cassandra Clare—really I could go on and on.


How would you pitch The Fae Games Series to someone who has not heard of it before?

The Fae Games books are urban fantasy meets contemporary romance—all the action and intrigue that comes with magic, paired with just the right amount of angst and passion. The most important component of these books is the characters, which is why they are the primary focus. Rather than excessive world-building or drawn-out action sequences, I write realistic characters who will become tangible to the reader. Some you will come to love, and some you will hate—in Midnight’s End, you’ll learn some characters stand solidly in both categories.


Can you tell us a little bit about the world that The Fae Games is set in? 

The books are set in modern-day Belfast, and at times, the world of Faery. The portals between worlds have been closed for centuries, and the existence of the Fae is unknown to humans. Only a handful of Fae are allowed to cross over to Earth, and they keep their powers a secret. The wild, uncivilized Unseelie caste of Fae are never allowed on Earth or on Seelie Lands, which begs the question—what would happen if they did manage to escape their containment?


Do you have a favorite scene in Midnight’s End?

I guess I’d say the cave scene where Knight and Morgan have been drinking. It was light and flirty, and I loved their interaction.


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

I think Morgan and Knight in Midnight’s End have been my favorite, perhaps because I’ve gotten to know them so well through their appearances in the other books. I loved showing a different side to each of them and giving them shape. Cat in Born of Nothing was definitely the hardest to write about. I knew my readers would probably be upset that she went through such a harrowing trial, but that was her path as I saw it in my mind. I had to be true to her story.


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

I recently announced that I will be setting aside fantasy romance for the moment and doing a mafia romance series that I’m super excited about. I was lucky enough to be invited to the Shameless Book Con in October, so I’ll get the first book in the new series out just before the event. 

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Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s an attorney, travel junkie, and voracious reader.

Find Jill and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Midnight's End
The Fae Games #5
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Sorceress, enchantress, deceiver, murderer—I’ve been called all those and more, some that might make you blush. Lucky for me, I couldn’t care less what people think about me. I’ve had my sights set on one thing for the last thousand years, and that’s all that matters. I’ll do whatever it takes to find the cauldron, even if it means taking on a partner. They call him a knight in shining armor. For me, he’s my golden ticket. He fell into my lap, quite literally, and now he’s going to help me get what I want.
I don’t play particularly well with others, but he’s the best shot I’ve got, so I’ll hop on that train and hope it gets me where I need to go. He thinks he’s going to crack my shell and see what’s on the inside, like maybe there’s a warm, gooey center to make up for the hard exterior. He’s in for a world of disappointment. Everything soft and delicate about me became rough and hardened a long time ago. I’m Morgan Le Fay, and I’m the villain in this story.

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