Guest Blog & Giveaway: Lee Nichols

UFI welcomes Lee Nichols Author of The Haunting Emma series. Thanks for Joining us!!

Character Tweets

HarryArmitage: You will not believe what happened to @EmmaVaile last night.

EmmaVaile: @HarryArmitage you promised me you weren’t going to tweet this.

HarryArmitage: @EmmaVaile Since when do you believe I keep promises?

EmmaVaile: @HarryArmitage Say anymore, and Im going to strait-jacket you into your overcoat. Do you believe that?

HarryArmitage: This Twitter account is on temporary hiatus. @EmmaVaile Happy Now?

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Lee Nichols was born in Marblehead, Mass., raised in Santa Barbara, and now lives in Yarmouth, Maine. Which is probably why the four years she attended Hampshire College in Amherst, where she studied history and psychology, made her antsy. It was much too far from the ocean. She is the author of five novels for adults and the HAUNTING EMMA series for young adults. She is married to novelist Joel Naftali, who sometimes writes as Joel N. Ross, and they have one son.

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Find Lee and her books

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Surrender 
Haunting Emma #3
December 6, 2011

After a devastating battle at headquarters in New York, the ghostkeeping world is in shambles. When Emma and Bennett return home, they are determined to defeat the wraithmaster, Neos, forever. But it's not going to be easy. Bennett's parents kick him out when they realize he is still using drugs to enhance his powers. Emma is convinced her aunt has come back from the dead to warn her of a new threat. And worst of all, Neos is using wraiths to possess the students at Thatcher Academy. If the ghosts manage to take over the entire school, even Emma won't be strong enough to stop them. But if either she or Bennett sacrifice his or her powers, they might be able to save the ghostkeeping world once and for all-and break the "ghostkeepers lose their powers when they fall in love" curse. The question is: who will be the one to surrender all power?

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Interview & Giveaway: Shayne Leighton

UFI welcomes Shayne Leighton Author of Of Light and Darkness. Thanks for Joining us!!

This or That

Shifters or Vampires Vampires…they are way sexier. Though, I think Shifters have a
cooler power.

Virtual or Real Real. I like to talk to you face to face.

Reading or Writing It’s nice to have an even mix of both. Reading inspires the
writing. Both are relaxing. Both are good for your mind.

Book Signing or Panel Speaker I enjoy both. Wish I had more of both. Know
anyone? J

YA Paranormal or Adult Paranormal Of Light and Darkness if definitely a cross over.
I enjoy YA if it’s a little more on the side of the A and not the Y. I always like when
things are bit more adult and dark.

Facebook or Twitter I like facebook – it’s easier to talk to people and it always
seems like there are more things happening. But I always catch up on Twitter too.

Coffee or Tea Life does not begin until the coffee is poured.

Coke or Pepsi Diet coke! It’s like being an apple or PC person. LOL

Pizza or Pasta I love Italian food!!! Either way, it’s a good thing!

Left or Right I’m left handed!!!! They say we’re more creative! Haha

Up or Down Always keep your head up, chin up, and attitude up!

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Find Shayne and her books

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Of Light and Darkness
Book 1

When one human stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of overcoming them in this coming-of-age modern fairytale may result in war between light and darkness.

Abandoned as an infant in Prague, naive and strong-willed Charlotte Ruzikova was raised by one of the last Vampires left alive. As a human, she knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches drew spells of enchantment, Phasers threw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin. Charlotte has lived her life in the dark with her Guardian, content to having him to herself and reveling in his attention, until she's realizes she wants more...

Resident medical doctor and Vampire, Valek Ruzik fears the day his ward would come of age and blossom into a fine woman, and he is forced to confront his own motives as time is of the essence once his past catches up to him, and their lives become endangered...

As genocide and war threatens their secret society, the dictator in power is ready to wipe out Valek's race, but Charlotte will not allow that to happen. Fighting for the only one she's ever loved and truly believed in, she will do whatever it takes to save their love...before the sun comes up and light takes over.

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Interview & Giveaway: Jennifer Estep

UFI welcomes Jennifer Estep Author of Mythos Academy, Elemental Assassin and Bigtime. Thanks for Joining us!!

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

JE: Well, I’m a total geek. I love mythology, fairy tales, superhero stories, spy thrillers, and more, and I like playing Dungeons & Dragons and other games. Football is my favorite sport. I love the James Bond books and movies, watch way too much TV, and wish that I had more time to read. Some of my favorite musicians include Jimmy Buffett and The Killers. I also like to make people laugh, whether they are reading my books or talking to me in real life.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

JE: I love to read, watch TV/movies, spend time with family and friends, and just relax.

What is your favorite part of writing?

JE: Finishing the latest book I’m working on. LOL. It always gives me a sense of accomplishment (and relief!) when I can type “The End” on a manuscript. I let myself enjoy the feeling for a few days before moving on and starting work on my next project.

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

JE: I have a system that works for me. I’m a panster so I don’t really do detailed outlines, character sketches, or anything like that. Instead, I just think about my main heroine, her magic, and how she can defeat the bad guys with it, then I sit down and start writing.

I try to write about 2,000 to 3,000 words a day until I have a rough draft of about 50,000 words or so. That takes a couple of weeks. Then, I let the draft sit for a few weeks before going back to it and seeing if the story, characters, etc. hold together and what changes I might need to make. Then, I start working on my second draft, adding in more description, dialogue, action, etc. I do that a couple of times until the book is the best that I can make it and about 95,000 words or so (or about 90,000 words if I’m writing a young adult book).

I also need quiet to write, and I don’t listen to music or anything like that when I’m working on a book.

What are some of your favorite books or authors in the urban fantasy/paranormal genres?

JE: There are so many great books for adults and young adults in the urban fantasy and paranormal genres. It’s a great time to be a fan of the genres right now.

Some of my favorite young adult books are Graceling by Kristin Cashore; The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; Beastly by Alex Flinn; and Beauty by Robin McKinley.

As far as adult urban fantasy/paranormal authors and series go, I like the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole. I also like fantasy authors like Alex Bledsoe, David Eddings, Scott Lynch, and many, many others.

How would you pitch The Mythos Academy series to someone who has not heard of it before?

JE: I would say that the Mythos Academy series features myths, magic, monsters, and mean girls.

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

JE: The series focuses on Gwen Frost, a 17-year-old Gypsy girl who has the gift of psychometry, or the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it. After a serious freak-out with her magic, Gwen is shipped off to Mythos Academy, a school for the descendants of ancient warriors like Spartans, Valkyries, Amazons, and more.

So the world is mythology-based, and the two main gods featured are Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, and Loki, the Norse trickster god. Nike, Loki, and their followers have been locked in battle for centuries, and Gwen soon finds herself in the thick of things.

Do you have a favorite scene in KISS OF FROST?

JE: I really like the scenes with Gwen, my heroine, and Logan Quinn, the cute Spartan guy that she has a crush on. Logan knows how Gwen feels about him, and he seems to care about her too, but he’s dating another girl in Kiss of Frost. There’s one scene where Gwen and Logan argue about their feelings for each other that I like a lot and hope that readers will too. I also really like the big fight scene between Gwen and the Reaper bad guy near the end of the book.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?

JE: I enjoyed writing Vic, Gwen’s talking sword, who is really bloodthirsty and determined to kill Reapers of Chaos, the bad guys. Vic says some outrageous things, and he’s full of opinions and attitude. He was a lot of fun for me to write.

I would say the hardest character to write was Nickamedes, the head librarian at the Library of Antiquities. Nickamedes is a character who’s a stickler for following the rules. He’s not a villain per se, but he and Gwen don’t really get along. Sometimes, I think it’s harder writing a character your heroine dislikes rather than a villain who’s out to destroy her.

What other projects can we look forward to reading from you?

JE: Dark Frost, the third book in the Mythos Academy series, will be out in June 2012. Crimson Frost, the fourth book, is tentatively scheduled to be published in January 2013. Right now, I’m under contract for six books in the series.

Visit www.jenniferestep.com for free short stories, excerpts, and more. Happy reading, everyone! ;-)

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Jennifer Estep writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington. The books focus on Gwen Frost, a 17-year-old Gypsy girl who has the gift of psychometry, or the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it. After a serious freak-out with her magic, Gwen is shipped off to Mythos Academy, a school for the descendants of ancient warriors like Spartans, Valkyries, Amazons, and more. 

Touch of Frost, the first book in the series, was published today, July 26. First Frost, a prequel e-story to the series, is available now as a 99-cent download. Kiss of Frost, the second book, will hit shelves on Nov. 29. Visit www.jenniferestep.com for excerpts and more information.

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Find Jennifer and her books

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Kiss of Frost
Mythos Academy #2
November 29, 2011

Logan Quinn was try­ing to kill me. My Spar­tan class­mate relent­lessly pur­sued me, swing­ing his sword at me over and over again, the shin­ing sil­ver blade inch­ing closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes prac­ti­cally glowed with the thrill of battle...

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

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Update to Piper Maitland Post from 11/25

Due to some untimely computer issues and it being around a holiday I did not receive Piper's Guest post for her 11/25 post date. I have since received Pipers Guest Post and have updated the original post. You can now read and enjoy A Different Look at the Mythology of Vampirism

Review: Watched by Sharde Richardson

Watched
Author:Sharde Richardson
Release Date: May 30, 2011
Publisher: Jolt
Watched Book #1
ISBN:   0983149801
ISBN13: 9780983149804
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source- Teen Book Scene

Mikayla doesn't want much: just to rock out to her favorite band, become the next Kwiki Stop video gaming champion, and keep her Q-tip habit under control. What she does want is the sight of the sudden inexplicable dark auras around everyone to stop. Problem is, those auras are demons and Mikayla is the last trait holder with the power to ban them. Which is a total buzz kill.To make matters worse, the town folk of Sulphur Springs don't look the same, and her classmates are a little dark in the eyes. There are murders, suicides, reckless skinny-dipping, gratuitous use of Q-tips, and newfound powers that Mikayla must learn to control.
Her past becomes present when a shape-shifter tells her what her true identity is, and how to keep the demons of Hell from nipping at her Converse. Through him she'll discover who to trust, who to kiss, and how valuable her abilities are to the right beings. Because the evils of Hell aren't staying down without a fight...
Or without her soul.

Mikayla is an average girl that doesn't remember anything before she woke up alone in a hospital room at the age of 13. On what she thinks is her Seventeenth (which she finds out later is really her Eighteenth) Birthday she is attacked and almost killed after ice skating at night by herself and from the moment she again wakes up in a hospital room her life is not the same.

I found Mikayla to be annoyingly stubborn at a lot of turns and it made me want to knock her upside the head and tell her to open her eyes and cut the crap. She put things off because she didn't want to believe them which ended up making things worse. After everything she has been through in the book some of the easiest most logical things were the hardest for her to digest. Like I said, annoyingly stubborn. I like Lucas, he is mysterious, dangerous and all around knight in wolf armor. He is Mikayla's Sentry and wants to keep her safe even though Mikayla does everything to make it difficult. There isn't any romance in WATCHED but I'm hoping the next book will get into a more romantic state between the two of them.  I enjoyed finding out the secrets that were Mikayla and her past. I was a little frustrated at times that more wasn't revealed. Even at the end of the book there is still a ton of mystery and not a lot of answers. Even after saying that I still found the book fascinating and want to know more about Mikayla, her skills, her past and where she goes next with hopefully Lucas by her side.

I gave it 3/5 stars

New Releases Nov 27- Dec 3

Tues Nov 29

Acquainted with the Night by Piper Maitland

Angel of Darkness (The Fallen, #1) by Cynthia Eden

Fate's Edge (The Edge, #3) by Ilona Andrews

Hunter of Shadows (Moonlight, #5) by Nancy Gideon
Killing Rites (The Black Sun's Daughter, #4) by M.L.N. Hanover

Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy, #2) by Jennifer Estep

Legend (Legend, #1) by Marie Lu

Vampires Dead Ahead (Night Tracker, #5) by Cheyenne McCray

Virtual Virgin (Delilah Street, #5) by Carole Nelson Douglas

Within the Flames (Dirk & Steele, #11) by Marjorie M. Liu

Let me know if you see something missing or see a mistake. Happy Reading =)

Interview & Giveaway: Marjorie Liu

UFI welcomes Author Marjorie Liu . 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?

That’s always the hardest question for me to answer, because despite my presence on Twitter and my blog, I’m a rather private person. Also, I just can’t imagine I’m all that interesting. I knit, sometimes. I like to cook. But that’s not terribly exciting.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

The danger of this answer is that if I don’t elaborate it all sounds like a cliché, but what I love is to read, travel, and just putter around the house. Really, whatever strikes my fancy. That’s the beautiful part of making my own hours.

What is your Favorite part of writing?

There’s a burst of excitement and emotional resonance that hits when you start writing a book or short story. It’s a rush, some kind of high, centered right in your heart. Like falling in love, maybe.

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

None. The most important thing is to just sit down at the computer and set the wheels in motion.

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

I love so many. Just to name a few: Eve Silver and Lynn Viehl; Clay and Susan Griffith; Lynn Kurland; Patricia Briggs; and Laini Taylor.

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

A detective agency filled with creatures out of legend – mermen, gargoyles, shape- shifters, psychics – use their gifts to protect others from powerful forces of evil.

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

It’s the same as our contemporary world, but with a magical underbelly that most people aren’t aware exists.

Do you have a favorite scene in Within the Flames?

I actually enjoyed myself while writing this book, which makes it difficult to pick out a single favorite scene. I can tell you, though, which scene was the hardest to work out – and that’s when Eddie and the heroine, Lyssa, meet for the first time. First meetings in my romance novels are always difficult to write, because so much rides on that initial chemistry. This time was no different.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?

Again, I’m a sucker for Eddie…but the heroine, Lyssa, who is a dragon shape-shifter, might beat him in the race for my favorite character to write about in this novel. Her vulnerability and strength, her fear of hurting others…spoke to me during the creation of the novel. She endures a terrible amount of isolation because she doesn’t believe she’s strong enough to control her own dangerous strength – and that lack of confidence in one so powerful fascinates me.

Within the Flames is the 11th book in the series. Have you found it harder or easier to write the books as the series gets longer?

That depends on the characters. Eddie and Lyssa’s story wasn’t nearly as difficult to tell as Dean and Miri’s (from The Red Heart of Jade), but Dela and Hari in Tiger Eye were probably the easiest of all to write, so far. I’m not sure why. Perhaps because it was the first book, and there was no pressure.

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

Besides the comic books (X-23, at the moment), which are released monthly, the next Hunter Kiss urban fantasy novel will hit shelves at the end of December. The Mortal Bone opens with Maxine celebrating her recent marriage – a celebration that lasts until tragedy befalls her. The ‘boys’ – demons who live on her skin as tattoos – are suddenly ripped away, bonds broken, leaving her defenseless and heartbroken. Zee and the demons are not just weapons, they’re family – and Maxine is forced to question whether or not their bonds of family are real, based in love – or just the product of their forced imprisonment on her skin.

To celebrate The Mortal Bone my publisher is releasing one of the Hunter Kiss novellas, “Armorof Roses”, as an e-special – bundling it with an original, never-before-published short story told from Grant’s point of view.

Grant, for those unfamiliar with the series, is Maxine’s husband – a man who has his own unique powers that he still struggles to control. His origins, too, remain a mystery. He’s not from this world.

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I was born around Philadelphia, spent my formative years in Seattle, and now reside in the Midwest. I went to Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, for my undergraduate studies, majoring in East Asian Languages and Cultures, with a minor in Biomedical Ethics. I then attended law school at the University of Wisconsin, graduated in May 2003, and was admitted to the bar a couple weeks after. I loved law school. Did not like being a lawyer. Which is why I decided to become a writer.
I’ve studied and traveled extensively through Asia, and spent some time working at the US Embassy in Beijing. I love to read, I love to write, but what I love best of all is proving to myself that dreams do come true.
Oh, and I like poodles. And cats.

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Find Marjorie and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Within the Flames
Dirk & Steele #11
November 29, 2011

Eddie is a pyrokinetic, a former car thief, and an agent of Dirk & Steele. He’s also recovering from a terrible illness that nearly killed him, and destroyed almost all his hard-won control over his powers. When he’s asked to go to New York City to investigate a string of murders, Eddie’s reluctant until he learns he’s also to search out a young woman who they suspect has similar powers over fire.

Lyssa is a shape-shifter, on the run for nearly a decade since her family was murdered. Afraid of hurting others with her wild flashes of power and magic, and in hiding from those who killed her loved ones, she has kept to the shadows living in the old tunnels beneath the streets of New York City. But when some of the homeless in her territory begin disappearing, Lyssa can’t let that slide. As she begins to look into the disappearances, she learns that her magical hunters are closing in, only this time, they’ve got help. And Lyssa has no one at all.

Until Eddie finds her. Uncertain she can trust him, Lyssa nonetheless finds herself drawn to Eddie, who offers not just his protection and friendship, but training in the use of her gift. But the price is steep. Being near her makes him a target. And not just him, but the entire Dirk & Steele agency.

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