Thursday, December 10, 2015

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Mystical by Michael Weekly

UFI welcomes Author Michael Weekly. Thanks for Joining us!!

Top 3 tips for novice writers

Writing is tough and it’s an emotional rollercoaster ride. You have to be ready for anything. Have your sword sharpen and out to kill anything or anyone who disturbs your thinking process. It’s not as easy as people may think it is. You see movies of writers so excited to get down to business (at times this is true) but really it’s frustrating, time-consuming, and just a battle you’re going to have to fight. My name is Michael Weekly I’m the author of Mystical, and here are a few tips I wish someone would have told me before I started writing.

Let’s face it, most of us literature geeks spend most of our valuable time with fictional characters. The ones who write spend majority time in their writing caves, a dark place no one ever leaves. We sometimes forget to go out and be social. We’d rather be social with our characters and our fictional boyfriends/girlfriends instead. Which is why the first tip is to…
  1. Make Friends
Please keep the screaming down, I know this is the hardest thing to do nowadays. Back in the good ole days, all you had to do was write up a note asking someone to be your friend, and what did the receiver have to do? Circle Yes or No. That was it! It was that easy, however, If you wish to be an author one day or If you already are. You need to get connected with other readers and writers. It’s good to always be on social media. Establish yourself on the amazing, yet, scary internet place! Trust me word of mouth is your biggest promoter. There are a ton of free sites you can put some of your work online and get feedback from other authors and readers. One of these awesome places would be Wattpad! I would know, because that’s where I started.
  1. Write Now Edit Later
It’s tough, it’s real and it happens. Most new writers like to edit while they write. I say no to this automatically? But why Michael why should we not edit our books at all? Because my friend, it is time consuming and more stress for you when you can do that when the book is finished. What you should be worried about is actually getting your thoughts and ideas on paper. You’ve done the biggest challenge already and that is actually writing the story. I’m so proud of you for doing that at least! You were brave enough to get your thoughts talking and active. Don’t waste your creative juices on editing and trying to figure out what a semi colon is when you can be killing a character off in your amazing story.
  1. Read
I remember reading a quote from a blog recently. This is what it says,  "My first rule was given to me by TH White, author of The Sword in the Stone and other Arthurian fantasies and was: Read. Read everything you can lay hands on” — Michael Moorcock. Strange thing is, this is very true. If you’ve never read anything or if you hate reading why are you trying to be an author? Go back to the books that gave you the inspiration to write in the first place. Fall back into the beautiful worlds. Hey? You never know it may help you writer’s block one day.

My name is Michael Weekly please do feel free to check out my Urban Fantasy: Mystical! It was released on December 8th! I would love to see what you think about it. Writing can be tough but as long as you tackle the things that can get in your way. It can be a wonderful experience and you won’t regret re-reading your book and thinking, wow? I wrote this SH*T!

What are some things you guys would say to a newbie that wants to write?
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Michael believes he is a mad scientist experimenting with his own imagination. He enjoys world building and having alluring conversations with his stubborn characters. He is your author of The Mystical Series. Specializing in many genres such as Fantasy, Urban Fiction, Dystopian, Young and New Adult.

Most of his inspirations come from fairy tales, music, and his curious what ifs. He’s never thought of being an author, writing was just a hobby to him. However, one day his thoughts and ideas kept interrupting his daily life. At work he’d come up with story lines and decided to join the reading/writing app Wattpad, and there he would write. Realizing the enjoyment from creating characters and worlds doesn’t stop him from ever jotting down a potential story.

You can find him anywhere to snuggling in a comfy seat with hot cocoa Netflix binging, or taking a soothing walk along the forest lines. Possibly diving in a tank with sharks, but that would be too insane.

He is a shopaholic east coaster living in Virginia with his fury companion Coco.
Where the two live happily ever after.

Find Michael and his books
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Mystical
Mystical #1
Amazon
When Eliza Rose found out she was a witch, she thought she’d be casting spells…

However, it turns out Eliza is on her way to becoming a mystical assassin. But first she has to start college with her best friend Dawn Roberts and her feline familiar Jared. If you think college is stressful, try finding your best friend being seduced—nearly to death—by a venomous fairy. Something is horribly wrong, and Eliza must find out what it is.

Knowing who’s who in the Mystical world can be a burden—or save her life…

Murderous mermaids, seductive fairies, and manipulative elves are terrifying enough, but pure witches can become corrupt…and they’re the most dangerous creatures of all. Eliza struggles to discover the source of this chaos, but is repeatedly attacked—and saved by a shadowy figure. On a very personal note, Eliza must learn whether corruption is beginning to claim her mother.

Her strongest ally might be handsome, enigmatic Donovan—but he is hiding a shocking secret…

Donovan wants nothing to do with his old gang—not after the things they’d made him do. But when he meets Eliza, he’s both frustrated by her amateur skills and impressed by her emerging strength, and he feels compelled to help her grow into the assassin she’s meant to be.

Every answer has a price, and there are beings born to corrupt the pure.

Eliza fights to master her skills before it’s too late, while Donovan must determine whether Eliza can be saved…or if she must die to keep her out of the hands of those who would use her powers to reign over all of Mystical.

Excerpt:
I kneel down and pull out my silver dagger slowly from my black boots. Tugging the dagger out carefully with my index finger and thumb, I structure a plan to save the girl in my head. One of the things mom said to herself when I eavesdropped repeats in my head: “Mystics, they are disguised amongst people.” I narrow my eyes and lock them on the creature before me.
I attempt to move and save her. Instead, I clench my hands into a fist, my throat is dry, and  my heart drops inside of my chest. My hands are shaking, and I’m struggling to breathe properly. I can’t lunge forth. I’m too nervous.
I press my lips together. Anxiously, my eyes slide from left to right as I try to think of what I can do to save this innocent girl. I glance down as soon as I hear something moving below me. Gravel on thin strands of weeds puckers out of the ground slowly and slithers up my calves. I cringe as the feeling of the moist dirt on my skin stings my legs.
The sweet wind his wings create brush against my face, intoxicating me and causing my neck to numb. I become drowsy, my vision becomes blurry, and I forget about trying to save her. I’m paralyzed in this peaceful reverie. The smell of fresh roses controls my thoughts and actions. My eyes daze and, though I blink twice to wake myself up, I don’t want to fight against this calm feeling.
It feels amazing.
The weeds continue to wrap around my legs, holding me in place. I shake my head, trying to fall back into reality. I press my lips tightly together and focus on cutting off the weeds slowly. With each slash, it feels like my movement and reactions are slowing down. It must be the scent causing the nerves in my body to act strange. I cover my nose and continue cutting the strands of weed silently. Each cut increases the growth beneath me. The mud from the gravel thickens, gluing me further in place.
The girl moans in pleasure while the weeds attach to me and cling onto the fabric of my clothing. The noise she is making and the weeds from underneath me are overwhelming me. My heart picks up frantically, and my lips feel dry.
The strange creature caresses his prey’s bruised body. There are glowing hickeys all over her skin. He allows the weeds to slither around her neck slowly. He leaves another colorful hickey on her skin. He kisses her neck, eventually pulling on her skin with his sharp teeth.
The scent of his tongue sliding slowly on her neck flows over to where I’m being held captive. My lips part as her eyes roll back into her head. I can feel my mind and thoughts drifting away with her. I want the creature’s lips on my skin just as much as his prey does.
Think, Eliza, think. Stay focused.
I shudder as the cold wind tickles the tiny hairs on my skin. The guy stops kissing the girl and the moans fade away. He looks up and scans his setting. His eyes lock on my hiding place. I increase my cutting movement as fast as I can. He smirks at me with colorful drool dropping to the ground from his white blade-like teeth. His red lips glimmer in front of me in the shadows.
He lets the weeds take over the girl’s body, preserving his meal for later. She is still stuck in ecstasy. Her eyes slide in my direction. Even though she must be in pain, she’s smiling. Weeds form around her body, slither up, and then slap across her eyes and mouth.
The creep holding her captive flutters toward me slowly. He reaches out as weeds beneath the ground and roots spring up and wriggle around my ankles and neck. They travel up against my thighs and then slap across my mouth, preventing me from screaming. I am lifted up against the wall, just how the girl is in front of me.
I raise my dagger to try and cut the weed covering my mouth, but I lose my grip and it falls to the ground. I panic, struggling to breathe, but the same scent crawls into my nostrils. Its sweet taste overpowers my senses. My heart beat slows down drastically as my eyes follow the monster, who is floating in front of me, grinning wickedly. He touches my skin with his soft hand, sizzling and calming my emotions.
My heart skips a beat. It’s finally my turn.
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Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Review: In the Company of Wolves by Paige Tyler

In the Company of Wolves
Author: Paige Tyler
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN:  149260853X
ISBN13: 9781492608530
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
He opened his mouth to order her to drop the MP5 she had aimed at him, but nothing would come out. It was like she’d robbed him of the ability to speak. Shooting her wasn’t an option, though. And the idea of arresting her didn’t make him feel any better.

There's a new gang of criminals in town who are organized and ruthless in the extreme. When Eric Becker, along with the rest of the Dallas SWAT team, ends up in the middle of a shootout, he immediately senses werewolves-a lot of them. Turns out, the new bad guys are a pack of wolf shifters.

In a spray of gunfire, Becker comes face-to-face with the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen. Becker does the logical thing. He hides her and leaves the scene with the rest of his team.

Jayna Winston has no idea why that SWAT guy helped her, but she's glad he did. Ever since she and her pack mates got mixed up with those Eastern European mobsters, everything had pretty much fallen apart.

So what's a street-savvy thief like Jayna going to do with a hot alpha-male wolf who's a police officer?

IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES was fast-paced, packed with action, full of danger and had plenty of romance to round it all out.

Jayna's pack has been roped into their alpha's debt and to pay it off they have to become criminals and they don't see a way out. I found Jayna to be extremely loyal and protective to her pack, pretty strong in her beliefs and able to hold her own in the face of danger. Eric and the rest of the SWAT team are there to catch the new gang of criminals in action, but he can't make himself bust the beautiful woman that's in front of him, so instead he hides her. He can't get her out of his mind and he is positive she can't be the criminal he things she is. I loved how loyal he was to her and her pack, but I think he should have asked for more help from the rest of HIS pack.

Jayna and Eric ended up making it to the top of my SWAT couple list by the end of IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES. They both complimented each other really well and although they had an instant connection, I felt that they did a really good job of building off of it and getting to know each other before they fell into bed together. All the danger involved in them sneaking around was super fun too.

I enjoyed learning about the new werewolves in IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES. The new shifter ranks (is that he right word?) really helped to build the world better. I really enjoyed the plot, but I do have one complaint. I really miss having the rest of the SWAT team present. Watching them work together is one of the great things about this series. Hopefully book four will have them all back together for a good chunk of the book to make up for it. Which sexy alpha will be featured next?

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Release Day Blitz: Charming by Dannika Dark


Charming 
(Seven Series,  #6.5)
by Dannika Dark 

Blurb: 

After seven hundred years, Prince has acquired everything a Packmaster could desire. But when he meets the enchanting Nadia Kozlov, he realizes there’s one thing he doesn’t have: answers. Prince owes his life to a man he hasn’t seen in centuries, and Nadia holds the key to his whereabouts, because that man is her father.

Destinies collide when Nadia’s sister shows up unexpectedly. Katarina is a skilled bounty hunter, hot on the trail of a nefarious outlaw who turns out to be Prince’s old nemesis. Prince teams up with Nadia’s sister to track down the Mage, but the real game of cat and mouse is already underway as sparks fly between Prince and the cunning bounty hunter.

The only trouble? Nadia wants him too.


In the Seven series timeline, this full-length novel is 6.5. 
However, Charming can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone.


Available for purchase at 

  

For all buy links please visit 
Dannika Dark's Website




The SEVEN SERIES



About the Author



Dannika Dark was born on a military base in the U.S. and spent her youth traveling abroad. She developed an interest writing poetry and song lyrics early on, eventually gravitating toward a job that involved writing procedural training documentation. In her spare time, she wrote novels before she decided to pursue a career in publishing.

In addition to writing about supernatural worlds, Dannika is passionate about graphic design and creates all her own covers and series art. When not writing, she enjoys indie music, movies, reading, Tex-Mex, strawberry daiquiris, heaps of chocolate, and unleashing her dark side. 

All of her published books to date are written in the same universe and contain material suitable for adults only.

"For me, writing is all about blending genres to break out of the confines of predictability, but it's what I love to do."

Danni



You can find Dannika at 

              

To receive exclusive content and be the first to know about upcoming releases, please sign up to receive her newsletter. 

Presented by



New Releases: 12/6-12/12


Mon. Dec. 7th
 
 Atrophy by Jess Anastasi
 
Tue. Dec. 8th

 Passion Bites (Biting Love) by Mary Hughes
 Wandering Star (Zodiac #2) by Romina Russell

Happy Reading!

Monday, December 7, 2015

Interview + Giveaway: Forbidden Forest by Tenaya Jayne

UFI welcomes Author Tenaya Jayne. 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 am a private person because I’m fairly shy. New places and crowds make me nervous. I guess both Forest and I are socially awkward.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

As a mom of two boys and an independent author, I have little downtime. But writing is my passion so it does relax and energize me. In my other free moments, I enjoy reading, gardening, road trips and talking too long on the phone with my BFF who now lives far away from me.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

When inspiration strikes. That “lightbulb” moment when the scene or character falls into your head…. In that moment, I see how the scene unfolds and the characters reveal themselves to me—those moments are why I’m a writer. Sometimes I’m as surprised as the readers where the characters take me.

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

I’m really laid back. I almost have reversed OCD. But I do need music. Every book has an original playlist. That is a must for me. Each character and couple has a “sound” that suits them.

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

Shana Abe, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Shelley Martin, and Dawn Metcalf.

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

It’s a story about overcoming pain and prejudice with love. Forbidden Forest has real heart and it’s a lot of fun. If you like the works of Joss Whedon, you’ll like Forbidden Forest.

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

The world of Regia is filled with elves, vampires, werewolves, ogres, shapeshifters, wizards, and dryads. Each race has its own culture. Portals connect Regia to other worlds, like Earth, where my main character, Forest, works. A world of magic, Regia is uniquely beautiful and dangerous, especially for cross-breeds like Forest..

Do you have a favorite scene in Forbidden Forest ?

My favorite scene is when Forest and Syrus spar in the rain and end up having their first kiss. It describes their relationship, perfectly. It’s the turning point where it doesn’t matter what they thought they felt and the reasons why they cannot be together, they are meant and it is bigger than either of them.

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

Forest is my favorite. She always comes easily to me
when I’m writing. Her grit and spunk …she’s rough around the edges but her heart is true and soft under all of her pain. As for the hardest, writing Leith was strident for me. I’ve known real abusers in my life. Loved one. I understood Leith, though I wish I didn’t. He came out of me from a very real and genuine place. As I move ahead in the series though I know the very hardest is yet to come. I can’t say much, because it would contain spoilers. But I already know my hardest character will be in the final book of the series.

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

The Legend of Regia will come to an end in 2016 when I release the last two books. I have worked on this world for more than three years and will be sad to see it end. At the same time other storylines vie for attention in my mind. I’m not sure which will be next after I complete the series.
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Nationally Bestselling author Tenaya Jayne has always walked a shaky line between reality and fantasy. A nomad by nature, she's lived all over the US, and now resides happily in the Midwest, with her husband and sons. She's an advocate for Autism awareness and women trapped in abusive relationships, and feels everyone has too much pain to not enjoy an escape into a fictional fantasy world. Her passions include reading, independent and foreign films, cooking, and moody music. For more about Tenaya and her books, visit www.tenayajayne.com

Find Tenaya and her books
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Forbidden Forest 
The Legends of Regia #1
Amazon BN Smashwords
Born in shame. Cast from society. Shape Shifter/Elf hybrid, Forest must fight for any respect she can get. Targeted in her youth by a vampire noble who placed an illegal slave mark on her, she is forced to obey him, no matter what.

Slipping the grip of her master and abandoning the prejudice of Regia, her native world, Forest takes a job on Earth, guarding the portal, using her skills as a warrior to enforce Regia's laws. Now, called home for a black ops mission, Forest must put aside her own prejudice to transport the vampire prince, Syrus, through enemy territory in a time of war.

Prince Syrus, mage and master of the Blood Kata, wants Forest more than he's ever wanted anything. In spite of their mutual mistrust, their attraction cannot be denied. Through the danger of their mission, and the secrets they both keep, it doesn't matter what they feel. Forest is forbidden.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Y2FtqAk64VA

Excerpt:

Forest pressed her back against the cool concrete wall, wanting to remain aloof from the entity of the crowd. She chose her position in the shadows, out of the paths of the roving, multi-colored spotlights. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the undulating human pheromones flying around on the air. At the beginning of every shift, she allowed herself a few minutes of this alien/human experience, though she didn't fully comprehend the combination of dancing, drinking, and ear-breaking sound waves. They loved it, however, and never seemed to deviate from the recipe.
These were the people she was sworn to protect. She had developed a light affection for the human race and considered them a benign, if not slightly silly, bunch of creatures. Her religious passion for her job was rooted in hatred of that which harmed the humans, not a superhero tendency to protect the weak.
Forest opened her eyes and focused all her senses to sniff out the illegal suckers that tried to sneak through the portal. She was in the zone tonight, and not for the first time did she feel that hers was the best job in existence. It was a shame she couldn’t legally kill suckers in her native world.
Over the next two hours, Forest didn’t move from the wall. She monitored the light traffic through the portal: two shifters and one elf, each of which nodded to her respectfully as they passed. Yawn. The shifters left the club to enjoy the delights of Austin’s nightlife elsewhere.
The elf would have been breaking Regia’s law had he left the club, but he dutifully seated himself at the bar and ordered a fuzzy navel. He wore a plaid, porkpie hat, pulled down over the tops of his pointed ears. Forest didn’t know him personally, but she had seen him in here before. The bartender surveyed him with narrowed eyes as the elf nervously tugged his hat down further and ordered a few more girly cocktails.
Intent on making sure that not one sucker was able to sneak past her, Forest was blindsided by the drunk bubba who had been trying to catch her eye for the last twenty minutes. He had finally decided to stagger over to hit on her.
“Hey babe, you’re too beautiful to look so lonely. How’s ‘bout I buy you a drink?”
“How’s ‘bout I call you a cab instead?” Forest mimicked his drawl.
“Only if you share it with me, Darlin.” He leaned in closer, and Forest’s throat began to sting from the noxious fume of booze mixed with his natural musk.
“While I appreciate the offer, Jethro, it seems only right to inform you that I’m not actually attractive at all. If you leaned in a little closer, you’d see that you’ve fallen victim to the effect of beer goggles. A hag like me can’t take advantage of a stud like you.”
As he leaned in, Forest instantly enlarged her nose, pockmarked her skin, evaporated her front teeth, and added a large black mole with a long hair sprouting from it for good measure.
“You’re no hag, baby! You’re the sexiest little thing in…I…uh…" He stumbled backward. “Good grief! Sorry, sorry…” he stammered, retreating. “I’ve gotta quit drinking,” he mumbled as he turned away.
Forest chuckled to herself once he absorbed back into the crowd. Being a shape shifter sometimes had unusual perks.




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Sunday, December 6, 2015

Week in Review: 11/29-12/5



Books Received for Review


Altered by Marnee Blake 
Mercy Striking by Rebecca Zanetti
Beyond the Red by Ava Jae
Wickedly Powerful by Deborah Blake

Books I've Read

A Bewitching Christmas by Amanda J. Greene
City of Light by Keri Arthur
Altered by Manee Blake
House of Royals by Keary Taylor
Chosen by K.F. Breene

Reviews Posted

Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch
Nexis by A.L. Davroe
Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

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

* Monday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Wildfire by J.D. Wright

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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, December 4, 2015

Review: Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch

Tarnished
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Perfected Book #2
ISBN:   1633751279
ISBN13: 9781633751279)
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Review Copy Source:

Freedom comes at a cost...

Ella was genetically engineered to be the perfect pet—graceful, demure...and kept. In a daring move, she escaped her captivity and took refuge in Canada. But while she can think and act as she pleases, the life of a liberated pet is just as confining as the Congressman’s gilded cage. Her escape triggered a backlash, and now no one's safe, least of all the other pets. But she's trapped, unable to get back to Penn—the boy she loves—or help the girls who need her.

Back in the United States, pets are turning up dead. With help from a very unexpected source, Ella slips deep into the dangerous black market, posing as a tarnished pet available to buy or sell. If she's lucky, she'll be able to rescue Penn and expose the truth about the breeding program. If she fails, Ella will pay not only with her life, but the lives
of everyone she's tried to save...

PERFECTED was an interesting book, but TARNISHED definitely stepped the series up another level.

Ella tended to annoy me in PERFECTED, but TARNISHED brought her out of her 'pet' shell. She goes from meek to fierce and her loyalty to those she cares about shines through in just about every situation. She still has a few sheltered girl moments, but when she catches up to the game, she totally redeems herself in my eyes.

The romance between Ella and Penn. It's missing the spark I would expect to feel and they don't really have time to grow a relationship in TARNISHED. You can tell they feel things for eachother, but it isn't quite there for me yet. Maybe book three will bring their relationship into another level that will make me feel like they are a couple.

TARNISHED really surprised me. I was hesitant to pick up a review copy and when I had it it took me a while to read it. Thankfully when I started reading it, I had no problem staying engaged and it made me want to continue the series. Not sure when book 3 will be out, but I will make sure to keep an eye out for it. 

I gave it 4/5 stars


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