​Tell us about yourself.I’m an ecologist by training and spend my time between Kansas City, Missouri, and Costa Rica, where I lived for about ten years. Currently, I’m part of the biology faculty at Avila University. When I’m not being a biologist or writing fantasy fiction, I like to hike, camp, and listen to music. I have also studied dance all my life and continue to take flamenco lessons, one of my favorite past times.

What was your first book?
Eolyn was the first book that I published; on this tour, we are celebrating the release of the second edition.



Describe your first break.
When I finished writing Eolyn, I queried many agents and publishers. My first break came from Eric T. Reynolds, the editor of Hadley Rille Books. He liked the manuscript very much, and I signed on with them to publish the first edition. I had a very good experience with small press, but for many reasons, when time came to renew the contract, I decided to strike out on my own.

What is your favorite genre to read? To write?
 I like to read history and historical fiction; I prefer to write fantasy and other speculative genres, such as science fiction and horror.


Are Happy Endings are must in your stories?
No, not at all. Publishers Weekly said of Eolyn, “some joys bring new sorrows.” This phrase describes my style very accurately. Every triumph comes with some cost or sacrifice. And the fact that two people are in love does not always mean they will be together in the end. Indeed, just because two people are in love does not, in my mind, mean they should be together. Sometimes the happiest ending possible lies in saying good-bye.
 
I guess the best description for my endings would be “bitter sweet”.
 
Which, by the way, is also how I like my chocolate!
 
What makes a protagonist interesting?
I believe every protagonist should have at least one consistent, internal flaw. It can be something subtle, but it must be with him or her from beginning to end. I also like my protagonists to be intelligent and compassionate. They should have the sort of internal strength that allows them to endure the hardest of times without sacrificing their moral compass or the fundamental faith they have in everyone’s capacity to build a better future.

What is the best thing about being a writer?
Writing.

What is the worst thing?
Honestly? I would say publishing. It’s almost a necessary evil. We are compelled to publish because of a deep need to share our stories, but publishing involves so many onerous tasks, from the day you start querying to well after the book hits the market. I actually wouldn’t recommend publishing unless you know you have a very thick skin and an unusual amount of stamina. The worst thing about publishing is that it takes away so much time from the best thing about being a writer – writing.

Pantser or plotter?
 Both. I generally have an idea as to where a story is going, but I allow myself to change course if the characters demand it.

What do you see the direction of your future writing taking? What can we expect next? Give us a little taste.
Eolyn will be followed in the next 12 months by its two companion novels, The Sword of Shadows and Daughter of Aithne. As a series, The Silver Web follows Eolyn’s journey through heartbreak to the height of power. The Sword of Shadows is a darker novel than Eolyn, immersed in the brutality of war. In the third book, Daughter of Aithne, threads of love, honor, betrayal, and vengeance culminate in a conflict between powerful women, destined to overturn the existing order. Overall, I am very proud of this series, and I look forward to sharing it with the world.
 
Having finished these three novels, I’m currently working on a contemporary urban fantasy and paranormal romance called The Hunting Grounds. I’ve had very enthusiastic feedback about this novel from my writer’s groups. I’m hoping to polish it up over the summer and have it ready for release this autumn.

Just for fun

Cat or dog person?
Cats. I like dogs, but not as live-in companions.

Favorite food?
Chocolate.

Favorite book?
The Lions of Al Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Favorite movie?
The Last of the Mohicans, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe.

Favorite holiday?
Christmas, of course!

Would you rather be the princess or the villain? Why?
Goodness, what a choice! Neither. Real princesses, for the most part, led terrible lives, and I would not want to be one. Just like Eolyn, I see castles as prisons.
 
Having written some good villains, I’m pretty certain I wouldn’t make a very good villain, either. I care too much about other people.  

Who has more fun, orcs or hobbits?
Hobbits, naturally. Bilbo’s 111th birthday was the best party in the history of Middle Earth. 

GENRE: Fantasy
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 BLURB:
 
In a land ravaged by civil war, the Mage King Kedehen initiates a ruthless purge of the magas. Eolyn, last daughter of the magas and sole heiress to their forbidden craft, seeks refuge in the South Woods.

When she meets the mysterious Akmael, heir to the throne of this violent realm, she embarks on a path of hope, seduction, betrayal, and war. Desire draws Eolyn toward Akmael’s dark embrace, but fate binds her to Corey of East Selen, a cunning mage whose ambition challenges the limits of love and loyalty.

Can she trust either man?

Hunted in a realm of powerful wizards and brutal deceptions, Eolyn must find her own path to freedom or she will burn on the pyre.

"Vigorously told deceptions and battle scenes, with a romantic thread." -Publishers Weekly
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Excerpt Three:
 
Aerunden
 
A vicious blow knocked the wind from Drostan’s lungs and sent his mount screaming to the ground. The knight landed hard, one leg pinned under his flailing horse. A mind-numbing roar thundered through his head. Heart racing, he shoved back his visor, struggling to regain focus.
 
Drostan watched, incredulous, as a wild cat ripped through the neck of his mount. Almost half as large as the horse, the savage creature had snow white fur and gray stripes. It lifted its bloody jowls, roared, and set ice blue eyes upon Drostan.
 
Before the knight could retrieve his sword, the cat sprang. Giant claws scraped at his armor and fangs slashed at his face. Drostan wedged a mailed forearm into the beast’s throat, in a desperate struggle to hold it off. His free hand searched desperately for a weapon, any weapon.
 
His grip closed around the haft of a discarded axe, which he brought full force against the side of the creature’s head. The impact reverberated through his arm, but the cat did little more than pause in annoyance. The creature’s weight was crushing him. Drool dripped hot onto his face.
 
Adjusting his grip, he drew the weapon back and struck again, driving the metal blade into the animal’s skull. The creature’s sharp howl of pain sent shivers through the knight. He wrenched the axe away and struck again. The cat stumbled back. Drostan struggled out from under his horse and lunged forward, hitting the beast over and over. Blood sprayed everywhere, until at last the giant feline collapsed into a heap of blackened, sodden fur.
 
Exhausted, Drostan sank to his knees, oblivious for the moment to the battle that raged around him. As he reached forward to touch the animal, it transformed in front of his eyes, leaving in its place a man, his flesh ripped open and covered with blood.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 Karin Rita Gastreich writes stories of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she is part of the biology faculty at Avila University. An ecologist by vocation, Karin has wandered forests and wildlands for over twenty years. Her past times include camping, hiking, music, and flamenco dance. In addition to The Silver Web trilogy, Karin has published short stories in World Jumping, Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writer’s Residency.
 
Website: http://krgastreich.com
Twitter: @EolynChronicles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eolyn-110814625640244/
 
 
THE BOOK IS FREE DURING THE TOUR DATES:
 

​GENRE: Historical Romance
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 BLURB:
 
Rebellious, Scandalous and Irredeemable

Sarah, Lady Strathford is ready for a little harmless frivolity with a man of her own age and her own appetites…surely that’s not too much to ask! After the death of her beloved husband years before Sarah is ready for an adventure… Enter the dashing, roguish – and baffling – Mr Cornelius Ravenhill.

Ravenhill, however, is not the gentleman he seems, and soon Sarah finds herself battling against the corrupt and harsh world around her as it threatens to destroy all she holds dear. The question is, will her seduction at the hands of Mr Ravenhill prove to be her saviour or her downfall?

​Excerpt Three:
 
"This excerpt is from an unedited ARC and there may be small changes in the final book."
 
“Good morning, my lady?” Ravenhill’s playful rumble resounded around the garden.
 
Sarah’s finger flew to his lips. Even though she’d decided to choose proving her innocence over possible gossip, caution had been too well ingrained for her not to heed its call.
 
She towed him through the door and locked it behind them. The lantern she’d left to light their way glowed weakly in the narrow, rock-lined tunnel.
 
“Is this a secret entrance, my lady?”
 
She exhaled in exasperation, and whispered, “My staff’s ears could win prizes.”
 
Ravenhill removed his cap and hunched under the low, curved, rock ceiling. His muscular physique filled the confined space reminding her of the tight spaces they’d encountered in the rookery. How easy it would be for her to accidentally brush against him. “I prefer we not be discovered.”
 
Lantern light caught the glint in his eyes. A moment passed before his gaze moved beyond hers and into the tunnel.
 
He gestured with his cap. “I confess, I’m all aquiver to begin our search.” His drawled words sounded like veiled intimacies. He seemed in a mischievous mood… and so early in the morning.
 
“Mr. Ravenhill, please talk quietly. I fear our voices may carry.”
 
He dipped his head further. His warm breath tickled her ear. “Should I consider myself special… to be shown your secret entrance?”
 
Innuendo, coated with a healthy dose of charm, wove through the smile in his voice. Her insides started to flutter. Men had never flirted with her, and she didn’t know how to respond. Instead, she grasped the chain around her neck, grabbed the lantern and tripped down the passage. A door appeared on the right. Unlocking it, she lifted a tapestry and led him into a small chapel where she stepped to the altar and knelt.
 
“Do you pray for your past sins or your future ones, my lady?”
 

​Who are you? And what is your role with the Children of Nostradamus?
 
My name is Eleanor Valentine, aide to the President of the United States of America in 1992. Simply put, I am the catalyst for the Nighthawks, the one who plucks at the strings of fate, ultimately bringing together these individuals with uncanny powers to circumvent a dark future.
 
Pluck the strings of fate? The future? How do you do that?
 
I knew you would ask that. Much like Nostradamus himself, I can see the future, many futures to be precise. I have spent my entire life looking at what might be and what will be, and tempting fate. It is rare for me to not be able to see the future, and in this case, there is something dark looming on the horizon. I’m unsure of what it is, but I know I must do something to tip the scales.
 
How do you do that? Tip the scales?
 
I have spent my entire life seeing my future and the destiny of those around me. Decades in the future there will be a group of individuals who, without my intervention, will miss the chance to encounter one another. Without me, they will lead their solitary lives, ignorant of one another, and right now, of all the futures I can predict, them meeting is the most likely chance to overcome this darkness. So before my untimely demise, I’ve written a collection of letters that will make their way into the hands of these Children and force them to meet.
 
Your demise?
 
I am a psychic. I’ve known how I will die since I was a little girl. I have made peace with it. In truth, because of knowing this I have made every day of my life count. But my wild youth is a story for another time.
 
Don’t you think it’s dangerous to play with fate like that?
 
I am a psychic, a mentalist as they say, and since I was a child, I’ve always tempted fate. I have pondered the question, “Do I bend fate, or am I her handmaiden?” I have to believe that my involvement will give them hope. However, I do not know if it will be enough for Conthan, the young artist and his compatriots, to defeat what lies in this veil.
 
What is this darkness?
 
I am fearful to say for the first time in my life, I do not know. Only time will tell, I only pray I have chosen the right future.

GENRE: Sci-Fi (Dystopian)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 BLURB:
 
Twenty-six-year-old painter Conthan Cowan takes art to a shocking frontier…
 
His debut exhibit features the transformation of his high school friend, Sarah, as she went from a shy, soft-spoken girl to a Child of Nostradamus—an individual gifted with extraordinary abilities. Living in a society where the Children of Nostradamus are captured by the government, Conthan’s exhibit draws attention from officials and protesters alike.
 
A government psychic may be dead, but that doesn’t stop her from manipulating the future…
 
The deceased White House aide is only remembered for her failed assassination attempt on the president decades before Conthan was born. Foreseeing her own death, she scribed letters to bring together specific Children of Nostradamus on a mission that will change the world.
 
On the night of the gallery exhibition, Conthan receives one of those letters…
 
Whispers from the past direct him to visit Sarah, the subject of his paintings, who like many Children of Nostradamus, is being detained in a government research facility. It’s there he finds himself aligned with a rogue group of Children on a mission to prevent a dark future.
 
As a dark future unfolds, there's only one hope to stop the destruction of the world...
 
The Children of Nostradamus.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Excerpt One:
 
Conthan Cowan,
 
As you ponder the situation laid out in front of you, it is clear that things will never be the same. Before you are many decisions, but alas, beyond this point I cannot see nor predict your future.
You are an element that seems to defy the strands of probability. I fear that before you lies a path that will test the fortitude of your soul. I wish I could give you more than a simple direction. I have done everything in my power to see you safe to this point. I wish I could tell you that somewhere on the other side of the darkness will be you, standing triumphant. However, I cannot. For that, I am sorry. What I can do is start you on your hero’s journey.
           
Go to Sarah.
 
With Regards,
 
Eleanor P. Valentine
 

 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
I’m high school graphic design and marketing teacher, at a large suburban high school in Massachusetts. Working as a high school educator and observing the outlandish world of adolescence was the inspiration for my first young adult novel, “Suburban Zombie High.”
 
My inspiration for writing stems from being a youth who struggled with reading in school. While I found school assigned novels incredibly difficult to digest, I devoured comics and later fantasy novels. Their influences can be seen in the tall tales I spin.
 
I took the long route to becoming a writer. For a brief time, I majored in Creative Writing but exchanged one passion for another as I switched to  Art and Design. My passion for reading about superheroes, fantastical worlds, and panic-stricken situations would become the foundation of my writing career.
 
I participated in my first NaNoWriMo in 2006 and continue to write an entire novel every November. Now I am the NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison to the Massachusetts Metrowest Region. I also belong the New England Horror Writer’s Association and to a weekly writing group, the Metrowest Writers.
 
LINKS:
 
http://remyflagg.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173392.Jeremy_Flagg
https://www.facebook.com/writeremyflagg
https://twitter.com/writeremyflagg
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyflagg
https://www.instagram.com/writeremyflagg/
 
http://www.amazon.com/Nighthawks-Children-Nostradamus-Volume-1/dp/1680585231
 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nighthawks-jeremy-flagg/1123464863
​

 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
The PI business has really gone to the dogs. Literally.

Werewolf Lucy Lyle has just caught a ruff new case: sniff out the stalker preying on a couple of male strippers. Should be easy enough, except it seems that the only scent Lucy’s wolf is interested in is that of the scrumptious new client. Human client. Too bad they’ve sworn off humans for good. But like a dog with a bone, the harried PI is determined to solve the case, facing down the dangers of strip club locker rooms, waxing strips, law professors, smart mouthed police officers, and, worst of all, true love.

​Excerpt Three:
 
“Um...are you looking for someone?” he asked with a wary grin.
 
I nodded.  “You.”
 
I could hear the pounding of his heart as it picked up the closer I got.
 
“And why is that?” he asked.
 
He had to have felt it, too, that moment in the club when our eyes met and the world stopped moving. But humans, I knew, needed reassurance and encouragement in these situations, needed to protect their ego so that they didn’t jump at the wrong signal. So I stretched a smile across my teeth.
 
“I think you know why,” I replied, injecting as much coy into my tone as a girl who didn’t generally do coy could manage.
 
His pulse skipped in my sensitive ears and my wolf shivered in response, impatient to get closer, to touch, to taste. His eyes widened slightly and I realized my eyes were starting to shift with the wolf’s sight rather than my own, which meant that they were probably glowing at him. It tended to happen when we got especially excited and she crept too close.Mine, we thought again, the word resounding loudly in my head.
 
I was across the space between us in less than a blink, my face turned up towards his, pulling those lips closer to mine. The quick caress of his breath was warm against my mouth.
 
And then there was nothing but pain.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Randa Flannery has an a degree in English and writes a variety of romantic fiction, including suspense, comedy, and urban fantasy. Randa is a member of the Romance Writers of America and lives as an expat with her husband and children in FuYang, China.
 
Media Links:
Randaflannery.com
Twitter: @randaflannery
Facebook: authorrandaflannery
 
Buy Links:
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Wherever-Were-Magically-Yours-Book-ebook/dp/B0192JFECI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1449548700&sr=8-3&keywords=randa+flannery
 
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wherever-you-go-were-you-are-randa-flannery/1123114833?ean=2940158074394
 
Kobo
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/wherever-you-go-were-you-are
 
Apple
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wherever-you-go-were-you-are/id1065387052?mt=11
​

​First I’d like to say thank you so much for having me visit your blog! I’m currently on this blog tour promoting my new sci-fi novel, Fibers, book #1 in the Infiltration Trilogy. I appreciate your time and allowing me to share a little bit about myself and my work with everyone here =).
 
Speaking of which, if you’re taking the time to read this I’d also like to thank you! I hope you’re entertained and enjoy this interview, and I also hope you’ll pick up a copy of my novel on Amazon. If you’re not quite ready to do that or would rather read some excerpts first, I invite you to go to www.JenniferCrystalJohnson.com and sign up to receive my author newsletter. I’ll be sending out 12 excerpts for you to read or listen to me read to you on video =).
 
Without further ado, let’s explore this writer’s wonderland, shall we? ;)
 
Tell us about yourself:
Everybody calls me Jen, and that’s usually what I go by in conversation and more casual settings. A few years ago, though, I always dressed goth and wore a spiked collar, so my friends and everyone at karaoke started calling me Spike – or some variation of it. Spiketastic, Spikealicious, Spiketabulous, Spikers, Spikey, you get the idea. Anyway... I hope I’ve grown up a bit since then, but not too much ;).
 
I’m a single mom of three and we have three cats and a puppy named Thor. We live in a small town in Western WA State, which is beautiful and green and there’s lots of water nearby. Unfortunately the ocean is still quite a little drive, but I like how everything feels so alive here... except maybe during really hot, dry summers, which we don’t get too often, but every once in a while we do. When that happens – like last year – some of the lakes dry out. They basically turn into mud pits. It’s kinda weird.
 
I was born in Germany and raised in a number of different places, married into the Army and ended that really quickly when I realized my ex-husband would never treat me the way I deserve or need to be treated: with kindness and actual love. It takes a lot for people to fully win me over since then, although I have been with other men; my most recent relationship ended almost four years ago. Right now I’m more focused on my writing and business endeavors, not to mention making sure the girls and I survive their teenage years ;).
 
Writing and music have been my passions since I was about eight years old, so I refuse to give up on my dreams even as a single mom =). I’m just not wired that way.

What was your first book?
My first book that was ever published was called The Outside Girl: Perception is Reality. It was a psychological thriller, but only a short novella, and it didn’t do well. I was just shy of 21 when that came out.

Describe your first break.
Maybe I’m getting old, but I’m not sure what you mean by this... my first opportunity as a writer, maybe on a legitimate level? If that’s what you mean, it’s when I got my first freelance writing job when I was about 13.... I was invited to help moderate the forums and write for an online community/magazine for teens =). It was a quarterly publication but I got to write about whatever I wanted and it paid $100 per issue. Woohoo! Lol

What is your favorite genre to read? To write?
Since I edit so much fiction and poetry, my favorite genre to read is actually personal development and books on business, marketing, and improving my writing =). I also read a lot of blog articles and do research online about those topics because I’m always looking for new ways to improve myself, my life, and my work. What I found about marketing especially is that once you come full circle with the information you learn, you can be fairly confident that you know – in theory – what’s what. When you come across information repeating itself, you’ve learned most of it.
 
When it comes to writing, I adore writing sci-fi. I like writing basically whatever my ideas dictate, and sometimes that’s horror, too, but a lot of times it’s sci-fi. I also have a lot of ideas around self-publishing and promotion, and simple, easy to use personal development guides similar to The Ten Pillars of a Happy Relationship. I also like to help other authors, which is why I started www.NoBullSelfPublishing.com; I wanted authors who are essentially DIYers to be able to learn everything in one place.
 
There’s something especially interesting to me about sci-fi, though, because it can deal with a wide range of topics, the human psychological element is still there in all of the characters, and you can use your imagination without holding back. If you wanted to, you could create entire worlds (which of course would make it fantasy in some cases) and envision life a hundred, a thousand, or even a million years in the future. I think that’s very cool =).

Are Happy Endings are must in your stories?
No... not a must, although I’ve gotten criticism from people about some of my short stories (especially in Our Capacity for Evil) = because they lean more toward darkness and often involve tragedy. (Read Shrapnel: a short story, contest finalist)
 
Then again, you never know what happens after the story is over... even if a character dies. I suppose if you don’t believe in an afterlife or reincarnation or that there’s something more to our souls’ existence than this earthly life, it would be a lot more disturbing or depressing to read tragic stories, right?
 
I like endings that fit with the story, make sense, and hopefully make people think, feel something more, or teach an in-depth lesson (inspire an epiphany). If that happens to be through tragedy... well, let’s just say that I personally believe there’s a reason for everything, whether we understand that reason within five minutes or if it takes us fifty years.
 
I do prefer when things work out, though. Happy endings are nice... I just don’t require them =). There’s a saying in German: “Lieber ein Ende mit Schrecken als ein Schrecken ohne Ende,” which basically means that it’s better to have an ending with terror than terror without end. Believe it or not, this phrase can be applied to a number of things (everyone can thank my mom for telling me this regularly lol), including overcoming a fear. I could probably analyze different scenarios all night that this might apply to, but you get the idea =).

What makes a protagonist interesting?
Personally, I like it when I can put myself in the protagonist’s shoes and imagine going through whatever it is they’re going through. I can pretty much understand and empathize with any main character, but I think what most people identify with on many levels is an ordinary person thrown into extraordinary circumstances and forced to figure things out, sink-or-swim style, and eventually succeeding after a lot of struggle and challenges. In reality, they aren’t, “heroes;” they’re just ordinary people who have uncovered their true strength and learned incredibly valuable life lessons.

What is the best thing about being a writer?
Creating entire worlds, circumstances, relationships, love, hatred... out of thin air. With nothing but the power of your imagination, your mind, your knowledge, your ability to research and tell stories, you’ve created this epic environment for the imagination to play in =). If it’s made into a movie, awesome! More people will be able to enjoy it. But being a writer, like many other artists (paint skillfully arranged via paintbrush on canvas suddenly becomes striking and meaningful; notes on an instrument flow together and brings people to tears upon hearing it.... It’s absolutely amazing), you breathe life, meaning, purpose into a work by using the tools and talents you possess. For me, those tools are words, pen and paper, and a piano (sometimes)/my voice; for a painter, the tools would be paint, canvas, and brushes.
 
The arts are humanity’s emotional expression and pieces of their souls documented and immortalized.

What is the worst thing?
Worrying about what other people think! Lol.... For some reason, people who don’t write think that writers just push out this perfect manuscript with no revisions that’s ready to be published, haha =). There’s a post that’s been going around Facebook recently that says something to the effect of, “Your barista spends five minutes making your $5 coffee and you tip them. An author spends a year or two writing a novel, but $5 is just too much to pay for all that work.”
 
Here’s the thing... as a writer, you come to realize sooner or later in the process of working on your book that people will either like it or hate it or feel meh about it; that isn’t in your control. What is in your control is making sure it’s as polished as it can be, you’ve made sure all of the plot, characters, and sub-plots make sense, and that you love the finished book.
 
Do you know why major traditional publishers don’t sign new talent that has no following, even if their books are amazing? Because even those powerhouses have no idea how to predict the market.
 
So I decided to stop worrying about what people will think and wrote something that I would want to read. Something awesome that would make me think and consider things bigger than myself. And now I don’t worry about it as much... Although I am still human and trying to make a living! ;) lol... I figure if it’s meant to be, it will find a way... and this blog tour feels right.

Pantser or plotter?
I think I’m a little bit of both... this was my first full-length novel and I started writing it thinking that I would remember everything, but about halfway through I really, really wished I’d done an outline and some character sketches. I’ve written a few scenes for the second book, but I refuse to get immersed in it until I have a solid outline because a lot happens in each of these books.
 
I’m definitely plot-oriented... for a while, I struggled with character development and making sure my characters were round and had a personality. I feel like if I have an outline, I have a roadmap of where I’m going. It may not tell me exactly who’s in the car with me, but at least I know where I’m heading, right? =)


What do you see the direction of your future writing taking? What can we expect next? Give us a little taste.
Well... I have my trilogy planned out somewhat. Fibers, Numbers, and Embers... then I was thinking about doing a sort of prologue novel called Ashes as a connected book but not an official part of the trilogy. Sometime after this blog tour, I want to see how my marketing efforts did and if the book makes it anywhere ;). Then I want to publish an eBook on the Kindle of all of the resources, tips, tricks, and advice I’ve gotten on book marketing from various sources over the last four years. The working title of that book is called The No Bull Guide to Self-Promotion for Independent Authors, which will be a part of www.NoBullSelfPublishing.com.
 
Next mission for fiction? I have a paranormal YA series planned that involves the spiritual dimension, infants with marks, and their destinies... but that’s all I can say about that =). This idea is kind of on the back burner until I finish the Infiltration Trilogy because I hate leaving things unfinished before I start something new lol... even when it comes to cereal packages, milk, or toilet paper! That’s my OCD showing a little ;).

Just for fun

Cat or dog person?
Both... we have three cats and a puppy =). The cats are Spaz and Diamond, who are brother and sister and weird lovers who had Chill Pill as a son lol. Spaz actually got stuck in a tree about 60 feet up for three weeks (they didn’t believe us until they got him down). His situation got us all on the show Treetop Cat Rescue on Animal Planet (please tell me that wasn’t my “15 minutes” ... OMG lol). Check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eET5XmNp5E
 
Our puppy will be a year old in June and his name is Thor; he’s a mix of German Shepherd, Boxer, and Husky. And he’s a derp ;). A short video of him (funny):
https://youtu.be/rCNIFTE1888

Favorite food?
I can’t pick a favorite! I love cooking, love food, love learning new recipes, and adore feeding a large number of people =). Unfortunately I can’t eat that much (I know, I don’t look it, but it’s true!), so I have to be careful about eating as I cook, but I adore food. Love salads and salad variations, I do eat meat, I like all kinds of vegetables, and one of my closest friends just recently introduced me to putting fruit in salad... wow. It tastes so amazing. I also love to grill and try to do that for my family as much as possible when it’s warm because it tastes awesome. I am also in love with certain spices, some of my favorites being peppercorn medley in a grinder and basil. I love basil. Good food is just awesome, period =). Oh, I love sushi. Maybe that counts as a favorite that I haven’t learned to make myself yet ;).

Favorite book?
Awww, you want me to pick one for here, too? I have a handful....

• Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite
• Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
• The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
• Phantom by Susan Kay
• The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Favorite movie?
I have a few of those, too, but only a few ;). I can never just settle on one favorite anything because different things have different experiences, meanings, interpretations/perceptions attached to them. Hopefully a few will be okay =).

• Girl, Interrupted
• Fight Club
• Vanilla Sky
• Across the Universe
• Foxfire
• The Descent
• American Beauty
• 10 Things I Hate About You
• Foxfire (with Angelina Jolie)
• Suckerpunch
• Lucy
• Limitless
• The Secret (law of attraction, documentary)

Favorite holiday?
There are several holidays I absolutely love, and the kids and I spend pretty much all of our holidays with family and close friends =). I LOVE Thanksgiving because it reminds us of what life is all about: gratitude. I also love Christmas because it brings us all together to celebrate, have awesome food, and feel happy with our loved ones around us. Easter and Independence Day are two others that are spent with family and friends, celebrating together and having fun and amazing food. My mom and I cook together for some of these ;). I just adore time with family and friends =). My other favorite is Halloween... I like dressing up, but more than that I love being able to do my kids’ costumes and makeup without spending a fortune, and I love how happy they are walking around the neighborhood and having fun =).

Would you rather be the princess or the villain? Why?
I would rather be the villain. The reason is simple... the princess is usually portrayed as a helpless damsel in distress, in need of saving by the prince... the villain is self-made and usually misunderstood. Kinda sums up my situation, except I’m not bitter ;). Lol

Who has more fun, orcs or hobbits?
Having never been either one, I have no idea! Lol

GENRE: Science Fiction
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Anna Reynolds is caught up in the middle of a secret interdimensional government agreement... and she doesn't even know it.

There's a medical anomaly loosely dubbed Morgellons disease afflicting a number of people. Symptoms include open sores that produce colorful string-like fibers, fatigue, and nightmarish visions of shadowy figures. No one knows where it came from. No one knows what causes it. There is no cure.

When Anna begins having nightmares and waking hallucinations of the shadow people, her uneasiness about her condition grows. Enlisting the help of her doctor and some friends, Anna is determined to find out what's really going on and why Morgellons is such a mystery.

With her health declining and doubts about whom she can trust, is Anna doomed to become a slave to her condition? Or will she and her unlikely group of would-be heroes come through, saving her... and, ultimately, the world?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Excerpt One:
 As Anna walked home through the glistening streets of Deeplake, Washington, she adjusted her scarf and wrapped her coat around herself tightly, her breath fogging up the air in front of her. After a brief glance over her shoulder, she quickened her pace, her bag of groceries teetering in her arms momentarily as she readjusted her grip.
 She’d been feeling like someone was watching or following her for weeks. At first she just shrugged it off as her own overactive imagination, but the other day, she could’ve sworn she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye. When she looked, there was nothing there. That wasn’t the first time she had seen shadows. They were always there, just out of sight, their existence never confirmed by a direct glance. But every time it happened, she got goosebumps and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end like it does when you know someone is watching you.
 Her left eye began to feel itchy and grainy as she walked, and she cursed herself for not driving. She blinked several times, but after a few moments her eye felt like it had sand in it again. This was accompanied by an unpleasant tickling sensation, which became annoying very quickly.
 Her thoughts wandered as her eye got worse. She felt guilty but justified for not mentioning her problems to Casey, who had more than enough on her plate already. She also didn’t want to come across as crazy; Anna was certain she wasn’t. Some of the recent events in her life were crazy, but she was definitely sane.
Do crazy people think they’re sane?

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 Jennifer-Crystal Johnson is originally from Germany, but was raised an Army brat. She has published one novella under her former last name, The Outside Girl: Perception is Reality (Publish America, 2005 - out of print as of 2013), a poetry book, Napkin Poetry (Broken Publications, 2010), and a collection of poetry, art, and prose called Strangers with Familiar Faces (Broken Publications, 2011). She's also published a collection of short creature horror stories called If You're Human Don't Open the Door (Broken Publications, 2012), a personal development book called The Ten Pillars of a Happy Relationship (Broken Publications, 2014), and a collection of more horror stories (no creatures this time, just people) called Our Capacity for Evil (Broken Publications, 2015). She has several poems and short stories published on Every Writer's Resource and has recently published a science fiction novel called Fibers, the first book in the Infiltration Trilogy. Jen owns and operates Broken Publications (www.BrokenPublications.com) and publishes an annual anthology to raise awareness about domestic violence called Soul Vomit (www.SoulVomit.com). When she isn't writing or editing, she enjoys playing games with her three kids, watching crime shows on Netflix, or reading. She lives in WA State with her three children, three cats, and a crazy puppy named Thor. You can connect with her at www.JenniferCrystalJohnson.com, @brokenpoet, or www.Facebook.com/JenniferCrystalJohnson.

​Blog # 6 - Luck of the Irish
 
Top Ten Things Most People Don’t Know about Me
By Liz Gavin
First of all, I’d like to thank the awesome and extremely professional team at Goddess Fish Promotions for putting together this blog tour. YOU ROCK!!
Second of all – and equally important – thanks to the host for having me and Luck of the Irish on your blog today. You’re much appreciated.
Now let’s move on to the actual post topic. I just LOVE top ten lists. Don’t’ you? LOL
Top Ten Things Most People Don’t Know about Me
# 1 – Liz Gavin is a pen name. When I started writing erotica I was too ashamed to tell family and friends what kind of genre I was working with so I decided to create a pen name;
# 2 – Consequently, a lot of people I know have no clue to the fact that I’m a writer;
# 3 – Never broke a bone even though I was a tom-boy who would play on the street after school until my mom yelled me back to the house;
# 4 – Never had surgery;
# 5 – I’m straight. LOL Mainly those who take my stories at face value. Believe me some people do;
# 6 – I’m not a pervert. Again those who think my stories are autobiographical;
# 7 – I’m not a natural red-head;
# 8 – I’m vegetarian;
# 9 – Bordeaux wine is my favorite drink;
# 10 – I’m single.
Thanks for stopping by today! Enjoy the tour and remember to check out the other blog stops for more chances at winning the giveaway!!

GENRE: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
Keira Ashe’s parents are great but her mother has overprotected her for years. Now, this twenty-two-year-old Bostonian has graduated from college and can go on a trip she has been planning for years. She fears her shyness may get in the way of her enjoying what could be a life-altering adventure. However, Keira feels her luck is about to change when she meets gorgeous bartender Declan Slane.

Declan Slane is twenty-six and works at a hotel bar in Dublin. He hasn’t been very lucky in his love life so far. Also, he has got a troubled past he has chosen not to revisit in order to keep his sanity. Because he isn’t looking for a girlfriend, Declan isn’t very pleased to meet a certain breathtaking American who walks into his bar one afternoon.

Get a taste of adventure and heartache as Keira spreads her wings and matures while she gets to know her great-grandparents’ home country – Ireland. Hold your breath when she faces tough decisions and dangers. Root for Keira while she weighs up the consequences of making love for the first time. Bite your nails when she comes across unforeseen threats.

Liz Gavin’s second full-length novel is hard to put down just as it is hard to pinpoint its genre. She has woven an intricate web around her characters that will leave readers breathless. In the sizzling concoction, this talented new author poured heart-warming romance, heart-stopping suspense, and a dash of heart-searching paranormal. Take your pick. Regardless of the literary genre you might favor, Liz Gavin’s writing will take you to a whole different side of it.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Excerpt One:
 
He was responsible for her withdrawal, which made him feel like an asshole. He shouldn’t have gone bi-polar on her. He should have managed his emotions better. It wasn’t her fault he’d had a shitty love life. And it was not her fault if he couldn’t keep his damn lustful body in check.
 
Those thoughts didn’t help Declan, but caused new graphic scenes to invade his mind. For a while, he let himself indulge in them. If Keira were to stay, he would find a way to know her better.
 
I’d love to spend hours getting to know her—every little inch of her.
 
He closed his eyes imagining her perfect body under his—felt her silken skin under his fingertips. He wanted to kiss her until they were both breathless, discover her secret spots: what made her tick, moan, and shout his name.
 
“Declan!” her clear voice yanked him from the daydream. He looked at Keira, still in a daze, and she smiled. “The check please.”
 
He was mortified at the bulge in his pants, which prevented him from going to the table without making a bigger fool of himself than he had already made. So he pretended to study some papers instead.
 
“What’s your room number? I’ll add the check to your room bill.”
 
“Don’t I have to sign it?”
 
“Not necessary,” he lied, I’ll have to sign it myself because there’s no way in hell I can stand up right now, you little bewitching thing.

GENRE: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 Atlanta-based photographer Kate Miller doesn’t believe in fairytale romance or relationships of the forever kind. She’s determined to build her own happiness through hard work and professional success. So, when the opportunity arises to join an exclusive fashion photo shoot in Rome, she jumps on the chance to gain international recognition. But she’s not counting on an instant attraction to the charismatic, sexy, and irritatingly arrogant director of the shoot.

World famous, Domenic Varezzi is used to calling the shots. His clients trust his instincts and they’re willing to pay for the best. But while his career is thriving, his personal life has been lackluster at best. Hoping Kate could be the answer he’s been looking for, he’s determined to win her over. Every challenge she sends his way drives him to break through her tough-as-nails exterior to reach the vulnerable heart that matches his own.

Surrounded by the beauty and magic of Italy’s “Eternal City,” a foundation begins to form that could lead to a lifetime partnership, both in business and in love. Until Domenic’s past comes back to haunt the present and threatens to destroy everything.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Excerpt One:
 
“Let’s get moving,” Domenic says, taking the boarding passes from Joe. “Pilot wants to be cleared for takeoff in twenty minutes.”
 
The team lines up, toes tapping, as he thumbs through the boarding passes and starts calling out our names. “Corrine. Rafe. Dave.” Each person steps forward to take their passes and heads toward the gate agent. “Lauren. Joe. Miranda.”
 
Then it’s just me. Domenic and me, staring at each other steps away from the jet bridge. He holds my boarding pass out to me, and a little surge of indignation heats my face. I want to hear him say my name, the way he said everyone else’s, like it’s validation for my spot on his team. My brows lower and my mouth tightens. I stride toward him, close enough to take my boarding pass.
 
But I don’t.
 
I glare at him.
 
Waiting.
 
A little coil of something hotter than indignation winding through my core at the amusement shining in his emerald eyes.
 
He thinks this is funny. My discomfort and impatience is a freaking joke to him.
 
“Well?” I grind out.
 
Slowly, he extends my boarding pass toward me. A half-grin pulls at one corner of his mouth as I continue to wait. Something else appears in his eyes alongside that irksome amusement.
 
My stomach flips.
 
“Kate.” His voice is low and sonorous, just loud enough for me to hear.
 
The flip, and the simmering annoyance that’s been building over the past three minutes, explodes into an eruption of raging butterflies. Dizziness threatens the stability of my stance, and my cheeks are on fire. Short of breath, I snatch my boarding pass from his artistically elegant fingers and march myself down the jet bridge.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
J. Lynn Rowan started writing stories as a small child, usually starring her favorite cartoon characters. Most of her work through middle and high school was filled with typical teenage angst and melodrama, and usually mirrored the books she loved to read. But eventually she found her own author’s voice and decided to seriously pursue a writing career.
 
Historical fiction remains J. Lynn’s “first love”, but she has enjoyed the journey to becoming an author of romance and chick lit. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Central New York Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society. She is also a teacher who tries to instill a love of learning, reading, and writing in her students.
 
When she’s not writing, J. Lynn enjoys travelling, gardening poorly but enthusiastically, studying various topics in American history for her own expertise, and channeling Julia Child every time she steps into the kitchen.
 
A native of Oswego, NY, she now lives in Charlotte, NC, with her own Romantic Hero of a husband and the most adorable baby on the planet.
 
Email: jlynnrowanliterature@gmail.com
Website: http://jlynnrowanliterature.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JLynnRowan
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JLynnRowanLit
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jlynnrowan/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UClfsVyA4LQYMA0Cq7T1rb6w
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14191767.J_Lynn_Rowan
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/J.-Lynn-Rowan/e/B012YC8PQ2/
 
BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE PURCHASE LINKS
http://www.amazon.com/Better-Than-Chocolate-Sweet-Somethings-ebook/dp/B012X1IJD8/
 
WHEN IN ROME PURCHASE LINKS
http://www.amazon.com/When-Rome-Sweet-Somethings-Book-ebook/dp/B01CZ4LGW4/
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Contemporary Romance
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
 
Dark. Powerful. Dangerous.

Philip Murphy has all of Chicago under his thumb. Except me.

We met in a perfect storm of violence and lust. He saved me and then disappeared from my life. Now I pretend I never knew that kind of darkness. I focus on midterms and campus parties, as if they can wipe the slate clean.

Then he turns up outside my dorm room--wounded and barely conscious. He's the head of a criminal empire, a powerful man, but he needs me now. There are traitors in his midst.

I can help him, but I can't fall for him.

Not again.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Excerpt One:
 
“Come on then. One free punch. I won’t stop you.”
 
Without meaning to, I moved my body to face him—as if I was really going to do it. As if I was really going to punch him. I wasn’t going to, though…was I? I wasn’t even sure. This felt so topsy-turvy, as if I was in a room full of fun-house mirrors again—or I had never left. I looked like myself but different too. Both scary and afraid.
 
“I’ll do it,” I threatened, holding up my fist. But I was mostly stalling for time. I didn’t think I could hit him. I wasn’t sure it would even hurt him if I did.
 
“Go ahead.” He glanced out the window beside me. “We’re almost there. The offer expires in three…two…”
 
The truth was he deserved worse than a punch for ruining my life. It wasn’t the classes I would miss most or the date with Sloan. It was the chance at a normal life. A chance to have a family. There were strands I’d been braiding my whole life, and he had come along to cut them.
 
Of course I wasn’t sure I could actually punch him, even if he deserved it. Not without him physically threatening me. Back then, when those men had come for me, I’d fought them. I’d even hit Shelly, pumped up on adrenaline and terror.
 
If someone was attacking me, I would have fought back. But hitting someone who was just sitting there? Hitting Philip? I couldn’t, no matter how much he deserved it.
 
“Hit me first,” I told him.
 
That startled a laugh out of him. “What?”
 
“Come at me. You start to hit me, then I’ll do it.”
 
“I’m not going to hit you, kitten.”
 
“Well, I can’t hit you any other way.”
 
He sighed. “You know this is ridiculous, right?”
 
“How is it ridiculous?” To my underwater brain, this made the most sense of anything. “You know you deserve it. And if I were more…you know, bloodthirsty…I would have already done it. This is just…just enabling me.”
 
One second he was sitting there regarding me with bemusement. The next he launched himself across the seat, his large body moving with surprising grace. I hadn’t taken into account how fast he could move. Of course he’d been strong. He could have overpowered me in a second. But he also moved like a goddamn panther, wrapping his hands around my wrists before I could blink. I didn’t even have time to pull my arm back, much less punch.
 
Instead he had my hands pressed against the side of the car, his body looming over mine, his hips between mine. His face was only inches away from me, gaze trained on my mouth.
 
“Like this?” he asked softly.
 
“Not fair.” My voice was breathless. A spark of heat between my legs reminded me that while my brain might have been mad at him and my heart might have felt conflicted, my body was one hundred percent on his team.
 
“Oh, I think it was completely fair. You wanted me to come at you. And that’s what I did. So hit me.”
 
I yanked my wrists, but he held strong. His eyes flared with arousal at watching me struggle. Oh God. I couldn’t deny I felt it too, the clench of delicious surrender. He was holding me down, and I loved it.
 
“Let go of me.”
 
“No, kitten. I’m just doing what you asked.” His lips brushed a millimeter from mine. “Enabling you.” The warmth of his breath was the only warning before he kissed me, fever-hot lips pressed against mine, his arms like iron bars around me. I melted into the seat, into the car—and against his body in the places we touched. My hips rocked against his, and he groaned into my mouth.
 
He lifted his head but left his body around me, an erotic cage. I blinked slowly, disoriented.
 
Only then did I realize the car had stopped moving.
 
“One,” he said softly, his eyes almost sympathetic. “Time’s up.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, four dogs, and one evil cat.
Website: http://www.skyewarren.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skyewarren
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skyewarrenbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/skye_warren
 
Links for DEEP
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Q2eESk
iBooks: http://apple.co/24f5Gaw
Nook: http://bit.ly/1WC1FqS
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1PLs0B7
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1R2ZfO2
All Romance: http://bit.ly/1QuSv11
 
And you can purchase Deep in PRINT...
http://amzn.to/1Tz3fvF
​