Interview with Shirley McLain, Author of Princess Adele's Dragon + Giveaway

Welcome to Shirley McLain, author of Princess Adele's Dragon! She is here to tell us a bit more about her writing and herself. The blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and runs from 31 May 31 through June 13. You can view the tour schedule here.

Tell us about the main character. Who is Adele?

Princess Adele is the headstrong sister of Robert, King of Valdoria. She was raised to be independent and care for herself. When she disagrees with her brother on how to save the kingdom it sets her on a path that changes her life and everyone’s around her.

Adele sounds like such an intriguing character. What inspired you when creating her?

I think the strong independent woman I’ve had around me all my life inspired me.

Where did you find inspiration while creating your fantasy world?

It came from my muse. I sit in front of the computer and it spills out though my fingers onto the screen. I’ve never practiced outlining for any of my books.

Will this be an ongoing series or is this a standalone story?

I haven’t decided yet. I’ve been thinking about doing another one but can’t decide. When the time is right I will know if it’s supposed to happen. It does have potential.

If you could visit any fictional place, where would you go?

If it has to be pure fiction I will say Hogwarts Castle from Harry Potter.  I would like to see the magic at work and be able to explore all the rooms in the castle. I could imagine seeing some great things stored away. Of course, I would want it to be a very peaceful time.

What’s your favorite TV show or movie?

My favorite TV show is Dancing with The Stars. I never miss the show.  If I have to be away from the TV on Monday night I record the program. I’m not into TV, but I do love old movies. I think my favorite movie is The Thorn Birds starring Richard Chamberlain.

What’s your go to comfort food?

It has always been chicken and dumplings.  My Mom made the best, but since she passed away I’ve not gotten any that were as great as hers. Next to that I will have to say steak and baked potato. If I’m desperate it’s anything I can get my hands on.

Where can readers find you online?

Website Link:  https://www.facebook.com/ShirleysBooks/

Blog Link: Shirley-mclain.net

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/29607913-princess-adele-s-dragon

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShirleyMcLain93

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/25lUOYM

I want to thank Kimber for giving me this opportunity to share a little bit of myself with you. It has been a pleasure.   Shirley McLain 

Princess Adele’s Dragon
By Shirley McLain

Genre: Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 22 March, 2016

Blurb:
Princess Adele lives with her brother, Robert, the King of Valdoria in the castle. There has been a monster terrorizing the Kingdom for months. The King has finally come to a decision on how to deal with the monster but the Princess can't agree with him. For the sake of the Kingdom Princess Adele decides she must be the one to kill the dragon. She couldn't live with herself if her brother went ahead with his plans.

What Adele found on her quest changed her life and the lives of those around her. She was a strong young woman who knew what she wanted and would do whatever it took to get it. Follow Princess Adele as she battles to save her home and her life.

You can find Princess Adele’s Dragon on Goodreads

You can buy Princess Adele’s Dragon here:
- Amazon



About the Author:
Shirley McLain makes her home in Sapulpa Oklahoma with her husband and their fur family of four dogs and three cats. She also has two grown children, six grandchildren and twin great-grand sons. She has/is living a very full life. She retired after working thirty-two years as a RN and then began a full time writing carrier. She and her husband enjoy their five-acre country home. It is a perfect setting to let Shirley’s Muse work it’s magic. Shirley is an eclectic writer and has always enjoyed the writing process. Shortly after her retirement she woke up one morning with the thought that she was going to write a book. She didn’t stop writing until she’d finished her first book. So far she has published four books which are now on Amazon. Her goal is to bring as much enjoyment to her readers as they deserve and want.

You can find and contact Shirley here:
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Princess Adele’s Dragon. These are the prizes you can win:
- 15 e-copies of Dobyns Chronicles by Shirley McLain

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

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Interview with Christi J. Whitney, Author of Shadow + Giveaway

Welcome to Christi J. Whitney, author of The Romany Outcasts trilogy! She was kind enough to join us today to answer a few questions about her writing and herself.

Tell us about the main character. Who is Sebastian Grey?

 At the beginning of the story, Sebastian thinks of himself as a fairly average teen – a little awkward, perhaps, with a sardonic personality and a great group of friends. He lives with his foster brother, tattoo artist Hugo Corsi. Sebastian has never really cared about his past, choosing instead to focus on his plans to go to work for his brother after high school. But everything changes when he discovers his brother is part of a secret clan of Outcast Gypsies. Suddenly, strange things begin to happen to Sebastian, and he struggles to figure out what’s going on.

I love that you write from the male point of view. What’s it like for a female author writing from the male perspective?

The decision to write from Sebastian’s point of view felt natural to me – maybe because I have boys or because the character reminded me so much of some of my students when I taught high school. Mainly, I think, it was just the way the story needed to be told. I share a lot in common with Sebastian, so getting into his head was actually pretty easy.

What are some interesting things you learned while writing/researching The Romany Outcasts Trilogy?

 I spent a lot of time researching Roma culture for my series. I wanted to create my own fictional world of Gypsies, but at the same time, I also wanted to be respectful and to present my characters in a way that felt both real and believable. I found the culture to be so rich, with great importance placed on tradition, and I really loved that.

When can we expect the third installment?

I currently writing book three now, and HarperVoyager has a tentative release date of early 2017, so we’ll see what happens!

If you could visit anyplace in the world (cost is no object), where would you go?

 Oh, hands down, I would go back to London. It’s just my favourite city. And since cost is no object, let’s say all of the UK and Ireland. That would be fantastic. I also would really love to visit New Zealand, but we’ll stick with my first answer!

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? Your Netflix addiction?

Wow, that’s a tough one to narrow down. Doctor Who will always be at the top of my list. I tend to watch a lot of fantasy and sci-fi. My all-time favourite movie is The Princess Bride. My Netflix addictions vary. I recently finished Daredevil, and now I’m juggling watching Dark Matter by myself and How to Train Your Dragon: Race to the Edge with my boys.

What is your favorite fairy tale, myth, or fable?

The story of Beauty and the Beast has always held a very special place in my heart, and I love reading and watching different retellings of the story. I actually wrote The Romany Outcasts Series to be a little bit of my own take on the tale.

Where can readers find you online?

I definitely use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, but I also use Tumblr and Pinterest for my fangirling and geeking out.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/christiwhitney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christijwhitney/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Christi-J-Whitney-220577227350/

Tumblr:  http://theatrepirate.tumblr.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/christijwhitney/

Shadow
The Romany Outcasts #2

Christi J. Whitney

YA Urban Fantasy
HarperVoyager
June 2, 2016

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The second volume in this incredible YA trilogy.

Sebastian Grey used to be a normal teenager.

Now he’s become a creature whose sole purpose is to act as guardian for secretive gypsy clans.

When the Romany gypsies claim Sebastian as their guardian, he is given a second chance to protect Josephine Romany, the girl he thought he might never see again.

But Sebastian is having his own problems. His transformation is still ongoing, and not everyone trusts the new gargoyle within their clan.

Then a tragedy pushes him to make choices to fulfil his duty, choices that might cost him everything.

Book One

Can you still love with a heart of stone?

Sebastian Grey always thought he was a fairly normal teenager – good friends, decent grades and a pretty sweet job in his foster brother’s tattoo shop.

  

But when Romany gypsies arrive in town, Sebastian discovers that his world is not what it seems. There is an age-old feud between his family and the gypsies – and this isn’t the only secret his brother has been keeping from him. His life is not his own. The girl he’s been dreaming about has just turned up at school, and he feels compelled to protect her at all costs.

  

Even if that means life might never be normal again.

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26115230-grey

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About the Author

Christi J. Whitney is the author of The Romany Outcasts Series (HarperCollins/HarperVoyagerUK).

She's a former high school theatre director with a love for the dramatic. Christi lives just outside of Atlanta with her husband and two sons.

When not spending time with them or taking a ridiculous number of trips to Disney World, she is usually directing plays, geeking out over Doctor Who, making costumes for sci-fi/fantasy conventions, watching superhero movies, or pretending she's a tad bit British.

Connect with her on Twitter @ChristiWhitney 

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Cover Reveal: Darkness Savage by Rachel A. Marks + Giveaway

Darkness Savage
Rachel A. Marks
(The Dark Cycle #3)
Published by: Skyscape
Publication date: October 13th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

The fate of humanity hangs in the balance as Aidan faces a crushing choice: give in to the demands of the forces of Darkness in order to save his sister, Ava, or fight on the side of good and risk losing her forever. With so much at stake and so little time, Aidan embarks on a mission to finish assembling a team of “Lights,” other teens whose special abilities are linked to his own.

Meanwhile, Rebecca discovers that she’s more than just a normal teen, and that the power awakening inside her may be stronger than she ever could have imagined. As the city plunges into chaos and Aidan doubts his plan of attack, Rebecca’s newfound gift may tip the balance in the wrong direction.

In this thrilling final installment of The Dark Cycle trilogy, will Aidan find the help he needs to release the world from Darkness’s grip? Or will he lose everything he's been desperately trying to save, including his soul?  

Goodreads / Amazon

Previous books in the series:

Author Bio:
Rachel A. Marks is an award-winning author and professional artist, a SoCal girl, cancer survivor, a surfer and dirt-bike rider, chocolate lover and keeper of faerie secrets. She was voted: Most Likely to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, but hopes she'll never have to test the theory. Her debut series The Dark Cycle, described as Dickens' Oliver Twist meets TV's Supernatural, is now out through Skyscape, beginning with DARKNESS BRUTAL.

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New Release: The Darkest Torment by Gena Showalter

   

The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST TORMENT, the eagerly anticipated twelfth novel in her Lords of the Underworld series, available now! Grab your copy today!

   

Get your copy of THE DARKEST TORMENT here!

Amazon * Kindle * Barnes & Noble * Nook * Book Depository * GooglePlay *iBooks* BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

THE DARKEST TORMENT Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with her most explosive Lords of the Underworld tale to date, about a fierce warrior on the brink of sanity who will stop at nothing to claim the exquisite human with the power to soothe the beast inside him…

Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he’s back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he’s unable to withstand the touch of another…and he’s quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride—just not his own.

Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she’s taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she’s plunged into a war between two evils—with a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them…and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.

But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she’ll have to teach him to love…or lose him forever.

       

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

   

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Lords of the Underworld Series!

THE DARKEST NIGHT

THE DARKEST KISS

THE DARKEST PLEASURE

THE DARKEST WHISPER

THE DARKEST PASSION

THE DARKEST LIE

THE DARKEST SECRET

THE DARKEST SURRENDER

THE DARKEST SEDUCTION

THE DARKEST CRAVING

THE DARKEST TOUCH

About Gena Showalter:

        Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfan    

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Kindle Scout Campaign - Part 1

Many of you may have noticed that I started a Kindle Scout campaign for my novel, Bitter Envy. At least I hope you noticed since I have been actively promoting it since it started on Thursday. Honestly it all happened so fast that I haven't had time to stop and plan an effective campaign. I read in several forums that Amazon can take days to decide on a submission, so when I submitted last Tuesday, I wasn't expecting to be approved within hours and have my campaign live two days later. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled! I hope the quick decision means that they liked my cover (which I adore-- thanks, Amanda!) and the blurb (I had to cut out 2/3 to fit their guidelines, so maybe my blurb is too long).

Well, I've spent the last two days scouring the internet for information on Kindle Scout and checking out other authors' success and fail stories. What shocked me is that some authors with amazing stats aren't being offered contracts. So obviously when Kindle Scout says that nominations are only part of the decision, they aren't kidding. And that does make sense since I'm sure they want a mix of genres and plots. If five mysteries are all burning up the hot & trending for their entire campaigns at the same time, I doubt Kindle Scout would pick more than one or two.

So, this brings me to my next dilemma: how to keep Bitter Envy hot & trending after I've exhausted my limited marketing avenues. Many authors spend money to advertise through Facebook ads, Twitter campaigns, Goodreads ads - to name a few. But I'm loathe to sink money into a campaign that may or may not make a difference. I can't help but wonder how much is timing and luck. What to do... what to do...

I did spread out my marketing ideas and have plans through the end of this week. Then I also have plans for a final push at the end. Now I just need some ideas to get through the saggy middle. I'll keep you posted on my campaign. Thanks for your support :)

Want to check out my campaign? Here's the link:
https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/2GETN8KN3WE8

Tell me what you think!

Nominate Bitter Envy on Kindle Scout + Giveaway

I am excited to announce that Bitter Envy is on Kindle Scout. Don't know what Kindle Scout is? It is, "reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books."

Readers nominate their favorite books, and those books may receive a publishing contract through Amazon. If a book scores a contract, everyone who nominated it receives a free Kindle copy!

I would be honored if you would consider nominating Bitter Envy! You can read the first chapter on Kindle Scout. 

Nominate Bitter Envy

As a special thank you, please enter my giveaway. You don't have to nominate my novel to enter, but I do appreciate your support if you decide to.

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Character Interview with Mia Crawford from The Warrior Prophet by Lisa Voisin

Welcome to Lisa Voisin, author of The Warrior Prophet. She is here to share an interview with main character Mia Crawford!

Character Interview with Mia Crawford

Sitting in front of me today we have Mia Crawford, the main character from The Warrior Prophet (Book 3 in The Watcher Saga). As the author of this book, it’s my pleasure to interview her.

Sitting in the chair across from me, Mia wears boyfriend jeans and a blue top. Her long, dark hair is tied back in a braid, but a stray lock falls in her eyes. She tucks it behind her ear and glances out the window, her haunted green eyes fall on something for a moment, and I can’t help but wonder what she sees. Even though I’ve known her for three books now, I want her to speak for herself….

Lisa: Welcome, Mia. Why don’t you start off by telling us a bit about yourself?

Mia: Thanks. Well, I’m seventeen, and I’m in my senior year of high school at Westmont. And according to my angel friends, I’m a prophet.

Lisa: A prophet. What does that mean exactly?

Mia: Well, they tell me it means I can see and communicate with angels, but can also do some things that angels can’t. My blood, for instance, can be used in healing spells and other incantations. I also get visions or dreams, sometimes of the future. Other times, I remember things that happened a long time ago, in my past life for instance.

Lisa: The Watcher Saga is about your connection with a very special… um… person in your life. Should we call Michael a person?

Mia: Of course. He is human, even if he’s also an angel.

Lisa: How did you meet Michael Fontaine?

Mia: This lifetime you mean? We met at school, but the moment I first saw him, I knew that I knew him from somewhere else. I just didn’t know where. Then I discovered that I knew him in a past life thousands of years ago.

Lisa: How did that feel? To discover you shared a past life with someone?

Mia: Pretty strange, actually. To meet someone you were married to before. An angel who gave up everything just to be with me. I mean, no pressure or anything—right? (Laughs) Our time together was short-lived back then. I died prematurely, but though I didn’t remember the details, I experienced all the emotions. So when I first met Michael, a lot of those memories came in the form of feelings so I was way too emotional at times.

Arielle, one of the other angels I know, explained that it was because I was remembering things on a soul level. That was why my emotions were out of whack. Apparently remembering at a soul level affects people very deeply.

Lisa: Wow. I can only imagine. That’s quite a connection to have. But Michael is an angel after all. Isn’t he?

Mia: Yes. He’s an angel. Though he was born into a human body in this life. He fell, and yet he wanted to earn his redemption. Having a human life was the only way.

Lisa: You and Michael have been together for a little while now, in this life even. I guess you’ve gotten to know him.

Mia: At bit! But it’s really only been a few months. They’ve just been so busy. It was only a few weeks ago, in The Angel Killer, that he was injured by a cursed sword that used his own angel essence against him. I had to babysit his angelic powers for a while there.

Lisa: What was that like?

Mia: Amazing. Terrifying. I couldn’t actually fly or anything, but I was able to see the world the way angels see it, and connect to the Network as if I were one of them, which was amazing. But the things I saw were pretty awful—horrifying even. I learned to deal.

Lisa: What’s the one thing that you learned from that?

Mia: That people aren’t as in control as they think they are. We are all prey. Your attitude can make or break you, not just in mindset, but in the things you attract. It’s all very absolute.

Lisa: Indeed. That’s is a chilling thought. How then, did you handle Michael being trapped?

Mia: Not well. If it weren’t for the angels watching over me, I don’t think I would have made it through that first week. And then Arielle told me the angels couldn’t go in and get Michael back. I was such a wreck, my best friend, Heather, acted like I was going to break. At times, it felt like I would. If it weren’t for Rhys, I don’t know what I would have done.

Lisa: Why Rhys?

Mia: He watched out for me in Michael’s absence, and it was his idea for me to go in and get Michael back. He gave me hope.

Lisa: What did you do?

Mia: I couldn’t just leave him there, could I? Not after everything he’s done for me. I had to go get him. No matter what it took, or who I had to face to do it.

Lisa: Without giving anything away, do you think you and Michael will ever be able to have a normal relationship after everything you’ve been through?

Mia: (Laughs) What is “normal” anyway? I mean it would be nice, but I’d rather have an “abnormal” relationship with Michael than a “normal” one with anyone else. I think we both know that we’d do anything for each other. I know that about him. I hope he knows that about me now.

Lisa: Are there any last words of advice or anything you’d like to share?

Mia: Yeah, enjoy the moments that you have with people. Celebrate the positive as much as you can.

Lisa: Wise words for someone your age.

Mia: (Shrugs) I’m an old soul. 

The Warrior Prophet
The Watcher Saga #3

Lisa Voisin

YA Urban Fantasy
Inkspell Publishing
April 13, 2016

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Mia Crawford is a prophet.

She can see angels. She also sees demons. Everywhere.

The angels are preparing for war to get her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael, back. A war that could take years.

Haunted by visions of Michael's soul being tortured, Mia can't rest until she knows he's safe.

To save him, she must make an impossible journey through Hell with the one person she prayed she'd never see again.

The Watcher

The Watcher Saga #1

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Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.

Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?

Ancient history is only the beginning.

The Angel Killer

The Watcher Saga #2

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Now that she’s found him again, all Mia Crawford wants is some downtime with her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael. But the call of duty keeps him away—from school and from her—with more demons to smite than ever.

When Michael is mortally wounded by a cursed sword, Mia must perform an ancient blood ritual to save him. But the spell exacts a price. Haunted by visions of war, torture, and despair, Mia discovers the world is in more danger than she ever imagined. Behind the scenes, an evil adversary pulls all the strings.

After redemption, there’s Hell to pay.

About the Author

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

Lisa is also a technical writer, a meditation teacher with the Training in Power Academy, and the leader of the Young Writer’s Club, a local writing group for teens in her home town. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, she can usually be found writing in a local café. When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine!

Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancé and their two cats.

More about Lisa can be found on her web site: http://www.lisavoisin.com or blog: http://lisavoisin.wordpress.com

  

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