I already announced the March Monthly Giveaway last week but I thought I would remind you all what books are up for offer and how to enter! There are only a couple of days left to vote and enter so don't leave it too long ;)
As always there are five books to choose from and vote for. So make sure you go to the poll in the sidebar <----- and vote for the one you want to win or the one you think deserves to win! Here is a little info about each book on offer. Just click on the book title and author to see my review -
There have already been quite a few votes and it is interesting to see who is winning so far!
How does the monthly giveaway work?
Well in the sidebar <--- there is a poll. You vote for the book you would most like to win. I pick a name from the subscibers list and that person wins the book with the most votes. So you may not even win the book you voted for! To subscribe to Amberkatze's Book Blog all you have to do is use the box in the sidebar <--- or at the bottom of this post. Everyone who is already subscribed will be entered in the contest as well as new subscribers. If you have not confirmed your email address then you will not be added to the draw!!! The winner of the Monthly Giveaway will be announced on Sunday 4th April and the poll will stay open till the 3rd of April!
>For more chances to win -
Post about this giveaway somewhere on the internet eg. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. Make sure you post the link here so I can confirm your extra entry.
Email your friends about this giveaway. Make sure you add my email address so I also get a copy and can confirm your extra entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu
For more prizes -
I will draw more than one winner if I have enough money in the Amberkatze's Book Blog Amazon account. You can help fill this account by using one of the following links below to make your purchases on Amazon.com or Amazon.de
Dead and Gone is book number nine in the Sookie Stackhouse series and I am now finished listening to all the books! Now I am ready to read Dead in the Family when it comes out and I won't have to search my memory trying to remember what happened in the past.
This ninth book was full of action and there was some sadness. I can only imagine what could happen next but I am sure Charlaine Harris will surprise me once again and things will get even bigger and better. Lots of fairies this time around but still lots of of vampire action.
The audiobooks have been extremely enjoyable to listen to and I am happy that I took the time to catch up with Sookie from the beginning again. The narrator does a wonderful job and I am definitely going to be listening to Dead in the Family when I can get hold of it.
If you haven't tried the Sookie Stackhouse series then I highly recommend it. The TV series Trueblood is based on the books but reading them is a must. There is something special about these books and I know I will be reading and listening to them again and again.
Her Summer has been spent with her immortal boyfriend Alexander but now that the holidays are over Raven has to go back to school and her normal life. The romantic nights and sleep-filled days become morning classes and evenings full of homework. It is a shock but it is something she will get used to. Unlike other things...
A letter arrives at Alexander's mansion and Raven is excited to hear that his parents will be coming to town. Raven can't wait to meet them but it seems everyone else has got to see them first. She begins to worry that her boyfriend doesn't want her to meet them but the real reason is even worse. Worse than Raven can even imagine.
This is the sixth book in the Vampire Kisses series. I have followed these books since they were first released but didn't rush to get hold of Royal Blood as the series, imho, was lacking something in the previous couple of installments. However when this book came to me, through a friend, I was eager to visit Raven and Alexander again and couldn't stop myself from grabbing this from the shelf instead of something else.
It was nice to visit the goth girl Raven and Vampire Alexander. I can't say I have missed them that much but it felt good to catch up with them. The plot this time around was a little light and easy and still I felt the story was lacking something. All that said I have to admit that I did enjoy the simple and youthful aspect of this story. None of the usual sixteen year old problems like sex and drugs were present and the author keeps the story clean and dreamy. It makes a nice change to have a Young Adult novel that actually is Young Adult.
Although I won't be rushing out to buy the next book in the series I will put it on my wishlist and read it at some point. This series is childish but it is nicely written and a quick read. A definite must buy for those young girls you want to bring over to the dark side ;)
This week I am really excited to have author Diana Rowland here on Amberkatze's Book Blog. Her debut book, Mark of the Demon, was one of my favourite debuts last year and her second book in the Kara Gillian series Blood of the Demon is one of my favourite reads this year.
Diana has worked as a bartender, a blackjack dealer, a pit boss, a street cop, a detective, a computer forensics specialist, a crime scene investigator and a morgue assistant. So it is no surprise that her books are realistic and brilliant. I for one can't wait for more.
So even if you have had the pleasure of reading Diana's books or not, I hope you enjoy this interview! Also make sure you enter the contest. Diana is giving away a few signed books. Oh and the March Monthly Giveaway has a copy of Blood of the Demon in the running. Make sure you vote for it!
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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about Mark of the Demon and Blood of the Demon?
Diana – The series is about Kara Gillian, a homicide detective in south Louisiana who has the ability to summon supernatural creatures known as demons. In Mark of the Demon, Kara has recently been promoted to Homicide Detective, and when she finds traces of arcane power on a body, she quickly realizes that this is no ordinary murder. The serial killer known as the Symbol Man has been gone for three years, but now he's back for an encore and leaving clues that he is well-versed in demonic lore. Matters become complicated when her attempt to summon a minor demon to aid her in the case goes awry, and she ends up with the alluring and powerful demonic lord Rhyzkahl in her summoning circle instead. In addition, she’s forced to work with FBI Agent Ryan Kristoff—who clearly doesn’t trust her, yet who might be far more than he seems. Kara must draw on her skills as a police officer and summoner of demons to stop the Symbol Man and keep him from summoning something even she can’t control.
In Blood of the Demon, Kara is is doing her best to get her life back to normal after the somewhat messy resolution of the Symbol Man case. Unfortunately, there's little about Kara's life that’s ever normal or simple. When Kara discovers that a Ryan Kristoff is somehow known to the demonkind--and not in a good way--old doubts surface and new problems emerge. Moreover, her investigations into the deaths of several seemingly unrelated victims reveal disturbing links to the arcane.
But matters get more complicated when she discovers other links between the victims, leading her into a morass of political corruption. And it doesn't help that the demonic lord Rhyzkahl has asked her to be his own summoner, a commitment that could have quite a few advantages and plenty of pitfalls. Politics--whether among humans or demons--is a dangerous game with very high stakes, and Kara is learning that lesson the hard way.
Amber - How did you come up with the idea for the series? Was it a long process or did it just come to you?
Diana – It was a long process in some ways. The seeds of the ideas came from my own experiences as a police officer and a morgue tech, as well as my love of all things “out there.” I’ve always been a big reader of science fiction and fantasy, but I’ve particularly loved those books that have blended the real world with the supernatural. So, when urban fantasy and paranormal romance started becoming so popular, I was in heaven! It felt only natural to write in a genre that I adored so much.
However, the actual details for the series came to me in bits and pieces. I’d originally tried to write a “straight” mystery/thriller, drawing on my law enforcement background, but I couldn’t seem to make it “sing” for me. Then one day I was working an autopsy where there were some odd injuries on the victim, and I started wondering how injuries caused by a supernatural creature would be explained away by people in the real world... and from there the concept was born of a real world cop with a link to another world.
Amber - What kind of research have you had to do for the books so far? Anything interesting or is research boring?
Diana – Even though I’ve drawn heavily on my own background, I’ve had to do quite a bit of research and fact-checking. Luckily, I have a zillion contacts in law enforcement and forensics, and most of them are all too used to getting odd calls or text messages from me with off-the-wall questions. However, for the third book, Secrets of the Demon, I had to go out of my comfort zone, and do actual research on subjects I knew nothing about. However, I continue to be pleased and amazed at the fact that complete strangers can be so incredibly willing to take the time to fill in the details for me.
Amber - How many more books will there be in the series? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?
Diana – At this time there are three more books in the Demon series under contract. The third, Secrets of the Demon, has been turned in, and I’ve started work on the fourth, Sins of the Demon. I’m also under contract for three books in a new series about a white trash zombie who works as a morgue tech (for easy access to brains!) It’s a coming-of-age story for the undead [grin], and I’m looking forward to starting work on it next year.
Amber - Have you always wanted to be an author? and why did you pick the paranormal genre?
Diana – I think I’ve always wanted to write, though it wasn’t until my late twenties that I began to think seriously about actually getting published. As I said earlier, I have a total infatuation with anything science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, you name it! I’m definitely an “Old Skool Geek”, and I have a hard time imagining writing anything that doesn’t have that touch of the mystical or “What if?” in it. I’ve tried, and it’s never gone well. ;-P
Amber - Something I have always wondered about is how authors come up with the names for their characters. How do you pick the names you use in your books?
Diana – I wish I had an exciting and thrilling answer for that, but it tends to be some what random. Major characters get a fair amount of thought when it comes to naming; I try to find something that seems to fit their personality. For secondary characters, I’ll sometimes go through the obituaries and mix and match first and last names. Every now and then, though, a character will be named after someone I know, or, in one case, a minor (but very important) character’s name was a mix of the names of two officers I used to work with who were killed in the line of duty.
Amber - What is the easiest and hardest part about being an author?
Diana – The easiest part is the actual writing. The hardest part is the business side of things—the editing, the paperwork, the promotion, the travel, the taxes, the self-discipline... Luckily the joy of the final product makes it all worth it!
Amber - How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?
Diana – I train in martial arts. I have a black belt in Hapkido and I’m currently working toward my black belt in Kenpo. I also took up knitting a while back, and have found that it’s a great way to let my mind go “free”, so to speak.
Amber – A lot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?
Diana – I’m one of those weird writers who needs Silence to concentrate. I’m very easily distracted, so anything with lyrics, or even a catchy tune, is off-limits when I’m working. The only exception to this is when I go and write in a public place (which I do at least once a week, simply to get Out Of The House.) Since I’m Distractable Girl and Nosy Girl as well, I stick the earbuds in to keep from listening in on conversations around me. However, it’s always something purely instrumental and fairly unintrusive, such as the soundtrack to Return of the King.
Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?
Diana – All of them! LOL But I’m a sucker for Charlaine Harris’s books, I ADORE the J.D. Robb “In Death” series, and I’m anxiously awaiting the next book by MLN Hanover. (If you haven’t read his books yet, you should. He’s a brilliant author, and the series has a wicked-cool arc.)
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Diana – I’m not sure what kind of creature this would be, but I’d love to be able to do “magic” and cast spells, and shoot lightning bolts, and make slow-moving cars get out of my way on the interstate!
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Contest Time!
Diana is giving away three autographed copies of Blood of the Demon! That means we will have three lucky winners this week!
How to enter
I wanna hear about your favourite Demons! Books, TV, Film or some of your personal ones ;) Any Demon you can think of and want to tell us about!
No Demon - no entry
Earn more entries for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!
You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.
Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 4th of April 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.
If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!
If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.
Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.
A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.
Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest. PulitzerPrize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat.
The Review -
I really needed a break from the Paranormal today and so I decided to visit one of my favourite TV shows, Castle. If any of you have been following the series you will know that Nikki Heat is based on Kate Beckitt, the detective Richard Castle is shadowing in the show. They talk about 'Heat Wave' the first book in his new series on the show and I was surprised it was actually now a book!
The story and plot isn't too bad. Not amazing but then again I wasn't expecting it to be. However the writer of this book is supposed to be Richard Castle and I have to wonder who really did write this. Whoever it was kept to the snippets we have heard about Heat Wave on the show and you can really see the 'Richard Castle' humour and wit shining out throughout the whole book.
However at points in the book it is hard to decide if you are just reading an episode of Castle or really something different. Of course Nikki Heat is based on the TV series but the similarities are huge. I personally think that the award winning author Richard Castle, if he did exist, would write something much better than this book is. If anything I think this book insults him just a little.
All in all this is another TV show based book with a twist. The twist is that the author from the show supposedly wrote this. It wasn't bad and it wasn't good but at the end of the book I have to say I enjoyed it for what it was. It was fun to finally read the book I have heard so much about on TV and I actually think Naked Heat is coming out next. I won't be rushing out to buy it but it will definitely go on my wishlist.
There is a border and one side there is the modern world. A world full of homecoming dances, internet and TV. On the otherside there are ancient monsters that the humans fear. Dragons are just over the border and Kay Wyatt knows she is breaking the law by rock climbing near so close to the place her parents both work so hard to keep from anyone crossing. However at seventeen, Kay wants some adventure and doesn't want to follow the rules.
Her adventure isn't the start of things to come but it may have something to do with it. The dragons have been quiet for sixty years and now there is smoke in the air. Can Kay and her dragon friend help stop a war starting between the humans and dragons? Or has the war already begun?
I absolutely love Carrie Vaughn's Kitty the Werewolf series and when I heard she was bringing out a YA novel I was intrigued. When I read that this was about dragons I couldn't stop myself from pre-ordering Voices of Dragons. A YA with Dragons written by one of my favourite authors is something I couldn't miss.
What can I say expect absolutely amazing! This debut in the Young Adult area is breathtaking and I expect all Kitty fans will love this as much as the teenagers it is aimed at will. The story doesn't mess around and gets straight into things. Kay is a wonderful strong character and I immediately liked her. The plot was nail-bitingly good and I felt like I was there with Kay experiencing everything she was.
The dragon aspect of this was a big seller for me but I even if you don't really like dragons you are going to love this. I hope there will be more and if the ending was anything to go by it looks like this is only the beginning. I openly welcome anymore dragon stories this author wants to share with us because this was a very special read and I can't wait for more.
A divorced mother of one and a kick-ass cop is just two ways to describe Charlie Madigan. She recently returned from the dead and is still taking down the off-world criminals who roam the streets of Atlanta. However her job isn't really easy and the strange nightmares and unexplainable strength is really starting to worry her. Does the way she is feeling have something to do with her revival?
The criminal activity in Atlanta has grown since the Revelation. Her partner Hank helps Charlie keep the city under control but there is a new danger on the street that they haven't been able to find. Ash is on the street. A drug that is targeting random victims. They need to find out who is producing the deathly substance before more people die. If only it was that simple.
This has been out for a couple of months but I only managed to get hold of a copy recently. I was a little concerned about the 'Otherworld' content when I read the blurb for this as I am not really a Sci-Fi book fan. However the 'alien' aspect wasn't really that intense and I found myself liking this within the first few chapters. This was definitely more paranormal than science fiction and it was definitely worth taking a chance on.
The Better Part of Darkness is one of those books you wish you read sooner rather than later. A wonderful example of Paranormal Urban Fantasy and a fresh new look at things is the combination you can expect inside this debut book. The author has come up with something different but realistic and I found myself snatching this book up as often as I could.
One of the good things about this new series is that the characters are really likable. The fact that the main character is a single mum made for a nice change. Most of the books in the Paranormal genre have single women but the author was thinking outside of the box here and it worked in her favour. Filled with action and mystery this series shows real potential.
All in all this was a great read and I enjoyed it alot. I have already put the next book in the series, The Darkest Edge of Dawn, on my wishlist and I won't be waiting around for it. I will be getting it as soon as it released. I can't wait to see where the author takes this new world.
The poll for the March Monthly giveaway is up in the sidebar <--- Vote for the book you would most like to win. The book with the most votes is the prize this month and the winner will be picked from the Amberkatze's Book Blog Newsletter subscribers. Read the rules to find out more.
The winner of the Monthly Giveaway will be announced on Sunday 4th April and the poll will stay open till the 3rd of April!
Also a quick reminder about the Stacey Jay Contest. You have till Sunday to enter and win a copy of Stacey's new book 'My So Called Death'.
Make sure you check out the interview with the main character and pick up a copy of Stacey's Zombie fun filled new release.
Author Mario Acevedo was here this week and he was giving away five sets of amazing prizes. A huge thank you to him and his author friends for all the great swag! I envy all the winners ;)
Mario just sent me the winners names so time to to share them with you!
Prize 1 - TEMPEST RISING by Nicole Peeler & CROSS YOUR HEART by Michele Bardsley
Winner - Lauren
Prize 2 - MIND GAMES by Carolyn Crane & GREYWALKER by Kat Richardson
Winner - van_pham
Prize 3 - ACCIDENTALLY DEMONIC by Dakota Cassidy & THE BECOMING by Jeanne Stein
Winner - Jen D
Prize 4 - A double book set from Diana Rowland. MARK OF THE DEMON & BLOOD OF THE DEMON.
Winner - Benita
Prize 5 - $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, ARC of X-RATED BLOODSUCKERS & JAILBAIT ZOMBIE by Mario Acevedo
Winner - LuAnn
Congratulations to all the winners keep reading to find out how to claim your prizes!
If you didn't this time then make sure you check out the new contest with author Stacey Jay! Also keep your eyes peeled for the March Monthly Giveaway! Sometime this week the poll will go up!
How to claim your prize!
Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.
If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!
If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.
Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't recieved your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.
Succubus Georgina Kincaid is immortal, can shape-shift into any human form and can seduce any man she wants. However being a Succubus isn't always as cool as it looks. For instance right now Georgina is helping to plan her ex-boyfriend's wedding and it is hell. She isn't sure what is worse! Seth marrying someone else or that she has to try on bridesmaid dresses?
However Georgina's life has enough distractions to keep her mind off the wedding and one of them is Roman. He is her new roommate and the sexual tension between them is high. Then there is another succubus in town to keep an eye on. Simone is up to something and Georgina wants to know what. Then there is the danger surrounding Georgina. A mysterious force keeps visiting her when she is asleep. She is resisting but at some point she will be too weak and there is no knowing where the force will take her and if she will be able to get back again.
Succubus Shadows is the fifth book in the series and I really have to wonder how the author manages to outdo herself each time. Things get better and better with each book and so far I can't say that there has been a bad one. Every book in the series is a super sexy succubus story filled with mystery and romance.
Dark but delicious there is just enough humour in this series to stop it from being to hard. I really love the characters in this series and over time I have come to care alot for Georgina. This new installment showed more about Georgina's past and I soaked up every little detail. The story had me trapped just as much as my favourite Succubus was and I didn't want to leave her for even one minute. With a small cliffhanger ending I am eager to see what comes next. I hope the wait isn't long because I feel Georgina would also hate to be kept waiting.
If you haven't already had the pleasure of reading any of Richelle Mead's books then I can only highly recommend them. The Succubus series is truly amazing Paranormal Urban Fantasy and her Young Adult series, Vampire Academy, is worth reading if you are young or old. Then there is the very tasty Dark Swan series which is definitely a must read for any Fantasy lover. So make sure you get to know this author soon because she is one of the biggest and best out there at the moment.
Author Stacey Jay has been a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog not once but twice! So when I heard she had a new book coming out I invited her back to the blog. However she was a little busy and suggested I interview Karen, after all it is her story being told in Stacey's new book.
Karen is a freshman at Dead High and is very excited about her first book coming out. MY SO CALLED DEATH is about Karen's death and first adventure as a zombie. She is working together with Stacey Jay to get more of her adventures in print. I hope you enjoy getting to know her and take the time to read her book!
Oh and Karen is kindly giving away a copy! So make sure you enter this weeks contest!
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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by introducing yourself to my readers?
Karen -Hey! Thanks for having me! Well, I'm a freshman at DEAD High--a high school for Death Challenged kids (aka zombies). I'm also a former flier for my human school's cheer leading squad, and an up-and-coming solver of major crimes against the Undead.
Amber - You recently became a zombie. How are you feeling about that whole life changing experience?
Karen -The dark circles are a pain, I'm not going to lie, but make-up has come a long way in the past decade. There are tons of excellent concealers and creme blushes that help give Undead skin a healthy glow. Other than that, my life has been pretty much the same. Except for the brain-eating (animal brains only!) and the boarding school and the hideous school uniforms, of course.
Amber - You are now at Dead High? What is the difference between Dead High and a normal High school?
Karen -We have a lot of zombie-specific classes, like "Make-up Secrets of Morticians" and "Zombie Poetry." There is a LOT of zombie poetry. Something about being Undead brings out the angst in people, I guess. And brains are the only food offered in our cafeteria. I don't know if I'll ever get used to that. I miss chicken-fried-steak like you wouldn't believe.
Amber - What made you decide to get your story published in the book 'MY SO CALLED DEATH'?
Karen -I figured it was time someone told the truth about what it was like to be Undead. I'm so sick of all the movies with the moaning, groaning, shuffling zombie stereotypes. Being a zombie is nothing like that. As long as we remember to eat our animal brains, we feel and act almost like normal people. Except...deader.
Amber - What was it like working with the author Stacey Jay? Did you two always get along? Or did you sometimes have problems when it comes to putting your words on paper?
Karen -Stacey Jay was pretty cool to work with. She's old--like thirty-two or something--which was kind of a pain because she would act like my mom and tell me to finish my homework before we IM-ed anymore, but she's basically solid. She told my story truthfully and didn't pull any punches with the gross stuff. I like that. I think it's a common misconception that girls who like sparkles and unicorns and happy ever afters can't also enjoy a story featuring zombies and giant, flesh-eating maggots.
Amber - What is next? Do you have more stories to tell? Will Stacey be helping you?
Karen - I'm currently on probation at school for the first book--violating the super secret zombie code and all that--but I'm working to convince the Powers That Be that the DEAD high story needs to be told. I'm dying to spill all the new gossip so...we'll see!
Amber - If you could go back in time and change one thing that happened in your life, what would you change?
Karen - I would eat more chocolate. Like, TONS more chocolate. Zombies can't eat chocolate; it messes with our digestion. Chocolate is probably what I miss most about being alive, though I wouldn't change being Undead. I'm pretty happy as a zombie.
Amber - How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?
Karen - My friends and I do spa nights at the dorm and give each other mani-pedis and oatmeal facials--oatmeal is great for dead skin. I find that very relaxing. And my hobbies include fighting crime and solving murders. (I had to find something as exciting as cheerleading since cheering is considered a high-risk activity for the Undead and forbidden at DEAD High.)
Amber - What kind of music do you like listening to? Are there any zombie bands?
Karen -There are TONS of zombie bands, some of them even well-known in the human world since stagelights are kind to Undead flesh. Two of my favorites are The Resurrectionists and the Scatterbrains.
Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?
Karen - I like reading non-fiction and true-crime stories. I want to be an FBI agent or something when I'm older, so I figure I'd better get used to invading the sick and twisting hallways of the crimial mind.
Amber - What TV series or films are you hooked on at the moment?
Karen - I'm hooked on watching reruns of the Alias series. My roomate and I ordered it from Netflix. I love the action and intrigue! I totally want to be a zombie Sydney Bristow.
Amber - I know you are already a zombie, but if you could be any other paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Karen - A unicorn. I love sparkly, pretty things and you could seriously mess up some bad guys with that horn.
Amber - Thank you for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back for another visit in the future!
Karen-I'd love to! Thanks for having me! Hope your reader's enjoy the book!
This week there is a copy of MY SO CALLED DEATH up for grabs as the contest prize. Stacey will ship anywhere in the United States, Canada, or Europe so I think the majority of you guys can enter ;)
How to enter
I wanna hear about your favourite zombies! Film, book or TV Series! what zombies do you like?
No zombie - no entry
Earn more entries for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!
You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.
Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 28th of March 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
Olivia is a vampire and fallen angel of desire. Hopeless and damned since her fall from Eden, she craves love. Then she meets Dominic O'Shaughnessy, a man who has been plagued by visions most of his life. He is researching a way to rid himself and others of the memories they don't want anymore.
They meet in Ireland in a hotel of the Damned. Olivia and Dominic find each other and there is something between them that they both can't ignore. Even if it means it will destroy them both, they still want to find a way. Dominic and Olivia-the vision-touched scientist and the earth-bound angel, reborn and undead-encounter the mystery of love and find it is both fall...and flight.
Dark Fantasy is not a genre I have had much experience with. I guessed from the blurb for 'and Falling, fly' that it would be alot like Paranormal Urban Fantasy but from the start of this book I knew that I was wrong. Where I am used to action and mystery this tale took me on a deep and dark trip through a bleak underworld. Not like anything I am used to I struggled to adapt to this new style.
Halfway through the book I started to feel a little more at home. I still felt it hard to get used to the world but the characters kept my interest and I found I wanted to see what happened next and how it would all end. When it finally arrived I was pleased with the ending. This definitely wasn't my usual style of reading but it was very dramatic and the build up intrigued me.
The author has an unique writing style that may throw some readers. However if you find your way through the first half of this book you will be rewarded with a unforgettable second half. Dark Fantasy isn't a genre I will be seeking out but it is certainly one I will take a peek at now again. If you like drama, darkness and romance then you will enjoy this but if you are after action and adventure this vampire isn't for you.
This is the seventh book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and it just keeps getting better and better. I have of course read all the books in the series but if you have been following the blog you will know that I have been re-visiting the series via audiobook. I have enjoyed listening to every single book so far and this one was no exception.
Of course as usual there was a lot about this story that I couldn't remember. The guards from another dimension threw me completely and the events that took place at the vampire summit were only faint memories. Still I loved this installment in the series as much as I have loved all the others and as usual I really liked listening to the audiobook version. The narrator is amazing and this is not only one of my favourite series ever but also my favourite audiobook collection.
Seeing as I already listened to the next book From Dead to Worse last year, I will now try and find a copy of Dead and Gone to listen to. It looks like I will be up to date and ready for Dead in the Family when it comes out in early May.
College grad, magic user and unemployed Bonnie Torres gets an interesting but strange call for what she hopes is a job interview. She has no idea what the job is for or if she even applied for it. The message was short and the only details she is given is a time and place. Her mentor J isn't really happy about her even contemplating going to the meeting but Bonnie needs a job.
After a very unusual interview, Bonnie finds herself being a part of the Private, Unaffiliated, Paranormal Investigations or PUPI for short. The team is made up of 5 people who are expected to mix magic and forensics to solve cases that the normal police can't. Their first job isn't easy. Trying to prove that a double suicide was in fact murder has them stumped and with their combined lack of experience it makes things even harder. Also there are people who don't want to see PUPI exist in any way shape or form. That makes this job more interesting that Bonnie could ever imagine.
I have to admit that my knowledge of this author is practically zilch. I remember picking up one of her Retriever books a few years ago and for some reason it didn't grab my interest. However this new series did capture my attention. Magic combined with forensics totally caught my eye and I had to give this one a try.
Hard Magic wasn't a bad read. Being the first in a series the first half of this book was really laying the foundations and I admit I enjoyed discovering this new concept and character. The author has managed to create something different and although I believe this series links to the Retrievers in some way it made no difference to this story that I haven't read the other books.
A little slower that I expected I did really like the forensics and magical aspect of this book. The writing style, characters and location also kept me reading this to the end but I think I need a second book in this series to make a final judgement. This was certainly worth reading but I felt like Hard Magic is just the start of something bigger and that there are more greater things to come.
One thing I have to say about this book is that it has reawakened my interest in the Retrievers series. If they are anything like Hard Magic then I definitely want to try them again. Off to add the first one to my wishlist!
With so many gals in the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre it is always nice to have the guys come out to play. So this week I am very happy to have author Mario Acevedo back here on Amberkatze's Book Blog.
Mario's new release Werewolf Smackdown is a brilliant read. I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole Felix Gomez Series so far and can highly recommend the books to both the girls and the guys!
Read the interview to find out more about Mario and then make sure you enter the contest. Mario, with the help of the authors at the League of Reluctant Adults, has been extremely generous and there are a few prize packages on offer! Actually I don't think Amberkatze's Book Blog has ever had so many super prizes on offer before!
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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog!
It is great to see you here again! Book five in the Felix Gomez series just came out and I loved it. Can you maybe start things off by telling my readers a bit about WEREWOLF SMACKDOWN?
Mario - It’s Felix Gomez’s latest adventure. In WEREWOLF SMACKDOWN, Felix gets trapped between rival lycanthrope clans in Charleston, SC, and the impending rumble could doom the supernatural world.
Amber - Felix has seen a lot of paranormal creatures so far. How do you decide what to throw at him in each book?
Mario - Great question. The supernatural world is huge. Once I figure what kind of trouble I want Felix to get into, I scheme with the other supernatural creatures to bust his chops.
Amber - Will there be more books in the series? How long would you like to see things continue for Felix? Do you see an end in sight?
Mario - Right now I’ve got a comic book deal to spin off Felix into new adventures. Felix is going to Hong Kong to fight a Chinese drug smuggling gang who proves more vicious than he expected. KILLING THE COBRA Issue #1 will be available in late April from IDW Publishing.
Amber - How do you pick the names of your characters? Are they just names you like, people you know or do they have some other meaning?
Mario - Another great question. I like to keep the names interesting and reflect the region the book is set in or the personality of the character. How could you not love a forest sprite named Wendy Teagarden?
Amber - What kind of research have you had to do for the books so far? Anything interesting or is research boring?
Mario - I visited the places I’ve set my stories in. As X-RATED BLOODSUCKERS was my L.A. noir story, I stayed for a while in La La Land. For the UNDEAD KAMA SUTRA I cruised about Hilton Head Island. On that trip I left from the Savannah Airport and realized that I had to set a story in a southern Gothic City, which turned out to be Charleston SC for WEREWOLF SMACKDOWN. For JAILBAIT ZOMBIE I prowled the rural digs of the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado, a perfect setting for the revenant undead.
Amber - How much input do you get in the publication of your books? For example, do you have a say in what the covers look like?
Mario - My editor and I work closely in the development of the manuscript. As for the covers, I get 100% approval; when my publishers shows me a cover, I get to say that I like the cover 100%.
Amber - Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?
Mario - I’m pitching new stories to my agent, a hard boiled noir thriller and a YA witch story. Plus I’m writing scripts for the comic books.
Amber - You run a blog with author Jeanne C. Stein *waves to Jeanne*. How did that come about? How do you come up with the content?
Mario - The fabulous Marta Acosta invited Jeanne and me to join her on the Biting-Edge. Since then, Marta has decided to go her own way in the blogoshere at VampireWire. If she ever decides to return, we’ve saved her office though it’s currently stacked full of old blogs. The way we decide on content is that we Jello wrestle to see whose idea gets blogged. I would usually win but Jeanne fights dirty, really dirty.
Amber - There are so many online sites eg, Twitter, Face book, my space etc. to get in touch with fans. Which sites are you signed up with? Is it hard to keep up with them all? Do you think they are worth the time?
Mario - I’m used to be more active on MySpace but have migrated to Facebook. I do use Twitter with the handle of AdelanteArts (my art website). Are they worth the time? It’s part of the BSP (Blatant Self Promotion) we authors are expected to do.
Amber - What books, films and TV series have you been enjoying lately?
Mario - Books? BATTLE OF THE NETWORK ZOMBIES by Mark Henry. YELLOW RAFT ON BLUE WATER by Michael Dorris. Films and TV? Season Two and Three of MAD MEN. UP IN THE AIR. CRAZY HEART. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Mario - A specter so I could pop out of closets and scare people, especially newlyweds on their honeymoon.
Amber - Thank you for being a guest again on Amberkatze's Book Blog! Good luck with the new release and make sure you stop by again!
Mario - Drop by my website on March 23 for the special two-day promo of Werewolf Smackdown.
http://www.marioacevedo.com
Happy fanging!
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Contest Time
This week there are FIVE prizes and they have all been donated by Mario Acevedo and the other Reluctant Adults! So a huge thank you to them all!
Here are the prizes five people will win in this weeks contest :
Prize 1 - TEMPEST RISING by Nicole Peeler, CROSS YOUR HEART by Michele Bardley
Prize 2 - MIND GAMES by Carolyn Crane, GREYWALKER by Kat Richardson
Prize 3 - ACCIDENTALLY DEMONIC by Dakota Cassidy, THE BECOMING by Jeanne Stein
Prize 4 - A double book set from Diana Rowland. MARK OF THE DEMON and BLOOD OF THE DEMON.
Prize 5 - $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, ARC of X-RATED BLOODSUCKERS and JAILBAIT ZOMBIE by Mario Acevedo
How to enter
Now these are great prizes so I have to make you all work a little here. So to enter the contest this week you have to tell us which actor you think could play Felix Gomez if the series ever went on the big screen?
No actor - no entry
Earn more entries for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!
You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.
Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 21st of March 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
Last week author Skyler White was my guest. She answered some questions about her debut book 'and Falling, Fly' as well as telling us a bit about herself. 'and Falling, Fly' is next on my to be read pile and I am hoping to start it later today. I am extremely eager to see what it is like. Also one lucky winner gets my copy when I am done!
Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. It was interesting to see what you have all been buying lately in regards to books. I saw quite a few familiar ones but also a couple I will have to look up! Even my wishlist grows ;)
So who has won the copy of 'and Falling, Fly'? Congrats to -
Sarah!!!
If you didn't win then stayed tuned! Author Mario Acevedo and his League of Reluctant Adults have been collecting prizes! There is a big huge amount of swag coming this way!!!!
How to claim your prize!
Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.
If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!
If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.
Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't recieved your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.
Kaylee Cavanaugh is a bean sidhe and feels the need to scream every time she is near someone who is about to die. When she and her boyfriend, Nash, find out that one of his football team mates is taking a dangerous drug from the Netherworld they know they have to do something about it. They have both had something to do with Demon's Breath and can't believe that the substance has somehow been given to teenage humans. Death could be the likely end result for the few who are addicted to the drug but also the insanity it causes makes it even more threatening.
Getting rid of the Demon's Breath they can find isn't enough. They plan to cut off the drug supply but it isn't as easy as they both thought. Then Kaylee discovers the bigger plan and knows she needs help. The problem is that the people she needs help from can't be trusted anymore.
The Soul Screamers series took off to a flying start with My Soul to Take and My Soul to Save. Now this third part in the series sees the story getting bigger and better. Unexpected developments and shocking discoveries are only a few of the surprises that this third installment in the series has up its sleeve.
Just like its predecessors I found My Soul to Keep hard to put down. It was hard to leave Kaylee alone and not let her get to the next step in the story. The fourth book, My Soul to Steal, will surely bring some more revelations but for now I am basking in the greatness of this soon to be released third part.
Rachel Vincent is an amazing writer with two absolutely original and impressive series. I am a huge fan and can't get enough of her. Keep writing and I will keep enjoying!
My Soul to Keep is due for release in June
Catch up with the rest of Rachel's fantastic books -
My author guest this week is Skyler White! Don't forget to read the interview and enter the contest for a chance to win a copy of her debut book, 'and Falling, Fly'.
The contest is open until Sunday so you all still have a couple of days to enter. Just answer the simple question ;)
Oh and make sure you stop by on Sunday! Author Mario Acevedo is stopping by and he has put together some amazing prizes! I think he is up to 6 prize packages! All his friends at the League of Reluctant Adults have been adding swag to the contest and it is going to be the biggest prize giveaway that Amberkatze's Book Blog has ever seen!
Hopefully the luck of the Irish will be with some of you next week...make sure you stop by!
Tattoo artist Brett Kavanaugh owns the hottest tattoo shop in Vegas. Some of her clients invite her to opening night at the glamorous Nylon and Tattoos show but the evening ends in disaster. A stranger with a Queen of Hearts playing card tattooed on his arm injures one of the drag queen performers with a champagne cork.
Of course Brett is no stranger to solving mysteries and finds herself asking a few questions here and there. Suddenly she finds herself mixed up in something but has no idea what. Then murder is added to the mix and Brett finds herself in hospital. Things are getting dangerous in Vegas and the biggest clue Brett has is the ink.
I really liked the debut in this series, The Missing Ink, so I was eager to read this second part in the Tattoo Mysteries. At first though I found this new installment to be a little confusing and boring. I wondered if I had made a mistake with this one. However after the first third of the book I was really enjoying the twists and turns and was happy with the new Tattoo Mystery.
I have a few tattoos myself so the theme of this series really speaks to me. I also really like the main character Brett. She is no fuss, normal and realistic. I am really looking forward to seeing where this series goes and can't wait for the next release later this year. This may not be a paranormal but it is a well written cozy mystery that gives me a little break from the things that go bump in the night. If you are looking for a little something new then give this interesting and original series a try!
Psychic M.J. Holliday is taking part in a new cable TV show called 'Ghoul Getters'. With two psychics and a small crew the reality show is travelling to Edinburgh in Scotland to check out some haunted places and hopefully catch some spooky action on film. The locations have already been organised but when M.J sees some footage from a town outside of the capital, she insists on going there first.
The location is overflowing with energy. M.J and the other psychic, Heath, are concerned about the amount of action and want to try and do something about it. Then they discover the body of a maintenance worker and slowly the history of the town starts to unfold. Soon M.J and Heath find themselves being attacked by a witch. A witch who wants revenge. The psychics and crew are in her way and unfortunately the ghoul can do damage to the living.
I really enjoy this series and this newest installment was one of the spookiest. There were points in this book where I got goosebumps because it was so descriptive and creepy. I totally got engrossed in this one and think it is the best one yet. The change of location was a pleasant surprise and the author managed to capture Scotland quite nicely.
The mix of cozy mystery and paranormal in this series is very well balanced and fun. The psychic element and ghosts are the main attractions in the Ghost Hunter Mysteries but the new TV show angle is really making this series even better. The relationship side story between M.J and Heath is something I really want to read more about next time but as long as the mysterious and strange stories keep coming I am going to keep reading. This series is a must read for me!
Logan is supposed to have the best birthday ever. Playing a gig with record label guys in the audience is going to be amazing for him but it is the party afterwards that will make the night unforgettable for Aura. She is planning to finally let Logan take her to bed. It will be memorable in so many ways but as with most best laid plans, something goes wrong.
Aura, like everyone else born after the Shift, can see and hear ghosts. So when she sees Logan as a ghost it doesn't scare her but shock her. He only went to have a shower. How can he be dead? Suddenly a gift that annoyed her becomes the only means of communication with her boyfriend. Her ex and very dead boyfriend.
Jeri Smith-Ready has been a favourite author of mine since I read the first book in her vampire series 'Wicked Game'. Since then I have read each of Jeri's books and haven't found fault with any of them. Today I read Shade and the only fault I can find is that the wait till the next book in the series is a year.
Shade is Jeri's debut in the YA genre and it is a definite must read. Spooky, mysterious and addictive, I didn't want to put this down and I felt its pull whenever I had to put it down. If I could of, I would have read this is one gulp it was so mesmerizing. I loved the main character Aura and the whole plot had me hooked from page one.
I don't want to give away too much because this beauty isn't released for another couple of months. However I will say that this is something for the young and old. The new take on ghosts and the world Jeri has created is one I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in. This is already one of my favourite reads this year so far.
Make sure you check out Shade when it comes out in May. Until then catch up with Jeri's other amazing books. You won't be disappointed.
Skyler White is the author of the dark fantasy novel ‘and Falling, Fly’ which came out this week. Here second book, ‘In Dreams Begin’, is due out in December. I have yet to read 'and Falling, Fly' but the blurb and the reviews have me excited about this new author to the genre.
So enjoy the interview with Skyler and enter the contest for your chance to win a copy of this new authors debut.
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Amber – Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your debut book 'and Falling, Fly'? It looks like it is going to be a good read!
Skyler – Thanks! I certainly hope people enjoy it. ‘and Falling, Fly’ is, at its core, a love story between Olivia, the fallen angel of desire and a vampire, and Dominic, a self-medicating neuroscientist. Having realized everyone you don’t love tastes the same, Olivia goes home to Ireland, to the Hotel of the Damned, only to meet Dominic there. He’s a radical scientist whose research is fueled by his attempts to cure secret, inexplicable flashbacks to things before his birth, things he’s sure never happened. He tries to enroll Olivia in his research study. She says medicine can’t cure mythology, and that his “seizures” are memories of past incarnations, which is completely unacceptable to him as a scientist, even if it would actually explain what he’s been experiencing.
Amber – How did you come up with the idea for the series? Was it a long process or did it just come to you?
Skyler – The core idea for The Harrowing, to which and Falling, Fly belongs, is also the core idea of my personal philosophy or world view; and yes, developing that was a long process. Using it as fiction, as a setting for a novel, was fairly easy though. ‘and Falling, Fly’ took about a year and a half to write.
Amber – Are you anything like the main character in 'and Falling, Fly'? Are any of your characters based on people in your life?
– There’s quite a lot of me in all my characters. Like Olivia, I have to police a tendency to be cynical. She’s a fallen angel, a frustrated idealist – or a frustrated ideal – which is certainly a battle I’m familiar with. Dominic and I share a curiosity and an almost dogmatic faith that there are answers “out there” if we can just work through it. He’s an idealist too, although he wouldn’t recognize himself as such. But his very belief in the human capacity to understand is a kind of idealism, really.
Amber – Ok, have to ask this one! Who chose the title? Why that title?
Skyler – That’s me! The title developed pretty early in the draft stage as kind of an expression of the book’s journey. It is because Olivia has fallen out of Heaven that love is possible for her. It’s something I believe, about any of us, actually, that you have to come down out off the pedestal a lover can construct for you and be real, fallen, dirty cuffs and all, to be truly loved. Your true love is in the gutter with you, finding his stars in your eyes. But the title was also a statement about risk. You can’t fly standing on the precipice. You have to step into the void. I put it there as a challenge to myself. ‘and Falling, Fly’ is a very personal book and I needed the reminder to keeping putting everything at stake in writing it. You can’t learn to dive in the shallow end, right?
Amber – What kind of research do you have to do to write a book? Anything interesting, or is research boring?
Skyler – I’m a total wonk! I *love* research. I have to be very disciplined about the amount of time I put into research, or I’ll never get the writing done. And I love to travel for research. It’s a wonderful way to put a trip together because it takes you into the strangest places and gives you a mission once you’re there. Once I decided to set the second section of ‘and Falling, Fly’ in Ireland, I went back through the travel blog I’d made of a trip there in 2005. That was a lot of fun, looking at the pictures and reading all my old notes again. And I got to re-read Dante and Milton for architectural notes building my Hell. Finally I got to poke around in neuroscience quite a big, which I loved so much I’m still following several of the field’s best journals, blogs and podcasts.
Amber – How many more books will there be in the series? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?
Skyler – ‘In Dreams Begin’ is the next book of The Harrowing, but they aren’t really a series. They just inhabit the same story-world. Dreams is set in Ireland, England and France beginning in 1889, but it’s a time-travel piece so it moves between the Victorian occultists and Irish nationalists, and the present day. It’s the story of a contemporary graphic artist who falls asleep on her wedding night in Portland, Oregon and wakes up in the body of Maud Gonne, a famously beautiful, six-foot tall, red-headed Irish revolutionary who may have been part faerie. The woman who channeled Laura into Maud then introduces her to WB Yeats, and the two – Victorian romantic poet and time-shifted, modern cynic – fall rather helplessly in love.
Amber – Have you always wanted to be an author? and why did you pick this genre?
Skyler – It didn’t occur to me as a career until about five years ago. I’d made a foray into online retailing that hadn’t worked out the way I wanted, so I sat my husband and my best friend down with an Excel spreadsheet of What The Hell To Do With My Life. Writing emerged as the common thread between my past, somewhat checkered careers. As for genre, I write what I write, and then my editor tells me what genre it is. I like speculative fiction/SciFi/Fantasy/Paranormal or whatever you want to call it, because its readers are the most generous. They’ve learned to deliberately hold their minds open for you, to bring no pre-conceived notions to the table, and I am both challenged and inspired by that.
Amber – How do you pick the names you use in your books? Do they have any special meanings?
Skyler – I wondered if anyone was going to pick up on that! Yes. There’s a meaning or at least a game in every character’s name. With the vampire girls I’m playing with Eve and ova, so they almost all have a “v” in their names. I like it visually too, it has an almost anatomical quality. But they all have a “v”, or an “ia.” Dominic O’Shaughnessy, in addition to being a good Irish name, which he needed to have, also goes by his initials in a couple of places, which allows me to make a D.O. (dio) play on the name for god being implied in his name. It’s my way of saying, “he comes from this, from Ireland, from religion, even if he would claim to have no part in those things.”
Amber – What is the easiest and hardest part about being an author?
Skyler – There’s nothing easy worth doing! Writing is hard. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had doing anything, and I could list a bunch of things about it that I love, but I honestly can’t think of one that counts as easy.
The hardest thing for me has been having something so personal be so public. I don’t think I’d really thought about that when I wrote the book, but it puts my most fundamental self on display, and that feels very vulnerable. I know we’re not supposed to need external validation, but it really matters to me. When I hear that the book connects with someone, that a reader or a reviewer “gets it,” it soothes something in me. I feel less alone. It’s a complicated and not wholly gentle world I’m inviting people into, and it feels exactly like asking a busload of strangers into your home. You hope they enjoy themselves, that your coffee’s good, that they won’t ridicule your possessions, that they wipe their feet.
Amber – How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?
Skyler – Hobbies: I read a ton. I dance. I still see quite a lot of theater. I love to cook. I relax by talking to my husband. I have a few very close friends that I talk to as well, but he and I sit down at the end of every day and talk it all over, his stuff and mine, and that unwinds me more than anything else. That, and maybe a glass of wine.
Amber – A lot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?
Skyler – There is, actually. The soundtrack of ‘and Falling, Fly’ is a one-hour loop of thunderstorms that I listen to while I write, but there are a number of songs that found their way into the book. There’s Tool, U2, Cradle of Filth and Stravinsky. And Collide in the book trailer.
Amber – What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?
Skyler – I read a really wide range of things. I couldn’t pick a favorite, but I’ll tell you what I’m reading now: The City & The City by China Mieville, Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness by Ned Hallowell, Gaiman’s The Sandman: World’s End, and the complete works of Arthur Rimbaud.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Skyler – That’s a fun question! A dragon. They can fly and swim. They have no financial worries. They get plenty of alone-time. And I think it’d be really satisfying to breathe fire sometimes.
Amber – Thank you for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog! Good luck with the new book!
Skyler – Thanks so much for inviting me over!
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Contest Time!
This week I will be sending one lucky winner a copy of Skyler's debut novel 'and Falling, Fly'.
How to enter?
New release or something that caught your eye? Tell us what the last book you bought was!
No Book = No entry!
Earn more entries for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!
You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.
Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 14th of March 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
I already announced the March Monthly Giveaway last week but I thought I would remind you all what books are up for offer and how to enter! There are only a couple of days left to vote and enter so don't leave it too long ;) 
Blood Of The Demon By Diana Rowland
>For more chances to win -
