Who is author J.K. Beck? Well you may have heard about her under another name? Julie Kenner?

Demon Hunting moms are forgotten for the next couple of months because Julie has a new series out and the first book is released today (31st of August) with the next two books following closely behind in September and October!

Enjoy the guest blog about her new books and then make sure you enter the contest for your chance to win an ARC!

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Today is circled in red on my calendar, because today is Release Day for the first book in my Shadow Keepers series--the first book I've written as J.K. Beck: When Blood Calls.

I'm excited and nervous and thrilled and...well, it's cool all the way around.

You'd think release days would be old hat, after all, I've written a lot of books as Julie Kenner, but the truth is that tingle of excitement with a new book's release never goes away (at least not for me) and it's a billion-fold this go round, because this book is A First. (First as J.K, first dark paranormal romance, first set in this world.) And that means it's a bit like walking into a party you really, really want to go to, but filled with people who don't know you yet. There's that moment where you're hanging out by the fruit plate hoping those butterflies in your stomach will calm down long enough for you to get out there and mingle. And they do eventually calm down, but that doesn't erase that tickle of nervous excitement, and I think that's a good thing, actually. I don't want to lose that, because it's so reflective of what book writing is--sending a part of you, of your imagination, out into the world to share with other folks.

>At the bare minimum, Release Day is an introduction--of the author, the book, the characters, the world. And I thought that in honor of that, I'd share a few very short snippets from the two Shadow Keeper books (When Blood Calls, since it releases today, and When Pleasure Rules, since it's part of today's blog giveaway!) These scenes parallel that idea of introductions and first impressions. But of course, in romance, as in relationships, things aren't always the way they seem...

In When Blood Calls, Sara is a human prosecutor who's recent promotion to Division 6 has thrust her into a paranormal world and judicial system she never knew existed. It's fascinating, exciting, and wonderful--until she realizes that the defendant she'll be prosecuting for murder is the man she had a passionate fling with only a few nights before-- and that he has a few more secrets, too:

Sara had no time to process, no time to realign her reality with this new perception of the world. Luke was a vampire. Luke was a murderer.
A vicious, cold-blooded killer. The very epitome of the evil she'd dedicated her life to putting behind bars.
There had to be some sort of mistake.
And he wasn't simply a murderer. No, he was also an in-your-face, straight-out-of-your-nightmares vampire. It was outrageous. Unbelievable.
Mortifying.
He'd had his hands on her. He'd touched her — he'd claimed her — and surely, surely she would have known if she'd been sleeping with a killer.
She remembered, though, the strength in those powerful hands and the determination in his amber eyes. She'd seen control there along with an undercurrent of violence that had both scared and excited her. He'd practically thrummed with a potency and raw carnality that had wreaked havoc on her. She'd wanted him, yes, but he'd wanted her, too, and he was a man who took what he wanted.
He'd taken her, leading her to where he wanted her to go and then watching with unabashed rapture as she'd shattered under his touch. He was dangerous, all right.
She'd seen it, and she'd simply ignored it. In his arms, she'd felt no risk. The opposite, actually, because he'd made her feel more secure than she ever had in her life.
Clearly, she'd been a fool.



In When Pleasure Rules, Lissa is a succubus used to having men fall under her spell, and Rand is a recently turned werewolf forced by circumstances to return to Los Angeles to hopefully stem the tide of a brewing unrest between the vamps and the weren. They first meet when he comes into her club, a place that serves a particular niche in the shadow community.


Lissa didn't want to know a man who could walk away from her despite that heat. A man like that was danger. A man like that could wrest control right out of her hands.
She tapped a finger on the back of a chair, undone by a sudden desire for a cigarette, not to mention the urge to turn around and look for him.
No.
She had a million things to do in her office, and now was as good a time as any to start them.
Determined, she turned, intending to head up the stairs. Instead, she found herself only inches from him. She gasped, breathing in the smell of him, dark and woody and utterly male. "Nice place," he said, looking only at her.
"We strive to keep the customers satisfied."
He took a step closer. "Do we?"
Her breath hitched as he tilted his head to the side, the angle enhancing the feral quality that clung to him. He was watching her like prey. Like a conquest. But she wasn't a prize to be won. Not anymore. Not ever again.
"Your guard handled that situation well."
For a moment, she didn't understand, then realized he was talking about Marco deflecting the vamp/weren scuffle. "Friends of yours?"
"No."
She lifted a brow. "So you didn't come to babysit the young pups. Maybe you're here for happy hour?"
"That depends on how happy you're going to make me."
She ignored the way his words worked on her, easing over her like warm honey, overflowing with sweet promises. Instead, she forced herself to take them at face value. He was a client and he was in her club and what he wanted was perfectly clear. They were negotiating now, and that she could handle.
With a broad gesture, she laid the club out at her fingertips. "Let me take you around. I'm sure we can find a girl that pleases you."
She took a step, but he stopped her, his hand closing over her forearm. The shock of his touch ricocheted through her, and she took a second to adjust her expression before she turned back to him.
"I'm already pleased." Once again, his eyes took her in. This time, though, they traveled slowly, his inspection as intimate as a caress. The hot gaze moved over her breasts, then slowly, so slowly, down to her thighs.
Lissa forced her voice to stay steady, determined to keep a businesslike demeanor. "I'm flattered, but I'm the owner."
"Yeah."
"I have a very limited clientele."
"Really?"
He wasn't making it easy. For that matter, she wasn't making it easy. Her thighs tingled in anticipation of something that was not going to happen, and she felt a bead of sweat drip down the back of her neck. She reached up to wipe it away, her fingers brushing over the quarter-sized scar just beneath her hairline, a reminder that in Orlando's, she was the one in charge.
She straightened her shoulders. "We have policies, Mr. ...?"
"Rand. Vincent Rand. And policies can change. It's your club. That's a perk of being the boss. You can do what you want."
He had a point. But no. Absolutely no. And not because it was bad precedent, and not because she had another client engagement lined up; she didn't.
No, she was turning him down because of the way he made her feel. Just being near him was like approaching a charged fence, as if her body could sense the hum of power even before she touched it. He was as dangerous as that fence, too. Touch him, and she wouldn't be able to let go. Grab on to him, and his heat would burn her straight through.
This was lust, plain and simple, and that wasn't acceptable. So what if he looked at her with heat in his eyes? What man didn't? Of course he wanted her—her nature, her very raison d'etre was to be an object of desire for males. But that didn't mean she had to fulfill those desires, not when another one of her girls would serve that purpose just fine.
"I am doing what I want, Mr. Rand," she said firmly. "Let's go find you another woman."
Surprise crossed his features, and she felt the thrill of a minor victory. Apparently he was a man used to getting what he asked for.
"I want you," he said, and she fought an unexpected rush of pleasure.
"And if I don't want you?"
He pressed a hand to his chest. "I think that would break my heart."
With her most seductive smile playing on her lips, she leaned forward and caressed his cheek. "I guess you'll have to learn to live with disappointment."


****

I hope you enjoyed the excerpts! And please check out the books. You can find them at any of your favorite booksellers. And me? You can find me at www.jkbeck.com or www.theshadowkeepers.com (where you can read more excerpts, join the mailing list, request swag, and find out about contests). And please check out my book trailer! You'll find it at http://jkbeck.com/the-shadow-keepers/fun-stuff/jkvideo/






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Contest Time

One commenter will win an advance copy of WHEN PLEASURE RULES, Book 2 in the Shadow Keepers series.

How To Enter

Julie wants to know what situation has given you butterflies in the stomach?

No Butterflies = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about 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! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

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 Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!



The contest will stay open until Sunday 5th of September 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.

Labels: Contests, Guest Blog, J.K. Beck, Julie Kenner

This week I have another new author here on Amberkatze's Book Blog! Ann Marsh-Flores first book came out last year. The Hunt is now being followed by Bond with Me and they both look like great reads!

So enjoy the very insightful guest blog and make sure you enter the contest!

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Life as a New Author—Or, What I’ve Learned on My Summer Vacation

I’m the new kid on the block. My first book, THE HUNT, was published by Dorchester in October 2009, which means it’s been on the shelves for eleven months now. My second book, BOND WITH ME, was released by Dorchester as an ebook this week, with a trade paperback planned for May 2011. Selling the book of my heart to a NYC publishing house has been a roller coaster and I wouldn’t trade it for the world (ooh! Hackneyed phrase—do I lose my author license?). Still, here are the top ten things I’ve learned as a new author:

1. There are a thousand and one ways to spend your first advance check (multiple times). Typically, your first advance check isn’t large. At all. Dorchester’s tends to run around two thousand dollars. Of course, the fact that anyone would pay me to write fiction is fantastic—I’m not complaining. But all those people who think all new authors are going to be rushing out to be a gated mansion and book a round-the-world cruise? Not so much. Unless it’s a mansion in the middle of a crack district and the cruise ship is actually a raft. With my first advance check, I treated myself to a large box of daylilies (twice—but don’t tell my husband) and then most of it went straight to the IRS and book promotions.

2. Writing is a family affair. Of course, I suspect most jobs are. Kids lick stamps and envelopes, sort bookmarks, and kiss all the manuscripts for luck before they leave the house (yes, that’s why everything is so sticky around here). They tiptoe about the house whispering at the top of their lungs that “Mommy is writing and has a deadline!” They gleefully help spend the advance check. They take your author photo for the back of your book—and then extort twenty bucks from you every time you want to use it (don’t tell me the younger generation doesn’t comprehend DRM and copyright!).

3. Your editor is going to tell you the truth about your writing. The negotiating and the contracts and the advance check? That was the honeymoon. Revising the book is kind of like when you wake up one morning, look over at the other side of the bed, and there’s the guy you’ve been married to. Forever. He’s twenty pounds heavier. Snores. And his dirty socks are on the floor by the bed. You still love him (and you’re not looking in the mirror at yourself, right?) but, wow… the sexy newness is gone. You still love him and, damn, you’re a good team but… now it’s down to the nitty-gritty of being in a partnership and raising your kid and making sure you have each other’s back. And then, after your editor gets done excising fifteen thousand beloved words and worrying about your lack of character arc in chapter fifteen, she turns around and says “But I absolutely love this bit here!” and you fall in love all over again. Plus, she was right. And the book is better because you know what your strengths and weaknesses are.

4. You’re going to make really embarrassing mistakes. Those mistakes—if you don’t have a fantastic copy editor—are going to be on the shelf of every Borders and Barnes and Noble in the country. Fortunately, I have a very good copy editor. One who realized that the Neva is not, in fact, the river that runs through Moscow. I’m sure that, with my PhD in Slavic Languages and Literatures, I knew that and just forgot. In a moment of complete and total insanity. Or the part where my hero apparently had four hands and used every one of them while embracing the heroine. Thank God, however, that my copy editor caught these mistakes before they were immortalized in print and I had to have the “Kick me!” t-shirts printed en masse.

5. Grow a thick skin. I’m not sure any author forgets The First Review. The problem with reviews is that a) they’re not written by family members who have to live with you and b) most reviewers seem to have this pesky little issue of ethics. Like, they have ethics. And they call it as they see it. It’s no problem reading the ones that are naming you Tolstoy Junior (OK—I haven’t had one of those yet—feel free to volunteer!). It’s the ones that point out some unfortunately true, insightful, and well-articulated weakness in the book that hurt. And yet it’s important to listen—when you get feedback from your boss (that’s you readers!), you have to listen. And learn.

6. Reviewers are all over the map. Sometimes, this is good. “This is the best book ever!” (Ummm, no, it’s not, and I can point you to some particular page numbers, but I appreciate the thought—it made me feel really good). “This is the worst book ever!” (Again: not. I can give you the page numbers for the sexy bits if you’d like to skip straight to the action). And, sometimes, the reviewer looks like she wrote the review in Swahili and then used Babblefish to translate it into English.

7. People are really going to read your book. Usually, that’s fabulous. Unless it includes the ladies at your church, your mother, your mother-in-law and your (male) boss. Then, you might want to rethink the sexy. Or blame it all on your editor. It took my boss two weeks to stop avoiding my eyes—and he’d been warned.

8. Nothing beats the rush of ordering your own book from Amazon. Or spotting it on the shelves of Borders. Or sending your mother-in-law into Barnes and Noble to demand they order ten more copies. Right away.

9. Readers are really, really friendly. Somehow, I thought publishing was going to be like the first day of school from some clique novel. It’s not. You all are super friendly and welcoming. As an introvert and the perpetual shy kid, I can’t tell you how much that means. I’ve had emails from people who write just to let me know that they had a really, really crappy week and then they came home and stayed up all night reading my book because it made them feel better—and all I can think is “Yes! I’ve done my job!” Because, really, when I first began to write paranormal romance, all I wanted was to escape from a really, really bad week (I’d just been laid off from my dream job at Pixar). Romance was my happy place, my escape. Finding the fabulous online communities where romance readers lurk was an unexpected bonus—you guys rock.

10. You’ve got to write the next book. Which means starting Points 1-9 all over again. Fortunately, I’m almost done with the next book in my BOND series—Zer’s story, tentatively titled HIS DARK BOND, will be published by Kensington Brava in early 2012. I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say about his story.

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Contest Time

Ann is giving away a signed copy of THE HUNT (her first book)! Maybe you will be the lucky winner?

How To Enter

Paperback, E-book, Audio or Hardback? What do you prefer and why?

No favourite = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about 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! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

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 Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!



The contest will stay open until Sunday 5th of September 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.

Labels: Ann Marsh-Florres, Contests, Guest Blog

There were two author guests on Amberkatze's Book Blog this last week and both were giving away some amazing prizes. Now the contests are over and it is time to announce the winners!

Jeanne C. Stein was here and giving away books! Her latest release in the Anna Strong series is due out this week and if you are one of the three people who won you can chose Chosen or one of the other books in the series as your prize!

So which three lucky readers have won a prize package which includes a book, magnets and some other surprises? Congratulations to -


Giada M!!!

KMichelleC87!!!

&

Barbara E !!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prizes!

Also here last week was author Marlene Perez! Her new book 'Dead is just a Rumor' just got released and it is a great edition to the YA series. Maybe you won a copy?

There are four winners and one will get a signed copy of all 4 books and three other lucky people will get signed copies of DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR. Who are the lucky people? Congrats to -


Eternal Night!!!

Tetewa!!!

&

SiNn!!!

All three of you get a copy of DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR!

And the collection of all four books goes to -


Lyan!!!


Well done to you all!!! If you didn't win this time then keep trying! There is already a new contest up and another one coming within the next hour! Also the Monthly Giveaway will be going up soon! Vote and win :)

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 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.

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Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog where ever you can ;)





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Labels: Contests, Jeanne. C. Stein, Marlene Perez, Winners

A Minute with M.K. Hobson

M.K. Hobson is the author of THE NATIVE STAR, a paranormal historical which is receiving great buzz from the likes of Gail Carriger, Madeleine Robins, and C.C. Finlay. Camille Alexa of Green Man Review calls it "a real ride" with "rich, tightly-woven magical, social, and historical detail."

Welcome, Mary. Tell us about your debut novel.

THE NATIVE STAR is set in an 1876 America where magic is a mostly-accepted part of society. It follows the adventures of Emily Edwards, a timber-camp witch from California, and Dreadnought Stanton, a snooty New York City warlock with a past. Together, they travel across the country having magical adventures and trying to stay one step ahead of murderous blood-sorcerors who are trying to reclaim a magical artifact from Emily.

You say that magic is a "mostly accepted" part of society. What do you mean?

Well, just as most things were in the 19th century, magic is a man's game. While Warlocks are considered upstanding businessmen, women who practice magic for a living (as opposed to dabbling in it as a hobby) are derided as skycladdische—basically, on a par with a prostitute. Also, just as in the real 19th century (and on to this day, as a matter of fact) there are religious groups who take exception to the practice of magic. Both of these elements—sexism and intolerance—play a role in THE NATIVE STAR.

Sexism and intolerance? Those seem like heavy themes for a fantasy romance—especially since your short fiction has often been humorous.

Well, I definitely wanted to try and capture the flavor of the era, both good and bad. I also touch on racism and the rise of mass media and consumerism. The interesting thing about the 1870s in America is that they were dealing issues similar to those we're dealing with today. A lot of people were moving from the country into the cities, which meant increasing social tensions. There was a lot of corporate swindling, rancorous partisan politics, and a huge gulf between rich and poor. But at the same time, there was this drive to mythologize America, to celebrate its accomplishments and sweep the bad stuff under the rug. A lot of lessons from that time are still relevant today.

But despite some of the heavy themes, there's a lot of humor in the book. I can't write anything without a bit of slapstick creeping in. One poor character gets thrown into the blackberry bushes a lot.

Tell me about your hero and heroine. Why do you think readers will like them?

Emily and Dreadnought are definitely a case of opposites attracting. Madeline Robins, in her blurb for the book, described Emily as "outspoken, brash, loving, and true; a delight to spend time with." When I was writing Emily, I found myself imagining what my mother's mother must have been like when she was young. My grandma came up through the depression, raised five kids, taught school, and was active in women's clubs and organizations. She had a vibrant extroverted energy that I tried to capture for Emily. Stanton, on the other hand, is an introvert. He keeps secrets and protects himself with a snarky, elitist shell. It's up to Emily to pull him out of his shell, which she does by tweaking him every chance she gets. His cool rationality, on the other hand, is a good foil for Emily's more impulsive nature.

So what's next for you?

THE NATIVE STAR is the first book in a duology. The second book, called THE HIDDEN GODDESS, follows Emily and Stanton's continuing adventures in New York City and comes out in April 2011.

Contest Time

M.K. Hobson is giving away a signed copy of her book THE NATIVE STAR and a handmade lavender sachet. This is only open to US mailing addresses.

How To Enter

What are you reading?

No book = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about 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! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

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 Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!



The contest will stay open until Sunday 5th of September 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.

Labels: Author Interviews, Contests, Guest Blog, M.K. Hobson

Blurb -

Good and evil clash down through the ages in a struggle for supremacy. Renata Cordona is the reincarnation of an ancient goddess. Werewolf Jacob Marshall is a dog whisperer and her true consort. They have met countless times through the centuries in different lives. And each time, a demon steps into the equation to keep them from fulfilling their destiny. They've never been strong enough to fight the ancient evil. But can a werewolf change the equation? Or will they repeat the pattern of destruction and doom humanity along with themselves?

My Thoughts -

This book has been on my shelf for nearly a year and it finally found the light the other day. This is book eight in the series and it has been a while since I have read number seven. Despite the long break I didn't have trouble getting back into this series. Each story so far manages to do a good job of standing alone with only a small amount of story having anything to do with the previous books. Also the author does some great short and to the point re-caps to help the reader understand the past elements.

The quick start moved along into a surprising middle and then dragged into a slow end. I found the story started off well and gained a lot of pave fast but then went a bit off track. The stories surrounding the main characters seemed to get a little silly towards the end and I needed more werewolf mystery and less travelling to other dimensions and past life experience. What started off as paranormal romance turned into a more futuristic fantasy mix.

A nice easy read with a nice romance story built in. This has enjoyable moments as well as 'why?' moments. The next book in the series will go onto my wishlist but I am not rushing out to get it. I like the concept, a little like Lori Handeland's werewolf series, but the author seems to be unsure of what to do with the characters and should maybe think about leaving this series be and trying something else.

Labels: Books Read

The Blurb -

Grace is his summer girl as Sam says in one of the songs he has written for her. She is everything that holds him into his human form and she is everything he ever could have wanted.

For Grace, Sam is her lonely, sad wolf that always lingers near her house in winter but never shows up in summer. Because of that winter is her favourite time of year and she can't wait to see him, touch him - feel him.

Not yet does she know about her beloved wolf's secret, his second nature and Sam is to shy to tell her when he is able to.

The two of them share a past - and will hopefully share a future together, which only begins to start when Grace finds her wolf one day in front of her house - not at all an animal but a naked boy...

My Thoughts -

It seems like everyone had read this book except me. So when I saw this cheap on Audible I decided it was high time to see what all the fuss was about. Shiver had amazing reviews all over the place but the blurb made the book sound boring. I wasn't sure if this was going to be good or bad but knew that I had to try it.

Things started off quite interesting and the whole concept wasn't that bad. Grace, one of the main characters, is actually a nice girl and Sam, the other main character, had a good strong presence. All in all there wasn't anything to complain about. However as things progressed I found myself taking long pauses between listening to the book. The story was just so drawn out and long winded that I needed to take a break from it.

There was enough going on and it wasn't at all boring but I just wanted something big to happen. Something amazing, something special, something that would make this book as wonderful as everyone else seems to think it is. Nothing happened. I waited and waited but I didn't get 'it'. Maybe I am too old for this Young Adult novel but it didn't make me want to rush off and start recommending it to my friends.

For me there was a 'Twilight' problem. This book may not have vampires, may not two guys fighting over the same girl but it did have a big 'Twilight' feel to it. Lovey dovey teenagers falling for one another without really knowing each other always annoys me because it sets a bad example to the young people reading the book. Things like that do happen but life isn't always that easy. Also Grace's parents being conveniently 'away' all the time gave the wrong impression. I am sure there are children growing up like this all over the place but it just came across as silly and unrealistic.

There is a second book and I believe even a third book in this series. While I wasn't totally in love with Shiver I might still check out the second part. If I had picked this up to read in book form I don't believe I would have finished it but as an audible with the good narrators it wasn't too bad to listen to. So if I see Linger sometime, going cheap, I will check it out. I will admit I am a little curious about what happens next.

Labels: Audiobooks, Book Read, Maggie Stiefvater

This week there are two contests you can enter and also a third contest that is still running. Have you entered them all?

Author Jeanne C. Stein is one of my guests this week. Check out the interview about her Anna Strong series and then enter the contest.

Jeanne is offering three prize packages. Each package will include a book, magnets and some other surprises! The book will be the winners choice and can be any of the Anna Strong books. This means you can start the series if you haven't already, get the one you are missing or get the new release when it comes out!

My other author guest this week is Marlene Perez. Her new book Dead is Just a Rumor is out now and it is a great read! Go along and read the interview to find out more about the book and then enter the contest!

Marlene is giving away 7 books altogether! One winner will get a signed copy of all 4 books and three other lucky people will get signed copies of DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR (Sorry only open to US and Canada!)

Last but not least the third contest is me giving away a bunch of cool stuff :) A few weeks ago I guest blogged over on Literary Escapism and decided to do a big giveaway. Just check out the posts and make sure you enter before the 2nd of September!

Oh and congrats to Jackie and her family! Her little bundle of joy arrived on Sunday! All the best to them all!

Labels: Contests, Jeanne. C. Stein, Marlene Perez

The Blurb -

Forces of daemons are gathering and have broken through the barriers of the Underworld. Now more than ever the Eternal Guardians are needed to protect both their own realm and the human world. Zander can't afford to think about what might have been with the bewitching physician he once regarded as his soul mate. But with eternity stretching out before him, he also can't fathom spending his life without the one woman who makes him feel most alive. Perhaps he's found his weakness, after all...

What I Thought -

I received this book to review, looked at the blurb, and instantly thought 'I am not going to like this'. It sounded complicated. Another new series, another new world. Do I really want to go through that again? It is great having so many new Paranormal genre books on the market but some of them just aren't good enough and my brain is just stuck with the memory of yet another bunch of characters I am never going to visit again.

So when I started Entwined, I did go in with a negative attitude. I was convinced that after a few chapters I would give up. And at first it did seem that way. I couldn't keep track of who was who. I had no idea about this new world. I was pretty confused. Then I was stuck somewhere with only this book to read. So I read. I started to like.

Now I am not saying this was amazing but by the middle of the book I was feeling a little more at home in the new world the author had created and I knew the characters a little better. Unfortunately something I also realised in the middle of the book is that this is the second part in the series. I have never read 'Marked' and this most likely explains my lack of knowledge about the whole concept. However it didn't stop me. I read this to the end and enjoyed it.

The Eternal Guardians series is definitely a close relative of the Dark-Hunter series and even a distant cousin of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and any fans of these two bestsellers should consider trying out this new arrival. Romance is one of the main features in this book but it isn't too over the top and the author does know how to heat things up. Dramatic, dark and more fantasy than paranormal, Entwined was an interesting read and shows a lot of promise. Greek mythology meets the middle ages with kings, warriors and gods all playing a part.

Marked, the first book in this series, has now been added to my wishlist. I am really interested in knowing what happened in book one. Not having read the debut hasn't ruined the story for me but I am sure it will offer some more clarity to the series in general. And if a third book in the series comes along I am pretty sure I will take a look at it. Elisabeth Naughton could just be the next Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Labels: Book Read, Elisabeth Naughton

I am a big fan of author Marlene Perez's Paranormal YA series about the Giordano sisters. So when I had the chance to read the newest edition to the series back in May I couldn't refuse!

Dead is just a Rumor is finally due out tomorrow and if you have been following the series then you need to go and get this one! If you haven't been reading then I can highly recommend the books!

However if you want to try your luck...read the interview and then enter the contest and maybe you will win a complete collection of the series! Or just a copy of the new release...actually Marlene is giving away quite a few copies! Check out the contest details below!

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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 Nightshade Series?

Marlene - The DEAD IS series is about three teen psychic sisters who solve paranormal mysteries in Nightshade, California. There will be a total of five books in the series.

Amber - The newest installment, Dead Is Just A Rumour, is just out. What can readers expect from the new book?

Marlene - I hope they can expect more of what they liked about the first 3 books in the series. Dead is Just A Rumor takes place during Daisy's senior year at Nightshade High. And someone is being blackmailed. There's a nice book trailer, which can be viewed here. Nowicki Productions created it and I think they did a great job!

Amber - Daisy has had a lot of paranormal adventures so far. How do you decide what to throw at her in each book?

Marlene - My procress is always a little bit of a mystery to me. I've always known what song I wanted to end the series with, but getting to the end has its challenges. I love that Nightshade is full of possibilities. Titles are really important to me and think that a title should represent the essence of the book, so my titles actually help me focus on what's going to happen in that particular book. And I love to shake things up by introducing a new paranmoral creature so if I have a chance to add something or someone new into the mix, I go for it.

Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?

Marlene - I think a character's name is very important. I always go to those baby namer sites/books to see what each name means. But Daisy, Rose, and Poppy were obviously named afer flowers. I read somewhere a long time ago that there is an actor whose sisters are all named after flowers and I thought that was really cool.

Amber - What kind of research have you done for your books? Anything interesting or is the research boring?

Marlene - Research is never boring. I am fascinated with it. I research everything, like what a real high school schedule looks like, recipes for Daisy to cook, and stuff I have no clue about, like football. I also like to find photos in magazines of houses, dresses, people, etc.

Amber - There has been quite a lot of Paranormal TV series and Films to hit the screens lately. Why do you think that is? Would you like to see Nightshade come to life in the same way?

Marlene - I think it's great. I think part of it is cyclical. I was on a panel last year at Comic Con with a bunch of writers of paranormal fiction and a couple of us mentioned DARK SHADOWS as an influence. That was on television in the 70s and before that, there was TWILIGHT ZONE. The Anne Rice VAMPIRE LESTAT books came out in the 80s. It's been around for a long time and its popularity ebbs and flows, but I don't think it will ever disappear entirely.

If it's paranormal, I'm in. I usually don't get to see a movie until it's released on dvd though. And I am a little bit of a wimp when it comes to scary movies. I'm hoping Nightshade comes to life on the Disney Channel! They recently optioned the first three books in the series.

Amber - Will there be more books in the series? How long would you like to see things continue for Daisy? Do you see an end in sight?

Marlene -The 5th book, DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION, is the last book in the DEAD IS series. I'd actually love to catch up with Daisy and Ryan and the whole Giordano family a few years from now. I love Daisy so much that it's hard to let her go! I'd also like to work on a spin-off of the DEAD IS series with one of the characters in DEAD IS.

Amber - I know you have written more books. Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Marlene - I always have more ideas than time. Right now, I'm working on a stand-alone novel that's a little bit different for me. And an idea for a teen paranormal trilogy.

Amber - There are alot of online sites taking up peoples time lately. Are you on Facebook or any other sites? Do you think the sites are useful or do they just take up too much of your time?

Marlene - I am on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I think onlines sites are useful, if you don't procrastinate the day away there. I set daily writing goals and try to make sure I get the words in before I play. That doesn't always happen of course. Writing can be a lonely profession. I try to get together with other writers for coffee or lunch. But a social networking site like Facebook is my office watercooler. That's how I stay in touch. I also just started a community page called Welcome to Nightshade for DEAD IS readers, in the hope that I could connect directly with my readers there.

Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Is there any music or other media that influences your writing?

Marlene - I am positively addicted to Glee. I'm kind of a geeky fangirl about some things. I'd watch anything Neil Patrick Harris is in. Or anything that Joss Whedon does. I love TRUE BLOOD and read all the Sookie Stackhouse books. I'm really into music and just discovered Joe Bonamassa's music. And Codeine Velvet Club. Certain paintings can influence my writing. Reading is one of my favorite things to do, but I try to read outside my genre when I'm writing. So if I'm writing a teen paranormal, I read adult contemporary fiction. Or a biography.

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Marlene - Hmm. My answer changes on this one all the time. I'd kind of like to be one of my characters in the DEAD IS series. I can't say WHO because you don't find this out until book five. So how about if I say I'd like to be a woman warrior with special powers? Someone strong and sassy. And I kind of think the ability to cook, to REALLY cook, is kind of a superpower. One I do not have. So I'd like to be like Daisy and be able to cook. Sadly, my husband is the chef in the family.

Amber - Thank you for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back again sometime!




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Contest Time

Marlene is being very generous and is giving away 7 books altogether! One winner will get a signed copy of all 4 books and three other lucky people will get signed copies of DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR (Sorry only open to US and Canada!)

How To Enter

What are you addicted to?

No addiction = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about 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! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

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 Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!



The contest will stay open until Sunday 29th of August 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.

Labels: Author Interviews, Contests, Marlene Perez

There were three contests to enter this week (four if you count the one still running....) and there were quite a lot of entries! Now it is time to see who the lucky winners are!

First up! Who had the best sob story and won a copy of Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready? Congrats -


JessicaLLWright!!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

Next up! Who won the Ashlyn Chase contest? Well done to -


Kathy!!!


Check out how to claim your prize below!!

And last but not least! Who wins the Artist Arthur prizes?

The mouse pad and key-chain go to - Meadow!!!


The tote bag with books goes to - Lesley!!!


Keep tuned to find out how to claim your prizes!

Sorry if you didn't win this time but there are always more contests and more chances to win!

There is still time to win a lot of loot from me! Check out the contest!

Also author Jeanne C. Stein is giving away Anna Strong books! Make sure you enter to win!

Oh and author Marlene Perez will be here soon with some books to give away! Make sure you check out the sidebar for more details!

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 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.

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Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog where ever you can ;)





Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for each contest!

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Labels: Artist Arthur, Ashlyn Chase, Contests, Jeri Smith-Ready, Winners

The Blurb -

A provocative and savvy vampire, Alexandra Sabian moves to the sleepy hamlet of Jefferson, Mississippi—population 6,000, half vampires—to escape the demons lurking in her past. As an enforcer for the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigations (FBPI), Alex must maintain the uneasy peace between her kind and humans, including Jefferson’s bigoted sheriff, who’d be happy to see all vampires banished from town. Then really dead vamps start turning up—beheaded, crucified, and defanged, the same gruesome manner in which Alex’s father was murdered decades ago. For Alex, the professional has become way too personal.

Things get even more complicated when the FBPI sends in some unnervingly sexy backup: Alex’s onetime mentor, lover, and fiancé, Varik Baudelaire. Still stinging from the betrayal that ended their short-lived engagement, Alex is determined not to give in to the temptation that soon threatens to short-circuit her investigation. But as the vamp body count grows and the public panic level rises, Varik may be Alex’s only hope to stop a relentless killer who’s got his own score to settle and his own bloody past to put right.

What I thought -

More and more books and authors are popping up in the Paranormal Urban Fantasy scene and Blood Law is one that caught my interest. Not only was the book getting good reviews but the blurb didn't sound too bad. Combined with a cool cover this was a book I had to add to my wishlist in time for my Birthday. Luckily someone got it for me!

As debuts go, Blood Law was pretty awesome. Good Urban Fantasy style like Caitlin Kittredge and Carrie Vaughn combined with a great thrilling crime mystery like Tess Gerritsen. I was hooked within the first pages and found myself getting up early this morning just to finish it. I couldn't get enough. Which is quite amusing seeing as Blood Law isn't unusual or unique in anyway. Sure the author has put a new spin on things but this just your typical vampire murder mystery.

The thing that made me love this book was not only the plot, characters and general content but also that the story was told from different perspectives. I have to admit I sometimes get bored and annoyed at reading a book from the super amazing lead characters point of view. So Blood Law turned out to be very refreshing in that aspect because all the characters seemed to get a go. Big thumbs up from me for that!

So if you are looking for something to quench your thirst, check out Blood Law. I haven't actually got anything bad to say about it. It was a perfect debut and I only hope that the author continues with this series and keeps it original. Jeannie Holmes is going on my must read list and Blood Law could actually make it onto my top reads for 2010. It was simply good!

Labels: Books Read, Jeannie Holmes

Author Jeanne C. Stein writes one of my favourite Urban Fantasy series, The Anna Strong Chronicles. I wait patiently each year for the new release and enjoy every word.

Chosen, book six in the series, is due for release on the 31st of August and I can't wait! So I asked Jeanne is she would stop by Amberkatze's book blog again to talk about the upcoming release and a little about what she has been up to lately. Here is the interview, which I hope you will all enjoy!

Oh and Jeanne is being very generous and is offering THREE prizes!! So three luckly readers could win an amazing prize package. Make sure you enter the contest!

-----------------

Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! A new Anna Strong book is coming out soon! Please start things off by telling us a bit about the new installment?

Jeanne -– Chosen completes Anna’s first year as a vampire. On the anniversary of her becoming, the prophecy of the “Chosen One” is fulfilled. Before that, though, there are a few other surprises in store for Anna—and not pleasant ones.

Amber - Chosen is book six in the series and last time you were here you said their would be a seventh book. Is that still the case? and will there be an eighth?

Jeanne –- Hopefully! I’ve finished book seven, Crossroads, and am contracted for book eight.

Amber - How long on average does it take you to write an Anna Strong book? Do you have a process you follow? or do you just start at page one and see what happens?

Jeanne –- From the first musings to completed manuscript takes about nine months. I wish I could turn out books faster. I’m in awe of writers who do three or four books a year. It’s all I can do to turn out a book, a story or two for anthologies and keep up with the marketing stuff in year. Traveling takes up a lot of time, too.

But as for process, I generally spend some time just thinking about the theme of a new book, kicking around ideas in my head, brainstorming with my critique partners and husband. Then I do a rough synopsis (which I very seldom end up following) but after that, the writing begins.

Amber - Anna has seen a lot of paranormal action so far. How do you decide what to throw at her in each book?

Jeanne –- Sometimes things just fall into place but often I try to shake things up by adding a new element to surprise my readers. Jill Smith, a reviewer for RT Book Review Magazine, said that in Chosen, I reveal some critical answers and deliver some devastating blows! Anna doesn’t have it easy in this one.

Amber - It has been a year since the last Anna Strong book came out. What have you been doing with your time except for writing?

Jeanne – I touched on that earlier. I work harder now than I ever did in a nine-to-five job but I love it. Besides marketing stuff, travel and trying to have some kind of real life, answering email also takes up a couple of hours a day.

Amber - Are you working on any other projects or do you have any other upcoming releases you would like to tell us about?

Jeanne -– I finished a novella for an anthology called “Hexed” which Penguin will publish next year. I also have an Anna story coming up in a Tor anthology called “Chicks Kick Ass” and a non-fiction piece for a work called “Whedonistas.” All will be published in 2011.

Amber - There has been quite a lot of Paranormal TV series and Films to hit the screens lately. Why do you think that is? Would you like to see Anna come to life in the same way?

Jeanne -– I think we see a resurgence of interest in the paranormal or magical worlds whenever our real world is in flux. We like reading about an ordered world where superheroes save the day when we have no control over our own. I also think it’s a reflection of all the great books being published. And of course, I’d be thrilled to see Anna on the big or small screen.

Amber - Team Edward or Jacob? Team Bill or Eric? Or don't you care one way or another? ;)

Jeanne -– Definitely team Eric. As for the other, I’m not a big fan so I can’t comment.

Amber - What have you been reading and watching lately? Do you have any recommendations for us?

Jeanne –- I’m a member of the League of Reluctant Adults and between the twenty authors on that loop there’s always a TBR pile beside my bed. Check it out on:

http://reluctantadults.blogspot.com/

As for television, I’m waiting for the fall season of Smallville, Supernatural, Dexter. Of course, True Blood is on my watch list. And I start each day watching an episode of Buffy or Angel. I know how geeky that sounds but watching Joss Whedon work his magic inspires me.

Amber - If you were a superhero, what powers would you want? Or would you be a villain?

Jeanne – A villain? Never. I’d fight just like Anna does to keep those I love from harm. I think it would be cool to be able to fly. No more standing in security lines at crowded airports! I wonder. Do you think Superman carries his luggage or sends it ahead when he goes on vacation?

Amber - Thanks for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog again!

Jeanne -– thanks for having me. Always a pleasure!



---------------

Contest Time!

Jeanne is being very generous and is offering three prize packages which will include a book, magnets and some other surprises! The book will be the winners choice and can be any of the Anna Strong books. This means you can start the series if you haven't already, get the one you are missing or get the new release when it comes out!

How To Enter

Go over to the League of Reluctant Adults and check out the authors. Then come back here and either list your three favourite authors who blog there or/and three books you have added to your wishlist because of your visit to the site :)

No author or/and books = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about 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! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

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 Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!



The contest will stay open until Sunday 29th of August 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.

Labels: Author Interviews, Contests, Jeanne. C. Stein