The Hour of Dust and Ashes is book 3 in the Charlie Madigan Series and it released yesterday! Any fans of the series will be happy to see the series continue and I can't wait to get a copy to curl up with!

Kelly Gay is the author behind the series and I couldn't resist inviting her onto the blog to celebrate the release of The Hour of Dust and Ashes!

So I hope you all enjoy the interview and check out Kelly's books!

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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here again as a guest! The Hour of Dust & Ashes is due out! What can we expect from your third Charlie Madigan book?

Kelly - Thanks, Amber. Glad to be back! There’s a lot happening in the 3rd Charlie Madigan book. This one focuses on Charlie trying to help her sister Bryn overcome her ash addiction and possible possession. For the Hank lovers out there, the mystery of his past comes to light, and we’ll also see more of Rex, daughter Emma, and the hellhound, Brimstone. This book was different than the other two in that I got to take Charlie and Co. off-world into another dimension, the place that inspired our myths and ideas of hell. Good times!

Amber - I am pretty sure you have lots of ideas for the series but how do you decide which idea makes it into each book?

Kelly - I had a very good idea of where the story should go when I sat down to write the 2nd book, THE DARKEST EDGE OF DAWN. But I soon encountered a problem: what I thought should happen, wasn't exactly fitting in with the story that wanted to be told and the events that progressed as I wrote. I've since learned to just let things unfold and not chain myself to any story points I might have had to start with. Sometimes those story points fit in seamlessly and sometimes they don’t. But now I don’t force the issue and the decisions are made as I go along.

Amber - What paranormal creatures are you dying to fit into a story but you haven't managed to fit in yet?

Kelly - Two creatures that I've been very interested in writing about actually made their way into this 3rd installment of the series, so I can't spill the beans on them just yet. :)

Amber - And what about ones you would never use?

Kelly - Hmm... I don't think there's any creature I would nix right off the bat. If it fit into my story or future stories in some way, and I felt it was necessary to be there, I'd include it even if I didn't personally like the creature.

Amber - You have had some real luck with your covers. Do you like them as well? Would you have changed something about them?

Kelly - I know, right? I love them! I've been extremely lucky and happy with the covers. I really wouldn't change a single thing. I think they convey Charlie’s strength and purpose so perfectly and the images really give a sense of urgency and motion.

Amber - What about the titles? Yours or does someone else decide?

Kelly - The first one was mine. The second, I'd submitted The Dark Edge of Dawn, which ended up being changed a little (Dark to Darkest). The Hour of Dust & Ashes came about from a phone call with my editor. I had submitted a ton of possible titles and was honestly getting frustrated because nothing was hitting the mark with me or with him. I think he sensed that, so he called me up, and we just started throwing out words and phrases based on key things in the book and playing off the titles I'd already submitted. My editor is so great at mixing and matching words, and getting me to think. I had Dust & Ashes at one point paired with something else, but when he threw out 'The Hour of' and then paired it up, it was instant - Yes! That's it! Crisis averted, LOL.

Amber - Will there be more books in the series?

Kelly - There's one more left in my contract, so there will be four at the very least. After that I'm not really sure. I think there’s so much more to tell with Charlie, and there are a few other characters in my world that I’d love to write about: Pendaran, the Druid King. Ahkneri, the First One. I definitely hope Pocket wants more! We’ll see…

Amber - I couldn't help but notice that you have branched out into the YA genre. Can you tell us a little about that?

Kelly - Sure. I'm writing YA novels as Kelly Keaton. They're urban fantasy with a little southern gothic, post-apocalyptic, and paranormal romance thrown in. My world is a slightly futuristic New Orleans that is now a privately owned city-state run by the Novem, nine of the oldest and strangest families in NOLA. It's a sanctuary for all things supernatural, and where my heroine Ari, learns that she has a very unique past connected to the gods, many of whom are enemies to the Novem. The first book DARKNESS BECOMES HER is out now, and the second A BEAUTIFUL EVIL will release in Feb of 2012.

Amber - What is next? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Kelly - Right now, I’m working on the 4th Charlie book, which is due in November. My 2nd YA comes out in February, and I have a new project currently with my agent that we’re thinking of submitting as well. Staying busy as usual!

Amber - Are you a full time writer or do you have a day job? If yes, How do you divide your time?

Kelly – I write full-time now. It’s definitely become a full-time job, juggling two different names, writing both series, and other projects I want to do, and all the promotion, networking, business related issues, etc.

Amber - I am a happy Kindle owner and was wondering if you own an ereader yourself and how you see ebooks? Good, bad or just plain evil?

Kelly - I just read my first ebook on my new iPad. So I’m a newbie! I generally think ebooks are a great tool to reach readers. Instant gratification. Of course, one of the things I don’t like about ebooks is how easy it is for people to pirate them. I think so many people just don’t understand the difference between sharing the one copy they bought and uploading more copies to the internet.

They think since they bought the book, it’s theirs and that they can share with anyone they want. Which is true in regards to that one copy they bought, but they don’t realize the problem comes when they upload a copy to the internet. They have just illegally reproduced copyrighted material. They still have their legal copy (they didn’t ‘share’ that one), but they’ve made a second copy (and from that thousands more are made) and not only that, but they have placed a zero value on it as well. I wish ebooks came with a very easy to understand page in the front of the book explaining (in non-legal jargon) what it means to ‘fileshare’ work that is copyrighted…

Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Read any good books recently?

Kelly - I just read Cassandra Clare's A Clockwork Angel. So good! And I just started watching the Dresden Files, which I hadn’t had a chance to see when it aired on SyFy.

Amber - What's your favorite paranormal movie of all time?

Kelly - It's too hard to pick one! But right now I will say, The Fifth Element. Awesome movie.

Amber - Thank you for being a guest again! See you soon! ;)

Kelly – You’re welcome. Thanks for having me!




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Contest Time


Kelly is giving away a signed copy of her new release!


How To Enter


E-Books? You like? You have? You don't like? Tell us what you think!


No Thoughts! = 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

Have you 'Liked' Amberkatze's Book Blog on Facebook?


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





The contest will stay open until Wednesday 7th of September 2011 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, Kelly Gay

The Blurb :

The Zombie Apocalypse has been good to Sarah and David. Their marriage is better than ever. They communicate well, share responsibilities, and now, they're starting a business. ZombieBusters-for all your zombie extermination needs.

There are lots of zombies and that means lots of customers...Except one of them doesn't want the zombies dead, he wants them alive and ready for experimentation. Mad scientists make for difficult clients and this time, Sarah and David might have bitten off more than they can chew.

My Thoughts :

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Married with Zombies, and seeing as I have the third book on my ARC pile I needed to catch up with the second book quick! Flip This Zombie is a cool title and it had me thinking, what exactly are they going to do with the zombies? Flip them as in cooking in a saucepan? Flip like a house? Huh? My question wasn't answered straight off but it did get answered and it made for great reading.

Flip This Zombie starts off a few months after book one. The US is still being ravaged by zombies and small communities have started to form and Davis and Sarah have achieved their dream of being zombie exterminators. The book follows their everyday life of killing zombies, looking for supplies and basically staying alive. Then they come across the mad scientist who seems too good to be true.

The story is full of action and has a nice couple of twists and surprises. Witty, fun and zombilicious this a series I have really been able to get my teeth into. It may be a little silly at times and it may also have some flaws but it is turning out to be a great series. I can't wait to dive into book three.

Labels: Book Read, Jesse Petersen, Kindle

The Blurb :

“It seemed so right. Danny was mine, I was his, and that wasn’t going to work if he was dead. So I would make him not dead, not anymore. I didn’t think any further than what it would feel like to kiss him again, to wrap my arms around him and bury my head against his shoulder. That was my first mistake. It also turned out to be the biggest.”

When Wren’s boyfriend Danny died in a car accident, Wren couldn’t imagine living without him. Torn apart by grief, she decided to use her witch-like powers to raise him from the dead. But the Danny who returned is nothing but a pale imitation of the boy he once was—cold, lifeless, and consumed by a desire to be with Wren at all times. Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden. But when Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, he tells Wren that he can sense her powers, and he quickly figures out her terrible secret.

Wren is irresistibly drawn to this mysterious boy who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she once loved...and while she’s trying to sort through her tangled emotions, Danny is becoming harder for her to control. As Danny’s behavior gets more erratic, Wren is faced with the magnitude of her mistake—and in the end, she must make a heartbreaking decision.

My Review :

Cold Kiss appealed to me because the cover looked really nice and the blurb sounded interesting. Despite those factors though it took me a while to actually get around to reading this one. There are so many Paranormal Young Adult books around these days that it is hard to get too excited about more. However at least this one tried to be a little different and original.

The concept wasn't that bad once I realised what was going on and I couldn't wait to read this to the end and see what happened. The author has picked up on an idea that can speak to everyone in some way. After all I am sure everyone has someone close to them that has died who you would love to bring back to life.

However good the plot was there were just so many things that made me unsure about this book. Firstly, as you may guess, it is quiet depressing and moody. I found myself taking breaks between the chapters because the emotions of the lead character were just too heavy to keep reading in one gulp.

The writing style was a slight problem for me at first. I liked the way the author tried to keep little pieces of the plot a secret till later. It kept me reading. Although when the little revelations did come they seemed to be revealed quickly and awkwardly. Sure they made you go wow but the moment didn't get the attention it deserved.

Then there was the paranormal aspect. Amy has powers and so does the rest of the family but for some reason nobody seems to want to talk about it. This is something I didn't completely understand. Was there some special reason for this or was the author just not sure how to deal with the magic aspect either? Sure it lent some depth to the story but by the end it was just annoyed me.

I have no idea if the author plans a sequel to Cold Kiss but I certainly would like to see a second part explaining about the magic and family. If this was a stand alone then some readers may be left frustrated at the lack of depth and development.

All in all I have to say I was slightly disappointed in this book. Maybe my expectations were too high but for a YA this was not exciting or very addictive. It was slow, sad and clumsy. It was however a good concept and for that alone it gets a 'try it you may like it' recommendation.

Cold Kiss releases in September.

Labels: Amy Garvey, ARC, Book Read, Young Adult

I may have said this before so excuse me if I am repeating myself but it is really hard not to play favourites with my author guests. Some I want to rave about so much but it wouldn't be fair on the others but in Maria Lima's case, well I have to say she rocks! Oh and her books do too ;)

Maria Lima is the author of the Blood Lines series and I have been following Keira's story since the beginning. Now book five, Blood Sacrifice, is due out (30th August) and if you take the time to read the interview you will find out that it could be the last *sniffle*

So make sure you check out the interview, enter the contest and if you haven't already read the series, go and read it!!! Enjoy!!!

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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here again as a guest! Blood Sacrifice is due out! What can we expect from your fifth Blood Lines book?

Maria - Conclusions and new beginnings.

Amber - There may just be some wedding bells in Blood Sacrifice. Is planning a wedding in a book easier than planning one in real life?

Maria - Ha, I think so! I’ve helped plan several weddings and believe me, hosting a supernatural reception is 1000 times easier.

Amber - What paranormal creatures are you dying to fit into a story but you haven't managed to fit in yet?

Maria - Dragons! I haven’t quite yet found the right story. I prefer to write urban fantasy (instead of high fantasy), so I’m not sure how I can fit dragons into the “real” world.

Amber - And what about ones you would never use?

Maria - Zombies. I really, really dislike zombies. I know they’re popular in some circles, but they just utterly squick me.

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

Maria - Very good questions! At this point, I don’t have a contract for any more books, so I can say that BLOOD SACRIFICE is the final book in this story arc. I’m just not sure what the future holds for this series, as far as actual publication in book form. I do know what happens next, though. Could be I do a short story or two, or maybe a novella and self e-publish.

Amber - What is next? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Maria - I’m currently working on a project that’s not ready for prime time (see the collaboration question below). I’ve also got a short story in the recently published San Diego Noir. It’s a fairly straightforward noir mystery with my usual urban fantasy bent. If you like non-fiction, fandom meta type of reading, I’ve got an essay in Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them (Norwegian Press).

Amber - Are you a full time writer or do you have a day job? If yes, How do you divide your time?

Maria - I have a day job. Sadly, writing doesn’t pay enough for me to quit. I did curtail my work schedule to 4 days a week. I was very lucky that the small company I work for was able to accommodate me. Taking a pay cut was tough, but it’s worth the lessened stress. I tend to do my writing during my extended weekend. Marketing/blogging/business activities are usually done before or after work.

Amber - Would you ever be able to write a book together with another author? If yes, which author would you like to work with and why?

Maria - I’m actually working on a project now with a friend of mine, Carla Coupe. Carla is the author of several award-nominated mystery short stories and some Sherlock Holmes pastiche stories. I can’t really say a lot more, only that it will be cool! We hope to unveil news some time in the fall of this year.

Amber - Some authors have branched out into the YA genre. Have you or would you think about writing a YA book?

Maria - Yes, absolutely. I’ve got a few YA ideas that I’m percolating.

Amber - Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life?

Maria - I have to credit my parents for being avid readers. I grew up in a house that was full of books of all kinds. I remember being so very excited in first grade, when I found out that I could buy books that were for me (via Scholastic Books). To me, that was heaven on earth. To this day, I feel sad when I hear about kids who don’t read or whose parents never taught them the love of reading.

Amber - I am a happy Kindle owner and was wondering if you own an ereader yourself and how you see ebooks? Good, bad or just plain evil?

Maria - I LOVE ebooks, My short-range (reading range) vision is pretty horrible these days, so the adjustable font size on ebooks is brilliant! Between the eyesight and the lack of room in my apartment, ebooks have been like the answer to a prayer. I enjoy the idea of having more ways to read.

Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Read any good books recently?

Maria - I’ve been listening a lot to Adele. She’s an amazing singer. As for reading, I’ve got a few books in the queue that I’m dying to get to: Seanan McGuire’s latest Toby Daye book (Late Eclipses), Kevin Hearne’s Hounded. I’m so behind on fiction!

Amber - What's your favorite paranormal movie of all time?

Maria - That is absolutely impossible to answer! I find that my “go to” entertainment tends to be more TV show oriented. I love British police procedurals (Luther, A Touch of Frost), SF (Doctor Who, Torchwood) and hard line dramas like Sons of Anarchy or Oz. I’ve also been known to while away a Sunday afternoon with Jane Austen movies (Persuasion, Emma, Pride & Prejudice). Oddly enough, I’m less likely to watch a purely paranormal movie.

Amber - If you could be any famous person, alive or dead, who would you be? and why?

Maria - Ack! Another tough question. I’d probably be Charlaine Harris, because she is a wonderful, kind and talented person who truly deserves all the good fortune she’s gotten.

Amber - Thank you for being a guest again on Amberkatze's Book Blog!

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The Blood Lines Series

#1 : Matters of the Blood
#2 : Blood Bargain
#3 : Blood Kin
#4 : Blood Heat
#5 : Blood Sacrifice (releases 30th August)





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Contest Time


Maria wants to give away a copy of BLOOD SACRIFICE to one lucky person!


How To Enter


Summer is nearly over but which book will you remember and recommend from the last couple of months?


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

Have you 'Liked' Amberkatze's Book Blog on Facebook?


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





The contest will stay open until Sunday 4th of September 2011 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, Maria Lima

One of my author guests this week was Mara Purnhagen. I have really enjoyed her Past Midnight series and loved the new release Beyond the Grave.

Mara was giving away a copy of Beyond the Grave to one lucky reader of Amberkatze's Book Blog! Now the contest is closed and it is time to announce the winner! So congrats to :


Jade!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

Didn't win this time? Then keep trying! Also make sure you entered the other author contest running this week. You could win a Justin Gustainis book! You have till Thursday to enter!

Also another author contest is coming soon and it is nearly time for the Monthly Giveaway! Keep checking in or better yet sign up for the newsletter!

Make sure you check out Mara's books and please use the links below to order! Keep the contests going!

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Past Midnight Series :

#1 - Past Midnight
#1.5 - Raising the Dead
#2 - One Hundred Candles
#2.5 - Haunting the Night
#3 - Beyond the Grave (Releases this week!)




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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 won an e-book please make sure you send me the email address you would like the book sent to!

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. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.

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 wherever you can ;)

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Labels: Contests, Justin Gustainis, Mara Purnhagen, Monthly Giveaway, Winners

The Blurb :

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

My Thoughts :

I needed and wanted to read something fun, easy and light. So the cover for The Ghost and the Goth really shouted 'read me'. I took this book with me in my bag thinking it was going to be a fast read that I could finish in one day. How wrong I was. The cover is very misleading and even the blurb comes across as something very young and silly but actually this book has a lot of depth and I found myself needing more than a day to let everything sink in.

Even after the first few chapters I was waiting for the fun to begin but this stayed pretty serious the whole way through. Sure there were moments that could have been laugh out loud occasions but I think the whole concept put a bit of a downer on things. A young girl is dead and now a ghost and A young boy is seeing ghosts but everyone thinks he is crazy. It could have been funny but the author surprised me by keeping it quite real and intense.

Now I am not saying that because of this I didn't like the book. I actually found it to be a super read. I just wasn't expecting the seriousness and realistic angle. It made me stop a few times and take a moment to digest what was really going on. While this has Young adult focus it is quite adult at times and I wonder if younger readers will actually get 'it'.

This may not have been the best written book and it has some minor flaws but it had some great paranormal activity. The characters were interesting to follow and the plot wasn't that bad and did keep me guessing. I am really looking forward to reading the second part, Queen of the Dead, and am extremely curious to how things develop for the two main characters.

Labels: Book Read, Stacey Kade, Young Adult

This week I have two author guests and two contests! Have you entered them yet? My First guest is :

Mara Purnhagen

Read the Interview & Enter the Contest!

You have till Sunday to enter. One lucky winner will win a copy of Mara's new release!


My Second guest is :

Justin Gustainis

Read the Interview & Enter the Contest!

This contest is open till Thursday and you could win a copy of one of Justin's amazing books. Winners choice!

So make sure you enter!

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

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 entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu

Do you 'Like' Amberkatze's Book Blog? Facebook It!





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

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Never miss a contest or author event! Sign up for the newsletter!

Enter your email address:

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Labels: Contests, Justin Gustainis, Mara Purnhagen

I have another author guest for you this week! Justin Gustainis!

Yes he was already here this Summer but Justin has TWO books out and therefore I am happy to have him here as a guest twice ;) Why? Because both books are bloody amazingly good! I highly recommend them.

So the last interview was more about Hard Spell, the debut in Justin's new Occult Crimes series and this interview is mainly about Sympathy For the Devil the third part in the Morris and CHastain Investigations series.

So enjoy the interview and enter the contest! I love Justin's books so much that I am giving away a copy!

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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here again as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your third book in the Morris and Chastain Investigations Series, Sympathy for the Devil ?

Justin - Senator Howard Stark is running for President of the U.S. Unbeknownst to almost everybody, Stark has been possessed by the demon Sargatanas. That makes Stark, in effect, Hell’s candidate in the race, and if he wins, Hell on Earth will follow. At first, Stark is considered to have little chance of winning his party’s nomination. But then the competitors start dropping out, due to scandal, suicide, and “accidental” death.

Amber - How did you come up with the idea for Sympathy for the Devil? Was
it a long process or did it just come to you?

Justin - The answer to that is kind of complicated. The basic idea for the book (which I’ve described above) was developed years ago, for the sequel to my very first novel, The Hades Project. I actually wrote about a third of it before I took a good, hard look at the sales figures for the original book and realized that the 99.999 percent of the human race that hadn’t bought The Hades Project probably wouldn’t buy a sequel, either. So I shelved the idea and eventually moved on to what became Black Magic Woman. Flash-forward a couple of years. My contract with Solaris Publishing was for three Morris and Chastain books, of which I had written two. I was stuck for an idea, until I remembered my abortive sequel. I saw in an instant of pure gestalt how it could be adapted for Quincey and Libby, and the title also came to me at the same time. The rest as they say, is genre fiction.

Amber - There were a few new characters in Sympathy for the Devil. Will we see any of them again in future books?

Justin - That depends on whether there are future Morris and Chastain books. I asked Solaris whether they wanted a fourth one, and they said, “Let’s see how the current one sells first.” So, all you folks out there in Amberland, if you want to increase the odds, buy Sympathy for the Devil in wholesale lots. They make great birthday and bar mitzvah gifts – and Christmas is practically just around the corner.

If there is a fourth book (working title: Play with Fire), I was giving thought to bringing back Mal Peters and his rather unusual companion, known only as Ashley.

Amber - I love how you mention other famous Paranormal Urban Fantasy characters in your books. Do you ask the authors for permission?

Justin - I do when it’s explicit. In Evil Ways, I set a scene in Harry Dresden’s favorite bar, and I had Jim Butcher’s permission to do so. In Sympathy for the Devil, there’s an explicit reference to demon hunter Jill Kismet, and it’s in there with permission of Jill’s creator, Lili Saintcrow. Both Jim and Lili are wonderful people who have been very good to me over the years.

But I don’t get (or need) permission when the reference is more subtle. And I do that kind of thing a lot, because it amuses me. It even amuses a few of my readers. And that brings me to the big “Easter Egg” contest.

Those subtle references to other parts of popular culture are called (by some people, anyway) Easter eggs, and there are a lot of them in SFTD – so many that I’m holding a contest. Spot the most Easter eggs in the book and win a cool prize. First place is a $50 Amazon gift card and I’ll name a character after you in my next book. If Morris and Chastain don’t come back, then it will show up in one of my “Haunted Scranton” books with Stan Markowski. Details about the contest can be found on my web site, www.justingustainis.com.

Amber - Any plans to have Quincey & Libby get together with more characters? As in you teaming up with another author and writing a book together?

Justin - Well, the first part of this has been answered already. As to collaboration … I don’t know. I’ve done that with academic stuff in the past, but never with fiction. I guess it would depend on whom I was going to collaborate with.

Amber - Will there be more books in the series? How long would you like to see things continue for Quincey & Libby?

Justin - The first part of that, again, has already been addressed. As for the second – if it was up to me, the series would go on indefinitely.

Amber - If the series was going to be made into a TV series or Film, who would you like to see playing Quincey & Libby?

Justin - Actually, there’s a possibility that a TV series may be forthcoming. SFTD has been optioned by a Hollywood producer, who’s thinking of pitching it as a cable TV series. The odds on it ever seeing air are statistically remote, but it is nice to be optioned.

My choices for stars? Twenty-five or so years ago, Tommy Lee Jones would have been perfect for Quincey. Today, I’d probably pick Edward Norton. For Libby, I like a character actress called Catherine Keener. Mind you, if the series ever happens (and it probably won’t), these folks almost certainly won’t be cast because 1) they’re too expensive for TV and 2) nobody listens to the writer, anyway.

Amber - How much say do you have in the book publishing process? E.g., Do you get to pick the cover?

Justin - How much say I have in the process depends on the publisher. I don’t get much with Solaris, but I consider myself fortunate that they’ve hired the estimable Chris McGrath to do the cover art. I have a bit more input with Angry Robot Books, publisher of the “Haunted Scranton” series. The artist they hired, Timothy Lantz, was on a short list of possible artists that I gave them; later, they showed me a draft of the cover, and actually changed something because I asked them too!

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

Justin - Well, Quincey Morris has the same name as his great-great grandfather, who helped track down and kill Count Dracula. Libby Chastain’s first name comes from a former therapist of mine, who probably saved my life. In her own way, she could work magic, too. Her last name comes from soccer player Brandi Chastain, who I was hot for back when I was writing Black Magic Woman. Stan Markowski’s last name is the same as a guy I went to high school with, and “Stanley” is stereotypically Polish, which is what I wanted for the character.

Amber - How do you come up with the titles for your books? Do you always go with the first title or is it hard to come up with the right one?

Justin - For a long time, Black Magic Woman was called The Protector, but then someone came out with a novel of the same title before the book went to press. But once I had the new title of the first book, the others were easy. We had a devil of a time (so to speak) coming up with Hard Spell. We wanted something that had a noirish feeling about it, but wouldn’t be confused with a mystery. We also wanted a pattern that we could use for a number of titles (you do that in series fiction, you know. It’s part of your “brand”). So now we have Hard Spell and Evil Dark. I trust the pattern is evident. The third book’s working title is Known Devil, but that’s still under discussion.

Amber - Did you always wanted to be an author? Why did you pick the
Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre?

Justin - No, I always wanted to be a cowboy, later a fireman. In high school and college, I used to amuse my friends by writing stories that were parodies of popular genres, but I never planned on earning a living as a writer – hell, I don’t do that now. Thank Goddess (as Libby would say) for the day job.

As for paranormal urban fantasy, I write what I like to read. In fact, I was reading it before anyone was calling it paranormal urban fantasy. It used to fall under the broad umbrella of “Horror.”

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

Justin - There’s been a lot of variation, especially as my procrastination problem gets worse. Black Magic Woman took about a year. On the other hand, I wrote most of Sympathy for the Devil in about three months – and even so, I was late turning it in.

Amber - There are a lot 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?

Justin - I have a Facebook page, but I rarely go there. It’s supposed to be possible to use social media to sell books, but I still can’t figure out if that works, or how. I find online pornography much more of a distraction than social media. Although, I guess porn is social media, too – in a sense.

Amber - Are you a full time writer or do you have a day job? If yes, How do you divide your time?

Justin - I have a day job toiling in the groves of academe – I’m a college professor. I devote more and more of my time to my writing as the deadline draws near, probably to the detriment of my students.

Amber - Who has been your biggest inspiration in life?

Justin - My late wife, Patricia Grogan.

Amber - If you could live anywhere in the world. Where would you live?

Justin - Across the street from you, Amber.

Amber - Thanks for stopping by again!






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

Contest Time


One lucky entrant will win their choice of Justin Gustainis book!


How To Enter


If you could live anywhere in the world. Where would you live?


No idea = 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

Have you 'Liked' Amberkatze's Book Blog on Facebook?


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





The contest will stay open until Thursday 1st of September 2011 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, Justin Gustainis

This week I had a Special Contest for you all! Why? Well I wrote a Guest Blog about my TBR pile for author Elle Beauregard and I thought it would be fun to give away a copy of one of the books from my TBR pile!

So now the Contest is closed and it is time to announce the winner! Firstly though I would like to thank everyone for entering! It was nice to read what books you could and couldn't see and decided to choose ;)

So congrats to :


Wanda f!!!


You picked Highborn by Yvonne Navarro and a copy will be on the way to you as soon as I have your details ;)

Didn't win this time? The Mara Purnhagen Contest is still open! Enter before Sunday and you could win a copy of her new release!

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

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 won an e-book please make sure you send me the email address you would like the book sent to!

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. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.

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 wherever you can ;)

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Labels: Contests, Elle Beauregard, Guest Blog, Mara Purnhagen, Winners

The Blurb :

Riley's beginning to think being a demon trapper isn't all it's cracked up to be. Her dad's been stolen by a necromancer, her boyfriend's gone all weird and she's getting warm and fuzzy feelings for someone who's seriously bad news. It's tempting to give it all up and try to be normal, but that's not an option. Because the demons have plans for Riley. And they're not the only ones.

My Review :

Forbidden or Soul Thief (see explanation in my interview with the author) is the second book in the The Demon Trappers series and is one of those books I have been dying to read. I was a little worried that the first book, Forsaken, could have been a one off wonder and that nothing could be as good as that introduction into Jana Oliver's demon filled world. However Forbidden just proved how great a series this is and hopefully will continue to be.

Sure Forbidden is not perfect but despite any problems you may have when reading this you have to admit that the whole concept is bloody amazing. I absolutely love the plot and the way the story is evolving and while sometimes I find Riley to be slightly naive and annoying, I just can't get enough of this thrilling world!

This is a series you have to read in order. There is no way around it. This story continues on from where Forsaken left us and unless you know what happened last time there is no way this second book will make any sense. In this second part things are looking real bad for Riley and on so many levels. However she stays strong and fights through and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. If the ending of Forbidden is anything to go by, well it is going to be awesome.

Forbidden is not for young adults but as it says on the back of the book 'For Older Readers' and while Riley is a little on the young side the story is also told from the perspectives of other characters who are older. It is actually nice and refreshing to be able to read the other views and see what is happening in all the corners of the plot. Plus it gives the story even more depth.

This is a series I can highly recommend. Original and fresh this is all demon goodness with some angelic sprinkles. Well written and very addictive this is a book you can really get your teeth into and hold on to till the very end. Make sure you give this series a try because it really is different and worth reading.

Forbidden is already available in Europe and the US version, Soul Thief, releases at the end of this month.

Labels: Book Read, Jana Oliver, New Releases

The Blurb :

Nothing says "home" like being attacked by humans with very large guns, as Jane and Anyan discover when they arrive in Rockabill. These are professionals, brought into kill, and they bring Anyan down before either Jane or the barghest can react. Seeing Anyan fall awakens a terrible power within Jane, and she nearly destroys herself taking out their attackers.

Jane wakes, weeks later, to discover that she's not the only thing that's been stirring. Something underneath Rockabill is coming to life: something ancient, something powerful, and something that just might destroy the world.

Jane and her friends must act, striking out on a quest that only Jane can finish. For whatever lurks beneath the Old Sow must be stopped...and Jane's just the halfling for the job.

My Review :

The Jane True Series has been one of those that has taken me by surprise and made me do a happy dance. It is so original and different with a Sookie Stackhouse kind of feel to it and I have been dying to read the latest addition, Eye of the Tempest. So when it never popped up on Kindle I was a little pee'd off. Finally I managed to order a copy and waited for it to arrive. I wasn't happy and hoped that it was worth the extra wait. Well it was worth it in some ways but in other ways I am not so sure. Actually there were quite a few areas in this book that left me with conflicting views.

Jane has been such a nice character to follow so far that it was weird to have her suddenly so in touch with her libido. Constantly having conversations with it was a little weird for me and changed the feeling of the series completely. On the other hand I enjoyed the sexual tension between Jane and Anyan. That certainly made for great reading but on the other side of things I felt Anyan was suddenly not the cool, strong and amazing character he was before. Now he seemed to be a typical guy who was thinking with his penis.

Then there was Jane's dad. Nice to see him better again but why make his condition go away? Also the poor humans in the town got a rough deal of things and seemed to be glamoured to far in my honest opinion. However some of the changes were good ones. I like the introduction of Blondie and hope she stays on. I also thought the bit of sexual tension between her and Jane was extremely interesting. Lastly though the tattoos were very cool. I liked that alot.

Despite the little problems I had with the story content I actually enjoyed reading this latest Jane True episode. It wasn't the best in the series so far and the plot was a little confusing but I liked it for what it was. Certainly I hope the series gets back on track in the book and it does continue to stay a must read series for me. Oh and I hope next time that the Tempest series gets some more Kindle action.

Labels: Book Read, New Releases, Nicole Peeler

My author guest this week has already visited Amberkatze's Book Blog before!

Mara Purnhagen is the author of the Past Midnight series. I found the series totally by accident and have been a fan ever since! The blend of 'ghost hunter debunkers' and Young adult paranormal is just amazingly unique and the series has been a must read for me.

Now the third part in the series, Beyond the Grave, is out this week and I couldn't resist asking Mara some questions about the series and what the future holds.

I hope you enjoy the interview and will enter the contest! Mara is giving away a signed book to one lucky entrant!

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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Beyond The Grave is due out. What can you tell us about your upcoming release?

Mara - Beyond the Grave is the final book in my Past Midnight series. I think it’s a solid conclusion to the series, and everything is wrapped up. It’s bloodier than the previous books. We also get to see Bliss Reynolds in a new light. I’ve had a plan for her since I began writing the books, and I’m happy that her story really comes out in this novel.

Amber - Charlotte has already had a few paranormal experiences so far. How do you decide what to throw at her in each book?

Mara - I remember thinking, what would truly scare me? And the first image that came to mind was a grown man crawling down the middle of a street. I don’t know why that popped into my head, but it was weird and creepy and I thought, I just have to have this. I try to think about events or images that would scare me, and I go with those.

Amber - You have two novella's out that fit into the series. Is it harder to write a full novella or easier?

Mara - Writing the novellas was much, much harder than I expected. The novels had been completed, so I had to write stories that could stand alone and not affect the major plots. They are intended to be more character-driven than paranormal-driven. What’s nice about the novellas is that they are offered for free during the month they are released. Haunting the Night comes out on August 1 and will be free! I love that. I think it’s a great way to say thank you to the readers.

Amber - Are any of the ghosts/hauntings based on 'real' stories?

Mara - Not really. I read about a lot of common types of sightings (such as ghosts seen on staircases) and tried to make them my own. In One Hundred Candles, I mention a ghost dog. The story is very loosely based on a cat I had. After he died of old age, my kids (who were toddlers) kept saying they saw the cat sitting beneath the dining room table. I never saw him, but I loved the idea of pet coming back just to say hi.

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

Mara - Some of the research was very technical. In Beyond the Grave, I wanted to show Charlotte getting back to work in a different way, so I have her and Shane editing footage for a DVD. I was lucky to be able to rely on the expertise of my younger brother, who works as local news anchor in Dayton, Ohio. He took me through the detailed process of how a DVD would be put together, and I double-checked with him to make sure those scenes made sense.


Amber - What comes next? Are there going to be more books/novella's in the series? Are you working on anything else?

Mara - There is one more novella, which will be released on August 1 online. It’s called Haunting the Night, and it takes place a few weeks after the events of One Hundred Candles. Charlotte returns to Charleston for a few days to visit her sister—and to get away from something that has been stalking her.

Amber - How much say do you have in the book publishing process? Eg. Do you get to pick the covers?

Mara - I think a lot of people assume that the author chooses his or her cover. Not true! I’m lucky that I’ve gotten covers that I love. So far, Beyond the Grave is my favorite, though. I love the shades of orange and pink, and the design on the gate is lovely.

Amber - What made you want to be a writer? Were there any books or authors that had an influence on you?

Mara – I’ve always been a story teller, ever since I was young. And I’ve always loved books. I began writing stories in elementary school. It’s hard to pinpoint a single author who had the greatest influence on me. Instead, I think years of reading helped me to form my internal voice, the one I hear when I sit at my computer.

Amber - Would you ever be able to write a book together with another author? If yes, which author would you like to work with and why?

Mara – What I’d really love to do is work on an anthology with lots of other authors. It’s always interesting to read what different authors do with the same general concept. I’m a big fan of anthologies.

Amber - I saw on your blog that CBS bought the TV option to Past Midnight! Any news on that? You must be really excited!

Mara - I’ve known about the deal for a long time, but couldn’t say anything until recently. Lots of books are picked up for TV options, but only a handful make it through to the pilot stage. That’s what I’m hoping for now—to see a pilot. If that ever happens, I’m going to throw a huge party. Huge as in epic. But I’m not holding my breath. It was a nice pat on the back, though.

Amber - So I have to ask! Which actors/actresses would you like to see playing the main characters from your books?

Mara - So many actors and actresses have the same look. I’d want someone totally different—an unknown to play Charlotte would be nice. But I hear some of the cast of Glee will be “graduating” and looking for work—maybe they’d like a change of pace on a paranormal show?

Amber - What have you been reading and watching lately?

Mara - I enjoyed reading Gayle Forman’s Where She Went, , Matched by Ally Condie, Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer, and The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott. As far as TV, summer is all about reruns. I am eagerly awaiting the new season of The Walking Dead, but I have to wait until October!

Amber - I know you told me in our previous interview that you have never seen a ghost but if you did get to see one, is there any particular one you would like to see and why?

Mara - I think it would be cool to tour a castle and catch a glimpse of a former king or queen. It would be like witnessing a paranormal piece of history!

Amber - Thank you again for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog!

Mara - Thanks for having me!

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Past Midnight Series :

#1 - Past Midnight
#1.5 - Raising the Dead
#2 - One Hundred Candles
#2.5 - Haunting the Night
#3 - Beyond the Grave (Releases this week!)






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Contest Time!


Mara is giving away a signed copy of Beyond the Grave to one lucky entrant!


How To Enter?


What is your favourite YA series?


No Answers = No Entry


Thank you to Julie S for suggesting the question. You have an automatic entry to the contest!

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

Have you 'Liked' Amberkatze's Book Blog on Facebook?


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





The contest will stay open until Sunday 28th of August 2011 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, Mara Purnhagen