To compliment the interview I decided to give away another copy of this great anthology. So who won 'Those Who Fight Monsters'? Congrats to :
Audra!!!
Thank you all for your comments! I hope everyone added some Julie Kenner books to their wishlists!
If you didn't win this time then keep trying! Another contest is coming up very soon!
----------------------
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. 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.
Never miss out on a new Author Event, Contest or Book Review! Subscribe Now!
Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)
Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman's Cosa Nostradamus series.
Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.
John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt's Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
So of course I thought it would be nice to give away a copy!
All you have to do to enter is answer one simple question. Easy Peasy!
So make sure you enter the contest by Sunday 4pm Central European Time!
There will be one more chance to win a copy of this great anthology next week when the editor of the book stops by! Make sure you check out the interview with Justin Gustainis which will go live on Sunday!
This month my author guests all have a story in the anthology 'Those Who Fight Monsters'. When I looked at the line-up I had to wonder what author Julie Kenner was going to contribute. With so many great books under her belt I wasn't to worried about it being good but I secretly hoped for a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom short story.
Well I am happy to announce that Julie's short story is indeed based in the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series and it was an amazing read. So of course I had to ask Julie to stop by and tell us more about it and of course what else she is writing!
Enjoy the interview and make sure you enter the contest!
------------------
Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as
a guest! You have a short story inside the new anthology Those Who Fight Monsters. Can you tell us a little about it?
Julie - It's an awesome anthology filled with "supernatural investigators." I hope everyone checks it out. I'm having a blast reading all the other stories.
Amber - So how did you pick what to write for the anthology? Did you know straight away that you would write a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom story?
Julie - I was asked to write either Kate or Lily from Tainted, and I chose Kate. I really wanted the opportunity to get into Allie's head, and this is the first time readers get to go there with me. The story is told from both Kate and Allie's points of view, and it was a lot of fun writing it.
Amber - Was it hard coming up with something new or was the story already filed away ready for something like this?
Julie - Well, the story wasn't filed away at all. But I feel like Kate and Allie and company are old friends, so it was just a matter of finding the right "between the books" incident. I was visiting a friend in D.C. when I was brainstorming. He helped me name the bad guy :)
Amber - The Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series has always been told from Kate's perspective. However in this short story Allie also takes the reins. Is she finally getting old enough to do that? ;)
Julie - Oh, absolutely. In the story, she's still 14, though in the book world, she's turned fifteen. She'd love her own YA series, actually, LOL!
Amber - I love the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series and I am waiting for more! Will there be more books about Kate soon?
Julie - Nothing firm yet, but there's stuff in the works (and good news recently about the movie, so keep your fingers crossed!). Keep an eye on my website and my blog for all the news!
Amber - How do anthologies really work? Do you the authors get together and have a chat and a few drinks? Discuss your story ideas? Or is it all emails and no contact with anyone else?
Julie - In most anthologies where the stories don't twine together, you write your story and turn it into the editor. That was the case here. And Justin was an awesome editor! In a situation where there's something that weaves through the plot of all the stories, I've usually been in an email loop with the other authors so we can get those details worked out.
Amber - When you write a short story does the publisher set you limits or do you just write and hope the piece is long/short enough?
Julie - To be honest, this was only my second short story. I tend to write long :) And both had word count limits.
Amber - Have you read all the stories in Those Who Fight Monsters? Did you have any favourites?
Julie - Not yet, but I'm loving them so far. Believe it or not, I only got my copy recently, too, so I'm gobbling the stories up like candy!
Amber - What is next? Any projects or new releases you can tell us about?
Julie - Lots of stuff in the works. I'm doing a short story for a thriller anthology (details to come!) and I'm working on the next three J.K. Beck Shadow Keepers books. I've also got three back to back books from Harlequin coming in 2012, so that's going to be a busy year. Oh, and Dorchester has re-released my Aphrodite series. Those are out in e-format now, and are coming to print this summer!
Amber - What made you want to be a writer? Were there any books or authors that had an influence on you?
Julie - Everything I've ever read has influenced me, but to be honest, I wanted to be a story teller before I can even remember being a reader. So I think it's just in my blood :)
Amber - You have written a lot of books! Is there any genre you have not tried writing that you would like to?
Julie - I have a middle grade idea that I would absolutely LOVE to do, and also an idea for a mainstream women's fiction book that's been keeping me up at night. Hopefully I'll find the time to get those down and paper soon!
Amber - Could you write a book together with another author? If yes, which author would you like to work with and why?
Julie - Absolutely. I'm actually writing a screenplay with a co-author (fingers crossed we sell it!) and it's going great. We each bring something to the table, and I think it's making the screenplay better for it. A novel is bit of a different process, but the collaborative process can work there as well, and he and I have a few ideas we'd like to do as novels as well. In addition to him, Kathleen O'Reilly and I have talked about doing a book together (we have one idea in particular that we both want to do--but time is an issue). Fingers crossed!
Amber - What other paranormal creatures would you want to write about besides the ones you've already written about? Is there any you just don't like, and would never use in your books?
Julie - Hmmm. Honestly, I don't know. I doubt I'd ever write about selkies. But I've learned that it's best to never say never.
Amber - What are you listening, reading and watching lately? Any recommendations?
Julie - I've been listening to the Sherlock Holmes soundtrack as I write a lot lately, but that's about it. I'm more of a podcast and/or audiobook person than a music person. As for TV, I've recently discovered The IT Crowd. Love, love, love it.
Amber - If you could visit any famous person, alive or dead, who would you visit? and why?
Julie - That is a really hard question. I honestly don't know. I feel like as soon as I choose, I'll realize there was someone I'd rather have chosen. Actually, probably Roger Bacon. You see, I have this story idea, and there's this question I'd like to ask him....
Amber - Thank you so much for popping by! I hope you come visit again soon!
Which of Julie's books do you most want to read? Or have you read them all?
No answer = 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!
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 27th of March 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.
*****
Who are Those Who Fight Monsters?
Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman's Cosa Nostradamus series.
Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.
John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt's Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
A collection of Occult (a.k.a supernatural) Detective stories assembled by Justin Gustainis and featuring new stories by:
Tanya Huff
C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
Simon R. Green
T. A. Pratt
Chris Marie Green
Lilith Saintcrow
Rachel Caine
Jacqueline Kessler
Carrie L. Vaughn
Julie Kenner
C.J. Henderson
Laura Anne Gilman
Justin Gustainis
Caitlin Kittredge
My Review -
I did promise to post my full review when author Justin Gustainis visits Amberkatze's Book Blog in March. However I liked this one so much that I am going to post my thoughts on this book now because it is due for release before his visit.
So anyone who visits Amberkatze's Book Blog on a regular basis will know that I rarely give anthologies a good review and usually moan about how I should stop torturing myself by reading them. Once again I took the bait. So many cool authors in one book. How could I resist? Would I get hurt again?
Well this time around I am happy to announce that this anthology could actually be the best I have read, ever! Did you see the line up? A Demon Soccer Mom Hunting story was inside as well as one of my favourite Succubi, Jezebel! An amazing Carrie Vaughn story which I hope is the start of a new series because I would totally love to read more. The best Laura Anne Gilman story I think I have ever read and of course T.A. Pratt! How I have missed you!!! And not forgetting the wonderful editor of this collection, Justin Gustianis. It has been way too long since we saw Quincy and I can't wait for more.
Worth buying! Awesome author selection with stories bursting with paranormal goodness. There are some real treasures in this one and next to no duds. Oh and to top it off the cover is pretty cool as well ;)
Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion—until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she’ll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.
When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.
What I Thought -
A new name in the Urban Paranormal genre? No. This is author Julie Kenner writing as J.K. Beck and showing us that she has more than just demon hunting moms up her sleeve. With a new, original and fresh look at things, this first book in the Shadow Keepers is a really tasty vampire treat. Although that isn't all. There are a few other supernaturals thrown in to make this a nice sweet read.
Full of suspense and mystery this book gripped me instantly and wouldn't let me go. I had to take breaks but I couldn't stop picking this up and just reading one more chapter. Nice depth and good strong characters, I was engrossed in the story and didn't feel lost or overwhelmed by this new world. Fast and furious when it needed to be and steamy and hot when the time was right, this paranormal mystery was thrilling and well worth my time.
When Blood Calls is the start but not the end. And even though there was no cliffhanger ending, book two, When Pleasure Rules, and book three, When Wicked Craves, will both be released over the next couple of months. I am eager to see what comes next and it is nice to have a series come out within a few months of each other. After all I think we all hate waiting for the next in the series :)
If you like vampires, some hot romance and a good mystery with twists then you can't go wrong with this one. I liked and I will be looking out for the next books when they are released. Maybe put all three on your wish list for Christmas :)
This week there are THREE author contests!!! I don't know how that happened but I am sure you aren't complaining? Especially as all three are giving away some great prizes! Have you entered all of them?
All three contests close on Sunday so make sure you enter before 4pm Central European Time! Here is the info -
Author J.K. Beck sent me a guest blog and is giving away a copy of her new book 'When Blood Calls'. Click here to enter!
Author Ann Marsh-Flores also sent me a guest blog for you all and she is giving away a copy of her first book, The Hunt! Click here to enter!
And author M.K. Hobson came by to tell us about her debut book, The Native Star! She is also giving away a copy! Click here to enter!
Oh and the Monthly Giveaway is coming up soon and the results of the Literary Escapism contest will be coming soon! I think you still have a few hours to get your name in on that one if you are quick!
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!
---------------------
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/
-----------------------
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!
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.
Lily Carlyle's life has been filled with lying, cheating and stealing. A total bad girl, all she wanted was to keep her sister, Rose, safe. With Rose broken in more ways than one, Lily is out for justice. She doesn't care if she dies getting the monster who hurt her sister. After all she will leave her sister free from the nightmare. However what Lily doesn't know is that her death will not be the end of her life.
Waking up as Alice Purdue wasn't what Lily expected of death. Suddenly Lily is in the middle of a battle between good and bad. Demons are real and she is in a position to kill them. So she becomes an assassin for the light. It is a job she thinks she can do. She just doesn't realise how hard a job it will be to stop.
Tainted is the first book in a new series from Julie Kenner. Well known for her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series it was quite interesting to see what else the author has to offer. The Blood Lily Chronicles have a slight resemblance to Julie Kenner's other books to the point that they both revolve around demons and someone who kills them. Other than that these two main characters, worlds and plots are extremely different.
Dark, dangerous and full of depth, Tainted really impressed me. Twists and turns paved the way through this very well written first in the series. Now I am eager to start book number two. Torn is already out and I have a copy here waiting for me and I am determined to read some others book first but it definitely has something that is pulling me towards it.
If you already know and love Julie Kenner's books then make sure you understand that this new series is Urban Paranormal Fantasy and is not funny! This is serious stuff and not like her previous works. However it is just as good as anything else she has written. Julie has taken her work to a new level and I hope she is proud!
It is time for the Monthly Giveaway to open! Last month there was a trick and a treat winner but this month there will just be the usual one winner.
How does the monthly giveaway work? Well in the sidebar <--- there is a poll. You vote for the book you would most like to win. I pick a name from the subscibers list and that person wins the book with the most votes. So you may not even win the book you voted for!
To subscribe to Amberkatze's Book Blog all you have to do is use the box in the sidebar <--- or at the bottom of this post. Everyone who is already subscribed will be entered in the contest as well as new subscribers. If you have not confirmed your email address then you will not be added to the draw!!! The winner will be announced on Sunday the 6th of December at 4pm. The poll will stay open for votes until 4pm on Friday 4th of December (all times are in Central European Time). What books are up for grabs this month? Vote for one of the following new releases -
Bound to Shadows by Keri Arthur - I haven't read this yet but the latest Riley Jenson is bound to be good!
Apocalypse Happens by Lori Handeland - Just read the third book in this amazing series and I can't wait for more! Demon Ex Machina by Julie Kenner - A great new edition to the Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series. Not to be missed!
Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding - After seeing the blurb for this one I couldn't resist ordering it. Keep a look out for my review as I haven't read this yet.
Tainted by Julie Kenner - This author makes two appearances in this months poll because she has so many new releases out! I haven't read this one yet either but the review should be coming sometime this week!
Demon Hunting Soccer Mom, Kate Connor, is having one hell of a month. She is juggling being a mother of two, a wife and a demon hunter. Her extra curriculum activities of teaching self-defense classes and helping her daughter learn everything she needs to become a hunter is keeping her more than busy. So the last thing she needs is to her have first husband hanging around with a demon inside him.
Toddlers having tantrums are easy to deal with compared to all the demonic problems Kate faces. Somehow she has to find a way to release and kill the demon possessing her first husband without actually killing him. After all he is the father of her oldest child. However her present husband has a few things to say about the whole demon business and Kate is finding her secret demon life isn't so secret anymore.
I absolutely adore this series. The concept is utterly unique and well thought out. The characters are just like your typical dysfunctional family and easy to relate to. The mystery inside is written so well that you really have no idea what is about to happen until it happens. This new edition to the series is just as great as its predecessors.
Staying away from the usual plots and storylines this series is action packed but also alot of fun. Some twists and turns in this latest installment had me wondering if this was the end of the series but I think there could be more to come. Actually I hope there will be more to come! If you haven't already tried this series then I highly suggest trying out the first book. A definite must read!
First off the winner of the Beth Fantaskey Contest! The lucky winner will get a printed copy of the 'Wedding chapters'. It isn't anything fancy, just printed off her computer and stuck in a binder which makes it very rare! She will however sign it! Which makes it very special!
Congrats to -
Kimberly!!!
Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!
I still have a winner to find for one of the Terri Garey prizes! You all have to check back to see if you won!!! Otherwise I pick another winner.
So congrats to -
Wanda Flanagan!!!
Also I didn't hear from the winner of the Stacia Kane Contest! So who is the new winner?
You get to choose a book of your choice by Julie Kenner, Stacia Kane or Terri Garey!
Please make sure you check back to see if you won in the contests! I do not go looking for the winners!
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. Please make sure you mention which prize you are claiming and if needed let me know your choice of book!
I will pick a new winner if the Beth Fantaskey isn't claimed. The other contests that have already been drawn for a second time will not get drawn again. 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.
More author interviews/guest Blogs and contests coming soon! Make sure you sign up for the newsletter (see sidebar) so you don't miss anything!
Lots of winners to announce this week! So make sure you read through slowly and carefully. Speed reading could cost you a prize!
The details on how to claim your prize will be right at the end of the post. Make sure you follow the instructions so that your prize claim can be processed as quick as possible.
Before I let you know who won what! A huge thank you to all the authors who were guests on the Halloween Weekend Special. They all sent me great interviews/guest blogs and offered some amazing prizes. Thank you!
Also a thank you to all of you! Your entries and comments are always a pleasure to read and it is a joy to see the regular names as well as the new ones!
Congrats a signed copy of Tainted will be finding its way to you!!
The next contest has two winners! Terri Garey was giving away two signed copies of her new release 'Silent Night, Haunted Night' as well as a beaded bookmark.
So congrats to -
Indigo!!!
&
Ivy!!!
Keep reading to find out how to claim your prizes!
The Stacia Kane Contest prize is a signed copy of Demon Inside! Who won? Well Done -
AmandaK!!!
The last winner gets to pick a book from one of the above authors who took part in the Halloween Weekend Special. It has to be a book that is already on sale and can be the first in the series or the newest in the series. Who gets to pick? Congratulations -
Wantsandwishes!!!
Also there is one more winner. Nobody claimed the Maria Lima Contest prize so the new lucky person who will get a copy of her new release 'Blood Kin' (with moi mentioned in the acknowledgements!) is -
SiNn!!!
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. Please make sure you mention which prize you are claiming and if needed let me know your choice of book!
I will pick a new winner if a prize isn't claimed. 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.
More author interviews/guest Blogs and contests coming soon! Make sure you sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss anything!
So I was meant to announce some winners yesterday but with all the Halloween Specials I decided to give myself a break and read a book ;)
Anyway lets get on with the winner announcements!
Maria Lima was giving away a copy of her new release 'Blood Kin'! One lucky winner will get a copy of Maria's new book which (as I found out today when my order arrived) has Amberkatze's Book Blog mentioned in it!
So who is the lucky winner?
Randominities!!!
Congrats! You won!!!
Keep reading to the end to find out how to claim your prize!
So the Monthly Giveaway has also come to an end and it is time to announce the winners. Yes this month there are two winners! One winner gets the treat (the book with the most votes) and one the trick (the book with the least votes)!
But first lets have a look at how the voting went...
In last place (the trick prize) was Queene of Light by Jennifer Armintrout with 11%.
Fourth Place went to Eve of Darkness by S. J. Day with 15% of the votes.
Third place went to Dead Man Talking by Casey Daniels which got 18%.
Then Second place was taken up by Immortal: Love Stories With Bite by P.C. Cast & Others 25%
That left Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill the winner with 31% of the votes!
So who won?
The Treat goes to the email beginning with -
Allthingsurbanfantasy!!!
And the Trick goes to the email beginning with -
Dragongoddess73!!!
Congrats to you both!
But wait! There is one more...
Nobody claimed the Casey Daniels prize! So we get to draw a new winner! So well done to -
Stephanie!!!
Make sure you don't miss out and claim your prize!
Didn't win this time? Keep tuned for the November Monthly Giveaway! Until then there are four contests up and running right now that you can enter!
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 and choice of book!
I will pick a new winner if a prize isn't claimed. 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.
Here is the first of FOUR author specials this Halloween weekend!
Author Julie Kenner knows all about demons and vampires! But do you all know about her? Here is your chance to get to know the author, her books and even maybe win a prize!
Enjoy!
-------------------------------
Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you as a guest here and I hope you will enjoy your time here ;) Maybe you can start things off for us by telling my readers a bit about your Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom Series?
Julie - Sure! The series revolves around Kate Connor, a former demon hunter for Forza Scura, a secret am of the Vatican. An orphan found wandering in Rome, Kate was raised by the church, and slid into the demon hunting profession. When the series opens, she's retired and living with her second husband, their toddler, and her fourteen year old daughter by her first husband, Eric, her former demon-hunting partner who died not long after they made the decision to retire and live a normal life (he was, Kate believes, the ironic victim of a mugging). She's living happily as a suburban mom, organizing car pools and playdates and helping her politico husband ... and then she runs across a demon in Wal-Mart. A demon who, for inexplicable reasons, later crashes through her kitchen window and tries to kill her.
Kate's thrust back into the demon hunting world, but she still has to juggle mommy duties and keep her past a secret. It's lots of fun!
Amber - How did the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom Series come about? Was it a long process?
Julie - Surprisingly short, actually. I was trying to think of romance heroes, and thought of demon hunters. At the same time, I was also trying to think of a chick lit story, but I was a new mom and wanted to do something for moms. The ideas came crashing together like a Reeses Peanut Butter cup, and Kate was born! I wrote the first three chapters and we sold them very, very quickly, and got some Hollywood attention, too!
Amber - The latest book in the Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series 'Demon Ex Machina' is due out soon. What can we expect from this new installment?
Julie - Hard to say without spoilers, but I think it's fair to say that Kate has to fight more than just demons here...she has to fight her own emotions and the repercussions of the past!
Amber - I loved your Elizabeth Frasier Young Adult series. Can you tell my readers a little about her?
Julie - Thanks!! Beth is the smart girl in school. Kinda geeky, but still fun to be around, and she's on her way to being valedictorian (she's a junior). But then the senior jock vampire jerks turn her into a vampire (for purposes that become clear in the series) and Beth's pissed. After all, colleges don't admit the dead! Now she's got to juggle the demands of the jock vampires who are pulling her chain, and try to figure out how to regain her humanity.
Amber - Will there be anymore Elizabeth Fraiser or Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom books? How long do expect, or would you like, those series to keep going?
Julie - I hope so! Both series are currently out of contract, and it's really in Berkley's hands at the moment. Folks should watch my website, though, because I definitely want to continue both stories in some form or other. (And a Kate/Allie short story is coming up soon...details to come!)
Amber - I know you have written alot of other books. Would you like to tell us about any of them?
Julie - I have written a lot! I write for Harlequin (Blaze and the now defunct Temptation line), and those are sexy, contemporary romances. I've also done a series for Pocket called the Codebreaker series which is a series of chicklit suspense novels that were a lot of fun. I also wrote a series of Superhero romances (the Aphrodite series) that are light and fun and I had a blast with them. The easiest thing is for folks to visit my website (www.juliekenner.com) and click on Bookshelf. There are excerpts and descriptions, and hopefully something for everyone!
I've also written five books that are still to be released this year, and one for next year under another name. I'll talk about that other name book in the next question, but the five remaining Julie Kenner books are two Blazes for Christmas and New Years (Starstruck and Moonstruck) and an urban fantasy trilogy -- TAINTED, TORN, and TURNED -- about a woman who goes out to murder the man who raped her sister, but is killed in the process. She's given the chance to come back to earth to earn her redemption as a demon assassin. But things aren't always as clear cut as they seem.
Amber - What projects are you working on at the moment? What releases can your fans expect in upcoming year?
Julie - I'm really excited about a series of paranormal romantic suspense novels I have starting with Bantam under the name J.K. Beck (Julie Kenner, and my maiden name of Beck). The first book, WHEN BLOOD CALLS is already complete, and I'm working on the next two, WHEN PLEASURE RULES and WHEN WICKED CRAVES. The books will be published back to back in the fall. They take place in and around a paranormal judicial system hidden within the bowels of our own, and I am loving the world and the characters!
Amber - Are you anything like your characters? Are any of them based on people you know?
Julie - I'm probably a little bit like all of my characters, and certainly my mom experience shows in Kate, and I was the "smart girl" at school (though no one turned me into a vampire). As for based on people I know, not at all. Though the talking ferret in the Aphrodite series bears a striking resemblance to the ferret I had during law school!
Amber - How did you end up being a writer? Was it something you always wanted to do? What other jobs have you had?
Julie - I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember, but I didn't really know how to go about it. I was very much a "here's the class, make the grade," kind of girl, and college doesn't offer "how to be a novelist 101." So I majored in journalism, but then switched to film and considered writing screenplays. I graduated very young, though, and was too chicken to move to LA, so I bummed around doing some media related jobs, then took the LSAT. I had a knack for the law, loved the research and writing component, and ended up clerking on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, then moving to Los Angeles to practice first amendment and entertainment law. I met a guy also interested in writing, and he and I wrote two screenplays, one which sucks, and the other which got some interest in Hollywood, but was never optioned.
After I got married and moved to Orange County is was too hard to continue writing together (this was, gasp, pre Internet. Or, at least, pre "easy" internet) and so I started thinking about writing novels again. I discovered category romances and thought that with my insane lawyer schedule, I should focus on that, as the books have a shorter page count. I wrote one, got decent feedback, and discovered RWA. I was fortunate to sell my second manuscript to Harlequin Temptation, and my third, a full length paranormal called The Cat's Fancy, both as the result of RWA contests.
Amber - Your books cover alot of different genres? Which genre is your favourite?
Julie - I don't really have a favorite, but I'm always happiest if there are paranormal or suspense elements. I call it "added value" :)
Amber - What books do you like to read when you have time? Do you have any must read authors/series?
Julie - My biggest must read -- the only one I will order for the Kindle at 12:01 am the day it becomes available -- is anything by J.D. Robb. I love that series!
Others -- wow, I read so much stuff. I've been on a YA kick lately, and I'm thoroughly enjoying that, and I'm listening to Atlas Shrugged, reading The Count of Monte Cristo, and starting Outlander again (I figure by the time I reread the series, the latest will be in paperback).
I just read and Falling, Fly, which is by a debut author, Skyler White, and coming out in March 2010. It's awesome!
Amber - What do you like to do to relax?
Julie - I used to say that I didn't relax (I homeschool my kids and write a gazillion books!) but I recently got really sick and my mom had a stroke, and I've pretty much decided that Type A or not, relaxation is important!! And I do have things that I love to do. I like to bike, and can't wait for my kids to get older so that they have more stamina. I swim and work in the yard (it needs more work at the moment!). I don't watch too much television, but my husband and I tend to pick a few and follow them. Currently, we're into Mad Men and The Wire (awesome!)
Amber - Lots of authors have playlists for their books. Do you have any specific music/artists that you like to listen to when you are writing?
Julie - Not me. I really can't write to music. If the kids are being too noisy, sometimes I'll put Mozart on low with headphones (like if we're all four in a single hotel room!) but I can't write to lyrics, and I prefer to write to silence. Interestingly, I can write to the TV, but I try not to, as I sometime get interested in the show and I really need to use my writing time for writing.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature what would you be and why?
Julie - An immortal (but with an out, at some point it would get tedious). I think it would be fascinating to see the changes in the world!
Amber - You are stranded on a desert island. What 5 things do you hope to have with you?
Julie - My family, my Kindle (with a solar charger and a whispernet connection), an endless supply of coffee and cream, an endless supply of chips and hot sauce, and something to write with/on.
Amber - Thank you so much for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog. I hope you will pop by again sometime!
Julie - Thank you!!! I really enjoyed being here!
--------------------
Contest Time!
Julie is giving away one signed copy of Tainted to a lucky Halloween winner!
All you have to do to enter this contest is tell us what your favourite scary movie is!
No Movie = No entry!
The usual rules apply!
Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!
You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.
I can offer more prizes if my Amazon Associates account gets more money!! So please make sure you order at Amazon.com through the links around the site and help keep the contest coming!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 8th of November 2009 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.
If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.
Also don't forget to enter this weeks contest! Maria Lima is giving away a signed copy of her new release 'Blood Kin'. I wish I could enter the contest but of course that wouldn't be fair! So take a look at the Maria Lima Guest Blog and contest before the contest closes on Sunday.
Another reminder! The Monthly giveaway is up and running! This month there is a trick and treat prize! To find out how to enter check the Monthly Giveaway post . Make sure you enter before the closing date on Sunday!
