99) Blood Moon by M.R. Sellars

The Blurb :

A mere handful of months has passed since the horror known as Miranda turned Rowan Gant’s and his wife Felicity O’Brien’s lives into an extended nightmare from which there seemed no escape. And still, her evil continues to affect them on levels unimagined-both in the real world and the ethereal. Struggling to cope with those lingering aftereffects and restore some semblance of normalcy to their days, the resilient duo are cursed to find themselves asked to take on the wholly unwanted task of aiding their friend, homicide detective Benjamin Storm, in solving yet another bizarre murder.

While consulting for the Greater Saint Louis Major Case Squad has become an almost full-time job for Rowan-as well as a deeply ingrained part of his life-his desire for a normal existence devoid of crime scenes and horrific visions fuels a deep reluctance to get involved.

However, when a long time enemy within the police force and an insistent spirit both demand the benefits of Rowan’s unique talents, he is thrust into a situation that leaves him no choice in the matter.

But as questions are answered, a thread of deception unravels in the encroaching darkness, leaving the unofficial Witch of the Major Case Squad to wonder who he can really trust.

My Thoughts :

I have really enjoyed this series and during the read-a-thon last weekend I found this ninth book about Rowen Gant hiding among the other dusty 'to be read' books. It had to be read and I couldn't believe I hadn't picked this one up earlier.

The good thing about this series is that it isn't pretending to be something it isn't and there are no over the top theories or made up special abilities. You get a wiccan and his wife who help solve crimes with a detective friend and over the years they have been pulled in deeper than they wanted to be.

This story is no exception to the rule. Once again Rowan finds himself being plagued by the victims who want their murders solved. However on the sidelines, over shadowing the case, is the tail end of the Miranda case. The tension is there and the worry is there. How it all plays out involves a lot of energy being used by all involved. The job gets done even if there are repercussions for Rowan but it is all taking its toll on the 'kimosabe'.

I really liked this ninth installment but I really want Rowan and all his family and friends to finally have a break. So much has happened and I believe it is time for them all to get their reward for all the work and dedication they have put into everything. However I am not giving up on the series. I know there is at least one more book so I am looking forward to seeing if Rowan finally gets a break.

A brilliant series that feels like it should be on TV. A cross between 'Medium' and 'Criminal Minds' the author manages to pack a punch and keep things real. The style flows and the characters are the kind you want to go and have coffee with. A definate must read or at least must try!

65) The End of Desire by M. R. Sellars

Rowan's wife is ill and she can't be healed by doctors or drugs. The only way he can save her is to stop the magick that has connected her to the sadistic serial killer calling herself Mistress Miranda. However first her has to find her and that isn't proving to be easy.

The spell needs to be broken but Rowan isn't sure which spell. With the killer using a mixture of evil magick that he does not deal with. So he follows the leads he has to New Orleans and finds himself luring the killer closer to him and his wife. Will he be able to stop the bond they have before it is too late?

The End of Desire is book three in the Miranda Trilogy, a trilogy that is part of the Rowan Gant Investigation series. I have been dying to read this book for some time but this series isn't the easiest or cheapest to get hold of here in Europe and it was only last week that I managed to finally get a copy. I couldn't wait to dive in and finished this in record time.

It was nice to finally get to the end of this trilogy. It has been an interesting, exciting and scary story and I have enjoyed it immensely. However on saying that, I am ready to get on with the next story, away from Miranda. It was fun but I am, as Rowan is, glad it is over. Now I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series (which I already have) and finding out what happens next.

This series has got to be one of my favourites. Not only is this written by a male but also the main character is male. This makes for a welcome change. Also the writer obviously knows what he is writing about. There is an air of reality to the stories and Sellars must do a lot of homework to make sure he gets things not only right but interesting.

Well worth checking out. Definitely something worth reading if you like a bit of mystery and thriller now and again. This series is like a James Patterson book with magick, a brilliant combination that I have come to enjoy.

147) All Acts of Pleasure by M.R.Sellars

Rowan Gant’s wife, Felicity O’Brien is arrested and charged with a string of brutal murders and it looks like she will be spending the whole weekend in jail and there is nothing he can do to help her. Rowan is left confused, angry and alone but will do anything in his power to help his wife prove her innocence. Just how far he will go is yet to be seen.

Due to a number of strange events leading up to her arrest, even Felicity is unsure of her own innocence, let alone her sanity. Rowan’s faith in her, however, remains unshaken, and he will stop at nothing to find the real killer. The only problem is, the woman he is looking for looks exactly like Felicity.

All Acts of Pleasure is the seventh book in the Rowan Gant Investigations but book two in the Miranda Trilogy, a story arc that found its way into the series. While the usual characters are present in this story there is little in the way of crime and magic in this story. Therefore the plot revolves mostly around the relationship between all the main characters due to the mysterious Miranda.

Miranda makes herself known a few times in this book and we also get a better look at who Miranda really could be. The reader also sees what really happens when a close friend or family member ends up getting arrested for something that nobody she believes she has done, despite the evidence. Tension runs high for all concerned and there are a few punches pulled.

The cliffhanger ending has me itching to order the next book 'The End of Desire'. Not only do I want to know who Miranda really is and how she has been getting away with murder but also how Felicity and Rowan manage to get through all they have been through since Miranda appeared.

Well written and totally addictive this series is turning into one of my favourites. If only the books were easier for me to get a hold of. I am sure I would have read them all a long time ago.

More winners!

Last week I announced the three winners of the M. R. Sellars contest. Well only one of the winners contacted me! So that means the 7 days are up and it is time to draw two new winners!

So the randomiser is busy today! Congrats to the new winners -

LuAnn

and

Ginnn7

All the winners should contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Please make sure you send me your mailing address when you contact me and also which Rowan Gant book you would like to have.

I will pick a new winner if the 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.

M.R. Sellars Contest Winners!

The M.R. Sellars contest is now closed for entries and it is time to announce the winners.

Three winners have been picked by the randomiser and each winner will get a signed copy of a Rowan Gant book of their choice.

So congratulations to -


BabygirlG

LadyVampire2u

&

Dee


All the winners should contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the 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.

Also I would like to say a huge thank you to Murv! Not only did he give some great answers in the interview and offer three amazing prizes but he has been around all week answering readers questions! Thank you! I hope you will be come back again!

Author Interview & Contest with M.R. Sellars

This week my guest is author M.R. Sellars. A friend suggested I read his Rowan Gant series and I absolutely loved the first book and have been on the search for the rest ever since.

Next up for me is 'All Acts of Pleasure' which is the 7th book in the series. However I am sure some of you out there haven't even heard of the books at all. So I hope that this interview will get you all adding this amazing series to your wishlist. If you already know and love this series then I know you will enjoy this lovely in-depth interview.

Oh and keep on to till the bottom and enter the contest! You could win some Rowan Gant books! Plus if you have a question for the author please ask it in your contest entry. Murv has said he will pop by and answer as many as he can!

My Rowan Gant reviews

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! You have written nine books in the Rowan Gant series so far. Maybe you can start things off by telling my readers a bit about Mr. Gant?

Murv – Thank you so much for inviting me! :)

Let’s see… I think the best way to describe Rowan is that he’s a real piece of work. (LOL)

But seriously, in a minor sense of the phrase, I think he could be considered a bit of an anti-hero. Really not so much like what you would think of with a traditional anti-hero who has conflicting motivations, but more along the line of the “reluctant” protagonist archetype. He’s a guy who has been thrust into a situation he’d rather not be in, but who deals with it as best he can and is passionate about seeing it through to a conclusion. Pretty much like John McClane (Bruce Willis) in the Die Hard movies. To steal a quote from the 4th flick in that franchise, “it’s what makes him that guy.”

To give folks a bit of background, in everyday life Rowan is a freelance computer consultant who just happens to also be a practicing Witch. He follows the basic tenants of Wicca, a fairly young religion, but one that has ties to traditional Witchcraft, and “Paganism”. Because of this, the stories actually deal with some of the trials, tribulations, and concepts associated with Paganism and the modern day practice of Witchcraft and “magick”. Rather than limit him to a particular “tradition,” however, I made his religious path a generic amalgam of the different paths and belief systems found within the various offshoots of Wicca, which makes him fairly eclectic in his faith. So, what it all comes down to is that he is a fairly average guy who practices a not quite mainstream religion, that even he is pressed to question at times, which allows for a pretty intense internal struggle on his part.

However, looking beyond his “averageness” he does have a couple of quirks, one of which is that he has a deep interest in all forms of spirituality and therefore is somewhat of an armchair scholar on several religions besides his own. He never claims to know it all and he’s always interested in learning more, but by the same token he is willing to share what he has learned thus far if asked, or if the situation warrants.

But, the quirk that gets Rowan into the most trouble is that he has unwittingly developed a sixth sense he’d rather not have – that being, he channels the spirits of murder victims without even trying. This unwanted ability often puts him into the middle of murder investigations, especially those that have some manner of occult element involved. Unfortunately, it also places him at odds with the a good portion of the local law enforcement agencies, even though he has a core group of cops and federal agents who are more than accepting of his bizarre facility and are perfectly willing to exploit it in order to solve a case.

Amber - Rowan isn't on his own in the books. He has an amazing, if not fiery, wife and a best friend who is a detective with the local police. How important are the two support characters in the books?

Murv – Incredibly important, or at least, I think they are. The truth is, without his wife, Felicity, Rowan would probably either be dead or living in an institution under heavy sedation. She is the force that grounds him and keeps him sane, for the most part. This is not to say that Felicity hasn’t been directly responsible for some of Rowan’s plague of problems, however, I don’t want to give away any major spoilers, so you’ll have to read the books to find out about that (LOL). Still, the simple fact of the matter is Rowan and Felicity are so in love with one another that their relationship is for all intents and purposes a character unto itself. Almost a force majeure in some ways. A little more about Felicity – She’s a much sought after freelance photographer, and she’s a petite, Irish-American with stereotypical red hair. Felicity is also a practicing Witch, and in many senses far more centered than Rowan. Still, since she “plays in the same ballpark” she has a deeper understanding of what he feels, what he sees, and how he copes with it, which makes her an anchor in this world, and the only person who truly “gets it”, so to speak.

Detective Benjamin Storm is Rowan’s reality check. He is also one of Rowan’s primary conduits into the law enforcement community. They have been friends practically forever, and purely by chance Ben was responsible for drawing Rowan into his first murder investigation. This not only awakened Rowan’s unwanted ability, but also opened Ben’s eyes to a world outside the physically tangible. Ben has his own personal and anti-religion skeletons in the closet, which can leave you wondering about him at times. Compounding that is the fact that he is Native American and has a history with alternative forms of spirituality, although for reasons yet unrevealed he eschews that portion of his heritage. Therefore, dealing with Rowan’s abilities has been an on again, off again struggle for him. Still, he is loyal and sticks by his friend in every possible way, going to bat for him against the higher ups and protecting him when necessary. This, however, doesn’t preclude them from having a bit of an adversarial relationship on occasion. After all, no one gets along 100% of the time, and there are instances where Ben is torn between protecting his friend, and pushing him to do more in order to stop a killer.

Amber - Serial Killers, Magick, Witchcraft, Voodoo and Sex are the words that jump out on your website. How did you end up writing about these terms? How did Rowan Gant come to life?

Murv – Serial Killers fascinate me. I suppose it is one of those train wreck sort of things. I’m repulsed by what they do, but by the same token I am fascinated by the psychopathology behind what makes them do it. So, I don’t really have one of those morbid fascinations where I want their autographs, or memorabilia, or anything like that. I have a curiosity about what makes them tick. I suppose, in a way, it is kind of like a big chess game – figuring out the psychology of the opponent or some such. I suppose if I’d chosen a different career path it might well have been psychology, and quite possibly the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis program if I could have made the cut.

Magick, Witchcraft, and even the Voodoo stem from my own fascination with different spiritual paths. Much like Rowan I have a tendency to devour knowledge on this subject, although I don’t even begin to consider myself a scholar, armchair or otherwise. I actually suffer from the proverbial, “knowing a little bit about a lot of things” syndrome. Of course, I also practiced Wicca for several years myself, I harbor a belief that magick really does work – whether it be something on a quantum level or in a more inexplicable sense – and at one time considered myself Pagan. While I certainly haven’t renounced Paganism by any stretch of the imagination, I actually self-identify more as a secular humanist than anything else. Still – and I think this probably addresses the question of “how Rowan came to be” – because of my long and extremely diverse background in Paganism and an offshoot tradition of Wicca, I thought it would be fun to have a Witch as the “good guy” for a change, but without the storyline being too terribly fantastic. I certainly push the envelope where the psychic abilities and practicality of magick are concerned, but that’s pretty much it. The stories themselves are rooted in reality as opposed to total urban fantasy. And please don’t misinterpret what I just said, (LOL)… Urban fantasy is great. It just isn’t the direction I took with my writing, even though the RGI books are classified as “dark fantasy”.

As to sex… Well, admittedly it’s one of my favorite activities. LOL. Still, it really didn’t blossom in the series until “The Miranda Trilogy” which was a sub-arc within the overall story arc.

Amber - All these terms are also not exactly things your average person comes across everyday. Did you have to do a lot of research for the books so far? Did you always know how to curse in Irish?

Murv – Research is one of my absolute loves. As I mentioned before I have the same affliction as Rowan where a thirst for knowledge is concerned – (fortunately, that’s the only affliction we share because I don’t have dead people using me as a conduit – LOL). So, I will get heavily into researching a subject, a religion, or procedure whenever I write a story. Therefore, I suppose the answer is a resounding YES. I’ve done quite a bit of research – in reality, much more than has ever been necessary for any given story, but I’m much the better for it because of all that I learned.

On the note of Irish Gaelic – the sad truth is that I cannot speak a word of it. I actually have a dear friend who speaks several languages, Irish Gaelic being one of them, and she does the translating for me. I do use a few traditional Irish curses that I have noted in my “Big Book of Felicity” (Each major character in the series has his or her own binder titled “Big Book of ____“ so that I can keep info about them organized.) – However, other than the few I pull from those notes I usually tend to contact Anastasia and say, “I need Felicity to say the following in Gaelic: ____“… Soon afterwards I receive a reply that gives me all of the possible options complete with Irish colloquialisms, translations, and her suggestions. If I try to do it on my own with an English to Gaelic dictionary – which I occasionally do – I only get it right about half the time, and she is quick to correct me. (LOL)… Of course, that’s a good thing. And, having her own Irish heritage, she advises me on some of Felicity’s speech patterns and references as well.

Amber - So far there have been nine books in the series. Are there going to be more Rowan Gant books? Do you see an end in sight?

Murv – Number ten, “Miranda” comes out later this year (2009)… At this point I have plans for more, but that will of course depend upon continued sales and whether or not the publisher continues to contract RGI books. I do actually have an ending in mind for the series, but where it is on the horizon I can’t really say, suffice it to say I don’t see it looming just yet. ;-)

Amber - The 'Miranda Trilogy' are three books in the series that got their own special name. What made them so special?

Murv - Basically, I had hatched an idea about a mentally unstable dominatrix turned serial killer. Not that I think doms are inherently serial killers, or anything of that sort, because I don’t. However, since I’m a bit dark in the brainpan, one day I was musing over some ideas and I thought to myself, “what better way for a woman to have physical control over a man than if he has already submitted to being trussed up?” Then, after doing some research about female serial killers, and discovering that “Sexual Predator” is an almost unheard of classification for the gender, the wheels started turning. In reality, Love Is The Bond (the first book in the trilogy) was intended as a single novel, however, as I started writing it the story grew to encompass a three-book arc. I went to the publisher and said, “Hey, I screwed up. I can’t end this story without two more books in which to do it.” Fortunately they liked the arc so much that it was dubbed “The Miranda Trilogy” and I was allowed to run with it. So, All Acts Of Pleasure and The End Of Desire were born. Of course, even though the arc reached a conclusion, it has some major leftover ripples – actually, more like waves – that are still causing Rowan and the gang much consternation, some of which was briefly addressed in Blood Moon, the most recent novel in the series. The upcoming book, aptly titled “Miranda”, is meant to smooth the waters so to speak. Whether or not it will… Well, I’m not really allowed to say since it doesn’t come out until later in 2009. (Evil Grin)

Amber - Are you working on any other projects? Or is Rowan enough to keep you busy?

Murv – Rowan keeps me pretty busy. Between all of my travel on tours, and desperately trying to maintain a normal home life, I am only able to crank out one novel per year. I suppose I’m just not as prolific as some of the other writers out there, either that or I have a time management problem (LOL). So, since the demand for RGI novels is high enough, I haven’t deviated from that course just yet.

That said, I do have some other ideas and irons in the fire. When I will be able to get to them remains to be seen. I do, however, have a short in an upcoming anthology. The short is a psychological horror piece using characters from the RGI series, but without deviating from canon. The anthology is titled, Courting Morpheus, and is due out late 2009.

Amber - What books do you like to read when you have time? Do you have any favourite authors or series that you enjoy?

Murv – These days I don’t have as much time to read as I would like – unfortunately, I have to fit sleep into my day somewhere (LOL)… But, we do family reads every evening – as in, reading aloud. Since our daughter is 9 we usually go with something she picks, although we have worked in a few classics such as To Kill A Mockingbird – That one raised a lot of questions, obviously, but it also allowed for some serious discourse. Since the munchkin is in the Gifted & Talented program, it worked out well. We’ve also ready Dewey, and a few others, but usually it is YA stuff such as the Children of the Lamp series, and quite a few Newberry winners.

When I get a chance to read for myself, it is usually a non-fiction book about psychology, police procedure, or serial killers as one might suspect… But, I do occasionally sneak in a pure pleasure read when time allows. Some of my favorite authors are John Sandford and Garrison Keillor. I know, pretty odd mix, but then, I’m a pretty odd guy (ROFL).

Amber - Alot of authors have playlists to accompany their books. If you had to choose some music for the Rowan Gant series what would you pick?

Murv – My playlists for writing have a tendency to vary depending upon the scene. I pretty much use the music as background noise when I’m at the keyboard. For quite a bit of the Miranda trilogy it was Ozzie Osbourne/Black Sabbath, Metallica, some Iron Butterfly, and even a dash of White Zombie. When I was writing Perfect Trust (book 3 in the series) since it was set during the holidays, I listened to Christmas music – kind of odd since it was May when I was writing the manuscript, but it helped me stay in the right frame of mind for the tone of the book.

Generally, I will listen to some soundtrack cuts from the movie Manhunter, the TV series Millennium, and a bit of classical.

I suspect if someone were to actually score the books, it would be a mix of the above – well… that’s how *I* would do it anyway (LOL).

Amber - If the Rowan Gant series was going to be made into a TV Series or film which actor/actress do you think would fit to the main characters?

Murv – Funny you should mention that. I was recently contacted by a website called storycasting.com, and they have my books listed there so that people can surf by and create their own “fantasy cast” for them. They asked me if I would be willing to create an “Authoritative” cast list – I thought that was pretty funny, but then I happen to like puns – so I picked:

Rowan Gant – John Corbett
Felicity O’Brien – Lea Thompson
Det. Ben Storm – Jimmy Smits
Agent Constance Mandalay – Sarah-Jane Redmond

That list certainly isn’t definitive on my part, and I could change my mind at any given moment. I’ve just always seen John Corbett as Rowan Gant for some reason. I picked Jimmy Smits as Ben for the simple fact that I am not really up on Native American actors, so I wouldn’t know who among them has the versatility to play the part. Smits, however, could probably pull it off given the right circumstances. I think Lea Thompson is just as cute as she can get, and she’s pretty versatile. But, many other actresses have been brought to my attention by fans, so to be honest, Felicity is probably the hardest for me to cast and would be one of the characters where I would go flitting from actress to actress very easily. Sarah-Jane Redmond is a fantastic actress in her own right, and I can really see her bringing a lot of depth to Agent Mandalay.

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

Murv – You know, I’ve never really given that much thought. But, given my bizarre sense of humor and tendency to go off on tangents (i.e. the “oh look, a chicken!” syndrome), I’d probably have to say Werechicken would be a good one. ;-)

Amber - Thank you so much for answering my questions. I hope you will come back and visit.

Murv – Thank you so much for having me. I’ll definitely be back to visit. :)

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Contest Time!

Murv has very kindly donated 3 autographed books for this weeks contest! That means there will be three winners picked and each one will get to choose one of the Rowan Gant books as their prize! So if you haven't read any of the books yet you can start off with Harm None or if you are missing one in your collection you can pick that!

How do you enter? This week all you have to do to enter the contest is leave a question for the author. There is no guarntee that all questions will be answered but you should try your best not to ask something that someone has already asked. The question you ask can be simple eg. What is your favourite colour? so you don't need to know anything about the series to think of something to ask!

No Question = No entry!

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 or by using the Amberkatze's Book Blog Amazon links to buy some M.R. Sellars books. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Sunday 10th of May 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.

Have fun!

Contest Winners!

I have a few winners to announce today! The randomiser is all ready to go! So good luck to you all!

First up is the winner of the April Monthly Giveaway. The winner of this giveaway will get a copy of Keri Arthur's latest Riley Jenson book. Deadly Desire was a great read and I hope you enjoy it -


Llehn!!!!

Next we have the winner of the Marla Mason contest. The winner of this contest gets to choose a T. A. Pratt book featuring Marla. So which book are you going to choose -


Indigo!!!



And last but not least the winner of the Revamped contest! The winner of this contest will get a signed copy of Staked or Revamped and a 2008 Welcome to the Void t-shirt (please note there are only XL, XXL, and XXXL left). So what size T-Shirt and which book do you want -


Daelith!!!


Congratulations to all the winners! Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the 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.

Coming up next!

Interview and contest with author M.R. Sellars!