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Saturday, May 28, 2016

Author Interview: Brianna Bunn

How did you come up with the idea for Lives for Hire?
With Lives for Hire, there was no real “ah-ha” moment whilst writing. At the time, I was still in high school, and had enough free time on my hands daily to drown in it. One day, I just picked up the pen, blank sheet of paper, and started writing. The story wrote itself in that way, always there when I would pick up the pen again, unfolding organically, and never once did I try to steer it clear of how it – felt – it wanted to go.


What was the hardest thing about writing this book?
The struggle didn’t come until the end, I would say – seeing that final sentence, written on that final page, and convince myself that – this was the conclusion. My mind wanted to keep going, my hands still held the pen, and it was hard to accept it, at first, that it was – over for now. But, I am glad I ended it where I did, even if it was a stalemate for a while.


What is your favorite thing about being an author?
Seeing what individuals take from your work. Every single person is going to have a different experience, new insight, into what you have written, and events, characters – everything – impacts them in ways that change your own perspective. I love discussing what was picked up, what wasn’t, and just what people take from what you poured yourself into. There is nothing quite like it, and it is my favorite thing, always, about what I do.


What three words best describe Lives for Hire?
Individuals. Impact. Emotion. 


Which other authors would you say are your biggest inspirations?
Growing up, it was always Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, not only due to how frequently I read her works, but also in no small part because of the young age in which she began her writing career. The impact that made on me was significant, as it kind of provided me with hope that, despite how young I was, I, too, could be an author. 


Did you know where this story was going from the beginning, or did it
shift as you began to write it?

Throughout the entirety of the story, I was kept in the dark, with no idea where these characters were taking me. It seemed just at that moment when I thought I knew where things were heading – it would twist, and lead me somewhere completely different. 

About Brianna:
Currently living in Nebraska, time is divided between writing, art, and equestrian activities. An avid wordsmith, mind is always seeking knowledge and new experience to help translate life into meaningful works of fiction. Has a passion for literature as a whole and believes the future will always be built on the way one wields the pen rather than the sword."

About Lives for Hire:
Who will you allow to control your mind?
A young woman is forced into the Institute by the government and undergoes drastic experimentation. Slowly she loses her grip with reality and begins to forget her very self. A voice in her head begins to speak with her, a man that claims he can help her escape and reclaim the life she has lost ... but how can you trust someone who isn't even real? ......... Or Is He?


Friday, May 27, 2016

Spotlight: Elf Mastery


About the Book:
Kyla Nim goes to Equinox to obtain the training she needs to become a contributing member of the world of Order. Optimistic and full of energy, the young elf woman is at first excited but soon realizes she is not as capable as she had hoped. She tries many fields of study, from engineering to animal design to plant singing to carrying the winds, only to be finally relegated to the role of handing out flyers. Still, she approaches her menial role with the most gusto she can muster, until a chance assignment lands her a job delivering a letter to a dragon named Denzig who operates a local volcano. This meeting provides an opportunity for Kyla to learn her strength – to take action when action is needed. Kyla may not be the fastest, the strongest, the smartest, or the prettiest, but she is a doer, which turns out to be the most useful attribute of all.
With Denzig's recommendation, Kyla is soon sent on another assignment to replace a filament at a burnt-out star. Unfortunately, this is all part of a plan by Erebus, god of Darkness, to bypass the star-beacons that keep him and the other followers of Chaos from destroying the world of Order. At the station Kyla obtains a fragment of an ancient stele sought by Erebus which, if combined with the other fragments, can be used to re-awaken the ancient god Chaos and cause untold destruction.
Kyla thus finds herself pursued by Erebus' Avowed, disciples granted great power to serve his ends. Though she must learn to face terror for her own safety, as well as the safety of friends and family, she presses forward as she tries to save the world from eternal darkness.
She is not alone. Her friends include Eunoe, the alseid, a beautiful but introverted nymph who designs animals; Aspen, the timid but observant dryad; Aura, the royal Daughter of the Air who teaches a course on carrying the wind; Lug, the earth elemental who spins the world on its axis; and Saul, the brilliant but socially inept satyr.

Faced with the grim prospect of a physical and emotional void, they must create a device that can penetrate the oppressive darkness of Erebus. This requires them to obtain the rare metal aurichalcum from the Digans, a clan of isolated and dangerous stone creatures, as well as some liquid light from the sun, now controlled by Erebus' Avowed. And Kyla, the naive young elf from the village of Aspengrove, must face down one of the most powerful beings in the world.

About the Author:
Bryant Reil graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English. He recently finished a career with the Canadian government to pursue a Master of Arts in Integrated Studies.

In addition to writing, Bryant also creates models for 3D printing. He currently resides in Kelowna, BC, Canada.


Author's Email: kylanim2016@gmail.com
Author's Twitter: @NimKyla





Disclosure: this post contains links to an affiliate program (Amazon), for which I receive a few cents if you make purchases.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Cover Reveal: Bedmates



Image Map About BEDMATES:
  Everyone makes mistakes, especially in college. But when you're the daughter of the President of the United States, any little slip up is a huge embarrassment. Maddie McGuire's latest error in judgment lands her in police custody, giving the press a field day. Agreeing to do community service as penance and to restore her tattered reputation, Maddie never dreams incredibly good looking but extremely annoying vice president's son, Jake Simmon, will be along for the ride. Recently returning from Afghanistan with a life-altering injury, Jake is wrestling with his own demons. He doesn't have the time or patience to deal with the likes of Maddie. They're like oil and water and every time they're together, it's combustible. But there's a thin line between love and hate, and it's not long before their fiery arguments give way to infinitely sexier encounters. When Jake receives devastating news about the last remaining member of his unit, the darkness he's resisted for so long begins to overwhelm him. Scared to let anyone close, he pushes Maddie away. But she isn't about to give up on Jake that easily. Maddie's fallen for him, and she'll do anything to keep him from the edge as they both discover that love is a battlefield and there are some fights you just can't lose.

 About Nichole Chase:
 Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal and Recklessly Royal. She lives in Georgia with her husband, toddler, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not devouring novels by the dozens, you can find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

Add Bedmates on Goodreads!

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Spotlight: Tales of Westerford

Book Blurb: 
Long before the invention of television or radio, family groups gathered together at night around a roaring fire to keep warm, share a meal and talk. Often the conversations became stories as a form of entertainment – especially when adults were trying to teach their children traditions, customs and values. Tales of Westerford: Dragons, Knights and Kings grew out of traditional campfire stories. Young children, staring into the fire, fascinated by the shapes of the flames and glowing embers, asked their father to tell them a story. From deep within the ring of fire, burning logs and smoldering ash, grows a tale of an adventurous boy and a magical discovery.

Nat is a young boy who lives with his family in Sutter, a small village in the Kingdom of Westerford. Like all children his age, Nat loves to play “knights” with his friends. He dreams of one day becoming a knight himself and serving the noble King Edgar. Nat’s other favorite activity is exploring the nearby forest where, one day, he, quite literally, stumbles upon a giant egg.
When the egg finally hatches so does a series of events that leads to the fulfillment of Nat’s wildest dreams. “The Tale of a Dragon” is the story of two young friends who take on adventures to save the kingdom. Nat falls in love with the princess and must complete a series of increasingly difficult quests in order to win the hand of his true love. With his best friend, Danby, by his side what could possibly go wrong?

King Edgar needs an elite group of knights to take on special missions throughout the kingdom. “The Dragon Knights of Westerford” looks into the process of selecting the best knights to represent the king and kingdom. Choosing the perfect team is a difficult task, especially in a kingdom with many secrets and hidden stories. Nat and Danby must overcome many obstacles to decide on their Dragon Knights. But, their final test is King Edgar’s Tournament where the ultimate mystery is finally solved.

Treachery and magic spells set the stage for “The True Dragon King.” Traveling back to the beginning, and following a trail of dangerous clues, Nat, Danby and the Dragon Knights must hurry as King Edgar hangs somewhere between life and death. Talia, the witch from Tranglam Forest, is out to get the king and seemingly will stop at nothing to end his reign. Only Nat and Danby have what it takes to solve the riddle and break the spell. Saving the king is the only way to save Westerford.
Tales of Westerford: Dragons, Knights and Kings is a collection of stories born in the campfire tradition and meant to be shared aloud with family and friends. Watch as the flames come to life before the children’s eyes with the adventures of Nat and Danby and the Knights and Kings of Westerford.

About the Book:
Darryl Womack’s love for story-telling was spurred from family camping trips and his many colorful tales shared around the campfire in the backwoods of California. A high school english teacher by day, Womack is now bringing those vivid campfire fables to life in his new book, Tales of Westerford. When he is not writing, Womack enjoys the outdoors, traveling, mountain biking, reading, and spending time with family and friends. A graduate of Humboldt State University, he currently resides in Redlands, California with his wife of 27 years, Patty. Together they have three sons, Garrett, Kevin, and Christopher.