Thursday, October 31, 2013

Eye of the Soul by Terri Rochenski: Meet the Characters




EYE OF THE SOUL by Terri Rochenski
Series:  Pool of Souls #1

Genre:  Fantasy

Publisher:  J. Taylor Publishing

Release Date:  October 7, 2013

Book Blurb:

Escape.

That should be Hyla’s first thought as her people are chained and imprisoned for no imaginable reason.

Instead, Hyla finds herself traveling through a land void of Natives, with human soldiers pillaging in desperate pursuit of her, and in search of the mystical Pool of Souls—home to the one man who can save her people.

Or so she believes.

Led by her faith in the deity Fadir, Hyla is met along her journey by Jadon—a human male and fierce King’s warrior, and his childhood best friend Conlin—one of the few Natives aware of his Fadir-given Talents.

Protected by Jadon, guided by Conlin, and with an unfailing belief in the purpose of her pilgrimage, Hyla carries on.

Like her, though, another searches for the Pool, and should he gain access first, everyone she loves, and everything she knows, could be lost.

Forever.




About the Author:

Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.

Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.







 




WELCOME TO THE

EYE OF THE SOUL

BLOG TOUR!

You can view the tour line-up here.
 
Enter the blog tour giveaway and scroll down for a character interview or two--what better way to meet the people in Terri's newest book?
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Terri Rochenski introduces us to the characters of Eye of the Soul...

Are you a plotter or pantster?

Know how many times I’ve asked / been asked this question? Dozens. And the reasons other writers give never cease to amaze me—quirks, what makes muses take off, how character speak to us, how some plan like crazy, putting off the actual writing.

That last is me, to a capital T. I’ll spend countless hours doing research, making notes, outlines, and timelines, doing everything possible from writing ‘Chapter 1’.

One of my favorite parts of planning out a novel are the character interviews. I actually play out a scene in my mind of sitting with them and asking them questions. I even make notes of their facial expressions and gestures. What is truly amazing is going back to those interviews once a novel is completed and seeing how much a character either changed or remained the same.

I decided to share a snippet from two of my characters from Eye of the Soul—our first encounter—a few rapid fire then one serious question I put to them. I’ll start with Hyla, the MC, a Native-blooded young woman from the island of Taran.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hyla

Q. What is your occupation?

A. Mossy-green eyes gaze at the hands clasped in her lap, but a small smile lifts her lips. “I’m an apprentice healer.”

Q. Who are the most important people in your life?

A. “The sick.” She shifts in her chair, still not meeting my gaze, and tucks dark hair behind a slightly pointed ear. “They need me.”

Q. What do you crave?

A. She bites the inside of her lip before whispering, “Acceptance.”

Q. Tell me about your greatest moment of fear.

A. Eyelids close and she heaves a deep breath. “When I realized my seeing is unique and I had no mother, father, or sibling to share it with—someone to help me better understand what was happening. It heightened my loneliness.” A frown creases the skin between her brows. “The contradiction is that I yearn for family, but getting close to others and involuntarily seeing into their souls makes me more of a cast out.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Poor girl! My heart went out to her immediately, and although I didn’t know her full story, I knew that I had to tell it.

Now onto one of the story’s heroes, Jadon Lim, the 2nd son of Lord Lim of Bradenfeld and a soldier in the king’s army.

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Jadon

Q. Do you start arguments?

A. “No. I finish them.” Laughter erupts, revealing dimples on either side of his full lips. “Seriously, though, no. I don’t.”

Q. What’s your worst physical trait?

A. A grimace mars his too-pretty features. “I have to admit a fault? Fine. I have long toes.”

Q. Do you brag?

A. Broad shoulders rest back against the chair’s back as long legs stretch out and cross at the ankles. “No brag. Just fact.”

Q. Greatest fear?

A. His relaxed position doesn’t change, but stillness settles as though he is a cat ready to spring. Dark eyes bore into mine, and I realize his hesitation in admitting what I’m about to hear.

“Soldiers such as myself should be emotionless killers. I’m afraid if and when the day arrives I’m faced with taking a life that my compassion and sensitivity won’t allow the killing blow. But,” his eyes narrow and chin lifts, “I’m sworn to protect the innocent, those who cannot protect themselves. Hopefully my oath outweighs my inner weakness.”

~~~~~~~~~~

And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed the little sneak peeks into Hyla and Jadon, and I REALLY hope you’ll read their story to see how and if they changed!

Thursday, October 24, 2013

#CoffinHop for a Cause: Anthology Supports LitWorld.org

Okay, kiddies, it's getting really close to Halloween and that means one thing...
 
It's Coffin Hop time!
 
This year, we are Coffin Hopping for a cause...my fellow freaks at the Coffin Hop Corral have come together to produce a horror anthology called DEATH BY DRIVE-IN. All proceeds go to LitWorld.org to support children literacy.
 
It's not nice to scare the living sh*t out of children so we'll do the next best thing: teach them to read so they can scare the living sh*t out of themselves.
 
That's how I grew up, and look--I turned out just fine.
 
In the spirit of the hop, I have a giveaway for all ya'll.
 
I did a little Day of the Dead shopping on a recent vacation and, as usual, I brought home killer stuff. Gonna be hard to part with it...but I'll do it for the Coffin Hop team.
 
What You Win:
Skull pen and garland from PAPER SOURCE
 
How You Win It:
 
Simple...join my mailing list and leave a comment on this post saying you did it. And leave me a hint so I can find your email on the list.
 
(You can also feel free to say how awesome this swag is because I'm really wishing I bought two of everything that day. That garland is fricken CUTE.)
 
 
DEATH BY DRIVE-IN (2013)


COFFIN HOP: DEATH BY DRIVE-IN is a collection of 22 amazing tales of terror by some of the best and brightest of the Coffin Hop crew. The anthology will be revealed this September, with 21 amazing B-movie inspired stories from some of the best Indie authors around. All profits from the anthology (as well as our Coffin Hop store) will be donated to LitWorld.org, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization supporting child literacy and social improvement the world over.

Special thanks to Siren’s Call Publications for their help with editing and formatting, and Liz Howerton Photography for the amazing cover art.

COFFIN HOP: DEATH BY DRIVE-IN is scheduled for release to coincide with the 2013 Coffin Hop Author’s Online Event, which you can learn more about HERE

There book features an introduction by cult horror filmmaker, author and all-around pop-cult expert Scott S. Phillips, and a special cliffhanger episode of the epic comic book phenomenon – Robot Lincoln and Zombie Jackson as they face the sinister Dr. Acula and his steam-powered supermen!
 
The roster includes:

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Fall Into Fantasy! Multi-Author G!veaway



Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Giveaway, hosted by Ash Krafton’s Demimonde.

I want to thank all the authors and bloggers who have come together to support this huge book giveaway. It was a pleasure working with all of you because you made it so easy...

ONTO THE GIVEAWAY!

This year, more than FIFTY AUTHORS of fantasy and paranormal books are giving away books and swag. Hope you’re ready to start clicking and start winning because the Rafflecopter awaits!

Giveaway runs until October 31st...plenty of time to get all your entries in...

The authors:

Ash Krafton, Red Tash, Rhonda Parrish, Niteblade Magazine, Sascha Illyvich, Jami Gray, Stacy Claflin, Sharon Saracino, Marsha A. Moore, Kim Smith, Alison Beightol,  Prudence MacLeod, Shannon McRoberts, Rosalie Skinner, Tricia Schneider, Liv Rancourt, Debbie Christiana, Fabio Bueno, Carmen DeSousa, Lyndi Alexander, Sheryl Nantus, Sharon Buchbinder, Jane Lebak, Terri Rochenski, Marian Allen, Etta Jean, Angela Brown, Mimi Sebastian, John Hundley, Julia Crane, Lisa Kessler, Gregory S. Close, Nana Prah, James Garcia Jr, Angela Myron, Nicole Zoltack, Robin Lythgoe, Georgia Lyn Hunter, Andrea R. Cooper, Kristine Croto, Cathrina Constantine, M. Pax, Stacy Claflin, Tina Moss and Yelena Casale, Mina Khan, Julie Flanders, Julie Reece, Jocelyn Adams, Elle J Rossi, Kiru Taye, Cesya MaRae Cuono, Jonathan D Allen, Kevin O. McLaughlin, Thomas Winship, Shah Wharton

The books:



BookBox: embed book widget, share book list





BookBox: embed book widget, share book list





BookBox: embed book widget, share book list



The entry form:




Good luck to everyone and thanks for entering!

Monday, October 7, 2013

ARC Tour: #ARCHETYPE by MD Waters

Where in the world is ARCHETYPE?



 I'm thrilled to be a part of MD Waters' ARC tour for her debut sci-fi thriller, ARCHETYPE. A copy of ARCHETYPE came to visit me at my home in Northeast PA for a few weeks while we got to know each other.
 
I don't get a chance to read a lot of science fiction. A shame, really, since I'm bonafide Nerdian, through and through. Star Trek, Doctor Who, Fringe...mmmmm...
 
Here's a couple pictures from our vacation here in the Pee Yay Coal Region...




At Denny's in Wilkes-Barre, PA
First thing we did was go for breakfast. Most important meal of the day and all that, right? Poor ARC wasn't hungry, though, and I didn't want those pancake puppies to go to waste. (I have since decided that all pancakes must be spherical, loaded with chocolate chips, and smothered in peanut butter. Thank you, ARC-ARCHy.)

It was a tough job, deciding where to take the ARC. If you're from this area of NEPA, you'd know that we are in the middle of everything, surrounded by absolutely nothing. Nothing but history, really.




 
St. Nick's Breaker, Mahanoy City PA
Mahanoy City recently celebrated its 150th birthday. This is an old mining town with a rich and colorful past that lies in the next valley over. I thought it would be a nice spot for a pic because the breaker, which ran from 1931 to 1963 and was one the largest in the world, is currently being demolished. It's old tech. There's new tech on the way--a new St. Nick's Breaker started running in 1972, just down the road, leaving the old one to be abandoned. I'll miss that old thing--it had a certain beauty to it, in all its broken windowed glory.

We don't just produce coal here...we farm the wind, too. Up the mountain from Mahanoy City stand the Locust Ridge I and II Wind Farms, which boast 64 wind mills. It's unsettling, sometimes, to be cruising along a hillside road when KABLAM a windmill pokes its head over the top of the mountain like a curious giant. I remember when the mills were being trucked into the area...tied up traffic like a tremendous pain in the dupa (local speak but I'm sure you can figure it out). I like the sound they make, a kind of humming whomph whomph whomph.

And, for these country parts, that's about as high tech as we get. ;D

The other shots are just to give a sense of how perfect this time of the year is--early autumn, when the leaves are just stating to change. It's a netherworld between seasons, when the grass is still green but the leaves are bleeding and beginning to swoon. Caught between life and death, early October precariously perches on a high wire, waiting for the perfect moment to fall.

Definitely my favorite time of the year.


 
 
I really enjoyed reading ARCHETYPE and am looking forward to  the sequel, PROTOTYPE. The pacing is dizzy-fast and the characters are multi-dimensional. It was all too easy to get sucked into the story and I actually began to despair when I approached the ending. I didn't want the book to be over...
 
 
ARCHETYPE by MD Waters
Emma wakes in a hospital, with no memory of what came before. Her husband, Declan, a powerful, seductive man, provides her with new memories, but her dreams contradict his stories showing her a past life she can’t believe possible: memories of war, of a camp where girls are trained to be wives, of love for another man. Something inside her tells her not to speak of this but she does not know why. She only knows she is at war with herself.

Suppressing those dreams during her daylight hours, Emma lets Declan mold her into a happily married woman, and begins to fall in love with him. But the day Noah stands before her, the line between her reality and dreams shatters.

In a future where women are a rare commodity, Emma fights for freedom but is held captive by the love of two men—one her husband, the other her worst enemy. If only she could remember which is which… 
 
Pre-Order ARCHETYPE!
 
 
Meet  MD Waters
M.D. WATERS lives with her family in Maryland. Archetype (2/6/14 from Dutton Books) is her first novel. Its sequel, Prototype, will be published in July 2014. Ms. Waters is represented by Jennifer Weltz @ JVNLA.
 
 
Find MD Waters
 
 
 
Follow ARCHETYPE on its blog tour...

Friday, October 4, 2013

Book Tour: Tangled Souls by Jana Oliver

Tangled Souls

Wiccan Gavenia Kingsgrave’s psychic gift, the ability to talk to the dead, comes with strings attached. As a Shepherd, she escorts them into the hereafter, but not all the souls want to cross over, and some can be downright vicious. When her latest case involves a heart-breaking hit-and-run victim, Gavenia is stressed to the max. The last thing she needs is a no-nonsense private detective on her tail, even if he is a handsome Irishman.
 
Former homicide detective Douglas O’Fallon possesses his own psychic gift, one he’s denied for years. Hired by a wealthy client to prove that Gavenia’s a con artist, he is skeptical of the witch’s claims she can speak to the dead. If he finds her gift is genuine, then he will be forced to accept his own. When their two cases intersect, opposites attract. But will they be able to set their differences aside long enough to outwit their foes – both the living and the dead?
Amazon US – Amazon UK – Barnes & Noble
Add Tangled Souls to your Goodreads list!
 
Guest post by Jana Oliver...
 
Tangled Souls: The Goddess and Saint
When I was writing Tangled Souls, I was delighted to find that Irish mythology easily wove itself throughout the story. In many ways that wasn’t surprising as my hero (Douglas O’Fallon) is Irish, and the heroine (Gavenia Kingsgrave) has both Celtic and pagan roots.
Though there isn’t much O’Fallon and Gavenia have in common, which makes their story that much more compelling, they share a love of a saint and goddess. To pagans, Brigit is the goddess of fire, childbirth, healing, poetry, divination and smith craft. Quite a busy lady.

Her name has taken on many spelling variations (Brigid, Briggidda, Brigantias, Bride, Brighid) and she is still worshipped on Imbolc (February 1st) by pagans worldwide. The Brigits cross, perhaps patterned after the pagan sun wheel (see photo by Culnacreann), is still found in homes today.

As Ireland adopted Christianity, Brigit’s “flame” crossed into the Roman Catholic faith as Brigid of Kildare who became one of the country’s patron saints. Her feast day is also February 1st (Christianity often “borrowed” pagan holy days) and visitors still make a pilgrimage to her holy well. Though it is difficult to determine Brigid’s exact family history, she continues to serve as a light to those in both the pagan and Catholic traditions. In fact, the Solas Bhríde Centre and Hermitage in Dublin welcomes people from all faith traditions to continue Brigit/St. Brigid’s calling.
I find it refreshing that the starting point for Gavenia and O’Fallon’s love is an ancient goddess and a beloved saint who is still cherished today.
 

Jana Oliver
 
Jana Oliver
Jana Oliver has the perfect job—she listens to the voices in her head and then writes their stories. Her latest creation, BRIAR ROSE, is a dark steampunk retelling of Sleeping Beauty, complete with Hoodoo, a vengeful Civil War ghost, and metal magic (Sept. 2013 Macmillan Children’s Books). In Jana’s young adult DEMON TRAPPERS Series, Riley Blackthorne, Atlanta’s first girl Demon Trapper, takes on a host of Hellspawn and their diabolical masters. This award-winning series has spread across the globe, with editions in ten countries. Jana’s foray into time travel and alternate history resulted in the Time Rovers Series. Set in 1888 London, the series deftly blends time travel, shape-shifters and Jack the Ripper. The trilogy received twelve awards, including the Prism Award for Time Travel and the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense. When she’s not daydreaming, she can be found savoring a growing collection of single malt scotch and old books. Visitors are always welcome at her website: www.JanaOliver.com
Website –  Twitter – Facebook – Pinterest


Giveaway is open INT

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

F*R*E*E #Kindle DELIVERANCE (fantasy) Oct 1-5th




DELIVERANCE by Ash Krafton
Jor Thallon returns home a weary, grizzled veteran to find his people, the ones he spent his life protecting, have destroyed the one thing he held on to all those years: his faith.

Once a people devoted to the All-Father, the citizens of Granite Clearing have divided their God into dozens of separate aspects. His religion splintered almost beyond recognition, Thallon sets out on a pilgrimage to seek divine assistance. How can one old man change an entire religion torn asunder?

SPECIAL JAMISON EDITION: All proceeds will be donated to the Jamison Benefit Fund, established to help reduce medical costs for a young person with Crohn Syndrome.

How can your download of a free ebook help support the Jamison Benefit Fund?
Easy--if you read the book, you can review it! You don't need to write a review worthy of the NYT, either. Just a few words and your handful of stars will allow the book to rank up and become visible to the wide audience of Kindle readers.

There are billions of books out there, and it's harder than ever to get noticed. Each time you leave  simple review on Amazon, you put a spotlight on that book that never goes away. Get enough spotlights and the book may even become a recommended read--and that will help sales.

Every penny earned goes to the Jamison Benefit Fund. It's a cause that is really important to me and I thought that this book would be a good way to help another person out. My blessings can be his blessings. <3 p="">
Thank you for all your support. I hope you'll spread the word!