Happy Halloween!

Secret of the Manor Cover Reveal

Blurb:

Warren Blake is an accountant at the pinnacle of his career. After accepting a new position he decides to settle in the scenic Cotswold village of Walmsley Hackett.  A village with a colourful history of myth, old wives tales and mystery.

One morning during his train ride into work, Warren notices a small quaint church which he becomes enchanted with. Curiousity compels him to find the church and when he finally does, he discovers an unmarked grave in the corner. Feeling sorry for its occupant, Warren becomes a frequent visitor.

Little does he know that the young man inside the coffin needs a champion and Warren is chosen.

 What follows involves a ghostly medieval joust, witchcraft, love, and Warren risking his life.

Release date: November 6th, 2015

Pre-order Links

WIP     |     AmazonUS     |     Amazon UK

Amazon AU     |     Amazon DE     |     ARe

Excerpt:

The men were relaxed, almost dozing off as they ambled through a small walled field, when Warren noticed something strange. Despite there being plenty of flowers, a few bushes, and a dozen trees, not a single bird flew within the field’s borders. They occupied the flora outside its walls, but not one feathered animal ventured inside. The sensations invading Warren’s subconscious were not of eerie evil emanating from the dark side. They were ones of respectful space. It was as if someone had kicked the kids out of the house, turned the volume down, placed a glass of wine in one’s hand, and said, “Enjoy the quiet.”

When Warren looked over to Carl, the man had his eyes shut, serenely enjoying the surroundings. Even the horses seemed to tiptoe through the grass. Only bees pollinated the dandelions, daisies, and other meadow flowers. Warren himself could feel his heartbeat laze as if he’d had enough wine to relax but not enough to be tipsy.

“Why is it so quiet in here?” Warren whispered while looking for other signs of life.

Carl took a deep breath, opened his laughter-lined eyes, and pointed to the raised areas of the field. “Those mounds are believed to be Saxon burials.” He chuckled. “We can’t bring that gelding, Dusty, through here. He tries to lie down before we get to the gate at the other end.” Carl spoke like the scene was as natural as walking around the supermarket. Briefly, Warren imagined Carl around Tesco’s. The man wasn’t fat, but he was by no means thin. He enjoyed the comfort of a belly filled with his favourite foods. He’d hang onto the trolley, grumbling and limping his way around on a leg that had been kicked a few times over the years. Then he’d run his hands through the grey hair of his receding hairline that he covered with his flat cap. Warren smiled to himself before he stopped his musings and continued with his enquiries.

“Why don’t you get the Time Team in to find out for sure?”

Carl turned serious. “No. It’s not good to disturb the bones of the dead. It upsets ’em.”

And now that you know a little more about the book...here's the cover! 

P.S. Stop by November 16 to see my review and more information about the book!

About the Author:

Taylin Clavelli lives in the United Kingdom, about 15 miles south of Birmingham, and a short journey from the world famous Cadbury’s Chocolate factory. She’s married with children and loves her family with all her heart.

Her love of books has been a long standing affair, with Taylin liking nothing better than to lose herself in an imaginary world.

Until she met Lily Velden, she never considered trying her hand at writing. However, after talking ideas, Lily encouraged her to put pen to paper—or rather, fingers to keyboard. Since, with a few virtual kicks in the right place, she hasn’t stopped. Her confidence eventually led to her writing an original work for submission.

Her first published work was Boys, Toys, and Carpet Fitters, developed for the Dreamspinner Press Anthology – Don’t Try This At Home.

Now she absolutely adores immersing herself into the characters she creates, and transferring the pictures in her brain to paper, finding it liberating, therapeutic, and wonderful.

Outside of writing, her interests include; martial arts (she’s a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-do), horse-riding, all of which facilitates her love of a wide variety of movies. Her action heroes include Jet Li and Tony Jaa—finding the dedication these men have for their art combined with their skill both amazing and a privilege to watch. If pressed, she’ll admit to thinking that the screen entrance of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean – Curse of the Black Pearl, and Shadowfax in LOTR, to be the greatest screen entrances ever. Her all-time favorite movies are Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

The simple things in life that make her day, putting a smile on her face are:

Laughter – especially that of her children.

The smell of lasagna cooking – it makes her mouth salivate.

The dawn chorus – no symphony ever written can beat the waking greetings of the birds.

Website     |     Facebook     |     Twitter

Riding by Cassia Cassitas Review

When he is born, Andre propels his mother's life in a new direction. His father, an executive who organizes Olympic competitions around the world and doesn't know when to come back home, strives to make him a wordly citizen. Cycling, his life acquires purpose: becoming an Olympic para-athlete.

Amidst real events and landscapes, men and women like us wander the cities we inhabit, rehearsing happier lives in the pages of this motivational narrative. From each one, destiny took a part to make them perfect.

Together with his friends, he experiences disappointments and new beginnings. A doctor that builds robots, the daughter of a lonely teenager, and a retired athlete teach André how to overcome his limits and live his dream.

Set in Curitiba with breaks in Los Angeles, Seoul, Johannesburg and Soweto, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London, the narrative ends in 2012, in Rio de Janeiro.

As a tribute to all those who choose to sign the next episodes of their lives, this book is about overcoming one’s self amid achievements, obstacles, love and heroism, written behind the scenes of life.

Buy Link

My Review:

4 stars

I found this book interesting, unusual, and thought-provoking. The opening alone drew me in and had me wondering what was going to happen next. I enjoyed reading the detailed scenes about the Olympics, especially since it was obvious that the author had done her research and knew her stuff. I also enjoyed the family aspect of the story, though at times, it seemed a bit forced and secondary to the rest of the story. I think some of this may have been lost in translation since the book was not originally written in English.

I also really enjoyed Andre's character. Seeing his determination to succeed and how he never gave up was very inspiring, yet the author didn't mention the fact that he was disabled until almost the end of the book. While I understood why the author might choose to do that, I think the book lost something by not mentioning it sooner in the book, as aspects of the book didn't make sense until I learned that information. I think if it had been mentioned sooner, that would have alleviated some of my confusion regarding the characters and his interactions with the people around him. All in all though, this was a well written, thought-provoking novel that I would highly recommend reading especially if you're looking for some inspiration.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*
*This is a sponsored post.*

Wellness Wednesday - Foot Soak Review

Oleavine Multi-Purpose Foot Soak is enriched with essential oils such as tea tree oil and botanicals such as neem oil which are perfect for soothing tired, sore feet as well as soaking away fungus and embarrassing foot odor causing bacteria. Our unique blend of Epsom salt, MSM, & trace mineral rich salts from the Dead Sea and Himalayas create a world-class mineral hot springs experience for your feet, helping to soften rough calluses and provide nourishing relief.

The soak also comes with a 90-day money back guarantee, so if you aren't 100% satisfied with the foot soak, you can return it with no hassle.

My Review:
4 stars

After having surgery on my feet, I've grown used to having pain and soreness in my feet, especially after a long day of walking around campus. So when I was given the opportunity to review this, I jumped at it. And after using it, I'm sold for life. Not only did this help relieve my sore feet after a long day of walking, it also helped get rid of funky foot odors, which I loved. I was actually surprised by how effective it was at not only getting rid of the odors, but also with how good the soak smelled. I knew that it had tea tree oils in it and was supposed to smell like it, but usually when I use an item like this, the smell is either nonexistent or overpowering. This was a happy combination of the two, which made using the soak even better. While this seems a bit expensive for the amount you received, it was totally worth it to me and I would definitely continue using this in the future.

*I received this product in exchange for an honest review.*

Perfectly Toxic Blurb Blitz

Blurb:

What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic… 

Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.

To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.

Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.

Excerpt:

He followed Mel into the house, grabbed her arm and hauled her against him. She looked up at him, her eyes glittering with anger and guilt. “Please let me go,” she said with a hitch to her breath when he wrapped an arm around her and brought their bodies flush.

“I can’t.”

She reached up and cupped his jaw. “Neither can I,” she said with so much damned sadness it made him ache.

Ignoring her tone and what it meant for them, he brought their mouths closer. “I’ve missed you.” He brushed his lips against hers. “Nothing’s the same without you.”

“That’s on you.”

 The disappointment in her eyes killed him. He could give her what she wanted, give them both what they needed, and end their two-year separation. But he didn’t want to. He wanted his fucking cake, the whole damned thing, and to eat it, too. Right now, he wanted to kiss his wife.

“I want you on me,” he said, taking the easy, immature way and making light of something serious. When she stiffened, he regretted his words and wished he could be the kind of man she deserved—smarter, well spoken, good with emotions.

“And I just want to see my dog.” She pushed away, but he held her still. “I’m serious, let me go.”

“I told you, I can’t.” He’d expected her temper to flare and for her to push him again, not her eyes to mist with tears. His chest tightened with panic. Mel never cried.

“Then maybe I’m the one who needs to put us both out of our misery and do what I should’ve done a long time ago.”

“Don’t,” he warned her.

“Or else what?” A tear slipped down her cheek. “I don’t want the house or a piece of your business. I don’t want anything except for you to stay out of my life, or be my husband in every sense—not just on paper.”

He shoved his hand through her thick wavy hair and cupped her head. “I’m the same man you fell in love with eight years ago. Why does anything have to change?”

“Because I’m not the same woman, and we’re not in our twenties. It’s time to grow up, Cash. I’m ready to move on, with or without you.”

He brought her mouth close to his again. “No divorce,” he said, then pressed his lips against hers. When she didn’t kiss him back, his panic intensified. She’d threatened him before, but not like this. She’d never brought another man with her or resisted his touch. He’d finally done it. He’d taken something good and pure and had fucked it up completely. With a sigh and regret weighing on him, he eased back. “I don’t want a divorce.”

“And I don’t want to live seven hours from my husband.”

My Review:
4 stars

I can’t decide whether I want to hide under my blanket, take a shower, or start reading this all over again. This book was a crazy, insane ride from start to finish. From an intriguing opening line (“I think I broke her”), to interesting and eclectic characters, this story had it all. Aside from a few slow parts (and some over excessive sex scenes), the plot kept me on the edge of my seat with constant twists and turns. I couldn’t put the book down, and I look forward to reading the next book.

That being said, I will warn that there are shocking and disturbing scenes, some of which are very icky. I can’t go into detail beyond that without ruining the story…however, you were warned. If ick isn’t your thing, then this might not be the book for you. However, if you laugh in the face of ick and go where the squeamish dare to tread, I would recommend giving this book a read.

*I received this in exchange for an honest review.*

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October 19: It's Raining Books
October 20: Harps Romance Book Review
October 21: BooksChatter - review
October 22: Jen's Reading Obsession
October 23: CBY Book Club
October 26: Louise Lyndon Romance Author Hear Me Roar
October 27: Sharing Links and Wisdom - review
October 28: The Pen and Muse Book Reviews
October 29: fuonlyknew
October 30: Romorror Fan Girl
November 2: Room With Books
November 2: fundinmental
November 3: Long and Short Reviews
November 4: Unabridged Andra's
November 5: Where the Story Comes First
November 6: Romantic Fanatic - review

Author Bio and Links:

Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.

Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.

Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!

Connect with Kristine on Facebook, Twitter, or email her at authorkristinemason@gmail.com. You can also find out more about Kristine’s books at http://www.kristinemason.net

Buy Link

The Sorcerer's Spell Blurb Blitz

Blurb:

Annwyn goes to bed dreaming of making love with her dead husband and wakes up in the body of another woman, a woman who is having hot sex with Dane, a powerful sorcerer. Her body has been stolen by Nira, a sorceress, who feeds her magical power through sex - the kinkier the better.

The curse she laid on Dane turns him into a werewolf every full moon and to complicate matters, Dane's werewolf friend Rolf, succumbs to Nira when she temporarily repossess her body, causing jealously and confusion. But time is running out for Dane, as he will be a werewolf forever unless he can break the curse.

Rafael from the Collegium of Sorcerers is the only one Dane trusts to help them, but when a wider conspiracy is revealed, it's up to Annwyn and her developing magical powers to save Dane before it's too late. But can she seduce an unwilling werewolf to lure the sorceress into a final confrontation?

Excerpt:

Nira materialised. Dane kept his face bland, kept his jaw tight; she was not what he was expecting. He thought she would be older, more experienced. Instead, she appeared younger than him.

Her green eyes were wide as she took in her surroundings then narrowed when she saw him. There was no flash of recognition. She frowned and curled her hands into fists. ‘I demand you release me,’ she said, voice surprisingly deep. Hidden in her words was the spell of compulsion, which Dane deflected with a lift of an eyebrow.

The strength of her magic surprised him. Where had that power come from? He had not detected her accessing it. He sharpened his perception, seeing into her. The poles of her power were not immediately apparent and he was unable to gauge her strength.

Yet his summoning still bound her. Her efforts to fight against his hold made her essence slippery and insubstantial. Impatient, Dane inserted mental claws, anchoring her tight so she could not dematerialise.

Nira eased up her struggles, although by the lift of her chin, she had not given up. The muscles of her jaw bunched and her eyes narrowed to slits as power rippled off her. ‘Who are you? What do you want?’ Her expression was blank, giving no sign that there was a silent, magic duel going on between them.

The sorceress circled him. Dane’s gaze lingered on her long, tanned legs; her thighs teasing the edge of her short skirt. Lifting his eyes to study her, he was tempted by her tawny skin and luscious breasts. Her blonde hair was striking against her darker skin tones. Then there were those eyes, that startling green. His breath caught when their gazes locked.

Perhaps ridding himself of this terrible curse would be more pleasurable than he had first thought. He hid what he was thinking behind a frown. ‘My name is Dane Archwright and you cursed me.’

There was a hitch in her stride, and she averted her face momentarily. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said, turning to face him. ‘Release me.’ The accompanying thrust against his hold was anticipated. He squeezed her essence in his mental grip.

‘I’ve tracked the curse to you. There’s no point in denying it.’ His voice was rough with anger.

Unable to hold his gaze, she lowered her eyelids.

He breathed, letting some of his ire slide. ‘I don’t even know you. Why did you curse me?’ he asked, his voice softer, better modulated, now that his anger was under control.

Her lips drew into a straight line and she did not speak. Defiance brightened her eyes.

So, he thought, she will not explain. ‘Remove this curse.’ His voice came out hard, almost a growl, a remnant of the beast that lurked inside.

She froze and then angled her chin to the side. ‘I cannot.’

A growl left his throat, despite his restraint. ‘I’ll give you one last chance. Lift this damned curse.’

She laughed and turned away. ‘Never.’ She gave a mighty mental heave as she thrust against his spell. Dane grinned when his hold didn’t budge.

‘Then you will face the consequences.’ Dane began the ritual of binding, sending threads of power to surround and penetrate her. Bound to him she would have no choice but to obey. When she realised what he was doing, a deep groan of despair rose up from her.

‘No! You can’t possibly do this.’ Her mouth opened as if to scream.

He relished the taste of her fear. ‘You’re not meant to have such power…such knowledge,’ she said through clenched teeth. Bringing her power to bear, she tried to shake him off, to push and tear into him.

‘Ahh…so you underestimated me. A good thing to know. I can and will bind you to me. I will force your compliance unless you remove the curse now.’

She shook her head, frantic jerks. ‘I can’t release you from the curse. It would be my life if I did. That is all I can say.’

‘Do you think I give a damn about your life? You would condemn me to live as an animal forever. Why?’

He waited for her to answer. Defiance locked her face and lips tight. Reluctantly, Dane spoke the final words, sending the last heavy chain of binding to wrap around her throat. He had hoped the threat would have been enough to make her lift the curse. No one went willingly into a binding.

Her eyes rounded with alarm as the spell tightened further. Power smouldered in her eyes as she probed the boundaries of his spell.

As her struggle increased he let a small smile of satisfaction creep onto his face. She was secured.

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October 19: BooksChatter
October 20: Christine Young
October 21: Behind Closed Doors
October 22: A.M. Griffin
October 23: Dena Garson - Real... Hot... Romance
October 26: Sharing Links and Wisdom
October 26: LibriAmoriMiei
October 27: Liz Gavin's Blog
October 28: After Dark Reading Nook - review
October 29: Erotica For All
October 30: Long and Short Reviews

Author Bio and Links:

Dani Kristoff is an Australian author based in Canberra, the nations capital. She delights in reading and writing paranormal romance. For the last 13 years, she been concentrating her efforts on science fiction, fantasy and horror. She's just finished up a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Canberra. Her day job is in the public service. Her partner is also a writer and they live is a big house overlooking the mountains.

Dani has two paranormal series going. Bespelled with Escape Publishing, the prequel Spiritbound out in April 2015 and there is more in train. This series is based on witches and is mostly set in Sydney. She also has a darker more erotic series set in a different world system, starting with The Sorcerer's Spell, to be followed up with The Changling Curse. The Sorcerer's Spell is based in Canberra and features sorcerers and werewolves and other magical creatures. It has a particularly nasty sorceress for a villan who uses sex to fuel her magic.

Twitter     |     Facebook     |     Website

Buy Link

Sunday Surprise - Free Book

I hope y’all are having a great weekend. I’m here to try and make your weekend a little more awesome with a free read. Sedona's a pretty awesome author. If you haven’t read any of her stories, here’s your chance. Her story Infinity Chronicles - Part One is currently available for free on Amazon. I hope you enjoy the read!

One wolf shifter. One Valkyrie. Will they risk it all for love?

Infinity is a superstar singer, who has always had everything at her fingertips—until her world unravels. Her foretelling dreams have haunted her, and a part of her believes them to be true.

Although a preternatural world filled with vampires, wolves, tiger-shifters, and Valkyries surrounds her, Infinity doesn't know that others are after her or that any of them even exist. They want her for the ultimate power that she can give them, yet she doesn’t realize the extent of the force she holds within herself.

When the truth of her dreams comes to light, Infinity risks losing not only her own life, but also the lives of those she’s always loved.

In a war between the supernatural beings, there is no telling who will survive.

Reader Note: This story contains some scorching hot sex. Infinity is a sexy paranormal shapeshifter romance novel. If you have problems with strong language and low down dirty sex, you might want to skip this one. However, if you like a possessive alpha-male who can’t get enough of his woman and some cheeky humor, this is the story for you. Enjoy.

*Due to strong language and sexual content recommended age is 18+

Compact Bag Dispenser Review

This compact bag dispenser is perfect for your daily dog walks. It helps keep waste bags handy and ready for pick-up duty. Comes with 10 rolls of 20 paw-print bags. Dispenser fits all standard rolls. Convenient hook for easy leash attachment to free your hands. No more embarrassing moments for you or your dog.

My Review:

4 stars

The dispenser was very handy and simple to use. The only trouble I had with it was with the clip, It was difficult to open the clip on the end of the dispenser, especially since it was made to be so that you could just easily clip it on and off whenever you took your dogs out with you. However, since it was so hard to use, I would often times just put the dispenser in my pocket or carry it in my hand instead. The bags were sturdy and didn't break, and helped contain the smell, which I loved since it kept the smell in our garbage can down as well. It was easy to reload the bags into the dispenser, though removing the label and opening the packs could get tricky occasionally, leading me to accidentally rip the first bag on the roll. The only other downside I found for this is that this is kind of expensive for a dispenser and only comes with 200 bags when compared to other dispensers or bags that come in larger quantities for less money (though I do question their quality then). All in all though, I loved using these as it made keeping the bags organized easy and was great to just grab and go when taking the dogs out.

*I received this product in exchange for an honest review.*

Wind VBT

Blurb:

Wendland is a land of dragons, and of magic. The mysterious Drachengott grants magic to his worshippers - but is he truly a god? Rutger von Gothendorf is only a simple furrier, but he has become his village's local eccentric, thanks to his obsession with the murder of his brother by the Drachengott's servants. He holds onto the vague hope that he will one day have the chance to fight back against them - until one day a mysterious and beautiful woman named Swanhild comes into his life. Rutger is instantly smitten - but Swanhild knows more than she says, and a web of lies and deceit threatens to sour the love beginning to grow between them.

And all the while, the Drachengott waits ...

Excerpt:

The wind whistled through the darkness, shaking the branches all about and putting a chill into the air. It carried a scent with it, straight to Rutger’s nose. He took it in and immediately tensed.

‘Did you smell that, Horst?’ he hissed, snatching his older brother by the arm.

Horst shook him off. ‘Not now, Rut — we’re in enough trouble without worrying about funny smells.’

‘But it smells like rotting meat!’ Rutger insisted. He paused, ignoring Horst’s impatient look, and breathed in deeply. The smell hit him again — worse, this time. He retched slightly. ‘Can’t you smell it?’

Horst, big and muscular, turned his head in the gloom and sniffed. A moment later, he grimaced. ‘You’re right: something’s dead out there. Come on, let’s move on before we find out what.’

He strode off, Rutger hurrying after him. ‘You don’t think it’s spiders, do you?’

‘Could be,’ Horst said shortly. ‘Keep your eyes open.’

Rutger swallowed and put a hand on the hilt of the long dagger looped through his belt. He had never seen a giant spider before, and he wanted to keep it that way. Silently, he wished he had never asked to come out here into the forest with Horst. But it had all seemed so harmless — just a quick stroll through the forest to check Horst’s mink traps. But then they hadn’t been able to find the last trap, and now they were lost.

I really am the unlucky seventh son, he thought glumly.

If Horst was as worried as his brother, he didn’t show it. He walked slightly ahead, dead mink swinging from his belt. A big old woodaxe hung on his back, brought along for protection. Night was falling now, and the sooner they got out of here the better.

The forest all around was dense and looked threatening, its spiky pine needles sighing in the relentless wind. Night always seemed to come early here. But at least the putrid smell had gone away.

‘How close do you think we are now?’ Rutger asked in a low voice.

Horst shook his head. ‘Not sure — I think there’s a clearing up ahead, though.’

Rutger came to his brother’s side, and the two of them climbed a small rise into the clearing. The instant Rutger left the shelter of the trees, it hit him again: the hideous stench of rotting meat slamming into his nose, so powerfully that his eyes watered. Beside him, Horst had stopped. Rutger heard him swear softly. He looked up, intending to tell his brother that they should go — and then he saw it.

Ahead, in the clearing, a faint light began to glow. It shone on the dark, lumpy shapes which hung from the trees at the far side. Some could have been animal corpses, but the rest . . .

Horst wrenched the axe down off his back. ‘Get behind me, Rut,’ he said sharply. ‘Get out of here. Now.’

‘What—?’ Rutger started to say — but too late.

As the light brightened, two of the hanging shapes dropped to the ground and stepped forward. They wore rough leather tunics with hoods which covered their heads, but on each of their chests was a pair of red gemstones, set into an amulet. They glowed faintly in the light, making a halo over each of the two men, like a pair of glowering eyes.

‘Jüngen!’ Rutger heard himself say.

One of the pair pointed accusingly at them. ‘How dare you enter this sacred grove?’

Horst started to back away, axe raised.

The two Jüngen joined hands, and the light around them intensified as their linked hands rose. An instant later, a great flash blinded Rutger. He cried out as he fell back, but his voice was drowned out by a screeching roar from above.

A pitch-black dragon was hovering over the Jüngen’s heads, its eyes glowing red. Light crackled over its wings, and it roared again.

The Jüngen let go of each other, and the second of the two spoke to the dragon. His words were a short, cold command.

‘Kill them.’

Katie, thanks so much for stopping by. So, how did you get started writing?

I loved stories as a kid – not just books, but movies as well (and later on games as well – some of those have really great writing!). I have a very vivid memory from my primary school years, when my class was watching The Secret Garden movie. At some point in the early parts of the movie, I suddenly found myself thinking that I wished I was in it, so I could change what was happening.

That was probably the starting point. I think everyone who’s going to become a writer finds themselves wishing they were in charge of other people’s stories (this is one reason why fanfiction exists). As the saying goes “if there is a book you desperately want to read, but it doesn’t exist yet, then you must write it”.

I started writing short stories and poems in primary school, and started trying for full-length novels in high school. And the rest is history!

What was the inspiration for your book?

I had a mental image of a dragon so huge that he was one with a mountaintop, and it was such a powerful one that I knew I had to use it. I also wanted to write a story in which the standard issue “prophet’ character plays a more prominent role. So the Drachengott and Syn the Seer were born. I decided to make the world Germanic since I’ve always loved the German language and thought it would be a bit different to use it in one of my worlds. All the German words in the series are real – and hopefully grammatically correct! I actually speak a bit of German myself, in fact.

What’s the one genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?

I hven’t really tried anything that wasn’t fantasy, but I’ve found I enjoy writing about conspiracies, gunfights and spies, so maybe one day I should have a go at writing a thriller. That might be fun. 

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

I’m not interested in reading or writing a romance novel, because that’s just not a thing that has ever interested me. Nor am I particularly into science fiction, though I enjoy movies in that genre. I’ve got nothing against that sort of thing; it’s just not for me.

What are you up to right now? Do you have any releases planned, or are you still writing?

I’m busy writing a bunch of different things. Meanwhile my agents are shopping around some finished projects – a children’s book, a new high fantasy trilogy for adults, and a YA urban fantasy series. I’ve left them to get on with that while I work on a new novel set in a new world – I’m not sure if it will be standalone or the first of a series. I also plan to publish a few things independently – keep an eye on my Facebook page and author website for updates on that!

Alright, now for some totally random questions. Favorite color?

It used to be purple – now it’s blue.

Favorite movie?    

Monster’s Ball. I’m not sure why; normally I hate that kind of movie. But there you go.

Book that inspired you to become an author?

There was no one book that did that; it was every book I ever read – even the ones I didn’t like! I do remember that the first “novels” I tried to write were heavily inspired by the Deptford Mice series by Robin Jarvis – a British author who in my opinion is criminally underrated. I adored his series when I was a kid – it was surprisingly dark given that it was marketed to children.

You have one superpower. What is it?

The power of flight! Oh, the places I could go…

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?

A filmmaker, a veteran soldier, and a lifelong traveller. It wouldn’t matter exactly who they were – all three would have interesting new things to teach me, and all three would have experiences far outside my own. One of the things I love best about meeting new people is learning from their experiences. 

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?

I would say I’m the most similar to Karmain Costa, the protagonist of the fourth and final book – like me she lives alone and has grand dreams of adventure, and like me she tries to see both sides of a conflict rather than automatically assuming that either one is “right”. I do have a few things in common with Rutger, the main character of Wind – I’m also seen as a bit of an eccentric, and am easily duped under the right circumstances thanks to my overly trusting nature. Unfortunately.

That’s all from me, thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!

Any time! :D

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October 19: Long and Short Reviews

October 20: Straight from the Library
October 21: Dark Treasury
October 22: CA Milson
October 23: Sharing Links and Wisdom
October 26: Rogues Angels
October 27: LittlePinkCrayon Book Reviews
October 28: LibriAmoriMiei
October 29: BooksChatter
October 30: Nya Reads

Author Bio and Links:

K.J.Taylor was born in Australia in 1986 and plans to stay alive for as long as possible. She went to Radford College and achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications at the University of Canberra, where she is currently studying for a Master’s Degree in Information Studies.

She published her first work, The Land of Bad Fantasy through Scholastic when she was just 18, and went on to publish The Dark Griffin in Australia and New Zealand five years later. The Griffin’s Flight and The Griffin’s War followed in the same year, and were released in America and Canada in 2011. At the moment, she is working on the third set of books in the series, while publishing the second.

K.J.Taylor’s real first name is Katie, but not many people know what the J stands for. She collects movie soundtracks and keeps pet rats, and isn’t quite as angst-ridden as her books might suggest.

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