Cover Reveal! Come The Dark by Rebecca Hamilton

The time has come to reveal the cover for Come, the Dark! You may have seen some placeholder covers for this one floating around the web before today, but finally you get to see the real deal and learn more about the book!

Come, the Dark

to be release Winter of 2013

"Whatever you do, fight." A Rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.

Rose was just a teenage girl carrying her father’s baby. A teenage girl who desperately wanted to escape. Womanhood in Salem, Massachusetts 1692 wasn’t what she had in mind.

As Rose attempts to save her newborn daughter, Anna, from both her father and the dark spirits that haunt her life, she is thrust from Georgia, 1962, into the start of Salem’s infamous witch trials, leaving her daughter hopelessly out of reach. Here, the townsfolk call her Abigail, while a strange man in the woods calls her by the name she gave herself as a child: Cordovae. A name she's never shared with anyone else and no one else could have possibly known about.

All she wants is to find her way back to her daughter . . . but going back isn’t an option. Not until she faces certain death to stabilize the dark spirits that plague Salem before they possess the town. If she doesn’t move them in time, not only will human civilization be destroyed, but she’ll be forever trapped in this strange new place, unable to see her daughter ever again.

Even if she can complete the task in time to return home to save her daughter, there’s still one problem: she’s falling in love with a man who can’t return with her. Achieving her goals will leave her forced to choose between the only man who’s never betrayed her and a daughter she can’t quite remember but will never forget.

A heart-wrenching tale of a mother’s love for her daughter, this romantic paranormal fantasy underlines the depravity of both historical and modern society while capturing the essence of sacrifice and devotion.

 

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The Forever Girl Anniversary Tour with Character Giveaway and Ebook Giveaway!

Alright! Author of The Forever Girl, Rebecca Hamilton is being very generous this month in honor of The Forever Girl's Anniversary. From today through January 35th she will be giving away these awesome character packs on participating blogs. You can see the schedule for that and pictures of the amazing prizes HERE.

You can also enter to win an ebook of The Forever Girl below, but first I'll show you the cover and the blurb!

"Whatever you do, fight."

Sophia's family has skeletons, but they aren't in their graves.

At twenty-two, practicing Wiccan Sophia Parsons is scratching out a living waiting tables in her Rocky Mountain hometown, a pariah after a string of unsolved murders with only one thing in common: her.

Sophia can imagine lots of ways to improve her life, but she'd settle for just getting rid of the buzzing noise in her head. When the spell she casts goes wrong, the static turns into voices. Her personal demons get company, and the newcomers are dangerous.

One of them is a man named Charles, who Sophia falls for despite her better judgment. He has connections that might help her unveil the mystery surrounding her ancestor's hanging, but she gets more than she bargains for when she finally decides to trust him.

Survival in his world, she learns, means not asking questions and staying out of the immortal council's way. It's a line she crossed long ago. If Sophia wants to survive the council and save the people she loves, she must accept who she is, perform dark magic, and fight to the death for her freedom.

Go to this link to see all available formats.

Now for the ebook giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Character of the Week! Ava Tanner from Obsidian!

Character of the Week!

 

Ava Tanner

 

Book Ava appears in:

 

Obsidian: Mystic Stones Series #1 by Kayla Curry

 

 

Female

 

 

24

 

 

Are they human? Vampire? or is it a secret?

 

She is human with a twist of secret.

 

 

 

Short description of Ava:

 

Ava has long dark hair, blue eyes and olive skin. She is petite but she can still kick some ass with her throwing knives and other abilities. She finds out about the vampires who take over the satellites by accidentally dating one. Her love life and her day-to-day life gets a little crazy after that.

 

 

 

Five words that describe Ava's personality:

 

Kind, caring, determined, understanding, independent.

 

 

A quote from Ava:

 

 

"You are a man of many scandalous talents." (To Jesse Sutton)

 

 

Amazon



Character of the Week! Tom from Obsidian: Mystic Stones Series #1

Character of the Week

Tom Walker

Books Tom appears in:

Obsidian: Mystic Stones Series #1

 by Kayla Curry

Male

225 (at the beginning of Obsidian)

Vampire

Short description of Tom:

Dark hair, dark eyes, usually wears a suit. He has a sly smile that usually crosses his face when he's thinking something evil.

Five words that describe Tom's personality:

Two-faced, cold-hearted, professional, manipulative, calculating.

A quote from Tom:

"I suppose I should be glad your eyes looked at the ring on the night stand and not the dagger on the dresser."

 

 Links to Obsidian:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads
Barnes& Noble | Smashwords

Official Book Website

Obsidian and the Mystic Stones Series facts and fun!

Today I'm going to tell you a bit about the Mystic Stones Series world.

In this world, vampires run a corporation that advances in technology. Before the virus, it is unknown that vampires exist, let alone run a world wide company. The corporation is called Psytech and eventually, they take away the technology that they have provided over the years by shutting down the satellites orbiting the earth. This takes away all cell phones, computers, planes, trains and some newer cars. Anything that can connect to a satellite is infected. They plan to let humans sweat it out a bit, then they will unleash their plan to control humans by making them give blood in return for a virus blocker.

There are also witches in this world. They aren't seen much in Obsidian. Well, they aren't seen at all--only mentioned. But I promise Moonstone (Book 2) and especially Amethyst (Book 3) will have lots of witch action along with Bloodstone (Book 5). Emerald (Book 4) will also mention witches and you'll even get to meet one, but they will not be a main focus. The witches in the Mystic Stones Series have quite the arsenal of powers, however, most witches specialize in a certain area of magic. You'll learn more about this in Amethyst and a little in Moonstone. Some witches, known as half-witches do not have as much power as full-blooded witches. Witches must study the craft in order to obtain powers.

Other beings? Well, those are secrets. I don't want to give away any spoilers do I? But, if you don't care much about spoilers, you can visit the Official Mystic Stones Site. There are options on there to click on links with spoilers and links without spoilers, so feel free to explore that site. I will be updating it with new material monthly or possibly more often.

Okay, we got some facts out, now for some fun!

First I'd like to reveal the new trailer I made for Obsidian:

In Obsidian, you will meet Hiu. A native Hawaiian with a yacht he uses to give mini-cruises around the Big Island. This becomes the groups' temporary home-base as they fight the vampires.
Explore Hiu's boat!

In Moonstone, the main characters go to the Science Museum of Virginia. If you are a science nerd like me, then you will enjoy looking through some of the exhibits the characters would have seen on their trip by exploring the Science Museum of Virginia website!

Okay, now the really fun part. I'll be writing Amethyst for Nanowrimo. I've decided that YOU get to decide how it starts!

Option 1: Chase Scene. Disa, the main character is working to decode an ancient artifact with her friends, but if the government finds out they uncovered the artifact on government land without permission, they could be in big trouble and have the artifact taken away. Suddenly, their safe house is compromised and invaded. Disa runs, but is caught by a man claiming to be a government agent. She soon finds out he's not exactly being honest.

Option 2: Bank Heist. Disa is working at a bank when suddenly men come bursting through the doors with guns. It turns into a hostage situation as they try to find out what safe-deposit box the ancient artifact is in. Disa is forced to help track down the object. With her help they find it, but it turns out they may need her for more than just finding the object, they need her to unlock the magic inside it.

Okay, so if you want to help decide how the beginning of Amethyst will go, put your opinion in the comments field below! I'll tally up the votes when I start to write!

Vampire Month! Featuring Obsidian: Mystic Stones Series #1

Vampire Month wraps up this week!

Okay. I admit it. I interviewed myself. I am doing some self-promotion this week. I feel like I deserve it everyonce in a while, so that is what I'm doing. Today, you get to find out about the vampires in Obsidian. Tomorrow, there will be another post about Obsidian and the series in general. Then, on Wednesday, you get to meet Tom Walker for Character of the Week!

I asked myself the same questions I asked Rebecca Hamilton, Wynne Channing, Beck Sherman and Thomas Winship. You see, Obsidian and the upcoming books in the Mystic Stones Series are like these other books I've featured because they are all different takes on vampires. The aforementioned authors all have a unique view on the way vampires should be. That is the beauty of fiction--you can make anything you want! So, here are the vampire specs of Obsidian and the Mystic Stones Series.

How are the vampires in your world different from others?

The vampires in Obsidian can only be killed by obsidian piercing their heart. Obsidian anywhere else will only wound them temporarily. They are also unable to harm a human wearing a protective ring carved from a seashell with an obsidian dagger that has killed a vampire. Vampires are in a sort of training stage for the first two years of their vampire life. During this time their eyes are bright green. Once the vampire is about two years old, their eyes change to either blue or brown.

 

As vampires get older they develop more powers. I can only reveal two of those powers right now, because I don't want to spoil Moonstone for you. First comes the ability to drink animal blood--no sooner then 75 years old. Then the ability to see through walls--no sooner than 100 years old. Seeing through walls, or x-ray vision, works somewhat like bat-sonar. The vampire uses reverberating sounds to get a picture of what is going on in the next room.

Do the vampires in your world possess any of the traditional vampire traits? No reflection? Burning in the sun? Being immortal? Aversion to crosses, holy water and/or garlic? Turning into a bat? Killed by a wooden stake? Fangs? Other?

My vampires are immortal, they have fangs, but other than that, they are pretty non-traditional. They are pale-skinned. Their skin gets more and more pale as they age. This is because the sun does not effect them as it did when they were alive. Along with developing powers, all vampires come equipped with super strength, hearing, eyesight, speed, taste and smell. In return they lose they are not as alert to changes of temperature, which could be good or bad.

Why did you choose to write about vampires?

I like writing about vampires and other beings who hold something magical about them. I think it's fun to write about characters who not only have human emotions, but also have the added stress of dealing with being different in some way.

Do you remember the first vampire story you read in a book or watched on a movie or television show?

I don't remember the very first one. It must have been a book I read in my early childhood, because I've always been drawn to the dark and unknown. Vampires, witches, and ghosts have always been interesting to me.

What makes vampire stories appealing in today’s pop culture?

I think the vampires in today's literature and media are part of a phenomenon that takes us to another world. By watching or reading about these creatures, we leave are mundane life for a more exciting world, even if it's only for a short period of time.

If someone were to see one of your vampires on the street, what would their reaction be? Fear? Attraction? No unique reaction from that of seeing a human?

That is the beauty of my vampires. They have already incorporated (quite literally) themselves into society. You might notice that they are exceptionally good looking, or that the new vampires have the brightest green eyes you've ever seen, but you won't know they are vampires until they show their fangs. The fact that they have a very large and well-known corporation that has a staff consisting only of vampires, will tell you just how easily they can blend in to society. This corporation—Psytech--ends up being the very company that people of the modern world look to for the latest technology. Once the satellites are down, they look again to Psytech for guidance, but it doesn't come. Instead, society will be presented with a most daunting proposition from Psytech.

Some links to Obsidian:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads
Barnes& Noble | Smashwords

Official Book Website

Vampire Month! Featuring Beck Sherman's Revamp!

Vampire Month continues here on Paranormal Lounge!

This week I'm featuring Beck Sherman's Revamp! You can pick it up on Amazon for only $.99!

The same questions asked of my last two guests, Rebecca Hamilton and Wynne Channing, were asked of Beck Sherman, so here we go! A look into the vampire world of Revamp:


How are the vampires in your world different from others?

I guess you could say that you wouldn’t go to bed with a vampire from Revamp. Unless you wanted to wake up (not wake up?) without a head, your blood a Jackson Pollock on the wall.

They bite, they plunge, they tear, they rip, they drink, they are to be feared.

The hermits are the worst offenders. Vampires that “missed a step” while changing from human to undead. My heroine, Emma, refers to them as “special needs” vampires, but limb-less, thought-less, your blood is the only thing that drives them. And what they’re lacking in body parts and smarts, they make up for in insatiable thirst. That’s how they’ll get you.


Do the vampires in your world possess any of the traditional vampire traits? No reflection? Burning in the sun? Being immortal? Aversion to crosses, holy water and/or garlic? Turning into a bat? Killed by a wooden stake? Fangs? Other?

I wanted to model the main Revamp vampires after the archetypical vampire. When I say that, everyone probably automatically thinks of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, though, funny enough, Dracula and his fanged consorts could go out in daylight without bursting into flames. However, Revamp vampires must avoid the sun, are immortal, have a distaste for crosses and holy water, a piercing of the heart kills them, whether by stake or hollow-point bullets or something more creative. Revamp vampires are also shrouded in a bit of mystery. The reader learns with the characters what these monsters are capable of, and just when you think you got them pegged, they surprise you.


Why did you choose to write about vampires?

Well, I had a dream. A vampire floating in cobwebs of mist. And when I woke up, there was a bit of blood on my lip. I had bitten it while asleep. I got a tissue and wiped the blood away and that’s when I knew. Then and there I knew that the world just had to meet Emma and Cooper. Kidding. The whole “I dreamed about this book” really did take off with authors, though, didn’t it? As an avid horror fan, vampires have always intrigued me. In my opinion, vampires are the #1 monster, and then serial killers, the real monsters, which is what my second book is about.


Do you remember the first vampire story you read in a book or watched on a movie or television show?

The Lost Boys was my portal into the world of vampires. After I saw that movie, I needed to get my hands on anything and everything vampire. Of course, back then there wasn’t as much out there starring the undead. You had to really dig for it. But maybe that made it more worth it in the end, when you found something really good. Like Salem’s Lot by Stephen King or They Thirst by Robert McCammon.


What makes vampire stories appealing in today’s pop culture?

People are fascinated by death and the mystery surrounding it. In the same way, they’re fascinated by life. To have this being that’s kind-of dead but lives forever, and, in essence, is cheating death, there’s mass appeal there. Throw in a bit of eternal love with a pale, angsty bad boy vamp and women swoon. Revamp isn’t that type of vampire book, though.


If someone were to see one of your vampires on the street, what would their reaction be? Fear? Attraction? No unique reaction from that of seeing a human?

If you see a Revamp vampire on the street, you’d better have a weapon or human reinforcement. If not, you better run. Run fast. And don’t look back. Because it’s likely, and highly unfortunate, that that one vampire has just turned into fifty.
And Now My review of Revamp!

Revamp was a great read.

Beck Sherman has well-developed characters, an action-packed story with great plot pacing and it's also well-written.

Now, the length might scare you a bit, but let me tell you that it shouldn't. The story is artfully broken up with flashbacks from some of the main characters. Each flashback could potentially be a stand-alone, well-written short story.

By breaking up the story with these flashbacks, Beck Sherman has successfully written a long book that keeps you interested til the very end. The insight into the lives of each character and how they had to deal with the what was going on around them was brilliant.

Oh, and the horror element is so awesome. This isn't just horror this is HORROR. This book is not for the faint of heart.

There are few things that make me cringe, and some of those things are in this book. Beck has set up a few triggers throughout Revamp that will appeal to your deepest fears.

There are some true horror scenes in this book and it's definitely not "soft" horror either. If you love horror, pick this book up now!!!!

Here are some Links to Beck Sherman and Revamp!

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Goodreads Author Page | Amazon Authors Page

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK)
Goodreads | Lulu

For even more info on Beck and other great authors, visit The Fiction Bookshelf!

Character of the Week! Sophia from The Forever Girl

Before I hop right into Character of the Week, I just want to let everyone know that Rebecca Hamilton's Her Sweetest Downfall is available for FREE right now. That promotion ends today so get your copy now!

Character of the Week

Sophia



Picture of Sophia, voted on by fans of
The Forever Girl on Facebook.

 

Book Sophia appears in:

The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton

 Female

 22

Human

 A short description of Sophia:
Sophia is a young Wiccan (both in age and journey). She’s an outcast in her home town, and has a complicated family history. A hissing noise in her head has been a constant annoyance for the fast four years, and when it finally becomes too much to handle, she decides to turn to her Wiccan faith to find a cure.

 Five words that describeSophia's personality:
Contemplative, Cautious, Self-Deprecating, Conflicted, Quirky


A quote from Sophia:
“Who you are means more to me than what you are…”


Please visit www.paranormalfantasybooks.com for all purchasing options!

For more information on Rebecca Hamilton and other awesome authors visit The Fiction Bookshelf!

 

Vampire Month! Featuring Rebecca Hamilton's The Forever Girl and Her Sweetest Downfall!

Vampire Month!

It's Vampire month on Paranormal Lounge! All month long I'll be featuring authors of vampire books and their work with interviews, reviews and more! I'll be wrapping it all up with an in-depth feature on Obsidian, my debut novel! So, sit down and read all about those bloodsucking creatures we love to hate!
 
First up for Vampire Month we have Rebecca Hamilton and her books, The Forever Girl and Her Sweetest Downfall.  I interviewed Rebecca about the type of vampires she writes about and I have a review of each one after the interview!

Before I jump into the interview, I have to tell you that Her Sweetest Downfall is available for FREE October 1st - 3rd!

The Forever Girl is only $2.99 so grab them both!
 
How are the vampires in your world different from others?

The Cruor in my novel are most like the legends of vampires that we know today. They can be killed by direct sunlight, staking, and decapitation. Where they differ are in their myths. For example, that the first Cruor were humans who were mistakenly buried alive. Or that they narcissus is a good vampire repellent, and how this knowledge came to be know :)Do the vampires in your world possess any of the traditional vampire traits? No reflection? Burning in the sun? Being immortal? Aversion to crosses, holy water and/or garlic? Turning into a bat? Killed by a wooden stake? Fangs? Other?
Traditional traits include immortality, burning in the sun, fangs, and being killed by staking.Why did you choose to write about vampires?
Because I'm a lemming! No, but really, I have no idea. I didn't really "choose" to do it so much as I sat down to write and that is what came out.Do you remember the first vampire story you read in a book or watched on a movie or television show?
Yes.What makes vampire stories appealing in today’s pop culture?
I think they're just fun. They can be sexy or terrifying, or sometimes both. They can create a sense of danger in a story just as easily as they can create a sense of lust and desire (not always sexual, but hey, sometimes that too!) I think those things are fun and fascinating to read about.


If someone were to see one of your vampires on the street, what would their reaction be? Fear? Attraction? No unique reaction from that of seeing a human?

Depends WHEN they saw them on the street, but in general, most times they wouldn't know what they'd seen, though they might still have a sense of fear that they can't explain.


And now, my review of The Forever Girl:

The Forever Girl is a great book that does a great job at showcasing Wicca as the emerging religion that it is. It's easy to see that Wicca is conceived as a cult religion, but the author shows us that it is in fact a nature based religion. I also thought that her take on vampires was incredibly unique and the fact that she pulled from each of the five elements to explain the beings in this series is great.

The story line is exciting and original, and everything eventually comes to light at the end. I saw no plot holes, which is wonderful and the romance in the novel is subtle yet strong--just the way I like it. I like novels that have a good deal of romance, but aren't completely consumed by it.

The characters are well-developed and fun to get to know. You can invest in their problems and care about them easily.

The story follows Sophia and has good pacing. Twists and turns keep you interested. I read this book very quickly because I just didn'y want to put it down. It's great for any fan of the paranormal.


Lastly, my review of Her Sweetest Downfall:

I loved The Forever Girl and I loved Her Sweetest Downfall.

Her Sweetest Downfall is a wonderful story that gives a behind the scenes look at The Forever Girl. It follows different characters in a different time but it will all tie in to Hamilton's master plan.

The characters are well-developed, the plot is paced perfectly for a novella, and the romance in this book rings true.  I almost cried at one point, that's how real the romance feels when reading Her Sweetest Downfall.

The characters fit their time. Often you see characters that seem too modern to be in the past, but that is not the case here, Hamilton takes you back in time.

I can't wait for the next book in this series, I am a true fan.

Tune back in on Wednesday when Sophia from The Forever Girl makes an appearance for Character of the Week!

Website | Forever Girl Series | Paranormal Books

Twitter | Rebecca’s Facebook | Forever Girl’s Facebook | Pinterest

YouTube | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Learn more about Rebecca Hamilton and other awesome authors on The Fiction Bookshelf!

Obsidian Release!

The time has finally come for me to release Obsidian: Mystic Stones Series (Book One) to the world! As of today, Obsidian is available to purchase! You can see all the formats it is available in on my publisher's website.

My awesome publishers at Martin Sisters Publishing have been so helpful through out the process of getting Obsidian ready for anyone to enjoy. I found a great publisher when I found them! So, thank you Denise and Melissa! You have worked so hard to make my dream a reality!

If you'd like to read an excerpt you can do so on Christie Rich's blog. She is the author of the Elemental Enmity Series and was kind enough to do Obsidian's cover reveal along with a short interview and excerpt during the Blogger Book Fair.

Here is a direct link to Obsidian Kindle Edition!

New Site for New Adults

I just started following a brand new site called NA Alley. It's a site about the rising genre New Adult. This site lists authors and books along with other resources to help get New Adult readers connected with New Adult authors and their books.

My upcoming book, Obsidian, fits perfectly into this category. (See censoring article below) I didn't know about this new genre when I wrote that article, but now I see that it's perfect and that other people have been struggling to categorize their books into either the Young Adult category of the Adult category.

YA Alley is a site I can't wait to see blossom.  Here's the link: http://naalley.blogspot.com/

Book Censoring?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about whether or not I want to make my books YA friendly.

Honestly, I feel that one of the things I set out to do when I started writing Obsidian is write something that is for those who want to read something older.  Something more mature.  Something more real.

People have sex in real life.  Especially people that are in their twenties--like in my book.  They aren’t necessarily married in this day and age, and they aren’t necessarily committing to a relationship either.

My problem is this: There are three sex scenes in my book, none of which are overly revealing, but you do get the idea of what is going on--and my brother who is in middle school wants to read it.  My mom said she would have to read it first and allowed him to read the first few chapters, where nothing of the sexual kind happens.

Living in a small city, I realize that kids his age are going to want to know what the buzz is all about over my book.  Especially since there are tons of Twilight Fans here.

I thought about taking out the sex scenes, but then I’d completely kill my goal of writing something for the college age adults who want to read something not quite YA, but not Erotic either.  Then I thought about having a YA version and an Adult version, but I doubt my publishers would go for that.

I mean songs get censored before being put on the radio all the time; Why not sensor books, right?  But would that be considered selling out?  Like I’m just trying to make my book available to as many audiences as possible and not caring about whether or not it retains its original purpose?

Who knows?  Anyways, it’s too late to take out the sex scenes--and I’m glad.  I forced myself to keep to the reason I wrote it by sending it to my publishers, sex scenes and all.  The way I see it, it’s in their hands now, all I have to do is walk it through the editing process.

What do you think?