Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Excerpt from Book Two: Ghost School


Coming in September, Norma Jean's School of Witchery, Book Two: Ghost School

This is an unedited excerpt..  Copyright © 2015 Rose Montague

 My sword, the Magic one given me by Mister Hiruto started vibrating, humming ever so 
slightly in my hands.  For the first time I could feel my fire awaken within me, this time not 
constrained by me but by the spell laid over the town.  My fire was not happy.  I could feel 
my sword trying to connect with my fire.  I could only hope it would be successful.  The slight 
humming was loud in the silence around, joined only by our footsteps as we walked to the 
church.
   “What's that sound,” Misty said as we approached the church.
   “It's my sword,” I responded.  “It's magic seems to be working.  I'm not sure exactly what 
it does,” I added. 
    A large raven buzzed us overhead, heading towards that church.  Shaman was here. 
Hopefully he would give the rest of the team our status and they would head our way.  As I 
debated filling the others in on my backup plan I was interrupted by Misty stopping abruptly.
   “The dead are moving,” she announced. “Behind us now,” she added, turning around to 
look.
    We all looked.  Rows and rows of Zombies now stood blocking our retreat.  More 
streamed out of the homes we had passed.  Hundreds of Zombies now filled the streets 
behind us.  Silent and slowly approaching our position, they were obviously controlled.  Most 
necromancers could control a single Zombie, sometimes even two or three.  With the aid of 
the BFM device, L.O.T.D. had control of a whole town full of them.  I saw Shaman flying off 
to our right.  Hopefully he would let our team know quickly.  I hoped he would do the other 
thing I had asked of him as well.
   We had no choice but to continue forward. Misty took the lead, walking up the steps to the 
church and opening up one of the big double doors so we could enter.  The little church 
graveyard we had just passed was also full of empty graves.  Ghost whispered to me that he 
was behind me.  I hoped he was as invisible to the Zombies as he was to us.  His talent hid 
him from all senses, only my ability to sense auras made him visible to me.  As my magic was 
down, I had no idea where he was if he had not told me.
    Misty entered and I followed.  The pews were full of Zombies, sitting silent and unmoving, 
staring forward.  Ahead of us a four deep wall of Zombies stood silently between us and the 
altar where we were to retrieve the demands. As we continued down the aisle, the Zombies 
behind us left the pews and massed in a crowd.  The ones in front of us showed no sign of 
parting to let us through.
    Misty had two military knives out, one in each hand.  That was not going to be very 
effective in getting through.  Ghost tapped me on the shoulder as he passed me and then I 
saw Misty start as he did the same with her.  He had a Fae sword and was invisible as well.  
He would try and get us through.  What we would do after that I had no idea, our options 
were extremely limited at this point.

You can get Norma Jean's School of Witchery, Book One: Jewel here..



Sunday, July 26, 2015

K.K. Allen: Author Interview & Spotlight



K.K. Allen has been a long time Facebook & Twitter buddy and I am very pleased to feature her on my blog. Her support of other writers is outstanding and her energy and positive attitude is contagious.

She is the author of the Summer Solstice Series.

Teaser for Book One: Enchanted

After the death of her mother, Katrina Summer is hurled into life at Apollo Beach where she learns of her Ancient Greek ancestors from which the Summer family descends. Kat’s world unravels as secrets from her heritage are exposed. Leading to her birthday, the day of the Summer Solstice, she becomes frightened when enigmatic visions and disturbing dreams start to become reality. Amidst the turmoil, Kat meets Alec Stone, her gorgeous neighbor, who becomes her sole solace in an evocative world of mythological enchantment and evil prophecies that lurk around every corner …

Teaser for Book Two: The Equinox

Katrina Summer finally comes to terms with her enchanted skin as she is challenged with an evil that threatens the Solstice settlement of Apollo Beach. At a private gathering on Summer Island Kat meets the gorgeous Valli sisters, mythological descendants of a different breed, who encourage her to take a deeper look into her new existence. To escape the lurking dangers of the Equinox, which brings outrage and heartbreak to the entire town, Kat accepts a job at the Island Grille where more trouble brews as her handsome, yet brooding co-worker, Johnny, makes life even more challenging. Meanwhile, Kat struggles between her lingering and undeniable attraction for Alec, the secrets that she is forced to keep from him, and a betrayal that sends them on separate paths . . .


The Summer Solstice series is a coming of age, contemporary fantasy with elements of mythology, paranormal, and the supernatural.

Buy Links:

Book One
Book Two



Bio:

K.K. Allen is the author of the Contemporary Fantasy author of stories inspired by nature, magic and love. She loves manatees, learned to swim for the mere purpose of pretending she was a mermaid, and adores the beach so much she promises to one day live in a tent on a Hawaiian beach and serve snow cones on the side of the road. K.K.'s first two books, The Summer Solstice Enchanted and The Equinox are available now.



Interview:

1. Fantasy, mythology, & fairy tales. Tell us about your reading experiences growing up and what influenced you to become an author.

Since as young as I can remember I was reading, and then writing not long after. Just like most little girls, I dreamt of being a princess, a rockstar, a dancer, a writer, a mermaid, popular among my peers, you name it. At some point I began taking those fantasies to another level and writing about them. I was 12 when I found my love for writing and wrote my first novel. I continued to write this way until I got my first laptop at the age of 21. That was also the year I spent a summer in New York City attending NYU film and dance classes, experiencing every bit of culture I could soak up in three short months. All around me, I was inspired by those who were living their dreams, doing the things they probably dreamt of doing when they were little, just like me. I realized that sometimes dreams do come true, and one day, I could be living out my own dreams, just like them. One year ago I published my first novel, The Summer Solstice Enchanted, and it was obvious to me that this is my dream that I need to pursue, because I've been working toward it my entire life.

2. What made you decide to self publish? Did you try to find an agent/publisher first or was that always your plan?

A great friend told me to publish my book. He had no clue what I wrote, or how I wrote, it was just obvious to him that I loved it. He was impressed that I wrote an entire book and told me to just publish it. Just like that, like he was telling what to order for lunch. It took me about three years to actually listen to him. At that point I had every intention of keeping my pseudenum completely private, terrified my friends would shun me or consider me ridiculous for following a dream. I wrote a query letter and sent it to four very well known literary agents, and then before they even had a chance to respond, I uploaded my book. It wasn't that I was impatient, I simply didn't want their rejections to weigh on my decision to publish or not. It was something I needed to try, and I'm so glad that I did!

3. You have a lot of reviews and some really good ones as well. I would love to know the secret of getting reviews.

Thank you! Let me start out by saying that those who actually take the time to leave a review are superstars in my book. It takes time, thought, and energy to write an honest review. I'm not really sure if there's a secret to getting reviews. If I get emails from readers gushing about my books, or if someone mentions they are interested in reading my book, I always ask for a review. I have no shame! I want to encourage everyone to leave one because it could help someone else determine whether or not my book is for them. Believe it or not, I don't want everyone reading my book, only those who might enjoy it. I also have a section after the last page in my book which encourages readers to leave a review when they are done. It's truly the best gift you can give an author. In turn, I review everything I read because I know how important it is.

4. Is there a book three in the works? What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on the third book in the Summer Solstice series, titled The Descendants. This will be the last book in the series, except for some novellas I'm planning on writing to give some close-up looks into certain relationships within the story. I'm anxious to get this book out to my readers! They've been so patient with me this year.

5. What have you learned as an author/self-publisher that you wished you knew when you first started?

Find a great editor or three and let them tear up your work. I made the typical detrimental mistakes at the beginning of my publishing career which I hope I'll one day forgive myself for. Also, making solid connections with other authors in a similar genre as you is key to having a support system in what could be a very long and lonely journey. It's safe to say that my indie author friends are some of my biggest supporters.

6. For those reading this, what would you say to them to convince them to buy your book?


The Summer Solstice series is more than a Contemporary Fantasy; it's a journey through heartbreak, recovery, first love, relationships, and respect for all things nature. Readers are transported into a relatable world with fantasy elements that are somehow believable. The best part—it's fun, magical, and surprising . . .


You can follow K.K. Allen here:


Monday, July 20, 2015

T. Anthony Bland: Author Interview and Spotlight



Please join me in welcoming T. Anthony Bland, author of In The Apartments Next To Mine

Teaser:

       How well do you know your neighbor? Do you know the shoes they wear..? Their struggles, strength...their story? 
       In The Apartments Next To Mine: The College Collection, is a collection of short stories about families and individuals, living with Schizophrenia, Autism,Assimilation and Racism. But there are also stories of lost love, forgiveness and even a first trip to the dentist. Some stories are humorous, others are tearjerkers, some were written as college papers, others were written while riding the 6 train in NYC. But all are people who may live next door.

Buy Links:





Bio:

     T.Anthony Bland was born and raised in the Bronx N.Y. He graduated from the College of New Rochelle in 2012 with a masters in Communication Studies. Before entering college at mid-life, he worked many jobs that took him all around New York City and upstate N.Y. He was a messenger, janitor, construction worker, carpenter, bus driver, Sunday school teacher, camp counselor and a teacher to children with Autism and varies disabilities such Spina Bifida and Cerebral Parsley. He's traveled to San Francisco, Oregon, Boston, New Hampshire, New Orleans,Pennsylvania, Florida, Jamaica...and Ohio, by mistake. It's this life, that helps him craft the stories like those in his book In The Apartments Next Mine...  

Interview:

1. When did you decide to be a writer and what books influenced you growing up?
I have probably always been a writer, well, at least a storyteller but I just didn’t write anything down. I decided to write for a living mid-life after graduating from grad school. As an undergrad, I was a literature major so my final projects most often were short stories. My professors were the ones to encourage to Write. After 2 years of writing academic research papers and a year of job hunting, I decided it was time…actually my wife helped. We agreed to just write, write and write for a year and see what happens.
Books that influenced me…? I didn’t read books growing up. I watched a lot of TV and read a few magazines, whatever my sister or mother bought. I had trouble reading as a kid so books weren’t my thing. Now movies! That’s a different story, I loved musicals and westerns and Star Trek. In fact, I’d say it was Star Trek the Next Generation that influenced me most. I was fascinated by the story telling that was created with all the restrictions of television networks. They tapped into a wide variety of subjects over the years. When I write, I don’t see words, I see moving pictures…cinema.
2. Tell us about the inspiration behind the first story you ever wrote?
My first full length story is Going Home but technically the very first is Chamber of Horrors. My assignment was to write a descriptive essay, I thought I went over the top with the picture I painted but I got an “A” and my professor loved it. It was birth out of writer’s block! I carried pen and paper for days…nothing. Then we were taking our 2 year old to her first dental appointment, while we waited I started looking around the clinic. It was horrible, I just starting writing what I saw. The word poured out like water. I even missed my daughter going in…I include that in the story.
3. Are you currently writing? Tell us what you are working on now. 
Yes, I’m in the middle of two projects. I’m writing 2 new stories for “In The Apartments Next To Mine” I plan to re-release the book this July hopefully. One story is about a family that has a child with Autism and the struggle of their morning route. You see it from the family’s point of view and the caregiver’s point of view.
I’m also in the middle of a follow-up novel to my short story Going Home. I was doing fine then got stuck so I put the book aside about 2 months ago. Then Spectrum, one of the new stories, came pouring out of me. The novel was titled The Book of James, as it was going to following up on what happened to Caleb James and his brother Jedidiah…however, it includes the whole James. Each member’s faith will be tested, the book spans a number of years. It opens 2 years after Caleb walks away from a successful career and his brother turns down the NFL. The story that features the sister is many years later. We find her in high school preparing for college. That story also introduces us a new character, a serial killer. He will have his own book…my wife has been waiting 3 years for me to write that one. Lol.
4. Tell us about your publishing experience. Did you try to find an agent or publisher first or did you always want to self-publish?
I did not try very hard to get an agent though really wish I had one. It would help with all the leg work. My former professor suggested that I get one.
I did reach out to publishing companies I was told I needed “a following first” or “we’re not accepting manuscripts right now”. If I were 20 years old, perhaps I would have stay around for years of rejections, but I’m not. My thinking was… If it came down to it, I would publish just so that my children and grandchildren would have a record of my achievement on their bookshelf. Self-publishing is a perfect fit for us right now, low over-head cost and not a huge financial investment to start. When we have more money we can put in more.
5. My son has cerebral palsy and there are a few teachers he had growing up that he truly loved. Tell us about teaching kids with disabilities.
Wow. Stressful, painful, fun, exciting and tear-jerking! But I loved it. I worked with kids and adults in a wide range of disabilities. Cerebral Palsy (CP), Down syndrome, MR, Blind/visibly impaired and of course Autism and a few others.
The stress is in, communicating to them as well as learning their communicating language and style. I worked with a guy with CP whose speech was so bad that he was frustrated; I took over for my counselor and apologized if I need him to repeat to me…he was fine with that. It took a couple of days but we got. We chatted a lot, while I was showering him! Lol. I had a girl that wouldn’t sit still and work she would fight the teachers, call them names and throw things. We worked well together though. I would start by letting her play for 5 mins, then do reading for 5. Her tough subject was math so I made sure that her favorite snack or thing to do was the reward for math. After a mouth her behavior changed. She looked forward to working with me more than other teaches. Let me tell you this kids that a wicked sense of humor. The tears flow as you joyfully sit back and watch someone learn a new skill or even do something that they hadn’t done before. They’re learning. The ones that people thought couldn’t learn.
6. For those reading this what would you say to them to convince them to give your book a read?
Here is a link to an excerpt http://tanthonybland.com/2015/02/11/in-the-apartments-next-to-mine-book-excerpt-1/ from my website. There are 3 in total…look pass all your misgivings and think of the first time you tried something for the first time, how you fell in love with it and how you still use it, have it around, purchasing it etc. These are short stories of ordinary people with extraordinary stories that you will relate to, cry with, giggle at and fall in love with or at least with the writer. Lol

 You can follow T. Anthony Bland at the following places:

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Cover Reveal: Breaking Faith by Joy Eileen



Pretty awesome cover!!!

Faith made the mistake of giving her heart to someone who didn’t deserve her. After making the decision to leave, she sought refuge at a bar full of misfits. They accepted Faith without question, and now they protect her as if she's family. While putting the pieces of her life back together, she fights to keep her broken heart from falling for the moody lead singer of the JackholeS. A man named Kill. Killian has his own demons to battle, yet Faith brings out his protective side: a side he thought he’d buried long ago. Can Faith and Kill trust each other long enough to leave their pasts behind and find love? Or is the past too overpowering to allow anyone a chance at happiness?

WARNING: This book contains explicit non-consensual sex scenes. It contains strong language and adult situations. This book is not intended for anyone under 18. This is a series so this book does not end with resolution. Don't worry the second book is already done and the third is being created.

I have already pre-ordered my copy and you can do the same at the following link...



About the author
Joy Eileen is a born bibliophile who becomes deeply engaged with her characters, and has devoured more books than she would like to admit. She becomes obsessed with happily-ever-afters, and will read any genre that fulfills that requirement. Evading the library is something she has been known to do, because after befriending the characters returning them would be a heartbreaking event. Books are held hostage on her bookshelf, and any author that makes her ugly cry becomes her sworn enemy. Nicholas Sparks is one of the many on the list of villains.

As a massage therapist, most of Joy's stories come to her while working. With the sound of classical music, and snoring from a half covered hostage, characters are created. The victim (massage patient)  has no idea that while their body is being manipulated, Joy has traveled into distant lands creating landscapes and inhabitants as she goes. Her patients should be wary as sometimes they are pulled into her stories and turned into characters. Hero or Foe? Well, that depends on how they tip.





Monday, July 13, 2015

Dan Wright: Author Interview and Spotlight


This week's spotlight falls on Dan Wright, author of Amanda Moonstone: The Missing Prince.

Amanda Moonstone: The Missing Prince is a fantasy suitable for kids and adults.

Blurb:  Threatened with eviction, Amanda Moonstone stumbles across a lost Prince, of which there is a reward for his safe return. But what Amanda doesn’t know is that this “reward” is actually a wicked plan created by the tyrannical King Kimera, who will stop at nothing to keep his claim on the Royal Throne intact. Even murdering the Prince.

However, finding the Prince may just be the key to undoing the one mistake that has haunted her for over a year. Because being a sorceress comes with a terrible price...

From the shadows, a mysterious man in black watches every step Amanda takes. But what is his purpose? And what part does the insidious Blood gem (her most guarded of gems) have to play in Amanda's future?


Extract: Chapter 1

Ashfeld Town

Amanda crushed up ingredients in her bowl, grinding and then mixing them into a thick paste. The mixture was one part each of roseflower and cromiweed, two parts bone dust, and a dash of salt. When she was done, she double-checked the recipe.
“Okay,” Amanda mumbled to herself, “now we have to mix it with fresh water and then stir it with some red draught potion—boiled.”
She checked the red draught—it had already begun to bubble. She pointed a finger at the glass bottle and the flames increased ever so slightly in response. When she was sure the flame didn’t require her attention, she mixed the paste with a vial of water and stirred it until it was thick and syrupy, creating a honey colour. She then pointed towards the red mixture. The glass container hovered in the air, lifted by Amanda’s will alone.
She checked the scroll again. “Add two litres worth of boiling red draught to the mix. Measurements must be exact to get the desired effect.
“Well, here goes nothing.”
The red draught hovered over the vial of syrup. She could barely contain her excitement. If she got the mixture right, this would be a bestseller. She had been desperate to get a hold of the ingredients, and they had not come cheap. It would all be worth it when the potion was complete.
This is the one, she thought. This is the one that’s going to solve all my problems.
The end of the bottle tipped towards the awaiting syrup, a line of red liquid gradually trickling its way to the end of the bottle.
What would happen? Would there be an explosion—a burst of light? Mixing different potions often had different effects. She held her breath.
A thump at her front door broke her concentration. The red mixture dropped from the air and crashed to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere. Amanda could only stare as her months of preparation had come to naught.
“Rats!”
The thumping on her door continued. Grumbling, Amanda stormed over to see who dared disturbed her work. She put on her best pout and flung the door open.
“Yes?”
When she saw who it was, she instantly regretted her tone.
“Oh…er…hello, Miss Berger.”
Miss Berger was a rotund woman with hair the colour of mouldy parchment. Her face seemed to be permanently etched with disagreement, as if it were impossible for her to smile. She glared at Amanda with fists on her wide hips.
“Er, lovely day we’re having,” Amanda said, trying to make polite conversation.
“You know what day it is, Moonstone?” Berger crowed.
“Er…the last day of the month?”
“It’s the first of the month.” Berger held out a hand. “Pay up.”
Rent. Oh, bother.
“Ah,” Amanda stuttered. “Yes…you see, there has been a little bit of a drought in sales recently and…well, you know, making potions is expensive.” She laughed nervously, but Berger’s frowning eyebrows and curled lip gave Amanda the impression that she didn’t see the humour in that statement. “I need ingredients and…well, they aren’t cheap.”
“You don’t have it, do you?”
“Give me just one more month and I swear I’ll have it.”
“That’s what you said last month, and the month before that—and the month before that! In fact, you’ve said little else for the last five months! My patience is wearing thin with you, Moonstone.”
“I know—I know…I’m sorry, but I promise you, I’m working on a new potion and it’s going to be a bestseller!”
Berger gazed into her house towards the potion table. She spotted the broken glass on the floor, and then glanced back to Amanda.
“Er…production problems.”
“What have I told you?” Berger snapped. “You’ll ruin the woodwork! That,” she stabbed a pudgy finger towards the mess, “is going on your bill!”
“Really? Oh, come on…”
“I’ve been very kind to you—kinder than I should have been after what you did. I know you had problems, but my patience is wearing thin. One month without paying rent is bad enough, two is unacceptable—but five? Accommodation here isn’t free. You either pay rent or you’re out.”
Amanda was trapped. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “You know…you shouldn’t mess with a sorceress. Not when she could use her magic to…burn you alive.”
Berger glared back, folding her arms, which was a bit of an effort given the layers of fat padding her midsection.
“That was a bad joke,” Amanda apologised sheepishly. “But please…can’t you just give me a little extension? I have some really good stock to sell this time, I promise! Just a little extension is all I ask for.”
Berger’s glare did not disappear. Amanda had used the same plea before. This time, Berger didn’t seem convinced. “You have until the end of the week,” she allowed.
“Well, you see, I was kind of hoping for another couple of months or so…”
End of the week—production problems or not,” Berger stated sternly. “No rent, no home. Take it or leave it.”
Berger walked away, a slight waddle in her step.
“Right,” Amanda said after her. “End of the week. No problem.” She closed the door lightly, sighing.

Buy Links:




Bio:  Dan lives Canterbury, Kent, UK. He picked up a love of Fantasy stories after reading The Lord of the Rings, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and numerous Roald Dahl novels. He is best known for his Draconica series, a Fantasy/Manga series that has been praised for its Anime style action, humour and illustrations. He has also had a short comic strip called Queller, which was published in an anthology for the comic Lighting Strike Presents . . . and has also been a judge for a book competition at his local school. Dan also runs various websites dedicated to the world of Draconica, a blog and he occasionally reviews books. His other hobby is playing guitar in a band called Rage of Silence. He likes all kinds of music—but he mainly listens to rock and metal, rap, some pop music and also film and video game scores. He also loves Disney and Pixar movies—often finding himself singing along to the tunes, or crying manly tears! He is also a slave to his cat, who takes up a lot of his time when he isn’t at work or writing!

Interview: 

  1. I love books with fantasy and magic. What were some of the books you read growing up that led you to write in this genre?

Fantasy has always been my first love of reading and storytelling. I grew up reading Roald Dahl novels (The BFG and The Witches were my favourite, despite how creepy they were), but my dad also used to read me C.S. Lewis novels as well. Later in life I became interested in medieval, Greek and Egyptian mythology (great inspiration for Fantasy). And of course, I can’t talk about Fantasy without mentioning Lord of the Rings – I know it’s a bit clichéd for Fantasy writers mentioning that, but I really love that series. Later influences include Manga, Comics and Disney films.

Basically my novels are a mix of many different elements of various stories I read growing up.


  1. Tell us about your publishing experience and what you have learned about the writing business now that you have one published?

I have been both self published and published through through an indie press – although as of early June I ended my contract with them and decided to publish Amanda Moonstone myself. I think the most important lesson I learned from this is that I’m better off self publishing XD.

Don’t be me wrong – my publisher showed a lot of support and took on Amanda Moonstone, and the editing/proofreading side of it was incredible. However, the reason I tried to find a publisher was that I wanted to focus mainly on the writing and leave the promotion side of things to them. However, I found myself having to do most (if not ALL) the work my end, so what it basically boiled down to was that I was doing most of the work for such a small royalty share. Plus, I have to say I wasn’t entirely happy with certain aspects of the whole process and I’m not really sure they actually “believed” in it the way they told me. Maybe I misread that though. In the end, being with the publisher wasn’t really doing much to my advantage. Thankfully they were understanding and I was able to end my contract with them without any fuss.

If I’ve learned anything from this experience it’s this. If you decide to look for a publisher and find one, ask yourself “what can they do that I can’t?” If they can give you a big push and do most of the work for you, great. But if they basically tell you that you’ll need to do most of the promotion/advertising – well then you probably are wasting your time. That being said, if you can get a great publisher that supports you, go for it! Do what’s best for you!


  1. What are you currently working on?  Is there a sequel in the works?

As well as this series, I have a Manga inspired Fantasy series called The Draconica Series – of which I’ll be writing the final part of that saga very soon. And yes I have a sequel in the works for this novel. In fact I have about four books in the series planned, plus some short stories and other ideas in mind. I often have about 100 ideas at once – putting them to paper is a different story altogether.


  1. When I tell people I'm a writer of fantasy, they always ask me what my "real" job is.  Have you had some similar experiences and do you also wish you could write full time and give up the "real" job?

I think every author at some point has had this. But honestly, it doesn’t bother me. As long as people don’t ask me if my book is like 50 Shades of Grey (because for some people that’s the ONLY novel to have ever existed apparently) then I’m ok.

As it happens, I have a job that I enjoy doing, plus I have a band that I enjoy playing with. If I could write full time that would be great, but at the moment I’m happy where I am. I also have kinda come to the realisation that I will never be a bestselling author – and I say that as a realist and not a pessimist – but as long as I enjoy what I’m doing then that’s great.


  1. For those that are reading this, what can you tell them about your book that might convince them to give it a try?

If you guys love Elsa from Frozen then you’ll love the character of Amanda. She’s a sassy sorceress with plenty of great magic, but also a tragic backstory that many can relate to. Her journey is one of redemption and she learns the true meaning of happiness by the end. You’ll also have stunning artwork throughout that perfectly captures the whimsical nature of this world and its characters. It’s a fun, magical read for readers of all ages.





Thursday, July 2, 2015

Why are Jade and Jane not marketed as LGBT?


From a review of Jade: "Oh! And add to it all a nice, not-often-written, not-overly-wrought, pretty much perfectly captured, LGBT romance and you’ve got a keeper in Jade."

That's why.

There are many shockers in Jade. There are a lot of plot twists and a good bit of mystery that is slowly revealed. I drop a lot of clues along the way but you will still have some OMG moments.  I was worried that these spoilers would come out immediately when I started getting reviews. Thankfully, most of these have not yet been made public. One that was revealed almost immediately was the relationship between Jade & Jane. A reviewer said that they were loving the book until about half way through found out about this relationship and just skimmed the rest of the book. That reviewer missed the best parts. 

Jade chases the shifter guy and gets the vamp girl instead. If that is something you don't want to read, please don't. The relationship continues to grow in Jane. I rate it as PG-13. There is no explicit sex in any of my books but there is some romance. The relationship between Jade and Jane is one that is common in our world and if people don't like it then that's their problem, in my opinion.

My publisher asked me if I wanted to add the LGBT tag to Jade and I made the decision not to. I am comfortable with that decision. The romance is not the main focus of the story, it is just a natural part of it. What you get is non-stop action with mystery and humor, with a little romance as well.

Amazon Links
Jade
Jane