Guest Author Interview: Dawn Chartier

Please welcome today's guest author Dawn Chartier.  Dawn is author of the hot new paranormal romance novel Not An Angel.

EJ:  When did you begin writing? 

Dawn:  I began writing seriously almost 5 years ago.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre? 

Dawn:  My sister got me hooked on a vampire series (which I forgot the name of) and I haven't stopped reading paranormal since. Now everything I write has some part of paranormal in it, including my new mystery romance series I'm writing now.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why? 

Dawn:  My supernatural talent would be to numb pain of any kind. Mind or Body. I hate seeing people hurting, and if I could take that away from them, that would be wonderful.  I know in real life taking away pain might not be a great idea for everyone.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Dawn:  I hope readers will enjoy my story because of my strong characters and the internal and external conflict they go through.  Kira (a human) journeys from the lowest part of her life to believing in second chances again. She finds she can love once more after she thought she lost everything there was to live for.  Trace (a Poryria Guardian vampire) is great for Kira, although it takes her a while to figure that out. He too gets a second chance at love against all odds.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why? 

Dawn:  Great question.  Hmm. Let me think about that for a moment. Maybe I would cast Angelina Jolie for my character Kira because I feel she could make my character come to life, and Daniel Craig for my hero Trace because Daniel is just hot. (grin)

Thanks for having me E.J./From The Shadows.

Thank you Dawn for joining us today at From the Shadows!

Not An Angel by Dawn Chartier.

Kira McCoy wants to die. Losing her husband and daughter tragically left her without hope. Now her disturbed brother-in-law will stop at nothing to have her for himself. All she wants is to find peace, but instead finds herself on top of a bridge ready to end her suffering. Protector of the Poryria, Trace Stuart is called to defend his race or embrace death. Defending humans is not part of the plan, but he cannot stop himself from saving Kira. Realizing that he shares a special bond with Kira, Trace defies his Queen and rushes into the heart of darkness in order to rescue the woman he loves. Will Kira be able to reach past her own pain to pull them both into the light?

For more information about Dawn Chartier and her books please visit her gorgeous website.

Book Review: Frostbite

Frostbite (Vampire Academy, book 2) by Richelle Mead.

WHEN LOVE AND JEALOUSY COLLIDE ON THE SLOPES, WINTER BREAK TURNS DEADLY...

Rose Hathaway's got serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a massive Strigoi attack puts St. Vladmir's on high alert, and the Academy crawls with Guardians-including the legendary Janine Hathaway...Rose's formidable, long-absent mother. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks. This year, St. Vlad's holiday ski trip is mandatory.  But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose-and her heat-are in more danger than she ever could have imagined.

Dhampir Rose Hathaway's life just became more complicated.  In Frostbite things are getting interesting.  The Strigoi are stepping up the offensive against the Moroi, Lissa and Christian are taking their relationship to the next level and Rose is frustrated by the Bond, her relationship problems, an increasing temper, and a penchant for trouble.  Rose continues to throw herself into her guardian training at St. Vladimir Academy, though what she'd really like to throw herself into, or rather at, is the one person she can't have.  This second installment in the Vampire Academy series is a thrill ride of suspense and emotion that will have you turning pages well into the night.

I recommend Frostbite to readers of paranormal, paranormal romance, young adult, thrillers, and urban fantasy, action packed vampire fiction and especially to fans of the Vampire Academy series.

Click here to read my review of Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, book 1).

Source: This book was purchased by me for review.

Frostbite on Amazon.
Frostbite on Goodreads.

Guest Author Interview: Melanie Nowak

Please welcome today's guest author Melanie Nowak.  Melanie is the author of the venomous vampire series Almost Human which includes Almost Human: The First Trilogy, Fatal Infatuation (Almost Human: The First Trilogy, book 1), Lost Reflections (Almost Human: The First Trilogy, book 2), Evolving Ecstasy (Almost Human: The First Trilogy, book 3), and Almost Human: The Second Trilogy which includes her new release Born to Blood (Almost Human: The Second Trilogy, book 1).  Read on to learn more about this amazing author and the Almost Human vampire series!

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Melanie:  I never thought I would be a writer - ever! I was always the singer and actress - I always had a creative imagination for stories, but I wanted to act & live them, not write them! ("Let's pretend" was my favorite childhood pass-time) I took plenty of drama classes in which I was constantly asked "What's your motivation?", so now when I write, it is only natural to me, to make sure that everything my characters do would be natural to them. Creating well-rounded, realistic and evolving characters is the driving force behind my writing.

I began writing in 2002. During the day while doing housework, I found myself thinking up ideas for venomous vampires, and a story involving characters I created. It was unlike anything else I had seen or read, and I found it kind of depressing to think that my ideas were really good, and yet they'd just be forgotten. So one night, I sat at the computer and decided to just write them down for myself. Before I knew it, I'd been writing for hours! It started in a sort of ‘screen-play’ format, because I was used to dealing with that in my drama classes, but I soon started expanding on that to add the characters’ thoughts, and I eventually converted it to be a novel.

I never planned to publish it, I just had fun writing it. The story was very long but I knew just where I wanted it to go and what I wanted to happen - it was kind of like writing a whole TV season, with smaller episode arcs along the way. Due to its length, I decided to break the story into 3 parts and make it a trilogy. I wrote all 3 books in 2 yrs (yes, I was completely obsessed, I wrote every free moment & stayed up until 2 am most nights.) But to be fair, it's really more like 3 yrs because then I spent the next year polishing them up, editing and such. I still never thought about doing anything with them, until my mom and a friend of mine convinced me to let them read it all. They insisted my books were better than many others they’d read, and that I should have them published. I decided to try.

I spent 2 yrs trying to get published. I researched the whole process and tried my best. I got over 200 rejections without anyone ever reading my books. You know what they told me? "No one wants to read about vampires anymore - Anne Rice has done it to death!" This was right before Twilight came out - shows what they knew! I was earning my Masters degree to be a school librarian, when a prof. mentioned Amazon's new e-book device. I looked it up and found out that Amazon was willing to accept unpublished authors to put their books on Kindle. I decided to publish on Kindle because then at least my books would be available to the public and I could have closure, feeling like I'd done something with them, and move on. I had ideas to begin a second trilogy for the series.

The books went live on Kindle 7-3-08. After about 6 months they really started catching on and growing a fan base. I began getting tons of e-mail asking when the series would be out in print, because people wanted to buy them for friends without Kindles. I shopped around again for agents & publishers in January ‘09, but they didn’t like that my books were already out in eBook format, and in this economy publishers didn't want to take a chance on new authors right now anyway. Again I was constantly rejected without even being read. I finally decided to publish independently because I was more interested in sharing the stories with readers, than waiting for a big-name publishing house to back me. I handled every single aspect from editing & formatting, to cover photos (that's me on book 1, LOL ) It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it! I kept complete creative control, published my books independently and every time a reader tells me that my characters resonate with them, and my stories touched their lives, it is more rewarding than I ever would have imagined!

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Melanie:   I have always been into vampires, and a fan of the Anne Rice books & Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV. I think vampires especially are a wonderful metaphor for exploring topics such as faith, addiction, abuse, ethics and prejudice, among other things. Vampires embody the persona of anyone who has ever felt outcast, alone and unable, unwilling or undeserving to find love. I think that is a basic element of why we connect with them on some level.

Paranormal creatures and powers have been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember. I believe in ghosts and elemental spirits (having had a few experiences in the past), and I’ve also studied Wicca, which deals with the natural connection between all living things and energies. I’ve just always been interested in exploring things that many other people don’t have faith in or understand. Some of it is real but misunderstood, and some of it is pure fantasy, but all of it ignites my imagination and I doubt I’ll ever write in any genre that does not include a paranormal element.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Melanie:   That is a tough question, and I could give a dozen different answers depending on my mood, LOL. However, I think overall, the paranormal talent that I covet most is the ability to shape-shift into another creature. My entire life I have spent countless hours wandering in the woods – I feel at home there. As a child I would spend hours just running through the forest, pretending to be something else, as a way to temporarily escape humanity’s responsibilities and concerns, and just enjoy nature and freedom.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Melanie:   My newest release is “Born to Blood – Volume 1 of ALMOST HUMAN ~ The Second Trilogy”.

Born to Blood by Melanie Nowak.

My ALMOST HUMAN series is being written as a succession of trilogies, so that while the series does advance chronologically through each book, following the same characters, each trilogy is self-contained enough to be read on its own. People who have not read my other books can pick up this one and enjoy the story of this trilogy, while old readers will enjoy re-visiting the characters as they enter this new era in their lives. Hopefully new readers who enjoy “Born to Blood” will then want to read “ALMOST HUMAN ~ The First Trilogy” to see where it all began.

All of my books are a blending of genres that span fantasy, adventure, action, sci/fi, light-fun fiction, philosophical literature, romance, and horror. They have a little something for everyone, but each book and trilogy also has its own ‘flavor’ that differentiates it from the others. All the books include romance and adventure, but the 1st was oriented on introducing the world and characters, beginning the story with some action, the 2nd had some historical adventure woven in, the 3rd book was more action based with some slight erotic undertones, and the 4th book has more paranormal powers, and a slightly sci/fi feel to it.

No matter the focus and the fact that the story is told through paranormal creatures with amazing supernatural abilities, at their core, the characters are almost human. I think that readers really connect with the fact that I write each character as a cathartic expression of very emotional things within myself. My characters are not one dimensional heroes and villains – they are people (alive or undead), trying to do what they think is best and making decisions based on their own emotions and agendas. Sometimes you agree with them, and sometimes you don’t, but hopefully you can understand their positions and actions either way. My characters do not do things just for the sake of being ‘good’ or ‘evil’. I think that the strong emotional connections a nd the realistic development of the characters is what speaks to readers and gives the story its heart.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Melanie:   Very soon after writing my books, a friend asked me this question. When I originally wrote the books, I did not have any actors in mind – they were all purely characters from my imagination. As a game of ‘fantasy casting’ with my friend, we began looking for who would play the parts. To me, the most important character to get right was my lead vampire, Cain. I had a very specific idea of what qualities he should embody and express and no one that I had seen or was suggested fit the part.

Then in early 2009 I saw a preview clip for the movie “Terminator Salvation”. The clip showed a split second shot of actor Sam Worthington. I had never seen him before and I think it was the first American movie he was ever in. Something about his eyes drew me – it was like the shock of recognition – OMG – That’s Cain! I searched the internet to find out who he was. I looked at pictures and watched interviews – the more I saw, the more he was Cain to me.

Since that time he has now been the lead in “Avatar” and “Clash of the Titans”. I loved the first and had nostalgic fondness for the second, but in both films what I really treasured was seeing what Sam Worthington could do with such different characters. He is Australian (easily adaptable to having a British accent), and has a look that is approachable, trusting, honest and understanding. He is fairly young, but looks wise beyond his years, very good looking but not “pretty”, and someone that I could see wanting to run to in times of crisis. To me, Sam Worthington is the perfect Cain.

As far as the other characters go – I do not know many young actors, so most actors who come to mind are not young enough to actually play the parts.

For Felicity I see someone similar to Kate Winslet. I know she isn’t the right age, but I love her look. She can be beautiful without seeming aware of her beauty and has a very vulnerable charm to her while still being a strong person.

For Ben, I see Ben Affleck. It was probably the name Ben that first brought him to mind, but he is perfect for the part, although not the right age. He is handsome and sweet, seeming dependable and hard working; but he looks like he could display that angry stubborn streak well too.

To me, Allie should be played by P!NK. She is almost as petite as Allie. P!NK is 5’4”, Allie is 5’2” and both are athletically slender, but more importantly she has that great Allie energy – lively and unapologetically bold, but a loyal friend with a good heart. (She also happens to have the perfect hair, LOL)

While writing a scene involving Sindy in “Evolving Ecstasy”, I happened to hear a song by Avril Lavigne called “How Does It Feel?”. That song seemed to speak of all the things Sindy was feeling in the scene, but would never be able to voice. It was so heartbroken, scared and alone, and yet voiced from behind a strong façade. Now Avril is Sindy to me. She has the right look for the character as well. She is brash, bold and beautiful, but can look so vulnerable and young without make-up on. Avril Lavigne would be a perfect Sindy. 
Lastly, I think Naveen Andrews would make a good Arif. I don’t watch “Lost”, but I’ve seen clips and I think he would be good at portraying that arrogant, almost royal attitude as Master of the largest coven of vampires on the east coast.

So… when do we start filming?

Check out the collage of fantasy cast character photos on the ALMOST HUMAN facebook page (lower left of page - under ‘photos’).

I want to thank E.J Stevens for the interview and the opportunity to share my thoughts and the venomous vampires of my ALMOST HUMAN series with everyone here at From the Shadows.

Thank you Melanie for joining us here today at From the Shadows!  We look forward to having you visit us again in the future.

For more information about Melanie Nowak and her Almost Human series please visit her website and her Amazon author page.

Spirit Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to all who participated in the guest author interview with Andrew Feder and the Spirit Giveaway.  The winner of Spirit by Andrew Feder is:

SiNn!

This is the first time that Random.org selected the number "1" as a winner.  Congratulations SiNn!

Book Review: Manchester House

Manchester House  by Donald Kirch.

Manchester House was built upon secrets and blood. Even the land upon which it was built was considered…bad.

ITEM: Native Americans for untold centuries believed that if a bird flew over the property it would die.

ITEM: On the forced “Trail of Tears” march to Oklahoma, a rival tribe invaded a campsite of a sworn enemy, resting upon the property, decapitated the women and cooked their heads. No reason was ever given.

ITEM: While traveling to Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Grant had an experience that changed his life forever – he never would say what.

ITEM: On his travels, Grant lost an entire squad of soldiers, two field surgeons, a team of horses and mules, and one Gatlin gun. No explanation given. Grant, himself, refused to investigate.

No one in the town wanted to admit that the ancient house even existed. All homes facing the ruin had their windows boarded shut. All roads to the thing were blocked, overgrown, or forbidden.

Manchester House was a beacon of evil at the center of a small Kansas Town with a dark and mysterious past that would not go away. All tried to forget it even existed -- until the police had to bring the bodies out.

When a group of professional "ghost hunters" explore a local haunted house, they descend into absolute darkness and terror, learning the incredible truth behind the legend of MANCHESTER HOUSE. 
 
A house steeped in blood and death.  Manchester House was one of the most terrifying reading experiences of my life.  I would like to say first that this book is incredibly well written.  It should, however, come with a warning.  The entire time Kirch's characters walked the haunted halls of Manchester House my lights flickered, lighting flashed, and thunder roared.  The moment I would set down my copy of Manchester House the flickering and storm would stop only to begin immediately upon opening the book once again.  Something paranormal?  It definitely made for a frightening reading experience!  Manchester House is a well crafted work of horror that will have you jumping at shadows and keeping the lights on for nights to come.

I would recommend Manchester House to mature readers of paranormal suspense, horror, urban fantasy and fans of paranormal investigations and haunted houses.  Keep in mind that this is a terrifying read!  There are also some graphic scenes that I would not recommend to young readers or readers sensitive to violence.  A must-read for horror fans.

To learn more about author Donald Kirch and Manchester House visit my interview with Donald here.

Source:  This book was provided by the author for honest review.


Manchester House on Amazon.
Manchester House on Goodreads.

400 Followers Giveaway!

 From the Shadows has reached 400 followers!  I have some of the most wonderful readers.  You're the best!  To thank you for following, I am offering another follower giveaway.

**Giveaway**

I am giving away your choice of a new copy of Crazy School by Cornelia Read or a gently read copy of Poison Study by Maria Snyder (see my review of Poison Study here).  To enter simply be a follower, old or new, and leave a comment on this post with your email address.  To US mailing addresses only (sorry, I have an international contest coming up next week so be on the look out!).  Giveaway ends at Midnight EST Saturday July 10th.

Book Blogger Hop (June 25)

Hello everyone.  It's Friday!  Let's do the Hop!

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books.  This is a wonderful way to discover new book blogs and meet other fabulous bloggers.

Guest Author Interview: Kelly Abell

Today I would like to welcome our special guest author Kelly Abell.  Kelly writes paranormal romance, paranormal mysteries, and romantic suspense thrillers that will keep your heart racing and the pages turning!  She is the author of Sealed In Lies, Blackheart Point, Online Angel, Haunted Destiny, and Captured In Lies.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?
 
Kelly:  I began writing when I was in high school.  My high school in little 'ole Vinton, Va had a school magazine called Sketches and I had some short stories published in that Magazine.  I did write for a long time after that until one day one of my former employees and I were having a meeting and talking about our dreams for the future.  I told him I wanted to write a book and he was very interested in video production.  I mentioned a book titled The Weekend Novelist that I wanted to buy to help me get started.  He came in the next day and brought me a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble to go and buy that book.  After that I felt so guilty that I had to write that novel.  Four novels and a few short stories later, here I am.  I owe a lot to Chuck for giving me the push to get me started and to my family for keeping me going beyond every rejection letter.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre? 
 
Kelly:  I write in multiple genres because I like to write what grabs me and I stumbled into the Paranormal genre because I wanted to get my daughter to read more.  I asked her if I wrote something for her, what would she like.  She said "a clique ghost story".  I began thinking about that and my young adult book Haunted Destiny was born. It's about a girl who discovers she can hear and talk to spirits and she has to use that new gift to save her arch enemy in the book.  It's turned into a series because of all the "adventures" Destiny has with her spirit acquaintances.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why? 

Kelly:  Oh boy, this is a tough question...I think I'd like to be a shapeshifter.  I think it would be so cool to change your molecular structure to be anything or anyone you wanted to be.  So when I get famous and walk down the street and see all the photographers chasing me I could just turn into someone else.  Wouldn't that be cool!  You do know I'm dreaming here, right?  LOL

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release?
 
Kelly:  My new release is called Captured In Lies.  While this is not a paranormal it is a thrilling romantic suspense.

In Book Two of the In Lies Series Jack and Caroline are faced with insurmountable odds and we get to meet sexy Bomb Squad Commander Dane Kendrick.  Dane will become embroiled in Jack’s tumultuous life and meet his beautiful sister, FBI Agent, Lucy.  Although they meet under less than ideal circumstances the sparks fly leading to a passion that explodes off the page, literally.  Read on to see what’s in store in Captured In Lies…

Just before Thanksgiving and after a passionate honeymoon in the Caribbean, Jack and Caroline Weaver return home to D.C. to start their new life together.  Approaching their house Jack’s cell phone rings and the violent explosion that follows will change Jack’s and Caroline’s lives forever.  The Emperor is back and he wants revenge.
 
Jack, reeling from what has just happened to the love of his life, is anxiously awaiting word from the doctor when he gets another call.  The relentless Emperor now has Lucy, Jack’s sister, strapped to a bomb, somewhere in the city and in order to find her he must play a deadly game of scavenger hunt.  The stakes are upped even higher when The Emperor places another bomb in Boston knowing that the sexy ex-SEAL with the maverick reputation can’t be two places at once.  How can Jack find his sister, keep his wife safe, and stop the destruction of American lives?
 
Jack will be forced to trust a former military comrade, hunky Bomb Squad Commander, Dane “Boomer” Kendrick.   Dane must go after Lucy while Jack heads to Boston.  When Dane locates Lucy and arrives on the scene there is an instant attraction, despite the fact she is set to explode in less than 3 minutes.  Can Dane and Lucy defuse the bomb and save Lucy’s life?  What about defusing the passion that begins to grow between them?  Will Jack be able to stop the deaths of innocent Americans without losing those most precious to him?  It’s hard to know who to trust if you’re Captured in Lies.


EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
 
Kelly:  I love this question and I dream about it often. I sort of see Jack Weaver being played by Vin Diesel and Caroline Weaver as either Scarlet Johannsen or Angelina Jolie (in their KickA** mode) Dane would be played by Matt Damon and Lucy would be Keira Knightly.

So anyone out there who wants to do the screenplay let me know! LOL

Thank you so much for having me today.  I've had a lot of fun.  Please come visit me on my website to keep up with all that's going on in my world. 

Kelly

Thank you Kelly for joining us here today at From the Shadows!  We look forward to having you here again in the future.

Book Review: Hush, Hush

Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush book 1) by Becca Fitzpatrick.

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.  For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life. 


Something, or someone, dark and sinister is lurking in the shadows.  Watching Nora and waiting.  But waiting for what? Nora Grey, a responsible high school student who recently lost her father in a brutal murder, has her hands full with fallen angels, a haunting presence, a threatening man in a ski mask, and more than one boy interested in her romantically.  Hush, Hush was a wonderfully exciting paranormal read full of suspense, danger, and romance.

I would recommend to Hush, Hush to readers of paranormal romance, young adult, suspense thrillers, and urban fantasy.

Source:  This book was purchased by me for review.

Hush, Hush on Amazon.
Hush, Hush on Goodreads.

Guest Author Interview: Donald Kirch

Please welcome today's guest author Donald Kirch.  Donald is the author of Manchester House, The Christ Project, The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight, and Still Waters.  Donald Kirch is a master of the paranormal genre and has had the singular experience of being attacked by a ghost while spending two weekends in the famous haunted "Sallie House".  Read his interview below to learn more!

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Donald:   I began writing when I was about thirteen years old. My family moved around a lot during my childhood, and I was always "The New Kid" in school. That could be difficult for a little guy, and I was a shy one anyway. So, I used to make up characters in my mind, write them down on paper, and try out my own adventures. Kind'a like D&D but with no rules to stop me. And, after a while, the stories turned into adventures, and the adventures soon became a part of who I am now. I could not see myself being anything other than what I am.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Donald:   As a child, I loved tv shows such as "In Search Of.." or "One Step Beyond." These thrilled my imagination. In today's society, all the magic has been explained away. What I love about the paranormal genre, is that there are adventures, people, and places that challenge science and the world as we know it. I do not want to know everything. I want some MAGIC in my life.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Donald:  To fight evil. I have seen way too much of it in this life, and if I could, I would love to tackle it to the ground, place it in a box, and throw it into the deepest and darkest hole I could find. To be able to read other's minds would be cool!

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Donald:   It is not your typical "haunted house" story. I was once attacked by a ghost, while visiting "The Sallie House" in Atchison, Kansas. The experience helped open my eyes to the possibilities of an "after life."
While going down some stairs of this house, I felt a pair of hands push at my shoulders, and another pair pull at my ankles. I almost had some serious injuries. Made me a "believer!" Made this story worth writing.

EJ:  If your book 'Manchester House' were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Donald:   Here's how I would cast it:

Professor Holzer: Robert Downey, Jr.
Ingrid Night: Max Von Sydow
Lars: Leonardo DiCaprio
Sinclar: Benicio Del Toro
Miranda: Jessica Alba
Theresa: Zoe Saldana
Lars: Johnny Depp

Director: Tim Burton

This would be a great movie because there are so many storylines, flashbacks, and legendary creatures involved. Some characters are bigger than life and would require actors with depth and range to recreate them on the screen. I hope to one day obtain that goal.

Manchester House by Donald Kirch.

Manchester House was built upon secrets and blood. Even the land upon which it was built was considered…bad.
ITEM: Native Americans for untold centuries believed that if a bird flew over the property it would die.

ITEM: On the forced “Trail of Tears” march to Oklahoma, a rival tribe invaded a campsite of a sworn enemy, resting upon the property, decapitated the women and cooked their heads. No reason was ever given.

ITEM: While traveling to Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Grant had an experience that changed his life forever – he never would say what.

ITEM: On his travels, Grant lost an entire squad of soldiers, two field surgeons, a team of horses and mules, and one Gatlin gun. No explanation given. Grant, himself, refused to investigate.

No one in the town wanted to admit that the ancient house even existed. All homes facing the ruin had their windows boarded shut. All roads to the thing were blocked, overgrown, or forbidden.

Manchester House was a beacon of evil at the center of a small Kansas Town with a dark and mysterious past that would not go away. All tried to forget it even existed -- until the police had to bring the bodies out.

When a group of professional "ghost hunters" explore a local haunted house, they descend into absolute darkness and terror, learning the incredible truth behind the legend of MANCHESTER HOUSE.

My review of Manchester House by Donald Kirch coming soon!

Thank you Donald for joining us here today at From the Shadows!  For information about Donald Kirch and his books please visit his website.

Guest Author Interview: Andrew Feder + Spirit Giveaway!

With us today is Andrew Feder, author of the paranormal mystery thriller Spirit.

EJ:  Hello Andrew!  Thank you for visiting us here today at From the Shadows.  My readers and I have a few burning questions.  O.k., first question!

When did you begin writing?

Andrew:  During my early in college years I began to write some (essays one even published in the school’s newspaper) like many, but during my latter years in college I furthered my expression by writing several op/eds. It wasn’t until the early 90’s that I began to seriously develop my writing in the more creative context. My writing in both context and genre was more of an evolutionary process during its development leading eventually by culminating to my present style.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Andrew: Paranormal meaning out of the ordinary for most is perhaps more ordinary for me. The product within my scribe is in relationship to spirituality and oneself and Universe. Elements within my writings are perhaps for some maybe paranormal, but in reality within spirituality the norm. I would think that the genre associated with “Spirit” would be spirituality. But since I do enter into elements and understandings of astral projection, “out of body” then again perhaps this maybe of the paranormal. Within “Spirit” I tried to place many spiritual, social and political underlying messages as well as straight forward understandings of our selves and the Universe with its infinite capacities in my writings with “truisms” as some would call with am adventurous parable of fiction.  

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Andrew:  One that just pops into my mind is Telekinesis. The ability just to move objects with a single thought would be amazing unto itself. I could brush my teeth with no hands. Wow… The infinite possibilities… And just think- I just moved my mouse and cursor with just a single thought…Amazing…

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Andrew:  Besides the deep curiosity of what is it- “astral projection” the adventurous and mysterious twist and turns held from page to page will only lead the reader down the rabbit hole to the unexpected while experiencing the very depths of the Randall’s out of body experiences and the real understandings behind them.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Andrew:  I would say that Tom Hanks would be perfect as Randall Lender while Johnny McKensie would be perfect Colin Farrell; Thandie Newton would definitely be a great Sandy.

Thank you Andrew for the lovely interview!

** Spirit Giveaway **

Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a copy of Spirit by Andrew Feder. You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is US mailing addresses only, sorry!  Contest ends Saturday June 26th at Midnight EST.

Spirit by Andrew Feder.

Warning: This book contains adult language and adult situations.

Spirit on Amazon.

Spirit on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Van Alen Legacy

The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, book 4) by Melissa de la Cruz.

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.

Something is happening to Bliss.  Something terrifying and potentially lethal to her friends.  Will she survive, and if so will she come to regret it?  I found this book a bit slower to start than the other books in the Blue Bloods series, however, it picked up with a frenetic pace becoming increasingly interesting and suspenseful.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt that it added depth to the characters I had come to both love and despise.  A wonderful addition to the series.

I would recommend The Van Alen Legacy to readers of paranormal romance, vampire fiction, suspense thrillers, young adult, urban fantasy and especially to fans of the Blue Bloods series.

My review of Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods, book 1) is here, my review of Masquerade (Blue Bloods, book 2) is here, and my review of Revelations (Blue Bloods, book 3) is here.

Source:  This book was purchased by me for review.

The Van Alen Legacy on Amazon.
The Van Alen Legacy on Goodreads.