Paranormal Guest Author: Shawn Thomas Odyssey

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Shawn Thomas Odyssey!  Shawn is the author of The Wizard of Dark Street.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Shawn:  I had a fantastic English teacher my freshman and sophomore year in high school who I looked up to immensely. I remember he had written a novel, and I just thought that was the coolest thing, so I decided that I would write one, too. I finished writing it (I think I was doing my best imitation of Douglas Adams at the time) over the Christmas break my sophomore year and gave it to him to read. He was very kind to read the entire thing (at least he said he did), and then he told me I should read Tom Robbins because he thought I had a similar thing going on, with a sort of sci-fi bent. I didn’t know if that was good or bad. But he was very encouraging! Oh yeah, and he also told me to work on my spelling.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Shawn:  I’m pretty consistently drawn to elements of magic. I love the idea that there is more to the world than meets the eye…much, much more. I love the transformative powers of magic, its endless possibilities that cause us to step outside of our little box of how we think things work, and see that very often what we take as absolute reality is very often only the illusion of our own perception, our thinking mind. In THE WIZARD OF DARK STREET, the concepts of magic (or supernatural, or intuitive forces) vs. our logical and rational thinking come very prominently into to play for the main character, twelve year old Oona Crate.

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

Shawn:  I think it would be the power to let go of indecision and internal conflict with the snap of my fingers. To be one hundred percent present and alert, and to choose my mood and state of consciousness—any state, including the ones I don’t even know about yet—at will. That’s a bit out there, I know, and it might not even be supernatural, but it sounds cool to me. Then again, it would also be pretty nifty to be able to fly! How fantastic would that be?

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

Shawn:  It has something in it for just about everyone (bet you never heard that one before). If you like books that have magic in it, and that are set in a fantastical Victorian setting, then there’s something for you. If you like classic whodunits and murder mysteries, then there’s something for you. If you like oddball characters, and quirky riddles, and off the wall adventures into unknown and unexpected places, there’s something for you. If you like a heroine who is searching for something more than the life she has been handed, who must learn to trust herself, despite her past mistakes and deep sense of loss, then there’s something for you. If you like talking ravens, then there is something for you. If you like bumbling police inspectors, tattoo faced boys, venomous girls, witches, wizards, and bizarre faerie servants, then there is something for you. And of course, if you like to laugh at the absurdity of an unpredictable world, then there is something for you.

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

Shawn:  Off the top of my head, for the role of Oona, I would have to say Maisie Williams, who is presently playing the role of Arya Stark in the HBO version of A Game of Thrones. She certainly looks the part!

The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey

Oona Crate was born to be the Wizard's apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind.

Despite possessing the rare gift of Natural Magic, Oona wants to be a detective. Eager for a case, she is determined to prove that logic can be just as powerful as wizardry. But when someone attacks her uncle--the Wizard of Dark Street--Oona is forced to delve even deeper into the world of magic.

Full of odd characters, evil henchmen, and a street where nothing is normal, The Wizard of Dark Street will have you guessing until the very end.


Thank you Shawn for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Shawn Thomas Odyssey and his books, please visit his website, blog, or the (very cool) official Wizard of Dark Street website (I highly recommend checking out the "video" tab for some extremely entertaining viewing!).

Spirit Guide Series Spooky Summer Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations Lisa (aka alterlisa and lisalovesbooks) winner of our Spirit Guide Series Spooky Summer Giveaway at From the Shadows!  Lisa will receive a Spirit Guide Series tote bag filled with signed copies of She Smells the Dead and Spirit Storm, bookmarks, two sets of romance trading cards, signed She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, and Legend of Witchtrot Road postcards, and one XL "I Smell Dead People" t-shirt.

Thank you to all who entered!

Didn't win?  Be sure to enter our Wolf Days of Summer Giveaway for a chance to win Spirit Storm (Spirit Guide #2) by E.J. Stevens, Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater, and Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer.

Paranormal Guest Author: Jessica Sorensen

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Jessica Sorensen.  Jessica is the author of The Fallen Star.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Jessica:  I began writing short stories when I was old enough to write. In high school I moved on to poetry. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I decided to try my hand at writing a book, which eventually turned into The Fallen Star.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Jessica:  When I was young, I had this fascination with the paranormal genre. I would write stories full of ghosts, witches, and faeries. It’s a fascination that has stuck with me throughout the years.

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

Jessica:  I would have to say teleportation because I love to travel, and it would make things so much easier.

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

Jessica:  The Fallen Star is a unique story full of unique characters. The main character, Gemma, has only recently been able to experience emotions. When she is thrown into a world of Death Walkers, Foreseers, vampires, and other paranormal characters, she discovers she’s not just a normal teenage girl, but something more important, and is left struggling to come to terms with who she is.

This story is action packed and full of suspense, mystery, betrayal and little bit of humor. There are twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end.

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

Jessica:  This is a hard one because I have a picture in my head of what my characters look like, and it’s difficult to find people that match that picture. But I think an actress that comes close to how I picture Gemma is Willa Holland. And I think Steven R. McQueen would make a good Alex.

The Fallen Star (Fallen Star, #1) by Jessica Sorensen.

For eighteen year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. Up until recently, she has been incapable of feeling emotion. And when she's around Alex, the gorgeous new guy at school, she can feel electricity that makes her skin buzz. Not to mention the monsters that haunt her nightmares have crossed over into real-life. But with Alex seeming to hate her and secrets popping up everywhere, Gemma's life is turning into a chaotic mess. Things that shouldn't be real suddenly seem to exist. And as her world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death.


Thank you Jessica for joining us here at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Jessica Sorensen and her books, please visit her website.

Wolf Days of Summer Giveaway: Win Spirit Storm + Forever + Wolfsbane!

We are giving away new copies of Spirit Storm (Spirit Guide #2) by E.J. Stevens, Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater, and Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer to one lucky winner!

**Wolf Days of Summer Giveaway**

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is to US mailing addresses.  Giveaway ends August 22nd (my birthday!) midnight EST. 

Good luck! :)

Paranormal Guest Author: Ronnie Massey + Evening With A Vampire Giveaway

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Ronnie Massey!  Ronnie is the author of Crimson Dawn (Darklife Saga) and the upcoming release Unbound (The Nephillim Chronicles).

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Ronnie:  I began writing short stories in high school. I was picked on relentlessly and wasn't one for fighting so I had to come up with a way to refocus peoples attention.

I began writing steamy short stories and giving them to my friends. Once they began passing the stories around, it was only a matter of time before people began coming to me requesting stories. I went from the girl to pick on, to the girl to get hot stories from.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Ronnie:  I have collected comics since my father gave me my first X-Men comic when I was eight or nine. I made the jump from comics to paranormal themed novels when my mother gave me Hot Touch by Deborah Smith.

When it comes to writing, I write what I read. I like getting lost in worlds where anything is possible. I enjoy creating characters with the powers and abilities to do almost anything they want and then finding ways to make them human and relatable.

The paranormal genre is only limited by the imagination of the writer and I love that.

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

Ronnie:  That is such a hard question. Part of me wants to say vampire because aside from the immortality, you get enhances senses, strength and the power to manipulate minds.

The comic book lover in me has always wanted the powers of X-Men's Storm. She can fly and control the elements. If I had her abilities every day in summer would be a nice sixty five degrees. My daughters would always have a white Christmas and I would never have to stand out in the heat and water my garden again. I'd just conjure up a quick ten minute shower and be done with it.

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

Ronnie:  I think that any new author that decides to enter into the paranormal genre with a vampire novel, is taking a chance on being compared to you know who. For that reason I didn't want to start off with a YA title.

Crimson Dawn rides the line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. I tried to come up with a novel that has a solid storyline and memorable characters that readers can get invested in.

Based on the feedback that I have been getting from readers, I accomplished what I set out to do. People have fallen in love with Valeria. She's smart mouthed, cocky and stubborn to fault but she's also fiercely loyal and doesn't hesitate to do what's right even if it's the hardest option. Readers get to watch Val grow a lot during the course of the novel.  I've been told that C.D. has just the right amount of passion and action.

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

Ronnie:  For Valeria I would cast Jurnee Smollett. She is a superb dramatic actress and I think she would pull together Val's toughness and vulnerability perfectly. Plus I would love to see Jurnee in an action role for a change.

For Irulan I think Lyndsy Fonseca because she is awesome as Alex on Nikita. Irulan is this powerful Sidhe living in the human realm so she has to keep her abilities under wraps. Alex is the ultimate assassin that tries to live a normal life until she's needed; struggling to keep the two lives separate. Lyndsy is the perfect Irulan.

For Priest I see Alex Pettyfer because he proved he could act the role of a jerk in Beastly and do action in I Am Number Four. Priest is a jerk at times but also a hero.

For Tristan Meriwether I see Bryton James who had a small stint on The Vampire Diaries as the witch Luka. Bryton has already played a paranormal being once so making the jump to a psycho vampire shouldn't be that hard. His experience from Young and the Restless should help him also because soap acting is overly dramatic and Tristan is over;y dramatic and then some.

As for the supporting characters (now that my mind is on the subject I couldn't stop casting), here is a quick run through:

Peter Facinelli as werewolf Marcus Daniels, Val's Commanding Officer.
Wentworth Miller as Val's father Hadrian Trumaine.
Zoe Saldana as Val's mother Anya.
Jesse Smollett as Val's twin Valerian.
Columbus Short as older brother Tamerlane.
Mechad Brooks as the eldest Trumaine sibling Constantine.
Logan Lerman as David.
Oded Fehr as the djin Descantes.
Kellan Lutz as Fazion, Irulan's cousin and king of the Tuatha De Danann

Crimson Dawn (Darklife Saga, #1) by Ronnie Massey.

When vampire Valeria Trumaine comes home one morning to find her father waiting for her, she knows she's about to get trouble in spades. But she never imagined it would come in the form of her ex-fiancé. Now she must confront old demons and face new possibilities as she struggles to bring the rouge vampire to justice.

After she left him, Valeria avoided Tristan like the plague, but now that he's gone rogue, she's going to have to utilize every thing she's learned as a sentinel to find him.

Finding Tristan proves to be more dangerous than anyone realized. He's changed in ways that go against nature, and has become more powerful than anyone ever imagined. Refusing to let her face the abomination that Tristan has become alone, Val's best friend and powerful Sidhe princess, Irulan joins the hunt. Valeria will find that Irulan's motives for keeping her safe aren't what she thinks. And soon she's faced with an undeniable attraction that makes her question everything she knew about herself.

Can she accomplish her task and prevent more innocent lives from being destroyed? Can she do it and not loose herself to his madness? In the middle of all the madness, can she embrace the unexpected love that fate has thrown her way?


Thank you Ronnie for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Ronnie Massey and her books, please visit her website.

**Evening With A Vampire Giveaway**

We are giving away an Evening With A Vampire prize pack to one lucky winner!  Prize pack includes a signed copy of Crimson Dawn by Ronnie Massey plus a vampire movie and matching poster.

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email (so we may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is to US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends August 6th midnight EST.

BlogFest 2011 Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations fredamans winner of our BlogFest 2011 International Giveaway at From the Shadows!  Freda will received a paperback copy of She Smells the Dead from The Book Depository.

Thank you to all who entered!

Did you all have a fun BlogFest?  Do you have a favorite style of giveaway?  I saw some new and interesting giveaway forms (rafflecopter) and many different means of entry.  What were people's thoughts?  I hope you all had a fabulous BlogFest and win many prizes!

Paranormal Guest Author: Victoria Roder

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Victoria Roder!  Victoria is the author of Bolt Action and The Dream House: Visions and Nightmares.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Victoria:  I've always been creative and as long as I can remember my mom has told me I should write books.  In 2006, I wrote an article for FarmLife magazine on my rescue dog Rocky.  He is a beautiful black and tan Husky that was hit by a car and left for dead.  His back leg and tail had to be amputated, but the day after his surgery he walked out of the veterinarian’s office and into our hearts.    When I saw my article about Rocky’s harrowing experience in print I was hooked.  I set an original writing goal to have something published to honor each of my beloved family pets for all eternity.  If you stop by my website you can see a picture of Tucker, Rocky, and Molly my furry children.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Victoria:  I have had a recurring dream about a house that my birth family lived in for a brief period of time when I was a child.  Even with the passage of time, in the dreams I remained a young girl.  I could see myself standing on a desolate street void of sound, lights, or cars.  Next, instead of watching myself I starred through my own eyes at the ominous house.  Each time I woke up I knew that I had experienced the dream before.  The dream began to trouble me, so I discussed it with my sister Tammy.  She suggested I write it down, in the hope that it wouldn’t bother me anymore.  I began recording the details of the dream and then instead of it not bothering me, it consumed me.  I researched dream interpretation and it intrigued me.  My recurring dream became the premise for my paranormal romance novel The Dream House Visions And Nightmares.  It is a murder mystery wrapped in a paranormal ghost story.  Apparitions and vivid dreams reveal clues of mystery, murder, and age-old revenge.

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

Victoria:  Honestly, I don't want to read minds or have super strength, or even fight demons.  All I want, is to be able to snap my fingers and have things like the dishes done, the house clean, and the yard mowed.  These are the duties I have a hard time getting done when I have an article to write, a puzzle to create, or a character begging me to tell their story.

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

Victoria:  The Dream House Visions and Nightmares is a page turning, spine-tingling mystery.  You will care about the main character, Hope Graham because she could be you.  Fran Lee of the Salt Lake City Examiner had this to say...With chilling intensity and a fine hand, Ms. Roder weaves a tale that captures the reader's imagination and keeps them spellbound until the final page.  In the words of Paranormal Romance Guild Review...kept me quite literally on the edge of my seat.  I'm glad I read this book during the day because I would probably have had problems falling asleep if I had read it at night.

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

Victoria:  Hope Graham would be played by Ashley Judd because she can be vulnerable but finds strength within herself when she needs it.  The supporting male would be played by Dwayne Johnson "The Rock"  just because I think he's cute and sweet.

The Dream House: Visions and Nightmares by Victoria Roder.

Recurring dreams of a house Hope Graham's family rented when she was a child, taunt her nights with nightmares of a woman in a bloody nightgown pleading for help. Dream sequences of children metamorphosing into rats, blood spewing out of windows, and walking across decaying bones, foretell of sins of the past and forewarn of danger in the present. In an attempt to end the agony of her sleep depriving dreams, Hope travels to her hometown...only to discover that the truth can be more frightening than a nightmare.


Thank you Victoria for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Victoria Roder and her books, please visit her website.

BlogFest 2011 Giveaway

Happy BlogFest 2011!  Here at From the Shadows we are giving away a paperback copy of She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens to one lucky winner.  This giveaway is international (to everywhere the Book Depository ships).

She Smells the Dead (Spirit Guide, #1) by E.J. Stevens

It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.

SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.

The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki's friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and annoying Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.

Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

She Smells the Dead is the first book in the YA paranormal Spirit Guide series.  She Smells the Dead has received over one hundred 4 and 5-star reviews from book bloggers and is on Amazon's list of 100 Top Rated Books with Ghosts. To learn more about this series, please visit the Spirit Guide series official website here.

*****

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email (so we may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter, but followers will receive a bonus entry (see below).  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL (to everywhere the Book Depository ships).  Giveaway ends July 17th midnight EST.

Bonus entry:
+1 Blog Followers (old + new)

Visit A Journey of Books for a list of participating BlogFest 2011 blogs and a chance to win more fab prizes!

From the Shadows was participant #60.  Here are the next five BlogFest stops...
61 From the TBR Pile
62 Girls Just Reading
63 Good choice reading
64 Hannah Downing
65 Happy Mom Of 5

Paranormal Guest Author: Mary Abshire

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Mary Abshire!  Mary is the author of Claiming the Evil Dead, Catching an Evil Tail, and Fighting Evil.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Mary:  I wrote a little in my early twenties, but didn't pursue a writing career. About three years ago, I started writing full length novels and I haven't stopped.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Mary:  I have always had an interest in the paranormal. I grew up watching sci-fi and horror shows when I was a kid. The dark and mysterious creatures captured me, especially those blood sucking vampires. Ghost stories, alien abductions, and other unusual stories intrigued me too. I didn't take an interest in reading until my teens. A friend loaned me books by Anne Rice and I fell in love with reading. What started out as an interest in my youth grew into love and is now an addiction. Writing in the paranormal genre felt right to me.

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

Mary:  Oh, so many choices . . . for my supernatural talent I'd like the ability to become invisible whenever I wanted, or I'd want the gift of immortality. I love history and I'd like to see all the changes in the world, good and bad. Sure, I would be sad to see loved ones come and go, but that is part of life now.

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

Mary:  My latest release from my Soul Catcher series is Fighting Evil. It's full of action and suspense. Jeremy, the hot demon, and Drake, the noble vampire, travel to a remote island with Jessie, my half-demon soul catcher, to meet the VETOV (Vampires for the Ethical Treatment of Other Vampires). Nothing is ever easy for Jessie. Near the end, will she leave with Jeremy, or Drake? Hmm . . .

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

Mary:  I think Megan Fox would make a good Jessie. As for Jeremy, maybe someone like Brad Pitt, but he'd have to be more aggressive, more bold and in your face. And for my noble vamp, Drake? That one is difficult to answer. He's a cross between Bill and Eric from the TrueBlood series on HBO. I'd love the man playing Eric to portray Drake. YUM!

Fighting Evil (Soul Catcher, #3) by Mary Abshire.

Half-demon Jessie Garrett's battles seem endless. While Jeremy, the demon out to win her heart, teaches her how to fight, Jessie's relationship with her vampire lover, Drake, reaches a breaking point. Adding to her struggles, she must defend her life against a group of vampires who consider her a threat to their existence. Held captive on a remote island with both Drake and Jeremy protecting her, she is tested in ways she's never imagined. Jessie fights back; only her actions do more harm than good. The group offers her a choice, but no matter what she decides, her life will change forever.


Thank you Mary for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Mary Abshire and her books, please visit her website.

Paranormal Guest Author: Charlotte Blackwell

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Charlotte Blackwell!  Charlotte is the author of Immortal Embrace, Forbidden Embrace, and Mystic Embrace.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Charlotte:  I have always been the girl who writes down her feels and even when I had trouble confronting others about my feelings, I would write them a letter (although I rarely sent them. Expressing myself in writing has always come naturally to me. I never thought that I could actually do it professionally until winter of 2009. I started working on Immortal Embrace as well as a few other stories. Realizing how much I loved it, I wanted to learn more and began to write articles and low and behold, I actually got paid for writing.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Charlotte:  I have always been interested in the paranormal, Vampires, Witches, Shape shifters, Demons anything to do with the supernatural interested me. It was only natural that I write about it, and through my research I have learned so much and am even more passionate about it now. When I was younger, my friends and I played games that involved us being supernatural beings. I have a few fun stories about those days, but I guess by writing paranormal, I am kinda relieving my youth.

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

Charlotte:  I would be a magickal Witch, because I think Witches have a bad rep. So many believe they are evil. The Witches in my novels are powerful protectors, I believe that in society today practicing Witches are misunderstood and I would love to prove those who speak poorly of them strait. As for a talent, I think I would like the talent/ability to absorb or borrow the powers of others, then I would always have something different.

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

Charlotte:  Immortal Embrace wraps the paranormal with every day challenges that young adults and even adults face through out their lives. Sophia, the protagonist struggles with heartache, sibling rivalry, acceptance, self esteem, love, and fear. These are things we all can relate too. Combining a fantasy world of supernatural beings with everyday life can help readers to relate to the characters and even feel as if they are part of the story. Plus Vampires rock :)

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

Charlotte:  Well for Sophia (a teenage Vampire) I would love my daughter Jorden to be cast, she is very talented and when writing Sophia Jorden was a huge inspiration for her (although she is a few years to young).
Nathanial (the Mortal), I picture someone like Zac Effron but maybe a little younger. I think he is a talented actor. I thought he did an amazing job in 17 again.
Ebony (The young Witch)I'm really not sure a teen version of Jada Pinket Smith or Zoe Saldena, they both have just the right amount of I don't care what you think of me attitude.
I would love Alyssa Milano to play Constance (the Vampire aunt), I just love her, and think she would suit the role perfectly.
Elijah (The Vampire, head of house/father figure) This is easy Johnny Depp, because he is Johnny Depp.
I have to admit this question was more difficult than I thought, casting for the characters I created isn't really some I have thought of. I really just consider my characters, who they are, who I created and finding someone who matches what is in my head is harder than I expected.

Immortal Embrace (Embrace, #1) by Charlotte Blackwell.

Sophia Pierce has suffered since her brother left, and is unsure if she will ever get over it. That is until her family decided to move to Wenham, Massachusetts. Her and her siblings have been ordered to protect their little sister, and must return to High school. This is where Sophia finds her soul mate Nathanial and life as she knows it is about to change.

As a vampire, Sophia has always kept to herself, but as a high school student will she learn to step out of her comfort zone a little? Sophia has found a best friend in a powerful witch and a love to call her own. That is until something tragic happens and blood is spilled. Will Sophia be able to resist the sweet scent of her beloved's blood?

This is Sophia's story, a story of a girl who finds herself, love and everlasting friendship. The excitement of this story wraps mortals, vampires, witches, and shape shifters all into a romantic tale of young love, friendship, the meaning of family. The story of a girl who tries to finds herself when she thought it was all lost.


Thank you Charlotte for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Charlotte Blackwell and her books, please visit her website.

Paranormal Guest Author: P.J. Hoover

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author P.J. Hoover!  P.J. is the author of The Forgotten Worlds series (The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, The Necropolis) and the paranormal novel Solstice.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

PJ:  I started writing after my second child was born back in 2004. I gave up watching TV about the same time, and she was a great sleeper (so unlike my first kid). Combine those two things together, and I wound up with a lot of extra time on my hands. So I figured I may as well give writing a shot. It was that or giant jigsaw puzzles. Writing works for me because I'm a pretty schedule-oriented person and can write every day as a habit.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

PJ:  My love for all things sci-fi and fantasy came from a childhood of watching Star Trek and reading Choose Your Own Adventure books, so writing something else besides science fiction and fantasy was never even discussed between the voices in my head. I couldn't be happier with all the amazing young adult paranormal stories available, and I'm thrilled to contribute to that market.

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

PJ:  Growing up, I always wanted to have special powers like a Jedi. Combine that with my love of the 1980s show The Powers of Matthew Star, and I have to go with telekinesis. The struggle, I think, would be in making sure I still actually got up to do things, rather than just doing them with my mind, but it sure would be handy when it came time to turn out the lights at night.

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

PJ:  The number one hook for SOLSTICE is how the popular genres of dystopian stories and mythology are combined. I adore the twist I put on the whole world, and I think readers will, too. And with these combined genres, the world has so much potential. SOLSTICE is where dystopia and mythology meet, and is aimed at people who love mythology and seeing it spun into a modern (or futuristic) setting.
Here's the short blurb: SOLSTICE, a debut young adult novel by P. J. Hoover, is an intensely romantic story set in a disturbing future of uncontrolled climate change, where, after 18 years of endless summer, the earth is dying a slow, hot death, and is about a young woman named Piper who opens a Pandora's box of sorts which catapults her into a modern mythological world. SOLSTICE is the first front-list title to be independently published by an Andrea Brown Literary Agency author, and is agented by Laura Rennert.

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

PJ:  I mentioned above that I stopped watching TV, but just a couple weeks ago, I started up again thanks to Game of Thrones (HBO). So, for the character of Shayne in SOLSTICE, I'll go with Jon Snow (Kit Harington) from Game of Thrones since Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) is getting a bit older now. He's the only character I have cast at this point, but hopefully I'll figure more out in the future!

Solstice by P.J. Hoover.

Where Mythology and Dystopia meet...

Piper’s world is dying. Global warming kills every living thing on Earth, and each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles which threaten to destroy humanity. Amid this Global Heating Crisis, Piper lives with her mother who suffocates her more than the chaotic climate. When her mother is called away to meet the father Piper has been running from her entire life, Piper seizes an opportunity for freedom.

But when Piper discovers a world of mythology she never knew existed, she realizes her world is not the only one in crisis. While Gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper's life spirals into turmoil, and she struggles to find answers to secrets kept from her since birth. And though she’s drawn to her classmate Shayne, he may be more than he claims. Piper has to choose whom she can trust and how she can save the people she loves even if it means the end of everything she’s ever known.


Thank you P.J. for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about P.J. Hoover and her books, please visit her website.

Cross-Novel Character Interview: Silas A Supernatural Thriller Meets Blood of Requiem

And now for something completely different...

Today we are trying something new.  We have two fabulous authors, Daniel Arenson and Robert J. Duperre, participating in a cross-novel character interview where worlds, and personalities, collide!

There has been a temporal rift in imagination’s space-time continuum.  This causes Ken Lowery and his dog, Silas, from Robert J. Duperre’s novel Silas: A Supernatural Thriller, to have a chance encounter with Gloriae, ill-tempered daughter of Dies Irae, the evil villain from Blood of Requiem, the first book of Daniel Arenson’s Song of Dragons series.  See what happens when three characters from two completely different universes meet…

Gloriae:  So... Ken.  That is what the commoners call you, yes?  Let me understand this.  You are not a warrior.  Not a king nor conqueror nor hero.  Your companion is no griffin, no dragon, not even a mighty steed.  It is but a lowly dog, a creature that begs under tables for scraps.  Why has anyone written a book about you and this flea-infested creature?  Who would want to read about two miserable, lowly beings?

Ken: Um...huh?  Someone wrote a book about me and Silas?  I thought this was an interview about me commissioning a screenplay for Dan Arenson's Blood of Requiem.  And why the hell are you talking to me like that?  Lowly, miserable?  I'm a freaking screenwriter, I'm not some "lowly being."  And why the hell are you wearing armor in the middle of summer?  Aren't you a little, er, hot?  Doesn't she look hot, Si?

Silas: Woof!

Gloriae:  Get that CREATURE off me.  Down, vermin, down!  Now. Ken Lowly, that was your name, correct?  Listen, Lowly.  I wear armor because I fight Requiem's weredragons, an ancient, shape-shifting evil.  A "screen play" for the blood of Requiem?  I do not "play" with weredragons.  Shedding the blood of Requiem is no game, Lowly.  It is a war.  A war that I and my father lead.  That is why I wear armor. This armor of steel, gold, and jewels costs more than anything you'll ever own, so tell this Silas of yours to stop drooling on it, lest I "pat" him with my sword.

Ken: Hey, enough with the attitude, huh?  Let's try to be civil here. And it's Lowery, Ken Lowery, not Lowly.  Oh, and please get that thing away from my dog.  I'm a little wary when he's around sharp objects, what with him only having one eye left and all.

So listen, if we're being civil now, what's up with this "weredragon" stuff?  Sounds pretty interesting if you ask me, even if it's a little out of this world - but believe you me, I GET out of this world. Also, I'm curious why someone as young as you would be so...mean-spirited.  Heck, you can't be more than sixteen years old! My daughter's that age, and all she can think about is texting the cute guy who sits next to her in class.  What the hell happened to you to make you so damn contemptuous?

Gloriae:  I'm eighteen.  And I envy your daughter.  I wish I could think about cute guys and be a normal girl.  But I was raised in war. The weredragons killed my mother, and many of my people, and I've been fighting them since.  They are creatures from a land called Requiem, shape shifters.  They can become dragons at will.  In the old days, they'd burn crops, and topple towers, and terrorize the empire of Osanna.  I was only a little girl in those days.  My father hunted them to near extinction, and I'm determined to find the last survivors, and to bring them to justice.  If I'm mean, and contemptuous, and cold, it is because the weredragons put hatred in my heart.  What happened to your dog's eye, Ken?  Did he lose it in battle?

Ken: Did he lose it in battle?  Well, sort of.  He was actually protecting me from a...ah, hell, it's a long story.  Let's just say that when you say "were"-something or other, I completely get what you mean.

In that vain, damn, those dragons sound like bastards.  Which is weird, because in most of the fiction I've read, dragons are honorable beings, and you calling them weredragons implies they're part human, too.  And your dad...well, let's just say that hunting ANYONE to near-extinction doesn't sound all that kosher, even if they've done some bad stuff.  You sure your daddy doesn't just have some sort of Napoleon complex?  Do you even know who Napoleon is?

Gloriae: Oh, the weredragons claim to be noble.  They call themselves Vir Requis, a horrible name that makes me shudder.  They sometimes walk around in human forms, and sometimes grow wings and scales and fly as dragons.  How can such freaks be noble?  I mean, what would you do, if you learned your dog could also take human form?  The weredragons call me a villain.  They say I'm evil for killing them off.  But I know that I'm a warrior of light, fighting to rid the world of their darkness.

Ken: If Silas could be human?  When that hap...I mean, if that happened, I'd probably love him just as much.  He's my bud, no matter what he looks like.  I'm surprised you wouldn't get something like that.  Kinda narrow minded, if you ask me.  Oh wait, that's right...you're some crazy chick wearing armor in ninety degree weather who's evading questions about her father.  Like I should expect anything more.  Right, Si?

Silas: Woof woof!

Gloriae: My father?  My father is a great emperor.  A lord of light. He taught me everything I know -- how to hate dragons, how to fight, how to kill.  Everything that I am, he made me.  I-- Oh!  Silas!  Stop licking my face.  Down, boy!  Oh dear.  His fur is soft, isn't it? All right, I'll just pat you a little... there.  You like that, mutt? I think you do.

Ken: Oh, wow.  Look at your face!  I didn't know your features could soften so much.  You almost look...feminine.  You know, you look a little like my old neighbor, Jacqueline...only if she was tall and blonde and a little scary.  I guess Silas just has that effect on people.

You know what?  Forget about the questions.  I'm not even gonna reply to your stuff about your father.  Hell, we all got Daddy issues.  I know I sure as hell do.  But I like you.  You're interesting.  Frightening...but interesting.  You'd make a fantastic character study.  Maybe, if you met the right guy, you'd even open up to the softer side of Sears, you know?  Looks like Silas sure thinks so.  I mean, my wife's the only person he nuzzles into like that...

Gloriae:  Ken, would you mind if... I took Silas for a walk?  I think he'd like to go to the park.  Ready, boy?  Come on, let's go!

Ken:  I'm not sure if that's such a great...wait a minute, where you going!  Silas, come!  Glor, where the hell you going?  Why're you walking toward that swirling blue portal?  Oh no, not again.  Silas, listen to me!

Silas: Woof!


Thank you Daniel, Robert, Gloriae, Ken, and Silas for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Daniel Arenson and his books, please visit his website and don't miss our past interviews with Daniel and his amazing characters:
Author interview with Daniel Arenson.
Character interview with Eliven (The Gods of Dream).
Character interview with Neev and Romy (Eye of the Wizard).
Character interview with Kyrie (Blood of Requiem).
E.J.'s review of Flaming Dove.

To learn more about Robert J. Duperre and his books, please visit his website and don't miss his fabulous past author interview.
Author interview with Robert J. Duperre.
E.J.'s review of The Fall.

Kiss of the Silver Wolf Giveaway Winner!

Congrats A.J. Nuest winner of our Kiss of the Silver Wolf Ebook Giveaway at From the Shadows!  A.J. will receive an ebook copy of Kiss of the Silver Wolf by Sharon Buchbinder.

Thank you to all who entered!

Don't miss our Spirit Guide Series Spooky Summer Giveaway ending July 26!

**All giveaway winners selected using Random.org**