Blogversary Book Giveaway

Happy sixth blogversary From the Shadows!  Time really does fly when you're rocking out about books.

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From the Shadows blog is SIX years old this month (wow!), and to celebrate, we're having a book giveaway.

6 Year Blogversary Giveaway

We're giving away a $6 Amazon Gift Card (or book from The Book Depository) and 6 ebooks from E.J.'s Ivy Granger urban fantasy series.

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Winner will have a choice of a $6 Amazon Gift Card or a book up to $6 value from The Book Depository.  Ivy Granger urban fantasy ebooks include, Shadow Sight, Blood and Mistletoe, Ghost Light, Club Nexus, Burning Bright, and Birthright.  Giveaway ends October 8, 2015 midnight EST.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and thank you for following!

Note: I'm at SF:SE, Speculative Fiction: Southeast, in Orlando this weekend.  I will be reading comments while I'm away, but it may take me longer than usual to respond.  I appreciate your patience!

Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Seattle with Rebecca Zanetti

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.

This week's stop is Seattle, Washington and environs, and our special guide is Rebecca Zanetti, author of the Realm Enforcers paranormal romance series, including the new release WICKED RIDE.

Rebecca's Top 5 Spooky Places in Seattle

I chose the city of Seattle for one of the settings in the Realm Enforcers because of the mystery, the oddity, and the rain that is Eastern Washington.  The dark clouds and moody weather made for a good place for the Enforcers to work and somehow remain hidden in plain sight.  There are many spooky places in Washington State, and here are just a few:

Pike’s Street Market:  I know, when you think of Pike’s Street, you think of flying fish and yummy chocolate.  But did you know that it’s actually one of the most haunted places in Seattle…and is built upon an old Indian burial ground?  Rumor has it that ghosts make appearances often—especially during the darker winter months.

The Bottomless Pit – somewhere in eastern Washington:  This is a fun one, because tons of people have supposedly seen it, and there’s even a Wikipedia listing for it.  But where is it?  It’s also called Mel’s Hole, because a guy named Mel found it and spread the word that early settlers threw cows in there, and sometimes just lowered dead animals down…and brought them back up alive.  There have been several art exhibits featuring what Mel’s Hole probably looks like.  Weird, huh?

Hotel Andra in Seattle:  The old building has 119 rooms within 10 stories and is in the middle of Seattle.  I think it was built sometime around 1926. People who have stayed there have reported loud Jazz music coming from the 9th floor, and the staff has never been able to find the source of the music.  Also, folks have reported seeing a female ghost wearing early 1900 clothing and also having their stuff moved around at night.  Creeeepy…

Thornewood Castle - located in Lakewood, Washington:  The castle is a 500 year old Tudor Gothic Historic Site.  Several folks have died there, including the original owners, and they are known to haunt the grounds.  For some reason, they seem to have an affinity for twisting lightbulbs off.

Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery:  No haunted list is complete without a cemetery mentioned, right?  The GAR is up on Capitol Hill in Seattle with more than 500 gravesites.  Rumor has it late at night; people living nearby can hear the battle cries of Civil War soldiers before they fell.

Thank you Rebecca for giving us such a haunting tour of Seattle!  

To learn more about Rebecca Zanetti and her books, please visit her website, and don't miss our interview with Rebecca Zanetti here at From the Shadows.  You can add the Realm Enforcers paranormal series here on Goodreads.

Have you ever visited Seattle, Washington?  Ever had a paranormal experience in Seattle?

What did you think of Rebecca's picks for spooky places?

On our last Paranormal Road Trip we visited Barcelona with T. Frohock.  Next week I'll be in Orlando for Speculative Fiction Southeast 2015, but the following week we'll be traveling to Wolfe Creek with Kaylie Newell.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!

Midian Unmade: Tales of Clive Barker's Nightbreed Book Giveaway

Today we have a very special book giveaway for our readers, thanks to our friends at Tor books.  Keep reading for a chance to win a hardcover copy of MIDIAN UNMADE: TALES OF CLIVE BARKER'S NIGHTBREED!

Midian Unmade: Tales of Clive Barker's Nightbreed edited by Joseph Nassise and Del Howison, (by Seanan McGuire, Amber Benson, Nancy Holder, and more)

Clive Barker's Nightbreed has been controversial since the moment it was released in a version edited by the studio and roundly condemned by Barker, who wrote and directed the movie. A virtually instant cult film based on Barker's novella Cabal, it was nominated for three Saturn Awards and won several prizes at European film festivals.

Midian Unmade tells the stories of the Nightbreed after the fall of their city, Midian. Driven from their homes, their friends and family members slain before their eyes, the monsters become a mostly-hidden diaspora. Some are hunted; others, hunters. Some seek refuge. Others want revenge.

Contributors include: Karl Alexander, author of the classic novel Time After Time; actor, writer, and director Amber Benson (Tara Maclay on Buffy the Vampire Slayer); New York Times bestselling author Nancy Holder; Hugo and John W. Campbell Award winner Seanan McGuire; Bram Stoker Award winner Weston Ochse; David J. Schow, winner of the World Fantasy Award and writer of the screenplay for The Crow; New York Times bestselling writer Stephen Woodworth; and many more--23 stories in all.

With an introduction by Clive Barker, this is an outstanding collection of original horror short stories in a dazzling variety of styles.

Release Date: July 28, 2015
Genre: Horror, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

Midian Unmade Book Giveaway

We are giving away a hardcover copy of Midian Unmade: Tales of Clive Barker's Nightbreed to one lucky winner!

To enter, please leave a comment below and include your email address so we may contact you if you win.  This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends October 7, 2015 midnight EST.

Have you ever watched Nightbreed by Clive Barker?

Q+A with Cathy Clamp (Forbidden)

Please welcome today's guest author, Cathy Clamp!  Cathy is the author of The Thrall trilogy, the Blood Singer series, the Tales of the Sazi series, and the new Sazi spin-off series Luna Lake, including the new release FORBIDDEN.

Q+A with Cathy Clamp

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Cathy:  I started pretty late in life, around 35 years old. It was sort of by accident and I discovered I was good at it.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Cathy:  I don’t know that I could write anything else. LOL! It’s sort of where my mind goes when I start imagining plots. I’ve read horror and paranormal and thrillers my whole life, so it’s what I write.

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

Cathy:  I would be a witch, closer to a Harry Potter sort who could use a wand to cast spells. I think I would probably be a Hermione, who studied everything and wanted to know all the spells. I don’t really know why. It would just be cool.

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

Cathy:  A lot of readers of the Tales of the Sazi series asked whatever happened to the children who were kidnapped. Since I was dealing with the actual battle between the Sazi council and the snake shifters causing the problems, I really didn’t get a chance to answer the questions about those who were changed against their will.

The three heroines of FORBIDDEN, ILLICIT and DENIED were some of the attack victims of the snakes. Claire Evans, the heroine of the first book, was changed into a red wolf. Rachel Washington became a Great Horned Owl, and Anica Petrovic became a black bear. Each of them has a form of PTSD and needs to find that one person who makes her feel safe and loved. :)

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

Cathy:  I always pick the people I have in mind for the character when I first start writing. I’m a visual person and I have to have them firmly in my mind before I start to write. Claire Evans was modeled after Kate Bosworth, but with shorter hair. The inspiration for Alek Siska was a hunky Canadian model named Devon from Fresh Face Male Models agency. Look them up and you’ll know sort of what they look like in my head.

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

Forbidden (Luna Lake #1) by Cathy Clamp

USA Today bestselling author Cathy Clamp reboots the Sazi universe in Forbidden, a tightly-paced, high-tension urban fantasy thriller.

Ten years have passed since the war that destroyed the Sazi Council and inflicted a horrible "cure" on thousands of Sazi, robbing them of their ability to shapeshift.

Luna Lake, isolated in Washington State, started as a refugee camp for Sazi orphans. Now it's a small town and those refugees are young adults, chafing at the limits set by their still-fearful guardians.

There's reason to fear: Sazi children are being kidnapped. Claire, a red wolf shifter, is sent to investigate. Held prisoner by the Snakes during childhood, Claire is distrusted by those who call Luna Lake home.

Before the war, Alek was part of a wolf pack in Chicago. In Luna Lake he was adopted by a parliament of Owls, defying Sazi tradition. The kidnappings are a painful reminder that his little sister disappeared a decade ago.

When Claire and Alek meet, sparks fly—but the desperate race to find the missing children forces them to set aside their mutual attraction and focus on the future of their people.

Release Date: August 18, 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

To learn more about Cathy Clamp and her books, please visit her website.  Have a question for Cathy?  Ask in the comment section below.  We love comments!

Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Barcelona with T. Frohock

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.

This week's stop is Barcelona, Spain and our special guide is T. Frohock, author of the Los Nefilim urban fantasy series, including the new release IN MIDNIGHT'S SILENCE.

Barcelona's Top 5 Spooky Places

Poltergeists, ghosts, demonic possessions—Barcelona has it all. There are numerous walking tours of Barcelona’s haunted sites. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Barcelona, yet; although, I hope to go one day and the walking ghost tours are at the top of my bucket-list.

Here are five hauntings in Barcelona that I’ve read about online:

Comte Arnau. The Comte Arnau is a famous Catalonian ghost. A rich nobleman of the 13th century, the Comte committed so many grievous sins that he was condemned to forever ride a black horse, which is chased through the night by hellhounds. Fire pours from the eyes and mouth of the Comte as he continues his sorrowful ride into eternity.

The Mercat de Sant Antoni. Here it said that death sentences were carried out for many years, and that the souls continue to cry in pain all night long. The hauntings were so real that no one would build on the site after 1855. Because no one could sell the area, the government built the market in order to utilize the vacant lot and incorporate it into the city’s landscape.

Gran Teatre del Liceu (opera house). The land where the Grand Theater at Liceu was built is rumored to have been the scene of executions during the Middle Ages. As the result of this, the ground was allegedly cursed. In spite of the legends, the Gran Teatre del Liceu was built on this very ground, and according to some, suffered the consequences for defying the curse. Built in 1847, the opera house was damaged by fire in 1861. Another incident involved anarchists in 1893—they bombed the theater and killed twenty people. In 1994, another fire completely destroyed the Gran Teatre del Liceu.

20 Carrer de Josep Torres. The house is decorated with devil’s heads, because urban legend has it that the owner, Agustín Atzerias, became bankrupt due to housing reforms. In a fit of despair, Atzerias made a deal with the devil. He sold his soul in order to win the lottery, and when he won, he decorated his home to honor his benefactor. Devils’ heads were carved in stone, and hellish scenes were painted on the walls. Sometime after Atzerias died, the paintings were removed. The sculptures remain, and according to some, Atzerias’ screams of agony haunt the house at night.

Carrer de Francisco Giner. An entire building came under paranormal attack in 1935. This attack appears to have been documented by both the press and the police, lasting for approximately one week. Numerous people heard loud noises as if something struck the walls during the night. Reports of furniture flying through the air and other nocturnal disturbances were recorded. Some believe that a child by the name of Joan Monroig, who was ill at the time, created the poltergeist that lived in the building, but no one really know for certain.

Thank you Teresa for giving us such a haunting tour of Barcelona!  

To learn more about T. Frohock and her books, please visit her website.  You can add the Lost Nefilim urban fantasy series here on Goodreads.

Have you ever visited Barcelona?  Ever had a paranormal experience in Barcelona?

What did you think of T. Frohock's picks for spooky places?

On our last Paranormal Road Trip we visited Whispering Bluff, Tennessee with Selene Charles.  Next week we'll be traveling to Seattle, Washington with Rebecca Zanetti.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!

Q+A with Julie Anne Lindsey (Goddess)

Please welcome today's guest author, Julie Lindsey!  Julie is the author of the Calypso young adult paranormal romance series, including her upcoming release GODDESS.

Q+A with Julie Anne Lindsey

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Julie:  I began writing about 6 years ago when my daughter was an infant. She kept me up all night and during the days, I homeschooled her 5 year old brother and potty trained her 2 year old brother. I was spent and desperate for something that was my own. I saw Twilight on Pay Per View and was immediately drawn in. It was the escape I needed. Afterward, I devoured the books and decided I wanted to do the same thing that author had done. I wanted to write something that would make another woman somewhere in the world smile. I wanted to give her a reprieve like Stephenie Meyer gave me. So, I opened Google and typed “How to write a book.” I’ve been trying to figure it out every day since.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Julie:  I love asking What If? A whole lot of my ideas fall into the paranormal spectrum, but I’m cautious about trying to put them on paper. I have a lot of respect for the genre and don’t want to screw it up. That said…I’m new to the industry, so I haven’t been labeled by genre or put into a brand specific cage yet. I’m still able to write whatever I want, and I do. I dabble. I’ve written in different genres as I try to find my voice, or where my style fits best in this life. The Calypso books are my first attempt at paranormal. I love mythology and saw a whole in YA where I thought my stories could fit nicely, I gave it a try. The concept behind Prophecy and Goddess is that Vikings were (are) a specific blood line of demi gods and they live among us. The thing I wanted to explore about that was: What if one young girl discovered their existence? What if she was one of them?

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

Julie:  I want the power of persuasion. If only this was an option *begs*. Here’s why: I have a hard time speaking up, fighting back and getting what I want. I’m not great at peopling, especially in person. Words only work for me on paper. Speaking gets me tongue tied and I know it, so too often I say nothing when I have something I wish I could say. I hate that about me. Not being able to defend my thoughts and opinions in the face of an adversary is the worst feeling ever. I wish I had the ability to get my thoughts into words right when I need them and to make the other person see the validity in my position.

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

Julie:  I think this is a story for readers who enjoy mythology, strong female characters and action. I’ve got true love like Princess Bride. Hot men like the CW and lots of action to pin it together.

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

Julie:  I would cast Jamie Campbell Bower as Liam and Danielle Campbell as Callie.

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

Goddess (Calypso #2) by Julie Anne Lindsey.

Two weeks ago, Callie Ingram was just another high school senior with her sights on a swimming scholarship. Now, she’s the resurrected leader of the Vikings, balancing her classes with learning mythological history—and sparring sessions with her gorgeous demigod boyfriend, Liam Hale.

When Zeus returns to collect the favor she owes him, Callie is tasked with uniting the warring Viking clans and leading them into battle against Gaia’s frost giants. If she fails, everything she risked her life for will be destroyed…and her best friend will die. But one teenage girl rallying all of the vengeful clans won’t be easy. And things only get more complicated when a new prophecy puts her future with Liam at risk. Now, Callie will not only have to win the battle, but she’ll have to take the fate of her heart into her own hands.

Release Date:  October 13, 2015
Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Add to Goodreads.

To learn more about Julie Anne Lindsey and her books, please visit her website.

Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Whispering Bluff with Selene Charles

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.

This week's stop is Whispering Bluff, Tennessee and our special guide is Selene Charles, author of the Tempted urban fantasy series, including the new release FORBIDDEN.

Whispering Bluff's Top 5 Spooky Places

1. The Whispering Bluff Park.  A place of such serene natural beauty, oaks and maple trees tower high into the sky. A natural pond full of koi fish, and idyllic trails for the walking enthusiasts is what you see when you first get to the park. But what the locals know and none of the guidebooks warn you about is that the place is haunted by the souls of the five dead girls who’d been murdered by a serial killer. A killer who’s never been caught, but rumor has it that on still, silent nights you can sometimes hear the wailing cries of the victims whispering their killer’s name.

2. Whispering Bluff High School.  Yeah, the school. Just like with the rest of the town first appearances are entirely deceptive. This school isn’t just run by the geeks, jocks, and cheerleaders. But hidden in plain sight roam monsters. Word of caution, if you see someone wearing sunglasses in class, look the other way. You’ve been warned.

3. Carnival Diabolique.  A roving carnival with some of the most amazing acrobatics, flyers, and magicians around. There’s just one thing about these sideshow freaks the pamphlets failed to warn you about, every last one of them is a demon. Better make sure you’ve been a good boy or girl before you decide to visit though, as the demons have been known to make a light snack of those full of too much sin.

4. The hole.  A quarry on the outskirts of town, just a giant hole with water in it the local boys and girls like to take a dip in on really muggy Tennessee nights. But that hole is deep and hides secrets that would terrify most.

5. The abandoned tire manufacturing spot on Main street.  Taken over by a gang of monsters known only as hive, the Queen has a penchant for concocting freaky science experiments in her makeshift lab, and in order to create her army she needs bodies. Lots of bodies. Is there a correlation between the serial killings and the Hive? Possibly. But that’s a secret the Queen will take to her grave.

Thank you Selene for giving us such a haunting tour of Whispering Bluff!  

To learn more about Selene Charles and her books, please visit her Goodreads author page.  You can add the Tempted urban fantasy series here on Goodreads.

Have you ever visited Tennessee?  Ever had a paranormal experience in Tennessee?

What did you think of Selene's picks for spooky places?

On our last Paranormal Road Trip we visited New Harbor with Matthew Quinn Martin.  Next week we'll be traveling to Barcelona with T. Frohock.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!

Q+A with Joey W. Hill (Vampire Queen)

Please welcome today's guest author, Joey W. Hill!  Joey is the author of the VAMPIRE QUEEN paranormal romance series.

Q+A with Joey W. Hill

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Joey:  I began writing in 5th grade and was penning all sorts of romances by middle school, both fantasy and contemporary. I’d pass scenes to friends during class and they’d write feedback on them. My first critics and editors! I still have a pencil-drawn map I created of one of my fantasy worlds, as well as a particularly enthusiastic note a friend wrote to me during class. She was sure my books would earn a MILLION dollars (lots of exclamation points). Nothing like the unrealistic zeal yet invaluable support of good friends (lol).

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Joey:  I was a big fantasy reader as a kid. C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, Lloyd Alexander’s Taran Wanderer series and The Story of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Howard Pyle were some of my earliest favorite reads. Then I progressed to Stephen Donaldson (Thomas Covenant Chronicles), Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mercedes Lackey and Katherine Kurtz, to name a few. So I always had a passion for the fantasy genre, especially when a strong love story or romantic elements were involved. The first book I completed and published, Guardians of the Continuum, was what was called a “fantasy-romance” at that time (paranormal and urban romance hadn’t yet been “discovered” – at least by publishers!).

While it was my contemporary romances that established my career from there, when that landed me a contract with a NY publisher, they wanted a paranormal romance proposal. I automatically went toward vampires. I’d always wanted to explore the Dominant/submissive elements of the vampire-servant relationship, so the Vampire Queen series was born. The Daughters of Arianne series (mermaid/angels) and Arcane Shot series (witches/sorcerers) came on the heels of that, though the vampires have remained my most popular BDSM paranormal romance series to date.

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

Joey:  I’d be Nightcrawler in the X-Men comics. A female version, because I really like being a girl (grin). The teleportation thing is awesome. It would make traveling way faster and easier. For one thing, my husband and I wouldn’t argue who should be behind the wheel (and who should try to direct things from the passenger seat). Plus, if I was ever in a scary situation, I could get myself and loved ones out of that situation in a blink – literally – since Nightcrawler can grab onto anyone near him and teleport them as well. Just as a side note, I really like the actor who played him in X-Men 2. He’s probably the main reason I think of that as my favorite paranormal character and desired supernatural talent.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy the latest book in the Vampire Queen series.

Joey:  Lord Uthe, a member of the Vampire Council, is a “former” Templar Knight. However, that’s a lot like calling someone a former SEAL or a former Marine – if the calling is true, they never stop identifying with the code of that service. Uthe has always tried to honor the spirit of the Templar Rule, despite the politically volatile and highly sexual world of the vampires. Yet now the Fae Lord Keldwyn, who’s the liaison between the Fae Court and the Vampire Council, is not only challenging Uthe’s dominant nature, but his emotional isolation as well. In short, he’s being very distracting with all his long dark hair, Fae magic and not-so-subtle attempts to get Uthe into bed.

They end up pursuing a quest in the Fae world to honor a promise Uthe made centuries ago that could affect both their worlds. Of course, to me, that’s just window trapping drama--blah-blah-action-plot-blah. The best part of the story is exploring their relationship and how two apparently Dominant males will resolve all that erotic tension and emotional build-up!

Okay, I admit, it was pretty cool to integrate the Templar history into this story and figure out how being a Templar would have worked for a vampire knight. Then there’s the cross section of the Fae and vampire worlds and the different twists that can provide. But still… the hot and erotic male/male BDSM romance elements – that’s really what caught your attention, wasn’t it? If you were like “you had me at male/male, BDSM and paranormal”, then we’re all good, right?

Seriously, I hope you all like the sound of that. The great thing about the Vampire Queen series is that every book can take me in a fresh direction. I’ve had M/f, M/f/M and F/m protagonists, depending on the book. While I’ve had the pleasure of writing Male/male for other series, this will be my first M/M in this series (aside from some heavy m/m dynamics in the ménage a trois stories).

If you’ve never read any of my Vampire Queen series, you can read blurbs and excerpts here, as well as find out which books can standalone or need a prequel for full enjoyment. The Night’s Templar is a standalone, but I recommend reading at least a couple books in the series first so you have a basic familiarity with the Vampire Queen world. Free excerpt for The Night’s Templar is here.

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

Joey:  I’d cast James Purefoy (Ironclad, Knight’s Tale, etc) as Uthe, and Pedro Pascal (Oberyn in Game of Thrones) as Keldwyn. James has done several knightly roles in movies and he does them very well, emanating the reserved demeanor, courage and intrinsic honor that Uthe has. And the Oberyn character in Game of Thrones had the grace and intensity that I see in Keldwyn. He might look a little older than the Fae does, since Fae are pretty much timeless, but when I’m “casting” I tend to look more for the spirit of the character than an exact match in looks. While someone in a photo might look exactly like I pictured my character, often when I hear them talk, see their body language or overall demeanor, it’s not a match at all. I’ve been building a Pinterest wall for this book, so you can see some of what I’m imagining there.

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

The Vampire Queen's Servant (Vampire Queen #1) by Joey W. Hill.

Lady Elyssa Yamato Amaterasu Wentworth is a centuries-old vampire who's been given a new servant - Jacob, a total alpha male unaccustomed to submitting to any woman's wishes. What really binds Jacob to her are not her sensual midnight hungers, but something far more provocative. It stirs her blood, renews her life, and awakens her soul like only true love can. The passion between Elyssa and Jacob yields something else unexpected - a shared history that reaches back through the centuries and is fated to challenge their destiny like nothing ever will again.

Release Date: July 2007
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Add to Goodreads.

To learn more about Joey W. Hill and her books, please visit her website.  Have a question for Joey?  Ask away in the comment section below.  We love comments!