A Giveaway and Excerpt from Family Magic, A Guest Post by Patti Larsen

Sixteen-year-old Sydlynn Hayle is the daughter of a powerful witch and a demon lord of the seventh plane. The trouble is, she just wants to be ordinary. Syd struggles to survive the minefield of her new high school while being torn between her attraction to football hero Brad Peters and the darkly mysterious Quaid Moromond. When her coven comes under attack, Syd is forced to face the fact she is a witch and only her power can save her family’s magic.

In this excerpt, Syd’s father Harathazar has just been summoned to renew his bond with her coven and family. The ceremony has ended and Syd can’t wait to escape. Her mother has something else in mind…

“Thank you for your enthusiastic participation, young lady.” Mom tried very hard to be stern, but she didn’t do stern very well. It came across as huffy.

“You're welcome.”

Her eyes flashed fire, normal Mom fire, not the magic stuff. Dad chuckled. She spun on him. He held up his hands for protection.

“Miriam,” he started.

“Harry!” She finished.

It dissolved into them sweetly gazing at each other. Would my time in family hell never end?

“Can I go?” I glared back and forth between them. “I have homework.”

Mom crossed her arms over her chest.

“You would think you didn’t want to see your father, Sydlynn.”

“Mom… ”

“Of course she does,” Dad said, “don’t you, Syd?”

“I love seeing you, Dad.” I really meant it. 

Mom softened a little, but I knew the dangerous stuff was still to come. The crying and yelling stuff. To be honest, it was getting to the point where I hardly listened anymore.  The same old, same old. And yet, there was obviously more ammunition on the way. I braced myself for the guilt trip and held on.

“This ceremony is very important to the family. You know that.”

“Yes, Mother.” She hated it when I called her Mother. What was wrong with me? I was only making things worse for myself, prolonging my grief. I zipped up and hoped she’d give me a pass.

She glared as I shifted from one foot to the other, hoping the expression on my face radiated innocence.

No such luck.

“And yet again, you have this… attitude.”

I gritted my teeth and tried to keep a calm expression. More attitude would make her crazy and I’d end up grounded or a frog or something. 

Unfortunately, my brain and my mouth had a miscommunication.

“Yeah, Mom,” I said. “It’s called ‘I don’t give a crap.’”

Mom’s face crumpled. Oh damn, the waterworks. My mother was a freaking supernatural faucet.

She reached out and brushed her fingertips over my cheek. “You have been fighting your power your whole life. Would it hurt you to participate just once? We’re your family, honey.”

“We’ve had this conversation.” I tried to keep my voice low and rational and succeeded not badly. “You know I don’t want to be a witch. If you would let me give up my powers now instead of making me wait until I’m eighteen, you wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.”

Mom’s eyes brimmed. “So this is my fault? I’m a terrible mother for bringing you into the world, for cursing you to be a witch and not letting you go?”

“Oh, for… seriously, Mom, this is getting so old.” The drama was far too familiar and wore me thin. I tried to take a step back, but her power caught and held me. No way! I struggled against her, furious.

“Let go!”

“How can I let you go?” She cried, tears coursing in elegant lines down her flawless face. How could she be so perfect in everything, even crying? My anger cranked up a notch.

“If you really loved me, you would.”

Mom looked like I slapped her. I’d never used that line before and wished I could take it back, especially since Dad’s expression matched my mom’s. As a matter of fact, so did my little sister Meira’s.

“Miriam, Syd, I think that’s enough.” Dad slid an arm around Mom while my sister leaned into his free side. Talk about a united front. I felt like a huge wall stood between them and me and knew I was as responsible for its construction as they were.

Mom cried openly. For the first time she was a real person in real pain. I felt like crap, but I was determined to keep the ground I gained. This was my chance to cut myself free.

“Is it really that horrible?” Mom’s eyes were red rimmed. I’d pay for that. “Being what we are?”

“I don’t want to be what you are,” I said, voice barely registering calm. Barely.

“Why not?” Mom’s confusion was genuine. I knew that. 

I had two choices. I could go easy on her and lie about how I really felt like I always did. Or, I could open my big mouth and say the exactly the wrong thing, purposely breaking her heart.

Guess which one I picked.

“I don’t want to be a monster!”

I thought Mom was stunned before. Dad reached for me, but dropped his hand. Meira started to cry.

“Syd,” Dad whispered, “whatever gave you the impression you were a monster?”

Was he serious? Had he looked in the mirror lately?

“Dad,” I stretched out the word, trying to add weight to it, to make him understand.  “You are a demon. Exactly where is the descriptive confusion here?”

Dad didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. I was on a bridge-burning roll, uh-huh. Might as well finish the demolition and ride the flames like a cleansing pyre.

“I hate what we can do. I hate the way it feels and I want out! Why can’t you understand that?” 

I totally lost my temper. Bad to worse in a mere instant. Why did Mom have to pick right then to challenge me?  Why couldn’t she let it go like she always did? I wasn’t prepared for this conversation, especially not with her. It would have been easier with just my dad and me. I could have made him understand. But my mom and I knew each other’s buttons and which ones were atomic.

Case in point.

Dad gave me the Father face, the angry Father face. I knew I finally found his button, too.

“I want you to apologize to your mother, young lady. This is hard enough on her as it is.”

Hard on my mother?  Hard on my mother?! I am embarrassed to admit I suddenly and completely lost it. I dropped my robe on the floor in front of them with deliberate determination and crossed my arms over my chest.

“You have me until I’m eighteen. You know what happens then. You’ve always known.  When the choice is mine, I’m done with magic, once and for all. If that means I’m done with you too, I guess that’s the way it has to be. End of story.”

I turned and walked away. I actually walked away. When I hit the bottom step, my heart was breaking, but I would not give in. Would not. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, breathing a little heavy, not wanting to look back. But I did in the end, if only for one reason. Dad, his power to remain on our plane almost used up, would be leaving soon, and I wanted to at least let him know I wasn’t angry with him.

“Nice to see you, Dad,” I said and left.

Now for the exciting part: Family Magic is being released October 15th and I’m giving away three ecopies to readers of this blog! Simply comment below (please include your email so I can reach you) why you’d love to read this book. That’s it!

Thanks again to ParaYourNormal for having me. Happy reading!

About the Author: Patti Larsen is a middle grade, young adult and adult author with a passion for the paranormal who writes a whole lot of thrillers for someone who is afraid of the dark. Her YA thriller series, The Hunted, is available on Amazon.com. Her YA paranormal series, The Hayle Coven Novels, begin their release on October 15th with Family Magic. Her middle grade novel, The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House comes this spring from Acorn Press. She lives on the East Coast of Canada with her very patient husband and four massive cats.

You can find her:

On her blog: http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

On her book blog: http://pattilarsenbooks.blogspot.com/

On Facebook: http://facebook.com/pattilarsenauthor

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/PattiLarsen

And on Amazon.com:  http://tinyurl.com/66v2gmo

Interview with Elaine Bergstrom

So tell us a little bit about you. What makes you tick?

The creative process. I've written my entire life...from ads to novels. I carry on dialog in my head. As I get older, I also seem to be doing that out loud. It sometimes concerns me.

How long have you been writing and who or what inspired you to write?

I've been writing since I was 7. I have a degree in journalism, but creative writing didn't really start until I was in my 40s. My first novel, Shattered Glass, was my first piece of fiction beyond some rough short stories.

Now on to the important bit, your book. Can you tell us about it?

Shattered Glass was first published in 1987, and reissued uncut late last year after I decided to take my career into my own hands. I went with the old advice "write what you know...or something you are really fascinated by" and did a novel set in my childhood home and hometown of Cleveland, about an immortal living and hiding in our world who begins a passionate love affair with a young human woman who, he discovers, has the capacity to save his race--if he can protect her and her family from one of his own bent on destroying her if he must, as a way to die. It was one of the first vampire romances, with a strong theme of addiction, as at the time my then husband had just gone through rehab and I was attending a lot of la-anon meetings.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?

For the most part these are something the publisher does...and usually a pleasant surprise, though my third book, with just a pair of big red lips and fangs was playing off "Sunglasses After Dark" and not, to me, in a good way.

When I reissued print versions of Glass and released the latest novel Beyond Sundown, I had to do my own covers and called on a co-worker to work with me. Karen did as good a job as any publisher's artist.

This is not my forte, so I am thankful I had someone to work with me on this.

Do you have plans for more books?

Absolutely. Another in the Austra series, then I am plotting a long historical novel set in Russia. It's going to be work as I work hard to get historical facts correct.

Which comes first the character or the plot?

That depends on the book, though I will say, now that I know my characters, they come first.

Describe your main characters in a single word.

Survivors.

Okay, now can you tell us more about them?

Beautiful, powerful, charismatic and, though they would deny this at length, sensitive and highly moral.

What is your favorite scene?

Near the end of Glass, the protagonist Charles, begins to mentally assault his brother Stephen, by torturing those Stephen has sworn to protect, including a long scene with a couple in a hotel room which has been described as "one of the most horrific scenes in vampire literature." As one fan told me, "you raped me, too...I loved it!" On the other hand, I've had someone go to great lengths to give the book one star on Amazon and accused me of writing "Torture porn"--I intended it to be erotic but was very careful to keep it R rather than X rated. On the other hand, I don't think his comments are hurting my sales, either.

Where can readers connect with you?

Elainebergstrom.com, there is an email address there, too.

Where can readers purchase your book?

On my site, or at Amazon in either print or kindle versions.


A big thank you to Elaine for the interview! We will be chatting with her Wednesday at 3:30 PST. You can set a reminder for the show here.

Review of Out in Blue

This story takes flight from the beginning and spirals up, up and away, immediately drawing the reader into a magical worls. The main characters are fantastic, immediately likeable and quickly feel like old friends. The story flows flawlessly and is difficult to put down. While the primary story wraps itself up, there is also an 'open door' left for a potential series--something that this reader will be sure to watch for to again become lost in the magical world Ms. Gilman has created.

4/5 stars

Reviewed by Jennifer Bacile, PYN Reviewer

What Part of Paranormal Peaks Your Interest: A Guest Post by T.M. Hobbs

I suppose this is a legitimate question which could be asked of every writer who has written a paranormal romance.  My answer would have to be in the definition of paranormal itself - unable to be explained or understood in terms of scientific knowledge.

I find it a challenge to try and come up with scenarios that are unique or that do not quite fit the mold everyone is used to in the paranormal community.  However, when I wrote my first novel length book, Wings of Fate, which was published by The Writer's Coffee Shop in March of 2011, I did use a familiar characterization, that being werewolves. 

For me, the werewolf has always held a certain fascination.   The ability to change from a human form into that of a wolf is intriguing.  That coupled with the creature's seeming oneness with nature is what prompted me to use this particular element when writing my book.

Early on in the book, I needed to develop a past, a back story, for the group of people I was centering my story around, which were the Woodland Cree People in Canada.  I needed this story or legend if you will, to tie the past to the present. 

In doing so, I created the legend of Mahihkan (wolf) and the Maiden.  The Maiden finds the injured wolf and takes him into her home.  Although food is scarce, she shares what she has with the wolf.

He has no way to repay her other than; well here are some excerpts from Wings of Fate to further explain:

“As he began to heal, Mahihkan wanted to repay the young woman’s kindness and generosity, but the only thing he could offer her was himself.  So he lay down beside her each night and kept her warm with his thick fur.

“In time, Mahihkan found that he had feelings for the young maiden, but he was at a loss what to do, for he was a wolf and she was a young woman.  So he limped outside one night, leaving his companion’s side only briefly and howled up at the moon, hoping Kisemanito, The Great Creator, would hear his plea.

“Kisemanito looked down upon Mahihkan with kindness and asked, ‘what do you seek my son?’ Mahihkan answered that he had fallen in love with the young maiden and wanted to be with her.  He wanted to be her lover.  Kisemanito took pity upon Mahihkan and saw that his heart was pure and full of love for the young woman who had cared for him, in turn He granted his request, but only until the night of the seven moons, which gave him three days to be with the young maiden."

When I wrote this, I experienced such an overwhelming satisfaction that I had written a legend, one that might have been told by an ancient people and handed down from generation to generation as most legends or fables are.  Although this is a fictional tale, it felt real to me and that is what I hope my readers will feel when they are reading, not only this legend, but the rest of my book as well.

The legend of Mahihkan (wolf) and the Maiden, however, enabled me to bring meaning and reason to why my characters turned into wolves.  I did not want them to be blood thirsty, wretched creatures whose only objective in life was to take lives.  I wanted their existence in my novel to have meaning.

I have not only been fortunate to have my book, Wings of Fate, published, but I also have two other short stories available in e-book format.  My first short story, Crystal Tears Forever, a sci-fi romance, was published by Books to Go Now in November of 2010, followed by my second short story, Born Free, a romance about taking the chance of a life time and finding happiness, also published with Books to Go Now in April of 2011.

My second novel length book, To Cry For Dakota, is slated for release in late December.  It too is being published by The Writer's Coffee Shop.

If you are looking for a copy of one or more of the titles I have mentioned above, you may find them at the following locations:

Wings of Fate
TWCS Publishing House
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Crystal Tears Forever
Books to Go Now
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Born Free
Books to Go Now
Amazon
Barnes & Noble








My books can also be found on Android Market, LibraryBin with Overdrive Library, LuLu Marketplace. I hope you will pick up a copy today.

Thanks ParaYourNormal for having me as a guest blogger.

Interview with Sarah Gilman

So tell us a little bit about you. What makes you tick?

Well, I'm a quiet girl from a no-stoplight town in Vermont. The town could be smaller and I wouldn't mind one bit. I find it difficult to talk about myself *grin*

How long have you been writing and who or what inspired you to write?

I've been writing seriously for two years. I've always been a creative person, doing better in English than in Math in school, and I used to be a serious musician. After a few years at an unfulfilling, highly stressful day, job I needed a creative outlet and began writing, something I've been meaning to do since elementary school. Not long after that, I read about how one of my favorite authors had gotten her start. Inspired, I joined a critique group for the first time and began the path to publication. So, you could say my being here now is Jeaniene Frost's fault. *wink*

Now on to the important bit, your book. Can you tell us about it?

Out in Blue is a paranormal romance featuring angels and demons. In this world, fallen archangels are hunted for their feathers by human poachers and protected by demons. Both hated by humans, the fallen angels and demons joined forces for survival. The love story is between a woman who was raised by a demon, and a half-human, half-archangel hero. The romance is fast paced and focuses on the idea that love can happen fast and hard, when the right two people come together. I am a believer in true love and love at nearly first sight, and these particular characters are the embodiment of that.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?

My cover was designed by Heather Howland of Entangled Publishing. My title came from a couple different inspirations, including Owl City, the primary playlist I listened to, and a video game called Lost in Blue that took place on a remote island surrounded by endless blue ocean. Flying is another form of being surrounded by blue!

Is this your first book?

Yep.

Do you have plans for more?

Oh yes. I'm currently working on the next book in the series!

Which comes first the character or the plot?

I focus heavily on plot, but there would be no plot without the characters. Once I get a sense of who they are, the plot follows.

Describe your main characters in a single word.

Lovey.

Okay, now you can tell us more about them?

Wren and Ginger embrace love when they find it, rather than fight it, and overcome the many hurdles in the plot together, instead of fighting against each other. Both have dealt with difficult circumstances in their lives prior to the beginnings of the story, and are survivors to the core.

What do you think about book trailers?

I love them. I am skeptical about their value as a means of selling copies of books, but I can't get over the power of images and music.

What is your favourite scene?

There are several! But I particularly like a scene set on the top of a broadcast tower. Not a setting I get to use every day, and where else would an archangel stop to rest?

Where can readers connect with you?

Author website: http://www.sarahgilmanbooks.com/
Twitter
Facebook
Blog
Goodreads

Where can readers purchase your book?

Out in Blue is available in many stores. A complete list can be found here

Winner Announcement

This week's winner of a copy of Bloodstone by Nancy Holzner is....

Anna!

Congratulations to our winner, and be sure to check back every Monday for a new chance to win a free read!

Review of A Life Transparent

A Life Transparent

Reviewed by Jennifer Bacile

This book by Todd Keisling starts slowly; however, once I adjusted to the unique concept, the book quickly sucked me in.  I must confess, it’s the first book I have read in a while that kept me fighting to keep my eyes open to find out what would happen next.  An original, somewhat terrifying concept that not only makes you reflect on your own life, but question your own “settling”.  After finishing this book, I was left with a resolve to not settle for the mediocre and to go after what I want in life with voracity.  I doubt Mr. Keisling intended his excellent tale as a ‘kick in the pants’ to his readers, but it was a good kick in the pants to have, from an unexpected place.