Showing posts with label J.D. Stroube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J.D. Stroube. Show all posts

Saturday, 24 September 2011

Halloween Blog Hop



With Halloween just around the corner, I've teamed up with eight other authors for an international blog hop. Join us in the Halloween fun while these talented thriller, horror, paranormal, and YA fantasy authors tease us, thrill us, and share their darkest fears.

This spooktacular event starts October 1st and runs until Halloween. There are well over 50 books to giveaway (mostly ebooks but some paperbacks as well) so there are lots of chances to win! 


If you like books that scare, books that bite, books you have to read with the lights on, we've got your Halloween scare covered!


Here is a list of the participating authors (and their links):

Nicholas Olivo
J.L. Murphey
J.D. Stroube
Lisa McCourt Hollar
Weston Kincade
Douglas Durow
Jim Bronyaur 
Nina Perez
Angel Haze 

Scroll down to enter!

Prizes:

Bloodletter by Angel Haze (Thriller)

Thou shalt not kill.

A contradictory message written in blood at the scene of a young woman's murder. Within days, another body surfaces with a similar calling card and, to Detective Ramon Faust and Criminalist Kelly Garret, it's clear a deadly game is underfoot.

As the rash of horrific crimes continue, a phone call unearths a shocking revelation: Nakeita isn't the first city the elusive killer has left his mark. The Bloodletter, as dubbed by the media, has played his deadly game before.

Delving deep into the most terrifying case of Kelly's career, threatening phone calls and flashbacks of a forgotten near-death experience challenge her sanity and the lives of everyone she loves.




Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch by Angel Haze (YA Fantasy)



Debonair, a witch from the Unspoken-of Lands, has meddled in the forbidden practice of magic and created an army of nightmarish proportions. When sixteen-year-old Astanyx and his two best friends return from a hunting trip to find their small town of Polca reduced to smoke and ash, they find themselves thrust into a battle for which they haven’t been trained.

With the help of his comrades, including an esteemed warrior, one of the last great wizards and a princess they’ve sworn to protect, Astanyx must fight to unite the kingdoms of the humans, dwarves and elves. He must ask forbidden questions that no one wants to answer, questions about Talimura’s dark history. As Debonair’s brutal warriors lay siege to the kingdoms, Astanyx is driven to pursue a fateful quest for a blade powerful enough to defeat the malevolent witch before she destroys the three kingdoms and unleashes an unspeakable ancient evil.




 Imperium by Nicholas Olivo (Urban Fantasy)

Vincent Corinthos leads a triple life. As a secret agent, he handles paranormal threats; as a god, he protects his followers from evil forces; as a stock clerk, he keeps the back room of an antique store tidy.

When one of his fellow agents goes missing, Vincent begins with the usual suspects. His investigation reveals that Boston’s latest supernatural threat is also waging war on his followers, and has diabolic intentions for the city’s paranormal citizens.

Now, with the aid of a new partner and a gremlin, Vincent must locate the missing agent, defend his followers and learn the identity of his adversaries before they can revive a malevolent force that’s been dormant since World War II.




 Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption by J. L. Murphey (Horror)

Dr. Donna Cairn is a genetics researcher for the Center of Disease Control. When the CDC issued the Zombie Apocalypse Alert, she discounted it as a way of advertising hurricane preparedness. When a conspiracy buff working with her in the silo speaks to her about the debunked Hapgood theory of Earth Crust Displacement, she again discounts it as just that some wacko, paranoid rambling. But when radiation levels after the Japanese earthquakes starting rising, all bets were off.

Simple dog bite patients are dying from a mysterious fever. Bodies start coming up missing from the morgues across the globe. When the death count reaches over one quarter of the world’s population dying due to this new plague, the CDC sends their best virologist, Kit Seger, to help Donna in her quest of finding the virus in her converted missile silo laboratory in Nebraska.

The dead have risen and hunger for human flesh. She never believed in zombies before, but now she believes in them. Can she and Kit find the cure before mankind becomes extinct? How do you cure people who are already dead? And better yet, how do you kill the dead?

Can it be that Donna’s unborn niece and nephew are the answer? With the earthquakes rumbling, zombies at the gate, and time running out will they find what they are looking for? Man can only hope.


Caged in Darkness by J.D. Stroube (Urban Fantasy)


A witch raised in a cage of darkness...

Savannah Cross was born into a life of isolation and abuse. As a child, she witnessed her parents perform acts of malevolent evil, and now feels permanently tainted by their dark deeds.

When a coven discovers a tear stricken child, wounded on their elders lawn, they offer her a sanctuary she has never known. Savannah spends the next several years shattered, continuously looking over her shoulder, waiting for the darkness to claim her.

On her 16th birthday, Savannah’s life takes a drastic turn.She is consumed by overwhelming power that forever alters her emotionally and physically.

She must choose between two loves; the one who taught her to smile or the darkly seductive stranger who tempts her towards another path. Savannah must decide between the coven that was her haven and another one vying for her initiation. Just as Savannah begins to grasp what fate has in store for her, an evil looms over her loved ones; coming to claim an unbreakable debt.

How will she choose and survive the greatest evil she has ever witnessed... long enough to have a choice to make?

 Halloween Frights by Lisa McCourt Hollar (Short-Story Collection)


Halloween Frights is collection of Halloween stories and other paranormal tales. It starts with my poem, Joe's Night Out and includes such stories as Happy Halloween, Taxidermy Nightmare and Dolly. The collection concludes with Vampire's Hollow, a new story that proceeds events in The Legend Of Greystone, which is to be released in 2012.













Invisible Dawn by Weston Kincade (Science Fiction)


To keep a promise and save his long-lost goddaughter, computer programmer Jedd Altran sacrificed everything, including his wife and newborn son. Now, they must pass through worlds far different than their own to escape the clutches of government killers.

In a world where rare individuals have evolved, the government kidnaps specific children to study and utilize their abilities. Madelin has been imprisoned in such a facility for thirteen years and suffers from medically induced amnesia. Facing a hopeless future, haunted dreams, and an invisible past, each morning is an Invisible Dawn and life holds no meaning, until she meets Jedd. Her newly discovered godfather becomes her beacon in tumultuous seas as they strive to find answers and allies.

On the run from PASTOR Agency’s first trained shifter, an egotistical man with power hungry desires, Madelin and her godfather find their lives intertwined with a broke Cajun gambler, an ex-mercenary in search of redemption, and a rebellious Vampire.

Can they survive nature's mysteries and humanity’s greed? Will they find salvation? Only a Darwinian victory will do, but even that may prove futile.



A Life of Death by Weston Kincade (YA Fantasy)



Certain aspects of life's journey go unquestioned by most people like the love of family and supporting friends, but many adolescents are lost in a tumultuous sea of storms, their journey through life a collection of daily hardships and twists of a metaphorical knife in the gut. With no clue whether a buoy or life raft will drift his way, Alex unknowingly seeks escape, meaning, family, a destiny, or even a shove in the right direction. Then, sixteen days of reliving people's traumatic murders and one research project teach him the meaning of love, fate, confidence, and purpose.

A paranormal coming-of-age mystery about one boy's pain and hardship endured in a small Virginia town. Losing a father and growing up with an abusive, drunk replacement is hard enough, but when you hardly knew the first because of his constant military deployment, it alters your perspective. As a seventeen-year-old high school senior, Alex Drummond learns the value of family and the meaning of dedication the hard way, but reliving people's horrendous murders does have its upside. Join him as he struggles to find his destiny, understand love, and discover what really happened to his father and the skeletons hiding within his small home town.


 The Ninth District by Douglas Dorow (Thriller)



The Federal Reserve has never been robbed.

FBI Special Agent Jack Miller, pulled into a high-profile case to mentor a new agent, finds himself in a clash with the toughest opponent of his career. The chase culminates in the bowels of the city, in the storm sewers and tunnels beneath The Ninth District Federal Reserve of Minneapolis.










 In the Corner by Jim Bronyaur (Thriller)



Three stories in Jim Bronyaur's debut book that explore the mind and supernatural.

When the Stars Fade - A geeky computer technician finds himself on the receiving end of a brutal beating when the stars, one by one, begin to disappear as something moves in from the woods. Is the dark movement here to save him? Or end his suffering?

The Second That Burns - Meet Trevor, an unlikely survivor of a horrific car accident that found him on the wrong end of a police chase. Now he carries the guilt and scars of living, desperate for death. His only chance at surviving is Dr. Philips. The question is – can Dr. Philips save Trevor before it’s too late?

The Wrong Side of the Tracks - Taking a road trip before his band, Butler, goes into the studio, Evan and his girlfriend, Barbara, hit the road. But the road they’re on is changing, literally. They soon find themselves in a small town where nothing feels or looks right… because everything keeps changing. Now they only have one thing in mind – getting out...



 Rebirth: The Twin Prophecies by Nina Perez (YA Fantasy)



High school sophomores Violet Ross and Jack Morrow don’t know each other, but they have similar secrets: she can feel the emotions of others and when he touches people, he can see their future. A tragic accident thrusts them into a world where they learn an even bigger secret: all the mythical beings they believed to be fictional are real.

Guided by prophecies predicting the end of the world, the mysterious Dr. Tesla - who leads an alliance of supernatural beings - helps Jack and Violet come to terms with this secret world, control the growing powers within them, and face an unspeakable evil determined to possess their very souls.





**Note: All books are available as ebooks. Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption, A Life of Death, and Invisible Dawn are also available in paperback to US Residents. Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch is available in paperback for CAN residents.





This is the official page, the one and only place to enter our giveaway.

 

 

To enter, just leave a comment and give your first three choices. Add extra points (maximum of 5) if you:

+1 point: Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect
+1 point: Follow me on Twitter @AngelHaze7
+1 point: Follow the blogs of two of the participating authors (state which ones)
+1 point: Tweet about this giveaway and link back
+1 point: Blog about this giveaway and link back

For every 25 people that enter, I will add another ebook of Bloodletter or Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch to the prize list.

Make a comment for each entry. Ends October 31st, 2011. Good luck!


Happy Halloween!






Tuesday, 16 August 2011

Interview with an Author: J.D. Stroube


Because I love showcasing the amazing talent of all the indie authors out there, please welcome J.D. Stroube and her debut urban fantasy , CAGED IN DARKNESS. To learn more about this author, her inspiration, marketing plan, and her upcoming releases, read on!



J.D. Stroube is a debut author, who released her first novel on August 1st. Caged will be her first series. J.D. will be coming out with three more series and a stand alone novel within the next year and a half. 

She is a psychology major, who attends Roosevelt University and intends to open her own practice in the future. She lives in Naperville with her husband and is extremely close to her family. She began telling people stories when she was three years old. Although, those stories mostly consisted of scribbles on the back of menus. She began writing short stories at age six and her first novel at 12, which was a horror story that was accidentally tossed with the trash.

 

A witch raised in a cage of darkness...

Savannah Cross was born into a life of isolation and abuse. As a child, she witnessed her parents perform acts of malevolent evil, and now feels permanently tainted by their dark deeds.

When a coven discovers a tear stricken child, wounded on their elders lawn, they offer her a sanctuary she has never known. Savannah spends the next several years shattered, continuously looking over her shoulder, waiting for the darkness to claim her.

On her 16th birthday, Savannah’s life takes a drastic turn.She is consumed by overwhelming power that forever alters her emotionally and physically.

She must choose between two loves; the one who taught her to smile or the darkly seductive stranger who tempts her towards another path. Savannah must decide between the coven that was her haven and another one vying for her initiation. Just as Savannah begins to grasp what fate has in store for her, an evil looms over her loved ones; coming to claim an unbreakable debt.

How will she choose and survive the greatest evil she has ever witnessed... long enough to have a choice to make? 





What inspired you to write your first book?
 
The inspiration behind Caged in Darkness began with my craving for a paranormal book that was not a vampire novel. I have always been fascinated by witches and the Wiccan religion. When I couldn’t find a book to sate my craving, I decided to write one. Caged in Darkness ended up evolving past the plot I originally imagined and took on a life of its own. When I was developing Savannah’s character, I gave her a dark past that she overcomes. As a psychology major, I have an appreciation for anyone who manages to carve their own path. I fueled Savannah’s personality with a great deal of my own. 


What book are you reading now?
I am currently reading many different books. The Game of Thrones is my favorite out of the ones I am reading. I began reading it because I watched the show and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. It’s refreshingly original and it’s nice to read a fantasy novel since I rarely do.

I have many favorite authors. My favorites depend on the genre. Historical Romance, my favorites are Eloisa James, Sabrina Jeffries, Sarah Maclean, Lisa Kleypas, and Julia Quinn. Mystery my favorites are Lisa Jackson and Kay Hooper. Fantasy would be James Clemens and Jim Butcher. The genre with most of my favorite authors is probably Young Adult. I absolutely love Rick Riordan, Richelle Mead, Rachel Hawkins, Claudia Gray, Cassandra Clare, J.K. Rowling, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, and L.J. Smith. I love reading most genres. However, my favorites are Historical Romance and Young Adult. 


Why do you feel you had to write this story?

I’ve been writing my whole life, but have always been insecure about letting people read my pieces. My friends and family told me that I was a natural and was destined to become a writer. It has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. However, I always had a little voice telling me that they were only saying those things, because they felt obligated. My professors often compliment my essays, but those are academic. Then, about six months ago, I had to write a personal narrative for one of my classes. My professor called me and told me that my essay was phenomenal. It was vastly different hearing it from her, because I knew she didn’t feel an obligation to compliment me. I also befriended a girl from my University, who quickly became an email buddy. We would tell each other about our experiences. Every time she read my emails, she would mention that she felt pulled in by them. She continually told me I should be a writer, which was amazing since I never told her about that dream. Finally, I decided that I needed to publish my books. I am sure there will be some people who won’t enjoy my books, but hopefully the people who do enjoy them will out number the ones who don’t. 


How do you market your books?

I plan to release my novels quickly. As a reader, I despise waiting a year for the next book in a series and I refuse to do this with my readers. I have three series and a stand alone novel that I will be releasing. I think people will be interested in reading my books because my writing style is unique and I have an extraordinary imagination. The people who know me, often comment on how I see the world differently. I am extremely descriptive, obsessed with editing, and I try to incorporate many twists to my stories. When I read, I can usually figure out everything that will happen in a book within the first few chapters. I don’t want people to have that issue with my books. I try to ensure that my readers will be completely surprised by my books. I also make my characters personalities realistic. There are so many different people in the world and each personality is unique. My characters aren’t perfect; they have flaws. However, I think their flaws are what make them captivating. 


If you had to chose, which author would you consider a mentor?

The authors I most consider my mentors are James Clemens and Richelle Mead. James Clemens pulled me into his Banned and the Banished series because he constantly introduced new developments into each book. His books were so unique that I still have not found a fantasy author who lives up to him. His series has remained by favorite since I was in junior high. Richelle Mead captivates me with her writing because it is so sincere. She goes the extra step to create her characters and her plot. I admire both authors.


Behind every great writer is a great support network. Who are your cheerleaders?
I’ve been lucky to have an amazing support network! My family is encouraging and is with me every step I take. My friends (Lisa, Jackie, Sarah, Regina, and Kari) all help with my editing and constantly beg me for the next piece I write. They really help to boost my self esteem. My husband is phenomenal, because he doesn’t let me give up. My father has always believed in me, which makes it easier to believe in myself. Surprisingly, my cover artist “Regina Wamba” has been great for support. We became friends during the process of creating the cover for Caged in Darkness. I feel blessed to know that I have so many people to catch me if I fall. 


If you couldn't be an author, what would your ideal career be?

I am hoping to make writing novels a career. However, I also understand that many authors cannot make a living on writing alone. I write because it’s my passion, not for money. For now, writing is something I do purely because it makes me happy. My career will be a psychologist once I am finished with the massive amount of schooling it takes to become one. 


When did you first consider yourself a writer?
My interest in writing originated when I was too young to write properly. My stories were scribbles back then. I remember beginning because my family told me to write a story during dinner. I think it was to get me to sit still, but it turned into one of my favorite things to do. When I gazed on my scribbles, I saw a real story and would read it to family members. As I aged, I became a better writer. My family quickly picked up on my natural ability and encouraged it. 

Thank you for joining us J.D!


Caged in Darkness is available on:


Connect with J.D.









Upcoming Releases:


Release Date: October 14
A bloodstone dagger to ward off evil…

In a matter of weeks, Savannah Cross has ascended, overcome a prince of darkness, and lost one whom she loved. Her powers have become a liability in the wake of her shattered world. Her rapid descent into a delusional vortex has made her unable to tell fantasy from reality. She knows her visions cannot be real and yet are as unquestionable as the air she breathes. Her only solace is the demise of the evil that would have destroyed her loved ones, but can evil ever truly die?

Willow watches as Savannah spirals into chaos, but is unable to help. She must answer Death’s ultimatum with one of her own. How will she leave behind everything to embrace a sisterhood of immortals, who do not accept her?

Savannah must pull herself from the dark void that has invaded her soul, while Willow must learn to embrace the hellhound within, because an evil has awakened to avenge hell’s lost prince.

Will they be strong enough to face the wrath of hell?


 
Release Date: December 16
The myth is wrong…

Death is only a man, but one who has control over all living beings. He chooses who will live or die. He commands the fates and gives the order to cut the thread of life. However, Death isn’t alone.

In the beginning of time, he realized that it would be impossible for a single figure to wield power over life and death, while still having time to punish the wicked. Death summoned the tainted souls of the dead and from them created a race of females. They would be the takers of souls, the guardians of the afterlife, and the harbingers of death.

They are Death’s Hellhounds. Wild, impulsive, and terrifying, these sisters have a solitary goal: to hunt down unspeakable evils. When Death calls his Hellhounds to embark on the Wild Hunt, they must forsake their humanity to consume the most depraved souls in existence. Six remain in the veil between life and death, but step through the threshold when Death calls.

Kali has spent her immortal life avoiding attachment. She hides her true self from all but her sisters. When Death gives her an assignment to hunt a rogue angel, she must confront the one man who places her heart in danger. Alone, she must face an enemy too powerful for a solitary Hellhound and find a way to break Death’s leash.

When wicked souls turn from the light,

And baying calls ring through the night.

Face your end or turn to flee,

For Death’s Hellhounds have come for thee!

Release Date: April 12

Synopsis soon to be posted on her website.



What are others are saying about Caged in Darkness?
"WOW! This book was pretty intense! This book has it all - my favorite shifter of a Panther - the romance triangle, and the friendship and love that grows between these witches :)" Jen Stewart
 "A twisting fantasy read. The author includes many twists to keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat. The ending is not predictable at all-a little unexpected. This book is fast-paced and fun to read. This book is recommended to fantasy readers." Chels