Does a beast have feelings ~ Dragons Don’t Cry by D’Elen McClain

Posted on May 10, 2015 by fundinmental

The Fire Chronicles is an awesome paranormal romance series about dragons by D’Elen McClain.

I feel so fortunate to be able to review not one, but the first two stories about these amazing dragons and the humans who love them.

Dragon’s Don’t Cry is the first of the series and I hope you come back tomorrow, or bookmark this page, and check out Book II, Dragons Don’t Love. There will be a giveaway also.

Add to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

I recommend Dragons Don’t Love by D’Elen McClain to anyone who loves fantasy and enjoys some adult situations. The sex scenes are often humorous and I would not label this as erotica.

I love dragons, so when I saw this cover and an opportunity to read Dragons Don’t Love, the story of Bastian and Acasia, I jumped at it.

Hera cursed the dragons after wiping out all but four males. Each will have their chance to find their soul mate, once very hundred years. Her daughter, my sister, was dead because of Drakon, a dragon, but Angelos thought it was wrong punish them all and would do what she could to watch over them.

The claiming brides, women between he ages of seventeen and twenty one, appeared for the dragon to make his choice.

Acasia is now on of them.

When the dragon came, Acasia marveled at its strength and beauty, was drawn to it, thinking, it’s mine.

Acasia is a nerd. Instead of dreaming of a man, like the other girls her age, she is fascinated with mathematical facts and figures. I loved the scene where Bastian is playing cards and learns of just one of Acasia’s many talents. She is not a lovey dovey person and I can relate to that. Acasia’s fiery personality and verbal assaults had me in stitches. I loved her playful manner with man and beast. Me thinks she will rule the dragon before all is said and done.

My heart went out to Bastion. As a dragon, he is immortal. He claims his bride and each dies, leaving him alone again. Bastion vowed not to let another break his heart. Dragons Don’t Cry and he wouldn’t, but Acasia is different from the others. Would she win his heart?

The vivid description of the dragon had me marvel at his beauty and her puking episode almost made me upchuck. I laughed at his sexual discomfort as a dragon and a man.

I laughed out loud, when she wouldn’t beg for her life, but told him, “Eat me.”

I loved when she punched him in his bossy dragon nose.

Predictable, but that’s okay. I am very curious to see where it goes and am loving reading the story to find out. Dragons Don’t Cry is written with humor and makes me smile.

From sad to happy, savage to sweet, a fun and lovely fantasy romance. I loved learning about Bastian and love through the innocent child-like eyes of Acasia and watching them both grow and change, as the characters developed more fully.

All of a sudden a vampire appears…and other shapeshifters. Very interesting.

Awesome. A fantastically original story of dragons that leaves me breathless waiting for Dragons Don’t love, Laryn’s Story.

I received this ARC for review in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

One pint sized human female who’s had too much to drink, not enough sleep, and absolutely no patience meets one stubborn dragon shifter with an attitude.

Bastian claims Acasia, his unwilling bride, after she spends the night carousing with friends. She’s not happy, he’s pissed off, and with a curse from a goddess thrown in, you’ll see Bastian breathe fire.

Add secrets, treasure, and unimaginable heartbreak for an emotionally humorous read and discover why Dragons Don’t Cry.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Best-Selling Author D’Elen McClain is a retired sex crimes and homicide detective who managed to retain her sense of humor. She writes under three pen names dreaming about stories from life on the street as a beat cop in an unflattering blue uniform to paranormal and spicy romance.

USA Today Best-Selling Author, Holly S. Roberts, is her new adult and erotic writing pen name and Suzie Ivy is her tough crime fighting alter ego pen name.

Her two dogs, Dizzy, a Rottweiler with anxiety issues, and Duchess, her overweight Chihuahua, sleep and play under her feet while she writes at her home high in the Arizona mountains. She also keeps her pen in blue ink as a contributing writer for UniformStories.com, Below The Salt News, and Bad Luck Detective blog.

Author (Contact Links)

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon

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A Marissa Meyer Celebration – Glitches, Cinder and The Queen’s Army

Posted on April 13, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome to my reviews of 2 novellas and a novel by Marissa Meyers. She is a fantastic writer and I hope you enjoy.

Feel free to leave some comment love for her. ^_^

In this prequel to Cinder, Glitches (a novella), we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional and physical toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….

Even though everyone in the household isn’t happy Cinder is there, Peony welcomes her new sister with open arms. I immediately fell in love with Peony. Peony’s wonder, acceptance and zest for life are endearing. I found humor in Marissa Myer’s writing. I had previously read Cinder and loved it, so I was very happy to read Glitches. As I had thought, it is a wonderful glimpse into how Cinder became who she is today. If you loved Cinder, you will want to read her “bio” and meet her new family, with all the good and bad that entails.

Read this free on Marissa’s Wattpad Page.

3 Stars

CINDER BY MARISSA MYER

The Lunar Chronicles, #1

Click on the cover above for your Amazon copy.

Add me to Goodreads now.

My Review

I reviewed Cinder back in June of 2012. It was one of my first book reviews ever. I had posted it on Goodreads, but did not have a blog until shortly thereafter.

Cinder, the best mechanic in New Beijing, was working at the market when the Prince stopped in to have his android repaired. Even though she was a cyborg, she felt flustered and lost control of her brain’s net connection. Her human part made it hard to focus. As she studied the android, they agreed to meet the next market day to check on the status of the repair.

Adri, Cinder’s “stepmother”, hated her. Adri’s husband had made them guardians of Cinder, an 11-year old cyborg. Adri owned her and the money she earned. When His Imperial Majesty Emperor Rikan came down with the plague, one of her “stepsisters” implied she ought to volunteer for plague testing. A royal research team had come up with the cyborg draft, choosing a number every morning from the cyborgs of the Eastern Commonwealth, using them to test for an antidote. Cyborg’s were looked at as less than human. When Peony, the only human friend she had, came down with the plague, Adri had had enough. She volunteered Cinder for the draft. After all, she had no feelings, right? How was she going to survive? No one survives plague testing. Would she meet the prince again? What do you think?

Cinder didn’t remember anything before 11 years old . When she got to the research center, Dr. Erland began filling in some of the blanks.

Even though I knew where this was going, I could hardly wait to get there. I didn’t think I was going to be disappointed and I surely wasn’t. I thought it was a unique twist on a known storyline and great fun to read. Numerous times I found myself laughing out loud. I have a love/hate relationship with it being a series. I hate not knowing the end, even though I know it. Know what I mean, lol? I am eagerly awaiting the next book.

5 Stars

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In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.

Is it an honor to serve in the Queen’s army or is it a form of slavery? Will he be able to keep his humanity or lose himself to them. Goosebumps broke out on my arms and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Creepy, scary. Now, I MUST read Scarlet.

Read this free on Marissa’s Wattpad Page.

4 Stars

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Marissa Meyer lives near Seattle with her husband and their three cats. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, color-coordinating her bookshelf…) and will take any excuse to put on a costume. She may or may not be a cyborg.

Follow her blog or sign up for her newsletter at http://www.marissameyer.com.

Blog / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest

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You can read the first five chapters FREE for Cinder and Scarlet.

Marissa Meyers also has novel written in Spanish, French and German. Check them out by clicking a cover below.

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Superheroes – London Belongs to the Alchemist by Stephen Henning

Posted on February 9, 2015 by fundinmental

Stephen Henning’s Class Heroes is a hit!

I eagerly anticipate each novel in the series and can hardly wait to see what adventure Samantha and James will be on this time.

London Belongs to the Alchemist is Book IV of the Class Heroes series.

Look at that awesome cover.

It only hints at the fantastic story inside.

SYNOPSIS

Illegal raves are popping up all over London, the world’s fifth richest city, where tension is running high between the haves and the have-nots. Each party, hosted by the enigmatic DJ Alchemy, leaves a trail of destruction in its wake — all thanks to Super D, the latest designer drug on the party circuit.

It’s love at first sight for Samantha Blake and DJ Alchemy, but the DJ has a superpower of his own and a plan for London that Sam can never be a part of.

Meanwhile her twin brother, James, can’t stop himself falling for public enemy number one Lolly Rosewood. James thinks she’s a reformed character… but has he just been blinded by love?

While the city descends into riots, the twins’ bond is tested as they’re torn between their loyalty to each other and their new relationships. And in the shadows, a gangland drug lord will stop at nothing to get his hands on the twins, DJ Alchemy and the precious Super D.

MY REVIEWS FOR THE SERIES

My 5 Star Review of A Class Apart, Book I

My 5 Star Review of What Happened In Witches Wood, Book II

My 5 Star Review of Where’s Lolly. Book II

MY REVIEW for London Belongs to the Alchemist, Book IV

Spoiler Alert: This is Book IV of the Class Heroes series. I don’t believe there is anything here that will ruin the earlier books, just wanted to make you aware this is book IV.

The cover reminds me of the Spiderman and Hulk comics I used to read.

I was hooked on this series from the first book, A Class Apart. Stephen Henning has the ability to spin a yarn and create a fantasy world that I get lost in, not wanting to come back to reality. I have been watching Smallville (the TV series about Superman) in the early morning hours, so I can clearly see the characters and their superpowers in action.

This is a young adult novel, but I feel heroes come in all shapes and sizes and this is so much fun, that all ages with fall in love with Samantha and James.

My visualization of the characters was pretty darn close!

Great job of ‘showing’ me with words.

James and Samantha are 14 year old twins.

The twins have been staying with their grandparents since the accident that had started it all months ago. They managed to survive the exploding bus crash and their zombie classmates who had tried to eat them. The experience had changed them, giving them superpowers they were working hard to keep secret.

The characters have all the angst of normal teenagers, but their super powers will take their problems to a higher, more dangerous level. Their biggest danger was being discovered. Who knew what would happen, who would be after them and for what reasons. I wrote this as if it is real. I can’t help but laugh at myself. So good, I am in it side by side with them.

They are back in London now and heading to school for the first time since the accident. The principal had arranged a party to ease them back into a normal world. They knew better than to leave the party, but they did it anyway. They are teenagers after all. I know no good will come of this.

They meet the DJ of Alchemy. He hosts impromptu parties, spinning out tunes and passing out the super drug. He can leap tall buildings. Samantha and James already know about the super drug. It gives the user temporary superpowers, but the backlash could be fatal.

Samantha’s powers – super strength, rapid healing and controlling fire.

James powers – telekinesis and the ability to teleport.

Nicky Carro is a successful businessman. He owns nightclubs and casinos. He is involved in the drug trade with Russians. I can already anticipate the problems that is going to cause. They are violent and have no respect for human life.

Lolly, of course, Lolly will make an appearance and I have been waiting for her. When Lolly did enter the picture, I was floored by what she wanted. There has to be something else going on. Her dad is locked up and she is on the run. She is dangerous. Her dad is a mass murderer, a psychopath and has the power of persuasion. Was she different without him? Doing anything to make Lolly angry, you’d better beware. She will show no mercy. Even though she’s a very bad girl, there’s something about her that makes me want to help her out. Good writing does that for me. Makes me feel empathy for the bad guy, with the hope that redemption is possible.

Super D, a crooked casino owner, Russian drug dealers, the DJ of Alchemy passing out drugs and preaching anarchy, a hormonal psychopath with superpowers. viral marketing – a virus that controls any phone it’s uploaded to, gangsters and extortionists. Is there a bad guy I missed? 😀

Stephen’s writing is fantastic with pacing that makes me race through the pages. I breathe a sigh of relief, as I am allowed to catch my breath before we are off and running again.

The only complaint I have with Stephen Henning’s writing is I want more. The Class Heroes could be a TV or movie series.

I can see more stories unfolding in the future. The kids have some growing up to do and I wonder what the future has in store for them.

Stephen includes a little humor and leaves me with a giant cliffhanger making me scream for more.

I received London Belongs to the Alchemist from the author in return for an honest, unbiased review.

5 STARS Would Buy It For Them (lol)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I began writing the first Class Heroes book on my laptop in February 2011, but these stories have probably been continually playing in my head since I was aged five or six, when I would act them out with toys and with my friends. I then branched out into using pencils, colouring pens and paper, moving on to writing pads and then my first computer.

So, as you’ve probably gathered, I have always enjoyed making up stories and the super-hero genre has been one of my favourites.

The CV-type stuff is that I went to Sheffield Hallam University to study English. I then trained and briefly worked as a journalist in Salford. After that, I moved into publishing – which was great. An interesting and fun industry to be in and fascinating to see how books are put together and sold.

After that I started doing technical writing, which led me to start my own business with my friend and colleague Andrew Butters. My love of writing, generally, led me back to writing fiction. Our company, Elucidox Ltd, publishes the Class Heroes books.

If you want to know a bit more about me, what kind of super powers I have and the kind of super villains I have to tangle with on a daily basis, then feel free to watch Rage. This is a short film, that took a long time to make. It’s a simple day in my life :-). Actually it’s just a fun movie that I made with the very kind help of some of my best mates. We had a laugh doing it, hope you like it too. And if you do, then why not explore the super world of the Class Heroes books?

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Google+ / Facebook / Youtube

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Click on the covers below to get your Amazon affiliate copy of a Class Heroes book, or to learn more about Stephen Henning.

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Water So Deep by Nichole Giles

Posted on February 7, 2015 by fundinmental

Tour Schedule

fundinmental would like to welcome Nichole Giles and Water So Deep.

I love the cover and mermaids and mermen…

Water So Deep by Nichole GilesWater So Deep

Seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is drowning on dry land.

No one knows what’s happening to her, and she’d like to keep her evolution from human to mermaid a secret, but the truth is getting harder and harder to hide. From her adoptive family, from her friends, and especially from the irresistible James Phelps.

Her time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, while her time on land is split between caring for her special-needs brother and squeezing in every last possible moment of human life. She soon realizes falling for James is unavoidable when he constantly comes to Emma’s rescue and somehow manages to see through her carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. Everything about James makes Emma yearn for a life on land she just can’t have.

When Emma’s brother disappears on her watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save her brother, nothing can prevent her return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing—unable to breathe without yielding to the tide—and it’s only a matter of time before she’s forced to surrender forever.

Amazon

Author Nichole Giles

Nichole Giles, the author of the Descendant trilogy, has lived in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Texas. She loves to spend time with her husband and four children, travel to tropical and exotic destinations, drive in the rain with the convertible top down, and play music at full volume so she can sing along.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

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Friday 56 #39 & BB #15 ~ Gods fight and Man Pays the Price

Posted on February 6, 2015 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it..

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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WHEN SHADOWS FALL by Bruce Blake

A battle between the Gods, with mankind caught in the middle.

Who will prevail?

.(12% in Kindle).When his nipples drew under the horizontal bar, his progress ceased.

In a family of warriors, statesmen and kings, I die trapped at the bottom of a slow-running river..

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(Book Beginnings)

It rained fire the day the Small Gods fled.

Balls of flame fell from the sky, shattering homes and skulls alike, burning gardens and turning forests to ash, setting alight both farmers’ fields and farmers’ lies with disregard. Much later, it would be said the Goddess banished them for their wicked ways, but on that day, the Small Gods were naught but men and women afraid for their lives. In the eyes of history and legend, the width of the line between banishment and flight is thin.

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SYNOPSIS

A hundred hundred seasons have turned since the Goddess banished the Small Gods to the sky, leaving the land to mankind alone.

For Prince Teryk, life behind the castle walls is boring and uneventful until he stumbles upon an arcane scroll in a long-forgotten chamber. The parchment speaks of Small Gods, the fall of man, and the kingdom’s savior—the firstborn child of the rightful king. It’s his opportunity to prove himself to his father, the king, and assure his place in history. All he needs to do is find the man from across the sea—a man who can’t possibly exist—and save mankind.

But ancient magic has been put in motion by a mysterious cult determined to see the Small Gods reborn. Powerful forces clash, uncaring for the lives of mortals in their struggle to prevent the return of the banished ones, or aid in their rebirth.

Named in a prophecy or not, what chance does a cocky prince who barely understands the task laid before him stand in a battle with the gods?

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Do you have a favorite God or Goddess?

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Blood Brothers: Escape to Creeporia by Dean c Moore Giveaway

Posted on October 20, 2014 by fundinmental

VBT_Blood_Brothers__Tour_Banner_copy

The title of Blood Brothers: Escape to Creeporia by Dean C Moore is the first thing that captured my attention.

After all, it is October, the month for creepalicious tales.

I have a lot of goodies to share.

Read the fun guest post, the excerpt and enter the great giveaway.

Add ME to your Goodreads reading list now.

BLOOD BROTHERS: Escape To Creeporia

by Dean C. Moore

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BLURB

Fraternal twins are separated from birth, and raised to be assassins. They were never meant to meet. But even when kept apart, they’re just too powerful. Their paranormal abilities cease to be an advantage when they can no longer be controlled. So they are scheduled for cancellation.

Their paths cross before they can be taken out. It is only then that they discover the true depths of their betrayal. Not only are they stronger when they’re together, they’re half-breeds, sired by an all-powerful warlock.

The question is, are they strong enough even together to take him on now that he’s coming for them?

They have an ace up their sleeves they are not aware of. Drawn to the same kind of women, they find themselves married to a pair of sorceresses whose magical abilities are only now surfacing.

But one encounter with dear old dad is all it takes for them to realize, they’re still the underdogs.

From the back of the book:

VBT_Blood_Brothers__Tour_Book_Cover_Banner_copy “The series is called Blood Brothers, but this adventure is really a family affair: the brothers, their partners, children and even their old man in a starring role as the villain. Think Disney’s Incredibles, but in a violent and bizarre fantasy world.” Rob May, Dragon Killer

“With incredibly detailed world building and action scenes, this story seems like it would make a phenomenal film or TV series.

Moore pulls out all the stops with dragons, telekinesis, shapeshifters and insurmountable odds in this battle of good versus evil – and a villain who just won’t lay down and die.” Demelza Carlton, Ocean’s Gift

“When you read a Dean C. Moore novel, you can expect rich, original characters, witty dialogue and unexpected plot turns. Blood Brothers doesn’t disappoint.” JC Gatlin, Designated Survivor

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Welcome Dean. I hope you enjoy your visit to fundinmental.

5 Fun or Silly Facts About Me

I live in the country on roughly twenty acres. My closest neighbors all own larger pieces of property and spend at least half of their time farming. And wouldn’t you know, they’re both writers? Both have authored some pretty impressive books that have done well. For fans of synchronicity and serendipity (Deepak Chopra wrote a book on this topic), it could be argued that this is a sign I’m on the right path.
I hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail some years back, where I met some of the most remarkable and alluring characters I’ve ever encountered in the real world. Usually, as an author, I have to get lost in a fantasy world of my own making to meet people with this kind of magic. But they exist in the real world if you just know where to find them. I’d like to chalk these chance encounters up to synchronicity too, and declare them the latest indicator that I’m on the right path with my fantasy writing. But I think it has more to do with the courage and willingness to leave everything behind when you walk that trail, and the college kids that are drawn to it at that sweet point in their lives where everything is possible and nothing, no hurdle is great enough to stand in their way. For anyone who has lost that sense of formidableness, I would encourage you to hike the Appalachian Trail. Admittedly, it’s not as prestigious as the Camino trail Shirley MacClaine once walked, but hey, it may be a lot more accessible for some folks.
I have over five hundred books on spirituality that made it with me this last trip. Sadly, I had to part with hundreds of titles over the years with each move. Authors include Ken Wilber (he has many tomes out, and I’ve read them all.) I have a healthy dose of Deepak Chopra, and you’ll find any number of things pertaining to mysticism. Some stand out titles: The Way of Zen by Alan Watts. What Really Matters by Tony Shwartz. Diamond Heart by A. H. Almaas. There are any number of bridging books that connect spirituality with science and higher consciousness. Things like: The Physics of Immortality. The Physics of Consciousness. The Holographic Paradigm. This stuff seeps into my writing, especially my bigger epics, but so far I’ve yet to pen a book solely devoted to higher consciousness in non-fiction format. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have a series akin to the Conversations with God franchise that’s probably modeled just as much on The Great Dialogues by Plato. I’ll have to dust it off one of these days and consider publishing it. As to my qualifications to undertake such a project, rest assured I’m far more enlightened from the altered state in which I write than I am in real life. If only I could hold on to that inner peace and calm and infinite wisdom when I return to reality!
For a professional author I’m the slowest reader you’ll ever meet. And I don’t just read, I underline, I highlight in different colors—each alluding to another point of emphasis, I leave notes, I edit. (Yes, I’m one of those people who have the unmitigated gall to edit Faulkner. Moby Dick was about a third of the size when I was done with my red pen. Sacrilege, I know.) But it’s how we grow as writers. I just wish I could get out of this habit so I could get through titles a bit faster.
I’m on a quest to sample every piece of quality dark chocolate in the world. If I ever make it big as a writer, I might get a plane and title it The Chocolate Express, because it might just be more fun to fly to where they make the chocolate than to fly the chocolate to me.

Thanks, Dean, for telling us a bit about yourself.

If you ever get that plane, give me a call. 🙂

EXCERPT

The excerpts are exceptional and I would have loved to share them all.

This one was so darn cute, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The electricity out throughout the house, both baby dragons soared into the kitchen, lighting the candles for Myrna with their fiery blasts, the star and heart shaped ones, the ones molded like mugs of beer with big foam headers, and the magic spell casting ones with the different colored flames.

Their work in the kitchen done, they dashed out to attend to the other rooms. Before Myrna could prance halfway up the stairs after them, she took out her Bic lighter, and put the flame to her forearm. “Ah! You’re awake, all right!”

Her next thought was, she suddenly had a pair of dragons to care for. How was she going to manage that? Oh dear, what do you guys eat?

She rushed back to the kitchen.

Myrna held a candle inside the refrigerator, as she ripped food out left and right. The roasted artichoke. The blue cheese and citrus bruschetta. The apricot pistachio halves. Everything meticulously wrapped. The dragons came swooping back into the room.

They looked at her, bewildered as she continued to plow through the itinerary. The vegetarian chili and macaroni. The tempeh and tapenade wrap. She was sure she had something to accommodate every palate.

“Whada ya think?” she said, gesturing to the buffet covering the entire kitchen thanks to her throwing food willy-nilly. One of the dragons bounded up and swooped to the floor, where it gulped down a mouse.

Myrna put up her hands gesturing, “Oh no, we’re all vegetarians here.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

MEDIA_KIT_Author_Photo I write sci-fi, fantasy, action-adventures and thrillers, or some combination thereof—usually with a strong vein of dark humor. Though, my works are dramas first; the humor is there to take the edge off as with the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Transformers, and Jurassic Park franchises.

I wrote screenplays for a while, and while enjoying them, I found them a bit confining. After a while you just need the extra page count to flesh out characters better and do additional world building, especially when considering doing anything epic in scope. I also took a run at future forecasting and trend tracking, being as I always had my head in the future, things like Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock. I also relished this, and can certainly see myself releasing a few titles accordingly in the nonfiction area. But since delving into novels, short and long, I’ve definitely found my home and my voice. For the first time I feel the restraints have been taken off of my imagination. I suppose all mediums have their limits, so I may end up doing a mix of things, but I suspect I will continue to spend most of my time with novels. Series add an additional dimension, allowing for even more depth and development both in the character and world building departments. But I remain at heart a divergent thinker, so, no surprise, I seem to have more series going than follow up installments at this point. That too may change over time; we’ll see. Until then, it may be best to just think of these books as one-offs if you’re fond of my writing style and some of the themes I work with.

My current catalog of twelve books represents a little over five years’ worth of work. I’m currently averaging a couple books annually. Of my existing franchises with multiple installments, The Hundred Year Clone books can be read in any order, while the 5 books of Renaissance 2.0 must be read in sequence as they form part of a singular story arc (much as with A Game of Thrones.)

I live in the country where I breed bluebirds, which are endangered in these parts, as my small contribution to restoring nature’s balance. When I’m not writing, or researching my next book, I may also be found socializing with friends, or working in my organic garden.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Google / YouTube / Goodreads

Click on the cover to get your Amazon copy of Blood Brothers: Escape to creeporia by Dean

GIVEAWAY

$20 Amazon GC – random commenter

$20 Amazon GC – random host

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found by clicking on the image below:

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for stopping by fundinmental.

BOO_2

Violca’s Dragon by Leilani Love Tour Giveway

Posted on October 17, 2014 by fundinmental

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Welcome to my stop for the Violca’s Dragon by Leilani Love tour.

Any time I see a book about dragons, I have to stop and learn more.

Violca’s Dragon is Book I of The dragon Ruby Series.

Let’s check it out together.

We have the synopsis, excerpt and a fantastic giveaway.

Violca’s Dragon

by Leilani Love

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BLURB

Violca knows life can change instantly. Her parents died suddenly, leaving her to raise four younger sisters and keep them safe ~ even from the golden-eyed stranger.

Chase knows the Grey sisters possibly hold the key to his fate. He is determined to to get close, protect them and bring them to his Dragon King. What Violca doesn’t know is that once a dragon decides he wants something, there is no stopping him from getting it.

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EXCERPT

Chase stays behind her as she walks on a path that leads away from the cabin, heading near the direction of the river. He knows Violca is aware of him and smiles to himself, knowing she is not turning around because she is trying to ignore him.

When she stumbles, he reacts quickly and is at her side, his arms around her before she can fall. She squirms, pushing away from him, almost falling with the effort.

Once he is sure she’s okay he carefully releases her. Standing in front of her, he looks her over and when she finally looks up at him, he notices that her violet eyes are darker as she looks at him angrily. “I didn’t ask you for your help,” she snaps.

Chase knows that smiling at her right now will not help him, nor will telling her she looks beautiful when she’s angry. Watching her breasts rising up and down as she breathes, her violet eyes sparkling with anger and the straight line of her lips, he fights the urge to kiss her. “You didn’t, but that doesn’t mean I want to see you hurt.”

She glares at him. “Why are you here? What do you want with me?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leilani Love is a proud mother of two very active boys. A military wife she loves getting to meet new people wherever they move. She loves to read books crossing many genres. Her love affair with dragons started when she was young and one day dreams of having her own dragon and black panther.

Facebook Page / Amazon / Barnes and Nobles / Kobo / iTunes / Smashwords

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos Leilani will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to two randomly drawn winners and a Swag Giveaway to four other randomly drawn winners, all via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20 Gift card from Amazon or Barnes and Noble to two randomly drawn hosts.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found by clicking on the image below:

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

BOO_2

Friday 56 #28 & BB #4 – Myths and Murder

Posted on October 10, 2014 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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BAD BLOOD by Lucienne Diver

Latter-Day Olympians, Book 1

The gods play…and mortals pay.

Add ME to your Goodreads reading list now.

Click on the cover to get an Amazon copy.

(page 56 of paperback)

Jesus picked up on the second ring – always – said it gave the impression of to little to do to pick up on the first and too much to wait until the third.

“Good morning, Karacis Investigations,” he said pleasantly.

“You mean investigate.”

“I mean assist in an investigation, yes.”

(Book Beginnings)

“Stake out: a mind numbering, bladder busting exercise distinguishable from stalking by the ID you’re able to flash when the police come tap-tap-tapping at your Camaro door.”

Gods, Gorgons, a circus, private investigators, cops and murder.

The tone of this book is light and humorous.

Just reading the synopsis made me want to pick this up.

And I have to know what is the Creature from the Black Lagoon looking monster?

SYNOPSIS

Tori Karacis’s family line may trace back to a drunken liaison between the god Pan and one of the immortal gorgons. Or…maybe it’s just coincidence that her glance can, literally, stop men in their tracks. While her fear of heights kept her out of the family aerobatic troupe, her extreme nosiness fits right in with her uncle’s P.I. business.

Except he’s disappeared on an Odyssean journey to find himself. Muddling through on her own, she’s reduced to hunting (not stalking, because that would just be weird) brass-bra’d Hollywood agent Circe Holland to deliver a message…only to witness her murder by what looks like the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Suddenly, all of her family’s tall tales seem believable, especially when Apollo—the Apollo, who’s now hiding out among humans as an adult film star—appears in her office, looking to hire her. She knows the drill: canoodling with gods never works out well for humans, but she’s irresistibly drawn to him. Maybe it’s her genes. Maybe not.

Given her conflicted feelings for one hot and hardened cop, it’s a toss-up which will kill her quickest. The danger at her door…or her love life.

Warning: Contains pot-boiling passion between a heroine who may—or may not—be a descendent of Medusa, and a hot god and a hunky cop with the…equipment…to handle her, even on her worst bad-hair day. Beware of killer kisses, trickster gods and bearded grandmothers Who Know Everything.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Thank you for visiting fundinmental!

FREE – Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner book blitz giveaway

Posted on September 29, 2014 by fundinmental

OMG! I love mermaids and was so excited when I saw the Xpresso tour for Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner.

These are not the girlie girl mermaids of Splash, but vicious sea monster. I’m loving it more. 😈

It sounds like a B movie and I LOVE those.

I feel the same way about B movie books, know what I mean?

I WANT!

And I will have it. “as I greedily rub my hands together”

Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner is FREE during the blitz.

Be sure and grab your copy.

Post includes: synopsis, author interview, guest post and excerpt…

Enter the giveaway for a signed copy of your very own.

IceMassacreBlitzBanner1

I mean, check out that awesome banner.

Just wait until you see the bloodcurdling cover.

Anyone care to take a dip?

Add ME to your GOODREADS reading list here.

_________

Book & Author Details:

Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner
Publication date: September 18th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

A mermaid’s supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.

The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.

Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.

For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Give us the tweet-sized version of what Ice Massacre is about.

A teenage girl is sent to battle the hostile mermaids that are driving her people into poverty. A story of love, secrets, and ass-kicking.

What makes Ice Massacre unique?

First, I haven’t seen a lot out there that portrays mermaids for what they really are: flesh-eating sea demons. But I think what also sets it apart is its almost entirely female cast. This island decides to send female warriors to kill the mermaids that plague them, because women don’t fall victim to a mermaid’s supernatural allure. We end up with an all-female war on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Meela, an aboriginal girl who’s never been away from the tiny island she calls home, also has a pretty unique journey of self-discovery. I don’t want to reveal too much. But I think a lot of aspects make this story unconventional.

What’s your favourite thing about the book?

I love Meela’s antagonists. Meela’s a tough chick and she has a lot coming at her from all directions. Writing those opposing forces was so much fun.

What’s next for you as a writer?

The sequel! This is the first in a trilogy, and I’m hard at work on book two: Ice Crypt.

GUEST POST

Finish your story: 3 Tips for Getting that Book Done

To make a ridiculous understatement, writing a book is hard. Few people actually finish the task—whether because they can’t find the time, or they get stuck in a story rut, or they lose inspiration once they realize how difficult it is. Let me tell you, there is nothing more rewarding than a finished and published book! Here are three tips to help you get that story done.

1. Write down your dream and look at it daily

Writing down a goal is a magical thing. When you make it tangible, it’s like you’ve transformed your dream into a prophecy.

Write “I am a bestselling author” (or whatever your goal is) on an index card. Look at it every day. Live it and believe it. Work at that dream every single day, even if only for twenty minutes.

Because I have a full-time job and hobbies, the only time I had to write Ice Massacre was between 6am and 7am. I’m not a morning person, but by putting that index card over my alarm clock, I gave myself the motivation to leap out of bed and get to work on my dream. I promise you, it’s effective.

2. Understand that your first draft will suck

All right, I’m going to be honest with you. The first draft of anything I write is like, the worst thing ever. It’s like someone gave a chimpanzee a dictionary and a pen and wouldn’t feed him until he scribbled out enough words to form a full-length novel.

The second draft, however, is better. The third and fourth are pretty darn good. My point is, don’t be discouraged when your novel sucks after the first go-around. You can’t possibly make a fantastic story in only one draft—you need time to get to know the characters, to identify plot holes, to fix the fact that you used the word “sighed” eighty times in one chapter. Personally, it takes me at least seven drafts to get a novel right.

3. Study the craft of writing

A common reason why writers get stuck is that they hit a roadblock in their story. They’ve dug themselves into a plot hole, or they don’t know where to go next. I’ve probably read a thousand blog posts about writing over the last few years. There are endless resources to help you learn the craft, and I recommend that you subscribe to a few writing blogs and read at least one post every day.

Here are a few of my favourites:

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/(She also has a podcast, which makes it easy to study writing while you’re doing other things!)
http://terribleminds.com/ramble/blog/
http://thewritepractice.com/
http://writershelpingwriters.net/
http://moodywriting.blogspot.com/

* * *

Finishing your book comes down to working hard and believing in yourself. You don’t need to be the best writer in the world in order to write a good book—you just need to have a story to share and the drive to write it!

Do you ever find it hard to finish a story? What tips and inspiration can you share?

EXCERPT

Somewhere on the Pacific Ocean

The young man aimed his crossbow at the water, ready to fire a bolt of solid iron at the first glimpse of flesh beneath the surface.

“Sir,” he said, “shouldn’t we have seen one by now?”

The captain turned his back to the salty wind, jaw tight. “They know we’re here.”

“So what are they doing?”

He followed the captain’s gaze. Blackness merged with the empty grey horizon in every direction. A long silence passed, filled only by gentle swells lapping against the ship.

The captain drew his own crossbow.

“Forming a plan.”

All twenty men aboard the ship readied their weapons, reacting in a chain until the last man at the stern took steady aim at the waves.

“Make ready your iron, men,” shouted the captain. “We have ripples approaching off the port side.”

A handful of places in the water puckered, as if something lingered just below the surface. The sea was too black to tell.

Then it happened. Fifty, maybe sixty sea demons burst from the water and slammed against the ship. The men wasted no time. They reacted with trained speed and agility as the demons thrust stones and jagged shells into the wood, both to break holes in the ship and to scale the sides. The men picked them off with bolts of iron and watched them fall one by one back into the sea.

But they were outnumbered. Soon the demons were upon the ship, pulling themselves across the deck with bony arms.

The young man had already shot a dozen and the water reddened with each passing second.

Slow scraping sounds threatened him from behind. He whirled around, crossbow ready. Burning eyes met his, and sharp teeth, bared to rip into his flesh. He gripped the trigger, felt the bow tighten—

And the demon was gone. The young man stared into the wide gaze of a girl his own age. With a startled cry, he jerked his aim so the bolt barely missed her.

She held a black shell in her hand, sharp at the edges and ready to use as a club. But she didn’t raise it. She just looked at him.

He lowered his crossbow.

Her blonde hair fell heavily over her shoulders, dripping beads of water down her naked chest and stomach, pooling where her torso joined her tail.

He blinked, but made no other motion—where her torso joined her tail. Scales faded into flesh like some sort of beautiful, green and tan sunset.

She pulled herself closer.

“Stay back,” said the young man, unsure what prompted him to hesitate.

He looked into her eyes—emeralds surrounded by pearl white—where moments ago they had burned red. Her sharp teeth had retracted behind rosy lips. The seaweed-coloured flesh of her upper body was now olive and raised with goose bumps from the icy wind.

“Hanu aii,” she whispered. Do not fear. She spoke his language.

He loosened his grip on the crossbow, studying her. She lifted a frail arm and pushed the hair from her eyes, then motioned him forwards.

His pulse quickened as he stared at the beautiful girl.

“Hanu aii,” she said again, her voice resonating sweetly, as if she sang without singing.

Suddenly, he was kneeling in front of her, level with her luminous eyes. The sounds around him faded but for the soft purr in the base of her throat.

She reached up and held an icy hand to his cheek, not for a moment breaking eye contact. The hand slid behind his head and pulled his face towards hers, slowly but firmly. He inhaled her sweet breath.

“No!”

He flinched. He turned to see the captain racing towards them, aiming his crossbow at the maiden.

The young man grasped the scene around him. The ship was empty. A few stray weapons and barrels bobbed serenely in the water. Blood soaked the deck in places, and even the main mast had a splatter across the bottom.

The captain fired wide. Before he could reload and aim again, the sea demon put a hand on the young man’s chin and pulled his gaze back to hers.

Her eyes blazed red. Her skin rippled into the rotten colour of seaweed. Her ears grew pointed and long like sprouting coral. She opened her mouth to reveal a row of deadly teeth.

The young man screamed.

The demon pulled him against her with more strength than three men combined, and they dove headfirst off the side of the ship.

They disappeared into the blood-red water.

AUTHOR BIO

Tiana Warner was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. She enjoys riding her horse, Bailey, and collecting tea cups.

Author links: Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Help yourself to the free copy of Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner, during the blitz.

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

–Signed copy of Ice Massacre

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for visiting fundinmental.

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Cover Reveal for Eternal Light by Nelly B Jones – A Fellow Blogger

Posted on July 31, 2014 by fundinmental

Fellow Blogger, Bieke at Istyria would like to share the cover for Eternal Light, A Tales of Istyria novel.

A young adult fantasy adventure in the

…Search for the One with the Eternal Light …

Title: Eternal Light

Author: Nelly B. Jones

Series: Tales of Istyria #1

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Expected release: 16 May 2016

BLURB

My name is Arya. I’ve lived in Istyria my whole life. My world has been peaceful … until now.

When Darkness starts to take over the land of Istyria. Arya is send on a mission by the King and Queen to retrieve the one who holds the Power of Light within him. According to the Prophecy they need him if they want to defeat the Evil that threatens to pull Istyria into total darkness. Finding him is easy enough, but is she prepared to deal with the dangers that lurk around the corner? And what role does she play in all of this?

Lucian refuses to believe in magic, but when a girl suddenly appears in his room and talks of a magical land and a Prophecy, he gets sucked into an adventure he isn’t even sure he wants to be part of.

…Search for the One with the Eternal Light …

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nelly B. Jones is the author of the upcoming novels Eternal Light, the first book in the Tales of Istyria series, and (In)Visible. She was born and raised in Neerpelt, Belgium with the name Bieke. After her parent’s divorce Nelly moved around a lot and experienced heavy bullying during her school years, writing became her way to escape the world around her and loose herself into her own.

Her writing was heavily encouraged by her grandmother, who holds a very special place in Nelly’s heart and was her rock during tough times. She first began with writing poems but gradually made her way into short stories until the day came when she found the inspiration to start writing Eternal Light and made it the first book in a series. (In)Visible is a Young Adult Contemporary novel based on her own life. Nelly is a fanatic book lover and blogger on Istyria book blog.