Freedom Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop at the Freedom Giveaway Hop:-)

This is my first time participating in a giveaway hop, it sounds fun and I'm very excited.
I hope to meet some great people and fellow bloggers/readers.

So what can you win here you ask? You can win:

A BOOK OF YOUR CHOICE!!!

Up to $10 from The Book Depository.

Contest details:
I will keep it simple as I know how it is to have to get around to all the blogs.
Just fill out the form and your in.



Extra entry:
If you want an extra entry you can post about this giveaway anywhere (Facebook, Twitter, Blog ect.) leave a comment with the link and I will add +1 to your entry.
Ex. on tweet:
Win book of your choice (up to $10 Book Depository) at Mysteriousbooks, Freedom Giveaway Hop 1-7 July @mette_s_jensen - http://bit.ly/mqEkip

Thank you very much for stopping by Mysteriousbooks on this blog hop, I hope you'd enjoy yourself and if you want more take a look at all the other participating blogs here:

http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/p/giveaway-hops.html

Guest post and giveaway with author P. L. Blair, Shadow Path tour

I'm so happy to welcome P. L. Blair to the blog today. She's stopping by on her Shadow Path tour and she's going to tell us about herself and the Portals Between Worlds.
Shadow Path was published March 15th 2008.

Feel free to post any comments and/or questions you have for P. L. Blair in the comments.

Info about the giveaway at the end of the post.

Portals Between Worlds
Shadow Path came about in part because I want to live in a world inhabited by elves.
Not a distant, medieval past, but ... today, here and now. I love the epic fantasy of Tolkien and McKiernan (among others), but there's a bittersweetness to them. In those worlds, at the end of the tale, the wizards and elves and dragons went away.
I wanted to explore what would happen when elves and wizards, dragons and pixies and trolls, ogres and all the other creatures of our legends and mythology came back.
That's the premise of Shadow Path and the subsequent books in my Portals series: Wizards and elves, trolls and ogres, dragons and all these other beings exist. They live in a world parallel to our own, separated from our world by gateways, the Portals.
In ancient times, these portals stood open, and the inhabitants of this other world, a world of magic, crossed freely into our human world. Our ancestors saw them, interacted with them. That's why we have legends and myths about these beings.
After centuries ... millennia ... the Portals were closed between our worlds. We forgot that elves and wizards and all these other creatures really existed. We relegated them to mythology "fairy tales"
Until, at some point in the not-too-distant future, the Portals open again. And these beings that we dismissed as fantasy are returning to our human world.
Bringing their magic with them.
Corpus Christi, Texas, police detective Kat Morales and her partner, Tevis Mac Leod, yes, an elf , investigate crimes that result when magic is used for the wrong reasons. In their first adventure, Shadow Path, they find themselves investigating a series of murders that, at first, seem to make no sense.
Until they discover that the killer is an old acquaintance of Tevis', a former lover, a wielder of black magic, who wants Tevis dead.
And the only way Tevis can defeat her, and save himself, and Kat, is through the magic that he himself ceased to wield thousands of years ago.

Thank you so much P. L. Blair for being here today, it's been a pleasure to have you here and I've enjoyed your guest post very much.

I'm sorry for the delay in posting your guest post.

Excerpt from Shadow Path:
"The sword," Tevis gazed at the lieutenant from under lowered brows, "is perfect ? cast from a single mold, all of one piece , even the hilt. The runes would have been engraved in a single sitting, each connected to the next by a thin line called the Vine of Binding, which would have been engraved after the runes were completed. It too would have been done in a single sitting, and as each segment of the line was drawn, spells would have been spoken. No slip mars the runes or the connecting lines, no scratch or mar upon the surface of the blade. The blade, the runes and the Vine are all perfect ? as they must be to hold the spells cast into the sword at its making. It is the sword's perfection that holds its Power. Mar the perfection, and the Magic is released."
"Where?" Harley looked, and sounded, alarmed. "Here? You're gonna release Magic in here?"
"It will be dissipated Magic. At the worst, it should do no more than make noise."
"Should?" Harley echoed. "And the sword ? My God, you're gonna destroy the sword!"
Tevis shook his head. "It will mar the blade's surface, nothing worse." He lifted a pair of safety glasses from the table, slipped them over his eyes, started the bone saw. The whine of the saw became a shriek as it came into contact with the weapon.
Something cracked. Blue bolts flashed from the sword blade.
They hit Tevis with the force of a physical blow. The Elf hurled backward as though struck by a battering ram, literally flew across the room and slammed into the wall with a thud that twisted Kat's stomach. He slid down the wall onto the floor and did not move.

Buy Shadow Path

Amazon.uk
Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY TIME!
Now you have the chance to win an E-copy of Shadow Path.

Official Contest information:
To enter, please leave a comment below
Contest deadline is July 11, 2011
Contest is open Internationally
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!

Extra entries:
+1 GFC follower
+1 Networked blogs follower
+1 Twitter follower (@mette_s_jensen)
+1 Post about this giveaway (Twitter, Facebook ect.)

Fast Forward (17)

Hello all my fellow bloggers and readers, another week has begun and it's time to look forward and see what this week will bring.
I hope you will play along in this meme.

Book related
I'm reading Feast by Merrie Destefano and I haven't decided what I'm going to read after that but properly one of these four:

PL Blair's guest post and giveaway will be up later today.
Laura Bickle will be stopping by on Thursday June 30th with an interview
Stacey Thompson will be stopping by on Sunday July 3 with a guest Post and a giveaway.

I'm also participating in the Celebrating Freedom Hop which runs from July 1st to 7th, so there will be a giveaway there as well.

If I have the time, I will participate in the following memes this week:
Teaser Tuesday
Waiting on Wednesday
Follow Friday/Blog Hop
On My Wishlist
In My Mailbox

Other things this week
My 300+ followers giveaway will be posted at some point in the near future, but I can't promise it will up this week. I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten.

I finally bought an Ipad 2 and I love it. So now I can read E-books:-)


Now it's your turn, tell me your FFW:
I would love to hear what you are reading this week and also tell me, what are your plans for the week?

Your welcome to make your own Fast Forward post on your blog and then come back and post a link, that would be awesome.

Thank you to everyone who participated last week.

Problems, problems and guess what...more problems

I have been really unlucky these past three days.
I had problems both in my personal life and with blogger/mail. (I couldn't post pictures, my mail wouldn't sent, guest post didn't arrive.)

It seems like everything finally works again now but it's so late here in Denmark that I don't think I can keep my eyes open much longer.

Everyone who is waiting for something from me, my first priority tomorrow is to update everything and get mails sent and more.

I'm very sorry.

Interview and giveaway with author Jocelynn Drake, Burn the Night tour

I'm so happy to welcome Jocelynn Drake to the blog today. She's stopping by on her Burn the Night tour and she's going to tell us about herself and Burn the Night.Expected publication: June 28th 2011 .

Burn the Night is the final book in the Dark Days series.

Feel free to post any comments and/or questions you have for Jocelynn Drake in the comments.

Info about the giveaway at the end of the post.

Author bio

The Oldest of three kids, Jocelynn grew up and continues to reside in the Cincinnati, Ohio region.

She started writing when she was 12, spending all of one summer re-writing the story of Robin Hood in the battered remains of a notebook. While life has brought many changes and surprises, the love of writing and a good story has been a constant.

When not writing, she can be found buried in a good book, wandering through the woods with her camera cradled protectively against her body, traveling to interesting locations, or relaxing with her family, who have also remained in the Cincinnati area.

If you could visit anywhere (real or fictional), were would you go?

The Dark Days series is largely based in Savannah, Georgia, though Mira does travel quite a bit.  I have been lucky to visit Savannah on two occasions and I very quickly fell in love.  I would jump at the chance to go back at any time and would love to move there someday.  Some other places that are at the top of my list include Venice, all along the Nile in Egypt, and Machu Picchu in Peru. 

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Joy”?

Joy makes me think of a peaceful sort of happiness, just one notch above contentment.

I have seen on your site that you like to take pictures, can you tell us about and/or show us one of your favorites?

Several years ago, I got interested in photography, mostly in landscapes and color.  I quickly learned that I don’t have much of an eye for black and white photos, though I own a large collection of Ansel Adams prints.  While living at my parents during college, I use to take my Canon Rebel down through the woods and along the creeks, taking hundreds of pictures.  I don’t currently have any favorites downloaded in digital format as I was working in film at the time.  Sadly, I don’t pursue photography any longer as I now have a chronic sickness that makes my hands shake, but I still love looking at photographs.

For people who have yet to read your series can you describe The Dark Days series in three sentences?

The Dark Days series is a whirlwind dark adventure, pitting a vampire and a vampire hunter against an evil race determined to wipe humanity and vampires from the planet.  The feared Firestarter, Mira is forced to come face-to-face with her tormentor while having to question whom she can really trust when push comes to shove.  Meanwhile, Danaus fights for both his soul and his ideals as he draws closer to his prey.

Will you mention 5 words about Mira and 5 about Danaus?

Mira is deadly, devious, devoted.  Danaus is sexy, honorable, determined.

If you had to choose one thing you like the most from the cover of Burn the Night, what would it be?

That’s easy.  I love the fireball that Mira is holding.  I have been secretly wanting to see Mira with her trademark fireball, but I had never mentioned it to the publisher because it didn’t seem to quite fit until now.  I like the idea of Mira going out in a blaze of glory with her man at her side.

How does it feel to know that Burn the Night is the final book in the Dark Days series?

I’m definitely sad to be closing the book on the series.  I’ve known Mira & Co. for several years.  They’ve been in my thoughts for so long that I feel as if they are my family and it’s hard to say good-bye to them.  Every once in a while, I still think of something that I didn’t have time to accomplish with them or a character that I wish I had had a chance to spend more time with.  I think that’s part of the danger of creating such a big, detailed world.  There just isn’t enough time for everything.

But in the end, I think it was time to bring it all to a close. I had started the series to tell Mira’s story as she battled the demons from her past that were threatening to eclipse her future.  I got the chance to see both her and Danaus grow into wonderful people and what parent couldn’t be more proud of that? 

If you had the chance to meet any character from your Dark Days series in real life, who would it be and why?

That’s a hard choice.  My instinct is to say Mira or Danaus, but then I won’t.  I’ve written books from their points of view.  I’ve had them walking around in my brain and chatting with me for years.  I know them in and out, and I never feel like I am really without them even though I am no longer actively writing about them.  I’m more drawn to the characters that haven’t had a lot of screen time.  I’d like to sit down with Tristan and ask him if he has forgiven me for what I put him through.  And then give him a hug.  I’d like to go on a moonlight stroll through Forsyth Park with Valerio, but I don’t trust him to behave himself.  I’d like to sit up all night in a coffee house with Stefan and try to peel back the layers of mistrust and protective barriers to get at the real him.  And I’d like to give Alexandra a hug and apologize for never getting around to her wedding.  In the end, if any of my characters called to meet up for drinks and a chat, I would jump at the chance.  They are family and I miss them.

Can you tell us something about your next series The Tattoo Artist?

I am hard at work on the first book in a new series.  This is a totally new and exciting world.  After working in a closed/hidden world, where humans were in the dark, I decided to throw the doors open on this one.  In this world, magical creatures live along side of humans, but they are all lorded over by powerful witches and warlocks.  In an effort to get ahead in this world, many people will turn to the tattoo artists, who, for the right price, can give you love, luck, or revenge with the right tattoo and potion.  The series centers on a skilled tattoo artist and his co-workers as they struggle with their hidden pasts and the interesting customers that come through the door.

Which books are sitting at the top of your TBR pile?

I do so much have a pile.  To me a pile implies a neatly stacked tower in a particular order.  My TBR pile is more like a mental TBR mound.  I’ve recently been reading a lot of Lynsay Sands and Kerrelyn Sparks.  Other authors that I love include Kim Harrison, Rachel Vincent, Jim Butcher, Vicki Pettersson, Simon Green, and Raymond Feist.

Thank you so much Jocelynn for stopping by, it's really been a pleasure and I can't wait to read Burn the Night!

Find Jocelynn Drake here:
Website
Blogger - The Dark Days Series
Live Journal
Facebook


GIVEAWAY TIME!
Now you have the chance to win a signed copy of  Burn the Night.
I have not one but TWO signed copies to giveaway!

Official Contest information:
To enter, please leave a comment below
Contest deadline is July 17, 2011
Contest is open Internationally
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!

Extra entries:
+1 GFC follower
+1 Networked blogs follower
+1 Twitter follower (@mette_s_jensen)
+1 Post about this giveaway (Twitter, Facebook ect.)

Follow Friday & Blog hop (11)

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View

This week's question is:

In light of the Summer Solstice. Also known as Midsummer...let's talk about fairies. What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?

I really like Hans Christian Andersen's fariy tales, they always have a deeper meaning and I  have heard them since I was little. They just stick with you.

As for fae, I like the fae in Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thomson books and I also think the fae is great i Karen Marie Monings Fever series.

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books

Guest post and giveaway with author Keira Lea, Replay tour

I'm so happy to welcome Keira Lea to the blog today. She's stopping by on her Replay tour and she's going to tell us about herself and about The characters we love.
Replay was published April 12th 2011.

Feel free to post any comments and/or questions you have for Keira Lea in the comments.

Info about the giveaway at the end of the post.

Author bio

Keira Lea released her debut novel in April 2011. She is a devoted fan of the TV show FRINGE, a card-carrying member of the Apple cult, and a mother to two human children and three feline ones. She is working on a sequel to Replay.

The Characters We Love

Have you ever watched a TV show for several years, become attached to the characters, and then decided to watch the series again from the beginning? Did the characters feel the same to you? Were you a little disappointed because the people you were so fond of didn't seem like themselves? Sometimes, this happens because the characters have grown throughout the series. It also can happen when the writers, directors, and actors are trying to find their characters' voices in those early episodes.

For me, it's the same with writing a novel. Characters come to me first, but I don't always know everything about them right away. I get to know them as I work on the first draft. Even though characters come to me before plot, the two influence each other as I develop the story. I wrote the entire first draft of Replay thinking I had Kelsee's story right. The plot seemed true to her personality and the events happening in her life. When I went back to the beginning, though, I realized Kelsee wasn't quite Kelsee yet.

I wrote another draft, which brought me closer to getting it right. It took several more heavy revisions, though, before I felt comfortable. Now, I recognize Kelsee whether I'm reading the first or last pages of the novel again. I feel I can take her into the sequel in an authentic way.
Now, if I can just pursuade someone to put Kelsee on TV …

Thank you so much Keira for stopping by it's been a pleasure. I love Replay and will post my review of it Friday at latest.

About Replay
Kelsee Lewis has a new school, a prima donna best friend, and one week to write a hit play. Throw in a self-obsessed mom and an absent executive dad, and it’s no wonder she has panic attacks—complete with time-warp special effects. When Kelsee meets comic book maven Quinn, she realizes the attacks give her the ability to rewind time.

Replaying life seems like the best way to erase mistakes. But will second chances leave Kelsee flailing in the orchestra pit alone?

Buy Replay
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Now you have the chance to win an E-copy of Replay

Official Contest information:
To enter, please leave a comment below
Contest deadline is July 3, 2011
Contest is open Internationally
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!

Extra entries:
+1 GFC follower
+1 Networked blogs follower
+1 Twitter follower (@mette_s_jensen)
+1 Post about this giveaway (Twitter, Facebook ect.)

If you want extra chances to win, visit the other tour stops, the next stop is:
June 23 – Books of Love

At the last tour stop there will be extra goodies:

"Waiting On" Wednesday (17) Hades and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My picks this week are:

 

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

(Halo #2)

Expected publication: August 30th 2011

 

 

 

Even the love of her boyfriend, Xavier Woods, and her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can’t keep the angel Bethany Church from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, Jake Thorn bargains for Beth’s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly her loved ones as well. Can he be trusted in this wager? And what does Jake have Xavier believing about Beth’s fate that may result in an act of betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if Xav is so good after all?

 

 

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

(Mara Dyer #1)

Expected publication: September 27th 2011

 

 

 

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Teaser Tuesday (18)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Read more about Teaser Tuesdays HERE.

Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This weeks teaser:
A guarded expression.
And a unquenchable hunger.
I wondered if he looked at everyone that way, or if he saved that particular gaze for his prey.
P. 134 ARC Feast: Harvest of Dreams by Merrie Destefano

Fast Forward (16)

Hello all my fellow bloggers and readers, another week has begun and it's time to look forward and see what this week will bring.
I hope you will play along in this meme.

Book related
Right now I'm reading Replay by Keira Lea and after that I'm going to read FEAST by Merrie Destefano.
Reviews, reviews, reviews I'm getting behind on these, need to get some of them up this week.

Keira Lea will be stopping by on Wednesday June 22th with a guest post and a giveaway.
Jocelynn Drake will be stopping by on Friday June 24th with an interview and a giveaway.
PL Blair will be stopping by on Sunday June 26th with a guest post and a giveaway.
So lots of giveaways this week. I hope to see you there.

If everything go as planned and I have the time, I will participate in the following memes this week:
Teaser Tuesday
Waiting on Wednesday
Follow Friday/Blog Hop
On My Wishlist
In My Mailbox

Other things this week
It's still a little book/blog related but I reached 300+ followers, thank you so much all my old and new followers. I think this will have to be celebrated with a 300 followers giveaway:-)
I hope I can get to that this week.

Now it's your turn, tell me your FFW:
I would love to hear what you are reading this week and also tell me, what are your plans for the week?

Your welcome to make your own Fast Forward post on your blog and then come back and post a link, that would be awesome.

Thank you to everyone who participated last week.

Winner of Accidental Abduction by Eve Langlais

  
Thank you to everyone who stopped by when Eve Langlais visited Mysteriousbooks. It's always so great to read your comments.
I wish I had copies for everyone who entered, sadly I only have one E-copy of Accidental Abduction to give away, but I hope some of you will stop by later this month and enter in some of the other great giveaways that's going to happen on my blog.


The winner is:

Cathy Decker

Who said:
Found out about you on Shelfari in group: PARANORMAL ROMANCE is my brand of heroin.
Book sounds interesting and am always looking for new authors!Thanks for the giveaway.

Congratulations! I have your email and I will contact the author who will sent you the copy. I hope you will enjoy it.
Happy reading.

Review: Tracking Shadows by Regan Black

About Tracking Shadows

In 2096, the American government has gone above and beyond to 'protect its citizens', even regulating sugar and coffee. Every new legislative measure opens up a black market for an enterprising person willing to seize the opportunity.

In Chicago, Slick Micky is the king of smuggling. Known to deliver anything, anytime, anywhere, he specializes in caffeine and sugar and works in the anonymity of shadows. But recently an old enemy is tired of waiting for Micky's empire to crumble and has called in the best assassin in the business to take him out.

Trina Durham is an assassin with a sterling reputation, thanks to her unique ability to induce deadly hallucinations. When Slick Micky killed her best friend, she left Chicago - forever. She's back now, unable to resist the perfect opportunity for vengeance. But no one warned her Slick Micky might as well be a shadow. Or that shedding light on the man and his secrets would put both her heart and reputation at risk.

Source: Goodreads

Review

Regan Black is a new author for me and Tracking Shadows really caught my interest when I first heard about it. I was so lucky to get my hands on an E-copy and I think it was a very good book.
I really liked Trina and Slick Micky they were both characters who was easy to identify with. They both had big personalities so as a reader you could connect with them on some emotional level. They had to make some hard decisions.
Trina was broken in a way and it was amazing how she little by little picked pieces up of herself and put them back together in a new way when she went along with her quest. It kind of made her a whole new person.

I liked how the story took place in 2096, the almost no sugar, no nicotine and no caffeine policy was a great twist and it really made me think about how our world will actually look like when that year comes along. It's an interesting way to tell people that you can try your best to get rid of something even by making a law, but it will properly still be there "underground".
I liked how the location reminded me a little of a film noir, the descriptions was very well written.

The story had a few slow moments where I felt that there was to much talk and not enough action, but it was a mysterious and thrilling novel, it gave hope in a world where there was very little and to find romance in such a world...that gave Tracking Shadows something special.

I look forward to read more books from Regan Black.

I give Tracking Shadows 4 out of 5.

In My Mailbox (14)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created and hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren for bloggers to show all of the great books or book related things that you have gotten over the past week! It can be books bought, gotten from the library, received for review ect.
Go HERE to read more about IMM.

For Review
The Dream Crystal by Mark O'Bannon

- Thank you for sending me this for review, it looks like a very interested read.

The Paris Secret by Angela Henry

- This book has a very mysterious cover and the book sounds good.

NetGalley (for review)

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

- I have heard lots of interesting things about this book. I look forward to reading it.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

- Looks like a cute and touching story.

FEAST Harvest of Dreams  by Merrie Destefano

- I love Merrie's other books and I can't wait to get started on this one.

I would love to know what you got in your mailbox this week, leave a link in the comments and I'll check it out:-)

Follow Friday & Blog hop (10)

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View

This week's question is:

Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

URBAN FANTASY! No wait YA...PNR is good too and I can't forget to mentions Fantasy,there's also Dystopian. Sigh...I can't choose, to many great genres and a lot of the books I read is a mix of more than one. 

 

As for books, to many to list:-)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books

Guest post and giveaway with author Fiona Dodwell, The Banishing tour

I'm so happy to welcome Fiona Dodwell to the blog today. She's stopping on her The Banishing tour and she's going to tell us about herself and her book, The Banishing.
The Banishing is a stand-alone novel,  it was published March 1st 2011.

Feel free to post any comments and/or questions you have for Fiona Dodwell in the comments.

Fiona Dodwell lives in the UK with her husband. She works in mental health, and has studied a peculiar mix over the years - from film studies to theology to psychology. She has been writing since she was a teenager, having developed a morbid taste for horror. Her first full length fictional novel, The Banishing, has been released with Damnation Books and her next novel, Obsessed, is due for release in September.

Here Fiona tells us about her novel, The Banishing, and how she came to write it...

The Banishing

When Melissa first notices the change in her husband - subtle at first - she thinks it may be the stress of moving into their new home. Or working long hours. But soon he turns into something far darker, far more sinister.

Who or what is the dark shadow living beneath her husband? What is haunting him?

Melissa must quickly find the answer to these questions, because Mark is changing, and fast. Soon her fight will be for her life, as well as for her marriage.

The Banishing is a dark, disturbing novel exploring the world of demonic possession, spiritual oppression and domestic abuse.

Why I wrote about this dark subject...
Many religions believe in the existence of a devil and of demons, and indeed, there have been many accounts in history that talk of people being taken over by evil spirits. The idea is, in itself, a terrifying one. Imagine becoming something other than yourself; your mind thinking thoughts you can't control, acting out of character, displaying new and ugly qualities. Sound familiar? Could demonic possession truly exist - or are we simply talking about flawed humans? Or, possibly mental illness? These are the questions that have fascinated me for years, and they were the basis for my horror novel, The Banishing.

In today's world, with psychiatry and medicine taking a prominent role, we all seek to find a reasonable, safe answer to the evil that exists in the world. But what if evil knows how to masquerade under a safe, acceptable façade?

If you are interested in finding the conclusions my character reaches regarding demons and possession, then you can order a copy of The Banishing from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Damnation Books.

To find out more about Fiona, you can visit her author page at: www.fionasfiction.wordpress.com

Thank you so much Fiona for stopping by Mysteriousbooks on your tour, it have been a pleasure to have you here today.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

2 ebook copies of The Banishing are being given away to 2 lucky winners

The winners will be chosen from all comments at all tour stops

So the more times you enter the more chances you have to win

To enter just leave a comment at any or all of the tour stops

Be sure to include your email address

A winner will be chosen at the end of the tour

To see a list of stops visit www.bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com

　

Interview with author Regan Black, Tracking Shadows tour

I'm so happy to welcome Regan Black to the blog today. She's stopping on her Tracking Shadows tour and she's going to tell us about herself and her book, Tracking Shadows.
Tracking Shadows is a stand-alone novel,  it was published May 3rd 2011.

Feel free to post any comments and/or questions you have for Regan Black in the comments.

My review of Tracking Shadows will be up on Friday. At the end of the week at latest.

Regan Black writes action packed paranormal and urban fantasy novels so readers can savor a fantastic escape from the daily grind. Raised in the Midwest and California, she now lives with her family in the South Carolina Lowcountry where the abundance of history and legend fuels her imagination. Experience a Regan Black adventure at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords. You can keep up with Regan at ReganBlack.com, twitter @ReganBlack and Facebook.

What inspired you to become a writer?
It's cliche, but I think my writing blossomed from my love of reading. Adding in my grandmothers who both loved to tell stories, one of them was also an accomplished writer, and you see why my family says it's genetic. Writing has always been my favorite means of expression and I just love to make stuff up. When my children were young, I'd often create silly songs or stories to amuse or soothe them. At one time I'd thought to write books for children, but my writing voice just isn't suited for that market.

Do you listen to music when you write, if yes would you mention some of it?
I like to write to Celtic instrumentals, tuba soloist Patrick Sheridan (I discovered him when my son started tuba lessons) and Andrea Bocelli.

What does the word “Home” mean to you?
Family and unity. The type of shelter doesn't matter, or even the bonds of blood and bone. Home, to me, is more the sense of a safe haven for people, emotions and opinions, held together with compassion, love, and laughter no matter the circumstance.

If you could have an ability, what would you choose?I used to think I'd prefer invisibility, which is probably why I had so much fun writing the stealth suit that Slick Micky uses in Tracking Shadows. Lately, with my daughter heading to college in the northeast and my son not far behind her, I'm thinking teleportation would be an invaluable asset.

For people who have yet to read your book can you describe Tracking Shadowsin three sentences? Can they be compound or run-on sentences? Just kidding.
Slick Micky's specific moral code has kept him at the top of the smuggling business in 2096 Chicago. But someone has put a price on his head and sparks fly when one of the hired guns is a woman from his past. Together they must unravel the plot against him, or die trying.

What kind of research did you do before writing this book?
Much of the preliminary research was spent in the previous 2096 novels, confirming and connecting details so I knew exactly who was visiting Slick Micky's warehouse hideout and when. Once those were settled, I turned to my typical perusal of current science achievements in weapons, security and stealth and then projected where we might be by 2096.

Will you mention 5 words about Trina Durham and 5 about Slick Micky?
Trina: sensual, sultry, lethal, resourceful, and vengeful
Slick Micky: elusive, compassionate, cunning, mysterious, and ethical

If you had to choose one thing you like the most from the cover of Tracking Shadows, what would it be?
The fishnet stockings! I thought those were a cool touch.

What are you working on now?
I'm in the final revision of a lighter paranormal romance that will soon go to editors and beta readers and I'm spending time each day in the rough draft of an edgier contemporary paranormal while the story line for the next 2096 novel simmers in the back of my mind.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
Still imagining, dreaming, writing, and publishing new paranormal romance and urban fantasy adventures. After all these years, the writing is just an imperative part of my daily life. It's a bit of a shock to look forward and see that in five years, it'll most likely be just me, my husband, the greyhounds and cats around here. It sounds ideal, and we'll make the most of it I'm sure, but it also helps me appreciate living in the moment.

Thanks so much for hosting this stop on the Tracking Shadows blog tour. It's been an absolute pleasure!

Thank you so much Regan for stopping by I really enjoyed reading Tracking Shadows.

In 2096, the American government has gone above and beyond to 'protect its citizens', even regulating sugar and coffee. Every new legislative measure opens up a black market for an enterprising person willing to seize the opportunity.

In Chicago, Slick Micky is the king of smuggling. Known to deliver anything, anytime, anywhere, he specializes in caffeine and sugar and works in the anonymity of shadows. But recently an old enemy is tired of waiting for Micky's empire to crumble and has called in the best assassin in the business to take him out.

Trina Durham is an assassin with a sterling reputation, thanks to her unique ability to induce deadly hallucinations. When Slick Micky killed her best friend, she left Chicago - forever. She's back now, unable to resist the perfect opportunity for vengeance. But no one warned her Slick Micky might as well be a shadow. Or that shedding light on the man and his secrets would put both her heart and reputation at risk.

Buy Tracking Shadows here:
Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

The next blog stop:
June 16 – Reading Between The Wines Book Club 

Visit the final tour stop for a chance to win a signed copy of Tracking Shadows:

Now it's time for you dear readers to post any comments and questions you have for Regan:-) Thank you for reading.

"Waiting On" Wednesday (16) The Near Witch and Fury

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My picks this week are:

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Expected publication: August 2nd 2011

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
 
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
 
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
 
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.


Fury by Elizabeth Miles
(Fury #1)
Expected publication: August 30th 2011

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Em and Chase have been chosen.

Teaser Tuesday (17)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Read more about Teaser Tuesdays HERE. 

Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This weeks teaser:
“I’m not sure what happened between you two yesterday, but you should talk to her about it,” she says. See, this is why I hate discussing anything in front of my mother. She takes it as a personal, floral-scented invitation to butt in.
P. 38 Replay by Keira Lea

Fast Forward (15)

Hello all my fellow bloggers and readers, another week has begun and it's time to look forward and see what this week will bring.
I hope you will play along in this meme.

Book related
Last week I finished The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, my review will be up soon as well as the reviews I didn't have the time to post last week. I hope I can get to it this week.
At the moment I'm reading Tracking Shadows by Regan Black and Replay by Keira Lea so I'm ready for the tour stops.

Regan Black will be stopping by on Wednesday June 15th with an interview.
Fiona Dodwell author of The Banishing will be stopping by on Thursday June 16th with a guest post.
I hope to see you there.

If everything go as planned I will participate in the following memes this week:
Teaser Tuesday
Waiting on Wednesday
(Follow Friday/Blog Hop)
(On My Wishlist)
In My Mailbox

Other things this week
Some of my very good friends is getting married on Saturday, I'm so excited for them! I have not been to many weddings so I'm really look forward to go.

Now it's your turn, tell me your FFW:
I would love to hear what you are reading this week and also tell me, what are your plans for the week?

Your welcome to make your own Fast Forward post on your blog and then come back and post a link, that would be awesome.

Thank you to everyone who participated last week.

In My Mailbox (13)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created and hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren for bloggers to show all of the great books or book related things that you have gotten over the past week!  It can be books bought, gotten from the library, received for review ect.
Go HERE to read more about IMM.

For Review

Tracking Shadows by Regan Black

- This book is good so far and I'm excited to host the tour stop on Wednesday June 15th.

Replay by Keira Lea

- Thank you for this I'm very excited to read it.

Gift

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

- Thank you so much Barbara Fernandez for sending me this, I can't wait to read it!

Bought

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

- I have won an ARC of Original Sin and I wanted to read this one first.

On My Wishlist (10)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday.

It's a place where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet.

They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Read more about it HERE.

My wishlist:  

 

Meridian

Amber Kizer

(Fenestra #1)

Published August 11th 2009

 

 

Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.
 
Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.
 
Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

Highborn 
Yvonne Navarro
(Dark Redemption #1)
Published October 26th 2010

EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE. BRYNNA MALAK MIGHT BE THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE.
 
Brynna is a fallen angel trying to earn redemption. She’s escaped from Hell in search of a new life on Earth, but Lucifer’s deadliest hunters are hot on her trail. Police Detective Eran Redmond is after her for a different reason: he needs Brynna to help him find a serial killer who is terrifying Chicago . . . and the trail leads them right to Hellspawned demons of the most dangerous kind. She’s also got a very human problem: dealing with a stubborn, attractive cop who makes her long for everything she knows she can’t have.
 
Staying alive long enough to earn a shot at Heaven will mean breaking some major rules in the mortal world, as she learns just how complicated and wonderful being human can be. With so much stacked against her, even Brynna has to wonder if she’s crazy. But she’s not giving in without a fight.

Not a chance in Hell. . . .

Two series I have heard good things about and I hope to get to read them at some point.

Follow Friday & Blog hop (9)

  

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View

This week's question is:

 

The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?

 

So many to choose from. I would love to switch places with Cat from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series, she's a fighter, she dosen't let anything stand in her way and she have Bones. Let's not forget a network of great friends and her cat Helsing;-)

 

Others that are definitely on my list:

Kate Daniels from Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series. (She's so cool and she has a great humour)

Merit from Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series (Especially before reading the end of book 4, can't wait to read Drink Deep!) 

 

 

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books

 

 

Interview with author Deborah Cooke, Flying Blind tour

I'm so happy to welcome Deborah Cooke to the blog today. She's stopping on her Flying Blind tour and she's going to tell us about herself and her first YA book, Flying Blind.
Flying Blind is the first book in the Dragon Diaries series, it was Published June 7th 2011. Book two Winging It will be released December 6th 2011.

Feel free to post any comments and/or questions you have for Deborah Cooke in the comments.

Deborah Cooke has always been fascinated with dragons, although she has never understood why they have to be the bad guys. She has an honours degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies. She is an avid reader of medieval vernacular literature, fairy tales and fantasy novels, and has written over forty romance novels and novellas.

She has also been published under the names Claire Cross and Claire Delacroix.
Deborah makes her home in Canada with her husband. When she isn't writing, she can be found knitting, sewing or hunting for vintage patterns.
In October and November 2009, Deborah was the writer in residence for the Toronto Public Library, the first time that the library has hosted a residency focussed on the romance genre.

What inspired you to become a writer?

BOOKS!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?

In my office, writing more books, with the unfinished knitting and research books piled even deeper around my desk.

If you could visit anywhere (real or fictional), were would you go?

Avalon

I love mythical creatures! Why dragons?

Dragons are powerful, noble, loyal and offer fab eye candy. What's not to love?

If you met at dragon what would you do?

Be in distress. (I'm not a virgin or a princess, so it's my only shot at catching his interest.)

For people who have yet to read your book can you describe Flying Blind in three sentences?

15 year-old Zoë is the only female dragon shifter of the Pyr. She should be the Wyvern, the prophetess of her kind, but her dragon powers are AWOL. She yearns for everything to start yesterday - until it does and she has to master her powers ASAP to save the Pyr. No pressure.

Will you mention 5 words about Zoë?

Artistic. Pragmatic. Optimistic. Smart. She's becoming more confident over the series, which is fun.

If you had to choose one thing you like the most from the cover of Flying Blind, what would it be?

The snow. And her eyes. (Okay that's two things, but I can't pick between them.)

What do you look the most forward to when your book is released?

Holding a copy in my own hands. :-)

What are you working on now?

The Dragon Diaries #3 - BLAZING A TRAIL (June 2012)

Thank you so much Deborah for stopping by I'm really looking forward to reading Flying Blind.

Find Deborah Cooke here:
Website

Blog

Facebook

Now it's time for you my fantastic readers to post any comments and questions you have for Deborah:-) Thank you for reading.