Need Something to Believe in? Got Faith

Redemption Has Its Price - Are You Willing To Pay?

Sinner ~ Book 7 - A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel



Available Now at Mojocastle Press



http://www.mojocastle.com/FaithSerial5.html


(All Proceeds from the sale of this book to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters)



It was written that each soul would have a Guardian. A Warrior of Light to watch over it. Protect it. Be its shield against the darkness, its sword against the fallen. But the days grew dark. Man’s souls darker still. Many turned away from the Light of God, cast aside His word and His love. And the Guardians rebelled.



Some say that this was his second transgression. What led to his ultimate betrayal. Others say that he too was but pawn in God’s glorious manipulation. A means to an end of man’s dark days. One thing is certain, only God knows the truth of his story. Only He knows a soul’s true worth and its fate.



My name is Faith Savage. In this game of good and evil I’ve met the Guardian that God sent me. His story I am just beginning to learn. His history, I am told, has marked him as damned. But, everyone knows Christ died for the sinners. The only question that remains is, could we forgive him if we controlled his fate?



Excerpt:

I blinked, and the world was filled the kind of mist you see at sunrise on those rare pre-fall days when the temperature hovers around fifty-five and the clouds have forgotten how to rise from the earth. Instead, they lay nestled in the dew hiding from the darkness, afraid the light will never come.


I heard a child's laughter from within this hazy darkness. Laughter that creeps along your flesh, burrows beneath the skin at your nails and scampers up the insides, on top of your bones like centipedes scurrying from the light.

"Grab her," someone said. The voice sounded familiar, stirred an ache in my heart. "She's headed for the corner. Grab her."

"I've got her, Father. I've got her," another man stated. There was a loud thud and a groan of pain followed, then the sound of bones snapping and a gurgled, pain-filled scream. Then the obvious slide of a body to the ground below and the maniacal ring of twinkling laughter.

"You should have died for him, Father," the child voice stated with graded vibrato.

Wicked's Kiss

"Some hungers burn hotter than hell."







http://www.mojocastle.com/FaithSerial4.html




Wicked’s Kiss - Book 6 - A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel
K. A. M'Lady
Rated: The Iron Maiden
Length: Short
Price: $1.50
ISBN: 1-60180-FSDH-6




There are those who say that we are all God’s children. That the Blood of Christ released us from sins. But, there are others that hold to the original sins. Temptations purchased for a copper, a penny, a fine golden coin. Even the priests bought and sold lies with the silver kisses of thieves; might cost you a stoning – ten pence for a whore.



Some have written that from a garden God created the first cast-off demon; a viper feigned in the guise of a woman. Her kisses, once given, led to eternal damnation. And, from one sacred garden to our Christ’s last temptation, a kiss by the wicked brought about mankind’s salvation. Bought and paid for by greed, perhaps even envy – all impugnable transgressions.



But, when is a kiss just a kiss in the game of redemption? What price does a man pay for the ultimate betrayal? Is the cost greater than the price of his soul?



My name is Faith Savage. When dealing with matters of faith, God, religion and demons, I’ve found there are no easy answers. I’ve stumbled my way through Hell’s treacherous dark byways seeking God and the answers to these and many other questions. I’ve learned that nothing is as it seems when dealing with demons and Angels. And sometimes, love and faith creates just another way to burn.



Excerpt:



The first kiss was for the dying. The unsuspecting prey, coiled lovingly in his arms. Soft skin pressed gently to his lips. Memories, wants and desires a warm, celestial rush mixed with the salty tang of copper bursting through his senses. Each one filled with light. Heated like the memory of sunshine kissing the flesh. He could almost taste it. Smell it on her flesh. Oh, the sweet, sensual heartache. The memory danced on his tongue and he swallowed it down. Took it from her. Watched it burn bitterly from her eyes while hope faded. While the last vestige of her light withdrew.



She clung to him, helplessly now. Watched him partake of her glory while he selfishly watched the light and life fade from her eyes. Both of them knew that this kiss was for her and her alone. Her one true kiss – the kiss for the soon departed.

With Faith Every Demon Has Its Day

The Ash Collector - Book 5 ~ A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel

On Sale Now at Mojocastle Press

http://www.mojocastle.com/FaithSerial4.html

Book 5: The Ash Collector
K. A. M'Lady
Rated: The Iron Maiden
Length: Short
Price: $1.50
ISBN: 1-60180-FSDH-5



In the beginning, God created man in his image; from dust and ash, hope was cast.


Yet, as far as time remembers, in the scrolls of history’s past, it was written that woman brought temptation to the garden. Woman introduced death unto man. But have you forgotten about the trickster? Was mortal destruction not his master plan?


There are those who say death is a celebration. One soul’s defiant, heavy passing; another’s gentle ease into the Light. Commemorations for the departed. Forgiveness of old transgressions. A final rest for pity, the end to immortal strife. But is death just the beginning? And who comes to collect you when you pass?


What happens to the worthy if the Light turns against them? Do they stand their ground – Stay and fight? What about those who seek no forgiveness? Do the deceiver’s minions scurry from the darkness? Come and collect their next eternal victim? Is everlasting damnation the deceased’s future plight?


My name is Faith Savage. I know what it is to walk the dark shadows at the edge of destruction. To feel the presence of The Collector in the night. I know what it is to bleed the dust of life’s possibilities, to sift through the ash of mankind’s hopes and dreams. To seek the evil that makes souls rot. It is here in this impossible darkness that I hunt demons, searching for my own answers and retributions, in the battle for the Light.


Excerpt:


"Close your mouth, Faith. I already know you’ve eaten nothing today but the lies and hate of the darkness.”

I blinked. Once. Twice. Snapped my jaw shut and glared at him. I couldn’t help it, I was pissed. Where the hell was he five minutes ago when I was all but being drug into hell’s dark void? Where was he two days ago when the damn demons had claimed Father Daniel? Where were any of them? Couldn’t sully their fine, golden fingers, could they?

So, pissed it was. And so I glared. Glared at the perfection of satin black hair that hung in waves to his shoulders. Snarled at perfect blue eyes with their dark ebony scratch of brow above. I scowled at the hard angles and soft rounded edges of a perfectly beautiful face with its soft, lovely lips above the round of a perfectly formed chin.

Then I frowned at a gleaming set of perfect white teeth as they smiled back at me. I wanted to smack the smirk right off him. Not just for being God’s perfectly glorious creature, but for noticing that I noticed and being all damned smug about it. Arrogance, thy name is man—even if thou art an angel.

“Angels are not men,” he gruffly stated.

“Whatever,” I roughly replied, making sure to throw in the appropriate eye roll and snort of disdain. Then I pushed my way past him to the cabinet next to the bathroom door, all but opening it in his face so I could get some gauze and a washcloth to clean and wrap my still-bleeding arm. Each move I made was hard and with purpose. Yeah, I was definitely pissed.

Judge me, I thought. Could have shown up a little sooner. Like before the evil had killed my friend. I all but growled my annoyance as I slammed shut the door.

Light and Darkness

As the end of a season reaches forward we look to what was and what is yet to be. 

September ends and the days draw nearer
to the realms between. 

Still, the future is filled with color, scents, warmth and the return to family. 

The roads we take lead to magic and possiblities.

We will plan the days ahead with gatherings and events. 

Fill our hearths and homes with those

that fill our lives and our hearts with comfort and care. 

We will fill our time with knowledge and

relish in the joy of time's ever changing ways. 

For this is time for beginnings and ends. 

The time for harvest and kinship and letting go.

For the earth must rest to begin anew.

Reluctance

by Robert Frost

Out through the fields and the woods

And over the walls I have wended;

I have climbed the hills of view

And looked at the world and descended;

I have come by the highway home,

And lo, it is ended.

The leaves are all dead on the ground,

Save those that the oak is keeping

To ravel them one by one

And let them go scraping and creeping

Out over the crusted snow,

When others are sleeping.

And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,

No longer blown hither and thither;

The last lone aster is gone;

The flowers of the witch-hazel wither;

The heart is still aching to seek,

But the feet question 'Whither?'

Ah, when to the heart of man

Was it ever less than a treason

To go with the drift of things,

To yield with a grace to reason,

And bow and accept the end

Of a love or a season?

Happy Autumn ~ K.

Fly Me Courageous

Ten years ago, on a cool September morning, in the mid-west it was just like any another morning rush for a multitude of working mothers across the country; an eight year-old trying to find his shoes, a book bag and lunch box crushed together in mom’s hands along with her briefcase, purse and keys as we made the mad dash to the front door on our morning exodus. But on this particular morning there came a sedentary pause, like the world shuddered, hearts stuttered and a shallow breath paused in contemplation while the world turned upside down.



I stopped to turn off the morning news and caught a glimpse of smoke billowing from a building; garbled words of the news reporter a distant echo in my mind’s already chaotic stream of things to do and things that would be left undone. I dropped my son at school – a kiss and hug sending him amidst his own school-yard madness – then, I went about my day. Little did I know that the smoke shadowed a greater darkness that would forever change not only the landscape of part of our country, but the hearts and souls of a people, a nation and the world as we once knew it.

Turn Up the Heat...

Or Not -

Help! “I’m meeeelllltiiiing…..” so vented the witch from the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy doused her with a bucket of water.

artist kiki smith as the wicked witch of the west

 
Right about now most of us are wishing for a big ol’dousage. The plains and the south are melting – if you haven’t’ heard – like you live in a cave or under a rock. (Probably much cooler there anyway.)

So, what do most of us book junkies do when it’s this dang hot? We read. And we authors – well, we write. I must say however, for myself, the work on the WIPs has been pretty slim as of late. I think the heat has melted a few of the brain cells as I’ve just been too dang hot and tired to do anything but veg in the air, clutch my reader and lose myself in a few good books.

At the top of my summer list:

Remembering the Soldiers

Aftermath - Siegfried Sassoon (1919)


Have you forgotten yet?...

For the world’s events have rumbled on since those gagged days,

Like traffic checked while at the crossing of city-ways:

And the haunted gap in your mind has filled with thoughts that flow

Like clouds in the lit heaven of life; and you’re a man reprieved to go,

Taking your peaceful share of Time, with joy to spare.



But the past is just the same-and War’s a bloody game...


Have you forgotten yet?...


Look down, and swear by the slain of the War that you’ll never forget.



Do you remember the dark months you held the sector at Mametz–

The nights you watched and wired and dug and piled sandbags on parapets?

Do you remember the rats; and the stench

Of corpses rotting in front of the front-line trench-

And dawn coming, dirty-white, and chill with a hopeless rain?

Do you ever stop and ask, ‘Is it all going to happen again?’



Do you remember that hour of din before the attack–

And the anger, the blind compassion that seized and shook you then

As you peered at the doomed and haggard faces of your men?

Do you remember the stretcher-cases lurching back

With dying eyes and lolling heads—those ashen-grey

Masks of the lads who once were keen and kind and gay?



Have you forgotten yet?...


Look up, and swear by the green of the spring that you’ll never forget.




As the Memorial Day holiday weekend arrives and we gather with our families to celibrate let us not forget the reason for this holiday weekend.  Let us remember the men and women, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who have fought for and died to keep our liberties.  Remember a Soldier this holiday weekend.  Thank them for their unswerving loyalty to our country and our freedom.

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Lest Ye Be Judged

Lest ye be judged . . .



Who are you to judge me?
It is you who can not see
I am a creature of deep emotions
I have many admirable qualities

Yet you stand outside my circle
It is you who casts the stones
You suffer your own inner demons
It is you who stands alone

When you decide to let go your hatred
Maybe then you shall understand
It is with kindness, care, and sympathy
That you shall become a better man

Despite your lack of knowledge
And despite your selfishness
I shall forgive you all wrongdoings
I shall pray for your deliverance

It is when you let go of your self-loathing
And you open up your heart
That you are free to see each difference
Yet still appreciate each part

We are all simple creatures
Who seek love, truth and grace
We all long for understanding
We are all searching for our place

So before you decide to judge me
Know you have not yet walked my path
Like you I am only searching
I have no stones to cast


K.A. M’Lady
5/29/01 ©


So, got your Zombie Preparedness kit together? Enough water for 7 days per person? Enough rounds to waste the maggot-ridden upright? Wouldn’t want that ooze on our kick-ass shoes. CDC ‘s been shoveling out a link all day. Zombie Kit    Made a nice little logo too.

What about some prayers – said any of those lately? Deliverance is tomorrow you know. I’ve read that everywhere – tomorrow is it. So the good Pastor says.

Not sure the good Lord agrees. Read that somewhere. He might want to relook that up.
But …what if he’s right? Would it really hurt? Might be a good time. Who’s to say the world wouldn’t be a bit of a better place if we all acted with a bit more grace? Then again, who are we to judge?


K.A. M'Lady
5/20/11

The Purpose

The Purpose


This month has been a whirlwind of activity. Postings on Just Another Paranormal Monday, Guests to feature, Creatures to feature – we showcased Death, in case you missed it. I’ve also been trying – really, really trying – to accomplish my own works in process, as well as listing a month full of Dark Poetry over at JAPM. Thankfully, however it is not only the darkness that moves a writer / a poet.

As the seasons change I look around me and see life bursting in vivid, glorious colors. Spring rains spawn their destructive forces with one hand while the other thrusts buds from the earth, each one gasping for a morsel of the great Mother’s life giving sustenance.

Each breath we take is filled with the possibilities of new beginnings, and new hopes – despite the darkness that swirls in the ominous skies above; skies that growl and thunder. Skies that articulate their grand entrances and exits with a roar.

These are the roads we walk, we writers. The things we consider. While the world around us, with its hoary, wild, rapturous myths and beliefs step off the edge of the pages into some sort of calculated decline. It is almost a predilection prophesized by philosophers, psychics and hopefuls – each one searching for meaning and purpose in history’s past. Seeking possibilities in the casting of the stones and the direction of the bones. It is here that we listen with intent and purpose while the wind whispers the story we all long to hear.


• Vernon Wellman - Once I Read A Book



I signaled for another drink

The keep, he nodded yeah

And filled my glass up to the brink

Then twisted lime with care.

I found the place was fully packed

With faces that I knew.

But I just sipped and gulped and snacked

To bid the day adieu.

She took the stool adjacent me

Ingesting gratis beer.

Ignoring her, like she did me --

For contact I did fear.

Her wrinkles aped a dressy skirt

Where pleats and folds abound.

She just wore a tattered shirt

With jeans that dragged the ground.

Her hair was colored bottled red.

She swallowed beer and burped.

Discarding chair, I thought me shed

But then she loudly chirped.

“Dere’s fairies labeled Twinkerbell

And queens dat married Popes.

Columbus came from Ireland.

Hell no, I ain’t no dope.

And Jesus was a Mason sure.

I tink that’s what I learnt.

While Nero fashioned fishing lures

So Rome, he let get burnt.”

I grinned -- well kind of leered.

What could I really do?

Then waved to have my chaser beer --

She said, “Hey, make dat two!“

I nodded sure so came the brews.

Her thanks was short and sweet,

But quiet ceased again, anew

As on and on she’d speak.

“Dere’s spacemen in da ’lantic

Dat’s why dose ships get lost.

Da Queen’s all nuts and frantic

Just watch her eyes go crossed.

And Washington, he was a girl.

He wore some wig -- for true.“

Her glass she raised and gave a swirl.

“So what’s da matter you?“

I paused awaiting insight

From God who dwelled above,

And lo these Words I heard all right --

Just give ol’ Truth the shove.

I smiled and smiled then praised her brains

Less tricky than her looks.

She proudly beamed as she exclaimed,

“Yeah once I read a book.“

Lisa Darling - Heart of War

The Heart of War ~

Congratulations on your novel! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself and your new book?


Thank you! There isn’t much to tell, my husband and I just celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a lovely gathering of good friends old and new. We have two adult daughters and I work part-time in a law firm that’s just half-a-step above Legal Aid. All day long I deal with the elderly, the indigent, and the outright insane. Oh what fun!


My newest novel is called “The Heart of War” and centers around Ares God of War as the unlikely and at times unwilling hero of the story.


Where did the idea to write this particular book come from?

For years, I wrote a fan fiction series for the Stargate SG-1 Fandom, “Daughter of the Gods”. One of the ‘stars’ of the series was ‘Ares’—inspired greatly by Kevin Smith and his always delightful portrayal of the God of War.


After I decided to stop writing the “Daughter of the Gods” series, I thought I would return to my roots which were all-original fiction. I’d previously written two all-original novels and thought it a good time to get away from fanfic and go back to that. I wrote a contemporary darker romance novel “Dream Weaver”. I thought I’d take a shot at something ‘mainstream’—my other original novels are not ‘mainstream’, until the term ‘paranormal romance’ came into my vocabulary, I called them ‘horror romance’. “Dream Weaver” is good, it’s not horrible, got decent story and all but, in the end it wasn’t me. Or maybe it was, considering what I was going through at that point, it is rather auto-biographical in many ways. (But, shhh, let’s keep that just between us…mum’s the word, hey?) However, I tried too hard to write for that ‘mainstream’ audience and I’ve always been an outcast.

(Matthew King-Boston Now - Her fertile imagination is nourishing food for a reader hungry for something different. She has a true gift. )

(Dale Smith-Chancelor Emory College - Once you pick up this novel, you WILL NOT put it down until you discover the whodunnit!)
The book went nowhere. Disheartened and thinking I’d lost my touch but still wanting to write, I went back to fanfic for a short stint with two very short series of stories for House, MD. One was outrageously adult and the other, I gave House a sister, Hannah. She had a long sad life before she came to live with her brother, throughout the 3 stories they taught each other a lot. They taught me a lot, believe it or not. I think that particular series is probably some of my very best non-erotic or romance work. At the end of that series, somehow the House, MD storyline turned back to “Daughter of the Gods” with the introduction of a character named Nick Jackson—Ares’ grandson from the “Daughter of the Gods” series—as Hannah’s new, and very much deserved, love interest.


Once I got back in touch with Nick I knew Ares was right around the corner. In a lot of ways Nick (in DOTG he’s Ares’ grandson) is Ares but in a much smoother fashion, he lacks his grandfather’s temper and ambition. I finished ‘Sister Christian’ and there was Ares, eyes twinkling, asking if I’d forgotten about him.


Never.


Not in a million.


I was hesitant to write this story. Let’s face it, Ares as Hero is an outrageously tough sell and when you pair him with an ‘older woman’ we knew it would be even harder. But he wouldn’t shut up and one day we just started to write…for ourselves. That was the deal; I’d write whatever he wanted but we would not try to sell it. So, it was just Ares and me going down our merry little road having a ball doing whatever we wanted—just like in ‘the old days’.


Before I knew it, we had something so hot and so good that it took off. I have been very blessed by this experience. I may have come in to writing this story kicking and screaming but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

With the amazing reviews from Dream Weaver I'd hardly say it went nowhere.  It sounds like another great one!  And personally, I like the idea of being an outcast.  But your story, Heart of War and your hero sound so amazing - do you have an excerpt from your book that you’d like to share?
 
 
Absolutely!
 

A captivating story filled with lust, revenge, romance, adventure & hot sex. The Heart of War is an epic joyful read; a triumph over the mediocrity in the erotica genre. I'm looking forward to the sequel! --Misty Michaels-The Erotic Times




The story woven for Aries the God of War is absolutely fantastic. Every page only draws you further into the story; captures your emotions and interests immediately. I totally loved it!


--Bitten by Paranormal Romance-Ronda Reviewer



The Heart of War
An Adult Novel by
Lisa Beth Darling
Book Details:
Title: The Heart of War
Author: Lisa Beth Darling
ISBN:978-0615424682
Pages: 516
Publisher Moon Mistress Publishing USA
http://www.moonsmusings.com/lbdarling/heartofwar/




Inside the Heart of every Warrior breathes the Soul of a Hero--even within The Heart of War.




Meet Ares God of War, the greatest Warrior the world has ever known. He's moody, grumpy, dominant, ravenously sexual, and above all, built like a Greek God.


Suspected of killing his Daughter in-Law, Psyche, and long in exile from Olympus, the solitude of Ares' secluded Greek Isle is interrupted when Magdalena MacLeod a plucky little Fey washes up on his shore after believing she's been shipwrecked. It's not mere fate that has brought the unlikely couple together yet it may be what tears them apart.


Branded with a golden chastity belt bearing the mark of Cernunnos, Celtic God of the Forest and Death, Alena has been on the run from her husband the Great Horned God for 200 years.


When the Olympians discover her presence on Ares' island, they send Apollo to the island while Ares is away with orders to bring her to Olympus. With nowhere to run and strikes a bargain with the God of War--her virginity for his protection.


Ares sees a sweeter deal; her in his bed and himself back in his rightful place on Olympus among the Gods. If it means turning Alena over to Zeus afterward, well that's of no consequence to him...is it?

After Alena proves herself to the God of War in battle and in his bed, the Ares must choose between his Divinely Dysfunctional Family, his pride, and Alena.


Get lost in this sweeping dark saga of lust, rage, revenge, and redemption. Battle Ancient Gods while falling in love with Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod. They share a love that will rock the world from the heights of Olympus to the Celtic moors, but will it be enough? Will love triumph, or will revenge and rage win the battle for the Heart of War?


Excerpt:



“What are you doing?”


“Attempting to escape. What are you doing?”


“Waiting for you to escape so you can free me.”


Ares glanced down at the disheveled Goddess of Love from the corner of his eye and chuckled at her predicament. “Bad plan. Find another.” That was his best advice.


“But if you’re going to….”


“Shhhush!” Ares hissed. “Escaping takes concentration.”


If Cernunnos thought Ares was just going to hang here while that horny bastard took off with Alena, he had another thing coming. Working his fingers upward on the chain, he gathered it into his palms and used it, and the strength in those powerful pythons he called arms, to raise himself up and ease the dead weight off his wrists. Looking behind him, he thought the stonewall to which he was harnessed was too close for his purposes but then he reconsidered his approach to the problem. Getting a good grasp on the linked chain, he took in a deep breath and slowly began to raise his wounded legs straight out in front of him using the muscles in his lower back, stomach, and his arms. He did his best not to favor the injured right forearm, his strong arm, his fighting arm.


Once he was in what a gymnast would call the ‘L’ position, with his legs straight out in front of him, he let out the breath only to hear it whistle through the hole in his chest. That forced him to take another as he repositioned his hands on the chain that was starting to swing. Swinging was something Ares did not want and so he held his position, arms starting to show signs of strain as the veins popped through the thick muscle below his taut skin, until the swinging stopped.


Folding those long tree trunk legs up in front of him like a gymnast until his knees were pressed to his nose he let it out and then took another breath. This time as he breathed he let the chain slip through his hands for a few rings letting out the slack he’d created and hoped it would give him enough clearance from the ceiling to complete the most difficult part of this little maneuver, which was just ahead of him and Ares readied himself for it. Baring down on those tight abs and back muscles as he pulled with shoulders and his arms, Ares very delicately and deftly turned himself into a pretzel until his feet were over his head and his torso followed until his toes found the wall behind him.


Ares was no longer hanging by the chains. With his bare feet pressed to the wall, he was lying down in mid-air. “Nice trick. Now what?” Aphrodite scoffed as she watched him try to make his escape.


“Now…this.”


The shackles on his wrists hung their chains which, in turn, were bolted to the stonewall behind him. While the shackles had been forged by Hephaestus, the rings of the chain, the plate in the stonewall and the bolts fastening it all together had not. Pushing with those long strong legs and pulling wit those equally powerful arms, it wasn’t long before the creaks of protest were heard from the ancient bolts imbedded in the stonewall.


Sitting there watching him struggle, Aphrodite found she was becoming a little heated. She always did love it when Ares worked hard and got all sweaty as he was now. Muscles straining neck to calves while beads of sweat broke out on his bare torso making it glisten to show the strength of his efforts. As he worked, Ares began to grunt and groan. In peril or not, a shiver went through her, shot down from her head to her spine and settled in that wanton space between her legs.


“Ahh! Give you bitch!” Ares shouted the demand and the bolts gave out another loud creak.


“Keep going!” Aphrodite encouraged as she watched the bolts begin to move as he strained against them. “You’re doing it.”


Sweat broke out on his brow, it ran into his eyes making them sting and vision nearly non-existent. The hole in his chest, which had somehow missed his heart, ached as it whistled with every ounce of breath for which Ares struggled. If his thigh weren’t gouged this would be easier. Letting out a grunt that made its way down to a constant low growl at the back of his throat, Ares stopped struggling for a moment as he tried to catch what breath he could before he really put his back into it.


One more attempt. The growl at the back of his throat reverberated until it became it began a constant guttural tone. Ares summoned up every ounce of physical strength he could find in his old tattered body. The bolts on the heavy iron plate holding the chains in place gave out their loudest creak but it was the hooks on the plates that gave out first. The eyehook on the left popped like a champagne cork. For a moment, Ares hung there in the air with his left arm hanging down threatening to take the rest of him with it and foil the plan. He fought to hold on to the chain with his wounded right arm and then bring the left up to join it. A last hard push and the eyehook on the right snapped. Ares fell to the dirt floor of Cernunnos’ Dungeon.


“If I didn’t see it I wouldn’t believe it. I had no idea you were still so nimble, Lover.” Aphrodite remarked as she watched him roll over onto his back and then haul himself to his feet. “Well done. Now…do me.” She insisted.


“Do you?” Ares mocked. “I think I’ve had enough of that but, you do have something I need.” With a cold determination fixed on his face, Ares took two steps toward her. Aphrodite, with nowhere to go, cringed as he reached out for her with both hands. She let out a little cry when they landed in her fallen hair and began to tug. “Ah, there.” Ares plucked a hairpin from Aphrodite’s hair, pried it open with his teeth, and used it to pick the locks on the shackles at his wrists. They fell to the floor with a hard clunk. “Ha!” Ares declared in victory. “Hephaestus was a great blacksmith thank the Gods he was a lousy locksmith.” Ares muttered. “Now, where is he taking her? What does he want from Alena?”


Wow -  you've got to love those Greek gods!  Great intro.  Now I definately have to learn more about this story...one more for my poor TBB pile - lol!
  
There is so much to chose from in Greek mythology that can spark the muse; where do you find your inspiration – what moves you to create?


My job is an awesome and constant source of inspiration for ideas and characters. Honestly, you wouldn’t believe the petty ways people can find to screw each other over and do it with a smile. I can tell you some true-life horror stories that would make the things that happen in “The Heart of War” look like toddlers tossing sand at each other on the playground. Human behavior never fails to fascinate me.



For me, I wouldn't know if the radio or T.V. were on when I'm writing - the house could probably burn and I wouldn't know it til it got hot, but alot of writers like tunes when they write.  Do you like to listen to music when you're writing and if so, what kind of music do you listen to?


I always have my iTunes going when I write, I would never think of sitting down to write without it. I’m the ‘old fogie’ in the house, so the music I listen to tends to range from older blues/jazz (Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Coltrane, Louie Armstrong) up through, say, mostly the 90s. I’m an “AM Gold” woman at heart; Bad Company, The Who, Rolling Stones, The Band, Boston, Blue Oyster Cult, and just about anything that can be found on a K-Tel Record. LOL

Absolutely nothing wrong with the classics.


So, when it comes to your writing who would you say is/was your biggest inspiration and why?

Everyone always wants me to say something like ‘my family’ or ‘my husband’. The truth is, it’s the Muse. He decides what we write, when, and how much. Me? Even though we argue like an old married couple (which we are after so many years together!) I know I’m just the flying fingers on the keyboard. I’m his vessel, here for his use, and nothing more than that. But that’s ok because he always takes me to the best places and on the wildest rides!

I find that so interesting how many female authors have a muse that's a he rather than a she.  What do you find to be the hardest thing about creating your stories?



Action scenes. I love them and I hate them. Battle and fight scenes add to much to a story and they tend to play large parts in mine. They’re supposed to move swiftly and, in the end they do, but, believe it or not, they take me days to write—usually it’s literally one syllable at a time. I think it’s just because I lack a lot of personal experience when it comes to fighting, I do research on fighting techniques but they never come out to my satisfaction. My Readers, however, don’t seem to have any complaints so I guess that’s a good thing.

Yeah, I always try to imagines I'm the one actually throwing those punches and kicks - makes it a bit easier to wrap your head around the actual moves.  If you've every been in a fight it's a little easier to comprehend. 


I'm currently addicted to several series.  What about you?  Do you have a favorite character from any of your stories or any books you’ve read?

My favorite characters that belong to someone else are ‘Red’ and ‘Andy’ from “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption”. Most of my books are dedicated to them and, by osmosis, to their creator, Stephen King. As far as actual writing goes he is my biggest inspiration and my mentor. I started reading him when I was 10 and I hardly ever read anyone else anymore.


As far as my own characters go, obviously Ares holds my heart more than any of the rest but I do love ‘Hannah’ from the old House, MD fics and, well, I’ll always have a very soft spot for ‘Calla’ from the “Daughter of the Gods” series.


So recently a few of my favorite authors have had releases and I'm not getting as much of my own writing done as I should be.  What about you - what are reading right now?

What else? Full Dark, No Stars—Stephen King . I absolutely adore his short stories and wish I could write like that!

And what's in the pipeline for you?  What are you writing now?

I’m working on “Child of War”, the sequel to “The Heart of War”. Ares and Alena are about to bring their son, Raven, into the world and it’s gonna be a hell of a ride.

Excellent!  I'm sure it will be a great addition to a wonderful story.


So, for those who want to get their hands on your stories where can your readers learn more about you and your work?

If they don’t mind jumping on the Bus of Life and taking this crazy ride with me, they can hop on over to my blog http://lbdarling.wordpress.com   -  It’s a ‘life blog’ not a ‘writing blog’ although there’s lots of writing stuff in it. Mostly I just use it as an online log of my crazy life, daily comings and goings, rants, raves, reflections, opinions. Stuff like that.


Thank you so much for joining us today, Lisa!  If you'd like to read more of Lisa's work check her out at
Moon Musings

http://www.moonsmusings.com/lbdarling/

Rachel Firasek - Piper's Fury

"It's an empath thing..."


Have you ever read a blurb that just captures your attention?  Grabs you from the drudgeries of your day and stops you in your tracks - makes you read on?  No cover, no flash - just the crafty words of a quirky character and a saavy author?

I think you'll find those things in Piper's Fury - the debut novel of author, Rachel Firasek. 

So, let me first say congratulations on your novel! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself and your new book.

Well, I currently live in the heart of Central Texas with my husband and three children. I'm an active member in the Romance Writers of America, and belong to the Heart of Texas, FF&P, and YA chapters. Most days though you'll find me surfing the Savvy Authors site daily as their Article Editor.



By day I'm an office manager, and an urban fantasy/paranormal romance author by night.  Passion of the Soul: Piper’s Fury is my first release, with Crescent Moon Press.

Do you have an excerpt from your book that you’d like to share?

I'd love to!

Passion of the Soul: Piper's Fury

by Rachel Firasek



Purchase e-Book

Genre: Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 978-0-9828200-5-6

Length: Novel

Publication Date: March 2011

Cover art by Ash Arceneaux


It's an empath thing...


Using your "powers" to help the Dark Hills Police Department hunt down serial killers doesn't leave much time for dating. Not that Piper Anast is complaining. The last thing she needs is some guy brushing up against her and pumping his pornographic thoughts into her head.


When she meets Bennett Slade, a sexy, tormented vampire, Piper stumbles headlong into a telepathic connection with his missing daughter. She can't leave the kid to the evil surrounding her unwanted visions, nor can she resist her draw to Slade. He's the first guy she's been able to touch vision-free in, well, forever.

As she and Slade close in on the evil creature holding his daughter, Piper's powers morph into a deadly fury. To save Slade's daughter-and herself-Piper must face down demons she never knew she had and trust the one thing she keeps from everyone.


Her heart.






Excerpt:

He leaned into my hand. His slight stubble scraped along my palm and I found myself exploring the hard angles of his face, firm muscle wrapped over steel. I let my hand slide along his neck to tease the hair curling gently at his collar. His eyes shut, allowing me the freedom to watch the emotions shift across his skin.



Dark and strong. Two simple words to describe the vulnerable strength in this anything-but-simple man. I craved the taste of him again. Leaning forward, I slid my parted lips across his. His intake of breath encouraged me to run the tip of my tongue along the seam of his mouth, teasing for entry. His eyes opened and I pulled back.


“You were kissing me with your eyes open.”


“Yes.”


He touched my cheek. “Why?”


“I wanted to watch your face.”


“Your honesty, Piper, is what I like most about you.” His hands braced my head and he pulled me back down for another kiss. This time, he took control and deepened the assault on my senses. His tongue plunged into my mouth, sliding along mine and withdrawing only to plunge in again, coating my taste buds with his minty flavor. He tilted my head for better access and drove his tongue even deeper. A moan escaped him, sounding almost like a growl.


I broke away. “Am I hurting you?”


“No. Less talk, more kissing.”


“But—”


Talk was overrated, anyway. He leaned deeper into me and explored my mouth the same way you nibble the cherry out of a cordial at Christmas. Delicious. When he moved to tease my jaw with his teeth, I asked, “Slade, will you show me the other way?”


He had worked down to my neck and a ragged breath escaped me when he worked the skin between his teeth. My stomach tightened and a dampness gathered in my panties. “What other way?”


“You said there were two ways to feed.”


His head rose from the crook of my neck and I completely forgot to breath. The heat in his eyes made my anger look like a holiday. Fire surged from his body and ate through my skin. Power. Pure energy. Little sparks darted between us like one of those static balls at the mall.


“You do not realize what you are asking.”


“You won't hurt me, will you?” In my heart, I knew he wouldn't. He was too gentle, too careful.


“Never.”


Wow!  I just love this!  It is so compelling.  Piper is so interesting - childlike in her interest to learn but you have this sense that she's deadly.

Where do you find your inspiration?


I find my inspiration from many things. Mostly from scenes I pick out at random places. Piper’s Fury really came from a lot of places, but mostly my daughter inspired Piper’s characteristics. I wanted to create a character with some quirks that were a little abnormal. The rest of the book was a series of reactions from Piper.

I noticed on your web site that there is a play-list to go with Piper.  So, I take it you listen to music when you write? What kind of music do you listen to?


I absolutely listen to music when I write. My fave is Emily Autumn. I love her gothic lyrics. Evanescence is my second fave. After that, it’s a combo of anything with a good beat.

Who would you say is/was your biggest inspiration and why?So, what's in the mix right now?  What are you working on?


I hate this question. I have so many and for so many different things. For this book, my daughters absolutely inspired me. They are both so different, and when I used too many quirks from one, the other balanced Piper out. For my writing career as a whole, I emulate LK Hamilton. I’d love to have her business sense one day. She’s truly a brilliant author.

I couldn't agree with you more - on the question and LKH - she's in my list of favs as well.

What do you find to be the hardest thing about creating your stories?


I don’t have a hard time creating stories, it’s remembering the little things that get me. Piper wears gloves most of the story, I had a hard time remember that she did. You don’t think about that, but I promise you it’s the little things that a reader will catch every time. Or at least, I do.

I know exactly what you mean - I've resorted to list.

Do you have a favorite character?

Slade is my favorite. I bet you thought I would say Piper, huh? He’s so patient with her, even when you know she’s testing his stoic control. I love that about him.

He does appear to have the control of a Saint - to a point.  (I can't wait to read this - it's definately moved to the top of my pile...)

What are reading right now?

I’m reading Come Back To Me by Julia Rachel Barrett, but I just finished Fated by Rebecca Zanetti. Fated was fantastic. I read it twice. Loved it. Come Back To Me is good so far, but a very different read from my normal paranormal romance. I’m loving it, too!





I just finished a novella and I’m ready to dig back into Book 2 of the Passion of the Soul series. The working title is The Gypsy Triangle. I also have several project novels, which means that they are in pure plot form right now.

Ahhh, more for the TBB piles...can't wait!

Where can your readers learn more about you?



I’m everywhere. My website is http://www.rachelfirasek.com


You can find me on twitter: raebob78


I have an author page on Facebook: Rachel Firasek


And you can get to all these from my website.


Thanks so much for joining us today, Rachel!  Readers - this is definately one author to check out - and watch.  I'm sure more wonderful work is in the works!

Sandy Lynn - Beneath The Surface

"Very HOT sex!"

"Is it Hot in here or is it just me?"

"A Must Buy author"

"Very Witty - I enjoyed the whole series." (Club Strigoi)

The reader reviews of aclaim seem endless when you search out Ms. Lynn's works.  Who could argue with Hot sex scenes where vampires are concerned?  In a market driven by passion, sex, wit and the paranormal Ms. Lynn is making her mark and her readers are taking notice.

If you've not yet had the pleasure, join me as we travel Beneath the Surface with autor Sandy Lynn.

In a bite or get bitten world, can you tell who is Vampire and who is not?

When Dark Desires come into the light...

Dim lighting. Bodies packed beside each other. Primal Music. All of these describe the underground Goth club: Club Strigoi.

Vampires, Sorcerers and humans can all be found there. It is a place where not all is as it seems. But despite the fact that any can enter, not all know its secrets. Enter of your own free will and don't be afraid to be yourself. No means no, and the bouncers are both hot and ready for a brawl should things get out of hand.


The Club is the backdrop to a series of books, but they alone do not encompass the full story. So enter now and get a different glimpse into this world from all new perspectives…


Unlike anything you've ever seen before, not every Shot will end happily. Not all will end in misery. Not all of them will end…or even begin.


These shots are about a moment. One night, one memory, one experience. It is a snapshot into the world of someone else.


Congratulations on your novel! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about you and what you're working on right now.



Thank you so much. I love writing and it means a lot to me that others seem to enjoy reading those stories.


Currently I’m working on several projects. There’s the ever-desired sequel to my first BloodMates book – I swear I really am working on it! Lol. I’m working on several Club Strigoi books, depending on which character decides to talk to me at any given time. I have a new series that follows musicians.


There are my shorts, Club Strigoi Shots that I really enjoy writing because it focuses solely on a single moment in time, a single memory.
 
Leigh, Drama Queen in Training which follows a woman’s path as she starts her new life.  And then there are the books I’m working on edits with whenever my editor sends them to me. Lol.

Anita Saran - Circe'

Anita Saran – Circe’



Have you ever come across an author that, with the briefest of words, the simplest turn of a phrase or the most miniscule of story blurbs, captures your attention? Their simplicity has incited your interests and made you say, ‘Huh, where have her stories been that I haven’t taken notice sooner?


Anita Saran is just one such author.


Recently I turned to my fellow Mojocastle Press authors to share their current and upcoming works and Anita Saran answered the call. In doing so she has begun a journey that I, as a reader and a fan of fiction, am quite certain, will be inspiring, intriguing and well worth the romp into history’s past. As her critics have pointed out Anita’s story, Circe’ has almost Xena-style irreverence towards the mythology that keeps it ticking. They love the freshness, originality and vibrancy of the voice.


– Jo Hart, Randomhouse Delrey Writer’s Workshop


Most recently Suite 101 has stated that Anita Saran has woven a story that threads Greek mythology and feminist ideals together, taking a witty and satirical look at myths of all types, ancient and modern. Readers join the main character, Circe, on her journey of discovery through a set of wild adventures.



So, without further adieu, let me introduce to you Anita Saran –



Congratulations on your novel! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about your book.

'Circe' is my first novel. It's been published by Mojocastle Press and is now available in all eBook formats and in paperback from Amazon.com.


'Circe' is about the emerging woman who is not afraid to look into herself or question the conditioning she has grown up with. A woman who runs with wolves as Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Women Who Run with Wolves) puts it, and who is fully aware of her most primal desires, as well as her spiritual self and is sometimes torn between body and soul. Circe, the enchantress brought out the beast in man and loved only to destroy. This is the story of her adventurous and hilarious quest for the ideal mate. Will she find him within or without?

The novel poses several questions. Is there such a thing as the ideal mate? Is there a difference between sex and love? Can lust be transcended as long as one has a body? Here there is an alien posing as an Elvis look alike, a flying carpet that was once a man, a Mayan sacrificial victim, a lusting mummy, Hecate of the three heads, gay fairies who live in hollow hills and more such impossible things.

Heather Kuehl's Blood Moon

And you thought your job was though...The Blood Moon Corporation is coming...


Today I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Author, Heather Kuehl and  get to know more about her and her charcter Sara Vargas from the extradorniary series Blood Moon.  If you've not had the opportunity to check out this amazing author or her works then sit back and enjoy -- you're in for a treat.

Heather is an award winning poet - 2010 Preditor & Editor's choice for Beauty's Beast - Best Poem

She is also an award winning author:

"Susan's Ghost."

Ethereal Tales - '09 Halloween Contest - People's Choice, October 2010.

"Buried Alive."

Tales from the Moonlit Path - Tales of Torment Contest honorable mention, June 9, 2009

"Redemption."

Fantasy Gazetteer - Second place short story contest, March 2009.

"Miscommunication."

The Drabbler 11: SETI Calling. Sam's Dot Publishing - Second place, June 2008.

"Blythe's Vengeance."

Fantasy Gazetteer - Second place short story contest, May 2008.

"Swirling Gray Storm Clouds."

Aphelion Webzine - Aphelion's Best Poetry of 2008, March 2008.

“Hidden.”

Wild Tales by Cool Kids - Second place Wal-mart choice award; Post and Courier, 2001.

Her Critics have said:

Trent at Siren Book Reviews (rated 4/5 Siren Stones) - "FADE TO BLACK is an action packed story with little room for rest: both for her characters and her readers."


 Tammy at The Pen and Muse has describes her work of Malevelolent Dead saying - "Kuehl's skilled writing brings an added dimension to Sarah Vargas without compromising the ass-kicking sensibility of this determined heroine."

Bitten By Books (rated 4.5/5 Tombstones) lists  - "Once again, Kuehl does not disappoint with this excellent tale filled with interesting characters caught in the midst of pedal-to-the-metal suspense and action in an intriguing supernatural world."

In regard to Promises To Keep -- M. Arkenberg at Mirror Dance said - "This is the perfect book for the fantasy fan who wants to kick back with an adventure but doesn't want to dedicate weeks to a 500-page doorstopper. Its small size and strong focus on plot make it a good read for a commute or a day in the park."

So, with out further audieu -- Let me say congratulations on your most recent novel! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about  your book.

Thank you! Blood Moon is the third book in the Sarah Vargas series. All proceeds for this book will be going to the MUSC Children's Hospital. Why? Well, when my son was three weeks old he had a condition known as Pyloric Stenosis; the muscle exiting the stomach had closed shut and he couldn’t digest his food, resulting in him vomiting everything he ate. If untreated, he would have starved to death. It’s actually quite a common condition, with our surgeon having performed around 70 of those surgeries that year alone. The staff was so friendly, from the surgeon to the nurses to the cleaning staff. I’ve always wanted to give back to them for helping my son (who, by the way, just turned two and will never ever have to worry about that complication again thanks to that surgery). More information about this awesome hospital can be found at http://www.musckids.com/.

That is so awesome that you're giving to such a wonderful charity.  I think that is the best thing we can do as authors - give back.  That we try, in our own small way, to make a difference in the world.


So, do you have an excerpt from your book that you’d like to share?  

Yes I do. But be warned, it has Malevolent Dead spoilers within it.

Excerpt (before final edits):



At times, I loved my mentor. It was a pity the BMC let him go. So many people like me needed a teacher like him.

 Just like Jared’s death, the BMC’s abandonment of Dom made no sense. Why would they get rid of one of their best teachers?

I gasped as it came to me as clearly as a premonition. I felt my connection with Damian flair as my mind went into shock, putting pieces together that I didn’t know fit. It couldn’t be…

 I looked up at Dom. “Why didn’t the BMC save you from Marcellus?” I asked with my voice barely above a whisper.

It was the most obvious question, one that should have been asked the moment the vampire necromancer died. I had been too busy grieving over Jared to think straight.


Damian kept the metaphysical lines between us open, listening but careful not to say a word to distract me. I could feel him in my head, and I didn’t mind, one less person to tell.


Dom looked into my eyes and I could see indecision filling their black depths. He sighed as he backed away, and I thought that he decided not to tell when he faced me and said, “They ordered me to kill you.”


“And?” I asked. My blood ran cold. I felt the wolf inside me tense, preparing for an attack.


“And I refused,” Dom growled with disbelief written on his features. “Sarah, you’re like a daughter to me. I could never cause you harm.”


“What did the BMC do?”

"They said that they understood. The next day they sent me to take out Marcellus.”


I licked my lips. “They sent a vampire to kill a vampire necromancer?”


“Yes, that’s…” Dom froze. “They set me up.”


“No. I don’t think they did.”


“How do you figure? Sarah, I was controlled…”


“By a creature sent here to kill Damian, not me.”


Dom cocked his head to the side, and I screamed with frustration that he wasn’t putting it altogether.


“Think about it Dom! There are four people that I can fully trust; you, Donavan, Jared, and Damian.”


“Go on.”

“They sent Marcellus here to kill Damian. If he had succeeded, that would have taken care of one of my four. In doing so, the throne of Charleston would have been open to him, and I would be out of a safe place to live. Donovan should have killed you for killing his Weres. I should have been kicked out of the Clan for letting the dead Weres happen on my watch. Luckily, Donavan is more understanding than the BMC give him credit for. I would have been out of another safe house as well as a Clan to protect me. You, a vamp would sacrifice his own life to keep me safe. Jared…” I couldn’t say any more, and Dom started nodding as he thought it over.


“I can’t believe they would do this,” he said.


Donavan came over as Dom said these words. “Who?”


“The Blood Moon Corporation,” Dom and I said in unison.


“We’ve got to tell Damian,” Dom said as he dug into his pocket for his phone.

“There’s no need,” I said before he could pull it out. “He’s been in my head listening since I figured it out.”

I felt Damian’s anger rise to the surface, and suddenly I saw Damian as though I actually stood in his office. His black hair, once long enough to touch his knees, now barely brushed his shoulders. His plum-colored eyes burned with anger as he pulled book after book off the bookcase against his back wall.






Wow!  ok, I'm hooked - sign me up...well, not for the Corporation - lol!

Where do you find your inspiration?

Everywhere! Music and TV mostly, but sometimes I can be out with my family and hear a snippet of someone’s conversation. The littlest thing can send my Muse into overdrive. It made too much sense not to.

Do you ever listen to music when you write? And if so, what kind of music do you like?

It depends on the character. For Sarah, I listen to Evanescence and Avenged Sevenfold. She seems to favor rock music.


Yeah, I've found that most hunters get that thunder and beat thing thrumming through them - driving them.

Do you have any other juicy tidbits in the works right now?

I’m working on finishing two books that are in varying degrees of completion. Gray Magic follows T.D. Drake, a character that pops up throughout the Sarah Vargas series. Of Wolf and Man is a YA paranormal romance set in the same world as my series; I think Sarah even has a cameo.

Niiiiice!

 

We, as authors, get our inspirations from so many different places -- Who would you say is/was your biggest inspiration and why?

When I first started writing, my biggest inspiration was my dad. All I wanted was to make him proud. Now, while my dad is still my inspiration, my son is as well. I want to be an example to my son; that with enough hard work and determination you can reach your dreams.

Can't say enough for that dream reaching!  Right there with you on that one.

What do you find to be the hardest thing about creating your stories?

Creating doesn’t ever seem to be a problem. It’s the editing that I hate. The entire time my mind is screaming “we’ve written this! Lets do something new!”

Do you currently have a favorite character?

While Sarah is fun to write, I enjoy writing about T.D. more. I wish I was more like her; she’s so feisty and bad ass.

For me, personally, I try to save my 'To be read pile until I finish a piece of my own works.  What are you reading right now?

I’m reading the Fallen series by Thomas E. Sniegoski. I saw the movie ABC Family made a couple of years ago, which was really good for a made-for-TV movie, and I recently discovered that the movie was based off a book series. Let me tell you, the books are WAY better than the movie.

They usually are....

Wow, our time went by so fast.  So, Heather where can readers learn more about you and all of your wonderful works?  

Readers can visit my website (www.heatherkuehl.com) or my blog (heatherkuehl.blogspot.com). I’m also found on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Buy Links:

Malevolent Dead: Book Two of the Sarah Vargas Series - Eternal Press - http://eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615722037

Fade to Black: Book One of the Sarah Vargas Series - Eternal Press - http://eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781926704692

Promises to Keep - Eternal Press - http://eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781770650480

Coming Soon

Blood Moon: Book Three of the Sarah Vargas Series - Eternal Press - http://eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615723065