Monday, April 13, 2015

Book Tour: The Doom of Undal by Katrina Sisowath



Genre: mythology/folktale 
(Quote from the publisher, "Sci-fi /fantasy/mythology/history. Think ancient aliens.") 

Synopsis:
The Dragon Court has ruled uncontested for millenia,  bringing knowledge and prosperity to all. The Strongholds of Madayi Kavu, Tartaria, Magan and Shiimti have trained generations of royal children. Ningi has built a line of Ziggurats known as ‘the Band of Peace’ around Magan, protecting those within its borders.

Yet all is not as it seems---far to the West in the land of Undal, mightiest of the nations, the Royal Queen and her children are struck with a mysterious illness and perish. Whispers are that the Dragon Court is responsible, while those in the Temples claimed she had sequestered herself in her chambers, experimenting with dark magic.

A grieving son, trained as a Mulla Xul by Eris herself, swears vengeance. In his quest for truth he will become the greatest threat Tiamut has ever known.

Three Princesses of Magan, sisters by blood, hold the fate of the Dragon Court in their hands

Pick up your copy here




Katrina Sisowath ,(1979--) British-American, born in Frankfurt, Germany. Grew up in South-east Asia and Europe, now lives in England. Mother of 2.5 children (dog thinks he's human), experienced in making brownies.
On a personal level, Katrina is an avid book reader and loves mythology, history, ancient civilizations and anything to do with occult ideologies and practices. Mages, Serpent Priestesses and the 'real' Gods, aka the ANNUNAKI(the prototypes for those we know today in the form of Greek, Roman, Indian and even the Biblical characters) are all addressed on her website, with descriptions of Dragons, consciousness altering drinks and powders and what the scarlet clad priestesses really got up to in their sacred chamber. She also is a guest writer on Ancient Origins, writing about the Serpent Cult, Mystery Schools and their politico-military branches.
Find more about Katrina here

https://twitter.com/KSDragonCourt
http://www.amazon.com/Katrina-Sisowath/e/B00DI6TCQG
https://www.facebook.com/ksDragonCourt
http://www.katrinasisowath.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8323631.Katrina_Sisowath



AUTHOR INTERVIEW TIME!!! These are questions I came up with my self, so you could see a different side to this super awesome author. I love her answers, and I hope you enjoy them too!

You have some very unusual names for people and places in your book. Where did you come up with them?

I have based my characters on the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Sumeria, Assyria, Babylon and Egypt. Some I have shortened as it’s easier on readers. So Ningizzida—Ningi, Erishkigal—Eris, Ninkharsag-Ninkha. 
The places are also based on ancient cities: Ka Harsag: Gateway to the Stars (though I changed the location to Cambodia), Madayi Kavu is the temple of Kali in India and Kali is a Goddess similar to Erishkigal, Shiimti means ‘House of the Wind’ which I placed in Barrat-Anna (Britain), Tartaria is in Romania, Magan was the Sumerian name for Egypt and Undal was the name for Atlantis in the Emerald Tablets of Thoth.  
So I did not really come up with the names, but rather researched ancient history and mythology and included them in the book. I think there is so much about that time that is fascinating and those Gods and Goddesses (who I present as real, mortal beings) have been largely ignored in fiction in favour of the Greek and Roman deities.

What inspired this story? Where do you usually get writing inspiration from?

The story of Cronous and Rhea. There is a text in an Egyptian temple that said the ten Gods of Egypt were the ten Kings of Atlantis, and Cronous is on that list.Dr. Paul Schliemann (an archaeologist and explorer--though some state he was a fraudster) claimed to have discovered at the Egyptian temple of Sais a piece of pottery with an unknown metal plaque that read “A gift from King Chronus”. So when I read those two things and then looked into the theories that the tenth toe in the Book of Daniel was Cronous—that he was the first or prototype for the Antichrist—well, a story started to form, even if it based on pure fiction and fraudulent claims rather than certifiable history. After all, a story is a story and this seemed to me to be a really good story.
Cronous is an interesting figure—one accused of the most horrible things and yet I found myself hypothesising if he was a real being, then who was he and why did he commit those acts?
I also wanted to explore the relationship between him and his wife, Rhea.  In Greek mythology, women do tend to have some power, particularly in regards to what happens to their children. Medea getting revenge on Jason by killing their sons comes to mind, or Clytemnestra killing Agamemnon for the sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia is another example. Yet, in the story told of Rhea and the art depicting her and her husband, she is handing the child over to him. It did not happen once or twice, but with all their children until she had Zeus and hid him. The question is why? She must have known after the first one. So why did she not kill Cronous instead? The Doom of Undal is about them and the war they start, offering a theory that it began when Cronous slew his father.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I’m a pantser. I know the overall story arc when I first start writing, but I don’t have each chapter and character planned. I do, however, have notes of item and events that must be included, but I never know until the moment comes, when is the best time to bring them into the story.

Do you have a playlist that you listen to when you write?

Yes, I listen to a lot of rock and epic music. I have a playlist of my favourites and listening to them usually puts me in the right frame of mind to write. One of my favourite (as in I listen to it every day) is The Guardian, by White Wall

Is the Doom of Undal a stand alone, or should we be keeping our eyes peeled for more?

The Doom of Undal is the second book in the Dragon Court series. It is intended to be read without needing to read Serpent Priestess of the Annunaki, but to understand the basis of their religious rites, reading the first book will probably help.
The Doom of Undal is actually the first half of a duology—the second part is coming out in a few months, tentatively titled The Fall of Undal. The reason being that it is a book that is large in scope, with many different characters who are all drawn into a global conflict and I didn’t want to cut out key events which I would have had to do to fit it into one book.

Is there a lesson or message you would like your readers to take from this book?

If it sparks an interest in those men, women, and places that have been somewhat ignored in fiction, I’d be happy. Planned books are about other historical and mythological figures that deserved to have stories told about them: figures like Innana (who will get her own book), Atargatis (the first ‘mermaid’) and her daughter Semiramis (who married a warrior king), Naya Lara Kidul (daughter of a fish-king in Java, a recurring theme in Dragon Court lore), Himiko, the Japanese female Shaman, and a few others. Maybe a book on Melusine and perhaps one on Elizabeth Bathory, a descendant of Dracula who was accused of human sacrifice and bathing in the blood of her victims. Two men of interest are Rene d’Anjou who had his fingers in so many pies it’s unbelievable and the Merovingian Emperor Clovis who converted to Christianity.

What is your go to remedy for writer's block?

I read up on mythology, occult philosophy and ancient history. My favourite go-to authors for inspiration are Graham Hancock, Erich von Daniken, Laurence Gardner, Zecharia Sitchin, Micheal Baigent and the works of ancient philosophers: De Occulta Philosophia, by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, The Hermetic Principles, books by and about John Dee, even The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz. I also watch Ancient Aliens (love it). So quite an eclectic mix. I also read a lot of epic or high fantasy in my spare time.
What I don’t do is worry about having writer’s block.  Usually, it’s there because I don’t know what to write next or there is something unresolved in a previous chapter. Eventually, the answer comes if I don’t force it.

And now for my second favorite part! 
(This will also totally explain why I asked the "Where did you get all those unique names" question)
CHARACTER CASTING! Drum roll please.....
When asked who would she choose to play her main characters should The Doom of Undal be turned into a movie, this is what Author Katrina Sisowath replied:

-->

Eris played by: Melina Kanakaredes





 



                                           Ningi played by:  Ben Kingsley





 


 Saran played by: Kajol Devgn



Innana played by: Monica Bellucci



Cronous played by: Mehmet Akif

Alakurt



 



                     Suron played by: Şükrü Özyıldız
 






Chifu played by: Rami Malek




Sobekh played by: Shannon Sossamon


 Rhea played by: Mila Kunis




Hathor played by: Omella Mutti




Ishkur played by: Tom Sturridge


                           Atueni played by: Emma Stone





Asawena played by:  Ryan Potter 




 



General Shala from the kingdom of Kush played by: Alek Wek




Come follow our event https://www.facebook.com/events/477292285754775/


 



Thursday, April 9, 2015

Book Tour: Thimbles and Thistles by Shanna Hatfield


Thimbles and Thistles
by Shanna Hatfield
Series: Baker City Brides, #2
Genre: Historical Romance (Sweet)
Release Date: April 9, 2015


Come join the party at the Petticoat Ball!


Stubborn, mule-headed, independent woman!
She'd take that as a compliment...

Maggie Dalton has no need for a man in her life. Widowed more than ten years, she’s built a successful business and managed quite well on her own in the bustling town of Baker City, Oregon. Aggravated by her inability to block thoughts of the handsome lumber mill owner from her mind, she renews her determination to resist his attempts at friendship.

Full of Scottish charm and mischief, Ian MacGregor could claim any available woman in Baker City as his own, except the enchanting dress shop owner who continues to ignore him. Not one to give up on what he wants, Ian vows to win Maggie’s heart or leave the town he’s come to love.



Ian picked up one of the hot irons and burned his brand onto a board before setting it back in the fire. “Branding my wood. Not a single piece leaves the lumberyard until it bears my brand.”

Maggie leaned over to study the unusual brand. At the base, she could make out an “M” and a “G,” assumably for the name MacGregor. The top of the brand proved to be a puzzle to her. Five curved lines protruded from a perfectly round circle. The circle sat atop a thin, straight line with a curved line on each side of it before it ran down to connect the letters.

“What is that thing?” Maggie pointed to the top of the brand.

Ian grinned and rubbed a callused thumb over the wood he’d just seared with the hot iron. “That is a thistle. It’s an important symbol to us Scots and I liked the idea of using it in my brand.”

“A thistle? Like the purple flowers that bloom out in the hills?” Maggie again observed the strange symbol.

“Exactly like that.”

“And you stamp that on every board?”

“I do. You’ll notice it is also on my horses, my cattle, and if I ever take a wife, I might just brand it on her beautiful backsi…”

“I get the idea, Mr. MacGregor.” Maggie interrupted before he said something she would have to pretend she found offensive.



A Release Day Party Favor!

It just wouldn't be a party if  there wasn't a book available for free! Aundy, Book 1 in the Pendleton Petticoats series, will be available for free Kindle downloads April 9. Make sure you grab your copy! If you've already read it, tell your friends to download it.



A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”




Petticoat Ball Giveaway
Enter to win one of the many prizes given away April 12, 2015 as part of the Petticoat Ball Book Tour and Release Party including a $50 American Express gift card, autographed books, digital books, chocolates, and original western artwork!



Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Book Blitz: How I Became A Teenage Survivalist by Julie L Casey



Synopsis:

Bracken is a typical teenage boy, more interested in the angles of the girl’s exposed back teasing him from the seat ahead of him than in anything the geometry teacher could present. His life is filled with school, video games, and thoughts of girls, not necessarily in that order. Life just flows along uneventfully and unacknowledged, like the electricity that courses through the power lines — until PF (Power Failure) Day. On PF Day, the sun strikes Bracken’s world with an unseen surge of electromagnetic fury, which cripples power stations and burns transformers to crispy nuggets of regret.

No one in Bracken’s world had ever thought about how much they depended on electrical power, but now, without it, they are plunged into survival mode. Bracken soon realizes how lucky he is to live on a farm in the Midwest. What seemed like a dull and backwards life before is now the greatest chance for survival in what seems like a powerless world. Food, water, and heat are readily available, although hard work is required to make use of them. Bracken and his family must learn to survive like their ancestors, who settled their land.

Author Bio

Julie L. Casey lives in a rural area near St. Joseph, Missouri, with her husband, Jonn Casey, a science teacher, and their three youngest sons. After teaching preschool for fifteen years, she has been homeschooling her four sons for ten years. Julie has bachelor of science degrees in education and computer programming and has written five books, including How I Became a Teenage Survivalist, Time Lost: Teenage Survivalist II, Stop Beating the Dead Horse, In Daddy’s Hands, and Guardians of Holt. She is currently working on the third book in the Teenage Survivalist series, titled Ice Queen: Teenage Survivalist III. She enjoys historical reenacting, wildlife rehabilitation, teaching her children, and writing books that capture the imaginations of young people.


Find out more at:
Twitter: @JulieLCasey



10 Fun Random Facts:

1. My husband jokingly calls me the Dream Crusher. Head on over to my website, julielcasey.com, on the About Me page to find out why.
2. I’m the mother of five, grandmother of two, with identical twin granddaughters on the way.
3. I’m a wildlife rehabilitator. I’ve helped many reptiles, including snakes and turtles, and some mammals, including raccoons, rabbits, and even a bat.
3. My family and I reenact civil war/pioneer days, have starred in several documentaries and western films, and are docents at the Pony Express National Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri.
4. I don’t care for chocolate (I know, almost blasphemous), although I eat it occasionally.
5. I’m a tomboy at heart, which scares me a little having granddaughters - I hope they’re not too girlie (but of course, I’ll adore them anyway).
6. My favorite foods are sweet potatoes and broccoli, both with just butter, salt, and pepper — no marshmallows or fake melted cheese for me.
7. We have five dogs and seven cats, all of whom are rescues. Luckily, we live in the country with lots of wide=open spaces for them to run and a barn to house most of the cats.
8. My favorite color is blue and being a tomboy, I have an illogical aversion to wearing anything pink, although I like the color on other people.
9. I homeschool my three youngest sons, which is why I wrote How I Became a Teenage Survivalist to give them something new to read for their daily reading requirement.
10. I love playing Solitaire and reward myself for every chapter I write or edit with a quick game. Or two. Or three...




And follow along on the event page.



Saturday, March 28, 2015

Double Book Release! Book 2 & 3 of the Shadow series by RM Alexander

A friend of mine is bravely doing something, I've always dreamed of doing! A double release! Check it out!!!

First, let me introduce you to this amazing lady:

RM Alexander is an author of Sweet / Clean Romances that are sometimes contemporary, sometimes paranormal or suspense, but are always ruled by the heart of true romance.
With characters who look for love in wrong places and are victims of the worse kind of betrayals while fighting for what they want and believe in, RM's novels promise a good read with unexpected twists and turns.
When she's not writing, RM is spending time with her husband and two small children in Michigan. She loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World, and can often be found on Twitter or Facebook chatting with other authors and fans.  
Social Links:
Website: www.rmalexanderauthor.weebly.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/rmalexandermoc
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rmalexanderauth
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rmalexanderauthor
Email: rmalexanderauthor@gmail.com 

Her first book in the Shadows series, 
Veil of Secrecy, released July 2014.
Grab your copy, so you can get a proper introduction to these awesome books!

Veil of Secrecy Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00M6KS84M
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20635217-veil-of-secrecy
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id964724464
PageFoundry: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/58b6568a-0b20-425c-928f-68ec4a38fc2c
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/veil-of-secrecy-rm-alexander/1121171446?ean=9781507889749
Audible: http://www.amazon.com/Veil-Secrecy-Shadows-Book-1/dp/B00UV11GLK/ref=tmm_aud_title_0

Now introducing BOOK 2 in the Shadow Series!!!
Dark Crossing



Rachel Brackett arrives in Sullivan, Montana with simple goals: relocate, settle an estate, and manage her own antique store. Her parents and friends back home called it running away. That’s just fine with her.

Rachel’s curiosity leads her into the forest, and she finds creatures who know more about her ominous heritage than she does. The creatures only exist in nightmares – grotesque mutants and shapeshifters. They seek vengeance for hideous crimes in genetic engineering, and Rachel is the prime target for retribution. While Rachel searches for the truth behind the family she never knew, a bounty hunter stalks her every move. Only Leonardo, a figure shrouded in the shadows, offers protection. A were lion with the perfect blend of human and feline features. Terrifying. Impossible. Alluring.

When Rachel’s home is ripped apart and a friend attacked, it’s clear there is no safe haven. She is no longer running from her past, but trying to survive to make it to her future.

Dark Crossings Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00UW3HIX2
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-crossings-rm-alexander/1121485967?ean=2940151701624&itm=1&usri=2940151701624
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id978215030
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dark-crossings

And because releasing just Book 2 isn't good enough for Alexander, here is Book 3 in the Shadow Series!!!
Revelations 



Rachel Brackett is living on the edge, and the view is exhausting.

The lines have been drawn. Rachel searches for ways of setting her adopted family free of the evil caused by Telov's experiments. Winning requires nothing less than full cooperation from all factions, leaving Rachel and Leonardo to unite forces bonded by hate. In the search, Rachel uncovers truths more crippling than any she has known, and threatens all that she has come to love.

The war has arrived, and anything less than success promises to forever poison the beauty of the mountains with the stench of death.






Revelations Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00UZ5UFZA
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/revelations-j-p-alexander/1004435613?ean=2940151684552
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id978726467
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/revelations-71

Be sure to go check out each of these fantastic books! 
While Book 2: Dark Crossing, and Book 3: Revelations might not be free, they are for sale at a killer price! 
Thank you for visiting! 

Please be sure to leave a review for the author when you read her book!