Soulless Blog Tour

I'm just thrilled to be reviewing Crystal Collier's newest book in The Maiden of Time series...Soulless. Yep. And it was just as amazing as the first book in this series. I fell in love with it immediately. Previously, I'd described Moonless as a book filled with a darker Mr. Darcy. I continue that sentiment with Soulless to a degree, but let me tell you... Mr. Darcy (Kiren) loosens up a tad and becomes a little less dark, and a little more drool worthy. I love me some drool worthy men. Okay, before I go on here's a little bit about the story and it's wonderful author. Crystal Collier.

Tag Line: The Soulless are coming.

Log Line: When Alexia's wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she's forced to unleash her true power and risk losing everything.

Short description:

Alexia manipulated time to save the man of her dreams, and lost her best friend to red-eyed wraiths. Still grieving, she struggles to reconcile her loss with what was gained: her impending marriage. But when her wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she’s forced to unleash her true power.

And risk losing everything.

Title: SOULLESS

Author: Crystal Collier
Publisher: Raybourne Publishing

Series: Maiden of Time, #2

Publication: October 13th, 2014

Category: Young Adult (YA)
Genre: Paranormal Historical

My review: Soulless sweeps you into Alexia and Kiren's world and doesn't let you go. Short chapters hurl you into the minds of the characters, allowing you to feel what they feel, see what they see. The descriptions are beautifully written. Crystal Collier has a way with words, a prose that is unmatched in this category. I hate spoilers so I'm not gonna spoil the story by giving too much away. But I do have two words. Chapter. Sixty. Whoa. Okay, so that was three words. Sorry. I've been waiting for that chapter. The ending left me with somewhat of a broken heart, but then with the turn of a page I saw hope...Timeless. Book three in this series is coming soon. Thank you Crystal. My suffering will end. Eventually. 

Now for some other words on Soulless. 

Praise for SOULLESS: 

What people are saying about this series: 

"With a completely unique plot that keeps you guessing and interested, it brings you close to the characters, sympathizing with them and understanding their trials and tribulations." --SC, Amazon reviewer

"It's clean, classy and supernaturally packed with suspense, longing, intrigue and magic." --Jill Jennings, TX

"SWOON." --Sherlyn, Mermaid with a Book Reviewer

Author Bio: Crystal Collier is a young adult author who pens dark fantasy, historical, and romance hybrids. She can be found practicing her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog and Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

Author Tag Line: ❀ Unleashing the dream world, one book at a time ❀

Website: www.crystal-collier.com

Blog: http://crystalcollier.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/crystalcollier1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2598146-crystal

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crystalcollierauthor 

Buy link: http://crystal-collier.com/buy

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Moonless-Maiden-Time-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00FADL0A6
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soulless-crystal-collier/1120428254

And now for some pretty awesome giveaway potential. I'm all about some freebies. Good luck and thanks so much for stopping by. 

BLOG INTERVIEW WITH ERIN RHEW

Erin Rhew has stopped by the blog today to talk about her new book, The Outlanders which is book two in The Fulfillment Series. Is that not the coolest cover, ever? And she let me ask her some questions. Talk about trust. 

1. What are you currently working on?

I am currently retrofitting the third book in the Fulfillment series, aptly named The Fulfillment (heehee), to fit some changes made to The Prophecy and The Outlanders. I have a project sitting on the backburner, a futuristic thrilled called Number 25589, but I just can’t see to get that one the way I want it. And finally, a short story I wrote called “Volatile” is stalking me, begging to be turned into a full-length novel.  

2. How many books have you written? What’s out now and where can we get it? Grabby fingers.

I’ve written several books, but only two are currently published: The Prophecy and The Outlanders. You can get them here:

The Prophecy:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Prophecy-Fulfillment-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00O1IVMPO/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0C3CXD48HV37JVYY6SY6

The Outlanders: http://www.amazon.com/The-Outlanders-Fulfillment-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00O2I8X50/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_1

3. What's your latest book about?

SPOILER ALERT (read The Prophecy before you read this)

With King Jesper dead and Prince Wilhelm mortally wounded, Halfling prince, Nash, and the Fulfilment, Layla, assume the throne of Etherea. They must contend with a new Prophecy Candidate who asserts her position, and Layla is surprised to find her fate intertwined with this challenger. Facing a myriad of choices, Nash and Layla’s decisions affect not only their own futures but that of two kingdoms.

Unbeknownst to the Ethereals or the Vanguards, a slumbering menace stirs in the south, awakened after centuries of slumber. The mysterious Outlanders, a force shadowed in mystery, sit poised to tip the balance of power, sending ripples of fear throughout both warring kingdoms.

Elder Werrick proved a formidable foe, but Layla may yet meet her match in the monstrous Outlander queen. This mistress of the dark’s plans, rooted in revenge and ancient lore, now threaten the livelihood of all three kingdoms.

Racing against time, Layla travels to the Borderlands—home of the Voltons and Ecclesiastics—to discover as much as she can about the war, the First Ones, and the prophecy itself. Lives teeter in the balance, kingdoms sit on the cusp of ruin, and a beast, greater than any she’s ever faced before, plots a catastrophic attack. 

4. If you could have lunch with one of your characters, which one would it be and why?

I’d have lunch with Samson. He’s my homage to Percy Jackson and probably as close as I would be able to get to the actual Percy, though I still hold out hope he will crawl from the pages of the book and come for me… ;) I like Samson’s snark and wit. I definitely think he could entertain me at lunch. Entertain meeeeee!

5. Would you make him or her pay, or would you take care of the bill? I think it's a valid question.

I would take care of the bill. After all, I yanked him from the pages of a book to have lunch with me, so it’s the least I can do. ;)

6. When did you discover that you were a writer, and it was time to write a book?

I think I’ve always been a writer. I wrote my first poem at the age of four on my grandparent’s typewriter. Dudes, they didn’t get an actual computer until the early 2000’s!! Wut, wut? I used to write novels in middle school. My friends would gather around me at lunch time to read the next installment of whatever fantastic tale I was writing at the time. After college, I took a break from novel writing to pursue my love of acting. I ran a local theater group and wrote a lot of plays for them. Seeing my written work performed proved most gratifying. But my first love, fictional novels, cried out to me. I resumed writing, created The Fulfillment series, and here we are!  WOOT!

7. If you could have a super power, what would it be? Again. Valid question. Super power preferences can tell you a lot about a person. My husband has always wanted a be a fire truck. Clearly, he knows nothing about super powers. I married him out of sympathy. It works.

ROFL!! I would be invisible. I’m super nosey, and given the chance, I’d totally spy on conversations. It’s better than being a fly on the wall, which means risking the business end of a swatter. With invisibility, I’m there, I’m in the know, but no one else realizes I’ve arrived.

8. What's your favorite part about being a writer, besides the pajamas?

Besides the pajamas? Hmmmm… LOL! Definitely meeting all the amazing readers, authors, bloggers, and reviewers!  The writing community is just the BEST!

9. What is your favorite book in the world?

My favorite book in the world isn’t technically a book; it’s a play. I am a major Shakespeare nerd (tragedies, not comedies), and I love, love, love Romeo and Juliet.

10. What's your favorite social media site and why?

For my writing life, definitely Twitter. That’s where the action is. It also holds a very special spot in my heart because that’s where I met Deek!! For my personal life, Facebook. I love being able to interact with my friends hundreds of miles away with the click of my mouse. Ain’t modern technology amazing?? ;)

11. Can we have all your follow links so we can stalk you legitimately?

Twitter: @ErinRhewBooks

                 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erin-Rhew-Books/182769448541270

Website:  www.erinrhewbooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23265671-the-prophecy

Buy The Prophecy: http://www.amazon.com/Prophecy-Fulfillment-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00O1IVMPO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412178669&sr=8-1&keywords=the+prophecy+erin+rhew

Buy The Outlanders: http://www.amazon.com/Outlanders-Fulfillment-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00O2I8X50/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412178701&sr=8-1&keywords=the+outlanders+erin+rhew

Book blurb for The Outlanders:

With King Jesper dead and Prince Wilhelm mortally wounded, Halfling prince, Nash, and the Fulfilment, Layla, assume the throne of Etherea. They must contend with a new Prophecy Candidate who asserts her position, and Layla is surprised to find her fate intertwined with this challenger. Facing a myriad of choices, Nash and Layla’s decisions affect not only their own futures but that of two kingdoms.

Unbeknownst to the Ethereals or the Vanguards, a slumbering menace stirs in the south, awakened after centuries of slumber. The mysterious Outlanders, a force shadowed in mystery, sit poised to tip the balance of power, sending ripples of fear throughout both warring kingdoms.

Elder Werrick proved a formidable foe, but Layla may yet meet her match in the monstrous Outlander queen. This mistress of the dark’s plans, rooted in revenge and ancient lore, now threaten the livelihood of all three kingdoms.

Racing against time, Layla travels to the Borderlands—home of the Voltons and Ecclesiastics—to discover as much as she can about the war, the First Ones, and the prophecy itself. Lives teeter in the balance, kingdoms sit on the cusp of ruin, and a beast, greater than any she’s ever faced before, plots a catastrophic attack. 

And now for the giveaway. Yeah baby. I love me some free stuff. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writing Process Blog Hop

The absolutely awesome, wonderfully talented author, Ally Malinenko tagged me in the Writing Process Blog Hop. 

What? I said. Me. Are you kidding? 

And then something awful happened. I almost forgot to do the post. I was in the middle of something way important...like having coffee and watching my dog try on my curtains. 

He does this everyday. He just stands there, moving his head back and forth like he's soaring through the clouds. I think all dog behavior means something. Clearly this means that MY GREAT DANE WAS MIGHTY DOG IN A PAST LIFE! Sometimes a dog just really misses his cape. As long as he doesn't tear down the curtains we're cool. 

Now, when I'm not watching Mighty Dog incarnate visualize the wild blue yonder, I'm writing. 

Which brings me to Ally's questions:

What am I working on?

Well um...a lot actually. I'm working on one of three current manuscripts. After I pick the manuscript I want to dabble in, I chastise myself for not concentrating on just one manuscript exclusively. At times, a random family member might pass by the office door to find me gazing at my reflection in the I-Mac screen, and occasionally giving myself the stink eye for not directing my energy efficiently.  If I would just focus on one thing at a time I might actually get novels out much faster. Oh but no. I want to play with all the characters at the same time.

I am just hateful. 

How does your work differ from others' work in the same genre? 

With so many books out there it would be hard to say if my work were truly different, but I can certainly hope so. In one of my current WIP's called, Letters to Stella the character has to find a way to save her father's life. For generations, all the Hadley men die young. It's when she and her Dad move into her estranged grandmother's house that the MC learns that she's from a family of witches...witches who centuries ago cast a spell on a soldier during the Revolutionary War, and he's still alive, living in the house, confined to a single room, with no communication with the outside world. Annabelle, the MC discovers a way to communicate with Ori against her grandmother's will and the more ways she finds to reach the broken, silent boy with faraway eyes, the more her father's health improves. But as Annabelle gets closer to discovering how to break the spell, she can't help but wonder what will happen to her father and what might happen to Ori if she sets him free? 

Okay, so the synopsis is far from perfect. I'll make sure it's perfect after I finish the story...right after I get Mighty Dog incarnate out of the drapes. 

Why do you write what you do?

Because we all need a break from reality. I cannot live in this world without creepy crawlies, alternate universes, vampires...although I think they're real. My neighbor is always perfect and she's supposedly had or made six kids. No living person looks that good ALL THE TIME. Every time I see her I mutter "vampire" and my husband chuckles. That's fine. You won't think it's so funny when her and the samplings step out to feed now will ya? You. Were. Warned. 

Anyway, who needs to live in the real world all the time? Boring. I'm not doing it. I'd rather make up stuff in my pajamas, keep my eye on the vampire lady, and drink coffee until I can hardly blink. That's the life if you ask me. 

How does your writing process work?

I look for a window of opportunity, a quiet time when the house is still. Usually late at night. I have coffee before 9pm. Wine by 11. I am nothing if not a health nut. Chuckles. I make sure MD incarnate has had his snack, fresh water, and sometimes crack a window. At times MD incarnate suffers from a bit of flatulence and my office is really small. It's a safety issue. After I've cleared the window of opportunity I pick a manuscript I've been thinking about the most, and I read over the previous chapter for review. Then I just get in there and write the next scene. I generally try to get through a whole chapter. I hate to leave one hanging. In fact I will rarely write unless I have time to complete an entire scene. When I finish, me and MD head off to bed to read for a bit or hang out with the hubs. I wish I could have a real writing schedule, but my life is so crazy hectic it's simply impossible, so I take the time when the time affords itself. I don't stress about it. Setting a time or a goal is just too much pressure for me. 

After all, life does in fact sort of just happen. 

Now I'm off to tag some peeps! I'll keep you posted who I pick. Don't forget to check out Ally's Blog to read about her writing process. It's way better than mine. 

Officially Introverted.

My own public awkwardness is making me feel awkward. How sad is that? I've been spending so much time, writing, reading, and working from home that going out in public is starting to be an issue. Really. It's taking me like twenty minutes to warm up enough to speak freely with fellow human beings. I'm so used to emailing, texting, posting on Facebook and so on that speaking out loud is like a shock. What? When did that happen? This has to stop. It does. I shouldn't flush, and lose the ability to form sentences just because the guy at the deli asked me what I want. No. Come on. Spit. It. Out. It's ham. Shave it please so I can put it on a sandwich. It's not that hard.

It's even worse when someone asks...what's your book about?

It's um................about this girl...............and she has powers.........it's a Sci-Fi/Fantasy thingy............for young adults.

By the time I make it back to my car with my ham, ya know to hide and slam my head into the steering wheel for a good minute, I have formed what I meant to say. But it's too late. The deli guy thinks I'm "special." A little slow but otherwise sweet. He may give me extra ham next time kind of special.

There might be a lot of sandwiches in my future.

How about you? As a writer, are you finding it hard to order ham, or cheese if you're a vegetarian?

Oh, and in case you're wondering, here's my book about that girl.

You can check it out at Amazon.
Add it to your list at Goodreads.

Have a great weekend!

WHAT?

So I'm trying to get back into this whole blogging thing now that my edits are coming to an end. And I'd love to help others with getting the word out on whatever they're up to, whether it be a new book coming out, a new group, a new marketing tactic. Whatever news you have that needs to be spread to my little world. So, if you'd like me to post, tweet, or Facebook your awesome new adventure or project, please let me know and I will be happy to help. 

As for me, I'm excited at the moment!!! If all goes well, I'm in the last couple of days of edits then my WIP will no longer be a WIP. It will be a real live, okay not so live book. WHAT? This whole process of writing my first novel has taken so long that I think I just accepted the fact that it might never end. But now the end is in sight and I might cry. No. Oh my. Good tears of course but I can't promise I won't at least spend two point two seconds in pansy-land. Anyway, the coolest part about being in final edits is seeing the end in sight and having an editor that tells you something amazing in the midst of all the, What were you thinking moments.

It seems I may have invented a brand new super-power for one of my characters. 

WHAT? I know. Crazy sauce. 

So what about you. What's the greatest news you ever heard from your editor?

Wednesday Spotlight With Lee Strauss

Introducing 

Heart & Soul

Heart & Soul is the third book in The Minstrel Series 

(This is a connected book series - while each book can stand alone, they are best enjoyed in sequence.)

ROMANCE. SUSPENSE. MUSIC. DANGER. HOT BRITISH GUY

She's heartbroken. He's heartless.

Gabriele Baumann-Smith is deliriously in love with her young husband Lennon.

Except, it turns out that Lennon Smith isn't his real name. In fact, he's full of secrets: a cottage on the southern British coast, an old girlfriend and... an identical twin brother.

Callum Jones—not his real name—can't believe his brother's widow came to England. He'd warned Mick—Lennon—that an inheritance could put the girl's life in danger, and he was right.

“Mrs. Smith” is the last thing Callum needs to worry about right now. She's beautiful, sure, takes his breath away at times. But when she looks at him, who does she see?

Gabriele's heart is battered and bruised. Can one brother fix what the other left behind? And will they live long enough to find out?

BUZZ for Heart & Soul

"...this took a turn for the spy/thriller genre, which surprised me, but still carried the strong romantic flavor and wonderful accompanying music, like the first two books. I think this is a great series and would recommend it to contemporary romance fans." Denise Jaden, author of Foreign Exchange

"Another great book by Lee! This one had action, wit and a forbidden love! Love the characters and their interaction with each other! Can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!" Tressa Sager, Amazon reviewer

"I don't want to give away what the danger is, but suffice it to say, it's a real and plausible threat. Gabrielle is a good leading lady. She doesn't back down from anything or anyone in this book, but she's still vulnerable, making her well-rounded and likable." J Harrell, Amazon reviewer

AMAZON | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | itunes | Google Play

Heart & Soul in Print

Createspace

The Music fromThe Minstrel Series Volume 3 Heart & Soul

Amazon

Featuring the author's daughter, Tasia Strauss!

Lee Strauss' thoughts on The Minstrel Series and Heart & Soul:

"My musician husband and I just randomly started talking about the idea of working on a project together - wouldn't it be great if we could collaborate and merge our two artistic worlds? Writing and Music? That was the seed that started the muse talking, and soon afterward The Minstrel Series was born!

For Heart & Soul, I knew I wanted to move the series from Germany to England (next to Ireland and Boston!) and that I needed a small coastal town not far from London. I used Google Earth to examine the British coastline to search for the perfect town and found it in Emsworth. Living in Germany part-time has its advantages and one of them is its proximity to England. My husband and I did a quick five day research trip. (It also came in handy for the next book, a Christmas novella set in London - stay tuned!)

Because of the musical aspect of this series, I'm always on the prowl for songs and singers. My connection to the singer-songwriter world via my musical husband has been a big advantage. My husband's musical genes have also been down to our kids, so it's exciting to involve my daughter Tasia in the project to be the singing voice of Gabriele."

Click HERE to read the first chapter of Heart & Soul. 

**One of the entry options will ask a question from the above chapter.

About The Minstrel Series:

The Minstrel Series is a collection of contemporary romance novels set in the singer/songwriter world. The books are companion novels, with shared settings and characters, but each is a complete stand-alone story with a HEA (happily ever after) and no cliffhangers!

The books include MP3 links to original music by talented Indie Artists, so you can hear the characters sing!

#1     Sun & Moon

#2     Flesh & Bone 

#3     Heart & Soul 

#3.5  Peace & Goodwill (Christmas Novella coming Fall 2014)

It also has its own FACEBOOK (link) page and its own BANDCAMP (link) page where you can listen to the original music associated with the books. Albums are also available on AMAZON.

About Lee Strauss:

Lee Strauss is the author of The Minstrel Series (contemporary romance), The Perception Series (young adult dystopian) and young adult historical fiction. She is the married mother of four grown children, three boys and a girl, and divides her time between British Columbia, Canada and Dresden, Germany. When she's not writing or reading she likes to cycle, hike and do yoga. She enjoys traveling (but not jet lag >:0), soy lattes, red wine and dark chocolate.

EASY TWEETS:

New Release! HEART & SOUL, bk3 in a connected series by @leestrauss #Romance #Thriller #suspense #music #musicians http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Soul-contemporary-romance-Minstrel-ebook/dp/B00LBFETFU/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=ellestra-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=3D6K75PVF2Y62FBT&creativeASIN=B00LBFETFU

Love #Romance and #Suspense? #Music? HEART & SOUL, bk3 in a connected series by @leestraussbooks http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Soul-contemporary-romance-Minstrel-ebook/dp/B00LBFETFU/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=ellestra-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=3D6K75PVF2Y62FBT&creativeASIN=B00LBFETFU

a Rafflecopter giveaway