Ebook Giveaway: Particle Horizon by Selso Xisto

“From the blood and dust of New Jerusalem, the Legion of the LightBringer wages a galactic war against those who would replace their god. Now, the time has come for the Union of Free Worlds to make a stand. The front line is the idyllic asteroid world of Angelhaven, where the greatest mind in human history has discovered an elemental power with far-reaching implications. A power that both sides will do anything to harness.
 
Marine commander Gomes leads the crack Union task force. An unrelenting warrior driven by revenge and a need for answers, he hides a strange ability neither science nor religion can explain. Outnumbered ten to one and stalked by a mysterious nemesis, he will need the help of people willing to make unspeakable sacrifices to unravel Angelhaven’s secret.As the Legion invasion begins, unknown eyes watch with interest..."

Author Bio:
By day, I’m a creative/editor/promo producer for Turner Broadcasting in London making promos for Cartoon Network across europe… By night, I travel to the farthest reaches of the universe, imagining exploding asteroid colonies and alien civilisations and dreaming of how to share these adventures with like-minded people. Which is a rather pretentious way of saying ‘aspiring novelist’. I’m not doing this for money, only love of hard SF and space opera. I’m greatly influenced by the amazing works of Peter F Hamilton, Arthur C Clarke, Greg Bear, Stephen Baxter, Yukinobu Hoshino and many, many others I can’t remember right now. I think I’d describe my writing style as fast-paced, gritty and fairly action-packed. Having said that, I love to delve into the big questions of the universe, religion and mind (though I’m certainly no physicist), question what it is to be human, and hopefully, just tell a really riveting story against an epic canvas. I’ll let my readers (whoever you may be!) judge whether I’ve succeeded! I’ve just finished editing my first novel and long-term labour of love, an epic science fiction novel called ‘Particle Horizon’. We follow the stories of an ensemble of characters from different sides and perspectives of a galactic conflict as their adventures intertwine. The galactic Rubicon has been crossed…

Interview and Giveaway With Author K.C. Neal

N.L. Who are you, and why should readers read the rest of this interview?


I’m K.C. Neal, author. You should read the rest of the interview because later on I reveal *the* magic formula for writing the most captivating, perfect story possible. That’s right! But that part of the interview is written in invisible digital ink. If you paypal $49 to my email address, I will send you the special ink decoder!

N.L: Wow, that answer was AMAZING. I just fell in love all over again. Moving on.
Q: Tell us a little about the work you are here promoting.

A. My debut novel, Pyxis: The Discovery is the first book in a YA fantasy series. The main character, 16-year-old Corinne, discovers there are two universes - the waking universe we live in every day, and a universe our minds enter when we're asleep. Her destiny is to protect a weakness between the two universes, to keep evil and harm from cycling between them, but the person who was supposed to teach her everything died unexpectedly. Her friend Mason has a role in all of this, too, and together they search for answers. I don't want to give away too much, but there are some fun paranormal elements to the story - ESP, pyrokinesis, things like that. It’s  a fast-paced read that's full of mystery.


Q: As a writer, do you have plans for world domination, or do you have a day job as well?


A: Oh my gosh, have you been spying on me? I talk about my plan for world domination daily! I’m dead serious - my closest friends can confirm this. It’s a 5-phase plan, and I’ve almost completed Phase 2. I do have a day job, too, though. Cackling over my world-domination plans doesn’t pay the bills. Not yet, anyway. I work full-time as a Medical Writer.

N.L. Ha, I have actually been spying on you. In a friendly way. I’m an easy stalker to get along with. Anyway…onward!
Q: Self-published, traditional, indie or part of an indie collective? If not yet published, what are you doing to make it happen?

A: I’m a bit of a hybrid, in a way. I don’t have an agent, but I do have a publisher, StoneHouse Ink. It’s a pretty awesome set-up, actually. I work directly with my publisher and have a lot of say in the decisions that get made. I had a ton of input into my book’s cover, for example. And just this last week I got to choose a voice actor who will do an audio version of my book. I’m a bit of a control freak, so this arrangement really suits me. My publisher is really more of a business partner, and we both work really hard to give my book the best chance possible.

Q: How do you handle bad reviews? If you haven't had one...would you be willing to take part in a social experiment? Basically? Would you grant me permission to trash your writing, just to see if you cry?

I haven’t had any reviews yet, so I’m not sure how I’ll react. But, being a Medical Writer has been good training in terms of getting my writing picked apart and put back together. When I write medical content, half a dozen people or more review and edit it. You learn really quickly not to take any of it personally. And my manuscript got pretty much shredded earlier this year, which led to a major revision. I’ve built up some calluses, I guess you could say. :)

UPDATE ALERT: K.C has been getting reviews that I’ve obviously read. Hint, they are glowing! Congrats! Next…
Q: Are you nervous yet and do you prefer white or wheat bread?


A: You know, I AM kind of nervous. White for garlic bread and grilled cheese sandwiches, wheat for everything else.

Q:  Do you blog? If so, don't you wish you were as cool a blogger as I?

A: I do blog, but I’m nowhere near the force de blog that you are. You’re like a power blogger! (Are you susceptible to flattery, btw?)

N.L.: I am always open to hearing how awesome I am. =)
 Q: What is your favorite creature, monster, or fantasy based thing you write about?

A: No creatures in my series, but there’s plenty of magic. The ESP is the part I really dig, though. All kinds of interesting ways to use that in interactions between characters.

Q: Are you planning to give something away (if not, good luck getting anyone to read this thing) and if so, what are your demands for winning (I assume, your book because why else would you stop by?)

A:  Sure, I’d love to give away an ebook! My demand is this: that you worship at the altar of my Twitter account. By following it.

Q: =) Any advice for aspiring writers?

A:  I don’t think of myself as particularly qualified to give advice to writers, but since you asked…. One, find a skilled, more experienced writer to critique your work, and don’t fear criticism; a good critique will help your writing improve by leaps and bounds. Two, an idea for a story isn’t the same as a plot; a book needs a plot and a plot needs tension and conflict, not just cool ideas. Three, read voraciously; aside from actually writing, reading is your best training.

N.L. I totally agree. Tick off a few indie authors you look up to.

Q: Angeline Kace, who just released her debut novel, Descended by Blood, in August. She wrote a great book and worked really hard marketing it, and her book is killing it in the Kindle store. Sometimes I’m afraid I’m getting into ebook publishing too late, I missed the wave, but her success gives me hope that it can still be done.
Aaron Patterson, who heads StoneHouse Ink (my publisher), is a bestselling author and just as talented at the business part of publishing as he is at writing, which I imagine is a rare combination. His first book came out back before there was this enormous wave of self-published books, and he’s kept out ahead of the changes in the industry the past few years.
Really, I admire any indie who can sell well enough to make a living off their books. It’s not easy out there!

Q: Are you, or are you not a douche bag? Heh, you don't have to answer that. That's just for my enjoyment.

Definitely not! Wait, that’s probably something a douche bag would say, isn’t it…?

Q: =) Sell your book, right now, to your host without once mentioning your book, blog or twitter handle.

A: I command you: BUY IT. Hee hee.

Q: Alright, where can readers find you on the web?

My blog
Twitter (@KCNealTweets)
Facebook
Google+
Goodreads

Alright now, the giveaway! One digital copy of: 

 A Blurb: Two worlds.... One 16-year-old girl must learn to protect them both.

The nightmares haunting Corinne and her friend Mason hint at a universe that exists beyond the one they know. Her destiny is to protect a weakness between the two worlds, but the person who was supposed to teach her how is dead. As Corinne and Mason search for answers, she tries to ignore the sparks igniting between them, but can't deny she feels safe only when he's nearby. Will they find help before their nightmares break free?

Blogger Demands.

1.Leave me a nice comment including your e-mail addy. REQUIRED
2.1. Follow K.C. Neal on Twitter. @KCNealTweets. (Not required but makes winning more likely). 

3. Following the blog is not required, but appreciated. Good Luck! This giveaway will end on November 16th.

Interview and Giveaway With S.L. Pierce

N.L. Who are you and why should readers read the rest of this interview?

S.L. Pierce and I are two stay-at-home moms who used to have power jobs; she, a PhD Chemical Engineer and I, the CEO of a newspaper. As much as we love and adore our children (who doesn't love diapers and sleep deprivation), we were both compelled to find a way to reconnect with the outside world at around the same time. S.L. had written several short stories and books that really impressed me. Her style is edge-of-your-seat thriller with a dash of kick-ass women. When she asked me if I wanted to collaborate on a book, I didn't hesitate.

Tell us a little about the work you are here promoting.

The Devil's Game is a thrill-ride through a young woman's experience of knowing she's being stalked, but feeling powerless to stop it. Rachel finds herself caught between running away to the safety of her home and facing the very real threat of a psychopath that stands between her and her dreams for the future. 

What sets it apart from other stalker books?  This question: Is your stalkers stalker your friend or your worst enemy? 

Who is really the stalker and who is the stalkee?  

 As a writer, do you have plans for world domination, or do you have a day job as well?

As alluring as world domination is, I'm going to have to leave that to Steve Jobs and Oprah. At least until I can afford to pay someone else to raise my kids (don't worry kids, you're extremely expensive to raise). My hope is that I can put some good entertaining stories out there that help provide the daily mental vacation we all need. Where would we be without our stories!

LMAO! Oh, great answer. “Save me Oprah…save me Tom Cruise.” Ahem… sorry about that, moving on…

 Self-published, traditional, indie or part of an indie collective? If not yet published, what are you doing to make it happen?

We self-published The Devil's Game through digital media outlets like Amazon, Barnes and Noble online and Smashwords. Self-publishing is about getting the word out through social media and book reviewing websites (like yours :) We are so fortunate to have found book reviewers who encourage the self-publishers of the world. Like the independent films of the 80s and 90s, I think the reader finds a candor and freshness in self-published work that's not readily available with the big boys. If it doesn't fit a predetermined formula, then it's almost impossible to find a home with a book publisher. Plus we get to keep a lot more of our money.

How do you handle bad reviews? If you haven't had one...would you be willing to take part in a social experiment and grant me permission to trash your writing, just to see if you cry? I wouldn't do that (don't worry).

I know authors always say they're completely fine with critical reviews. They're all liars. We all want love. But, unfortunately, if we don't hear the truth, we run the risk of trying to sell poo brownies at a bake sale. Much better to have stayed home. So please, bring it on. I'll break open a fresh box of Kleenex.

=) Are you nervous yet and do you prefer white or wheat bread?

I'm always nervous. My favorite Ashleigh Brilliant quote - "Please don't tell me to relax - it's only my tension that's holding me together." And is there anyone on the planet who actually prefers wheat bread?

 Do you blog? If so, don't you wish you were as cool a blogger as I?

I have a blog. And it's cool. { greatescapefiction.com }. My latest entry is about adventures in daughter rearing. S.L.'s is really awesome too. She's always got fresh flash fiction (say that 3 times fast). Do you know someone who's always losing things? Check out Take 'Em Out atslpiercebooks.blogspot.com.

 What is your favorite creature, monster, or fantasy based thing you write about? If you write outside of this genre, please tell the readers about what you do write about.

I've always wanted to write a novel about time travel. It's my favorite sci-fi sub genre. Everything we say and do is based on previous experiences. I love the idea of jumbling them to make new realities. I'm also partial to mermaids.

 Are you planning to give something away (if not, good luck getting anyone to read this thing) and if so, what are your demands for winning (I assume, your book because why else would you stop by?)

Yes, we will be giving away a great book. Our demand is you leave a comment.  Any comment!

 Any advice for aspiring authors?

Don't get sucked into the idea that book publishers are God. I believe that the independent writer is the way of the future. How many times have you picked up a book and been perplexed as to why anyone would read it, let alone publish it? The readers are the ones who ultimately decide what books are worth reading and which authors are worth following. The internet cuts out the middle man and lets you publish your book your way. Your success or failure doesn't hinge on the opinion of some exclusive club that lives at least six months behind the times. It's based on your own hard work and determination, what you can accomplish. Isn't that the American Way? Stepping off soap box now.

 Tick off a few indie authors you look up to.

Well, J.A. Konrath, of course.  The big reason being he had a traditional publishing contract said “You know what.  I think I can do better on my own.”  And then did!  And then told everyone else they could do it too, if they work hard!  Along that same line is Barry Eisler who actually walked away from half a million dollars.  If that doesn’t say a lot about self-publishing, nothing does.

 Are you, or are you not a douche bag? Heh, you don't have to answer that. That's just for my enjoyment.

If by "douche bag" you mean spiting those around me for no reason other than my own personal pleasure, I would say absolutely not. At least not usually. Not unless they really deserve it. And I'm in a really bad mood. Or really stressed out. Could you repeat the question?

Sell your book, right now, to your host without once mentioning your book, blog or twitter handle.

What would you do if you lived alone in the big city and items began showing up inside your locked apartment... while you were there? We invite you to take a tour inside the mind of a modern psychopath, and dare you to figure out who that person is before the end of the story.

 All right, where can readers find you on the web?

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/The-Devils-Game-ebook/dp/B0058UFEO4/

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-devils-game-sl-pierce/1104093994

Smashwords - smashwords.com/books/view/70236

Or Read the first 10 chapters free athttp://www.scribd.com/doc/60090929/The-Devil-s-Game-First-10-Chapters

Interview and Giveaway With Author Amelia James

 Who are you, and why should readers read the rest of this interview?

Amelia James, trashy romance author. Read this for fun. If nothing else, I’m good for a laugh. If you won’t laugh at me, who will? Er…with me.

Tell us a little about the work you are here promoting.

I have two contemporary romance novels: Tell Me You Want Me and Secret Storm. I also published an erotic short story collection: The Devil Made Me Do It and a paranormal romance short story: One Wild Night.

Tell Me You Want Me is a contemporary erotic romance. It’s flirty and fun, sexy and steamy.  It’s the story of two people who have a lot to learn when it comes to love and relationships. Austin Sinclair is a charming bad boy who has so many women he can’t remember their names. Jane Elliot is a career-oriented woman who desperately needs some fun in her life.

Secret Storm isn’t a sequel, but it takes place after Tell Me and it involves the same characters.  It’s darker than Tell Me, and it has more emotional depth and passion. Jack Wheeler is a man with a dark past, but he won’t let anyone close enough to help him deal with it. Sara Jensen is a caring, giving woman who jumps at the chance to help others, but she runs away from her own problems.

As a writer, do you have plans for world domination, or do you have a day job as well?

No day job, but no world domination plot. I just want to give readers a good time.

Self-published, traditional, indie or part of an indie collective? If not yet published, what are you doing to make it happen?

I am self-published scum!

Hey! When did the meaning of scum change to asset to the indie community? I must have missed that TPS report..


How do you handle bad reviews? If you haven't had one...would you be willing to take part in a social experiment and grant me permission to trash your writing just to see if you cry?

Vodka. ;) So far, my worst review was 3 stars. I haven’t read it. I know 3 stars isn’t awful, but it isn’t great. Go ahead and trash me. I like it. ;)

I would but then you might revoke my stalking privelages.. Are you nervous yet and do you prefer white or wheat bread?

No way. Your questions are cracking me up. Wheat.

Do you blog? If so, don't you wish you were as cool a blogger as I?

Yes. I am cooler than you. Hahaha. Kidding.

After reading that Erotic In A Cage Battle...I don't doubt that. What is your favorite creature, monster, or fantasy based thing you write about?

Badass heroes are my favorite fantasy creature. Yummy. I’ve written a couple vampire stories too. One is on my blog. Not sure if I’ll let the other one see the light of day (get it?).

 Are you planning to give something away (if not, good luck getting anyone to read this thing) and if so, what are your demands for winning (I assume, your book because why else would you stop by?)

Why, yes I am. Leave a comment for a chance to win a free trashy ebook.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Never stop learning. And “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” ~George Eliot

Tick off a few indie authors you look up to.

S.M. Reine: she knows how to sell books. I need to pick her brain.

Al Boudreau: so supportive. He’s a big help to me.

Nova Sparks: energetic and creative.

Natasha Larry: I love her humor.

Eden Baylee: pure class.

Thank you for having a sense of humor? Are you, or are you not a douche bag? Heh, you don't have to answer that. That's just for my enjoyment.

You just never know. ;)

 Sell your book, right now, to your host without once mentioning your book, blog or twitter handle.

My trashy books are as addictive as porn (not that there’s anything wrong with that), and the sex scenes are hot enough to melt hard cheese (without being cheesy). So there.

 Alright, where can readers find you on the web?

Blog: http://trashystreasures.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TrashyWriter

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

Now...The Giveaway 
Paranormal Wire is giving away one copy of The Devil Made Me Do It today. I read this one and trust me...its steamy and the perfect read for erotic romance fans.


To Win
1. Leave a comment WITH YOUR E-MAIL PLEASE. Use the following word in a seductive sentence: GENUFLECT. 

2. Not required, but following my blog is always nice.
3. REQUIRED: Subscribe to Trashy Treasures I will check. 

This giveaway will end on August 5th. 

The Dome: Excerpt and Ebook Giveaway

I woke up to the sound of loud banging. Everyone was standing around where the sound was coming from. I was about to get up when Sam came over and put his hand on my shoulder.

“What’s happening?” I asked him. He didn’t answer me. He was starting to piss me off. I pushed past him and ran towards the crowd, pushing past everyone who was blocking my view. When I was close enough to see, I saw two men kicking on the door group two came out of.

“Calm down. We don’t know that yet!” A voice from inside the crowd said. The men ignored her and kept going. Another man ran up to one of them and tried to grab them away from the door but he was quickly pushed back and knocked onto his ass.

“What is going on? Don’t know what yet?” I asked a man who was standing next to me.

“They think we’ve been abducted by aliens. Another UFO nut, although I can’t say that I blame them. This whole thing just screams science fiction.”

It never once crossed my mind that we were on an alien space craft. Apparently I had missed a lot while I was sleeping. Somehow we went from concluding that we were being housed by the military to being abducted by aliens. “Does anyone have the time?” I asked, erasing my own thoughts. “5:27 am.” A woman said who was in front of me. I didn’t look up to see who it was. “Anyone from America have the time? Preferably from the west coast.”

“5:27” Brett said. He was standing next to me, sweating profusely. It wasn’t even hot in here. It wasn’t anything in here as a matter of fact. It almost felt like there was no temperature. Until I saw Brett, I hadn’t even realized the lack of anything in this room. It was starting to freak me out and so was Brett’s weird look in his eyes. I hated the way he looked at me. If he wasn’t married I’d swear he was trying to hit on me every time he’d ask me if I needed a ride to school. I hadn’t seen his wife around, not since this all happened. If she didn’t make it I’d expect Brett to be a lot more upset than he was. I started to walk back to my cot.

“You’re 18 now, aren’t you?” Brett asked me. I felt him inching closer. He was walking with me.

“Umm no. Not until a few months anyway. November baby.” I chuckled lightly, trying to hide the nervousness he always made me feel.

“Hm…too bad.”

            I couldn’t believe it. The world was ending, we were probably on some army or alien space craft, his wife was most likely dead, and he was trying to mack it to me inches away from Sam and my mom. This asshole had balls.

“Wait.” I stopped in my tracks and turned to him. “Did you say its 5:27?” I’d remembered Sam being obsessed with the time since we got to Crystal Peak. He’d kept asking Mark what time it was. I remembered because it annoyed me how he didn’t bother looking at his phone or ever considered buying a watch. I also remembered running through the woods and up the mountain listening to Sam scream at Mark to tell him the time. It couldn’t possibly be 5:27 in the morning still. Hours should have passed. I decided I needed answers and I needed them now.

“Sam.” I whispered so no one else could hear. “Why won’t you tell me what the fuck is going on here?” He looked up at me. He was lying down on his cot staring at his dirty work boots before I came over.

“Why won’t you call me Dad?

“Bullshit! I know you know something. All this seems a little too unsurprising to you. And while the rest of us are freaking out…you haven’t so much as blinked.”

“Emma. I know as much as the next guy. What would I possibly know? Nobody knows what’s going on and neither do I. This whole thing is beyond anything I can even fathom.”

“Okay. Can you at least explain to me why time has stopped?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Time, it’s stopped. Everyone, at least from our camp has the same time, 5:27am why is that?” I could tell I was finally getting to him. He lifted himself off the cot and looked at me. Before he could say anything, the lights turned off.

Everyone screamed. It was pitch black in the room. People must have been moving and trying to find their way around because I heard people falling over and cots sliding from side to side. The sound of everyone’s erratic breathing filled the room. I got down on my knees for absolutely no reason. It just seemed like a good idea. I automatically expected the worse and I guess I wanted to be out of sight when it started. We all heard a low humming sound and then the room became completely quiet. I grabbed onto Sam’s leg and trembled at his feet. A single blue light suddenly appeared on the ceiling and I could see my mom crouched down underneath her cot. The light grew brighter and brighter until it descended down in a thin beam.

For a few minutes it just stayed there. I got up off the floor and stood next to Sam. He grabbed me by my arms and called out to my mom. We heard the humming sound again. The blue light dimmed a little and then we heard a voice. The voice of a woman.

Syrion, from the planet SyriSyri that most closely simulates life on Earth. This will be your new home. Syri is dry and mountainous, similar to that of the Himalayan region of your Earth with a few flatland areas. Our planet is greatly divided by purpose. In our region, there is an entire section specifically utilized for residential purposes only, a separate zone for work which is also separated into units based on occupation, and a separate section for entertainment which includes goods purchasing, film centers and social centers. Our military area and Science/technology production center is appropriately placed far from civilization on the opposite side of our biggest mountain. Syri has two parts of the day. Because of our planet’s weak suns, our morning is equivalent to dusk on Earth, and night is exponentially darker than Earth‘s night. Seasons on Syri are similar to Earth but are more extreme. In winter it snow’s for 3 months. In summer, temperature’s reach an astounding 201 degrees. Spring means rain for us, but like winter, it rains the entire 3 months. Plant life on Syri is almost non-existent except for the many nocturnal 20ft shrubs on and around the mountains. Within these shrubs live poisonous snake-like creatures and large insects comparable to your spiders with a paralyzing bite. On the far side of the mountain, there are large, white, cat like creatures that prey on life source. In the case of humans; the heart. We may be different. But you are one of us now. Arrival time is approximately 30 minutes.

Transmission End.

Paranormal Wire is Giving Away Two Free Copies of the Dome
*The Contest will end on August 2nd 

To win you must (1) Follow Nova at her Blog over at: Nova Sparks Books

(2) Leave a comment with your e-mail included and answer the following question...

If aliens invaded planet Earth....would humans stand a chance? 

That's it! Good luck