Giveaway & Interview with New York Times Bestselling Author of the 'A NIGHT TRACKER NOVELS', Cheyenne McCray

Nyx has a secret. The half-Drow, half-human PI is human by day, investigating paranormal crimes in Manhattan.

By night . . . she shifts. She is one of the Dark Elves, the only of her kind in New York City. Nyx is part of a team of elite paranorm Night Trackers who do whatever it takes to destroy Demons and other evils threatening the city. Romance, intrigue, action and magic at every turn.

Title: VAMPIRES NOT INVITED

Series: A Night Tracker Novel (Book 3)

Author: Cheyenne McCray

Publisher: St Martin's Paperbacks

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Released: November 2010

Read: Excerpt

ORDER:

Amazon, B&N, Borders

New York Times bestselling author Cheyenne McCray sets the night on fire in her blazing-hot Night Tracker series—where the fangs come out when the sun goes down...

Vampire attacks are on the rise in the city that never sleeps. So why is half-human, half-Drow private eye Nyx tracking down Sprites? Sure, these "young bloods" are causing mischief all over town—like painting the Statue of Liberty's toenails neon pink. But it's not until Nyx finds herself at the Pit, Manhattan's hottest nightclub for paranorms, that she understands what she's really up against...

Seems Master Vampire Volod has a plan—and the Sprites are in on it. By targeting the weaknesses of every paranorm in the city, from Elves to Shifters to Zombies, Volod and his fang gang aim to rule the night once and for all. Over Nyx's dead body. She loves a good challenge—and she will seduce danger at every turn to throw Volod off course. It's time for Nyx to enter the beating heart of this dark conspiracy...before driving a stake through it.

Author of the Day.

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

New York Times Bestselling

Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy

Author

Cheyenne McCray

1. What is the best part of being a writer? What is the worst?

It is fun to me to start with nothing and go from the infancy of an idea for a book or a series and then to begin to build a world and create characters which come alive to me and to my readers. But the ultimate is to receive emails from readers who tell me how much they enjoy my books. It’s amazing to me to attend a conference and meet my readers and hear their feedback in person of how much they enjoyed a book, or to have them say they can’t wait to see the next book in the series.

A year or so ago I received an email from a reader who said she had cancer and wanted to tell me that my books made a difference to her during her illness. That she loved sitting down and getting into the world I created. That was amazing to me.

What is the worst?  First pass pages, or galleys. Blech.


2. Why do you write?

I write because I love to write. Since I was a little girl I enjoyed writing. I love the positive feedback I would get from teachers or my parents that read my papers and stories.

I’d have to say that I am blessed to be given a gift and I am fortunate that I am able to make a living at it. I love using my imagination and pulling together ideas that will give pleasure to readers. I often think when I write, what would my readers like and what would they be able to relate to.

3. Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.

How prevalent human trafficking and sex slavery is in this very country.

4. Do you have a favorite motto?

Never, ever give up on your dreams.

5. Do you have a favorite fictional hero? Favorite fictional heroine?

Jason Bourne of the Bourne series is my favorite fictional hero. I haven’t really thought of a favorite heroine . . . I’ll have to be boring and say I don’t have one.

6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

I love Olivia in my books. She is one of my favorite characters. She is fun, funny, capable and not afraid to say what she thinks

7. What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s?

I love my book covers—they rock. I think my favorite is a toss-up between No Werewolves Allowed and Wicked Magic.

8. What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

Most readers don’t expect me to look and act like the girl next door. I write about kick ass heroines and have written steamy scenes. I’m not sure what they expect . . . I’m soft-spoken and I’m fairly quiet. Someone once told me I am an enigma.

9. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever learned by Googling your name?

I was thinking about referring to a Lady Cheyenne website or incorporating that name only to discover when I googled Lady Cheyenne that there as a Dominatrix with that name. Needless to say, I dropped the concept.

10. If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose?

Both are intriguing in their own way…but who doesn’t dream about the world of tomorrow? To watch technology advance how it has . . . it boggles the mind to think of what will happen 200 years from now. Just as space travel was dreamed of years ago but wasn’t a reality, maybe transference in a matter of seconds will someday be possible. After all the idea of sitting in front of a little box called a computer and watching and listening to a friend on the other side of the world talking to you . . . “impossible” they would have said years ago. I would love to think of being transported forward in time.

11. Cheyenne, please tell us about your third installment in your A Night Trackers Novels series, “VAMPIRES NOT INVITED” by St. Martin’s Paperbacks

I am very excited about my next novel, Vampires Not Invited, due in stores now. I tried to write a pedal to the metal novel that was full of fun, magic, danger, and excitement. That would draw intense emotions from readers as Nyx goes up against an evil and ruthless Master Vampire named Volod.

In Volod I have created a character that will engage readers, but it is a character they will hate.

Paranorms have controlled Vampire kind for over a hundred years. Paranorm strength and powerful magic has been able to enforce laws to stop Vampire attacks.

Vampires have tired of drinking synthetic blood and not being able to add to their ranks. They desire their freedom. Volod not only manages to gain information regarding every paranorm race’s known weakness, but he also obtained a highly contagious virus deadly to all paranorms , the serum thought to have been previously destroyed. If Volod is successful, the paranorm enforcers will be gone and a frenzied feeding feast, suppressed for so long, will be on.

I believe the readers will enjoy the ride this book gives them.

12. Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why?

Truly, you need both. Story is the foundation. Voice is what makes the story unique to the author.

13. Cheyenne, please tell us where we can find you out in cyber world. For desperate readers like me, we just have to know…:)

I have a brand new website I am excited about at CheyenneMcCray.com

Readers can visit me at Cheyenne McCray’s Place on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheyenne-McCrays-Place/183525008980

You can also catch me at Twitter @CheyenneMcCray

14. I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile?

Yes! Such a tough question and I hate to leave anyone out. Two of my favorite authors are James Lee Burke and Elizabeth Peters.

15. What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?

Following Vampires Not Invited is Zombies Sold Separately coming in June 2011. After that more Vampires in Vampires Dead Ahead, due out Fall 2011.

Nyx and the other Night Trackers go up against Zombies in Zombies Sold Separately. An evil and very powerful Sorcerer has the desire to find a replacement world for his own dying world. He comes to Earth with a plan he has executed successfully in another world to take over its people. It is a book full of imaginative magic and unique fun characters.

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Cheyenne. Thank you for spending time with me and my readers.:)

Thank you for the opportunity to be here!

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected readers will win a copy of  New york Times Bestselling author Cheyenne McCray's, latest release in her 'A Night Trackers Novel' by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 'VAMPIRES NOT INCLUDES'.  Here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWESOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)


The giveaway is open to All and will be running until December 5, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on December 6, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with "JOSIE MARCUS MYSTERY SHOPPER SERIES" Author, Elaine Viets

Title: An Uplifting Murder
Series: Josie Marcus Mystery Shoppers

Author: Elaine Viets
Genre:  Mystery

Publisher: Obsidian

Format: Mass-market Paperback

Released Date: October 2010

Read: Chapter One

Order:

Amazon, B&N, Mystery Lovers

Josie Marcus, Maplewood mystery shopper and single mom, is assigned to investigate a lingerie store. She’s surprised to find her favorite high school gym teacher – the woman who saved her from the mean girls – is now working as the shop manager. A high school acquaintance Josie hoped she’d never see again turns up and is murdered at the mall. Josie’s teacher is the main suspect, and her alibi is flimsier than the lingerie she sells. Josie has to save the woman who helped her when the murder becomes a tempest in a C-cup.

Author of the Day.

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

Award-winning

Romance

Author

Elaine Viets

1. What is the best part of being a writer? What is the worst?

The best part? I don’t have to go into an office.

The worst? I don’t have to go into an office.

My working conditions are ideal: a book-lined room in my home with a view of the water.

Writing is a solitary business and most of the time, I enjoy that. When I finish a novel, I usually take about a month to promote the book that’s just published. I finished my May 2011 Dead-End Job book, “Pumped for Murder,” then hit the road to tour for my sixth Josie Marcus mystery, “An Uplifiting Murder.” That’s when I have a good time meeting my readers and running to signings. When the month is over, I’m ready to return to my quiet writing life.

2. Why do you write?

I like to entertain readers with good stories. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.

3. Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.

I learned to tip the hotel maids $1 a day after working as one for “Murder with Reservations.” Cleaning hotel rooms is like cleaning 15 houses a day. The pay is usually minimum wage with no benefits. One dollar can make a big difference to hard-working maids.

4. Do you have a favorite motto?

The sooner you start, the faster it’s done. Do I always follow it? That’s another story.

5. Do you have a favorite fictional hero? Favorite fictional heroine?

Sherlock Holmes, though I doubt he would like me much.

Agatha Christie. She is a keen observer of life and saw the whole world in a little village.

6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

Emma Peel. I might even meet the elusive Mr. Peel.

7. What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s?

I love the clever, colorful covers that NAL does for both my mystery series, but picking a favorite would be like asking a mother which child she loves best.

8. What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

I rode with a thousand Harley bikers from Wilmington, Delaware, to the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC.

9. What was the strangest thing you ever learned by Googling your name?

“Shop Till You Drop,” my first Dead-End Job mystery, is on sale in India.

10. If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose? Why?

Forward. I’d like to see America in fifty years and find out how we handled drugs, health-care and the mortgage crisis. Did we ever come out of the Great Recession? How does history regard the presidents between 1980 and 2012? I’d also like to know if the writers of today – both popular and “literary” – are still read.

11. Elaine, please share with us more about your recent release, AN UPLIFTING MURDER by Obsidian.

Josie Marcus, mystery shopper and single mom, is assigned to investigate a lingerie store. She’s surprised to find her favorite high school gym teacher, Laura Ferguson – the woman who saved her from the mean girls – is now working as the shop manager. Frankie, a mean girl who has now grown into a mean woman, turns up in the store. Frankie is murdered at the mall and Josie’s teacher is the main suspect. Laura’s alibi is flimsier than the lingerie she sells.

Josie has to save the woman who helped her when she was a girl. The murder becomes a tempest in a C-cup.

12. Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why?

Voice. That’s the distinctive way the author tells the story. A good story without a strong voice is dull.

13. Elaine, please tell us where we can find you out in cyber world. For desperate readers like me, we just have to know

My Web site is http://www.elaineviets.com/. Check out the contest page – I usually have one running. I also blog for two groups:

The Femmes Fatales with Charlaine Harris, Donna Andrews, Dana Cameron, Mary Saums, Kris Neri, Toni Kelner, Hank Phillippi Ryan at http://www.femmesfatales.typepad.com//

And The Lipstick Chronicles, with a host of writers from Brunonia Barry to Nancy Pickard – and Hank again – at http://www.thelipstickchronicles.typepad.com//.

14. I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but

Michael Connelly and Sue Grafton. I really want to read “Life,” the new book by the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards. That man makes Hollywood pretty boys look boring.

15. What next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?

I’ve just finished the manuscript for the tenth Dead-End Job, “Pumped for Murder,” where Helen works in the world of extreme body building. She and Phil have started Coronado Investigations and they reopen an old case to see if it’s suicide or murder. That mystery will be out in Mary 2011.

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Elaine. Thank you for stopping by and spending time with Over the Edge readers. :)

Thank you for having me as a guest – and happy holidays.

– Elaine Viets

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected readers will win a copy of  author, latest release in her 'Josie Marcus Mysteries Shopper series' by Obsidian, "AN UPLIFTING MURDER".  Here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWESOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)


The giveaway is open to All and will be running until December 5, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on December 6, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway with Urban Fantasy Author of "GRAVE WITCH", Kalayna Price

Title: Grave Witch

An Alex Craft Novel, Book One 

Author: Kaylayna Price

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Roc

Release Date: October 5, 2010

Read: Chapter One

Read: OTE review

Order:

Amazon, B&N, Borders

"A rare treat, intriguing and original. Don't miss this one.”
–New York Times bestselling Author Patricia Briggs.


“Fascinating magic, a delicious heartthrob, and a fresh, inventive world."
– Chloe Neill, Author of TWICE BITTEN


"Only a thin border separates the worlds of the living and the dead in Price's captivating series debut."
-Publisher's Weekly


"Nonstop action that will keep you guessing who the killer is until the end"
-Top Pick Novel, Night Owl Reviews

Back Cover:
Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say . . .

As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around . . .

To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life . . . and her soul.

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Getting to Know

the 

Author of the Day

Paranormal fiction & Urban Fantasy
Author

Kalayna Price

Kalayna Price has always been an avid reader and dreamer. At ten she raided her father's fantasy fiction bookcase and her already active imagination went into hyper-drive. Her first love was for the epic adventures and mythical races and creatures of high fantasy, but she has always been drawn to things that go bump in the night. It is that darker side of fantasy where she currently devotes her words.

Kalayna is the author of two Dark/Urban Fantasy series. The Haven Novels, consisting of ONCE BITTEN (January 2009), TWICE DEAD (February 2010), and THIRD BLOOD (2011), follow the story of Kita Nekai, a kitten shape-shifter on the run from her clan and responsibilities, who is turned into a vampire and entangled in the supernatural underworld. Kalayna also has a new series, which will be released by ROC and will be hitting shelves in October 2010. GRAVE WITCH, the first Alex Craft Novel, is about series title character, Alex Craft. Alex is a broke magic-eye for hire, but a case with a sexy reaper, a dark cop, and a ghost-silencing killer has more than her rent on the line—it may cost her soul.

Kalayna draws her ideas from the world around her, her studies into ancient mythologies, and her readings of classic folklore. Her stories contain not only the mystical elements of fantasy, but also a dash of romance, a bit of gritty horror, some humor, and a large serving of mystery.

When not writing, she can be found reading for both pleasure and research, locked in her studio with a paintbrush, out in nature with her camera, or just about anywhere with a hula-hoop. Yeah, you read that correctly. Kalayna thinks hoop dance is about the most entertaining form of exercise on the planet, and has been known to hoop with fire.

Click to learn more about Kalayan Price and her urban fantasy series, The Alex Craft Novels.

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected readers will win a copy of paranormal & urban fantasy author, Kalayna Price latest release in her 'An Alex Craft Novel series' by ROC, "GRAVE WITCH".  Here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWESOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)


The giveaway is open to All and will be running until November 21, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on November 22, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with Urban Fantasy Author of the SKINNERS Series, Marcus Pelegrimas

Series: Skinner, Book Four

Publisher: EOS/Harper Collins

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Released Date: October 26, 2010

Read First 50 pages.

Order Now!

Review

“Arguably one of the most underrated paranormal fantasy sagas out there. . . . Marcus Pelegrimas is the Bram Stoker of the 21st Century” (Paul Goat Allen )


“Twilight fans hungering for more vampire/werewolf drama can look forward to Skinners.” (USA Today )

Product Description
A legendary Skinner has passed. Among the articles he left behind are runes, potions, and powerful weapons to aid in the ongoing war against the unspeakable creatures that prowl the shadows outside normal human consciousness. But there is something else: the remains of a terrifying beast no other Skinner has ever encountered. And it isn't dead.

Skinners, partners, lovers, Cole Warnecki and Paige Strobel are well armed with the tools the late Jonah Lancroft provided. But even his best weapons may not be enough to defeat the monstrosity they now face. A new terror has risen up to infect them both with its virulent malevolence, even as Paige confronts the secrets of her astonishing past. The purest evil walks the world again—the First Deceiver, humankind's darkest nightmare, the self-proclaimed King of the Full Bloods.

Author of the Day.

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy 

Author

Marcus Pelegrimas

What is the best part of being a writer? What is the worst?

The best part is being able to come up with my own worlds, populate them with my own creations, winding it all up and letting it go.


The worst is having to cater to so many layers of business-type stuff just to get my books out there. Some people thrive in the promotion and marketing game. I just want to think of new and improved werewolves.

Why do you write?

I feel like I write because it’s what I’m supposed to do. When it gets rough (and the business aspect can get VERY rough), I almost wish I could turn off the writer in me so I could just move along to something easier. But the truth of the matter is that nothing worthwhile is ever easy and I would be throwing away all of the sacrifices I and others have made for me to get this far. I’m very fortunate to be here, so I must forge ahead. Plus….it’s fun!

Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.

For Skinners, I’ve researched a lot of global folklore and mythologies to help me come up with different creatures or mystical threats. That’s taught me a lot about history as seen through the eyes of storytellers. Very interesting!

Do you have a favorite motto?

“Never, never, never quit.” – Winston Churchill


Also…. “Don’t Panic” – Douglas Adams


Do you have a favorite fictional hero? Favorite fictional heroine?

Indiana Jones is a favorite that goes all the way back to childhood. Indy is a human with no super powers, often screws up, but still pulls through thanks to sheer tenacity. There’s a lot to love about that.


Heroine would be Sarah Connor. Even when surrounded by Terminators, she keeps fighting. When things get even worse, she trains herself to fight even harder. She is a pure warrior. No cute dialogue. No playing the part of hostage. She’s an honest-to-goodness ass-kicker.

Which fictional character would you hang out with?

Probably James Bond. He gets in to all the great events, would let me drive all the cool cars and if we ran out of funds, he’d just go win some more money playing Baccarat. He’d get all the girls, but I’m sure Domino (from Thunderball) has some friends I’d like.

What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone elses?

The cover for Blood Blade is my favorite from my own series. I’d written lots of other books (either ghostwritten or under a pseudonym), but that was the first under my real name. Also, it’s a great horror cover and horror has always been my true love.


As far as other writers’ covers, I’d have to go with the covers from Brian Lumley’s Necroscope books. Such cool skulls with fangs and serpent tongues. Heh.

What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

That I watch Project Runway. It was on one weekend and I found myself watching the designers make such intricate stuff from a pile of scraps. Also, lots of drama. Funny stuff.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever learned by Googling your name?

That there’s someone named Pelegrimas was competing in swim meets. Maybe it’s a long-lost relative? It’s not like that’s a real common name. Or maybe my clone decided to be athletic. He was supposed to just go out and get a steady job and send me the checks, but disappeared. Freaking clones are so unreliable.

If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose? Why?

I would go backward so I could spend some time in the Old West. I wrote a lot of westerns under the pseudonym Marcus Galloway and living in that era for a while would be cool. Specifically, I’d like to be there to watch The Earps and Doc Holliday take the walk to the gunfight at the OK Corral. One of the coolest moments in history, by far.


Going forward is too much of a gamble. The way human society seems to conduct itself, the past seems to be a lot more appealing than our future.

Marcus, please tell us about your recent installment in your Skinner series, by Harper Collins release, “VAMPIRE UPRISING”.

In the Skinner series so far, the main characters, Cole and Paige, have been tackling specific monsters or other threats that need a monster hunter’s touch to be dealt with. I’ve always wanted the series to “pan out” like a movie shot that gets wider and shows more and more.

The third book (Teeth of Beasts) opened up a lot of history as far as background of the Skinners themselves. In VAMPIRE UPRISING, that past is explored even more, a lot more Skinners are introduced, Paige’s history is revealed, and the vampires become something much more threatening than what they’d been in the previous books.

My vampires are true predators and when they step up to make their big move, they knock the Skinners back several notches. It’s a point in the series where a much bigger struggle is revealed that may or may not be able to be overcome by the human Skinners. It’s a huge undertaking, but turns the series into something more than just fighting a monster, going home, fighting another one in the next book, and so on.

Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why?

I think the story is crucial. That’s the foundation that holds it all together. The characters are at the top of the heap for me because they’re how I tackle the story. Once a writer gets comfortable in those two things, their voice will emerge just fine.

Marcus, please tell us where we can find you out in cyber world. For desperate readers like me, we just have to know…:)

My website is www.marcuspelegrimas.com
I also have a blog at http://digitaldreamersinc.blogspot.com

I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile?

I love Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger books. I finished Patient Zero and have been too busy to really dig in to The Dragon Factory, but it’s at the top of the heap.


Also, I picked up Kell’s Legend by Andy Remic. That looks like a good one!

What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?

Vampire Uprising is out now. Book 5 of Skinners is called The Breaking and I believe that will hit the shelves in April of ’11. I’m currently writing Skinners #6. Other than that, I’ve got a science fiction project, a mystery project as well as some steampunk proposals being shopped around. I’ve always got plenty of irons in the fire.

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Marcus. Thank you for spending time with me and my readers. :)

No problem! Thanks for having me!

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of paranormal & urban fantasy author, Marcus Pelegrimas latest release in his 'SKINNERS series' by EOS, "VAMPIRE UPRISING".  Here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWESOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)


The giveaway is open to All and will be running until November 21, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on November 22, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with Paranormal & Steampunk Award-Winning Author, Meljean Brook

Series: The Iron Seas series, Book Two

Publisher: Berkley Sennations

Genre: Steam Punk

Format: Mass-market Paperbacks

Released Date: October 5, 2010 

Read Excerpt

“With The Iron Duke, Meljean Brook has brilliantly defined the new genre of Steampunk Romance.
I loved it!” —Jayne Ann Krentz

Amazon.com | Borders.com | BN.com | Powells.com
Kindle | Borders eBook | Nook | Sony | Goodreads

An RT BookReviews 2010 Reviewers’ Choice Nominee!

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

Mina can’t afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and despite the nanotech enhancing her body, she barely scratches out a living in London society. Becoming Rhys’s lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him…and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

But when Mina uncovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

“…a stunning blend of steampunk setting and poignant romance – smart, sexy, breathtaking, and downright addicting.” —Ilona Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Magic Bleeds


“…a high seas/airborne adventure that’s filled with zombies, pirates and deadly betrayal. Along with the pulse-pounding adventure, there’s plenty of seriously sensuous sizzle for readers to enjoy.” ½! —RT BookReviews


“With adept writing and a flair for creating believable worlds, Brook’s first in the Iron Seas series showcases her masterful storytelling.” —Booklist

Author of the Day.

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

Paranormal & Steampunk Romance

Author

Meljean Brook

1. What is the best part of being a writer? What is the worst?

The best part is creating these worlds and characters, and watching their stories take shape – and then hearing back from readers. It’s still so odd and so amazing to me that anyone out there is enjoying these stories. In my mind, I’m just a dork doing something that she loves, and so it simply blows me away that I’m able to entertain someone for a few hours.


The worst part of writing is when the story simply doesn’t work, and I’m fighting it and fighting it ... and losing.


2. Why do you write?

I’ve always been the type to make up stories in my head, and I love reading. So I think that the writing part just came naturally. If I couldn’t write, if I couldn’t read, I’d still be telling stories to myself.

3. Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.

I studied quite a bit of Victorian technology, and that led me to some of the sexual aids that doctors used with women – including items like steam-powered vibrators. Some of the items are funny to imagine ... but they also underscore how very primitive and restricted society’s opinion of a woman’s sexuality was during that era, when arousal and desire might have been treated as a physical (or mental!) disorder.

4. Do you have a favorite motto?

No. There are many quotes that I like, and others that I think are true, but I don’t have a motto.

5. Do you have a favorite fictional hero? Favorite fictional heroine?

Heroine: probably Ripley, from the Alien movie series. She’s strong, smart, brave, and sexy – everything I love about a great heroine.

Hero: Batman, because he’s handsome, rich, and so crazy that he dresses up in tights to fight crime. What can I say? I have a soft spot for dark and brooding heroes.

6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

Sherlock Holmes. I’d probably feel like an idiot the entire time, but it would be a fascinating experience!

7. What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s?

For a few months, I thought that no cover would ever take the place of Demon Forged in my heart. Then Demon Blood showed up in my inbox, and I fell in love all over again. It’s easily my favorite cover.

8. What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

I was born with three nipples. Ha! Just kidding – the truth is, there’s really nothing surprising about me. I’m a dork who sits at home writing crazy stories, who loves comic books and cheesy 80s fantasy movies, and who is absolutely normal in every way.

9. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever learned by Googling your name?

That I’m the only Meljean. I made up the name, but I thought there would be at least a few others out there. But, nope.

10. If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose? Why?

Forward. I want to see what humans make of themselves. Plus, there’s a better chance that if I go forward, they’ll have solved the problem of aging. So I’ll time-travel to the future and become immortal ... that sounds good to me!

11. Meljean, please share with us more about your latest installment in your Iron Seas series, “THE IRON DUKE,” by Berkley Sensation.

THE IRON DUKE is a steampunk romance set in an alternate, quasi-Victorian England. The population of England has recently rebelled against a two-hundred year rule by the Mongol Horde, who used nanotechnology to control their emotions and their actions – but they were freed by Rhys Trahaearn, a pirate captain who became The Iron Duke.


The story begins (as many stories do) with my heroine meeting the hero after a dead body drops out of an airship onto his house. The ensuing murder investigation brings Mina Wentworth and Rhys closer together, and leads them on a dangerous path filled with genocidal conspiracies, giant sea monsters, and zombies.


It’s hot, it’s fun, and I think readers will have a great time.

12. Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why?

I don’t think one is more important than the other – I’ve read books with such a compelling voice that I couldn’t put them down, even though the story itself was not-so-good. And I’ve read books with a bland voice, and yet the story was so tightly woven, it didn’t matter that the voice was so boring.

As a writer, I know that my voice simply won’t “click” with some readers, but they might enjoy the story despite that. And I know of readers who like my voice, but don’t enjoy the plots and characters. In those cases, I just hope that they enjoy the book overall, despite the things that aren’t working for them ... and that they are entertained for a few hours.

Obviously, I’d rather have a great story and a compelling voice. But as long as one of those components is there, I’m a happy reader (and writer).

13. Meljean, please tell us where we can find you out in cyber world. For desperate readers like me, we just have to know…:)
My website is www.meljeanbrook.com, and that’s where you can find all of the information about my books, excerpts, and details about my worlds.

I’m also on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/@meljean and Facebook (http://facebook.com/meljeanbrook

14. I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile?

Lately, my must-reads have been Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, and J.D. Robb. I’ll buy anything that Robin McKinley or Anne Bishop write.

15. What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?

Next up after THE IRON DUKE is the second-to-last book in my Guardian series, DEMON MARKED. That will be coming in August of 2011.

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Meljean. Thank you for spending time with me and my readers. J

Thank you!

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of paranormal & steampunk author, Meljean Brook's latest release in her 'The Iron Seas series' by Berkley Sensations, "THE IRON DUKE".  Here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWESOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)


The giveaway is open to All and will be running until November 14, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on November 15, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Guest Blogger: Romantic Suspense Author, Kylie Brant

Perfect People are Boring
Of course, no one is really perfect, despite attempts to appear that way. But we all know people who seem like it on the surface. Hair is always completely in place. Slip is never showing. They always know just what to say and when to say it.

They sort of make us want to smack them . :)

But other than annoyance, they don’t really elicit much emotion from us, because they lack depth. Scratch that perfect surface and there’s not much beneath. We can’t relate to them because we’re not perfect and neither is our world. Our lives are messy and complicated. Our children misbehave and sometimes make bad choices. Likewise our spouses . We screw up occasionally. And that makes us interesting.


So it’s really no wonder that writers created flawed damaged characters. Who wants to read about someone with no problems? Someone who has never ever had something miserable happen to them? What intrigues us are the people who encounter obstacles and find ways to overcome them. Those who draw on an inner strength to triumph in the end. Those are the characters we root for, draw hope from. Those are the sort of characters I tried to create for Deadly Intent.


I didn’t develop them so much as they sprang from my sub-conscious, already semi-formed with set ideas of who and what they were. I had the best handle on Macy Reid, the heroine. Having been abducted herself as a child, she’s horrified by the case she’s called in to investigate—the kidnapping of Ellie Mulder. She’s dealt with her own past trauma by poring everything into her job of helping victims of crimes. But this one hits particularly close to home, and her own past rises up to haunt her, proving it still has a hold on her present.


Kellan Burke, as well, sort of wrote himself. I’m not going to lie, he bears a more than passing resemblance to my husband :). Oh, not physically. But the smart mouth and witty one-liners are definitely something they have in common. He’s impatient, sometimes rude and seems to take an inordinate joy out of provoking a response from Macy—any response. It’s only when the reader sees that his behavior stems from an inability to forget the one night he and Macy spent together that one begins to soften toward him. To root for him to win the one woman he’s never been able to forget.


Macy finds Kell maddening. Insufferable. And utterly irresistible. Not that she doesn’t try resisting him, mind you. But nothing in her proper upbringing of boarding schools and nannies has prepared her to deal with someone like him. Or the inevitable response she has to him.


But the character who stole the story for me was Ellie Mulder, the eleven-year-old girl who was abducted. From the very beginning, she refused to be a victim. She surprised me along the way with her cleverness, courage and resiliency.

Although I’m a writer, I’m a reader first. And it’s always the characters who make the book unforgettable for me. Some characters I've read have stayed with me always. Scout, from To Kill a Mockingbird. Holden Caulfield, from Catcher in the Rye. Huck Finn. What unforgettable characters have you run across in your reading?
Kim Bahnsen
http://www.kyliebrant.com/

Author of the Day

Title: Deadly Intent
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Release Date: November 2010
ISBN: 0425238539
Read excerpt
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No one knows the patterns and nuances of communication like forensic linguist Macy Reid. She is also an expert on kidnapping, having experienced firsthand the stark terror of being abducted when she was a child. So she is the perfect investigator to be called in when a Denver tycoon's eleven-year-old daughter is abducted—for the second time.

The biggest stumbling block for Macy may be a member of her own team: Kellan Burke, the wisecracking, rule-breaking investigator who relishes getting under Macy's skin. Their styles couldn't be more different; the attraction between them more explosive. And when it becomes apparent that Macy can't solve the case without confronting the demons from her past, Kell is just the man to take her there—and back.

"Deadly Intent yanks you gut first into a story filled with masterful suspense. It's an edge-of-your-seat read from start to finish with memorable characters and a villian that will haunt your dreams. Can't wait to find out what happens next." — New York Times bestselling author Sharon Sala

"Brant follows up last year's Waking the Dead with another fantastic read in The Mindhunters series. Deadly Intent is gripping, action packed and thoroughly compelling." — Anette Elton, Romantic Times


"…spine-chilling." — Kathy Andrico, ReaderToReader.com

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of romantic suspense author, Kylie Bryant's Berkley Sensation, "DEADLY INTENT".  Here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWESOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)


The giveaway is open to All and will be running until November 7, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on November 8, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

NOVEMBER KNOCK-OUT CONTEST WITH NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR BRENDA NOVAK

As many of you might know I am a die-hard fan of New York Times bestselling author, Brenda Novak. That being said, I would like to share her latest romantic suspense HEAT trilogy with you. 

I can promise you that you won't be disappointed.  Make sure to scroll down to read excerpts and reviews before entering the contest.   

Remember that old adage, "If you can't stand the heat then get out of the kitchen."  Well, forget what you've heard about heat and how you'll get burned. I can promise you that this is one heatwave that your going to be riding. ;)

Killer Heat Too hot to handle….

The bodies of seven women have been discovered in Skull Valley, Arizona. Jonah Young, a private security operative from Department 6, has been hired by the Yavapai County Sheriff to assist in solving these murders. But Jonah’s not prepared for the complications that arise when he’s forced to work with a woman from his past, private investigator Francesca Moretti.

Jonah betrayed Francesca ten years ago. She hasn’t forgiven him and she’s pretty sure she never will. But the woman she was hired to find has been murdered in exactly the same way as the seven in Skull Valley, so like it or not, Francesca has to work with Jonah. They quickly zero in on the most likely suspect--but questions remain. Questions they have to answer. Because if they bet on the wrong man, it might be the last thing they ever do…

Read First Chapter | Reviews

ORDER NOW!

Body Heat

The heat is on...
Twelve people have been shot at pointblank range and left to rot in the desert sun. It’s Sophia St. Claire’s job to do something about it. She’s Bordertown, Arizona’s new chief of police—and she's out of her depth.

Help arrives in the form of Department 6 hired gun Roderick Guerrero. As far as Sophia’s concerned, his involvement only makes things worse. Maybe he’s managed to turn his life around. And maybe he’s a good investigator. But as the bastard son of a wealthy local rancher, he has a history he can’t get past. A history that includes her.

Rod refuses to leave town until the killer is caught. He’s not worried about the danger posed by some vigilante. It’s Sophia who threatens him. Because he’s used to risking his life--but his heart is another story. at is on…

Read First Chapter | Reviews
Order Now!

White Heat Paradise? In name only…

Nate Ferrentino and Rachel Jessop are operatives for Department 6, a private security company, and they’re going undercover to expose a new and dangerous cult.

This group has taken up residence in the Arizona desert, in a ghost town called Paradise. Members worship at the feet—and in the bed--of its charismatic leader, Ethan Wycliff. On his orders, they tried to stone a woman to death. And they’re implicated in the disappearance of a teenage girl.

To expose the Church of the Covenant, with its arcane rituals and debauched practices, Nate and Rachel must pretend to be married. That’s the only way they can get in—but being Nate’s “wife” is the last thing Rachel wants. She and Nate have a one-night history that’s just an embarrassment to her now. But they don’t have a choice. Wycliff has to be stopped.

Read First Chapter | Reviews
Order Now!

Watch Book Trailer!




**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a a set of New York Times bestselling author, Brenda Novak's HEAT trilogy.  Here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWESOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)
* + 15 Enter my  RENAME ERCJ CONTEST

The giveaway is open to All and will be running until November 30, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on December 1, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!