Cover Reveal: Vampires and Violins by CEE BEE

 

If you're a fan of vampire romance, preorder Violins and Vampires by CEE BEE today! This was previously published on Kindle Vella as Blood Slave. Grab it for a special preorder price and stay tuned for the rest of the series! But for today, check out an excerpt. Follow the tour for bonus chances to win the giveaway!

Take on Me (Cursed Kin #3) by Kyla Riley

Take on Me

Vanessa Stafford had a life any woman would wish for… wealthy, pampered, with a beautiful home and marrying her father’s protégé. Her direction in life had always been planned for her by either her parents or her fiancé- but their ideas never allowed her be herself. A stolen moment of blissful happiness was like pulling a veil of disillusionment from her eyes. She knew deep down inside that it was time for her to break free of their grasp… but was she running straight into the arms of another man who would treat her the same?

Fiacha Cael spotted the stunning woman surrounded by others at the bar. Centuries had passed and his friends had slipped away over the years. He was now mourning the latest passing of a companion- and the pretty bachelorette at the bar was supposed to be celebrating. They were both surrounded by people but alone… so different, yet so alike. He felt a staggering depression swamping at his soul and saw the same expression in her eyes- driving need to comfort her. He had his own issues to sort through first… and the years had not been kind to his ironic phobia.

Could Fiacha understand the desire for independence that Vanessa had? Could she help a struggling vampire that fainted at the sight of blood? Both had their demons they fought against- yearning for more from this world… but would she be willing to take him on?

Available on Amazon

Yes, this is my affiliate link. Should you make your purchase through it, I earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping to support my websites! 

About Kyla Riley

Kyla Riley is the secret pen name of an award winning, best-selling author. Dabbling in fantasy, Kyla gets to explore another world that brings her in contact with vampires, ghosts, werewolves and witchcraft. Please look around, explore and have fun as she brings you stories that will delight and set your blood pumping.

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this book. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

A conversation with Matthew D. Ryan, author of 'The Children of Lubrochius'

What was the inspiration for this series?

I wanted to write a fantasy series prominently featuring a vampire as well as demons and demon cultists. Basically, I wanted to write a series that I would have liked reading when I was younger. The storyline and setting were inspired by many years of gaming in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons and similar role-playing games. The vampire character was inspired by Count Dracula from Bram Stoker’s book “Dracula.” The other characters are, at least to a certain extent, personifications of various ideologies and philosophies. For example, Coragan was inspired by a peaceful socialist I knew in college. Regecon was inspired by the aristocratic ideology. Agyrra is a relativist; Gilliad is an absolutist. Etc....

This book is the first in the series. How many do you anticipate there being? Do you have a timeline in place? May we have a sneak peek into book 2?

There is actually a prequel to “The Children of Lubrochius” entitled “Drasmyr.” Including the prequel, I expect to write a total of five books. I’ve started Book II (the third of the five) entitled “The Sceptre of Morgulan.” As for a timeline, I don’t have a rigid one in place. I’m basically writing the series one book at a time. I do outline each book before I start writing (except “Drasmyr,” that was written almost stream-of-consciousness many years ago), and I do have a fairly good idea where everything is heading. As far as a sneak peak is concerned, I will only say that Book II will deal with the race between Korina and Coragan to acquire the Sceptre of Morgulan and the arrival of Morgulan on the scene. It will be focused largely on events that take place in Drisdak and in Rahmin Muirdra.

How do your vampire stories stand out from others in this competitive genre?

I’m a bit old school. Before writing “Drasmyr” (the prequel) I went back and read Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and based my vampire’s abilities, powers, and general disposition on the legendary Count. My vampire is not sparkly; he’s not someone you want to love, nor even hang around with. He is evil, through and through; sinister and cunning. He makes a potent adversary and a powerful villain. My book is really a fantasy book featuring a vampire rather than strictly a member of the vampire genre by itself. I always describe it as a mix of Middle Earth and Dracula. As such, it provides an intense adventure that one would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

Are you working on any other projects?

Mostly just book II, “The Sceptre of Morgulan.” I barely have time to work on this series, let alone another entire project. Well, maybe a few short stories here and there. Oh, and there is also a short non-fiction book about mental Illness I wrote a few years ago that I intend to release as an ebook. But like I said, I never seem to have enough time in the day to accomplish as much as I would like. I am very busy.

What lessons have you learned along your writing journey?

Perhaps the most obvious and powerful lesson is that writing is my vocation. I’ve written off and on since I was a young boy. And for a good ten years or more after college I wasn’t sure what I should do with my life. I would try writing, move to something else, then go back to writing. I always went back to writing. I finally decided that that was where I belonged. Currently, I’m not sure if it should be fantasy writing, but I am convinced it should be writing. Finally, I know. And I’m comfortable with that knowledge.

What can you be found doing when not writing?

I read (which is pretty much a prerequisite for writing); I watch TV news programs; and I watch movies with friends. I occasionally practice yoga or martial arts (neither one of which have I done in quite some time now). The rest of my time is spent cooking, doing yard work, and other household tasks for my father and me. Oh, and I also eat out a lot with friends, or with my dad, or even sometimes all by myself.

What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I have a medical condition which sometimes leads to depression which basically takes me out of the picture for weeks on end at a time. It makes things very difficult. The worst is when I schedule activities and get hit with depression during the time I’ve scheduled stuff. I think I would be far more effective and I would be in a much better place if not for this. But there’s no use really complaining; I just have to buck up and carry on.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’m currently going through something of a spiritual crisis. I’m not sure if I’m going to continue as a fantasy writer after this one series. I’m thinking of shifting into a more spiritual focus, writing about religion and the culture and such. I’m not sure. Probably, I’ll continue to write fantasy, but at a somewhat slower pace as I write the spiritual stuff too.

Thank you so much for your time!

Children of Lubrochius

by Matthew D.Ryan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?

Read an excerpt:

Several hours later, Gaelan stood at attention in the Fire Hawk Sparring Arena in the Western Guard Barracks of the city of Drisdak. Prinson and Retlin, the two other young guild guardsmen from his earlier assignment were with him. Each of them still wore his chain mail armor and the now sweaty undercoat, but had relinquished his steel sword at the entrance to the arena. Anduri stood in front of them with several wooden practice swords lying at his feet. Behind them, about thirty city guards busily worked on a calisthenic routine.

Gaelan watched Anduri unclasp the real sword at his side, place it on the floor behind him, and then bend to pick up one of the wooden ones.

Gaelan stood at attention. I’m ready, he thought. Finally, I’m going to learn to fight … to kill. The thought lodged in his breast, hard and solid like a chicken bone in his throat. He knew what he wanted. He wanted this. But …

Better to die a peaceful man, than live with the stains of murder. His father had taught him that. It was the last line of the Aspallan peace oath. Aspalla of the White Palm, Lord of Healing and Counsel, was one of the most revered gods of the Paradisian Circle. He was the father of the goddess Auraria and the personal counselor of Mardikkar Evilbane, King of the Gods. He was also Gaelan’s patron deity, the deity he’d worshipped his whole life.

Buy links

Amazon \ Smashwords

There is a 50% off coupon for this book at Smashwords. Click here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/415779 and then use coupon code: LX23U to receive 50% off. Coupon expires June 28, 2014.

The prequel to “The Children of Lubrochius” is “Drasmyr” and is free pretty much everywhere! Here are the buy links:

•Smashwords (ebook) https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/131156

• Barnes and Noble (ebook) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/drasmyr-matthew-ryan/1109505934?ean=2940033064731

• Amazon (ebook) http://www.amazon.com/Drasmyr-Ashes-Ruin-Matthew-Ryan-ebook/dp/B008M2I0WI/ref=la_B008NY99CK_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393872828&sr=1-1

• Sony (ebook) https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/matthew-d-ryan/drasmyr-prequel-from-the-ashes-of-ruin/_/R-400000000000000665030

• Kobo (ebook) http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/drasmyr-prequel-from-the-ashes-of-ruin

• Diesel (ebook) http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/SW00000131156/Ryan-Matthew-Drasmyr/1.html

• Lulu.com (hardcover) http://www.lulu.com/shop/matthew-d-ryan/drasmyr/hardcover/product-20712659.html

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.

Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”

Links to the Author on the Internet

Author’s website: http://matthewdryan.com

Author’s Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryan

Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000038781652

Author’s Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/matthewdryan

Author’s Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.Matthew_D_Ryan

Matthew will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn host.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal! 'Children of Lubrochius (Book 1: From the Ashes of Ruin)' by Matthew D. Ryan

Coming soon...

Children of Lubrochius

by

Matthew D. Ryan

BLURB:

The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?

Read an excerpt:

“We have gone a bit off topic, I think,” Korina said.

“You asked about magic,” Lucian said with an arrogant sneer. “I told you what I know.”

Korina frowned. He had not told her much. Barely a smattering. Instead, they had detoured into a lecture on philosophy. “Tell me about the Sceptre of Morgulan,” she said. She knew much already: the sceptre was a weapon of tremendous power wielded by Morgulan during the course of many wars and battles fought over a thousand years ago. It had mysteriously disappeared immediately after Morgulan’s demise.

Lucian sighed as if surrendering to the inevitable. “The Sceptre of Morgulan?” The vampire locked his gaze with her, and smiled. “The wizard Arcalian was also interested in the sceptre. That interest got him killed. As you may or may not know, I have a history with wizards. Generally speaking … I win.”

The arrogant monster! He had lost to Regecon and the guild.

“I’m not interested in your boasts, vampire. I’m interested in the sceptre. Tell me what I wish to know.” A part of her doubted if she was ready for the knowledge the vampire might give her. The sceptre, after all, was an artifact of legend. It had destroyed armies. She longed for its power, but she knew that she must match its power with her own else it would come to rule her. An untrained peasant with a sword was as much a danger to himself as he was to others.

Lucian folded his arms beneath his breast and looked askance at the wall. “Ask your questions, then,” he said.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.

Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”

Links to the Author on the Internet

Author’s website: http://matthewdryan.com

Author’s Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryan

Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000038781652

Author’s Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/matthewdryan

Author’s Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.Matthew_D_Ryan

Matthew will award a metal miniature of a demon from the Reaper Fantasy Miniatures to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY). Follow the tour for more chances to win!

'Drasmyr' by Matthew D. Ryan Blurb Blitz Tour

Drasmyr

by Matthew D. Ryan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

We vampires do not make easy prey. Our weaknesses are few, our strengths many. Fear is something we do not know, and death but a distant memory. So tread softly, pray to your god, and gird yourself with silver when the moons arise and night’s dark prince awakens. We fear not the wizard, nor the warrior, neither rogue, nor priest; our strength is timeless, drawn from darkness and we know no master save the hot lust of our unending hunger. We long for blood, your blood and no blade, nor spell, nor clever artifice, can keep us long from our prize. Feel our teeth at your throat, your life ebb from you, and know as darkness comes to claim you that the price of your folly is your everlasting soul.

***

In Drisdak, the city on the Sea of Sorrows, the citizens have much to dread. Unease and foreboding has always been associated with the local wizards guild; peasants have an innate distrust of magic and those who use it. But now, something else is on the rise. A mysterious fire at the guild has left two men dead and a third missing. A small matter, you say? Well, one of those men was the guild master, and his successor wants to know what happened to him. Enter Coragan of Esperia, the renowned bounty hunter. If anyone can unravel this mess he can. But is even he prepared to challenge the horrible evil that lurks at the heart of the mystery? An ancient vampire by the name of Lucian val Drasmyr.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read an excerpt:

“Condemn me, then. Howl my sins to the heavens and shriek my crimes to the wind. I am evil, my love. Your pronouncements mean nothing.”

Silence greets my words. She does not know how to respond to someone who embraces his villainy. Irritated with my remark, she crosses her arms and purposely looks away. At last, she speaks. “Why do you keep calling me that? My name is Clarissa, not ‘love.’”

“Because I care for you so deeply.” My chuckle does little to lighten her mood. “In truth, I call you that because it amuses me and annoys you... there is no other reason.”

“Well, stop it, Lucian. I don’t like it.” She seems almost sad, in a human sort of way, almost as if she were reminiscing about an old romance.

An irritated smile crawls across my face. I have grown weary with her petty human mannerisms and her conviction that what happens to her actually matters. She will learn her place. “You have little choice in what title I call you by, my dear. I, however, have much in mine. By you, I prefer the term ‘master’ to my name. It has a much more pleasing ring to it.”

Suddenly, her eyes flash in angry rebellion. “I will never call you mas—”

A moment’s worth of concentration and she is on her knees gripping her skull. Her head bends back, eyes bulging, and she begins to shriek in an inhuman voice. The Children of the Forest go silent as she starts to writhe on the castle stones.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. He has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He also has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He believes he saw the legendary Lake Champlain Monster (a.k.a Champy) once and he has a cat named Confucius.

Author’s Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryan

Author’s Book Page: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/131156

Author’s Blog: http://www.atoasttodragons.com

Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000038781652

Author’s Twitter Handle: @MatthewDRyan1

Author’s Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.Matthew_D_Ryan

Author’s Shelfari Page: http://www.shelfari.com/matthewdryan/shelf

The book is available on Smashwords, Amazon, BN and elsewhere for free.

Matthew will be awarding a set of metal miniatures: 3 Nosferatu Vampires (US only) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Follow the tour for more chances to win!

'The Life and Death of Lily Drake' Book Tour - Review

Welcome to the Inkspell book blog tour for The Life and Death of Lily Drake!

"Fans of Charlaine Harris and TRUE BLOOD will find much to enjoy in Michelle Nelson's cracking, sanguine debut. Dark, funny, audacious and written with a confidence that belies this as her first effort, LIFE AND DEATH OF LILY DRAKE dispenses with the idea that vampires are pasty, maudlin, emo-types and restores them to all their brutal bloodthirsty glory. And in terms of heroines to root for, I daresay Lily Drake gives poor 'ol Sookie a run for her money."

- Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-Winning author of THE TURTLE BOY and KIN.

For Lily Drake, slaying vampires is easy...

Dating them is the hard part.

Lily Drake is your everyday hard-working single mom…until a gorgeous vampire shows up on her front door who she mistakenly assumes is her blind date for the evening. As one crazy scenario after another unfolds, Lily finds herself falling in love with two vampires, slaying the evil ones, and being prophesied as the savior of the entire undead race.

Deciding between pizza and Chinese take-out will no longer be one of the hard decisions facing Lily Drake once she is immersed into vampire society. Humanity or immortality? That doesn't hold a candle against this question - which of the two handsome vampire cousins?

The Life and Death of Lily Drake is not your typical vampire love story. It’s a tale about the humorous mistakes a woman makes simply trying to survive not only life, but the dating scene. How will Lily manage working full-time, taking care of her young son and fighting the undead at every turn?

Lily will have to figure it out, but who better to save the world than a mom?

**My thoughts**

I fell in love with Lily, from almost the first page. I found her a relataable character, as we are the same age and hail from the same state. I may not have a 12 year-old son, but I am fiercely protective of my students and friends' kids. I appreciate her drive and desire to only do what is right for her son. I guess the biggest differences between us are that I am not destined to be a vampire hunter and I don't have two hottie vampire cousins fighting over me. (At least not to my knowledge!)

I love how Lily is already a strong character, even before she finds out about her destiny. The truth about her past and her future simply amplifies what is already a part of her. She finds a way to embrace it all on her own terms. The hard part seems to be figuring out where her true loyalties lie in her heart. She has two amazing vampires who are madly in love with her and who seek to care for her. You won't really know for sure whom she chooses until the very end.

The whole book is action-packed and keeps you guessing through its twists and turns. It has plenty of romance that implies sex scenes, instead of steamy play-by-play descriptions that can turn off some readers. The focus is on the story, and it's a good one. 

I hope Lily has some more adventures, because she is definitely one of my new favorite heroines.

BUY LINKS: Amazon | Kindle

'The Silver Cross' Book Tour Kickoff!

The Silver Cross

There are two things Boston detective Lacey Gardner knows about killing vampires. Slicing off a head or a hit directly to the heart are the only surefire ways to kill one. Silver is their Achilles heel. A vampire never wears silver.

When she meets bartender extraordinaire, Damon Harte, her heart does a quickstep for the dark hunky guy. She's learned the hard way that having a love interest in her line of work can be heart-wrenching. She's kept to herself for years, but something about Damon captivates her and draws her to him. When she learns Damon's devastating secret, she knows what she has to do: kill the man who has stolen her heart.

Purchase now on Amazon.

Follow the Authors, Debra L. Martin and David W. Small on their Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Tour Prize - $50 Amazon GC and 5 ebooks Open Internationally Ends 11/26

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