KILLER THRILLERS: Submerge Yourself in the World of Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Cheryl Kate Tardiff, Author
SUBMERGED

Welcome Cheryl Kaye Tardif, international bestselling author. Cheryl is getting ready to launch her newest book SUBMERGED and explains in the following article why you might want to consider reading her on-the-darkside thriller.  

Submerge Yourself in the World of Cheryl Kaye Tardif

by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

When people ask me what I do, I like to tell them: "I kill people off for a living." You can imagine the looks I get. Sometimes I'll follow with: "Fictitiously, of course. I'm a suspense writer." Sometimes I won't say anything else. Yeah, I'm bad that way.

Writing thriller, suspense, mystery and/or crime novels has always been my passion—especially if I throw a pinch of supernatural or paranormal into the mix. I've always been drawn to dark stories, ones that raise the hairs on the back of my neck or make me glance over my shoulder. The two greatest influences in my writing life have been Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Need I say more?

So what can I offer you if you choose to read my books? I hope and strive to give you a satisfying read, one that will impact you emotionally. If I can make you shudder or tremble or wince or even cry, then I've done my job.

In SUBMERGED, I share with you a very personal fear of mine—the fear of being in a car that's underwater and not being able to get out. I have traveled long distances by car hundreds of times during my life, twice from one coast of Canada to the other. Whenever we're along a stretch of highway with a body of water beside me, my fear kicks in. And I hold my breath…waiting…praying…

I want you to relate to this fear. But even more, I want my characters to come to life. I want you to feel for Marcus Taylor, a struggling recovering addict who has had his fair share of grief and guilt. I want you to admire his strength, even in the midst of his weaknesses. I want you, dear reader, to feel compassion for this man who has lost his wife and son in a terrible accident, who blames himself for their deaths, and who is searching for redemption, though he doesn't really know he is.

I want you to cheer on Rebecca Kingston, a mother on the verge of divorce who has left an abusive husband. I want you to feel empathy for her because this decision, no matter what others think, is not an easy one to make. I want you to cry with her when she realizes she is physically unable to help her children who are trapped with her in a sinking vehicle. And I want you to be holding your breath every time Rebecca does.

Marcus and Rebecca (and the others in SUBMERGED) may only be characters on paper, but they feel real to me. I gave "birth" to them and watched them grow. With every step they took, I wiped away their tears, hugged them and loved them. And, dear reader, I sincerely hope you'll love them just as much.

Happy reading…with the lights on…

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, international bestselling author

PS: The Kindle edition of SUBMERGED is available on Amazon from March 4th – 6th for a special price during the Killer Thriller Book Launch.

Learn more about me and connect at: http://www.cherylktardif.com http://www.twitter.com/cherylktardif https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Kaye-Tardif-novels/29769736630

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WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Young Adult Author, Tista Ray

At almost 18 years old, Tista Ray wants to make a difference in the world. To that end she has written and published a coming-of-age novella MELANCHOLIC DELIGHT to help teens understand romanticism.

Tista is an Indian by birth who writes newspaper articles when she’s not working on her novels.

Q: How would you describe your new story, MELANCHOLIC DELIGHT? Do you consider it a romance or a coming of age story? Or a life story? Why?

Tista Ray: It’s mostly a coming of age novella in the light of teenage romanticism. The protagonist grows, both physically and emotionally during the course of my novella. A mere love story embedded with some nostalgic moments gains a divine touch as Sri and Jishu travel through time to be united in love. The story’s about a thirsty soul in quest of love, a passion that brings peace of mind. Jishu appears in Sri’s life as a teacher, giving her a lesson on love.

Q: What inspired you to write MELANCHOLIC DELIGHT?

Tista Ray: Being a teen myself I have been a witness to many a desperate act of love. I have observed reckless deeds of lovers. I have seen people falling in love and to fall out with their beloved, without even gauging the real value of it. My novella’s for those adolescents who still lack in the insight of true love. It’s to teach them the divinity of love, worthy of attention.

Q: Do you consider your characters to be heroes?

Tista Ray: In a way they are. Not because they commit acts of greatness that’s enough to raise them to sublime but because their trivial actions teach the readers about the essence of true love. Here’s a pair of lovers in my story who make enough sacrifice to be honored with the designation of being heroes.

Q: How do you convince your readers to care whether your heroine and hero get together?

Tista Ray: I know ladies are mostly fans of ‘happily ever after’ but I guess I read somewhere that true love never has a happy ending because they don’t have an ending. And for my novella I can say it has an open ending, open to probabilities. So it can be read as a piece of memory of the narrator that neither begins nor ends.

Q: How important is setting to your story? Could your lovers exist anywhere else? Would they behave the same in a different setting?

Tista Ray: To me setting seems too vital to ignore. It’s kind of a pivot around which the characters of a story revolve. Certainly if my story would have had a different setting with Jishu as a millionaire businessman or Sri as a writer or a philosopher I would have had to make it a more matured love. Under changed circumstances they might have acted differently, altering the concept of the story altogether.

Q:  Do you write largely for entertainment, or do you also try to deliver a message?

Tista Ray: I always say I want to make a difference to this world through my works. So you can say I concentrate more on building up the mood of a story that’s best suited to deliver a message. And I believe that to an avid reader it’s the message that matters more than entertainment. What makes a book memorable is the message it etched in the readers’ minds.

Q: Who are your intended readers? What are they looking for?

Tista Ray: My book’s for all age groups. Though it may apparently seem a book meant for teenagers but to be true it will appeal more to the coming of age people who’ve been in love and deduced the meaning of love. Nevertheless every single man can find himself in my protagonists as I strongly believe a man in love acts the way Sri or Jishu acted in my novella.

Q: Why are you a writer?

Tista Ray: I love writing. Putting my thoughts into words gives me an innate satisfaction. To top it, a reader’s praise is like honey added to a sweet.

Q: Tell us something about yourself. When you’re not writing, what do you do? Hobbies? Sailing? Knitting? Standup comedy? Favorite music?  Favorite authors? Do you have a muse?

Tista Ray: My hobbies are watching TV and reading books. I do enjoy music as well. I am interested in film making and am a great fan of Ruskin Bond. Paulo Coelho’s spirituality coupled with Stephenie Meyer’s romance always makes my story an irresistible combination (or at least that’s what I believe).

And about musing, yes it often starts accusing for making my life so confusing!

About Tista Ray

Tista Ray, a near 18 year-old authoress penned her debut novella ‘Melancholic Delight’ published in January 2013. She’s an Indian by birth. She’s actively involved in writing newspaper articles and is keen in making a difference to this world.

About MELANCHOLIC DELIGHT

 ‘There’s no love like the first love. There’s no feeling like the desperation to attain true love. Love or lust matters not when two eyes meet, uniting the souls at once’

It’s this love which frees Sri from the reign of darkness and makes her heart rise to lofty heights of anticipated passion with no one to pull her back to reality. It’s Jishu, who appears as the first ray of hope in her overshadowed life and showers her with the ultimate sense of freedom, which she has been craving for. He fills her life with the long awaited perfection. To a flawed person he appears as the flawless. He becomes one among her most perfect acquaintances, but is he really as unblemished as he appears to be. If so, can a flawed person risk a life with the flawless? Do opposites really attract each other or it deviate them from their normal avenues of life?

It’s a deeply compelling love affair, which takes the readers back to their childhood memories and brings back to them the essence of true love.

The changing relations of a man’s life add force to the much ordinary teenage passion. The book is not just about love. It’s about a journey called life which either ends in melancholy or in delight.

Links

International readers can contact author through Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6861618.Tista_Ray

Indian readers can purchase MELANCHOLIC DELIGHT here:

http://www.infibeam.com/Books/melancholic-delight-tista-ray/9789382303015.html

http://boimela.in/melancholic-delight.html

International readers can purchase MELANCHOLIC DELIGHT here:
http://www.swiftboox.com/melancholic-delight.html#

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: The Mythology of it All! Fantasy Author M.A. Donovan

M.A. Donovan, Author
THE GOLDEN HORN

M.A. Donovan joins us to discuss her new fantasy novel THE GOLDEN HORN. In the following article, she positions her book within the world of mythology, although admits she adds a little medieval history. 

Donovan is a dog lover and lives in Michigan with her dog Sheba. She also writes horror and thrillers under the name Shelby Patrick.

The Mythology of it All!

By M.A. Donovan

The world has a long-standing fascination with mythology. Epic tales have been told through the ages of heroes, gods, goddesses, monsters, and more. Every nation has its own fantastic story to weave.

The Greeks shared myths of heroic deeds, divine interventions, and origins of their rituals. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are the oldest known Greek literary sources. They focused on events surrounding the Trojan War.

You will find many great tales from Hercules to Perseus and the Gods that either tried to thwart their plans or help them in small, inconspicuous ways. Battling monsters such as Medusa or the hydra were prevalent in almost every epic mythology.

In THE GOLDEN HORN, I mix a little mythology with medieval history. My heroes engage all sorts of creatures like harpies, nightmares, dragons, and thunder birds – while searching for a special weapon forged by the Gods that will either turn the tide in their favor or destroy their kingdom.

THE GOLDEN HORN is available at amazon.com or createspace.com. Want to win a free signed copy along with a special gift from me? Enter my “Letter to a Hero” contest. Simply craft a genius letter to your special hero (can be a fictional character or a real person) and send to me at kariah@donovanfantasyauthor.com with “Letter to a Hero” in the subject. I’ll select a winner at the end of my virtual book tour, on or around March 1, 2013. Please make sure to include your name, mailing address, and email in your letter.

Visit M.A. Donovan online at http://www.donovanfantasyauthor.com or check out her blog at http://www.freethewriterinside.com.

Read the first three chapters for FREE at  http://bit.ly/XC5pst.

About M.A. Donovan

M.A. Donovan is the author of several published short stories and an article on karate. She has self-published three non-fiction books, a short story collection, and two novels. THE GOLDEN HORN is her first fantasy novel of which she has been working on for years, since twelfth grade, and has recently had professionally edited.

Donovan lives in Michigan, where she is currently working on her next novel, with her dog, Sheba. She also writes horror and thrillers under the name Shelby Patrick.

You can find her on Facebook (ShelbyPatrickAuthor) and Twitter (@shelbypatrick).

About THE GOLDEN HORN

Galen Hawkeye never wanted to be labeled a hero, but with his father's undead army casting a shadow over the kingdom, the land needed a legend. From a very young age, he had been groomed as a warrior, so it only seemed right when he strapped on the sword, enlisted his mage friend, and ventured forth to save his people. But he never planned on demonic trackers hunting him nor the love he found with a mysterious girl who happened to be on the same quest as him. Would he be able to stop the darkness descending before it swallowed him whole?

Buy THE GOLDEN HORN here:

Print edition: http://amzn.to/WHRULe

Kindle edition: http://amzn.to/YN40FX

WORLD AT WAR BOOK TOUR: Author Pam Funke

Pam Funke, Author
OPERATION DARK ANGEL and
THE WORLD AT WAR
The Four Horsemen Series

Pam Funke writes the Four Horsemen Series about the takeover of a collapsing world and the attempts to save it.  Reviewers say this is an “exciting series by a talented new author” that is “fast-paced.” OPERATION DARK ANGEL and THE WORLD AT WAR (available soon) are the first and second in this seven-book series. 

Pam claims that her love of reading led her to write. Oh, and she also likes to eat. 

Q: One reviewer of OPERATION DARK ANGEL said, “In this story large scale warfare becomes personal. Because Funke's characters are so well developed you know all of those involved.” How do you make readers care about your characters?  

Pam Funke: I create characters that people can relate to or become friends with. Sure there are some characters that people will hate but that’s all part of writing a good story. There’s bound to be characters that readers will both love and hate.

Q: What is the key to good dialogue? Do you ascribe different characteristics to the dialogue based on your character's traits?  

Pam Funke: The key to good dialogue is picturing in your mind each character’s personality and how they would act and behave in various situations. It helps to set that character’s tone and slang usage.

Q: How important is back story and setting to creating a believable story?

Pam Funke: Back story and setting are very important to successfully creating a believable story.

Q: In your opinion, what key parts of a story make it great?

Pam Funke: In my opinion, I think an author’s descriptive ability to draw you into the story helps to make it great.

Q: Which part of the book did you find the most demanding to write?

Pam Funke: The hardest part was researching the different cultures and religions and tying them in to the book at the appropriate times.

Q:  Do you outline your stories or do your characters push you around?

Pam Funke: LOL, I actually don’t do either. When I am writing I can actually see the events happening in my mind (sort of like a movie playing) and I just write exactly what I see.

Q: Who are your target readers? What do you do to understand what they want to read?

Pam Funke: My target readers are young adult through adults. I talk with different people to see what their interests are and what types of things that they would enjoy reading about.

Q: Tell us something about yourself. For example: do you like to read? Eat? Go to plays? What’s your favorite book, author, character? Do you have a muse? If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Pam Funke: Yes, I love to read. This is partially the reason why I started to write. Who doesn’t like to eat? I don’t really go to plays although I do enjoy Tyler Perry’s plays. My favorite book is Gone With the Wind. My favorite authors are James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Joel C. Rosenberg, Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, and Mary Higgins Clark.

About Pam Funke

I am the proud grand-daughter of a pastor and have spent the majority of my life in the church. I am a Christian author who enjoys writing many different things. My love of reading and writing led me to write for the enjoyment of others.

About THE WORLD AT WAR (available soon)

The second book in the exciting Four Horsemen Series. Join General Alexander Ludlow as he continues on his mission to save the world. At least that is what he thinks that Operation Dark Angel is all about. He is however starting to suspect that this mission is not all that it's cracked up to be. The world is in complete chaos as major nations wage war on each other and the world is on the brink of World War III.  

The Group is secretly continuing Operation Dark Angel with much success. Unknown to the rest of the world they are the ones who are behind the strange and devastating attacks on Israel and around the world. What is it that they are really after when they are supposed to be bringing peace to an out of control world?  

Italian President Nicolaitanes Balac is steadily gaining political power and recognition. The entire world is watching this one man and wondering if he will be the one to save them from the chaotic spiral that the world is headed towards. Is he really who he appears to be or is he something much more sinister? Can he save the world? Do we even want him to? Is this who mankind should rely on for help or will this be the worst mistake that mankind has ever made?

Excerpt

Chee Tsang, China’s Chief Executive, gathered the country’s military officials together. He was ready for payback. How dare Israel attack his beloved country? Beijing is now just a smoldering disaster zone. This fact alone both angered and saddened him.

General Baojia Chan stood nearby looking over intelligence and working out a war strategy in his head. First we will attack Israel with missiles then a surprise attack with our massive army.

“General, I want your opinion about something. What will we gain from this? How will this attack on Israel benefit the people of China?” Chee Tsang asked.

General Chan looked back at the papers he was reviewing before looking at Mr. Chee Tsang. “Well, I think that this will only work as long as we contain the element of surprise. We then enter the country from here and here,” Baojia said pointing at the military map.

“I see. But would we not have a greater advantage point from here and here,” Chee asked.

“I have planned for the Immediate Action Unit to drop forces in at those locations,” General Chan replied.

“But I thought that we primarily used them to protect the country from terrorism, riots, and the like. If we use them in our attack, won’t that leave the country defenseless?” Chee asked.

“Yes, the IAU is primarily used for that purpose but as they are extremely good at tactical maneuvers we will be using them to strengthen our military forces. The Snow Leopard Commando Unit will be protecting our country while the military is deployed,” Baojia replied.

“Very well then, how long before we can make this happen?” Chee asked.

“It is being done as we speak sir. In a matter of hours we will have our troops in the air,” Baojia replied.

General Chan has done well, although I wish that he had waited for my approval. 

Chee turned and faced General Chan. “You are doing a fine job. As I am not needed here I will be off taking care of more pressing issues. Do not disappoint me,” Chee said. He then turned and left the room.

General Chan turned back to his staff. “How much longer before the planes are loaded with the troops and equipment?” he asked.

“Sir, they will be ready for takeoff in approximately two and a half hours,” the young soldier replied.

“Excellent. Now I want you to launch the missiles at Israel. We will start by creating chaos and panic and then the real fun begins,” General Chan ordered.

“Yes sir,” the soldier replied. He then typed in the target locations, the order codes, and hit send.

Links

Amazon (for OPERATION DARK ANGEL)

Check out author website on Amazon

Book trailer 

Goodreads

Blog

Facebook 

Join fan page 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/4HorsemenSeries

FIRST LOVE BLOG HOP: Paranormal Author Amy McClung

Amy McClung, Author
CASCADES OF MOONLIGHT and DREAMS, SPELLS, AND MOONLIT TALES

    Amy McClung dared to bring werewolves and vampires together in her Parker Harris Series books. Not only are they together, but Parker the werewolf falls in love with a vampire – unheard of.  

Amy loves movies, so if she’s not reading one of her beloved fantasy novels, she and her husband are probably viewing one of the movies from their large collection in a room decorated with movie memorabilia.

Be sure to check out the brief excerpts of her books following the book descriptions.

Click the link at the end of this article to check out the First Love Blog Hop and learn about other participating authors and how to win a Kindle and many more prizes.

Q: What inspired you to write about werewolves?  

Amy McClung: I've always enjoyed reading books about paranormal creatures.  Werewolves and vampires have been some of my favorite and there are so many different things you can do with them that it makes it easier to create your own world.  My main character is a werewolf and I wanted to show a different side of werewolves through her insecurities and fears.

Q: One of your reviewers pointed out, “What a nice twist the author gives us in this paranormal romance pairing vampires and werewolves together romantically and as friends.” Are vampires better than werewolves? Are they usually not together? What made you decide to put them together? 

Amy McClung: I haven't read too many books where vampires and werewolves are together.  Many times they are painted as enemies.  Forbidden love is always a big thing in romance it seems and since they are born to be enemies I thought it would be a nice twist to have them fall in love instead. 

Q: How important is the small town setting to your story? Do werewolves only appear in small towns? 

Amy McClung:  I chose the town Cascade, Idaho because there are wolves in that area.  Parker, the main character, has kept this a secret for two years so it seemed that would be easiest in an area where it wouldn’t be odd to see wolves.  In a large city someone is bound to see a wolf and find it strange.  I also chose the town due to the waterfalls in the area.  It ties in with the relationship of the main couple.

Q:  Are you primarily writing for YA readers, or do you believe your story is for all ages? 

Amy McClung: I mainly write for YA with my current series. However, I've had men and women of all ages, from 16-65, tell me they have really enjoyed reading it.  I think my first book was truly geared toward a younger crowd based on the events that happen to the teens.  As the books progress, the characters mature and the material is relatable to a wide range of ages.

Q: Do you write purely for your readers’ entertainment? Or do you incorporate messages to your readers?   

Amy McClung: I write for entertainment mostly.  However, there are some messages involved.  I think most books have messages underlying the entertainment portion, even if it wasn’t intended.  I think that is why many people give books a hard time if they feel they are 'giving off the wrong message'.  I am one that likes to slide those messages into the entertainment in a very subtle way. 

Q: Why are you a writer?  When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?  

Amy McClung: I did a little writing when I was younger, but never thought anything would come of it.  In 2011, I went through a life-changing event and needed something to keep me from being too stressed. My husband suggested writing.  I sat down and started to write a book, using it as therapy and then discovered how to self-publish.  Once I started writing, I fell in love with it.  It gives me a chance to escape reality for a bit and get lost in a fantasy world just like reading does.  I've always loved to read and many times I get frustrated at the direction a story takes so writing gives me the chance to have the ending I want for a change.

Q:  Tell us something about yourself: do you like movies? What do you do when you’re not writing? Hobbies? Favorite author?    

Amy McClung: Movies are a big hobby for me. My husband and I have a huge collection of movies and memorabilia.  Our living room is decorated in Harry Potter décor, to give you an idea.  Another hobby I have is reading, I now read at least 3 books a month.  My favorite author, there are several of them here lately.  J.K. Rowling, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Brenda Pandos, Tabatha Vargo, Molly Harper, Rachel Caine, just to name a few. My favorite authors are the ones that have never disappointed me in their writing, every book has been fantastic and I would read them repeatedly.

About Amy McClung

Amy McClung was born in Nashville, TN. She is the second oldest of four girls. She married Daniel McClung in September 2005 and they currently reside just outside of Nashville. She graduated from Father Ryan High School in 1996. In 2002 she obtained her general certification in medical coding and billing and in 2009 she obtained a specialty certification in Hospital medical coding and billing.

Amy and her husband are both fans of fantasy novels as well as avid movie collectors. The Parker Harris Series is the first series of books by this author. CASCADES OF MOONLIGHT is Book #1; DREAMS, SPELLS, AND MOONLIT TALES is Book #2; and the third book is set to be released in the Summer of 2013.

Amy’s favorite past times include watching movies, drawing, and reading fantasy novels. Her first book was a means of therapy for her as it enabled her to escape reality for a while during a difficult transition in her life.

About the Books

CASCADES OF MOONLIGHT (The Parker Harris Series Book #1)

Parker Harris isn’t your typical teenage girl, not completely at least. For the past two years she has been struggling once a month with the extreme pain of shifting into a werewolf. She faces the challenge of keeping this secret from those she loves until one day a stranger comes into town and he knows that secret somehow. Now she has to face an even bigger challenge. She is falling in love...with a Vampire, of all things. Murder, Betrayal, Love, Deception, Friendship, and Loyalty, fill the pages of this book.

DREAMS, SPELLS AND MOONLIT TALES (The Parker Harris Series Book #2)

A mistake from Parker's past is revealed and proves to be more enormous than she realized. DREAMS, SPELLS, AND MOONLIT TALES summarizes the events of Parker's life in this book.

Excerpts

CASCADES OF MOONLIGHT (The Parker Harris Series Book #1)

“Vampires and Werewolves have been myths turned into movies, books, and plays for hundreds of years. Everyone has heard of them, everyone has their own interpretation of what they are and the ways you can kill them. Some people say that Vampires are creatures of the night that can’t walk in the sun and are killed by wooden stakes, burned by holy water or torn apart by other vampires. Some say vampires can’t go in the sun because their skin sparkles like diamonds. There are stories of vampire slayers and there are werewolf hunters.

As many stories as there are, you would think more people would believe these creatures exist. I mean, how else would there be so much talk about something that never existed? How would there be so many ideas that are so closely related? Maybe some people just don’t want to believe because they are scared of the possibilities it could bring, scared to face the reality that monsters are real. Of all the myths, the part of how to kill a vampire is quite limited. There is no easy way to kill a vampire unless you are a master vampire or a werewolf. Luckily, I am a werewolf.”

DREAMS, SPELLS, AND MOONLIT TALES (The Parker Harris Series Book #2)

“Barely able to open my eyes, I croaked out, "Don't go…please…don’t leave me alone. I'm scared…" His face whipped back to look at me, when he heard my voice, and I saw that his fangs were out. His face was a mask of anguish. He began moving back toward me, but reached up, felt his teeth, and turned back again to leave and was gone in a flash. The blood had made him hungry, he hasn’t fed in a while and he was losing control. He had no other choice but to leave me there, dying. Fear washed over me with the realization that I was going to die here, these injuries are too severe for my wolf powers to heal me, I could feel my body growing weaker by the minute. Gloom was closing over me; pain enveloped my body, and I couldn’t fight closing my eyes anymore. All I wanted was the pain to stop. I invited the darkness to encompass me, with the promise that I would hurt no more.”

Links

Purchase sites

CASCADES OF MOONLIGHT (The Parker Harris Series Book 1) 

DREAMS, SPELLS, AND MOONLIT TALES (The Parker Harris Series Book 2) 

Facebook     

     

 Goodreads page link

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