Thanks for stopping by to visit with Manic Readers, Edward.
You’ve moved around quite a bit. What did you think of South Carolina & Louisiana? I’ve lived in SC but I’ve never been near Louisiana.
South Carolina was nice, but I lived in the western part of the state. I’ve always felt more “at home” near a natural body of water and have found that living in an area lacking an ocean or river leaves me feeling that my life lacks balance or harmony.
I loved New Orleans! I know the first thing everyone thinks about is the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, but there’s just so much more to the city & the area in general. I only moved away because the local economy was floundering so badly.
I’ve visited Las Vegas but not sure I’d like to live there. How do you like it? Is your writing prompting your proposed move to Los Angeles?
Las Vegas is okay. I know it is a big hit with many people, but I have never been a big fan of gambling or casinos.
Yes, my move to California is in part due to advancing my writing career. I would like to connect with filmmakers and possibly work on turning my stories into films. I am also hoping to attend film school.
I’ve read that your book, WHISPERS FROM HELL, isn’t just horror/paranormal stories but modern age parables. Can you expound on that please?
It was never my intention to do anything other than to write the stories I enjoy writing, but, after going back and re-reading each story, I have found that each story sends a message, a lesson to be learned by the protagonist…and maybe by the reader as well. For example, in “A Requiem For The Damned,” Evan learns that his own vanity comes at a price and that price will be paid by those most dear to him.
Do you HAVE to write or do you choose to write?
Both. I love to write. There isn’t anything more enjoyable than letting a story pour out of my mind onto paper. It is also something of a vocation, or a calling, and I think you would hear this from any writer. It’s just not something one can decide to do. Either one is a writer or one is not a writer.
Is there any author, past or present, whose works parallel yours?
I can definitely see something of Edgar Allan Poe in my writing.
I love Poe…
Is your horror more subtle or in your face?
It really varies with the story. Some stories, such as “Borrowed Time” and “Brette’s Discovery” are more subtle and suitable for those that prefer to avoid the gore and horrific imagery found in “Night Terrors” and the title story (“Whispers From Hell”).
How do you prefer to write? Are there certain things your muse requires?
My first & second drafts are usually completed with pen & paper. I cannot write without my MP3 player! Music is a must!
Some writers are superstitious, are you?
I don’t think so. I tend to come at things from a more logical perspective.
Who’s in control, you or the characters?
I write out the outline first, but, once I begin composing the actual story, the characters take it from there.
Have you read any thing lately that you couldn’t wait to discuss or recommend?
Yes. I recently read “The Narrative Of Arthur Gordon Pym,” the only novel penned by Edgar Allan Poe. I would love to see this brought to film!
Is there a WIP you can possibly share bits of?
Not at this time. I’m currently working on the first draft of “Testament,” which is the story of how the witch trials in 17th century New York began. It will be a novella and a prelude to my upcoming full-length novel “Dark Heritage.”
Testament sounds interesting….
Thank you again,Edward. I’ve enjoyed meeting you.
Thank you for this opportunity as well. It has been a pleasure meeting you, too.
People are saying that my book, Beside Your Heart, is about the one who got away. It’s not. It’s about The One who got away. I think there’s a difference.
They say that memories become harder for Holocaust survivors as they age because their vision of the past becomes more vivid. It’s supposed to be especially true for those who lived through the war years during their teens. Somehow those years are so formative for people that we carry those times with us forever. While the majority of what we’ve seen and felt through our lives falls along the wayside, our teen years continue along, and we only recall them more strongly as we age. Tragedy at that age compounds things infinitely.
I think that’s why we remember our first loves so clearly. Yes, they are the “first” of something we experience, which is always a bigger deal, and yes, it’s love, the strongest emotion. But a first love also usually happens to us when we’re not quite adults. We’re not jaded at all, and we don’t have scars of past loves. We dive in deep, innocent to all the pain that can occur (and usually does!). As time passes and our lives change, the intensity of the feelings we develop for the person stick with us.
In Beside Your Heart, Nicki and Adam become each other’s first loves, yet something more happens between them than just a high school fling. Nicki is only seventeen, but she’s having to deal with the very adult emotion of grief and doing it all alone. Adam becomes a part of that process. Plus, they genuinely share the same interests and “click” on that very personal level we only have with a few in our life.
So these two don’t just recall the one who got away. They know each other was The One who got away and who isn’t coming back (or so they think). I don’t want to spoil too much, but hey, this is a trilogy, so you know their story can’t end with the first book! : ) I hope you check out Beside Your Heart and start their journey from the beginning!
XO,
Mary
Thanks to Enn and Omnific Publishing we have a digital copy of BESIDE YOUR HEART to giveaway to one (1) lucky commenter. What do you think it is about first love that makes it so special? Giveaway ends @12am est 6-25-13 with the winner announced shortly thereafter. Good luck!
Hello Manic readers and fans! And thank you so much to the staff for letting me take over the blog today. It’s always a pleasure to be here and I’m looking forward to chatting a few minutes at the end of the day when things settle and I’m in my latest home away from home for the night.
I’ll be honest. I nearly forgot to send this blog post last week. You see, being married to the Marine Corps isn’t always easy and for the last few weeks I’ve been in the process of moving across country—and I do mean literally. After my husband spending the better part of six years overseas, he finally came home to orders for us to report from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to a new station in Portland, Oregon. He’d only been home three weeks when the movers arrived, packed up all my worldly goods, and carted them off. Then my grand new adventure began! I’ve been regularly blogging about it over at Realmantic Moments. Please do come by and catch up on where I’ve been, what I’ve seen there, and what I’ve been doing.
Now, being as I just about missed the boat (you must know I’m pre-writing this a week ago Sunday), I’m sitting in a hotel in Missouri the morning we’re supposed to pull stakes and head into Nebraska looking at my calendar and an “oh crap!” moment occurs when I see I am supposed to be here today and I have neither sent a blog post in or even entertained the idea of writing it. (Yes, the writer’s life—gotta love it!) Oh…wait…hehe…there it was! My topic of discussion or today. A bit of the writer’s life. You see, the writer’s life doesn’t just exist behind this screen, typing away fourteen hours a day…well, okay, I’ll concede at times it does. But, you have to live life to write it.
And at this point (June 9 by the by), I’m living it fully. There are a few things I’ve learned over the course of the past few years with Marshfox being gone so much. Things are just things and can be replaced—they matter not. People are what’s important and taking the time to smell the roses with the people that matter most to you makes life all the sweeter.
So far I’ve passed through ten states, June 9 will mark the eleventh and I’m enjoying every single moment of this nomadic adventure and taking notes along the way. You see living life in order to write it means watching, tasting, smelling, feeling…seeing something or someone and trying to discern what their story is.
One of those discerning moments occurred to me two states back last week when we were driving through the streets of downtown Indy (side trip—my best friend lives there and it’s home to my publishing company—check my blog out you’ll get all the skinny *wink*). In downtown Indy they have statues—very, very lifelike looking statues I might add—placed all over the place. They’re walking along, sitting on benches, playing. There’s a statue couple where the man is helping the woman out of a store holding her umbrella and another of a daddy hoisting his child up onto his shoulders for a Sunday stroll. Well, in the course of all of five minutes, those statues became as real to me as flesh and blood humans. And they began to tell me a story…
If you’re ever in Indy, downtown is a must stop.
Thanks for having me by today and please check out my latest novel which released today, Love Vindicated, Book One in my brand new series Steele Image.
Lila Munro
In 1980, Kyle Montgomery’s life was seemingly perfect. Heavily recruited by Force Recon fresh from the Naval Academy, he’d been working black ops for the Marine Corps for six years and was on the cusp of being promoted to Major. He was on the fast track to bigger and better things, had all the right people vetting him, and he’d married the woman of his dreams and was exploring a lifestyle which could have ended his career. With the Iranian embassy under siege and the Middle East in turmoil, Kyle was sent on a mission which would change the course of his life forever.
Returning home after three months of being invisible, Kyle finds his wife has been murdered by the very people he’d been sent to protect. And instead of the government retaliating, they hand him his walking papers with the agreement they’ll never speak of the events again. It’s like Kyle never existed. His wife never existed. And the people who maimed and tortured her never existed.
Resigned to never again walk that path again, Kyle opens the first Steele Image club with the thought of providing a safe haven for others like him, those who were invisible to the public and most of the government. Those who had eclectic sexual tastes. Those who would later become his allies. And his enemies. And both will drive him back to the place he’d thought he’d let go of forever to vindicate his love…
A knight who has known honor but never love and a mysterious huntress with a closely guarded secret share an arranged marriage with a surprisingly sensual consummation—and a fantastic adventure beyond imagination.
THE HUNTRESS
She appeared from nowhere in form-fitting leather, enchanting as the mysterious woods around her. Those dazzling emerald eyes were a challenge, daring the intruder to enter her magic realm.
THE ARRANGEMENT
Tormented boy becomes a battle-hardened warrior, Rhys DeRemy owed unswerving obedience to his king—and now he owed another man his life. If he took the heiress of Aubregate to wife, he could ease the debts of past and present. And Eliane drew him as a candle draws a moth. Her fiery nature ensorcelled him, her silken bed promised…A BREATH OF HEAVEN.
The fun and excitement continue this week with the release of LOVE’S PRICE, Book #2 in my Lord Trent trilogy. The novel is a fast-paced, thrilling ride, filled with my usual great characters, intricate plot lines, and infuriating villains. And there’s the added bonus of two brothers falling for twin sisters—a double love story that’s sexy and unforgettable.
The linking premise in the three novels has to do with Charles Sinclair, the Earl of Trent. He is England’s most notorious roué, and over the decades he’s sired many illegitimate children. His oldest bastard son, Phillip, is on a quest to find his lost half-siblings and build a family with them. The books tell the stories of four of Lord Trent’s cast-off children on their rocky road to happily ever after.
The heroes in LOVE’S PRICE are James Harcourt, Earl of Westwood, and his brother, Tristan. They fall in love with twins, Helen and Harriet Sinclair Stewart. The twins are two of Lord Trent’s illegitimate children, and because of their illicit parentage, their lives have been extremely difficult. When they meet James and Tristan, sparks fly and lust blooms—but it takes the two brothers quite awhile to discover that they’re madly in love, too. Harriet is one of my all-time favorite characters out of all the ones I’ve ever created. You won’t believe the jam in which she lands herself.
The three books—LOVE’S PROMISE, LOVE’S PRICE, and LOVE’S PERIL—are being released back to back in May, June, and July 2013. They will all be available as print books and e-books. LOVE’S PROMISE and LOVE’S PRICE are out now, with LOVE’S PERIL coming on July 1st. They’re a great way to lounge at the beach on your summer vacation, and I hope you’ll check them out. Thanks to everyone for your interest in me and my “Lord Trent” trilogy! I’m grateful.
HelenStewartnever understood why—as a tiny girl—she and her twin sister Harriet were sent away to boarding school and never allowed home for holidays. At age sixteen, they were shocked to discover that they are the illegitimate daughters of the notorious rogue,Charles Sinclair. Cast out by their relatives, they moved to London, and Helen has made a life for herself as a lady’s companion. In her line of employment, she must maintain a stellar reputation, but she’s exhausted by the fussy whims of the debutantes she’s forced to chaperone. She’d give anything to change her fate.
JamesHarcourt, Earl of Westwood, is in a bind. After his father died, he learned that his estates were bankrupt. He gambles to replenish his coffers so he’s living a dissolute bachelor’s life. When his female ward arrives unexpectedly for an extended visit, he must protect her from scandal by hiring a lady’s companion. When pretty, alluring Helen interviews for the position, he’s instantly smitten. She possesses the qualifications to fill a much more intimate role.
He shocks her by suggesting she become his mistress, and when his offer is rebuffed, he begins a cunning seduction, aimed at wearing her down. Helen can’t resist the temptation he offers, but she doesn’t have the sophistication to survive in his world. And as James immerses them in a dangerous spiral of pleasure and excitement, he proves that he is determined to have her at any cost…
One lucky commenter is going to get a kindle ebook of both LOVE’S PROMISE and LOVE’S PRICE. Tell me if you prefer your heroes to need a dose of comeuppance and redemption, a squeaky clean good guy, or a fella who falls somewhere in between? Giveaway ends @12 a.m. est 6-16-13 with the winner announced shortly thereafter. Good Luck!
Sometimes you have to lose it all to find what you really need.
Photographer Kay Turner is dealt a double whammy when she flies home for her grandmother’s funeral to find her boyfriend with another woman. Now with two losses to mourn, she retreats to her newly inherited beach house to clear her head.
Everything at the beach is familiar: the sounds of the ocean, the scent of her grandmother’s perfume—and the irresistible smile of James Margolis. The man Kay spent her adolescence pining for is every bit as charming as she remembers.
James always thought of Kay as “a nice kid”, but he feels something very different for the woman she’s become. Especially when he asks if she’d be willing to part with some of her grandmother’s recipes for his new restaurant—and they wind up sharing much more than culinary secrets.
But as their relationship deepens, Kay finds herself caught between the demands of her dream career as a travel photographer, and a chance for happiness with the one man she’s wanted for a lifetime.
Karen is giving away one lucky commenter a digital copy of their choice from her back list. What do you think? Can you go back? Digital copy giveaway ends @ 12am est 6-16-13 with the winner announced shortly thereafter. Good luck!
Don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway below for the grandprize $20 giftcard to Amazon or B&N.
I write erotic romance (published by Ellora’s Cave) sexy women’s fiction (published by Turquoise Morning Press) and sensual contemporary romances (published by Samhain Publishing). I can also be found on twitter attempting witty banter.
Welcome to Part 2 of our Asphalt Warrior Srs. feature. Manic Readers is fortunate to have a print copy available to give away to one lucky commenter today.
Here’s a taste of what you have to look forward to with Murph.
When Gilligan’s Island first appeared on TV, I was a kid living in Wichita, Kansas, where I was born. I thought Bob Denver was the lead singer of The Wellingtons, the group that recorded the song. I guess this was what my Maw was talking about when she talked about the superiority of radio over television, and how radio forces the listener to use his imagination. There seemed to be something Bob Denverish about the lead singer’s voice. I later discovered to my dismay that he was not a part of the group. But since Bob Denver had once played the role of Maynard G. Krebbs on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, I imagined him looking like a beatnik and playing an acoustic guitar and singing the song while Sherwood Schwartz sat at the controls in the recording booth. That tells you everything you need to know about my imagination, and my Maw.
I flipped the burger once and accidentally flattened it on the frying pan with the spatula, but I kept thinking about that fiver in my Finnegans. I finally set the spatula down and went back into the living room and pulled the book off the shelf. I opened it and took the bill out and reread the sentence. Then I set the book back on the shelf and reached for my copy of The Stranger by Albert Camus. I placed the fiver inside, and put it back on the shelf.
I decided I wanted to hold onto the bill for awhile. I didn’t want to spend it until I came to grips with both the message and the audience. Had Trowbridge written it to himself, or to me? The possibility of ever learning the truth was nil, which was why I felt it belonged in my Camus. One thing I had learned in college was that if you ever had a question about truth, reality, or the meaning of existence, read a novel by Albert Camus. Pretty soon you’ll be so baffled you’ll forget the question.
(For those of you who never served in the army and subsequently faked your way through seven years of college, “Camus” rhymes with “Shamu” [the killer whale]).
But merely opening The Stranger had helped me. Five minutes later I was seated in front of my TV with a beer and a burger, waiting for the tantalizing vision of Mary Ann to come sashaying down the beach in her tight denim short-shorts. I don’t know who invented the word “sashay,” but Mary Ann brought it to life and gave it meaning. She always makes me forget Albert Camus.
THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB is the third and latest in Gary Reilly’s posthumously published Asphalt Warrior series. Brendan Murphy aka Murph is back driving his taxi in Denver. Once again he gets involved with a fare,Mr. Trowbridge. Of course there are consequences. What are those consequences? To answer that you’re gonna have to read THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB.
I had never heard of Gary Reilly or The Asphalt Warrior. I’ve only gone by Denver on the interstate several years ago on the way to Las Vegas. I was a blank slate about this whole shebang. The blurb sounded interesting and even though THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB is the third in the series I decided to give it a go. I’m really glad I did. The only problem is that now I have to get the first two and read them; like my TBR mountain isn’t out of control enough already.
Murph, our Denver cab driving protagonist, is a hoot. A quiet hoot but a hoot none the less. Murph has his routines and modest obtainable goals. He meets a wide range of society via his cab and is an astute observer and judge of human nature. Murph, against his better judgment, usually winds up involved in some way with a fare. In THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB there are two mysteries, both involving Mr. Trowbridge. The solutions were unique. My interest was certainly piqued by the $5 bill quotes and the “why the devil?” behind them. Despite the involvement of two detectives, Duncan and Argyle, I never felt stressed or worried about Murph the way I may have with a typical mystery. The lack of that tension doesn’t detract from the story or the mysteries at all; in fact it’s totally in keeping with the way THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB read for me. Imagine being cozy in your snuggly clothes-sweats, flannel jammies or whatever-curled up in your comfy chair with a bowl or plate of your favorite comfort food. For this slice of time all is right with you and your lil’ corner of the world. That is how Murph makes me feel when I read. He’s funny in a quiet easy way, never crude, and made me think without being in my face about it. Ponder is actually more appropriate than think and yes, there is a difference. Murph chats and I listen (read), laugh, and ponder.
THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB was a funny, entertaining, deceptively simple and oddly soothing read, so much more and better than I expected.
4.5 stars
Seriously, what’s not to love? Murph has his routine what about y’all? Creatures of habit? Favorite shows you have to watch daily, a comfort read? Do tell and you’re in the running for the print copy of THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB. Sorry, due to shipping costs it’s U.S. only. Giveaway ends at 12 am est on June 14. 2013 with the winner announced shortly thereafter. Good luck!
Thought all the Manic Readers out there would enjoy the back story to the Asphalt Warrior series. I’d never heard of Gary Reilly or the Asphalt Warrior Series until being sent a review request. However, after reading THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB I understand what all the fuss in Colorado is about. The Asphalt Warrior and Ticket to Hollywood are now on my TBR mountain & Murph has become one of my favorite fictional characters.
I really hope you’ll join us tomorrow for my review of THE HEART OF DARKNESS CLUB and giveaway of a print copy.
I met Gary in a film class at the University of Colorado at Denver in the mid-1970s. We had several things in common: an interest in humor, a desire to produce animation and we were both veterans milking the GI Bill for all it was worth.
He and I teamed up on a couple of animated films. Most memorable were “Transylvania Toothache” and another called “A.M.” which appeared in the Denver International Film Festival.
Gary’s first love, though, was writing. As we became close friends, he shared his manuscripts with me. He’d had some success early on when his short story, “The Biography Man” was included in the Pushcart Prize anthology of 1979.
After that, he went underground, producing more than 25 novels but never seriously pursuing publication.
His cab-driving, philosopher character, Murph, evolved from a tongue-in-cheek advice column he penned for my cartoon humor site on AOL in the mid-90s. After that popular gig ended, he moved Murph to print, producing 11 comic novels.
About seven or eight years ago, I introduced Gary to my friend, Mark Stevens who was a former colleague at The Denver Post, a partner in a rock band and a fiction writer. He and Gary got together regularly at a coffee shop to discuss writing. They called these meetings their Europa State University sessions (the name of coffee shop was Café Europa). It was there that Gary helped shape and guide Mark’s work. The result: Mark has, so far, published two critically-acclaimed and popular thrillers set on the western slope of the Colorado Rockies.
Both Mark and I encouraged our friend to get serious about publishing his own material. About the time he decided he was ready, Gary was diagnosed with cancer. He simply ran out of time.
For such a prolific writer, Gary’s last will was remarkably terse — only three lines long. One line granted Mark and me permission to do whatever we saw fit to get Gary’s work in print. And so Running Meter Press was established to do exactly that.
RMP became an imprint of the more established Big Earth Publishing of Boulder, after their editors raved about Gary’s novels. Teaming up with Big Earth, Running Meter has just released the third in the Asphalt Warrior series: The Heart of Darkness Club. The first two were local bestsellers, the second, Ticket to Hollywood, a finalist for a 2013 Colorado Book Award in the Genre Fiction category.
RMP will continue to publish Gary’s work. We look forward to including some of his more serious efforts which include a couple of compelling novels based on his service as an MP in Vietnam during the war.
The Granger brother’s left Charlottesville,Va.as soon as they could. Despite their family’s business, standing and wealth their lives were irrevocably changed with their mother’s murder and father’s first degree murder conviction. To honor a death bed promise to their grandfather they’re back. To their dismay they discover things aren’t always as they appear and the past is still very much alive.
A BROTHER’S HONOR starts off with a bang. Jace, 16, Caden, 14 and Dalton, 11, are in court when the verdict against their father is handed down. Sheppard Granger has been found guilty of first degree murder in the death his wife and their mother,Sylvia. Now the boys will be raised by their paternal grandfather,Richard. Essentially the boys are losing not only both parents but their friends as well when they’re ostracized after the conviction. They leave Sutton Hills, the family estate, as soon as possible returning only for occasional visits. When Richard has a heart attack and is dying the brother’s return. Richard extracts a death bed promise from each of them. He requests they take over Granger Aeronautics, discover why the business has been losing money and bids to competitors and most importantly to continue his efforts to clear their father.
No small order.
Each brother has done well in his chosen field, even Dalton as his brother’s will be surprised to learn. Dalton’s success will be especially critical to their plans.
The Granger men are forced to hit the ground running after Richard’s death to prevent the current CEO’s seizure of Granger Aeronautics. Not sure who they can trust or the extent of the troubles the brother’s hire Shana Bradford’s Crisis Management Firm. A BROTHER’S HONOR focuses primarily on Jace and Shana but shares the love with Caden and Dalton, whetting readers’ appetites and setting the stage for their stories.
Ms.Jackson writes vibrant intelligent characters that were “raised right”, have strong work ethics and possess a deep love and value of family. It’s always a pleasure to read such characters. Her descriptive writing puts you right “there” making it easy to lose yourself in the action. I have a theory about the true killer of Sylvia and can’t wait to see if I’m right. While partial, the resolution is satisfying and the unresolved issues lead naturally into the remaining books.
Corporate espionage, murder, intrigue, old secrets and some serious romance make A BROTHER’S HONOR an exciting fast paced page turner that doesn’t disappoint.
3.75 stars
Brenda is graciously giving away 2 print copies of A BROTHER’S HONOR. How do you feel about books based on siblings and other family ties? Sorry, due to shipping giveaway is limited to US and Canada. Giveaway ends at 12 am est on June 11, 2013. Good luck!
Being a Romani-Vampyre with an ancestor who wants you dead isn’t normal. Neither is this sequel.
Ema Marx wishes her life would go back to normal, but there’s nothing normal about being a Romani-Vampyre with an ancestor who wants you dead. Apollyon is back, wreaking havoc on the lives of everyone she cares about while plotting her demise.
Ema thought she would find a new best friend in her trainer, Bridget, until the exotic vampire vies for Jesu’s attention. Jesu can date who he wants, right? Ema has more important things to worry about, like honing her powers. When Apollyon’s thugs appear out of the shadows to attack her, Ema knows it’s time to take action. But everyone else has other plans in mind.
One thing is for certain, being under house arrest in the German vampyre king’s castle was not part of her plan to save the day.
Ema Marx is in way over her head. She’s on the run from Apollyon, a.k.a Lucifer among other appellations, and Jalmari. People think Ema is Jesu’s premonition realized but Ema isn’t too sure about that. Ema’s current goals are:
1) Stay alive.
2) Learn her new capabilities.
3) Train and learn self-defense and survival skills.
4) Do the right thing.
Ema and Jesu have taken refuge with the German vampyre king and queen. Ema feels like a prisoner in the castle. Other than keeping her alive her sequestration doesn’t really accomplish much else. She has a full plate and none of it is easy when everyone is intent on keeping her in the dark. If she is this “savior” shouldn’t she be let in on all these secrets? Keeping her clueless could lead to dangerous situations and possibly even her death. What kind of “ordained savior” gets herself killed before she accomplishes her mission? Then there’s the whole attraction/connection thing with Jesu. Ema simply doesn’t have time for this complication, besides she doesn’t particularly trust men right now. Jesu appears different but is he really and why is she even wondering ?
DARK LIAISON is an adrenaline fueled ride that picks up right where Dark Heirloom leaves off. I really appreciate that kind of continuity.
Ema goes from one crisis or intense situation to another; all the while learning, growing, and gradually coming into her own. She isn’t there yet but is definitely headed in the right direction. I like the fact that Ema is being given the chance to learn and grow into what’s expected of her. This also gives other characters a chance to shine by occasionally helping or saving the heroine and adding depth because Ema isn’t the all powerful be-all end-all. Thank you.
There are a lot of undercurrents in DARK LIAISON. Organizations, hierarchical layers, royalty, protocol and so many rules it’s an invitation to trouble, especially for a neophyte like Ema. I found myself questioning everyone and everything with very few exceptions. New characters are introduced and there are revelations which opened up numerous possibilities while raising a plethora of questions. More questions are raised than answered. I find this unpredictability makes reading more exciting while some of the new characters had me giving google a work out.
Ms.Brown’s vamps have the emotional capacity to love deeply for eternity, a thousand years is the blink of an eye. Imagine their capacity for jealousy, hate, pettiness and all the less exalted emotions. Scary aint it? Unfortunately I think those baser emotions are going to cause a lot of trouble for the Ema and Jesu in the not too distant future, courtesy of one character from Jesu’s past. I can’t wait to see if I’m right. That’s half the fun isn’t it? My only pet peeve was the way Ema yanked Jesu’s chain so often. I understand a time or two but it became a bit much for me.
DARK LIAISON is packed with action, characters and information but never felt like too much. Imagine a white water rapids ride, it’s a bit like that. DARK LIAISON definitely builds on the promise of Dark Heirloom. I’m fully engaged in Ema and Jesu’s battle against the evil Apollyon and thanks to the cliff hanger, on pins and needles for the next installment. I have a love/hate relationship with cliff hangers.
If you’re looking for an exciting new series that has
1) A heroine that’s given the time to grow and develop.
2) Strong characters overall.
3) A romance that doesn’t overtake the story or evolve into a sex manual.
4) Plenty of action and mystery.
The Ema Marx series is your answer. I do recommend reading the series in order to fully appreciate the character growth and situations they find themselves in. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
She wasn’t bitten. She’s not undead. So how did Ema Marx become a vampire?
“You’re a vampire” is so not what Ema Marx wants to hear when she wakes from a two-day coma in a cryptic yet exquisite castle in northern Finland. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like why she’s able to see in the dark and walk through solid objects. What she doesn’t understand is why the other vampires expect her to have all the answers. It’s their fault she turned into one of them…right?
Jalmari’s hatred for his old-man intensifies when he’s ordered to bring that troublesome girl to their castle. He has a clan to run, there’s no time for babysitting newborn vampires no matter how they were converted to their culture. But when a two-thousand-year-old premonition threatens to take the crown and his life, Jalmari sees no other choice than to take out the catalyst. Ema Marx. Fortunately for Ema, she could also be the clan’s only savior.
The race to figure out her vampiric origins is on. And maybe she’ll get the hang of the blood-drinking gig along the way…
My review of DARK HEIRLOOM
4 stars
Ema goes from being a woman cheated on by her boyfriend to having a scary guy try to kill her in an alley. Even though Ema escapes her life goes downhill from there. After being tracked down by scary guy Ema wakes up in Finland of all places. The worst part isn’t waking thousands of miles from home it’s being told she’s now a vampire. Ema can’t return to Chicago, her mother, or find closure with her ex-lover,Anthony. What does she do now?
Ema Marx is an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances, or so she believes. An encounter in an alley with a man trying to kill her precipitates changes. After her assailant hunts her down Ema wakes to find herself in a Finnish island castle. Ema is totally clueless about why she’s there and what she’s become. She’s no longer simply ordinary but is she the woman foretold millennia ago?
Much of Ema’s charm lies in the fact that even after turning she’s still herself. She slowly discovers her powers, makes mistakes often and needs a lot of practice. She’s a bit on the snarky side and never loses her wariness of those around her; however, she’s willing to take a leap of faith when she needs to. Last but not least, my favorite thing about Ema is that she doesn’t suddenly turn into Ms.Amazing Vampire. There’s no miraculous acquisition of kick ass abilities and talents by osmosis, thus allowing her to defeat the ancient bad guy. There’s a lot to appreciate and love about Ema.
Prince Jalmari ta Korento is the leader of the Neo-Draugrian clan. He’s also the scary guy in the alley. Ema is half Romani and Jalmari is duty bound to kill her per a decree handed down by his father centuries ago. When Jalmari senses Ema changing the waters get really murky, really fast. Jalmari is a villain but not completely. He’s complicated and easy to relate to. I couldn’t truly dislike him and felt for what he’s had to live with and sacrifice.
Leena is Jalmari’s lover and the one person Jalmari truly loves. It’s unfortunate she can never be his Queen. Leena in turn is devoted to Jalmari and loyal to the nth degree. Leena despises Ema and the threat she poses.
Jesu is Jalmai’s brother. Jesu is the seer. The circumstances around his birth and childhood have made him fundamentally different from Jalmari. Jesu is taken with Ema. He helps her discover her abilities and how to use them. Ema needs to be able to defend herself. The world is a dangerous place for her.
Naamah and Maria are Jalmari’s second and third in command. Maria lives in the castle and is very much a mother figure. Naamah lives in Helsinki and we only meet him near the end. They pledged fealty to Apollyon (one of his many names) Jalmari and Jesu’s father.
DARK HEIRLOOM reads old school yet fresh and reminds me why I was originally drawn to the paranormal/fantasy genre. Because the vampyres/vampires co-exist with humans there isn’t a lot of world building needed. Ms.Brown focuses on societal and historical building. From their origins to passing themselves off as gods or demi-gods to modern day Ms.Brown blends the biblical, historical, mythological and even scientific into a convincing origination story and past. The society created is complex with each clan having unique physical traits, abilities and territories. Ema is very much an anomaly and the repercussions of her turning will be felt throughout vampyric society. How exciting for us.
DARK HEIRLOOM is cohesive and doesn’t devolve into weird tangents, a big plus in my book. There is some mystery and ambiguity but nothing that leaves the reader frustrated or annoyed. Questions are left at the end but they lead naturally into the sequel.
Wonderful writing, plot, characters, and pacing make DARK HEIRLOOM easy to lose yourself in. I’m really looking forward to DARK LIAISONS, the second in the Ema Marx series.
A scream tore from my throat. The rapid slap of my sneakers against asphalt echoed through the alley. Wind ripped my hair and coat back as if trying to halt my escape. A chain link fence rose in the distance as I neared the end of the alley. Shit. I could have sworn this one opened to Clark Street.
Thud.
I froze. My heart pounded in my ears. Tears fell as I closed my eyes. Please, please, God…
His heinous laugh drowned out my ragged breath. Caught at a dead end, I had no choice but to turn and face him. He stood in the shadows, the darkness of his attire blended in with the night. Only the glow of his emerald-colored eyes gave him away.
Think, I shouted to myself. What does he want? My purse? My money? With a shaky hand, I pulled my wallet from my bag and flung it at him. He shifted his weight, dodging the wallet in one simple move. I stared like an idiot as it landed in the gutter behind him. Why is he chasing me if he doesn’t want my money? What else could he want?
He grinned, bearing a set of abnormally sharp, fluorescent-white teeth. Who the hell is this freak? He stepped toward me. My fists clenched as I stepped back. He took another step forward. My back pressed against the cold metal of the fence. Tears blurred my vision and fell as ice melted through the back of my coat. Chills rolled down my spine, sending a quiver to my lip. I swallowed the lump of panic building in my throat. “Leave me alone!”
He kept advancing, his eyes locked on my face, his gait slow with one foot in front of the other, like a cat. I shoved a trembling hand in my purse in search of my pepper spray. He snatched my wrist and yanked me to my knees. The contents of my purse spilled and scattered.
“What makes you think I want anything from you?” he sneered.
My chest heaved as I pushed myself up. From the corner of my eye, I glanced at the mouth of the alley, now behind me.
He scoffed. “You think you can run? Go ahead, mouse. Run.”
I did.
I was almost to the street when a thick shadow dropped from the sky. Two rock-solid fists shoved my chest. I fell backward. My head hit the pavement. Stars danced in the periphery of my vision as I struggled to sit up, but my limbs moved in slow motion.
Two hands, each finger adorned by a silver ring, gripped my shoulders and lifted me. My back hit something solid and cold—a brick wall. My feet dangled above the ground. He held me at eye level; his sour breath churned my stomach as his face inched closer to mine.
“I know what you’re thinking.” His voice was deep, smooth, as he rolled his R’s. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Nevertheless, once you kill one rat, you have to kill them all. Even a little mouse like yourself.”
My blood drained at the utterance of the word kill. I squirmed in his grasp. “Please, don’t hurt me.”
He clenched my jaw with one hand as his fingernails dug into my skin. I cried not from the pain, but from fear.
“Would you like to know a secret?” His hot breath caused bile to rise in my throat. “Only you disgusting rats can see our eyes glow. I’m sure you knew that already. I’m sure your mother told you the stories. I’ll bet you didn’t listen to her. I bet you thought they were just fairy tales and bad dreams, hmm?”
I had no idea what he was talking about. I concentrated on finding a way out of his grip, hoping his guard would slip while he continued his monologue.
“You know, when you find one rat, there are a dozen more in the nest.” He tightened his grasp. “Where’s your rathole, eh little mouse?”
“Let me go!” Pain manifested in every inch of my face. My jaw throbbed and my head spun. A stiff ache cut through my spine. Fear and cold shook my core. Exhaustion weighed down my struggling limbs. I just wanted it to end.
He studied my face for a moment, a frown tugged at his lips. “Very well.”
He released my jaw then reached back under his jacket. The sound of sharp metal being unsheathed pierced the night as he drew out a long silver dagger. My eyes widened at the emblems engraved on every inch of the blade and handle. I recognized them as Norse in origin. I also recognized the precise way in which he held the dagger level with my left rib cage. He’s going to stab me in the heart.
J.D is giving away an ecopy of either Dark Heirloom or Dark Liaison, winners choice. I’m kinda curious as to which y’all prefer, paranormal romance, urban fantasy or a bit of both? Giveaway ends @ 12am est June 10th, 2013. Winner announced shortly thereafter.
Author Bio: J.D. Brown writes Urban Fantasy for MuseItUp Publishing, as well as a monthly “how-to” newsletter column for PDMI Freelance Publishing. She graduated from The International Academy of Design and Technology with a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts and currently lives in Wisconsin with her two Pomeranians. J.D. loves paranormal characters; from vampires and werewolves, demons and angels, to witches and ghost. She is a self-proclaimed expert in vampire and Greek mythology. Her writings are often a combination of suspense and romance. J.D. enjoys helping her fellow writers and interacting with her fans and leads an active life on the web.
Testament sounds interesting….
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