“In the Double Agent’s Service” New from Annie Douglass Lima!

In the Double Agent’s Service

A fantasy novel by Annie Douglass Lima

Book Description:

Erik would give his life to protect King Jaymin. However, when an old enemy shows up with new schemes, that may not be enough.

Anya longs to be noticed by the king’s handsome bodyguard. But as she finally gains Erik’s attention, the notorious spy and double agent Dannel blackmails her into fulfilling a favor she has owed him for years. Anya is forced into a terrible choice: save Erik’s life, or protect her homeland.

Can Erik and Anya thwart an assassin and prevent a war before Dannel destroys everything that matters to them and to the kingdom?

In the Double Agent’s Service is the final book in the Annals of Alasia. Here’s a glimpse of the rest of the series!

Prince of Alasia (just 99 cents through June 14th!)

An orphaned prince and his young bodyguard must disguise themselves and go into hiding after the kingdom of Alasia is overrun by invaders.  Can Prince Jaymin save his kingdom – and himself?

In the Enemy’s Service (just 99 cents through June 14th!)

Enslaved by invaders, Anya spies on the enemy to help her captive people – but when her own father is implicated in the betrayal that led to the Invasion, can she save him?

Prince of Malorn (FREE through June 11th!)

Can Prince Korram recruit an army from among the elusive Mountain Folk and claim his rightful throne before power-hungry Regent Rampus crushes them all?

The Nameless Soldier (just 99 cents through June 14th!)

The lone survivor of a brutal attack, can teen warrior Tarvic reclaim his honor and find a way to fight for his crippled kingdom under enemy occupation?

King of Malorn (just 99 cents through June 14th!)

Pursued by assassins, can Princess Kalendria help her brother reclaim his throne and prevent a war – and catch the handsome neighboring king’s attention while she’s at it?

Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews (available for FREE here!)

An orphaned prince. A devious double agent. A well-meaning merchant who may have just doomed his kingdom. Meet the citizens of Alasia and Malorn and prepare to be drawn into a tangled web of war and intrigue.

With the first six books ALL free or discounted, this is the perfect time to grab the whole series! Click here to see the Annals of Alasia series on Amazon.

Meanwhile, here is the first scene from In the Double Agent’s Service!

Pain.

Cold.

The smell of dry dirt.

A hard, gritty surface beneath his cheek.

Erik mentally catalogued the sensations in order of their intensity. He opened his eyes, blinked, and added another to the list.

Darkness.

Where am I? He struggled to sit up, and his pulse spiked at the realization that he couldn’t use his hands or feet. His ankles were bound together, and his wrists were tied behind his back.

What’s going on? Erik forced himself to a sitting position, noting the dirt floor beneath him, a rough wall at his back. Brushing his fingers over what he could reach of it, he discovered that the wall seemed to be made of the same hard-packed earth as the floor.

Am I underground? Though not completely smooth, the surfaces were too flat to be natural. Not a cave, then, but perhaps a cellar of some sort.

Or a cell.

He held his breath, straining his ears for any sound in the darkness. “Hello?” he whispered.

There was no response.

“Hello?” he said, a little louder. The acoustics hinted that he was in a small room. His head, already sore, throbbed anew at the sound of his own voice.

Erik leaned against the wall behind him, trying to keep calm. What happened? And where’s Jaymin? 

Jaymin. Erik’s pulse started racing again. Had something happened to Jaymin?

Calm down, he ordered himself. He couldn’t afford to give in to panic. Instead, he would investigate his surroundings. Perhaps Jaymin was lying unconscious nearby.

Erik struggled to his feet and promptly smacked his head on a low ceiling. Dropping to his knees with a grunt of pain, he drew in a deep breath while a wave of dizziness rolled over him. When it passed, he shifted to a sitting position, bound legs in front of him. Moving slowly because every movement set his head throbbing, he began to crawl crab-like on his backside, feet, and hands. Keeping one shoulder against the wall, he scooted forward.

It didn’t take long to discover he was in a circular room, the walls curving back around toward where he had started. After eight steps, if he could call them that, his toes bumped something hard. Feeling with his feet, he discovered a stair in front of him, perhaps eight inches high. Shifting his weight, he leaned forward and took a little crouching jump into it. Another stair lay above it, and another. When he jumped onto the third stair, he winced as his injured head bumped the ceiling again.

Craning his neck and brushing an uninjured part of his forehead lightly back and forth against it, Erik discovered that the ceiling was made of wooden boards. Ducking lower with every hop so as not to bump it again, he made his way up the rest of the stairs until they ended at the wall. Twisting around, he hunched over awkwardly and ran his elbow back and forth across the low ceiling. As he had expected, a rectangular trapdoor lay just above him. He could feel the seams where its edges didn’t quite meet the surrounding boards. The hinges must be on the other side, but he thought he could detect a keyhole at one end. Nothing happened when he pushed up against the door with one shoulder, not that he had expected it to open for him.

Descending the steps again, Erik felt his way around the rest of the room. Eleven shuffling steps took him all the way around its circumference and back to the stairs. Criss-crossing the middle several times, he discovered it was completely empty.

If Jaymin wasn’t in here, where was he? Erik sat down and leaned against the wall, his head pounding from the exertion. Bending to brush it gently against his raised knees, he could feel a lump on his right temple. In addition, his upper lip was swollen and tasted like blood. It felt as though he had some bruises on his arms and torso, as well.

Erik closed his eyes — not that it made any difference in the complete darkness that surrounded him — and strained to recall what had happened. Had he and Jaymin been on a trip? He thought he remembered something about embarking on a journey. Where were they going? Was there an ambush? What happened to the palace guards who always accompanied the royal carriage?

Surely Jaymin couldn’t be dead. No one would kill the king but take his bodyguard captive. Would they?

And why would anyone take a bodyguard captive in the first place?

Click here to grab your copy of In the Double Agent’s Service.

Click here to see the Annals of Alasia series on Amazon.

About the Author

Annie Douglass Lima considers herself fortunate to have traveled in twenty different countries and lived in four of them. A fifth-grade teacher in her “other” life, she loves reading to her students and sparking their imaginations. Her books include science fiction, fantasy, YA action and adventure novels, a puppet script, anthologies of her students’ poetry, Bible verse coloring and activity books, and a fantasy-themed cookbook. When she isn’t teaching or writing, Annie can often be found sipping spiced chai or pomegranate green tea in exotic locations, some of which exist in this world.

 

“The Ghost Within”: Series Conclusion Features a Maelstrom of Supernatural Characters

This story is the conclusion to a trilogy that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Klass has the ability to create such engaging characters that they seem not only real, but as if you know them personally. Her plots are loaded with twists and turns, her ability to build suspense exceptional.

Before reading this story, however, I highly recommend reading the first two episodes of the “Bloodseekers” series, i.e. “The Vampires Next Door”, and  “The Monster Upstairs.” (Links take you to my reviews.) While those two stories stand alone, the various characters introduced in those two all show up in this one, making it easier to follow the individuals involved as well as the story’s context. Without reading the other books, it could be difficult to keep up with all of the characters, their respective talents, and their relationships with each other. I suggest looking upon the trilogy as a single book, best read one after the other. Hopefully soon they’ll be a boxed set, making that even easier.

As the series progresses, you meet each Slayer, each possessing a specific talent that’s amplified by an amulet handed down from an ancestor. Each character goes through a transformation as they discover their talent, its companion amulet, and ultimately connect with the others. They depend on each other for their respective abilities, whether it’s teleporting, telepathy, remote viewing, prescience, or empathy, to name a few, plus there’s a synergistic quality to their combined energies which gives them the power required to fulfill their combined mission to destroy the Seekers.

One clever twist besides the fascinating background of the characters is the fact the stories all take place in St. Augustine, Florida, one of the oldest cities in the USA, which has an interesting history. The author includes snippets of the city’s historical background in the context of the tale, even providing photographs of various sites where certain fictitious scenes allegedly took place. This story and St. Augustine are so deeply intertwined it’s hard to imagine it taking place anywhere else.

Each of the three books includes plot details and characters that enrich the tale, piece by piece, eventually evolving into a complex interaction of characters, cultures, and supernatural circumstances from which they derived. Not only are there the slayers and bloodseekers, but witches, both light and dark, shifters, boggarts, ghosts, humanoids known as the Begotten, and numerous other interesting creatures that create a supernatural maelstrom of competing magic that any paranormal fan will thoroughly enjoy. I particularly loved the felidavian, a giant flying cat, whose backstory would make a great addition to the series, should the author decide to pursue it.

This episode delivers the final Slayer as well as the inevitable confrontation between the Slayers, Seekers, and various other supernatural creatures leading to an unexpected and startling conclusion.  Don’t miss it!

You can pick up your copies of this clever series on Amazon at the following links:

The Vampires Next Door (Bloodseekers #1)

The Monster Upstairs (Bloodseekers #2)

The Ghost Within (Bloodseekers #3)

NEW YA FANTASY RELEASE from Annie Douglass Lima!

The Nameless Soldier is book 4 in the Annals of Alasia young adult fantasy series. Haven’t read all (or any) of the others? That’s okay! The books can be read in any order, and each one can stand on its own.

Description:

What do you do when you’re the only survivor?

Nineteen-year-old Tarvic bears the name of a mighty hero from Alasia’s past. However, the young soldier feels anything but heroic when he regains consciousness to find himself the lone survivor of a brutal attack by invaders from the neighboring kingdom.

Forced to leave his identity behind, Tarvic is thrust into civilian life in the role of protector to three war orphans. When the four of them encounter a mysterious stranger, he must choose between keeping the young girls safe and taking on a mission that could help free his kingdom. Can Tarvic live up to his noble name and find a way to balance his duty and his dreams?

Where to Get a Copy:

Click here to buy the ebook or paperback from Amazon. (The ebook is $2.99 just $0.99 through June 6th!)

Not sure if you’ll like the story or not? Take a look at the first chapter and see!

The Nameless Soldier

Chapter One

Tarvic woke to the sound of a distant yell, abruptly silenced. He pushed his blankets aside and sat up, puzzled, but heard only the light patter of rain on the canvas. “What was that?”

Drevel, his roommate in the barracks and tentmate out on campaigns like this, stirred and rolled over. “What?”

“I heard something. Someone shouting.”

“It’s probably just another drill.” But Drevel sat up too, shoving his own blankets away, as Tarvic crawled over and untied the tent flap.

A blast of wintry air and raindrops greeted him as he leaned out, peering across the tent-studded hillside. Clouds hid the moon and stars, and on every side the thick dark of the forest leaned in from the edges of the large clearing. But the telltale flickering light of distant torches sent shadows leaping over tents and across the open spaces between them. Why would someone be using torches out here? Any soldier in camp had easy access to lanterns among the supplies.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Tarvic pulled back into the tent and yanked on his breeches and jacket.

They both heard the next yell, closer this time, and then the unmistakable clash of swords. Both men snatched up their own swords, jamming their feet into their boots and fumbling for shields. From all around them, shouts of alarm erupted as men in their company woke up.

And then the enemy was upon them. Horses exploded through the camp, trampling tents and the soldiers just crawling out of them. Riders leaned low off their mounts’ backs, swinging swords and waving torches.

Halfway out of his tent, Tarvic threw himself flat on his face to avoid a slash that would probably have decapitated him. He scrambled to his feet, only to be knocked off them again by a blow that he barely caught on his shield.

Light, shadows, horses, blades, rain. Chaos raged through the clearing to the sound of crashing metal, pounding hooves, shouts of challenge and desperation. Tarvic regained his feet and fought as best he could from the ground while enemy riders thundered around him. Dodging and ducking, he aimed for the men’s legs and tried to keep out from under their horses’ hooves. With no idea who he was fighting or why, his only goal to stay alive for the next heartbeat, he dodged and darted through the tumult looking for spots where horses and enemy swords weren’t. All around him, men fought and ran and crumpled to lie as limply as the trampled tents.

Slipping and stumbling in the mud, Tarvic felt a surge of satisfaction as his sword met flesh and an enemy yelled in pain. And then the man wheeled his horse and charged back toward him, and Tarvic turned to flee.

He tripped on something soft that groaned. Pain shot through Tarvic’s wrist as he caught his fall, and only a quick roll saved him from being trampled as the man’s horse cantered over him.

Its rider wheeled again, and Tarvic rose to his knees, barely raising his shield in time to protect his face. The force of the blow threw him backward, jarring his already sore wrist.

Another horse leaped over him, and Tarvic cried out in pain as a hoof struck him on the shoulder. He stumbled to his feet, ducking low to present as small a target as possible, and ran through the melee.

He saw fewer people on foot now, more obstacles in the mud. Was it cowardly to flee from a battle you couldn’t win? Nothing in Tarvic’s eight months in the military had prepared him for this. Not counting occasional minor border skirmishes, the kingdom of Alasia hadn’t seen an actual war in six generations. Besides routine patrols, city peacekeeping, and the frequent drills and training, the military’s primary duties involved escorting merchant wagons through robber-frequented stretches of rural highway and keeping an eye on the sections of coastline where seafaring raiders were known to attack. Tarvic had never fought in a battle that involved more than a handful of opponents at a time, and none of those opponents had been anywhere near this organized — or this deadly.

If we escape, we can regroup somewhere safer and — A hard blow to the back knocked him to the ground again as another horse pounded over him. Giving up all pretense of courage, Tarvic scrambled to his feet once more and fled for the edge of the clearing and the relative safety of the trees beyond. I can’t do anything here. They’re going to slaughter us all!

He was practically there when another rider appeared in front of him, leaning low with sword outstretched. Tarvic almost impaled himself on the blade, raising his shield just in time. He fought back frantically as the man slashed, swinging his weapon again and again. I need my horse! Military training had included nothing about how to fight a mounted enemy from the ground. But Lightning was tethered in the row of makeshift stalls on the far side of the camp, probably prancing restlessly under his blanket and wondering why his rider didn’t come to spur him into battle.

Tarvic didn’t even see the blow that almost killed him. His ears barely registered the thudding of more galloping hooves from behind, nearly drowned out by the rain and the sounds of battle. But the world exploded in light and pain as something struck the back of his head harder than anything had ever hit him before.

He lurched forward, feeling his sword drop from limp fingers. Managing two steps before his legs buckled, he was just conscious enough to recognize the urgent need to crawl. Don’t stop. Don’t stop. Don’t stop. Or they’ll kill you out here. That was the only thought left in his mind as he pulled himself toward the concealing shadows behind the line of tree trunks. And then even that faded, giving way to darkness.

---

Want to know what happens to Tarvic? Click here to purchase the book and find out!

 About the Author:

 Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published seventeen books (four YA action and adventure novels, five fantasies, a puppet script, six anthologies of her students’ poetry, and a Bible verse coloring and activity book). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

Connect with Annie:

Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com

Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads

Google+: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus

Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon

LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn

 

“Infection” is out! Another page-turner from Elle Klass

If you were left gasping by the ending of “Premonition,” then you’ll want to grab your copy right away of its sequel, “Infection,” latest of Elle Klass’ thrillers in the “Zombie Girl” series. While I’m not particularly enamored by zombies, I do enjoy and appreciate a good story, which the author never fails to produce. As always, her characters come to life before your eyes, the plot’s believable yet full of surprises, and the imagery gripping, to say nothing of plenty of breath-taking action.

In this episode Maddie finally meets Bryce, face-to-face, their first encounter in a shared dream you can read about in “Premonition.” After that, she sees him at the hospital where recognition strikes them both. They marvel that they’ve shared the same dream about the coming apocalypse and ponder its meaning. Were they supposed to somehow prevent it? Before long they find out it’s too late, it has already begun. Having been prepared by their premonition, they gather Maddie’s parents and her friend, Sarah, and head for their boat, picking up the neighbor’s cat and a strange and somewhat unstable but non-zombified man named Jack along the way.

The group heads toward Italy in her father’s sailboat, Earnest Earl. Maddie’s father, who has been failing since leaving the hospital following his accident in “Premonition”, appears to be turning into a zombie. Unable to accept the reality and dispose of him, Maddie and her mother tie up his unconscious and seemingly dead body with pantyhose, hoping they’ll be able to help keep him alive with love, encouragement, and some gentle physical therapy.

They proceed across the Atlantic, Bryce and Jack taking turns at the helm. For a while they have TV and radio reception, but before long, that, too, is lost, just in time for them to face a nasty storm in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. They survive and eventually reach Italy, where even Mother Nature is rebelling, resulting in more page-turning hazards and adventures I won’t spoil by revealing.

The best part of this vividly portrayed story and what makes it so convincing are the familiar daily activities the characters engage in while they deal with this crisis, albeit with a fair amount of luck. Personality clashes, disagreements, and simply surviving in a world that is falling apart make the story memorable and thought-provoking. Everything they do is well-motivated and it’s easy to picture yourself in a similar position, sometimes agreeing with their decisions and others advising “No! Don’t do it!” Yet it has a somewhat fantastic “Super Girl” feel which is fun, even if some elements stretch credibility. Maddie definitely has all the makings of an everyday girl turned “super heroine.”

I see zombies as an adept analogy for the “walking dead” among us, i.e. those who are so stuck on their daily treadmill that they fail to notice either the little joys in life or the effect their attitude is having on the deteriorating world around them. Their negativity attempts to pull everyone down to their level, even as they feed on those who still know what life is all about. If only it were as easy to get rid of these real-life figurative “zombies” as their fictitious counterparts.

That may sound a bit heavy and beyond the comprehension of most who indulge in the YA genre, but sometimes I can’t help philosophizing. All that aside, this story as well as its precursor make excellent beach reads or a grand escape into a world that will make your own seem like Utopia. Don’t miss it!

You can pick-up your copy here.

Guest Post from Author Elle Klass!

A little over a year ago I released Zombie Girl, a short story in the Once Upon a Zombietale Anthology. You can still buy the anthology and read the original story as well as all the other fabulous zombietales in the book.

 

Readers came to me after reading asking about the story which ends on a bit of a question. I write series so naturally leave a story open for possibilities but hadn’t planned on expanding it. 

 

Zombies were something I never really planned on writing about even though I’ve watched Dawn of the Dead, the Resident Evil movies and 28 Days Later series countless times. In fact all the movies are in my collection.

 

I’m not a stranger to zombie horror or the fun movies like Zombieland and Warm Bodies. In my own series, Zombie Girl, I incorporated both horror and silliness.

 

Premonition, the first book just released!

 

Buy Links:

 Amazon Kindle

Apple, Nook, Kobo, 24 Symbols, Inktera, Indigo 

Blurb: 

Maddie’s parents flip when they find out she’s failing science. That’s her worst problem until she wakes up and finds they’re zombies. Now she must escape them and her house. With nowhere else to go, and the keys to her parents’ sailboat, she makes her getaway. Finding Bryce was a fortunate circumstance and the two take on zombies and set sail for parts unknown.

Excerpt from Premonition

Annoyed and scared, I cranked the motor and pressed the gas
pedal to the floor. The car plowed forward, hitting the lead zombie. It
thumped, flew, and slid beneath the car. More zombies hit the car; body parts and blood covered the windshield.

I fumbled with the dash, depressing buttons, looking for the wipers. Once I found them and turned them on, they swiped away the blood, leaving streaks on the windshield. Stuck in the pasty, bloodied streaks were little black dots. I looked closer, squinting my eyes. They were lovebugs; horrible little insects rumored to be created in a lab at the University of Florida to control the mosquito population in the state. Twice a year, spring and fall, they marred every vehicle on the road and were a complete nuisance.

I was thinking science again! And the thoughts kept coming. The heart pumps blood throughout the body. Did the zombies’ hearts still work? Did I kill them?

Slamming on the brakes, I wanted to know. I turned the car around, hitting the side of a truck’s bumper as I did. I drove by slowly. The body parts were still moving, and a couple whole zombies struggled to get to their feet. So how do I kill them?

With the car running, I considered my options and owned up to my morbid curiosity about them. I rifled through the contents of my mom’s car. No weapons. Disappointed, but not stupid, I turned and ran over the zombies struggling to get up and turned around again, the car thumping over
their wriggling bodies and crunching away at their bones. I got back onto I-95 and headed towards the Marina.

Infection, the second book releases July 10! Pre-order it now. The .99 price tag won’t last.

Buy Links:

Amazon Kindle

Apple, Nook, Kobo, 24 Symbols, Indigo, Angus & Robertson

Blurb:

When Maddie and Bryce touch, she knows her zombie dream wasn’t simply a dream but a premonition. It’s up to her and Bryce to save the world from the doomsday sickness that will kill everyone – in a manner of speaking. They soon learn the zombies aren’t the only horrors that await them in the new fight-or-die world. They battle by each other’s side as the infection spreads globally.

Excerpt from “Infection”

Bryce and my father were in trouble. I had to do something, so I grabbed the gun, twisted in my seat, and brought it to my face. I’d never shot a gun other than in video games, but I’d seen tons of movies. It couldn’t be that difficult. I clicked the lever thing on the topside of the gun. I knew that was the safety.

“Maddie, your father can handle him” she said, her voice quaking. I imagined her wringing her hands together like a dishrag.

From the corner of my eye, I watched Sarah lift her eyes off the cat and stare towards me. I met her gaze and she nodded her approval then mouthed, Be careful.

The men drew closer to the boat with each second I wasted. I pushed the door open, snuck around the side and observed my surroundings. I felt like a hunter in the wild carrying the big shotgun, but acted more like a detective on a cheesy cop show. As I moved around the van, I spotted a crate identical to the one where I found Bryce in my… our dream.

I scurried towards it, doing my best to step over and around the large puddles so as not to make splashing noises that would catch the creepy bald man’s attention. Upon reaching it, I crouched. Placing my back against the wet wooden side, I slid around it and onto my knees and peeked out.

Bryce and my father stepped onto the boat, I used the man’s shining head as a guiding light. He was still behind them. Taking a deep breath, I moved back around the side and out of their view. The nose of the shotgun rose over the top as I held it straight and fired. Its recoil hit my upper thigh and I screamed as I doubled over, the gun hitting the ground. My leg throbbed and I knew I’d have a nasty bruise.

Disclaimer:

Both stories end with a tad of a cliffhanger.

 

I Don’t Love Zombies but Loved this Story

I’m not a big zombie fan in that I’ve never been drawn to shows like “The Walking Dead” and so forth. I’m prone to look upon zombies and vampires as analogies. To me, zombies represent those around us who simply go from day to day in a daze, missing what’s really going on around them, lacking joy and enthusiasm, and trashing those around them who have a life. Vampires are even more obvious, being the bloodsuckers that expect others to take care of them emotionally or financially. Since I’m not amused or entertained by such individuals, I’m likewise not usually attracted to such stories.

However, as a writer myself I enjoy a well-crafted story, regardless of genre. I especially enjoy award winning author, Elle Klass’, tales because they’re populated with well-developed, intelligent, gutsy, and engaging characters while her plots are original and full of surprises. Thus, for her books I’ll always make an exception. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her “Bloodseeker” stories and now Zombie Girl because they’re well-written with lots of action involving memorable, believable characters as well as surprising and often intricate plot twists.  A dose of Elle’s creative genius is the ultimate prescription to escape the figurative zombies and vampires in your own life.

I recently finished “Premonition” where the heroine, Maddie, is in trouble with her parents because she’s flunking science. Pressured to improve her grade, she reluctantly agrees to study more diligently. That night she experiences a vivid dream in which her parents have turned into zombies, so she flees her home. She meets a boy named Bryce, the two of them battling zombies, trying to survive.  When she wakes up to a normal Saturday morning, she realizes it was only a dream, yet remains troubled. Not only was the dream itself far too real, a physical object Bryce gave her in the dream is still in her possession.

Huh? How could it be?

This physical evidence tells her for certain it was more than a dream–it was a warning. Nonetheless, months pass, and everything seems normal. Until another vestige from the dream becomes reality.

Elle knows how to build nail-biting suspense and “Premonition” is no exception. The story is relatively short, but sets the stage for what you know is going to be an exciting adventure with a generous sprinkling of dark humor. Fortunately, the sequel, “Infection,” is coming soon.  Preorder now so you don’t miss it when it comes out in July!

Pick up your copy of “Premonition” here.

Preorder “Infection” here.

“This website may contain affiliate links which means if you click on a link and ultimately invest in something, that I may get a commission. If the item is one of my own books, that should be intuitively obvious.”

Review of Elle Klass’ “The Vampires Next Door”

This fast-moving tale is populated with engaging characters whom you feel you know personally as this intriguing story unfolds. Freshly transplanted to St. Augustine, Florida, Alison is a shy teenager with the usual insecurities inherent to her age who lives with her recently divorced mother. The two of them reside in an apartment where Alison engages in some people-watching, particularly Rodham, whom she has the hots for, as well as a bunch of young women who occupy the apartment next door. These particular neighbors are given to loud, boisterous partying into the wee hours of the night while her mother, a shift nurse at a local hospital, is typically gone. Of course the title of this story serves as a spoiler as to who and what those nuisance neighbors actually are.

Much to Alison’s horrified delight, Rodham introduces himself and the pair begin a warm friendship moving toward a cozy romance as they investigate exactly what’s going on with these weird neighbors. A variety of surprises and plot twists quickly ensue, presented in Elle Klass’ outstanding, character-driven style with which she’s developed a unique vampire culture known as Bloodseekers with whom an eternal war wages with their mortal enemy, the Slayers. Skillfully woven into the history of the USA’s oldest European-established, continuously occupied settlement, you’ll find a liberal dose of paranormal phenomena intermingled with magic that will satisfy Harry Potter as well as other fantasy fans. You’ll have to read this exciting tale to find out where the young hero and heroine fit into this fascinating tale, but rest assured you won’t be disappointed.

Even better, since you’re bound to fall in love with Alison and Rodham, this is the first volume of a trilogy which promises further exciting adventures. While this story contains plenty of action and intrigue, it’s well within the PG range and thus suitable for adolescents and teenagers. It gets creepy and a little scary, but not terrifying, just exciting. The author’s former life as a junior high school teacher comes through beautifully in her understanding of teen motivation, behavior and emotions. Nonetheless, the book contains enough substance, character development and plot twists to satisfy readers of all ages. I’m not a big vampire fan myself, yet thoroughly enjoyed this suspense-laden tale by this up and coming multi-genre author.

You can pick up your copy on Amazon here.

A Beautifully Rendered Novel that Operates on Multiple Levels: Papala Skies by Stephen Geez

I’ve always wanted to visit Hawaii and I must say this book was like having a personalized grand tour. The descriptions were vivid and conjured up outstanding imagery that virtually took you there, the prose as refreshing as a frozen pina colada on a hot afternoon. Don’t let the somewhat enigmatic title and cover fool you. This story was beautifully rendered as implied, but it comprises far more than lush tropical scenery.  Thus I can easily grant it 5-stars.

This complex and compelling story is as unique as its setting. While it has numerous elements of a coming of age story and dealing with tragedy, it went much deeper and at times much darker. The main character, Rochelle, has a troubling secret which she’s carried since she was thirteen when her mother died. She blames herself for her mother’s death, something children are prone to do whether justified or not when there’s a divorce, illness or other trouble that descends upon a family. While some teens might turn to drugs or alcohol, Rochelle instead becomes an over-achiever.

Many cultures and locales come into play in this multi-faceted novel. Her deceased mother is from France, which she longs to visit; she lives in Chicago, which she loves; and her father’s business interests are centered in Hilo, Hawaii. After her mother’s death her father brings her to Hawaii where she’s introduced to her soon to be Hawaiian step-mother, Lalani, and her children, one her natural-born son, Pocamea, and another blond boy, Mikalu, from San Diego who was abandoned to Lalani’s care by his father when his mother died giving birth to him. These kids live with Lalani’s father in an ancient stone house occupied by their ancestors for centuries. Running water is provided by a stream beset with waterfalls, the beach is within view below an inviting cliff with the orange glow of a volcano completing the picture. But the tropical, idyllic beauty is not without its shadows.

Native burial traditions by which the children of the land are returned to Pele are described in fascinating detail as their earthly remains are taken into the bowels of the land referred to as lava tubes. Rochelle, while so much an ambitious city girl, bonds with her step-brothers and falls in love with Coulee Makai as their homestead is called. But just as one major story element is resolved and you think the story is about to end, a swell of intrigue bursts upon the scene like a tsunami, pushing the story in an entirely different direction. Even in this primitive, idyllic land there are those who conspire to destroy it through development and commercialization through whatever means necessary. Death and crippling diseases fall upon some of the characters, Rochelle at the center where her loyalties are put on virtual trial in such a way that her life is on the line when she chooses sides.

Far more is confronted in this brilliant novel than the challenge of overcoming the death of a loved one, the complexities of family loyalty, or friendships stronger than blood ties. There is a well-sustained sense of mystery throughout as Rochelle’s life unfolds amid an initially alien culture of which she gradually becomes a part, driving choices which eventually deliver her to the last place she expected to be. Not only are the characters real but their lives and interactions as well. The level of detail makes you feel as if you know these individuals personally. You cry when they pass on and and will miss the others as you would a close friend when the story ends.

The one thing I found a bit disconcerting at first was how in the first third or so of the story it kept jumping back and forth between when Rochelle was in her teens to when she was a young college graduate from MIT with an engineering degree. Eventually, however, it all fit together like a Chinese puzzle, somehow “working” very effectively in a literary sense by creating a sense of depth reminiscent of how one might remember parts of his or her life as they had relevance, which rendered an entirely different texture than if the story had proceeded in linear fashion chronologically.

This story was chock full of themes, subplots, human nature and complicated relationships that bordered on being epic or perhaps one huge chunk of a family saga. The ending was satisfying enough to serve as a conclusion but there’s a tremendous amount of material begging for prequels and delving into the backgrounds of the different characters. I highly recommend this story as a great read to anyone looking for an intriguing, well-written story that will undoubtedly take you places you’ve never been before, even if you’ve been to Hawaii.

You can pick up a copy on Amazon here.

KYRA DUNE, Prolific Fantasy Author Whose Books are Sure to Please

Kyra Dune never lost the imagination she had as a child, perhaps because that is when she started writing. Her focus is on fantasy, some for adults and some for young adults. I just finished reading “Web of Light” and found it entirely delightful. Her mix of races include flyers, blood witches, humans and the Gari-Za which are all distinct, well-developed and credible, their world’s tenuous peace hanging on by a thread that depends on the next generation to sustain. Her writing style is strong, smooth and saturated with suspense. These are books you’ll want to finish in one sitting and be sure to have the next one handy if it’s part of a series. Kyra has just released her latest novel, “The Dragon Within” which is now available at the links at the bottom of the interview.

MF: To say that you’re a prolific writer is certainly an understatement and I assume you started when you were quite young. How old were you when you decided that you wanted to be an author?
KD: I was nine years old. I wrote my first book in school, in-between class assignments.

MF: Your Amazon author profile mentions that you traveled a lot with your family. What were some of the places you visited and which of those was your favorite?
KD: We traveled the entire lower half of the United States, from Arizona to Florida all the way up to Kansas. We lived on the road, kind of like gypsies I guess you could say. My favorite place is Gulf Shores Alabama. I love the beach there in the winter time when there’s no one around but the seagulls. When there’s a storm rolling in over the water and everything is gray and cool and all you can hear is the crash of the waves, it’s like being in another world.

MF: What impact did extensive travel have on your writing?
KD: It’s amazing how many real world places make excellent backgrounds for fantasy novels. Travelling so much, getting a chance to see how diverse this country can be, has definitely influenced my writing. Inspiration can strike in the strangest of places.

MF: Was there any particular book or author whom you feel had the most influence on your work?
KD: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman were the authors of the original books in the Dragonlance Series. When I first read their books I’d already been writing for awhile, but they really drew me into writing in the fantasy genre and fanned the flames of my fascination with dragons.

MF: What do you love the most about writing for Young Adults?
KD: The characters. Somehow, writing from a teen’s perspective flows more naturally to me than an adult’s.

MF: Which part of the creative process is your favorite? Least favorite?
KD: That first spark, when an idea appears out of nowhere and demands you write it down. It’s so fun to discover new characters and watch to see how they’ll twist and turn the story. That’s the best feeling. Rewriting is much harder, because, for me at least, the first draft just kind of rolls out. It’s messy and sometimes contradicts itself. Cleaning it up and turning it into a cohesive story often involves deleting scenes I enjoyed writing and sometimes even getting rid of characters. Nothing is harder than having to completely abandon a character after you’ve gotten to know them.

MF: How long does it usually take you to write one of your stories from when you get the idea to when it’s finished?
KD: I get a lot of ideas and each one goes into my file folder until I’m ready to start a new book, so it can vary. I have ideas in my folder that have been there for years, but have yet to really call out to me that their story is ready to be told. But from when I first start a story I average about ten months to complete it.

MF: I know that most authors love all their characters but which of your many “children” is your favorite and why?
KD: Zazere from my Firebrand Trilogy is my favorite. He’s a dark and mysterious mage who can read minds and has a bit of a sarcastic side. His character was heavily influenced by my favorite character of all time, Raistlin Majere from The Dragonlance Series.

MF: Do you ever plan to branch out into other genres other than young adult fantasy?
KD: Actually, some of my novels are adult fantasy. Flight Of Dragons, Time of Shadows Series, and Crossfire Duology are all adult. I have a few science fiction and horror ideas in my folder, but for the time being fantasy is what calls to me most strongly.

MF: How do you feel your writing has evolved since your first novel?
KD: I’ve gotten braver with my writing, especially in the area of romance. Though none of my books contain anything explicit, I find myself more at ease with writing kissing scenes and scenes where it’s obvious the characters are going to make love. But I always pull the curtain down before things get heated. All my work is PG 13, at least in that area. Cursing also used to be a problem for me, but I recently wrote two novels which required stronger language than I normally use. I’m learning to stop listening to fear so my stories can speak true.

CONNECT WITH KYRA
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Kyra-Dune/e/B00A5WOHGQ/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/kyradune
WEBSITE: http://kyradune.weebly.com/
TWITTER: @kyradune
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kyra-Dune/136273741952?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark
BLOG: http://theshadowportal.blogspot.com/
GOOGLE+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115323878447248304389

BOOK LINKS
Crossfire (Crossfire Duology Book one) (Adult Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Crossfire-Duology-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00IT3CX3W/
Firestorm (Crossfire Duology Book Two) (Adult Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Firestorm-Sequel-Crossfire-Duology-Book-ebook/dp/B00JPEARI2/
Firebrand (Firebrand Trilogy Book One) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Firebrand-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00DV4XV26/
Ten Kingdoms (Firebrand Trilogy Book Two) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Kingdoms-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00DZ5MFN2/
Dragons of War (Firebrand Trilogy Book Three) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Dragons-War-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00KYWBYC2/
Dragonstar (DragonStar Duology Book One) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Dragonstar-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00EPQT0DI/
The Black Mountain (DragonStar Duology Book Two) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00M1ZZ6PG/
Flight of Dragons (Adult Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Dragons-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B005TLF0T6/
Web of Light (Web of Light Duology Book One) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Web-Light-Duology-Book-ebook/dp/B00FV5TB4A/
Dark Light (Web of Light Duology Book Two) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Light-Web-Duology-Book-ebook/dp/B00H0FJATU/
Elfblood (Elfblood Trilogy Book One) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Elfblood-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B008GHMQVU/
The Silver Catacombs (Elfblood Trilogy Book 2) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Catacombs-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00BAH3V5I/
City of Magic (Elfblood Trilogy Book 3) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/City-Magic-Elfblood-Book-3-ebook/dp/B00ECFGBDE/
Ten Weird Tales of Magic and Wonder (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/10-Weird-Tales-Magic-Wonder-ebook/dp/B00FKBSXAI/
Shadow of the Dragon (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Dragon-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00AMVNTI2/
Shadow Born (Time of Shadows Book One) (Adult Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Born-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B007VT613S/
Shadow Prince (Time of Shadows Book Two) (Adult Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Prince-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00CXTJXWW/
Shadow King (Time of Shadows Book Three) (Adult Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-King-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00H8AWPQ2/
The Dragon Within (NEW) (YA Fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Within-Book-Kyra-Dune-ebook/dp/B00MOHFFYI/

Interview with Elle Klass, Author of the “Baby Girl” Series

Elle Klass is the author of the popular “Baby Girl” series of short stories which chronicle the quest of Cleo, a girl abandoned at a young age, who’s in search of her true identity, literally and figuratively. Her adventures span the globe and take the reader along for a wild ride filled with increasing mystery and intrigue as the story progresses. Elle’s characters are believable and engaging with Cleo’s growing maturity and self-identity slowly emerging with each exciting episode. The third installment, “Baby Girl 3: City by the Bay” is being released for Kindle today, July 15, 2014, with its precursors also on sale so this is your chance to grab all three.

MF: Where did your idea for the Baby Girl series originate?

EK: I was on summer break from work and had an itch to write. The story formulated itself and the characters evolved as I wrote. I get all kinds of ideas in my head for absolutely no reason and write them down. I have tons of rough drafts awaiting revival so they can become full fledged novels.

MF: The Baby Girl series has grown in suspense and complexity with each episode and gathered considerable momentum through its many interesting twists and turns. Has the story evolved as you’ve written it or did you know from the beginning where it was going?

EK: When I first wrote it all I had was a very rough draft that I put on a shelf for several years. I dusted it off last fall and began reworking it. I decided to publish it in short stories form because it seemed more time efficient to break it down. Each segment has grown by 5,000 to 10,000 words from my original draft. Each short has taken on a life of its own as well as my characters. Reworking the draft I knew how the story ended. When I first began the story all I had mentally was a beginning and an end. It was how she got from point A to point B that surprised me.

MF: Besides Cleo/Justine/Shanna i.e., her various pseudonyms, who is your favorite character and why?

EK: Cleo, she is and always will be Cleo even though she hides out and disguises herself. I had the most fun with Cleo-Shanna. In book 3 she finally comes into her own on her own. She realizes she is an adult and her life is hers to direct. She does a lot of growing up and finally finds a place in her life that works for her. She wants the mystery of her birth resolved and plunges forward. In book 3 she also makes friends that she keeps. Until this book the only friend she ever kept was James. She has attachment issues but I guess most of us would if we had been abandoned at a young age and had someone stalking us .

MF: Will Baby Girl 3 complete the story with Cleo finally discovering who she really is or will it be an ongoing series?

EK: In Baby Girl 3 she doesn’t find all the answers. She does fit a lot of the pieces together. The rest of them come together in Baby Girl 4 when she discovers the secrets she’s been searching for. I don’t want to give away too much. The story is ongoing and this November I will be finishing Baby Girl 4 and the sequel to it. The sequel is about half done. What I can say is another mystery blasts her in the face and she has to rescue La Tige from a ghost of her past.

MF: As a teacher of junior high age youth and an author, what advice would you give parents who have a child with an interest or talent for writing?

EK: Let them write, read their work, encourage them. I have students who bring me their stories to read and ask about how to publish a book. I critique their work and have found some very talented youths that I hope pursue their creative writing talents. Junior high students aren’t as autonomous as they like to display. They seek encouragement and support from adults with their interests. I would also recommend checking out the public library. Sometimes they have workshops and writing groups that meet.

MF: What is your favorite part of the creative process?

EK: Free writing! That’s how all my stories start. I have a rough idea in my head that materializes. Once I start writing the words flow, creating more than I expect. Free writing allows the monsters, goblins and frightened little girls to rise to the surface. Equally as entertaining is taking the free write-rough draft and further developing the characters. I love each one even the lowdown- evil ones.

CONNECT WITH ELLE:

Amazon author page- http://www.amazon.com/Elle-Klass/e/B00F2Y48C0/
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Blog- https://thetroubledoyster.blogspot.com
Website- https://elleklass.weebly.com
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/ElleKlass
Twitter handle- @elleklass
Tumblr- http://elleklass.tumblr.com

BOOK LINKS

Baby Girl 1: In the Beginning
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Girl-Book-1-Beginning-ebook/dp/B00GYP1DXS/

Baby Girl 2: Moonlighting in Paris
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Girl-Book-Moonlighting-Paris-ebook/dp/B00IX5SSZS/

Baby Girl 3: City by the Bay
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT5VSQU