Cerulean Dreams Blog Tour Post

Welcome to the fourth day of the Cerulean Dreams blog tour! This tour runs all the way through July 24th and features excerpts, new author interviews each day, and a video blog by the author. But first, here is the obligatory blurb about the novel to settle you into this dystopian world:

Orion, the last city of men. Deep within the desert, a secret lay waiting. Young women found dead in the street. A corporation that controls the sleep of a populace that never sees the light of day. Alexander Marlowe seeks to unravel the mysteries of Orion as he helps a young girl, Dana, flee the city. The closer they come to the truth, the greater the danger that hunts them. Follow them as they search beyond the boundaries of everything they have ever known for answers. 

~ AUTHOR INTERVIEW ~

Do you ever experience writer’s block? 

From a behavior analysis point of view, I simply remove the antecedent. This is a fancy way of saying I eliminate the possibility of experiencing writer’s block by always having multiple projects to work on, whether it is a another piece of short fiction, a consultation job, blogging, etc.

Do you work with an outline, or just write? 

A little of both. I find a living outline to be very useful for the way I write. I will have important ideas and plot points that I want to make sure find a place within the book, but I often deviate as my imagination takes over. 

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

Herbert, Hugo, and Hemmingway probably had the most direct influence on types of books I like to write, as well as my attitude toward writing in general. Orwell and Bradbury helped to cultivate a love of dystopian science fiction and Lovecraft, as well as King, helped to foster a love of all things horror.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published? 

My first book was a space opera that I went the traditional route with. I queried agents and publishers in the early 2000s, right before the vanity press boom that claimed the careers of many writers. It was a relatively lukewarm experience that I am not particularly interested in re-visiting. Needless to say, it was an important learning experience.

~ AN EXCERPT ~

Chapter IV

The doors opened without incident. The lobby looked far more alive than Cedars Tower. Tenants bustled about. Their voices rose, talking about this and that. About Marlowe no doubt, if his paranoid mind had its way. 

The pair seemed conspicuous immediately. 

Their clothes were dirtied. Their faces were pensive, watchful as they scanned the crowd gathered in the lobby. For a moment, Marlowe could swear that they stopped and looked at him collectively, each of them thinking the same thing: that’s him.

There he is: criminal, terrorist. 

“Monsieur,” called the manager. His bristling walk and crimson suit were both polished. 

Marlowe looked at him, his face haggard. “What?”

The manager was apprehensive, his hands clenching and posture stiffening. Undoubtedly, Marlowe had answered harsher than the man had anticipated. “We are very much abuzz here, monsieur. There have been OrionCorps all about.”

A pencil-thin moustache and placid features were set upon an unscrupulous face. Marlowe looked at him for a long moment, uncertain if he was more repulsive than the strange transient apparitions that beleaguered him. 

“Right, OrionCorps,” said Marlowe dreamily. Dana nudged him hard, giving Marlowe a hard stare. The manager followed her gaze back to the rough mug of Marlowe. “OrionCorps, exactly. I’m Lieutenant Gales,” he started, flashing the badge he had taken from the lieutenant upstairs. He felt a fog lift from his mind for a moment. “I was in pursuit of the suspect. He is in the building.”

The manager looked shocked. 

“This building, monsieur?”

Marlowe felt strange, he walked the line between wanting to laugh hysterically at the little man or smack him across the room. He settled on maintaining the lawful air. “Precisely, I was in pursuit of the suspect,” said Marlowe and then looking at Dana, he grabbed her roughly. “Then I noticed that he had accosted this young girl here and I stopped to help her. I didn’t see where he went.”

The manager looked concerned. He grabbed her hand lightly as he spoke. “I am so sorry, madam. That must have been harrowing for you.”

Dana glanced at Marlowe and then nodded slowly. 

“Frightening.”

Marlowe cleared his throat, adjusting his weapon. “I am going to bring this girl in, but I have instructed OrionCorps that the suspect is in this building. You can confirm this when they arrive. Tell them Lieutenant Gales has brought a witness back to headquarters. Can you do that for me, sir?”

The manager nodded, almost gleefully. He was enthralled to be of assistance. “Of course monsieur, it would be my pleasure. Suspect in building. Lieutenant Gales took a female witness downtown. Understood, monsieur.”

Marlowe smiled and moved Dana forward, not bothering to turn around to watch the manager. He could hear the little man delegating to bellhops and other tower staff to search the area and assume security precautions. 

As they moved through the gathered crowd, Marlowe was sure not to nudge anyone too hard or draw attention. Marlowe reminded himself that it was nothing short of a miracle that the manager had not realized who he was. 

As they pushed through the ornate double doors of the plaza, the open air was alive with the sounds of OrionCorps vehicles. The wailing sound of justice was ever-present. Marlowe breathed out, as if he had been holding his breath. “That was close, Dana. That man obviously hadn’t been on his visor lately, otherwise we would’ve been dead in the water.”

The wailing grew closer and Marlowe turned up his collar, hiding his face as a squadron of OrionCorps poured into the building. Dana watched them with a child-like awe, but Marlowe turned her attention back with a rough tug on her arm. 

“Do you think that will keep them occupied for long?”

“Long enough, hopefully just long enough,” echoed Marlowe as he turned the next corner, dragging them down a flight of dirty stairs into the rail station. The station was dark like in Messiah district. Distant, flickering lights were in desperate need of service. They stalked out of the darkness, disappearing for a moment in the light, though only to return into the shadows once more. 

Marlowe pressed forward, trying not to gawk at the frightful apparitions. He felt a mesmerizing quality from them that trapped you in their gaze. 

That was someplace he did not wish to be. 

Reaper's Rhythm Cover Reveal

 

REAPER'S RHYTHM 

By Clare Davidson

  

** A YA Urban Fantasy COMING JULY 26, 2013 **

When everyone thinks your sister committed suicide, it’s hard to prove she was murdered. Kim is unable to accept Charley’s sudden death. Crippled by an unnatural amnesia, her questions are met with wall after wall. As she doubts her sanity, she realises her investigation is putting those around her in danger. The only person who seems to know anything is Matthew, an elusive stranger who would rather vanish than talk. Despite his friendly smile, Kim isn’t sure she can trust him. But if she wants to protect her family from further danger, Kim must work with Matthew to discover how Charley died – before it’s too late.

~ Excerpt from Reaper’s Rhythm ~

The warm light seeps through the closed sitting room curtains when I step into the drive. The muffled thump of dance music grows louder as I approach the familiar front door. I push the key into the lock, but the door swings open on its own. My breath catches in my throat, but I force it into a growl. Not only has my sister, Charley, not bothered to lock the door, she hasn’t latched it. Whatever she rushed home for must have been important. I step over the threshold and a blast of warm air hits me, enveloping me like one of Mum’s overprotective hugs. My wind-chilled face tingles, as I close and lock the door. "Charley, I hope you’ve set the table.” My voice competes with the din of the deep bass of my sister’s music. I toss my keys into the wicker basket on the hall table. As I peel my coat off, I see Charley’s in a crumpled heap on the floor. Rolling my eyes, I scoop it up and hang it, then place her discarded boots in the shoe rack beside my own. Why am I the conscientious sister? I’m only sixteen. Charley will be heading off to university next year. Stomach rumbling, I snatch up the Chinese takeout I’d picked up on the walk home and wander into the kitchen. Frowning, I flick the switch to light up the pristine room. Mum is a clean freak now that Dad doesn’t live here. The table isn't set, even though Charley promised she would do it before she rushed off ahead. "Charley,” I call out and then dump the bag on the kitchen table and stomp across the hall to the sitting room, shoving the door open. The music hits me first, making me jerk my head back, then the smell. An odd odour, metallic and rich, overpowers the air freshener on the mantel. "Charley?" She must be trying to scare me. "Charley, stop messing around.” I grit my teeth, expecting her to jump out at any second. My body shudders and my flesh tingles as if an army of ants is marching beneath my skin. I back out of the empty sitting room and bolt upstairs. The smell is stronger, snaking down my throat, making me want to gag. “Charley?” I shove her door open, hard. Charley’s lying on the bed, her blond hair fanned out over the pillow. Her arms are spread wide, palms up. Crimson blood drips from deep slashes on her wrists. Her blue eyes are open, staring at the ceiling. But they don't see. They're dull, empty. Dead. The room spins. My stomach lurches and bile rises up my throat. I swallow and clap my hand to my mouth. Sagging against the doorframe, I can’t tear my gaze from the single lock of hair resting over Charley’s porcelain cheek. What should I do? Charley would know what to do. As I stumble down the stairs, my mind clicks into gear. A scream rips out of my throat, eclipsing the pounding music. My foot slips on the beige carpet, sending me tumbling down the remaining stairs. My shoulder and back slam against the wall. I scramble to my feet, screaming, sobbing, then stagger into the hallway, colliding into a young man with the darkest eyes I’ve ever seen. My own force knocks me backwards. His strong grip clenches my arm, preventing me from falling. I try to scream again, but the sound is trapped within my constricting chest. My sister is dead. A stranger is in my house. I writhe against his grip, lashing out with my foot. My toes crumple and sting when they hit his shin. I’m thrown off balance, but he holds me fast. He raises his thumb to my forehead and applies gentle pressure, as he sweeps his thumb towards my brow and then hooks it back up. "Sleep." His quiet voice acts like a sedative. My head flops forward until my chin touches my chest. A new scent replaces the sickly metallic tang of Charley’s blood: freshly cut grass. Inhaling it makes my head fuzzy and my heartbeat slow. I want to see his face, memorise every detail. The contours of his cheeks and jaw, the shape of his nose, the colour of his hair. The police want to know those things, don’t they? The only feature I can see for sure is the impossible darkness of his eyes. My own eyelids droop, my limbs turn liquid. A strong arm loops round my back and lowers me to the floor. I fight against sleep. Each time I force my eyelids open, they flutter shut again. "Forget,” he says. The word is nothing more than a whisper at the edge of my hearing. "Sleep."

  ~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ 

Clare Davidson is an independent writer, based in Lancaster. Clare is a high school teacher, mother and character-driven fantasy writer. Clare was born in Northampton and lived in Malaysia for four and a half years as a child, before returning to the UK to settle in Leeds with her family. Whilst attending Lancaster University, Clare met her future husband and never left. They now share their lives with their young daughter, a cranky grey cat and an insane white kitten. She published her first novel, Trinity in July 2012. Trinity is a young adult, fantasy novel, which currently has seventeen five star reviews on Amazon UK. Her second novel, Reaper’s Rhythm, is due to be released on the 26^th July 2013. Also aimed at a young adult audience, Reaper’s Rhythm is an urban fantasy with a dash of mystery.  

  Ways to connect with Clare Davidson: 

  Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / New releases mailing list         

Glass Frost Release Day Blitz!

Glass Frost

The Frost Series Book # 2

By Liz DeJesus

OUT NOW *July 19th, 2013*

From Musa Publishing

When joined together, Cinderella's slippers grant the wearer her heart's desire. But whose wish will be granted?

When Cinderella’s glass slipper is stolen, Queen Felicia sends her faithful steward Terrance to the real world to retrieve his love and witch-in-training, Bianca Frost. The power of the glass slipper, when paired with its mate, and in the wrong hands, could ruin the peace of Everafter. Bianca must gather every bit of magic she has learned in the past few weeks to find the slipper and protect her new love. Together, Bianca, Ming, Prince Ferdinand, and Terrance venture deep into the heart of Everafter to seek clues as to who has stolen the slipper and why. Along the way, they uncover what happened to the Seven Dwarves after Snow White married the prince, but also learn the awful risk of tampering with black magic and the high price that must be paid for magic, even when used for good.

Bianca and Terrance’s relationship is put to the test. Through the pain of suffering and loss, Bianca must determine if following her gallant boyfriend into his faraway world is in fact her heart's desire.

ADD GLASS FROST ON GOODREADS!

~ About the Author ~

Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico. She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 31st 2011) First Frost (Musa Publishing, June 22nd 2012) and Glass Frost (Musa Publishing) She is also a member of The Written Remains Writers Guild http://www.writtenremains.org/. Liz is currently working on a new novel.

Liz can be found on:

GOODREADS / WEBSITE / TWITTER / AMAZON / FACEBOOK

Cat Thursday #8

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats!

Hosted by THE TRUE BOOK ADDICT

This is the hamper Miss Kitty waits on while I shower ...

And this is the chair we have to share while I am working ...

** Thanks for taking a peek everyone! Happy Cat Thursday! **

Skinless Blog Tour Review & Teaser

Skinless (Part 1)

By L.M. Davis

A YA Sci-fi Novella in three parts

Looking at Luca, who’s just saved my life, I can’t respond. No explanation I might offer will satisfy after all of the extraordinary things he’s just witnessed. —Ankh AnCaela Murphy's body is a ticking bomb that only her mom can defuse. The problem: her mother is missing and presumed taken by the Skinless, bogeymen from Ankh’s home world who have been hunting her and her mother for two years--ever since they fled that world and certain death. With help from Luca, a boy whose touch confuses and who refuses to back down, Ankh races against time to find her mother before the bomb inside of her detonates, taking her life. Tracking the Skinless across the country, the pair search for her mother and uncover the horrifying truth behind the generations-old war.

~ TEASER ~

LUCA: "We are crouched down in the back of Mat’s car with a blanket thrown over our heads; a necessary precaution since the whole plan’s pretty much blown if the psychos spot us on the way out of town. Ankh’s cradled against my chest and I’m cursing testosterone with every fiber of my being because even in the middle of the strangest six hours of my life the only thing on my mind right now is how amazing it is to be this close to her and how good her hair smells. Mat swerves into another lane—despite the fact that he would probably curl up in a ball and die if anything ever happen to this car, he’s an amazingly bad driver—and Ankh falls against me. She tries to smother it, but I hear her cry of pain. I wish she would have let us take her to the hospital, but she wants no part of it. I have the aspirin Bret gave me for when things get really bad, but she doesn’t want those either. Though I guess I can’t blame her for that one; I’d probably be wary too, if aspirin knocked me on my ass and had me slurring words like a drunken frat boy. The car slows, which must mean we’re close to Boston, because that’s where we agreed to make the change over. I put my hands around Ankh’s waist, with intentions that are as pure as the new fallen snow. All I want is to steady her so that the motion causes as little pain as necessary. Of course, even though my brain decrees the absence of perverted feels in the act, my body doesn’t seem to take heed. I’m having all kinds of reactions to being this close to Ankh, absolutely none of which are within a hundred miles of being appropriate. The car door can’t open soon enough and when it does, I throw the blanket off our heads and scramble out of the car. We’re at a gas station right off the expressway. Overhead, cars zoom by. Chuck and Mat stand around like sentinels scouting for trouble. Behind us, Bret pulls up in her mother’s car, which she will use to get the guys back to Pilgrim’s Creek. She jumps out of the car and comes running to the back door of Mat’s car, where Ankh’s just managed to swing her legs over the edge. I don’t know what she’s thinking but she wraps her arms around Ankh a pulls her in for a hug. Even though it must hurt like hell, Ankh returns the squeeze. “Be careful.” She’s holding Ankh, but at the same time she’s looking over her shoulder, straight into my eyes. Chuck and Mat are watching the whole scene with looks that say they wish they had the guts to take Ankh into their arms that way. Their goodbyes are definitely less passionate. I hop into the car and start it because I can’t stand one more minute of this moping and because this is no time for the drawn out goodbyes so someone has to cut this short. Besides, the whole thing is just a little too final feeling, like they think their never going to see Ankh again and in my mind that’s not even a possibility. She’s not leaving forever, so I wish everyone would just quit acting like she is."

~ MY REVIEW ~

I just love novellas, especially when they are as well written as Skinless is. It is the perfect blend of so many things and keeps up the appropriate pace the whole way through. You get the feel of an entire novel, in a quarter of the pages. (Which is one of the main reasons why I enjoy reading novellas! They make great before-bed reads.) I'm impressed with the author's ability to introduce and build her characters in such a short time. Readers are able to bond with Ankh and Luca from the very beginning. In fact, I can't wait to see if their current relationship blossoms into something more. He did save her from imminent peril, after all. The science fiction aspects of this story are original and intriguing. I really liked the idea behind the Kind and their hunters, the Skinless. I'm sure the author has plenty in store for her characters. This is the first part to a three part novella, and I can't wait to read the rest! If you're a reader who enjoys YA sci-fi definitely pick up this novella series. It will keep you turning pages!

Skinless (Part 2)

All I can say is when the girl I like looks at me with wide, freaked out eyes and then runs away, the only thing that I can do run after her. Even if she didn’t ask me, even if she told me not to, I’m not superman enough to fight the instinct to protect her. -Luca For Luca Valken, AnCaela Murphy is like no other girl he's ever met and that's exactly what makes him so crazy about her. Never in his wildest imaginings, and they got pretty wild, did he dream what that difference truly means. By the time that he's followed her to Atlanta, in search of her missing mother, he's in too deep. Too deeply entangled in the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance. Too deeply terrified for Ankh's safety. Too deeply in love to ever consider walking away.

~ Teaser ~

ANKH: "Squeezing Luca’s hand in mine, his anxiousness is my own. His pulse beats too fast between his thumb and index finger. His palm is damp with sweat. I’m also afraid, but somehow holding Luca’s hand helps. We reach the bottom of another flight and now there are only two more. We’re almost there. The pounding startles me. Abruptly, the footsteps, which had been fading seem like they’re right above us and coming down fast. Luca grips my hand tighter and we abandon any attempt at stealth. All that matters now is getting away. At the bottom of the last flight, the door opens not to the street but into another hallway. Ahead, through a glass wall is the turquoise swimming pool. We veer right, dashing down the hall and out into a huge lounge filled with cream and gold furniture. In the center of the room, an escalator leads down. Behind us, the door slams and noise echoes across the silent hotel. We run that much faster, trying to reach the escalator before our escape route vanishes. The escalator is deactivated, so we take the frozen stairs two at a time. Out off the corner of my eye, I watch the gray figures spilling into the lounge."

~ Author Bio ~

L. M. Davis loves great storytelling. She needs nothing more than a good book and a comfy chair to be happy. She was born in the south, raised in the north, and has a few degrees under her belt. She doesn't like to admit it, but she may have something of a "shifter" fetish. She still hasn’t gotten her black cat, but she thinks about it everyday. Her thoughts go something like this: "I really should get a cat." For now, she contents herself with spoiling the pets of her friends and family. She is the author of Interlopers: A Shifters Novel, Posers: A Shifters Novel, and Skinless. 

You can follow the author on:

TWITTER / BLOG / GOODREADS 

Don't forget to snag your own copy!

Amazon Part 1 /Amazon Part 2

Barnes & Noble Part 1 /  Barnes & Noble Part 2