Heart of Vesuvius - Review and *$25 Giveaway*

Once again I'm delighted to welcome Sky Purington to my blog again, with her Time-travel/romance 'Heart of Vesuvius'.  I've just read this and my review is below, after the excerpt.  

Heart of Vesuvius

Forsaken Brethren Series- Book Two

Sky Purington

Genre:  Time-travel/vampire/paranormal

Date of Publication:  March 29, 2013

Number of pages:  71

Word Count: 35 K

Cover Artist:  Tamra Westberry

Amazon

Book Description:

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

Alexandria has no choice. She must flee to the last place she wants to. Straight into the arms of a vampire she was determined to forget.

Salvator finds this a clever fix to obtaining the one woman he has always desired, Alexandria.

Together, they must find a way to evade her powerful enemy, Salvator's brother Luciano. On the run, they struggle to understand one another. Denied passion ignites. Blood is spilled. Within the heart of Vesuvius, anything is possible.

When ancient Italy pulls them back in time, dark secrets are revealed.

All can be conquered. But will it be? Can wrongs be made right? History is the locked door. Forgiveness is the key. Time will tell if ancient love can once again flourish. 

Short Excerpt

Salvator smiled, white teeth gleaming through the darkness, midnight hair brushing his shoulders. "Now that is where you are wrong." When he stood, she instinctually shifted back against the headboard. "Clothing never suited you."

Her nudity suddenly felt underused and sumptuous. The thin sheet and velvet blanket like a caress of pure perfection. As he slowly approached her thighs spread, welcoming. She slammed them shut and refused to scowl.

Salvator dripped seduction. He walked it, breathed it, spoke it.

She knew better.

"Shhh," he whispered. His finger trailed up the bedspread, skimmed along her thigh, hip, waist, until it left and returned to his side. "I will not seduce you…yet."

For a split second, Alex almost said, "Why not?" She caught her tongue. Ancient vampires were very good at what they did and Salvator ranked amongst one of the eldest. But she had grown. After all, she had been made eight hundred years ago. Though not one of the more powerful of her breed she'd paid attention and learned.

"I demand respect. I'm old enough to request such," she said. His olive-skinned hand clenched and pulled tighter against his side. She met him eye to eye, did not shy away from his abnormally pale bluish-gray gaze as she had in the past. He was to fear, respect and worship. Tall and broad shouldered, inherently smooth, he owned a room when he entered it.

He had owned her once, almost.

Not now.

With a flick of his wrist, she felt the weight of clothing comfort her skin. Salvator hadn't lent glamour to it to purposely arouse her. He had honored the way of the vampires. In many ways she was shocked he had lent his aide to her at all. But he hadn't really. He had lent it to Gabriel, for purposes of his own. Though she would like to say Salvator was different than most vampires, he wasn't. There had to be a method to his madness.

She guessed vengeance.

Alex swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood. This put the top of her head at his shoulders. "You could have dressed me in something more acceptable."

Shifting slightly, he cornered her between the bed and night table. "Consider yourself lucky you are dressed at all."

She eyed the flaming red, form fitting, silk gown minus undergarments and muttered, "Barely."

Lightning fast, his hands lay on both sides of her waist. His imposing frame was far too close, beautifully proportioned face bent. Long, thick black lashes framed his icy eyes.

"You sought my protection. Your insolence incites me." His hands squeezed. "To not grant you the respect you feel due you."

Did he still think her the quivering novice? She would not pay him an unwarranted price for his shelter. She'd not be his whore.

With all of her power, she shot one hand forward. He fell back a few inches. Alex waited calmly for the expected counterattack, for it would be swift without doubt. Instead of the wallop she deserved for attacking an elder she witnessed an oddity.

He smiled and said, "You've changed, uccellino. You are no longer a cowering beginner."

About the Author:

Sky is the best-selling author of seven novels and several novellas. A New Englander born and bred, Sky was raised hearing stories of folklore, myth and legend. When combined with a love for nature, romance and time-travel, elements from the stories of her youth found release in her books.

Interested in keeping up with Sky's latest news and releases? Visit Sky's Website, www.SkyPurington.com to download her free App on iTunes and Android.

Website- www.skypurington.com

A Writer’s Mind blog- www.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com

Twitter- www.twitter.com/skypurington

Facebook- www.facebook.com/skypurington

Pinterest- www.pinterest.com/skypurington

Playlist for Heart of Vesuvius- http://tny.gs/1054gh4

My Review

This is the second book in the 'Forsaken Brethren' series by Sky Purington,  begun  in 'Darkest Memory' . Both are perfect 'stand alone' reads, although I'll bet if you read one, you'll be desperate to read the other!

The story begins with action and builds to a thrilling climax. It's a fast and gripping read.  Although I have to be honest and say vamps are not usually my favourite beings in fiction, Salvator and Alex  are such charismatic characters I instantly related to them and wanted to know more about them. The two main characters from 'Darkest Memory', Calah, and Alex's brother, Gabriel, are worthy supporting characters in 'Heart of Vesuvius.'   The scenes from which the book takes its title, the destruction of Pompeii, are both powerful and moving and the hapless   Robert, a very minor character to start with, turned out to be far more interesting than he first appeared and I found myself rooting for him too.

The sexual tension between Salvator and Alex sizzles, even while they battle deadly danger in the form of Salvator's evil brother, Luciano.   

If you like a great romantic paranormal adventure, with sex that's sizzling without being too graphic, and mystery and excitement in abundance, I can thoroughly recommend 'Heart of Vesuvius' - a Five Star read!                                        

This is my honest opinion about this book and I although I received a free copy, I did not receive any monetary compensation for writing this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one.

http://bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/now-on-tour-heart-of-vesuvius-by-sky.html

Sorry, the Rafflecopter code seems to have gone astray, click on the above link to enter there!

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Death Is a Bitch - Cate Masters' characters' interviewed at Hywela Lyn's Blog.

It's my great plesure to welcome Cate Masters to the Flight Deck today, She's brought along some of her fantastic characters from her novel 'Death Is A Bitch', so without any more ado, let's see what they have to say:

Hi Lyn! Thanks so much for having me today. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve brought along Death, Azrael and Damien from my paranormal, Death Is A Bitch. They promised to be on their best behavior, but you know how immortals can be!

Let’s get started, shall we? Tell us about your family.

Death: Ha! How much time have you got? They all have their little, shall we say, quirks. I love my twin sister, Hypnos, but she drives me crazy sometimes. And my parents… sometimes the universe isn’t a big enough place, you know? My father Erebos is a little too stuck on himself, and never gives me a break. Funny, though – he really came through for me at the worst possible time. Nyx, my mom, is the quintessential goddess mother – I can talk to her about anything, and she always makes me feel loved.

Azrael: I consider all beings to be part of the universal family.

Damien: *whistles* Really? So when you’re boinking Death, you’re committing incest? You’re sick, dude.

Azrael: Of course not. I’m not related in any way to Death.

Damien: But you just said we’re all related. Which is it, Azrael?

Azrael: I meant in a philosophical sense, Damien.

Damien: Philosophically, you want to boink your sister. Seriously, dude. *gags*

Azrael: *heavy sigh* Can we move on?

What was the scariest moment of your life?

Death: Being trapped in my own charm bracelet. I hate to even think about it. *shudders* If I actually were alive, it would have scared the life out of me. But I’ve made sure King Sisyphus can never do that to me again. Or Damien. I don’t want to give too much of the story away. You’ll just have to read it yourself.

Azrael: The moment I heard Death was missing. *glares at Damien* I knew you were behind it.

Damien: Moi? Commit a misdeed? How could you think such a thing?

Azrael: Right. Demons are perfect angels.

Damien: More perfect than you, dude.

Azrael: Your ego is astounding.

Damien: *gestures to crotch* Only because it matches the size of my –

Azrael: Can we move on?!

What’s your greatest weakness?

Death: Babies. I usually have no trouble fulfilling my duties, but if it’s a babe… *her eyes well with tears* I find it very difficult.

Azrael: *shifts in seat* I used to have some difficulty speaking in public. Now that I’ve been promoted to the head of the Department of Death and Dying, I’m working on that flaw. *stops to glare at Damien, who’s silently mimicking him* Do you have a problem?

Damien: Dude, get over yourself. No one listens to you anyway. *turns to interviewer, taps cheek* Greatest weakness, greatest weakness… now that’s a toughie. Mainly because I have so many. The top two are hot cars and hot babes. If I see a sweet car sitting all by its lonesome, it practically begs me to take it for a spin. And what’s the fun in going for a spin in a hot car all by yourself? So natch, I find a hot babe to share the ride. And whoo hoo, it’s usually a really hot ride, if you catch my drift.

Azrael: *rolls eyes* And you claim to love Death so much.

Damien: I do. She’s Numero Uno on the list. But she’s always busy with work. Or whatever… *takes a sudden interest in his fingernails and hums*

Azrael: What are you implying?

Damien: Just that she’s a hot babe, and I’m not the only other guy hot for her. If you’re smart, Death, you’ll play the field – er, realm – before settling down.

Azrael:  *jaw clenches* You –

Damien: *smiles sweetly* Can we move on?

What are you passionate about these days?

Death: *looks off dreamily* That’s an easy question. Azrael. He’d always come off as somewhat aloof, maybe a bit too high and mighty, but whew! *she fans herself* Beneath that cool, professional exterior is one red-hot fiery angel, believe me.

Azrael: *cheeks redden* Well…

Damien: *jaw goes slack, eyes deaden* Just say it, dude. Everyone already knows it’s Death.

Azrael: Okay, yes, it’s Death. She’s amazing.

Damien: *wicked gleam fills his eyes* You get all hot and bothered around her, is that what you’re saying?

Azrael: None of your business.

Damien: Eh, you’re a dud. You even admitted it.

Azrael: *says proudly* I’ve had no complaints from Death.

Damien: She’s too sweet to say anything.

Azrael: *smiles to himself* Did you happen to notice the double rainbow the other day? That was because Death and I –

Damien: *growls* Yeah, fine, we get it. You did it twice. Let’s move on.

Azrael: *sighs and smiles dreamily, gazing at Death*

Who should play you in a film?

Death: Oh, I love this question. Claudia Black is perfect for the role. In fact, Cate Masters already planned the entire cast. You can view the Casting Call on her blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2012/08/casting-call-death-is-bitch.html  

Azrael: Great question. Paul Walker is perfect for the role. Check out the Casting Call and you’ll see.

Damien: Talk about perfect casting – Colin Farrel, man. He’s like my doppelganger. Seriously. Don’t you think so? Stunning, intense, a babe magnet all the way.

What drew you to each other?

Death: *smiles at Azrael* He’s everything a male should be – powerful yet gentle, thoughtful and caring. More handsome than any man in all the worlds.

Azrael: Oh, you’re just biased. *grins* Death is everything I’ve ever wanted. We have this crazy chemistry, and I couldn’t keep away from her any longer.

Damien: Take one look at Death. Is she not the most gorgeous female you’ve ever seen? Who could blame me for going gaga over her? One day she’ll realize her mistake and I’ll be waiting. I will, Death.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Death: Music of any type. Thank goodness Acragas included a special charm for my new bracelet. Now I can listen to any song I want to hear at the touch of a charm. Isn’t he a clever silversmith?

Azrael: *reddens* Well, Death and I have been experimenting... Discretion and valor demand I not reveal anymore.

Damien: *exasperation morphs to mischief* Guilt? Don’t know what you’re talking about. If something gives you pleasure, I say go for it.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Death: That I have a soft side. Sometimes all those cartoonish images of me really hurt. I may not be human, but I have feelings. I’m not some creepy Halloween figure with a scythe and black robes. I’m much classier than that.

Azrael: I’m not exactly a ladies’ man. I get tongue-tied around women I like.

Damien: *bursts out laughing* Tongue tied! you mean like this? *twists his forked tongue into a pretzel braid* Babes love the split tongue effect, too, if you know what I mean.

Azrael: *rises* This is a waste of time. Interview over. What do you say, Death?

Death: You’re right. We don’t get enough alone time. Thanks for the interview! I’ll see you later, but don’t worry – not for awhile. *grins, and floats away*

Damien: *rises* Hey, I’ll come too. She’d love a threesome.

Azrael: *bares teeth at Damien. His wings whoosh open, and he rockets into the sky*

Damien: *blows raspberries* Show-off. *cozies up to interviewer* Now, how about your number? We have a lot to cover yet… Hey, where are you going? Oh, whatever. I’ll round up some other babes. Adios! *whirls away. A shadowy cloud fills the spot where he stood, then fades*

Death Is A Bitch

Blurb

Eternity can suck when it’s all work, work, work. Death harvests souls even when they stack up faster than pancakes in an all-you-can-eat-buffet. No wonder she can’t shed the Grim Reaper rep.

As the patron angel of death and dying, Azrael works closely with Death but is dying for true intimacy. She’s the only immortal who’s ever aroused such powerful emotions in him. One taste of her leaves him needing her like humans need air and food, but will a demon’s lies leave a bad taste?

No one escapes Death – except King Sisyphus. Twice. With the help of Damien the demon, Sisyphus tries again, and she’s determined to have justice. Some say Death’s a bitch, but only when she has to be. But will the price of justice be a broken heart?

Available at:

Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=598&osCsid=1rs5de21jcfh2ov3ikjhd26tk4

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Death-is-a-Bitch-ebook/dp/B008RQFJEQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1344011853&sr=1-1&keywords=cate+masters%2C+death+is+a+bitch

All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-deathisabitch-904931-140.html

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-is-a-bitch-cate-masters/1112332842?ean=2940014956710

Coffee Time Romance: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookStore/pubs_product_book_info/decadent-publishing-c-93/death-is-a-bitch-p-8338

Excerpt:

Death stepped from the shadowy curtain of night along a deserted stretch of road toward the mangled hunk of cherry-red metal that used to be a sweet Z240 sports car. Stardust glinted in the black hair that dipped to her waist.

She kept a safe distance from the wreck. Inside, a thirtyish man slumped behind the wheel, the air bag deflating away from his near-lifeless body. Blood oozed from a nasty gash to his head. Should have worn his seat belt. Too late for life lessons, though. Those weren’t her expertise anyway. Just the opposite.

Leaves crackled in the underbrush beyond the nearby trees. Death gripped the silver charm bracelet on her wrist, her senses on high alert. Her finger poised near the hidden latch, ready to release a stream of lightning.

A deer. It stilled, its wide eyes fixed on her.

Seeing nothing else, she continued with a modicum of caution. Taking souls didn’t exactly make her popular, and after so many millennia, she should’ve been used to it. The bad jokes. The Halloween parodies. A scythe? Please. She’d never used cheap props. Only the finest weaponry. No mortal ever suspected the intricately designed baubles adorning her bracelet were anything more than ornamental.

Moonlight gleamed off the curves of the sports car, and she ran a gilded nail along its hood. She wouldn’t mind taking one of these babies for a spin. In its former condition, of course, before this guy took the curve too fast and wrapped it around a tree. Humans always rushed everywhere, sometimes straight into her arms.

The man’s moan signaled she had no need for weapons. This one would give her no trouble. She fingered his blond hair, matted with blood. What a shame. So young, and so handsome. He’d leave at least one lover grieving, no doubt.

His eyes fluttered open. When he looked up, recognition intensified the flicker of life in his eyes.

She needed no introduction. They always knew her, unmistakable in the glimmering black filament gown, its folds revealing a glimpse into infinity.

The stilettos usually earned a second glance, the four-inch heels glistening like fool’s gold. The butterfly tattoo spanning her upper arm likewise drew curious looks, which inevitably changed to horror when the souls recognized the face imprinted within that colorful ink: their own.

Great interview folks, thank you so much for bringing them along, Cate.  I have to say Death is not at all what I had been led to expect, and as for  Azrael and Damion - *fans herself*.   Wishing you much success and many, many sales.

Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”

When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Cate loves to hear from readers! Friend her on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts or Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2944596.Cate_Masters or email her at: cate.masters AT gmail.com

'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH
                  Also available on Kindle

No Such Thing as Immortality - Released today!

I love to share my friends' successes and I'm very excited for one of my UK  friends, Sarah Tranter.  Her debut novel 'No Such Thing As Immortality' is released today by'Choc Lit'  at Amazon (UK) and Amazon USA

The release date for the paperback is 7th January but it's available for your Kindle or E-reader TODAY!

Pre-order Print version from CHOC LIT

I've just read the wonderful reviews for this book on the website above - and can't wait to read the book myself!

BLURB:

I will protect you until the day I die … forever A vampire does not have to feel any emotion not of his choosing. And Nathaniel Gray has spent two hundred years choosing not to feel. But when he accidentally runs Rowan Locke off the road, he is inexplicably flooded with everything she's feeling, and that's rage, and lots of it. He is consumed with the need to protect Rowan at all costs including from himself. To Nate what is happening is unthinkable and is pretty much as unbelievable, as the existence of faeries. But you see, 'There is no such thing as …immortality.' This is Nate's story …

Congratulations Sarah, and I look forward to meeting up with you at the Festival of Romance, later today!

'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH

                  Also available on Kindle

Review of Glazier

 
BOOK SUMMARY

Marie Kincaid is devastated after losing her family in a violent crash…so she runs. One morning, she awakes in an infirmary with total memory loss and a new power: Glazier. The cold frozen mists of Glazier’s instincts enable Marie to embark on a new life free of pain but most importantly free of the past. Heightened senses, accelerated strength,speed, and learning abilities make Marie a perfect candidate to be a spy…also a perfect companion for Henry Tenison, the only other known Glazier. 

Henry, a loner and proud rogue finds his world upended when his connection to Marie is forged. Unsure of how to progress, he endeavors to keep it strictly professional. As far away missions and romantic surroundings entice him into pursuing his deeper desires, he caves. However, Marie’s love changes everything.

Determined to free them both of the spy world and the hold Glazier has over their lives, Henry implements a plot to disappear. However, when things become dangerous in their latest mission and memories of Marie’s past surface suggesting another man…will Henry’s efforts come too late? If Marie remembers her past, will she still want their future?

MY REVIEW

This is almost a case of Lara Croft meets wonderwoman, meets James Bond - except that there is far more to the plot than this, and the theme is much more mysterious and subtle. I love the concept of  ‘spies with paranormal powers' and the novel certainly has plenty of action and intrigue, but for me it was the characters who really make the story.

First there is Marie, unable to remember her past - and unsure whether it would be a good thing to do so. I really liked  Marie. She’s sassy and courageous, but she’s also unsure of herself and not afraid to seek comfort from Henry when she needs it, or to enjoy being a woman. I was so glad she was not one of those ‘kickass’ heroines who is so ‘butch’ she really doesn’t need a man  - but that doesn’t mean she can’t ‘kick ass’ when she needs to, and there are plenty of occasions where she uses her special ‘Glazier’ power to full advantage and risks her own safety for those she cares about.

I totally fell for Henry. I liked his charm and sensitivity and his strength, and adore the little acts of old fashioned courtesy that he performs because he cares about Marie. After believing himself to be the only person to have 'Glazier' powers he is overjoyed to find there is another, and delighted to become her trainer.  However his attraction to her soon becomes more than that of a colleague and mentor, but he will not allow himself to take their relationship further, even when Marie makes it obvious she cares for him too. He is afraid that one day she will remember her past, and someone else will lay claim to her affections.  

Then there is Elias, Henry's friend who runs their favourite eating place.  He has a few secrets of his own, as do Shae and Colin Straeker, who they meet on an undercover mission in Egypt, to find and retrieve sensitive date from the immensely rich and powerful Ambassador Abass, who makes his unwanted attraction to Marie evident from their first meeting. As the protagonist, there's not much to like about Abass, and he makes a worthy villain, but there is one other character in this book who intrigued me, and that is Abram, Henry and Marie's 'employer'.  Marie neither likes nor trusts him, and I had the feeling there is more to Abram than is revealed in this book.  

Another character who deserves a mention, is not even human - he's a horse.  Being a horse lover myself I eagerly devour any mention of horses - but I did groan inwardly a little at first, at what seemed to be another instance of that old cliche - a wild, untamable Arabian stallion, who will only allow the heroine to ride him.  However, the fact that Marie was able to communicate with him and gain his confidence, seemed perfectly logical, given her 'Glazier' power, a communication  also shared by Henry, and 'Iceberg' himself is beautifully portrayed.

I liked that we had both Marie and Henry's P.O.Vs, and although I know some people don't like first person narratives, I love them and felt the author slipped seemlessly into whichever of the two main characters was being highlighted at the time.

SUMMARY

This is a highly original and enjoyable novel. If you like fast paced action, combined with paranormal elements and plenty of tension between the main characters, this is the book for you. I was pulled up a few times by 'proofing errors' but not enough to spoil my enjoyment. My main complaint is that the book ended just as I thought we were about to have some answers. The exciting climax had me on the edge of my seat, and the conclusion was satisfactory - as far as it went - but I want to know more! There are still a lot of questions unanswered - which is a perfect way to entice a reader to read the next book in the series.  I for one can't wait!

Bri Clark is a real example of redemption and renewal.  Growing penniless in the South, Bri learned street smarts while caring for her brother in a broken home.  She watched her mother work several jobs to care for their small family.  Once her brother could fend for himself, Bri moved on to a series of bad choices including leaving school and living on her own.   Rebelliousness was a strong understatement to describe those formative years.  As a teenager, her wakeup call came from a fight with brass knuckles and a judge that gave her a choice of shaping up or spending time in jail.  

She took that opportunity and found a way to moved up from the streets.  She ended up co-owning an extremely successful construction business.  She lived the high life until the real estate crash when she lost everything.  She moved west and found herself living with her husband and 4 kids in a 900 square foot apartment.  She now fills her time, writing, blogging, leading a group of frugal shoppers and sharing her southern culture.  Her unique background gives her writing a raw sensibility.  She understands what it takes to overcome life’s obstacles.   She often tells friends, “I can do poor.  I’m good at poor. It’s prosperity that I’m not used to.”  Bri and her husband Chris live in Boise.  Bri is known as the Belle of Boise for her true southern accent, bold demeanor and hospitable nature. 

You can find out more about Bri at http://briclarkthebelleofboise.blogspot.com/.

Visit her at Twitter at http://twitter.com/#%21/Bri_Clark or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#%21/TBriClark.

PURCHASE FROM

Astrae Press

 I received this ebook compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review

'STARQUEST' 'CHILDREN OF THE MIST' (The sequel to Starquest) Dancing With Fate 'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'STARQUEST' 'CHILDREN OF THE MIST' (The sequel to Starquest) Dancing With Fate 'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'

Also available on Kindle

Brinda Berry - Guest Post, 'The Waiting Booth and a Contest

It's my great pleasure today to welcome fellow author and dog lover, Brinda Berry.

Welcome to my blog, Brinda, have a glass of something blue, delicious and bubbly (totally harmless and calorie free)

Brinda's debut Young Adult novel 'THE WAITING BOOTH' was released on 15th July, details to follow later in this post.  In the meantime, I'll leave it to Brinda to tell us about another of my personal interests - caves! Over to you, Brinda.

The Fountain of Inspiration

I've often been asked, "How do you think of a new story?" It's not an easy question to answer. Inspiration comes from many sources for most writers.  Some writers dream up tales totally outside their personal experience.  Others may use an occurrence from daily life to expand upon creatively.


My imagination runs wild constantly. I will see an interesting person or situation and wonder about the details. I ask myself, "What if..." This overactive analysis running rampant in my brain occurred just this week. I took my parents and a visiting uncle on a day trip.  We had planned to travel to a state park and cave during the afternoon. As plans usually go, we were running behind schedule.

Instead of driving several hours to perhaps miss the last tour of the day through a well-known cave, I decided at the last second to change the plan. I saw a rather large billboard sign for a cave tour. I immediately pulled the car over and said, "Change of plan. Let's do this one instead!"

Trusting souls that they are, my parents and uncle agreed to the new plan, and we were off.  The ticket station for the cave tour was located a couple of miles from the highway. We paid cash for the tickets and waited for the tour to begin. There was no sign-in sheet or appointment book. Within fifteen minutes, a tour guide with two tourists exited the mouth of the cave, and we were next. 

The tour guide was friendly enough and handed us small flashlights to carry into the cave. This should have been our first clue about what to expect.

Inside the entrance of the  cave, there were a few lights strategically placed along the way.  The lighting decreased the further we traveled. The passages were extremely narrow, and I was last in the group.  I periodically flashed my small light behind me to ensure that I didn't have someone or something behind me. This caused me to nearly hit my head on an overhang every ten feet.

Mr. Tour Guide entertained us with stories while pointing out interesting features along the walls and ceiling. I dutifully pointed my camera and took photos while hoping that I captured something. Anything. My digital camera view screen displayed only a black rectangle. At one point mid-cave tour, we saw a small rowboat tethered in a cove. We were told it was used for the longer, wilder tour. He said there was "swimming involved". I replied, "You're kidding."  He answered with a straight face, "No."

Frequently during the one-hour tour, I imagined the ease of killing us.  We were undocumented guests. I had meant to text my sister to let her know the change of plans.  My parents and uncle are older and therefore less physically able to ward off a madman. My mom wore some idiotic slip-on shoes that made running nearly impossible. The tour guide mentioned the death of his mother whereon my overactive mind produced a Hitchcock scene from Psycho. He showed us the spot where he discovered some human bones.  There were nooks and crannies for hiding bodies EVERYWHERE.

At the point when I thought I might internally combust from stress, I realized the tour was over. We had returned to the mouth of the cave for exiting. Returning my flashlight, I happily thanked the guide and wished him a great day. I had survived. Now my husband wants to see it and do the longer tour (involving the boat and swimming).  I imagine that I'll survive that one, too. Maybe, I'll even write a story about it.

Phew, that's some story, Brinda, and quite scary.  As I said, I am fascinated by caves myself, and have used them as part of the settings in a couple of my own books. I also have vivid memories of visiting Dan Yr Ogof caves in Wales, very beautiful with stalagmites and stalagtites, and I can still remember how cold it was.

Anyway, we've kept the readers waiting long enough, lets hear all about your Debut YA novel, released on 15th July:  THE WAITING BOOTH!

BLURB: 

Mia Taylor's older brother has been missing for over a year, and someone knows the truth. When Mia's science project reveals a portal into another dimension, she learns that travelers are moving in and out of her woods in the most alarming way. Regulus and Arizona are two agents from the IIA on a mission to save this world from viral contamination. The mysterious Regulus intrigues Mia with his aloof nature and secretive manner. But for Mia, it's bad timing for a crush. When Regulus reveals the secrets that he knows about her, Mia's not sure what his motives really are.

EXCERPT

“Hi, Mr. Taylor. Mia here?” Austin entered without waiting to be invited in. My dad stepped aside and looked up at me expectantly as I was taking the last few steps. I hoped that Austin wouldn’t breathe a word about what was on the pictures. I sure didn’t want my dad to be paranoid about leaving me alone during the week while he worked out of town. “Dad, Austin’s helping me with my science project. Come on up.” My dad had always liked Austin. If he ever found out that Austin had hit on me, that would change in a heartbeat. For crying out loud, I even thought about Austin like he was a brother. That he’d tried to kiss me sent the ick factor into the stratosphere. We bounded up the stairs as quickly as possible without alerting my dad to some urgency in the air. I closed the door behind Austin and proceeded to move my computer mouse to bring the screen back in view. Austin looked at the picture as he sat at my desk chair. “And this was the one at the end of your driveway?” “Yeah,” I answered, hoping he would tell me he knew the guy, and he wasn’t some ax murderer roaming my woods. “Pretty good pic,” Austin muttered. He clicked to zoom in on the face. “Still…it’s hard to make him out.” “Do you recognize him or not?” “Nope. Can’t say I know him. It’s not like I know everybody. It’s a big school. And he might not even be a college student. I can barely tell anything about the second person.” Austin clicked the forward and back buttons in the photo software program. “Why are they only in one frame?” “I guess they’re really fast. I have the timer set to take a picture every six seconds after motion activation.” He nodded. “Let’s go down and take a gander. Maybe they dropped something. Or maybe we can figure out why they were down there.” Austin led the way out of my room while I covertly studied him. If I tried to forget that he was like a brother to me, I could see that he was good-looking. He was a little on the lanky side, and that made him look younger to most people. His dark hair always hung into his eyes, which made him seem a little derelict. His new sword tattoo covered about two inches of his right forearm. I had tried to talk him out of it, but he had grinned and said that I’d want one exactly like it. He looked back at me as I stood there and smiled a I just caught you checking me out grin. I wasn’t really looking at him like that, but I felt myself blush and quickly found something else to focus on as I followed him out the door. We left the house and took Austin’s car to the waiting booth. He drove an old black Jeep that was still minus the shell since the weather was warm enough. We jumped out to examine the area. On the same side of the drive as the wooden structure, saplings tangled with briars and brush as far as the eye could see. In the years before I was able to drive myself to school, my dad had kept the area fairly clean and bare with the aid of a tractor. Now, this area had become overgrown and weedy. In the middle of the stalks of high grass, a circle of flattened brush marked where the people in the photo had been standing. “Holy cow, you’d really have to be dragging something heavy to make this dent in the ground.” I gasped, suspecting that the marks were new and the people in the photo had created them. Austin walked around the flattened circle. “This is too weird. See how the grass swirls in a pattern? Maybe that dude had set something down here.” “He wasn’t dragging anything in the picture. Maybe I need to look at it again.” I estimated the diameter of the circle to be about five feet across. I caught my breath as I felt a reverberating tickle pluck my spine like a tightly wound cello string. Avoiding the circle, I walked into the brush past it to see if I could find more evidence of the intruders. Nothing. The weather had been fairly dry with no rain this month, but I bent to look for footprints. I started feeling silly, because even if I found footprints, I wouldn’t be able to tell anything from them. I shivered, trying to rid myself of the willies.

Publisher: Etopia Press
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal


PURCHASE LINKS AND MORE INFO from:
  
ETOPIA


AMAZON kindle

BARNES& NOBLE

BIO:

Brinda Berry lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She has a BSE in English and French and a MEd in Learning Systems Technology. She's terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality.  She doesn't mind being called a geek or “crazy dog lady”. When she's not working the day job or writing a novel, she's guilty of surfing the internet for no good reason. 

She can be found at:

www.brindaberry.com
www.twitter.com/brin145
www.Facebook.com/BrindaBerryAuthor

and finally - Brinda wants to tell you about her

CONTEST!

Want to have some fun? Follow me on my summer blog tour. I'm celebrating the  release of The Waiting Booth with some prizes. Readers can win multiple prizes and enter at each blog stop.  I'll be adding some more tour dates and places soon!

Here are the rules: 

• I'll be giving away an ebook at each tour stop. You may enter at each site by leaving a comment on my guest post. Unless noted by the blog/site owner, selection will be made within seven days of the day I visit.
• The first five commenters at each stop will win a romance trading card. Aren't collecting them yet? They are absolutely cool.
• If you like me on Facebook, tweet my site, or subscribe to my blog, I'll add your name in additional times for connecting with me (up to 3). You must let me know in the comments about your tweet, Facebook like, and/or blog subscription. 
• There's a grand prize at the end of the blog tour, August 30th.  I'll put all the commenters from the stops in random.org for selection of the winner for the grand prize. Grand prize is a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.
  
• Winners may be listed at the site I visit if the blog/site owner chooses. Winners of all prizes will be listed on my blog.