Vampires and Undead? Who You Gonna Call? Danica Black!

In the time after The Black, human survivors of the Southern Claw Alliance clash with vampire legions of the Ebon Cities in a constant war for survival. Earth as we know it has been forever damaged by an arcane storm that fused our world with distant realms of madness and terror. Now, things that once existed only in our nightmares stalk the earth. And they are hungry…

SOULRAZOR, Book 3 in the BLOOD SKIES series, is an apocalyptic military fantasy in which the warlock Eric Cross and his team of mercenaries must stop the Ebon Cities from acquiring a deadly and ancient magical sword. The second-in-command of the team is a former warden named Danica Black, the subject of today’s interview…

Steven: Hi, Danica!
Danica: What the hell is this supposed to be?
Steven: An interview.
Danica: You mean an interrogation.
Steven: I mean an interview. Chill out, okay?
Danica: Why are you interviewing me?
Steven: You’re a member of Cross’ mercenary team, the…wait, what are you guys called again?
Danica: We don’t have a name. I actually sort of liked Mage Gunners, but since only half of the team are mages it really doesn’t work.
Steven: Tell us about the team.
Danica: What do you want to know?
Steven: What do you do, who’s on the team…you’re not making this easy, you know that?
Danica: You should ask more closed questions. It would make it easier to respond.
Steven: [curses under his breath] Okay…what is the team’s purpose?
Danica: There you go. See, was that so hard?
Steven: Are you actually going to answer any questions?
Danica: I guess. Cross decided to form the team after the Battle of Karamanganji, when he, Kane and I put down an other-dimensional entity called The Sleeper. We take on special missions for the Southern Claw.
Steven: What sorts of missions?
Danica: Pretty much anything: rescue operations, sabotage, seek and destroy. I think we’d even go on a beer run if they were willing to pay us for that.
Steven: Who all is on the team?
Danica: Going up against the vampires and undead of the Ebon Cities is dangerous work. We’ve always tried to keep the team at six or seven members, but whenever we lose someone we have to replace them and fill whatever role they had. We’re roughly the size of a standard squad. Right now it’s me, Cross, Kane, another witch named Ash, her little brother Grissom (who’s half-Doj, so he’s actually bigger than any of us), a near-psychotic swordsman named Ronan, and our tech/pilot, Maur. He’s a Gol.
Steven: Explain what Gol and Doj are for the home audience.
Danica: The what?
Steven: Never mind. A Doj, for everyone’s information, is a giant, and a half-Doj like Grissom stands about 8-feet-tall and could win the Mr. Universe contest without even showing up. A Gol is a misshapen dwarf, crafty and devious little guys.
Danica: So what do you do for a living?
Steven: Well, when I’m not tormenting your team, I’m…wait a second, I’m the one asking the questions here.
Danica: “Tormenting the team”? What are you saying?
Steven: Let’s just get back to the interview…
Danica: Yes. Let’s. What exactly do you mean by “tormenting the team”?
Steven: Forget it. Let’s get back to you. What’s your background?
Danica: Why do you ask?
Steven: Because inquiring minds want to know?
Danica: Seriously?
Steven: Give me a break, will you?
Danica: I’d really rather not talk about it.
Steven: Talking about yourself is par for the course in an interview.
Danica: I never consented to this interview.
Steven: Oh, for $#!@ sake…
Danica: Fine, you want to know? My dad was a scumbag. My brothers were both scumbags. I joined the military to get away and got sent on a suicide mission, so I joined The Revengers. I was a warden in Black Scar for a few years before I decided to leave and join up with Cross. I mistreated and tortured prisoners for a living. I still have nightmares about it. Pretty much everything in my life until I joined up with this team was something I’d like to forget.
Steven: Um…sorry.
Danica: Whatever. Thanks for bringing it up.
Steven: Look, sorry, it’s just part of the…
Danica: No worries. I know where to find you.
Steven: Ha ha ha…wait, what?
Danica: I’m sure Cross, Kane and especially Ronan will be interested to learn how you are the one responsible for all of the trouble that we run into.
Steven: …And that concludes today’s interview with Danica Black.
Danica: You’re not getting off the hook that easily, hot shot.
Steven: Danica, Cross, Kane and the rest of the team can be found battling vampires, searching for ancient weapons and traveling through time in SOULRAZOR, Book 3 of the BLOOD SKIES series. SOULRAZOR is a dark military fantasy on sale for the Kindle on March 16th!
Danica: Write in a happy ending and I’ll pretend this never happened.


BUY LINK FOR SOULRAZOR

Dust off that old manuscript in your attic!

Back in 2007, I finally became a published author after a boat load of rejections from publishing houses all over the world. My second novel, Canyon Wolf Bride was finally released after waiting three long years. I'd written it in 2004 after the birth of my second daughter. For some weird reason, after having a baby, I like to write books. Well, not really weird reasons but I have to quit my job to stay home with the baby and every time I have a kid, my brain says...psssst...."Hey, Mommy! Yeah, you over there. The one breastfeeding your offspring like there's no tomorrow, get your butt in gear and write that novel you keep telling yourself you'll write. You know it is your dream before you die to get published. You tried this back in 1996, remember? And that crusty, old, dried up, curled on the edges ancient manuscript is still in your freaking attic!!!"

It was true. I'd written a full length romantic suspense back in 1996 when my first daughter was born. My very first attempt at writing a novel. And I tried to put as many twists and turns into that baby and boy..was I fond of secondary characters! Well, I never submitted that baby. I did take a very cool screenplay class at a community college and had the coolest old gay screenplay writer/instructor dude in all the land. We'd even go to his house on Friday evenings and read our screenplays out loud. He loved to embarrass the shit out of students. If your work sucked, he told you to your face. And let everyone else know too. Cruel old bastard but I liked him. And he LOVED my work. Wonder if he still meets with students in his home. Lord, he was like 90 back then and that was like 12 years ago! Wow! Well, he was a mean old fucker...excuse my French but he was...but he was honest and I really did respect his opinion. He was a horror writer in the 50's and a published romance author. He wrote many screenplays for silver screen horror movies. Now no one knows who he is but back then, he was huge. Well, he loved my first novel and urged me to try my best to get the damn thing published. He even loved my romantic screenplay which still collects dust to this day. Hate to say it but I haven't done a damn thing with the screenplay but I finally had my old ass manuscript totally edited after a total revamping and indie pubbed the sucker!

I have to say I really loved revisiting the old characters and it was cool to see how much I'd grown as a writer. My writing style has totally changed. My voice is different and even my former voice is heard loud and clear in this book. I didn't want to alter the book totally. I was a little interested to see how well the book would do with my old voice in a genre I rarely write today. Romantic Suspense. Mostly now I write paranormal books.

And damn, it sure felt good to dust off that baby and send it out into the world. So dust off your old manuscripts, revisit your old characters and send your old friends out into the world. Just make sure you have a very good editor and be prepared to cringe...A LOT! I only recommend revamping one old manuscript per lifetime.

Here she is! Tada!!! My first manuscript: Deadly R&R by Ruby Vines


And this old bird will be on sale for .99 because back in 1996, you could buy two cokes for that price, not one.


BUY LINK FOR DEADLY R&R

One Hot Weekend Read!

The weekend is almost here! I'm excited to announce the re-release of my debut novel, Canyon Wolf Bride for .99 at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble! I'd like to thank my sexy cover models, Jimmy Thomas and Pamela Jean Noble!

Canyon Wolf Bride was nominated for Best Paranormal Romance of 2007, awarded Reviewer Top Pick at Night Owl Romance and Recommended Read at My Book Cravings! Could you love a werewolf if he was a hot Olympic ski champion with a killer bod and a heart of gold? I know I could! Have a fun weekend and let me know if you pick up Canyon Wolf Bride!

EXCERPT
The lone owl flew with silent, spotted wings over the tops of the snow covered pines as the old moon shined bright and cold, lighting her journey back to the giant, grandmother oak. Hollow and deep, the ancient tree hid her babies, cradling them in darkness, sheltering them from the frosted wind.
Swooping to the top of the tree, she peered inside, her lifeless prey dangling in her crooked beak. Peeping through a wormed out hole near the top of her home, she eyed his deep footprints in the snow. He was a small gray figure now beneath her tree, gazing at her with round blue eyes as if to say, I’ll get it next time.
The silver wolf stalked away as the owl began tearing the rabbit with her talons, feasting heartily, her gold eyes keeping watch until he disappeared into the snow covered forest.
The wolf would go hungry tonight. His frosty breath led the way as he plodded through the woods, edging near the road as the sun peeked over the horizon. Nearing the cabin and inching around to the back, he jumped on his hind legs and peered through the kitchen window.
The lace curtains only allowed half an inch to see inside, but he could already see that she was up, drinking coffee in her robe. Sighing, his blue eyes flicked to chocolate brown at the sight of her.
He worried endlessly about her and long ago made it a habit to check on her on his way home. Inhaling, he breathed in the scent of bacon, coffee and the flowery, feminine fragrance that filtered through his wolf nostrils and into his man heart. Reluctantly, he returned to all fours. Morning was near. The mountainside was beginning to glow bright with first light as he scampered off.
His heart was pounding by the time he reached the truck. He had almost cut it too close. Sun rays glistened on his silver coat as he jumped into the bed of the truck. Pain filled grunts and growls escaped his throat as the truck rocked back and forth. Birds in the trees took flight as the woods plunged into quiet stillness. He lay naked on a thin sheet of ice, his eyes shut tight as his rapid breathing slowed to normal.
Perspiration rolled down his smooth chest. His hazelnut hair was drenched, plastered against his neck and jaw line. He groaned and opened his eyes to a flood of color and light. The change from black and white vision to full frontal color spectrum never failed to take his breath away. He focused on an icicle hanging from his toolbox. The bed of the truck changed from dull gray to bright color as he blinked to focus again. The tool box shone bright red, the icicle a pearlescent white, his snow skis a brilliant blue, and the sunlight filtering through the pines a warm yellow. Taking a deep breath of frosty air, he reached for the bag, tugging at the draw string. He grabbed his jeans, sweater, and boots, dressing in record time, jumping onto the snow just as the sun began to peek over the Rocky Mountains. Bounding into his truck, he sped off toward his cabin a mile away.

Amazon Buy Link

Barnes and Noble Link


SPREAD LOVE! ~ Alisha

Love Romance? Love Thrillers? Young Adult Adventures? What About Shapeshifters?

If you're a fan of romance novels, thrillers, young adult adventures or shapeshifter novels, you're in the right place!

All of my books are on sale this week for .99! Like vintage romance set during WWII and The Great Depression? You'll want to grab THE WOODEN NICKEL!

When Louise steps into a bread line in the middle of a dusty Texas town, the last thing she expects to find is a filthy hobo-boy taking pity on her. But when Cliff offers her his last piece of change, a worthless wooden nickel, her life changes forever. The Depression era coin proves to be worth far more than the five cents etched beside the wooden buffalo as it becomes a symbol of faith, hope and love, weaving in and out of their lives time and time again.

The Wooden Nickel is an emotional gripping tale about a bond between two young lovers trying to find their way in the world. An intense drama, unfolding amid the backdrop of war torn Europe and a naive America, desperately in need of new hope, The Wooden Nickel is an unforgettable romance full of mesmerizing characters, deep longing and eternal hope.

BUY LINK FOR THE WOODEN NICKEL


Craving a sexy, romantic thriller? DEADLY R&R is right up your alley!

Shay Reynolds was raised solely by her father and abandoned by her mother at an early age. Old enough now to take the reigns of her father's business, R&R Advertisting in Palm Springs, Florida, she's about as happy and as successful as a modern woman can get without a mother. Engaged to handsome Chase McMillan, an anchor on the popular national morning television show in New York City with her ads regularly nominated for the prestigious Clio Awards, she's a woman accustomed to life handing her roses. Her good fortune takes a nose dive when her fiance dies mysteriously. Falling into a deep depression, Shay confides in her chauffeur, Tommy Smith and agrees to hire his father's private eye service to investigate. Afraid to be alone, Shay shares her thoughts and broken dreams with Tommy. A serial killer is on the loose. Bad timing for Tommy who has always had it bad for his boss. Hot on the trail of a sicko who enjoys the shock factor of cryptic messages and creepy packages sent to the object of his affection, Tommy fights to shield the only woman who has never treated him like a hired hand.

BUY LINK FOR DEADLY R&R


In the mood for dark paranormal erotica? CIRCLE CITY: LORD OF THE WOLFEN ~ BOOOK I is a sexy werewolf tale that will leave you breathless as you turn the pages. An epic novel for the bargain price of .99!

On the edge of civilization, there is a place called Circle City, Alaska. The last town before the Yukon Flats gives way to frigid desolation. When Zoe O'Brien, a secluded widow, kills a crazed mother wolf and saves the only cub from sure death, she ignites a war between the Wolfen Clan and the Kontar Clan. The wolf people have been enemies of the dog people for centuries and the cub she takes in is heir to the Wolfen throne. Taken prisoner by the Wolfen for murder and kidnapping, Zoe is forced to see and do things with creatures she never knew existed, held against her will in a world she both desires and fears. Axl Wolfdorn is coming of age, ready for his Unleashing and on the hunt for his Moonswan, the female he will choose for the Chase and the royal Feral Consummation. But how can he consider bonding with a mate when the only scent deep within his nose is the tangy scent of the woman who saved his life, the very woman who forced his clan into war, the woman he must now kill to avenge his mother's death?

BUY LINK FOR CIRCLE CITY AT AMAZON

BUY LINK FOR CIRCLE CITY AT BARNES AND NOBLE



Who doesn't love a great time-travel? THE HOUR GLASS WITCH takes you from The Salem Witch Trials to The Italian Renaissance and to Hades and back!

Travel back to the Salem Witch Hunt when a wicked glance could have you hanging from the gallows, convicted of lustful witchcraft! Accused of being a witch, Clio, the Muse of History is thrown in prison by a former lover from another life. To escape the gallows, she flees back in time, to the Italian Renaissance, where she becomes a courtesan for a famous Italian painter, living a life of luxury while pining for her lost love. Her favorite god and good friend, Dionysus, is living it up in Tuscany. He invites her to a wild party at his palace where she runs smack-dab into her destiny, only to be separated once more by the Queen of Gorgons. While the sands of time run out, she travels to Hades to face the hounds of Hell in search of her love. Can she salvage her one true love, please the gods and save the lost souls of Salem?


BUY LINK FOR THE HOUR GLASS WITCH


Looking for an adventurous young adult novel? Suitable for children and adults alike, TUSK is an Ice Age tale you will never forget!

Two Ice Age kids are orphaned and left to survive alone in the wild after their parents are killed in a bear attack. Tusk and his sister, Flint, discover ancient cave paintings with a horrific warning and instructions on how to survive a deadly meteor headed their way. Tusk is a natural born leader and believes only he can warn others and lead the clans to the land bridge and the New World. Flint has secrets of her own and a plan with a woolly mammoth to unite the animal kingdom before their world is blown away.

BUY LINK FOR TUSK

Happy Reading!

Spread Love ~ Alisha

I'll have a plate of zombies and my eggs sunny side up!

Alisha: Published authors get tons of writing tossed their way. Do you know how many people have sent me their work so I can read it and do what? Breathe magic into it so an editor will love it and offer the writer a big ass contract? We don't have the connections new writers think we do. I can hook you up with a kick ass editor and a kick ass cover artist. That's about it. But ever so often, I get something in my inbox that excites me. If I were an acquiring editor, I'd grab this dude by the collar and not let go! This guy can write!!! Very well! I love his voice, his humor and he needs no help from me or anyone else. Dialogue is his very best friend and I love that in a writer! Makes the story pump along at a fast, exciting pace! Please welcome...well, I'll let him introduce himself. Watch out world, here he comes! And if you're one of those people who don't "get" zombie books, don't fret..you soon will.


Name: Daniel "El Jefe" McElhaney (No one calls me "El Jefe")
Age: 21 (secretly ageless, like Cthulu)
Favorite Genre: Horror/Suspense
Favorite Books: John Dies At The End by David Wong and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

I started writing about 5 years ago. I was heavily into zombie/horror movies, and I was sad that, aside from World War Z, there was very little zombie literature. I took it upon myself to write a little story about a guy walking through an airport, getting coughed on by a second guy, and starting the zombie outbreak in New York. I was happy with the work, so I posted it to Myspace. My friends and family all devoured it, and begged for more. I turned a short, 500 word excerpt into an 11,000 word work in progress, but I soon hit a wall, and couldn't overcome it. My current project, Zombie R&D, was inspired by a book I read called John Dies At The End by David Wong. I read this book and decided that I wanted to write a zombie based novel about these two best friends who are forced to face the zombie apocalypse from the confines of their workplace. I'm about 9000 words into this one, and a full head of steam to keep going. I hope you all enjoy the read.



Excerpt
I should have known something was up when I noticed the smell, but I was too caught up in thinking “damn fire extinguisher,” and “what the hell is this stuff anyway?” It wasn't a particularly unpleasant smell, but near the door, it did get slightly overwhelming and made me want to swear off Thai food for at least a month. I felt bad for the guy who had to pass that stuff though, and hoped it tasted better than it smelled coming out.

Upon entering the bathroom I was greeted with what was probably the most gruesome sight I had ever seen in a bathroom, and I had walked in on Devon shaving his nether-realm once. A strange liquid covered the floor. Too black to be poo, too red to not be blood. It looked like a color a goth-kid would wear to prom, if a goth-kid would ever go to prom. I'm not really sure if liquid is the best term to describe it. It ran like liquid, and it soaked into paper towels like liquid, but it was chunky, like Chinese food vomit, but it didn't smell anywhere near as good. I looked under the stall from which this liquid was expanding slowly.

Juan, the over-night janitor (this was Texas, I'm not being racist) was laying face down in the toilet while below him his entrails we hanging in the wind. The black liquid covered the front of the porcelain bowl with some chunks of gore littered here and there. His work boots were soaked with the stuff, and as I got closer, I could tell he had also soiled himself, but that was the least of his worries.

Suddenly, I had some tequila flashbacks, and that feeling where your tongue sinks back in your throat hit me. I had connected that Thai-food-not-so-happy-ending smell with the seemingly dead body and bloody expungement and my weak digestive system could hold it in no longer. I ran to the sink behind me and immediately regretted my choice of vomiting into a vessel with such a small drain. Just as I got done getting rid of the terrible food from the party the night before, I heard the last thing I wanted to hear. Terrified of what I would find, I turned around.

His feet shuffled slowly behind me, and I could hear him moaning as if he had just, well, thrown up after being disemboweled. Juan was fighting, trying to rise to his feet, but his body and the extremely slippery floor had made it one hell of a task. His legs and feet slid around in the muck on the floor as his hands tried in vain to grasp anything at all for leverage.

Like Juan had done hours before, I nearly evacuated my bowels when, from behind me yet again, Devon beckoned aloud, “Juan! Do you need an amberlamps?”

“Jesus Christ Dev, you would make a bad-ass ninja, but scare me like that again, and I will make sure you end up like Juan here. Also, why do you say that, amberlamps?”

“Well, jeez, Ricky, I don't know, maybe because Juan Delgado, our janitor, could use one right about now, seeing as he's face down in his own intestines!”

“Not that, jack ass, it's called an ambulance. Amber lamps are what you put in your car for turn signals.”

“How is that even important? He needs medical attention, and the fastest way to get him medical attention is, say it with me, an amberlamps!”

“Now I understand why you were in summer school for English class.”

“I told you once, you sonofabitch, I only failed so I could ogle Mrs. Whatsherface's perfectly round ass.”

“Mrs. Perkins? Dude, she was closer to 60 than she was to your age.”

“I don't care. You can't deny that that booty was on point.”

“Whatever, we need to get Juan some help. What should we do? Emergency Services won't be here until noon. He's going to die. Sweet zombie Jesus, Juan is going to die. Here. In the bathroom. At Fred's Electronics.”

“Could have been worse. We could have found him naked.”

“Devon, show some respect. Go get Brian. You know what, never mind, go announce that we're closing the store.”

“You are looking for every reason to ruin my day today, aren't you?”

“DEVON! GO! NOW!”

“Alright, jeez, calm your tits.” He finally left the rest room. My hand trembled as I reached for the walkie-talkie in my pocket. I didn't realize it then, but this was the second, I don't know exactly what to call them, that I would see. I would come into contact with about thirty of them on this particular day. They've got a list of names: Ghouls, Zombies, Zeds, Drones, Crazies, Freaks, Geeks. My preferred term for them at that time was, “those bitey assholes.”