Welcome to Ann Crawford w/ ‘Fresh off the Starship’ @ann_crawford1 @GoddessFish #WomensFiction #SciFi #Humor

On May 21, 2019May 6, 2019 By Casey's CornerIn Authors & Books, Book Tours9 Comments

Today we have author Ann Crawford visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* I’m a fun-loving, world-traveling, high-flying, deep-diving, and living-to-the-max author of eight books. When I’m not flying planes, scuba diving, climbing every mountain (on the back of my husband’s motorcycle) or riding the world’s fastest roller coasters, you can find me in my writing nest with a view of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains out the window. I’ve lived all over–from both oceans white with foam, to the prairie, and now to the mountain. Yes, a little backwards, but what the hey.
* My bestselling and award-winning novels go as high and deep as I do—they’re profound yet funny; playful although poignant; heart-opening and heart-lifting; thought-provoking and inspiring; and edgy while universal. I’m also a screenwriter and award-winning filmmaker and humanitarian.

Today Ann Crawford will be talking about the best and worst pieces of writing advice she’s ever received.
* Well, the worst advice is easy: someone once told me to “Grow up!” and get a real, “practical” job, and give up this being-a-writer dream. Ugh! If I was writing books and people were saying, “Have you considered bagging groceries at Safeway instead?” I might consider giving it up. Well, I take that back—I write because I love it and I have to…it’s just who I am and what I do. So even if my books didn’t appeal to anyone else, I’d still write. But I do get great accolades from readers, reviewers, and award-givers, so I’m delighted it’s all working out.
* That unsolicited advice was so crazy awful! And he was a person of influence in my life. If I hadn’t been so driven, come from a highly creative family where such “crazy” pursuits were the norm (although so was keeping the day job until the creative pursuit could pay the way), and been so stubborn by nature, he might have decimated that dream. I wrote him a long letter telling him how wrong he was and to never dash someone’s goals like that. He later said, “Well, I guess you’ll show me.” Check!
* The best advice is also easy: “Keep writing!” Included in that would be “the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair” at a prescheduled, uninterruptible time and preferably behind a closed door…a playlist for each book (actually, that’s mine—no one ever suggested that to me but it works really, really well; the music becomes Pavlovian after a while, automatically dropping me into the world of the book)…and, well, if that’s where the joy is, nothing’s going to stop it.

A look into…

~ Blurb ~

* Love to laugh? You’ll enjoy this feel-good tale.
* A starbeing skyrockets to Earth from the other side of forever with a specific assignment: to help steer humanity away from the collision course it’s on. But we all know how travel can get drastically diverted–instead of landing in Washington, D.C., where she could assist on a grand geopolitical scale, she ends up in…Kansas!
* Wrong place, right time? Join our shero on this whimsical journey as she pursues her purpose as well as discovers the beauty of life and love on Earth.

~ Excerpt ~

* She catches a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror and lets out a gasp of surprise. She looks down at her body and then back at her reflection. She turns to the right, then to the left, then even more to the right, and then even more to the left.
* She gazes at her long limbs and then at the gentle curves and soft swells with interesting shapes, patterns and varying colors. She’d seen the human form during her training, but it’s quite different seeing it in person, literally, as a person.
* This vehicle is amazingly beautiful!
* The morning starlight casts her in a golden glow. She turns and looks over her shoulder to see the back of her in the mirror. Her long, light-brown-colored hair falls down her back like a veil.
* It’s one thing to study human beings. It’s a whole other thing altogether to be encased in this gorgeous piece of Creation.
* She wanders down the hall to the bathroom. She examines the tub and the faucets, remembering coming across such objects in her Googling and Youtubing. She starts filling the tub, adjusting the temperature to something that feels good, and climbs in.
* Holy Heaven!
* Not only is the water pressing against her, head to toe, a sensory pleasure in itself, she also runs her hands over this luscious body thing of hers. Nothing in her eternal life had ever felt like this. “Ahhhhhhhhhh!”

Buy Fresh off the Starship here…
Amazon – US

Thank you for joining us here today, Ann Crawford! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Ann Crawford will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. So be sure to leave a comment AND use this RAFFLECOPTER LINK to enter the drawing. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

Welcome M. F. Sullivan w/ ‘The Hierophant’s Daughter’ #SciFi #Horror #LGBTQ #Trilogy @TheRealMFS @GoddessFish

On May 20, 2019March 23, 2019 By Casey's CornerIn Authors & Books, Book Tours6 Comments

Today we have author M. F. Sullivan visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* M.F. Sullivan is the author of Delilah, My Woman, The Lightning Stenography Device, and a slew of plays in addition to the Trilogy. She lives in Ashland, Oregon with her boyfriend and her cat, where she attends the local Shakespeare Festival and experiments with the occult. Find more information about her work (and plenty of free essays) below.

Today M. F. Sullivan will be talking about “Lessons I learned from my heroine.”
* My story’s protagonist, the General Dominia di Mephitoli, has by the beginning of The Disgraced Martyr Trilogy spent three hundred years as one of the most notorious martyrs on planet Earth. She’s accomplished this by winning 1000 battles in a series of outrageous shows of military might and intellectual cunning.
* So if she could do all that, why the hell was I overweight?
* It may sound silly, but by the time I finished the first draft of the trilogy, I was keenly aware of how out of shape I was. Yes, I’ve always been a bit pudgy, but as my significant other of three years is a former chef with a taste for fine dining, I’ve found it very difficult to, uh, keep food out of my round face, for lack of a more delicate phrasing. This has had a predictable impact on my weight, my looks, and my asthma, but I was able to ignore most of it. I wasn’t morbidly obese or anything, after all, just a little jigglier than normal.
* But there comes a point around the second draft of Book II where I was working with a period of time Dominia spends imprisoned. She was filling the time by doing sit-ups. And I was struck by this as I would have been were she a real woman I knew—if Dominia, as a starving prisoner kept in a dank cell, was able to find energy or frame of mind enough to maintain her body, what was my excuse? While living in Tucson I had made a good habit of walking every morning, but I’d let it lapse upon moving to Oregon—but my schedule of rousing at 4 am every morning stayed the same, so it seemed a reasonable move to slip a work-out into my early routine.
* Nine months later, I’m in far better shape, a pants size smaller, and grateful to the General—health of the body follows health of the mind, and one impacts the other. Writers learning from the lessons of their characters will inevitably be led to a healthy lifestyle. The gym is a great time to think about my work in progress, listen to my writing soundtrack, and plan for the day ahead. It’s safe to say few fictional characters have had such a constructive impact on my life—very generous, considering all the torment I put Dominia through as her author!

A look into…

~ Blurb ~

* By 4042 CE, the Hierophant and his Church have risen to political dominance with his cannibalistic army of genetically modified humans: martyrs. In an era when mankind’s intergenerational cold wars against their long-lived predators seem close to running hot, the Holy Family is poised on the verge of complete planetary control. It will take a miracle to save humanity from extinction.
* It will also take a miracle to resurrect the wife of 331-year-old General Dominia di Mephitoli, who defects during martyr year 1997 AL in search of Lazarus, the one man rumored to bring life to the dead. With the Hierophant’s Project Black Sun looming over her head, she has little choice but to believe this Lazarus is really all her new friends say he is–assuming he exists at all–and that these companions of hers are really able to help her. From the foulmouthed Japanese prostitute with a few secrets of her own to the outright sapient dog who seems to judge every move, they don’t inspire a lot of confidence, but the General has to take the help she can get.
* After all, Dominia is no ordinary martyr. She is THE HIEROPHANT’S DAUGHTER, and her Father won’t let her switch sides without a fight. Not when she still has so much to learn.
* The dystopic first entry of an epic cyberpunk trilogy, THE HIEROPHANT’S DAUGHTER is a horror/sci-fi adventure sure to delight and inspire adult readers of all stripes.

~ Excerpt ~

VIII
* Miki Soto
* What couldn’t a person access from the Japanese Internet? The question inspired Dominia to get out of the bathtub for another look at the card. There was no address, whether web or physical, as there hadn’t been an address on the ad floating across that billboard; instead, when she studied the lotus embossed upon the card, the DIOX-I highlighted it as though it were a link. How fascinating, this augmented reality! After fixing the device’s settings back to manual control, she “clicked” on the link with an unsteady wink, and her right field of vision was covered by the floating window of a browser. Had she cochlear implants, she would have heard some sort of music, or even a voice accompanying the woman’s writhing in and out of the browser’s dark: less a whole person, and more a disembodied assortment of lips, fingers, lower backs, and thighs. At last, the vision disappeared to present her with the crimson words, “WELCOME TO THE RED MARKET.”
* A button appeared: “Connect Your Halcyon for Age Verification.” The idea of giving the women of the international and highly loathed illegal organization any information might have stopped her in a simpler time, as it surely stopped 70 percent of potential Red Market customers—the ones able to access the site, anyway, inaccessible from Europa and the Front through traditional routes. That had been all the Hierophant could do to combat in any meaningful way the world’s oldest profession-cum-cult. Far trickier than hampering Internet access was controlling in-person transactions in gold or silver, or the off-brand cryptocurrency, Redcoin; and because there were almost no freelance prostitutes left in the world, catching a working girl was difficult.

Buy The Hierophant’s Daughter here…
Amazon – US | Barnes & Noble | NetGalley

Find M. F. Sullivan here…
Amazon Author Page | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter

Thank you for joining us here today, M. F. Sullivan! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! M. F. Sullivan says, “One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card!” So be sure to leave a comment AND use this RAFFLECOPTER LINK to enter the drawing. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!

Welcome Lilith Thorn w/ #Paranormal #Romance #Erotica #book ‘The Becoming’ @liliththorn @GoddessFish

On April 25, 2019March 7, 2019 By Casey's CornerIn Authors & Books, Book Tours5 Comments

Today we have author Lilith Thorn visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

~ Bio ~

* Born in Dundas, ON, Lilith Thorn is a restless wanderer. Her first move was to St. Catharines where she earned a Theatre degree at Brock University. Despite her parents’ wish that she would return home and work at McDonalds after graduating, Lilith refused and instead moved to Toronto to give acting the ‘Old College Try.’ After years of sacrificing her other passions for the stage and an empty bank account, she put away those dreams to say “Yes” to a different adventure. This took her to Dublin, Ireland for a few years where she met, fell in love with, and married another Canadian who took her to the one place she said she’d never live: Yellowknife. After nearly a decade in Canada’s Great White North, Lilith looks forward to further adventures with her husband and two children, just about anywhere.
* Lilith Thorn is a pen name, the pseudonym used to protect the innocent; that is, so she hopefully never has to explain to her mother-in-law over dinner that she has written an erotic novel.

~ Interview ~

What is something you’ve lied about?
* Oh my goodness. I’m a Mom. I lie every day to avoid drama in our house. Let’s see, recently, I’ve lied about our yogurt supply, that it was super late (even though it was their regular bedtime), etc. This morning I was asked what I was doing with the toy I had in my hand. Does putting it away count as a lie if I put it away in the donation box?

Who is the last person you hugged?
* My son. He’s eating his lunch and watching some TV while I work. I snuck out to give him a hug. He gives the best hugs!

What are you reading now?
* I’ve just started a booked called A Voice in the Wild by Laurie Sarkadi. She’s a local author and has gotten some great recognition for her book. I’ve wanted to read it for some time but have been intimidated by a few things about it. First, it’s a memoir, not something I typically read. Second, Laurie is super insightful and smart, her book really reflects that. Third, Laurie lives off the grid and has a real connection with the land and the animals. From the reviews I’ve read its very much a true Yellowknifer’s story. So why am I intimidated, I think I’m afraid I won’t relate to the story. Though, just one chapter in and I have gained so much. She opens with two love stories and manages to reference animal characteristics in such a way that they parallel her characters so accurately. Reading her story and imagining how she’s crafted it, the steps she’s taken to get there is inspiring.

How do you come up with the titles to your books?
* The Becoming naturally flowed from this story. It’s the best way to sum up the first part of Niamh’s story. These are the steps that lead her to become the person that she will be.

Share your dream cast for your book.
* Dream film cast? Great question. I haven’t thought that far ahead. Hmmmmm….
* Caleb: Richard Madden
* Niamh: Zoey Deutch
* Rachel: Bipasha Basu
* Faolon: Jared Leto

Find Lilith Thorn here…
Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter

A look into…

~ Blurb ~

* Niamh is a good wife. She learned early on that crossing her husband had consequences. Living quietly in the shadowed cage he has formed around her, Niamh suffers his secrets and bares the scars they leave behind.
* On the night of her biggest humiliation Caleb enters the ballroom changing Niamh’s course forever. He brings safety to her dark world and introduces her to the possibility of escape. Will Niamh’s love for Caleb be the key to her freedom or will it be her undoing?

~ Excerpt ~

Chapter Six
* I began to remove my clothing, feet first, when I heard the door to the sitting room open. Without hesitation, my guest walked through the room to where I sat. Caleb. I was on my feet immediately, though I had barely taken a step toward him before he had me enveloped in his arms. With both grace and speed, the perfectly made bed and my body collided with Caleb on top.
* I was lost to him for what seemed like a moment and forever all at the same time. His hands and my hands both explored the figure opposite them, as if they were making sure the other was really there. Our lips were sealed to one another, tongues exploring as our hands were. My body instinctively pressed itself against his with no desire to be anywhere else. My skirts were bulky, blocking the heat from his body. My corset and Caleb’s weight made it hard to breathe and I was fighting my own instincts to tear into him with every bit of pent up desire that had accumulated since puberty.
* Despite all of this, I was elated. There was nothing outside of this moment, only the feel of his lips pressed against mine, his knees pushing open my thighs to cradle his hips against my skirts, my breasts alive and begging for his touch.
* The spell was broken when he pulled his face from mine, his hands searching to find a way under my many skirts.
* “No hello?” I panted, smiling. Caleb smiled in return while his fingers made their way to a small patch of flesh at the top of my thighs. His hands hung onto my skin, pulsing, waiting for my permission to explore further.
* “Hello.”
* He leaned down to kiss me again, but this time I turned my head away. He didn’t remove his hand from its hiding place, nor did he look hurt, but he paused for a moment waiting for me to tell him to stop. His eyes locked into mine while his fingers slowly circled the flesh they were in possession of, willing to give up this action and move to higher ground if asked to do so.
* I did my best to quickly assess what I wanted from him in that moment. There was a strong pull to throw caution to the wind and let him take my virginity right then and there. In fact, my hands had a strong grasp on his buttocks and seemed very unwilling to let go.
* With a deep sigh, a reluctant release of his backside and a motion to sit-up, I blurted, “I was going to clean up before I came to find you.”
* Better than the “I think I love you” that was on the tip of my tongue, I supposed.
* Caleb rolled off me, allowing me to sit. He perched on the edge of the bed and held his hand out to me. “I can help you with that.”
* There was a devilish grin on his face. While I had called a stop to our encounter this day, we both knew that the days to come would lead to my undoing.

Thank you for joining us here today, Lilith Thorn! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Lilith Thorn will award to one randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card! So be sure to leave a comment AND use this RAFFLECOPTER LINK to enter the drawing. Also, visit the other tour stops for a greater chance of winning!