Virtual Tour - Rebel of Ross by Mary Lancaster

Rebel of Ross

by Mary Lancaster

Publication Date: July 31^st 2016

Genre: Historical Fiction/Historical Romance/Medieval

From The Book Junkie Reads . . . Rebel of Ross . . .

Historical Scotland. Fight for family. Fight for what is right. A seer. A lost soul. Coming home. Peace. Love.

Adam and Christian have their hands full of working to make things right. Neither would have every truly thought that it would mean they would come together. Adam had his vision to steer him and his family in the right direction.  Fighting for family was one thing. Fighting for that one love makes it all the more. 

Adventure and intrigue goes hand and hand with this historical romance that brings medieval Scotland to life with vivid imagery. The read was full of rich captivating characters with depth and scope. There was raw passion for Christian and Adam. From the beginning to the end the read will give that adventure to hold you in place. 

**This ARC was provided via HFVBT in exchange for an honest review.**

BLURB

Scotland, 1156.

Malcolm MacHeth, one time Earl of Ross, languishes a prisoner in Roxburgh Castle while his sons raise rebellion in his name. Optimistically, the King of Scots promises the earldom of Ross to landless Norman knight, Sir William de Lanson, if he can somehow defeat the infamous MacHeths.

It wasn’t quite how William’s disgraced wife Christian dreamed of coming home. Capture by the strange and ferocious Adam MacHeth was hardly part of her plan either, although she and William quickly become pawns in his.

Adam, warrior and seer, fights for his father’s freedom and for his family’s right to claim the kingdom of the Scots. Plagued by waking dreams which threaten his sanity and his life, he’s learned to use his prophecies to further his family’s goals. But when he abducts his enemy’s lady, his dreams and his desires are suddenly more personal.

Surrounded by intrigue, ambition and betrayal, Christian must choose between loyalty and love in order to keep a fragile peace for her people and for the man she loves beyond all reason.

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Inside, an upturned cask had become a table between two rough stools. The booth was plunged into gloom as the curtain closed out the sunshine. Setting down her cup, she sat on one stool as if perfectly at ease and lifted her gaze to Adam MacHeth.

He stood just inside the curtain, watching her with a curious, wary expression that told her she’d surprised him.

“I congratulate myself,” she said sardonically. “I understand it isn’t easy to surprise a man with second sight.”

He stirred, walked past her to the back of the booth. “Who told you that?” He reached up to a shelf, taking down a flagon and a cup.

“Is it true?” Christian asked.

“Is what true?” He set down the cup and poured wine from the flagon.

“That you have second sight. Or are you just a berserker like the old Vikings?”

He eased his large body down onto the stool. His knee brushed against her skirts. “A lady of your education knows there’s no such thing as second sight.”

She smiled deprecatingly. “And you despise ladies of such education.”

His eyebrows flew up. “I don’t despise you.”

For some reason, that brought colour seeping into her face. To cover it, she lifted her chin in challenge. “Then you’re a berserker after all?”

“Why should you think that?”

She shivered, seeing again the men she knew cut down by his sword, trampled beneath his merciless boots. “The way you fight.”

His eyebrows twitched. “That.” One dismissive hand seemed to wave her accusation out through the closed curtain. “It’s a mask. Not unlike yours.”

 She stared at him, wondering what on earth he’d ever had in his life to hide from on the battlefield. She had to press her lips together to stop herself asking. She hadn’t come in here to discover such things. Giving herself time to regroup, she raised her cup and sipped.

“Why did you let us have Tirebeck?” she asked abruptly.

He stirred. “For my brother.”

“You’d have got your brother back just for me.”

“That’s not what you said at the time. According to you, I wouldn’t have got a chicken for you, never mind the Earl of Ross’s heir.”

“But you didn’t believe me. Why then give us Tirebeck?”

“Tirebeck is yours.”

She set down her cup, meeting his whirlpool gaze. For some reason, that wasn’t so difficult now. “To keep us contented. To keep the king unsuspicious and unaware of whatever it is you truly intend.”

A smile flickered across his face. He didn’t look afraid.

“Galleys,” she said.

Neither of them blinked. Without looking at it, he swirled the wine in his cup. “I apologise for exposing myself. What is it you really want to ask me?”

The heat of embarrassment surged through her body at the memory of his. He had seen her in the boat. But, determined not to back down, she hung on to his dark gaze. “How did the old hall at Tirebeck burn down?”

His gaze dropped to his wine. His hand stilled, then raised the cup to his lips. He drank and lowered the cup before he looked at her again. “Rhuadri burned it. The day you left.”

Her father had burned it himself? She frowned in the effort of memory. After all, she’d only been three years old. “The day we left? Why did we leave?”

Adam shrugged.

“You don’t want to tell me,” Christian discovered.

“You don’t want to know. It wasn’t that fire that injured you.”

Before she could prevent it, her hand flew up to her mask. Old Eta, the fisherman’s wife, had mentioned another fire too.

He said steadily, “You were knocked into the hearth fire during a fight. When you were a baby. More than two years before you left.”

Her ears seemed to sing. All the blood which had rushed into her face drained away. She’d always assumed it was the fire she remembered which had injured her. The memory was associated with such fear and pain. No one had told her otherwise until now. She lifted the cup to her mouth and lowered it again untouched.

“Who?” she whispered. “Who was fighting?”

“Your father and a Norman knight sent by the king to take my father after Stracathro.” Stracathro… The battle by which King David had defeated the rebellious young Earls of Moray and Ross. The Earl of Moray had died in battle, but his brother, Malcolm MacHeth, Earl of Ross, had escaped and eluded capture for another two years. The king had deprived him and his sons of the earldom, outlawed the family, and when Malcolm was finally captured, he was imprisoned in Roxburgh Castle, almost as far away from Ross as you could get without leaving the kingdom.

“So I was injured by my father defending yours,” she said a little shakily. “No wonder my mother never told that story. It wouldn’t have looked good to the King of Scots.”

His eyes fell. He had very long lashes. “It’s past. It shouldn’t affect your future.”

She straightened her shoulders, regarding him with a touch of mockery. “So you do have second sight.”

“That was only common sense.”

She wasn’t sure what made her do it. Mere curiosity, perhaps, or pique. Her gaze lit on his big, scarred hand, abstractly swirling his cup. She reached out and seized his hand as if to still it.

It jerked, slopping the wine over the barrel, but that wasn’t enough to dislodge her fingers, and she hung on.

“You don’t like to be touched, do you?” she said, holding his startled gaze.

“By some.” His stormy eyes darkened further. “I like your touch.”

Which wasn’t quite what she’d intended, although she’d brought it on herself. Flushing, but forcing herself not to snatch her hand back, she asked, “Do you see things?”

His breath rushed out on what might have been a laugh, quite at odds with the burning of his eyes. Without warning, his hand twisted, curling his fingers around hers. “Many things.”

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Author Info

Mary Lancaster's first love was historical fiction. Since then she has grown to love coffee, chocolate, red wine and black and white films - simultaneously where possible. She hates housework.

As a direct consequence of the first love, she studied history at St. Andrews University, after which she worked variously as editorial assistant, researcher and librarian. Although she has always written stories for her own entertainment, she began to make serious efforts toward publication in order to distract herself from a job she disliked. She now writes full time at her seaside home in Scotland, which she shares with her husband and three children.

Mary is the author of three historical novels:

An Endless Exile - the story of Hereward, 11th century outlaw hero

A World to Win - a Scottish governess finds love in revolutionary Hungary

A Prince to be Feared: the love story of Vlad Dracula

Mary loves to hear from readers. You can email her at Mary@MaryLancaster.com, and connect on Facebook. Find out more about Mary and her books at www.MaryLancaster.com.

Giveaway

To enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card, please see the GLEAM form Rebel of Ross

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

– Giveaway is open to internationally.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 8

Review at A Book Drunkard

Tuesday, August 9

Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Interview at Books and Benches

Wednesday, August 10

Excerpt at The Reading Queen

Guest Post at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Thursday, August 11

Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Guest Post & Excerpt at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium

Friday, August 12

Review at Let Them Read Books

Saturday, August 13

Interview at The Book Junkie Reads

Monday, August 15

Review at Impressions in Ink

Review & Excerpt at Historical Fiction Obsession

READ-2-REVIEW - Whiskey (Whiskey Sour, #1) by Krissy V

Whiskey

Whiskey Sour, #1

by Krissy V

Release Date: August 2^nd 2016

Cover Design by: Steam Power Studio

Genre: Dark Erotic Romance

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of Whiskey (Whiskey Sour, #1) . . .

Dark, dangerous, mysterious, sensual, desire ridding, lust consuming, brutal at times, mindless, raw, dirty, and more behind these pages. Whiskey has a life that no one wants to lay claim to but more the most have lived in some way or another. Some are ashamed of what lead them to the direction in which they find themselves. Others find a way to cope with what life had dealt them. Welcome to Whiskey's world. 

Whiskey was strong, determined and willing to do what it took to make it. She did not allow for life to keep her down. She did not allow for life to take away the on thing that was good for her. Sawyer gave Whiskey something that was tangible. Something that tied them together. Something unbreakable. 

Life has a way of handing you intensity when you feel that things are going well. This happens to Whiskey and Sawyer. There was darkness, intense emotional triggers, and the gritty grime of life when you have nothing else. Come along read this well paced, rich characters, dark journey of Whiskey and the one man that gave her true hope when there was none.

I got sucked in by the teasing blurb a month ago, then the excerpt from a few weeks ago. Then I got pulled all the way into Whiskey's world with the read. I was captivated right from the start to the final words on the page. I have to say that I will be picking up the next. I look forward to all the ladies of Whiskey Sour  to have their own stories told. This read will not be for everyone, but if you crave a little something different , a little something on the darker side of life. Then I would suggest picking up Whiskey.

**This eBook was provided via Krissy V via 2 Girls a Book & a Glass of Wine in exchange for an honest review.**

Follow Whiskey’s harrowing story, as she embarks on her own journey to become the ‘Owner’ and namesake of ‘Whiskey Sour’.

When Whiskey runs away from home, she has no idea what her future holds. She experiences things that only nightmares are made of. Fed up of running away from everything, she decides to stand up and be counted. Her philosophy is ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!’ 

Whiskey Sour is her salvation and it too, becomes a haven for women who like her, needed rescuing from their tragic pasts. Whiskey soon becomes not only a mentor, but a trusted confidant to her burlesque protégés... 

Sawyer Callahan meets Whiskey one night... That’s all it takes for him to fall for this sassy, beautiful, sexy woman. What lengths will he go to to find her?  Will he find her in time? ...And, will she want him if he does?

WARNING: Due to sexual situations and adult content, this dark romance thriller series is not intended for readers under the age of 18, and anyone who is unable to read books containing, kidnapping, murder, rape, and extreme abuse. **

Order Now at 99 cents  price will be going up August  5th

Goodreads

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I just shake my head, I don’t want to get into this here. “Don’t Sawyer, please.”

“I don’t understand. I thought …. I thought we had a connection, something more than that!”

Christopher starts to laugh. He grabs me by my waist and pulls me closer to him. “You thought she had feelings for you … didn’t you? You are a complete fool, taken in by a bit of pussy. I am going to live on this one for weeks.”

I can’t believe he is being so cruel to Sawyer, did he really have feelings for me? I look at him and beg him with my eyes to help me. Then I look back at the floor and ignore everyone.

Christopher is still talking to Sawyer, “I think it’s time to leave this party, Whiskey. Although I’m having so much fun, I think I would much prefer to sink my cock in your pussy.” He pulls me to turn and start walking off.

Sawyer reaches out and pulls me away from Christopher and then he punches him in the face. I scream, Tilda screams and the bouncers come running.

“Excuse me gentlemen, can you please sort out your differences outside.”

“Don’t worry WE were just leaving.” Christopher takes my hand and drags me to the lift, which just happens to be free and as soon as he is inside he slams his fist into the button, the door closes as I see Sawyer coming towards it.

“Well that was a really interesting night Whiskey. Your pussy has had a lot of attention tonight and I haven’t even started with you.”

“I’m not going to sleep with you Christopher.”

“Yes, you are!”

“No, I don’t have to, it’s my prerogative.” I cross my arms.

He pushes me against the back of the lift, and grabs my chin to hold it in place. “You’re prerogative went out of the window sweetheart when I found out you slept with HIM. Whore!”

He tries to kiss me, I bite his lip, It only seems to turn him on more. I try to push him off me, “Get off me Christopher.”

He starts laughing like a maniac and I start to get really scared. All the customers are vetted by Kings X Companions so we don’t come across any weirdo’s – I wonder how he slipped through the net. I can’t wait to speak to Marcia ? tomorrow and make sure he can’t hire anyone else.

“I’ll find my own way home,” I say as we get out of the lift. I try pulling my arm away from him.

“You’re very funny! I paid for company for tonight, I haven’t even started yet. Then I want to see you being a whore and only then will I think about letting you go home. Only think about it mind you.”

I can hear myself screaming at him. “You’re a fucking psycho Christopher. If I don’t go home, then Tilda will know who I’m with. She knows I don’t want to go home with you already, so she WILL be watching out for me.”

“Shut up, bitch.” He drags me to a waiting car. I start to feel a bit sick and dizzy. He opens the door and pushes me inside.

“What the fuck man?” Some guy says as he gets in beside me and slams his door.

“Sorry, there was an opportunity and I took it. She won’t remember you don’t worry. I slipped something in her drink earlier. Should give us time to get her to the farm.”

“But C, we didn’t agree to this. We talked about it, fantasised about it, but we never agreed to it.”

“Stop moaning and man up T. This is happening and it’s happening now.” His voice is getting really slurry, I can’t quite make out what he is saying.

I close my eyes, I feel so tired. I don’t want to be here. I want to be tucked up at home in my own bed. I can’t hear him talking anymore … it’s dark …

Order Now at 99 cents  price will be going up August  5th

Buy Links:

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Here's a Taste of the Whiskey Sour Series

The Sweet Girls of Whiskey Sour

‘Where the girls are sweet, but their dancing is not!’

Whiskey Sour is an unusual place for such a diverse group of women to meet. It is a very classy burlesque club in London’s Soho! You will find the most amazing women whose dancing is sensual, sexual and beautiful. Each of them have their own style and their very own story to tell. You are invited to come along and meet each of the ‘Sweet Girls of Whiskey Sour’ and find out the journeys they have been on to become the women that they are now.

Whiskey

She comes from the school of hard knocks. She is a sassy, headstrong woman, who becomes a mentor and confidante to her burlesque dancing protégés... However, she battles with her own secrets, which she has buried forever. Fed up of running away from everything, she decides to stand up and be counted. Her philosophy is “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!” Whiskey Sour is her salvation and it soon becomes a refuge for women who need rescuing from one nightmare or another. 

Snow

She is an elegant, classically trained ballet dancer and has the potential to become a ‘Prima Ballerina’. After completing a World tour she finds that has been betrayed by the one person she loved the most. She starts her life all over again... After a chance meeting with Whiskey, she becomes Whiskey Sour’s favourite girl.

Pinkie

Pinkie is a self-confessed ‘Posh bit of totty’. She has her own style of dance, dress and attitude. She goes through hell with her family to find her little bit of happiness. Pinkie will turn any man on and when Whiskey sees her dancing in Whiskey Sour one night, everything changes.  

Betsey

Betsey’s convinced she was born in the wrong decade. She spent her young life watching wartime movies, wanting to be like all the ‘beautifully chic’ leading ladies... So now she is... She is 1950’s all day … every day. It’s her life! She sees many ugly things at work, but she all she wants to do is to embrace the real her. One day she meets a young man who will change her life completely. ‘Whiskey Sour’ becomes her home, where she can finally be accepted for her quirkiness.

Blue

Streetwise Blue is a hip hop dancer who has come from dancing on the streets to sleazy clubs... Her brothers best friend has always protected her and one night he rescues her from an over amorous punter and changes her life. Now, she works in the safe surroundings of Whiskey Sour. She is quite young, very innocent and Whiskey sees a chance to have the family she has always wanted.

Zephyr

An ‘A’ student who moves to London to study as a lawyer. She has to work to pay for her studies. While out at a club one night, Whiskey approaches her after seeing her captivating dancing. She offers Zephyr an opportunity, which changes her life … in more ways than one...

Raven

She is the newest member of the Whiskey Sour troupe. She was always a dreamer and at sixteen she ran away from home to join the circus. With them she lived and breathed performing, travelling the world until tragedy strikes causing her life to change, drastically. When she is introduced to Betsey, her life starts to swing in the right direction.  

 

Author Info

I am a mother to two young children, who in turn keep me young. I live in Dublin, Ireland but, I’m originally from South Devon in the UK. I work full time in a pharmacy and write in all my spare time: in my lunch hour, when watching TV at night and anywhere.

I have always been interested in reading from a young age and then 2 years ago I was given a kindle as a present and it was the best thing that happened to me. I was able to read lots of books ever week and then I started to write reviews for all the books I read. I took this one step further and started my own facebook page – Sparkling Pink Bookshelf. I intended to upload all of my reviews for the books I read. This was purely for pleasure and then I answered a post on Facebook for someone to read for reviews and thought I had died and gone to heaven. I was reading about 7/8 books a week, the kindle made this achievable. I would read at any opportunity I could, even staying up til the small hours to finish a book. I loved it. Then one day I was asked to beta read a book – I loved this side of it, it was so exciting. I have worked with a number of indie authors and have remained loyal to a few select authors and I beta read all their work.

After a year or more of doing this, I thought maybe I could write some of the stories that were in my head and I just decided to write and see what happened. I wrote about 70% of a story and then saw a post for the NaNoWriMo competition – to write 50,000 words in 30 days, I decided that this was a challenge I wanted to take and the Til Death Us Do Part series was born. I am always thinking of situations that can be turned into a story and have started a few stories, which in turn will be completed and released to my readers. I love to hear what my readers have to say about my work and please find my links below. Thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy this series of books as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Author Links:

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Virtural Tour - The Memory Painter: A Novel of Love and Reincarnation by Gwendolyn Womack

The Memory Painter

A Novel of Love and Reincarnation

by Gwendolyn Womack

Publication Date: July 5^th 2016

Publisher: Picador USA

Genre: Historical Fiction/Time Travel/Mystery/Romance

From The Book Junkie Reads . . . The Memory Painter: A Novel of Love and Reincarnation. . .

Through the ages we have wondered if there was more to life than birth, death, nothing. What if reincarnation was in deed part of that process but we just lost our past lives? What if you remember each and every life you have lived for 10,000 years? What if the possibilities of future medical research could bring your entire past into a clear focus and you could recoup the lives you have lost? What if you could recover that one love that was everything to you? What if. . .

Bryan may just be the man to open the door to the past. Linz may be that one person that can help with all that he has experienced in his dreams. Or are they dreams or memories of lives that he had live over the centuries. But to answer the questions that are now presented to him. Bryan and Linz must uncover secrets that were never meant to be uncovered. The suspense of what will be found. The thrill of seeking it out. The mystery of why all this had happened. The feeling that this was not suppose to be discovered opens doors that should not have been opened. 

Mystery, suspense, romance, and a few thrills. This was a read that took you on a journey back in time, a journey back to love, pure, and then some. Love has never rang truer than following you throughout your life spans throughout the ages.

**This Advanced Copy was provided Picador USA in exchange for an honest review.**

Finalist for the 2016 RWA Prism Awards for Best First Book & Best Time Travel/ Steampunk category.

BLURB

Two lovers who have traveled across time.

A team of scientists at the cutting edge of memory research.

A miracle drug that unlocks an ancient mystery.

At once a sweeping love story and a time-travelling adventure, Gwendolyn Womack's luminous debut novel, The Memory Painter, is perfect for readers of The Time Traveler's Wife, Life After Life and Winter's Tale.

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist, whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to Bryan's success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. Bryan believes these dreams are really recollections―possibly even flashback from another life―and he has always hoped that his art will lead him to an answer. And when he meets Linz Jacobs, a neurogenticist who recognizes a recurring childhood nightmare in one Bryan's paintings, he is convinced she holds the key.

Their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet―visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago. As his visions intensify, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

The Memory Painter, like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Inception, is at once a taut thriller and a deeply original love story that transcends time and space, spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history.

“Gwendolyn Womack's tale dazzles.” ―US Weekly (Standout Spring Novels)

“…hang on for a wild and entertaining ride around the world and through the centuries back to ancient Egypt.” ~ Library Journal, starred review

“A sweeping, mesmerizing feat of absolute magic. . . . ” ~ M.J. Rose, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Witch of Painted Sorrows

“Layers of past and present form a rich pastry of a narrative, poignant and thoughtful, rich and suspenseful, filled with intrigue and dripping with meaning... ” ~ Charlie Lovett, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Bookman's Tale and First Impressions

Buy Links:

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Origenes Adamantius, a priest from ancient Rome, had invaded his consciousness a week ago, and every night since he had been painting memories from the man’s life. He had delivered the first canvas to the gallery before it had even dried.  He knew it had to hang in his next show, but he had no idea why.

The opening was tonight. It would be his first show in Boston since he had moved from New York, and all week he had been toying with the idea of going. But then he would dismiss it just as quickly. He could not justify the risk. Being surrounded by so many people, having to stare into their eyes as he shook their hands—his paintings a screaming backdrop—would most likely trigger an episode. And how could he explain that?

When he hadn’t appeared at any of his openings in New York last year, the press had pounced, portraying him as some kind of arrogant recluse who spurned the public, when nothing could be further from the truth. He put his work out there with the hope that someone, someday, would recognize his paintings for what they were, that someone else in the world suffered from the same curse. But maybe that hope was delusional. He had been searching for years and was beginning to feel it was a lost caus. Hundreds of paintings and not one answer.

Bryan rubbed his eyes. He could feel a headache setting in—the need to shut off his thoughts had become too great. Maybe he should take the day off, go outside for a long walk.

But first he wanted to go to the exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. All week, colorful banners had been waving in the wind next to the streetlights downtown, announcing its arrival: “Mysteries of Egypt and The Great Pyramid.” Every time he saw them, it felt as if the last remaining Seventh Wonder of the World had come to Boston just for him. He’d been planning to attend, and today would be the perfect day to go.

He grabbed his keys and left, passing one of his neighbors in the hallway—a young woman he had seen only once or twice before. She lived at the opposite end of the hall wither husband, and she was looking at him with a mixture of embarrassment and allure.

With a faint smile, he murmured a quick “Hello” and turned around to go back inside. He had forgotten to put on a shirt. 

Author Info

Originally from Houston, Texas, Gwendolyn Womack began writing theater plays in college at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She went on to receive an MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Directing Theatre, Video & Cinema. Currently she resides in Los Angeles with her husband and son where she can be found at the keyboard working on her next novel. The Memory Painter is her first novel.

Author Links:

Website  Facebook   Twitter  Goodreads

How would you describe your style of writing to someone that has never read your work?

I write romantic thrillers with a lot of history woven into the story, and I focus on keeping my writing fast-paced and accessible. I want to the story to move with a sense of momentum. I’m an impatient reader and I think that carries over into my writing. But within that pace, I try to make the story feel as visual and visceral as possible.

What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?

I don’t have a routine. I’m chaotically organized. I tend to write every day and try to make my time count—and writing can take many forms, research, daydreaming, scribbling doodles of notes and then sitting down at the keyboard. The key is to not judge the process. I’m also a firm believer in taking time away to let the imagination recharge. Then once a story is set, I’m a heavy rewriter and I bring pages and notes with me wherever I go. I can work on the fly in the car, during my son’s karate class or with a cartoon on. And when I’m under a deadline I turn into a bit of a fanatic. But it all comes in cycles. 

Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way though to the page? Do you people watch to help with developement? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?

I people watch all the time but I never do it with an actual character in mind. Usually I don’t start writing a story until the main characters have crystallized in my mind. That can either happen quickly or sometimes take longer. It involves a lot of visualization and random thoughts scribbled on paper. But even with that prep, I don’t think I get to know my characters until I’m writing them. I go through so many drafts on a manuscript, after a certain point the characters begin to take the reigns. That’s a wonderful turning point because the characters are coming to life and I am getting out of the way. But that takes time. A writer once said, “Don’t worry if you don’t know your characters when you start a story, you’ll know them intimately by the time you finish.” And there is so much truth to that.

Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character? If so which one(s)?

For The Memory Painter, I’d have to say Bryan who is the memory painter in the story. I just loved writing him and all his lifetimes. Everything tied back to him.

Do you have a character that you have been working on that you can't wait to put to paper?

Yes. I’m just about to start writing my third book. My second novel, which is right at the finish line of edits will be announced soon and I’ve been busy with that. I’ve not written a word yet of this new story but I’m so excited to get started. My main character has become so vivid in my mind. It’s almost time to write the first page.

Have you ever felt that there was something inside of you that you couldn't control? If so what? If no what spurs you to reach for the unexprienced?

I think most writers will say they can’t really control their compulsion to write. It’s in your bones. I have no idea why it spurs me, but it has since I was a young girl. It’s my fuel.  

Thanks for having me on your blog!

GIVEAWAY

To win a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card & Vegvisir decal and Eye of Horus Necklace, please enter via the GLEAM form below. Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on July 12th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open to US & Canada addresses only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. The Memory Painter Blog Tour

Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, July 6 

Review at Creating Herstory 

Thursday, July 7 

Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads 

Excerpt at Diana's Book Reviews 

Friday, July 8 

Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! 

Review at Library Educated 

Review at Just One More Chapter 

Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Saturday, July 9 

Interview at The Book Junkie Reads 

Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Sunday, July 10 

Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Monday, July 11 

Review at Book Nerd 

Review at Layered Pages 

Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! 

Tuesday, July 12 

Review at Jorie Loves a Story 

Review at CelticLady's Reviews 

Interview at History From a Woman's Perspective