~ Long Live the REIGN OF THE VAMPIRES! ~ Rebekah R. Ganiere's Latest!

Rebekah Ganiere is joining us today with her newest release, REIGN OF THE VAMPIRES. But first she has a top ten to share with us.

Top Ten Vampires that Changed my Life! 

By Rebekah R. Ganiere

I love Vampires. I’ve loved them since the first time I saw Lost Boys! I’ve read vampires, written vampires, played vampires and dressed up as vampires. I even have a custom fit pair of vampire fangs. Love Vampires.



So I decided that I would make a list of the Top Ten Vampires that changed my life!



10. The Vampires from Underworld. Underworld was one of my favorite movies of all time. And to pick just one in there would be a travesty! I love Selene's tough no nonsense attitude. I love Viktor's cut throat take charge, I'm the leader, personality. Though he did go a bit too far. I loved Marcus and his love for his brother. And I loved Michael. Yes technically he was a hybrid but he was a dang cute one and tough to boot.



9. Claudia from Interview with a Vampire. Now I’d love to say Louis because Brad Pitt is just plain sexy, but Claudia was a character that struck me even more. This beautiful childlike doll had two amazing vampire men taking care of her and giving her everything she ever wanted. Who could ever want for more? Well, she changed that theory for me. She looked like a child. Never having a lover, or a job, or been seen as anything but a little girl. Forever! I can’t imagine much in this world that would be more frustrating.



8. Luke Evans in Dracula Untold. That was an awesome movie and that man was hella sexy! The things he did to protect his family were seriously awesome. And then the sacrifices he made in the end for his son. The graphics weren't bad either. But seriously, he was the best Dracula since Gary Oldman.



7. Rio from the Midnight Breed Series by Lara Adrian. First I have to say that Lara Adrian is the sweetest lady ever! Her Midnight Breed series was the first Paranormal Romance series I’d ever read. It hooked me. I have a soft spot for tormented heroes and Rio was definitely a tormented hero. Scarred and broken, Rio didn’t ever think he would heal emotionally or physically. But in finding love, he did. That’s my favorite. Besides her mythos for her vampires was the coolest new twist I’ve seen in a while.



6. David from The Lost Boys. Like I mentioned earlier, it was The Lost Boys that hooked me on vampires. Kiefer Sutherland’s David was the best! He was sexy and cool and a bit scary all at the same time. Nothing is better than a gang of teen vampires hanging out together and ruling the pier in California. Jason Patric’s version of Michael wasn’t so bad either.



5. Angelus from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Technically I liked Angel and Angelus. I thought they were both great. Angel, tortured and good and Angelus the total bad boy who you love to hate. Both were equally sexy. And I waited and waited and waited for him to come back to Buffy so they could be together. I watched her go from guy to guy and thought, nope, he’s not Angel! Theirs was one of those fated loves that was just meant to be. I wanted to see them get an HEA so bad!



4. Gerard Butler as Dracula in Dracula 2000. Okay, okay, I know what you’re thinking, that was a terrible movie. And it was! But, the mythos behind it was great. I am a huge fan of taking old fables and giving them a new origin, hence my Fairelle Series of Fairytale Retellings. In Dracula 2000 Gerard Butler’s Dracula was actually Judas Iscariot from the bible. Wow! What a twist! They used his aversion to the sun, and silver and not being able to go on hallowed ground all from the story of Judas who betrayed Christ. That really stuck with me.



3. Sageren Vampire Prince from my novel Snow the Vampire Slayer. Sage is my tortured vampire who was deposed by his uncle and has spent the last fifty years plotting his revenge and trying to atone for all the lives he took previously. Sage hit me as a character because he has a quick wit and uses humor to hide his pain. Not surprisingly Sage is one of my readers favorite characters as well.



2. Gary Oldman as Dracula in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. You know I really don’t feel I need to say more than, Gary Oldman. Dracula. And that’s it. To me, there will never be another Dracula. Even Johnathan Rhys Myers can’t compete. Sorry. However I am thinking Luke Evans might give this choice a run for his money with the upcoming Dracula Untold. We shall see.



1. Zsadist from J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. This is a great series of vampire books. Hot men, violence, blood, you name it. And there is no one more dangerously sexy than Zsadist. The most tortured of souls he has been hurt, broken and completely messed up by an even more messed up female vampire. I’ve read this book several times because I find Zsadist’s story so compelling and his journey completely fascinating. He exhibits such raw emotion that makes this one of the best reads of my life.

Interesting! Thank you, Rebekah. Now let's hear a little bit more about REIGN OF THE VAMPIRES. 

Blurb ~

She wants security. He wants freedom. Together their love could destroy the world.

Ten years after the outbreak of the V2000 virus turns the majority of humans into a mutated Vampire sub-species, the last remaining true humans are the world's hottest commodity. In this new world, it's The Society that rules.

Being the only female Vampire Lord in America isn't easy. Being thrust into the role of CEO is even harder. Danika Chekov refuses to let her father's legacy die. She's resolved to keep everything under her tight control. But after she's almost killed, she's forced to purchase a human guardian.

Mason is human, or so the Vampires think. He's determined to protect his secret, but Lord Danika buys him before he can make his escape. Their passion for each other threatens everything they want most. And when Mason's true nature is exposed, the results could be devastating. 

Excerpt ~

Danika barely came up to his shoulder, and he was three times as wide across the chest as she was. The air around him was warmer the closer she got. His breathing had slowed, and he swallowed hard. From her position in front of him, he would have to kneel so she could reach his collar, and she didn’t want that. She looked around for a stool or chair to stand on, but there was nothing. She spotted the dresser behind him.

She pointed to it. “Please help me up, so I can reach.” Mason eyed the dresser and then her. He licked his lips and then turned, switching places with her, watching her with great intensity. He stepped close enough that their bodies touched. Danika’s breath caught in her throat at the nearness of him. His size, scent, and heat engulfed her.

He placed his hands around her waist, his touch sending goose bumps all over her body. The heat of his skin warmed her through her thin blouse. She placed her hands on his rigid arms. He flexed and lifted her off the floor, then seated her on the dresser.

Neither of them moved. The need she’d felt for him in his cell, and then again when she had seen him at Neeman’s, was stronger than ever. A part of her deep inside called to him. Her mind screamed at her, reminding her of the plan: come in, bond him, leave.

They stared at each other for a long time. She took in every inch of his strong face: his roman nose that had been broken at least once, the reddish-brown stubble upon his cheek and chin, the pink softness of his full lips.

“Bend your neck,” she whispered.

He bowed until his neck was inches from her face. His broad chest pressed close to her. His hands shook at her waist.

He’s a human and a slave. She couldn't have another incident like Xenock. She had too much at stake. She tried not to let his closeness affect her, but she couldn’t help it. She dipped her head and breathed in the nape of his neck where his hair fell to his shoulders. His scent was like heaven. It was the most desirable thing she’d ever smelled. She couldn’t even begin to describe the texture of it.

She slid her hands up his arms, feeling every muscle beneath his shirt. Gliding over the collar, she searched for the latch. Mason’s hot fingers pressed into her flesh as she fumbled for the lock. The tension in his body was obvious from the way he tried to hold himself away from her.

Danika’s head swam as his scent swirled in her brain. Her throat felt like dry ice. The need to taste him mounted. Stop! Not another Xenock! Keep it under control! Clearing her throat, she tried to concentrate on her fingertips. The latch appeared and she inserted the key. She dropped the manacle to the dresser and he sighed. Chafing and scraping marred the skin underneath the collar. Instinctively she reached over and licked at the wounds. His fingers dug into her waist, and her senses caught on fire. She felt every fiber of his shirt, smelled the trickle of sweat that ran down his neck, heard the rapid beat of his heart. Mason’s breathing quickened, and as she pulled away from him, the sweetness of his skin lingered in her mouth. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to have him take her over to his bed and smother her with his body.

Her fangs broke through and she gazed up at him. Mason watched her, his eyes alight like flames. He leaned close to her ear and smelled the nape of her neck. A burning need blossomed in her stomach and warmth pooled between her thighs. A sudden feeling of possession overtook her, and at that moment she needed to make him hers.

“Do it. Make me yours.”

She bit down into his firm, awaiting neck. His hands clenched around her waist and his fingers dug deeper into her skin. A low rumble emitted from his chest. An animalistic, guttural sound that made Danika’s inner bad girl beg for more.

The first gulp of his blood was liquid fire. It stung her tongue and seared her icy throat as it went down. She almost pulled herself away, but the taste of it exploded inside her, making her want more, need more. The second gulp was just as hot, but now she was ready. It filled her, making the ends of her limbs tingle. Sitting on the dresser with him bent over, she drank from him greedily. Shifting his body, he stood between her parted thighs, spreading them wide. His body pressed around her, crushing her into him. His breathing quickened as every part of their bodies touched. A moan of desire escaped him. His hot, moist breath tickled her shoulder. Moving aside the collar of her blouse, he playfully bit at her skin. The sensation sent her into a frenzy. More. She needed more of him.

Hot!

Author bio ~

Rebekah is an Award Winning Bestselling Author. Her novel Dead Awakenings, debuted in January 2014. Red the Were Hunter, the first in her Farielle Series, released in May 2014 followed by Snow the Vampire Slayer and Jamen's Yuletide Bride. Her trilogy The Society was released by Kensington's Lyrical Press.

Rebekah is the VP of Communications of the RWA Los Angeles Chapter as well as the Newsletter Editor of the FF&P Chapter. In her spare time when she isn't writing you can find her moderating on SavvyAuthors.com or hanging out with her husband, four children and her English Bulldog, rabbit, two bearded dragons, and two tortoises. The escaped snake has yet to be found.

You can find Rebekah here:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

You can buy REIGN OF THE VAMPIRES here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | All Romance

Giveaway ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ You'll Be Entranced by TRANCING THE TIGER by Rachel Slate! ~

Okay, first thing, love this tour banner! And what an interesting premise for a book, the Chinese Zodiac. Just check out the blurb below...

Blurb ~

Delve into a world steeped in tradition and superstition…

After her parents become infected with the Red Death, Lucy Yeoh flees to Malaysia seeking answers. Everything in this closed-off section of the world is paradise—from the lush tropical climate to her sexy new neighbor, Sheng…who just might be delusional. He claims the Plague God unleashed the Red Death and only a circle of Chinese Zodiac spirit animals can cleanse the Earth. Even more, he insists she’s one of them: the Rabbit. Long furry ears and fluffy bunny tail included.

He’ll show her how to fight to save the world…

As the Chosen of the Tiger, the burden of restoring balance to the world has fallen onto Li Sheng’s shoulders. When he discovers that the ally he’s long awaited, the Dragon, is actually just the Rabbit, Sheng is quick to dismiss Lucy. If only she’d stay dismissed. Lucy’s Rabbit refuses to cooperate, undermining the authority of his Tiger at every turn…and seducing him to the limits of his darkest desires. He’s not supposed to want her. Not when he needs the spirit circle complete and she’s their weakest link.

She’ll show him a love worth fighting the world to save…

Sheng’s enemies draw closer, and not everyone wants Lucy alive. Together, they’ll have to navigate a treacherous world where a line between duty and their hearts has been drawn between them. They must either sacrifice one, or find a way to surrender to both.

Excerpt ~

 Sheng grappled for control that seemed as fleeting as his sanity. Lucy was off-limits. He’d reminded himself a thousand times tonight. Yet when Tiger had pinned her to the ground, Sheng would have taken her. Right then, right there.

If not for the intrusion of his friends.

Worse, she’d melted right into him the moment she’d realized his identity.

She trusted him and didn’t even bloody know why. Once he got her somewhere safe, he’d enlighten her with the logic fueling her instincts.

Tiger puffed out in supreme satisfaction. He almost hadn’t caught her; she was so swift. If not for the inclined tree trunk providing a bounding point, he might have missed.

Sheng’s shoulders tensed, on alert for more of Snake’s “friends.” Penang Hill—behind them—served as the boundary between the Hai San and Ghee Hin territories. The Gardens were the gateway to the Ghee Hin Kongsi’s residence in the Batu Feringghi—the stretch of posh beaches on the north coast of the island. He had to get Lucy out of here before Snake caught sight of her and realized what she was.

Where she might have argued with him, she simply obeyed. Her light footsteps padded behind him. That blind obedience concerned him more than her bolting. She shouldn’t trust a stranger with such ease, certainly not one who looked like him.

He raked his hands through his hair to stop from lashing out at her…or drawing her into his arms and shielding her. He wasn’t sure which instinct would win.

Even more reason to hold his tongue.

He straddled his motorcycle, unclasped the helmet, and offered it to her.

She approached him, her golden eyes wide and wary. Great. Now she chose to be cautious. “Who were those men?”

“You wanna stay and find out?”

Her nose twitched. “Do you work for my uncle? Are you my bodyguard? Where are you taking me?”

“Get on.” He dismissed her questions and waved the helmet. No time for this, not here.

Her hands trembled as she accepted it and secured the strap around her chin. Without questioning him again, she slipped onto the bike behind him.

“Hold on tight.” He reached back, seized her wrists, and clasped her hands together around his waist. “I don’t do slow.”

He revved the gas, the tires squealing while they pivoted around and peeled away. Her body slammed into his, her grasp cinching tighter as they sped through the streets. Lucy’s slender fingers spread across his abdomen, causing his muscles to tighten and his cock to throb. Was she purposefully teasing him with her velvety touch?

She slid her fingers beneath the hem of his t-shirt and his abs jerked as though sparked by a live wire. He growled once, in warning.

“Sorry. My fingers are cold. Do you mind?” Her murmur against his ear spiked his blood.

Was she actually cold or did he detect a sultry note to her voice? Did she suffer the same raging attraction he did?

With his concentration on navigating the streets and his hands gripping the handlebars, she had him at a disadvantage against the fanning of her fingers.

Her warm fingers.

They rounded a corner, and her body crushed against his. She didn’t draw back, and the imprint of her full breasts branded his back. He swore he could even feel her tight little nipples rubbing against him. He fought the urge to swing around and take her on the motorcycle. To hell with crashing—as if they’d even notice. They’d both survive.

Your fault, Tiger. The beast practically heeled at her side. Like a bloody dog.

Was it Rabbit or Lucy, herself, driving them both to madness?

They squealed to a halt in front of a warehouse at the pier. He stiffened as he removed her hands from his waist and plucked her off the bike.

She regarded him, one hand grasping her opposite wrist while she scanned the dockyard and the scattered people milling around—mostly couples out for a midnight tryst or teenagers looking for trouble.

“Helmet.” He stretched out his hand.

She unclasped the strap and removed his helmet, shaking out those long, wavy locks. Tendrils curled over her breasts and down to her waist.

He licked his lips, his throat suddenly dry. His nostrils flared, inhaling her sweet, floral fragrance. Even caked in dirt, she was the most delectable woman he’d ever scented.

The helmet slipped from her fingers to his. The slightest brush of contact between them made him bite back a groan.

A knowing sparkle glinted in her eyes. Oh, yeah. She hadn’t missed his hard-on earlier and likely deemed she possessed an edge of power over him.

Foolish little Rabbit. Didn’t she know?

No one toyed with Tiger.

Author Bio ~

Rachael has explored forgotten temples in Cambodia, kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland, and stood inside the Roman Coliseum. She loves studying people and cultures, current and ancient. Her appetite for romance began with Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, which she later nurtured with a healthy dose of Jane Austen.

As an author of scorching hot fantasy romance, Rachael blends the lines between mythology, reality, and fantasy. In her worlds, you’ll encounter strong, sexy alpha males and the capable women who challenge them. If her heroines can’t meet their heroes toe-to-toe, then they’ll bring them to their knees.

No matter what torture she puts her characters through, true love will always prevail. Love is, after all, the most powerful force on Earth, and beyond.

Rachael holds an Honours BA in anthropology, as well as a CELTA. Her secret indulgence is her passion for baking, which she offsets with her addiction to running (she’s completed four marathons). She resides on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, two children, and cat.

You can find Rachel at:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

You can buy TRANCING THE TIGER at:

Amazon




Giveaway ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ Sharon C. Cooper is TEMPTING THE ARTIST~ And You With This Contemporary Romance! ~

Welcome back, Miss Sharon! It's been like, a whole month since we've had you on. Just teasing! Sharon is a prolific writer and I love to feature her fabulous books because, she just doesn't produce volume, she creates great stuff, as you'll see in her excerpt. So let's not waste any more time and just dive right in! Oh, and be sure to enter her giveaway!

Blurb ~

Christina “CJ” Jenkins, a free-spirited painter by trade is juggling her obligation to the family construction business, with the demands of her secret passion. A secret life she has successfully hidden until recently. When sexy, bad-boy attorney, Luke Hayden, enters the picture, he steals her heart. But the truth of Christina’s double life buried under lies, threatens to destroy them both. 

Luke is leaving New York to escape the drama, which is his life. Starting over in Cincinnati with Christina appeals to him more than he will admit. Although her secret jeopardizes their steamy affair, it’s not until someone threatens to destroy the Jenkins family empire, and uses Luke to carry out their plan, that their relationship is truly tested. Luke will do what he can to help the Jenkins family, but he will stop at nothing to tempt the woman who has captured his heart.

Excerpt ~

Christina lowered her head and shut her eyes. Everything would be all right. She was overthinking the situation. Their relationship was tight and built on trust. Besides, Luke was the sweetest man she had ever met, and he wouldn’t have a problem with her change in plans. It wasn’t like she wasn’t ever going back to Cincinnati. She was only staying in New York another day, two tops.

“You’ve been on edge all night.”

Christina’s head jerked up startled at the sound of Luke’s voice. Her heart pounded erratically in her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the conversation she knew they had to have or because she hadn’t heard him enter the room. After an amazing round of sex, she had left him sleeping in the bedroom while she hung out in the living room weighing her options.

Luke stepped out of the shadows of the semi-dark room and into a small stream of moonlight shining through one of the windows. After three months of dating, the sight of him still made her heart stutter.

Absolute perfection.

She had always been attracted to dark skinned men, a stark contrast to her lighter skin. And this man was the epitome of sexy. He stood before her in nothing but a pair of striped pajama bottoms hanging low on his hips, his thick package pressed behind the flimsy material. Her gaze moved up to his face. An artist would be in heaven if they had him as a model. Sharp accessing eyes, an average-size nose, and a chiseled jaw line made up his handsome face. And those lips. God, the things he could do with those full, tempting lips.

Lust throbbed through Christina’s veins as Luke watched her with the intensity of a hawk circling its target calculating the perfect time to pounce. The dress shirt she wore of his, with nothing underneath, did nothing to hide her erect nipples from his heated gaze. All it took was a look from him, and she was ready to let him have his way with her. Again.

“Wha … what are you doing up?” she finally asked.

“I don’t sleep well without you in my bed.” His slumber-filled voice was deep and intoxicating. She had no doubt that he meant what he said. When she wasn’t in New York visiting him, he rarely slept in the bed, preferring the sofa in his home office. He’d often stay at work until nine or ten at night, only to arrive home and work for another few hours. She had no idea how he functioned with only three or four hours of sleep each night.

Luke moved across the room with the stealth of a lion, closing in on its prey. With a lean body, his sculpted chest and muscular biceps stood out. That quiet control swimming in his eyes, with a twinge of fearlessness, rooted her in place and had her heart pounding double-time. She was sure that look played well into him being one of the top defense attorneys at his New York law firm.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been distracted since we returned from the art show.” The richness of his baritone voice washed over her like a smooth, satiny caress. And he smelled so good. The fresh scent of soap permeated the air as if he had just stepped out of the shower. His voice, his scent, and all that made him the man he was, weakened her defenses and sent her senses spiraling out of control.

He pulled her effortlessly against his hard body and her arms slid easily around his neck. What she felt for him was unlike anything she had ever experienced. There was just something about him. Something about the way his welcoming embrace evoked a sense of peace that settled over her like a goose down jacket all snuggly and warm. And there was something about the way his self-assuredness gave her the desire to experience the world through his eyes, making her want to try new things and live life on the edge.

Christina moaned as his body molded against hers, chest to chest and thigh to thigh. He felt too good. It wasn’t helping that the feathery kisses he placed along the length of her neck were reigniting the smoldering heat from hours earlier. She couldn’t think straight. Couldn’t think straight when he looked at her, or when he kissed her, or when he touched her. An experienced lover, his caress had her body bending to his will.

“Maybe you should come back to bed so that I can make you forget your troubles.”

“Or maybe you can make me forget my troubles right here … right now.”

“That can be arranged.”

Copyright © 2015 by Sharon C. Cooper 

Author Bio ~

Bestselling author, Sharon C. Cooper, spent 10 years as a sheet metal worker. And while enjoying that unique line of work, she attended college in the evening and obtained her B.A. from Concordia University in Business Management with an emphasis in Communication.

Sharon is a romance-a-holic – loving anything that involves romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies or real life. She writes contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense and enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When Sharon is not writing or working, she’s hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work or reading a good book (a romance of course).

You can find Sharon at:

 Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

You can buy TEMPTING THE ARTIST at:

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Giveaway ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ BENEATH THE STONES Lies a New Cozy Mystery/Southern Gothic by Susan Coryell! ~

Happy Spring and welcome to my blog today where I'm visiting with author Susan Coryell. Hi, Susan! Your cover gives us a nice, green, Springy feel. 

Thanks for inviting me to be your guest. I am excited to share my writing journey, and, especially, to highlight my just-released cozy mystery/Southern Gothic BENEATH THE STONES published by The Wild Rose Press.

Excellent! So let's get started. So, Susan, when did your love of writing start?

My mother always said I was born with a pencil in my hand. By early elementary school I was writing poetry and stories and even penned letters and mailed them to my friends in my classroom. When they would call to tell me they received my letter, I said to my mother, “What is wrong with these people? They are supposed to write back to me—not call on the phone!” Her answer: “They’re not all writers like you, Susan.” My maternal grandfather was a published poet and a prolific writer of children’s stories; I believe writing is a part of my DNA. Both of my brothers are published, all three of my children are published (one actually writes for a living) and several of the grandkids exhibit scribe-ish tendencies. My theory is that writers know who we are and writers have to write.

What is the best thing you’ve learned about writing and/or the publishing business?

The writing/publishing business has taught me several “best” things. First, I’ve learned to look around me and see what others might be interested in reading about. I need an “inspiration” for my novels and I find ideas are everywhere if we just open our eyes. For example, EAGLEBAIT, my first published novel about school bullies, grew quite naturally out of my observations where I taught middle school—a petri dish for the bully germ. My writer’s antennae perked up when I toured an ancient, historic estate rumored to be haunted—resulting in A RED, RED ROSE, my cozy mystery/Southern Gothic. The idea for BENEATH THE STONES, a standalone sequel, occurred to me as I was reading an article in the local paper about a Civil War property that was falling into financial ruin.

Another “best” is discovering the amazing resource of author collegiality engendered by technology. I have “met” and become “friends” with so many writers around the world as a result of blogging, social media contacts, and the Worldwide Web. The support and help these professionals render is a real factor in my continuing to write.

So true. That's how you and I met! What is something you struggle with when you write?

I have a tendency to wordiness; consequently, I have to delete, compress, and tighten my prose at every turn. One way to deal with this problem is to simply write, then go back and place parentheses around every unnecessary word—then hit the delete button and move on. Another is to read a passage from someone with a terse style (like Robert Cormier) and let it sink into my pores before sitting down to write. Good editors help, too. This is where a writing family comes in handy!

That is handy! My daughter actually helps me to proof, too. Speaking of kids...how do you balance the demands of your everyday life and your writing life?

Now that I have retired from full-time teaching and all my children have moved on to their own homes, I have the luxury of time—and it is a blessing! A morning person, I usually compose and create early in the day—saving editing and revising for afternoon or evening. The only thing that gets in my way is frequent travel—which my husband and I enjoy. But keeping up with a writing/promotion/marketing schedule far from my usual tools and using a tiny portable computer is tricky, at best.


But who knows when the next place you might visit may show up in a book! Please give us a brief glimpse at your road to publication.

EAGLEBAIT (bully book) came out in hardcover, published by Harcourt (now Houghton Mifflin). It won a national and international award and was well-received, but it was my editor’s last work there and after she left I had no one to champion my book. I was disappointed that they pulled it after 14 months when the publisher had said it would take two years to get through the library review system. Later I brought it out in paperback through Author Guild’s BACK IN PRINT program and recently I updated the book with cyber-bullying and self-published. It’s a great resource for schools, community and church anti-bullying advocacies.

A RED, RED ROSE was published by L&L Dreamspell, which folded a year or so afterwards. Fortunately, it was picked up by The Wild Rose Press—an awesome publisher. BENEATH THE STONES is also a TWRP publication and I hope to stay with this group of outstanding professionals.

Where do you live or could you please share a little about your family.

My husband and I live on the water at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia—a pristine pastoral setting conducive to creativity. My writer’s loft overlooks the lovely lake, which soothes the soul even in the worst of times. Recreational and civic activities abound here. We boat, ski, kayak and golf—attend concerts and art shows and work with charities, religious and political groups. We roam around the country visiting our three married children and seven grandchildren who live in Virginia, South Carolina and Hawaii. . I belong to two writers’ groups, two book clubs and the GRITS (girls, raised in the South). I am lucky to live in such a congenial corner of our state where I’m asked to speak about my writing and my topics in all sorts of venues—libraries, civic groups, churches, schools, museums—to name a few.

Sounds ideal! Thank you for sharing a little bit about yourself. Now let's hear about BENEATH THE STONES.


Blurb ~

 Ashby Overton has everything to look forward to, including a promising writing career and her wedding at summer’s end. But, Overhome, her beloved historic family estate in Southern Virginia, is in financial peril and it is up to Ashby to find a solution.

Interfering with Ashby’s plans is a dark paranormal force that thwarts her every effort to save Overhome. Supernatural attacks emanate from an old stone cottage on the property rumored to be a slave overseer’s abode, prior to the Civil War. As the violence escalates, Ashby begins to fear for her life. Who is this angry spirit and why is his fury focused on Ashby?

Mystery, suspense and romance flourish against a backdrop of Civil War turmoil and ancestral strife--where immortality infiltrates the ancient air breathed by all who inhabit Overhome Estate.

Excerpt ~

I moved downward, one step at a time, leaning against the wall for support.

I was half-way down when it happened—so suddenly that I had no time to react. Frigid air swooshed down on me from behind, freezing my face so that I screwed my eyes tight shut at the same time something strong and determined pushed against my back violently—so violently that I stumbled, then, tumbled forward, to be caught in Luke’s outstretched arms from several
stairs below.

“Whoa!” Luke exhaled from the impact of my body on his. “My God, Ashby. What happened?”

I slumped against him, unable to utter a single word, my breathing shallow and rapid. At last I found my voice. “Something pushed me, Luke. I don’t know what—or who—but it was powerful and deliberate.”

Luke glanced up to the top of the stairs. “Nothing there. I’m going back to the loft to look.”

I stopped him. “I doubt you’ll find anything.” I sniffed the air, expecting a new infusion of foul odor. “And what would you do if you did find
anything?”

Just then we both heard it. Hollow, chilling, trailing away from us with every syllable: “Go away. He’s dead. He’s dead. He’s dead...”


One more thing I’d like to share is my author’s note for BENEATH THE STONES:

The Civil War letters included in Beneath the Stones are based on actual letters written from battle fronts by family ancestors, Joseph Franklin Stover and John William Stover. After my mother-in-law’s death, the family found a nondescript box in her file cabinet. Inside we were amazed to find fifteen letters handwritten in beautiful, flowing script. Since this occurred as I was in the midst of writing Beneath the Stones, I immediately seized on the idea of using excerpts from the letters in the novel. Though, for practical reasons, I omitted many details, overall the letters reveal a haunting picture of life for the Confederate soldier. A final note: The flute mentioned in one of the letters is very likely the same flute on display at the Museum of the Confederacy in Appomattox, Virginia.



Author Bio~

I have long been interested in Southern concerns about culture and society, as hard-felt, long-held feelings battle with modern ideas. The ghosts slipped in, to my surprise, while writing cozy mystery/Southern Gothic A Red, Red Rose and its sequel Beneath the Stones.

Website: www.susancoryellauthor.com

blog: www.susancoryellauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susan.coryell.7



Buy links: BENEATH THE STONES:

amzn.com/1628308524 (print)

(kindle) http://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Stones-Susan-Coryell-ebook/dp/B00UF1YM6M/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1427307552&sr=8-1&keywords=beneath+the+stones+by+susan+coryell

A RED, RED ROSE: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_23?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=a+red+red+rose+by+susan+coryell&sprefix=a+red+red+rose+by+susan%2Caps%2C910


EAGLEBAIT:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Eaglebait+by+susan+coryell&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AEaglebait+by+susan+coryell