Interview With The Villain: Illusion by Lea Nolan

Illusion by Lea Nolan
Published October 5, 2015 by Entangled Teen
The Hoodoo Apprentice Book 3

Blurb:

New school. Cross-country move. Broken heart. If only these were Emma Guthrie’s worst problems. Instead, she must battle a trio of enemies—human and spectral—who may or may not have joined forces against her and everyone she loves. All while pretending to be over Cooper Beaumont, her ex-boyfriend and true love, to shield him from her arch-nemesis’s revenge.



Worse, when the fight escalates, Emma is tempted to use black magic, which will endanger her soul. As her enemies close in, join forces, and fight with new and dark magic she’s never seen before, Emma must harness the power within her to fulfill an ancient prophecy, defeat a centuries-old evil, save her family, and reclaim the only boy she’s ever loved. (Goodreads)

Interview With The Villain(s)

Thanks so much for having me here at Gothic Moms! I’m thrilled to introduce you to Illusion, the third and final book in my Hoodoo Apprentice trilogy, which is out now. I’ve also got a great blog tour giveaway for you, but first I’d thought it might be fun to take a few minutes to visit with one of the character types that are so often overlooked in these blog tours:  the villain.

I’ve invited Claude Corbeau, a decidedly bad actor in Illusion to chat. It wasn’t easy to get him here since he’s not exactly the most accommodating sort, nor does he like to divulge a whole lot about himself, but we’ll see what tidbits I can pull from his blisteringly white teeth.

Lea: Illusion picks up in a pretty dark place. Together with your assistant, Taneea, you’ve managed to have Emma Guthrie’s 97-year old, paralyzed mentor, Miss Delia Whittaker thrown in jail. Do you think that unfairly prejudices readers against you right from the start?

Claude: First of all, I reject your assertion that Mrs. Whittaker’s incarceration is a negative outcome. In fact, it is precisely what I’ve been striving for for quite some time. Rather than a dark place, I consider it one of my greatest triumphs. <Quietly laughs to himself> Though I do manage some wondrous feats in Illusion, but I won’t spoil them here. Readers will have to read the book to experience the full measure of my power.

Lea: So you don’t think throwing an innocent, elderly woman in jail makes you look like a giant bully?

Claude: <Leans forward menacingly> She is hardly innocent. I’m convinced she masterminded the break in at the King Center museum and I’m guessing she lured her apprentice, Emma Guthrie and that young man, Cooper Beaumont into stealing priceless antique artifacts from the collection. And let’s not pretend she isn’t a hoodoo root worker. Trust me, I can tell a conjurer when I see one, and the woman is a master. These are just a fraction of her crimes for which I’m determined to make her pay. <crosses his arms and eases back into his seat>

Lea: <smiles awkwardly> Okay, well now that your vendetta is clear, let’s try to lighten things up. The books are told from Emma’s perspective so we don’t get to see what happens when you’re not on the page. To give readers a chance to get to know you a little better, tell us what you like to do when you’re not plotting to destroy Miss Delia and, by extension, Emma Guthrie.

Claude: No.

Lea: <blinks> No? As in not at all? Why?

Claude: Because answering your questions would reveal more than I care to divulge.

<Door creaks open then slams shut. Taneea Branson saunters in wearing peep toe espadrilles, a leather corset, and mini skirt>

Taneea: If you won’t tell, I will. It’s about time everybody learns what’s really going on St. Helena Island. <She grabs a chair and plops down next to Claude>

Claude: What are you doing here? I told you to stay at home and clean the workshop.

Taneea: <rolls eyes and laughs> Right, like I’m supposed to listen to everything you say. If I’d done that I never would have learned the gambling spells that won me enough money to buy my monster truck in cash. And you can clean your own workshop. I’m not wrecking my nails in that filthy place.

Claude: This is my interview. You weren’t invited.

Lea: Actually, I don’t mind that she’s here since she’s another one of Illusion’s villains.

Taneea: Ha, no I’m not. Hoodoo is my birthright and I should have been the heroine of this story, the real hoodoo apprentice. And I would have been it if wasn’t for that idiot Emma stealing my great-grandmother from me and sucking up to her just to learn her magic. Believe me, that old lady isn’t as great as everyone always makes her out to be. I’m so tired of hearing poor Miss Delia this and poor Miss Delia that. After what that old witch did, refusing to teach me magic, she deserves to rot in jail. And I’m sick to death of that loser Emma and how everyone always wants her to win.

Lea: One could argue that you had a chance to learn that magic from Miss Delia, but you didn’t want to follow Miss Delia’s rules—

Taneea: Rules are for chumps. <snickers> I guess that’s why Emma is such a good little apprentice.

Lea: As for Emma, you haven’t exactly been nice to her. I can think of quite a few times you were the instigator. Remember what you did to her boyfriend, Cooper Beaumont?

Taneea: You mean her ex-boyfriend? Breaking them up was a lot of fun. But not nearly as great as what I do to her in Illusion; and what Claude and I do to both Emma and my great-gran. Hey Claude, remember that time in your workshop when we set your plan in motion?

<Claude jumps up from his seat and snatches Taneea by the arm>  

Claude: That’s it. This interview is over. We’re going home.

Lea: But we were just getting to something interesting.

Taneea: Yeah, what’s your problem? Why can’t I tell them what we did?

Claude: Because secret plans should be just that—secret—until they’re ready to be revealed and this is not the time.

<Despite Taneea’s protests, he pulls her to the door>

Lea: I wish you’d stay. You haven’t eaten the refreshments I put out. And there’s so much more to learn.

Claude: Another time, perhaps.

Taneea: But I’m hungry now.

Claude: We’ll pick up something on the way home.

<The door slams shut behind them>

Well, uh, that wasn’t nearly as informative as I’d hoped. But I think you get the gist of who these two bad guys are. It’s a pity you didn’t get to meet the book’s third villain, Emma’s supernatural arch nemesis, Sabina.  Though to be honest, I’m glad she didn’t show up because she’s one scary witch.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of the characters Illusion and the other books in the Hoodoo Apprentice series!

Thanks so much for having me. This was a lot of fun to put together! Best of luck to those who enter the giveaway!

~Lea

Things aren't always as they appear…

New school. Cross-country move. Broken heart. If only these were Emma Guthrie's worst problems. Instead, she must battle a trio of enemies--human and spectral--who may or may not have joined forces against her and everyone she loves. All while pretending to be over Cooper Beaumont, her ex-boyfriend and true love, to shield him from her arch-nemesis's revenge.

Worse, when the fight escalates, Emma is tempted to use black magic, which will endanger her soul. As her enemies close in, join forces, and fight with new and dark magic she's never seen before, Emma must harness the power within her to fulfill an ancient prophecy, defeat a centuries-old evil, save her family, and reclaim the only boy she's ever loved.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MlULCn Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1Lz3AWl

And here are the gorgeous new covers for the first two books in the series, Conjure and Allure:

Lea Nolan is a USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance and YA. Her books for young adults feature bright heroines, crazy-hot heroes, diabolical plot twists, plus a dose of magic, a draft of romance, and a sprinkle of history. She also pens smart, witty contemporary stories for adults filled with head-swooning, heart-throbbing, sweep-you-off your feet romance. Born and raised on Long Island, New York, she loves the water far too much to live inland. With her heroically supportive husband and three clever children, she resides in Maryland where she scarfs down crab cakes whenever she gets the chance. Learn more at her website, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Goodreads

And now for the giveaway, a super awesome Illusion Blog Tour Prize pack. The Grand Prize includes a $25 Amazon gift card, a custom Hoodoo Apprentice tote which features the gorgeous new covers, and six authentic hoodoo spells from the Lucky Mojo Curio Company. There’s also a second prize $15 Amazon gift card, and a third prize $10 Amazon gift card. So what are you waiting for? Enter below to win!

Rafflecopter link:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/OTAyMjM3MzE4ZWE3ZWQ1YzBkZDE2YTA1YzNkOGNlOjMx/?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Blitz: Soulless

Title: Soulless: The Immortal Gene, Book 1

Author: Jacinta Maree

Genre: Dystopian / Supernatural New Adult

Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours

Blurb:

Welcome to Soulless. We are the generation that laughs at death. Reincarnation; what was once considered a gift of immortality has become an eternity of nightmares. Nadia Richards lives in a world plagued by reincarnation, a system of recycling souls where all past memories, personalities and traumatic events are relived daily in disjointed sequences. Trapped within their own warped realities, not even the richest and most powerful are saved from their own minds unraveling. Madness is the new human nature, and civilizations are crumpling beneath themselves trying to outrun it. Within a society that ignores death, Nadia appears to be the one exception to the reincarnation trap. Born without any reincarnated memories and with printless eyes, the hot tempered 19 year old quickly becomes the ultimate prize to all those wishing to end the vicious cycle, or for some, to ensure they could evade death forever. 

Facebook Release Party: https://www.facebook.com/events/148595475478773/

Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.

Author Links:
Site: http://jacintamaree.wix.com/jacintamaree 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jacinta.maree.10 Deviant art: http://jacintamaree.deviantart.com/ Twitter: jacintamaree6.com Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show

Buy Links: 
Pre-Order - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014ONKO9K

The world had turned to waste; immortality was never meant for man and it drove humanity to the edge of destruction. There had been plenty of stories about how the human race would end. Unlike the movies from Hollywood, there was no big bang like a sun exploding; there was no catastrophic moment where our world was flipped upside down like in a nuclear war or zombie virus outbreak. It was gradual, like a seeping virus that withered everything within its path until it ground us down into brittle, hollowed cores. It wasn’t out to destroy our bodies; it destroyed everything we once treasured. Hope, love, compassion, joy… even our mortality. It was all gone. And now it mocked us with a peace we could never achieve, death.

Cover Reveal: Soulless

Title: Soulless: The Immortal Gene, Book 1

Author: Jacinta Maree

Genre: Dystopian / Supernatural New Adult

Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours

Blurb:

Welcome to Soulless. We are the generation that laughs at death. Reincarnation; what was once considered a gift of immortality has become an eternity of nightmares. Nadia Richards lives in a world plagued by reincarnation, a system of recycling souls where all past memories, personalities and traumatic events are relived daily in disjointed sequences. 

Trapped within their own warped realities, not even the richest and most powerful are saved from their own minds unraveling. Madness is the new human nature, and civilizations are crumpling beneath themselves trying to outrun it. Within a society that ignores death, Nadia appears to be the one exception to the reincarnation trap. Born without any reincarnated memories and with printless eyes, the hot tempered 19 year old quickly becomes the ultimate prize to all those wishing to end the vicious cycle, or for some, to ensure they could evade death forever.

Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.

Author Links: Site: http://jacintamaree.wix.com/jacintamaree 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jacinta.maree.10 
Deviant art: http://jacintamaree.deviantart.com/ 
Twitter: jacintamaree6.com 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show

Buy Links: Pre-Order - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014ONKO9K

The world had turned to waste; immortality was never meant for man and it drove humanity to the edge of destruction. There had been plenty of stories about how the human race would end. Unlike the movies from Hollywood, there was no big bang like a sun exploding; there was no catastrophic moment where our world was flipped upside down like in a nuclear war or zombie virus outbreak. It was gradual, like a seeping virus that withered everything within its path until it ground us down into brittle, hollowed cores. It wasn’t out to destroy our bodies; it destroyed everything we once treasured. Hope, love, compassion, joy… even our mortality. It was all gone. And now it mocked us with a peace we could never achieve, death.

Villain Interview: The Conception

The Conception

by L.J. Amodeo

Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing

Publication Date: August 8th, 2015

Language: English

Genre: Young Adult Supernatural Romance

About the Book

Will Elizabeth elude her fate, or will she defy an ancient prophesy, causing a cataclysmic fall of all things mortal and supernatural?

Escaping the danger that seeks her, Elizabeth’s best friend, Freddie hides her at a safe haven known as The Flame; a location off the grid and under the protection of the Legion of Light. Entry to the Watchers forbidden. Left alone at The Flame, Elizabeth faces inner turmoil, battling new feelings for her childhood friend and guardian Freddie, while questioning her feelings for Michael. Yet, as the battle of the ages approaches, Elizabeth chooses to do the unthinkable. Awakening the Dark Realm’s fiercest warriors and betraying the Trinity, the destiny of all and the balance of the realms will be decided by the birth of one child. 

Danger. Romance. Mystery. All come together in this gripping sequel to Descendant.

Purchase here >> http://smarturl.it/theconception 

Book Trailer- https://youtu.be/rpH9pWbrbbQ

*Join online release party*

https://www.facebook.com/events/872491916171381/

Chapter 4:

            My routine at Eden had become a daily ritual. In the early morning hours, I’d go for a run, play the piano, or stroll the grounds of Eden. After a quick shower, I’d head toward a set of French doors that opened up to a stone terrace overlooking Lake Louise. Every morning Faith prepared a table of scrumptious breakfast foods and the morning paper alongside my journal. I never tired of writing about the sprawling gardens of rosebushes, mixed Canterbury bells, and Elderflowers infused with chamomile. I’d sit, gladly inhaling the scent of the freshly baked biscuits, warm croissants, and raspberry tea.

            The beautiful imagery was halted, as I reflected back to the morning of December 21^st, the day after my arrival at Lake Louise, I recalled glancing at the morning paper that was neatly folded on a round English garden table next to a cup of tea. The paper was opened to a small article written in the New York State blotter. I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately wanting to read the article whose title caught my eye, but dithered momentarily instead. I blinked as I held up the paper, focusing on one particular story written in small black ink:

“Local Allegany Woman and Her Daughter Plunge to Their Deaths”

The morning of December 20th, a woman and her daughter plunged to their death off the icy cliffs of Chimney Bluffs, on Lake Ontario, New York. Just after 10 AM, a call from eye witnesses, Dr. Seth Bates and his young daughter, came in through the New York State Police, and other police and emergency centers throughout the region. Icy roads caused particularly treacherous conditions as road crews rushed to respond to dropping temperatures and the onset of freezing rain.

New York State Police investigated the one vehicle fatality, killing Grace Morgan, 47, of Caneadea, NY and her daughter Elizabeth, 17. Emergency workers were able to recover the vehicle from the frozen waters of Ontario Lake, along with the remains of Grace Morgan. The body of her daughter has not yet been recovered.

Dr. Bates claimed that Elizabeth Morgan was a patient of his at Letchworth Village Asylum. He also disclosed that Elizabeth had attempted several times to commit harm to herself and was suicidal. Dr. Bates commented, “It saddens me that Ms. Morgan’s daughter may have intentionally caused the tragic accident that resulted in their untimely deaths.” The accident remains under investigation.

***

            The news of our deaths and how I was responsible for it infuriated me still. The reminders escalated a fury from my chest to my fingers, causing me to tear apart the morning paper, wanting desperately to strike the psychiatrist whose lies riddled the paper on that fateful morning instead, with the biggest and deadliest blade I could have gotten my hands on.

Villain Interview: Sebastian Nikolav

∞Please state your name.

Nik: My name is Sabastian Nikolav

∞I see you have an accent. Are you Russian?

Nik: Da

∞What part of Russia are you originally from?

Nik: St. Petersburg

∞What was your childhood like growing up in Russia?

Nik: Poor. Dark. My father was mine worker and mother clean homes for rich.

I was not an easy child. My parents were too old and tired to control me. When I was boy, I like to kill the animal from the neighbor’s farm. The blood give me pleasure. The farmer want my father to pay for dead animals, but we were too poor. When I turn nine, my parents put me in orphanage. But no one want me. Too old.

∞So at what age did you leave the orphanage?

Nik: Maybe like fifteen-sixteen. I run away because I kill a monakhinya, how do you say in English, nun?

∞Did you serve time in prison for your crime?

Nik: Eventually, when I got caught. But before, I join a street gang. We do bad things. Drugs, steal, beat people––a lot. And if we have to, we kill. So I was in and out of Black Vorkin Juvenile Prison for most of my teen years. Before I got release, I get in fight with rival gang and they almost kill me. That’s when I meet Dr. Luca Gaven.

∞What made you move to Oregon?

Nik: Work. I work now exclusively for Dr. Gaven.

∞What kind of work do you do for the doctor?

Nik: Things.

  

∞We all do things, but what sorts of things do you do for Dr. Gaven? Are you a technician, assistant, sonographer, EMT?

Nik: Tracker

∞Can you explain what a tracker would do during a typical day at work?

Nik: I track people that the doctor wants me to track. In other words, I follow them, watch them, track them and if need be. . .must I spell it out?

∞Who are you tracking now?

Nik: The last remaining descendant. She is known as the key keeper and it is my job to find her and bring her to Luca.

∞Why are you looking for her? Is this a special key that the doctor wants?

Nik: Da. It is written that she is the chosen one for Dr. Gaven’s prophecy and legacy. So now I am looking for Elizabeth Morgan. I have good idea where she is hiding.

∞What happens once you find her?

Nik: What happens in bedroom, stays in bedroom!

About the Author 

LJ Amodeo was born and raised in New York. A wife and busy mother of three, she juggles many jobs as a devoted NYC middle school foreign language teacher, owner/founder of BizzyMom Productions, and author of the Descendant Series. LJ, always had a flare for writing and attended St. John’s University with hopes of someday becoming a journalist. However, her passion of working with adolescents, inspired her to become a public school teacher. She always knew that working with kids would be her greatest reward and joy.

LJ first started her writing career on a whim of imagination, subliminal messages in 2009. Her first novel DESCENDANT released in early Spring of 2015. Long hours and many sleepless nights, her thoughts are transcribed into this high paced, dark young adult/crossover paranormal romance. This epic novel is the second book in the Descendant Series. THE CONCEPTION is scheduled to release August 8, 2015.

Email: ljamodeoauthor@gmail.com

Guest Blog: Alina Popescu

Title: The Breaking of Bonds
Series: Bad Blood, Book Two
Author: Alina Popescu
Genre: paranormal, supernatural, paranormal romance, vampire
Length: Novel

Synopsis

A human sacrifice throws vampires of two worlds, trueborn and baseborn, into an escalating conflict. One side pushes for revenge, the other for freedom. The trueborns stubbornly hunt for Anthony and Louis, pushed by Hesrah’s desire to avenge her human best friend, Alexa. The baseborns are divided between rallying with those challenging the rule of Ankhsis and obeying the trueborns.

What emerges from the portal between Earth and Ankhsis in the middle of the turmoil rocking both worlds is more dead than alive. Neither human, nor baseborn, and certainly not trueborn. This new being will either damn them all or be their race’s most powerful weapon. Will they trust it not to destroy them, or will Ankhsis decide putting it down is the only solution?

In the end, who is guilty? Who will pay? Will anyone survive its wrath?

Book Trailer

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y4P5C5U
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00Y4P5C5U
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00Y4P5C5U
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00Y4P5C5U
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-breaking-of-bonds-alina-popescu/1122051367?ean=2940151945226
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebreakingofbonds-1814960-140.html
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/546554

Make sure you read book one of the series before enjoying book two!

The Edge of Hope – Bad Blood Trilogy, Book 1

Everyone she loved betrayed her. She felt lost and broken. Getting away from the pain and embracing a new path, Alexa decided to leave her old life behind and chase a long forgotten dream in Malta. There she met a gorgeous man, bearing the scent of fresh love. He led her to a new city to explore, Amsterdam. Is the tall, dark, and delicious man a dream come true or just a risky gamble?

Alexa chose hope and new beginnings over fear and warning signs only to be brutally dragged into a world she never really thought existed. Vampires, their feuds, and her future held tightly in their hands.

Trapped in a mysterious world, Alexa gives love chance after chance. Following her quest of self-discovery in a blood bound world, will she survive the journey?

Take advantage of the sale for The Edge of Hope – $0.99 everywhere
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JEBJXDQ
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JEBJXDQ
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00JEBJXDQ
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-edge-of-hope-alina-popescu/1119064391?ean=9781497436305
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theedgeofhope-1472664-143.html
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/424918

Excerpt

I shook my head, trying to focus on Seth. “Don’t move,” I said in what I imagined was a stern voice, but to be honest, it shook a little. “Not a muscle.”

“What are you doing,” Seth asked. He did not seem scared either, but he certainly did not trust me around him. 

“Just shut up and do as I say!”

I got closer to him and it all became harder to bear. The smell of his blood, the sight of it, the sound of it running through his veins, the scent of his sweat, it all made my vision blurry. My head was pounding and my stomach hurt worse than ever before. I reached out and put one hand on his shoulder, right next to the bite. I took a few deep breaths, but I tried to get used to the feeling of his skin under my touch and all that closeness to… well, my favorite dish. When it seemed to become something I could take without sucking him dry, I pushed his head toward his right shoulder. He resisted the move but finally moved it. 

The closer my lips got to the bite, the harder it was to keep in mind what I was supposed to do. I was breathing heavily and moaning, I think. There were some sounds coming out of my throat, but I was unsure what it all was. I licked tentatively and stopped when my brain registered the taste of his blood. I had vivid images about bleeding him dry distracting me, but I pushed through and continue to lick the fang marks a little longer, till I was sure I had covered it all in my saliva. 

All I wanted was to be far from him, fast. And the moment the thought formed in my mind, I started running backwards. I bumped into the furthermost wall and stopped. Seth and Magnus seemed to react very slowly, as if they were moving in slow motion. I could see their startled expressions at the sudden move but only long seconds after I had touched the wall. 

“All right, it seems you also have speed. Almost full feral powers on Ankhsis. That will certainly be a problem,” Magnus said in a surprisingly steady voice. In my experience, people tended to panic a little when they discovered a problem. Oh, shit was one of my go-to phrases. 

After making it through the earlier challenge, I started to trust my abilities of self-control more. So I walked back to the bed and sat on the very same chair that Seth had been sitting on when I had woken up.

“Are you OK?” My shaky voice made me cringe a little.

“Yeah, fantastic,” Seth mumbled, arching a brow and staring right at me. It did not take a genius to figure out he was being sarcastic; even Sheldon Cooper would have picked up on it that one time. 

“I’m really sorry.” I winced at the thought of what could have happened and averted my eyes. 

“I’m sorry, that was harsh,” he said, taking me by surprise. I hadn’t expected him to let it go so quickly. I sure as hell wouldn’t have gotten over someone trying to suck the life out of me so quickly. “We’re both new to this, I guess. I am not used to be someone’s prey; you don’t know how to control your urges. My ego is what you have bruised the most.’

“I truly am sorry, Seth! It really is unlike me to behave like that.”

“You mean bleed strange men dry after trying to sexually take advantage of them?” He smirked but his smugness was not funny in the least.

“I don’t remember you resisting that second part much.” I sneered and clenched my fists, starting to feel less guilty for having attacked him. 

“Now, now, kids! Don’t fight,” Magnus said, getting closer to us, probably imagining they could have done a better job at stopping me together. 

The anger was so thick I could have cut it with a knife… if it took a material form. Oh, damn it, who cared, I felt it seething and my stomach coiled with the need to cause some damage and fill up on blood in the process.

“Oh, no, Alexa, I wouldn’t dare say I wouldn’t have… encouraged you to have your way with me,” Seth continued on the same half-amused, half-mocking tone. “But see, I was not the one calling some idiot’s name when I finally emerged from the portal.”

I couldn’t say if I ever had a chance to even think I should try to control my rage. I just threw Magnus across the room, grabbed Seth by the neck and jumped on top of him, on the bed. I could have just squeezed his neck a little and there would be no more mocking me. 

The skin on my inner thighs was touching his abs. A perfect six pack, I could feel it without looking. The raw sexual desire slowly overpowered the anger and the hunger. He was smiling, I eventually noticed. His hands were suddenly moving and I shivered at his soft but steady touch. He caressed me from my ankles upward over my knees and finally settled around my waist. I could smell his arousal and it only made my physical reaction worse. 

“Want to forget about him for a while?” Seth asked and I realized I had stopped holding him by his neck and I was tracing his upper arm muscles instead. I ran across the room once more. I heard him laugh, so I just ran out of the room and out the door. I kept running down the stony alley and into the woods.

Guest Post by Alina Popescu

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan

I’ve spoken about my writing process at length. I start to write the script in my head, I see the characters interacting as their journey comes to life, and when every piece of the puzzle is worked into the thread, I start writing. By the time I start typing it all out on my computer, I know where I’m going. But sometimes characters are nothing but menaces that just won’t go along with my initial plan. 

With the Bad Blood trilogy, that happened twice so far. The first time was easy. I was planning out The Edge of Hope and Louis came out of nowhere, demanding his place in my story. He wouldn’t shut up about it, so I included him in Alexa’s story line early on. It turned out she needed Louis, in more ways than I could have guessed. 

The second time… well, this happened during my planning phase for book two, The Breaking of Bonds. I was used to it by now, but then it happened again while I was writing the story. Seth refused to be a good little supporting character. His relationship with the female lead was supposed to be a sexually charged one, but never move past an initial distraction. Seth was not supposed to play a more significant role in the story. 

Boy, was I wrong! I was dead wrong about him and his importance, or so he kept claiming. I went along with it because I now know better than to fight it. I suppose it’s up to the readers to decide if it was the right call. 

The bottom line is things don’t always follow the path you’ve imagined they would. Characters are loud mouths that refuse to let you shut them up. Stories change, and sometimes the shift is so shattering, you can’t help freaking out a bit. Okay, a lot. The right thing to do? Breathe, relax, and trust the story you’ve imagined and the characters you’ve created. For all intents and purposes, they are not real. But they are the voices of your instincts, telling you where you should go. 

Giveaway

Prizes: 3 e-copies of The Edge of Hope, 2 e-copies of The Breaking of Bonds, 1 bundle of Bad Blood, books 1 & 2
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Writer, traveler, and coffee addict, Alina Popescu has been in love with books all her life. She started writing when she was ten and even won awards in local competitions. She has always been drawn to sci-fi, fantasy, and the supernatural realm, which explains her deep love for vampires and is also to blame for this trilogy.

Social Links
Site & Blog: http://alina-popescu.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authoralinapopescu
Twitter: http://twitter.com/alina_popescu
Instagram: http://instagram.com/alinapopescuwriter
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/alina-popescu
Google+:  https://www.google.com/+AlinaPopescu
Amazon:  http://amazon.com/author/alinapopescu