Epsilon by Zackery Humphreys: Excerpt and Giveaway

Epsilon AR

by Zackery Humphreys

About The Author:

Zackery Alexander Humphreys is a Novelist, Actor and Poet who occasionally dabbles in Screen Writing and Play Writing.

Blog | Facebook (author) | Facebook (novel) | Twitter

Book Description:

Hundreds of years into the future, mankind has gone under ground to relocate to the beautiful city of Epsilon. Epsilon is run by a strong, secretive government that keeps its citizens in check by subtle manipulation and strict schedules. No one questions its authority and no one is unhappy. ALN-896, an average man who is just trying to live a normal life, begins to have dreams; something strange and rare in Epsilon. In his dreams, he meets a man named Harry and everything is fine- until Harry dies. When ALN-896 wakes up, he shrugs it off as if nothing has happened. It was only a dream. But then the next day, he is suddenly arrested and sent to prison for killing Harry, whom ALN-896 assumed was just a figment of his imagination. Now inside prison, ALN-896 begins to learn about everything the government of Epsilon has been doing and he plans on escaping. Not only from prison, but from Epsilon. This one decision turns him against everything he has ever known and forces him to face against centuries of lies. To escape means to live. But what will it cost?

Excerpts:

A black-and-white tie...

----
Thoughts froze within his mind. Spit bubbled through his pursed lips.
ALN-896 finally managed to pull away from the exposed wire. He fell to the ground and wiped away the spit dribbling down his cheek. His heart raced, and sweat poured down his body.
That was the most painful sensation he had ever experienced.
I never should have grabbed that wire...
ALN-896 stood up slowly and looked around. No one saw what had just happened. He was alone on the desolate stretch of Simov Street.
Fortunately, I did not get hurt.
Instead of continuing, he decided to get back into his car and let a nice cup of tea calm him.
From the center console of the car, green tea was automatically dispensed into a cup. He let the liquid slide down his throat, easing every muscle that had tensed. He melted into his plush seat as he let his mind come to a halt. Then the silence was interrupted by a robotic voice. “ALN- 896, your vitals are irregular. Is everything all right?”
“Everything is fine. I went to inspect one of the house's trashcans as I was instructed to, but I noticed an exposed wire on the ground. I went to cover it back up when it...”
ALN-896 wasn't quite sure what had actually happened when he touched the wire. He hadn’t been electrocuted, but something strange had occurred. The only thing he could get out of the experience was that he had seen a black-and-white tie floating in the darkness behind his closed eyelids. Nothing surrounded it, but he knew it had been attached to a body. One he hadn’t been able see, but one he knew existed somewhere within the black.
Irrelevant.
“When it...,” ALN-896 stumbled. “When it shocked me,” he lied.
“Your job still needs to be completed. You still need to inspect the trashcans for Monday's workday. After your tea, you need to continue.”
“Yes, I understand.”



INTERVIEW:

For people who haven’t heard of Epsilon A.R., make a brief description.

Epsilon A.R. takes place in a Dystopian city where everyone is happy and no one questions the government's control. Despite his blind trust, however, a regular man named ALN-896 is accused of murdering a man from his dreams and sent to prison.  This is where he uncovers what the government has been doing and he plans on not only escaping from prison but from Epsilon. 

When did you decide to become a writer?

My first thought of writing was in Sophomore year of high school when I started reading Shakespeare. I wanted to be just like him so I started writing poems. That snowballed into short stories and then to novels!

 Do you have specific habits when you write?

I think the two habits that I've gotten into is not starting until its dark outside and putting in earphones (which don't play anything!)

Are you an early bird or night owl?

Night Owl for sure, although morning is my favorite time of day and breakfast is my favorite meal. I'm weird, I know.

Where do you get your inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is from Ray Bradbury's novel "Fahrenheit 451." I loved the character of Guy Montag and the setting. Bradbury's writing style is beautiful in itself as well.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?

I of course love ALN-896 but Twitch is actually my favorite. He would just be a great best friend.

If you could have coffee with any character of any book, who would it be and why?

Roland Deschain from Stephen King's "Dark Tower." I would be a little intimidated but I wouldn't mind hearing some if his stories! 

Name a book you wish you had written.

"The Dark Tower" by Stephen King or "Alice in Wonderland." My favorite book and my favorite classic respectively.

Would you like your book turned into a movie? Do you have any actors in mind?

I think turning my book into a movie would be amazing as long as it was done right. As far as actors go I think Ewan McGregor as ALN-896 and Ian McKellan as Chief Joseph Freedmen would be great. 

What do you do, besides writing?

I used to swim competitively but now my focus has shifted to acting. Writing and acting take up the majority of my time now, but when I can relax I like to read, play video games and watch some good television shows.

What are you reading right now?

Right now I am reading "House of Leaves" by Mark Danielewski. Great book so far!

Name your favorite authors.

Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King and Lemony Snicket.

Best reward as a writer?

Seeing other people completely immersed in the world you created. I could only imagine what it feels like for J.K Rowling with Harry Potter World!

Biggest trouble you faced as a writer?

Continuing onward. Finishing a book takes a lot of time and patience and getting through that is tough. Especially the first time around.

Do you like singing or dancing? Does music inspire you?

Yes I like singing and I love dancing. I used to swing dance which was a lot of fun. Music does inspire me but I find it too hard to listen to music while writing. I need silence.

What are your favorite TV shows?

Top 5 of all time:

1. The Walking Dead

2. LOST

3. Breaking Bad

4. Sherlock

5. Doctor Who

Favorite movies?

Top 3 of all time:

1. Cloud Atlas

2. Inception

3. The Prestige

What thing do you wish you could do and you can't?

Being able to fly.

If someone made a movie of your life, which event MUST be included?

So much of what I now do in life has been the result, in one way or another, of my decision to start swimming in high school. It was a massive part in my life and has shaped me and the things around me greatly. 

Thanks for this amazing interview Zackery!

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Super Dark: Interview, excerpt and Giveaway.

Super Dark

(The Super Dark Trilogy Book One)

by Tanith Morse

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Little Willow

ASIN: B00B139IXK

Number of pages: 256

Word Count: 83,000 Words

Cover Artist: Tanith Morse

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/tnWAp50eQhQ

Amazon

Book Description:

For fans of Stephenie Meyer comes a chilling love story that will have you hooked from the very first page. Super Dark is a tale of passion, guilt and redemption with a whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees twist!

Darkness stalks seventeen-year-old Sam Harper. Ten years ago on Halloween night, grotesque creatures snatched her best friend Elliot and Sam narrowly escaped with her life. Now a decade on, the police investigation has ground to a halt and Elliot's whereabouts remains a mystery. 

Traumatized by her ordeal, Sam finds it hard to make friends. She is mistrustful of authority and changed schools more times than she cares to remember. To her, the world is cruel and unforgiving. 

Then she meets the enigmatic Lee Weaver. With his gorgeous face and magnetic presence, he turns heads wherever he goes. Sam has never wanted anyone as much as she wants Lee, but there are things about the alluring stranger that don't add up, leading Sam to ask unsettling questions about her past. Soon she discovers the boy of her dreams is keeping a terrible secret: one that threatens to destroy everything Sam holds dear.

Super Dark is a seductive love story that will keep you guessing right until the final page.

Excerpt:

ONE

Snatched

“What are you reading?”

I glanced up from my book. The girl standing over me had a pleasant, open face, but I didn’t return her smile. She was the willowy blonde from my English class who sat two seats back. She wore way too much make-up and her roots needed doing, but somehow she made it look right.

She’d tried to catch my eye a couple of times already, but I’d ignored her. If I’d wanted to make friends, I’d have spent lunch in the cafeteria with the others, instead of finding this nice, quiet spot on the benches behind the Science department.

I was hoping not to be disturbed. Fat chance.

“It’s George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four,” I answered.

“Any good?”

“Yes, it’s one of the classics.”

“What’s it about?”

I rolled my eyes. Who the hell didn’t know about the Thought Police, Big Brother, and Room 101? Had she been living on another planet?

Undeterred, the blonde sat next to me. She smelled of soap and chewing gum.

“I’m Becky,” she said. “We’ve got English together.”

“I know.”

“You’re Samantha Harper, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You know, it’s funny. When we first met last week, I could have sworn I’d seen you somewhere before. Your face looked so familiar. And then Mr. Maine introduced us and the penny dropped.”

My stomach tightened. I knew exactly where this conversation was heading. It wasn’t fair. I’d only been at St. Mary’s High School a short time and already someone had recognized me.

“You’re her, aren’t you?” Becky whispered. “You’re that girl who was kidnapped.”

For a moment, I let the question hang there. Then I nodded.

“Wow, I knew it!” she said. “Obviously, you’re a lot older now. But I could still tell.” Her face lit up with excitement.

I squinted at my book, trying again to immerse myself in the world of Winston Smith, but it was no use. I clenched my jaws, trying to contain my emotion. “If you don’t mind, Becky, I’d rather not talk about this.”

Her smile dropped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. Hope I haven’t offended you.”

“Not at all,” I said. “It’s just … well, it’s not something I like to think about.”

“I understand. Bad memories and all that.”

“Exactly.”

In the awkward silence that followed, Becky began making little pleats in the hem of her skirt, then smoothed them out and tried a different tack. “Did the police ever find Elliot?” she asked. “You know, the little boy who was abducted with you?”

My mouth became a thin, tight line. I said nothing.

Becky kicked a pebble with the toe of her tennis shoe. “I remember seeing your picture in the newspaper. Must be weird being so famous.”

My mind raced back ten years to a time when the world had seemed a safer place—a time before my innocence was cruelly shattered. I could see it all as if it were yesterday.

Elliot Marsh had lived next door to me since we were toddlers. We’d attended the same nursery and primary schools, and our parents were the best of friends. He was the type of kid who’d take a punch for you, lie for you, or share his last Snickers bar with you. He seemed tough, but he had a big heart. If anyone picked a fight with me at school, I always knew Elliot had my back. I knew I could depend on him, no matter what.

Elliot and I spent most summers together, climbing trees, having water fights, playing video games, watching cartoons, and teasing the neighbor’s dog. We even went to Disneyland together once. We had the kind of friendship that only comes around once in a lifetime.

Neither of us could have imagined what was about to happen.

The snow had come early to London that dark Halloween night, as Elliot and I started trick-or-treating on our street. We were both seven, but he was six months older. The two of us had felt so grown up dressed as Batman and Batgirl, trudging from house to house in search of candy. By the time we’d finished the rounds, our buckets were nearly filled to the brim. People had been generous—but I wanted more.

“Let’s start heading back,” Elliot said.

“But I still have a little room in my bucket,” I whined. “And I hardly got any chocolate.”

“You know what our parents said.”

“They’ll never know. Let’s try one more street.”

“Do you reckon we should? Didn’t my mum say we should stay where she can see us?”

“What are you, a scaredy cat?” I teased.

“No, I’m not scared of anything,” Elliot retorted.

“Then let’s go!”

“But dinner’s gonna be ready soon. I’m hungry.”

“All right. If you’re too chicken, then I’ll hit the next street on my own.”

He hesitated, then relented. “Okay, okay, I’ll come.”

We took a left turn at the roundabout and started trudging up an unfamiliar street. Our boots, now ankle-deep in snow, made eerie, hollow sounds as they crunched on the pavement. We could see our breath in icy clouds. 

Suddenly, I felt an odd sensation, as if something had thrown a handful of wet leaves at my back. It made me freeze in my tracks.

We heard the sputter of an engine—an old, tired sound, like the last chokes of a dying witch. We spun around and saw a battered, white van speeding in our direction, its headlights blinding us. When the vehicle pulled up alongside us, it screeched to a stop and an enormous man jumped out.

He was the most hideous creature I’d ever seen: seven feet tall, with bloodshot eyes, dirty brown overalls, and a matted beard that hung down to his waist. His bushy brows met in the middle, and his neck and hands were covered in thick, black hair. His lips scared me the most: they were purple and punctured with teeth marks.

What happened next was a kind of blur. One minute we were standing by the curb, clutching our trick-or-treat candy—and the next minute, this monstrous creature had scooped us up under his arms and shoved us into the back of his van. Candy spilled from our abandoned, overturned buckets, making a colorful stream in the snow.

Inside, the van was dark and damp. The floor was covered with large clumps of hay, as though it had been used to haul livestock. The putrid smell of rotten meat was overwhelming.

As the van rattled up the road, Elliot and I huddled together like a pair of scared rabbits, holding each other tight for comfort. I’ll never forget the warmth from his tiny fingers as they interlocked with mine, or the way he tried not to tremble for my sake. Elliot was putting on a brave face, but I knew he was just as frightened as I was.

As my eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, I noticed we were not alone. Sitting a couple of feet away was a silhouette; when we passed a streetlamp, I could see it was a woman with swarthy skin and long, dark hair that was gathered back in two big bunches. She was dressed in strange layers of embroidered cloth that reminded me of a Russian Matryoshka doll. Chunky, gold bracelets weighed down her spindly wrists, and her calloused fingers sported an array of antique medallion rings.

I gasped when I saw her eyes: black, unflinching, and potently evil.

I burst into tears, and once I’d started, I couldn’t stop. I was terrified. Elliot cradled me in his arms, stroking my hair to make me feel warm and protected, but I could tell he wanted to cry, too.

“What are you going to do with us?” he asked, trying to make his voice sound serious and brave.

The woman didn’t answer.

“I want my mum,” I whimpered.

Elliot continued trying to calm me. After a moment, he looked the woman dead in the eye, an expression of defiance on his face. When he spoke, his voice sounded much older. “Let my friend go,” he said. “I don’t care what you do to me. Just let her go. She doesn’t want to be here.”

The woman folded her arms across her chest and glared in reply, her face as grim and impenetrable as ever.

My sobs intensified. I believed now that we were going to die. This was it. We were Hansel and Gretel, about to be eaten by the witch.

“Let my friend go,” Elliot repeated. “I promise I’ll be good. I won’t scream or anything. I’ll do whatever you say. Just please … let her go.”

Abruptly, the woman made a violent stabbing gesture with her hand, and then she turned toward the driver. “Muzas gost!” she rasped. Her voice sounded unearthly.

The man hit the brakes and the van skidded to a halt. The woman continued muttering in a strange, foreign language as she wrenched me from Elliot, unbolted the back doors, and shoved me out onto the street.

The last image I had of my best friend was his sweet, tear-stained face, his tiny hand waving goodbye to me as the van doors closed.

I never saw Elliot Marsh again.

Interview:

For people who haven’t heard of Super Dark, make a brief description.

Super Dark is based in a fictional London town called Elmfield - a place very similar to where I grew up. It tells the story of Sam Harper and Elliot Marsh, two kids thrown into a terrifying world where nothing is what is seems. There are twists and turns galore and you never quite know what is going to happen next. It’s an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?

I have a soft spot for Frasier Harrison. He was a really fun character to write. With his quirky dress sense, acerbic wit and crazy sense of humor, he’s the best friend everyone wishes they had.

If you could meet any person in the world who would it be and why?

I would have loved to meet Frank Sinatra. Growing up, he was kind of my idol and I was so sad he passed away before I got to see him in concert.

Name a book you wish you had written.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

What are you reading right now?

I just finished reading 11/22/63 and I can tell you that after more than thirty years, Stephen King is still on top of his game. I literally lost sleep reading that book. The level of detail was astounding … all that historical research must have taken years and yet the ideas are still so fresh and unique. Definitely one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Name your favorite books.

The Help, Jane Eyre and Me Before You.

Biggest trouble you faced as a writer?

I got crazy writer’s block during the third book. For some reason, despite having already written the other two, I found it really hard to concentrate. The main problem I had was coming up with new ideas to keep the story fresh. I didn’t want to bore my readers by rehashing the same stuff, so the plot was definitely a challenge. For a while, my mind just went blank and I couldn’t work out where the story was going. Then one day it came to me and the rest of the book literally wrote itself.

Do you like singing or dancing? Does music inspire you?

Yes music inspires me greatly. During the writing of Super Dark I listened to a lot of Adele and Amy Winehouse. I also like old Mowtown – Tina Turner, Diana Ross etc. You can’t beat the classics. Oh, and there’s  a really great girl band from the UK called Stooshe who I adore. They have a wonderful ‘60s soul sound.

Favorite movies?

Edward Scissorhands is an absolute classic. Tim Burton really inspires me because his work is so dark and gothic. Ghostbusters is also one of my favorite films. I was an ‘80s baby so I have a soft spot for all those great fantasy filmns from that era. If I ever want some comfort TV, Ghostbusters would be my movie of choice.

Thanks Tanith for an amazing interview! It was so much fun!

About the Author:

Tanith Morse grew up in Wandsworth, south London. From a young age she developed a great love of horror films and gothic romances. Her favorite director is Tim Burton and her favorite authors include Charlotte Bronte, Stephenie Meyer and Suzanne Collins. When she isn’t writing, Tanith enjoys directing short films for the festival circuit and looking after her cat, Mambo. An avid tea drinker, Tanith can be found hanging out in cozy London cafes in search of new brews to tease her taste buds. Super Dark is her first YA novel.

http://tanithmorse.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/TanithMorse.Author

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5279548.Tanith_Morse

https://twitter.com/TanithMorse

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Review and Giveaway: Eyes of Ember by Rebecca Ethington

Eyes of Ember by Rebecca Ethington

(Imdalind #2)

Blurb:

Joclyn is in hiding, hunted by the man she still desperately loves. Ryland is gone, his mind erased, no memory of Joclyn remains. But, Joclyn’s heart desperately begs her to hold out hope. While, in reality the black eyed monster that possesses him, attempts to kill her over and over.

If it wasn’t for Ilyan, Joclyn would be dead by now. 

Ilyan. The man who once stalked her, is now Joclyn’s protector, the only thing she has left. He protects Joclyn from the men who seek to end her life, and while she is haunted by dreams where Ryland begs her to break the bond between them. 

Ilyan is there. Always there.

Ilyan trains and prepares her, teaching her everything she needs to know in the hope that one day she can avenge Ryland, if not protect herself from him.

And then there is her father.

The man who has never been there, is suddenly responsible for everything. And who he is has made Joclyn into something she never wanted to be.

The Silnỳ

About the Author

Rebecca Ethington has been telling stories since she was small. First, with writing crude scripts, and then on stage with years of theatrical performances. The Imdalind Series is her first stint into the world of literary writing. Rebecca is a mother to two, and wife to her best friend of 14 years. She was born and raised in the mountains of Salt Lake City, and hasn’t found the desire to leave yet. Her days are spent writing, running, and enjoying life with her amazing family.

Links:

Goodreads 

Amazon Author 

Amazon Buy link 

Barnes and Noble 

Website

Twitter 

Facebook

Read my review of Kiss of Fire (Imdalind #1) HERE.





My thoughts: Eyes of Ember (Imdalind #2)

4 STARS!



After loving book one in this series I couldn't wait to jump into this one.
I won't say I was dissapointed, at all! but I kinda liked the first one a little more.


First: I am absolutely mesmerized by the cover!

I liked the way the author gained depth in the characters without being repetitive.
I felt that Jos grew a lot and I really liked her. She is stronger and finds a motive to go on, not like in the first instalment that she was a but lost.
Though some situations with Ilyan make me mad at her. (I don't want to make a spoiler, can't tell!)

Ilyan... WOW! I really found in him what I was looking for. 

The love triangle was predictable but he was charming. I am his number one cheerleading! Though I would have liked more chemistry between them

Ry... well... you know where book one ended so, you also know what to expect, I like his new him. Muahahahaha! :P


We have some background here, I like that in books, not annoy you with dull details but remind you were the story stands. Here you can pick book 2 after a while of reading the first one and you will totally catch up with the story.


The writing is great, it flows smoothly, the story is original and fast paced. A lot of action and definitely left me wanting book 3.

When is it released? :P


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Guest Post, Review and Giveaway: Centaur Legacy by Nancy Straight.

SYNOPSIS:

Her whole life, it had just been the two of them. Before her mother’s last breath, she gave Camille the information she had craved her entire life: the identity of her father. Daring to contact him, Camille was welcomed by an entire family she never knew existed. But nothing comes without a price, as she discovers when her family claims a legendary heritage tracing back to a centaur touched by Zeus. 

As she learns the secrets of her Centaur bloodline, she is drawn into a forbidden love with Drake. Her life may be the blood debt required to pay for her mother’s transgressions. The same person who once held her mother captive, and forced her into decades of hiding, now controls Camille. Her only chance is to seek a piece of her mother’s past that will win her freedom and the life she desperately wants.

Guest Post:  Why write about Centaurs?

There have been so many Paranormal Romances I’ve read and LOVED.  Each one has been an inspiration to me.  It would be impossible to name them all, but a few of my FAVORITES are:  

• Amy Bartol’s Premonition Series (Angels), 
• Christie Rich’s Elemental Enmity Series (Fairies), 
• Shannon Dermott’s Champion Series (Demons), 
• Quinn Loftis’ Grey Wolves Series (Werewolves) and 
• Charlotte Abel’s Channie Series (Mages).

The things all of these Paranormal Romance Series have in common are I absolutely fell in love with the characters and I was dying to know what was on the next page.  Each series reached out and pulled me into my kindle.  When I wrote Blood Debt, I knew I wanted to draw the reader in the same way as my favorites pulled me into their novels, but finding mythological creatures that hadn’t been written about by any of my favorite authors was difficult.  

Centaurs had always been interesting to me, but I’d read almost nothing about them.  Before I started writing the Touched Series, I began to research Centaurs.  It turns out, very few others had written about Centaurs and there weren’t a tremendous amount of legends available to pull from, either.  

I incorporated much of the published Greek Mythology surrounding Centaurs and in a few places I created a history that wasn’t there.  

There’s a lot of freedom, as an author, when you choose characters without a great deal of history behind them.  Most readers know what Centaurs are, but few know about the history of their battles, how they’re tied to constellations, or perceptions of them throughout history.  

Writing about a mythological race that has an air of mystery around them has been exciting.  Very few authors have attempted to use Centaurs in the Paranormal Romance Genre and I’m excited to share the Touched Series with the world.  I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!

Read my review: HERE

Read other reviews of books by Nancy Straight: HERE

Read an interview with Nancy: HERE.

Speechless!

Can't wait to read Centaur Legacy!


TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT!







AUTHOR BIO: 
Nancy was born in Sioux City Iowa, left the cold of the Midwest in 1991 and only returns to see family in the summer time. She spent ten years traveling the world as a US Marine and settled in rural SC with her husband and two children.

She enjoyes reading all types of Paranormal and Young Adult literature.

She is the author of 5 books that are part of 2 amazing series: "Destiny" and "Touched".

These days I'll be posting my reviews of some of her books which I absolutely adore, you'll also get to read a short interview with her and start preparing for the release of "Centaur Legacy" , her newest work!
So don't get lost!


Check her profile on GoodReads HERE.

And visit her site HERE.


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Interview, excerpt and Trailer: Celine (The Night Touched Chronicles #1)

Celine (The night Touched Chronicles #1)
by Maegan Provan

Paperback, 160 pages

Published March 13th 2013 by Maegan Provan (first published March 8th 2013)

SYNOPSIS:


Love
Destiny
and War

Created by the First Born, The Night Touched created the bloodlines from which all modern day vampires descended. Different because of their incredible powers and advantages in the human world, The Night Touched were a special kind of vampire. However, they were believed to have died out centuries ago, and had been reduced to little more than whispers in the vampire world. 

Until now.

Harper Kemp was the only modern Night Touched in existence. The reasons behind her creation were unknown and she had been abandoned during her change. Eventually she was found by Lily and Jason and taught how to handle what she had become. She learned how to blend in with the human world and even made herself in to quite the socialite of the New York City elite scene.

After a plea for help in her dreams and the dangers of a forbidden love, Harper is sent down a path to discovery; not only is she not alone, she’s about to face her worst nightmare ― a devastatingly handsome slayer named Silas with a finger on her non existent pulse.


Trailer:

Excerpt:

“What just happened?” Silas asked me as we rode down in the elevator. He looked at me, confused. 

     “They were being irrational and I was just fed up with it.” I stared at the door. I was really pissed. I knew they had a point, but was I not allowed to pretend to be normal for one minute? I didn’t have love and I wasn’t even sure I was looking for it with him; I didn’t have someone to share every moment with like they did. I was alone and I was entitled to a little bit of happiness. 

     There was an awkward silence the rest of the ride down. When we reached the lobby I turned to him and gently squeezed his hand, smiling warmly. I felt I needed to at least attempt to show him that I didn’t want my irritation towards Lily and Jason to affect our evening. He smiled back in relief. 

     We walked out to the street where Silas had been lucky enough to find a spot right in front of the building. He nodded to the valet before he got to the passenger side and held the door open for me, shutting it gently after I got in. He walked around to his side and carefully opened his door, sliding in between rushes in traffic. He buckled up and started the car. The engine roared to life and Silas carefully navigated out into traffic. We drove through the crowded streets, still in silence. 

     ‘This is so much more awkward than I thought it was going to be.’ I tucked my hair behind my ear and stared out the window, watching the people walking up and down the sidewalk and the other cars inching along with us. There were couples holding hands and young families skipping down the sidewalk. I felt a twinge of guilt. Even if this did work out, we could never be a normal couple. Most of the time, people run in fear when they find out you drink blood for sustenance. I would never have a long term relationship with a human, and siring them had never seemed like much of an option to me. I looked over at him, forced a smile and went back to looking out the window. 

     We eventually pulled up to the parking lot of the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises. I had seen this place a couple of times, but never managed to convince the others to take a short cruise with me. I turned to him and beamed brightly, he smiled back evidently glad I was pleased with the surprise. I was beginning to feel a little more optimistic about the evening ahead. Silas got out of the car and hurried back around to my side. He opened the door for me, holding out a hand to help me. I grinned as I took his hand to get out. 

     “Thank you,” I said as I shut my door behind me. 

     “Not a problem.” He nodded before heading off toward the ticket window. I followed close behind. He held his hand out to me, and waited for me. I hesitated for a moment before taking it. I wasn’t sure if it was normal to hold hands on a first date. The plus side to being Night Touched during moments like this was that even though I was dead, I still had a pretty normal body temperature so there was never an awkward explanation about being freakishly cold. I hadn’t quite figured out why but I wasn’t complaining. It was a great way to blend in with humans when I absolutely needed to, like at all of those packed events Lily dragged us to. The wind blew a chilled air through the parking lot and he pulled me up next to him, in an attempt to keep me warm. I didn’t mind though, his cologne smelled warm, like spices and leather. 

     He purchased our tickets and we got on to the boat. We found a secluded spot on the top deck and sat. The lights on the water were absolutely beautiful. He pulled me close to him and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him and looked out over the water. The city lights shimmered and danced on the water.  I smiled to myself; this was turning out to be a pretty normal date. Grabbing a blanket from the neatly folded stack at the end of our bench, he wrapped it around us. As he gingerly tucked one side of the plush blanket under my legs to keep me warm, I could help but keep smiling at him like a dazed school girl.  

INTERVIEW

1. For people who haven’t heard of Celine, make a brief description.

Well, the story follows Harper Kemp, a Night Touched. Night Touched are a special type of vampire, with unique skills and defining marks that glow in certain circumstances. They created the bloodlines from which all modern day vampires descended. Harper believes that she is the only modern Night Touched in existence. After a cry for help in her dreams, Harper is sent down a path to discover her destiny. Not without some distraction, of course.

2. When did you decide to become a writer?

I have been writing off and on my whole life. I decided to seriously pursue it after my best friend came to me with the idea of self-publishing.

3. What does your family think of your works?

They are very proud of me. They have always been so supportive and that means the world to me.

4. Do you have specific habits when you write?

I think my only habit is really procrastination. I will sit on Facebook or in one of my games and say, “Okay, in 5 minutes, I’m going to go write…” Three hours later I finally open up Word.

5. Are you an early bird or night owl?

I am a night owl by nature but I work early mornings, so I don’t get to stay up late any more.

6. Where do you get your inspiration?

The only answers I can really think of are clichés. I get my inspiration from everywhere.

7. Which of your characters is your favorite and why?

That is hard. I think Harper and Jason are really my favorites.

8. If you could have coffee with any character of any book, who would it be and why?

Oh that’s a good one! I honestly don’t know who I would want to have coffee with the most. Probably Tessa Gray from the Infernal Devices series. I’m reading Clockwork Princess right now and I’d love to just talk with her about everything that’s going on in the book.

AUTHOR BIO:

Maegan Provan lives in Texas with her husband, dog and two cats. When not writing, she spends a lot of time on social media sites and playing PC games. She got into the urban fantasy/paranormal genre because of love of vampires.

Celine is her first novel and also book 1 in the series The Night Touched Chronicles. 

AUTHOR LINKS:

Blog- authormaeganprovan.com

Facebook- facebook.com/TheNightTouchedChronicles

                facebook.com/AuthorMaeganProvan

Twitter- @ProvanMaegan

youtube- http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4Hkg-P-88lL_docIP6jkw?feature=mhee