Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Truth and Consequences by Sarah Madsion






Today I’m excited to have Sarah Madison, author of Truth and Consequences, Book 3 in the Sixth Sense series on the Book Blog!

Hi Sarah, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

I like skydiving and growing my own food. I used to ride event horses and worked in a stockyard. I’ve been an actress, an astronaut, a receptionist, and a medical professional. I once had to deworm a snake. There is truth as well as fiction in this paragraph, which makes me a storyteller first and foremost!
            
Truth and Consequences is book 3 in the Sixth Sense series. It features FBI Agents Jerry Lee Parker and John Flynn, and the events that occur when Flynn accidentally touches a mysterious artifact and gains unusual powers. As the Sixth Sense series unfolds, we learn there is a set of such boxes, and that Lee and John aren’t the only ones looking for them. They’re in over their head, and the water is just getting deeper…


1)      Tell us something about your character’s friends.

Jerry Lee didn’t have a lot of friends before he met John.  Partly because of his annoying ability to remember everything he’s ever seen or heard, and partly because he expects people to let him down. John, however, is a natural charmer who thinks people are only with him because of his looks. They make an odd pairing, but they really are each other’s best friend.


2)     What is your character’s favorite meal? Favorite dessert? Favorite snack food?

Jerry Lee fancies himself a bit of a gourmand, so he loves eating out in general. He loves seafood, and John doesn’t, so he eats fish every chance he gets. The last meal he ordered out was rainbow trout with lemon biscuit breading and a blueberry Hollandaise sauce, served on a bed of couscous and asparagus. Dessert is usually something chocolate, though depending on the season, he might go for pumpkin pie or peach cobbler and ice cream. His favorite snack is a sharp cheddar with flatbread crackers.


3)     What activity does your character absolutely hate?

Exercise for the sake of exercise. Jerry Lee would much rather play a pickup game of basketball than go jogging, but unfortunately the nature of his job means he has to stay fit and he keeps long hours. That means putting in time at the gym, which he loathes.


4)     What other author’s book do you think your character would be good in?

Oooh, that’s an interesting question! Perhaps Whitley Gray’s High Concept—the characters there also deal with danger as part of their jobs working for the FBI, and I think Lee and John would have a little fun showing off their special talents for Zach and Beck.


5)     What’s your favorite decade and why?

The 1940s. Why? There was something about the way so many people pulled together during World War II and did their part for the war effort. It was a time when women entered the workplace in great numbers, and great sacrifices were made. Besides, I love the clothes.

 


Blurb:
When FBI agent Jerry Lee Parker wakes from a coma after a murderous attack on his life, he has no memory of his immediate past. In the blink of an eye, he has gone from having a nearly photographic memory to recalling nothing of the last six months of his life, including his partner and lover, John Flynn. While Lee tries to reboot his past and reconnect with John, there are events at play around him he doesn’t understand. John is keeping secrets from him, secrets which could get them both killed.
Matters come to a head when Lee is hounded to turn over a mysterious artifact, of which he has no knowledge. The two men wind up in a fight for their lives as they risk everything to keep the powerful relic out of the hands of a ruthless killer. In order to protect those he loves, however, John may be forced to make a deal with the devil.
Pages or Words: 258 pages

Categories: M/M Romance, Mystery, Paranormal

Excerpt:
I knew the moment John walked into the bar. It was like my sonar pinged, my radar lit up—you name it. I heard the door open, and without turning around, I knew it was him because the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Because something in my gut tightened, and my cock lifted in earnest. I watched him in the mirror as he scanned the room, locked in on my presence, and stalked toward me like a panther in a pen full of sheep. Everyone else in the room was aware of him as well. I practically preened when he came up beside me. He took a seat and signaled the bartender, who came over with flattering attention.




Meet the author:
Sarah Madison is a veterinarian with a big dog, an even bigger horse, too many cats, and a very patient boyfriend. She is a terrible cook, and concedes that her life would be easier if Purina made People Chow. She writes because it is cheaper than therapy.

Where to find the author:


Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Tour Dates & Stops:
26-Oct: BFD Book Blog

Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of 'Unspeakable Words' – Book one in the series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Behind the Eight Ball by M.A. Church





I'm excited to have M.A. Church on the blog again today, talking about her latest release. I asked, what makes your new novel different than the rest:


One of the main differences is the shifter itself. While I love a werewolf story as much as the next person, I’m not a “dog” person. I prefer cats. And while I find the big cats fascinating and exotic, I don’t particularly want one running around underfoot, lol.

My shifters are basically house cats, but I’ve modeled them after Savannahs, which are a hybrid cat breed. It’s a cross between a serval and a domestic cat. A serval is a medium-sized African wild cat native to sub-Saharan Africa.

Savannahs can weigh up to thirty pounds, and can be up to 17.1 inches (43.43 cm) from shoulder to toe. The cats in my series weigh forty pounds and are 20 inches from shoulder to toe. They also don’t have the same coloration as a Savannah.

My werecats aren’t homophobic like humanity tends to be. No one’s fur gets ruffled at threesomes, though such a coupling is rare. Trouble Comes in Threes, the first book in the series, is based on such.

The clowder didn’t have a problem with three men being together. No, the problem came when one of the men happened to be human. And that’s something else that tends to be a little different about my series. Instead of humans being prejudiced, the shifters are.

Many clowder members in my series have an ingrained aversion to humans. Each beta I focus on from the West Falls clowder is paired with somebody else, thanks to the goddess Bast. The “somebody else” so far has been a human.

In book #3, the pairing is going to involve another paranormal, but this paranormal isn’t a were. And guess what the clowder’s reaction is going to be? *Gasp* It’s not going to be favorable because this certain paranormal is very, very strong and powerful.

So once again we’re going to be dealing with preconceived ideas and prejudice!

 


Blurb:
A cool morning, a yard full of birds, and a kitty on a mission. What more could a werecat want? Beta Heller Wirth has it all, except a mate—a shifter mate, that is. The last thing he wants is one of those dangerous humans who kill without remorse. Heller knows about that firsthand. So what does the goddess Bast do? She gives Heller exactly what he does not want—a human: business owner Lawson Dupre. 
Lawson hasn’t a clue what just happened in his car detail shop. One minute a cute client is about to pass out, then he perks up and starts flirting. Next thing, he runs out the door like the hounds of hell are after him. Learning that Heller is a werecat doesn’t freak out Lawson. He happens to be one of those rare humans who knows paranormals exists. He even lives with one. Watch the fur fly as Heller and Lawson battle hurt feelings, misguided beliefs, and a power shift in Heller’s clowder.

Pages or Words: 76,000 words

Categories:  Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance


Excerpt:
Step.
Step.
Stop.
The rustling of dead leaves caught my attention, and I froze with one paw still in the air. Not moving and barely daring to breathe, I waited. My whiskers twitched as a cool October breeze disturbed the scent of decaying leaves and rich soil. The foliage trembled again as something rooted around.
I slowly lowered my paw. The disturbance wasn’t very noticeable except to my predatory gaze. The movement continued. Gradually, bit by bit, I crept forward, making sure my long fur didn’t disturb the surrounding mounds of dying leaves. It was times like these I wished my coat were short like Dolf’s. One thing was for sure—whatever was below those leaves was going to be mine shortly. All I needed was to cover a little more distance and I’d be close enough.
Step.
Step.
Crouch.
Heart thumping, I watched as the movement continued. My muscles tightened and my bottom started wiggling. Unable to wait, I sprang forward, claws extended. Leaves flew into the air as I landed on my target. Bugs scattered. Eyes narrowed, I searched for…. There! There was the little bugger. I growled at the big black beetle and trapped it with my paw.
Seconds passed. The bug wiggled under my paw, tickling me. Hunched down, I carefully lifted my paw and peeked. Dammit, can’t see. Unable to get a good look, I lifted my paw a little higher… and there it went, scuttling across the ground. Gleefully I slammed a paw down, trying to trap it. Slap. Slap. Slap. Arrgh! What’s the deal? I keep missing.
Looked like I’d found myself in a game of whack-a-mole, except with a beetle. And off we went. The bug scurried away with me hot on its trail. Every time I thought I had a paw on it, I ended up missing. Stupid critter was fast. I bounded along behind as it raced across the ground. Then it suddenly cut back and ran straight under me.
Surprised, I leaped in the air, all four paws coming off the ground. Whoa! Zigged when I should have zagged. I landed and nonchalantly licked a paw. Hope no one saw that. I had to give the bug credit. That was a smart move. The shrill cry of a mockingbird caught my attention. I lifted my head, searching for the little tattletale.
Up in a tree it sat, its warning cries echoing around the yard. I eyed the tree. Hmm, I could climb it, but the stupid bird will probably just take off. Still, might be fun. Maybe after I finished playing with the bug… and damn. The bug.
My attention returned to where it had been, my tail slashing. Great. Lost it. Stupid bird. I sat up and threw a glare over my shoulder at the bird. Standing, I turned my back to the little menace, tail held high. That’s what I think of you, buddy. I prowled around for a while, sniffing, enjoying the coolness of the morning.
In the early morning sunlight, the dew on the grass sparkled like diamonds. Maybe it was pretty, but the stuff was also cold and wet against my paws. I was glad for my fur. As I wandered back toward the house, my stomach growled. I was hungry and… I sniffed. Oh, was that a blue jay I smelled? Oh, oh, a blue jay. Yum.
The human side of me groaned, but the kitty part wanted to jump with joy. The noisy little shits were actually quite intelligent. Catching one was always a feat. Quick as I could, I hid in the bright fall foliage by the back porch. I stayed very, very still so the stupid bird three feet from me didn’t fly off in a panic.
I licked my lips, my whiskers twitching as I watched the little rascal across from me raise its head. Shit, shit, shit. What caught its attention? Come on already. It’s all fine, nothing to worry about here. No cat hanging around. Just go back to pecking around on the ground. Everything’s good. See? I’m not moving, not even breathing.
Crouched low, I waited while my breakfast relaxed and returned to looking for acorns. Other birds came and went, but I refused to get distracted. I knew the one I wanted. Inch by agonizing inch, I crept closer to my prey. My mouth watered and my heart thumped.
The chatter of the birds around me was easy and relaxed, no distress calls sounding. That’s right. Just keep on eating. Soon I’m going to be eating you. My body tensed, back legs ready to spring me into action….
And the phone in the house rang.

Buy the book:


Meet the author:
M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!

When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or sitting glued to HGTV. That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two children.

She was a finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013 and is a member of Romance Writers of America, Rainbow Romance Writers, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.


Where to find the author:

Other: Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007A8JA4C

Goodreads Link:
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Tour Dates & Stops:
27-Oct: The Jena Wade

Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of 'Behind the Eight Ball'

a Rafflecopter giveaway