RELEASE DAY BLITZ: BLOOD MONARCH by DRAKO

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE VAMPIRES...

TODAY'S RELEASE DAY BLITZ IS PART OF BOOK REVIEW TOURS.

About the Book:

A king's duty never ends, even when his kingdom changes. Vladimir Dracula is one of the most famous and misunderstood figures in all of history. One thing is true, he is a king, and he is a vampire. He is the true king and enforcer of the vampire race. Feared by all of his own kind, he is perhaps the most lethal of the Black Dragon God's mortal born servants. At the same time, he personifies sex. None can resist his charms, save one.

Vax King is the Chosen of Hecate, the Heir of Mjolnir, and has no plans on a mate. When he's called on to enter Fae lands, he's surprised to find the legendary vampire there. Looking to aid the beautiful Fae, Anaya, and her soul mate, Galen, Vax must enter a world of sex of violence with only Vlad to accompany him. Here, there can be no denial, no hesitation. Only truth....and dominance.

A war is brewing in the Fae lands, as the fallen angels rise to lay claim to the power of their goddess, Verlaine and topple their higher brethren. Older than most, Vlad must accustom himself to having a soul mate, and use all his legendary power to stop the forces of darkness long believed to be controlled by him. A new kingdom is the prize, and none knows better than the famed Dracula that the secret to power lies in the blood.

Book Links:
Goodreads I Amazon

Meet the Characters:

Vladimir Dracula

AKA: Vlad, Vlad the Impaler, Dracula

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 315 pounds

Hair: shoulder length, brown

Origin: A human follower of Jarel, the Black Dragon god. He was caught in the crossfire of Jarel’s disagreement with a demon god and the result changed him into one of the first vampires. 

More info: Contrary to popular belief, he has never sired another vampire. The entire race descends from the married couple, Vacker and Deidre. He has functioned as the final enforcer of the race since its creation. He is lethal in battle, being one of those fortunate enough to have had Jarel’s favor in mortal life first. He is also extremely sexual, with an appeal that draws others to him. He should not be confused with the prince who became known as Vlad the Impaler. He’s far older and earned the name in a far different manner. 

Vax

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 220 pounds

Hair: long, red

Origin: A mortal born witch, servant to Hecate, the patron goddess of witches. He was chosen by the goddess himself to wield the legendary hammer Mjolnir to expel Lucifer from the mortal world.

More info: Vax originally had a bit of a self-confidence issue. Because he’s mortal born, he is not used to the strength and power gifted to him by the goddess. He’s a quick learner, and in fact, had a bit of conflict with Vlad in his first story. He’s the first person to resist Vlad’s charm when the vampire is really pouring it on. 

Anaya

Height: 5’3”

Hair: long, red

Origin: An orphaned Fae, she comes into contact with Brandon during his mortal life and the two have a son, Theo, who eventually becomes one of the Three Fates. She is actually the daughter of the Fae queen and the very first angel, Apollyon.

More info: Anaya was captured due to her softer and trusting nature in the second book, and the reasons are complicated. Her ties to the father of her child as well as her soul mate, in addition to her parentage, made her a target. But she’s certainly come into her own and is no damsel in distress

Galen

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 258 pounds

Eyes: blue

Hair: long, black

Origin: A warrior angel created by an ancient goddess, he has only known war and duty and has not adjusted to the idea of having a soul mate.

More info: Galen has loyalty that cannot be questioned, even falling from grace to aid in the fall of Lucifer. He’s powerful and ruthless in battle, but unfamiliar with the concept of love. It’s taken him a long time to accept Anaya.

About the Author:

Drako resides in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, which you may notice is part of the setting of this series. When he isn’t writing, he’s busy editing for other authors, reviewing books, working, going to college, and spending time with his friends and two nieces. He blogs often and is very active on Facebook while trying to readjust to activity on twitter. His subject matter varies as he likes to talk about more than just his writing. You can check out his posts at his website, drakosden.weebly.com

Author Links:
Facebook I Twitter

RUMI Quotes.

AUTHOR'S CIRCLE: ELIZABETH ENSLIN

On Author's Circle today, we interview 

ELIZABETH ENSLIN

about her memoir, 

While the Gods Were Sleeping.

Describe your book in 20 words or less without using the blurb:

An anthropologist marries into an unfamiliar culture, encounters sexism and discovers allies among local women eager for change. 

Buy the Book: HERE

Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?

I love a lot of different places, but I’ve chosen to live in northeastern Oregon. We’ve got rolling grasslands, rocky canyons, snowy peaks, wildflower meadows, forests and working farms and ranches. Our small towns here also have lively scenes in literary and visual arts, music and local foods.

What’s your current guilty pleasure?

I love growing, cooking and eating food. The guilt comes in because I’m a good gardener and cook, and I end up eating too much.

When did you begin writing?

I began writing as a child, mostly stories about my pets and other animals. In elementary school, I tried putting out a regular newsletter where I ranted about littering and other social ills and featured profiles on endangered species. It wasn’t very popular. In middle school, I dabbled in fantasy but realized I was more attracted to realism. For my high school newspaper in Seattle, I wrote features and editorials on gay rights and oil tankers in Puget Sound, though I also had to cover tennis matches and pep squads. Looking back over my adult life, I see that writing has been the great constant in my meandering path through cultural anthropology, teaching and non-profit administration. But only in the last few years have I dared to call myself “Writer.”

Are you a plotter or a pantzer?

I’m a pantzer by habit. I usually begin a piece by riffing on some idea, image or event. But the possibilities usually take off in conflicting directions. I want to follow them all and do stick with that process for awhile because it usually yields insights and scenes I might otherwise miss. Eventually though, I need to spend some time prioritizing directions and looking for a through line in the story, which leads me to spend more time plotting. For my recently published memoir, I found writing the chapter summaries for the book proposal helpful. It was monotonous work, but it forced me to tighten the story more around the plot.

  

Did you do any research before start or during of the writing of the books?

Although it is not meant as an academic account, my recent book is based partly on anthropological research I did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I left out most details of my research, but since I was a researcher, I had to give some flavor of what that work was like for character development. In most of my writing, I tend to weave in some larger theme that requires me to do research. For example, several years ago I wrote an essay about my spider phobia. That required me to do some research on various spiders and their habits, including tarantula sex. That, of course, required me to explore my own phobia more. I found reading such details both terrifying and a little thrilling.

What book is currently on your nightstand?

A lot of books piqued my interest at the Indo-American Arts Festival where I met you, Falguni. One I’ve just begun is The Sleeping Dictionary by Sujata Massey.

How important do you find the communication between you and your readers? Do you reply to their messages or read their reviews?

I’m a new and relatively unknown author, so I love the steady trickle of fan mail I’ve been receiving since October from readers all over the world. That may actually be my favorite part of publishing so far: readers’ raw and heartfelt expressions of how the book moved them to tears or gave them insights they can use in their work. If the trickle becomes a flood, I may not be able to respond personally, but for now, I do. I don’t, however, read reviews on sites like Amazon or Goodreads. I see those as conversations among readers. 

Thats a very interesting way of looking at reviews, Elizabeth. And healthy too :)

What are your thoughts on ebooks? (love them, hate them, wave of the future?)

I love the physicality of books. But as I get older, I find myself drawn to some practical benefits of ebooks, like the ability to enlarge the font size and carry numerous stories with me wherever I travel.

Are you working on any other projects except writing, right now?

My partner and I are finishing a straw bale house on our farm in northeastern Oregon. The house is all sealed up from the weather and stays warm, but we still have to paint and plaster drywall, install more flooring and countertops, oil ceilings and beams. It’s overwhelming. Aside from the never-ending tasks, I find the decisions hardest. What color should I paint this closet? What kinds of doorknobs should we get?  

Wow. That's some hands-on project! I'm more of a designer than a do-it-yourselfer and so have a deep, deep respect for DIYers. Although, seeing your vision come to life is another kind of pleasure, as I'm sure you know.

Elizabeth, thanks for doing this interview and letting us get to know you.

ABOUT the author: 
Elizabeth Enslin grew up in Seattle and earned her PhD in cultural anthropology from Stanford University in 1990. Her creative nonfiction and poetry appear in The Gettysburg Review, Crab Orchard Review, The High Desert Journal, The Raven Chronicles, Opium Magazine and In Posse Review. Recognition includes an Individual Artist Fellowship Award from the Oregon Arts Commission and an Honorable Mention for the Pushcart Prize. She currently lives in a strawbale house in the canyon country of northeastern Oregon where she raises garlic, pigs and yaks. Learn more at:

www.elizabethenslin.com

Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @LizEnslin

Buy the Book: HERE

GUEST POST by AUTHOR HD SMITH

Author HD Smith brings you the second installment in her Devil's Assistant series: 

Dark Awakened.

Top 10 Things Readers Should Know About the Fourth Realm:

1. The Fourth Realm is also known as Fallen. The people that were once descendants are now known as the fallen. Unlike the other realms, which have had many names over time, but are generally referred to as Paradise, Purgatory, and Hell; Fallen’s original name has been lost to time.
2. Claire learns of the Fourth Realm in book 1 when Mab tells Mace about her sister Jayne—Mab doesn’t let him remember, but Mab has no clue Claire has heard the truth and knows the Fourth Realm is not a myth!
3. There is a prophecy that states “the girl” will set right what was lost by the ancients—the big three think Claire is “the girl”, but she’s about to find out that she’s not the only contender for the Fallen Queen’s throne.
4. The Fourth Realm was destroyed a millennia ago—by the rulers of the other realms. Most alive now believe it to be a myth, a fairy-tale told to scare children.
5. Jayne, the previous Fall Queen and ruler of the Fourth Realm, was killed by her siblings because she tried to take over and control all the realms.
6. It’s Jayne’s fault the fallen realm was destroyed and that time isn’t always consistent when traveling between worlds.
7. Chimera are descended from the Fourth Realm.
8. Traveling to any realm is safest through Underworld.
9. Never turn your back on a two-headed tiger … this is just good advice in general.
10. In book 2, Claire is tied to all the realms by magic that she can barely control. Will she become the greatest danger of all—the World Killer—or just another notch in the next contender’s belt?

MORE about...

Dark Awakened

The Devil’s Assistant Series

Book Two

Darkly delicious—relentless—and wickedly good … 

the Devil’s Assistant is back.

Book Description:

Last spring Claire’s seemingly normal—if not totally screwed up—life was tossed on its head. For five years she’d been one of the damned—a human that knows the truth about the otherworldly among us. She’d worked for The Boss—the Demon King himself—as his administrative assistant, handling everything from early retirements, to Maintenance’s incessant requests for dental.

No one gets dental.

Then she walked into Purgatory—totally not her fault—went back in time, and awakened powers she never knew existed. Now Claire has a prophecy hanging over her head, a diamond ring hidden in her sock drawer, and the blood of a long dead royal running through her veins.

And it’s only going to get worse.

Her vow to live free or die takes a serious hit when she’s forced back under The Boss’s protection. Of course, there’s no protection from fate, or the Bounty Hunter sent to deliver her to Purgatory. And as if being “the girl” in the prophecy wasn’t enough, Claire soon discovers there are three other contenders for her role—two of whom want her dead.

Follow more of Claire’s adventures in Dark Awakened, the second installment of the Devil’s Assistant Series, to find out if she’s lucky enough to escape with her life, or if she’s just the first notch on the next contender’s belt.

Available at  

Amazon  BN   Kobo   Amazon Print

Reviews for The Devil’s Assistant Series

Dark Hope is a serious thrill ride type of story ~Fang Freakin' Tastic Reviews

I fell absolutely head over heels in love with this book! It truly was dark & delicious. Mayhem, death, Demons, Pagan's, Druids and a kickass heroine!

~ Taking It One Book at a Time

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, very unpredictable and difficult to anticipate what happens next, which is always a good thing.   Claire is an intriguing character, everything she thought she knew is not quite true …I cannot wait for the next book in series, eager to figure out what is going to happen to Claire. ~ Musings From An Addicted Reader

I love when authors can create something that takes me on a wild ride I’ve never been before. ~ Book Lovin' Mamas

About the Author:

HD Smith has been writing for over ten years. She is a software developer by day, working for an awesome cruise line in Celebration, FL.

HD grew up in South Carolina, but has called the Sunshine State home since 1997.

She has Computer Science degrees from Clemson University (BS) and Florida Institute of Technology (MS). Her other hobbies include painting and screen printing. She enjoys creating t- shirts inspired by the places in her books. 
For more information, visit HD’s 

WEBSITE   TWITTER   FACEBOOK   GOODREADS 

RAFFLECOPTER Tourgiveaway

5 eBook copy sets of book 1 and 2

1 prize pack containing $75 Amazon Gift Card and eBooks of Dark Hope and Dark Awakened 

HAPPY NEW YEAR: It's 2015

Wishing you all a fabulous NEW YEAR!

Keep reading. Keep smiling. Keep it real.