Thoughts On: The Dreamer's Thread Ep 18, 19, & 20

The Dreamer's Thread

By:  Starla Huchton

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Ep 18 ~  37:09 mins

Chapters:  33 & 34

Book Synopsis:
Everyone Dreams.  But what would you do if you suddenly found out that you were one of the few who creates dreams for the whole world?  Would you use your power to harness the light and weave it into beautiful tapestries of magic and wonder, or would you fall prey to the seductive siren song of darkness and nightmares?  For artist Aura Mayville, this becomes a reality as she is ripped from her life.

This Episode:
Aura ensures the night of the grand gala is one that no one will forget for a very, very long time...

My Thoughts and Summary:
We approach the castle on the night of the Gala.  Highly specialized men now guard the area.  We need to find a way in, and prepare for the gala.  Once in, the sight feels off to Aura.

We need the help of another, Dedric's familiar...a spider.  A BIG spider.  Aura's fear of...spiders, is confronted here.  The gown Aura creates is on to put Cinderella to shame, and influenced with a few touches from the baby spiders she must watch over briefly.

The castle seems to have lost a glow it once had, and a dark aura now is present.  The plan was laid out, but nothing goes as planned...especially when emotions are involved.  The King suffers from the spell that was upon him.

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Format:  Podcast, Ep 19 ~  34:19 mins

Chapters:  35 & 36

This Episode:
Aura must decide where her heart lies and deal with the consequences of her actions...

My Thoughts and Summary:
Aura marches into the Kings chambers, even in his violent outbreak.  Aura sends all out, and Aura will have to face more than flying items.  Aura thinks on choices she's had and made while here in the Dream Realm.

Oh, do I feel for King Cyrus.  The vision of him... and Aura with him.  I didn't realize how much I'd been waiting to see Aura and King Cyrus together, again.  King Cyrus even shares a secret room of mirrors with her.  Oh, interesting to see.  I like this, and Aura's powers as a Dreamer.

I start to wonder if Aura remembers the real world?  Or her boyfriend/fiance?  And what will come of the real world verses what she has here in the Dream Realm.  How will that work out for her?

In a meeting, we learn there is an army of unseen size collecting at the border of the Dark Lands.  War is coming.


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Format:  Podcast, Ep 20 ~  26:57 mins

Chapters:  37

This Episode:
Plans progress for the coming battle as Aura's friends make a discover about her...

My Thoughts and Summary:
Time to prepare for battle, and see who's on what side.

What Aura has done in her travels, helping others, has left an impression on them and comes in turn.

Friends are starting to figure out what is going on with Aura.  They know her rather well after their close travels and can read her well.

You can learn more about Starla Huchton's works at her site:

Upon the Wings of Greater Things

You can listen to The Dreamer's Thread by Starla Huchton for free at:

(the whole book is available for listen now)

i Tunes

Podiobooks

Or you can purchase the book to read in print or ebook at:

Cover Reveal: Dogs of War: Vertigo

A new series and cover release for you all!  This is a summer release and is from an author I have been loving!  She's got books from fantasy to fairies, to science fiction dimensions.  This is an author all should watch out for, and you will find something you love.

This one is has an Urban Fantasy feel to it.  And a Trilogy!

Dogs of War:  Vertigo

Dogs of War #1 (of Trilogy)

By:  Frances Pauli

Due Out:  Summer 2013

Description:

A modern day accountant with a level head and her feet firmly planted in ordinary reality, Vivian doesn’t believe in past lives, demons or true love. All of which seems like a perfectly practical approach to life until the thing that killed her in World War One decides it’s time to try again… 

Viviane Oliver doesn’t break the law. She doesn’t take risks, and she definitely doesn’t believe in anything weird. So getting pulled over for speeding on the way to pick up her new dog wasn’t exactly on her to do list. Even more surprising, the cop who shows up at her window seems familiar. She’s never seen him before, and yet, just looking at the man makes her want to cry.  But Viv has her head on straight. She shakes off the encounter and heads to the dog breeder only to have an old magazine photo trigger a full blown, past life flashback. Not only do the soldiers in the picture look like her and her mysterious cop, she remembers them, a memory that holds as much danger as it does passion. 

Now Viv is bouncing between two lives and being stalked by something evil in both of them. As the love story of two soldiers unfolds, her own heart opens for a man who may not even be available. Not that she has time to worry about minor details. If she can’t figure out the demon’s identity fast, Viv could lose more than just her life. She could lose everything she never believed in.  

Soooo?  Okay, I'm taken as I *might* feel a tad of connection with Vivian, being in the accounting field myself.  And the dog thing, and not breaking the law, and....and...and... But I've not been in World War One, or so I think. ;)  I think this sounds so good, and cool!  I can't wait for this one now!

Teaser Tuesday (163)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

A yowl split the darkness, and she glanced up as Termund drove the other two vermin before him like a couple of naughty children caught stealing cookies.  He whipped their hind ends with his electrified stick and sent them scrambling out the door.

Rough Magic
By:  Kenny Soward
136pg

Mythical Monday (11)

It seems there are many books based on or influenced by Myths and Mythological Beings.

There are so many different Mythology and Mythological Beings recorded. Some are very popular and well known, others not so much. There are many similar beings, yet different depending on the culture it’s based in.  The definition of Myth covers about anything in the Urban Fantasy/Fantasy realm to me.

I’ve invited authors to share briefly the Mythological being or Myth that influenced their character(s) or story, or what their character(s) are based on influencing their books.  Hosting here, one author and being or myth per week.

This week we have:

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance author Kate SeRine

Talking of Fairy Tales Fairies.

A Fairy Tale to Tell

In her book The Fairies in Tradition and Folklore, Katharine Briggs wrote, “The literary treatment of fairies has been beset with the dangers of whimsicality ever since the poets ceased to believe in them” (248). Fortunately, these days we urban fantasy and paranormal romance writers seem to have cast aside images of the fairy folk as cutesy little girls in tutus and butterfly wings in favor of more kick-ass depictions. But even though the fairies that populate my Transplanted Tales series definitely fall into the latter category, I couldn’t quite ignore the whimsy that has seeped into popular culture. After all, my characters are transplants from the very stories we grew up on in all their various incarnations. This is especially true of Lavender Seelie, my protagonist in THE BETTER TO SEE YOU (Transplanted Tales #2).

Lavender is Cinderella’s former fairy godmother, which presented an interesting dilemma for me as her creator. At the heart of Lavender’s story is her journey to redemption, her struggle to find a place in the world again, to believe in herself once more and to finally accept that, no matter what her past has been, she deserves a future filled with love and happiness. It’s a tough journey, and is one fraught with murder, mystery, and a fair amount of fairy dust. Although I couldn’t ignore some of the aspects of the story of Cinderella as we know it today, I obviously didn’t want Lavender to be a plump elderly woman floating around on a cloud of shimmery light. I had to come up with a way to give her story a twist and make her more modern, more interesting, and more relatable.

So, in a complete departure from cartoon depictions of a fairy godmother, Lavender is sexy, saucy, and a magnet for trouble. She’s a recovering alcoholic whose guilt over accidentally transplanting hundreds of her Make Believe brethren into our world has left her a shell of who she once was. And, like most fairies, she has a thing for clothes and is very particular about her sense of style, which happens to be a little bit Goth, a little bit steam-punk, and goes really well with her naturally purple hair. Lavender did help Cinderella snag the prince, though—and has regretted it ever since.

Not content with just incorporating aspects of Lavender’s connection to Cinderella, I also wanted to draw upon the fairies of folklore. After reading several books on the subject, I decided to make Lavender a particular variety of fairy known as a Seelie. The “good” fairies of Scottish folklore, Seelies are rather an aristocratic bunch known for being a bit kinder toward humans than some of their brethren. Even so, they don’t take kindly to being insulted and can be rather vengeful. This comes into play significantly in Lavender’s story, especially in regard to how her family treats her after she royally screws up and besmirches their good name.

Speaking of names, they’re incredibly important to the fairies in my series. Lavender’s true name is wiped from record because of her transgressions, so she now goes by an assumed name. In her case, she chooses a name that reflects the fact that in addition to being a Seelie, she’s also a lavender flower fairy. According to Teresa Moorey’s Fairy Bible, lavender fairies have a protective streak and are particularly concerned about women mistreated by their mates (310). Although it isn’t referenced in my novel itself, this protective streak was foremost in my mind when I wrote Lavender’s story and helped me determine her motivations for becoming a fairy godmother in the first place and then for finally breaking away from the Charmings.

Other characteristics of lavender fairies also helped me shape Lavender’s personality. Kind, caring, and intensely loyal, these are her most endearing traits and are sometimes at odds with the arrogance and snobbery that comes as the byproduct of being raised among the Seelies. But ultimately, “the greatest gift from a Lavender Fairy is happiness” (Moorey, 311). It is this gift that Lavender is finally able to bring to the residents of The Refuge and, in particular, to Seth “Big Bad” Wolf. But, alas, his story is a topic for another day…


Works Cited:
Briggs, Katharine. Fairies in Tradition and Literature. New York: Routledge Classics, 2002 (originally published 1967).
Moorey, Teresa. The Fairy Bible. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2008.

Author Bio:
Kate SeRine (pronounced “serene”) faithfully watched weekend monster movie marathons while growing up, each week hoping that maybe this time the creature du jour would get the girl. But every week she was disappointed. So when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed that her characters would always have a happily ever after. And, thus, her love for paranormal romance was born.

Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project.

Find out more about Kate at www.kateserine.com.

Find Kate SeRine:
Blog & Site:  Kate SeRine
Twitter:  @KateSeRine
Facebook Page:  Kate SeRine

The Book Kate is talking of:

Or you can start with the 1st book of the series:

The Jessica McClain Ultimate Swag Giveaway!

I have got a treat for you!  Okay, so you know I've been loving this series.  Really.  And Amanda Carlson has another great giveaway starting TODAY.

Celebrate the Release of

HOT BLOODED by Amanda Carlson

with us!

Seriously, what do you have to lose?  You could win all that amazing stuff. Right there!

And it's so worth it.  Really!  One amazing Urban Fantasy series.

Giveaway is open International, Thanks to Amanda.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Post #12

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

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So, it's Sunday.  And what about last week?  Er, I don't know.  It was a big week.  Thursday was school picnic day and spent all day at the amusement park.  Was a lovely day for it.  Friday, recovery day. ;P Saturday, baby shower for a cousin of my husbands, which was like an all day thing as it was over an hour away.  But when I got home, I started a new book and finished it this morning.  Yep, that good.  I haven't had a read like that in a while!

This week...well, I'll be around most of the week but Friday I'm leaving for Balticon.  Eeeep!  I went last year and absolutely!!! LOVED IT!  Really.  I drag my brother along (like he's really torn up about it).  So that will be my preparations this week for the weekend. :D

What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:
Rough Magic by Kenny Soward

Finished Podcast Book Listen:
The Dreamer's Thread by Starla Huchton

Last Days of the October Squadron by Alex White

Finished Last Week:
Maven by S.A. Huchton (this is the one I finished in about 24 hours.)

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Last Week on the Blog:

Cover Reveals: (click titles to go to post & learn more)

Maven by S.A. Huchton

Science Fiction Romance

First (Wrong Impressions) by Krista D. Ball

A Jane Austen Modernization

Playing for Keeps by Seleste deLaney

A modern Romance with Gaming, a Convention, and Spies!

Thoughts on: The Dreamer's Thread Episodes 15, 16, & 17 by Starla Huchton
Tales from the Archives Vol 2 # 11 - Thoughts on
The Gearheart: Last Days of the October Squadron - Thoughts on

Weekly Posts:

***NEW*** Mythical Monday ~ Talking of the Legend of Fionn Mac Cumhaill
Teaser Tuesday
Who? What? Where? Wend.
Throwback Thursday
Freebies and Deals, on Nook too
Looking Forward To...

~~~~~~~~~~

This Week to Come on the Blog:

The Weekly Posts.
A Cover Reveal with Description.
As for Reviews...I'm not sure. *sigh* I have a few to write up tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~

Received Last Week:

Review:

Maven by S.A. Huchton
Goodreads Synopsis:
How far would you go for love?

Since losing her parents at 14, young prodigy Dr. Lydia Ashley has focused on one thing: an appointment on the Deep Water Research Command Endure. Now 21, she’s about to realize that dream, but nothing is how she imagined it would be. Her transitional sponsor forgets her, her new lab is in complete chaos, and, as if that weren’t enough, she’s about to discover something so horrific it could potentially destroy all life on the planet. 

Daniel Brewer, a noted playboy and genius in his own right, may be exactly what she needs… Or he may make everything worse.

Has she finally found a puzzle she can’t solve?

Ghost Light by E.J. Stevens
Goodreads Synopsis:
Ivy Granger, psychic detective, thought she'd seen it all...until now.

With a vengeful lamia that only she can see on the city streets, reports of specters walking Harborsmouth cemeteries, and an angry mob of faerie clients at her office door, it's bound to be a long night. Add in an offense against the faerie courts and a few foolish bargains and one thing is clear--Ivy Granger is in some seriously deep trouble.

Ivy Granger is back, gathering clues in the darkest shadows of downtown Harborsmouth. With the lives of multiple clients on the line, she's in a race against time. Ivy finally has a lead to the whereabouts of the one person who can help her control her wisp abilities, but will she put the needs of her clients above her own?

If Ivy doesn't find a solution soon, she could wind up a ghost herself.

GHOST LIGHT is the second novel in the bestselling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens.

Freebies:

Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison
Goodreads Synopsis:
Death... Some people will do anything to avoid it. Even trade their immortal souls for endless existence.

Wraiths... Secretly, inexorably, they are infiltrating our world, sucking the essence out of unsuspecting victims with their hideous parody of a kiss.

Segue... Adam Thorne founded the Institute to study and destroy his monster of a brother, but the key to its success is held in the pale, slender hand of a woman on the run. There is something hauntingly different about Talia O’Brien, her unknowing sensuality, her uncanny way of slipping into Shadow.

Twilight... This is the place between life and what comes after—a dark forest of fantasy, filled with beauty, peril, mystery. And Talia is about to open the door.

Horded by Frances Pauli
Goodreads Synopsis:
Maera lives as an outcast by choice. Guilt-ridden over her past, she hopes only for the punishment she deserves. But when a gobelin warrior steps out of thin air to claim her, Maera is torn between the debt she owes her people, and the selfish yearnings of her own heart.
Tal is the lowest gobelin, the cursed brother of the horde’s greatest warrior. When he stumbles onto a legendary castle, however, he believes his luck is about to change. But the horde’s enemies have found the thing as well, and Tal’s brother breaks gobelin law to chase a human who is more trouble than she’s worth.
Now Tal and Maera are the only ones who can save his brother, the one person they both love and the only thing they can agree on. If they fail, the horde will never believe them, and the castle of prophecy will fall into enemy hands. If they succeed, they’ll have to stand together against the full fury of the gobelin horde…

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Reviews in the Works:

The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan
The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan
The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
Maven by S.A. Huchton

Freebies and Deals, on Nook too (55)

Barnes & Nobles Freebie Friday Thread.

Deals:
For a limited time (ONLY THROUGH SUNDAY!) this book is 99c.

Hunters & Prey by Katie Salidas
Amazon ~ Kindle   /   Barnes & Nobles ~ Nook
Goodreads Synopsis:
The exciting sequel to Immortalis Carpe Noctem.

Rule number one: humans and vampires don't co-exist. One is the hunter and one is the prey. Simple, right? Not for newly-turned vampire Alyssa. A surprise confrontation with Santino Vitale, the Acta Sanctorum's most fearsome hunter, sends her fleeing back to the world she once knew, and Fallon, the human friend she's missed more than anything. Now she has some explaining to do. However, that will have to wait. With the Acta Sanctorum hot on their heels, staying alive is more important than educating a human on the finer points of bloodlust.

(Note: The 1st book - Immortalis Carpe Noctem, is Free on: Amazon ~ Kindle  & Barnes & Nobles ~ Nook)

Freebies:
Today's freebies are brought to you by, two friends I thank for sending me an email with these amazing finds!  Jackie from Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories and Melissa of Books & Things.

This list is all freebies on Smashwords.com with coupons.  Remember!  COUPONS EXPIRE MAY 31!

Sinful by Sharon Page
Smashwords
Coupon Code:  ED38X

Brash by Margo Maguire
Smashwords
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Undone by Lila CiPasqua
Smashwords
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Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison
Smashwords
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Bound to Seduction by Elisabeth Naughton
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Skin Deep by Pamela Clare
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Guarding Suzannah by Norah Wilson
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Intimate Enemies by Joan Swan
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Love's Revenge by Monica Burns
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Offside by Juliana Stone
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Fastball by V.K. Sykes
Smashwords
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