Featured Author - Inger Iversen - Publication Spotlight

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I bring you the publication list from my featured author, Inger Iversen. She has some amazing books on this list, and I urge you to check them out. Get your clicking finger ready, and let's get going!

Title: Few Are Angels (Few Are Angels #1)
Genre: New Adult Paranormal
Length (print):  308 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle FREE

Blurb:
After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale—a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious pastreveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand.

Enter the shrouded world of an age old battle between an ancient race known as the Immortals and their bitter enemy Laurent, the so-called Dark Prince, who commands an army of half-breed vampires known as Chorý. Both sides have been desperately searching for the prophesied emergence of the Arc, a clairvoyant with unparalleled power to recall the past and a soothsayer with clear vision into the future.

The Council of Immortals has sworn to protect the Arc, whom they have identified as young Ella Monroe, a college freshman from Virginia living quietly and unaware of her powers or her past. But a renegade Chorý has other plans for the protection of a girl he has loved through the ages. Can Kale convince Ella of who she is, what she is destined to become, and what he once meant to her? Is he truly the best protector to shield the world from the devastating misuse of her powers that Laurent is bent on controlling? Or will the forbidden love they share and Kale’s cursed condition as a retched and hated Chorý be used against them both?

This paranormal romance told from the heroine’s perspective builds in intensity and intrigue to a finale you won’t see coming. Heart pounding action mixed with heartwarming friendships and heartbreaking romance will leave you breathless and begging for more.

Title: Awakened (Few Are Angels #2)

Genre: New Adult Paranormal

Length (print):  269 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:

What must he overcome to protect her?

 

With no clue of what to do next and the responsibility of looking after Alex and Mia as promised, Kale is up to his ears in problems and no solutions. How will Kale save Ella, keep Alex and Mia safe, control Jace as well as control the Bloodlust that creeps beneath the surface waiting to be released? Will Kale be Ella's savior or will he convict her to a fate worse than the one Laurent has already promised her?

What truths will she learn?

 

Ella knows that the choices she makes affects not only her but everyone else around her, but what about the choices made to find her? Ella learns the truth about the death of her parents, learns that the ones she thought she could trust aren't so trustworthy after all.

How will Ella handle these betrayals, and will she be able to sacrifice what is necessary to obtain eternal life?

Title: Immortal Heart (Few Are Angels #0.5)
Genre: New Adult Paranormal
Length (print):  262 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
More than a century after the tragedy of Hélène's death and before Ella found Kale bruised and broken on her doorstep, Kale moved through the world in a haze of personal punishment allowing it to consume him. Until his friend, Detective Deacon, a newly infected Chorý calls on him for a favor.

In this prequel to the Few Are Angels series, Kale is thrown into a world of human blood trafficking and is introduced to a Chorý that offers him a chance at happiness— in blood.

Title: Running in the Dark (Running in the Dark #1)

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Length (print):  208 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:

Trace’s job has always revolved around death. Trace is a Watcher, a position created assist to the undead to their final resting place without alerting humans of the vampire race. Whether his job is to witness the death of a fellow vampire or deal it, Trace has learned that being a Grim Reaper isn’t what he thought it would be. After years of killing, he’s ready for a new job, a new life, or to just disappear. When Bessina becomes his new target after she witnesses the death of fellow vampires Sam and Hope, Trace is ready to eliminate her—until a strange course of events turns the tables and has Trace protecting Bessina from his boss and running for his life.

Title: Sinners in the Dark (Running in the Dark #2)
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Length (print):  268 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
Depending on who you talk to, the Vampire Nation is either corrupt or a necessary evil. The Sect was formed to eradicate all things vampire, or maybe it’s just their mission to protect humans. Echo has been on both sides. He was once a Watcher for the Vampire Nation, but when he uncovers an ongoing plan to kill chosen Sect leaders to force war, he is driven to make a decision he never thought he’d make.

Echo becomes a Ghost, the name used for traitors of the Vampire Nation. It’s a dangerous way to leave the Nation, but Echo is sick of all the blood on his hands. However, leaving the darkness behind isn’t as easy as he thinks. Choices he made might cost him the one person that could help redeem his soul.

Olivia lost so much at a young age, and she has spent the last four years wading through the blood of vampires. Her goal has always been to avenge her family’s massacre. When she met Echo in battle two years ago, there was instant chemistry. Now, he is not only a part of the Sect but her new partner. Will she be able to set aside her hatred for vamps to expose the V Nation for what they really are?

Title: Goodnight Sam (Running in the Dark #0.5)

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Length (print):  12 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle FREE

Blurb:

An intimate narrative of the exchange between Samuel and Hope, told from Hope's perspective, this short story prequel to the Running in the Dark series sheds light on a frightening event witnessed by Beth, who later narrates book one of the series.

Goodnight Sam reveals the tragic history of Sam and Hope, who have existed as vampires since the eighteenth century. Sam has grown weary of the new world along with the escalating conflicts of his kind and wishes to attain peace in what is know as 'the true death', while Hope desperately desires to pursue a more fulfilling life together. The repercussions of the shocking mutual decision they make, and Beth's role as a witness to it, become the catalyst for the dangers facing Beth in the Running in the Dark Series.

Title: Incarcerated  (Love and War #1)
Author: Inger Iversen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 342 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle 2.99

Blurb:
One of the few white kids in a rural Kentucky town, Logan Whyte always kept to his own kind out of self-preservation. He never considered himself racist, but that didn’t stop him from falling in with the wrong crowd—who celebrated hate as much as he fought it—or from ending up in prison for eight years on an armed robbery charge.

A successful, educated black woman, Katie Andreassen was tired of being accused of betraying her own race. Her lonely isolation, coupled with her grief over losing her mother, inspire her to create a new pen pal program at Capshaw State Penitentiary, where her father is a warden.

The program brings the unlikely pair together, but Logan and Katie soon find themselves forced to overcome past fears and prejudices. Their friendship doesn’t come easily … threatened by a crooked lawyer with a grudge and a best friend who betrays her promise to help.

When faced with a world that forces them apart, Logan and Katie must show everyone else what they have discovered: that love is, in fact, colorblind.

Title: Inevitable (Love and War #2)

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length (print):  318 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:

Ex-Marine and former combat trainer, Trent Reed has been shot at, he’s been in a coma and placed in war zones behind enemy lines most of his Marine career, but when his best friend calls for a favor, he is faced with one of the hardest decisions of his life—to be the Best Man. His turbulent past with races other than his own have him at odds with his best friend and the man’s new African American fiancée, and not helping matters is Trent’s crazy girlfriend who is on him about getting married too. When Trent accepts the job as Best Man against his better judgment, it’s done with a heavy heart and the understanding that his friend is soon to be out of his life—for good.

Teal Lofton is finally warming up to her best friend’s fiancé and ex convict when she learns that they are expecting just a few short months before their wedding. If that’s not enough, as Maid of Honor, Teal had to put up with budget issues, a sobbing and hormonal bride, juggling her Katie’s secret pregnancy and not to mention, Trent, Logan’s jerk of a best friend and Best Man who she is strangely, yet wildly attracted to. When the shit hits the fan during the bachelor party and Trent disappears with the wedding rings, Teal flips her lid and chases him off into the night to fix yet again, another problem, but a tragic accident sets Trent and Teal on an inevitable course of self discovery and passion like they’ve never experienced before.

What are you waiting for? Get going! There are a couple of freebies up there to get you started!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - B. J. Sheldon

HAPPY MONDAY! Oops! I'm yelling. Bad karma. *grin* I'm just so excited to be bringing you yet another awesome author interview from my super amazing series. If you don't have tickets to UtopYA con 2015 yet, you need to get them right now. Go here! Next year is gonna be a four day conference and there's some awesome stuff lined up that I'll be talking about over the next eight and a half months. Wow. Yeah. Just eight and a half months away now... I have so much to do... Anyway, back to my interview! I met this affable lady at UtopYA 2014, and she's so engaging, I kinda accidentally stuck to her. Besides, she was a ton of fun to have around. Without further ado, I give you B. J. Sheldon. Make some noise!

Jo: OMG! I have the fabulous B. J. Sheldon on my blog! I’m seriously giddy as a teenager with a new cellphone. B, how the hell are you? Are you ready to get our interview on?

B. J.: Ready when you are, darlin’. The dog is asleep in the other room, the cats are hiding under my bed, and I’ve bribed my 10-year-old with a lifetime supply of Skittles, so you have my undivided attention.

Jo: Yum! Skittles! *grin* Not sure if you’ve read the interviews I’ve done with other people, but I hope you aren’t too scared of what’s to come. *lets out evil laugh* Ahem. Anyway, let’s get going! So, I read that you have a ton of projects on your mind. I also know you have a WIP rolling along. Care to share some details about all that with us?

B. J.: I’m currently writing book 3 of The Dusty Chronicles trilogy. The series follows high schooler Dusty Vermeer, and her relationship with Jack, the ghost who haunts her home – and her dreams. Book 1 is called Haunting and introduces you to the young couple and their fight to discover the mystery behind Jack’s death. Book 2 is Imprint, the continuation of their love story and the complications that ensue, including an evil force keeping them apart. I mean, after all, Dusty is a normal teenage girl with normal teenage friends. Anyone would find it impossible to balance their real life with their realistic dream life, especially when the only way she can be with her first love is when she’s asleep. But after the series is completed, I will be starting a stand-alone novel about angels. But not just ordinary angels. I’m hoping to tie local Native American lore, the Book of Enoch, and various mythology together to spin a story of story of fear, redemption, and revenge. The story has been bouncing around in my head for weeks now. The problem is (and this is a problem for most authors) that I have to be able to focus and finish the book I’m working on now before I can start my next project. It’s times like these that I wish I had super powers – but that’s a whole different story for a whole different interview.

Jo: Dear me! Jack! He's the guy in I, Zombie, too! He certainly gets around... Haha! Your books are on my TBR list (I'm reviewing a bunch of UtopYAn books at the start of next year), and I can't wait to get to them. *sticks tongue out at readers* I, of course, have those signed copies. Okay, off the bragging. You have three beautiful daughters. Lucky dog! What were some of the challenges in raising them, and how have you used those trials to enhance your writing?

B. J.: My three daughters – the three biggest accomplishments in my life. They are amazing. Challenges? They’re girls, which is the biggest challenge there is! The other challenge was trying to find a balance between raising them and writing. Being a mom is nearly a full-time job, but it’s made even more difficult when you also have a day job. My oldest daughter has been dealing with a medical condition since she was 15-years-old, so I spent a lot of time taking her to and from doctor appointments. But she was also a huge inspiration and one of the driving forces behind Dusty, my main character. Her strength and will combined with her empathetic spirit and love for the kids with special needs was the basis for the protagonist. And then there’s my middle daughter. She is the typical artistic type. Her drawings and paintings are amazing, and I’m not just saying that because I’m her mother. She dreams of one day making a living at either movie make-up, as an illustrator, or an actual gallery artist. But like most artistic types, she never feels like her stuff is good enough and ends up being harder on herself than anyone else could be. This is another Dusty trait. And finally, my youngest daughter, who still lives at home, is my little angel. She drives me every day to work harder, write more, and strive to be a better role model.

Jo: I love that you used them as inspiration for your characters! Mom is one hell of a full time job. I bow to your greatness. You and I had a dance off at the awards party in 2014. Mind sharing where your bad a$$ 80s moves came from? Did winning cause your head to swell?

B. J.: Oh honey…I ROCKED the 80s! I owned the 80s! No one, and I mean no one, could beat my dance moves back then…not even Carlton Banks. Strangely enough, I grew up in Northwest Iowa – a place that wasn’t known for training up-and-coming dance stars. But I lived for American Bandstand every Saturday as a kid. I studied every move and practiced every step until I had the moves down. But don’t tell anyone about that…it’s a little embarrassing. And as for beating your butt on the dance floor – let’s face it – if it had been a hip-hop dance off, you would have kicked my a$$. But when it comes to the 80s, I rule the school. (I’m going to pay for that next year at UtopYA, aren’t I…)

Jo: Maybe. I might be practicing and honing my mad skillz. *grin* You’ve had some epic battles with bugs. Tell us about a couple of the worst ones, please.

B. J.: Epic doesn’t even begin to cover it. I think there is a conspiracy in South Dakota. I keep asking people if there was some kind of nuclear explosion that resulted in the mutation of once normally tiny harmless bugs and itty-bitty spiders into crazy-huge, face eating monstrosities! I spend most weekends chasing enormous spiders through my kitchen, stepping over gargantuan beetles, and running away from pterodactyl-sized mosquitos, moths, and wasps. I even have a broken toilet seat that cracked into 3 pieces in the process of trying to capture a giant wolf spider from the ceiling of my shower. I haven’t fixed it yet in an effort to constantly remind myself of my cowardice. I wish somebody would have warned me about South Dakota and its bugs. But one of my friends told me about these things called “hedge balls”. They’re an ugly fruit-looking thing that you are supposed to place throughout your house to keep out the bugs. I plan on buying a truck load of them and placing them in every window in every room of my house. Die, bugs, die…that’s my motto.

Jo: Oh my... Can't. Stop. Laughing. At the visuals right now. Do you think you’ll ever use any of those experiences in your books?

B. J.: I would hope that my characters are far braver than I am. However, I have used my fear of frogs in the first book when I hinted at Dusty’s aversion to the old shower curtain with cartoon frogs all over it. Who knows – maybe a future book will find one of my characters spending 10 minutes to buck up the courage to get close enough to spray a giant spider in her garage with Lysol before smashing it into a gooey mess with her daughter’s broken flip-flop…not that that ever happened.

Jo: Frogs? What's that? You're afraid of frogs? *evil grin* I know what I'm bringing you as a gift next year. Maybe shouldn't have told me about that one... What’s it like living in The Black Hills of South Dakota? What do you love? What do you hate? Will you ever move?

B. J.: To answer your last questions first – I will never move. This is the end of the line for us. I’ve moved too many times over the past 28 years. I want to put down roots and grow my own family tree – too corny, right? But, I love living in the Black Hills. It’s gorgeous here. The people are great, and I’ve made some amazing friends. People may think that South Dakota is backwoods. But I can drive 15 minutes and see the Rush play hockey, watch Broadway musicals, enjoy a concert, and eat at amazing restaurants. Rapid City is a tourist town with endless site seeing possibilities. It will be years before I see it all. What do I hate? Well, for one…THE GIANT BUGS!! The only other thing I don’t like is the snow. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love the cold weather. There’s nothing I love more than bundling up when it’s below zero…no, seriously! But with my husband gone so much doing his Army thing, shoveling snow from my driveway is one of my least favorite things to do in the world. Shoveling it and driving in it. Actually, I’d have to say driving in it is worse. This past winter was particularly harsh in South Dakota, and there was one day I was trying to get home on the Interstate and I could barely see a car length in front of me. That was a scary drive. But, other than the snow (and the enormous bugs), I absolutely love South Dakota.

Jo: No. Not corny. I totally get it. People think where I live is backwoods. Gotta love the privacy and accessibility all rolled into one, eh? Rock on! Rapid fire question time! Forward or Backward?

B. J.: Forward

Jo: Favorite number?

B. J.: 3

Jo: First crush?

B. J.: Corey Haim and Corey Feldman – You couldn’t love one without the other back in the day.

Jo: That's soooo true! Let’s get to the time travel question of the interview. *grin* If you could go forward in time for one day only, what day would you go to and what would you hope to see there?

B. J.: Hmmm. This was a hard one. I think I’d like to go a thousand years into the future and see how advanced the human race has really become. How people travel, how they dress, the kind of technology we have. Just think about the advancements between the year 1014 and the year 2014. So, I can only imagine what the differences will be between the years 2014 and 3014. Then, after spending the day in the distant future, I would come back and write a Sci-Fi book that would enthrall readers and spark their imaginations causing some of them to begin the early research that will grow and eventually become to launching pad for the technology of 3014, thereby creating the question of “If I hadn’t gone to the future and written the book about the future, would that technology have ever been invented based on what someone read one thousand years into the past, ultimately molding what is now our future?” - - - Yep. I know. I need serious help. Either that or I need to stop watching Doctor Who.

Jo: Oh man. Now we're getting into that whole space/time paradox thing. *brain overload* What was your favorite read over the last year? What was so awesome about it?

B. J.: My favorite read from the last year is Hugh Howey’s WOOL. It’s inventive, creative, and kept me guessing until the final chapter. It’s been a long time since a book had that kind of pull on me. The writing was graceful and powerful, but it didn’t shove the plot down your throat. The writer and the reader all take the same road and get there at the same time. It’s the kind of book I hope to write one day.

Jo: That book is on my TBR list. Hugh and I have a title in common (which I didn't know until the book was written and titled, and no other title fit it). Haha! But his is adult, and mine is young adult. I greatly admire him. I have to know: Why did you choose ghosts as the topic for your novels?

B. J.: I have always been fascinated with the paranormal. Ghosts, spooks, specters, anything that goes bump in the night. I’ve listened to numerous stories from friends and family about their own personal experiences with ghosts. I’ve also had my own experiences. Am I positive they were really ghosts? Maybe – maybe not. The point is, far be it from me to shield my eyes from the mysteries of the universe. For a while there, my favorite shows on TV were Medium, The Ghost Whisperer, and Ghost Hunters. So, it only seemed natural to write about ghosts. There are multiple stories out there about girls falling for vampires, werewolves, or shapeshifters. But there weren’t many stories involving ghosts falling in love with the living. I have tried very hard to make their relationship real – giving the reader the feeling that their kind of relationship could actually happen. I think I succeeded, but only my readers could really tell me that for sure. I mean, thinking about it, a ghost having any kind of real relationship with the living would be impossible – even implausible. But that’s the joy of fiction – anything is possible.

Jo: I adore ghosts (especially ones who aren't all boo! and in your face scaring you). What are you looking forward to most about UtopYA 2015? Why?

B. J.: Number one, seeing my friends. Oddly enough, I don’t do well in social settings. I’m an extroverted introvert – don’t judge – it’s a thing. I’m a nervous talker, but I don’t do well as the anonymous person in a crowd. It takes everything I have not to run and hide in the farthest corner of the room waiting for everyone to leave. However, it you put me in front of a crowd of people where I’m the center of attention, I thrive like I did back when I used to sing in public. There are 2 me’s – one that is comfortable in front of people and one that is terrified of being around people. And yet, somehow, my friends at UtopYA have had a way of making me relax and be myself. I have nothing to fear or prove with you guys, and I love that. I continue to go to gain as much knowledge as I can and squeeze my friends’ brains for as much wisdom as they can spare.

Jo: I'm exactly the same way. How could I judge? Well, that’s all the time we have for today. *frowns* Thanks for joining me on the blog, B! I can’t wait to give you a huge hug next year! Anything I didn’t ask that you wish I had?

B. J.: Well, it would have been nice to have been asked about my Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock, Doctor Who, Christopher Egan, Star Wars, Star Trek, RomComs, and Nathan Fillion obsessions – but we can save that for another time. Other than that, don’t forget to pick up book two in The Dusty Chronicles trilogy. Book three is due out in April 2015.

Jo: We totally didn't have the time (or space) for all that. haha! I'll be on the lookout for that book three though.

Now, it’s time to tell all you lovely readers about the featured book of the week!

Title: HAUNTING: The Dusty Chronicles – Book One
Author: B. J. Sheldon
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Length (print): 152 pages
Buy links: Amazon $7.65 Paperback  ~  $0.99 Kindle eBook
 
Synopsis: After a family tragedy, 15-year-old Dusty Vermeer has to start her sophomore year in a new town and a new school. Rural Iowa introduces her to Mark, a charming football player. Dusty can hardly believe her heart. Then, to her surprise Dusty meets another guy. The chemistry between Dusty and Jack could spark a prairie fire on a rainy day. The only problem? Jack’s dead. The handsome soldier comes to Dusty in her dreams and introduces her to the horrors of a foreign battlefield and the enchantments of first love. While Dusty tries to balance her feelings for the two new guys in her life, Jack steps out of Dusty’s dreams and into her reality. And he wants something. Jack has no memory of how he died more than half a century ago. Dusty vows to uncover the mystery, but her quest for justice puts her in the path of evil, a force that won’t stop until she’s silenced.

Haunting book trailer on YouTube: http://youtu.be/14zyveee3xw

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give B. J. a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews?

Twitter: @BJSheldonAuthor
Facebook: B. J. Sheldon
Pinterest: BJSheldonAuthor
Website: B. J. Sheldon
Blog: B. J. Sheldon
YouTube: B. J. Sheldon
Google +: B. J. Sheldon
Goodreads: BJSheldonAuthor
Amazon Author Page: B. J. Sheldon

Can I just say how much I love the consistency of the nomenclature? *grin*

Now for the best part! B. J. is giving her books away to one lucky ducky reader of my blog! *swoon* Runs through the 19th of October.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you have any questions for B. J., pop them into the comments below!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo