On May 12th, my debut novella, Cutting the Bloodline, was released. This was my first adventure in self publishing, and there have been a lot of lessons to learn along the way.

Self publishing is a steep learning curve, but if you’re willing to put the time in, it’s such an amazing feeling of accomplishment when you have your final book, and you know that you did it all. It’s like assembling complex flat-pack furniture, or baking a cake. It also gives you complete control. You’re not left waiting for months, wondering how things are progressing, scared to ask because you don’t want to be that angsty-control-freak-writer that no one wants to work with.

One big thing I’ve learnt is this: I thought that writing the book would be the hardest, most time-consuming part. It wasn’t. Things that are harder than writing the book:

• Writing the blurb. Never before in my life have I tweaked 100 or so words so many times. Or over such a long time period. Weeks after writing it, I was still changing the odd word, changing it back, changing it back again.
• Starting on edits. I avoided my manuscript for two months before I dared to tackle the edits. Turns out, edits aren’t as bad as I always thought they were.
• Holding my bladder after my thirtieth cup of coffee, and trying not to binge-eating chocolate.

And while I’ve learnt a lot of new things along the way, I’ve found that I could call on assets I already had:

• While there are easier ways to code an ebook, I used Sigil, which gave me greater control over what my book would look like. Turns out all the basic coding I learnt from the days of MySpace came in very useful. Who knew?!
• And the network of writers that I’ve been building up over the last few years, they came in useful too. Knowledge, experience, support, promotion, blog space. All of that. So, even if you’re a long way off writing your first book, it’s never too early to start building your network.
• Likewise, your writer’s platform. I already have a solid, well-established platform with my website and blog, and my social network profiles. I wasn’t starting from scratch, promoting my book to a following of zero.
• While my friends and family may not be able to beta read to a technical level, or have a blog with thousands of followers in a suitable niche, they have championed me and my book so much. And that has actually been really important. All the way, their approval, their pride in me, that’s spurred me on.
• I am so lucky that I have a very talented illustrator and graphic designer for a brother. Not only did he create the cover, but he created all my promotional banners too. (All done at family rate!) You can check out his work here: estragonhelmer.com

And don’t think that hitting ‘publish’ on Amazon is the end of it all. There’s the blog tour to organise, the launch party, the ongoing promotion (all while planning your next book). I can see why a lot of writers pay people to do this stuff for them. Seriously, it took me three days just to organise announcing that my book was ‘coming soon’.

I wish I was a better organiser. I’ve approached all of this with my usual make-it-up-as-I-go-along attitude. This has probably made it all a lot harder than it really needed to be. But having that network already in place, having spent years paying it forward by promoting other indie writers, I had a lot of people willing to return the favour. I couldn’t have done it without them.

Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learnt through all of this, is this:

There are people out there ready, and willing to help you. It won’t necessarily be the people you expect it to be, in fact, it probably won’t. But all you need to do is ask.

Buy Cutting the Bloodline for Kindle here: authl.it/B00W3AP0VY
And learn more about Angeline and her work here: angelinetrevena.co.uk

Cutting the Bloodline

Not everyone is born innocent.

A generation of defective children were abandoned. They grew up on the fringes, without rights, without a way to change their fate.

Journalist Kenton Hicks is driven to tell their stories, but these are not stories everyone wants told. As he digs deeper, he finds that the discovery of the criminal gene, the foundation of their crime-free utopia, isn’t quite the salvation it promised to be.

Armed with a book that could bring down the government, Kenton finds the country’s future in his hands.

Some see him as a saviour, others as a traitor. It’s time for him to choose which he will become.

Horror Tree (HT): Adrian, Could you share a little about yourself with our readers?

Adrian Lilly (AL): I’m a horror and mystery enthusiast who loves the outdoors. I recently released my fifth novel, The Wolf at War, which finishes up The Runes Trilogy I also write poetry and short fiction, which have been published in a number of venues, including Allegory, 69 Flavors of Paranoia and Hello Horror.

HT: Without spoilers, could you let our readers know a little about your ‘Runes Trilogy’

AL: The Runes Trilogy is a werewolf odyssey. It begins with a family that is the unknowing target of a conspiracy orchestrated by werewolves. By the third book, the conspiracy has gone global. It mixes horror, family drama, mystery, and genetics with just a touch of romance.

HT: With the conclusion of the series coming out do you plan on returning to werewolves in the future or touching on a new aspect of horror?

AL: I love all types of horror—from demons to serial killers to werewolves, of course. I have sketched out another werewolf novel—completely unrelated to The Runes Trilogy but I’m not sure if it will be the next book I release. I have three books sketched out right now. So, it depends on my mood. I am feeling the werewolf vibe right now, though.

HT: What drew you to werewolves in the first place?

AL: When I was a little boy, first grade, I think, I watched The Howling at a slumber party. I have been hooked ever since. Those are the types of werewolves that I enjoy—the two-legged, blood thirsty monsters, not the ones that look just like a wolf and are looking for love in all the wrong places.

HT: What kind of research did you have to do for the novels?

AL: I am a total research geek. I researched city maps, perfume types, jewelry names, and clothing styles—just to get details right. I researched different diseases and how viruses affect DNA structure. I looked into heredity and paranormal traits as well as guns and laws and military training procedures. I researched human behavior so that my character reactions could be true to life.

HT: Did you draw upon any of your real life experiences for your work?

AL: Certainly. Much of the novel takes place in landscapes I know well—from the neighborhood where the Runes live in in the first book to cities like Detroit and Chicago and Portland in the second novel. With horror built around something imaginary, like werewolves, the most important element is making all those aspects that are real—like character reactions and the places they live—so real that they help transport the reader to a world where the supernatural exists. Much of those elements come from my experiences.

(more…)

Horror Tree (HT): First up, what is ‘The Mesmerized’ about and how did you give a different take on the antagonists of the novel?

Rhiannon Frater (RF): The Mesmerized is about a massive supernatural event that slowly engulfs the world and only Minji Nordim, our heroine, is immune. It’s up to her to save her small family and the human race from an unknown power.

As for antagonists, I can’t really discuss what is behind the event. That would be a major spoiler! Let’s just say that what is causing the mesmerized is not pleasant.

HT: What kind of research did you have to do while writing the novel?

RF: Well, I was inspired to write the book while vacationing in Las Vegas, so I was able to do some on the spot research. Later, I used Google maps and images of Las Vegas to help me create the path of the mesmerized. The event itself and the power behind it are purely from my imagination.

HT: What are your views on self-publishing, small press publishing, and traditional publishing?

RF: Well, they all have their pros and cons. I’ve had experience with all three. There is something very rewarding and affirming about having my books on the shelves of the local bookstore, but traditional publishing can also be very demoralizing and overwhelming. The original cover for my upcoming book from Tor, Dead Spots, reduced me to tears. It was so off the mark that I was stunned. I nicknamed it “drunk girl on the beach.” Happily, Tor is working on a new cover. My editor really believes in the book, so that’s very encouraging as I prepare for its release in February 2015.

Small presses don’t have the power of the Big 5, and don’t always survive. I was with a very small press a few years back that just fell apart. It was very sad to see. I’ve seen my friends be burned (and badly) by small presses going under.

I’m published by one of the bigger independent presses, Permuted Press through their Permuted Platinum line. With Permuted Platinum, my books are on the shelves of bookstores, so that’s pretty awesome. I absolutely love the covers and the interior design of the books so far.

Self-publishing is where I make a lot of my income and is very rewarding emotionally. I love being in full control of the way the book looks. But the out of pocket expenses can delay a book if I don’t have the funds. It’s also a bit disheartening to know there is a group of book readers missing out on some of my releases because my indie books don’t always end up on the shelves of bookstores.

HT: What is your ideal writing environment?

RF: My office is my ideal. I like familiarity. Having my husband across from me working on his gaming stuff while the cat prowls around and the dog lingers in the doorway is really nice.

HT: What advice would you have for new and upcoming authors?

RF: Read a lot. Write a lot. Keep writing. Don’t give up.

HT: What are your ambitions for your writing career? What do you have planned for the future?

RF: Well, at this time I’m a full-time writer, so my primary goal is it to stay that way. But, of course, I’d love to make the bestseller lists at some point in my career. That would be lovely. But the stars really have to align for that to happen. We’ll see.

HT: If you’ve ever had writer’s block what have you done to overcome it?

RF: I read over what I’ve written so far. I usually discover I dropped a vital thread in the narrative. Once that’s fixed, I can move on. Usually writer’s block means I’ve missed something.

HT: Do you prefer to outline your work or just let it flow as you put pen to paper?

RF: I take the seed of the story, plant it in my fertile imagination, and watch it grow. Then I transcribe what I see on the screen in the movie theater in my mind.

HT: When naming your characters, do you have a set system you use or what helps you come up with their names?

RF: Well, they usually tell me their names. “Hi, I’m Katie!”

If they don’t do that, I will look at lists of names until I hear them say, “That one.”

Amaliya from Pretty When She Dies was a pain in the ass. It took forever to find her name. I was at my old day job when the phone rang, I picked it up, and heard a woman, “I’m Amaliya. I’m calling about…” DING DING DING! We have a winner! What’s funny is that she had dialed the wrong extension and actually wanted my boss! But it worked out. She talked to my boss and I stole her name for my character.

HT: Speaking of your characters, do you have a process for developing them as they start talking to you or do they go their own route?

RF: They usually show up and say, “So, this is what happened…” My job is to shut up and let them talk. Occasionally, they go silent. That usually means that I tried to force the story in a direction it wasn’t meant to go. I’ll back up and they’ll start talking again.

Yes, I hear voices.

Yes, it can be distracting.

Happily, they go away once the novel is done.

HT: Have your friends and family been supportive of your writing career? If so how?

RF: The minute I announced “My goal is to be a full-time writer within a few years,” the dynamics with family and friends definitely changed.

My mom is my biggest fan. My husband is a close second. They have both unreservedly supported me throughout the insanity of creating this career. It’s been rough on them to see the lows, but they celebrate with me during the highs.

Other members of my family were very cautious about the whole idea. I don’t think they really understood why I wanted to direct my energies into writing horror. My aunts still don’t understand why I don’t write about “nice stuff” and haven’t read my novels. My brothers did finally read my books after they were published and are proud of me. They were very nervous about the whole thing at first.

Friends are a little different. Some were cheerleaders, others warned me not to get my hopes up, but a lot were silent. Later, I found out they were afraid to say anything.

Interestingly enough, a lot of my family and friends also put off reading my writing for fear of it sucking.

HT: How important do you feel it is for an author to have an active social media presence and website, why?

RF: There’s a lot of debate among authors on this subject, but I personally believe it’s a very important part of my career. It allows my fans to interact with me and find out more about my writing. It’s a lot of fun to chat with them about common interests and get their feedback on my latest releases. An author platform is also important if you want to get a traditional book deal. Publishers do look at your online presence.

HT: Finally do you have anything that you would like to share with our readers?

RF: I hope you’ll read The Mesmerized and enjoy it!

Synopsis:

It is silence, not screams of terror, which proclaims the end of the world… 

Minji Nordim is vacationing in Las Vegas with her small family when she witnesses the beginning of a terrifying apocalypse. When humanity is transformed into mindless drones by a terrifying supernatural event only Minji appears to be immune.

Thousands die instantly, but the other affected people are drawn to the Nevada desert. Nothing stands in the way of the mesmerized. Not fire, not heights, not rubble. As the bodies pile in the streets and the relentless wave of the mesmerized plods into the deadly desert, Minji is trapped in a burning city attempting to rescue her family.

When Minji encounters other unaffected survivors, they band together to survive in a city that is crumbling all around them. With no hope of rescue and the event slowly spreading across the world, Minji and the others must decide who to save among the mesmerized and where to go before the city is in ashes.

Even more unsettling is that Minji senses that the force behind the event is observing them…

Can one woman save her family and the world?

Listing on Publisher Website: http://permutedpress.com/books/the-mesmerized.

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog), and other horror novels. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).  She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.

You can find her online at:

Website: rhiannonfrater.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhiannon.frater
Twitter:  twitter.com/rhiannonfrater
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=340109912&trk=spm_pic
Google+: https://plus.google.com/113336058823746385572/posts
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rhiannon-Frater/e/B0027DLFL6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2310121.Rhiannon_Frater
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rhiannonfrater/
Email: rhiannonfrater at gmail.com

Giveaway

The grand prize is an autographed hardcover of ‘The Mesmerized’.

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Your name.
Jay Wilburn

Why zombies?
Zombies are the blank slate to tell and reflect whatever story you want to tell with characters, setting, action, etc. They are a unique horror vehicle for storytelling.

What is your latest zombie release?
My story “Dead Song” appears in Zombies: More Recent Dead with Prime Books.

Quick description of it.
It is an anthology of some of the best zombie short stories of the last few years including work by Joe McKinney, Jonathan Mayberry, Joe Lansdale, Neil Gaiman and more. My story follows the development of music during the zombie apocalypse and a strange mystery that continues into the recovery.

Something unique about it.
The story follows a voice over for a documentary. The horror sneaks up on you.

Links for people to buy it.
http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-More-Recent-Mike-Carey/dp/1607014335/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412959549&sr=1-1&keywords=zombies+more+recent+dead

Your promo links.
http://jaywilburn.com/

Your short Bio.
Jay Wilburn lives with his wife and two sons in the swamps of coastal South Carolina. His novels include Loose Ends and Time Eaters. He is currently working on a novelized version of “Dead Song.” Follow his many dark thoughts at JayWilburn.com, on his Facebook author page, or @AmongTheZombies on Twitter.

* * * * *

The stench of frozen rotted meat is in the air! Welcome to the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour 2014, with 10 of the best zombie authors spreading the disease in the month of November.

Stop by the event page on Facebook so you don’t miss an interview, guest post or teaser… and pick up some great swag as well! Giveaways galore from most of the authors as well as interaction with them! #WinterZombie2014

https://www.facebook.com/events/1524813084430035/?ref_notif_type=plan_user_joined&source=1

AND so you don’t miss any of the posts in November, here’s the complete list, updated daily:

http://armandrosamilia.com/2014/11/01/winter-of-zombie-post-list-winterzombie2014/!

I write in other genres besides horror.  I also write kidlit and comedy.  The thing that all three have in common is the imagination requirement, so they really aren’t so far apart as they may initially appear.

But the question is, why horror?

First, let me say that I don’t really classify myself as a horror author, because I feel that, of late, when folks hear the word ‘horror,’ they immediately think of Jason, Michael, and Freddie and gallons and gallons of blood.

Not me.

I prefer to label myself, if labels are required, as a ‘paranormal suspense’ writer, so let’s go from there.

Most of my longer work involves houses that just are not ‘right’ somehow.  I spent my first ten years living above a funeral home, and my high school years in a Victorian house dated from the 1880s, two places that can push the fear button and fire the imagination of a kid from Connecticut who had no friends.

I spent most of my time in my head—still do.  It’s a hard habit to break… not that I’d want to now. As it turned out, it’s served me well.

Mr. Ray Bradbury is the reason I wanted to become a writer.  His work is strange and wonderful, ugly and scary, all at the same time, while still preserving the humanity of the characters in lyrical prose.  Writing in that style is a consummation devoutly to be wish’d but a good deal harder and more complicated than reading it would lead you to believe.  Of course, Fred Astaire makes dancing look easy, too. However, dreams are always good things to strive for, and I keep working on my word painting skills.

I have to give Uncle Stevie credit, too.  ‘Salem’s Lot was the first book of his that I read, and afterward, I closed it and said, “I want to write a book like that!” His work is so accessible, so authentic, that his characters just swoop off the pages and threaten the reader with long, pointy teeth. Yow.

Shirley Jackson also must be acknowledged as an influence.  I think The Haunting of Hill House is probably, bar none, the most outstanding horror novella in the history of the genre.  I read it at least once a year.

And Poe, of course. Ah, yes.  Of course.  ‘The Raven’ is my favorite poem—as written as well as to be used in parody writing.

I think what a writer decides to write, and which genre is chosen ultimately depends upon whose work he or she admires the most. Early influences should never be underestimated.

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It’s not as easy as it sounds to write about zombies. So many people do it these days, a writer has to have an angle. Something that makes their zombie story stand out from the crowd. Maybe the zombies in a particular story look like clowns with fluffy, pink hair. That would be original. But no, these days, a zombie story has to have a great hook.

With my zombie novel, DEAD NEW WORLD, there are a couple of wrinkles added to the zombie genre. By far the biggest is the notion that people can survive a zombie infection. Not everybody, mind you. Probably not even 1% of the people infected. But no virus is 100% lethal. As such, I wondered what that would be like if a person survived a zombie infection. Yes, there’s a similar idea in the film 28 WEEKS LATER, but those people don’t really undergo any massive transformation. They don’t even really get infected. Instead, those victims stay normal, although they can infect other people. In DNW, anyone who survives infection becomes a human-zombie hybrid. Parts of them look human, the others zombie. These people can also communicate and even control the zombies. I always wanted to explore the idea of a survivor interacting with healthy humans, and the reaction that would create.

The other wrinkle I threw in was a slant towards religion. The villain in DNW, called The Revered, is a human-zombie hybrid. He’s also a former preacher, and he believes that zombies are God’s new Chosen Ones. The Reverend wants to give every human in the world the chance to take this next step in evolution. Also, from a personal angle, I would think the dead rising from the Earth would not only make people embrace religion, but believe with every fiber of their being that God existed. Otherwise, how else could the dead walk around? Everyone in DNW is spiritual in some manner, and that comes from how the zombie apocalypse has shaped this dystopian world the characters live in.

Apart from that, I added a few other changes to the typical zombie genre. Instead of having only slow or fast zombies, the ones in DNW are one or the other, depending on whether or not their bodies are still going through riga mortis. DNW is actually focused more on military-style, BLACK HAWK DOWN kind of action, instead of the typical zombie horror. Although, there is a little of that thrown in as well. Mostly though, I just wanted the zombies to inform each character in an individual way. Because of someone’s experiences in the zombie apocalypse, they may have come out the other side worse than the zombies themselves.

There are lots of pitfalls and obstacles to dodge, in order to write a satisfying zombie tale. The main thing is to be aware of what’s come before, to avoid repetition. And don’t make the story about the zombies. Tell a story that happens to have zombies in it. That way, a writer is almost guaranteed to make their zombies entertaining.

When the the leader of a powerful cult kidnaps the woman Holt loves, he teams up with his best friend to save her from a fate worse than death.

Fans of Jonathan Maberry’s ROT & RUIN and AMC’s hit series, The Walking Dead will devour Hill’s action ­packed take on the Zombie genre. DEAD NEW WORLD is now available at Amazon and Curiosity Quills. Get to know more about Ryan in this exclusive letter to readers

DEAD NEW WORLD

Zombies aren’t mindless anymore.

Before the world fell into chaos, the undead existed only in the imagination. Now, more of them walk the earth than living. Zombies move about freely, while humans entomb themselves inside concrete barricades to stay alive.

All that, while the leader of a powerful cult – known only as Reverend – becomes the next threat to the rebuilding United States. Believing zombies to be God’s latest creation, making humanity obsolete, he wants to give every man, woman, and child the chance to become one. With his combined army of humans and zombies, he may well get his wish.

Best friends Holt and Ambrose went up against the Reverend once. Holt lost a foot and a zombie bit Ambrose…though he survived the virus, only to become a human-zombie hybrid, reviled by the living and unwelcome among the dead. When the Reverend kidnaps the woman Holt loves, the race is on to save her from a fate worse than death.

Ryan Hill

Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.

Connect with Ryan at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | GoodReads | Tumblr | Instagram

Spread the love and enter to win the tour-wide giveaway!

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Keep up with the tour by stopping by one of these fabulous sites:

Oct 13th: Buy Zombie

Oct 13th: LuLo Fangirl

Oct 14th: I Smell Sheep

Oct 15th: Stuart Conover’s Author Page

Oct 16th: I Read Indie

Oct 16th: Romance Junkies

Oct 17th: Drew Hayes Novels

Oct 17th: Indie Authors, Books, and More

Oct 19th: Horror Tree

Oct 20th: Paranormal Book Club

Oct 21st: Run With Jackabee

Oct 22th: Sizzling Book Blog

Oct 23rd: Literary Escapism

Oct 24th: Wicked Lil Pixie

Oct 24th: Literal Addiction

Oct 29th: Bea’s Book Nook

Oct 30th: Not Everyone’s Mama

Oct 31st: Tanya’s Book Nook

There’s no getting around it. The Angelkiller Triad isn’t just an urban fantasy novel series. It’s about spirituality or, if you have a more secular bent, philosophy. It presents what I hope is a new slant on the old idea of a war between the Angels of Light and Dark. Consider the age-old question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” This question shows up in different ways. “Why is there war? Why disease? Why suffering?” Most people blame this on God. One ancient writer, John Chrysostom (347-407 AD) gave in to despair and said “a comprehended God is no God”. The Angelkiller Triad is my attempt not to comprehend God, but to answer the questions in a way that even a hard-core atheist can accept. At least one reviewer has criticized the books as religious. There simply is no way to hide the fact that angels and religion go hand in hand, so I didn’t try to ignore that.

Writing about angels without referring to a specific religion is difficult. It’s a little like juggling fifteen axes while balancing on a high-wire above Niagara Falls. You know someone is eventually going to thump the wire just to see if you fall. In spite of that, when I looked at the idea behind the Angelkiller Triad, I thought it was worth the risk. So far, reviews of the Angelkiller Triad haven’t shaken the wire too hard but I have definitely felt some tremors.

My first foray into novel writing was an epic high fantasy series I called Thran Chronicles. I started writing the series in 1974, shortly after getting married, and it took almost 30 years to finish. When you’re working full time, on call 24/7, and trying to raise a family, you don’t have a lot of time to write. When I couldn’t get anyone interested in publishing it, I looked in the mirror at my gray hair and receding hairline. I was running out of time. I self-published the six volumes. It was then I realized I didn’t want to write series any more. But the Angekiller Triad wouldn’t be contained. It wanted to spread out forever. With a herculean effort, I kept it to three books. There is enough meat in that idea for a dozen books. I simply don’t have the energy to keep up with it.

With the series done, I can move on to other projects. There have been some requests to do short stories and even a novella based on the concepts presented in the series. Perhaps one day I will do something about that. For now, though, I believe the readers get the idea of what I was trying to say. And, in the end, that’s basically what I wanted to accomplish.

Special Trilogy Virtual Tour
Authors:
Jackie Gamber and H. David Blalock
Featured Books:
Jackie Gamber’s Leland Dragon Series
H. David Blalock’s Angelkiller Triad

About Jackie Gamber: As an award winning author, Jackie writes stories ranging from ultra-short to novel-length, varieties of which have appeared in anthologies such as Tales of Fantasy and Dragons Composed, as well as numerous periodical publications, including Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, The Binnacle, Mindflights Magazine, Necrotic Tissue, and Shroud. She is the author of the fantasy novel Redheart and Sela, and writing an alternate history time travel novel. She blogs professionally for English Tea Store.com, where she reviews classic science fiction and fantasy novels and pairs them with the ideal tea-sipping companion.

Jackie is a member of the professional organizations Science Fiction Writers of America and Horror Writers Association. She was named honorable mention in L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Award, and received a 2008 Darrell Award for best short story by a Mid-South author. She is the winner of the 2009 Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award for Imaginative Fiction for her story The Freak Museum, a post-apocalyptic tale that looks closely at perceptions and outward appearances and how they affect the way we see ourselves. Jackie Gamber was co-founder and Executive Editor of Meadowhawk Press, a speculative fiction publisher based in Memphis. One of their novels, Terminal Mind by David Walton, won the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award in 2009. Jackie also edited the award winning benefit anthology, Touched By Wonder. She has been a guest lecturer at Memphis Options High Schools, and is a speaker at writers’ conferences from Michigan to Florida. Jackie is also the visionary behind the MidSouthCon Writers’ Conference, helping writers connect since 2008.

Jackie Gamber’s Redheart Book Synopsis: Enter the lands of Leland Province, where dragon and human societies have long dwelled side by side. Superstitions rise sharply, as a severe drought strips the land of its bounty, providing fertile ground for the darker ambitions of Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader, who seeks to subdue humans or wipe them off the face of the land.
As the shadow of danger creeps across Leland Province, a young dragon named Kallon Redheart, who has turned his back on dragons and humans alike, comes into an unexpected friendship. Riza Diantus is a young woman whose dreams can no longer be contained by the narrow confines of her village, and when she finds herself in peril, Kallon is the only one with the power to save her. Yet to do so means he must confront his past, and embrace a future he stopped believing in.
A tale of friendship, courage, and ultimate destiny, Redheart invites readers to a wondrous journey through the Leland Dragon Series.

About H. David Blalock: Born in San Antonio, Texas, David spent the majority of his formative years in Jacksonville, Florida. At the age of 16, his family moved to the Panama Canal Zone where David finished school and entered employment with the Department of Defense as a Powerhouse Electrician.
Hiring into the FAA, he returned with his wife and two daughters to the States and settled briefly in Gulfport, MS. A few years later, he moved to Memphis, TN, as an Air Traffic Controller for the Memphis ARTCC. There he remained until his retirement.
David’s writing has appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines, webzines, and writer’s sites. His work continues to appear on a regular basis through multiple publishing houses.

H, David Blalock’s Angelkiller Book Synopsis: Why do bad things happen to good people? Simple. In the ancient war between the Angels of Light and Darkness, the Dark won. Now it is the job of an undercover force simply known as The Army to rectify that.

Using every tool available, The Army has worked to liberate our world from The Enemy for thousands of years, slowly and painfully lifting Mankind out of the dark. On the front of the great Conflict are the Angelkillers, veterans of the fight with centuries of experience.

Jonah Mason is an Angelkiller, and his cell is targeted as part of plot to unseat a very powerful Minion of The Enemy. Mason and his troop are drawn into a battle that stretches from real-time to virtual reality and back. The Conflict is about to expand into cyberspace, and if Mason is unable to stop it, The Enemy will have gained dominion over yet another realm

Author Links:
Jackie Gamber
Website: www.jackiegamber.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jackie-Gamber-Story-Artist/334783969938507
Twitter: @jackiegamber

H. David Blalock
Website: http://thrankeep.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Writer.HDavidBlalock
Twitter: @Hdavidblalock

Tour Schedule and Activities
9/8 SpecMusicMuse Review
9/8 The Rage Circus Vs. The Soulless Void Multi-Blogger Interview Part 1
9/8 Horror Tree Guest Post (Blalock)
9/8 Elizabeth Delana Rosa ~Book Lover & Creator of Worlds~ Guest Post (Gamber)
9/9 Jorie Loves a Story Guest Post (About Gamber)
9/9 I Smell Sheep Interactive Thread with Jackie and Dave
9/9 Armand Rosamilia, Horror Author Guest Post (Blalock)
9/10 The Southern Belle from Hell Art of the Angelkiller Triad (Blalock)
9/10 Bee’s Knees Review Guest Post (Gamber)
9/10 Blog of Sheila Deeth Guest Post (Gamber)
9/10 The Official Writing Blog of Deedee Davies Multi-Blogger Interview Part 2
9/10 Seers, Seraphs, Immortals & More Jackie Gamber Interviews H. David Blalock
9/11 Seers, Seraphs, Immortals & More H. David Blalock Interviews Jackie Gamber
9/11 Workaday Reads Guest Post (Gamber)
9/12 Vampires, Witches, & Me, Oh My! Guest Post (Gamber)
9/12 Trip Through My Mind Multi-Blogger Interview Part 3
9/12 Beauty In Ruins Guest Post (Blalock)
9/13 Jess Resides Here Review
9/14 Willow’s Author Love Guest Post (Blalock)
9/14 Fantastical Musings Multi-Blogger Interview Part 4
9/14 Jorie Loves a Story Guest Post (Gamber)

Tour Page URL: http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/trilogy-tour-featuring-jackie-gamber-and-h-david-blalock/

Tour Badge Html: http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/TrilogyTourBadge.jpg

Amazon Links for Redheart, the First Book of Jackie Gamber’s Leland Dragon Series:
Kindle Version: http://www.amazon.com/Redheart-Leland-Dragon-Jackie-Gamber-ebook/dp/B004VFNJIA
Print Version: http://www.amazon.com/Redheart-Leland-Dragon-Jackie-Gamber/dp/0983108676

Amazon Links for Angelkiller, the First Book of H. David Blalock’s Angelkiller Triad:
Kindle Version: http://www.amazon.com/Angelkiller-Triad-Book-1-ebook/dp/B006CR84AI
Print Version: http://www.amazon.com/Angelkiller-H-David-Blalock/dp/0983740232