Monday, September 12, 2011

September's Author - L.A. Banks



December 11, 1959 – August 2, 2011

New York Times and USA Today Best-selling author, L.A. Banks has penned over 40 novels and 12 novellas in a wide range of genres and is the recipient of the 2009 Romantic Times Booklover's Convention Career Achievement Award for Paranormal Fiction and the 2008 Essence Magazine Storyteller of the Year Award, as well as the 2008 Best 50 Women in Business Award for the State of Pennsylvania. Recently she was featured as a speaker on the HBO Special on Vampire Literature and Legends as a prelude to the True Blood premier.

A native of Philadelphia, Banks is a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania Wharton undergraduate program, and alumnae of Temple University's Master of Fine Arts in filmmaking program. She writes under the pseudonyms; L.A. Banks, Leslie Esdaile, Leslie E. Banks, Leslie Banks, and Leslie Esdaile Banks. She has won several business as well as literary awards, and writes in genres as diverse as romance, women's fiction, crime suspense, and paranormal. She has contributed to magazines, newspaper columns, and has written commercial fiction for a variety of major publishers: St. Martin's Press, Simon and Schuster, Harlequin, Kensington Publishing, BET/Arabesque, Dark Horse Press, Genesis Press, Parker Publishing, Harper, and Tor. Her non-fiction work includes the riveting and motivational story of Bank's life journey in her contribution to the Chicken Soup for the African American Soul anthology.

Banks' writing career took a new twist when she won the coveted contract with Paramount/Showtime in collaboration with Simon & Schuster/Pocketbooks to write a book series for the popular cable network television series, Soul Food. Banks was also contracted to write the Universal Studios/Dark Horse Press novelization of the movie, Scarface, which takes a look at the main character Tony Montana's life two years before he emigrated from Cuba to American in 1978. In addition, Banks penned a four-book crime thriller for Kensington/Dafina, beginning with Betrayal of the Trust, under her alternate pseudonym, Leslie Esdaile Banks. From there, Banks transitioned into another hot genreĆ¢€”the world of paranormal fiction, where she has penned a 12 book Vampire Huntress Legend series under the pseudonym, L.A. Banks, for St. Martin's Press, as well as a hot new werewolf series, Crimson Moon Novels (a six book series.) Banks has also moved into ebooks with Red Rose Publishing, graphic novels, comics, manga and even a new YA, entitled, Shadow Walker, for her thriving Vampire Huntress Legends series, as well as a young adult paranormal series that is under development.

FEATURED BOOKS:

Surrender the Dark
Celeste Jackson has fought all her life against a fog of hallucination and substance abuse, but it's not until she meets her protector, Azrael, an angel who has left the safety of the Light, that she learns of the evil forces that have been trying to ruin her, and why.

A fierce battle for control of the mortal realm is brewing, and only Celeste with the help of the Remnant, her half-human, half-angel brethren can stand in the way. Together, Celeste and Azrael must gather an army of sensitives to defeat the dark powers that have ruled humanity for centuries, but time is running out.

If Azrael surrenders to his growing desire for Celeste, he risks being trapped among humanity forever. But the longer he stays, the harder she is to resist. To save the world, Celeste must draw on her own dark experiences with addiction to help Azrael overcome the one temptation that could possibly make him an eternal prisoner his obsession with her.


Minion
All Damali Richards ever wanted to do was create music and bring it to the people. Now she is a Spoken Word artist and the top act for Warriors of Light Records. But come nightfall, she hunts vampires and demons—predators that people tend to dismiss as myth or fantasy. But Damali and her Guardian team cannot afford such delusions, especially now, when a group of rogue vampires have been killing the artists of Warriors of Light and their rival, Blood Music. Strange attacks have also erupted within the club drug-trafficking network and drawn the attention of the police. These killings are a bit out of the ordinary, even for vampires. No neat puncture marks in the neck to show where the life’s blood has been sucked from the body. These bodies have been mutilated beyond recognition, indicating a blood lust and thirst for destruction that surpasses any Damali has encountered before. Damali soon discovers that behind these brutal murders is the most powerful vampire she has ever met, and this seductive beast is coming for her next. But his unholy intentions have also drawn the focus of other hellish dark forces. Soon Damali finds herself being pulled deeper into the vast and horrifying vampire world.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Augusts's Author - Amber Scott

A little bit about Amber Scott per her website:  http://amberscottbooks.com/

Hi there! I’m Amber Scott and I am a die-hard, completely hopeless, romantic.

I’m a happily married mama of two. In between naptimes and laundry, I bang out the love stories in my head. I can’t cook. I’m seriously addicted to chocolate. If I could have lunch with any person living or dead, it’d be my dad.

I’m lucky enough to be able to say I have landed a really amazing husband, and yet, at times, I miss the days of being single.

Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t exchange my life for anything, but…a night in the arms of a certain devastatingly handsome vampire or a morning curled up next to the knight that got away are tempting thoughts that I can’t help explore through my  fiction.

Come away with me and live vicariously….

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time? To howl at the moon? To kiss a girl?

Ever wake up and wish you had a little Druid magic to make things easier or some hard alcohol that made it all disappear?

I miss the falling in love part. Do you? That wondrous new hope of becoming the world to someone else? The thrill of meeting eyes across a crowded room? The shiver of unexpected attraction?

Unfortunately, my books will not reverse the signs of aging and they cannot shrink your thighs. But, if you give them a chance, they’ll take you away from it all. My characters aren’t perfect people. Far from it. They make mistakes, want the impossible and often get in their own damned way. But, I love them still. They are a lot like me. Sleep deprived, worried, misguided and driven despite it all.

:}Amber Scott (…books, screenplays, dishes, playdates…)

FEATURED BOOKS:

“X-men action meets True Blood heat.” -Ann Charles, Nearly Departed in Deadwood Snarling teeth, glowing eyes. Someone--something--is after her. The man who haunts her dreams enters her reality, claiming she’s transforming into a changeling--not quite immortal but no longer human. Battlelines are drawn and blood spills as the two fight not only for her life, but for mankind's











Druid Magick... Breanne grapples with the old ways, her mentor murdered before she masters her talents. The stranger washed ashore must be the key to proving murder. Knight Errant... Ashlon made a vow to bury the Bloodstone, it's horrific past, it's secrets, in the farthest reaches of Ireland. Fate's Twisted Course... Passion binds them but betrayal will test every belief under an Irish Moon.

Monday, July 4, 2011

July's Author - J.R. Rain

A little bit about J.R. Rain per his website:  http://www.jrrain.com

As a kid I was always making stuff: skates, skateboards, skimboards, skis, sleds, clothing, furniture, wood carvings, Easter baskets, comic books, you name it. I was the mother of all nerds. Anyway, I think I was searching for the one thing I wanted to keep on making for the rest of my life. Then one day I discovered Choose Your Own Adventure books. Remember those? You as the reader were asked to make choices for the characters. Choose Your Own Adventures were a lot of fun and I just had to make my own. And so I did, writing three of them, and I've been hooked on writing ever since. (Just think, I could have been hooked on making Easter baskets.) 

In high school, I was a fine balance of jock and nerd. I played football and baseball and somehow managed to write five complete novels. So how was I able to write so much and play sports and study at the same time? Easy. No girlfriend. In fact, I didn't kiss a girl until I was in college!

In college, I still managed to write two books and over 80 short stories. (Even with all the kissing.) Eventually, I graduated with a perfectly useless degree in anthropology, got married two weeks later, and shortly thereafter started my career as an insurance claims investigator. I've made better choices.

I would spend the next four years researching and writing my first adventure novel, THE LOST ARK. At the age of 28, I landed one of the biggest agents in Hollywood.

Welcome to Hollyweird. I discovered that I had a natural knack for writing screenplays. (Go figure.) For the next two years I worked exclusively with Paramount Pictures and Alphaville Productions developing various movie and TV projects. Some things worked out; most didn't. I learned much and I'm thankful for the experience.

Ultimately, I realized I had strayed far from my true love: writing novels (but never very far from my other true love: donuts). And so, with a little bit of money in the bank and some time on my hands (okay, fine, I got fired from my insurance job), I moved to Carlsbad and wrote three books: DARK HORSE, MOON DANCE, and CURSED.

Being married to a dreamer is tough. Being married to a dreamer and a writer is damn near impossible. Yup, you guessed it, after seven tough years my wife was gone, baby, gone.

Not to worry. I eventually met another girl (poor thing), and together we moved up to Seattle. Things turned ugly fast. I lost my job, my car, my money, the girl, went bankrupt, and yet somehow wrote THE MUMMY CASE in a freezing cold basement in the middle of a rainy winter, unemployed and stealing food (usually donuts) from local grocery stores.

Like the prodigal son, I eventually moved back home to southern California, where I got a new job, got my private investigator's license, got a new movie agent, moved to Hollywood and was fortunate enough to have my first novel published in November 2005 by Mundania Press.

In 2006, I wrote ELVIS HAS NOT LEFT THE BUILDING, and in 2007, I moved up to Oregon where I eventually became a vegetarian (for moral reasons), and wrote the first draft of my ghost story, THE BODY DEPARTED. In 2008, I moved back to southern California to help with my sick father.

Now in 2009, you guessed it, I'm back up in the Pacific Northwest, living on a small island in a small home with my small doggie. It's a simple, peaceful life...a life filled with writing, hiking, and Beggin' Strips.

(Remember: life is too short to work at a job you don't love. So follow your dreams, my friends, even if it means living on a faraway island in the back of beyond....)

As you can see, I've come far from those days of stealing donuts. Full circle, if you will. (Yes, that's a donut pun.) I work hard creating novels and stories for you to enjoy. So thank you for stopping by. I truly appreciate you as a reader and as a friend. My goal is to make you a lifelong fan. And remember, word-of-mouth is still the best way to promote new writers. So if you enjoyed my novels, please tell a friend.

I wish you many rainy nights of cozy reading.
J.R. Rain

Featured Books


Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.
Now the world at large thinks Samantha has developed a rare skin disease, a disease which forces her to quit her day job and stay out of the light of the sun. Now working the night shift as a private investigator, Samantha is hired by Kingsley Fulcrum to investigate the murder attempt on his life, a horrific scene captured on TV and seen around the country. But as the case unfolds, Samantha discovers Kingsley isn't exactly what he appears to be; after all, there is a reason why he survived five shots to the head.



It's tough being the King.
Which is why in 1977 Elvis faked his own death and endured massive facial reconstruction surgery, and disappeared from the limelight to live a normal life as the unassuming Aaron King. Unfortunately, leaving fame behind also meant leaving his fortune behind, too, and now Elvis finds himself broke and living in near poverty in a small apartment in Los Angeles. Luckily for him, it turns out he's a pretty good private investigator.
Now in his seventies and contemplating a return to music (discreetly, of course), Elvis is hired to solve a baffling missing person case. A young starlet, at the beginning of a promising movie career, has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.
As Elvis digs deeper, he finds himself surrounded by the seedier elements of Los Angeles, from nefarious Hollywood producers who prey upon the young, to twin brothers with a very dark secret.
And as Elvis pieces the bizarre puzzle together, he slowly makes his singing comeback — and will be reunited on stage with someone even the King himself never dreamed possible.