Book Tour ~ Demon Inhibitions by Gary Starta

Demon Inhibitions

by Gary Starta

About The Author:

Gary Starta is a former journalist who began writing multi-genre fiction in 2004. He likes to include science theory in his stories as well as elements of paranormal, fantasy, mystery and romance. 

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Science-Fiction

Publisher: Self-Published at Amazon Kindle
Release Date: March 15, 2013
Amazon

Book Description:

Most people don't travel to another universe to get a new job, house and boyfriend but psychic investigator Caitlin Diggs did. Now she's living the life of her alternate self, working for the FBI's Preternatural Division where her first case just happens to include chasing a genetically engineered man hell bent on stealing souls. Well, there had to be consequences. 

Demon Inhibitions Excerpt

When she found I had visited Manners, Briana began scurrying about her house, scooping up a pair of scissors and a red candle. Before I could speak further, she came at me. I backed away from her in fright. Her placid face revealed nothing malevolent. But the shears were headed right for me. I tried to dive away from the contradiction. Who was the real Briana? The sweet woman who made cookies for me--or her shears wielding maniac counterpart now standing before me? She screamed not to worry. I heard a snip. I felt a strange sensation. Not pain. But something was no longer attached to me. It was a piece of my hair. She caught the floating lock in her hands as if it were a runaway feather.

“It is very important we get to work, Caitlin.” Too stunned to process the weird moment, I could barely utter a groan.

Then she explained how she must protect me. “He’ll surely make a visitation now that he has met you.”

I tried to explain it was a good thing. I would probably get a vision of him and then I could determine his part in the slayings.

She interrupted. “A visitation is what he’ll do to you. I don’t know how to break this to you but the cat judge is an incubus. He’ll surely come to you in your dreams. And in case he is our murderer, you’ll need a protection spell, pronto.”

I reminded her I carried a firearm. I had worked in the FBI.

“No earthbound weapons can harm the judge once he joins with you. An incubus enters your dream world.”

'How do you know this?” My tone grew edgy. She had obviously withheld knowledge of Manners. Maybe the two were friends or even lovers. And she just admitted an incubus could have committed these crimes without fear of being harmed or caught.

“I know things because I’m a witch, Caitlin. That explanation will have to suffice for now.”

If you’re truly a witch, Briana, you must know he’s our best suspect.”

“I do not wish to make sentence of him, yet. He could very well be innocent, even though he is not human. You must not be quick to judge. Don’t forget you now have paranormal abilities. You wouldn’t want to be labeled guilty just because of who you are.”

She had me there.

I settled in for the spell.

“I will create a mind shield for you, Caitlin Diggs.”

She began to chant, inviting me to join her.

“I call upon the helpful powers of my ancestors. Please protect and shield me from harm. By the ancient ancestral power, blessed be!”

Briana played soft Celtic music for me as we waited for the spell to take effect. I tried to distract myself with the lovely dulcet tones of harps and violins. It almost worked until my stomach rumbled--again. We never had supper. Briana was too intent on saving my ass. For what seemed hours we held hands waiting for the candle to burn down. I had plenty of time to drink in the ambience of the McFadden household. Floral print furniture and lacy doilies surrounded me. But most disturbing, a poster of Cher is depicting the actress as a witch in the film Witches of Eastwick, hung right before my eyes. When the candle finally expired I yawned and thanked Briana.

“Don’t thank me yet. The night is now upon us. We must return to your house if we hope to engage the judge.”

“Won’t your presence discourage Manners from coming?”

“No.” She paused to smile. “You could have twenty police armed to the hilt and he’d still come. Nothing from the waking world can harm him.”

muttered something unintelligible even to me.

“I’ll be in the next room to supervise so to speak. When he comes I’ll sense it. I will then cast a binding spell so he can’t attack you – or worse, drain you. Now the spell won’t last indefinitely so you won’t want to waste time with small talk. Hopefully you’ll be able to determine his innocence or guilt in your dream.”

had once interrogated an evil man named Crowley in a dream state. It didn’t go so well. But at least he didn’t threaten to harm me. Maybe he couldn’t. I still don’t know; but I was sure of one thing if the judge threatened me in anyway I would defend myself. I didn’t care what Briana said about the dream and waking worlds. I went to bed packing a handgun.

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Tour Stop ~ Alizel's Song by Bill Pottle - Guest Post and Giveaway

Alizel's Song

by Bill Pottle

About The Author:

Bill is a martial artist, author, and university professor in Colorado. He tries not to take himself too seriously while his work explores the interplay between religion and science, fantasy and technology, and what it means to be a human. Bill earned his Master's Degree in Biological Engineering from Cornell University and lives happily ever after with his wife and daughter.
See  for detailsWebsite |  Book Site | Facebook

Genre: Christian Fantasy
Publisher: Ellechor Publishing House
Release Date: March 3, 2013Amazon

Book Description:

An unranked angel, Alizel, tells the inside story of the rebellion of Lucifer and the fall of man. Join him as he strolls through Heaven’s gardens, ponders theological questions with other angels, and battles against others who have turned away.

This epic tale will take you from the inner workings of the quark to the interplay between galaxies, from what lies hidden in the soul to the fundamental questions of good and evil.

Praise for Alizel's Song!“When Pottle told the story of Lucifer and man's fall he cleverly incorporated modern scientific theory into the biblical creation story.” ~ Carol Peterson, Amazon Reviewer
"Highly recommended for Fantasy Fiction lovers! ”~Rachel Shelley, Amazon Reviewer
"This book captured my attention from page 1, Cannot wait for the sequel. ”~Linda, Amazon Reviewer

Excerpt:

 Raphael, however, was braver than most. Alizel crouched behind the tree as he saw him approaching Luciferel slowly from behind, his soft footfalls beating a calm rhythm. Rafael had broad, even shoulders and was never in a hurry. Raphael, Alizel imagined, was a healer, although he may not have been aware of it at the time, since angels were never “injured” or in need of being healed. They were either perfectly healthy or in the Containment. Neither situation could be made better by anyone else’s help. The concepts of destruction and healing were only just beginning to dawn on them. Still, Raphael’s gentleness always made Alizel and the other Unranked feel safe in his presence, and he seemed to have a gift for fixing whatever troubled angels’ hearts. Alizel watched anxiously.

Luciferel was still hunched over the rail that guarded the Portal, and didn’t notice the other angel’s approach. Rafael stood there for a moment as if contemplating what to say, and then placed a firm hand on Luciferel’s shoulder.

Luciferel whipped his head around, fear shining in his eyes. His body relaxed slightly in Rafael’s presence but his expression was still guarded. Rafael’s countenance was serene but troubled. He was one of the few who could take in the full pain of another and still exude a soothing aura to those around him. Alizel wondered how much pain he had already absorbed from the rest of the angels…and how much more he would have to before this was all over.

Rafael just looked at his fellow Seraph, as if trying to probe the depths of Luciferel’s soul. He didn’t speak for several minutes, until Luciferel finally met his gaze. Rafael didn’t flinch, but the lines around his eyes drew downwards.

“What has happened to you?” Rafael seemed to already know, but asked his question more to see if Luciferel himself understood.

“I am becoming stronger,” he said, gasping for breath. If it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation, Alizel would have almost thought it to be a joke.

Rafael swept his soft brown eyes over Luciferel’s body and then raised his eyebrows. “You have rejected God’s power that sustains us. Your body is falling apart. If you do not let Him flow through you again, you will surely perish.”

“I will not die. I have found another power to sustain me.”

The shock of his words made Rafael look on in confusion. Alizel’s eyes narrowed as he listened. Was Luciferel bluffing? He certainly didn’t seem to be sustained.

“All this time,” Luciferel continued, each word labored, “we thought that was the only way that we could live. Yet only after blocking that vile substance did I find my own true power.”

“This power you speak of has left your body broken and damaged. This internal power cannot compete with God,” Raphael countered.

“It is still dormant, unused.” Luciferel waited to catch his breath before speaking more. “I am the first one to find this fiery power within me. I surely meant to perish. Why would I want to continue in a world where I must bow down to a Son of Mud? But my anger, my displeasure, my feelings against the current situation sustained my body. As these feelings grow stronger, so does my body. I just do not know how to channel this power yet.”

“You never doubted the Lord before. You must come back and let your body receive the Father again. You can still be bright!”

Alizel could tell Rafael’s mind was working furiously, probing to find a crack in the wall of resentment Luciferel had erected around himself.

“I was a fool then, surely. I did not understand that God only meant to betray us.” The more Luciferel talked, the stronger he seemed to become.

“There are uncertain times ahead, to be sure. But that is all the more reason we need you with us, as our leader.” Rafael was appealing to Luciferel’s sense of vanity now. “No one was able to lead as well as you or to command as much respect as you. What will we do without you?”

“Honestly?” Luciferel looked at him, but from Rafael’s expression it was obvious he didn’t see the same Luciferel looking back at him. “Honestly, I don’t care.”

Luciferel got up to leave. His gait was still hobbling, but he could walk away on his own. His words trailed after him. “Come find me if you come to your senses. Come find me if you want to be stronger.”

Guest Post

Why this was the hardest book I ever had to write. 

Alizel’s Song was easily the most difficult book I ever had to write. The book is a retelling of the War in Heaven between Lucifer and Michael. What factors would make such a book difficult to write? 

Setting – The book is set primarily in Heaven, which creates a host of issues. What is it like? How do people/angels/souls eat, sleep, spend their days, etc? I also had to deal with the fact that readers have very high (to put it mildly) expectations about what Heaven might be like. 

Fighting – What happens if you die when you are in Heaven? If no one can die, it is not going to be a very exciting war. Would angels with wings fight in three dimensions? What type of formations and tactics would they use? 

Characters – Although I was free to make up my own characters, I also used many characters who are commonly known to the general public. Readers already knew the destinies of several of the main characters. How could I make their stories interesting when the reader already knew the main points of what would happen? 

Plot – Again, the readers knew most of the main plot points. (Hint: Lucifer doesn’t defeat God) How could I make a story that would use foreshadowing and let them guess at the details, when the readers already knew the ending? 

Scientific/Religious Harmony – In addition to this, I had to make a story that could be true when seen through both the current scientific and religious worldviews. How could I reconcile the two? The main problem has to do with how souls/angels/demons could interact with the physical world without violating the laws of thermodynamics. I used quantum physics here, borrowing an idea first put forth by Sir John Polkinghorne. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle means that we can never completely know both the position and velocity of any particle. This provides a ‘window’ through which the spiritual world can influence the physical world. 

Because of these issues, this book took almost ten years to complete. In the end, however, I think I have provided answers that are at least coherent with each other. The book also took longer since this was my first traditionally published book, and  I had to work with several excellent editors from Ellechor Publishing House. (http://www.ellechorpublishinghouse.com/) 

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Tour - Rising Calm by Haley Fisher

Rising Calm

by Haley Fisher

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: Silver Tongue Press

Release Date: February 14, 2013

Book Description:

On Cara Weaver’s first day at her new high school—merely the next in a long line of new schools—she meets two senior boys: James Sable and Crispin Calaway. They’re new too; they’ve been at the school just longer than she has, and they’ve never made an effort to reach out to anyone. Until she comes. When her friends find out, they’re awed. But Cara can't shake the feeling that there’s more to James and Crispin than the two are telling.

As the days go on, everything at her new home seems to be going better than it has in any of the previous cities she’s lived in. She loves her friends, gets a job at a bookstore, and even starts to spend more time with Crispin and James. She’s happy. But all that begins to change when she comes to realize that the two boys she’s becoming close to are hiding something. It’s then that she knows her unexplainable wariness of them has been justified all along. But she keeps it a secret.
Days later, when a stranger accosts her outside a small shopping center, Crispin and James arrive just in time to help her. But they seem know the attacker. And instead of running him off, Crispin and James take Cara away, for her own protection.

With little explanation, Cara is told that she’s important and that she can’t go home until the boys have sorted some things out. In the meantime, Cara’s world is being turned upside down as she finds out that there is more to her life than she possibly imagined.

About The Author:

I'm Haley Fisher, a college student in Kansas, and I've just signed a contract with a company called Silver Tongue Press to publish my first book!

For as long as I can remember I've been an avid reader and an aspiring writer, but the step toward actually getting a book published is an enormous one for me. This is a big deal. And, as I've been told, the next step to being successful is getting the word out that my book exists.

So, though it's not in print yet—it's coming out February 14th—I'd love for people to keep an eye out for Rising Calm. It'll be the first in a series of books about a young girl who finds out her life and her fate are far bigger than she ever realized. At the risk of giving too much away, the most I can tell you for now is that there is magic, prophecy, new worlds, and a cast of characters who I love to write.

I'll keep this updated as Rising Calm gets farther and farther along on the path to being published. Until then, I don't have much else to say but thanks for reading!

Website

Giveaway:

5 Copies of Rising Calm – US/Canada have choice of ebook or paperback, International Winners will receive an ebook.

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Tour Stop - The Faith and Fate of David Ghent by Maren Dille

Description
In the Lucen city dwell the descendants of Righteous and Fallen angels. Kept hidden from the rest of Earth and governed directly by Heaven, each descendant is given a chance to prove themself loyal to Heaven, and obtain salvation. For most, the task is encouraging and fair, but for David, it’s devastating. 

David Ghent has waited twenty-one years to fulfill a prophecy foretelling the destruction of Lucifer’s power on Earth and Heaven, saving himself and the entire world from Hell’s power. His training is complete, the city prepared. As the battle commences, the city’s most beloved daughter, Layla, suddenly appears at the Hellgate. David is then faced with an impossible choice: fulfill the prophecy, or save her life. The consequences David faces after choosing Layla force him to question his entire life, and his loyalty to Heaven. As the aftermath of failure unfolds, David discovers that the real battle against Lucifer has just begun.

Buy the book at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords

About the Author

           Maren grew up in Rochester, NY, which is why much of her work is set in the East. She moved to Provo, UT to attend Brigham Young University in 2004. Meanwhile, she received a license in cosmetology in 2006, and graduated with a B.S. in Home and Family Living-Clothing and Textiles in 2009. After graduation, Maren worked as a cosmetologist/barber, while her husband finished his own degree in Special Education. After he graduated, they settled in Spanish Fork, UT, where they plan on staying for a long time.

Now Maren is a stay-at-home mom, part-time piano teacher, cosmetologist, and writer. Amidst the buisiness of being a housewife, she loves reading, writing and playing music, vacationing, going on dates with her hubby and friends, throwing dinner parties, and sewing. She enjoys collecting books, and hopes someday to have a library big enough to fit all of them. Currently, her two pretty-enough-to-be-displayed-bookshelves are overflowing, and she's got books stashed all around her house. Open a random drawer, you'll probably find one.

Maren's previous work includes a short comedy, "A Tale of Two Cemeteries," and a middle-grade reader, The Treehouse. The Faith and Fate of David Ghent is her first published novel. Find out more about Maren at www.marendille.com, or on Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.

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Book Tour ~ Don't Fear the Reaper by Michelle Muto + Giveaway

Don't Fear the Reaper Tour

Description
Haunted by memories of her murdered twin, Keely Morrison is convinced suicide is her only ticket to eternal peace.

But in death, she discovers the afterlife is nothing like she expected. Instead of peaceful oblivion or a joyful reunion with her sister, Keely is trapped in a netherworld on Earth with only a bounty-hunting reaper and a sarcastic demon to show her the ropes.

When the demon offers Keely her ultimate temptation--revenge on her sister's killer--she must determine who she can trust. Because, as Keely soon learns, the reaper and demon have been keeping secrets and she fears the worst is true-- that her every decision changes how, and with whom, she spends eternity.

Genre: YA/Horror/Ghosts

Buy Links: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Smashwords



Tell Me About Heaven – The Story Behind Don't Fear the
Reaper

I first came up with the idea for Don't Fear the Reaper after several agents had rejected another novel I’d written and asked if I had  anything, darker – more edgy. Oddly, it’s been years, but I still recall  coming up with the concept so vividly.

I was cleaning house and mulling over new ideas when Blue Oyster Cult’s iconic 1976 song, Don't Fear the Reaper, came up on my iPod’s  playlist. There were several parts that truly inspired me: “Take my  hand,” “40,000 men and women everyday,” “Love of two is one. Here, 

but now they’re gone,” and “the candles flew and the mist appeared,  the curtains blew and then he appeared.”

From there, it was a matter of ‘What If’s’ that made my idea unique from the song. What if it wasn’t star-crossed lovers? What if it was  family? What if the main character met up with a bounty-hunting reaper and a handsome, but sarcastic demon? And what if all the odds were stacked against my main character and yet, she still found  hope and assistance in the most unlikely of fellow characters? What if all it took to save a soul was sacrifice, one born of undying love and devotion? And yet, what if the price of that salvation came at a high price?

I couldn’t wait to write it. What I hadn’t expected was how it’d rip open old wounds, how the pain of writing Keely’s grief meant  revisiting my own. I’d lost my grandparents, my parents, my uncles, all my aunts except for one. I’d lost friends and beloved fur babies, all of whom I’d loved with every fiber of my being. I’d witnessed four of  their deaths. I even held the head of two in my arms as they passed. Two loved ones died in the house I currently live in. 

Up to this point, I’d managed my grief. Now, by sitting down to write about love that went beyond death, I was getting ready to stick a  hammer and chisel into the wall I’d built and bring the entire thing down—and with it, all the painful memories I’d carefully placed behind it. 

Tell me about Heaven, Dad
 I really want to know,
Because ten long 

years have passed,
And I miss you so… 

The above stanza is from a poem I wrote to my father ten years after his death. I cannot begin to describe what it was like to lose my father, whom I loved more than my very being. All these years later, I’ll freely admit it: I’m a Daddy’s girl. We’re so much alike, he and I. I was robbed of him far too soon by multiple myeloma, a brutal and incurable cancer.

For those who have read Don’t Fear the Reaper, it’s easy to see the real life example I used. It’s easy to spot the grief, the emotion I used for my main character, Keely Morrison. All scenes I drew from real life.

Oh, and about those agents? I had several tell me that the opening was one of the best they’d read in a long time and that the concept  was truly original. But, in the end, they felt the subject matter was too dark. That’s okay. I think the person best qualified to make that

choice is the reader. 

That’s my heart on a sleeve, Dear Reader. The story behind the story. Thanks for reading about the journey. 

Where to find Michelle: Blog, Twittter, FB

And Now For The Giveaway!

Rules:
Open internationally
Entrants must be 13+
One person per house hold
No cheating (yes entering under different names counts) - I will check entries
I will discount any entries if cheating has occured
Winners have 48hrs to respond to my email to claim the prize. If I don't hear anything withing the time period a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck Everyone!

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Book Extravagaza Tour & Giveaway

Book Extravagaza Tour

with

Kindred Night School Vampire Hunter Book 2

The Life and Times of Noone In Particular

The Skeleton Key

By – in order of books above

Michelle Cornwell-Jordan

Jamie B. Musings

C.P. Bialois

Tour Wide Giveaway - $25 Amazon Gift Card & 1 Cecile Monique Music CD