BLOOD BOUND

Blood Bound

by Melanie Atkins

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Fueled by grief after his fiancée is brutally murdered, Detective Sam Walker focuses on finding her killer -- a calculating predator who binds books with human skin.  Dani Barrington, the newest member of NOPD's Victim and Witness Assistance Unit and a survivor of another frightening attack, helps him discover the terrifying link between the monster's known victims.  Despite his anguish, Sam is struck by Dani's strength and determination, especially when her inquisitive  nature makes her the killer's next target.  He must find a way to protect her or risk losing the one woman who can bring his dead heart back to life.

Excerpt:

 

Kristen was gone.

 

She wasn't at work. She wasn't at home. She hadn't gone out to run an errand. She had simply... vanished.

 

New Orleans Detective Sam Walker stood in the center of his fiancée's cluttered bedroom and struggled to piece together the timeline of her disappearance. Last night they were supposed to meet for dinner, but he'd caught a case. They'd talked on the phone around eleven, and he'd asked her to meet him for lunch today.

 

He hadn't spoken to her since.

 

She was supposed to arrive at the Victim and Witness Assistance Unit for work at nine a.m., but never made it. One of her co-workers had called him about ten o'clock. He'd tried Kristen again, but she hadn't answered.

 

So he'd come here and found her car in the driveway.

 

Yet she sure as hell wasn't here.

 

Her bed was meticulously made, the way she left it every morning, dumping him out if he'd stayed over. A damp towel lay beside the bathroom sink. Soulful jazz drifted from the iPod dock on her nightstand. What terrified him most, though, was the spot of blood marring the door frame and the lone pink sandal lying in the living room floor beside her purse, keys, and cell phone.

 

His heart lurched. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Simply could not absorb that she was missing. They'd been engaged for five months and three days, with only a month to go until the wedding. They should be mulling over the guest list, squabbling about where to go for their honeymoon, and deciding where they wanted to live.

 

Instead, Sam stared at an empty bed.

 

"There's no sign of forced entry, so she either let the guy in or he jumped her when she went after the paper this morning." Major Sabbatini's voice seemed to come from far away. "I'm thinking she fought him off and ran, and he caught her here in the bedroom."

 

"She would have clawed him." Hell, she would've drawn blood with those nails. Sam should know. He had the marks on his back to prove it. Moisture blurred his vision as he eyed the smudge on the door jamb. "She... she just had her nails done a couple of days ago. They're like talons."

 

"We'll check the blood for DNA. You know that. What were her plans for today?"

 

"Um... just work, far as I know. She and I were supposed to have lunch." Sam shook his head. "Then tonight, she was going to a wedding shower. I just--"

 

"When was the last time you spoke with her?"

 

"Late -- last night." Sam's eyes fell on a partially-filled mug on the table beside Kristen's favorite chair, where she liked to read. A hard knot formed in the center of his chest. "She didn't... even finish her coffee. She loves coffee."

 

"We're gonna find her, son."

 

"You don't know that." Sam's voice cracked. He turned to his boss. "What if I never see her again?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Melanie Atkins a multi-published author of romantic suspense, an editor for an online publishing company, and an avid reader. Writing is more than an escape for her—it’s a way of life. She grew up in the Deep South listening to tall tales and penning stories about her cats. Now she writes gripping stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of her furry little feline muses.

 

Melanie is an active member of Romance Writers of America®, the Magnolia State Romance Writers (MSRW), the Published Author Network (PAN), the Electronic and Small Press Authors' Network (ESPAN), the Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC), Sisters in Crime (SinC), the Red Dog Writers, the Gulf Coast Writers Association, the Southern Writers, the Mississippi Authors Guild and the Byram Writers’ Group. She currently serves as Past President of MSRW.

 

www.melanieatkins.com

 

www.wordpress.melanieatkins.com

Brian McKinley Author of Ancient Blood

I was so excited to have Brian join us to talk about Ancient Blood, this book was positively incredible and blew me away completely. A bravo and we cant wait for the encore! He's hilarious too by the way... I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.

 

Ambrosia Arts : What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Brian: Deciding which words to use and typing them all in.

Ambrosia Arts : Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Brian : Besides how hard it is to write an entire book? I learned all kinds of architectural and design terms so that I could properly describe Sebastian’s mansion (and most of it wound up getting cut out!) as well as a lot of medieval feast terms. Honestly, I had to do little bits of research for all kinds of aspects of the story because I hate getting details wrong. It’s been several years, so I don’t remember everything, but I learn a lot for every book I write.

Ambrosia Arts: Do you have any advice for other writers?

Brian : Read as much as you can and keep working. Your writing will only get better with practice.

Ambrosia Arts : Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Brian : Hello, are you out there? If you read my book, then please review it!

Ambrosia Arts : What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

Brian : ANCIENT BLOOD was probably the most personal book I’ve ever written, and the character of Avery featured a lot of self-examination. I really had to be careful to keep Avery a character rather than me, but still pour my emotions and feelings into him. That sense of a person baring their soul had to come through in the book for it to work. The reader had to engage with Avery at the deepest level and really take the journey with him, so I had to be very emotionally honest with the character when I was writing him. I had to pull out those dirty, secret feelings that I and friends I’ve known have had and hope that such raw honesty would draw readers in rather than repel them.

Ambrosia Arts : Do you ever experience writer's block?

Brian : All the time! One of the most difficult things for me is make myself start writing. Once I get going, I can often develop a rhythm, but sometimes every sentence is a struggle. On my second book, I had periods of up to two years where I didn’t write a thing. I hope to never experience such a long period again.

Ambrosia Arts : Do you write an outline before every book you write?

Brian : Yes. For me, an outline is a necessity. I need some kind of roadmap to follow and I need to convince myself that there’s a solid enough story to proceed. I feel free to deviate from or change my outline as I go, but I don’t trust raw ideas. It’s too easy to start with something that sounds like a great idea, get several chapters in, and suddenly realize that you’ve got no idea where the story is going and you’ve lost inspiration. You can’t count on inspiration. For me, writing is such a lengthy and difficult process that I need to be confident in that final destination before I can start.

Ambrosia Arts : Have you ever hated something you wrote?

Brian : Not really. There have been times when I’ve looked back at lines or scenes and decided that they could be better, but if I’m critical of something as I write it, I’ll go back and change it. I’m a perfectionist, so usually everything I write is as good as I can make it at the time. I’m always willing to improve, but I have to believe that what I’m doing is great at the time or I’ll lock myself into immobility.

Ambrosia Arts : What is your favorite theme/genre to write about?

Brian : I’d probably call it “Extraordinary people in ordinary situations.” Kind of a reverse of the usual horror set up, but it really covers my favorite stuff. I like the fun of examining what everyday life is like for extraordinary creatures and people dealing with the mundane world.

Ambrosia Arts : What was the first piece you ever wrote?

Brian : It’s so far back, I can’t even remember. I used to write science fiction stories for my grandparents when I was five or six years old and continued to write little epics all through my school years.

Ambrosia Arts : How much do you feel you've improved in the last few years?

Brian : I think the last year or two have seen a huge improvement in my writing style and my instinct for storytelling. I’ve lost a lot of the pretension and showy literary style that I used to use to dress up my work and have really begun to write strong, clear sentences. I owe a lot of that to a local critique group I joined. My work before and after working with them is noticeably different.

Ambrosia Arts : Where do you get most of your ideas?

Brian aka Brain : From my brain. Seriously, I draw ideas from all over. I take elements of things that happened to me or other people I know, stories from history, people from history, and mix them with characters that have been living in my head for years. A lot of times I get ideas by watching movies, TV shows, or reading other books and thinking about the roads they didn’t take with their story. Some of my best ideas have come from my frustration at never seeing or reading something, therefore I decide that I’m going to do it!

Ambrosia Arts : What is your favorite place for thinking?

Brian : Thinking for me tends to happen everywhere. Driving, sitting around, or wherever. I’m in my head 90% of the time, so I’m almost always thinking about some aspect of my stories.

Ambrosia Arts : Who was your favorite childhood author?

Brian : Dr. Suess.

 

Ancient Blood:

A Novel of the Hegemony

 

By  Brian Patrick McKinley

 

 

 

Avery Doyle loves vampires; he’s read every novel, seen all the movies, and researched the folklore.  When his first one-night-stand, Caroline, turns out to be a true vampire on the run, he jumps at the chance to leave his ordinary life and join her as a “child of the night.”  The honeymoon ends, however, when Caroline’s brutal Creator Sebastian enslaves them on his island estate and Avery must confront the dehumanizing reality behind his dreams.

In order to survive, Caroline and Avery take their place as servants in Sebastian’s household during a gathering of the most powerful vampires on Earth, the Hegemony, and soon find themselves involved in the myriad intrigues and deceptions that form the night-to-night existence of The Order.

A society of wealth, power, and inhuman decadence whose existence is protected by human complicity and disbelief, The Order is the immortal aristocracy hidden behind the giant corporations and political leaders of the world. Sebastian, however, has a plan that will change The Order forever and shatter human civilization.

To avoid this terrible fate, Avery and Caroline will not only have to defy the most powerful creatures on Earth, but also confront the darkest aspects of themselves. For in the world of the Hegemony, even victory may cost them their souls . . .

A fast-paced thriller that both re-imagines and pays tribute to the traditional vampire, Ancient Blood is a story of love, ambition, sacrifice, and betrayal that is frighteningly human.

 

                                                                        

About the Author

Brian is a lifelong vampire fan from New Jersey and has written four screenplays, a stage play which won a state-wide contest and was produced by a NJ community theater, and numerous short stories which have been published online in various magazines.

 

 

 

Excerpt:

 

She gave me the earring and, as delicately as I could, I pierced one of the smaller arteries at the bottom of her neck. I handed the earring back to her and bent to drink. While I did, she punctured my neck in the same way and put her lips to the wound. This is probably the one major advantage a starving Vampyr has over a starving human, this mutual-cannibalism we can perform. I guess it’s a little like having sex while freezing just to generate bodily warmth, but among Vampyrs, this is considered the purest form of lovemaking. It didn’t have the climactic intensity of sex, but it was a warmer plateau, like riding that pre-orgasmic moment forever. Or, for those of a more gastronomic bent, imagine eating the best chocolate sundae you ever had and never reaching the bottom of the dish and never losing your appetite for it. It made me feel close to her in a way that was impossible with any other form of verbal or physical expression. At that moment, we were literally one being, one system circulating its life between our separate halves.

We fed and kissed and comforted each other for the rest of the night. When sunrise came, we fell into our daytime hibernation coma holding each other.

 

You can find Ancient Blood  at:

 

Amazon:   http://www.vampires.com/exclusive-interview-with-brian-mckinley/

Barnes:     http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ancient-blood-brian-patrick-mckinley/1113006782?ean=2940016357225

Kobo:       http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Ancient-Blood-A-Novel-Hegemony/book-bSrZaqF1MkOXQnkAj-b7yw/page1.html?s=z5bdvFx-WUGuazWzUyNtWQ&r=1

 

Find Brian at:

www.brianpatrickmckinley.webs.com

https://www.facebook.com/brian.mckinley.13

Midnight Hour Publishing:

www.midnighthourpublishing.org

https://www.facebook.com/MidnightHourPublishing

 

 

Blood Rose now available!

  BOOK SYNOPSIS:
It's true no one can out run Death. But Death doesn't always want your existence. In Lianna's case wants her mortality. Long have Lianna's dreams been a window into another time. A place that is as magnificent as it is dark. Frightened and weary from the physical toll the nightmares take on her body she turns to her psychic friend for guidance, which results in prophetic visions of Lianna's death. Mercenaries come after Lianna to stop her from fulfilling her fate. A destiny at her beloved's side while rediscovering the real magic within her. Facing demise brought down on her by the hands of the mercenaries, the power of love offers her a new life as a vampire which ultimately fulfills the same epic fate the murderous villains fought to keep her from.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK:

There was an alley to the right. Too small for the car, or could he follow? Would it be a dead end and he’d have me cornered? It was my only chance. I lunged for its opening. My knee gave as my foot twisted off the curb sending me stumbling forward. My arms thrust out instinctively. I landed snapping my wrist back. They hadn’t softened the blow to my face as I hit the cold wet concrete. Blood spattered from my nose and mouth. My lungs were too fatigued to even muster a scream. Instead this sickened pathetic whimper gurgled out through the stream of blood. As I lay there, trying to muster enough will to get up, the tires squealed to a stop right next to me. My ears rang in a high-pitched echo combined with the sound of my blood rushing in my ears. “Anna!” My whole body shook violently when I heard a rough baritone voice scream my name in an intense rage. There was no way I could run from him anymore. Would I die here? Would he take me somewhere else to prolong my suffering? How long would it take? Another dark thought. Is this what Neesa and her mother had seen? Futilely my eyes closed. If I had to be conscious, I refused to watch my own death. “Anna! Look at me!” One hand held onto my shoulder turning me slowly as another hand carefully took a hold of my chin, tilting it up and making me cough on my own blood. “No.” Worthlessly defiant. I gurgled coughing on the blood filling my mouth relentlessly. “Alright. Just hang on. I’m going to move you, okay,” his voice filled with laughter. Though weak and painful, it flooded with the sound of relief. “No!” The scream was weak and sprayed blood as I spoke. My hand shot up defensively swiping at his face to try to push him away from me. The hand at my chin released to take my wrist gently.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jacquelynn F. Gagne is an obsessive compulsive author of all things paranormal. When she cannot be found in the real world she is usually found covered in paint, pastels or most usually words. Among writing, photography and art, Jacquelynn is also an editor and cofounder for Ambrosia Arts and Midnight Hour Publishing. Jacquelynn began working on her first novel in January of 2008, while still working full time. Though Jacquelynn has been writing most of her life, it was never her intention to become a professional writer. But when obsession grabs you, it doesn’t tend to let go. In addition to writing, Jacquelynn enjoys reading everything she can get her greedy little hands on. Currently she lives in Rogersville, Missouri with her husband James and their two sons, though she has declared to one day build a library that will substitute as her house.

CONTACT INFO:

To enquire about editorial needs please contact her at Jacquelynn@ambrosia-arts.com http://artofambrosia.blogspot.com/ https://twitter.com/JacquelynnGagne http://www.goodreads.com/jacquelynngagne http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ambrosia-Arts http://www.ambrosia-arts.com http://www.midnighthourpublishing.org/

Christine James: Author Spotlight: Brian Patrick McKinley creator a...

Christine James: Author Spotlight: Brian Patrick McKinley creator a...: It is my honor to welcome Brian Mc Kinley to my blog ! I do not have the words to adequately describe the talen t of my fellow author, so...