Name: Claire C Riley

Website: www.clairecriley.com

Other contacts/social media sites:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17564467-limerence

https://www.facebook.com/ClaireCRileyLimerence@ClaireCRiley

Link to Amazon page and or any other place that your books can be purchased:

PAPERBACK
http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUSA (USA)

http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUK (UK)

eBOOK
http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUSA (USA)

http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUK (UK)
 
It is also up for free loan for KDP Select members.


 


Where did you grow up?


Manchester, the United Kingdom


When did you start writing?

I used to write tons when I was a kid, and was always shoving stories under the noses of friends and family, but then life got in the way and I forgot all about it. I’ve started with a couple of little things through the years, but never took it serious. It was September last year that I really started
again.
 
What made you start writing?

I read an article about the term Limerence and really liked the word. It felt like such a romantic
word for such a dangerous thing. I didn’t think too much about it at first, but then slowly I started to get ideas and it just wouldn’t go away so I sat down and started writing.
 
Is it something that you have always wanted to do?

Honestly, yes. As a kid I remember saying that I either wanted to be a teacher, an archaeologist or a writer.

What is your favorite genre to read, and do you have any favorite books or authors you would like to recommend?

I read anything. Literally anything, though of course I have favorites. I prefer paranormal or dystopian type books. I’m not too keen on books with ghosts or fairies in them or anything too preachy. I have a lot of favorite authors. Mark Tufo, Jesse Petersen, Charlain Harris. 

What about to write?

I tend to write paranormal books- vampires, zombies, that sort of thing. Though I have an idea
for a crime thriller and a romance in the beginning stages.
 
Do you write full time? If not, what do you do?

I write in my spare time, which is basically from about 8pm to 1am when the children have gone to
bed. I work in an office doing accounts and paperwork and other boring stuff.

Do you ever base your characters on anyone that you know, or are they solely from your imagination?

Yes and no. In Limerence a lot of the characteristics of Rachael are from my best friend Kate,
and in my new book Odium I asked on my Facebook page if anyone wanted a character named after them in return for filling in a survival questionnaire. A lot of the characters- though not all- are based on the people that filled these in. Their answers are what helped to build the characters, though I’ve obviously embellished an awful lot.
                     
Tell us about your latest book. The story/plot.

My latest novel is Limerence. 

When Mr Breckt moves to the Island, everyone’s lives are sent spiralling out of control. Mr Breckt develops a strange obsession with Mia Lawrence, one that he can’t control no matter how much he
tries.

Mia loves her fiancé Oliver and fights for their love at every turn, but can his paranormal powers win her over before it’s too late for everyone?

With his obsession spiralling out of control, he will do whatever it takes to get her. He’s not used to having to take no for an answer.

What genre is it?

 It is a dark paranormal romance.

Who is your favourite character?

Donovan, one of Mr Breckt’s henchman, and Rachael.

 And worst? 

Chris! I literally hate that guy! I was so sorry that I introduced him to the book. haha

What are your hopes for it?

Worldwide recognition, film rights, red carpets, you name it! Haha. Honestly, I don’t know. I just know that I love the feeling I get when I know someone has read and enjoyed it. If I can have that a couple of thousand times over then that would be ace.

What’s the next project that you’re working on? 

My next book is called Odium. It is a dystopian post-apocalyptic zombie book, and I am so excited for it. It’s totally different from Limerence in a lot of ways.

What’s the best piece of advice that you have been given in regards to your writing?
 
Believe in yourself.

Diary of the Gone is a Novel to be released at a future date!

Callum Blackwater thinks his life can’t get  any worse. But he’s wrong. 
      
Callum never felt like seeing the dead, but they kept haunting him. The only thing that  helped him not see them was a diary he had found in the basement of his house.
        
When his friend Nathan is reported missing and a  severed hand is found in the forest, Callum gets a hint as to who might be  behind it all.  
 






 EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK 
        
Chapter1

Entry #4

April 8

I step inside a Shadow. It’s a black-and-white movie  with no sound. I watch those who have only a few moments to live. While the rest  of the world passes by sightless, I see them dying, screaming into silence as if  they call for me to help them, and I just stand and watch death taking them.
        
The Shadow lasts for only a few moments, and then the movie is over.  Everything becomes colorful again, but I know the people I just saw will soon be dead.
        
Darkness closed in on Nathan and me as we trudged through the mush of  fallen leaves. The ground was a mosaic of vibrant red and yellow, with a few  patches of brown here and there. Sponge-like moss shriveled under my feet, and  as I took another step, icy cold water trickled into my new sneakers.
        
“Dammit!” I jerked my leg up but the sneaker was already soaked.
        
“C’mon, Callum,” Nathan urged, exasperated at my slowness. “We’re nearly there.”
        
Nathan hadn’t told me what he wanted me to see. As usual, he’d said, “You  have to see this, Callum.”
        
Did I have any other choice? As we threaded our way through  the darkening swamped forest I wondered why I’d listen to him and go wherever he  wished. 
        
“How much farther are we going?” I asked, with as much irritation as I  could muster.
        
He rolled his eyes and pointed ahead with his index finger.  “It’s there.”

I hadn’t been to the forest very often, but each time I  approached it, goosebumps popped all over my arms and back. This time was no  exception. My heart began racing like mad, as if warning me we’d encroached on  someone else’s territory. Someone we shouldn’t disturb.

Nathan turned his head left and right,  then exclaimed, “Here it is at last!”  
 
Twenty yards ahead of me, he crouched and started inspecting something,  and I still couldn’t see a thing. When I reached him, I gulped, cold fear  sliding down my limbs.
     
“Holy crap!” I muttered. “What the hell is that?!”

It looked like a pool of blood. Not just a few grass blades  flecked with it, but—as I looked farther—a whole field filled with dark, crimson  liquid. I gulped another time and the hairs on my neck stood on end. I turned  around to check no one was watching us—I’d had a feeling someone’s eyes were on  me, and I didn’t appreciate it that much.
        
“I came across it yesterday. Wicked, right?” Nathan looked up at me,  fascination sparking his eyes. “Seems to have grown even bigger.”

“Looks like blood,” I voiced my fear at last, a shiver traipsing down my spine.

Nathan stood up, his eyebrows knotted. “Oh, come off it. There’s too much  of it in here. And where’s the body? Or bodies?”

I let out a nervous laugh, trying to soothe my nerves—I hadn’t seen a  Shadow so far, which was a good sign. But why was I afraid to see one? They only  happened when someone was about to die, not any other way.

I picked up a dried stick from the ground and poked the crimson substance  with it. Nothing happened at first, but when I tried to retrieve the stick, it  wouldn’t budge. The liquid around it started gurgling.

“Uh-oh,” I said, letting go of the bloodstained piece of wood.
        
“What have you done?” Nathan hollered.  
        
“N-nothing,” I stammered. “We’d better go, man.”
        
“You think?” He gave me a sarcastic look.
        
I took a step back, watching the stick sinking slowly into the syrupy  liquid. When it was about to disappear, a bony hand shot out from where a stick  had just been and gripped my right ankle in a fierce vice.
        
I screamed like never before. Raw instinct to survive spurred me to  wriggle the leg out of the grip, but the skeleton fingers were too strong for  me, felling me to the ground. Nate tugged at the sleeve of my jacket, and  instead of helping me set free, he was sliding into the pool of blood together  with me. I raked the ground with my fingers, soil getting under my nails, yet I  sunk deeper and deeper. 
        
When I thought there was no hope for me, I saw my chance.   
        
“The  log! Take the log!” I pointed to a dried bough lying within easy reach of us.  Nate let go of me, sprinted towards the log, picked it up, hopped back to where  I writhed, and thrust it into the place
where the thing manacled around my ankle  was supposed to be. To my disbelief, after a few thrusts the hand let go, and I  scrambled out, helped by Nate’s trembling hands.  
        
We  bolted away from the place without looking back. I couldn’t care less about my  sneakers or jeans covered with dirt. All I could think was: Get away from that fricking hand.

After a few minutes we slowed down a bit, breathless and shaking.
        
“What was that?” I asked in between gasps as we entered Craven Street, my  voice raspy.
        
“No frickin’ idea,” Nate replied. “Right before this thing grabbed you, I  think I saw a face.” 
        
I raised an eyebrow at him. Judging by his restless eyes  and ashen complexion, I knew he was holding something back.
        
“And?”
        
“Do you remember the missing boy I told you about?  Greg Thornby?”
        
I didn’t like where this was going.
        
“Yes.”
        
“I think it was him there.”
        
I vaguely remembered the story. A boy had gone missing a month before  Mom, Beverly, and I moved to Whitecross Town, but now it caused goosebumps all  over me. His body hadn’t been found after a few weeks’ search, and the inquiry  was dropped. What if Nate was right? What if it was Greg there?
        
We walked down the street in silence. I was a real mess, with the blood  stains and dirt over my jeans.
        
Now I’ll have to come up with something to tell  my mom, I thought grimly.
        
My thoughts were interrupted by the voice I hated more than the sound of nails screeching against a whiteboard.
        
“Well, well, well, little Callie’s got poop all over himself. Did you do  it to him, Rushmore?” 
        
Cheering and clapping followed the remark.
        
I turned around, my teeth clenched. A group of teens were catching up  with us. I knew they were only half a year older than me, but they were a gang  of thugs compared to me and Nate. Stan Crosby, the boy who spoke, was in the  center, flanked by four boys and girls on either side. They made my life a  living hell. During the short time I’d been in Whitecross, he’d given me a  couple of black eyes, tripped me whenever he saw me, and humiliated in every  possible way. The son of the school principal, he easily got away with it, and I  didn’t feel like blabbering about every one of his
pranks to my mom. Just had to  live with it.

 “Back off, Stan, or—” Nathan snarled, taking a step towards  the group.
        
“What? Are you going to kick me?” Stan’s group produced another round of  cheering and
whistling.
        
“I’ll make sure you will.” Nate balled his fists and took  another step. 
        
I grabbed him by the sleeve and whispered, “He isn’t worth  it. You’ll only get another detention.” To my relief, Nate didn’t argue.
        
“Right, Nate, listen to the loser.” Stan folded his arms, a lopsided grin  playing on his face. “You are lucky we are not in the mood for kicking your  sorry asses today. But we will next time, I promise.” He turned to his cronies.  “Come on, guys, let’s go.”
        
They rushed past us, Stan giving me a hard push with his  shoulder. I tried my best not to flinch, even though the push hurt as if his  shoulder was made of rock.
        
As their silhouettes and voices retreated into the  distance, Nate and I stood watching them.  
        
For  a few minutes, I even forgot about the hand that tried to drag me into the  swamp. But something told me my bad luck for the day wasn’t over yet. If all the  bad things were bound to happen to me all at once, they would, and today would  be the day.
        
“Let’s go,” Nate said. “Wayne and Audrey are waiting for  us.”
        
*
        
Whitecross Town was a small godforsaken place, fringed for the most part  by an ancient forest. The old townsfolk said it used to be a village whose first  two streets formed a cross. They added “white” to the name because of the soil  rich in chalk. As time passed and the village turned into a small town, a few  more streets appeared here, but the name stuck.
        
The two-story cottage where my mom, me and my sister, Beverly, moved to  was perched on what Whitecross people called the Crossroads. That was where  Nathan and I headed right now. As the horrors of today played back in my mind, I  decided to break the silence. 
        
“Are we going to tell the guys what happened?” I asked.
        
“Sure. What if it was Greg there? We’ve got to find out what the  hell’s happening there.” He offered me a humorless smile, a sign he was being serious.
        
That was Nathan. Never reasonable, always dragging me into trouble.
        
“You don’t think he’s alive, do you?” I couldn’t help myself.
        
“We’ll have to make sure first.” He was serious, I had to admit to myself.
        
I started tsking and snapping my fingers, which I knew irritated him, but  at least helped me distract myself from the haunting images of the blood in the forest.
        
“By the way, here they are."
        
Wayne and Audrey. Perhaps the two people I envied most of all in the  whole world. Only a year older than me, they already held hands in public,  kissed at the back of our school, and did who-knew-what-other things that I, the  loner of Whitecross as I called myself, couldn’t afford because for starters I’d  never even had a girlfriend. For a fifteen-year-old I had way too many things  wrong about me, yet this one made me probably the most miserable.
        
Wayne and Audrey. Everyone at school compared them to Romeo and Juliet,  and now that I saw them holding hands I wished it was me with Audrey instead of Wayne.

“Hey, guys!” Nathan called.  
        
I  shot an uncomfortable look at Audrey, mumbling a hardly audible ‘Hello’ then  looked down as if in shame.
        
Well, did I mention I felt like a total loser when  girls were around? With Audrey I was a real mess. She was special, a flawless  angel with perfect auburn hair, and an aroma of peaches around her. I
turned  into a vegetable. But what chance did I have to date such a girl? Zilch.
        
We set off going down the Hill, towards our secret place—the  Underground—that was not far from my home. Located in the wood, it was a cellar  from a long demolished house that Nathan had found a year ago. We used it as our  regular meeting place during the nights.
        
“You won’t believe what we just saw in the swamps,” Nathan started his  story, but I didn’t want to hear the continuation of it. As we were about to  turn left, into Montague Street, the thing I feared
most in my existence  happened. 
        
A Shadow crept over me.         
        
Nathan, Wayne and Audrey crumbled like dust in the wind, and the world  faded to black and white in the blink of an eye.
        
At first I heard them. A low growling sound reverberated in my  head. My throat lodged, as I watched them coming for me.  
        
They  whispered something I failed to make out. My insides wobbled with fear as I saw  their mutilated faces; limbs broken and hanging limply. Rotten flesh failed to  cover their uneven, yellow teeth. Drooling, they watched me with a hunger I’d  never seen in a sane person’s eyes.
        
“Callum!” someone called out for me from a distance, and the Shadow was gone.
        
Nathan yanked me by the shoulder; I was shaking against his steady hand.
        
“Are you all right?” He looked at me, his eyebrows knotted.
        
I swiveled around to check if there were monsters behind me.
        
“Erm, yeah, sure,” I replied. “I just realized … I think I’m gonna go  home. Just remembered I promised Mom I’d return earlier today.” That was a  downright lie, but no one seemed to mind.  
        
Letting go of my shoulder, Nathan shrugged. “Sure. If you change your  mind, you know where to find us.”

I nodded, turned around and ran home as fast as I  could.

Five facts about you that people won’t know about you. Can you juggle? Ride a bike with no hands? Drink beer upside down? Something unusual… GO!

1. I got my PADI certification at 14.

2. A beauty pageant runner-up in High School

3. My wedding dress was a costly $60 off the rack at Macy’s.

4. I stalked my husband until he agreed to marry me.

5. My middle name is Grace, but I’m far from graceful (likely why I got runner-up in the beauty pageant- darn those high heels)

Five facts about your newest book that people won’t know. Some background history on one of your characters maybe? Maybe it was going to be called something completely different to start out with? Is it the same genre it started out as?

1. A lot of people felt the cover of DRAG.N was a mistake – saying the image was misleading. I understood why they felt that way, but I liked it. So I left it – it ‘felt’ like the story to me. Maybe that means that my book will never be well received, but, as an artist, going with my gut is about as important as anything else. 

2. The first character that appears in the story is named after my father – Benton. 

3. I consider DRAG.N to be a political semi-satire built on the ground of a dystopia, others disagree – seeing the modern-day meaning behind my words as more tragedy and true. Let’s just call it dystopian dark comedy with a political undertone that readers can opt to ignore. 

4. I wrote it in roughly 20 hours and then spent a week editing. I think it’s some of my best work. 

5. The chapter with the President in bed with the cleaning maid in the White House originally verged on pornographic. I cleaned it up before publication – which was probably a smart choice considering I’ve been told that I lack the ability to write a convincing smut scene. 
 
Five facts about your next book… Name, genre, expected date of release…

1. Tears of Chios is loosely based off the Legend of Saint Isidore of Chios and will be released this Summer. 
 
2. Mastic spice is said to have healing properties.

3. I wrote half of the book and then decided to change an element of the plot – causing me to spend months re-writing the half I’d already written.

4. My ‘villains’ have precious stones embedded into their skin – in intricate patterns surrounded by swirling tattoos.  

5. The perspective switches from 3rd to 1st then back to 3rd and follows dual main characters across separate landscapes.

Three tips that you think might be useful for other authors… anything you want. It could be, to write a certain amount every day, only write after midnight and never get Gizmo wet (Sorry, that’s Gremlins not writers! My bad.) Maybe it’s some information that was given to you that has helped your process…

1. Learn to take constructive criticism well and use it to your benefit. Criticism doesn’t change you; it teaches you how to respond to the world in a way that better showcases your talents and intent. You have the ability nay the right to pick and choose which criticisms to implement. 

2. Find a lifeline to mentor you through the process. You don’t have to go it alone. You may be surprised, but there are successful writers out there who are willing to share wisdom and advice. 

3. Take full advantage of social media for marketing – Twitter, Facebook, a personal website – all of these will help you build an audience. 

To explore Eli Constant's work click the link below!

Dead Trees, Amazon.com


 

RELEASED

A scientist mommy battling beasties better be handy with a scalpel.

Elise Swanson is trying to give her daughters a decent childhood. This should be a simple task, but the invading undergrounders – subterranean humanoids that have existed since the dawn of mankind – make outdoor playtime a tad tricky.

After fleeing Georgia and surviving six months of bumbling self-sufficiency, Elise and her daughters meet Jason. He's tough and nature-savvy. Pit stop fights with beasties define the survival-road that the four companions navigate. The bloody pavement finally ends in Washington State at a government safe zone where the trekkers hope to build a stationary life.

A little rest and rehab would be nice, but Elise is quickly led down a path of research and deception where humanity's future isn't a priority. She becomes leader of a secret plan and long nights in the lab keep her busy. She strives to destroy the undergrounders and the life of an underhuman crossbreed hangs in the balance.

Haphazardly conceived and manufactured, the H2H (Humanoid-to-Human) chromosome-targeting nanotech has a small probability of success, but Elise has to believe it will work. Hour by hour, she becomes less confident and more emotionally compromised by the rapidly growing, stunning underhuman. Her maternal nature leads to a late-night escapade resulting in a platinum-haired, third daughter and a million uncertainties.

Fleeing her home, Elise had two loved ones to shelter. That number has risen. When the not-so-safe zone is invaded by beasties, she will save her family... no matter the consequences.

DEAD TREES is a 111k word, mature-reader Dystopian that weaves horror, levity, and science. Underneath the layers of storyline, a simple core exists – the limitless distance a mother will go to protect her children, both physically and mentally.
 
To unearth this well written Dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

Dead Trees, Amazon.com

RELEASE DATE: ~Winter 2013 Gnere: Dystopian SciFi with horror elements

Being a test-tube crossbreed can present challenges - Meg Brown knows this all too well.

A shattered sanctuary forces her to run... away from the family that used to be and towards the father she barely knows. The only clue she has to her father's whereabouts is a scribbled address and a well-used atlas.

H2H (Humanoid to Human) inoculation has been vastly effective and the last of the wild undergrounders patrol the cold woods of the northern continents. Meg must find a way to save herself and her adopted sister. The small backpack of supplies is barely enough for a few days travel. Trekking from Canada to New Mexico seems impossible.

After a year on the road, Meg worries her father may have moved. To her surprise, she finds not only her biological dad, but also her mother.

Humanity had hoped to rebuild their population after the H2H rendered the undergrounders infertile. As it turned out, humans were affected also and the only generation born after H2H were also reproductively unviable.

Meg's father is searching for the cure to humanity's infertility. Meg's mother is pregnant. Will the world accept the coupling of human and beastie for children's sake?

RELEASED

The DRAG.N units were invented to support the marriage of the Universal Health Initiative (UHI) and Green Nation. Their purpose: mass airborne vaccinations to ensure health for all U.S. citizens. The illogically expensive vaccines serve another purpose though. Laced with chemical agents, mescaline and fluoxetine, the vaccines have created a docile, drugged, and receptive
American populace.

The anti-UHI activists are determined to takedown the DRAG.N and the corrupt healthcare system. Their planning has been meticulous, spanning nearly a year. Benton and Rachel Greer take the first steps towards raising the proverbial sword and slaying the DRAG.Ns. Will they succeed?

DRAG.N takes an imaginative look at the future of an America where human fundamental rights and freedom are an option rather than a guarantee. This novelette chronicles three days in the lives of researchers, activists, a deceptive Presidential Cabinet, and a First Lady with secrets of her own.

DRAG.N is a brief dystopian novelette, political semi-satire. Birthed during a whirlwind weekend competition, DRAG.N tells a year-long-story with a satisfying conclusion in the span of a few days. The two main themes are universally familiar: Truth will out and America should mean freedom. Without exception.

To get a breath of this infectious dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

DRAG.N, Amazon.com

RELEASE DATE: Summer 2013 Genre: Thriller with fantasy elements

A long time ago on an Island an officer died for his faith. His sacrifice grew into trees. In the present, Kat dreams...

The Island of Chios is so named for the legend of Saint Isidore, a roman naval officer who died for his faith. It is said that where the drops of his blood fell, a special and fragrant tree grew. The mastic spice harvested from these trees is said to have healing and magical properties, but it has been centuries since the Saint's death and that magic is waning.

Renee is working on a case...a case where bodies disappear from the morgue. Her daughter, Kat, relentlessly dreams things she doesn't understand, but Kat knows the feeling these dreams leave within her...the feeling that she is meant for something.

Drugged and abducted by the Mastichoria, controllers of the spice, Kat will learn her connection to the fabled Saint and the truth about her bloody destiny. Renee will do anything in her power to keep her daughter alive. Even if it means taking her daughter's place.

Tears of Chios is a novel that intertwines fantasy, truth, pathology and fate. Saint Isidore left more than a grove of trees in his wake.

RELEASE DATE: Spring 2014 Genre: YA fantasy

It doesn't matter what the history books say, the Salem Witch Trials ended for one very specific reason. All of the witches disappeared. One coven seeking to save themselves devise a spell to take them out of the realm of humans, away from persecution. "Move the night, Move the time, Transform earth, Mind to mine."

But the coven did not understand the far-reaching power of their combined spelling. The powerful seven find themselves in a new, strange world and out of the dark woods surrounding them walk every fantastical being imaginable - forcibly moved from the world of humans. 

Welcome to GoodWicked -- a town where a wherewolf loves a fairy, the Loch Ness monster swims with the Kraken, and unicorns are tri-horned, gifted healers that are black, not white.

SPELL BREAK represents Eli's first jaunt into Young Adult literature. This series was inspired by a crumpled page of her daughter's scribblings.

Stories in the IGBA Series: Earth Bounty (Spring 2013) Black Belt Bounty (Summer 2013) The Search for Bounty Morlins (Fall 2013)

Bounty G.M. survived the IGBA Academy. She's endured countless hours bagging Prigbees on central planet GRUP. But can she survive her latest mission...to Earth?

Born more than 150 years ago, G.M. returns to her origin planet in search of a planet GRUP (Galaxy Recognized Ultra Power) fugitive. The fugitive is a Digha-Waa, an aquatic species. And G.M. has never been fond of fishing. But she's trained. Hardened. She. Is. Bounty.

The life she lived before on Earth is a distant, easily forgotten memory. Friends, family, childhood pets have long since died, decayed and been recycled in the National Composting System. She has her pain. She cries her tears and lets sentiment slide away.

Her focus seems rock solid until Bounty Morlins picture makes her realize that this mission is a personal one. The Digha-Waa run-away is only the beginning. Her ex-lover, Morlins, is the prize.

Eli Constant, Breakwater Harbor Books' newest author acquisition, has been receiving rave reviews on Amazon.com for her debut Sci-Fi novel, Dead Trees! For a glimpse at what readers have been saying about this fantastic Dystopian Sci-Fi novel read on below!

"Have you ever picked up your book before bed and thought oh I'll just read 3 chapters? Well this is what I did and ended up with some very tired mornings because I simply could not put this book down!! I can't wait to see the next book in this series and any other book from this author."
 - Tina Moss 

"What a breath of fresh air. I am a big fan of this type of SciFi. But, the author has brought it to a new level. Such detail, without overloading facts and insignificant issues. It was difficult to take my eyes off of it. The train of thought was smooth and the flow of the story was at a very comfortable pace. This author has a true calling and a great deal of talent." - Alexander Constantopoulos

"My husband and I both read this book. We are polar opposites but neither of us could put it down. I emotionally connectd with the characters and I found myself on the edge of suspense."
- R. A. Newton

"I'm à huge fan of sci-fi and the occasional zombie stories. Though this didn't have zombies per se, there was the same feel to it. With very few inconsistencies, it was a story that can keep you interested in finding out what happens next. Whenever you think things are becoming "normal," it gets the adrenalne rushing all over again. It was nice to have a strong female lead in the story! I can easily see this being made into a movie. Very entertaining and I was sorry to have it end."
- Donna Davis

"I just finished my second read of this book. The suspense kept me turning pages, even when I knew what was coming. I would strongly recommend this to any teen or adult looking for a thrill ride."
- DANEWTO

----------------------------------

DEAD TREES - PITCH

A scientist mommy battling beasties better be handy with a scalpel.

Elise Swanson is trying to give her daughters a decent childhood. This should be a simple task, but the invading undergrounders – subterranean humanoids that have existed since the dawn of mankind – make outdoor playtime a tad tricky.

After fleeing Georgia and surviving six months of bumbling self-sufficiency, Elise and her daughters meet Jason. He's tough and nature-savvy. Pit stop fights with beasties define the survival-road that the four companions navigate. The bloody pavement finally ends in Washington State at a government safe zone where the trekkers hope to build a stationary life.

A little rest and rehab would be nice, but Elise is quickly led down a path of research and deception where humanity's future isn't a priority. She becomes leader of a secret plan and long nights in the lab keep her busy. She strives to destroy the undergrounders and the life of an underhuman crossbreed hangs in the balance.

Haphazardly conceived and manufactured, the H2H (Humanoid-to-Human) chromosome-targeting nanotech has a small probability of success, but Elise has to believe it will work. Hour by hour, she becomes less confident and more emotionally compromised by the rapidly growing, stunning underhuman. Her maternal nature leads to a late-night escapade resulting in a platinum-haired, third daughter and a million uncertainties.

Fleeing her home, Elise had two loved ones to shelter. That number has risen. When the not-so-safe zone is invaded by beasties, she will save her family... no matter the consequences.

DEAD TREES is a 111k word, mature-reader Dystopian novel that weaves horror, levity, and science. Underneath the layers of storyline, a simple core exists – the limitless distance a mother will go to protect her children, both physically and mentally. 

To unearth this well written Dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

Dead Trees, Amazon.com

Breakwater Harbor Books is excited to welcome Dystopian Sci-fi author Eli Constant into our fold! Constant is an exceptional author, with two published books currently available on Amazon.com and more soon to come!

For a delve into what Constant brings to BHB, take a look at her two published books, Dead Trees and DRAG.N, below. I promise you, you're going to be glad you did!

A scientist mommy battling beasties better be handy with a scalpel.

Elise Swanson is trying to give her daughters a decent childhood. This should be a simple task, but the invading undergrounders – subterranean humanoids that have existed since the dawn of mankind – make outdoor playtime a tad tricky.

After fleeing Georgia and surviving six months of bumbling self-sufficiency, Elise and her daughters meet Jason. He's tough and nature-savvy. Pit stop fights with beasties define the survival-road that the four companions navigate. The bloody pavement finally ends in Washington State at a government safe zone where the trekkers hope to build a stationary life.

A little rest and rehab would be nice, but Elise is quickly led down a path of research and deception where humanity's future isn't a priority. She becomes leader of a secret plan and long nights in the lab keep her busy. She strives to destroy the undergrounders and the life of an underhuman crossbreed hangs in the balance.

Haphazardly conceived and manufactured, the H2H (Humanoid-to-Human) chromosome-targeting nanotech has a small probability of success, but Elise has to believe it will work. Hour by hour, she becomes less confident and more emotionally compromised by the rapidly growing, stunning underhuman. Her maternal nature leads to a late-night escapade resulting in a platinum-haired, third daughter and a million uncertainties.

Fleeing her home, Elise had two loved ones to shelter. That number has risen. When the not-so-safe zone is invaded by beasties, she will save her family... no matter the consequences.

DEAD TREES is a 111k word, mature-reader Dystopian that weaves horror, levity, and science. Underneath the layers of storyline, a simple core exists – the limitless distance a mother will go to protect her children, both physically and mentally.

Reader Comments:

"I must congratulate you on what looks to be a well crafted story. Well written, too. You have obviously put a lot of thought and effort into your writing and it shows." -John P.

"What a nice change from zombies, vampires, trolls, aliens and giant earthworms. Quadruped humanoids who eat their dead are certainly monstrous enough to qualify for the role of abomination bent on killing off humankind. Your protagonist, Elise, using the first person POV makes the narrative introspective and immediate- a sympathetic character worth cheering on from one impossible situtation to the next. The dialogue is to the point, even raw at times, but always true to character. Thank you so much for the intriguing read." -Ken E.L.
 
To unearth this well written dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Trees-The-Underground-ebook/dp/B00APYKD7G/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366910196&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=eli+sonstant

DRAG.N your attention will bind (but within these pages, no dragons you'll find).

The DRAG.N units were invented to support the marriage of the Universal Health Initiative (UHI) and Green Nation. Their purpose: mass airborne vaccinations to ensure health for all U.S. citizens. The illogically expensive vaccines serve another purpose though.
Laced with chemical agents, mescaline and fluoxetine, the vaccines have created a docile, drugged, and receptive American populace.
The anti-UHI activists are determined to takedown the DRAG.N and the corrupt healthcare system. Their planning has been meticulous, spanning nearly a year. Benton and Rachel Greer take the first steps towards raising the proverbial sword and slaying the DRAG.Ns. Will they succeed?
DRAG.N takes an imaginative look at the future of an America where human fundamental rights and freedom are an option rather than a guarantee. This novelette chronicles three days in the lives of researchers, activists, a deceptive Presidential Cabinet, and a First Lady with secrets of her own.

DRAG.N is a brief dystopian novelette, political semi-satire. Birthed during a whirlwind weekend competition, DRAG.N tells a year-long-story with a satisfying conclusion in the span of a few days. The two main themes are universally familiar: Truth will out and America should mean freedom. Without exception.
 
Reader Comment:

"This dystopian view of the world is harrowing and brilliant and impossible to put down. Smartly written and thought-provoking, it provides insight into how easily ethics can be compromised for personal gain making this seemingly far-fetched idea actually conceivable. The plot unfolds at a pace that keeps you hooked (though it does leave you wanting more). A must-read for anyone who likes smart, timely fiction with an Orwellian tint." - DasFrau, Amazon 

To get a breath of this infectious dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/DRAG-N-ebook/dp/B00C0YRR6Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366911029&sr=1-2

Chilling. Dark. Realistic. I'm not usually a reader of dark Horror, but man did I enjoy this read! Melissa Simoson clearly has a strong grasp on character depth and plot creation. As I read I became involved with the mind of Cameron as she was trapped in the torture cell-like basement, and struck by what occurs there, the barbed wire puncturing her skin where she sits against the basement wall and the sheer horror of all that she experiences in the farm house at the hands of Sam. I found myself caring deeply for her, her twin Amy, the FBI detective and Colin, a young man who is chained up in the basement/dungeon with her.

The way the bodies are disposed of... perfect and haunting.

This is a dark horror to the core. Its depth of plot was like a NY Strip Steak for me, and the experiences the main characters go through were the razor blades embedded in its meat.

I'll be reading Simonson's newest release, Blood Echo, very soon, and eagerly awaiting the rest of her works to come. You want to read this book. You will sleep with one eye open and be rapt all the way to the final page.

- Scott J. Toney

The pitch for Simson's debut Thriller/Horror novel, Doubles

Cameron is twenty-one and drunk when she's abducted after a homecoming party. She doesn't know where she is, why this has happened to her, or anything about her new cellmate, Colin. She has time to figure it all out though—nothing but time.

Amy, Cameron's twin, doesn't think much of her sister's disappearance. She's got her own life to contend with. Since Cam has gone missing, Amy's been the glue holding her family together, but she's not bulletproof, and she can't shake the feeling that she's being watched.

Sam has too much anger, a penchant for blondes, and a fondness for voyeurism and electromagnetic shock. He's good at hiding—not even his wife knows he's a monster dressed in janitor's clothing. Maybe that's why he's gotten away with his dark desires for so long.

Follow the link below to Amazon's Kindle store to delve into this addicting read.

http://www.amazon.com/Doubles-ebook/dp/B00BK7UE5I/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Limerence is a cognitive and emotional state of being infatuated or obsessed with another person, it is typically experienced involuntarily and is characterized by a strong desire for the reciprocation of one’s feelings.  The term was coined by psychologist Dorothy Tennov, to describe the ultimate near obsessive form of romantic love. Limerence is sometimes also referred to as infatuation or is colloquially known as a crush, but in reality it is something much more different. In common speech infatuation includes aspects of immaturity and extrapolation from insufficient information and is usually short lived. 

It can be experienced as either intense joy or intense despair depending on whether the feelings are reciprocated or not. 
 
Limerence is characterized by intrusive thinking and pronounced sensitivity to external events that reflect the disposition of the limerent object towards the individual. It is the state of being completely carried away by unreasoned passion or love. Usually one is inspired with an intense passion or admiration for someone.

Limerence can be difficult to understand for those who have never experienced it, and it is thus often dismissed by non limerants as ridiculous fantasy or a construct of romantic fiction. A person experiencing Limerence has a general intensity of feeling that leaves other concerns in the background. In their thoughts, a limerent person tends to emphasize what is admirable in the limerent object and to avoid any negative or problematic attributes.

One man's obsession is so deadly it could destroy them all.

Despite her love for her fiancé, Mia Lawrence finds herself inexplicably drawn to Mr Breckt- the mysterious new owner of the Island. Her thoughts are constantly consumed with the handsome and powerful stranger. However, there is much more to him than she realises, something dangerous and supernatural.

Mr Breckt is used to getting what he wants, and now he wants Mia, at any cost. With his obsession spiralling out of control, he knows that time is running out. A war is coming. Blood will be shed, and lives will be lost, but he will have to rid himself of his obsession of Mia before it’s too late.

Mia and Oliver must now fight the very evil that threatens to come between them. If either of them fails, it will be more than their love for each other that will be lost.

Ultimately, all three will have to make a sacrifice that will change each other’s destiny forever.
But will it be the right one?

For a closer look at Limerence follow one of the links below.

Amazon.com USA

http://www.amazon.com/Limerence-Claire-C-Riley/dp/1482727668/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1364318634&sr=8-15&keywords=limerence

Amazon.com UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Limerence-Claire-C-Riley/dp/1482727668/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1364319178&sr=8-11 

Below is an interview and review done recently with The Reading Cafe of author Claire C Riley 

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Hi Claire and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of your new novel LIMERENCE. We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Hi, and thanks for having me. I live in the UK with my husband, three young children and one scruffy springer spaniel!

LIMERENCE is your first published novel. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

With my writing, I have tried to take things back to their roots. There are so many new takes on different paranormal elements, that the original premise of things have gotten a little lost. For me, the original ideas were and are the best. I take a lot of influence from Bram Stokers Dracula, and Night of The Living Dead. These elements were scary and fascinating. Much less romanticised than they are now.

LIMERENCE is categorized as a dark romance tale (more urban fantasy than
paranormal romance) but it is not a romantic novel in the ‘ideal’ sense of
the word. How would you explain the ‘romance’ aspect of the storyline?

I like to think of Limerence as a love triangle with a difference. Instead of the typical he loves her and she loves him, it centres on more of the psychological differences between the main characters feelings and how far these feelings will push you.

How many books do you have planned for the series?

At the moment three. However, I do have thoughts for a fourth, but I’m still considering this. I don’t want the specific elements of Limerence to become tired like some do when the series is written past its sell by date.

Your heroine Mia endures some heart-breaking and painful moments yet she is a survivor until the end. Will we see Mia as a protector and guardian or, will Mia enact revenge for the many losses in her life?

Without giving too much away, there is going to be a little of both. Mia hasn’t lost her humanity as such, she just feels like she has nothing left to love, nothing left to lose. There is no reason for her to be ‘good’ anymore. She loves what she has become, but the route she has had to take to get there kind of ruins it for her. If Robert Breckt was given the opportunity to speak for himself, what would he have to say--About Mia? About himself?

At the start Robert doesn’t understand why she affects him so much. By the end though, he realises that it is his own narcissism that is his downfall. He loves her, but not for the traditional reasons. It’s because he ‘can’t’ have her that drives him to such despair and obsessiveness. The longer that she refutes him, the higher on the pedestal he puts her, until he couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to.

If you could virtually cast the lead characters in your novel LIMERENCE, which actors or models would best represent your ideal image?

A few months ago on my Facebook page, I asked people that had read the original version of Limerence to post pictures of ‘their’ celebrity cast. I was so surprised by some of them that I opened a poll on my blog for people to vote on the celebrities which had the most votes. I didn’t agree with all of them though, ha ha.

My celebrity cast would be, Mia- Evangeline Lilly. Oliver- Liam Hemsworth. Mr Breckt- Tom Hardy. Rachael- Emma Stone. Chris- Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

What are some of the challenges (research, logistics, literary) in bringing your ideas and storyline to life?

Again, without giving too much away, I wanted to break away from the typical clichés that are associated with the paranormal elements in Limerence, and go back to basics on some of it. I also wanted to try and give as accurate portrayal of the term Limerence as I could. So I researched both things profusely.

What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?

That I know what I’m doing! Ha ha. People have seemed quite surprised that this is my first novel. Up until less than a year ago I hadn’t written a thing since being a child. My time the past few years has been on being a good mother to my children.

Would you please tell us about the online site Breakwater Harbor Books and what is your connection?

Breakwater Harbor Books, Or BHB, is a group of amazing Indie writers who got together to help each other promote great Indie work. Some of the writers within the group have actually already have been traditionally published, but they wanted to try their hand at self-publishing. One of the authors is doing so well that they have already been able to give up their day job. So you see, there really are some extremely good writers within the group. It’s about uniting as one and working together to help one another succeed.

If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?

Professionally, I wish that I would have started writing again much sooner. When I was much younger I used to read and write constantly. Whilst the reading never left me, the writing took a back seat.

Personally, I wish I had more confidence and belief in myself.

Many author bounce ideas with friends and family, with whom do you bounce ideas?

If I want to know if an idea is too ‘out there’ I ask my husband, ha ha. He brings me back down to reality. Most of the time though I type what comes to me and then I have a couple of really good writer friends who I will send an excerpt too and gauge their reactions.

Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon for many authors. How do youhandle the pressure and anxiety of writer’s block?

Urghhh, I hate writers block. I try to move on to a completely different scene. When your head is too focused on a particular scene, you can’t see past the problem, so it is best to move away from it and on to something else. If you don’t, then I have learnt the hard way that what you write is generally not very good at all anyway. It is best to leave it to another day, possibly even another week.

What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

That’s a long time! Haha. I guess I would like to be able to give up my day job and write full time. I want to get the Limerence series completed, whether that be three or more books, and I am already started on my other series which starts with a book called- Odium.

On what are you currently working?

I’m consecutively working on the sequel to Limerence, and Odium.

I wanted to solely focus on Limerence II: Mia, however Odium won’t leave me alone. It was haunting my thoughts so I had to start it. I’ll be honest, I’m really excited by it from what I have written so far, and people’s reactions to the first couple of chapters.

It is a post-apocalyptic dystopian horror, with romantic elements to it and a bucketful of zombies. As with Limerence, I’m trying to get back to the basics of the premise. Survival.

Would you like to add anything else?

Just thank you to everyone who has already purchased, read, and reviewed Limerence. It’s really appreciated, more than you know. And please, when you have read it, let me know your thoughts. Plenty of readers have already posted pictures, sketches, fan art, poems, all sorts on to my Facebook page. I love to see what people take away from it.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food

Anything! I’m a total pig. Ha ha. Steak, noodles, salad, pizza, ice cream, chocolate. I don’t believe in diets, but in eating everything in proportion.

Favorite Dessert

Either chocolate fudge cake (warm) Or lemon meringue pie. Oh wait, and lemon drizzle cake! Thanks, now I want some cake!

Favorite TV Show

There’s a couple. I love True Blood, The Walking Dead, Being Human (UK) Dexter,

Last Movie You Saw

At the cinema- A Good Day to Die Hard (I love Bruce Willis)

At home- Men in Black III and Breaking Dawn (I had to bribe my husband into watching that one)

Dark or Milk Chocolate

Milk! Nom nom

Last Vacation Destination

Ibiza.

Secret Crush

Please, there’s nothing secret about my crushes! Ha ha, I love Christian Slater- it’s the voice and accent, totally makes me drool. The same goes for Tom Hardy.

Thank you Claire for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of your novel. I am looking forward to the next instalment in the Limerence Series.

Thanks so much for the great questions. Really got me thinking.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author bio.

Claire C Riley, is a mother first, a wife second, but a writer at heart.

Claire likes to break boundaries with her writing, incorporating an old school style of horror and romance. Sexy and dark. (Think Bram Stokers Dracula, but for the 21st century!) She is trying to mix things up a bit by introducing more women into the horror genre and more men into the romance genre, and show people that you should never stick in your comfort zones.

Claire is a mother to three amazing little girls who hold her heart. She hopes to make them proud, and show them that if you work hard and believe in yourself... then, as Cinderella once said... dreams really do come true.

She is an avid book collector and has a great zombie apocalypse plan in place thanks to a questionnaire she asked her readers to fill in for her from her blog.

Claire is currently working on the sequel to Limerence, and also a dystopian post-apocalyptic zombie novel called- Odium. Think Thelma and Louise, but with zombies ;0)

She actively encourages reader participation on her blog and author Facebook page, with questionnaires, quizzes, and fan art. So get in touch!

She can be contacted at:

http://clairecriley.weebly.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/ClaireCRileyLimerence?fref=ts

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17564467-limerence?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book


Purchase links.

PAPERBACK
http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUSA (USA)

http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUK (UK)

eBOOK
http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUSA (USA)

http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUK (UK)

It is also up for free loan for KDP Select members.


Book Trailer.

http://animoto.com/play/G1sasuzV1gWeclrmjhA5Zg 


Book Blurb.

One man's obsession could destroy them all.

Despite her love for her fiancé, Mia Lawrence finds herself inexplicably drawn to Mr Breckt- the mysterious new owner of the Island. Her thoughts are constantly consumed with the handsome and powerful stranger. However, there is much more to him than she realises, something dangerous and supernatural.

Mr Breckt is used to getting what he wants, and now he wants Mia, at any cost! With his obsession spiralling out of control, he knows that time is running out. A war is coming. Blood will be shed, and lives will be lost, but he will have to rid himself of his obsession of Mia before it’s too late.

Mia and Oliver must now fight the very evil that threatens to come between them. If either of them fails, it will be more than their love for each other that will be lost.

Ultimately, all three will have to make a sacrifice that will change each other’s destiny forever… but will it be the right one?