Thomas, the young King of Havilah, is drawn to a forest beyond his lands. Here he discovers seven figs, fruit from the long forgotten Eden.

In the land of Cush, Princess Lilya suffers under the rule of her father, until the day when  young King Thomas of Havilah invites her away to his lands. There, she hopes to  find peace she has never known.

But Thomas has been drawn to a foreign land, to figs he hopes are from Eden and the Tree of Life. When he eats them to heal his wounds things change within him, distorting him in ways he could not predict.

Now Lilya must make a decision. Does she stand by Thomas's side  or act to dispel the evil consuming his soul?

Amidst this world Lilya  has befriended a dragon. There are secrets within the beast that could determine  all their fates.

What others are saying about Eden  Legacy

"...utterly believable and yet simultaneously fantastical! This is not unlike the styling of C.S. Lewis. It is an epic, fantasy tale that will hit home with all readers, and when the last page is reached, leave them with a thirst looking for more of Scott J. Toney's writings!"
- Laura A. Diaz, author of Come What May

"This book is unique. It wasn't predictable at all which I really enjoyed. The relationships among the characters were dynamic. I found myself gasping a few times when events I never dreamed happened. It's a memorable work and the end makes you think."
- D.S. Hale, Interviewer on Amazon.com

Take a sneak listen to Eden Legacy in audiobook format now at Amazon.com!

Eden Legacy / AUDIOBOOK

This is the story of Lazarus of Bethany, told through tale and tribulation. 
 
Darkness. Nothing. There was a void in the world around  him, without light or sound. A heaviness weighed on Lazarus' soul as he grasped  for being. He sensed in the darkness there had been
light only moments before  but he could not grasp what that light was.
Suddenly he felt a pulse in his  chest. Something heavy held  his body firm. Memories flooded through his mind of  heat, cattle...family. The world was somehow wrong.

He  tried to move but found he could not, could not raise the heaviness above him.  He smelt Earth. Then, with a thrust, he pushed his bound arms out of the cave  soil he was buried in and braced them on the Earth, using his weakened strength  to pull upward. Earth caved in about him as he rose from his grave, his  arms  and legs bound with bandages. There was a cloth over his face he could not remove. He saw a faint light before him through the cloth.  

"Lazarus, come out," a voice beckoned. He walked slowly in his bandages toward the light and could feel a warm breeze move about him. The  sun radiated in the cloth over his eyes. "Unbind him, and let him go," the voice  returned. He  felt coarse hands on his arms as bandages were unwrapped from him.  Coolness came  over his skin where they had been. Lazarus breathed heavily,  unsure of what was  happening. 

He had a vague memory of  being sick before this. He was barely aware of who he was. The cloth over his  face was pulled away and he squinted as sunlight blinded him. A bearded man with  long, wavy hair stood in the light. Jesus, he thought in disbelief as the man  approached, placing his palm on Lazarus' forehead. "You are healed, brother,"  Jesus told him as Lazarus' sisters rushed to his side. "You are still needed in this world."

What others are saying about Lazarus, Man

"Scott adds a context around the existing scriptures that helped me to think about what it would be like to be Lazarus... the danger, the  fear, the uncertainty about being given a second chance."
- Julie Van Meter,  author of A Beautiful Gift

"This book takes us through the events  after Lazarus' rising from the grave and his feelings of being lost, disoriented  perhaps. This brings a very human aspect to the miracle."
- CMTStibbe,  author of Chasing Pharaohs

Take a sneak listen to Lazarus, Man in audiobook format now at Amazon.com!

Lazarus, Man / AUDIOBOOK

Get to know the author, Scott J. Toney!
 
Five facts 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 sing all the time, in the grocery store, the restaurant, at work, at home, while gardening, heck I think I even hum while writing sometimes. I once took opera lessons and was told I should have gone into opera or some singing avenue professionally.

2. My favorite character in any novel is Don Quixote. I would rather be insane and good than sane and nasty.

3. My family holds more value to me than anything else.

 4. I would rather my writing help and move people than sell in mass quantities.

 5. I have a dark side. It's called Lasagna.


 
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. I decided to write Hearts of Avon because my wife has a great like of Nicholas Sparks' Romantic Suspense novels. 

2. The hurricanes in this book, Irene and Sandy, were both real hurricanes that hit the us east coast and Sandy actually hit as I was writing the book and made for a great addition.

3. Many bits of this book were taken from my real life experiences with my wife.


4. I did not begin writing Hearts of Avon with the intent of it having faith playing a major role, but because faith plays such a strong role in my life it easily weaved its way in.


5. I’ve had such a strong response from Hearts of Avon that a sequel is now in the works and will be released sometime in 2014.


 
Five facts about your next book… Name, genre, expected date of release…

1. NAME: Bishop: Book I of the NovaForge Trilogy

2. GENRE: Epic / PULP / Sci-Fi {Yes, I am a proud genre hopper!}

3. PITCH: On Solaris, a planet eons old, stones from the crust of a meteor give inhuman powers to their symbiotic pairs. Good battles evil to survive.

4. First chapter beginning: Darkness consumed Ineal as the voices tore at his thoughts. The sole survivor of the planet Eon, he wanted to shut off his brain, to destroy his consciousness and be
nothing. But the voices would not let him.

The stones, he thought, encased in this meteor hurtling through space. The stones destroyed us. I am the last. They take me for their own. He did not know when the glowing stones first came to his planet. Men and women claimed the gems for their own, pressing them to their bodies and allowing the stones to become necessary symbiotes of the flesh. The symbiosis with the stones gave his people powers and abilities beyond their dreams. But the price, the price of the flesh was great, and an ultimate death of sacrifice and pain was given in return. Ineal was the last, and the only being of Eon who had not taken up the stones.
 
But you took me, he thought as they spoke with their unintelligible voices, whispering in a constant
echo through his mind. When my planet died you came to me. You took my body to keep yourselves alive...

5. To be released early 2014, but a stand alone excerpt will be published in the Breakwater Harbor Books’ Anthology later this year.


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. If you write an hour each day you will quickly realized how fast a novel can actually be written.

2. If you have faith and confidence in your writing then your work will thrive. If you doubt your abilities then that will show up on your pages.

3. Make sure to make time for family first and writing second, but always both. Without family,
writing is worth nothing. but writing, as we all know, is an integral part of every author and cannot be separated from them.


To view Scott J. Toney's Amazon Author Page follow the link below.

Amazon.com / Scott J. Toney

About you.

Name: 

Scott J. Toney

Website:
 
www.scottjtoney.weebly.com 







Other contacts/social media sites:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4883112.Scott_Toney

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

 http://www.amazon.com/Scott-J-Toney/e/B0098JRXWC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

 https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ScottJToney

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/scott-toney?store=allproducts&keyword=scott+toney

Where did you grow up?

The Suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA

When did you start writing?

It all began as a youth when I wrote tales to go with the computer game Oregon Trail, creating stories to go with Jimmie getting typhoid or Susie getting small pox. Oh the fun of younger days... but one must advance. From there I tackled poetry and received a $100 prize in High School for winning a poetry contest. In college I earned degrees in Journalism and Public Relations.

What made you start writing?

I originally began writing as something to do with my neighbour. We both loved Oregon Trail. But the poetry… that began because of a girl. All the best things happen because of a girl, don’t they? :)

Is it something that you have always wanted to do?

I've wanted to be an author since I was in Middle School. My family and friends always said that I had an excellent voice and should pursue voice, doing opera or something else vocal, but my passion is in the written word.
 
What is your favorite genre to read, and do you have any favorite books or authors you would like to recommend?

I have two favorite genres, Fantasy and Historical Fiction, preferably a mix of the two. As for favorite authors… Here’s my current top 3.

1. Tad Williams. Read him, there is no other in the world like him and he is truly amazing.

2. Jim Darcy. Jim is publishing his first novel later this year with BHB. He is a phenom. If you miss out on Fire Lord’s Crown then I pity you.

3. Mike Lee. If you enjoy Sci-Fi then you have to run and go check out StarFire. Lee is amazing.

I could list so many more, but these are my true and honest top 3. I am a huge fan of all of our BHB authors. We have immense talent being birthed here.
 
What is your favorite genre to write?

Oh, you’ve caught me; I am definitely a genre hopper. So far I’ve dabbled in Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Christian and Romantic Suspense. And up to this point, I have to say that I enjoy writing Fantasy / Sci-Fi the most. I like the chance to control all aspects of a character’s world and not be restricted by earthly
things like gravity. Who needs gravity anyway?

Do you write full time? If not, what do you do?

Right now I have 3 jobs. I’m a Stay-at-Home-Dad, full time Founder of Breakwater Harbor Books and I’ll soon be waiting tables again at TGIFridays part time. I’ll also be the Vacation Bible School teacher for a group of three year olds soon, which should be a blast. But my most important and valued
job is always that of Father and Husband. I am incredibly blessed.
 
Do you ever base your characters on anyone that you know, or are they solely from your imagination?

In case anyone I’ve based them on is reading ;) NEVER. Lol. But seriously, I’m not sure I’ve ever based a character on anyone I knew. I’ve been told that Maanta and myself in The Ark of Humanity are quite similar. That would probably be as close as it gets. I’m also told that I reflect Ben in Hearts of Avon.

Tell us about your latest book. The story/plot.


I’ll let the pitch speak for itself. The book is Hearts of Avon.


In Avon, a beach town along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Ben is falling fast for the beautiful and intelligent Caroline, even as they both deal with her stalker ex-boyfriend who has followed her south on vacation.

As Ben learns the depths of the other man's madness his and Caroline's relationship runs into another wall, level 3 Hurricane Irene moving quickly toward the Outer Banks. When the storm arrives, all of their lives will be drastically changed. 
 
How will they learn to cope with the consequences? When they are tested with a disaster on the brink of their comprehension, how will they pick up the pieces of their lives
  
What gave you the idea?

My wife is a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks, and Hearts of Avon was written specifically to dedicate something in her favorite genre to her. It is a Romantic Suspense novel with faith woven in.

Who is your favorite character?

My favorite character is probably Caroline, Ben’s love interest. I worked in some of me and my wife’s real-life experience’s between her and Ben, and so I guess that’s why I like her so much.
 
And worst? 

Caroline’s ex-fiancé John. Stalker, jerk, you get the gist.

What are your hopes for it?

Well it’s one of my most popular books so far, and so a sequel is in the works, but what I want most is to have this book forever to share with my family and know that generations to come will have it and be able to read it and know me a little better through my writing.

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

Bishop: Book 1 of the NovaForge Trilogy, a PULP Sci-Fi novel. Talk about switching genres ;).

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

Stick true to who you are and write for you first. Publishers and others will tell you many things to change, and that’s good to take in and consider, but in the end you want your books to show you as a writer, not something the industry has chewed up and spat out through you. Oh and, prepare to never sleep ;).

Limerence has been called "SEXY, SASSY AND SEDUCTIVE" as  well as being compared to Brom Stoker's Dracula. For a taste of this fantastic  new author, read the pitch and exerpt below!

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?
 

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK


Prologue.
  
Those eyes. Those hungry eyes.  
 
They stare into my soul. They burn  my resilience away, devouring me whole. Over and over he persists. I must fight  or die. Or die fighting.
  
I am his,  but I do not know it yet. He will devour me. He will devour us all before this  night is through.


1.

Mia.
  
A cold hand snakes under my duvet intruding on my thoughts. It slides along the warmth of my calf, and I shiver. I pull my legs up to my chest, curling myself up into a ball. The hand’s grip on me is firm and strong. It pulls my legs out from their foetal position, and begins to massage the muscle of my inner thigh, kneading my flesh persistently. My muscles deep inside clench in expectancy and I smile despite myself.

“Go on you, get to  work.” I emerge from under the covers. My long black hair falls around my shoulders, untidily no doubt, and I yawn and rub my eyes.  
 
“I’m the boss you know, Mia; I'm allowed to  be a little late.” Oliver’s voice is husky. His hand has reached my waist, and  now rubs the arc of my hips.

Damn he’s  gorgeous. I smile and look him over. His body is hard and toned with a  rugged sex appeal, and his sandy hair is tousled. His eyes are a deep chocolate  brown and sexy as hell as he looks at me. I notice that he’s only in his  underwear- some tight black boxer shorts, and nothing else. My stomach twirls in excitement.

“First off, Mr Boss Man, you  cannot be late for work today. You need to make a good impression.
Secondly,  just because you’ve been given lead control on the development over on the  Island, it does not make you ‘the boss’ as you so aptly put it.” I grin at him  and sit up.

I lean over, grab my coffee mug,  and take a tentative sip. I let the covers slide down off my
shoulders, making  sure to show more flesh than necessary with a grin.

“Mmmmm,” the sound leaves me, deep and  throaty. “This is really good.” I smile appreciatively, my blue eyes never  leaving his.

Clearly, I’m not talking  about the coffee anymore.
  
He grins and  his hand grips me tighter under the covers, and moves up to my stomach. He  reaches further under my lace cotton vest, his fingers probing the soft outline  of my breasts. 

“I’m pretty much the boss,”  Oliver says with affection. His body straining against his boxer  shorts.

And there’s that sexy grin again.

“I’m in charge of the entire  landscaping team over there. And you can’t do THAT,” he squeezes my plump breast  tenderly, his eyes dark and brooding, “and expect me to go to work.”  

Leaning in for a kiss, he closes his eyes. I  bring my face to his, our lips brushing against each
other. Both his hands reach  out for me, and he cups my face. Holding me to him, he slips his tongue between  my lips. He strokes it against mine and heat spreads through me at his touch. He  smells divine as he leans further in, kissing my neck. His chin stubble is rough  against my sensitive skin and I shiver.

Swallowing down my desire with a sigh, I dive out of bed. His face falls as I  walk away with a giggle. I pad into the bathroom, looking back over my shoulder  with a grin. “You did that all to yourself, sailor.”  

He pouts at me, showing off his puppy  eyes.

 I laugh. “We haven’t got time, sugar.”  

Damn it!

Oliver groans. “Fine, I give up. I’m  going to work, grumble, moan and all that. I’ll call you at lunchtime if I get a  chance. But I’m not sure how busy I’m going to be.”

I watch from the doorway whilst he pulls  a black t-shirt over his hard, defined body, and I wonder idly if we could  ‘make’ some time for our extra activity.

“Have you met him yet?” I ask, leaning against the doorframe, continuing to look  him over; I scrub my teeth, the toothpaste foaming between my words.

“Who? The new owner? No, probably  won’t, not for a while I reckon anyway. You never do with jobs like this.  There’s so much to do over there, Mia. I mean literally, acres and acres of  landscaping; we’re going to be busy for a good few months.” He tugs up his blue  jeans with a smile. I realise that he must have been worrying as much as I have  over the lack of the recent work.

“I don’t  think anything has been done with those gardens for the last twenty years or so.  Certainly not since that creepy old guy used to live there. What was his name?  Mr. Sam? Mr. San? Or something like that, I wonder what happened to him,” he says  with a shake of his head. “Anyway, I don’t have time to make small talk with  silly little rich boys.” He uses his most patronizing voice on me.

Oliver grins and bends to tie his bootlaces, knowing that this will irritate me. He looks back up through his long  lashes. His brown eyes, alert with playfulness, whilst his unruly blonde hair  falls over his forehead.

“Ollie,” I scold.  “You shouldn’t judge someone until you’ve met them. As you just said yourself,  you haven’t, and most probably won’t. He could be a perfectly nice chap for all  you know.” I rinse my toothbrush in the sink. “And, Mr San sold the land off and  moved away- I think that was his name anyway,” I continue. “Probably because of  people calling him creepy!” I laugh and look back into the bedroom.

“Whatever, sweet cheeks. I’ve seen  these types before. Big city boys think they can come down here for some quiet  time. They flash their cash around, cause a bit of mischief, and then decide  that it’s too boring and head back off to the big city again, leaving a trail of  broken hearts in their wake.” Oliver stands up and comes towards me. The top  button of his jeans remains undone.

He  notices my glance with a sly smile. “I’ve got to go. Like I said, I’ll try and  give you a call later if I
get a chance.” He strokes his finger across my bottom  lip. “Are we still going out for dinner with your sister tonight?” He slips his  hand into the back of my long black hair, his fingers brush through the  softness. He pulls my face up to meet his, his eyes cloud with lust whilst he  plants soft kisses along my jaw line. I moan. My stomach heats and flips under  his touch. 
  
“Mmmmmm.”

Pulling back, he looks into my face. “I love you so much. Shame I can’t interest you in anything.” I can hear the smugness in his voice, but I don’t care right now.

His tongue darts over his soft lips. I  groan as the warm feeling spreads to the apex of my thighs, leaving me trembling  for him. He grins, his dimple pulling in, as he plants a passionate kiss on my  mouth, pushing his body roughly against mine. His hips hold me in place against  the doorframe. I am practically panting for him and ready to crumble, and give  in to his every demand when he releases me.

“Better go, babe.” He slaps my behind as he strides off down the hallway with a  smug grin and a chuckle. Buttoning his jeans up, leaving me overwhelmingly  frustrated. 

I follow him down to the front  door. “Touché, Mr Boss man,” I murmur. He picks up his jacket and shrugs it on, stretching it over his strong broad shoulders, and grins at me. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you too, Ollie.”

He looks into my face, cupping it  with his hands, like a delicate flower. “You’re so damn beautiful, sweet cheeks.”

I flush under his praise. “Shut up!”  A giggle escapes. “I’m far from beautiful, but I guess that’s all in
the eye of  the beholder isn’t it?”

“Well this beholder  thinks you’re gorgeous.” He smiles.

I can’t  help but smile back. “Well I think the same of the beholder.”

He sniggers and kisses me. I change the subject, I hate being the center of attention. “Yes, we’re still going out tonight. Caitlyn is really looking forward to us meeting her new boyfriend, Will.” 

My half-sister Caitlyn  finally seems serious over a man. Therefore, I am not about to miss the opportunity to meet the lucky guy. I lean in for another kiss, pushing myself against Oliver’s hard chest, my full breasts press against him.  
 

I don’t think I will ever tire of kissing this man. 

His hands move round  to cup my buttocks and hoist me up on to my tiptoes.

 “Get a room!” Rachael - my best  friend and annoying flat-mate - looks up from the sofa with a scowl. Rachael is  not a morning person, and she hates the whole romance thing.  

And she has the worst timing ever.   

Oliver leans over and plants another  hard kiss on my mouth. “We have, but it’s so much more fun to ruin your Monday  morning with some good, old fashioned romance. I know how much you love that  mushy stuff.” He grins and winks at me, before turning to leave. “I love you,  sweet cheeks.” He blows me a kiss and shuts the door behind him.

“Love you, Ollie.” I shout after him.

“Mumbo jumbo more like,” Rachael mutters, sinking back down on the sofa with a frown.

*                      
*                     
*

“Are you ready to go  yet, Mia?” Rachael shouts down the hallway. “Seriously, stop primping yourself.”

I can hear her still muttering  something, but choose to ignore it. Once the caffeine hits home, she’ll be her  happy-go-lucky self again. 

“Yep, I’m  coming.” I slip my pumps on, grab my art satchel, and head down the hallway. I  trip over some shoes outside Rachael’s door on the way and peer into her room.  The curtains are still drawn, and the bed unmade. “Damn it, Rachael. You need to  sort your room out, it’s a mess. And I am not primping myself, thank you very  much. It’s this damn hair.” I flick my long dark waves away from my face.  

Rachael twists a short dark lock of her pixie haircut between her fingers. “Chop it off then, and stop making me late.”

Aaah yes, Rachael total timekeeper. The polar opposite of myself. I roll my eyes at her.

“And there’s nothing wrong with my room.  It’s arty and creative.”

“It’s a mess, how  can you say there’s nothing wrong with it? How do you even find anything in  there?” I slip on my jacket.
  
“Whatever, Mum.  Anyway,” she continues, “looks as if lover boy forgot his lunch.” She nods over  to Oliver’s lunch sitting on the counter top.  

“He can grab something over there can’t he?”  she says, shoving some toast in her mouth.

I  shrug. “No, I doubt it. There’s nothing over there but the house and the old  servant’s quarters, and I can’t see him getting an invite for tea and crumpets  can you?” I mentally kick myself. 

Now  I’m making judgements before meeting someone; it must be catching.

I drop my purse and phone in  my satchel and pick up his lunch box. “I better take it to him.”

She raises an eyebrow at me. “There’s  no way that you’re going to get time today, not with the new brats starting at  college, and all the staff meetings we have.” She shoves her feet into red  trainers, which clash magnificently with her blue tights.

“You are a sight to behold my girl,”  I laugh. Sometimes I think I should have been the history teacher, and she  should have been the wacky art teacher.

She  looks down at herself with a grin. “What?” 

“Anyway, I’ve got some free time this morning between meetings. The professor  spoke to me at last week’s staff meeting. He wants me to start work on a  painting for the new reception area.”

I pick  up my car keys, finally ready to go. “So I may need to go out and do a little  ‘ahem’ research.”
I whisper to my now co-conspirator and grin.

“Aaaah, so a little trip over to the  Island isn’t going to do you any harm then, eh? See, I knew you had a naughty  bone in you somewhere.” She smirks and slips a thick headband on her head on our  way out of the apartment. 
  
She links her arm  through mine and we continue down the hallway. “I heard that the guy moving in  over there is a rich billionaire who’s running from the mob.” She  laughs.

I roll my eyes at her. People have  been speculating for weeks over who the mysterious new owner is going to be. We  haven’t had any new people move into our little town for quite some time.  Certainly no one interesting or rich enough to purchase the mansion over on the  Island. 

We make our way down in the elevator  to the car park, only meeting Mrs Dorset- the crazy old
woman from no.45 along  the way. 

I unlock the car before we reach  it. “I’m driving,” Rachael says matter of factly, and moves for the driver’s  seat. “I can’t stand your driving Miss Daisy crap, Mia. Seriously, I don’t know  how lover boy puts up with it.” She holds out her hand, waiting impatiently for  the keys.

“Fine,” I grumble and walk to the passenger side. “Will you stop calling him that?” I throw the keys over the roof  to her and climb in. “And he basically just never lets me drive. Like
anywhere-  kind of like you really!” I scowl.

“That’s  because your driving is terrible. And slow. Really, really slow. And no, I’m  going to continue to call him that for as long as I know that it irritates him.  You know how much I love to annoy him.” She grins wickedly at me.

As we pull out of the underground garage,  Rachael waits for a car to pass. It’s sleek and black, I’ve no idea what type it  is, but damn it looks expensive. A man is sitting in the back, staring straight  ahead of him, shouting into his phone. I have to admit, his profile looks hot;  even with the frown that he wears.

“Wooooo,  mama!” She whistles loudly out of her open window.

“Rach, have you no shame?”

She turns to look at me. “Are you  serious? A gorgeous hunk of a man has just driven past us - scratch that - been  driven past us by his chauffeur, in his very expensive and very posh looking  car. And I’m not even allowed to whistle at him!” Her voice rises in indignation.

A laugh escapes my lips. “No,  Rach- big shocker for you, but that’s classed as rude. And it’s
embarrassing,  not to mention that he might have heard you.”

“Get a grip, Mia. He couldn’t have heard me.” She pulls out on to the road and  continues driving. “Could he?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. I notice her  keeping a watchful eye out for the black car as we drive, but I ignore her. I  wonder if the man in the car is the new owner on the Island. It’s more than  likely. No one around here would be able to afford such a luxurious car.  
 
My thoughts drift back to Oliver, and what  he had said earlier about ‘silly little rich boys.’ Well, he had one thing  right. He was clearly rich. However, that was no boy in the car. He was all man.

*                      
*                     
*

Mr   Breckt.
 

“What do you mean you haven’t filled the pantry yet?” I scowl out of the window, the streets passing by in a blur. I listen half-heartedly to the voice on the other end of the phone.

“I’ll be there soon-  I don’t want excuses. I want results. How hard can it be to fill a goddamn  pantry?”

The voice continues to mumble  excuses at me.

How has it come to this?  How have I ended up in this drab little town?

I scowl harder, pulling a hand  through my hair.

“Blah, blah, blah. These are  all excuses, and I’ve heard them all before. I do not want you to think- I want  you to do.” 

My eyes wash over a woman  standing on the corner of the street ready to cross. “Pull over!” I bark out to  my driver. He looks nervously in the rear-view mirror and pulls the car to the  curb. My driver gets out and opens my door and I slip my phone into my pocket  without finishing the call. I step out on to the pavement in one fluid movement.  The woman stands wide-eyed watching me, her mouth open in a silent ‘o’. It is  hard not to stare at me of course… I know that. I am tall, dark and handsome …  the typical cliché. Yet I am so much more than just that.

I smile at her. “Hello, beautiful.  Could I trouble you for a quick word?” 

Corny, and yet…

The woman comes over to  the car without faltering. Smiling shyly at me and I give her my most dazzling stare and sexy smile.

… it works every time.

“I am new in town, and need someone to show me around. Perhaps you would be free to assist me?” I reach up and pull my fingers through the long auburn locks around her face. She shivers at my touch, a blush rising in her cheeks.

“I’m erm, well… I’m just on my way to work actually.”  

I smile at her again, my eyes focusing in on  hers. “Come on, beautiful. Show me around. Show me the sights. A beautiful woman  like you must know some great places around here.” I lean in further, my shadow  falling across her face and she gulps loudly.

I sigh, my body so close to hers that my breath washes over her.  

“Well, I guess I can just phone in sick or  something.” She shrugs.

I guide her to my car  - ever the gentleman – and help her in first and then I let the driver shut the  door behind me.

“So, beautiful. What’s your name?”

“Kate.” She giggles.

“Well, beautiful Kate. My name is  Robert Breckt.” My arm drapes over the tops of her shoulders and I pull my phone  back out of my pocket.

“I have one.” I look  at her. “See, how hard was that? Now I want to see the pantry full in the next  forty-eight hours or there is going to be hell to pay.” I snap the phone shut.  The driver has turned on the tinted windows for my privacy and I look at the  woman next to me. The excitement of meeting a handsome stranger is finally  giving way to the faintest of fear. A frown puckers between her brown eyes.

“Do not worry, beautiful Kate. I need  to set things in order in my new home, and then you can show me all of the delights of this town.” I force a smile and she relaxes her shoulders.

Typical, and boring. Just like  all the rest.

“Where

IT'S BETTER TO DIE BY THE GUN, THAN DIE BY THE DEAD!

When the dead began to rise and kill, the government had to make a decision- whether right or wrong- they had to protect what little society was left. 

They built walls which kept the dead out, and the live in. Other towns quickly followed suit, forcing the dead to live in the desolation that they had created. Only the zombies aren’t alone either.
These lands are not only teeming with hungry zombies, but also with the very worst of what was once a civilised society.

Nina now lives in a world where all the rules have changed. Where those who don't cooperate are tossed over the wall and into hell, and the good are rewarded with a pitiful existence.

When Nina empathises with a young girl called Emily-Rose who’s about to be thrown over the wall, her life gets a whole lot worse. The leader of the town has rules which he will not break, even if it means blood and death for the unfortunate ones, and with this in mind Nina makes the decision to go with the Emily and protect her  at all costs. However, can a woman with no fighting abilities and a penchant for spending money on expensive clothes really keep them safe?

Nina must now fight the zombies which rule the free-lands, and find a safe zone that could be just a myth.

Scared, starved and on the run from everything, Nina has everything working against her survival... but she’s not quite ready to give up on life yet, not now she has someone to live for again. 
 
Her quick wit and snarky attitude might just keep her alive long enough to find some way to protect Emily-Rose. Maybe…

Odium is an upcoming release by Claire C Riley!

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 was once licked by a cow!

2. I collect mugs.

3. My husband and I, met, bought a house, and got married in the space of about 18 months. When you know, you know ;0)

 4. I love old 80’s movies. One of my favorites being Rocky!

5. I studied sociology, Media studies and art at college.
 
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.  Mia is a name that I originally had pegged for one of my daughters, but me and my husband could never agree. It seems I finally got to call a daughter Mia after all, even if she is just a character.

2. Limerence was originally going to be YA. It was set as the main characters being college students and not college teachers.

3. Delamere forest and The Island is a completely fictional place. The Island was an idea I came up with after watching The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and my doctors is called the Delamere medical
practice. I could never decide whether I wanted it to be based in America or England and  so I made it so that I never state where it actually is so that it fits comfortably wherever the reader wants.

4. Originally Mr. Breckt was very much like Damon for The Vampire Diaries. Cocky and cheeky, but after 20’000 words I decided his transformation to a broken man would be better if he was more calm and mysterious to start with. 

5. My favorite character is Donovan. He has a very sad background story which made me cry when I write it.
 
Five facts about your next book… Name, genre, expected date of release…

1. A lot of Nina’s humor is based on my own. Seriously, these are the kind of weird
thoughts that I think in times of crisis!

2. I came up with the idea for Odium when I was sat in church with my daughter.

3. I’ve always wanted to write a zombie book, though I actually have a very real fear of them, so the fear I used throughout the book is my own.

4. Most of the characters stories in the book are based on answers that my FB fans gave me. I asked if anyone wanted to fill in a survival questionnaire for a chance at having a character named after them and got a great response back. Of course everything and everyone is embellished upon, but a lot of the ‘plans’ are peoples very real and actual plans that they have in place.

5. My favorite character is Mikey. I think I have a very disturbing crush on him.

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. Do it! Don’t be afraid to try something new, but also, don’t be afraid to hear criticism.

2. Read, read and read. Read everything. Even if it isn’t your normal genre or your style of writing, you never know what story will sink it’s teeth into you.

3. If editing yourself, get as many people to look at it as possible. Everyone will miss something!

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.

Mary Fan, the author of the sci-fi novel Artificial
Absolutes, reviews The Beholder!

"In present day New York, Jason, an ordinary man with an
office  job at an interior design firm, learns that his nightmares are more than just  bad dreams. In them, he sees a man of great evil, Pariah, pursuing a young woman  with amber eyes. Both disturbed and intrigued, he soon finds out that the dreams  are in fact supernatural visions, a glimpse into a supernatural world of light  and dark energies.

Meanwhile, Jason hears reports of people around the world dying under mysterious circumstances. Each body is left branded with an arcane symbol. After realizing the bodies are a riddle addressed to him, Jason encounters the amber-eyed woman, Emily, who tells him that he possesses dormant abilities of great power. In addition, he may be the only person who can keep darkness from enslaving the world.

The Beholder is an imaginative urban  fantasy that takes a reader into a captivating world of magic
and mystery.  Amberlake weaves his world in vibrant images, wrapping each scene in colorful  descriptions that make the story easy to visualize. The reader follows Jason as  this world is slowly revealed to him. The supernatural elements, such as Sight  and Soulfusion, are well explained, as the reader learns what Jason  learns.

There's an ebb and flow to the pace of The Beholder, which works  well for its story line. It draws you in by setting up the mystery at the very  beginning, then slows down to let you look around. The
action scenes, each a  vividly portrayed fight between good and evil, are exciting and thrilling, and  it's easy to get lost in the language. Jason is a likable protagonist who's easy  to sympathize with, especially since Amberlake lays out his internal thoughts,  allowing the reader to see what he sees, feel what he feels. Some chapters are  written from the perspectives of other characters, giving the reader a 360  degree view of the story.

While the plot of The Beholder focuses on the  supernatural battle between good and evil,
Amberlake highlights the human  element of the struggle through his characterizations and relationships. As  Jason follows Emily into the realm of the Sighted, he also finds himself falling  for her, which adds an element of romance to the story. It also ups the personal  stakes for Jason as he heads toward the book's climatic battle. In addition,  Jason's close friends, Matt and Debbie, end up getting involved, and so by the  end, Jason is fighting not only for humanity, but for those he cares about  most.

Amberlake writes with a poetic lilt, bringing his story to life  through intricate language. For instance, here's a description from early in the  book:

"[Jason] burst through the revolving doors and into the outdoors,  and ran into a nearly solid
wall of heat. Even in the shade of the skyscrapers,  he found it difficult to breathe. He paced, restless. Needing to walk off some  of his anger, he thrust his hands in his pockets, then started roaming the  streets, weaving through the rush hour crowd."

Well written and  wonderfully inventive, The Beholder is a highly entertaining book and a  relatively fast read. The supernatural concept at the center of the story is  unique, intriguing, and leaves you
wanting more." - author Mary Fan

Follow one of these links for more and for your Kindle or Paperback copy of  The Beholder!

Amazon US

Amazon UK


Follow the link below to Mary Fan's Blog.

Mary Fan




The Beholder

Worlds of Light and Darkness are about to clash. And Jason will be in the thick  of it.  

In Asunción, Minsk and Sydney, people die under  mysterious circumstances. Each branded with an arcane sign, they are pieces of a  jigsaw  puzzle. When more people are missing, with similar signs
appearing in and   around their homes, Jason, an average New Yorker, realizes the victims are a   riddle addressed to him. He is the final piece.

Emily appears, a beauty   with startling amber eyes, and tells Jason that powers dormant within him are   about to wake. In the world of Light- and Darksighted, he is the only person  who  can prevent
Darkness from enslaving the world. 

Setting out on a  journey  with Emily, Jason discovers many improbable things like Sight (the  ability
to  see Energy Threads), Soulfusion, the Hall of Refuge, but the  greatest surprise  arrives the moment he sees Emily and finds Real Love.

As authors, the reviews of our works on Amazon.com and other sites move us. We have no control over these. They are the true feelings of our readers, good and bad, and so when we read a review we are excited to know what people who read our books experienced inwardly as they read. They carry great value to us as authors. The Beholder, Amberlake's debut Urban Fantasy novel, is no  stranger to rave reviews and is stacking them up on Amazon.com. Here is what people are saying about The Beholder! What will you say once you've experienced this gripping, well crafted Urban Fantasy?

“I was so sure that all the supernatural worlds were already exhausted. Vampires, werewolves, aliens, ghosts… Then Mr. Amberlake’s novel arrived, took me by surprise and left me totally speechless. A world that no one has ever thought existed suddenly appeared. A world so perfectly built you wonder where it has been hiding before.” ~ Becca

“Mr. Amberlake, in my opinion, has created a literary masterpiece. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels.” ~  Bethanie Armstrong

“If you are a fan of storylines similar to The Matrix,  then The Beholder could be its literary counterpart in the UF genre.” ~ Sandy,  The Reading Café

“Amberlake does an excellent job of melding plot,  fantastical concepts, darkness and light with a love story between Jason and his  very real feeling counterpart, Emily.” ~ Scott J. Toney

“The author  clearly has a deep understanding of the English language with a vast vocabulary.”
~ Lourie

The Beholder

Worlds of Light and Darkness are about to clash. And Jason will be in the thick  of it.

In Asunción, Minsk and Sydney, people die under  mysterious circumstances. Each branded with an arcane sign, they are pieces of a  jigsaw puzzle. When more people are missing, with similar signs
appearing in and  around their homes, Jason, an average New Yorker, realizes the victims are a  riddle addressed to him. He is the final piece.

Emily appears, a beauty  with startling amber eyes, and tells Jason that powers dormant within him are  about to wake. In the world of Light- and Darksighted, he is the only person who  can prevent Darkness from enslaving the world. 

Setting out on a journey  with Emily, Jason discovers many improbable things like Sight (the ability to  see Energy Threads), Soulfusion, the Hall of Refuge, but the greatest surprise  arrives the moment he sees Emily and finds Real Love.

Follow the link below for more and for your Kindle or Paperback copy of The Beholder!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

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 can play the guitar, not like something romantic, but really heavy metal that gives most people a splitting headache.

2. I know I’ll have some good luck if a black cat crosses my path. In my country they are always considered bad luck, but I see them in a different way.

 3. Even though my favorite number is 7, I cannot help admitting
13 brings me luck. I once purchased a lottery ticket that had 13 as a serial number, and the lottery took place on the 13th. To my surprise, I got back the money I spent on the ticket, and I never win anything.

4. I used to collect English dictionaries – glossaries, thesauruses, grammar reference books. That was the first thing I looked for in a book store.

5. I love sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory, Friends and some others. I can watch them over and over again, just can’t help myself.
 
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. The Beholder started as a completely different book, and I had only one character when I started writing it. It was a while later that the other characters appeared.

2. I added romance into the book though initially I wasn’t going to.

3. It often seems to me the book wrote itself—even in the first draft I found places I liked, but never remembered writing about. I don’t know if that happens to all writers or just me, but it’s a fascinating feeling.

4. I had a different ending to the book. It made my beta readers and editor so confused they kept asking to explain what was really going on in there. I eventually had to make a different ending, which most readers really like and find unexpected. 

5. It took me about 3 years to finish this book—I really hope it will take less time for me to write the next one.

Five facts about your next book… Name, genre, expected date of release…
 
1. It’s called Path of the Heretic. It’s Book 2 of The Beholder Series. 

2. It’s still Urban/Paranormal Fantasy, but with a darker tinge.

3. I hope it will be published in 2014.

4. There will be more characters, more action, and more mysteries.

5. I’m planning a huge surprise at the end of the book.
 
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. My first tip: Don’t stop writing. Once you do it’s really—nearly impossible—to get back to it. You’ll find too many reasons not to sit at your desk and go on writing a book.

2. Not to be tempted to do anything else, switch off your Internet. Just for half an hour a day—it’ll tremendously increase your chances to write something new or revise something old (at least that worked for me).

3. If you don’t have an editor, find a few friends who will care enough to read your book and offer you their sincere thoughts. I know it’s difficult, but you should try. And it would be cool if your friends were harsh in their critique, because that’s what actually helps a writer make his or her
book better. As my fellow writer said, “Wouldn’t you rather get harsh private crit than a scathing one-star review on Amazon?” I hope that’ll help.

For an Urban Fantasy Thriller you won't be able to put down until the final page follow the link below to The Beholder on Amazon.com!

Amazon  US

Amazon UK