31 May, 2017

#CharacterChat :: Chatting with 3 Bad Boys of Romance By Kelli A. Wilkins

Chatting with 3 Bad Boys of Romance 
By Kelli A. Wilkins
www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins

Hi everyone,

Today we’re chatting with three of my “bad boy” heroes and finding out what makes them tick. Say hello and give a warm welcome to: Ashton Bailey from Dangerous Indenture, Deke from Killer in Wolf’s Clothing, and Rothgar from The Viking’s Witch. 

Hi guys! It’s good to meet you all. Let’s start with a simple question: What makes you a “bad boy” hero?

Ashton: Am I bad? Well…I suppose so. Compared to other young men in Pennsylvania Colony, I am rather naughty. I do all the things “respectable” heroes of my time period shouldn’t: get drunk, gamble, fight, curse, and go to bed with loose women.

Deke: I’m right there with ya, except for that “woman” part. I’m an Alpha male, the alternate personality of Greg, who’s a lameass loser. I drink, curse like a sailor, eat whatever I want, and have one goal in life—to get laid. I don’t care where I find a guy, as long as he’s ready and willing to be dominated.

Rothgar: Like Deke and Ashton, I’m also a fighter. I have a solid reputation as a fierce Viking leader and have been in many battles. I don’t suffer fools lightly and I’m not afraid to take charge of a situation. I expect to be obeyed, not challenged.

When Kelli wrote your stories she had to make sure you weren’t “too” bad, otherwise you wouldn’t be heroes. We know how tough you are, so tell us about your weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

Ashton: I have the need to defend anyone who is having a rough time. Shauna left Ireland with nothing and came here to start over. I helped her adjust and protected her at Stewart House. I try to do the right thing where people are concerned and help out if I can. Once, I had to choose between paying a girl for her services and getting a meal. I felt sorry for her and gave her the money she deserved.

Deke: My soft spot is buried pretty deep. Years ago, I lost most of my friends in a fire. My need for revenge is fueled by the fact that they deserve justice, and I also feel responsible because I wasn’t there to help them. That makes me protective of Larry (Greg’s boyfriend), too.

Rothgar: I can relate to that. My wife and son died in a fire while I was out raiding. I never really forgave myself until I talked it through with Odaria. After the fire, I stopped raiding because I didn’t want to cause other people heartache and grief. Seeing Odaria in danger brought out my protective nature. I wouldn’t know how to go on without her, and I would fight to the death to keep her safe.

What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome? What lessons did Kelli make you learn while telling your story?

Ashton: I learned many lessons… one of which was how to grow up and be responsible, and not to stay out all night drinking and gambling. I think my biggest obstacle was my lack of self-respect. I had to prove to myself and my father that I’m not the failure he always considered me to be. With Shauna’s (and Kelli’s) help, I changed dramatically over the course of the book and I’m much happier for it.

Deke: Learn my lessons? Obstacles? Please. (Rolls his eyes.) Kelli gave me nothing but hardship and obstacles from the minute I woke up on the page. I was kept prisoner in a basement and then when I was finally freed, I had to follow Larry around like a puppy while looking for a killer. I’ve never liked restrictions or being told what to do, and I resented the fact that Kelli made life very hard for me. But when Larry went missing I realized that I cared for him and it was my fault he got captured. I learned that life isn’t just about me. I had a duty to rescue him and make things right.

Rothgar: I had to overcome many obstacles in my life—a major one was learning to carry on after my first wife died. For a few years after that terrible tragedy, I gave up raiding and traveling and was considered “soft” by many warriors. (Laughs). I’ve certainly overcome any reluctance to show them my stronger side—and many of them still have the bruises and scars to prove it! Sailing to Scotland and meeting Odaria renewed my strength and self-confidence and gave me a second chance at a happy life. Kelli taught me many lessons, but the most important one was have to love and trust again.

How does your partner handle your “bad boy” attitude? Some people might consider it a turn-off.

Ashton: Shauna understood my drinking and womanizing… but she didn’t approve. With her help and support, I turned myself around. However, I’m not entirely reformed. I’m still notoriously improper when it comes to certain activities in the bedchamber. Shauna has confessed that she likes it when I take charge and get a little forceful between the sheets.

Deke: Welcome to my world! Larry is the same way—now. At first, my gruff attitude and demands turned him off. Or maybe he was just surprised because I’m so different from Greg. After a few hours with me, he learned how much fun it was to be dominated. He doesn’t complain.

Rothgar: Odaria never tolerated my attitude for a second. When we met, we fought like cats and dogs. She was my “prisoner” for a while (I kept her with me to keep her safe) and argued with me every minute of the day. She’s a strong-willed, confounding woman who insisted I was a brute and said she hated me. But I knew from the way she kissed me, that deep down she was glad I was there.

Why do you think “bad boy” heroes are appealing to readers?

Ashton: I think readers are attracted to heroes who have faults, bad habits, and don’t always make the right choices. And despite all this, their women love them anyway. Outside of romance novels, real men aren’t perfect. Everyone has flaws or something in their past to overcome. Perhaps readers find these heroes appealing because there’s always a happy-ever-after ending, no matter what. 

Deke: People want to read about “bad boys” who do, say, and think what’s not considered “polite” or “right” and still come out of the book a hero. Readers can lose themselves in a down-and-dirty fantasy about a bad boy who just might come home horny and bend their lover over the dining room table. Think about it. On “Happy Days” who was considered cool? Drippy Richie Cunningham or the Fonz? “Bad boy” heroes have an extra sharp edge to them, and they don’t care what other people think. They stand outside what’s considered “acceptable”—maybe that’s why they’re appealing.

Rothgar: A “bad boy” or not, who wouldn’t like to read about a hero who is brave, loyal, and can take charge of any situation? When readers lose themselves in a book, all their real life problems fade away. They become involved in the story, and even though things might seem bleak for the characters, they know that by the end of the book, the hero will rise to the occasion and everything will be fine. Heroes have to jump off the page, carry the book, and face down their nemesis; otherwise they’re not doing their jobs.

If your mate could describe you in one word what would it be?

Ashton: Sensitive. Caring. And sometimes a bit naughty!

Deke: Strong. No doubt. And intense, very intense.

Rothgar: Sexy? Strong? Virile? Brave? Bold? (Laughs.) Although all of those are true, knowing 
Odaria the way I do, if you asked her the question, she’d tell you: “Mine.”

Thanks for sharing your insights. We appreciate first-hand opinions and insights from our heroes!

Readers, what are your thoughts on the subject? Do “bad boys” appeal to you more than other types of heroes? Or can they be a turnoff? Does it matter if they’re staring in historical romances or contemporaries? Please share your thoughts with Kelli.
Happy Reading!

About the Author:
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.
Her trilogy of erotic romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was released in spring 2017.
Loving a Wild Stranger was published in January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.
Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption was released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the Nebraska prairie in 1877.


Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative guide filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.

Kelli posts on her Facebook Author Page and Twitter. She also writes a weekly Blog
Visit her Website to learn more about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can sign up for her newsletter HERE.

Catch Up with Kelli:

30 May, 2017

#BookReview :: The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond

Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice's prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact.

The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter. . . . Never mention The Pact to anyone.

Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples. And then one of them breaks the rules. The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule. For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare. 


Alice and Jake are newlyweds. Alice used to be a musician and is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in a psychology practice. They come across as the perfect couple despite their different backgrounds.  Just as they return from their honeymoon, the receive a call from one of Alice’s prominent clients about a unique wedding present; Membership to a mysterious and very exclusive group known only as The Pact. At the face value, it seems like an interesting concept. The members must follow certain rules that are meant to help keep the couples happy in their relationship. So, Alice and Jake decide to join the club. But soon they discover that following the rules may not be as easy as it seems and there are serious repercussions in case they fail to follow them.

The book has a slow start in order able us to acclimatize ourselves to the various characters and the concept of the club. But once it settles in, the book maintains a steady pace and pages fly by. I was a bit disconcerted with the punishments for the infractions and must admit that they weren’t easy to read. Then there are the characters of Alice and Jake… I didn’t quite like Jake as one of the protagonist. If his insecurities were meant to help us like him, it did not work. And their personal relationship lacked proper chemistry that is expected from the lead couple. The other thing that bugged me is the fact that not all loops were tied up in the end. There were certain aspects of the club and its members that were not explained, like how did they know things that they clearly weren’t supposed to know.

The winner for the book is the narrative style adopted by the author. It is interesting and engaging. As a result, even with my misgivings with the book I ended up reading it really fast.


29 May, 2017

#SpecialFeature :: #Interview with Kurt Kamm, #Author of Code Blood



*** Special Feature - May 2017 ***


Quick Recap

About the Author:
Kurt KammMalibu, California resident Kurt Kamm has written a series of firefighter mystery novels which have won several literary awards. He is also the author of The Lizard’s Tale, which provides a unique look inside the activities of the Mexican drug cartels and the men dedicated to stopping them. Kurt has used his contacts with several California fire departments, as well as with the ATF and DEA to write fact-based (“faction”) novels. In his chilling and suspenseful multi-award winning novel, Code Blood, Kurt takes the reader into the connected lives of a fire paramedic, a Chinese research student with the rarest blood type in the world, and the blood-obsessed killer who stalks her. Colt Lewis, a young Los Angeles County fire paramedic responds to a fatal accident. The victim dies in his arms. Her foot has been severed but is nowhere to be found. Who is the woman, and what happened to her foot? During a weeklong search, Colt risks his career to find the victim’s identity and her missing foot. His search leads him to a dark and disturbing side of Los Angeles…an underworld of body part dealers and underground Goth clubs. He uncovers a tangled maze of drugs, needles, and rituals. Emergency medicine, high-tech medical research, and the unsettling world of blood fetishism and body parts make for an edgy L.A. Noir thriller. Kurt has built an avid fan base among first responders and other readers. A graduate of Brown University and Columbia Law School, Kurt was previously a financial executive and semi-professional bicycle racer. He was also Chairman of the UCLA/Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Foundation for several years.

Visit his author Website & on Facebook!


Interview with the Author:

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
I was a voracious reader as a child, and always had a vivid imagination. After my junior year at college, I went to a career counselor who gave me an aptitude test. He told me I should be an author. I thought about that, and realized I would never make any money. I went to law school and then worked on Wall Street. After I retired, I decided to start writing, and it has been very, very fulfilling.

After a wildfire almost destroyed my home in Malibu, I decided my first novel would be about firefighters. That morphed into an eight year effort which produced five mystery novels, each dealing with a specific firefighting skill: wildland; arson investigation, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and paramedics.

What kind of research goes into your book?
I like to see things.  When I began work on Code Blood, I rode with the Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics for several months, saw some horrific traffic accidents, and spent a lot of time at hospital ER’s. I also attended some classes at the UCLA’s paramedic school, which included a 3 hour dissection of a real corpse. All of my fire novel narrative is a result of actual experience with firefighters. I’m not sure one could get a sense of the urgency, danger, and camaraderie of these events by simply reading about them.

I do want to add some other research comments relating specifically to Code Blood. Because I was the Chairman of the UCLA Cancer Center Foundation for many years, I had an inside view of high-tech medical research. The scenes in Code Blood involving the medical research laboratories, the state of the art NanoScience Center, and the interactions in the classrooms are all real. The underground scenes in the blinding-white tile vivarium, where thousands of genetically modified rats are bred for medical research, are also real.

The details of the Los Angeles County morgue are the result of an actual visit. I called one day to ask if I could have a look, and incredibly, the Coroner himself answered the phone and invited me for a tour. I spent the morning there, and saw some things I could not have imagined. When we went to the basement where they do the dissections, I saw several naked corpses in the hallway on gurneys. There is a line in Code Blood where the Coroner says, “There’s no modesty here, these bodies are about to be cut up.” That’s an actual quote.

Finally, the scene in the S&M sex club in Los Angeles is genuine. I managed to get an introduction to an “underground” club in Hollywood. Of all the places I have been to do research, that was the spot where I felt most out of place!

How did you come up with the idea for your current story? 
When I first spoke to some paramedics, one of them told me the story of his first day on active duty. He responded to an accident at which a pedestrian’s foot had been severed. It took several minutes to find it, because it was lodged under a pickup which had been involved in the accident. I knew I had a story, and immediately wondered what would have happened if the foot had disappeared!

Please share three interesting facts about the characters in your book.
-> Audra’s father “touched” her body when she was a young girl. She spent $20,000 and three years to get a full body tattoo because she thought it would covers her skin where he put his hands on her.
-> Markus’ fascination with blood comes from his childhood. As an albino, he suffered through numerous blood draws by his doctors.
-> Colt, the paramedic, never understood why his mother deserted him when he was a child. This drives all of his actions in Code Blood.

Name three things that you believe are important to character development?
-> Know the character’s childhood.  A person’s motivations and personalities are formed at a young age, and the author must think through what has happened to a character even before the story begins.
-> Know the character’s physical traits. Physical characteristics play an important role in what a person does and how he/she acts.
-> Know the character’s thought process. To make a character’s actions and conversations realistic, you must know how that person thinks.

Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so what helps you to get over it?
Since I do not outline my novels in great detail, I often get into plot problems. Sometimes I am stuck for several days. I was a competitive bicycle racer and still ride 2-3 hours every day. On my rides, I find that my mind can divorce itself from daily details and “float.” I can usually come back from a strenuous ride with some new ideas and insights into my stories. Eventually I reach a breakthrough. 

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy imagining stories and creating unusual characters. Once I start to develop my characters, they write their own story and I am just the scribe. The problem is that they often get themselves into trouble, and then I have to rescue them.

Eventually, I get to know my characters so well that I can have short conversations with them during the day. When I finished Code Blood, I couldn’t believe some of the people who inhabit the story. 

Do you know the ending of your books before you finish writing them?
No, I don’t know my ending until about halfway through the novel. Some writers outline their entire story in advance, with detailed notes about every chapter. I have written six books and have never been able to do that. I just go where the story takes me. Eventually, the ending becomes clear.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer?
Have a regular schedule and stick to it. Have a specific place to work, allocate a set amount of time, and do it every day. Some days you may write only a paragraph, some days you will produce several pages, but don’t give up. A regular writing schedule develops good and productive habits. Avoid interruptions and distractions while you are working.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
You had better enjoy the process of writing, because that may be your biggest reward. You may never be famous, have a multitude of fans, or make a lot of money, but if you enjoy the creative process and are proud of what you have accomplished, that in itself is a success.

Anything else that you would like to share with your readers?
Edit, reread, rewrite, edit, edit, edit. Then spend the money (it’s not expensive) to have a professional proofreader look over your manuscript.  You can’t find all the typos, etc., and your best friend Sally or your cousin Tom can’t do it either. No one will take you seriously if you have misspellings and punctuation errors in your text.

Then, consider a professional editor. A skilled editor with a detached point of view will point out things you never knew or thought of. It will improve your work enormously. An editor is not a proofreader.


About the Book:
Colt Lewis, a rookie fire paramedic, is obsessed with finding the severed foot of his first victim after she dies in his arms. His search takes him into the connected lives of a graduate research student, with the rarest blood in the world and the vampire fetishist who is stalking her. Within the corridors of high-stakes medical research laboratories, the shadow world of body parts dealers, and the underground Goth clubs of Los Angeles, Lewis uncovers a tangled maze of needles, drugs and maniacal ritual, all of which lead to death. But whose death? An unusual and fast-paced LA Noir thriller.

Book Details:
Genre: Suspense, Vampire
Published by: MCM Publishing
Publication Date: October 2012
Number of Pages: 233
ISBN: 0979855136 (ISBN13: 9780979855139)
Series: Code Blood is a Stand Alone Novel

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Code Blood Literary Awards:
* Writer’s Type - First Chapter Competition. January 2011- First Place
* 2012 International Book Awards - Fiction: Cross Genre Category – First Place
* National Indie Excellence Book Awards – Faction (fiction based on fact) - Winner of the 2012 Award
* The 2012 USA Best Book Awards - Fiction: Horror - Winner
* LuckyCinda Publishing Contest 2013 First Place – Thriller
* Reader's Favorite 2013– Finalist – Horror Fiction
* Knoxville Writer’s Guild - 2011 Novella or Novel Excerpt – 2nd Place

Giveaway
6 Winners can get their choice of Kurt Kamm's books in Digital format.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

27 May, 2017

#BookReview :: The Golem's Eye (Bartimaeus Sequence #2) by Jonathan Stroud



The young magician Nathaniel is fast rising through the government ranks. His most urgent task is to put an end to the mysterious Resistance, but Kitty and her friends continue to elude him. As the pressure mounts, London is suddenly threatened by a new series of terrifying attacks. Is it the Resistance - or something even more dangerous? Nathaniel is forced to embark on a perilous mission to the enemy city of Prague; and to summon once again the troublesome, enigmatic and quick-witted djinni, Bartimaeus.

The thrilling sequel to The Amulet of Samarkand is a roller-coaster ride of magic, adventure and political skulduggery as the fates of Nathaniel, Bartimaeus and Kitty explosively collide.


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In the second instalment of Bartimaeus Sequence, Nathaniel finds himself in a position where he requires the services of the djinni, Bartimaeus. As a young magician trying to climb the ladders of the ministry, Nathaniel has been tasked to deal with a revolutionary group that is growing by the minute in London.  Along with the reluctant Bartimaeus, Nathaniel takes on to solve the crimes rocking the city and take care of the revolutionary group at the same time. This time his life and his career is on the line!

The Golem’s Eye is an excellent sequel to The Amulet of Samarkhand. It meets every set of expectations set up by the first book in the series. We see Nathaniel grow into his destiny of becoming one of the strongest Magicians. Though at times he comes across this self-centered magician, he does redeem himself in the end with his other admirable qualities like courage and determination. Kitty is an important part of the resistance that Nathaniel is trying to dismantle. She has certain qualities that makes you like her from the very beginning. She is strong, persistent with a high sense of honour and code. She makes for an amazing character that adds more to the story than anyone else.

Bartimaeus and his clever quips keep you entertained through the book. But there are moments when his jibes make you think twice as he often raises important issues. That is one of the reasons why I am liking this series so much. Even in the guise of fantasy fiction, the book often makes you stop and take notice of things in real life.

I will stand by what I said at the end of my review for The Amulet of Samarkhand… This series is a must read for all fantasy lovers.




26 May, 2017

#BookReview :: The Battlemage (Summoner #3) by Taran Matharu


After the thrilling cliffhanger at the end of book two, we rejoin Fletcher and his friends in the ether, where they must undertake a mortally dangerous quest, all the while avoiding capture by enemies and facing foes more terrifying than anything they have yet encountered.


But this is nothing compared to what truly lies ahead for Fletcher, as his nemesis, albino orc Khan, is on a mission to destroy Hominum and everything and everyone that Fletcher loves.

Epic battles, dramatic revelations and breathtaking drama await in the third and final book in the New York Times bestselling Summoner series.


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The finale of the Summoner series is here…! Finally!!

The first two books have been both entertaining and enjoyable an I have been waiting to get my hands on this one. The growth of Fletcher has been phenomenal over the last two books and so it is only natural (don’t forget the awful cliffhanger the second book ended with) that I would be curious to know what happens next.

The Inquisition had left off with Fletcher discovering his mother and he and his friends landing in the ether. The ether is supposed to be poisonous to humans and so the question remained how they would survive. In this book, we finally get to see (and understand) a lot more about the ether. Fletcher and his friends now not only have to a find a safe passage home but also deal with their enemies for once and all to keep Hominum safe.

I loved the character of Fletcher even more in this book. His underlying characteristic of being this flawed but real character who can be relied on even at the most crucial times is really endearing. Seeing him lead his friends while staving of rough times is something that keeps the series ticking. I also enjoyed this journey with Ignatius, Athena, Othello, Arcturus and Sylva.

This is one of the best series conclusion that I have read in quite some time. It has everything that one would expect and more. An absolute delight for fantasy lovers.




25 May, 2017

HIV Cannot Kill Love ~ In Conversation with #Author Ajay K. Pandey

About the Author:

Ajay K Pandey is a popular author of two books You Are The Best Wife and Her Last Wish. He is currently working with Cognizant, Pune. Although he grew up with a dream of becoming a teacher, destiny landed him in the IT field. Travelling, trekking and reading novels are his hobbies. Travelling to different places has taught him about different cultures and people and makes him wonder how despite all the differences, there is a bond that unites them. Trekking always inspires him to deal with challenges like a sport. Reading is perhaps what makes him feel alive. Apart from writing, he wants to follow his role model Mother Teresa and make some contribution to the society. His debut novel You Are The Best Wife was based on his life events and went on to become a bestseller soon after its release. It charmed many hearts and inspired several others to live every moment with love, peace and happiness.

Website I Twitter


In Conversation with Ajay Pandey


In a battle between true love and HIV, love always wins.

In a world that moves at a pace faster than we can catch up, there are many subjects of conversation that remain hidden, or taboo in the society. Bestselling author Ajay K Pandey describes what it is like to come face to face with one such essential subject of discussion and how, despite various efforts at creating awareness around it, it is still hidden beneath layers of doubt and uncertainty. His latest novel Her Last Wish is a story of an HIV patient, and how she and her husband fight all odds, including the home and the world, to stand tall in its wake.

Q: Why take up a subject like HIV/ AIDS?
A: I had met an enigmatic lady once, who was an HIV patient. And let’s be honest! What comes to our mind when we hear about an HIV/ AIDS patient? Not generalizing, but a majority of us would judge them to have indulged in unsafe sex with multiple partners, or just consider them to be immoral. I mean, I am sure not many even know that that HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, and without treatment, it can become AIDS which leaves people vulnerable to dire infections. It’s not the disease that kills; it’s these infections which can be as common as a cold too.
I changed as a person after talking to her. I felt I should wash off these presumptions that have come into existence owing to lack of knowledge, and I have tried to make my book a source of information, using the medium of storytelling, to make people more aware.
Q: In your research, did you feel that we as people underestimate the potential of people suffering from HIV or AIDS?
A: Absolutely. And the problem is, AIDS is often seen as ‘someone else’s problem’. In our country too, people living with HIV have faced violent attacks, been rejected by families, spouses and communities, been refused medical treatment, and even in some reported cases, denied the last rites after death. No wonder an HIV/ AIDS patient refrains from divulging their problem openly.
As per reports by WHO, an estimated 36.7 million people worldwide were living with HIV till the end of 2015, out of which approximately 1.8 million were children under fifteen years of age.[i]
That is a huge number, and this one epidemic, as WHO calls it, cannot be the end of someone’s life.
Q: Is your book a true account and what was your most prominent find?
A: The story is based upon the experiences of quite a few I met and spoke to, though has been rendered in a story format for making it reach more people. In course of writing, I realized that HIV is not the end of happiness. With the right treatment and support, it is possible to live a long and happy life. So much so, that doctors have confirmed that life expectancy on early detection and proper medication has increased to almost 25 years after detection.[ii]
The second realization was more of a confirmation of what veteran actress Shabana Azmi said in the advertisement for awareness on AIDS: Aids chhoone se nahi failta, isse sirf pyar failta hai. Half the discrimination exists because people have misconceptions. For instance, here are some lesser known causes for HIV:
         Can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. Upon taking the right precautions, this can be avoided.
         Receiving blood transfusions, blood products, or organ/tissue transplants that are contaminated with HIV.
         Eating food that has been pre-chewed by an HIV infected person. The contamination occurs when infected blood from a patient’s mouth mixes with food while chewing.
         Being bitten by a person with HIV. There is no risk of transmission if the skin is not broken.
         Contact between broken skin, wounds, or mucous membranes and HIV-infected blood or blood contaminated body fluids.
         Deep, open-mouth kissing if the person with HIV has sores or bleeding gums and blood is exchanged.
HIV is not spread by:
         Air or water
         Insects, including mosquitoes or ticks
         Saliva, tears, or sweat
         Casual contact, like shaking hands, hugging or sharing dishes/drinking glasses

Q: Are your characters extraordinary people in a special love story?
A: On the contrary, they are ordinary people who become extraordinary with their acts. They emphasize on how love can win over all odds. And since an AIDS patient goes through double the trauma – of having to prove themselves innocent, which is something they are unable to do in their lifetime; second, fighting the disease – love becomes all the more essential. The characters, the story, the experiences one lives while reading it – all go on to prove that HIV cannot overpower true love.

Q: What message have you tried to put together in the book?
A: We are living in a progressive world. We are nobody to give moral certificates to someone. It doesn’t matter how deadly the disease is if you have people who love you, believe in you – it changes the battle completely. Imagine a society where AIDS patients are not sacked from offices, are not thrown out of a rented home, they are not thrown out of any social community, where people have no problem in hugging them or shaking hands with them. Don’t you think their life will become much better and qualitative!
They deserve your love. This is no sin, and HIV/ AIDS patients are not sinners.

To read more on what it feels like to be discriminated against, how a disease can turn someone’s life completely upside down, and how true love and resolve to stand by each other can defeat all problems, read the inspiring story of an AIDS patient, where a husband chooses to fight with her, for her – Her Last Wish.



[i] WHO: http://www.who.int/gho/hiv/en/
[ii] http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/it-s-a-better-life-for-hiv-patients/story-8Di1bkgwFnTWoivPXNoG2N.html


About the Book:

His father's over expectations only ruined his self-confidence further with each failure. A ray of hope walked into his life as his wife, a charismatic personality spreading joy wherever she went. Everything is going per plan, but darkness comes knocking soon. He finds out that she does not have much time to live and takes it upon himself to fight all odds – even his family, if need be – to help her fight her medical condition. His father sees his own redemption in helping them, he knows his son will be a winner only if he will fight for her, with her. Will a defeated son prove himself to be a good husband? Will the father-son duo together be able to change the course of fate? Her Last Wish is an inspiring story of love, relationships and sacrifice, which proves once again how a good wife makes the best husband.

23 May, 2017

#BookReview :: The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus Sequence #1) by Jonathan Stroud

Nathaniel is a boy magician-in-training, sold to the government by his birth parents at the age of five and sent to live as an apprentice to a master. Powerful magicians rule Britain, and its empire, and Nathaniel is told his is the "ultimate sacrifice" for a "noble destiny." 

If leaving his parents and erasing his past life isn't tough enough, Nathaniel's master, Arthur Underwood, is a cold, condescending, and cruel middle-ranking magician in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The boy's only saving grace is the master's wife, Martha Underwood, who shows him genuine affection that he rewards with fierce devotion. Nathaniel gets along tolerably well over the years in the Underwood household until the summer before his eleventh birthday. Everything changes when he is publicly humiliated by the ruthless magician Simon Lovelace and betrayed by his cowardly master who does not defend him.

Nathaniel vows revenge. In a Faustian fever, he devours magical texts and hones his magic skills, all the while trying to appear subservient to his master. When he musters the strength to summon the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus to avenge Lovelace by stealing the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, the boy magician plunges into a situation more dangerous and deadly than anything he could ever imagine.


This is an amazing book! Absolutely and really…

The Amulet of Samarkhand deals with a young magician named Nathaniel, who summons Bartimaeus, a 5000-year-old Djinn, to do his bidding. What Nathaniel wants is for Bartimaeus to steal an amulet from Simon Lovelace, a powerful magician as a revenge for the humiliation that Simon had put Nathaniel through. But what follows is a little more than what Nathaniel and Bartimaeus had bargained for.

Frankly speaking, it took me a few chapters to get into the book. Bartimaeus’s voice is unique and as such it takes some time to get used to. But he is the one with a sense of humour and his wisecracks never failed to put a smile on my face. I suppose when one has lived for 5000 years, taking things with a pinch of salt comes easily. The adventures and life of Nathaniel and Bartimaeus are equally interesting and engaging and I liked the fact that the author gave us alternate POVs of Bartimaeus and Nathaniel which in turn gave us a closer look into both the characters. Nathaniel is really young and so there are times when his age and inexperience shows. But his determination really pulls him through. That is maybe why Nathaniel and Bartimaeus makes such a good duo – one so young and inexperienced coupled with an old soul with thousands of years of experience in the magical world. Secondary characters are given equally important treatment with their development and as such the book becomes even more engaging. Though there are times when the pace seemed to lag a bit, the book never bores you for a second.

I usually do not like to compare books or series and will not start doing so. But if you are a Harry Potter fan looking for something in fantasy genre, do give this series a try. They are, of course very different in many way, but they are both engaging with a fantastic story to tell. And this is a must read for anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre in general.




22 May, 2017

#SpecialFeature :: #Excerpts from Code Blood by Kurt Kamm



*** Special Feature - May 2017 ***


About the Author:
Kurt KammMalibu, California resident Kurt Kamm has written a series of firefighter mystery novels which have won several literary awards. He is also the author of The Lizard’s Tale, which provides a unique look inside the activities of the Mexican drug cartels and the men dedicated to stopping them. Kurt has used his contacts with several California fire departments, as well as with the ATF and DEA to write fact-based (“faction”) novels. In his chilling and suspenseful multi-award winning novel, Code Blood, Kurt takes the reader into the connected lives of a fire paramedic, a Chinese research student with the rarest blood type in the world, and the blood-obsessed killer who stalks her. Colt Lewis, a young Los Angeles County fire paramedic responds to a fatal accident. The victim dies in his arms. Her foot has been severed but is nowhere to be found. Who is the woman, and what happened to her foot? During a weeklong search, Colt risks his career to find the victim’s identity and her missing foot. His search leads him to a dark and disturbing side of Los Angeles…an underworld of body part dealers and underground Goth clubs. He uncovers a tangled maze of drugs, needles, and rituals. Emergency medicine, high-tech medical research, and the unsettling world of blood fetishism and body parts make for an edgy L.A. Noir thriller. Kurt has built an avid fan base among first responders and other readers. A graduate of Brown University and Columbia Law School, Kurt was previously a financial executive and semi-professional bicycle racer. He was also Chairman of the UCLA/Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Foundation for several years.

Visit his author Website & on Facebook!


Excerpts from Code Blood: 

Station 88, squad and engine respond to vehicle accident on Pacific Coast Highway at the Surfrider Restaurant.
When the tone sounded, Colt Lewis was replacing the IV bags in the drug box. A surge of adrenaline pulsed through him. He ran to the engine bay, stowed the box in the side-panel of the squad—the paramedic truck—and pulled on his gear. Brian, his partner and preceptor during his eight-week internship in the field, slid behind the wheel and grabbed his headset. Colt punched the red button on the wall and jumped into the passenger seat as the heavy metal garage door rumbled up.
“You good?” Brian asked. He hit the lights and siren.
Colt nodded and heard the deafening wail before he put his headset on. They rolled down the driveway onto Pacific Coast Highway and turned right. It was an early Sunday afternoon in mid-September and PCH was crowded with people coming to the beaches. Colt was living his dream. He had just become a Los Angeles County Fire paramedic stationed in Malibu. He was part of the firefighter brotherhood. The men on his shift replaced the family he no longer had. 
Vehicles moved aside to let the squad pass. Brian wove through the sea of traffic to the center divider lane and picked up speed. “Squad 88 respond¬ing,” he called in. “What have we got?”
“Single vehicle accident,” dispatch radioed back.
Colt’s adrenaline spike subsided. He shook his head. You never knew what you might find when you were toned out. People drove at high speeds on PCH and collisions were common. The worst were the devastating MVA’s—multiple vehicle accidents. During his two years as a firefighter before becoming a paramedic, Colt saw several MVA’s with torn flesh and metal spread across the pavement. A one-car accident at the Surf rider sounded harmless. An old woman with blue hair probably bumped her head when her husband touched the brakes in the parking lot.
In his side view mirror, Colt watched the LifeLine ambulance fall in behind them. Farther back, he glimpsed the red lights on top of 88’s engine, caught in the traffic. The squad screamed past Ferraris and Porsches, SUV’s, motor homes with satellite dishes, Jeeps with surfboards, Harleys and sport bikes—all trying to squeeze over into the right hand lane. A black and white from the Sheriff’s Department made a sudden U-turn and preceded them for the short trip down the coast. After five years in California, Colt was still amazed at the congestion. In Wyoming, where he grew up, the land was empty. The entire population could be on the highway and no one would notice. 
A mile from the Surfrider, traffic was backed up to a standstill. Sheriff’s deputies had placed their cars diagonally across the highway in front of the restaurant, stopping traffic in both directions. Brian swung out into the center lane again. As the squad approached the Surf rider, Colt saw a metal light pole lying on the ground, one jagged end in the parking lot and the other, with a smashed streetlight still attached, sticking out into the right hand lane of PCH. A silver pickup rested on the cement pad where the pole had been anchored. The impact had driven the front bumper, grill and hood halfway to the wind-shield. Colt looked for the telltale circle of smashed glass and blood and hair on the inside of the windshield, but saw nothing.
Brian pulled into the parking lot and stopped. Several feet away, a crowd from the beach wearing bathing suits, restaurant customers wearing shorts and tank tops, and the Surf rider staff dressed in black pants, white shirts, red sus-penders and bow ties, had collected. A surge of excitement pulsed through the throng. People shaded their eyes to get a better look, pointed and spoke to their companions. Several took photos with their cell phones. 
Brian was out of the squad before Colt had his hand on the door handle. “Let’s go,” Brian said. “Glove up.” 
Colt grabbed the orange drug box and followed Brian. 
The ambulance arrived seconds later and the LifeLine EMT’s trailed after them across the parking lot. The crowd parted as they approached. Colt saw a deputy kneeling next to a girl wearing a blue T-shirt, lying on her back. The next thing he saw was what remained of her right leg—a stump with shreds of muscle and tendons in place of her foot and ankle. Blood from a severed artery formed a puddle on the ground next to the deputy. Colt felt a new rush of adrenaline. 
The deputy turned toward them. “Glad you guys are here,” he said. He had pulled everything off his belt and was using it as a tourniquet.  His flashlight, radio, mace, gun and holster, two sets of cuffs and bullet clips lay in a pile at his side. He held the thick brown belt tight around the girl’s right calf, but blood continued to leak from her severed limb. Nervous sweat ran off his face, dripped onto the blacktop and mixed with the blood. His tan shirt had dark rings of perspiration under the arms. 
Colt couldn’t take his eyes off the stump of the girl’s leg. His job was to help those who needed it. Although he would never admit it, sometimes when he knew the victim had done something stupid, Colt was a little less concerned. The person lying in front of him wasn’t one of those reckless jerks injured in a motorcycle crash, or some lunatic who raced down Pacific Coast Highway weaving through traffic. This victim was a girl, badly injured and bleeding out from a severed foot. Although surrounded by Sheriff’s deputies and curious strangers, she seemed alone. Colt didn’t see anyone trying to comfort her.
Brian pulled a tourniquet from the drug box and tightened it around the girl’s leg above the deputy’s belt. “How long have you been here?” he asked the deputy.
The deputy loosened his belt and slipped it off the girl’s leg. He wiped his face on the shoulder of his shirt and looked at his watch. “It happened about fifteen minutes ago, say around 1420. The dispatch was a Code 3. They should’ve said it was a Code Blood.” 

****
Colt knelt down. “Miss, can you give me your name?”
Her eyes were open and she turned her head slightly toward him. Her lips barely moved. Her voice was inaudible. Colt had seen the glazed look of shock before. It was not a good sign. 
“Do you know your name?” he repeated, and leaned toward her. He thought he smelled scented soap on her skin.
“Bibi,” she whispered. 
“Bibi,” Colt said to Brian. “She says her name’s Bibi.” He turned back to the girl. “Do you know where you are?” She looked at Colt but said nothing. He read the response in her eyes: help me.

****

Colt heard a small chopper. It sounded like a lawnmower. He knew it couldn’t be the AirSquad and looked up. A news helicopter circled overhead. He saw another coming up the coast from Los Angeles. In minutes, news crews in vans would arrive, extend their satellite transmission poles, broadcast pictures of the accident and fan out to find people to interview. In the process, several spectators would have a moment of fame on Los Angeles network television. The accident would be a good lead-in on the 11:00 p.m. Sunday night news, but the anchors would be disappointed that a Malibu celebrity wasn’t involved. 

****
“Cold,” she whispered. “Cold.” 
For a split second, he thought she had uttered his name, Colt, and that she knew him. He took her hand again and held it in his own for a few seconds, trying to give her a sense of reassurance. “We’ll take care of you, Bibi.” He looked at her. “Don’t worry. It’ll be OK, I promise.” He wasn’t so sure it would be OK, but that’s what he was trained to say. “Get us some blankets,” he called to one of the LifeLine EMT’s. “She needs blankets.”
As he bent over the girl, Colt’s peripheral vision registered the bare feet, sandals, tennis and running shoes and the shined Sheriff’s boots surrounding the girl. Where was her foot?



About the Book:
Colt Lewis, a rookie fire paramedic, is obsessed with finding the severed foot of his first victim after she dies in his arms. His search takes him into the connected lives of a graduate research student, with the rarest blood in the world and the vampire fetishist who is stalking her. Within the corridors of high-stakes medical research laboratories, the shadow world of body parts dealers, and the underground Goth clubs of Los Angeles, Lewis uncovers a tangled maze of needles, drugs and maniacal ritual, all of which lead to death. But whose death? An unusual and fast-paced LA Noir thriller.

Book Details:
Genre: Suspense, Vampire
Published by: MCM Publishing
Publication Date: October 2012
Number of Pages: 233
ISBN: 0979855136 (ISBN13: 9780979855139)
Series: Code Blood is a Stand Alone Novel

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Code Blood Literary Awards:
* Writer’s Type - First Chapter Competition. January 2011- First Place
* 2012 International Book Awards - Fiction: Cross Genre Category – First Place
* National Indie Excellence Book Awards – Faction (fiction based on fact) - Winner of the 2012 Award
* The 2012 USA Best Book Awards - Fiction: Horror - Winner
* LuckyCinda Publishing Contest 2013 First Place – Thriller
* Reader's Favorite 2013– Finalist – Horror Fiction
* Knoxville Writer’s Guild - 2011 Novella or Novel Excerpt – 2nd Place

Giveaway
6 Winners can get their choice of Kurt Kamm's books in Digital format.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

15 May, 2017

#SpecialFeature :: #GuestPost - What to Expect when People Read Your Novel



*** Special Feature - May 2017 ***


About the Author:
Kurt KammMalibu, California resident Kurt Kamm has written a series of firefighter mystery novels which have won several literary awards. He is also the author of The Lizard’s Tale, which provides a unique look inside the activities of the Mexican drug cartels and the men dedicated to stopping them. Kurt has used his contacts with several California fire departments, as well as with the ATF and DEA to write fact-based (“faction”) novels. In his chilling and suspenseful multi-award winning novel, Code Blood, Kurt takes the reader into the connected lives of a fire paramedic, a Chinese research student with the rarest blood type in the world, and the blood-obsessed killer who stalks her. Colt Lewis, a young Los Angeles County fire paramedic responds to a fatal accident. The victim dies in his arms. Her foot has been severed but is nowhere to be found. Who is the woman, and what happened to her foot? During a weeklong search, Colt risks his career to find the victim’s identity and her missing foot. His search leads him to a dark and disturbing side of Los Angeles…an underworld of body part dealers and underground Goth clubs. He uncovers a tangled maze of drugs, needles, and rituals. Emergency medicine, high-tech medical research, and the unsettling world of blood fetishism and body parts make for an edgy L.A. Noir thriller. Kurt has built an avid fan base among first responders and other readers. A graduate of Brown University and Columbia Law School, Kurt was previously a financial executive and semi-professional bicycle racer. He was also Chairman of the UCLA/Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Foundation for several years.

Visit his author Website & on Facebook!

What to Expect when People Read Your Novel

For most writers, the real reward for writing a novel is self-satisfaction. Unless you become one of the few truly successful writers, great fame and fortune will probably not be on your rewards list. The real payback from writing a novel is writing a novel. I'm talking about the pleasure you get from the considerable effort it takes to conceive a story with a good plot and then the hard work necessary to get it on paper. 

Hopefully, you will get feedback from readers who enjoyed and were entertained by your creation, and if you do, savor those comments. Deposit them in your memory bank for future withdrawal. Just be aware that most people, including some of your best friends, won't give a damn if you've written a novel. They will have other priorities and reading your book will be way down on their list. Don't expect them to run right to their computer and order your masterpiece. I can't tell you the number of times I have been disappointed when I tell a friend or a particular group that I have written something that should be of great interest to them, only to get blank stares. Well, get used to it, it happens.
Now, what about the readers who read your work but were not entertained or enlightened? I know, you spent hours thinking through plot details and adding things which you thought were colorful touches, perfect descriptions, or humorous twists, only to discover that your readers missed or ignored them. Remember, by the time you finish a novel, you have read and reread each line so many times that you can recite everything by heart. Your reader, however, may read just a few paragraphs a day, may be distracted, or may be skimming, and much of your beautiful detail is lost. Others may misinterpret some of your characters and their motives. Never be surprised at the different—and seemingly illogical—ways readers can interpret parts of your story. Again, it's going to happen and you're going to be disappointed. Just get used to it, move on, and if necessary, make a memory bank withdrawal and savor one of the favorable comments you received.

One other thing—it is an absolute crime to allow your novel to be published without professional proofreading and editing. Your cousin Sally can't do it for you, and your best friend Paul can't do it. Please, please pay for professional proofreading and editing. (Note that these are two separate functions, usually performed by two separate people.) It's hard enough to please an audience without subjecting them to misspellings, awkward dialog, and plot inconsistencies. Many readers will not take you seriously and simply stop after the second or third misspelled word.

So, with that said, I hope you enjoy reading Code Blood and I'm waiting for comments—the good, the bad, and the ugly.




About the Book:
Colt Lewis, a rookie fire paramedic, is obsessed with finding the severed foot of his first victim after she dies in his arms. His search takes him into the connected lives of a graduate research student, with the rarest blood in the world and the vampire fetishist who is stalking her. Within the corridors of high-stakes medical research laboratories, the shadow world of body parts dealers, and the underground Goth clubs of Los Angeles, Lewis uncovers a tangled maze of needles, drugs and maniacal ritual, all of which lead to death. But whose death? An unusual and fast-paced LA Noir thriller.

Book Details:
Genre: Suspense, Vampire
Published by: MCM Publishing
Publication Date: October 2012
Number of Pages: 233
ISBN: 0979855136 (ISBN13: 9780979855139)
Series: Code Blood is a Stand Alone Novel

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Code Blood Literary Awards:
* Writer’s Type - First Chapter Competition. January 2011- First Place
* 2012 International Book Awards - Fiction: Cross Genre Category – First Place
* National Indie Excellence Book Awards – Faction (fiction based on fact) - Winner of the 2012 Award
* The 2012 USA Best Book Awards - Fiction: Horror - Winner
* LuckyCinda Publishing Contest 2013 First Place – Thriller
* Reader's Favorite 2013– Finalist – Horror Fiction
* Knoxville Writer’s Guild - 2011 Novella or Novel Excerpt – 2nd Place

Giveaway
6 Winners can get their choice of Kurt Kamm's books in Digital format.


a Rafflecopter giveaway