Welcome to Issue 2, September 2016 Issue of Uncaged Book Reviews!
Featuring authors, Linda Rae Sande, Victoria Vane, Bernard DeLeo, Zoe Forward and Katherine McIntyre! Enjoy the issue!
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
September Reviews...
Reviews that will be in the September issue of Uncaged Book Reviews are now posted on Amazon and Goodreads. There will be one more later today. If the review was longer, than it may have been shortened - the full review will be in the magazine.
The issue will be released tomorrow!
Monday, August 22, 2016
Interview with Tessa McFionn
Interview with Tessa McFionn as published in the August 2016 issue of Uncaged. To read an excerpt from Spirit Fall, and the Uncaged reviews, please see the issue, links below.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Tessa McFionn for a few years now, and when she began writing The Guardian series, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them. And I wasn’t disappointed.
Thank you Tessa for the feature and the friendship.
1) Do you remember the first book you read and how old you were? Who and/or what inspired you to read?
Oh wow. I’ve been a reader my whole life. I remember my mother reading to me and my brother every night. We started with things like Dr. Seuss, but moved quickly to The Hobbit. I devoured everything that fell into the fantasy or sci-fi realm. I actually read Starship Troopers with a dictionary and thesaurus next to me when I was in the third grade, along with Homer the summer before I went into the sixth grade. I was quite precocious as a kid and it turned me into an inquisitive adult.
2) Who are some of your favorite authors now, and what genres do you tend to read the most?
I still love anything out of the ordinary, but most of the books on my shelf fall into either serious fantasy like Terry Brooks and Tolkein, or paranormal romance. My favorite authors today are Sherrilyn Kenyon (in fact, I have her latest, Born of Legend, next to me as we speak), J.R. Ward. Christine Feehan, Kresley Cole, Dianna Love, Lisa Kessler and Larissa Ione. Some of these amazing ladies, I’ve had the honor of meeting, and that makes me love them even more.
3) Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I think I’ve loved writing almost as long as I’ve loved reading, both I attribute to my mother. She inspired me to stretch my artistic wings and was also so proud of each little story or article I wrote during high school and college. When I finally took the plunge and tried my hand at a full-fledged novel, she was so happy. So, each new work, I hope to do honor to her memory.
4) Are there any books/authors that you’ve read, that have influenced you as an author?
So many of them. I love how Sherrilyn keeps her characters witty and loveable even in the face of horrible events. I love the attention to detail Terry Brooks gives to all the worlds he’s created. I gain new tricks and insights from every author I read, and I just hope that I can translate some of their expertise into my story telling.
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
LOL! I wish I had an ornate office with beautiful bookcases. Sadly, my workspace is the corner of the couch in my living room. Sometimes, if the weather permits, I move my laptop outside onto the patio and let nature help my muse. As long as I can get some peace, I’m happy.
6) The thing that really grabbed me with your books, is the world and character building. In a very short amount of time, I was drawn in and held prisoner! In a good way! What inspires you to write and gives you inspiration?
Awwww. Thank you. Well, for my first book, I drew a bit from personal experience. When we meet our heroine, Siobhan, standing on the ledge, that was me. It was a dark time in my life and I found myself crossing that same bridge very late one night. As I peeked over into the canyon, the story started to form in my head. Once I got home, I sat down and Malakai was born, along with the world of the Guardians. I guess I’ve always been a sucker for a hero.
7) Are we going to see more of The Guardian series, and what else do you have planned for the future? I loved that you brought the characters from the first book back so we could see them again in the second. Will we meet more Guardians and will we keep seeing previous characters return in the future?
Oh yes. I have much more in store. Right now, the third book, tentatively titled Spirit Song, has been completed and submitted. Just awaiting the next steps. This one takes place in Chicago and pits our hero, an Italian Renaissance assassin, against none other than the mob with the heart of a beautiful singer as the prize.
I know, I know. I’ve had several people ask about Eamon, but it seems he’s enjoying his bachelor life and doesn’t want to get tied down just yet. I plan to keep moving around the country, discovering new Guardians and bringing love, magic and quirky reparte to the world.
Uncaged follow-up: Going to have to trap Eamon - love him!
8) What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
To my fans, THANK YOU! I cannot say enough how humbled I am to know that others love my boys as much as I do. I tend to spend a little too much time on Facebook, but it’s the best way to interact with fans and other writers as well, since I will forever think of myself as a student and always in need of learning.
Here are the other links to keep in touch with me. Thank you so much!
Monday, August 15, 2016
Interview with Maggi Andersen
As it appeared in Uncaged Book Reviews, August 2016 issue. To read an excerpt from Caroline and the Captain and Uncaged reviews, please see the issue, links below.
Hitoricals have a special place in my heart - IF I can understand what I’m reading. That honor definitely goes to Maggi Andersen. It’s my pleasure to include her in this issue.
Thank you Maggi for the feature.
1) Do you remember the first book you read and how old you were? Who and/or what inspired you to read?
Like many young readers I was a great fan of Edith Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree. I think I was four or five when I began to read. I stood on the garden wall and entertained an audience of birds with my stories. I remember one story I wrote in fifth class; my female protagonist was escaping from an evil witch. My protagonists have been escaping from tricky situations ever since.
2) Who are some of your favorite authors now, and what genres do you tend to read the most?
Historical romances set in the Regency and Victorian eras are favorites, but I also read contemporary romantic suspense and mysteries. Eloisa James, Jennifer Ashley, Tasha Alexander, Courtney Milan, Anne Perry, Amanda Quick. Some male writers too, I love Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child.
3) Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I always believed I’d be a writer one day, but it was put on the shelf while I raised my children and attended university. I think studying the superb writers throughout history worked as a bit of a deterrent for a while. How could I possibly write something as good? But the urge to write was strong, and my first full length novel, Murder in Devon, was penned for my Master’s Degree.
4) Are there any books/authors that you’ve read, that have influenced you as an author?
Too many to mention really. I gain some insight from most well-written books I read. As a child, I found the concept of Alice Through the Looking Glass intriguing. I wanted to climb through that mirror into another world! I guess I do when I read, and when I create a fictional world. Georgette Heyer’s wonderful Regency world is one I revisit often, reading her books and writing my own stories.
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
At my desk in my study nook off the kitchen. Convenient for coffee and snacks.
6) I’ve read books from two different series of yours now, and even though these are historical romances, the language is easy to understand and the characters are witty and believable. You care about the main characters very quickly, which draws a reader in. What part of writing historical romances is the most challenging for you? Do you have to do a lot of research?
Thank you for those kind words! The most challenging is pulling together a satisfactory plot within the historical setting. Regency fans are pretty knowledgeable about the era. I don’t want to pull a reader out of the story with a glaring mistake. My greatest desire is to entertain. Fortunately, writers have such wonderful resources at their fingertips now. There was nothing like it when I first began writing Regencies. Back then, I visited the library in Richmond, England, to check on facts. I can’t say that was a hardship though! :) I enjoy discovering interesting historical details to weave into the story. How much description to add is also a challenge. We live in a fast paced world and there’s little time to read reams of poetical description, much as I’d like to. The haute ton, in that brief period when George became the Prince Regent, was peopled with larger than life characters, which are great for an author to draw on. Not to mention the elegant fashions, balls and soirees, country mansions and grand townhouses, the interior décor and the magnificent art. But there was a dark side to that world too, of course.
7) I have truly enjoyed the Baxendale Sisters series, I had a hard time putting them down, what else do you have planned for the future?
That’s thrilling to hear! :) The last book, THE SCANDALOUS LADY MERCY, completes the series. I am enjoying writing Mercy’s story. She’s a passionate young debutante who won’t allow the expectations of society to prevent her getting what she wants from life.
Future works? I’ve had requests for more stories about the Brandreth family, especially Chaloner, the Marquess of Brandreth, and Lady Maria from TAMING A GENTLEMAN SPY. I’m looking forward to writing about them. I’ve grown very fond of the family. The Baxendale sisters may make an appearance, I’m not sure yet.
I have a new release in August. THE EARL AND THE HIGHWAYMAN’S DAUGHTER, is a Regency novella. I hope to publish a Victorian Gothic-style romance, THE BARON’S WIFE before Christmas. More of my backlist will be published next year, as well as two contemporary romantic suspense novels.
Uncaged follow-up - Ohhh, I love the Brandreths!
8) What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
I love to hear from fans. My email is: maggiandersen@yahoo.com. You can join my news only newsletter on my website: http://www.maggiandersenauthor.com
Hitoricals have a special place in my heart - IF I can understand what I’m reading. That honor definitely goes to Maggi Andersen. It’s my pleasure to include her in this issue.
Thank you Maggi for the feature.
1) Do you remember the first book you read and how old you were? Who and/or what inspired you to read?
Like many young readers I was a great fan of Edith Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree. I think I was four or five when I began to read. I stood on the garden wall and entertained an audience of birds with my stories. I remember one story I wrote in fifth class; my female protagonist was escaping from an evil witch. My protagonists have been escaping from tricky situations ever since.
2) Who are some of your favorite authors now, and what genres do you tend to read the most?
Historical romances set in the Regency and Victorian eras are favorites, but I also read contemporary romantic suspense and mysteries. Eloisa James, Jennifer Ashley, Tasha Alexander, Courtney Milan, Anne Perry, Amanda Quick. Some male writers too, I love Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child.
3) Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I always believed I’d be a writer one day, but it was put on the shelf while I raised my children and attended university. I think studying the superb writers throughout history worked as a bit of a deterrent for a while. How could I possibly write something as good? But the urge to write was strong, and my first full length novel, Murder in Devon, was penned for my Master’s Degree.
4) Are there any books/authors that you’ve read, that have influenced you as an author?
Too many to mention really. I gain some insight from most well-written books I read. As a child, I found the concept of Alice Through the Looking Glass intriguing. I wanted to climb through that mirror into another world! I guess I do when I read, and when I create a fictional world. Georgette Heyer’s wonderful Regency world is one I revisit often, reading her books and writing my own stories.
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
At my desk in my study nook off the kitchen. Convenient for coffee and snacks.
6) I’ve read books from two different series of yours now, and even though these are historical romances, the language is easy to understand and the characters are witty and believable. You care about the main characters very quickly, which draws a reader in. What part of writing historical romances is the most challenging for you? Do you have to do a lot of research?
Thank you for those kind words! The most challenging is pulling together a satisfactory plot within the historical setting. Regency fans are pretty knowledgeable about the era. I don’t want to pull a reader out of the story with a glaring mistake. My greatest desire is to entertain. Fortunately, writers have such wonderful resources at their fingertips now. There was nothing like it when I first began writing Regencies. Back then, I visited the library in Richmond, England, to check on facts. I can’t say that was a hardship though! :) I enjoy discovering interesting historical details to weave into the story. How much description to add is also a challenge. We live in a fast paced world and there’s little time to read reams of poetical description, much as I’d like to. The haute ton, in that brief period when George became the Prince Regent, was peopled with larger than life characters, which are great for an author to draw on. Not to mention the elegant fashions, balls and soirees, country mansions and grand townhouses, the interior décor and the magnificent art. But there was a dark side to that world too, of course.
7) I have truly enjoyed the Baxendale Sisters series, I had a hard time putting them down, what else do you have planned for the future?
That’s thrilling to hear! :) The last book, THE SCANDALOUS LADY MERCY, completes the series. I am enjoying writing Mercy’s story. She’s a passionate young debutante who won’t allow the expectations of society to prevent her getting what she wants from life.
Future works? I’ve had requests for more stories about the Brandreth family, especially Chaloner, the Marquess of Brandreth, and Lady Maria from TAMING A GENTLEMAN SPY. I’m looking forward to writing about them. I’ve grown very fond of the family. The Baxendale sisters may make an appearance, I’m not sure yet.
I have a new release in August. THE EARL AND THE HIGHWAYMAN’S DAUGHTER, is a Regency novella. I hope to publish a Victorian Gothic-style romance, THE BARON’S WIFE before Christmas. More of my backlist will be published next year, as well as two contemporary romantic suspense novels.
Uncaged follow-up - Ohhh, I love the Brandreths!
8) What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
I love to hear from fans. My email is: maggiandersen@yahoo.com. You can join my news only newsletter on my website: http://www.maggiandersenauthor.com
Friday, August 12, 2016
Interview with Jami Gray
Interview with Jami Gray, from Issue 1 of Uncaged Book Reviews
To read an excerpt from Touched by Fate, and the Uncaged Reviews of 3 of Jami's books, please see the August 2016 Uncaged Book Review magazine. Link below the interview.
Thank you Jami, for the feature.
No, thank you, Cyrene for asking me to be a part of this. What an exciting adventure!
1) Do you remember the first book you read and how old you were? Who and/or what inspired you to read?
Oh, that’s a toughie as you’re asking me to reach back into the mists of time. Let’s see, the very first books, after the early readers of “See Jane. See Jane Run.” variety, was a big book of fairy tales. I had to be around six or seven, and that oversized book was dragged around like a security blanket for years. Eventually I moved on, devouring everything I could get my hands on—fiction and non-fiction, didn’t matter. If a story was being told, I wanted to read it.
2) Who are some of your favorite authors now, and what genres do you tend to read the most?
That’s a trick question because the answer could take up page after page, and change depending on where I’m at in my life. Right now I tend to lean toward Urban Fantasy, Romantic Suspense with paranormal and/or military elements, and anything that catches my attention. If you check out my bookshelves (and they are legion) I have Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Suzanne Johnson, Stephanie Tyler, Stephen King, Cynthia Eden, Elle Kennedy, Seanan McGuire, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, Maya Banks, Trish McCallan, CT Adams, Anne Bishop, Christy Reece, JD Robb, Jennifer Estep, Kresley Cole, Natasza Waters, and the list can be endless. I can’t ever seem to catch up on my TBR pile…erm…piles.
3) Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I wasn’t the first story teller in my family as our clan wasn’t too far removed from the Blarney Stone. One of my earliest memories is my maternal grandfather explaining the reason I had spots on my face was because at night, while I was sleeping, brownies were sneaking in and dropping kisses over my nose.
If I had to try and point to one author who inspired me to set pen to paper, I’d be stuck between the Trixie Belden mysteries from Kathryn Kenny and my favorite Urban Fantasy of all, The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. Granted, Trixie’s world was all about solving the whodunit which appealed to my inner Sherlock, Will’s world interwove magic with reality and I was a goner. My fascination with a world of unlimited possibilities lingering just out of reach of the “normal” world was born and away I went, trailing words in my wake.
4) Are there any books/authors that you’ve read, that have influenced you as an author?
For any writer, this is one of those difficult to be specific questions because in some way, shape, or form, every book you read influences your writing. One of the things I really, truly believe is that every writer should be an avid reader. When another writer captures your imagination, they become a spark for your creative muse to wonder, and that wonder is what leads a writer to lift their voice in story.
As for advice that has haunted my writing path, I have a couple.
The first comes from Jim Thompson, an American author of hardboiled crime fiction, which I’m sorry to say, I haven’t yet read, but I can remedy that. He made the best comment ever in regards to story telling, keeping it simple and to the point:
“There is only one plot—things are not what they seem.”
The second and third are from Stephen King who needs no introduction, I’m sure:
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
I use to sneak out of my house and hide out a local coffee shop, but as my sons have garnered their own lives, I find I do just fine in the office I share with my hubby. Well, so long as I don my headphones to drown out the cries of agony and ecstasy from the electronic battles raging across the room. Yep, my Knight-in-Slightly-Muddy-Armor and the Prankster Duo all indulge in their own versions of magic and mayhem. If I’m lucky, the two Fur Minxes of the Labrador Guild are either under my desk on my feet or right behind my chair, limiting my escape options.
6) I’ve read books from two different series of yours now, and the one thing that is common to all of them, is the never-ending action packed storylines and well flushed out characters. What inspires your thought process when working on your series?
Oh wow (blushing) thank you!
The seemingly never-ending action scenes are actually the result of me being an avid reader. I love being sucked into a story from page one and not surfacing until I hit the end. The stories that I connect the strongest with are those where I join the main character right at that moment when their whole world is being turned upside down. I want the same for my readers. I’m huge on character development and motivation, mainly because characters need to be human and that requires a complex personality. You throw a strong-willed person into chaos, force them to make spur of the moment decisions without all the necessary information, and then they have to live with consequences. That’s not always easy or comfortable. It’s like the game Jenga, where you think your base of blocks is solid, but the higher you go the shakier that base gets. Eventually you look back and realize you might have screwed up from the get go.
I’m not sure my thought process is actually a process per se, at least not in the beginning. When I started out with SHADOW’S EDGE, the first in the Kyn series, I wrote by the seat of my pants. I knew who Raine McCord was and what drove her, and then I just started chucking things at her and away we went. By the time I hit HUNTED BY THE PAST, the first in the PSY-IV Teams, there was no more MacGyvering it together with a wish and a prayer. Because I love reading series, I tend to write in series. This means before you sit down with page one, I need to know my world and my characters’ place in it. Those two elements are crucial for every story and tend to have a symbiotic relationship, just like our real lives do with us.
7) The action packed stories with a bit of romance on the side, make for a great recipe. Are we going to see more of The Kyn Kronicles and the PSY-IV series, and what else do you have planned for the future?
Oh heck yes, you are. TOUCHED BY FATE, the second of the PSY-iV Teams just hit shelves in May. The third, MARKED BY OBSESSION, is currently with my editor, so we’re aiming for a late 2016 release date. My plan is to have a book for each team member, so with Cyn and Kayden in HUNTED, Risia and Tag in TOUCHED, and Wolf’s story in MARKED, Bishop’s story will follow, along with the rest of the team.
As for the Kyn, I’ll be working with Cheveyo and Talia as I start on book 5 in August, with the goal to have it and book 6 out in 2017 to finish this particular story arc. While it may tie up Raine and Gavin’s adventures, it’s not the end of the Kyn world by any means. Even though I don’t have access to a crystal ball, I do have plans (rubbing hands together) for a second series in the Kyn world, but we shall see how things go.
And because two series are not enough, I just finished a new project that I’m hoping to find a home for some time this year, so fingers crossed and stay tuned, I promise to keep you in the loop.
Oh, if you’re looking for a fun read, I’m doing an Urban Fantasy Western called CONJURING MISERY with a couple of awesome writers, Camille Douglass and Dave Benneman, with a chapter going up every couple of weeks on my website. Feel free to join our campfire for that one!
Uncaged follow-up: Like a moth to a flame.....
8) What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
First and foremost, like any other author out there, I can not say “Thank you” enough to express how very grateful I am that readers take a chance on following me into my worlds. Writers write their stories to get the voices out of their heads and some of us worry no one else will find our worlds as exciting or intriguing as we do, so when a reader joins us then continues to return, we are humbled, and flattered, and for me, honored.
I’m pretty easy to find, I have a web abode at www.jamigray.com. It’s well-furnished with a blog, all my books (including the first chapters just to whet your appetite), and other nifty items like a list of all the author interviews I’ve done, including Kevin Hearne, Jennifer Estep, Elle Kennedy, Kallypso Masters, Seanan McGuire, and many, many more.
If you’re over on Facebook, you can catch me at my author page (https://www.facebook.com/JamiGrayUFWriter) or my normal page, where I tend to be puttering about (https://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author).
To read the excerpt of Touched by Fate and the reviews of Jami Gray's books, please see the issue below:
To read an excerpt from Touched by Fate, and the Uncaged Reviews of 3 of Jami's books, please see the August 2016 Uncaged Book Review magazine. Link below the interview.
Thank you Jami, for the feature.
No, thank you, Cyrene for asking me to be a part of this. What an exciting adventure!
1) Do you remember the first book you read and how old you were? Who and/or what inspired you to read?
Oh, that’s a toughie as you’re asking me to reach back into the mists of time. Let’s see, the very first books, after the early readers of “See Jane. See Jane Run.” variety, was a big book of fairy tales. I had to be around six or seven, and that oversized book was dragged around like a security blanket for years. Eventually I moved on, devouring everything I could get my hands on—fiction and non-fiction, didn’t matter. If a story was being told, I wanted to read it.
2) Who are some of your favorite authors now, and what genres do you tend to read the most?
That’s a trick question because the answer could take up page after page, and change depending on where I’m at in my life. Right now I tend to lean toward Urban Fantasy, Romantic Suspense with paranormal and/or military elements, and anything that catches my attention. If you check out my bookshelves (and they are legion) I have Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Suzanne Johnson, Stephanie Tyler, Stephen King, Cynthia Eden, Elle Kennedy, Seanan McGuire, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, Maya Banks, Trish McCallan, CT Adams, Anne Bishop, Christy Reece, JD Robb, Jennifer Estep, Kresley Cole, Natasza Waters, and the list can be endless. I can’t ever seem to catch up on my TBR pile…erm…piles.
3) Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I wasn’t the first story teller in my family as our clan wasn’t too far removed from the Blarney Stone. One of my earliest memories is my maternal grandfather explaining the reason I had spots on my face was because at night, while I was sleeping, brownies were sneaking in and dropping kisses over my nose.
If I had to try and point to one author who inspired me to set pen to paper, I’d be stuck between the Trixie Belden mysteries from Kathryn Kenny and my favorite Urban Fantasy of all, The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. Granted, Trixie’s world was all about solving the whodunit which appealed to my inner Sherlock, Will’s world interwove magic with reality and I was a goner. My fascination with a world of unlimited possibilities lingering just out of reach of the “normal” world was born and away I went, trailing words in my wake.
4) Are there any books/authors that you’ve read, that have influenced you as an author?
For any writer, this is one of those difficult to be specific questions because in some way, shape, or form, every book you read influences your writing. One of the things I really, truly believe is that every writer should be an avid reader. When another writer captures your imagination, they become a spark for your creative muse to wonder, and that wonder is what leads a writer to lift their voice in story.
As for advice that has haunted my writing path, I have a couple.
The first comes from Jim Thompson, an American author of hardboiled crime fiction, which I’m sorry to say, I haven’t yet read, but I can remedy that. He made the best comment ever in regards to story telling, keeping it simple and to the point:
“There is only one plot—things are not what they seem.”
The second and third are from Stephen King who needs no introduction, I’m sure:
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
I use to sneak out of my house and hide out a local coffee shop, but as my sons have garnered their own lives, I find I do just fine in the office I share with my hubby. Well, so long as I don my headphones to drown out the cries of agony and ecstasy from the electronic battles raging across the room. Yep, my Knight-in-Slightly-Muddy-Armor and the Prankster Duo all indulge in their own versions of magic and mayhem. If I’m lucky, the two Fur Minxes of the Labrador Guild are either under my desk on my feet or right behind my chair, limiting my escape options.
6) I’ve read books from two different series of yours now, and the one thing that is common to all of them, is the never-ending action packed storylines and well flushed out characters. What inspires your thought process when working on your series?
Oh wow (blushing) thank you!
The seemingly never-ending action scenes are actually the result of me being an avid reader. I love being sucked into a story from page one and not surfacing until I hit the end. The stories that I connect the strongest with are those where I join the main character right at that moment when their whole world is being turned upside down. I want the same for my readers. I’m huge on character development and motivation, mainly because characters need to be human and that requires a complex personality. You throw a strong-willed person into chaos, force them to make spur of the moment decisions without all the necessary information, and then they have to live with consequences. That’s not always easy or comfortable. It’s like the game Jenga, where you think your base of blocks is solid, but the higher you go the shakier that base gets. Eventually you look back and realize you might have screwed up from the get go.
I’m not sure my thought process is actually a process per se, at least not in the beginning. When I started out with SHADOW’S EDGE, the first in the Kyn series, I wrote by the seat of my pants. I knew who Raine McCord was and what drove her, and then I just started chucking things at her and away we went. By the time I hit HUNTED BY THE PAST, the first in the PSY-IV Teams, there was no more MacGyvering it together with a wish and a prayer. Because I love reading series, I tend to write in series. This means before you sit down with page one, I need to know my world and my characters’ place in it. Those two elements are crucial for every story and tend to have a symbiotic relationship, just like our real lives do with us.
7) The action packed stories with a bit of romance on the side, make for a great recipe. Are we going to see more of The Kyn Kronicles and the PSY-IV series, and what else do you have planned for the future?
Oh heck yes, you are. TOUCHED BY FATE, the second of the PSY-iV Teams just hit shelves in May. The third, MARKED BY OBSESSION, is currently with my editor, so we’re aiming for a late 2016 release date. My plan is to have a book for each team member, so with Cyn and Kayden in HUNTED, Risia and Tag in TOUCHED, and Wolf’s story in MARKED, Bishop’s story will follow, along with the rest of the team.
As for the Kyn, I’ll be working with Cheveyo and Talia as I start on book 5 in August, with the goal to have it and book 6 out in 2017 to finish this particular story arc. While it may tie up Raine and Gavin’s adventures, it’s not the end of the Kyn world by any means. Even though I don’t have access to a crystal ball, I do have plans (rubbing hands together) for a second series in the Kyn world, but we shall see how things go.
And because two series are not enough, I just finished a new project that I’m hoping to find a home for some time this year, so fingers crossed and stay tuned, I promise to keep you in the loop.
Oh, if you’re looking for a fun read, I’m doing an Urban Fantasy Western called CONJURING MISERY with a couple of awesome writers, Camille Douglass and Dave Benneman, with a chapter going up every couple of weeks on my website. Feel free to join our campfire for that one!
Uncaged follow-up: Like a moth to a flame.....
8) What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
First and foremost, like any other author out there, I can not say “Thank you” enough to express how very grateful I am that readers take a chance on following me into my worlds. Writers write their stories to get the voices out of their heads and some of us worry no one else will find our worlds as exciting or intriguing as we do, so when a reader joins us then continues to return, we are humbled, and flattered, and for me, honored.
I’m pretty easy to find, I have a web abode at www.jamigray.com. It’s well-furnished with a blog, all my books (including the first chapters just to whet your appetite), and other nifty items like a list of all the author interviews I’ve done, including Kevin Hearne, Jennifer Estep, Elle Kennedy, Kallypso Masters, Seanan McGuire, and many, many more.
If you’re over on Facebook, you can catch me at my author page (https://www.facebook.com/JamiGrayUFWriter) or my normal page, where I tend to be puttering about (https://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author).
To read the excerpt of Touched by Fate and the reviews of Jami Gray's books, please see the issue below:
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Uncaged Review - The Drowning Sorceress by Anya Breton
The Drowning Sorceress
Anya BretonParanoral/Fantasy
Uncaged Ratings: Adult
Paranormal/Fantasy
Hot sex scenes (not considered erotic)
Some language
Some mild violence
Fighting off sultry vampire Maximo’s advances in between her nemesis’s temper tantrums, an upsetting funeral, and the arrival of vampire investigators hunting for the undead Prince of Persia leaves Kora little time to focus on her mother’s bigger picture. And Desmond stepping in to save the day has Kora on uneasy footing. But it’s his assistant who steal’s Kora’s marionette strings. This time Kora’s soul isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance.
Amazon Link
Uncaged Review: First of all, I started this book in complete confusion, but I did catch on, eventually. It may have helped to read the first 2 books in the series first.
Kora is a sorceress, and is involved in the Wipuk community, which is a coalition of supernaturals. To make it worse, she has an agenda from her mother, the goddess of magic to infiltrate the coalition. It’s hard to get a grasp on what exactly the coalition is and does - being a heavy reader of fantasy/paranormal, I may have grasped enough of it to make enough sense of it to enjoy the book.
There really isn’t much romance in the book. There is a semi-relationship with Max, a gorgeous vampire, but Kora isn’t sure if he’s manipulating her, or if he truly cares about her. Plus, he’s dead. There is that. I personally was rooting for the High Priest of the witches, the very beautiful Desmond, but I’m not sure my hopes are in the right place. Right when I thought I was seeing something develop, it all ended abruptly. And part of the story was wrapped up, and a lot of it is going to continue.
All in all, I liked the book, but I think a person not as familar with pararnomal and fantasy, better start at the beginning of the series.
3 1/2 Stars
Monday, August 8, 2016
In Search Of...Featured Authors
Looking for a couple more Featured Authors for October, mainly looking for the Horror, Thriller, Urban Fantasy genres to celebrate the spooky month of October!
There are a couple now, and a very special feature, so if you are looking to be featured in the October edition of Uncaged, and you fit one of those genres, talk to me! Main qualification is I have to read one of your books. Remember, Author Features in Uncaged are FREE to authors!
There are a couple now, and a very special feature, so if you are looking to be featured in the October edition of Uncaged, and you fit one of those genres, talk to me! Main qualification is I have to read one of your books. Remember, Author Features in Uncaged are FREE to authors!
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Interview with Danielle Devon
Interview with Danielle Devon, from Issue 1 of Uncaged Book Reviews
To read an excerpt from Exile, and the Uncaged Review, please see the August 2016 Uncaged Book Review magazine. Link below the interview.
First off, thank you Danielle for taking time to be a part of Uncaged.
1) Do you remember the first book you read and how old you were? Who and/or what inspired you to read?
The first book I can remember reading (although there might have been others) was Black Beauty. I couldn’t say exactly how old I was, according to my mother, probably not very, as I was an early reader and always had my nose stuck in a book. My mother had inspired me to be an avid reader and showed me that worlds beyond imagination lived between the pages.
Uncaged follow-up: I remember devouring horse books as a kid.
2) Who are some of your favorite authors now, and what genres do you tend to read the most?
I split my reading time between science fiction/fantasy and general fiction these days. I add a healthy dose of nonfiction in-between because there is always something more to learn. While it’s certainly hard to narrow down my list of favorite authors to just a few, I would have to say that Joanne Harris, Paula Brackston, Madeline Sheehan, Jordan K. Rose, and Mike Smith top the list.
3) Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I have been writing ever since I can remember, my first musings featured flying ponies, talking puppies and the trials and tribulations of grade school. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20’s that I really began to start writing seriously, when I met my dear friend Myra Nour. With her support and encouragement, I took the big leap into the publishing world.
4) Are there any books/authors that you’ve read, that have influenced you as an author?
I believe that everything I read influences me as an author. From every book comes a nugget of inspiration, a technique to be learned, a style to be admired. Inspiration and influence are all around us, we have only but to look for it.
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
My favorite place to write is at the beach, with the warm sun at my back and the waves lapping at my toes. But living in the Pacific Northwest means I don’t often get to my favorite place and when I do, it’s rarely warm. I most often write in my home office surrounded by shelves of books with my dogs napping at my feet. Although, when the sun does decide to come out to play, I can often be found on the back patio, laptop in hand.
6) I really enjoyed Exile (Death Follows 1) and look forward to the continuation of the series. Do you have plans to continue this series in the near future?
I am so glad you enjoyed Exile, and yes, I have plans to continue the Death Follows series. I anticipate the second book to release this winter, with the third to follow in early 2017.
Uncaged follow-up: This is exciting news for me.
7) Besides the Death Follows series, what are you working on and what else do you have plans for in the near future?
I am currently working on Death Reader, a paranormal mystery featuring an unorthodox partnership between a homicide detective and a psychic who must work together to solve a strange murder. I have also just begun work on Starcast, a science fiction adventure that explores how individuals lives can impact the past, the present and the future.
8) What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
I would like to say thank you not only to my fans, but to book lovers everywhere, for your continued support. People are welcome to visit my website at http://danielledevon.com for more information about me and my books. I am also scheduled to launch a blog for fans of science fiction, fantasy and paranormal later this summer. So be sure to sign up for the newsletter on my website if you’d like to get in on that. I look forward to seeing you there!
To read an excerpt from Exile, and the Uncaged Review, please see the August 2016 Uncaged Book Review magazine. Link below the interview.
First off, thank you Danielle for taking time to be a part of Uncaged.
1) Do you remember the first book you read and how old you were? Who and/or what inspired you to read?
The first book I can remember reading (although there might have been others) was Black Beauty. I couldn’t say exactly how old I was, according to my mother, probably not very, as I was an early reader and always had my nose stuck in a book. My mother had inspired me to be an avid reader and showed me that worlds beyond imagination lived between the pages.
Uncaged follow-up: I remember devouring horse books as a kid.
2) Who are some of your favorite authors now, and what genres do you tend to read the most?
I split my reading time between science fiction/fantasy and general fiction these days. I add a healthy dose of nonfiction in-between because there is always something more to learn. While it’s certainly hard to narrow down my list of favorite authors to just a few, I would have to say that Joanne Harris, Paula Brackston, Madeline Sheehan, Jordan K. Rose, and Mike Smith top the list.
3) Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I have been writing ever since I can remember, my first musings featured flying ponies, talking puppies and the trials and tribulations of grade school. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20’s that I really began to start writing seriously, when I met my dear friend Myra Nour. With her support and encouragement, I took the big leap into the publishing world.
4) Are there any books/authors that you’ve read, that have influenced you as an author?
I believe that everything I read influences me as an author. From every book comes a nugget of inspiration, a technique to be learned, a style to be admired. Inspiration and influence are all around us, we have only but to look for it.
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
My favorite place to write is at the beach, with the warm sun at my back and the waves lapping at my toes. But living in the Pacific Northwest means I don’t often get to my favorite place and when I do, it’s rarely warm. I most often write in my home office surrounded by shelves of books with my dogs napping at my feet. Although, when the sun does decide to come out to play, I can often be found on the back patio, laptop in hand.
6) I really enjoyed Exile (Death Follows 1) and look forward to the continuation of the series. Do you have plans to continue this series in the near future?
I am so glad you enjoyed Exile, and yes, I have plans to continue the Death Follows series. I anticipate the second book to release this winter, with the third to follow in early 2017.
Uncaged follow-up: This is exciting news for me.
7) Besides the Death Follows series, what are you working on and what else do you have plans for in the near future?
I am currently working on Death Reader, a paranormal mystery featuring an unorthodox partnership between a homicide detective and a psychic who must work together to solve a strange murder. I have also just begun work on Starcast, a science fiction adventure that explores how individuals lives can impact the past, the present and the future.
8) What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
I would like to say thank you not only to my fans, but to book lovers everywhere, for your continued support. People are welcome to visit my website at http://danielledevon.com for more information about me and my books. I am also scheduled to launch a blog for fans of science fiction, fantasy and paranormal later this summer. So be sure to sign up for the newsletter on my website if you’d like to get in on that. I look forward to seeing you there!
Friday, August 5, 2016
Uncaged Book Review - Heart of Fire by Kerri M. Patterson
A Heart of Fire
Kerri M. Patterson
Historical Romance/Medieval
Uncaged Ratings: Adult
Historical/Medieval Romance
Graphic violence
Hot sex scenes (not considered erotic)
Language for the era
Blurb: Valdrik Haraldson is bent on avenging his slain family, on making his foes pay dearly—even if that means sneaking onto enemy lands to kidnap and return the long lost daughter of his jarl.
When Valdrik rips Finna from her life and returns her to her parents, not only is she startled to learn that the man she thought to be her father is truly her uncle, but that the mother she always longed for is alive.
Used unjustly in a game of revenge, now that she is free of the life imposed upon her, she is ready to start anew—only to learn she is the promised bride Valdrik was to receive for her rescue. As the two learn to love one another, they discover a passion as hot as the brightest fires of winter—and a cruel plot forged to tear them apart forever.
Uncaged Review:
Normally, I don’t look to read medieval times books when I’m looking at historicals, but this book may have just changed my mind. I was caught up the moment I hit that first page. The author did a fantastic job with the setting, language, clothing and the characters. A tough shieldmaiden, Finna, was taken hostage as a baby by her uncle, as revenge on his brother. Lied to all her life, Finna believed she was the enemy of her true father’s people, and trained as a warrior instead of being brought up as a woman in the halls. After she is captured by her real father’s men, and taken home to her mother and father, does she learn the truth of her life. Her father gives her hand in marriage to the man who rescued her, and will become the next leader - Valdrik. And of course, that doesn’t go over all that well. We get to watch, with bated breath, as the two of them slowly fall in love, but there are evil plans that may tear her whole world apart. Finna will risk her life for those she loves...
The author does a fantastic job, with the setting, the language and the character development.
There is plenty of action, and some of it graphic - and some very hot sex scenes. But even through it all, it’s a sweet love story. Well written and easy to picture in your mind, you won’t put this one down too long.
A solid 4 Stars
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Uncaged Book Reviews - Issue 1, August 2016
Uncaged is unleashed! Enjoy the first issue of Uncaged Book Reviews Magazine, with Featured Authors, Danielle Devon, Darlene Kuncytes, Tessa McFionn, Jami Gray and Maggi Andersen!
Also reviews and more!
For those that have problems reading from Issuu, you can download a PDF version HERE.
Also reviews and more!
For those that have problems reading from Issuu, you can download a PDF version HERE.
Uncaged Book Review - Upon the Tide - Ryan Jo Summers
Uncaged Book Review - In August 2016 Uncaged
Book Reviews eMag:
Upon A Tide
Ryan Jo Summers
Action/Suspense/Romance
Uncaged Ratings: Adult
(young adults would be fine)
Romance/Suspense/Action
No graphic sex - only implied
Some mild violence
Book Reviews eMag:
Upon A Tide
Ryan Jo Summers
Action/Suspense/Romance
Uncaged Ratings: Adult
(young adults would be fine)
Romance/Suspense/Action
No graphic sex - only implied
Some mild violence
Blurb: New York Fashion designer Piper Kincaid just wanted a pleasant visit with her cousin down in
Florida. That was before she and handsome beach bum Kade Wyatt become the targets of a
gang of robbers and killers.
Kade simply wanted some fish for his pet seagull. Now he and the lovely exec from out of town are caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse. He’s busy concentrating on Piper when he should be focusing on keeping them alive.
Fleeing for their lives aboard Kade’s houseboat, The Hightide , they experience risk, surprises, mystery, and romance during the Great Caribbean Boat Chase. However, the biggest surprises are waiting for them back at port.
Uncaged Review: This book was a nice shorter read, and even though some of it was a bit predictable, and some it felt a bit rushed, I enjoyed it. I liked the setting on the boat, and the different ports. Kade and Piper are witnesses to a robbery/shooting and are whisked off to a safe house, that turns not so safe afterall, until the killers are caught. Once they are discovered, and know that there is a leak in the police department, Kade takes Piper to his home, a nice boat called the Hightide. On the run, and in most ports they try to dock, from Jamaica to Puerto Rico, they are discovered and on the run again. In the midst of all the danger and action, they both fight the attraction for each other, as they both have some baggage.
This book does not have any graphic sex scenes or graphic violence, but it has plenty of action, plenty of beautiful ports of call, that the author does a fantastic job of describing to pull you into the story. Anyone who watches any amount of the crime shows on TV will predict some of the outcomes, but it was a clean read that was a nice afternoon break for me.
4 Stars
Monday, August 1, 2016
Darlene Kuncytes - Summer Sin Release Party on Facebook - Tonight!!
Summer Sin Release Party!
Get over to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/302623776752637/ and join in the fun and games for one of Uncaged Book Reviews featured authors, Darlene Kuncytes! Starting at 6:30pm EDT - so go, now! Have fun and win some great prizes! Congrats Darlene!
To celebrate her new release, A Vampire's Saving Embrace is FREE for 3 days! This is the first book in The Supernatural Series, so get it now! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BHYJRCU/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
Get over to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/302623776752637/ and join in the fun and games for one of Uncaged Book Reviews featured authors, Darlene Kuncytes! Starting at 6:30pm EDT - so go, now! Have fun and win some great prizes! Congrats Darlene!
To celebrate her new release, A Vampire's Saving Embrace is FREE for 3 days! This is the first book in The Supernatural Series, so get it now! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BHYJRCU/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
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