Reality Bites is an e-magazine covering all Fantasy/Sci Fi/ Steampunk/Paranormal/Horror etc. What an issue! I’m already loving this month’s issue and it’s not even out yet. Thank you to everyone who submitted. Please always know anything you have on sale, for 99c or free or even teasers can be added at any time. No need for you to wait for the submission call. Just send an email to me using the address on the back page. Teasers are interactive so please click on them to be taken to the Amazon page :) I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I do. Please let me know if there’s anything you would like to see in future issues.
Kate
Page 4
New Releases
Page 10
Giveaways
PAGE 12
Freebies
PAGE 14
99c Books
Page 18
Featured Book
Page 22
Teaser Ads
Page 24
Author Interview
Page 28
Series Spotlight
Page 32
Coming Soon
Page 34
Review
Marked by Magic: a New Adult Fantasy Novel (The Baine Chronicles Book 4) by Jasmine Walt
With the rebellion now in full swing, shifter-mage hybrid Sunaya Baine has no time for distractions. She must find out the true identity of the Benefactor and pull the plug on the Resistance's funding before they succeed in their grand plans for genocide and destruction. But the heat is upon Sunaya now, and it demands to be sated. And since the Resistance has marked her for death, she can no longer walk freely amongst the very people she is trying to save. Death, danger, and desire hem Sunaya in on all sides, and with her friends caught up in their own problems, she cannot truly count on anyone except herself. Does Sunaya have what it takes to wrangle her unruly shifter instincts and embrace her heritage as a mage once and for all? Or will she succumb to the forces around her, and finally lose her way?
Shadow Born: a New Adult Urban Fantasy Novel (Shadows of Salem Book 1) by Jasmine Walt & Rebecca Hamilton
Chicago Police Detective Brooke Chandler is keeping a secret... and if she's not careful, it could get her killed. Brooke is no stranger to the supernatural. In Chicago, vampires are just as prevalent as drug lords, and infinitely more bloodthirsty. So when her partner and fiancĂŠ dies in a mysterious fire while chasing down a lead in Salem, she suspects something dark and otherworldly is at play. Blessed with the ability to see into the past by touching inanimate objects, Brooke transfers to the Salem PD, hoping her talent will help her get to the bottom of things. Between dodging assassination attempts and being stonewalled at every turn, the going is tough. Add in a mysterious fae club owner with secrets of his own and a personal grudge against her, and it becomes nearly impossible. If Brooke wants to play in the supernatural sandbox, she's going to have to roll up her sleeves and get dirty. But how many people will have to die for Brooke to discover the truth about her fiance? And is she even ready to know?
Soul Symmetry (Raven Series Book 3) by J.L. Weil
If you love the bite of Twilight, the emotion of Mortal Instruments, and the soul of the Iron Fey, you'll fall in love with the Raven series. A BANSHEE. A DEATH REAPER. LOVE TRANSCENDING. War is coming. The veil between the living and the dead no longer exists. Evil is running rampant and the universe’s symmetry balances on my fingertips. No big deal. Of course, nobody knows how or when the hallows will strike, or who among us is a traitor. Hordes of vengeful spirits are multiplying by the minute, closing in ranks. Zane is poised to strike, but it’s going to take more than his killer instincts, more than swords and shadows to vanquish the hallows back where they belong. Stakes are higher than ever, yet I am determined to protect those I care about—to save the world. Restoring the veil isn’t as easy as a snap of my fingertips. Nothing worth fighting for ever is. Friendship and loyalties are tested to the limit, sacrifices of unimaginable proportions are made, but in the end, all that matters is whether I succeed or fail.
Forbidden Seduction (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #2 by Teresa Gabelman
Hunter Foster single-handedly exposed the shifter community after shifting in front of humans to protect a Vampire Council Warrior. With no regrets, he heads home to answer for his crime of breaking an outdated law. Back in his town, he is faced with rogue packs challenging their alpha, his brother, as well as the woman he has spent years avoiding. Finally, he has to come to terms with what his wolf has been telling him and what he as a man has been fighting against.
Stormblaze (Stormblaze #1) by Kate Bonham
The year is 2119 and the world is not as it once was. Hadyn's been lost since before the Change, before all technology was cut off from the world. The Slayers have been after him for decades, one with a special interest in seeing him ripped apart, slowly, painfully. How long can Hadyn stay hidden? When he is being hunted at every turn. Then he met her. Edana didn't expect her life to get this interesting, nor did she think she'd ever find a dragon. She knew they existed, she'd always felt there was a world that was hidden. A chance meeting with Hadyn has confirmed her beliefs. Are all dragons as devastatingly handsome as Hadyn? Could she be that lucky? When the Slayers find them, she is caught in the middle of a battle between two rivals who have been hunting each other for centuries. Can Hadyn keep her safe from his world? Or will she burn along with them?
Her Mad Dragon (Dragon Guard Series Book 15) by Julia Mills
Book 15 in the Dragon Guard series. The books can be read as stand-alone stories, but it is advisable to read them in order to get the most enjoyment from the series. One lone dragon pulled from his mountain to save the clan he’s sworn fealty to and the only family he’s ever known. One Grand Priestess, the most magical witch of her time, the leader of her kind, and a survivor of torture. Two powerful beings, blessed by the Goddess, destined by the Universe… a couple unlike any other. Can their combined magic, all the love that they have and a faith in all they hold dear be enough to defeat the evil that’s sworn to destroy them all? Only Destiny knows… And Fate Will Not Be Denied This book contains explicit sexual material and violence. It is only suited for mature readers 18 years of age and older.
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Highland Wolf Clan Series, Book 1, The Reluctant Alpha by Ava K Michaels
Cameron Sinclair is a successful businessman, with offices all over the world and a multibillionaire with all the trappings. He is also a Wolf and he vows never to return to Pack life, or his birthright as Alpha. He is ‘summoned’ back to his Highland Pack by his estranged father and things do not go smoothly, resulting in him leaving to help his Uncle in the USA with several of his friends in tow. What awaits is heartache, sorrow and the chance for a new life as Alpha of a large Pack. A life with love in it. His first sight of the white She-Wolf affecting him in ways he can’t even understand. First, he and his Wolves have to take on a deadly threat, the deadliest of all; a corrupt and depraved Alpha with a horde of guards as immoral as their leader. Will he take his chance at love? Or do as he always does; walk away?
Arkadia (Halfway House Series Book 1) by Dzintra Sullivan
I am Arkadia Castner. I am beautiful. I am popular. I am also the most messed-up witch you will ever meet. I can’t make water boil, or make the wind blow; I can’t even light a match without the aid of a flint. My 18th birthday is in six months, and if I don’t pass the Paranormal Safety Exams (PSEs) by then, I will be banished to the Isle of Shadows for eternity, never to be seen again – it will be as though I never existed. I found myself at the halfway house under the supervision and guidance of Den Mother and telepathic empath, Eloise Mayflower. The halfway house is the last chance for troubled paranormal teens like me to pass our PSEs and avoid banishment. Eloise knows everything I think and feel, and is supposed to be helping me, but I still can’t do basic spells a six-year-old can do. I hate it here, but I have no choice. This is my last chance. I had all but given up hope, when in walks Bohdan Drak. Tall, dark, and so damn sexy it hurts to look at him – even his muscles had muscles. He is a dragon shifter and wears the mark of having passed his PSEs. When our souls meet, we realize we have found our soul mates and perfect matches. My dying hope has found life again, and I finally have a reason to look forward to a future. I thought everything would be fine, but darkness and despair creep into my future. I have been framed for a murder, and everyone believes I am guilty. The paranormal council now watches my every move. Can I trust Bohdan and true love? I fear my destiny is to be banished forever …
Ace is a reaper for Purgatory; calming lost souls while they await their final judgment. His latest Death Report was a job like any other, until he interrupts the demons that have been unleashed to kill her. She was just meant to be a job, but she turned out to be so much more. Faye was unprepared for Ace's entry into her life. Never before had she met anyone who could make her heart skip a beat even as he froze it with fear. Now, not only had he saved her from demons from Hell, he was trying to tell her she wasn't human. A war has begun between the Fallen and Archangels. The winner gets power over all realms. Has the world's Fate been determined before Faye's true destiny can begin?
The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) by Adria Wade
Growing up in a hunter family where loyalty is expected, nineteen year old Athena Bram was taught that vampires were evil and ruthless and had to be killed in order to protect the human race. Only she is no ordinary huntress. Thanks to a serum that her scientist uncle invented, a powerful beast that lurks within her awakens, enabling her to gain superhuman powers. The best huntress in her hunter family, she is the most feared amongst the immortals ... until she meets Lucas, the only vampire that renders her powerless against him. Captivated with him, Lucas was everything Athena did not expect. He was charming, alluring, and too gorgeous to resist. There was a whole other side to him that she did not know existed, leaving her to choose between her hunter family and the vampire she just could not live without. Now that she has fallen under his spell will she risk death to be with the enemy, or will she stay loyal to her fellow hunters?
5PM by Chris Heinicke
Real estate agent, Terry Cooper,, has it all—a beautiful loving wife, a young son and daughter, and a successful career which provides them with a wealthy lifestyle. However, things change when his best friend and workmate introduces him to an animated chat room. A woman he meets in the online world manages to find him in the real world, which leads to a whirlwind of disturbing internet chats, infidelities and murder. Can Terry get himself out of this mess before he loses his soul and life? Or is he too far gone to bring normal back to his life?
A Breath of Paranormal 10-book set 99c for 10 paranormal romance novels! From sweet young adult to darker new adult, there’s something for everyone in these tales of shapeshifters, witches, elementals, time travel and psychics. Penned by ten award-winning and best-selling authors, this extraordinary boxset will leave you breathless!
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Mali & Em (Halfway House Book5) by Dzintra Sullivan
Emerson and Zamali— wolf twins together forever. One single moment, one single exam, one single word… FAILED …will separate them for life, banished to the Island of Shadowsfor eternity. When Zamali fails her Paranormal Safety Exams (PSE) and is sent to the Island of Shadows, Emerson is a lost and brokenwolf. Styx, the local pack leader's sassy daughter, tells him to either shut his muzzle or grow some balls and rescue her. In that instant—in Emerson’s head—the plan is hatched. No one has ever returned from the Island. Stories of shadow walkers, and vicious creatures that drop from trees and decapitate you have stopped attempts of rescue... until now. Will Emerson get to Zamali? Will they both get off the Island alive? Can they do the impossible? Or will the Island engulf them both?
Australian born and bred, happily married to a wonderful Canadian man, and we have been blessed with 4 amazing children. (Most of the time anyway) I love all things paranormal, my main attraction to it is the impossible being made possible. I am a hopeless romantic, and love a HEA in my books. If it has fangs, fur, wings, or halos I am all over it... (And anything in between) I am strange and weird and kooky, but in saying that I am loyal and lovable and honest. I hope you enjoy my books and look forward to meeting you all.
Congratulations on your latest release! Thank you so very much, its always a wonderful and nerve racking time to release a book baby to the world. Mali & Em is the fifth book in the Halfway House series – how many more can we expect? How long is a piece of string? Meraki is book six and that has been planned, but from there, I am not sure. I have always said seven books, but if people want more then I may write more. Who was your favourite character to write in this book and why? In this particular book? I don’t think I have a favorite, I always have soft spot for Rumor, her and I share a very similar sense of humor. I also enjoyed meeting some new characters in Torsten and Barren.
Are you working on anything now? I am, I have the first in a brand new series coming later this year. I cant say much, but I will say this, not all dragons live on land. I am going to introduce you to the underwater kingdom of Water Dragons with the “Apalala Clan” series.
There are Gargoyles in Mali & Em. What was the inspiration to include that species? With the Halfway House the inspiration was always to have different characters, yes I have vamps, wolves, witches etc. But to truly represent that family isn’t always blood related and that no matter who or what you are, you can be a family within the walls of the HWH, I try to pick characters a little left of center.
Explain in short what the book is about for the readers. The Halfway House is about a place where trouble paranormals go to be able to be deemed safe for humans or to be rendered dangerous to humans and sent to the island of shadows or worse, terminated. With in the walls of the halfway house the characters find who they truly are, they discover what it means to be part of a family, and they find that impossible love can indeed be possible.
Last question: who is your all time favourite book boyfriend? Oh no, I love them all equally, but if you pushed me for a answer, I would say Zsadist from the black dagger brotherhood by JR Ward.
Hi Joleene, thank you for taking the time to do this for Reality Bites. Let’s start with why you chose this genre to write?
Thanks so much for having me! I love a lot of genres, but speculative fiction is always my favorite. I chose vampires because they have so much possibility – they can be dark and miserable, they can be funny, they can be modern, or historic. They can have fantasy-style powers, they can be straight contemporary. They’re whatever the writer is in the mood for, and that fits me perfectly.
What started you on this path of being an author? I have two friends to thank for it (Dan and Carolyn!) who convinced me to try publishing. Being an anxious lunatic, like many authors, I was terrified, but thanks to their support I finally buckled down and plunged in, and I am so glad I did.
Do you suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it? All the time! I usually start ask questions: what are [the characters] doing? Why? What is their goal? If I run through each character, including the villains, I can usually figure out what *would* happen next and then it’s a matter of “how does this impact everyone else?”
What is your favourite part of the writing process? Writing conversations! I love when the characters start talking because that’s when I find out things I didn’t know about them.
How did you come up with your book and/or series? The first book in the series was written literally by the seat of my pants, I had no idea what was going to happen, or why, and from there I’ve just built on it. Though the final book in the series comes out in March 2017, I plan to write some other things that are in the same universe because I have it so fleshed out that I’m not ready to leave it yet.
Do you have any advice for budding authors out there?
Write the book that amuses you. We are all unique, yes, but no one is so unique that they are the only one in the whole world to like a certain story. But manage your expectations. If it’s a unique niche, while there will be people, there may not be *millions* of people who agree with your taste. I run into trouble because I have so much violence in mine and many paranormal/urban fantasy readers want more romance and fewer battles, but there are still those who, like me, enjoy the mix.
Who is your favourite author?
Only one? Ha ha! All right, I’ll settle on two: Tricia Drammeh and CG Coppola write two of my favorite series – Tricia’s is a YA fantasy with magic and romance, and Coppola’s is a sci-fi/ fantasy with battles, excitement, legends, and romance.
What is your favourite book? I’m just a pain all the way around – rather than a favorite book I have a favorite universe: Middle Earth. I love the multi-layered universe Tolkien has created, with languages, races, histories – it’s amazing!
What’s next for Joleene Naylor? Patrick’s Story: Brothers of Darkness (the prequel to the Amaranthine series) will be released in October, and Goddess of Night, the final in the Amaranthine series, has a release date of march 31, 2017. After that I have a standalone about Jorick, the hero of the series, and then I am thinking about a trilogy involving a side character from the series, but it depends how Goddess of Night works out.
Joleene Naylor is the author of the glitterless Amaranthine vampire series, a world where vampires aren't for children. As a compliment to the novel series, she has also written several short stories, including theVampire Morsels collection. In her spare time, Joleene is a freelance book cover designer and for-fun photographer . She maintains several blogs full of odd ramblings, and occasionally updates her website at JoleeneNaylor.com. In what little time is left she watches anime and pins recipes and DIY, all from a crooked Victorian house in Villisca, Iowa. Between her husband and her pets, she is never lonely, and should she ever disappear one might look for her on a beach in Tahiti, sipping a tropical drink and wearing a disguise. She currently has several books available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple and Smashwords.
The Reluctant Alpha (Book1)
Cameron Sinclair is a successful businessman, with offices all over the world and a multi -billionaire with all the trappings. He is also a Wolf and he vows never to return to Pack life, or his birthright as Alpha. He is ‘summoned’ back to his Highland Pack by his estranged father and things do not go smoothly, resulting in him leaving to help his Uncle in the USA with several of his friends in tow. What awaits is heartache, sorrow and the chance for a new life as Alpha of a large Pack. A life with love in it. His first sight of the white She-Wolf affecting him in ways he can’t even understand. First, he and his Wolves have to take on a deadly threat, the deadliest of all; a corrupt and depraved Alpha with a horde of guards as immoral as their leader. Will he take his chance at love? Or do as he always does; walk away?
FREE on Kindle
The Alpha Decides (Book2)
Cameron Sinclair, multi-billionaire businessman, and now he is also the Alpha Wolf, a position he never wanted. With his instinct to protect the Pack and those he cares for stampeding through his system, he struggles to awaken the white She-Wolf who now lies in a coma. Her fight to return from the darkness is one he watches closely, refusing to leave her side. Just when he thinks that the Pack is safe, another threat rears its ugly head. A threat far worse than the one he’s dealt with, and one that could destroy not only his Pack, but the white She-Wolf. The emergence of a psychopathic killer is bad enough, but when that killer is an immortal Wolf the danger is tenfold. Can Cameron do what he’d vowed never to do? Can he take on the role as Alpha and neutralize the threat? Or will he run, as far and as fast as he can?
New Beginnings (Book 3)
As the influx of Highlanders arrive in the US, Cameron’s brother Grant comes too. Intent on carrying out his brother’s bonding ritual, and returning home as quickly as possible. However, there are some surprises in store for Grant. Ones that are forever life changing, and which will test the very bonds of his friendship with one of his closest friends. When Cam and Jinx find a young, lone, Panther Shifter in the forest, injured and facing up to an enraged bear, they do the only thing they can; they take on the bear to save the Panther. On finding out the youngster has no Pack, no family, Cam offers him a home and hopes he hasn’t made a mistake admitting a rogue Panther. With Jacob finally getting his own bonding ritual, he feels as if he and Rebecca have passed the test of their blossoming relationship. That is, until disaster strikes and a new threat emerges; one he never envisaged. Can the Highlanders integrate with the rest of the Pack? Will Grant accept his fate? And can Cameron keep everything together; including his multi-billion dollar enterprise?
Despair & Destiny (Book4) Where is Rebecca? Who has kidnapped the sassy Witch from right under the noses of the Wolf Pack? Jacob is distraught and his anger knows no bounds as they fight to find out where his mate has been taken; and by whom. The answer is unimaginable and the bloody confrontation that leaves death in its wake shocks Jacob and Cam to their core. Can they rescue her unharmed? Or will her ordeal affect her far more than even she could imagine? With happiness surrounding the Pack they have to pull together and seek her out. Before it’s too late. Chastity faces her own fears of fitting into Cam’s billionaire lifestyle but finds something that she needs his money to fund. Will he agree? Or will she fail in her attempts to be at his side in the ‘human’ world? With action, love, sadness and grief, read Highland Wolf Clan, Book 4, Despair and Destiny to find out all this and more; much more. If you love your Alpha Wolves, suspense, action and love then this paranormal romance is for you.
A Highlander’s Return (Book 5)
Grant, Alpha of the Pack in the Highlands, returns home triumphantly with his special mate by his side. Blessed by the Goddess herself, as their two hearts beat as one. Anxious to show her off to his Pack he cannot foresee what is about to unfold. Not everyone within the Pack is happy to see his return and even less pleased that he brings back an American as Alpha She-Wolf. A Father whose jealousy eats at his soul, changing him forever and putting him on a course that will lead to devastation and heartache. A childhood friend who is capable of the worst kind of betrayal that leaves Grant with a heart wrenching dilemma. Can Grant keep his soul-mate safe? And at what cost to him, her, and the Pack?
Dilemmas (Book 6)
Mac is loving his life within Cam’s new Pack in the US, particularly loving his part-time work in Chastity’s new orphanage for abandoned, or abused, Shifter kids. Life is good, almost perfect. Then his beast starts acting strange and what entails tests him beyond anything he’s ever dealt with in his life. A dilemma that can only end in one of two ways: unending misery or a lifetime of joy. Cam and Chastity are relishing their life as newly mated and as the Alphas of their new Pack when their world gets turned on its end. They're thrust on a mission to rescue a hybrid Shifter baby and they also have their own dilemma and news that will bring the Pack a happiness that none of them would have thought. That is, if all goes as planned, and with Cam and Chastity, that is rarely the case.
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ONCE UPON A TIME (The New Fairy Tales) ANTHOLOGY K.R. Thompson, Amber Morant, Kellie Honaker, Kate Bonham, Rosa Lee Jude, Krista Ames, Layne Aust and Michelle Ziegler are proud to introduce‌
8 re-told fairy tales for your reading pleasure
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Absolutely loved it. I love the twist on the myth of mermaids and how the author intertwines into the human world. Although, I'm not a big romance reader, I found myself waiting anxiously for the two to get their acts together! Sheesh! The descriptions of the world they lived in were incredibly vivid, and I felt as if I were watching as a fly on the wall. That's one of my favourite things of reading fantasy novels, and the author did this superbly.
Author Brenda Pandos lives in California with her husband, two energetic boys, eight chickens and a grumpy orange cat, though her kids keep begging for a dog #notadogperson #catrulesthehouse, that isn't happening soon. She avoids cooking and housework by writing fast-paced stories about kissing, hot mermen, bad boy vampires, and occasionally zombies--not all in the same stories... #issues. When she's not writing, or wrangling her kids, she's sleeping... or making up crazy #hashtags, failing at her latest Pinterest replication #lamechef or delivering a really bad pun.
More than anything she loves to hear from readers. Feel free to email brendapandos@gmail.com or write on her facebook wall.
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