Coffee Time Romance & More  5 Cup review of Death Lies Between Us!

“Ms. Kessler writes a supremely beautiful story of loving against all odds.”  Delane from Coffee Time Romance & More.

To read the lovely review by Delane, click here.

Their definition of a 5 Cup rating: 5 Cups – Ultra Rare Extraordinary Read. Not many books will be rated a 5.  It is a superior work!

I would like to thank Coffee Time Romance & More for reading Death Lies Between Us! I am thrilled that the reviewer enjoyed Nathaniel and Juliana’s story.

Thank you for the kind and thoughtful words!

Excerpt & Giveaway

A short excerpt to go with this $10 amazon gift card giveaway. Enter below or click on the link to read more about Juliana Crowson, the main character, in Death Lies Between Us.

“Juliana?” I don’t respond. I can’t face anyone.

“Can I sit with you?”

I hug my knees into my chest with my face buried in my folded arms. I mumble into the pit of my lap. “Are you here to end my misery?”

“Not yet.”

It’s an odd answer but then again so was the question. “Then, please leave.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come, but neither can I go.”

I turn my face, taking in the crisp air and digest his unusual answers. There are so many things that have happened tonight that don’t make any sense. Why would one more confusing sentiment make any difference?

Loneliness wraps around me, holding me in a cool embrace. I break its grip by saying, “It goes on the list, you know?” I speak into the dark. No movement or sound gives away his location but I can feel him close by. The low thumping of Blue Nouveau’s drums is the only sound breaking the stillness of the forest.

The caress of his voice brushes my ear. “Which list are you referring to?”

“Our list — things that are inexplicable.”

“Which deficiency of mankind are we adding tonight?”

“Lying to someone you love.” My voice is flat but the tear leaking from my eye gives away my true feelings.

“We can put that one on the top of the list,” he says.

A gentle hand surprises me as it wraps gently around my swollen ankle and finds a comfortable hold. The warmth penetrates through the sore muscles like a mild current of electricity.

You can read more at Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews – Paranormal Features Laurie has asked me to join her for a character interview and Giveaway. Enter to win over there or right here. One lucky person will win an E-copy of Death Lies Between Us and a $10 Amazon gift card!  This giveaway will run from May12 – June 11
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Meet Juliana Crowson from Death Lies Between Us

Morning Person? Or Night Person? How do you know?

Definitely a night person. Me and mornings are bitter enemies. It’s best if we don’t see each other too often.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was really little I wanted to work with all the big cats at the zoo. I gave up on that idea when I realized that I couldn’t set them free. Now I’m about to turn twenty and I still don’t know. My Grandmother Charlotte wants me to work at her herb shop, Native Naturals, for the rest of my life. I do like working there, but I sort of see myself working outside more. A job where I get to travel would be awesome too. My brother, Jared, will let me go on tour with him and the band. So I guess I’ll be a roadie for the rest of the summer. J And after that, who knows.

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

Alaska is at the top of my list for sure. I love the mountains and the wilderness. And, Ireland because my mom’s family is from there and she says it’s really beautiful. Her and my dad went there for their honeymoon. I think it would be great to visit somewhere my dad really liked.

Tell us about your family.

I already mentioned my dad. His name was Wes Crowson. He died when I was nine. My grandmother, Charlotte Crowson is the greatest. She’s teaching me everything she knows about medicinal plants. I’m always amazed at how much she knows. She has a way of curing people that is almost magical. And it’s not just illness. She helps people with their head problems too. My mom’s name is Diane. She works at the local hospital as a nurse. She’s very sweet and she works A LOT. Having to raise Jared and me by herself has been pretty tough, so I help her out as much as I can. Jared is my little brother. He’s not little at all, he’s six foot four and loves his guitar more than anything else in the world. He’s very talented and is Mr. Charismatic. He has this irresistible sparkle about him that you just can’t ignore. I love him to pieces but I also feel like I have to look after him. He can be rather wild and irresponsible at times.

Who is your favorite author?

It’s a tie between Edgar Allen Poe & the poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay. Check them out sometime. They’re pretty inspiring.

What makes you happy?

Hiking in beautiful places when no one else is around. And, feeling the beat of live music pulsing through my veins. I adore them both equally.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

See above.

Do you have any special routines or rituals?

I could easily write an entire book with this one question but here are a few things that I always do, or don’t do. I never leave shoes under a bed. It causes nightmares. I always count how many ravens I see and I only sweep the floor one room at a time. It’s bad luck to cross a threshold while sweeping. Don’t get me started on planting and picking herbs. Like I said, an entire book.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I don’t like telling people this and I can’t believe I am sharing it now, but I see things that other people don’t, like ghosts and angels. It really freaks me out and I try to avoid the phenomenon as much as possible. Unfortunately, I have run-ins with the dead that I can’t escape. Let me just say that life and the afterlife have been really complicated lately.

About Death Lies Between Us

Saving the life of someone you love should not be the worst thing you have ever done, unless you are an Angel of Death.

Disgruntled with his position in the afterlife and conflicted by his feelings toward his new client, Nathaniel Evans forgoes the rules and saves nineteen year old Juliana Crowson from being hopelessly stuck in Forge Creek. This alters Juliana’s destiny and she finds herself in a series of near death accidents.

In the mountains of Colorado, Nathaniel comforts Juliana as she struggles to understand her paranormal abilities while coping with her brother’s drug addiction. When an ill-tempered Native American Shaman teaches her the difference between ghosts and place memories, she decides she wants nothing to do with the supernatural world. Too bad she doesn’t know that Nathaniel is part of it.

Will fate bring these two together, or has Nathaniel made the biggest mistake of his afterlife?

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Starts May 14th

$30 amazon gift card grand prize & Ecopy of Death Lies Between Us

May 14:  Books in the Hall 
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May 17:  The Darker Side of Romance

 
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Relics by Maer Wilson. New Release from Crescent Moon Press

After reading Relics, I decided I would like to find out a little more about this novel and its creator. Maer Wilson was kind enough to join me for a more in depth look into Relics.

Here is the blurb.

Most of Thulu and La Fi’s clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency  caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding relics for an ancient daemon should be simple.

The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground – Earth.

Stunning humanity with their existence, portals to other worlds begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth.

When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi’s search becomes personal. The couple will need powerful allies in the race to find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that’s what grateful dead, magical allies and daemonic clients are for.

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they’re nothing like your mother’s fairy tales. 

You can read more or buy a copy here: On amazon

I really enjoyed reading Relics. Will you share with us how Relics came to be?

Thanks for your kind words, Jody, and thank you so very much for having me on today.  This book actually grew out of the main characters, Thulu and La Fi. I used to play World of Warcraft and there were several people in our guild whose names began with “Moo”. This one couple especially was confusing and I thought I’d give them nicknames based on their in-game names. The result was Thulu and La Fi and when I saw the names, the characters were in my head saying, “No, we don’t belong to them. You need to tell our story!” So, I sat down and wrote the first draft in five weeks. Of course, the subsequent drafts took over a year and included ripping out the entire second half of the book and rewriting it.

I was born in the San Francisco Bay Area so your novel is close to my old stomping grounds. Is there a reason you chose that part of California for your setting?

I love the city! I’ve been there several times over the years, but I spent a week there about five years ago and fell in love with it. It seemed a perfect fit for my characters. I can’t imagine them living anywhere else.

There are so many great characters in Relics. Between the ghosts, Daemons, magical creatures, and humans with amazing supernatural abilities, I don’t think I could narrow it down to only one. Is there a particular character you really enjoyed writing, and why?

Thanks for saying that. I adore writing so many of them that it’s quite hard to choose. Certainly Thulu, La Fi, Jones, Nana Fae and Reo are the obvious choices, but I have so much fun with the others, as well. If I had to pick only one other than Thulu and La Fi, I think it would have to be Reo. He has so many layers and, of course, he’s a performer as his alter ego, Brandy Malone. I love his sense of humor and his erratic, but very strong abilities. He’s gay and has some fun scenes, but he breaks the stereotype. I think he’s very “realistic” for an empath, telepath, psychic. He was written for my gay friends and family members.

I thought Reo was a very realistic character as well – good job!  What’s next? Are you working on a new novel?

Portals, Book 2 of The Thulukan Chronicles, is complete and going through the last round with my beta readers before I submit to my publisher. I’ve begun Book 3, Crossroads, which I’m very excited to really get into. Two prequel short stories have been completed and gone through my beta readers. I also have an historical fantasy, The Journal, sitting on a back burner, teasing me now and then.

What is your writing schedule like and do you have any writing rituals?

I have to be comfortable. I’m envious of those who can write anywhere. I need to be home and in my study, at my desk and kicked back, with my feet up on a small ottoman. I usually like to listen to soundtracks. I don’t really keep to a schedule for the novels, although I’m writing something every day. I also write for my website, podcast site and two gaming fansites.

Do you have a favorite hobby or pastime that doesn’t involve writing or reading?

I love crafts although I haven’t had time to play around with anything recently. I’ve made award winning costumes, done various beading projects on costumes and purses, made dream catchers, played in my different coloring books, crochet, needlepoint, latch hook, whatever strikes me as fun. I also love watching movies. Now and then I hike, ride my bike, and take the one of the dogs for a walk.

You have many interests. I like that and I can definitely relate. Would you like to share any sage advice for a writer who is just starting out?

Well, the best “sage advice” I know comes to me from author Tim Powers, so I think I’ll just pass that along: If you want to write, then read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Not only in the genre you want to write in, but other genres, as well.

What a wonderful quote. Thank you! Will you share a favorite author or novel with us? Something that has inspired you and your writing career.

There are so many authors I respect, enjoy and have learned from by reading their work over the years, that it’s tough to narrow it down to one. Probably the two I admire the most would be the best I can do. George R.R. Martin and his “A Song of Ice and Fire” series because I find his writing and stories brilliant. I never can predict where he’s going. And J.K Rowling for the “Harry Potter” series because it’s sheer fun, entertaining and simply awesome. She’s a fabulous storyteller.

I also adore J.K. Rowling. Thank you Maer for giving us a peek into your world. Here is some more information about Maer Wilson and where you can find her.

Maer’s Bio

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. She also co-hosts the literary podcast, “MythBehaving” and writes for two gaming fansites. She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two dogs, a chihuahua and a poodle. Relics is her first novel and will be released by Crescent Moon Press on May 1, 2013. You can visit her website at maerwilson.com.

Maer’s Website – maerwilson.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maer-Wilson-Author/149085628472833

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MaerWilson

Goodread’s – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7040319.Maer_Wilson

Maer at MythBehaving – http://mythbehaving.com/

***Fun read, great characters, intriguing, and unique. 5 stars for Relics.***

Relics by Maer Wilson is a brand new release from Crescent Moon Press. I was fortunate to receive an advance reader copy (ARC) for review. Here is the blurb:

Most of Thulu and La Fi’s clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency  caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding relics for an ancient daemon should be simple.

The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground – Earth.

Stunning humanity with their existence, portals to other worlds begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth.

When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi’s search becomes personal. The couple will need powerful allies in the race to find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that’s what grateful dead, magical allies and daemonic clients are for.

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they’re nothing like your mother’s fairy tales.

Here are my thoughts

I loved this story from page one. I challenge you to read the first page of Relics and not be sucked into this novel. That is exactly what happened to me. The author has created a unique and creative story filled with plot twists and mystery, characters that you love, but you know you really shouldn’t, and others that are endearing and make you wish you could invite them over for dinner.

The author gives quite a bit of backstory and history between the two main characters, Thulu and LaFi (I love these names by the way.) Their history together really gives you an in-depth look into their relationship, and their very supportive family, the Thulukan clan.

Thulu has the special ability to “find” things and LaFi sees and speaks to dead people. This is the perfect combination for owning and operating their own detective agency for their peculiar clients. When they are approached by  a new client to help find a missing locket and then suddenly a handful of ghosts show up in their office all looking for the same murderer, the story seems to be a clear case of a who dunnit.  Except… then the action takes an unusual twist which keeps the reader turning pages to find out what is really going on.

Enter the magical beings and an interesting new take on Angels vs. Daemons, portals to other dimensions, and ancient relics needed to save the earth from a horrible destiny. Yes, all this really is packed into one fantastic novel.

This book is unlike any other that I have read before — which isn’t a bad thing. Ms. Wilson has an obvious talent for writing great dialogue and creating unexpected scenarios full of intrigue and imagination. She is a descriptive writer without being too wordy and the entire novel is extremely well written. I especially enjoyed her wide variety of characters. All of whom have depth and originality. Besides LaFi and Thulu, Reo is a particular favorite of mine and I recommend you read Relics to find out more about this interesting individual. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

***Fun read, great characters, intriguing, and unique. 5 stars for Relics.***

You can read more or buy a copy here: On amazon

Maer’s Bio

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. She also co-hosts the literary podcast, “MythBehaving” and writes for two gaming fansites. She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two dogs, a chihuahua and a poodle. Relics is her first novel and will be released by Crescent Moon Press on May 1, 2013. You can visit her website at maerwilson.com.

Maer’s Website – maerwilson.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maer-Wilson-Author/149085628472833

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MaerWilson

Goodread’s – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7040319.Maer_Wilson

Maer at MythBehaving – http://mythbehaving.com/