E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 21

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.

This week's stop is Los Angeles and our special guide is Jamie Schultz, author of the Arcane Underworld urban fantasy series, including the new release SPLINTERED.

L.A.'s Top 5 Spooky Places
The Los Angeles of the Arcane Underworld is a nasty place. On the surface, it looks much like our own L.A., but peel back the top layers and you’ll find demon-fueled magic, unholy cults, and more creepy goings-on than you can shake a stick at. Here are a handful of the eeriest locations to be found.

The Gorow House – Located in the old, neglected part of Beverly Hills, you won’t find movie stars anywhere near the old Gorow House. In fact, you likely won’t find the place at all. Most people will drive right past the street it’s on, suddenly in a rush to be somewhere else. If you do manage to turn onto the street, you’ll find that the area surrounding the house is more than neglected. The whole street is full of For Sale signs, the blinds are drawn on every house, and people don’t dawdle between their house and their car. Many don’t come out of their houses much at all. Even the squirrels don’t come out during the day anymore. The whole street has a brooding lethargy about it, except for the Gorow place itself. The only activity on the street happens in the alley behind the Gorow place. Cars roll up after midnight. Doors slam. People scream and disappear behind the high fence in the back of the house. Nobody knows exactly what goes on in that house, but one thing is sure: whatever it is, it has poisoned the whole street.

Carriage Meat Processing Plant – A shuttered plant, this place is mostly an open floor with the skeletal remains of ominous meat processing equipment scattered about. The stink of blood and offal seems to have been ground into the concrete itself, which is unsettling enough, but the real weirdness is in the offices around the perimeter of the building. They have been converted into makeshift bedrooms, each with its own unsettling tableau. In one room, tiny red letters have been scrawled over every surface. If you look at just the right angle, the letters crowd together to form shapes, the largest of which seems to be a screaming face. Another contains a tuxedo and a wedding dress, pinned spreadeagle to the wall like butterflies. Yet another contains thousands of tiny animal skeletons. All evidence points to people having squatted in the building until recently, though one gets the impression these are not people you’d ever want to meet.

Harrison Women’s Correctional Facility – Another place with despair infused right into the structure itself, it’s rumored that the correctional facility is haunted. Strange noises and lights have been known to come from the place at night, and at least two teenagers have gone missing in the area, leaving no trace but a smear of abandoned graffiti and a spray can. One room deep in the basement is rumored to contain an enormous diagram of some occult purpose.

Parking Garage on Toomey and Wilds – Perhaps the least outright creepy of our tour today, this is surely the most verifiably bizarre. Reliable sources within the LAPD have verified that this parking garage is the epicenter of the so-called “plague of locusts” that buried Los Angeles in drifts of dead insects and brought traffic to a complete halt for an entire day in August of 2015. Everyone agrees that the locusts radiated from this point. Nobody can explain, however, where the locusts actually came from, given that the total biomass that emerged from the building is many times larger than the structure itself.

The Enoch Sobell Enterprises building, downtown – Enoch Sobell is a successful and widely respected businessman, but the word on the street is that he’s got a criminal empire that would put the Mafia to shame, and that he didn’t come by that through strictly natural means. His building is the pulsing heart of that unnatural empire. Everybody’s heard the rumors about what goes on in the top floors where he keeps his office and his nerve center. Depraved sex parties. Demonic rituals. Blood sacrifices. Who knows whether there’s any truth to any of that, but what is known for sure is that a massacre occurred in the top floor. Sixteen dead in what is rumored to be some sort of cult showdown, Sobell right there at the center of it, and yet he walks out without a scratch… and without an indictment. That’s gotta take the luck of the devil, right?

Thank you Jamie for giving us such a haunting tour of L.A.! 
To learn more about Jamie Schultz and his books, please visit his website.  You can add the Arcane Underworld urban fantasy series here on Goodreads.



What did you think of Jamie's picks for spooky places?
On our last Paranormal Road Trip we visited Wolfe Creek with Kaylie Newell.  Next week we'll be traveling to Los Angeles with Rachel Marks.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!

BREAKING NEWS: Blood and Mistletoe Paperback Book Launch October 24th at Hallowread in haunted Ellicott City, Maryland!



In response to tremendous reader request, BLOOD AND MISTLETOE will be available in Trade Paperback (first time in print!) for $7.99 and a special book festival price of $5.00 for Hallowreaders!  I will also be signing Blood and Mistletoe postcards and giving away free Dropcards with sample chapters from Blood and Mistletoe as well as other audiobooks in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series.

But that's not all!

All IVY GRANGER and HUNTERS' GUILD novels retail for $14.99, but these books will be available at a special book festival price of $10.00 each.  PLUS, spend $15 or more at my table during the book signing and book launch party October 24th and receive a free gift.

You don't want to miss this book launch at Hallowread in historic haunted Ellicott City, Maryland happening at 4:30pm October 24, 2015.  I'll also be at the Author Breakfast, on the Paranormal Romance Guild panel, Holding Court (faeries) panel, Shifting Gears (shifters) panel, Don't Know How You Do That Voodoo That you Do (magic) panel, ghost tours, haunted house, and more!

Learn more about Hallowread 2015

Please welcome today's guest author, Dianna Love!  Dianna is the author of the Belador urban fantasy series, including new release WITCHLOCK.

Q+A with Dianna Love
EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Dianna:  I started creating stories in my mind in the late 90s while hanging a hundred feet off the ground painting murals on billboards and buildings. I sat down to put the first of those stories on paper in 2001.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?  

Dianna:  I love the supernatural. I think that often grows from experience with the supernatural during life. I’ve had quite a few unusual experiences and many years ago I loved the book Intangible Evidence because it was filled with real-life events that could not be easily explained.  Thus, the title.  I think my first adult paranormal book was Anne Rice’s Lasher, which scared the stuffing out of me.  From that, I read Interview With A Vampire long before vampires were cool.  During that time, I was exchanging books with my mother-in-law, who read as diversely as I did, and she had a Julie Garwood (Ransom) romance in the pile she gave me.  That was amazing. I was hooked from that moment. I went on to read books by Karen Marie Moning, Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward, Christine Feehan and more.  I also loved romantic suspense so by the time I came up with a paranormal idea, I knew I wanted it to be high action, sexy, emotional, intense and suspenseful.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Dianna:  I would teleport, because I hate traffic and want to snap my fingers to go somewhere.  If I chose any paranormal character to be, I’d choose to be a Belador.  They’re like paranormal SEALs, but in a world full of twists.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Dianna:  I can only tell you what readers have posted in reviews or sent to me.  These are from posts on Amazon.
“Every scene in WITCHLOCK is absolutely spellbinding…”
“Evalle and friends are back in another high energy, pulse pounding adventure…Fans of Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden series will enjoy this series. I surely do.”
“Dianna Love is the best at bringing together action, intrigue and the personal relationships of the characters.”
“O M G! Best I can say: Dianna has done it again!”
“Dianna Love's writing is smart, intelligent, believable and exciting, full of action and suspense.”
“I’ve loved the Belador series from the first book: it’s well written, face-paced, with a kick-ass heroine. There is a great cast of main protagonists and secondary characters. The world building is distinctive and credible.”

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Dianna:  I would have NO idea, but just for fun (these are based on visuals) I’d say Zoe Saldana as Evalle, Ian Somerhalder as Storm, Jake Gyllenhaal as Quinn, Boris Kodjoe as Tzader, Natalie Dormer as Brina, Bradley Cooper as “Casper,” Kit Harringon as Lucien Solis, Scarlett Johansson as Adrianna … that’s all I can come up with right now.  Our sweet gargoyle Feenix would be hard to cast.

Thank you Dianna for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

Witchlock (Belador #6) by Dianna Love.

The Beladors are back in WITCHLOCK, Book 6 of the bestselling urban fantasy series by New York Times bestseller Dianna Love.

Witchlock vanished in the 13th century… or did it?

Some win. Some lose. And some will never be the same again.

After finally earning her place among the Beladors, Evalle is navigating the ups and downs of her new life with Storm when she’s sucked into a power play between her Belador tribe and the Medb coven. Both groups claim possession of the Alterants-turned-gryphons, especially Evalle, the gryphon leader. But an influx of demons and dark witches into Atlanta threatens to unleash war between covens, pitting allies against each other as a legendary majik known as Witchlock invades the city and attacks powerful beings. Evalle has one hope for stopping the invasion, but the cost may be her sanity and having to choose which friend to save.

Release Date: July 7, 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

Have a question for Dianna?
Please ask in the comment section below.  We love comments!  Learn more about Dianna Love and her books on her website.

We have a very special book giveaway for you today.  Thanks to our friends at Tor, we are giving away THREE hardcover copies of NIGHTWISE by R.S. Belcher!


Nightwise by R.S. Belcher

In the more shadowy corners of the world, frequented by angels and demons and everything in-between, Laytham Ballard is a legend. It’s said he raised the dead at the age of ten, stole the Philosopher’s Stone in Vegas back in 1999, and survived the bloodsucking kiss of the Mosquito Queen. Wise in the hidden ways of the night, he’s also a cynical bastard who stopped thinking of himself as the good guy a long time ago.

Now a promise to a dying friend has Ballard on the trail of an escaped Serbian war criminal with friends in both high and low places—and a sinister history of blood sacrifices. Ballard is hell-bent on making Dusan Slorzack pay for his numerous atrocities, but Slorzack seems to have literally dropped off the face of the Earth, beyond the reach of his enemies, the Illuminati, and maybe even the Devil himself. To find Slorzack, Ballard must follow a winding, treacherous path that stretches from Wall Street and Washington, D.C. to backwoods hollows and truckstops, while risking what’s left of his very soul . . . .

Release Date:  August 18, 2015
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Noir, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

Nightwise Book Giveaway
We are giving away three hardcover copies of Nightwise by R.S. Belcher.

To enter, please leave a comment below and include your email address so we may contact you if you win.  BONUS ENTRY:  Leave a comment on this month's poll October Poll: What is your favorite paranormal creature? for one extra giveaway entry.  This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses.  Giveaway ends October 26, 2015 midnight EST.

Good luck!

Happy World Zombie Day!  We'll be celebrating all week with a fantastic book giveaway.

Are you ready for the Zombie Apocalypse?
What better way to prepare for the zombie apocalypse than with braaaaains books?  And just in case the zombie hordes take out the power plants, we are giving a way a physical book for your reading pleasure (Note: this book can double as a weapon, or as body armor.  We have you covered!).

World Zombie Day Giveaway
We are giving away a copy of Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.



To enter, please leave a comment below and include your email address so we may contact you if you win.  BONUS ENTRY:  Leave a comment on this month's poll October Poll: What is your favorite paranormal creature? for one extra giveaway entry.  This giveaway is open in US mailing addresses.  Giveaway ends October 27, 2015 midnight EST.

Happy World Zombie Day!

I had the pleasure of signing, paneling, and teaching workshops at SF:SE (Speculative Fiction: Southeast) in Orlando September 25-27th.  I had a amazing time, and I plan to be a guest at next year's convention.

This is from a Facebook post during the con...



PANELS, PARTIES, WORKSHOPS, SIGNINGS

My first panel of the weekend was the worldbuilding panel You’re In My World Now, Grandma on Friday afternoon with Orson Scott Card, Melissa Gibbo, Thomas Lucas, Maria V. Snyder, Rachel Vincent, Jacqueline Carey, and Alia Luria.  Attendees were ravenous for this panel, and I only wish we'd had more time for Q+A. 


Saturday kicked off with time on Author Alley, followed by paneling with Peter V. Brett, Melissa Gibbo, Rachel Higginson, P.T. Hylton, Lauren Boczkowski, and Catherynne M. Valente for the Fear Itself panel.  We subjected our audience to our deepest fears.  I apologize for the nightmares folks!


My book signing was immediately after Fear Itself.  Thankfully, the convention space was easy to navigate, especially after doing ninja recon the night before.

After my signing, I was on the Kickass Heroines panel with Carrie Jones, Rachel Higginson, Melissa Gibbo, Joshua Unruh, Jacqueline Carey, John Crowther, and Courtney Allison Moulton.  This was so much fun (and I shall never think of sheep the same way again). 

But that's not all!  I taught my Duality of Urban Fantasy writing workshop Saturday afternoon.  This was a wonderful experience, and I'd like to thank everyone who attended.

As I made my way back to Author's Alley, I was interviewed by journalist G.W. Pomichter for Hangin' With Authors.  You can check out the Hangin' With Authors Video Interview with E.J. Stevens here.

I capped off Saturday with a few more hours on Author Alley with my readers, followed by the VIP party featuring Phantasmagoria and the masquerade in the hotel pub. 



Sunday began with bagels, coffee, and books.  I enjoyed the relaxing morning talking with readers on Author Alley.

I also taught the blogging workshop Book Blogging 101 Sunday morning.  I had amazing feedback from attendees, and I promise to make sure we have more time for this workshop next year. 

I've been on the road for the past 5 months with stops in 5 states (and another stop in Ellicott City, MD in 2 weeks!) and I was very impressed with SF:SE.  I am already looking forward to next year.

Were you at SF:SE 2015?

Congratulations Nicole the winner of the Midian Unmade Giveaway at From the Shadows!  Nicole will receive a hardcover copy of Midian Unmade: Tales of Clive Barker's Nightbreed.



Thank you to all who entered!

**Giveaway winner selected randomly using Random.org.**

Come on boys and ghouls!  It's time to hop on Route 666 for a spooktacular Paranormal Road Trip.

This week's stop is Wolfe Creek and our special guide is Kaylie Newell, author of the Wolfe Creek paranormal romance series, including the new release HUNTER OF HER HEART.

Wolf Creek's Top 5 Spooky Places
Towering pines, fog shrouded forests, eerie nights illuminated by a full moon.  Welcome to Wolfe Creek, Oregon.  You can visit, but if you’re smart, you’ll lock your doors ;)
This tiny mountain town is the backdrop for my Wolfe Creek Series- three books that tell the story of a Native American family who are cursed as werewolves.

Here are my top five spookiest places in the mythical town of Wolfe Creek…

The Wolfe Creek Inn - This hotel was built by a French-Canadian Lumber tycoon named Bastien Wolfe at the end of the 19th century.  He met and fell in love with a young Native American woman whom he later married.  They were cursed by a local witch, damning their future sons to a fate worse than death.

Tomahawk Falls - A treacherous waterfall deep in the forest of Wolfe Creek.  Known for the place where Bastien Wolfe’s toddler son fell to his death over one hundred years ago.  Many believe this was the first tragedy brought about by the curse, which eventually grew into the
Legend of Wolfe Creek.

Pikes Peak - A craggy mountain top north of Wolfe Creek.  It juts into the air like a gnarled finger, but at its base are lovely meadows and streams that lead all the way to the Pacific ocean.  Pikes Peak is cloaked in mystery, as only the most experienced locals are able to reach it on foot.  Breathtakingly beautiful, it can also be deadly.  And not just because of the dangerous landscape.  Just don’t camp up there during a full moon…

The Wolfe Creek Woods - Everyone who lives here knows not to venture into these woods at night.  The unsettling feeling of being watched is just one reason why most people steer clear.  Unexplained disappearances are another.

Wolfe Creek Gas Station and General Store - Most people who stop in Wolfe Creek are just passing through.  It’s in the middle of nowhere and creepy as hell.  The faster they can get some gas and grab a quick snack, the faster they can be on their way.  Nobody wants to linger very long at the Wolfe Creek General Store- this is the spot where a young woman named Aimee Styles vanished one night, never to be seen again.  At least not in human form… 

Thank you Kaylie for giving us such a haunting tour of Wolfe Creek! 
To learn more about Kaylie Newell and her books, please visit her website.  You can add the Wolfe Creek paranormal romance series here on Goodreads.



What did you think of Kaylie's picks for spooky places?
On our last Paranormal Road Trip we visited Seattle with Rebecca Zanetti.  Next week we'll be overtaken by the Zombie Apocalypse due to World Zombie Day, but the following week we'll be traveling to Los Angeles with Jamie Schultz.

Join us for another spine-tingling Paranormal Road Trip...
if you dare!

Happy October!  October is my favorite month of the year.  I love the cooler temperatures that are just perfect for curling up with a spooky book and a mug of hot cider.  So get comfy, grab a mug of something sweet and spicy, it's time for a spooktacular blog hop!

October Frights Blog Hop
The October Frights Blog Hop is a frightful blog hop celebrating all things that go bump in the night.  Each blog will be giving away dark, paranormal bookish delights.  Good luck, and happy hopping haunting!

October Frights Burning Bright Audiobook Giveaway
Love urban fantasy?  Burning Bright, the third full-length novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger series, releases this month in audiobook format!  To celebrate this book filled with psychotic faeries, bloodsucking vampires, and flesh eating ghouls, we are giving away 3 Burning Bright audiobook downloads from Audible.com.



Burning Bright (Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective #3) by E.J. Stevens, Narrated by Melanie Mason and David Wilson-Brown

Burning down the house...

Things are not going well at the offices of Private Eye. Jinx is having demon problems, the city is overrun with pyromaniacal imps, and Ivy's wisp powers are burning out of control, attracting the attention of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts.

Along came a faerie queen... It's the worst possible time for the Green Lady to call in a favor, but Ivy's bound by her deal with the glaistig. Too bad there's no wiggle room in faerie bargains.

Ivy must rid the city of imps, keep Jinx from murdering her one solid link to Hell, and fulfill her bargain with the Green Lady--with sidhe assassins hot on her tail.

Just another day's work for Ivy Granger, psychic detective.

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Enter to win a BURNING BRIGHT audiobook!
To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is open to anyone who can download books from Audible.com.  Giveaway ends October 10, 2015.  Audiobooks will be gifted through Audible.com when this book releases.  Be the first to listen to Ivy's new adventures!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now it's time to continue your hopping haunted journey along the October Frights Blog Hop.  Thank you for visiting From the Shadows.

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Want to win more books?
Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card and 6 Urban Fantasy Ebooks in our 6 Year Blogversary Giveaway ends October 8, 2015.

Enter to win a hardcover copy of Midian Unmade: Tales of Clive Barker's Nightbreed in our Midian Unmade Book Giveaway .  Giveaway ends October 7, 2015.

Happy October!  October is my favorite month.  Halloween, spooky books...what's not to love?  And all of those spooky books and movies have me wondering...

What is your Favorite Paranormal Creature?
Shifters?  Vampires?  Faeries?  Unicorns?  Angels?  Zombies?  Ghosts?   

Poll:  What is your Favorite Paranormal Creature?

What is your Favorite Paranormal Creature?

Will you be dressing as your favorite paranormal for Halloween this year?  Or have you done so in the past?  Let us know in the comments.  Bonus awesome points if you have pictures!  I love to see costumes.