Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Naomi Hawk and when the kind folks at Bitten By Books asked me to swing by, I almost passed, but Damian said it might be fun, so I decided that it certainly would be, especially if I was to…say…interview him…

I can tell you right now, Damian Andreas was not happy with me for this little twist in focus, but I was able to coerce him into joining us.

Damian: “Coerce, my…”

Naomi: You might want to keep that language in check, hon. You can roll your eyes all you want, but the good people reading this interview are really interested in vampires and since I’m so new at it, I figured you could fill in some of the blanks. So tell us, how long you’ve been a vampire?

Damian: “A very long time.”

Naomi: Be more specific.

Damian: “Long before Christ was born.”

Naomi: So you’ve been around for over two thousand years?

Damian: “More like twenty-five hundred years.”

Naomi: What’s the best part of being a vampire? …Don’t laugh at me, just answer the question.

Damian: “The best part? Up until I met you, I would have said nothing about being a vampire is good. But now that you’ve made it through the transition, I’d have to say having you as an ally. I’d hate to be the one on your bad side.”

Naomi: Yeah, well, I’m still mad at you for turning me. Anyway, what’s the worst part for you?

Damian: “Not being able to feel the sun on my face.”

Naomi: Really? You never told me that.

Damian: “We haven’t really had a lot of time to talk with Lucifer on our tail.”

Naomi: True. So, what’s one of the misconceptions of vampires that you’d like to set straight?

Damian: “The biggest misconception is people think we’re dead. We aren’t. The shadow virus slows down our vitals, but our heart still beats and we still breathe, and I’m sure at some point we would age, but it’s at a rate that’s unimaginably slow. I haven’t aged yet and there’s been no sign of deterioration in my cells since I was turned.”

Naomi: Is it true that vampires can heal within hours of injury?

Damian: “Yes, sometimes within minutes, depending on the extent of the injury.”

Naomi: So, what are the things that could kill you?

Damian: “Direct sunlight reacts violently with the virus. It’s almost like taking a blow torch to kindling. Instantaneous combustion that leaves nothing but ash behind. It isn’t pretty. And of course, platinum being the purest of metals, is the only one that can pierce our skin when we are in our shadow forms. Vampires have an adverse reaction to platinum. Not as violent as the sun, but it does react like a slow poison and any introduction into the body is excruciating.”

Naomi: Can you give us a glimpse of what the future holds for you?

Damian: “Your guess is as good as mine, but I promise, it won’t be boring.”

Naomi: Well on that note, I’ll sign off with an excerpt from Night Hawk…

EXCERPT:

“You’re more than welcome to join me,” I said when she showed no signs of moving.

Her mouth opened and she glanced back toward the living room. “When?”

“Right now,” I said, knowing she wasn’t referring to my offer.

She rolled her eyes. “When did you paint that mural?”

“A long time ago,” I said. “Now, are you going to join me or not?” This time I turned toward her, giving her the full view and I smiled at the way her gaze bounced, her eyes widening a fraction before inching their way back up my chest to my face. Her cheeks bloomed and I cocked an eyebrow at her.

She pressed her lips together and slammed the door, marching out of the room in a huff.

I chuckled and ran the soap over my chest, running my fingers over what was left of the welt on my skin. The vampiric healing powers still amazed me enough that I missed the shift in the air around me.

Nails scraped my back and I jumped, swinging my head in the direction of the disturbance. Her wide eyes met mine and I turned, drinking her in from head to toe. Exquisite was the only word that popped into mind and when her fingers touched my chest I reached, covering her hand and holding it against my skin.

“What are you doing?” I whispered because having her undressed and this close put me at a major disadvantage.

“I’m saying thank you,” she said and her hands moved lower.

Catching her wrists, I warned, “Naomi, don’t start something you can’t finish.” My body responded anyway and she closed the distance. Her lips grazed my chest and I closed my eyes, releasing her and surrendering to her exploration.

When her tongue trailed lower, I recalled the memories of her ex and my eyes snapped open. As much as the thought of her taking me in her mouth thrilled me, I didn’t want to be that memory and I grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her up to face me. She wasn’t one of the common harlots from my past that I let drop to their knees before me.

No, Naomi was different and I wanted more.

“You do not have to do this just because you aren’t ready for anything else.”

Her dark eyes met mine and I traced the frame of her face with my fingertips, studying every curve. Leaning down, I took her lower lip in my mouth, sucking gently before shifting and delivering a kiss that started as tender and rich as her blood, but it soon escalated into an all-consuming heat and I could envision living in this bliss for the rest of eternity.

I had lied to her today.

Fear wasn’t the only deep emotion I had encountered since I plucked her out of the sky, this need to connect, to love again overwhelmed me. The irony of her name and the form she turned into added to the feel that fate had prepared this feast just for me.

Author Bio:
“As far as a bio is concerned, I am a writer, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a contest judge, a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter and a business analyst, not necessarily in that order.

I first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after my daughter asked if I could do anything what would it be. From that moment on, I haven’t looked back.

My first book, Dark Reckoning was originally released on July 5, 2010 through FIDO Publishing, which also happened to be my birthday! Personally, I can’t think of a better birthday gift, can you? In addition to Dark Reckoning, I had another July release – this one on the erotic thriller side of the fence – SURVIVAL GAMES which came out on July 19, 2010 through eXcessica. Both of these titles along with several others in both series are now under my own label as of July 2011.

For the most part, my genre of choice is a toss up between thrillers and horror. My stories run the gambit from erotic to supernatural to urban fantasy and most of them have romantic undertones intertwined with my unique paranormal/supernatural slant manifesting in dark themes and twisted villans doling out a fair amount of violence. They are not for the faint of heart.

My heroes and heroines are three dimensional, real and infallible, making both good and bad choices and sometimes those questionable decisions come with a high price. I don’t believe in happily ever after but I do believe in survival of the fittest, so if you’re looking for a nice fluff novel, this isn’t the place to find it, but if you’re looking for a book that gets your blood pumping, welcome, and remember where you keep your nightlights!

In addition to writing, I also am a Senior Editor with Allegory (www.allegoryezine) an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror. In this capacity I get the pleasure of reading submissions from some very talented folks.

•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

Learn more about J.E. Taylor below:
To read reviews of this author’s work go here.
http://www.jetaylor75.com/
http://twitter.com/JETaylor75
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JETaylor/190872939774
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153969.J_E_Taylor
•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Naomi thought that she was in love until her boyfriend, Mark, sells her soul to a demon. When sentenced to death, Naomi slips and falls 80 stories. Expecting to hit the pavement, she is shocked to be grabbed by something before she does. Now Naomi wants vengeance for her imprisonment and what she has turned into.

Night Hawk is one of those books that you cannot put down until the very last page. It was a fantastic, well-written, fast-paced book. The main character, Naomi, is a very strong woman who doesn’t take her “fate” sitting down.

J.E. Taylor is one of my favorite authors and has yet to publish a book that is unlikeable. Her writing style in Night Hawk is a bit different than her other books. I felt that this book was a bit lighter than her other series but just as enjoyable. Her characters are strong, and her storylines will keep you wanting more. I am looking forward to book two.

Book Stats:
Paperback: 316 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 14, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1482763206
ISBN-13: 978-1482763201

Buy a Print copy of Night Hawk from Amazon
Buy a Kindle copy of Night Hawk from Amazon

I have been with Steve Williams since the beginning and I have grown to love this series. The first book, Dark Reckoning, did not agree with me, but Georgia Reign and Crystal Illusions were a treat to read. I found Saving Face even better, and I love the way Taylor chooses to focus more on the people and inter-connected relationships rather than solely on the violence.

Steve Williams and his partner are always a step behind the Windwalker serial killer, then his son is found at the scene of a gruesome crime that the Windwalker committed, Steve will have to prove his son’s innocence and find the crazed murderer before his world falls apart.

Saving Face has a bit of a different feel to it than the other Steve Williams books, and I like where the story is going. Taylor has grown as an author, and the series is just getting stronger. Steve and his family will have to pull together, and though the book ends nicely, I think that CJ will be the cause of another installment. If you like murder, mystery, violence and the touch of the paranormal, check out J.E. Taylor.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (October 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1480199605
• ISBN-13: 978-1480199606

Purchase a print copy of Saving Face from Amazon
Purchase a Kindle copy of Saving Face from Amazon

Books in the Steve Williams series:
Dark Reckonings
Vengeance
Hunting Season
Georgia Reign
Crystal Illusions
Saving Face

The writing journey – How ideas evolve by J.E. Taylor

The idea for Saving Face came out of an interesting conversation about books and titles during my son’s Jukido class and there is a reference to this in the acknowledgement section of the book.  We were playing around with titles for my existing manuscript – Mirror Lake because I didn’t think the title had enough impact, and it didn’t quite measure up to the next two books in the series – Vengeance and Hunting Season.

Once we arrived at some interesting titles for me to noodle on, we moved onto a discussion relating to suspense and action movies. Like all great conversations, this evolved to a discussion about strong opening scenes in both books and motion pictures.

This is where things got interesting. One of the fathers said a book about a killer that collected faces would be an interesting read and laid out a challenge to me.  He bet I couldn’t write an opening scene based on this premise before the end of class.

We had a half hour left and anyone who knows me knows I couldn’t turn down a challenge like that, especially with it being a kill scene.  The conversation had really sparked my imagination, so my fingers flew on the keyboard.  I wrote the scene with time to spare and handed him my computer.

Needless to say, he was impressed.  The opening scene hasn’t changed much from that day and that conversation sparked the title of my next Steve Williams Novel – Saving Face.

I let that story line percolate for a few years, coming up with a much more complex plot than just a serial killer that stole faces.  I took my time, letting the story line flush out in my head long before I added anything else beyond that kill scene. Of course, Saving Face has multiple meanings and I explored quite a few of them in the book.

And now that I explained how the first chapter of the book came about – here is what came out of that challenge:

Chapter 1

“The trees swayed in the breeze, dry leaves rustled, and the stars disappeared behind a bank of clouds, drawing out the already dark shadows. Shadows he hid within, watching, waiting, frozen in place by his obsession, his bloodlust.

Testing the air with a sniff, he tried detecting a trace of her perfume but came away with only the distinct scent of fall. Crisp. Clean. Carnal.

His edgy hands begged for action and he clenched them, dropping his arms to his sides. Tilting his head, he caught a rhythmic pulse, like that of his heart, but accented with crunching leaves. She was coming and his hand shot to the worn handle of his hunting knife.

Patience.

His fingers stroked the soft wood like a lover and he stared at the jogger-beaten path. The bounce of her headlamp filtered through the thick brush and he blew a slow stream of air through his lips, calming his pounding heart.

Patience, he told himself again. He didn’t want to give her enough time to react, to bolt in the opposite direction. Instead, he counted her steps, watching as the light approached, bouncing with each of her long-legged strides.

It wasn’t her lithe frame he was after. It was her face, her scalp. She had passed by him at the store, catching his fancy and fueling his desire. A fine specimen. An excellent addition to his collection; with fragile features stretched into a scream—forever captured in his art.

He crept closer to the path, crouching and ready to pounce the moment she crossed. The light drew closer and now he could smell the mixture of Poison and sweat, a sweet concoction that aroused his hunger and almost uncoiled his predatory posture. He inhaled deeply, relishing the scent. Her footfalls brought her close enough to make out her dark form behind the bright light.

He waited, and when the twig he placed in the middle of the path snapped, he sprang. In one leap, he caught her, wrapping his arms around her as he tackled. The yelp of surprise brought a smile to his face and he unsheathed the knife, plunging it into her chest before she could regain enough oxygen to produce a blood curdling scream.

Her eyes widened, blinking at him in the light of her fallen headlamp.

The thrill of the hunt, of the capture, fueled his blood; pumping it frantically through his veins, throbbing in his temple, producing little spots of red in the edges of his eyesight. Ripping flesh accompanied each of his thrusts, along with muffled cries of pain that gave way to an airy wheeze.

He grabbed her hair, pulling her head forward and slicing the base of her hairline with surgical precision. Sliding his fingers under the gaping wound, he peeled the scalp from the back to the front, separating her skin from the bone.

She did scream then, a high gurgling wail that died moments later, when his knife separated the mass of skin and hair and lips that he peeled from her bones, severing her carotid artery in the process. With the prize pelt in his hands, he stood, sheathing the knife and taking off toward the river.”

Thank you for having me on Bitten By Books today!
Until next time.
Ciao
JET

Books in the Steve Williams series in the order they should be read:
Dark Reckonings
Vengeance
Hunting Season
Georgia Reign
Crystal Illusions
Saving Face

Author Bio:
“As far as a bio is concerned, I am a writer, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a contest judge, a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter and a business analyst, not necessarily in that order.

I first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after my daughter asked if I could do anything what would it be. From that moment on, I haven’t looked back.

My first book, Dark Reckoning was originally released on July 5, 2010 through FIDO Publishing, which also happened to be my birthday! Personally, I can’t think of a better birthday gift, can you? In addition to Dark Reckoning, I had another July release – this one on the erotic thriller side of the fence – SURVIVAL GAMES which came out on July 19, 2010 through eXcessica. Both of these titles along with several others in both series are now under my own label as of July 2011.

For the most part, my genre of choice is a toss up between thrillers and horror. My stories run the gambit from erotic to supernatural to urban fantasy and most of them have romantic undertones intertwined with my unique paranormal/supernatural slant manifesting in dark themes and twisted villans doling out a fair amount of violence. They are not for the faint of heart.

My heroes and heroines are three dimensional, real and infallible, making both good and bad choices and sometimes those questionable decisions come with a high price. I don’t believe in happily ever after but I do believe in survival of the fittest, so if you’re looking for a nice fluff novel, this isn’t the place to find it, but if you’re looking for a book that gets your blood pumping, welcome, and remember where you keep your nightlights!

In addition to writing, I also am a Senior Editor with Allegory (www.allegoryezine) an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror. In this capacity I get the pleasure of reading submissions from some very talented folks.

Unfortunately with Allegory, only 8 stories out of all the submissions make it to the final publication, so sorting through the pile and helping the editor make the final choices can be a bit like herding cats. The decisions are not always easy but Ty Drago does a great job of balancing the issue with a little of everything. It truly is a labor of love on all of our parts¸ especially for the zero-dollar paycheck, but the payoff in telling someone they’ve made it to the next level or they made the final cut is so worth it.

So that’s a little glimpse into my crazy life.”
•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

Learn more about J.E. Taylor below:
To read reviews of this author’s work go here.
http://www.jetaylor75.com/
http://twitter.com/JETaylor75
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JETaylor/190872939774
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153969.J_E_Taylor

•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Steve Williams is a talented FBI agents with a gift for the paranormal. When the FBI sends him to help Carolyn Hastings, he realizes immediately that something isn’t right. Carolyn is seeing through the eyes of the killer, and all the victims resemble her physically. She is the Assistant D.A. and believes in following her hunches…which are telling her the man she loves could very well be responsible for the crime spree cutting its way through the city. She and Steve have to follow the darkness, delve deeper into the killer’s head and try to rise up and stop the killer before Carolyn becomes the next victim in truth.

The fifth book in the Steve Williams series, Crystal Illusions, was intense and is the best written yet. I read Dark Reckonings when it first came out and realized that it was a bit too graphic for me. I loved the paranormal element, I loved the beginnings of the characters, but the gang rape scene was a bit much. I was curious though as to the rest of the series (since Steve was such a first hand victim in Dark Reckonings) and was interested when I heard about Crystal Illusions. I prepared myself for terror, agony and horror.

Crystal Illusions has shown how far J. E. Taylor and her characters have come. Steve Williams is so real, so human he seems to step out of the book. It’s hard not to sympathize with him. The author squeezes him dry then pushes him to keep going, allowing him to grow in ways that can only make him stronger. This installment continues to haunt me even days after having read it.

I noticed that Taylor has only grown stronger as an author, and her writing has continued to mature and develop. I can usually guess a book’s plot, but Taylor continued to surprise me and create more twists the farther along I read. If you love murder mysteries, if you love strong yet human characters, if you adore reading about the dark side of humanity then I highly recommend this book. If you are new to the genre and series, you’ll be able to pick up Crystal Illusions and enjoy it, even if you haven’t read the previous four books. I look forward to reading the next, and hope that one day Steve will be able to put all the nightmares out there to rest.

Book Stats:

Purchase a print copy of Crystal Illusions from Amazon
Purchase a Kindle copy of Crystal Illusions from Amazon

Books in the Steve Williams series:
Dark Reckonings
Vengeance
Hunting Season
Georgia Reign
Crystal Illusions

JET: Hello and welcome to another JET-Fueled Q&A session here on Bitten By Books.  I have Manhattan’s lovely assistant district attorney Carolyn Hastings on tap.  Welcome and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us today.

Carolyn: Thank you for having me Ms. Taylor.

JET: Can you tell us what types of cases you specialize in?

Carolyn: I work in the Special Victims Bureau and my focus is in the child abuse arena, although I’ve had crossover to both sexual abuse and human trafficking in the past.

JET: What made you choose this focus as opposed to some of the other divisions within the D.A. office?

Carolyn: I know firsthand what it’s like to be abused as a child and I want to protect other children from having to live through the same anguish.

JET: Well, the city of New York is lucky to have you fighting for them.  Now, on a different note, I understand you’ve got a touch of ESP. Can you let us know how this impacts your job?

Carolyn: Well, that isn’t common knowledge, but off the record, I’ve got the ability to read people, which comes in handy when cross examining defense witnesses.  Although some folks I just can’t get a bead on and those are the ones I’ve learned to watch out for.  A quiet mind usually means trouble.

JET: Can you tune in and tune out like a radio station?

Carolyn: Unfortunately, I can’t turn it on an off and I haven’t been able to find any rhyme or reason as to why it starts and stops.  The only thing I’m certain of, is that it’s heightened  when I start having visions, like I am lately.

It’s like some cosmic intervention and when that happens, when everything lines up just so, I seem to have more control over focusing it.   Imagine being in a busy restaurant where everyone is talking to each other.  That’s the normal state of my head during the heightened times, and I’ve learned to ignore the din for the most part, but this affliction isn’t infallible and as I said, sometimes I can’t get a read at all.

JET: I understand the FBI is involved in the Scarlet Psychopath case now.  Have you met the Special Agent assigned to the case?

Carolyn: From your tone, I can tell you’ve had the pleasure of speaking with S.A. Steve Williams.

JET: Yes. I just didn’t know if you had an opinion on the man.Carolyn: Beyond the eye-candy element, he seems to be a sharp cookie.

JET: And?

Carolyn: And I understand he has a unique sense for ferreting out serial killers.  This city needs that right now.

JET: He does along with a plethora of other talents.  On that note, I’d like to thank you for sitting down with me.  Before we wrap this up, is there anything you want to relay to the folks out there?

Carolyn: Young women, take heed – make sure you institute a buddy system when you go out in the city.  Being alone after dark in New York City or any other city is not smart.   Be smart and keep safe.

JET: Thank you Carolyn.

Folks, both Carolyn and I will be around all day, so if you have any questions, shoot.  Remember to let us know who the question is directed toward.  In the meantime, here’s a little about Crystal Illusions:

“Assistant D.A. Carolyn Hastings has an uncanny knack for putting away criminals. With one of the best prosecution records in recent history, her future as Manhattan’s next District Attorney looks certain. But her sixth sense for winning cases threatens to work against her when she starts seeing a string of murders through the eyes of the killer.
With suspects piling up as fast as bodies, and the motives of those closest to her questionable, Carolyn doesn’t know who to trust. When the FBI assigns Special Agent Steve Williams to the case, Carolyn discloses her deepest fear – that the man she loves may be the one responsible for the city’s latest crime spree.
The only thing Steve knows for sure is Carolyn has an inexplicable psychic connection with the killer, and all the victims have one thing in common…a striking resemblance to Carolyn Hastings.

And he knows it’s only a matter of time before this psychopath knocks on her door.”

“Taylor has a strong thriller where every single character has reasonable doubt flashing like a neon sign hanging over them, and right from the beginning you are trying to guess who the killer really is. Gripping, rich and magnificent – crime whodunnits don’t get any better than this!” Author Poppet / Gemma Rice – Author of Quislings, Blindsided, Djinn and Dusan

Questions for Readers:
1. Answer this question:  If you could do anything (job wise), what would it be?

2. Bucket lists of things to do are always fun to create.  Tell me your top bucket list items of things you want to do before the inevitable.

3. Is there anything you’re interested in knowing about either Carolyn Hastings or Crystal Illusions?

•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

Learn more about J.E. Taylor below:
To read reviews of this author’s work go here.
To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JETaylor75
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/JETaylor/190872939774

Myspace  http://www.myspace.com/jetaylor75
Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153969.J_E_Taylor

•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide!

Prize: $50.00 Amazon Gift Card

The Contest Entry rules have changed so read them carefully

The CONTEST portion of the event runs TWO DAYS until 11:59 pm Central on 4/22/11.

These are the ways you can enter to gain points towards winning the prize offered here today. The only one that is mandatory is #1. The rest are optional. The more you do, the more points you gain, the better your odds at winning the prize. Prizes are chosen using the random.org number generator. Making a purchase is NOT mandatory, it is only one way to gain additional points. There are free ways to get points. Remember to add in your RSVP points if you RSVP’d.

1. LEAVE YOUR FIRST NAME AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR COUNTRY in your comment/post so we can give you the proper credit for your entries. Mandatory, if you don’t leave this,  your entries will NOT count. It is NOT mandatory to make a purchase to be entered into the contest.

2. Ask some questions, please no duplicates and answer the authors questions. + 1 points per question PLEASE ASK EACH ONE IN A SEPARATE POST.

3. Spread the word about this contest and HELP OUT JET by spreading the word about her book!

Tweet AND Facebook this event: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=52681 + 1 Points (max 3 times a day please not all at the same time) include @bittenbybooks in your tweet.

4. Buy a NEW copy of the author’s book by using the links below

Purchase a print copy of Crystal Illusions from Amazon by clicking here.

Purchase a Kindle copy of Crystal Illusions from Amazon by clicking here.

Books in the Steve Williams thriller series in the order they should be read:
Dark Reckoning
Vengeance
Hunting Season
Georgia Reign
Crystal Illusions

Good for 500 + points per book you purchase by using the links above. Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces).

You can also use the Amazon link HERE to make your purchase of ANY kind of merchandise during the contest. Good for 100 + entries to the contest for EACH item you purchase. NOTE FREE KINDLE BOOKS DO NOT COUNT as a purchase.

5. Go VOTE for Virginia our Review coordinator for the Rockin’ Review Coordinator of the year for 2012 here: http://www.seriouslyreviewed.blogspot.com/ +30 points

Read and leave a meaningful comment on this week’s Screen Bite’s column here: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=52579 + 1 point

6. Tally your own points total +1  point

That’s it!

RULES AND LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
Winner(s) will be contacted via email. You will receive your prize directly from the author. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND COUNTRY as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning. PLEASE ALLOW THIRTY DAYS to receive your prize BEFORE EMAILING US.

1. Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.
2. You have THREE days from the day the we contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to us at the contact email we provide. Failure to contact us will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re-award the prize to another entrant or not.
3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. Bitten by Books has the option to re-award it or not.
4. Contest is open to readers in the USA except where noted above. The prizes are almost ALWAYS shipped directly from the publisher/author unless otherwise noted.
5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations not Bitten by Books.
6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.
7. Contest is void where prohibited.
8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry.

Jennifer is your average college co-ed living with her best friend Tracy; the only difference is that she is clairvoyant at times, and usually about who is going to die and how. Her boyfriend was killed two years ago the night he proposed. Tom, Jenny’s boyfriend, was a part of the same fraternity that Tracy’s boyfriend is. The two of them are constantly setting up Jenny on dates ever since Tom died, trying to get her back to living. One such date is Steve. The thing is Jenny and Steve used to be childhood friends, so they know one another. Steve also shares a dark past, his fiancé killed herself two years ago the night before their wedding. Steve is also an undercover FBI agent. The Bureau is convinced Billy (Tracy’s boyfriend and Frat president) and Tom’s fraternity is where this string of murders begin.

Wow, a lot to take in I know, but important. The twist comes when Jenny starts seeing Steve’s death, as well as the deaths of all the missing persons Steve is currently investigating. She swears to Steve (when he breaks down and tells her he is undercover) that the thing killing all the people is not human — in fact, it is pure evil. Steve is not sure what to believe. While he trusts Jenny, believing that some “demon” is coming from hell to kill all these people is out of his realm of possibility — until his notebook starts bleeding words about Jenny belonging to the demon, and that shakes up Steve’s reality. Is the fraternity involved? All the frat brothers look at Jenny with “anticipation,” and the bad kind, at that. Why are Steve and Jenny thrown into this when all they have in common is the death of a loved one? And what exactly will happen the night of initiation for the fraternity?

Taylor is a good writer, the story at the beginning unfolds with just enough mystery and belief that I was not sure who was bad and who was clueless. The unbelievability actually comes in the form of the romance. After three days with Jenny, Steve asks her to marry him, and very seriously, at that. Then Tracy and Steve go wedding-ring shopping. Their conversations that follow are about kids and marriage and protection, and I just cannot see it happening that fast.

The second thing about this book that turned me off a little, but which I will say is a big part of the story, is what happens to Jenny at the initiation. I am not going to give away details, but it is gruesome, and I could have done without the extensive visuals. Now besides that the paranormal twist is an interesting aspect. I do wish that Taylor had gone into details about what the creature actually is and where it came from. The ending was also unexpected. If you are into murder, demons and harsh reality then this gritty book is for you. But I feel like the author should have put a major warning on the book, that it deals with gang rape and extreme graphic details. This can be a trigger for some and was unwelcome to me.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (July 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 145366436X
• ISBN-13: 978-1453664360

To purchase a print copy of Dark Reckoning from Amazon click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Dark Reckoning from Amazon click here.

To purchase a print copy of Dark Reckoning from Barnes & Noble click here.

To purchase an eBook copy of Dark Reckoning from OmniLit click here.

PLEASE NOTE: The J.E. Taylor contest is now closed. The winner will be chosen at a later date and contacted via email.

BBB: Can you please share with us how old you were when you wrote your first story?

J.E.T: I wrote my first story for my father when I was in sixth grade – entitled Tony the German Shepherd and I did the illustrations for it as well. My father still has that tucked away with the other special items he collected from me and my siblings over the years. The next story I wrote was in eighth grade called Goodbye Doesn’t Mean Forever and from that point on – writing became my release – my escape from life just as much as reading was.

BBB: Besides being a writer, what other types of jobs have you held?

J.E.T: I’ve been a waitress, a grocery store clerk, a telephone solicitor for Solar Energy panels, a hostess, a master-control operator (television), a film editor, a camera operator, a teleprompter operator, a news desk coordinator, a reporter, a producer, a director, an insurance call center representative, a collections agent, a commission processor, a new business processor, a marketing desk representative, a pampered chef, a business analyst and a project manager – oh and the most important one of all – a mom.

I’ve done a lot of colorful things in my career and only been let go from one job – which was my first. I was a waitress and got fired because I couldn’t scoop ice cream fast enough. Mind you – I was probably 4’6” at the time and couldn’t reach the ice cream unless I was balanced on my thighs with the majority of my upper body in the ice cream case and my legs sticking straight out. My boss said he’d give me a great recommendation – I worked hard – but that job just wasn’t cut out for me.

After college I worked at a local television station and took dirty words out of movies. I also had a gopher job for the news crew – if they needed to get somewhere quick – they’d grab me because I drove like a bat out of hell (I still drive fast but not as fast as I did then). The funniest fill in job I did there was when I was sent to get a sound bite from a woman who had been shot in the ass through her livingroom wall.

As a Pampered Chef – I proved you CAN start a fire on their stoneware. I torched chicken nuggets in a toaster oven. At least that was at MY home and not during a demo at someone else’s house.

It has been a long time since something that bizarre has come my way on the work front. I’m now a business analyst specializing in financial services – specifically the broker dealer realm and instituting process improvements for the business folks.

BBB: Please tell us more about Dark Reckoning and the storyline that drives it.

J.E.T: My main character – Steve Williams – is an FBI agent that’s planted at the university to find out who’s responsible for the disappearances and violent deaths surrounding the small town of Brooksfield, New Hampshire. He’s young enough to be a convincing college student but experienced enough as an undercover agent to do the leg work. The greatest challenge he faces is the acceptance of supernatural events – which for someone so black and white, the shades of gray are unnerving.

And his biggest shade of gray is Jennifer Curtis. A self acclaimed clairvoyant, she is a curve ball he didn’t see coming. From their first meeting he is enamored with her — drawn to an electrical current between them pulling him closer and closer- even though he suspects she is in some way connected to the mystery surrounding Mirror Lake.

“I loved DARK RECKONING – always had a soft spot for demon type horror/thrillers and this is fabulous. Just the right mix of terror and calm so I didn’t have a heart attack while reading but came close! Excellent read for anyone who loves horror and a good love story.” – Cat Connor author of killerbyte and terrorbyte

“J.E. Taylor has penned a tale of terror worthy of Lovecraft. The strong characters, edgy atmosphere and unflinching narrative hooked me from the first word and kept me riveted all the way through to DARK RECKONING’s horrifying conclusion – a solid piece of storytelling!” – Ty Drago, Editor of Allegory and author of PHOBOS

Let me preface this by saying that this isn’t my type of book, however it was a page turner. For those who like dark horror/ paranormal with scary scenes that run right along the sexy bedroom scenes this book is for you. – Romance Book Scene (4 heart review)

BBB: Do you classify Dark Reckoning as horror or urban fantasy or a combination of both?

J.E.T: I actually classify it as a paranormal thriller as opposed to a horror – but it definitely runs along the roots of horror.

BBB: Can you tell us more about your work with Allegory and what the organization does?

J.E.T: Allegory http://www.allegoryezine.com, is an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror. It’s really a labor of love for all of us, including the editor – Ty Drago. As an assistant editor, my job along with the other assistant and associate editors is to vet the submissions and pass on the best of the best to Ty. He then weeds through our recommendations and chooses the final stories for the next e-zine edition. Ty balances the publication from a content basis between science fiction, fantasy and horror as well as interviews and some staff submissions. I’ve had the honor of helping him choose the entries before and I’ll tell you – sometimes that feels like an impossible feat when you have forty or more “best of the best” and have to narrow it down.

BBB: Do you prefer to write novels or short stories? Which do you find more satisfying.

J.E.T: I like writing novels better because you have the latitude to intertwine complex story lines together and really explore the depths of your characters that you can’t necessarily do in a short story. Although a successful short story is a feat in itself.

BBB: From what I understand there were some pretty violent acts committed in Dark Reckoning against the heroine that were very graphically detailed. Do you put a warning in your books to readers who might be sensitive to this or just leave it for them to find on their own? Do you feel books yours or others should have any kind of warning label so to speak?

J.E.T: I believe you’re referring to Survival Games – which absolutely is graphic and violent to the extreme. That book is categorized as an erotic thriller and distributed by eXcessica with a warning as to the content. It’s also only available to those that are eighteen and over. The weird thing is this book has gotten 4 star reviews despite the graphic content. One reviewer actually stated that Survival Games was the most graphic thriller she ever read. I have to admit – that comment got me a bit jazzed.

On my website – I do state that my books are not for the faint of heart and that is true of certain scenes in all my books, even the YA that I mentioned below. My short stories carry the same stigma as well. For instance, Grayson House that was printed by Allegory last September is one that has a pretty graphic description of violence and a definite creepy factor. Enough so that one of the father’s at my son’s jukido class couldn’t sleep for two days and kept having to check the locks on his doors and windows.

In Dark Reckoning there is a disturbing scene that my FBI agent witnesses – gang rape – and it’s almost entirely recounted from his point of view. There is no warning as to graphic or violent content on this book like there is on the erotic series.

Should there be? I don’t know. I’ve read some pretty graphic depictions of violence without a warning label and I guess from a horror perspective, I kind of expect that.

BBB: What would you like your readers to come away with after finishing one of your books?

J.E.T: I want my reader’s hearts to still be knocking at the walls of their chest when they close the book. I want my readers to realize they’ve been holding their breath through the last few pages and to slowly exhale as they stare at the cover. And I want my readers to want the next installment in my character’s lives.

If you’re talking insight here as opposed to visceral reactions – I guess my message is this:

Bad things happen, but a strong resolve can overcome almost any obstacle.

BBB: Can you share a few of your absolute favorite lines from your books with us?

J.E.T: From Dark Reckoning: “Next time you kiss me, you better make it last a hell of a lot longer than that.”

From Suvival Games: “Game on.” and “Dude you got issues.”

From Mind Games (which comes out in November) “Gives a whole new meaning to being inside me, doesn’t

it?”

From End Game (which comes out in February of 2011) “Smoldering.”

BBB: Are you a plotser or a panster? or a Planster (a combo of both – lol)

J.E.T: Actually – I’m a fly by my seat kind of girl – so I guess I fall into the combo category? I have a general idea – a couple characters in my head and I go from there.

BBB: Do you prefer writing Horror over Sci-Fi?

J.E.T: Yes, very much so. I don’t do well writing science fiction. I’m really more of an urban fantasy girl as opposed to sci-fi. My science is flawed. Just ask my critique group. I do have a superhero fantasy that I’m in the process of editing that’s geared to a young adult audience – and like most of my writing – it has some nifty supernatural elements in it.

BBB: Who are your writing influences?

J.E.T: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Sidney Sheldon

BBB: Do your children read your books?

J.E.T: Not the erotica – at least not till they’re 18, then they are free to read it.

My kids have read most of my short stories and my fifteen year old has a copy of Dark Reckoning. She watches Criminal Minds and CSI NY along with joining me to get my Supernatural fix. She’s into “horror” movies too, so I figure she can handle the subject matter.

BBB: Do you have any upcoming appearances? If so where can our readers find you?

J.E.T: I don’t have a personal appearance schedule at this time but when I do, I’ll put it up on the calendar page of my website http://www.jetaylor75.com. I’ve got a bit of a web presence too with facebook, myspace and goodreads pages. If folks you buy a paperback, they can contact me and I can send them a signed bookplate to stick on the inside of the cover.

As a closing note – in the interviews I conduct on my blog http://jetaylor75.blogspot.com – I ask my guests what I call “the quick ten.”

Can you tell me which quick ten question you’d most like me to answer?

How about one of my characters – what question for which character?

Do you have a question you’d like to see in the “quick ten” list?

Thank you again for coming by and chatting with me at my interview here on Bitten By Books.

•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

Learn more about J.E. Taylor below:
To read reviews of this author’s work go here.
To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JETaylor75
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/JETaylor/190872939774

Myspace  http://www.myspace.com/jetaylor75
Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153969.J_E_Taylor

•¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨*•☆ •¸¸.•*¨

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide!

Prize: $50.00 Amazon Gift Card

1. LEAVE YOUR FIRST NAME AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND Your COUNTRY in your comment/post so we can give you the proper credit for your entries. Mandatory, if you don’t leave this, none of your entries will count.

2. Answer JET’s questions and ask her some questions Good for 10 entries per question. (Max 4 good towards entries). NOTE you will find her questions interspersed in her interview.

3. Order copies of JET’s books by using the links below.

From Amazon click here.

From Barnes & Noble click here.

From OmniLit here.

Good for 500 entries per book you purchase by using the links above. Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces). Not valid on past purchases. NOTE It is NOT mandatory to make a purchase to be entered into the contest.

OR you can use the Barnes & Noble link HERE to make your purchase of ANY kind of merchandise during the contest. You can also use the Amazon link HERE to shop as well. Good for 100 entries to the contest for EACH item you purchase. Not valid on past purchases.

4. Spread the word about this event and invite everybody you know by using the new Share Buttons below at the bottom of the post to tell your friends about this contest and come back and tell us where you shared. This is the live link to the event: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=28236 if you don’t know how to use either of those functions. Good for 25 entries per EACH place you post the event link DAILY! Be sure to come back and post where you have shared, tweeted etc each day and tally your entries.

5. Buy into the Old Races Novella: A Taste of What You’ve Been Waiting For? ACT NOW! here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=27926 ( a minimum of $5.00 for entries here) 150 points send a copy of your paypal receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces). Good for one contest only. You can’t use the same purchase over and over at multiple contests.

Other fun stuff to do while you are here today! 50 points for each of these you do.

Attend and enter the Samantha Sommersby Release Party and iPod Touch Contest

Attend the Phaedra Weldon Interview and Contest today 

Enter to win FREE BOOKS here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=28051

Enter the HUGE Maggie Stiefvater Shiver and Linger + $100.00 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=27763

Come Discuss this week’s Screen Bites here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=28061

Join our book chat this week here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=28060

Chat and read the Off the Fang Column here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=28032

That’s it!

Also be SURE to check out our amazing line up of other author events this month here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?page_id=4

RULES AND LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
The contest ends on 7/31/10 at 11:59 pm Central and the winners will be contacted via email. You will receive your prize directly from the publisher. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning. PLEASE ALLOW THIRTY DAYS to receive your prize BEFORE EMAILING US.

1. Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.
2. You have FIVE days from the day the we contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to me. Failure to contact me will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re-award the prize to another entrant or not.
3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. Bitten by Books has the option to re-award it or not.
4. Contest is open to readers in the USA except where noted above. The prizes are shipped directly from the publisher unless otherwise noted.
5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations.
6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.
7. Contest is void where prohibited.
8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry