Review of The Hunted Heart by Alison DeLuca - a fresh twist on Snow White

I rarely review novels. That’s because I don’t like to read books I’m lukewarm about and I detest giving negative reviews.

Happily, Hunted Heart by Alison DeLuca is a novel I can truly gush about. It’s a very adult twist on the classic Snow White. Having just written a twist on A Picture of Dorian Gray with my YA horror, Dorianna, I know how tricky it can be. The writer needs to echo the original tale enough to craft a genuine homage, yet in their new version, they should let it free-float organically out of the predecessor’s ghost to form an innovative story uniquely suited to the era and zeitgeist. DeLuca pulled it off!

Tali is a poor yet beautiful and brave huntress who knows the forest in and out, and whose only family is an old man who rescued her from abuse many years prior.  She is called to the palace to meet the new Queen Leila, who has taken the much beloved Queen Freja’s place after her unexpected early death. Supposedly, Queen Leila wants to meet this impressive huntress because Tali is rumored to have killed a monstrous Drauger, an undead in animal form.

Fancy digs and stuffy parties make Tali uneasy. When she sneaks away to the library to escape the snooty crowd, she runs into Prince Kas, a handsome man who loves books. This is one of the first cool twists—he’s a prince who’s a real bibliophile.

The rub: Queen Freja has lured Kas into her bed and drugged him, but Kas is not so receptive. In fact, once he snaps out of his drugged state to discover what’s happened he is revolted. He is much more admiring of Tali, who can tell alluring stories as well as go on dangerous hunts. Meanwhile, Queen Freja has developed an obsessive crush on Kas, and when she realizes Tali and Kas have warmed up up to one another she orders Tali to complete a horrifying task: hunt Kas down, cut out his heart and bring it back to her as a trophy.

I won’t reveal any spoilers. I will only say that this novel kept me turning the pages, and reading way, way into the night. DeLuca is an incredible wordsmith! Her prose is spectacularly beautiful. The action was breathtaking and the surprises just kept on coming. Oh, and the romance was sizzling. Highly recommended to anyone who likes fresh twists on classics, dark fantasy, unusual romances, or just a flipping great novel!

Shop for the Hunted Heart, on sale at Amazon for 99 Cents!

See all of Alison DeLuca's books, including her popular Crown Phoenix series here.

Visit Alison's blog & Twitter

Alison DeLuca is a writer of urban fantasy for young adults. She was born in Arizona and has also lived in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Mexico, Ireland, and Spain. As a teacher she taught every grade level in every kind of school district possible. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter.

What twists on classics have you found compelling? Ever tried to write one?

#SpecFicChat As Idea Generator

Writers are always asked where they get their ideas from. The answer invariably comes from real life, such as news headlines, magazines, television and even your kids.

I'm not one of those writers who has so many ideas clamoring around inside my head that they're warring with each other to get out. Mostly I work with one idea at a time. It stews around in my head for weeks or months. Even a year. If I'm still interested as time passes, I'll write down the premise. Sometimes I'll jot notes to add to it. Describe characters I have in mind. Maybe even draft a rough outline. I'm not always that ordered and organized, though. Sometimes I use pieces of paper to jot an idea down then stuff it in my purse. They might linger at the bottom for quite some time before seeing the light of day.

Clearly I'm not someone who can take any idea and run with it. If a writing problem stumps me, I tend to wait it out rather than moving on to something else. So when something happens to spark a resolution to a plot or setting problem, my excitement for the project is revitalized.

My current project involves paranormal aspects of a well known nineteenth century work. I've always been fascinated with the Victorian era, but I didn't want to write straight historical. I'm not a historian or much of a researcher. I was having difficulty in ironing out some of the details. The last thing I wanted to do was rewrite an already perfect story, even if it was from a different character's POV.

Then finally, one of those evasive resolutions presented itself! During a scheduled #SpecFicChat on Twitter, I realized how I could resolve some of those concerns. You just never know where an idea is going to come from!

I had never read something I considered steampunk but had a sort of vague idea of what it was. Turns out that steampunk is closely related to the Victorian era. It could be past, present, future or alternate reality/history. There are no hard and fast rules, but the premise is that steam powered technology (with all the cogs, brass and gadgets, not to mention the cool clothing they wear) is used for what might be considered modern technology. Imagine a computer powered by steam being used by a Victorian gentlewoman!

All of a sudden, through the 140 character posts floating around, I'm provided with ways my characters can travel through past and future: just by adding aspects of steampunk. I'm going to use both fictional characters and real life historical figures, because steampunk is so wide and varied, with so many offshoots, that just about anything goes.

This work attributed to Eugene Ivanov from Wikimedia Commons



I found a steampunk blog called Steamed that was very helpful if you'd like more information.

My writerly resolution to a problem came through Twitter during a scheduled monthly Twitter chat. Woo Hoo!

 Where do you get your ideas and resolutions from?

Do you stew or move on?

There is an Uprising. Come Hear the Stories... Fantasy Uprising #Fantasy

These are the stories stirring across the realm.

Reborn, Cherie Reich: I flopped back on my bed and pounded my fist into the pillow. A full day I'd been here. During that time, a favorite priest died, the queen seemed to dislike me, and I was part of the city's gossip. How was I going to last through my training and be the queen's advisor in less than a year? All I wanted to do was go home.

And I hadn't had a clue about Thodain's death beforehand, not even an inkling of a vision.

I was the worst Phoenix Prophetess ever!

Fireseed One, Catherine Stine: My father’s meditation room, off the den, has one tiny porthole only a water rat could squeeze through. It has dense walls and a two-way video-page. No precious files in there that would be in jeopardy so it’s the perfect padded cell. The thief suddenly wheels around to land a clumsy punch, but I veer out of harm’s way and push him ahead of me through the den into my dad’s think tank. Once inside, I struggle to triple-tie the cable binding his hands in front of him to one of the solid columns as he again tries to kick me. I yank off the sludge-dump’s mask. And gasp.

Long, red hair cascades down. Pearly skin, heart-shaped lips pursed. Fry me in the Hotzone if it’s not a live girl close to my age. Her sapphire-blue eyes gleam with hate.

Givin' Up The Ghost, Gwen Gardner: I’m not a guy watcher, truly I’m not. But I did happen to notice his large, firm biceps, and rather well developed deltoids and trapezius, tapering down into a nice latissimus dorsi. I’m only interested because I studied anatomy in school. And I did NOT almost fall off the bench watching him round the corner. The bench happened to be slanted and slippery.

The Marquis, Christine Rains: There was no absolution for him. Not from God nor from Mae.

Kicking the door closed behind him, he raced down the stairs. The Grand Marquis was going to come out of retirement. And Vetis would be the first to feel his wrath.

The Alpha, Christine Rains:  “You do. You hang around on rooftops. And do what?”

“Well,” he said and crossed his legs. He started hesitantly and then gained more confidence. “Okay. I watch over the city. You know, see what’s going on and maybe help out when I can.”

“What? Like Batman?” She snorted.

The Rifters, M. Pax: The gyroscope spun, siphoning energy from the pillars, energy reaching for a crystal in its center. It spun faster, faster, faster until the crystal began to glow. A disturbing shade of green. A beaked thing lumbered out of the light, it's shriek blasting like a bubbly burp. A strange sound to go with a strange sight.

Neverlove, Angela Brown: Jon paused, eyes narrowed. “I wouldn’t let this card fall into lay hands, Father. My assistant scanned your hand on the way into this meeting. With reason. The card will recognize you. But if someone not in the system holds this card, The Society does not accept responsibility for what happens.”

The Fall of Shaylar, River Fairchild: The liquid tasted flat and bitter, leaving a sourness in his mouth he couldn’t identify. He attempted to spit the foulness from his tongue but it remained to torment him. His vision blurred. Dizziness drained the strength from his limbs. The staccato beat of his heart roared in his ears.

Narmek finally understood as he slid from his horse. Someone had poisoned him.

Diamonds and Dust, River Fairchild: He jumped to his feet as his heart leapt into a mad gallop, threatening to burst apart before he could struggle for another breath. It was one thing to speculate, quite another to have the evidence staring him in the face. Fisting his hands didn’t stop the tremors from running up his arms.

“What’s wrong? You seem agitated.” Lothan stood up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. An alien hand yet David took comfort from it.

“That’s not the moon from my world.” David gaped at the glowing ball in the sky. It had a dark ochre streak running down the face of it, like a lightning bolt. “Where am I?”

A collection of nine fantastic, spine-tingling stories. Magic. Mystery. Murder. Heartbreak and Hope. Defeat and Victory. The incredible and Horrific. Fantasy Uprising delivers a heaping serving of the best in fantasy.

99 cents for a Limited Time

Available in ebook from:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Google Play / 

iTunes / B&N / Kobo

AmazonCA / AmazonAU / AmazonDE / AmazonFR / AmazonES / AmazonIT / AmazonJP / AmazonBR / AmazonMX /AmazonIN

Find it on Goodreads

Happenings in the Realm: Huzzizzle January 2015 - #SpecFicChat Coming to Twitter

#SpecFicChat is Here!

Talking about all things speculative fiction, Fridays on Twitter.

Current Chat: Punking it up. What's the attraction of Steampunk? Type #SpecFicChat in the Twitter search bar to view the conversation. Use #SpecFicChat to join in.

Next Chat: Friday, February 20, 2015, Noon EST. 
Hosted by: River Fairchild
Topic: What makes #fantasy believable?

Use #SpecFicChat to join the conversation any time. The chat is ongoing, which means you can join in anytime that's convenient to you.

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Loose Corset (Dice & Debauchery #1) is here!

Buy the book here:

Ellora's Cave * Amazon * B&N * Kobo

Blurb:

A weekend away at a convention is exactly what overworked student Morgan needs. Dressed as her character from her favorite online game, Morgan is braced—seriously, could her corset be tighter?—to meet the other players. As Lady Gyrfalcon, she’s ready for everything—except her intense attraction to Dean. A clandestine meeting in the hallway of the hotel and Morgan’s corset is looser but now she can’t breathe for entirely different reasons.

Utterly charmed, Morgan decides to roll the dice and indulge in a fantasy-worthy weekend of sexy roleplaying, scorching sex and life-altering orgasms. Still, through it all Morgan is too smart to believe the chemistry constantly stripping her of costumes and control can last more than the length of the convention. But if she wants to keep a relationship so intense she thought it only existed in fiction, she’s going to have to let go of her cool-headed logic and allow herself to fall far and fast for the perfect guy. 

Christine is running an ongoing geeky Dice & Debauchery tour. Check out her blog and enter her giveaway to win dice, dice, and more dice!

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Tuesday Tea is here!

Mistress Snark is in the house (along with Jezebel, of course!) Join her on the third Tuesday of each month for a wacky interview with one of the UR authors. Watch them squirm as they drink concoctions not made for human consumption and try to answer off-kilter questions!

Tuesday Tea with Mistress Snark

Welcome to the Untethered Realms edition of Mistress Snark's Tuesday Tea. Afternoon tea is a most civilized British invention – an opportunity to snack with impunity. However, in Mistress Snark's parlor, you never know what might be floating in your tea or what those cute little sandwiches are hiding under the bread. 

As full disclosure, any guest appearing here must sign the usual waivers regarding food poisoning, bodily harm caused by Jezebel, random attacks by minions, or permanent brain damage resulting from the questions posed.

Today's guest is M. Pax, prolific Untethered Realms author of both The Backworlds series and The Rifters. It's so nice to have you here today. Would you like some tea? Or perhaps Jezebel's special punch? I don't know what's in it but it could prove detrimental to your health.

M. Pax: Mistress Snark, how are you? It's been awhile since I've been in your parlor. It's as fascinating as ever. You know I'm always game for the special punch. What are those bits floating in it?

Mistress: Jezebel has added ground dinosaur bones to flavor this special UR blend. She calls it, “Author Inspiration.” *winks at audience* Are you feeling inspired yet, now that you’ve had a chance to taste it? I must say the feathers you’re sprouting out of the top of your head are rather fetching. I can tell our gentle audience is stunned by the change. As an author, how might you incorporate your current condition into a storyline?

M. Pax: Did you ever read about those giant carnivorous birds that roamed the Earth after the dinosaurs? Yeah, I think I'd have to use those birds. I want meat. Mmm, meat.

Mistress: I think your stomach rumblings just registered on the Richter scale. Don’t worry though. Motion sickness bags are being passed out to the audience. More punch? *waves Jezebel over to refill M.’s cup* Oh, and please be careful with your pinions. That’s quite a wingspan you’ve got going there. Wouldn’t want to knock someone down…unless they’re meat…

So, here’s a scenario for you. While searching for a meaty snack, you wing into the town of Settler, OR, the town that your series, The Rifters, is based in. What do you find there? A filling meal or big trouble?

M. Pax: Look at them all jiggle. Like Jell-o. I like Jell-o. Meat Jell-o. Yes, more punch.

Settler has a lot of weird. That dude from 1888 probably is past his expiration date, so I'll avoid him. The librarian chic looks tasty. I should stew her before she learns to kick my ass. Can I say ass on this program? The ghosts aren't filling at all. I'd have to spit them out. Those bee things... hey, maybe they'd give me fire. I might go for those. What's next for beasties descending on Settler? You'll have to wait for book 3. I do know, though.

Mistress: Perfectly acceptable. Jezebel says ass – and worse – all the time around here. The stringy dude might get stuck in your teeth as you chew but the ghosts could add some flavoring to the stew, don’t you think?

Oh dear, I see our gentle audience stampeding toward the exits. You do look a mite menacing, M. Perhaps you should go home and sleep off the effects of all the punch you consumed.

It was lovely to have you here in the parlor. Please walk, don’t fly, out of the studio. We don’t want a citywide panic to ensue.

M. Pax: The tentacles are harmless. I swear! Thanks for having me Mistress Snark. Every time I have tea here, I get my wings.

      

Congratulations, M. Pax! You’ve earned the Tuesday Tea Survivor badge, suitable for your blog or hanging on the bathroom wall. Go ahead and take it with you.

M. Pax is author of the space adventure series The Backworlds and the urban fantasy series The Rifters. Fantasy, science fiction, and the weird beckons to her, and she blames Oregon, a source of endless inspiration. She docents at Pine Mountain Observatory in the summers as a star guide, has a cat with a crush on Mr. Spock, and is slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. There are more books and stories credited to her name. Learn more at mpaxauthor.com and pick up a great read for free.

Mark your calendar! February 17^th will see author Angela Brown sitting in Mistress Snark’s parlor, guzzling one of Jezebel’s famous concoctions.

Colors of Christine

(Teen Titans, episode "Colors of Raven")

There are so many stories in my head. Tales in far off galaxies and adventures right in my backyard. One genre cannot contain them all, and if I tried, I'd burst apart into multi-colored shards. Because, you know, my imagination is in full technicolor.

Pink - the silly and over the top. Sarcastic fairies, furry superheroes, and talking toys.

Red - the horror. Splatters of blood, vicious battles, and terrifying monsters.

Violet - the sexy. Sweet romance, subtle seduction, and fiery sex.

Gray - the fear. White-knuckle suspense, creepy chills, and mind-numbing terror.

Orange - the mundane. The lazy days, gorging on chocolate, and napping on the couch.

All of them combine together into mystery, magic, and magnificent characterization. I am not just a romance writer or a fantasy author. All the colors reside within me. I am a storyteller.

What colors make up your imagination crystal?

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Here's a little taste of violet and pink from me!

Loose Corset (Dice & Debauchery #1)

 
Blurb:
Geek girl Morgan Reid has been to many conventions, but none that had her wishing it would never end.

Dressed as their characters from the online game Steampunk Quest, Morgan and her best friend meet the other players for the first time in real life. Morgan's attraction to the gorgeous Dean Bradley is immediate, making it difficult to breathe in her tight corset. Even after a few dice shattering orgasms, she doesn't believe this can be anything more than a con fling. But Dean is making her feel things she's only read about in books. Can Morgan let go of her cool-headed logic and allow herself to fall completely for the perfect geek guy?

Buy the book here:

Ellora's Cave * Amazon * B&N * Kobo 

Join me on my blog for my Geeky Dice & Debauchery tour for a chance to win dice, dice, and more dice!

Fantastic Speculative Fiction - This is Worth Reading: The Library by Amy Cross #paranormal #horror #fantasy

Once upon a time, there was a girl who wasn't a girl, and a book that wasn't a book... 

Kidnapped and taken to a huge, world-spanning library, Claire is shocked to discover the truth about her own life. Thrust into the heart of a battle for the library's fate, she quickly learns that the powerful Forbidders will stop at nothing in order to gain the one object they prize above all others.

 While the Forbidders wreak havoc, however, a great danger is edging closer. The darkness is reaching out across the void, threatening to destroy this world just as it has already destroyed countless others. As he tries to save the library, a tired soldier named Vanguard finally sees the truth and realizes that there's only one way for the library to be rescued from destruction.

I originally purchased this book on Smashwords, it's now only available on Amazon.

If you enjoyed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman at all, I think you'd enjoy The Library. The story is dark and fantastic and fascinating.

It begins with Claire and her insomnia, a very powerful chapter that will dredge up every bout and feeling you've ever had with a sleepless night.

The POV alternates between her and a warrior of the Library, Vanguard. A stalwart champion who will not bend in more ways than one.

The library is a world that is a huge library containing every book ever written. It has a personality of its own and was amazing to explore as the characters move through its stacks on their quest to reach the center, the Citadel.

Ms. Cross kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. There were beings of all sorts, none of them friendly, occupying the library. Everyone had a motive at cross purposes of everyone else, which added up to great drama and conflict.

Except for the mood and tone reminding me somewhat of Neverwhere, The Library wasn't like anything else I've read. It was original, creative, fun, and definitely entertaining.

Amy Cross is quite prolific and writes horror paranormal fantasy. If you're looking for a different story that you can't predict how it will go or end, I highly recommend The Library.