In this Beauty & The Beast role-swapping mashup, Saxa is stripped of her powers and cursed by her two sisters. She has twelve weeks to change her ways or lose everything—including her life.
Brandr, shipwrecked after a terrible storm, is swept into the world of gods and goddesses. When he trades his life for his brother’s, he sentences himself to a world he knows nothing about.
When their paths collide, nothing is as it seems. Who will survive this game of immortals?
About The Author
Image courtesy of Robin Woods
Robin Woods is a former high school and university instructor with two and a half decades of experience teaching English, literature, and writing.
She earned a BA in English and an MA in education. In addition to teaching, Robin Woods has published six highly-rated novels and has multiple projects in the works.
When Ms. Woods isn’t teaching or writing, she is chasing her two kids around and spending time with her ever-patient husband.
For news and free writing resources you can visit her official site at:
By way of introduction, here is Anca Antoci’s bio:
Anca Antoci started out as a fanfiction writer and then moved on to write her own story. Thus her debut novel, Forget Me Not, got published in January 2020.
Her fanfiction stories are still available on her blog. Living in Romania, Anca speaks English as a second language.
Because she’s a passionate reader, Anca started a blog where she reviews fantasy books called Summon Fantasy.
When she’s not reading or writing, Anca loves cooking and watching movies with her daughter while eating nachos.
Hello, Anca, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.
Thank you for having me.
When did the writing bug ensnare you?
It’s hard to tell. I think I’ve always made up stories in my mind but didn’t put them on paper. My earliest attempt at writing fiction was in fifth grade when I wrote a story titled Nina’s Cat.
I don’t remember much about it, but at that time I was watching Lassie (for those too young to have seen the show, it was about a boy and his dog). My story was about a girl and her cat. Was it a spin-off, a fanfiction, who knows? It was a lifetime ago!
Is writing your full-time profession?
No, it’s more of a hobby. I love making stories up, but that doesn’t pay the bills. My husband and I have a small IT consulting business.
Some days are busier than others. I schedule my writing whenever I have free time.
How long have you been writing?
On and off for eleven years. I started writing fanfiction in 2009 when Blood Ties (a Canadian tv-show) got canceled in the second season and the fans were left high and dry.
I needed closure, so I wrote Until We Meet Again, a fanfiction to offer a better-suited closure to the story. I started working on my debut novel (I didn’t know it was going to be a novel, it was just something I was writing for fun) in 2012.
How many published books have you written?
So far, only one. Forget Me Not is the first part of the Chimera Trilogy. The second part is almost ready and will come out in December 2020.
Which genre do you write?
For the moment I’ll stick with Fantasy, which is the same genre I read most days.
What do you find most challenging writing for this genre?
It’s pretty challenging coming up with a magic system that works and remaining consistent throughout the story.
What are you working on now?
The sequel to Forget Me Not. I haven’t decided on a title yet, but I’ve been toying with the words Web of Lies because there’s a lot of deception going on.
Nothing is what you think it is. I still have a couple more chapters to write before I finish my first draft.
Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
To be honest, I don’t think much about it. An idea just pops into my mind and then I just go with the flow. The same with the character names. There’s no hidden meaning behind them.
What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?
Seeing that people are enjoying my book. So far, I’ve got pretty good feedback (way better than I expected) and mostly positive reviews.
I’m still waiting for that dreaded one-star review that every author gets at one point, but I’m relieved that it hasn’t come yet.
I know I still have room to grow, and that’s a good thing but nothing boosts your morale like being appreciated.
What advice would you give to authors just starting out?
Don’t overthink it. You won’t start your career with a masterpiece, nobody does. Do your best, have your friends read it and give you feedback, get a couple of beta readers if you can, and polish it the best you can.
Then release it into the world and start working on your next project. Learn from the mistakes you made on your first book and do better on your next one. And so on. Practice makes perfect. Don’t stop writing!
Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?
That I cherish every feedback I get and that I try to make more time for writing whenever that is possible.
What message are you sharing in your books?
The message is that whenever you’re going through tough times, you need to find the power to move forward within yourself. Sometimes it takes an extreme situation to find your inner strength.
What are your favorite books?
Ah, there are too many to count. It’s like asking a mother to name her favorite child.
If you could create an author’s group with writers from any time period, who would you invite?
I read mostly contemporary fiction, so I would probably invite Anna Mocikat, Elle Lewis, Jen Pretty, Gretchen Galway…that’s just off the top of my head.
Who has influenced your writing the most?
I don’t know if there’s an author in particular that has influenced my writing. Perhaps Anne Bishop, a little bit. Her books are widely appreciated, yet when I read I often notice the lack of story structure or character arc.
But at the same time, I can’t stop reading. It’s not the story, but the storytelling that draws me in. In a similar manner, I’ve had people tell me “I couldn’t put it down!” even though I wasn’t happy with the structure I created for the story. But I’m trying to learn from that and plot better.
When you’re not writing where can we find you?
Well, my day job keeps me behind a computer, so…I’ll be in my office, working.
A movie producer wants to turn your book into a movie and you get to make a cameo. What would you do in the movie?
Oh, I’d be Gloria, the cashier at the grocery store.
An elf named 12-25 approaches you. He’s sneezing, wheezing, coughing and there’s a strange tattoo of a snoring dog on his cheek. What do you do?
I chant a protection spell against Covid-19.
What are your most effective marketing strategies?
I’ll let you know as soon as I find out. I spent most of my free time writing.
I’ll have to study that more after I release my second book. I assumed no one would want to take a chance on a first-time author.
So I needed to prove that my first book wasn’t an accident of a whim, that I’m consistent.
Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?
Yes. Actually, I have two pages: one is my author page and the other is for my blog.
Thank you, Anca, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck!
Anca’s Featured Book
Summary: Deceiving the vampire that saved her could get her killed, but it’s a risk she’s willing to take. When tragedy strikes, Rae makes a terrible choice and struggles with the aftermath.
In the wilderness of the Tongass rainforest, she finds herself hunted by creatures of hell, monsters she never dreamed could be real.
A hidden world, an ancient race, and a secret she discovers by accident give a new meaning to her life, but only if she can escape and return to civilization.
If she is to survive, Rae must comply with Ari, her reluctant hero, and allow him to wipe away any memory of this realm. Knowledge is power, but is it worth dying for?
When push comes to shove, that’s when real strength emerges. What would it take to discover what you’re made of.
Book links: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083G3SBSK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_l1CDFbH33XCSX Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50283836-forget-me-not?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=VvcRjyCE8Z&rank=1
Is the safety of a country worth the sacrifice of one girl – even if she is the daughter of blood and misfortune?
Book Description:
A Twist of Adventure #4 The day she was born, her kingdom fell, and so she was branded the daughter of blood and misfortune and locked away. Now a dragon plagues the land and her curse may be the only thing that stops it.
Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks. Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || Amazon
Diamond
This time, Rapunzel’s not the one stuck in the tower, but the secrets he brings with him may cost her own life.
Book Description:
Once Upon a Twist #3 Diamond leads a quiet life with the woman she calls Mother. There isn’t much to pass the time save for excursions in the forest and one-sided conversations with her pet rabbit, Hobie. Men are cruel beings who care only for themselves and must be avoided at any cost. After all, Diamond’s own father gambled her away once. What other terrible fates might await her if people knew she existed?
Seth Stendahl is an alchemist with a middling proficiency in the Rohesian tongue. After growing up with and surviving six sisters, there shouldn’t be anything too difficult for him to master – except maybe breaking his leg and being locked in the top of a ruined watchtower.
This is Rapunzel with a twist like you’ve never seen it before.
Kirsten Fichter is a twenty-something Christian writer who loves being the wife to her favorite person ever, mommy to two precious blessings, a piano enthusiast, a dragon buff, a serious bookworm, and an INFP synesthete. Fairytales have always fascinated her, and she has made it her goal to rewrite as many as possible and become known as the “Grimm Dickens” (i.e. mixing Grimm fairytales with a Dickens style). Diamond: A Rapunzel Story is her third published fairytale retelling. You can find out more about her on her blog, A Synesthete Writer.
Kira, Jed
and their friends have fled New Corporation and joined the Resistance, but
their relief is short-lived as they discover how decimated the human race has
become and learn of an environmental crisis that threatens to destroy their
existence. Kira and Jed must travel up the mountain to the New Corporation
stronghold, City 50, to bargain for sanctuary while Martha and Dina risk
everything to return to City 42 and save those who are left. With the last of
her reserves Gaia, the fading spirit of the Earth uses her remaining influence
to guide Kira and her friends but ultimately, it’s up to humanity to make the
right choice.
More about The Gaia
Collection series
The
Gaia Collection
is Claire’s hopeful dystopian trilogy set 200 years in the future after much of
the planet and the human race have been decimated during The Event, when the
world went to war with high-energy radiation weapons. In The Gaia Effect,
Kira and Jed Jenkins – a young couple who were recently allocated a child –
together with their closest friends, discover Corporation have been
deliberately lying to them and forcing them to remain sterile. With help from
Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, the group of friends begin to fight back against
Corporation eventually winning and taking over the governance of City 42.
In
The Gaia Project, Corporation fight back under a new, more terrifying
organization called New Corp and Kira, Jed and their friends end up fleeing for
their lives trying to find a safe place to live. They travel to City 36 and
City 9 in vain and must go further afield.
In
the final book, The Gaia Solution, the main characters have ended up
with the Resistance and not only do they have to deal with surviving against
New Corp but an extinction environmental event is looming on the horizon and
they’re running out of time to save what’s left of the human race.
Praise for The Gaia Effect, winner of the 2017 Raven Award for best sci-fi/fantasy book
‘A
story filled with emotion, angst & hope’
‘Brilliant
post-apocalyptic science fantasy’
‘Wonderfully
written, with a warm friendship at its heart’
‘A
fantastic debut novel’
Praise
for The Gaia Project
‘A
fantastic read from start to end’
‘Great
book, thought-provoking read’
‘Mums
are the heroes of the story and it’s the relationships that make it all work’
About the Author
Claire
Buss is a multi-genre author and poet based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois
Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening.
Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade
but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire
won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition
in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in
motion. She continues to write passionately and is hopelessly addicted to cake.
John Coon
lives for adventure whether it be through writing or hiking through his
favorite mountainside. John is a sports journalist who has turned his pen to
fiction novels. His first novel, Pandora Reborn, debuted in 2018.
A native
of Utah, John finds peace in nature and believes “life without creativity
and imagination is hollow.”
Now that I’ve introduced you to John let’s get to know him a little better.
Hello, John, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do thisinterview.
Thank you
for having me.
What
inspired you to be a writer?
I’ve loved
creating stories ever since I was a kid. I always had an active imagination.
When I was in elementary school, for example, I daydreamed about being an actor
starring in my own movies.
I had movie
titles figured out and knew what each movie was about. Some characters and fictional worlds I’ve
created as an adult author can trace their roots back to this early time in my
life.
Is
writing your full-time profession?
Only if
you include journalism into the mix. Reporting on pro sports and college sports
remains my day job at the moment.
Fiction writing is a part-time pursuit for now. I hope to change that in the not-too-distant future.
My first
novel was published in June 2018, but I’ve been writing for three decades. I
started writing my earliest stories when I was 12 years old. My parents owned
an old manual typewriter and had set it up on a table in the back of the
kitchen.
An older
sister of mine wrote some short stories, and I decided one day I could write
stories too. I grabbed some orange typing paper and started typing up stories
on the typewriter.
Those
early stories were about a litter of mischievous kittens based on some pet cats
our family owned at the time. I eventually wrote nine connected stories about
the kittens by the time I got into high school. Since that time, I have
continued to write fiction and poetry.
Can you
tell us about your experiences as a sports reporter?
When
someone finds out I work as a sports reporter, their reaction is something
like: “That must be so exciting getting paid to watch sports! You have a
dream job.”
It
surprises them when I reply it’s like any other job. Some days you enjoy it.
Other days you can’t stand it. I’ve had tons of fun experiences in my 15 years
of writing about sports.
I’ve
ridden in a race car at 160 miles per hour. I’ve been able to witness athletes
set world records. I’ve covered March Madness (the NCAA men’s basketball
tournament) on several occasions.
I’ve also
endured more stressful deadlines and sleepless nights than I care to remember.
It can take a toll. Covering sports such as football or basketball creates a
demanding day-to-day schedule, especially with social media basically demanding
fresh content around the clock.
How has
being a sports reporter influenced your work?
Being a
reporter has helped me strengthen my observation skills. I see how people act,
talk, and react in a wide variety of situations. I see how different personalities
mesh with one another.
It has proven useful in crafting characters and dialogue that feel drawn from the real world. One of my primary goals in creating stories is to build a world populated with characters and settings that feel authentic. What I’ve observed and learned as a reporter helps me to better achieve such a goal.
How
many books have you written?
I’ve
published one novel so far and I’m currently working on my second one. Pandora
Reborn, my debut novel, was released in June 2018.
Which genres
do you write?
I write in
multiple genres because I have ideas for stories and characters I want to
develop that fit into different genres. Sometimes, I blend multiple genres
within the same story.
Pandora
Reborn is primarily a
young adult horror story that also blends elements from fantasy, mystery, and
thriller genres. My upcoming novel will primarily be a science fiction
thriller, but could also include a few horror elements because of the
characters and the setting.
Honestly,
it’s fun to not limit yourself to a single genre as a writer. It allows more
flexibility and creativity in telling the story you want told.
What do
you find most challenging writing for these genres?
For me,
the one challenge in every story is making sure it feels authentic. I want to
make these fictional worlds feel real, even when fantastic elements are
involved.
Every
fictional world is the real world to the characters who live in it. For that
reason, I want their actions, reactions, and interactions to feel true to life.
Nothing
bothers me more in genre fiction than plot armor. Forcing characters to say and
do things simply because the plot tells them that’s what they’re supposed to
do. It makes for uninteresting stories.
Drama and
suspense build organically when characters feel like real people. You become
emotionally invested in their journey and their fate ultimately matters to you.
What
are you working on now?
I’m
currently writing my second novel, the aforementioned science fiction thriller.
I plan to publish it later this spring.
The story
will follow four college students who are confronted with the results of alien
genetic experimentation after being trapped in an isolated Texas town during a
spring break road trip. It’s a re-imagining of a short story I wrote in
college.
I expanded
the narrative and added some characters and subplots to help flesh it out to
novel length. Beyond that story, I have other science fiction novels in the
works and a pair of sequels to Pandora Reborn in development.
Where do
you find inspiration for your characters?
My
characters are a melting pot of various personalities I’ve encountered and
interacted with throughout my life. Like I mentioned earlier, I always pay
attention to how other people act, interact, and react in situations, so my
characters feel like real people.
Still, I
don’t intentionally base any character on a single individual for obvious
reasons. Many people would not react favorably to encountering a fictionalized
version of themselves within a story.
What
has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?
Honestly,
it has been a thrill to see so many people enjoy Pandora Reborn. I’ve
received more favorable reviews and positive feedback than I ever anticipated.
I love seeing other people embrace characters and stories that kicked around in
my head for years. It has given me tons
of confidence while working on my second novel.
What
advice would you give to authors just starting out?
Find your
own voice. I often see advice to new authors that tells them to mimic what
popular authors are doing or tells them to figure out which genre sells and
dive in head first. That’s terrible advice, in my opinion.
The best
thing you can do as an author is be true to yourself. Tell a story you want to
tell. Then take plenty of time to craft it so that it is told in the best way
possible. You will find an audience eventually and they will appreciate
something that is authentic and well-written.
What
readers don’t appreciate are slapdash by-the-numbers stories that are
transparently designed to make a quick buck.
Is
there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?
I’m the
type of person who tries to make the world around me a better place. Life is so
much better when we all choose to be good people.
We can
bring happiness into our lives and other people’s lives by being kind, honest,
and caring. I strive to live each day with this philosophy guiding me.
What
message are you sharing in your books?
It really
depends on the book. I don’t set out to impose a specific message on a novel.
It just evolves organically as the story unfolds.
With Pandora
Reborn, for example, a key message that emerges is the danger of being
isolated. You look at all the major characters and they are all isolated to one
degree or another when the story begins.
Ron Olson
illustrates this perfectly. He is in a new town cut off from his old friends
and his dad. Ron wants nothing to do with Deer Falls. As the story progresses,
he learns in a real way that he can’t live isolated.
He is
forced to find allies when a terrifying ancient witch begins wreaking havoc. It
also forces Ron to repair his relationship with his mother to ensure her
survival. The overall message, in a way, is that life’s battles are not meant
to be fought alone and cannot be won alone.
What
are your favorite books/authors?
Growing
up, my favorite authors were Jack London, C.S. Lewis, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne,
and Edgar Allan Poe. I love the way they could build a world and make each
character feel so real and alive — even in the most extreme or fantastic
circumstances.
As an adult, I have also enjoyed fiction from authors like Michael Crichton, Stephen King, John Grisham, and Phillip K. Dick. My all-time favorite books are The Chroniclesof Narnia. I’ve read every book in that series cover to cover multiple times.
What
are your favorite movies, TV shows?
I have
always loved Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s the perfect adventure movie with so
many fun, iconic moments and memorable characters.
The
original Star Wars trilogy ranks among my all-time favorites as well. My
brother and I watched Star Wars so much as kids, we had memorized the
dialogue from A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return
of the Jedi word-for-word at one point.
The Simpsons is my no. 1 favorite TV show. Anyone who is around me long enough will hear me start dropping random quotes from episodes of The Simpsons into conversations. Sometimes, on Twitter, I’ll tweet out a quote of the day when I’m catching a first-run episode or a rerun.
When
you’re not writing where can we find you?
If I’m not
in front of my laptop, I’m most likely on a mountain conquering a new hiking
trail or off finding something fun or interesting to capture in a photograph.
I grew up
in a rural part of Utah, so I love the outdoors. I feel at peace when I can get
away from the noise and lights of the city.
Do you
have a website/Facebook page, etc?
My main
author website can be found at johncoon.net. I have a blog up there where I
share my experiences, offer useful writing tips, and spotlight books I’ve
enjoyed from other indie authors.
Readers
can also connect with me in the following places:
VAMPIRE GOD is a new full-length novel in the addictive USA Today bestselling urban fantasy/paranormal romance series REBEL ANGELS by award-winning author Rosemary A Johns. It contains epic battles, steamy love scenes, magic, vampires, angels, shifters, and a badass heroine. Dive into the action-packed magical ride with irresistible vampire and angel lovers and a supernatural world like you’ve never seen it before…
Pre-order VAMPIRE GOD now: http://viewbook.at/VampireGod
Want to know where it all started? Discover the REBEL ANGELS world here: http://Viewbook.at/VampireHuntress
BLURB
In the realm of the gods, the final game for the Crown has begun.
Violet is running out of time. In a court of godly Seraphim, the only way to survive the trickery and secrets of The Burning Temple is to seduce the despotic Emperor’s sultry shifter son. Yet is he as much a prisoner as her in his Gilded Cage?
Violet must undertake the Test by Monster to become a bodyguard to the Emperor: a Fae Knight of the Seraphim. If she fails, her vampire and angel lovers will be tossed into the Abyss. At last, Violet meets her creator, and the dangerous truth is revealed…
When the Emperor threatens to wipe out every world and start a new Eden, time is up. In the final battle, Violet could lose everything.
Pre-order VAMPIRE GOD now: http://viewbook.at/VampireGod
