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Saturday, July 28, 2012

Hacienda Moon by KaSonndra Leigh Promo Blitz!!!






Reading Addiction Blog Tours
So, I am in the middle of this book, I was sadly unable to finish it in time for the review, but that is ok because I will be a part of the Promo Blitz and probably post a review later on in the week if not tomorrow night after work, since I work the third shift.

This book already has me captivated, It is a tale that matched the stormy weather perfectly, and I will recommend it to almost anyone who is looking for a good book.
Hacienda Moon is written by KaSonndra Leigh and has been released today!!



About This Author:
I live in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. I write about teens doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Sometimes they fall for each other and make sacrifices for their friends. Oh, and sometimes they love music and nature too. I live with two teens, mentor other teens, and write with them. Some of them have made me promise to write a boy book next. Now that I have completed my MFA in creative writing, I find that I have a little extra time to play CLUE more often. I live in an L-shaped house dedicated to my grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.








Synopsis:
Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful human emotions, are spun together in this gothic novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves New York City to start a new life near her hometown, she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby Rose, and falls for its charismatic caretaker, Eric Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a centuries old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit, and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s journey to confront the demons of her past and find the courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and the characters will hold and haunt you long after you have read the final chapter.


The Song that Inspired the Story:




Wanna know more about the author and keep up with the books she is creating? Check out her website:



Excerpt #1

Crowds, noise, loudspeakers, coffee smells: words that described Raleigh-Durham’s airport. There wasn’t much difference between New York’s JFK and North Carolina’s RDU. The noise and crowds were all the same in these places. An airport was still just another way of transporting someone from one life-changing situation to the next. And Tandie’s journey was about to begin again in a small town located about twenty minutes away from where she grew up.

Waiting at the conveyor carousel, she picked up her two bags and headed toward the rental-car section. With her head pounding from jet lag, Tandie took the keys from the woman behind the counter and mentally reviewed her driving route. Turning, she collided with a set of broad shoulders. Her handbag fell to the floor, scattering the contents.

Ready to offer a chunk of her tired mind, she opened her mouth to complain, but stopped right away. Her victim was a man. This wasn’t just any man, though. He stood just under six-feet-tall, and had gorgeous dark hair flopping over a ridiculously handsome face. Dressed in a dark-blue shirt and gray cargo pants, the man knelt down right away to help pick up Tandie’s things.

"I’m sorry, ma’am," he said, collecting Tandie’s items, which included tampons and sanitary napkins of all things to drop.

Their eyes met and locked on one another. His hazel-green ones took in her features with one glance. Her stomach flipped as if she were a young girl flirting with a cute guy. And something hitched in her chest, teasing her with a vague memory.

His muscular frame made him seem as if he could crush Tandie’s dainty little bag with one good squeeze. His strong facial features, full lips, and dark olive skin made him look Hispanic.

Damn he’s sexy!

Tandie concentrated on returning her things to the bag. If she were quick, then maybe he wouldn’t see her embarrassing stuff. Too late. He’d already picked up her little green Always bag and placed it back in the satchel without even flinching.

Cringe and die, won’t you?

"I’m such an ox," he said in a deep voice.

"You’re not the clumsy one. I should really watch where I’m going," Tandie said, still too embarrassed to look at his face. She was aware of him staring at her, even though she couldn’t figure out why he was doing it. Tandie’s face flushed. Even her golden-brown skin must’ve turned crimson.

Standing up quickly, she stepped on the edge of her pants and stumbled backward. Her unintentional hero caught her with ease, steadying her body. What else would she add to her klutz list? She’d probably do something stupid like slip up and grab his crotch by accident next.

"Thanks. Again, I’m really sorry," Tandie said and moved around him.

"Wait. Can I carry your bags for you? It’s the least I can do," he said in a voice to match his looks.

"No. I’ll be fine, thanks," Tandie said, walking toward the rental-car garage. Behind her, she felt him watching as she scurried away. 

Excerpt #2

"How many months has it been since you last had sex?" Frieda asked Tandie while taking a drink. She nearly spit out her Bahama Mama as she glanced around the club full of people, thankful they sat in a place where a rock band was playing. "It's okay to say: 'Frieda I haven't had sex in ages. Jack was a royal bastard who made me feel like the ice queen. So I never wanted any.' "Frieda took another swallow of her drink.

Even Tandie had to laugh, even though she was glad to be the designated driver. "Must we talk about something like that in a club?"

"Like that? Do you mean to say sex? Let me hear you say it?" Frieda teased.

Tandie rolled her eyes upward. "You know what I meant."

"If we weren’t in a club, you would still clam up. Mental note to me: Must take my bestie out more often before she forgets how to have any kind of fun at all. Deal?"

"All right, deal. Anything to keep you quiet." Tandie glanced around, taking in the club scene. She hadn’t been anywhere near a dance floor like this one in almost six years. Getting involved with someone hadn’t even crossed her mind, especially while she still grieved for Breena. In the presence of a cute guy, she either stuttered or dropped her tampons at his feet.

"Frieda Tyson. You made it," a dark-haired woman with a braid sweeping her waistline announced. A gangly man stood behind her, scoffing. Dressed in an apron, he was the thinnest male Tandie had ever seen. Spiky brown hair gave him a rock star look and the thick-rimmed glasses he wore reminded her of a movie she couldn't quite finger.

Frieda stood, embraced the woman, and stepped back to admire the huge diamond on her left hand. "Whoa! You must’ve really whipped it on him, Shania."

"It was those tips and pointers you gave me. Now I know why you’re such a good therapist." The two women exchanged laughs, while the gangly man standing behind them shook his head and sighed.

"Excuse, me," he said to Tandie and Frieda, "Shania, can you tell me where to sit this box of glasses. It feels like I'm holding an elephant."

"Gus, my fearless multi-tasker. Meet my co-worker, Frieda, and her sidekick I haven't met," Shania said. Her voice was light and her carefree attitude made Tandie want to know more about her.

Frieda turned to Tandie. "This is my good girlfriend, Tandie Harrison. She recently moved back here. Keep an eye on this chick, Shania. She intends to be a bestselling author."

"Ah yes. I’ve read one of your non-fiction pieces. I especially enjoyed the one where you explain how you channel psychic energy. Excellent piece of literature," Shania said and turned to Gus. "Put those over behind the wet bar. Those are for the Geisha celebration next week."

"It's about time," he muttered and turned to Tandie and Frieda, "Nice meeting you ladies. Try not to be strangers." His eyes were locked on Tandie, making her feel uneasy.

"Thanks," Tandie said. Gus nodded and moved on toward the bar.

Tandie's gaze drifted off to the right side of Shania. The man sitting at the bar, the same man she’d run into at the airport a week ago, had his gaze locked on her. Tandie looked away, pretending not to notice him. But each time she glanced back in his direction he was still watching. Her breath hitched, and her pulse increased. It was the same feeling she experienced before when she last saw him.

Hugging her shoulders, she suddenly had the urge to leave the area. Frieda and Shania were engrossed in their own conversation, so Tandie had no problem slipping away.

She had wanted to investigate the rooftop dining area ever since they arrived. She headed up the steps leading to the balcony, taking in a quick breath when the cool nighttime wind bit into the top Frieda made her wear. A July night at the beach sometimes packed the same ice-cold punch as a September one. There were fewer people sitting at the tables.

Leaning on the rail facing the ocean, she took in the black view and listened to the waves sloshing against shores invisible in the nighttime hours. Something rode the waves in the distance. At first glance it resembled a cruise ship sailing along fully lit. Tandie moved over to the telescope attached to the rail and glanced at the ship. Inside the lens, the ship’s form changed. It was more like a blurry silhouette of a ship. Straining to focus on it, Tandie stretched her eyes until they felt dry. And then like magic, the ship disappeared completely from view. No lights, blurry outlines, no nothing. "Whoa. Too much Bahama Mama tonight, I think."

"Nope. It's not your wine. Not that you'd be the type to get drunk," a woman's deeply accented voice said from behind her. The woman dressed in a red shirt and black jeans was pretty in a gothic kind of way. Her dark red lips blended in with her deep auburn tresses; but her eyes lined with mascara reminded Tandie of a burglar. "There's really a ship out there, but only certain ones of us can see it. Creepy isn't it?"

The woman studied the ocean, lost in her thoughts. Tandie always attracted strangers who would suddenly start spilling all their secrets. It had been that way for her ever since she was a little girl. But this woman along with the disappearing ship she had just seen succeeded in making her jittery. The chill in the air increased and the thin cottony blouse she wore did a lousy job of blocking any wind.

"Wow. It's really cold up here. I'm heading back inside."

"Don't you wanna know why you can see it?" the woman asked.

An invisible force stopped Tandie in her tracks. There was no way this woman could be talking about the ship she just saw. "Not really, I’m good," Tandie answered truthfully, turning to study her face.

"We can see it because I'm touched by death. And you…" she turned and narrowed her eyes at Tandie. "You got the witches mark. I can smell dark magic on somebody all the way from my house."

Feeling a bit anxious, Tandie turned to go back inside the club. The woman moved in her path and stepped closer to her face. "You stay away from what's mine, witch. Do you hear me?"

"I don't even know you. It would be hard to take something from a person I don't even know," Tandie said, inching back toward the telescope. She really wished her psychic intuition still worked.

"Abby! What's going on?" a male's deep voice said behind the woman. She flashed a bright smile just before she turned around and said, "Not a thing. We girls were just having a little chat."

It was him, the man from the airport and the bar. He strolled toward them. His dark shirt and blue jeans gave him a strikingly mysterious appearance under the balcony’s lights. With his gaze locked on Tandie, she suddenly understood the woman's warning. Sure, he was drop-dead sexy; but it was more like the turn-me-into-a-zombie kind of death. That way I can come back and kidnap you when I'm ready.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Abby doesn't mean to be this way. We still have to keep child locks on the cupboards because of her."

Abby clucked her tongue. "Don't you dare talk down to me."

"Look, people. I don’t have a clue about who you two are; but y’all need to work out your problems. I'm heading back inside to get my friend. Try to have a good night," Tandie said and headed back into the club before the man could say anything else, and before that woman accused her of being a witch again.

Excerpt #3

Eric Fontalvo began Tandie's renovations the following Monday. He arrived with an armory of tools and gadgets, setting to work with a tape measure as quietly as he did the first time he came by. Tandie’s curiosity was killing her. She wanted to know more about why this handsome stranger appeared in her novel and her dreams.

After spending Saturday night with Saul, a man who seemed to be handling quite a few issues himself, she craved something normal. One thing Frieda was right about: there wasn’t a shortage of eye candy in her life at the moment.

Dressed in ripped jean shorts, an old tee-shirt, and a blue bandana that would scream gang-girl if she were ever spotted in public, Tandie walked outside. The outfit wasn't too New Yorker, and it had just enough grit to compliment any job a contractor might need for her to do. On the first day she arrived at Chelby Rose, she’d promised herself that she would put her own personal touches on any renovations.

"Um, Ms. Harrison, what are you doing?" Eric’s face bore an amused smirk underneath his smile. He also had a slight accent covered up by his well-spoken English.

At first, the accent in his voice sounded somewhat southern. But after listening to the next few sentences, Tandie thought it sounded more Puerto Rican or South Columbian.

"Isn’t that obvious? I’m going to paint. Do you have issues with that?" Tandie asked, slightly annoyed by his smirk.

"Course not. It's your place. I just thought you’d—want to be writing." He flipped a strand of hair away from his face. Tandie wondered if he was going to move the one beside it too.

"That's exactly why I need to be out here. I need inspiration." Tandie pranced over to the two five-gallon paint buckets Eric had lined up along the front porch. She pulled out her paintbrushes and counted them. One of the six that came in the pack was gone. "Crap. One is missing."

He cleared his throat before speaking. "Far be it from me to keep a lady from her mission, Ms. Harrison. But, you’re going to paint with those?"

"What’s wrong with my paintbrushes?" Tandie asked, glancing down at her hands. She took her time picking them out at the hardware store.

"Not a thing if you’re doing a paint-by-number job, that is." A grin was creeping across his face. "Those are touch-up paint brushes. As in, you paint little tiny sections with them. Not the best thing for covering 200-square-feet of siding." Tandie frowned and glanced at her brushes. They were super small compared to the ones he had laid out on the ground. They glanced back at each other. He burst out laughing, and so did Tandie.

"Well why didn’t you say something before now?"

"Sorry, Ms. Harrison," he said and tried to straighten out his face.

"And please, lay off all the Ms. Harrisons. I mean, that sounds so grandmotherly," Tandie said. He gave her a tight smile and then turned his head toward his toolbox.

"All right, Tandie it is. At least let me help you with those." He grabbed the buckets much to Tandie’s relief and set them down on the porch. "Painting can be trickier than it looks. The house has to be sanded first."

Tandie was determined to not let him see her squirm in her moment of renovation stupidity. Translation, she was completely dependent on this contractor. Plus, there was something about this guy that made her feel like it was all right to be somewhat needy. "I appreciate your offer, but I suspect painting doesn’t come anywhere close to writer’s block."

He set down two more of the heavy buckets after moving them out of the sun, wiped his face with the back of his hand, and glanced at Tandie with his intense chameleon-eyed gaze. Yeah sure, it was no secret that she had strange two-toned eyes, but Eric's did amazing things. The pupils changed colors depending on the way and type of light that hit them.

"Somehow, I believe you can handle some pretty fierce writing issues." His voice came out low and raspy and the tee shirt he wore stuck to his abs, all six glorious packs of them. Perfect wasn't a word that came anywhere close to describing Eric Fontalvo.

"Thank you for that vote of confidence, Mr. Contractor."

"Ooh, I get it. You can use old-fashioned greetings on me, but not the other way around," he said with a smile spreading across his heart-shaped mouth.

Tandie shrugged. "It doesn't count for work titles, only when you use someone's last name."

Eric smirked and made a small laugh. "How convenient." He bent down, picked up his tool belt, and then stood up, leaving a small amount of space between their faces. He was ruggedly handsome in a subtle way minus the cockiness that made Saul Chelby so popular with females. But even with Saul's confidence and rich boy looks, this guy held his ground with ease.

"What's so convenient?" Tandie asked.

"That I'm stuck with an assistant who makes words and rules up for a living." Moving around Tandie, he said, "I'm heading inside to take a look at those pipes. I’m sorry that you got all dressed up in those shorts for no reason." He strolled toward the house, leaving Tandie outside.

"Okay. Maybe I gave you too much praise, a little too early," she whispered to herself and headed toward the house.





If you liked what you have read so far, make sure to check the book out and add it to your collection!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons by Denise Grover Swank Review

So after a beautifull light show thanks to mother nature and some low cloud's, one that looked like this (See right), note the dragon flying out of the sky, I took it as a hint that it was a day for fantasy, I am finally able to turn the computer on and get this review up and running.
Sadly it is a day late thanks to the weather and the fiance playing skyrim, another thing to be wowed over the dragon, but none the less here it is.
I would like to apologize for the delay in the post and the fact that this is just a review, through some misscomunication, we were unable to get our question's answered so until then we will have to settle for a review. Once the questions are replied to I will definitely put them up the first chance I get.


Now, on to the review.


I think the biggest problem I had with this book was the fact that the format didn't have correct punctuation for the kindle. When someone was speaking there wasn't an indention, there wasn't even quotation marks and I found that I had to stop, drag myself out of a story I was trying to get into, and then figure out who said it and what was going on.
It really kept me from enjoying a book, and it quickly became a chore to read, as if struggling through mud to get to a reward on the other side.

I did enjoy the main character, Rose, though. She was spunky and full of action as she has to deal with her boyfriend and figure out what is going on in her life.

One of the better things about this book was not only was the mystery not one you automatically figured out, nor was it one you were completely stumped over, instead it was like solving a mystery in real life as the clues were revealed.

This book was given in exchange for an honest review, all opinions stated above about the book are all my own, the author in no way was compensated monetarily except for a review.
Thanks!

Rating:
2.5 (It was ok, just hard to get into.)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Darkness Rising by Elle Chardon


Synopsis:
A Pureblood...
Julien Gasquet belongs to the notorious Lycan clan, the Gasquet Pack based in New Orleans. After a vicious argument, he storms out of the compound and decides to spend the night with his sister, Jolie, in Baton Rouge.

A Half-breed...
Martina Beauchamp is considered an abomination to the Lycans as she isn't a pureblood and doesn't have a pack to call her own. She meets Julien after a horrifying incident forces her to flee her home and her car breaks down in the parking lot next to his truck.

Destined...
The attraction Julien and Martina experience from the moment they meet isn't about lust or a one night stand. However, when the pack is involved in every decision a werewolf makes, is a happy ending at all possible?

WARNING: This is paranormal romance novella with sexy good times, smokin' hot werewolves, toned bodies and explicit language. Blood, gore and closed door sex scenes? Not this time
Review:
I wasn't sure if I would make this deadline or not, I went to bed sicker then a dog and feeling as if I was standing in a raging inferno, and I woke up the same way. But a blogger's job is never done and even if this is a little late in the day I am going to keep it short and simple so I can crawl back into bed.

This book has a gorgeous cover, one you cannot help but devour, the steam practically rises from the pages as you watch the two in their embrace.

The same can be said for the main character's. Both of them hadn't had the best of lives, in fact it seemed as if fate was content to slam every obstacle in her arsenal at these two until they one day ran into one another.

In a world where the creatures that often haunted our nightmares, the things that go bump in the night are out in the open, can their love withstand the test?

Crack open the book and give it a try.
And today it can be yours.
1. winner will receive an e-copy of Darkness Rising. Just leave a comment with your name and e-mail.

Rating:
3.5. It was ok, just not for me.

:
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Elle Chardou online:





Monday, July 16, 2012

Riser by Becca C Smith



Synopsis:
Black swirling holes churning madly in the center of every corpse. This is how eighteen-year-old Chelsan Derée sees the deceased. Her ability to connect to the black spinning holes allows her to control every dead thing within a four-mile radius.

But that's the least of her problems. It's 2320 and Chelsan Derée has to survive another year of high school, which for her is pure and utter torture, mainly due to the fact that her schoolmate Jill Forester's favorite activity is making Chelsan's life a living hell. If that isn't enough, Chelsan's impossible crush on Ryan Vaughn makes her brain do somersaults on a regular basis, especially since she is positive he doesn't know she exists. And being eighteen Chelsan has to deal with the pressure of whether or not she should take a little pill called Age-pro, which cures aging, making the world eighteen forever and highly over-populated.

When Chelsan's mother, Janet, is brutally killed, along with everyone else in her trailer park, Chelsan finds out that she was the intended target. Chelsan must use her power to raise and control the dead to save herself, protect her friends and take down the man responsible for murdering her mother


Review:
OK, so there is one thing that pushed me into reading this, apparently there was some drama in an earlier addition where a guy punched a girl and a huge fuss was made over it. To the point that after reading the version where the guy does punch her, I honestly didn't find it a big deal. I felt bad for the author because she actually went back and changed it because of people being unable to take a book, that is obviously not real, and deal with it. I hate to say it but women get punched, more and more girls get punched. Girls go into war and fight guys, so why raise such a fuss?
I want to make it absolutely clear that I am in no way advocating it, I don't think violence is OK for anyone nor does it solve anything but I didn't see the huge problem that seemed to cause people to see red. I wanted to give the author props though, she handled it very delicately and professionally.

The book was fairly good, sure it was rough but that is how it starts out sometimes, obviously it is an ARC considering there was a re-write, but what grammatical error's I spotted, they didn't take away from the story at all.


I liked how shallow she made some of the rich girls, I know that some of you will read this in the future and think, how could they want to shop, or how could they be thinking about something as simple as a crush at an important time as running for their lives. But honestly, think back when you were young, back then, those things were more important then breathing sometimes, sad but true for the most part. I loved that the characters seemed realistic because of those flaw's.

The whole concept of the book was intriguing, the swirling black holes over, where I pictured, a major chakra point, didn't go unnoticed. I liked that by tapping into it and controlling it she was able to raise the dead, and it wasn't just humans either.

There isn't really much bad I could say about this book, it wasn't for me, but I didn't dislike it, I certainly would recommend it to someone who asked but it won't be a re-read for me.
It was just kinda simple, I don't really care what happens next.

Rating:
3 Raven's (It was ok.)



For more information:
ecca C. Smith Online:



Thursday, July 12, 2012

Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent

Synopsis:
Kori Daniels is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she's ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if it means taking it from someone else.…
The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.
Ian's ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he's on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower's top Binder: Kori's little sister.
Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they'll have to choose between love and liberty….
Review:
So, it is my day off after nine days working straight with no over time, and while the blog has been all but silent on my part  I haven't been away from books. In fact I read two new books I purchased and several re-reads. So thankfully I have plenty of material to write on and hopefully catch up with.
The hardest part has been not having my own computer, engaged to a man who plays multiple games on the PC, it is rare that I get a moment to clack away about my thoughts.


So, the big surprise that came my way was found as I eagerly ripped open this month's book club selections and found pulled out the first book. Shadow Bound, a book I have been searching for since learning of the release date. I was even more excited to see that this book featured my favorite character Kori. I love that spunky kicking butt gal.

I think the best part of this book was that unlike any other love story, love didn't make you weak or stupid, in fact I would say that in this book the character's actually became stronger people while in love.

Kori was my favorite from the get go, and to learn that after she was forced to help Liv and Cam in the last book she was punished so severely it made me want to jump into the pages and throttle these so called friends who abandoned her.

I love the way the author describes shadows to a shadow walker, she really brought them to life and made me think twice about the dark which haunts my fears.

I am eagerly awaiting the next installment as more characters were introduced and given a back line and relationships grew. This is a book full of the steamy romance to fog the glasses as you turn the page, heart pounding action that leaves you on the edge of your seat and a love worth fighting for that is the things dreams are made of.





Favorite Character:
Kori, for always being there for her sister, for doing what needs done and saving face. She is a woman I would be proud to have my future kids look up to, even if foul language was her prime language. :)



Rating:
5 Ravens!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Interview with Ian Truman


 I would like to welcome Ian Truman, Author of the book Tales of Lust Hate and Despair, to the site. Personally I would also like to thank Mister Truman for answering so in depth, it really felt that I was sitting right across from him and asking him the questions as I read through them. Hopefully you enjoy learning more about a fascinating author as I did. Also, Make sure to check out his book for an enjoyable read.

Bio:
I am from a working class family and I am proud of my origins. For the last seven years, I have been employed as an assembly line worker, a forklift driver, a park ranger, a warehouse clerk, a janitor, an industrial laundry operator, a warehouse clerk some more and still am to this day. I have never stopped working full time and I saw first hand how the theories of political science could hardly apply to the realities of the working masses. I have worked in the downtown area, in Laval, Rosemont, Montreal-East (Between the Petro-Canada oil storage facility and the Falconbridge foundry) and the south-west prior to gentrification. I have seen Montreal change and the people suffer from these changes.

I write not because I believe that some great social revolution is going to come out of any novel I can write. I have no illusions about the revolutionary potential of fiction writing. I truly believe that it is only by changing economic structures that a society can change fundamentally. This is basic Marxism. So why write at all? It is a good question. I mostly write to purge the hatred inside me, to purge the hours of factory work, poverty and strife of all sorts. I am majoring in Creative Writing, in a language that is not my native tongue because I felt it was a challenge. I am also graduating with a minor in political science, through which I discovered many philosophers that have influenced me deeply. I have studied the essays of Karl Marx, Immanuel Wallerstein, Ernesto Guevara, Max Stirner, Mikhail Bakunin, but also capitalist philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes or John Locke. I’ve looked into dichotomies such as Anarchism Vs Fascism, Communism Vs Capitalism. Nationalist Vs Internationalist etc… I believe that my existence is guided by philosophies such as Buddhism, Hinduism but also Nihilism.

As Nietzsche explained, human beings are guided both by rationality and irrationality. We are capable of reason and structure but at the same time we need flesh and passion, if not sin. I write political essays when I need to exercise my rational side. I write it in order to better my knowledge of social structures. I write it to better society. Rarely have I included philosophers or philosophy in my fictional works. I believe they are underlining all the stories I write. But I don’t write Fiction in order to prove a point. I write fiction to fill my need for creativity and passion. Mostly, I write because I need to. It fills my passionate, irrational side. When I write, I look for truth, however ugly or beautiful it may be. I look for sincere elements, uncensored and raw; I look for the visceral. My works combine beauty and despair, struggles and hopes. I truly enjoy dichotomies that bring people out of their comfort zones. I avoid moralist statements and allow the reader to bring their own conclusion about the work, about the characters, and (hopefully) about their lives.

Interview:
1.If you were sent to prison, what do you think would be the most plausible crime that landed you behind bars?
Well, the only time I've been sent to jail was because of a protest (back in 2001). I guess that was and still would be the most plausible crime I could be charged with. That is if you think protesting a crime, which our government here in Quebec now considers in certain ways. But I don't want to get into that too much. If I had to plan the perfect crime though, and be sent to jail for it. I suppose it would be some Robin Hood thing, like stealing a few billions from JPMorgan or something, somehow laundry the money and then start a whole bunch of cooperatives throughout the land. I'd be a criminal gentlemen if I ever chose that career, but so far I am a surprisingly law abiding citizen for a guy with my kind of background.

2.What would you miss most while in jail?
My wife and kid are definitely on top of that list, but that's pretty much a generic answer, so let me try to find you a better one.
Music? I guess they got music in prison as well. You get to read plenty and you get some down time to write so that's not it either. I don't drink or do drugs so I wouldn't miss that (anyways there's still plenty of ways to get dope inside.) You get to do some gardening, lift weights and play basketball which are all part of my regular activities. A good mosh pit at a hardcore show? There's prison riots for that as well. So, I don't know. A latté from the Italian Social Club, maybe? I also think I could go a year without sex (I think.)
How long of a sentence are we talking here

3. How did you come up for the idea for your book?
Life in general, but mostly life in this fine city of Montreal. It's really a city of haves and have-nots and if it wasn't for our balanced social system here in Quebec, with things like free health care and cheap universities, I know the city would be a mess. I think that what keeps the poor and the rich from beating on one another is the fact that you have a legitimate fighting chance to get ahead in life when you live here. Hell, I managed to go to college, walk out with only $15 000 in debt and I'm from a working class family. But I'm getting off topic.
I'm a french kid who's in a long term relationship with an Irish girl, so that alone makes us a bit of a black sheep in Quebec (though not so much in Montreal anymore.) We are both from the east, which is the working class part of town (along with the south-west). And so I wanted to have these two parts of our city deeply connected to the story. There are these areas that are now being gentrified in the same way that the East Village or the Lower East Side was gentrified in New-York and I wanted to write about neighborhoods like St-Henri, Pointe-St-Charles, Verdun and Hochelaga before their story is forgotten under the bulldozers.
People who have been to Montreal also know that drugs and prostitution are a big issue in certain areas. I remember historians calling the city “little Harlem” during the prohibition in the Us. The French (from France) also call it “La pute de l'Amérique du nord” which stands for “North America's Courtesan”, which I think is a gross overstatement. It's all getting “cleaned up” these days but the truth is there are less hookers on street corners, but way more “agencies” and the issue remains the same. I do not in any way advocate drug use or prostitution and I guess it's why I wanted to write a story that was truthful and hard because I think a lot of people kinda idealize or romanticize these kinds of things.
So I guess I don't have to come up with ideas, the city just kinda provides them naturally.

4. While creating the story did you have a soundtrack in mind for it?

Most definitely. I have been a huge fan of all types or music for as long as I can remember and even though my main interests lie in punk and hardcore, I also listen to a lot of hip-hop and some stuff that surprise people like Mogwai and Sigur Ros. I don't want to list out everything I listen to but I guess that regardless of the style, I like music that is made by and for the underdogs. Truth be told, I can't write without music. I need the ambiance, the feel of certain songs that fit the scene I am trying to depict. If the music is right, the tone of the chapter of scene will be right as well.
I use a different play list for my different projects but in the case of Tales of Lust, Hate and Despair, it was stuff like Mogwai, Neurosis, Deftones, Marylin Manson, Tom Waits, Tim Barry, Sage Francis, Wu-Tang Clan (The old stuff), Onyx, Atmosphere and some heavier stuff like Blacklisted, Converge or Blood for Blood. That all sounds like a weird mix, but I could link each band or song to a certain part of the novel that needed that kind of influence. That's just how I write.
5. If your book was made into the movie who would you want to play your characters?
Wow. I don't know. Let me think.
I know I'd want to direct the damn thing. I'd also like to have Ian McFarland as a DOP because, well he'd in Blood for Blood and I'd like to meet him but he's also from the kind of neighborhood that my novel is about and he has turned his attention to film in the last years and I was impressed with his work. Enough said.
I would have Mike Ness play the musician in the brothel. I think that a trainspotting-era Evan McGregor would fit well for Sam, but I don't know who would fit that bill today. I think Sage Francis would play a good biker, but most of all, I guess I'd want a movie with fairly unknown actors or newcomers with something to prove. I'm one of these guys who believe that your art will come out better if you've been hungry in life, it makes things more visceral.

6. What would your dream job be and why?
I could say “writer” but that wouldn't be all that hones. I write because I feel I have to but I don't think I could sit and write eight hours a day, 365 days a year. I'm not the kind of guy who can do the same thing over and over again. I can honestly say I never had a job I liked. Ok! I was once a clerk in a record shop, but the pay was too low and I was 16-17. Since then it's been a series of warehouses, factories, laundry services and more warehouses. These days, I guess “anything else” would be fine.
If I ever make money, I know I'd like to buy a building somewhere and turn it into some kind of galleria-venue for kids and young adults top perform for cheap. When I grew up we had this thing called “L'X room” downtown where we would see all the shows and organize on a political level. The venue closed and I miss it. So I guess my dream job would be to run such a place. [

7. What is the scariest thing you have lived through?

The only things that scare me now are related to my daughter. I just want her to have a shot in life. So that's that. As for me, I don't know. I don't get scared that easily anymore. I've been in a few riots and I've been in a few fights. I can say that the police scares the shit out of me but not in a “Oh-my-god-oh-my-god-oh-my-god” kinda way. There was this one time where a fucked up hobo chased me with a syringe in his hands yelling “come here, tough guy, I'll stab you with this needle I got here. I have every STD that exists, though guy...” I guess that was scary, because handguns are illegal here (and very rare, although I did have a bullet hole in one of my windows at a time), so I don't have one to defend myself. I had a knife, but he had an AIDS infected needle and he didn't mind using it, so he had the advantage. The only thing I had going for me was that he was so high, he eventually fell down and never got up. Oh! And what was I doing to deserve this, I was having ice cream at dairy queens. Life's shit, I guess.
That was the absolute worst (Ok! Well, no it wasn't). But life in Montreal is usually very nice (OK! OK! I moved to the Rosemont borough as well.)

8. What do you do for writers block?
I do something else. “Fuck it,” I'd simply say. If the story won't come out, I'm not going to force it.
I do have a somewhat strict work ethic. I write at least an hour a day, regardless if it is on a novel, play, script of blog. I expect to write at least 800 words a day or something (mind you, I work the rest of the day in a warehouse and care for my family afterward.) In the end, I probably end up with something like a 600 words per day average (for the day's I can't write) and that's how I work. I also try to have two entirely different projects going at the same time. If I run out of steam for one story, I might still have a lot for another one. It worked so far.

9. Are your characters based off of any one's likeness?
They are all true-ish characters. I don't copy-paste my friends on paper, but I do try to keep them as realistic as possible. If they are not inspired from people I know, they are inspired by people I respect or admire. Every once in a while it's just someone on the bus who was talking too loud and it happened to inspire some side character. This answer is shorter than I had expected, I guess I am running out of things to say. 

10. I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. any last words you would like to leave the readers?
This is the time for the “political” plug of the interview. We have a student strike here in Quebec that has turned in to a full blown social crisis (especially with bill 78).
I wrote something about it here
the wiki is here :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Quebec_student_protests
and here are English translations of (mostly) French news articles
http://www.quebecprotest.com/
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. And just because I can, I want to finish on something very cheezy an positive.
Don't be afraid to be creative. Take care of your community and stay off drugs.
I mean that.
Thank you,
Ian Truman.

Disclaimer


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of numerous Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by the Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*