Guest Author: Cheryse Durrant / Free Download (12 chapters) / Giveaway for The Blood She Betrayed

As a child I was shy and awkward, but I found my niche in reading and writing. I even remember hand-publishing my own stories in single-edition “Cheryse” magazines, made from large sheets of butcher’s paper and illustrated with magazine cut-outs.

My sister Tammy was my ever-willing accomplice as we played fantasy and outerspace games. We loved superhero adventures so much that we wore out our original Superman video tape – right at the point where Christopher Reeve’s clean-cut crusader rescues Margot Kidder’s Lois from that out-of-control helicopter (and let’s not even get started on the ewoks in Return of the Jedi).

So when I started writing full-length manuscripts at the age of 14, it was only natural that my stories mirrored the adventures I liked reading about – but with females not males playing centre-stage.

Even as a teenager, the heroines I created were always strong women facing close-to-impossible goals. They were often young girls who struggled with a disease or handicap (or what they perceived as a weakness) that eventually became key to their happiness or success. After all, the greatest demon or challenge that most of us will ever face is ourselves.

In The Blood She Betrayed, my kick-butt heroine Shahkara hates her half-demon self, but it’s her talons, healing abilities and super strength that enables her to save her world and people.

Here’s a tiny snippet from my novel:

‘What about you?’ Max’s tawny eyes gazed at her.

Dread gripped Shahkara’s heart like a fistful of nails. Her mission depended on activating the death lantern and destroying all Taloners at the same time. Even as a half-blood, she would not survive the blast. She had to die to ensure no Taloners remained. She turned away. ‘You ask too many questions.’

Shahkara arrives on Earth to find the ancient Elnara death lantern, her homeworld’s last chance of survival against the heart-devouring Taloners, but once in Australia, she is forced to rely on billionaire heir Max McCalden but he has his own problems, including a manipulative father and a murdered brother. Still, nothing prepares him for her razor-sharp talons and half-Taloner blood, a blood that demands what she knows she can’t have – a human heart. As deadly enemies attack at every turn, Shahkara fears her lust for Max will destroy them both, but she is determined to save their worlds from a threat more horrific than the demons that share her blood.

I loved writing The Blood She Betrayed because it captures all the action, romance, magic and suspense (and twists and turns) of those superhero movies that I’ve loved since I was a child. Modern-day releases such as X-Men (Hugh Jackman *sigh*) and The Avengers (Chris Hemsworth *sigh*) have just continued to fuel my passion.

But as a girl, I’ll always want to write from a female’s perspective and a female’s strengths and vulnerabilities. After all, I’m female. And proud of it.

FREE for this week only:  Download the first 12 chapters of my YA Urban Fantasy novel, The Blood She Betrayed, for FREE this week by visiting this link:

http://www.clandestinepress.com.au/content/blood-she-betrayed-launch-giveaway

Blurb to Cheryse Durrant’s debut novel, The Blood She Betrayed (Book 1 in the Heart Hunters series):

TO SAVE HER KINGDOM, SHE MUST BETRAY HER BLOOD…

Thrust into the technology-driven Earthlands via magical mists, Shahkara is forced to rely on Max McCalden to help find the ancient Elnara death lantern, her homeworld’s last chance of survival against the heart-devouring Taloners.

Max has his own problems – a manipulative billionaire father, a murdered brother – but nothing prepares him for this fugitive warrior’s razor-sharp talons and magical abilities.

Shahkara’s half-Taloner blood demands what she knows she can’t have – a human heart. She longs for love, but as deadly enemies attack at every turn, will her lust for Max destroy them both? Or will she find the strength to free both worlds from a threat more horrific than the demons that share her blood?

Buy links

From September 4, The Blood She Betrayed will be available from Clan Destine Press, Amazon, iTunes and Kobo. From October, the paperback will be available from all good bookstores.

Paperback / eBook / Booktopia 

Cheryse Durrant short bio:

Dead fingers curled around an ancient crypt and a love of Celtic mythology were the two inspirations behind Cheryse Durrant's The Blood She Betrayed, the first novel in her young adult/new adult Heart Hunters series. Durrant was born within days of Tolkien’s death and grew up on an Australian cattle farm where she chatted to scrub faeries and an imaginary superhero. She wrote her first story on her aunt's bedroom wall but it did not attract the literary acclaim she deserved. She worked as a journalist for 15 years before trading her soul for fiction. The coffee/chocolate/strawberry addict now lives on the central Queensland coast where she teaches writing through Creative Dragons (www.creativedragons.com.au) and is an avid WriteFest (www.bundywriters.com) fan.

Social media links:
website. www.cherysedurrant.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CheryseDurrant
Twitter  @CheryseDurrant
GoodReads / WattPad / Google+ / Linked-In 

Hearts & Talons giveaway celebrates launch of Heart Hunters series

To celebrate the launch of her debut novel The Blood She Betrayed, Cheryse Durrant and her publisher, Clan Destine Press, are offering four giveaways as part of the Hearts & Talons tour running until November.

Prizes include a $AU50 Amazon gift voucher, a $AU50 Clan Destine Press (CDP) book pack, a $AU130 heart-shaped crystal pendant, signed paperbacks, swag, and the chance to have a character named after you in Durrant’s second Heart Hunters book, The Ghost She Killed.

To be part of the draw, readers must email proof of purchase (a receipt, screen grab or their order confirmation number) to cheryse (at) quietdawn (dot) org.

People who buy the book can gain extra entries in the Hearts & Talons giveaway by writing a review of The Blood She Betrayed and emailing the online link to Durrant, and/or emailing the Hearts & Talons promotion to 20 friends (cc’d to Durrant).

What you can win: Hearts & Talons giveaway

 September – $AU50 Clan Destine Press book pack + signed paperback
 October pre-paperback launch prize – Get a character named after you in Cheryse Durrant’s next novel, The Ghost She Killed + a signed paperback.
 October – $AU50 Amazon gift voucher + signed paperback
 November – $AU130  9ct gold crystal pendant + signed paperback
NB: Entrants are automatically entered into every month of the promotion.

Book Review: The Princess Diana Conspiracy: The Evidence of Murder by Alan Power

The Princess Diana Conspiracy:
The Evidence of Murder
Author: Alan Power
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Probity Press Ltd (August 29, 2013)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 807 KB
Print Length: 298 pages
Publisher: Probity Press Ltd (August 26, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from Pump Up Your Book Blog Tour. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

This book authored by Alan Power talks about the death of Princess Diana, not by a car crash but a planned murder by the Royal Family. The book is mostly just a re-telling and detailed analysis of the whole scenario with the author's view on the matter, taken from the evidences/testimonies of the witnesses presented in courts. 

This allows readers to see the life story of Princess Diana/Diana Spencer before she became a princess, during her marriage with Prince Charles and after her death. I knew some of the things mentioned here as they're on the news but reading the detailed description of the evidences . . . they are interesting to read but it can be pretty depressing too. Yes, really depressing, the way a princess lived her life in the palace in a loveless marriage, without having real friends and knowing all communications/vehicles are being bugged 24/7 by the British Security Services and even if she's out of the country, she's still being monitored. The murder evidences can be convincing, especially the witnesses' sudden deaths. Like if you witness the car crash, sometime later in your life, you'll be dead, either by committing suicide or heart attack. Yay! The only thing I disliked in the book was the constant repetition of some of the evidences (the motive, witnesses' stories, etc), thought the book is longer than it should be. I highly recommended this book for readers who are into true crime/true story books. 

About the book:

The Princess Diana Conspiracy presents extremely incriminating evidence that all democratic nations should embrace. Its proven that the paparazzi were kept away from court through “Political Intervention”; the decision to embalm Diana was taken at a “Diplomatic Level”; MI6 are proven to have perverted the course of justice and are forced into acknowledging they murder people; senior police officers compared their evidence to get their stories straight during the inquest and repeatedly sidestepped crucial questions-just some of the information disclosed.

The authorities are examined both pre and post the Paris attack. Disturbing evidence is presented and questions are raised over Britain’s democracy where the people are supposed to be the law. If you share this books view that this heinous act was intolerable then consider; Diana’s murder needed the nod from someone in a position of considerable power or influence; so, who gave the order?

Post attack, shamefaced authorities were coerced into cooperating with a subterfuge just because the people’s justice endangered one family and, of course, MI6; clearly an abuse of the people’s democracy. This book shows evidence of murder that any honest court would accept.

Murderous monsters assassinated Diana to preserve the status quo; an act of which the Nazi SS or the old KGB would have been proud. But instead of burning books, these people now intimidate writers who seek justice and they are, in my view, guilty of treason. Please read and consider your verdict.

About the author:

The author has enjoyed a variety of interests including being a drama student, an official candidate of the Conservative party and a company CEO. His hobbies are flying aeroplanes, pistol shooting, scuba diving and he is a past Rugby football player.

After Diana’s murder, Alan felt rage that such a beautiful and natural person as Diana could be used, abused and so cruelly discarded; he considered the probability that this crime was to ensure the monarchy’s survival and found the time to begin an investigation. He has produced startling new evidence to satisfy any honest court that Diana was murdered. Also that it was conducted by serving MI6 officers using their “Increment” military attachment; it wasn’t rogue MI6 officers, considered as being possible during the inquests.

Despite many attempts by others to prevent, or delay, this book’s release, Alan now brings you his findings. There is an overview of the background to Diana’s dilemma and a selection of relevant events prior to the inquests when Alan delivers the most compelling and damming indictments in his search for British Democracy.

Alan asks you to consider the facts and then to deliver the most important verdict of all; yours.

Amazon Buy Link

Kindle Download at $2.99 : A Ranger's Tale by Mysti Parker

A Ranger's Tale

Author: Mysti Parker
Paperback: 188 pages
Publisher: Melange Books, LLC (December 18, 2010)

Jenai's Book Review

About the book:

In the fantasy world of Tallenmere, an elven noblewoman longed to leave her gilded cage. A half-breed former pirate wanted nothing more than to escape his guilty past. Easier said than done...

High elf Caliphany Aranea leads an enviable life as King Leopold's niece and daughter of Sirius, Leogard's most famous wizard. Yet, being forced to follow in her father's footsteps and being betrothed to a man she doesn't even like makes her want a taste of life outside the city walls. 

As a young boy, half-elf Galadin Trudeaux witnessed his parents' death at the hands of pirates. After being raised by those same murderers and forced to do their bidding, he escaped and now lives an honest life as a sea merchant and ranger. 

When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap Caliphany while she dreams of faraway lands, Galadin comes to her rescue. Impressed by his skills, she asks him to train her as a ranger. Though he is hesitant at first to train a woman of her class, Caliphany's hefty sack of gold finally persuades him. Unfortunately, her father is not amused, and the two must escape before Caliphany faces a forced marriage and Galadin faces a noose. 

From that moment on she and Galadin embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Only if they can survive the trials ahead, will they find a love that stands the test of time.

About the author:

Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel,

A Ranger's Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya's Song, was published in April 2012. The highly anticipated third book, Hearts in Exile, has already received some great reviews. The Tallenmere series has been likened to Terry Goodkind's 'Sword of Truth' series, but is probably closer to a spicy cross between Tolkien and Mercedes Lackey.

Mysti's other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She has also served as a class mentor in Writers Village University's six week free course, F2K.

Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog voted #3 for eCollegeFinder's Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Download Amazon Kindle @$2.99