YA Indie Carnival--Spotlight

Yea. My post is a little late, but it's Refracting Light's fault. 
She distracted me.
My Indie Idol is Tess Oliver who commandeered my day with her YA paranormal romance, Camille. 


From GoodReads:
At a time when society conforms to the strictest rules and most proper etiquette, sixteen-year-old Camille Kennecott and her guardian, Dr. Bennett, live a most unconventional life. They hunt werewolves.When unwitting victim, Nathaniel Strider, wanders into one of their full moon pursuits, Camille and Dr. Bennett believe they have found a specimen for their study. Finding a scientific key to unlocking the mystery of lycanthropy would end their late night excursions. Yet beneath the irresistible exterior, Nathaniel is transforming into a flesh-tearing monster, and as each experiment fails, Camille loses another inch of her soul to him. In a month’s time, she must face the prospect of destroying the boy who has stolen her heart.


Camille is set sometime in the early twentieth century, when girls were expected to be all lace and manners. The story takes us to the dirty, nasty side of London and Oliver brings it vividly to life...the soot, the rotted teeth, the refuse in the gutters. More importantly, she brings the enigmatic bad boy about town, Nathaniel Strider to life. For me, Strider is right up there with LJ Smith's Damon Salvatore of the Vampire Diaries. It was the romantic tension, the emotional turmoil and the unexpected AHA! moment that kept me engrossed for an entire day (even at my niece's birthday party...it helps to have your Nook on your phone). 
Camille was definitely worth the 99 cents I paid for it, worth that and so much more! What a fun romp. And you can bet your bippy I'll be reading BitterRoot Crossing as well. And anything else by Tess Oliver. 

Visit our other carnies:

• Fisher Amelie (Author of The Understorey)
• K. C. Blake (Author of Vampire Rules)
• J.L. Bryan (Author of the Paranormals series)
• Courtney Cole (Author of The Bloodstone Saga, Princess & Guardian)
• Rachel Coles (Author of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie and other stories)
• Laura Elliott (Author of Winnemucca)
• Wren Emerson (Author of I Wish…)
• T. R. Graves (Author of The Warrior series)
• P.J. Hoover (Author of Solstice)
• Kimberly Kinrade (Author of Bits of You, Pieces of Me and Forbidden Mind)
• Patti Larsen (Author of the short story, Henry and the newly released Run)
• Michelle Leighton (Author of the Blood Like Poison series, The Reaping, Wiccan,Caterpillar, and the upcoming Madly series)
• Lexus Luke (Author of Manitou and The Sky People Saga)
• Amy Maurer Jones (Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy)
• Alicia McCalla (Author of the upcoming debut novel Breaking Free)
• Cheri Schmidt (Author of the Fateful series and Fair Maiden)
• Madeline Smoot (Author of Missing)
• Dani Snell (Refracted Light Reviews)
• Cidney Swanson (Author of Rippler)
• Cyndi Tefft (Author of Between)
• Suzy Turner (Author of December Moon and Raven)
• Nicole Williams (Author of Eternal Eden and the much anticipated sequel, Fallen Eden)

No, Viktor isn't.....

A girl, practically swooning at my feet, asked me, no, begged me, "Is Viktor a vampire? Please tell me he is!?"
That, I cannot do. 
The von Strassenberg Saga is not a paranormal romance. 
Dark. Gothic. Historical. Contemporary. Thriller. Suspense. All these things, yes. Paranormal, no. While I enjoy reading paranormal romances it isn't something I write. There is enough wickedness in the human heart without the added fur or fangs. For me, that is where the real drama and terror lies...in the things one human can do to another out of selfishness and greed. 
If anything, The von Strassenberg Saga borders on science fiction, but not of the alien variety. Actual science. A little bit Dan Brown. A little bit Dean Koontz.  I am not trying to be another Stephanie Meyer or Lauren Kate or anyone else. I'm just me, with my gothic-contemporary-historical, romantic thriller of a family saga. 
$2.99 for Kindle and Nook. 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/filter-gwenn-wright/1100248778

Powerful in Pink

To begin, I do not write full-blown reviews. Just more of an insight into whether or not I liked a book and found it worth my time.

I absolutely loved Paranormalcy, with its quirky, fresh take on the paranormal world. Evie is perhaps one of the most vibrant and realistic teenage characters I have ever read. She's a bit insecure, bit of a dork, giddy and shy but filled with power and potential. Even better, she's a GIRL. She wears pink boots and zebra print dresses, totally owning her femininity while kicking undead butt. And Lend? Adore him! I can't wait to read the next installment!

Living Dead in Dallas ~ Sookie Stackhouse

There are circles under my eyes.
I blame Charlaine Harris.
Poor Miss Sookie she just wants to lead her quiet, small town life and love a regular guy but she's hooked on that dang sexy Vampire Bill. Due to her very special "disability" Sookie gets dragged into a job for Bill's boss, Eric (that ridiculously hot blooded Viking) and things just get blown all to heck from there. 
I loved seeing Sookie out of her element. Sookie has gone from barmaid to sleuth and she is the definition of a strong woman. She does what needs to be done and doesn't complain about it along the way. Ms. Harris does a masterful job of enriching the already lush world of Sookie Stackhouse. She's creates a believable world wherein vampires have come out of the coffin and some humans (and vampires) aren't too happy about it. It's a problem for the government, for the average citizen and the other Supes out there. Ms. Harris wisely address them all.
The relationships in the story grow and expand and I'm not even sure whose team I'm on anymore! Sookie's definitely, but Sam or Bill or (egad!) Eric?
It was two in the morning but I immediately moved on to Club Dead.....And now I'm on Dead to the World! I just want to stay by Sookie's side and watch her grow. That's probably the most fun of all, watching a character actually grow and develop and struggle with all of this insanity that been dumped on her church-going self.
Note: With each book Ms. Harris ups the erotic factor. For some, that's favorable, for me, I hope she levels out soon or I won't be enjoying the books. Just like I can't enjoy the television series. Sorry but I am no supporter of porn, no matter how soft it is, others' addiction to it has wrecked my life more than once.
There are some dark, suggestive spots in my own novel Filter, but I never get in to graphic descriptions (it is a YA novel). Speaking of which, my book is $2.99 at amazon.com (If you get it please leave a review! Good or bad! All my reviews have been good so far!) or you can get it for FREE at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/20957 by using the coupon code BD39K