Kelly Marsden is a Yorkshire author who writes fantasy stories. Her first book, The Shadow Rises (Witch-Hunter #1), was published in January 2013 and she now has several successful series under her belt.
Check out our interview on YouTube:
Check out KELLY’s book below!
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With Midwinter just around the corner, Mark’s Nanna decides that it is time he learnt more about his family heritage. Learning witchcraft shouldn’t be too difficult, right? Balancing school, magic, and the distractions of the gorgeous new guy, should make this a very interesting winter.
Mark Rosendorf ‘s writing is based on the personalities and experiences he has come across throughout his life, coupled with his own wild “if only I could do that” imagination. He is the author of the young adult series, The Witches of Vegas. He is also credited with The Rasner Effect series, a suspense/thriller trilogy published between 2009 and 2012.
Born November, 25th, 1974, and raised in Queens New York, Mark holds a Master’s Degree from Long Island University’s Human Development and Leadership program. He is a licensed Guidance Counselor for the New York City Department of Education’s special education district. He began his counseling career in September, 2001. Prior to that, he worked in the hotel industry.
Mark has also moonlighted as a professional magician. Today, he teaches magic and Illusion to his students in order to teach teamwork while developing their confidence. Having accomplished his goals of becoming an author, Mark decided on an early retirement from writing. Then, one night, at two a.m., a new and unique story shot into Mark’s brain like a lightning bolt, screaming for him to write it. Mark found himself spending several nights taking notes on the characters and their stories. That is how The Witches of Vegas was born.
The Witches of Vegas (The Witches of Vegas Book 1) by Mark Rosendorf ~ Genre: YA Fantasy
Where can Witches and their vampire mentor practice their powers without being discovered or persecuted?
By using their magic, the Witches of Vegas become the number one act performing on the Las Vegas Strip—a great achievement for them, but not so much for the magicians—who can’t possibly keep pace.
Isis Rivera is the adopted fifteen-year old daughter of The Witches of Vegas. Zack Galloway is the teenage nephew and assistant to the last magician left in the city. Although they should be rivals, when Valeria, a four-hundred-year-old witch with a long-seeded grudge against humanity arrives in Sin-City, both teens act to bring their families together to stop the evil hag in her tracks.
But can the combined witches’ powers and the ingenuity of the magicians be enough to stop Valeria from taking over the city and possibly the world?
Would you like a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card, a print copy of The Witches of Vegas (US only), or an eBook copy of The Witches of Vegas? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
They say every author has some weird habit when they write. For the most part, this is a true statement as creativity comes with quirks. I’m no different. My weird habit: I do most of my writing in the shower. I’m not sure why, but that’s where most of my ideas flow just like the water that hits my body from the faucet. Unfortunately, my ideas are like lightning—one bright flash, then it’s gone. That’s why I have notepads and a pen tacked up on the wall next to my shower. When I have an idea, I stick my arm out of the shower and write it down. It’s part of my writing process.
The Witches of Vegas is a story about a family of witches, and their vampire mentor, who hide in plain sight as magicians on the Vegas strip. It is an award-winning young adult novel that has taken its audience by storm. It was also, mostly, written on notepads from the shower. The same can be said for the upcoming sequel, Journey To New Salem, which is scheduled for an early 2021 release. Both stories are clean, and so is the author.
Every writer has a weird writing habit. Now you know mine. What’s yours?
I have released PURSUIT (book 4 ~ the Blood Angel Series)
Meet Phoebe Wenham…
Growing up in the most powerful coven of witches Atlanta, Michigan has ever known, gave Phoebe all the resources she needed to develop her craft. However, it wasn’t until the tragic slaughter at the annual Founders’ Celebration, when she lost her mother, her sister, and both of her grandmothers, that Phoebe really started to find her calling, her purpose. Her cousin Aleerah was the only surviving dhampir in history and her sister Petra had been a gifted, naturally talented, tracker. Magic didn’t come as easily for phoebe, but desperation leads to desperate measures, and Phoebe was bound and determined to carry on where her sister left off. Starting with the ancient ritual of the taking of blood Phoebe not only developed her tracking abilities she pushed herself physically, mentally, and magically until she became the High Council’s leading tracker.
As a YA Author of novels that contain vampires, shape-shifters, witches, fairies (not the Tinkerbell type), and so many other un-natural beings I have often been asked the following questions:
‘What is the difference between supernatural, paranormal, and preternatural?’ and ‘Which of these categories do you write in?’
Well the simple answer is this: They are pretty much interchangeable! OR ARE THEY?
Below are the “official” definitions – followed by some examples of character types I, as an author, would put into each category.
So, what are your thoughts? Comment below and tell me what you think the differences are and what types of un–natural beings fall into each of the categories!
I would like to thank everyone, bloggers and readers, that participated in my month-long blog tour.
For all of the bloggers that so graciously had me as either an interview guest or as a guest author I can’t thank you enough for inviting me into your world and including me. For all you readers out there who happily traveled from site to site with me each day to read along, I hope that my experiences have in some small way touched you or inspired you. If you have any more questions or if you just want to reach out and connect – please don’t hesitate to visit my site as often as you like and leave comments – I will respond!
Like so many others, writing is a passion of mine and I feel truly blessed for having experienced this tour, and am so grateful for everyone that participated.
NOW FOR THE EXCITING NEWS!!!
Revenge, book 3, is NOW AVAILABLE!
Revenge ~ a Blood Angel novel ~ book 3
by Nina Soden
Life hasn’t been easy for Alee. Having almost died as a young child and then losing both of her parents shortly after her junior year in high school, all she wanted was a normal senior year. Little did she know that with the development of her powers, Atlanta’s founding members had taken notice of her and were watching her closely. And to top things off, an all out war between the lycanthropes and the members of The Underground erupted at the annual Founders’ Celebration, leaving Alee caught in the middle.
Dying in her father’s arms only to awaken in a pool of blood, surrounded by the mutilated corpses of those she loved most, who could blame Alee for what she did next? Wouldn’t you seek REVENGE?
Hello anyone and everyone who may or may not be out there somewhere reading this post… So, books 1 and 2 have been written, edited, rewritten, edited again and again and again, and finally published. WOW! It was a long road, but I did it. Two books down and the third yet to come.
That’s right, the Blood Angel series doesn’t end with BEGINNINGS… Nothing ever ends after a beginning, right? Right!
So, what is next in the Blood Angel series? REVENGE! For those of you who have read AWAKEN and BEGINNINGS you might be wondering, Revenge? But, trust me after what Alee had to go through in book 1 and then book 2… someone better be getting a little revenge! For those of you who have not yet read AWAKEN or BEGINNINGS you need to pick-up your copy today and start reading.
So, I begin my journey into REVENGE a little more timid than I did the last two books. Why? Because the last two books just seemed to spill out of me. I think I had more time to write, or maybe less stress in my life – or more I’m not really sure. Anyway, book 3 is in my head and I want it to come out, but for whatever reason… it doesn’t want to come out yet. Instead of sitting at my computer and forcing the words into print, and inevitable turning out a bad product, I’m giving myself a week to rest… de-stress… and focus on other things (work – my real job, family – hubby and kids, home – house work and laundry, and of course summer) just for the next week. Then once I’ve completed my week of solus… I shall write. I plan to try to spend at least 1 hour a night in a quiet room – alone – just writing. Sure, that doesn’t sound like a lot to you avid writers, but for me (a mom who also works full-time) an hour of alone time each night to just write – well, that sounds like heaven and like a true fantasy that will probably never happen.
Recap – My goal is that starting Monday June 17th I will steal 1 hour each night to just think creative thoughts and write.
Wish me luck…
Revenge ~ a Blood Angel novel (BOOK 3) by Nina Soden Coming soon to e-readers everywhere!
Okay, film editing is not my thing. But, computers make it so easy these days for crazy non-techy people like me to play around. So, I spent the weekend working with the easy-to-use Microsoft Word editing software and came up with the following trailer for my first novel Awaken. It isn’t crazy award-winning great, but for a first timer I’m pretty happy with it. I hope you will be too. Please post your thoughts and let me know what you like, what you don’t like, and what I can do to make it better…. or at least make the next one better.
Have a beautiful day, and if you like the video go to YouTube and click like… if you really like it go to Amazon and pick-up your copy of the book today! You might as well pick-up a copy of Beginnings, the second book in the series, while your there.
Surrounded by a new world where the horror films she grew up watching have become reality Alee finds that the most unlikely characters have become her lifeline. If she thought hunting in the wild and drinking blood was bad, what will she think when she becomes the hunted? Newly armed with the knowledge of being half witch and half vampire Alee, the only surviving Dhampir in history, is forced to learn to control a lifetime of magic and vampire powers if she wants to survive.
Part horror thriller – part tender romance, Beginnings will leave readers wanting more!
Why is it that when I’m approaching a personal deadline my life gets crazy CRAZY busy?!
Tech week… performances… babysitter cancelling… work deadlines leading to me having to work LATE EVERY NIGHT… stress… StReSs… STRESS!!!
Wow… So I didn’t have much time to do anything this past week, but I did get the book uploaded to the online self-publishing software. Now I just need to make the final edits, error corrections, format adjustments, etc. and then hit send!
Okay, it feels crazy that I am this close to publishing book two. If someone would have asked me two years ago if I believed I would publish a novel I would have said, doubtful! I definitely would never have guessed that I would have two full-length novels published! But man does it feel good.
Okay so here is a recap…
Week 1 – Reread the book and all editor’s notes – (YEAH, THAT DIDN”T GO AS PLANNED)
Week 2 – Outline changes, rearrange chapters (if needed) based on editor’s notes – (NOT REALLY GOING TO NEED TO OUTLINE CHANGES AND REARRANGE CHAPTERS – I WILL JUST USE THIS WEEK TO FINISH THE REREAD!)
Week 3 – Rewrite cover to cover – (YES IT WAS AMBITIOUS, BUT I DID IT AND I AM PROUD OF MYSELF FOR IT. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING EVERYTHING I HAVE ON MY TO DO LIST RIGHT NOW.)
Week 4 – Reread the book for content, timeline, character motivation (YEAH, I KIND OF CHEATED AND TOOK CARE OF THIS DURING WEEK 1. HEE HEE HEE)
Week 5 – Reread the book for edits: grammar, spelling, etc. (DONE and THANKFUL FOR IT!)
Week 6 – Final changes, format, upload, and publish (VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT THE BOOK HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UPLOADED AND FINAL ERRORS WILL BE WORKED ON THIS WEEK. I HAD PLANS TO HIT “SEND” AND SUBMIT IT TO THE PUBLISHER BY THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK, BUT THAT ISN”T GOING TO HAPPEN. I AM CROSSING MY FINGERS FOR SUNDAY!)
Yes, it was short but sweet… Next week my update better say “PUBLISHED”. However, I am not going to get down on myself either way… Just going to think positive!
Now, off the subject… Sunday was Mother’s Day and mine was great! My kids and husband got me the prettiest charms for my favorite bracelet and we got to go out to dinner after a day at the theatre. Spending the day on stage with my hubby and being backstage with my kids at the theatre (because the babysitter cancelled) was actually very nice. They were very well-behaved and loved by everyone.
Okay… back to work.
When you get a chance tell me how your writing is coming along. I know I talk a lot about myself here, but I really do care how my readers are doing and what you are all up to. Please share!
Beginnings ~ a Blood Angel novel by Nina Soden Coming soon to e-readers everywhere!
BEGINNINGS ~ a Blood Angel novel
by Nina Soden
Surrounded by a new world where the horror films she grew up watching have become reality Alee finds that the most unlikely characters have become her lifeline. If she thought hunting in the wild and drinking blood was bad, what will she think when she becomes the hunted? Newly armed with the knowledge of being half witch and half vampire Alee, the only surviving Dhampir in history, is forced to learn to control a lifetime of magic and vampire powers if she wants to survive.
Part horror thriller – part tender romance, Beginnings will leave readers wanting more!
E-BOOK COMING SOON!
Haven’t checked out the Blood Angel series on Facebook yet? Well, you should!
Nina Soden 