Last day of She Wulf Tour.! Review, Excerpt and Rafflecopter!

This is your last chance to enter the Rafflecopter drawing for some awesome prizes no can do without. Read on and be sure to enter at the bottom of the post. 

About She Wulf: Annie is sent through an ancient time portal with only a prophecy to guide her; she struggles with a new destiny as she tries to figure out a way to destroy an un-killable demon and return home.  Get it on Amazon.

Review: 
She Wullf by Sheryl Steines was a joy to read. The characters draw you into a unique world for an adventure filled with magic and time travel. It was difficult not to read the book cover to cover. Gladiator's Pen gives She Wulf  4 Gladiators for exciting adventure with wonderful narrative and characters that could come off the pages.

A rating of 4 Gladiators for She Wulf  

Excerpt

Please enjoy this excerpt from She Wulf, an action-packed urban fantasy by Sheryl Steines. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including a Kindle Fire, $550 in Amazon gift cards, 5 autographed copies of She Wulf, and 5 copies of its companion, The Day of First Sun.

Someone screamed; a terrified, naked shrill cry in the distance. There were sounds of hollering, screeching, grunting, stomping. The ground rumbled under Annie as she threw several layers of animal skins to the ground.

Spencer jumped up; the coven roused themselves.

“The mead hall,” he said as they threw open the door and ran to the village center.

Chaos turned to determination as the coven traveled through the forest toward the mead hall. Annie knew the Vikings were running, screaming, panicked— but all she could hear were footsteps, and her heart pounding in her chest. Spencer had come with her; she didn’t know where he was now. She only knew the steady rhythm surrounding her as the coven followed the trail. Instinctively she went into battle mode. This was what had brought here. Her adrenaline pumped through her, her heart beat quicker, her blood boiled with rage, and she ran faster.

They were through the forest and into the clearing that surrounded the mead hall. Annie’s senses changed, grew clearer and louder. She heard terrified voices; smelled fear hanging in the air. The anxious cries of the Vikings moved through her. She listened to the growling and grunting and the rage and horror the demons brought forth. It crowded her as they broke through the wooded area.

Swords swished in the air; metal sliced through flesh. Anxious, chaotic screams greeted them as they entered the massacre.

Blood covered the earth and stuck to their shoes and clothes. Large dark patches already drenched the ground around the hall and rolled off the dead bodies that littered the ground. Annie was sick. Women and children ran from the mead hall in the direction of the coven village, away from the demons that had overtaken them.

She reached down and pulled a small boy out of the way as a demon lunged for him. She threw her first jinx at the demon, surprised by the strength of her magic. The creature flew through the air and landed on another demon. The demon on top grunted, punched the beast below it and stood up. The one on the ground rose and looked around, confused at first until it focused on a Viking running past. It reached its large hands over and plucked the Viking from mid-run and held him in the air.

Terror filled the night; panic surrounded her as she conjured a small fireball. It hovered above her palm; it grew in size and strength, and she released it toward the demon. Its lightweight clothing caught fire easily. The demon hopped around in one spot, patting down the fire, but the flames grew and inched their way upwards before consuming the demon’s skin. It screamed; pain mixed with terror. The battle stopped around them and the warriors watched, entranced by the only known means to kill the demons.

“Fire!” Annie yelled to them. “Kill them with fire!”

As if the coven awoke from a trance, fireballs lit up the night, flying through the air and consuming the demons. Fire ate away at Annie’s demon’s flesh and crackled its bones. They popped until there was nothing left but ash. The last of the monster’s scream reverberated in Annie’s ear as the wind picked up and scattered its smoking remains in the air. She lit another ball of fire above her palm and threw it in the pile of ash, burning any possible traces of the demon. The blaze flashed and died down to nothing. She ran toward another creature.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the She Wulf eBook edition is just 99 cents this week--and so is the price of its companion, The Day of First Sun. What’s more, by purchasing either of these fantastic books at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include a Kindle Fire, $550 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of the book. All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win! To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of She Wulf for just 99 cents
2. Purchase your copy of Day of First Sun for just 99 cents
3. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity or the bottom of this post
4. Visit today’s featured social media event

 About The Day of First Sun: A vampire, a rogue wizard and an army of soulless zombies are par for the course for Annie Pearce and Bobby “Cham” Chamsky of the Wizard’s Guard. But when the non-magical princess, Amelie of Amborix, is murdered by magical means, a deeper plot unfolds. Get it on Amazon. About the author: Behind the wheel of her ’66 Mustang Convertible, Sheryl is a constant surprise, using her sense of humor and relatable style make her books something everyone can enjoy. Visit Sheryl on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.


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Chat with author Mary Ann Bernal and WIN a SIGNED copy of The Briton and the Dane: Legacy

We welcome Mary Ann Bernal to the ludis today She has a very special treat for one lucky reader as well. You have a chance to win a signed print copy of The Briton and the Dane: Legacy. For your chance to win just leave a comment below with your email or twitter handle. On Friday we'll draw the name out of my magic chest and announce the winner! 

Now refill that sweet tea and get comfortable as we chat with Mary Ann Bernal.... 

We’re here today to celebrate your series The Briton and the Dane. The books are set in ninth century Anglo-Saxon Britain.  What about this period of history that fascinates you the most?

What intrigued me was how King Alfred managed to keep his kingdom of Wessex free from Viking rule despite the odds of conquest.  This was also a time when Christianity was replacing pagan religions, and the role conversion played in the political arena.  When King Alfred defeated the Danish Viking King Guthrum, one of the terms of the treaty was baptism, which King Guthrum agreed to, having King Alfred as his sponsor / Godfather.

Did King Guthrum willingly accept the one true faith?  Probably not, but it was politically expedient to do so.  Even though this was a time of unrest and instability, King Alfred managed to establish a standing army while he built up his defenses, created and enforced new laws and founded schools to ensure a competently-ruled kingdom after his death.  His reign lasted 28 years, dying at age 50. King Alfred left a legacy difficult to replicate, deserving the title Great.  Yes, I am one of King Alfred’s greatest supporters.

Tell us a bit about the book/s..

The Briton and the Dane trilogy follows the adventures of Lord Richard and his offspring, Stephen, David and Gwyneth.  King Alfred has just defeated King Guthrum, the terms of the treaty have been agreed to, and King Guthrum has already been baptized.  However, the Danish King still remains on Wessex soil, making preparations to return to his lands in East Anglia.

The story begins with Gwyneth atop the Keep in the early evening hours, enjoying the solitude when she sees movement on the beach. Of course she must investigate, which is how she meets Erik, who is wounded.  She hides her Danish Prince from her father, Lord Richard, who oversees a training camp for King Alfred’s recruits, aided by his sons, Stephen and David.  Gwyneth tends to Erik’s wounds in secret, while rumors of a Viking invasion are spreading throughout the countryside.

This epic adventure runs the gamut of deception, treachery, intrigue, and betrayal during a time of war and conquest, requiring three novels to complete the story.  I enjoyed every moment writing the saga.

What was your favorite resource for historic information during your research?  

“The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” and Asser’s “Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources.”  Documentation of this era is sparse because monastic libraries were burned during the Viking raids.

  

If you were to be dropped into The Briton and the Dane for a day what would you do?

In “The Briton and the Dane: Birthright,” we have the Festival of the Ancient Games, which includes a Roman chariot race.  Did Alexander from the Papal City of Rome defeat Draco of Athens - you’ll have to read the story to find out, but my champion did win. 

Do you have a writing routine or ritual you follow?

My writing routine varies.  Initially I would write in the morning but soon found myself working eight to twelve hour days - once in Wessex, I did not want to leave.  Changing the time to afternoon did not help much either because I found myself burning the midnight oil.  So, I followed Stephen King’s advice to write a few hours a day, every day, and once your word count goal is reached, you are done, because life beckons.

The ninth century is vastly different from today from language, customs, even the every day activities. Do you find it difficult to write in a historic period or is it easy to submerse yourself there?

After three novels I am so immersed into ninth century Wessex that I sometimes have to reword emails or letters, but occasionally I just keep a favorite word.  I find I have used “I am not privy to this information” quite a bit lately, but for the most part, when I return to this century I make a concerted effort to remain here.

What are three things ever present in your writing space?

My children found an electronic typewriter table that is adjustable, which is fantastic for keeping back and neck issues to a minimum.  If I sit too long, I can raise the table and stand - how great is that!  I am also surrounded by my characters - I did cast every person in my novels, all dressed in period clothing, all demanding more dialogue.  No wonder my characters take over!  My IPod constantly plays period music, which keeps me in Wessex.  Some of the soundtracks are from King Arthur, Beowulf, The Last Legion, Centurion, The Eagle, Outlander, Tristan & Isolde, Merlin - and the list goes on and on, and yes, I am really into this stuff. 

What do you do to get past the dreaded “writer’s block”?

In my opinion writer’s block does not exist.  There may be a day you are unsure of the direction you wish to take in the story, which may cause a delay in writing.  I think if you are staring at a blank piece of paper, you should just write whatever pops in your head and take it from there.  If it is not needed for the story, delete it.  If you find yourself agitated, take a mental health day.  If you are not having fun, then you need a new career.

  

Do you have any upcoming releases or events?

Since I could not say goodbye to the trilogy, I am currently writing “The Briton and the Dane: Concordia,” available 2013.

Where can we find Mary Ann Bernal and The Briton and the Dane?  

Mary Ann Bernal.com

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Thank you Mary Ann for stopping by for a chat.  Readers don't forget to leave your comment below (with your email or twitter) for a chance to win a signed print copy of The Briton and the Dane: Legacy!