Pandora's Box Book Blitz -- Guest Post by Katie Salidas!!

Happy Release Day Katie!!!

It is my pleasure to have Ms. Katie Salidas as a guest blogger here today on the day of the release of her paranormal novel, Pandora's Box!!  I asked Katie to talk about the origins of vampires and their legends. 

Also, if you are tweeting about this event, please use the following hashtags:  #Giveaways, #PandorasBox, #KatieSalidas, #Blitz #VBTCafe, #virtualbooktours . BK (tour host) is tracking based on those tags. Her Twitter is @bk36 Katie's is @Quixotickatie

So, without further ado, here is Katie's guest post! 

What are the origins of vampires? While the word “vampire” is a relatively new term (circa 1800’s), the idea of bloodsucking undead has been around since the dawn of time. Some legends state that simply being buried improperly can cause a human to reanimate as a vampire, Slavic legends for example.  Other legends stat that one must have committed a heinous crime to become the undead. There are other legends about animals jumping over a corpse. Some popular ideas that have been adapted to fiction, have vampires as the children of Cain or Lilith. Still more involve demonic spirits and possessions.   If we seek far back into mythology you’ll find the Greeks and Romans believed in demonic spirits themselves and in many ways they were the prototype of the common vampire of today.

That hooked me! I love ancient mythology and happened across some very interesting similarities between creatures of the ancient Greek world and the vampires I wanted to create.

The Keres, in fact were dead ringers for what I had in mind. Daughters of Nyx, Greek goddess of the night, these creatures are described as winged female death spirits with an insatiable lust for human blood. Perfect!

According to my research they were also one of the evils released when Pandora opened the fabled box (You’ll find this link in my newest release, Pandora’s Box as well). While they sound fearsome and probably would be, they weren’t exactly evil. They existed in a murky gray area of morality. They were agents of the fates, also known as Death Fates.  They did not attack people openly or without reason. They did however; hang around battles waiting for someone to fall. That’s when they swarmed, finishing the poor dying man off, savoring their blood as they sent his soul to Hades. They essentially sped a person’s fate on to its course. If you were going to die, they’d be there to do it and drink your blood at the same time.

I fell in love, not literally of course, with the creature and knew I just had to base my vampire legend off of them somehow.

In the first book, Immortalis Carpe Noctem, Lysander explains to Alyssa the origin of the vampire species.  He tells her that the first “vampire” was created by a mating of one of the Keres with a dying man she encountered on the battlefield. The resulting child was immortal, like its mother, and carried the same insatiable bloodlust, but had the features of its father. Being a hybrid and the only one of its kind, Nyx (essentially Grandma) cursed it to the night so that she could keep watch and protect it.

The use of the legend doesn’t stop there however. As the Immortalis series progresses we delve deeper and deeper into the history. In Hunters & Prey, we are reminded of the fact that a human-turn-vampire is not a dead creature, they are “changed” but that change must happen properly. If not done correctly it will create a hideous abomination. In the third book in this series Pandora’s Box, we’ll delve even deeper into the legend’s origins and learn more about the first vampire and what became of it. Along with that, we also learn about other supernatural creatures and how closely they are linked to vampires.

Needless to say I really do love my vampires and the legends they spawned from and I hope you will too.  Please enjoy the Immortalis Series!

Now, before you go, participate in the giveaways!! It's going to be fun! Here's my post from early this morning with all the details:

http://lahongrais.blogspot.com/2011/07/pandoras-box-book-blitz-one-day-only.htmlAnd there you have it!!  Read 'em and enjoy!!

~~ML

Pandora's Box Book Blitz - One Day Only!!!

The day has finally arrived!!!  Katie Salidas' third book in her Immortalis Series, Pandora's Box releases today!!! 

On June 27th I wrote a review and offered a giveaway (congratulations to Bryanna!) for the first in the series, Immortalis Carpe Noctem.  This is the link:  http://lahongrais.blogspot.com/2011/06/immortalis-carpe-noctem-book-review.html.

The following day I did the same thing for the second in the series, Hunters and Prey, (which no one has won -- why?).  Here's the link for that: http://lahongrais.blogspot.com/2011/06/hunters-prey-book-review-giveaway.html.

I am extremely happy to participate in this one day Book Blitz Tour for the release of Pandora's Box along with a host of other bloggers! There will be a bunch of giveaways and you could be the grand prize winner of a signed print copy of this exciting new release!  Katie will also be a guest blogger on participating blogs, including this one!  All you have to do is leave a comment on all the blogs that Katie visits and once you have, send me an email at lahongrais@gmail.com and I will enter your name into the drawing.  Once it has been verified that you did indeed leave a comment at each pit stop, a winner will be drawn.  Everyone has a chance to win! 

A Meet & Greet along with the entire schedule will be live at www.vbtcafe.com at Midnight on July 12.   I've also listed all the participating bloggers below if it makes it easier for you to do it from here.  So let's get these comments in!

Here is the schedule:

***ALL LISTED GIVEAWAYS ARE FOR AN E-COPY FROM SMASHWORDS EXCEPT FOR GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY ABOVE..

Here is the schedule:

Meet & Greet at www.vbtcafe.com
Guest Blogging at http://theaatkinson.wordpress.com
Guest Blogging at http://.lahongrais.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging and Giveaway at www.alanryker.com
Guest Blogging and Giveaway at www.jc-martin.com/fighterwriter
Review and Giveaway at http://giveawayblogdom.blogspot.com
Giveaway at http://aliseonlife.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging and Giveaway at http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging and Giveaway at http://speedyreader-allthingsbooks.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging and Giveaway at http://bestbooks1.blogspot.com
Review and Giveaway at http://norachipleybarteau.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging at http://JETaylor75.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging and Giveaway at http://hotgossiphotreviews.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging and Giveaway at http://writingcrazyme.blogspot.com
Review, Guest Blogging and Giveaway at www.lisasworldofbooks.com
Guest Blogging at http://margaret-paranormalromanceauthor.blogspot.com
Review and Giveaway at http://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com
Guest Blogging at www.chaosandinsanity.com
Review at http://thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com
Interview at http://www.brendawoodystevetindle.yolasite.com/author-interviews.php
Review, Guest Blogging and Giveaway at http://www.coffeetablereviews.net
Review, Guest Blogging and Giveaway at http://takingtimeformommy.com
Spotlight at http://authorspromotingauthors.blogspot.com
Interview at www.immortylcafe.com
Spotlight at http://writinginnovations.blogspot.com

Good luck everyone!!

~~ML

Hunters & Prey -- Book Review & Giveaway!

Yesterday I wrote a review for "Carpe Noctem", the first in Katie Salidas' Immmortalis series   Her second in the series, "Hunters and Prey" picks up where "Carpe Noctem" left off.   I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for this installment and the finished product is absolutely awesome!

The story begins with Alyssa having just fed. Alyssa has pledged to only feed from criminals deserving to die; those who are like the men who nearly elminated her existence.  They have become her "prey" and she, in essence, has become their "hunter".   When she arrives home in the morning, she settles in to bed and falls into a restless sleep where she is dreaming about her nemesis, Santino, the vampire hunter working with the Acta Santorum.   She awakens with a start and Lysander, her mate and maker, attempts to soothe her to no avail. Unable to fall back to sleep, she pads to the living area and channel surfs looking for something to keep her mind occupied.   She stops on the local news channel when she is interrupted by her clan-mate Nicholas, who startles her when he answers a question she was mentally asking herself as to who might be the head of the Acta Santorum and whether or not Santino could be alive and whether or not the Acta Sanctorum might have something to do with the gory story that was running.

Nicholas is a news junkie and as he sits down to watch the news with her announces that he knows that Alyssa is looking for clues about Santino, (the vampire hunter we met in Katie's first installment), answering some of her queries after conceding, in a roundabout manner, that he had read her mind.   Later that evening, Alyssa goes out to feed and while she's out she encounters Santino.   With nowhere else to go, Alyssa jumps into a cab and goes to the cafe where she used to hang out.   She couldn't go home lest she expose her clan-mates and put them in grave danger.   Once at the cafe, Alyssa begins to have feelings of longing for her old life and just as she's about to turn away from the entrance door, it swings open with her friend, Fallon coming through it.   Now what to do?

Questions streamed from Fallon's mouth about Alyssa's sudden disappearance.   Alyssa, still concerned that Santino has followed her there, decides to go inside with Fallon figuring it was the safest place for her to be.   While hitting Alyssa with another barrage of questions, Fallon notices Alyssa's eyes and teeth, making the connection that Alyssa is now a vampire.   Awkwardly trying to reassure her friend, Alyssa tells Fallon the story of what happened the night Fallon stood her up, the night of her turning and what her life is like now.   After a while, Alyssa borrows Fallon's cellphone to call Lysander and explain to him where she was and that Santino was after her.   He's none too pleased and asks her to wait for his phone call while he discusses with the rest of the clan what should be done.   He is extremely upset that she has exposed their truth to a mortal.  When he calls her back and tells her to meet him at a casino, Fallon refuses to let Alyssa go by herself and as they head out, Alyssa notices that Santino is standing at the door of the cafe.

"Hunters and Prey" is action packed with an incredible story line filled with vampires, zombies, survival and acceptance. It is also a story of love, sacrifice and strength. I mean, let's face it, it takes a lot of strength to trust that which you fear.   Fierce battles ensue between the clan and the hunters after which Fallon is accepted by the clan as an "honorary" member.

Alyssa loves her friend so much that she fights her basic instinct to feed on her when they are held captive together and she is in dire need of feeding.   She teaches her clan-mates what it means to stand beside a loved one in war, no matter what life form they may be in. It is a lesson to be learned by all.   It is a known fact that I admire Katie, that she and I have a friendship, and it is because of that friendship that I feel the need to be totally honest.   There is nothing I can criticize here.   Once again, she has left me wanting more.   This tour is to promote her third story in the series, "Pandora's Box", which I have begun reading and believe you me, I wish I had a block of time so that I can sit down and read it in one sitting as I have all her previous works.   You will not be disappointed in this story and it will make you hunger for "Pandora's Box" which is available now in e-book and other formats come July 12.

A very generous Katie has once again agreed to offer a free giveaway of one copy of the smashwords edition of "Hunters and Prey".   This time, since 13 is my lucky number, the thirteenth person to post a comment on my blog will be the winner! Here is a sample for your reading pleasure: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12ZAW35FurIbQbIg1lh78ynBRZpDQfE8vuFUcYiVpG10/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CKy6noMK

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Katie and her work, here is her bio:

Katie Salidas:

The youngest of four children, Katie has always had a desire to entertain. Since, early childhood, she's dreamed fantastical characters and scribbled them into pages of various journals and notebooks. Taking an interest in vampires, she devoured every book, featuring those blood sucking creatures, in any genre she could find. It was only natural that a love of reading vampire stories, turned into a love to write them. Katie is also a Las Vegas native, having grown up in the famed City of Sin. She loves to feature it as a recurring setting for many of her stories.

Here is a link to Katie's blog:  http://networkedblogs.com/jDvUr

Yes, I am featured this week :)

Finally, to tempt you just a litlle bit :), here is a synopsis of Katie's newest installment, "Pandora's Box":

Pandora's Box:

Alyssa thought, after a few months as a vampire, that she’d learned all she needed about the supernatural world. But all that will change when a mysterious package shows up on her doorstep - a Pandora's box. An ancient prison, created by powerful magic, the box was used to trap the most dangerous and deadly creatures on earth. Once opened, it releases an ancient evil, with an insatiable lust for vampire blood. Within moments of its release it the feeding frenzy begins. Alyssa must find a way to return the creature to the box. If she doesn’t, it will not only destroy her clan, but the rest of the vampires in existence.

And of course, I can not end this post without putting you on about the legal stuff:

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Thanks again for your support and for allowing me to share this with you!

~~ML

Immortalis Carpe Noctem -- Book Review & Giveaway!

I first stumbled upon Katie Salidas' "Immortalis Carpe Noctem" a year ago on my Kindle.   I cracked open a bottle of wine, and settled in on my couch to read it as the sun set.   I read it in one sitting and to my surprise it was dark out when I finished it.   It had drawn me in and didn't let me go.

This story is the first in Ms. Salidas' "Immortalis" series and it begins with the main character, Alyssa waiting for her best friend Fallon to arrive at their regular hangout - a cafe near a college campus -- on the day she had lost her job.   When Fallon calls to beg off, Alyssa leaves the cafe deciding to take a shortcut home and encounters two seemingly harmless men who ask her for directions to the library. Grudgingly, she responds and is suddenly attacked.   As she lays on the ground close to death, her hero, Lysander appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and quickly does away with her attackers -- but not before he turns her in order to save her life. When Alyssa finally regains consciousness, she's not sure where she is or what's happened.   She's experiencing changes in her body that she doesn't understand and this is where I got wrapped up.   Katie's description of what Alyssa is experiencing is so vivid and realistic that you can't help but continue reading.   As a fan of the genre, I had never seen the physicality of "the change" described so clearly.  

The story continues with Alyssa's "maker" (Lysander) making some major adjustments himself. Lysander is a somber, introspective vampire -- the "strong, silent type", who when you first meet him you find out that he is a lone vampire.   He is not part of a clan per se at this point in the story but now that he's turned young Alyssa, he is responsible for her and this has his maker, Kallisto pretty upset.    Kallisto is also Lysander's former lover.   Her anger towards him stems from the fact that he has broken the rules set in place long ago for fledglings, and as the story unfolds you will see that she harbors a mean spirited jealousy toward Alyssa. 

When a travelling clan, The Peregrinus, which is made up of some of Lysander's "children" come to visit, they begin to bond as a "family" with Alyssa.  In addition, Lysander, Alyssa and their new clan members all have to deal with the Acta Santorum, a band of vampire hunters comprised of self-righteous vampires themselves who feed off animals .  They are working with the Vatican to eradicate vampires who are not like them. They consider other vampires evil.

As you become engrossed in the story, you will learn about Alyssa's new traits, strengths and weaknesses right along with her.   You will see age old myths and beliefs about vampires de-bunked. Alyssa struggles with her new self and as she learns to adjust, you see her inner self begin to mature. You will grow to love all of the characters. The unfolding story will break your heart as you experience challenges and losses right along with her and her clan-mates.

I see this as a story about inner growth and slow maturity; a story about love and family; although the blood ties that bind this clan are not biological.  This is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it.   It is a great introduction to those who have not experienced the genre and those who have, will find that it is different from anything they've read before.

Full disclosure: Katie and I have an ongoing virtual friendship.   I am her latest interview featured in her "Author Spotlight" on her blog:  http://networkedblogs.com/jDvUr

Notwithstanding all of that, I believe Katie Salidas is an author you'll want to keep an eye on, someone to watch.   Apart from that, she's just a wonderful human being, so visit her blog to see all that she's up to!

Oh, by the way, Katie was kind enough to offer a free giveaway for a smashwords copy of "Immortalis Carpe Noctem".   Since this was her first book and "Sinner's Ride" is my first novel, the first person to leave a comment on my blog will win a copy!   Here is an excerpt:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PD365LmgoI6pP2jEpaWvqjnljHVIzv8LsCTE4mR2U-U/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CI3E06sB

Here is a short synopsis of Katie's latest "Pandora's Box":

Pandora's Box:

Alyssa thought, after a few months as a vampire, that she’d learned all she needed about the supernatural world. But all that will change when a mysterious package shows up on her doorstep - a Pandora's box. An ancient prison, created by powerful magic, the box was used to trap the most dangerous and deadly creatures on earth. Once opened, it releases an ancient evil, with an insatiable lust for vampire blood. Within moments of its release it the feeding frenzy begins. Alyssa must find a way to return the creature to the box. If she doesn’t, it will not only destroy her clan, but the rest of the vampires in existence.

Here's Katie's bio:

Katie Salidas:

The youngest of four children, Katie has always had a desire to entertain. Since, early childhood, she's dreamed fantastical characters and scribbled them into pages of various journals and notebooks. Taking an interest in vampires, she devoured every book, featuring those blood sucking creatures, in any genre she could find. It was only natural that a love of reading vampire stories, turned into a love to write them. Katie is also a Las Vegas native, having grown up in the famed City of Sin. She loves to feature it as a recurring setting for many of her stories.

And now for the legal stuff:

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Thank you all for allowing me to share this with you.

~~ML

Pandora's Box Blitz Tour

Good evening friends!

I am very happy to participate in my friend, Katie Salidas' Virtual Blog Tour!  This tour is to promote the third release in her Immortalis Series entitled "Pandora's Box" following "Carpe Noctem" and "Hunters and Prey" and it releases on July 12th!

I will be doing a review on "Carpe Noctem" on June 27th and a review on "Hunters and Prey" on June 28th.  And...get this!  There will be a giveaway for an e-copy of each book so stay tuned!

Please help support her! 

Now, without further ado, here is a little something something to tell you a little bit about "Pandora's Box" as well as a short bio on Katie:

Pandora's Box:

Alyssa thought, after a few months as a vampire, that she’d learned all she needed about the supernatural world. But all that will change when a mysterious package shows up on her doorstep - a Pandora's box. An ancient prison, created by powerful magic, the box was used to trap the most dangerous and deadly creatures on earth.

Once opened, it releases an ancient evil, with an insatiable lust for vampire blood. Within moments of its release it the feeding frenzy begins.

Alyssa must find a way to return the creature to the box. If she doesn’t, it will not only destroy her clan, but the rest of the vampires in existence.

About Katie Salidas:

The youngest of four children, Katie has always had a desire to entertain. Since, early childhood, she's dreamed fantastical characters and scribbled them into pages of various journals and notebooks. Taking an interest in vampires, she devoured every book, featuring those blood sucking creatures, in any genre she could find.

It was only natural that a love of reading vampire stories, turned into a love to write them.

Katie is also a Las Vegas native, having grown up in the famed City of Sin. She loves to feature it as a recurring setting for many of her stories.



*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*