Author interview at Digital BookToday

Please join me today at Digital Book Today for this awesome interview by Anthony Wessel at DBT.

as I share some secrets about how and why I wrote Whisper Cape.

http://digitalbooktoday.com/2012/08/30/author-interview-109-whisper-cape-by-regan-walsh/

Happy reading!

Susan♥

Review of Talion by Mary Maddox

TALION
by Mary Maddox

Genre: Paranormal Thriller/Horror
Publisher: Cantraip Press

298 pages
Description from Goodreads:
Amazon Buy Link

Two victims. One sociopath. Lots of terror.

Serial killer Rad Sanders has big plans for his teenage victims:


Lu will watch as he kills Lisa and be offered a choice – become his slave or share the fate of her friend. Then Rad will get so deep inside her that she will no longer know where he ends and the pathetic remnants of herself begin.

But Lu has a little surprise for Rad . . .(




My Review

Scary but Addicting

Not my normal read, but every once in a while I like to be scared. Once I started reading this book I really didn’t want to put it down. It was very good, intriguing, strange, and scary. Oh boy was it scary and so disturbing on so many levels, but I could not stop reading it. It was interesting the way Ms. Maddox wrote this. Most of the book is written in past tense, but then there are a few scenes from Lu’s POV where she changes to present tense. I’m guessing it was done for intensity, although at first, it threw me off and I thought, wait, something’s wrong, but it really worked to help get into Talion. Ms. Maddox did a fantastic job of putting us into the head of that sociopath, Conrad, the way she described his stalking and planning and his gory past. The guy on the cover is exactly how I pictured him too—creepy. I did have a little trouble sleeping after reading this. Thank you Mary for giving me a copy of your book for an honest review.

What Do You Look For in a Review?

It seems that the subject of reviews comes up at least every couple of months. How much is too much, too little, spoilers, ratings, whether or not an author should comment on a review, how to handle bad reviews, and whether or not authors should review other authors.

First, I'd like to thank all the Bloggers out there, your support to authors is better than any paid advertising out there. Without you, I'd never know what book to read next, LOL. And you do it for FREE! I repeat, bloggers DO NOT get paid for reviewing books. They do it out of the goodness of their heart and for the love of the written word. They are taking their time to read and write their opinion, and most times helping authors, like me, succeed. So I love my fellow bloggers and shout out a huge THANK YOU to all of you.

Now on to the topic of Reviews

Reviews, IMHO, should not be too long and not give every detail of a book away. I will stop reading a review if it starts out giving me a synopsis. That’s what the description on Goodreads, Amazon, or whichever site I see the book on, is for. I don’t read reviews to find out what the book is about; I read them to see if the reviewer liked it or not and what they did or didn’t like about it, sometimes. Sometimes I don't even want to know that and I don’t want to read a book report. Sorry, I like to make my own judgments. I look at ratings, and sales rankings.

I review other authors if I like their book. If you see a review on my blog, it is because I liked the book. If I didn’t like the book, I won’t review it unless the author really wants me to after I’ve talked to them about it. I will tell an author privately, if they’ve asked me to review it, what I didn’t like and why. I believe constructive criticism is helpful and I would want the same treatment. I do not post a review on my blog of every single book I read. I do post them on Goodreads and recently have started to post on Amazon—now that I know how important it is to the ratings.

Should I comment on a review of my own book? I will comment with a thank you if I know the blogger, and say what a wonderful review, if it was in deed a good one. If not, a simple thank you is enough. Respect is very important. No one is obligated or guaranteed to love your book. I also believe that reviewers should respect the author and if they were given a free copy of the book to review, they should thank the author for it.

As for my own blog, I love comments so if an author wants to leave a comment on a review I've done for them, then I'm all for it—a respectful one. ♥

I think it is in very bad form for any reviewer to blatantly attack an author. It is very difficult to write a book. I'm sure most good reviewers realize that but I’m not sure about all of them. I think most of the ones I’ve come into contact with, do. A reviewer can give constructive criticism and still be kind and respectful. Respect is the magic word. I don't understand the need to slammed a book, and please, don't ever say how glad your were that you hadn't spent any money to purchase it. Very bad.

Those are my two cents. Have a great week everyone!

Be sure to visit the rest of the terrific bloggers on this tour and see what they have to say.

Thanks for reading.

Susan♥

        aka Regan Walsh

REFLECTIONS - A WHISPER CAPE NOVEL, BOOK 2

REFLECTIONS  

A Whisper Cape Novel, Book 2

Releasing November, 2012

Description:

Gerry has loved Maia from the very first moment he laid eyes on her and now that she's pregnant with his child, he's over the moon with happiness. Likewise, Maia is overjoyed about having Gerry's baby, but when she starts seeing and hearing an old woman who always seems to want to warn Maia about the pregnancy, Maia starts to think she is losing her mind. 

But Maia’s nightmare has only just begun . . . A most sought after beautiful woman, a talented lead singer in an up and coming rock band sets her sights on Gerry determined to rekindle an old flame. But murder befalls the sleepy town of Whisper Cape once again, creating suspicion and betrayal, and a love, considered invincible, begins to crumble and fall apart.

Don't forget to add it to your TBR lists on Goodreads.

I've been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award!

Oh my goodness. I want to shout out a huge THANK YOU to the lovely Miranda Stork--author of Conner, a simply wonderfully steamy and dark werewolf book--for nominating my blog for the Versatile Blogger Award! I'm honored to have my blog chosen recognized! A little tickled too. *grins*

There are a few rule before accepting the award. Here they are:
Nominate 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.
Let the nominated bloggers know that they have been nominated for this award.
Share 7 random facts about yourself.
Thank the blogger who has nominated you.
Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your post

7 Random Facts About Me:

My favorite things to eat are sushi, pasta and pizza.

I used to be a bartender in a little bar in Santa Monica, California--the land of surfers and movies stars.

I have a degree in Information Technology, which I'm sure baffles many of my online friends who I constantly annoy with stupid questions about how to post and find stuff on the internet.

I love the ocean; the movement, the smell and the sound mostly, not to swim in it.

I sleep with the covers up to my chin even in the summer because I am convinced that there is a monster living under my bed.

I used to be able to water ski, holding the rope with my foot.

I am a grandmother of seven beauties.



Now for my nominees! I don't know very many new bloggers so here is a list of some of my favorites!

http://www.rbtlreviews.com/

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

http://ambersupernaturalandya.blogspot.com/

http://heartofawolfseries.blogspot.com/

http://reviewsbymolly.com/

http://darkestaddictions.blogspot.com/

http://beaconstreetbooks.com/

www.crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com

http://www.susanjeanricci.com/

http://www.rachaelwade.com/

http://shadowkissedcassie.blogspot.com/

http://kshaigwood.blogspot.com/

http://reading-romances.com/

http://queentuttsworldofescapism.com/

http://www.literaladdiction.com/

Reflections, Book 2, In the Whisper Cape series!!

Reflections, Book 2, in the Whisper Cape series is coming soon!!!

To celebrate, take a sneak peek into each book and I'm giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner who purchases Whisper Cape for .99 cents. from Amazon. Also offering 2 autographed copies of Whisper Cape to runners up.
August 14 - 19

Here's what people are saying about Whisper Cape:

July 2012 --  KBR  Semi-Finalist for Best Romance

  

Phenomenal Book!!! Top Pick Review - Sometimes, you just "know" when a book will be great, even before you read it. In this case, I was right. - Night Owl Reviews

Mysterious, engaging, and romantic -

"Discrimination is a horrible reality. People are afraid of what they don't        understand."  - Author Rachael Wade  

Sizzling Hot! This fantastic debut novel by Regan Walsh is hard almost impossible to put down. So when you pick it up make sure you have time to read cause you are not gonna wanna put it down

– RBTReviews

Sexy Romantic Mystery - MaryLynn Bast- Heart of a Wolf Series

Whisper Cape Description:

A powerful woman, an extraordinary man, and a maniac who wants to destroy them. Fate has brought them together, but will it make them stronger or destroy them all in end?

Escape to a world where the impossible becomes possible and sparks ignite.

WHISPER CAPE is a town of secrets and Addison MacKenna soon becomes tangled in a web of them. Plagued with nightmares of her father's sudden and brutal death, Addie struggles with her anguish and refuses to believe his demise was accidental.

Fighting to shake off one of those devastating early morning nightmares, Addison finds it even harder to escape from the vision of a man lying on the side of the road--a man she may have just killed. When she frantically tries to locate him, he seemingly disappears, just the beginning of strange occurrences in her life. She also cannot ignore the weird sensations in her own body. Suddenly, the impossible seems possible, but is that a blessing or a curse?

Believing that her continual and worsening nightmares are both the key to her own new abilities and the clue to her father's death, Addie knows she will not rest until she has the answers she craves. As she strives to cope with her new remarkable talents, someone else learns of her abilities--a disgruntled maniacal psychopath with his own agenda that involves eliminating Addie. The only one who can protect her, instruct her in the use of her powers and teach her how to destroy the murderous monster is the same man who makes Addie's heart race and her blood heat with passion. The same man she'd left for dead.

Cael Sheridan may be arrogant and mysterious but he's also undeniably gorgeous. A member of a secret society, he is sworn to protect the woman he believes to be the daughter of his recently murdered mentor. In the process, he finds it impossible to resist her magnetic sensuality, complicating his efforts to shield and guide her as she learns to manage her newly acquired skills. At the same time, Addison has much to teach him about trust and commitment. Will fate win in the end? You be the judge.

 Reflections Description:


Gerry has loved Maia from the very first moment he laid eyes on her and now that she’s pregnant with his child, he’s over the moon with happiness. Likewise, Maia is overjoyed about having Gerry’s baby, but when she starts seeing and hearing an old woman who warns Maia about the pregnancy, Maia starts to think she is losing her mind. But Maia’s nightmare has only just begun...

A most sought after beautiful woman, the talented lead singer in an up and coming rock band, sets her sights on Gerry determined to rekindle an old flame. But murder befalls the sleepy town of Whisper Cape once again, creating suspicion and betrayal, and a love once considered invincible, begins to crumble and fall apart.

~~~~Let's take a sneak peek into each book~~~~

then be sure to enter to win the giveaway below. Good Luck!

A peek at Whisper Cape

 Cael stood, held out his hand for Addie, who took it and stood. “Grab your jacket.” He wrapped his arm around her, pulled her in close, cupped her chin in his hand, and tilted her head up toward his, their lips inches apart. “Do you trust me?” His voice was husky, his breath warm and her knees were about to turn to jelly.

“Yes, I think so. Do I have a choice?”

“No. Close your eyes,” he whispered.

She did as he requested as a weird sensation of air swept through every pore, every cell of her body.

“You can open your eyes now, you’re safe.”

Addie opened her eyes. He still held her in his arms, which was good because she almost fell over from the shock. She blinked as she looked around, recognizing Cael’s rented beach house, the red leather sofa and marble-topped coffee table from earlier that afternoon. It was dark except for the moonlight trickling in through the large window, giving the room a dreamy ambiance.

“How did we ...?”

Before she could finish her question, he lifted her chin up to his face and pressed his lips down on hers.

Pushing away, she turned her face from his. “How is this possible? We were just standing in my apart ...”

Without answering, he resumed kissing her. She started to pull away but then relaxed and tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to her.

After enjoying the kiss for a few seconds, Addie came to her senses and shoved her hands against his chest, stopping the kiss. “Wait. You need to explain ...”

Cael ignored her, silencing her with his lips once more. Addie lost herself in his tender embrace, unable to focus on anything else, which she knew was completely wrong. Every instinct told her she should be afraid, but she didn’t care.

His mouth traveled down to her neck as she raised her head to accept the slight graze of his teeth and titillating touch of his tongue just below her earlobe, sending quick pulses of excitement though her body.

She sighed, “You can’t keep silencing me with your kisses.”

“It’s working so far,” he whispered, then brought his mouth back to hers, attempting another kiss, but this time she managed to turn her face aside.

“Please, stop. I need to know what’s going on.”

They stood for a moment, both lost in the sweet embrace.

He sighed. “If you insist.”

“How did we get here?”

A sneak peek at Reflections

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reflections

by

Regan Walsh

Chapter 1

Cucumber Salad

Tomato juice splattered everywhere as the bottle hit the gray tile floor. Maia gasped at the shattered glass, unable to tear her eyes away; the thick red liquid pooled at her feet like a stagnant river of blood. 

“I’m sorry, Manny, the jar just slipped out of my hand,” she said, sensing the old man’s presence at her side and half-wondering how he’d gotten across the aisle so quickly.

“Don’t you worry, sweetheart.”

“I’m so clumsy lately. I can’t seem to hold on to anything these days.”

“Are you hurt? Did any glass cut you?” He took her by the elbow, leading her away from the debris.

“No, I’m fine. Let me help you clean up.” She glanced back at the slimy red liquid mixed with pieces of sharp, ragged-edged glass, making the aisle resemble a murder scene from some B-rated detective show on TV.

“No, no. I’ll get Jeff to clean up. He’ll be here in about five minutes. Now be careful where you step.” He placed a large orange cone near the edge of the area to ward off any unsuspecting customers from the slippery mess.

“Thanks, Manny. I am so sorry—I’ll pay for the juice.”

“Not to worry. A bottle of juice gets broken in here at least once a week.” He winked and managed to bring a smile to her fretful face.

Good old genial Manny, the master of calm, owner of the small seaside grocery store—the only food store in Whisper Cape—and everybody’s grandfather. He had a particular soft spot for pretty women. Except right now, Maia didn’t feel pretty. She felt fat and clumsy. Determined to stay out of maternity clothes for at least another month, she tugged at the waist of her once loose old gray sweat pants and rubbed at the indentation the elastic etched on her tummy. Even the normally beautiful, long, golden-brown curls she’d tucked up in her green wool hat refused to cooperate this morning as they constantly slipped out and fell in her eyes. She walked with Manny toward the other end of the store, and as he veered off to the checkout area, Maia continued on to the deli section.

The small store was quiet except for a group of teenage girls giggling over the cover of a DVD. A group of young men hung around outside, looking in at the girls. School would start soon and they’d all be on their way. Maia MacKenna glanced at them and smiled, remembering what it was like to be that age—innocent, not a care in the world. She placed her hand over the small bulge in her abdomen. Life would never be the same for her.

At this time of the morning, Manny’s Beachside Market—aptly named as one could hear the pounding of the surf whenever the front door opened—was often the main attraction of the kids from the nearby middle school and high school. The small-town grocer managed to carry all the essentials, from sunscreen to meats and produce, even a small variety of wines and beer. The refrigerated glass case Maia perused housed a few selections of prime cut steaks and marinated pot roasts and the deli department consisted of popular cold cuts and cheeses; nothing fancy, just the basics. The produce counter offered a variety of heads of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, some apples, oranges—enough to get by for residents and families visiting the area for a few days. Almost too small for the word “market,” Manny’s place  happened to be the closest grocery store within five miles of the cozy cottage where Maia lived with Gerry Briden, the love of her life and the father of her unborn child.

Hoping to finish the shopping before her doctor’s appointment later that morning, she stood facing a cleverly stacked display of tomatoes contemplating how many she’d need as something in the corner of the adjacent deli case caught her eye. A billow of steam escaped from a small crack at the bottom, and she found herself mesmerized as the dewy cloud rose and dissipated, rose and dissipated. 

A voice, a soft whisper, came from somewhere behind her. “A precious cargo.”

She turned at the sound and looked into the face of a sweet old woman examining a head of lettuce. She didn’t recall ever seeing the patron before, and yet … there was something familiar about her. Her long black skirt, with a delicate pattern of purple swirls, hung several inches below her dark gray coat. The old woman’s hair, like strands of silver silk twisted into a braid, hung down the center of her back. Her eyes, though old, were brilliant, a rich shade of brown with little specks of gold.

The woman must be mumbling to herself. Maia shrugged and turned her attention back to the tomatoes. Her niece, Addie MacKenna, was coming over for dinner tonight with her boyfriend, the two having just returned from a well-deserved month-long holiday. Maia smiled, thinking how happy they were, but her lips tightened a bit as she remembered how they’d been in such danger going up against that sick psychopath who’d murdered Maia’s older brother a little over a year ago. Maia sighed, still in awe of Addie’s power, how she and Cael destroyed Eidolon, torching him down to nothing more than a pile of ashes.

Maia placed two plump red tomatoes—well as plump and as red as you could get this time of year in Whisper Cape—in a plastic bag and placed the bag in her cart. She stepped to the cucumbers and heard the voice again.

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GOOD LUCK AND THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING

Susan♥

Allusive Aftershock - Cover Reveal

I'm please to announce my new book coming soon in 2013. 

View it here at Goodreads and be sure to add it to your TBR list.

Title: Allusive Aftershock
Author: Susan Griscom
Genre: Young Adult - Romance
Coming Soon: 2013
Publisher: Amber Glow Books

Description:
What happens when a major earthquake changes life as you know it and the boy you thought you hated ends up saving you? Three times!

Courtland Reese is the guy everyone hates and makes fun of because … well, he is weird. He communicates with animals. Strange or interesting, seventeen-year-old Adela Castielle can’t quite figure out but when he saves her from being trampled by her own horse, she begins to understand him a little better and wants to learn more about him.

But, Max, her best friend/dream guy/someday-to-be-her-husband-only-he-doesn’t-know it—yet, hates Courtland with a passion. Adela wants to know why, except both boys are very reticent about the whole issue.

When Max leaves her stranded in his parents' wine cellar with his worst enemy, Courtland, after what the experts are calling a “megathrust” earthquake, Adela starts to question her loyalty to Max as steamy kisses in a dark damp cellar only fuel her emotions with more conflict.

But does she really have time to worry about that when fire, destruction and mayhem surround her?

Thanks for reading.

Susan♥

Giveaway on Close Encounters with The Night Kind

Giveaway and Sneak Peek inside of The Book of Paul by Richard Long

Spice up your summer reading with an intelligent and impressive dark thriller!