Guest Post: Renee Scattergood

Authors UNITE!  Welcome Indie author Renee Scattergood as she invites you into her world of the Shadow Stalkers in her new release "Demon Hunt" (Book 2 in the Shadow Stalker Series)

 

On Being a Shadow Stalker

By Auren from the Shadow Stalker Series

Being a shadow stalker is new to me. Unlike others of my kind, I didn't grow up on the Dark Isle, so Kado asked me to write about what the experience of discovering who I am has been for me. A lot of you are curious about what it's like to be a shadow stalker, so I will share this with you and hopefully it will answer some of your questions. Or maybe not, since my experiences don't reflect those of the average shadow stalker. At least it might come close.

When I learned that I was a shadow stalker, the first thing I felt was fear. While I always felt I was different from others, I thought it had more to do with my appearance. Shadow stalkers tend to have darker skin, and we were living in Appolia with people who have very pale skin with light colored hair. So needless to say, I never felt like I fit in completely.

I never, in my wildest dreams, could have imagined how different I really was from those people, though. Suddenly I had to deal with how people would react to me or how I would act around them if they knew about me. Shadow stalkers are feared by the general public because of the powers we possess. Even though our people aided the Coalition, and essentially turned the tide for them, in the first war against the Galvadi, there was no love lost when they believed the Galvadi Empire had wiped out all of the shadow stalkers.

I grew up believing all the shadow stalkers were dead and hearing stories about how dangerous we were. So it was those stories that first popped into my mind when I was told I was a shadow stalker. People were going to fear me and that in turn made me fear them. Society has a tendency to react violently toward anything it doesn't understand.

Then I began discovering the shadow world. Since it's where we get our powers, it was not a place I could avoid. Being in the shadow world to me is like existing in a sort of dream state. It's not like being here. There's no air. I could stop breathing and it wouldn't make an ounce of difference. I wouldn't die from lack of oxygen. You can't move physically. Everything is done with your mind. And the people there, well they're not very chatty. They're dead people (mostly), and if for some reason you do attract their attention (usually when they have something to tell you and not the other way around)…well speaking to them has never been a pleasant experience for me.

The shadow people don't speak with their mouths. They speak directly into your head and unlike speaking to another living person through the shadow world, they don't seem to understand the concept of boundaries. Having a shadow person in your mind feels like someone is literally crushing your brain. They can make their voices very loud if they don't think you're paying attention and it can feel very oppressive. The worst part is they don't speak our language (well some do, but that's another story), so until you learn theirs, it's impossible to understand them. Not a good thing when you have one who is adamant about getting a message to you.

Then there are the demons, the guardians of the shadow world. They are quite determined to make sure we stay out of the shadow world. I've learned as long as I am calm, they won't even know I'm there. As soon as they detect fear or anger, I will become a target, and they will come after me. It's happened a few times that I know of already, and it's not something I'm eager to repeat.

Learning to use my abilities has been both exciting and scary. It's exciting because, well I mean how cool is it to have the ability to teleport from one place to another, listen to people's thoughts, summon demons from the shadow world, and who knows what else. I have only just started learning, and I know I've barely begun to truly understand what I'm capable of doing. The scary part is using my abilities requires me to access the shadow world…see above.

In all seriousness, though, I've learned that the shadow stalkers were created by the shadow people for a specific purpose. I don't know what that purpose is; only the Foramar is given that information by the shadow people. What I do know is in order for us to fulfill that purpose, we need to live by a very strict code. For instance, we cannot marry who we want, we cannot bring a normal human to the Dark Isle unless that person has been approved as a mate by the shadow people, and we have to adhere to whatever the Foramar says regardless of how we feel about it personally. He is the voice of the shadow people in our world. In his absence, the Council of Elders acts as a guide to our people, but not even they have the power of the Foramar. The only power they have is to uphold the code as taught to us by the shadow people (at least that's the only power they're supposed to have).

I am living in a time of darkness for the shadow people, however. Our Foramar, my father, has been held captive by the Galvadi Empire since the day I was born. Somehow they have been able to keep him from accessing the shadow world, and therefore his powers. The Galvadi have developed technology they can use against us, and for now we have no way to counter it.

I fear that I will not be able to finish my training before I have to face our enemies. I am the delohi-saqu, the one Drevin, emperor of the Galvadi Empire, believes is destined to enslave the people of the Serpent Isles. He wants me dead so badly, he has become the thing he fears I might be.

So to me, being a shadow stalker means finding the courage and strength to stand against the one who would destroy us all.

Please check out Rene and her engrossing Shadow Stalker Series!

Bio:

Renee Scattergood lives in Australia with her husband, Nathan, and daughter, Taiya. She was inspired to become a story-teller by George Lucas, but didn't start considering writing down her stories until she reached her late twenties. Now she enjoys writing high fantasy, and has recently began publishing her first series, Shadow Stalker. Aside from writing, she loves reading (Fantasy, of course), watching movies with her family, and doing crafts and science experiments with her daughter.


Renee Writes: http://reneescattergood.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/reneescatts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReneeScatts

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/118427336236369690813/+ReneescattergoodAuthor/posts

Renee's Author Spotlight: http://reneesauthorspotlight.blogspot.com.au/

Purchase Demon Hunt

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Review: ICE by Jessica Wren

Synopsis

“The people of Minterville, Georgia know that something is wrong in their once-idyllic community. The reclusive and mistrustful people of Minterville are uneasy about the presence of two suspicious families, the Quirogas and the de los Santos. Since their arrival six months prior, the people of Minterville have lost The Minter, a form of telepathic communication available only to them. Because The Minter cannot function in the presence of evil, the community concludes that the Quirogas and the de los Santos have sinister motives for settling into the community.

Mayor Tom Watson and Police Chief Andy Thompson have been trying desperately to figure out the reason for the families’ sudden entrance into Minterville. The reason becomes clears one Friday morning: they have been sent by Manuela Escribano (aka the “Ice Queen”), a powerful and vindictive drug lord, to collect an old drug debt. Unfortunately, it is too late; Escribano’s diabolical plan to ensure payment has already been set into motion. Time is of the essence; Tom, Chief Andy, and the rest of Minterville must act quickly before innocent people die and their beloved community is destroyed forever.” 


Review

Writing is like fishing. You toss out your line (i.e. your book) hopping to hook a fish(i.e. a reader). They say as well that if you don’t hook your reader within the first few lines then it’s over. That person will probably not continue reading your book. Well luckily Mrs. Wren is a great fisherman for she hooks you within the first few lines with her tantalizing use of words. She writes with a mystery that begs you to read more to find out the meaning behind her setting of words.

Jessica Wren’s book “Ice” takes you on a dramatic, jolting ride. There is a mystery brewing in the small town of Minterville, Georgia. First two mysterious families have moved into the small town of Minterville, which has also brought on an eerie physical gloom of clouds that hang over the town. The clouds just hang there like a cover of gloom giving no rain. Next the Minter stopped. The Minter is this little secret mental communication board some of the towns folks have in Minterville. The big problem with it stopping is that it only stops when there is an evil presence around.

If that is not of enough worry for the residents of Minterville, the women of Minterville start disappearing…

Jessica Wren then takes the floor out from under you as the story takes a shockingly, wicked turn. To remind you this book is title “ICE

 ” there is a reason for that. I enjoyed how the Mrs. Wren weaved the title of her book into the story itself. There is a reason this book is entitled “ICE”. It is not pretty either.

Written in parts, with different narratives by certain towns folks of Minterville was an interesting narrative choice. It worked too. It gave the book a feel of finding an old town newspaper, or town history book. This worked with the overall tone of the story too.

Overall I enjoyed “ICE”. The book was not what I thought it would be. Jessica Wren sets up a nice cozy setting then all of a sudden it takes an enthralling unexpected turn that does not disappoint you.

There were a lot of characters and people being related to this person and that in the book. It kind of confused me a bit, but that is just me. Genealogy confuses me sometime with your brother being your uncles monkey or something like that. In the end good read. This innocently titled book will shock you.

Follow more on Jessica Wren
Homesite: Jessicawrenfiction.com
Twitter:@wrennovels
Facebook: Jessica Wren Fiction


　

　

　
　

　
　

　

　
　

　 

Review: The Last Son Himself

Today I am reviewing a new video blogger I discovered, The Last Son, Himself.

REVIEW: The Last Son, Himself

The Last Son, Himself is the new Hip hop philosopher blogger featured on YouTube. Call him the Hip hop Guru. The Last Son, Himself could be the next Hip hop Dalia Llama. All that aside officially named Isaiah Robinson he calls himself The Last Son, Himself hosting a philosophical sort of video blogs for the masses.

Isaiah as the Last Son, Himself deliver a straight edge reality telling you like it is , yet still be engaging and poetic . He speaks from the soul on topics such as how to overcoming your fears . How to deal with stress and anger (No anger management classes please!). The Last Son, Himself does not believe in sugar coating his message for the betterment of fancy words, or mystic messages that will rack your brain for hours wondering what the heck he just said by saying a grasshopper hops twice only when it rains. ??? ?

Last Son, Himself dish's 100% truth , and nothing but. Sound harsh? The Last Son, Himself tell the truth in a way you can dig. He speaks it all truthfully, fluidly, and oh so poetically.

In My Personal Opinion

I want to rave about the Last Son, Himself . His video blogs are engaging and insightful. I felt the message he was sending. His Facebook page is even better with him posting daily quotes from his own wisdom as well as other philosophers. The Last Son Himself draws you in with his hip hop swag playing to the young adult crowd, and teens using a blend of psychology and philosophy .

To be honest, I went into his video blog with a no nonsense reviewer's attitude, but with each video I melted more and more. There was no mystic mumbo jumbo to his speaking. No cheery, sunny rays of sunshine and love and light with rainbows. No need to buy special crystals manuals. He is straight , He is street core. I liked that . He does not deny life is full of negativity. He doesn't deny we don't fear . What he does speak is that we can change our life for the better. He is honest that it will not be easy either. Nothing is in life. We need to keep at it, then soon see our dreams come true . You kind of believe him too. The Last Son, Himself has a presence that is saying, I am just like you. I've been there.
To see more visit Last Son Himself
Join him on Facebook

Book Review: FATEFUL By Cheri Schmidt

Hello all! For the new year I revamped my freelance writing services into a review writing business, with book reviews being one of my services. SOOoooo to kick off the new year here is my first BOOK REVIEW! Under my new company Entertainment Review Freelance Writing Services!
You can also view it on Goodreads!

Hope you all enjoy!

Synopsis: A huge fan of Jane Austen, Danielle hopes to find her own Mr. Darcy when she leaves Colorado to attend art school in London. Of course she knows it's silly to wish for that, naive even. But she's met enough males who lacked respect for women, a growing trend it seemed. And at nineteen...well.... However, on only her second night there she gets lost and is threatened by a stalker who proves to be immune to her martial arts training. Before she is completely overpowered, she is then saved by Ethan Deveroux.

While Danielle does find the romance she seeks in Ethan, he's no Mr. Darcy. Her hero is held by a spell which fractures their chance at a happy ending. During the day Ethan is closer to mortal than immortal and can date her like any other man. Yet, as the sun sets, the powerful magic of an ancient curse returns and the evil of that spell is revealed. When that magic begins, Danielle's fairytale romance ends because Ethan Deveroux is a vampire.


Review
“Fateful” is definitely a young adult themed book. None the less I found it to be an enchanting read. I am a bit overdosed on Vampire stories. I did find the origins of the Vampires to be a bewitching curse interesting, and magical. The main heroine here also has an old fashion penance to her character, which I liked as well. This was not just vampire loves human story either as the author added an interesting twist as to why they are attracted each other.

Overall I enjoyed the book finding it magical, charming, even witty at times. If you enjoyed "Twilight" you will enjoy this book.