Posts Tagged: ally shields
Wild Fire by @ShieldsAlly: Release Blog Party and Settings Hunt!
Ally Shields has a brand new release called Wild Fire. As part of her release day fun, she’s also providing a giveaway! Check out the contest details at the end of the post, but first, let’s find out more about Wild Fire!
Blurb:
A vision. A lost talisman. A dangerous journey through time…
A month after their bonding, Ari and Andreas are still adjusting to married life when they learn the hard way that the O-Seven, the terrifying and brutal vampire elders, still have them in their sights. A three million dollar bounty hangs over each of their heads, and there’s no lack of assassins eager to collect.
When the local seer has a terrifying vision of the destruction of Riverdale, it’s up to Ari—as usual—to keep everyone safe. Only this time, an enemy from the past has bound her fire powers, and the city’s string of arsons seems connected.
Daron, the vampire prince in Toronto, has information that two of the vampire elders are on their way to Riverdale. Which can’t be good. Only a risky and unprecedented journey through time can provide the help they need. But that will leave Andreas to face the O-Seven alone…
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Fire-Guardian-Witch-Book-ebook/dp/B00NWX6Y7K
Also available at other online bookstores.
Book Trailer on Youtube: http://youtu.be/nGO1wudi7xQ
Excerpt:
The tracks in the snow gradually moved up the slope toward the older parts of Riverdale, out of the tourist district, past residential homes, angling toward the cliff area that overlooked the Mississippi River. Then it took a sharp swing north.
Ari looked ahead, her gaze following the tracks through the gate and into the Riverdale Cemetery. “I don’t like this.” She came to a stop with one hand on the gate. “Don’t you think the trail is a bit too obvious? As if he wanted us to follow him?” Her eyes scanned the cemetery grounds for anything unusual, a shadow, a hint of color out of place among the stones and crypts. The only sizable tracks went behind a tall mausoleum.
“A trap?” Ryan drew his pistol. “Do you sense something?”
“Maybe. But there is a lot of magical interference in graveyards.” Ari frowned. She sensed a flicker of Otherworld power, but it didn’t feel right. Shielded? Would a halfling demon be that good? She eased through the gate; Ryan followed close behind. Her magic stirred, raising the hairs on her arms, and she stopped, extending her witch senses to probe the area around them—tasting, smelling, touching the environment. Her magic roared to life.
“Back!” she shouted. “Power. And lots of it.”
Two gigantic figures leaped from the top of the nearest crypt. A howling rent the quiet of the cemetery. By the time the creatures landed—one in front of Ari and Ryan, and the other cutting them off from the gate—both had morphed into fiery red, eight-foot demons, their eyes deep black holes. Each carried a metal shield and swung a five-foot mace.
“Hellsgate warriors!” Ari crouched, raising her fingers to call the witch fire to her command.
Author Bio:
Ally Shields was born and raised in the Midwest, along the Mississippi River, and considers herself a “river rat.” The setting and folklore of that area are often incorporated into her Guardian Witch series. After a career in law and juvenile justice, she turned to full-time writing in 2009. She loves writing, reading and traveling. Way too often she can be found on Twitter. @ShieldsAlly
Author Contacts:
Website: http://allyshields.com
Blog: http://allyshields.com/blog.html
Facebook: http://facebook.com/AllyShieldsAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShieldsAlly
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527209.Ally_Shields
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/allyshields
Other books in the series:
Awakening the Fire (#1); Fire Within (#2; Burning Both Ends (#3); Blood and Fire (#4); Fire Storm (#5).
Coming Soon:
Eternal Fires (Guardian Witch #7) (TBA)
Also by Ally Shields:
Cross Keys, an Elvenrude novel (October 2014)
Blog Tour GIVEAWAY: November 7-10: Readers and writers always talk about characters in books, but settings are almost as important, and they play a huge role in the Guardian Witch series. Wild Fire is no exception, and this blog tour is revealing several settings that are the backdrop for major events in the book. In fact, I think they’re so important that I’m running a special contest.
If you collect the names and numbers of all ten settings, you could win your choice of three ebooks in the series (including this latest release) or a $15.00 Amazon gift certificate. It’s easy to do. Here are the rules.
Visit the blogs on this list — or enough to collect all ten settings — then email me at allyshieldsbooks@gmail.com by 9:00 a.m. EST, Monday, November 10, 2014 with your completed list. You will automatically be entered in the random drawing (two winners).
NOTE: A setting may appear on more than one blog, so be sure you have 10 different settings before turning in your entry.
Here is the list of participating blogs*:
(*If you can’t find a post, return to allyshields.com for updated links and blogs.)
Now for the setting:
Setting #1: Toronto, Canada – The vampire court in this city was won by Andreas when he defeated Sebastian in Book #3. He later traded with Prince Daron in order to return to Riverdale.
Good luck! Thanks for joining Wild Fire’s release celebration!
More Fun: Those of you who read this before 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. EST on November 7, are invited to join us at the official Facebook release party (https://www.facebook.com/events/314795258698003/) for games and prizes, including books, swag and more gift certificates!!
Cross Keys and Cajun Cuisine by @ShieldsAlly #recipes
I can’t help it if I’m a fan of alliteration. Don’t judge. 😉 But seriously, Ally Shields is here to share a little about her new book Cross Keys, an urban fantasy/paranormal romance, and a yummy recipe. Here she is!
Thank you so much for hosting me and my new urban fantasy release today! I’m thrilled for the opportunity to tell you a little about my book and to share a Cajun recipe, one of several I brought back from New Orleans while researching the book. (If you look around the blogs listed at the end, you’ll find eight more recipes!)
Happy reading…and sampling of the Cajun cuisine. 🙂
Cross Keys (An Elvenrude Novel) by Ally Shields
Genre: Urban fantasy/Paranormal romance
Rating: PG-13
Book Blurb:
Conspiracy, murder, and magic…and the death of all they hold dear.
When the first wanderer—a common elf who isn’t authorized to use the portal—is spotted on the streets of New Orleans, the king assigns Kameo Ryndel to assist in the elf’s capture. But before she can intervene, humans with guns shoot the wanderer and steal his body. When Seth Lormarc, an Elite elf from a rival guild, appears at the scene, Kam suspects he is involved.
Seth Lormarc is in New Orleans to find out who was behind the portal breach, and his best lead is the intriguing Kam Ryndel. When he stakes out her apartment and finds her sneaking out in the middle of the night, dressed in black and leaping to the top of the nearest building, he knows there’s something unique about the beautiful elf. That kind of feat requires magic. Ancient magic.
As their paths cross during their investigations, they develop an irresistible attraction, although there’s little time for romance. The portal breach is tied to an illegal smuggling operation that has come to the attention of the human CIA. But the stakes are raised when Kam and Seth discover a band of conspirators and a rebellion deep in Elvenrude that promises nothing except destruction of their world.
Buy Links:
Pre-release Book Trailer on Youtube: http://youtu.be/2GgI4-50QfA
Recipe:
One of my favorites was –
Louisiana Gumbo
12 oz boneless chicken cubed
Salt and pepper
1/4 C cooking oil
1 lb sausage
1/2 C all-purpose flour
5 T margarine
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped green pepper
1 C copped celery
1/4 C Worcestershire
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
4 cups hot water
5 beef bouillon cubes
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 C okra
1/2 pound small cooked shrimp (optional)
Heat oil in heavy skillet or dutch oven. Add chicken, brown over medium heat, and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken to separate container. Add sausage to oil and cook until browned. Remove and add to chicken mixture. To remaining oil in pan, add flour and 2 T margarine. Stir until brown, abut 10 minutes. Pour roux over meat and let cool.
Turn heat to low, melt 3 T margarine. Add the onion, celergy, green pepper, and garlic. Simmer 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste and half the parsley. Stir frequently another 10 minutes. Add 4 C hot water and bouillon cubes, whisk. Add the chicken and sausage mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add shrimp and the rest of the parsley 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy! Great over rice.
About the Author:
Ally Shields was born and raised in the Midwest, along the Mississippi River, and considers herself a “river rat.” The setting and folklore of the river regions are often incorporated into her urban fantasy books. After a career in law and juvenile justice, she turned to full-time writing in 2009, and Awakening the Fire, the debut novel in her Guardian Witch series, was released by Etopia Press in September 2012. There are now six published books in that series. Cross Keys is the first novel with all new characters.
When not writing, reading or spending time with family, she loves to travel in the US and abroad. Way too often she can be found on Twitter.
Contact the Author:
Website: http://allyshields.com
Blog: http://allyshields.com/blog.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShieldsAlly
Facebook: http://facebook.com/AllyShieldsAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527209.Ally_Shields
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Ally-Shields/e/B009AKNDZU
Special thanks to the following bloggers who are spotlighting this release during the next few days (eight more Cajun recipes on their blogs!)(dates of post may vary due to time periods, etc.):
Oct. 3: AJ Locke, Kirstin Pulioff, Linda McLaughlin, Margay Roberge, Marie Carhart, Shannon McRoberts, Stephanie Stamm, EE Carter, Susan Taylor, Anne Lange, Kath Boyd Marsh, Dan Levinson, Michelle Browne, Sue Roebuck, Chris Redding
Oct. 4: Carmen Stefanescu, Stacy Juba, Lindsey Loucks
Oct. 6: Rebekah Ganiere
Oct. 7: Antonia van Zandt
Oct. 8: Dani-Lyn Alexander
Oct. ?: Theresa McClinton
Thanks so much for being here, Ally! I’m off to go find someone who will make Louisiana Gumbo for me since I have the attention span of a sugared-up gnat!