Today we are honoured to have Joleene Naylor, author of The Amaranthine vampire series, with us to talk about her book:
Heart of the Raven
An epic quest, an evil master and…vampires? Join Jorick and Katelina as they fight to keep a powerful relic from falling into the wrong hands – a relic said to hold enough power to destroy the world.
Though Heart of the Raven is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone and begins the three book Heart of the Raven story arc.
“I’m not a fan of vampire stories. Being an author of fantasy novels, that type of work never held a great deal of interest for me. Then, I was given a copy of Amaranthine #5, Heart of the Raven and I was hooked. Without doubt, Joleene Naylor is a skilled writer. To put it simply, I loved this book. It’s interesting, moves well, and holds your attention through each and every page. Regardless of which genre you enjoy, a good read is always the goal, and ‘Raven’ certainly hits the mark.”
– Mark Matthews, author of The Calling (Chronicles of the Careen)
An excerpt:
Malick passed through the fighting vampires. His gait was so smooth that he seemed to float rather then walk. Jorick stepped backwards, forcing Katelina to do the same. Wills battled for dominance in her mind and her legs couldn’t
decide whether to lock in place or run. The ensuing war made her limbs twitch and she screamed with a mixture of confusion, frustration and terror.
Malick drew to a stop and laughed. The struggle in Katelina’s mind ended and she stumbled backwards. Unbelievably, the elevator chimed, and she looked to see the doors slide open. For a moment she could see a short vampire standing inside the plush red compartment, and then it was gone.
The short vampiress was suddenly standing before Malick. She wore a loose flowing dress of blue and her long silver hair flowed down her back. Like a china doll, her face showed no age and no expression, but her cerulean eyes burned with anger.
Katelina clutched Jorick, too terrified to move. Those eyes were seared forever in her memory; it was the woman from the True Council.
The Scharfrichter seemed to realize it too, and the fighting ceased. Even the living, but prostrate vampires stopped moaning and lay still, as if mesmerized.
“So my presence is enough to rouse you?” Malick asked the vampiress. “I’m touched.”
The vampiress’ voice rang through the room, like crashing waves and summer bird song mixed together. “You are not welcome here.”
Malick drew himself up. The air crackled and Katelina’s chest tightened until she could barely breathe. When he spoke, his voice boomed, and it was only fear that stopped Katelina from covering her ears. “How unfortunate. I had hoped that you, most of all, would understand.”
“Understand what? That you have thrown aside your duties for your own selfish ends? Ishkur was right, you should never have been given power.”
“You’re using the old names again.” Malick’s smile grew. “Do you still find comfort in them?”
“Leave now and do no more harm.”
Malick laughed. “You have not warmed since our last meeting, Inanna. It’s no wonder. To hide in the earth while others live. It is nothing more than waking death. How can you be any warmer than the dead?” He stepped forward, his eyes alight. “Join me and be what you once were. Do you remember so many millennia ago when men sang your name? It could be that way again! There’s no need for us to hide, we could be gods!”
“You were never a god, only a greedy child. Those days are gone, as are those people. Modern man does not welcome gods, but topples them. Go now and repent in quiet, before it is too late for you.”
Malick studied the diminutive vampiress. Their eyes met as if in silent conversation, and finally he broke away. “A pity. However, it is not you I seek, or even your brothers.” He looked to Jorick. “I will take it now.”
“Take what?” Jorick asked stiffly.
“Come now. You can shield some thoughts, but not all. Where have you hidden it? Is it with your first?” Jorick flinched and Malick nodded. “So it is. Thank you, my son. I will give her your greetings.”
He turned on his heel and snapped his fingers. Griselda grabbed her gun and swung it over her shoulder, then bounded up the steps after her retreating master, Greneth and Senya on her heels.
The Scharfrichter started forward, but Inanna stopped them with a gesture and perhaps a silent command. They turned to her, their faces open questions. Instead of answering, the ancient vampiress turned away. Katelina had a single, burning look at Inanna’s perfect face before the vampiress disappeared. The elevator doors slid suddenly open and closed and she was gone.
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Heart of the Raven is available through the following outlets:
AMAZON US AMAZON UK B&N NOOKBook KOBO SMASHWORDS ITUNES
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Joleene Naylor is the author of the glitter-less Amaranthine vampire series, a world where vampires aren’t for children. As a compliment to the novel series, she has also written several short stories, including the Vampire Morsels collection.
What inspired you to become an author?
My mother was a writer and poet, so it never occurred to me not to write. Publishing, on the other hand, was something I was scared to do, but two friends encouraged me, and their faith in my writing gave me the courage to take the plunge.
Why do you love fantasy/sci-fi?
I love magic, romance, and a good battle – and it’s even better when there are elves, fairies, or even vampires involved. A Fantasy or Sci-Fi universe is the creation of the author, and so as we are discovering the characters and the story, we’re also discovering the world and the history, while in contemporary books there’s only the characters to learn. We already know how the real world works.
What are you currently reading?
Reborn City by Rami Ungar. A mix of contemporary and fantasy set in a bleak future, it’s a great read!
*Joleene also tells me that she has five cats, yes five, and I thought I was bad with three!
If you’d like to learn even more about Jolenne and her books, please check out her WEBSITE and FACEBOOK PAGE. You can also follow Joleene on TWITTER, GOODREADS, PINTEREST, GOOGLE+, WATTPAD, AUTHORGRAPH, and on her AMAZON PAGE.
Happy Reading 🙂
