Survival Paranoia is FREE through 6/29!

If you haven’t had a chance to grab the second installment in the Survival series, now’s your chance! Survival Paranoia is free through 6/29 on Amazon! 

Description

No one believed 17-year-old Lorna Stanton when she warned them the zombie apocalypse would come. Zombies weren’t real, they told her, and they locked her away. But now she’s right, and they’re gone. It’s a fight for survival, and Lorna and her boyfriend, Jeff, have been training for this for years. 

The world as she knew it is a thing of the past, but Lorna’s prepared. Now all she’s learned, all she taught herself, is put to the test. In a bid for survival, it’s not only the undead who are a danger… and trusting the wrong person could be the last choice she’ll ever make.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLCNL8U

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KLCNL8U

While this is, indeed, the second book in the series, the beautiful thing is, the series does NOT have to be read in order. Each installment features a different main character, and each will pick up at the beginning of the apocalypse. So grab your copy today, and make sure you share with your zombie-loving friends as well! 

It’s Back!!!!! Survival Instinct, Now on Amazon!

For those who’ve been wondering where it’s gone, Survival Instinct is back on Amazon. New edits, new cover, same great story! So if you missed it the first time, or you loved Survival Paranoia but didn’t know about this one, now’s the perfect time to grab your copy, and tell a friend who loves a good zombie tale! 

Description

Nadine Chesterfield was a forensic technician when the first body sat up in the middle of an autopsy, changing the world as she knew it. She was engaged and pregnant, and her life was all she’d wished it would be. 

All that changed in the blink of an eye. The government was testing a new vaccine- a cure for the common cold- but it had deadly consequences. 

Now Nadine is on the run, not just from the creatures that were once human but from the military who want to stop her before she can tell the truth. She’ll meet other survivors along the way and learn that instinct is the only thing that can truly keep her alive.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GA96O50 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GA96O50

Bonfire Is Here!

For those who enjoy steamy stories for couples (or even for individuals!) Bonfire is available now on Amazon. As with most of the erotic stories I’ll be publishing, this is only 99 cents! 

Description

Lara is reluctant to attend a birthday party, but at Nick’s urging, she goes along. Hours later, the liquor has flowed and the mood changes. A birthday party, alcohol, two couples, and endless possibilities for a night to remember… 

 

A short but steamy tale of two couples, friendship, and some very sexy times around a backyard bonfire. This smoking hot tale is one not to be missed, so snatch up your copy today!

US link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KUY24HS/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_A8rLtb0GH32KJ

UK link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KUY24HS/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_A8rLtb0GH32KJ

Date Night is Here!

I’m a huge fan of erotica, and read quite a bit of it. My one dislike? Erotica with cheating spouses! All erotic stories I write are written about things I enjoy reading. That means erotica for couples. I love stories about couples, or even better, writing stories couples might enjoy together. 

With that being said, you’ll be seeing a lot of erotica from me for the next little bit. All Kendra Glenn erotic short stories will be re-released as Kay Glass erotic shorts! Almost all are 99 cents, and perfect for a quick read. And let’s face it- if you’re reading them as a couple, quick is what you want! 😉 This of course means 18 and older, please! 

Description

Denise Lambert’s life changed a year ago when she found out she would never bear children. Driven to the brink by depression, she goes bar hopping each Friday to sate her needs before returning home to what had become an empty marriage. 

But things aren’t always what they seem, and this story takes a sexy twist that will leave you smiling… and yearning…

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRO49J2
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KRO49J2

 

Survival Paranoia is Available Now!

You’ve waited so patiently for the second installment of the Survival series, and I greatly appreciate it! But the wait is over. Survival Paranoia is now live on Amazon! 

 

 

 

Description

No one believed 17-year-old Lorna Stanton when she warned them the zombie apocalypse would come. Zombies weren’t real, they told her, and they locked her away. But now she’s right, and they’re gone. It’s a fight for survival, and Lorna and her boyfriend, Jeff, have been training for this for years. 

The world as she knew it is a thing of the past, but Lorna’s prepared. Now all she’s learned, all she taught herself, is put to the test. In a bid for survival, it’s not only the undead who are a danger… and trusting the wrong person could be the last choice she’ll ever make.

 

Grab your copy today, and share for your zombie-loving friends as well! 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLCNL8U

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KLCNL8U

 

And check out my other available books on Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/author/kayglass 

 

Amazon: What You Can Do

I’ve seen the petitions flying around Facebook these days about changing Amazon’s policies on book returns. A lot of authors, disappointed with returns, want the return window changed from 7 days to a mere 24-hours. That is something I disagree with, as both an author and a reader. But that’s not the point of this blog post, and frankly, I couldn’t say it better than Lisa McCourt Hollar does here: http://www.lisamccourthollar.com/2014/03/e-book-returns-my-thoughts.html

The point of this blog post is simply to make some suggestions that will benefit readers and authors alike. 

Kindle lending library: Many authors, myself include, allow lending for their books. After all, when I read a good paperback or hardback, I usually lend it to someone I know will enjoy it. I treat my Kindle books the same way. I know not everyone can afford to shell out their money, especially if they’re not sure how they’ll like a certain author. There are even groups you can join for lending. This cuts down treating the Amazon website like a library- buying a book, reading it, and returning it so the buyer isn’t out any money. One huge way to support your favorite authors? Don’t do that! Returns may save you money, but they do hurt your favorite authors. 

Read the information available to you: This can be broken down into several categories… 

1- Reviews: Read the reviews, particularly the long ones. Those reviews generally highlight the reasons the reader liked or disliked what they read. Maybe the book was compelling, but maybe the characters were flat, emotionless. Maybe the book was well-written, but lacked good editing. Know before you buy! 

2- Description: It sounds silly, sure, but there are many people who don’t even bother. If they see a good sale and the cover catches their eye, they’ll download the book… and many return because the book wasn’t what they wanted. Read the description to make sure the product is what you’re seeking! 

3- A lot of books offer the “Look Inside” option. That’s key for me when I download a book. I like to read the free preview so I know if the writing style and story appeal to me. Very seldom do I return a book now. Most of the ones I download but return are ones with little to no reviews and no “Look Inside” option, so I’m downloading ‘blind’ so to speak. 

Write good reviews: Love a book? Hate it? Write the review so future downloaders know what they’re getting into. Amazon will allow you to review with a minimum of 20 words, but that’s not particularly helpful. What information would YOU have wanted to know before downloading? Was the book good? Does it have a lot of typos and wrong word usage? If that’s information that would have been important to you, include it in your review! You’re helping people choosing what book to spend their money on, and you’re helping the author, too. We do pay attention to suggestions, and those reviews tell us what to fix, what books you want more of, whether to continue a series or not… We listen! 

There are so many things you can do to avoid downloading a book you won’t like, and prevent someone else from doing the same. An honest return is acceptable, but Amazon isn’t your public library. I don’t want to see the policy changed, but a lot of authors feel differently. More careful research from a potential buyer can stop the return issues in a way a policy change won’t. Just a little food for thought… 

BOOK REVIEW: Marked (Hunter Awakened) by Felicity Hunt

Marked (Hunter Awakened) by Felicity Hunt

Description: 

Twenty-one year-old Teal Rhines is a one-time child star turned Hollywood darling. She’s loved by the public and media alike for her tenacity and strength. Orphaned and abandoned as a baby, emancipated at sixteen, she is a role model to many. Now, as her new television show is taking off, her future looks bright. 

But when her new bodyguard, the attractive Elias Bane, shows interest in her, she never dreams that he is a part of the same supernatural world that her mother fled. The mother she never knew. Like many adopted children, Teal Rhines has always wondered about her biological parents. Who they were. Why they’d abandoned her. In all of her imaginings, she’s never gotten close to the truth. 

But when the truth is revealed, loyalties are tested. Love is put on trial. And danger is closer than she realizes. 

Review

I picked up Marked for free in the Kindle store, and I finally had the chance to read it. The story did hook me from the beginning, as I wanted to know more about this feisty main character who defends herself and stands up for the innocent. I enjoyed her interactions at the party, and the firing of her bodyguard. Teal is a good, strong female lead, and I loved that about her.

Unfortunately, the book contains a great deal of typos that made it difficult to get into, especially as a lot of them were in the first few chapters. I love a good romance, and I love sexy scenes, but there seemed to be entirely too many of them, considering that the vast majority of them were dream sequences. They were hot, they were well-written, but they took up entirely too much of the book and I ended up skipping a lot of those scenes just to get back to the story.

The whole book was written to seem like a suspenseful romance, and I was hooked- until the ending. All of a sudden the book became a paranormal romance, and although I enjoy those, I felt that the paranormal elements should have come into play much earlier. The late introduction of the paranormal element made the contrast jarring and out of place.

I did enjoy this book, even with the things I’ve mentioned above, and I really enjoyed this author’s writing style. I would be interested in reading more of her work, and I may even pick up the rest of the series as I really want to know how the paranormal element will change the main character. I give this book 3.5/5 stars, and I do recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance, adult content, paranormal elements, and a strong female lead.

NOTE: This book is currently FREE on Amazon if you’re interested in picking up a copy. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I8PM066/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0

Women in Horror Month- Meet Natasha Ewendt!

To continue with this month’s theme, and introduce you to women who write books in the horror realm, I’d like to introduce you to Natasha Ewendt! 

 

1. What genre are your books?

Well, so far I’ve only had the one published, but I write mostly in the realm of the macabre. My first novel This Freshest Hell is a paranormal horror, as will be the sequel and the third book (both WIPs), though the second and third books are very different to the first and to each other, with a few more sci-fi elements thrown in. I’m working on several other dark fiction projects, and strangely enough, a romance – a doomed romance, of course.

2. Where did the idea for your first book come from?

I remember the start date for writing the book, because it’s pretty hard to forget – Friday the 13th of July, 2007. I had an RDO from work, and rather than watch morning TV as I’d rather papercut my eyeballs, I had music clips playing while I went about my morning routine and AFI’s Miss Murder clip came on. I’m not averse to what most people disparagingly call emo music – like most music and social movements, I think it was highly misunderstood and maligned by the mainstream. Watching the clip I was struck with a creative idea: what if there was some kind of spooky entity you could call on to take your life? I grabbed my pen and notebook, and Lily and Maggie burst into life faster than I could keep up with them.

3. What are you currently working on?

The sequel to This Freshest Hell, as well as the third book in the series, and a few even darker books, novellas and short stories.

4. Where do your book covers come from?

My publisher Linda Nix at Lacuna Publishing designed my book cover and allowed me to have input into the process. I wanted something simple with a single “impact” graphic, possibly something in a classic gothic style like a gargoyle to match the gargoyle statue in the book’s island mansion. During the writing process I’d considered using the picture of Arachne from Greek mythology that features in Gustave Doré’s illustration for Dante’s Purgatorio of the Divine Comedy series, as the Arachine goddess/demon character in This Freshest Hell is loosely based on Arachne. I never told this to my publisher, but then one day during the production process I opened my emails to find a cover draft with that very picture. Pretty cool!

5. Where do you see your writing career five years from now?

Two words: Bestseller list. Two more words: I wish!

6. What is your favorite part of the writing process?

When the idea first hits like a bolt and you’re creating a whole other world inside your own head and translating it onto paper/screen, and you just have to hang on for the ride.

7. What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

Editing. Euchhh. The first edit’s not so bad – maybe because with a first novel, you’re editing it yourself (hopefully) before it’s been accepted and you have time to fiddle, or maybe because you sort of have absolutely no idea what you’re doing and you don’t realise just how much chaff you should be tossing out. The second edit’s getting slightly annoying because you’ve done some more research and you’ve come to realise it’s going to be a much bigger job that you thought to make this thing shine. Then by the third edit, you’ve got your literary machete out and you’re mercilessly chopping left and right, because well, you’re starting to get a little bit sick of reading the same book, even if it is yours. Then comes the fourth and however many other edits you want to do depending on how much of a perfectionist you are. Then, the publisher’s edits, which hopefully shouldn’t be too huge if you’ve already edited yourself harshly and had an editor look at it previously. By the end of it all you have absolutely no recollection of why you thought it would be “fun” to write a book, and you’re pretty sure if you have to read it one more time your eyes will fizz and melt. But, it all becomes worth it when you’re holding it in your hands.

8. How do you write? Outlining, a few short notes that become a book, just sit down and write, etc?

In a word, shambolically. I have to admit my “process” isn’t much of a process and it’s lot like everything else in my life – mostly a system of entropy. When I get an idea, I write it down – then at some stage in the future I smoosh all the bits of scribble together, connect the dots and fill in the blanks. I work as a journalist and copyeditor so I don’t often get the chance to just sit down and write. I have to grab on to the inspiration when it hits (usually around midnight, of course), or make time when I have a particular project or passage I have to finish. I have this lingering ideal, as I suspect many writers do, that someday I’ll have a nice old white house on the beach with a big garden and a sunroom where I can sit and write all day and someone will occasionally bring me tea. Someday…

9. What message do you want your readers to take away from your books?

Good question. Mostly my work is about shining a light on the dark side of human nature, and I don’t know that there’s a terribly positive message in that. If I had to delve, I’d say I wrote This Freshest Hell to give the other misfits out there something to relate to, so they know they’re not alone.

10. What do you want to say, personally, to your readers right now?

Sorry for the nightmares! I’m yet to encounter someone who didn’t have nightmares about the vampires, werewolves, ghosts, skeleton thingy or spider-demon-god-thingy. Also, if you want to discuss the book, get in touch with me on Facebook or Goodreads – happy to answer questions or chat.

 

Fun Questions

 

1. If you were only allowed to read one book for the rest of your life, what would that book be?

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

2. If you could be any book character, who would you want to be?

Michonne from The Walking Dead graphic novels. She is badass. And I want her sword.

3. If you could be anything at all, overnight, what career other than being an author would you choose?

Rock star!

4. What one item could you not live without?

My notebook – the actual paper real thing – to catch all my crazy little thoughts that turn into book bits.

5. Who is your biggest inspiration?

My mother 

Favorites

Color?

Indigo

Number?

0

Book?

The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Holiday?

Sydney and Byron Bay. There’s nothing quite like the Aussie east coast vibe.

Animal?

Echidna (Australia’s version of porcupine)

Song?

PDA by Interpol. I’ve been addicted to it for years now and it never gets old – especially the go-go rock explosion at the end.

Band/Artist?

Interpol

Month?

November

Season?

Spring 

Description

Dark secrets shared …

Dark spells invoked …

Death desired and death defied …

Goth Maggie and misfit Lily unite against school, family, society, normality and life itself. But can they fight the darkness within?

When Maggie moves to the small town of Groveside, Tasmania, she and Lily become fast friends, discovering they have more in common than their taste in alternative music: a disdain for all things “normal”, along with psychic abilities and the same dark secret. The girls’ rebellion culminates in a dalliance with the dark arts that could have eternal consequences. When those consequences come to bear a decade later, they are plunged into the demon world. Suddenly the darkness within and blood lust become literal matters of life and death. A new world of darkness forces them to question what they really value — including each other, and life itself.

TFH features all things supernatural from gods and demons to vampires and werewolves. But it’s not just a paranormal horror novel – it’s a powerful exploration of the dark side of human nature and the search for life’s meaning.

 

Buy This Freshest Hell in paperback and ebook format at all online stores, order it from your local bookstore, or download it via apps like iBooks, Kobo and Nook.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17901427-this-freshest-hell

http://www.amazon.com/This-Freshest-Hell-Natasha-Ewendt/dp/1922198064

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Freshest-Hell-Natasha-Ewendt-Perfect-Book-English-/130921856400

Connect with Natasha at:

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/natasha.ewendt

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7082805.Natasha_Ewendt

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/NEwendt

 

Thanks so much, Natasha! It was wonderful learning more about you and your work, and good luck with your works in progress! 

The 12 Days of Christmas Author Takeover Event!

Looking to meet some new authors, or just chat with ones you already know and love? Then why not jump on Facebook and join the 12 Days of Christmas Author Takeover event hosted by the amazing Ravenz Reviews? Each day features a different author, different prizes, and all sorts of fun and games. I was lucky enough to participate last year and had a blast- this year, yes, I’ll be back! 

So come on over today and meet the author of the day, and join me at this lovely event December 15th for some fun and games… and dare I say it? Maybe even some prizes! I hope to see you there! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/666996260009959/?source=1

And don’t forget to check out Ravenz Reviews on their blog as well: 

http://ravenzreviews.blogspot.com/

The Foodidays… um, Holidays…

I’m a big girl… You name it, I’ve heard it. Big, thick, chubby, chunky, solid… Fat, overweight, plus size, and some very nasty names that I don’t think need sharing. I don’t diet- with my health I have enough to deal with without bothering with calorie counting or measuring portions. I eat what I want, when I want because there are often days I don’t feel like eating at all. Sometimes I gain a pound or two, sometimes I lose five. I don’t try, I don’t change anything, and I stay where I am. And somewhere along the way I became comfortable in my own skin. I don’t strive to be thin- once upon a time I was actually too thin. But I am who I am now, and most of the time I think that’s just fine. 

I have a love/hate relationship with holidays. We’re not rich- oh, far from that. We’re so broke most of the time that it’s pitiful, and I often wish for ‘more.’ Not a wish for more money, not exactly. I wish to be able to do ‘more’ for my family. But when you see your child’s smile on Christmas morning, well, it makes the holidays worth it in my mind. 

And of course the holidays mean food. I got to thinking about that around Halloween. My grandmother often started planning Thanksgiving around the beginning of October, and apparently somewhere along the way I decided I had to pick up that particular torch. 

Which got me thinking about the holiday season… and seasons in particular. Gee, maybe I’m fat because I think in terms of food! Let’s start with spring… 

SPRING

Spring makes me think of budding blooms- the season’s first flowers showing their bright, fun colors. I think of temperatures going from frigid to cool and then finally to nearly warm. I think of April showers and May flowers, and walks in the rain. 

But it also makes me think of salads- I love a fresh salad on a nice, warm day. Spring salads usually have bean sprouts, tuna, mandarin oranges…. bright, fun colors to dress up the tender greens. Maybe a vinaigrette instead of a heavier dressing to top it off, and tortilla crisps instead of croutons. 

SUMMER

Summer… ah, as a parent my first thought will always be of filling those days until school resumes. Beaches, sunshine, tourists causing crazy traffic here on the Delaware shore. I think of swimming pools and running through the sprinklers. Capri pants, shorts, tank tops and the dreaded swimsuit season. It means flip flops and bare toes, and the heat of that summer sand soaking into the soles of your feet. 

But summer also means ice cream on a hot day, cool on the tongue. Ice pops, Popsicles, water ice and slushees. It means fresh fruit… berries, watermelon for the hubby and kids, cantaloupe for me, and fruit salads. I often eat my lightest in the summer, maybe having just that bowl of fruit salad because it’s too hot for ‘real food.’ And when you want a solid meal, summer means cook outs with your closest friends, hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks and the smell of charcoal. It means smores at a bonfire, and drinking sweet mixed drinks or a fruity wine with those friends after the kids go to sleep.

FALL

Ah, autumn… I love autumn best of all. I look forward to the changing of the leaves, watching as they shed their summer green for the gold, red and orange colors of fall. The sound of leaves as you walk the dog, kids shuffling their feet through them or jumping in freshly raked piles. It means that dreaded heat of summer is falling behind you, and the kids, bless them, have finally gone back to school. It means daylight savings, and ‘gaining’ that hour that means an earlier bedtime and darker skies. That first bite of crisp air and wearing sweatshirts over your tee shirts.

But it means planning a Thanksgiving meal. Turkey, stuffing (in my case, made from my grandmother’s recipe and just making the whole holiday a wonderful remembrance of a woman who loved the holidays), sweet potato fluff… It means mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pies. It means pies of all types, really- pumpkin, sweet potato, cherry, apple, pecan, shoo fly… It’s the comfort of warm through the beginning of cold. It means trading salad for soup, something to warm your belly when you feel chilled.

WINTER 

Winter is the first snow (although here in Delaware we might get a quarter inch for the whole season, or two feet during a ‘bad year’). Winter is cold nights, hot showers or baths and cursing the temperature change when you get out to dry off. Winter is snuggling close with a loved one and sharing body heat. Winter is comforters, blankets, heating pads, and water bottles. It’s slippers or socks instead of bare feet, and boots or sneakers instead of sandals. It’s bundling up on the couch to watch movies, trimming the tree (if you didn’t do so on Black Friday as we do), and preparing for Santa Claus. 

Ah, but winter is all things warm, too. It’s chili in the crock pot and fresh-baked cookies singeing your fingers as you eat them before they cool. It’s chicken noodle soup and tuna noodle casseroles so you have something warm in your belly. It’s hot chocolate and milk moustaches, and marshmallows in the bottom of your mug. It’s more filling food- steaks, burgers, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice… It’s that Christmas dinner after all the presents are opened. Ham, turkey, homemade mashed potatoes, and still more gravy. It means more green bean casseroles, and more pies. It’s a plate of cookies and a glass of milk left for Santa (and maybe even some carrots for the reindeer if you remember). Winter is pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day, with mashed potatoes and applesauce on the side. 

 

So yeah, I guess those terms apply. I’m thick, I’m heavy, solid, chunky, chubby…. The terms don’t matter, but I guess they all make sense since I think in terms of food and the seasons. But hey, at least my belly is full! And my kitchen… ah, no matter the season, no matter the foodiday, er, holiday, my kitchen smells like a little slice of Heaven.