SUNNY: BLOG TOUR "Dark Cravings", GIVEAWAY and CONNECT FOUR with Madeline Pryce

Welcome to the Dark Cravings Blog Tour. We are thrilled to be a part of the party for the release of Dark Cravings. Join us for our Connect Four (Connect Four is a series of author interviews. Four quick questions to dig deeper with some of our favorite writers.) with the book's author, Madeline Pryce.

I had the privilege of siting down with the dynamic Madeline Pryce for an interview to talk about the newly released Dark Cravings. (*Squeal*  Excuse my little fan-girl moment). 

Dark Cravings is the revised and expanded version of Blood Lust Rising under a new publisher, Ellora's Cave.   

How is Dark Cravings different from Blood Lust Rising?

I have expanded Dark Cravings by about 10 to 15 thousand words.  Some scenes are more fully developed and new scenes are added.  I've included a flashback for Ella and Micah and wrote a more detailed ending.  There is definitely more of Hannah and Eli in this book and they are aged from teenagers to twenty-somethings. This book is more detailed. It is sharper and cleaner.  Overall, it's a better book. 

What is next in the series?

Up next is a novella about Hannah and Dante called Dark Innocence. (Expected publication January 31, 2014)  This one came out so differently than I thought it would. Given what Hannah experienced at the end of the last book, it is not surprising that this book is raw and dark. But what is surprising is the appearance of Dante.  He comes out of no where and sweeps Hannah (and me) off her feet.  

I'm currently working on Micah and Ella's next book. I also have a PNR book that is three years in the making. I am also eagerly working on a post-apocalyptic story. 

What was the journey from self-publishing to signing with Ellora's Cave?  

I've been writing for about 13 years.  I first published with a less-than-legitimate (I didn't know this at the time) fiction house.  Looking back, my stories were not very good, but they published them anyway and I never got paid for my work.  But this was a very important stepping stone because it gave me the courage to find a better e-publisher.  I learned a lot from that experience.  

I kept writing and honing my craft. I finished Blood Lust Rising and submitted it to several publishers.  I was asked to submit additional chapters, but unfortunately, the book was not picked up.  I decided to go the self-publishing route.  There was an amazing response to the book.  Self-publishing also means conducting all the marketing and promotion.  This took up all my writing time. 

Eventually, I decided to resend my book to Ellora's Cave.  They had previously asked me to submit additional chapters, but at that time I had already decided to self-publish.  This time, they accepted the book with a new title.  My editor pushed me and the editing process was brutal. However, I am proud of my the new book. 

You had a previous pen name of Fayth Devlin.  How did you choose your new name?

It is based on trial and error.  It doesn't have any personal relevance to me.  I wanted two strong names that sounded good together.  I also had to ensure that no one else had the same name (like a porn star).  

Thank you, Madeline for joining us.  We eagerly looking forward to reading your new work.  


SUMMARY:

As a half-breed vampire, Ella Grey’s life sucks. She does her best to pass the time killing demons and secretly admiring her Shadow Hunter partner, Micah. He’s hot, dangerous and knows it. He’d be just Ella’s type if he weren’t likely to kill her the moment she put a toe out of line.

A chance encounter with a succubus changes everything. From the second the succubus’s spell washes over them, Ella and Micah are helpless to keep their hands off one another. The sex, when it’s not leaving them on the verge of death, is earth shattering and for the first time in ages Ella is connected with someone on a level she’d feared lost forever. But a dangerous prophecy has been set into motion, and if Ella’s not careful it’ll pull her straight from Micah’s arms and into the deepest bowels of the underworld.

REVIEW:

This is a revised review of Dark Cravings, formerly published as Blood Lust Rising. 

Having had the opportunity to revisit this story for this review, two things struck me:  

1. This is an exciting ride.  It's like being dropped into the middle of a class 5 white water rafting trip.  It is fast with lots of twists and turns.  Yet, unlike other books, I did not feel lost, but rather connected to the characters.  

2. The new additions address my original critiques.  Madeline Price expands the early chapters of the book to include a flashback that connects two important points in the story.  It helps us visualize the extent of the connection between Ella and Micah following the encounter with the succubus.  She also flushes out the ending and it is satisfying.  There are deeper connections between characters making the conflicts and concerns more agonizing.  

IN A NUTSHELL:
I again heartily recommend this book. It is a fun, fast and furious read.  


Original review on 1/9/12

This book hit me like a Mac Truck and then I just hitched onto the back bumper and went along for the thrilling ride. From the moment it starts with a lust curse cast by a demon, Ella Gray and Micah MacGregor are never be the same. They are inextricably linked together as lifemates and literally need each other to survive. They are confronted by their overwhelming sexual need, a vengeful Queen vampire, werewolves, and a jealous alpha sire. 

This story hits all the right buttons: 
1. The sexually encounters are passionate. (I’m pretty sure my Kindle had steam rising off of it.)  2. The characters are memorable. Micah is an über alpha with a mysterious background who is both possessive and tender (the right formula for an alpha). Ella is a kick-ass heroine who follows in the footsteps of her family as a demon/vampire/shapeshifter/ Shadow Hunter. She struggles with her own transformation. 3. The action is thrilling. There are a few blood-spilling, Buffy-like fight scenes 

My only critique is that I am left wanting more, which is not always a bad way to end a book. But in this case, I want more descriptions about Ella. I don’t have a clear picture in my head of what she looks like. And what kind of life was Micah living away from his duties as a Shadow Hunter? We only get a small glimpses into their history. Also, perhaps knowing a little more about the background histories of the characters (Uncle Roy, Eli, Castro) would add an additional layer of understanding to their motivations. Or, alternatively, this can be covered in the next installment -- of which I am impatiently awaiting!

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win an electronic copy of DARK CRAVINGS leave a comment (be sure to include your email). Madeline will randomly pick a replier within three days for each blog stop. Don’t forget to enter the grand prize (Rafflecopter link at bottom). One lucky winner will receive a $25 gift card from Amazon or Barnes & Nobles.
 

A *Rafflecopter* Giveaway (click to enter into the grand prize drawing