Special Guest: Eileen Schuh, author of SHADOW RIDERS

Today I welcome a good friend, author Eileen Schuh, to my blog. Eileen has a new release, and it even references one of my books. And today YOU get to read an excerpt. How cool is that? Take it away, Eileen...

NOW AVAILABLE IN EBOOK AND PAPERBACK FROM:

AMAZON

SMASHWORDS

And all fine online book retailers.

If it is not on the shelves of your local library or bookstore, please ask to have it ordered in for you.

“In Shadow Riders, Schuh takes us along on a horrifying, suspenseful trip.” ~ Catherine Astolfo, award-winning author of Sweet Karoline

“A riveting plot and dynamic characters will leave you craving more." ~ Luke Murphy, international bestselling author of Dead Man’s Hand and Kiss & Tell

From the moment she falls in love with the ‘bad boy’, the very core of her being is forever changed. 

Allison Montgomery is wrapping up a career as a successful entrepreneur when she’s brutally kidnapped and whisked to South Korea. To ensure her survival, she gradually forges a bond with Carbon, her smooth-talking but abusive captor, a bond that over time proves incredibly strong. Jail time, death threats, counselling—nothing can convince Allie to betray her illicit lover.

However, a team of dedicated cops, an understanding lawyer, her ex-husband— there are those who persist in believing she can break free of Carbon’s hold. She must. Justice for six massacred men depends on it.

- An exploration of the emotional ties that trap women in violent relationships. -

Excerpt from SHADOW RIDERS:

She ran her fingers over the embossed lettering on the cover of her book, Lancelot’s Lady by Cherish D’Angelo. Tim had the dark hair and deep eyes of the handsome hero, but he wasn’t rugged like the cover model. Tim was gentle, both in appearance and personality…

The long hours and extensive travel involved in running their business had often kept her and Tim apart. He had offered to change things—sell the company, hire more help, downsize. She’d tried to envision their marriage returning to the way it had been in the early years. However, she knew that it could never be the same. They were no longer young and full of energy and dreaming and sharing dreams and chasing dreams. They were old and worn and destined to walk in separate, dreamless worlds.

Allie traced the firm jaw of the hero on the cover. Love ought to be forever but seldom was. She had fought a dark, churning, growing feeling of doom for what seemed like a decade before they had split….

There was no doubt Tim loved her. He respected her. Allie thumbed through the first chapters of her book to refresh her memory. Tim wanted her, like Lancelot was driven to possess his lady on the Caribbean island. When her doorbell rang, she greeted her guests with her eyes still on the page…

Ah, yes. The romance novel versus the reality. We all eventually must face it—the truth about ‘happily ever after.’ The reality of being ‘old and worn and destined to walk in separate, dreamless worlds.”

It’s just that…the protagonist in a novel generally doesn’t face it.

Allison Montgomery does many things that fictional protagonists generally don’t do; she does things that real women do. Things like divorce her husband, go through menopause and…refuse to leave a violent relationship.

I thank Cheryl Kaye Tardif for allowing me to use her romance novel Lancelot’s Lady released under her pen name, Cherish D’Angelo, to help me shine light on the contrast between the fantasy and the reality in matters of the heart.

I like the irony of have a fictional character reading a novel. It somehow makes Allie more real. In fact, she becomes desperately real, uncomfortable so for some.

We see in her our weaknesses, and our desperation. Her poor decisions become ours, her illicit love ours…and we know none of it should be, because we are strong, we are woman.

Yet in reality we fail and flail and fall. And at times, do not want to rise back up.

We are victimized, manipulated, lied to, and loved…all by the very same man.

Allison Montgomery is us. Lancelot’s Lady is but a dream.

Author bio:

In addition to SHADOW RIDERS, Canadian author, Eileen Schuh has published three novels in her ongoing gritty Young Adult BackTracker Series: The Traz, Fatal Error and Firewalls. The Traz also comes in a School Edition. As well, she has to her credit two adult science fiction novellas, Schrödinger's Cat and Dispassionate Lies.

Born Eileen Fairbrother on a small farm near Tofield, Alberta, Canada, she now lives with her husband in Alberta’s northern boreal forest in the St. Paul area.  In addition to writing, she enjoys speaking to youth and adults about the magic of literacy and the social and personal issues addressed in her novels.

Schuh recently retired from a life of careers that varied from nurse to journalist to editor to business woman.

She invites you to visit her online:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon author page

Guest author Eileen Schuh talks about intensifying suspense with secret codes

Today I'd like to welcome my good friend, author Eileen Schuh to my blog. Be sure to read to the end and enter her contest--you might win some fabulous prizes. Take it away, Eileen...

There’s nothing that intensifies suspense like a good secret code.

In my new release, DISPASSIONATE LIES, my heroine, Ladesque, is living that suspense. The mysterious markings that are stymieing her are splashed across the DISPASSIONATE LIES book cover—squiggles and lines that conceal the secrets to her past.

It’s no secret why codes are intriguing. Shrug, one of my beloved characters in the BackTracker series, tells those who listen that knowledge is power and at some deep level we all agree. Since a code implies someone is keeping knowledge from us, we can’t help but believe that if we decipher the code, special powers will be ours.

I’ve used codes in past novels; there are several in FATAL ERROR that Katrina, my genius young BackTracker series protagonist, capably solves. One involves an encrypted message between gang members and another, a password.

The most memorable fictional code for me is in the movie Close Encounters when the aliens begin their communication with humans using colours and music. In fact, I liked that code so much I mention it in DISPASSIONATE LIES.

Codes come in many shapes and sizes. Encryption is what supposedly keeps our secure internet transactions secure. Yes, I know, it doesn’t work too well and works even less effectively in 2035 which is why in DISPASSIONATE LIES Ladesque is battling to give the world an internet system that can’t be breached.

Although they say easily deciphering codes is one of the main benefit mankind would receive from a quantum computer (and there is a futuristic quantum computer in DISPASSIONATE LIES), the mysterious language Ladesque is trying to decode is unrelated to that. She’s trying to uncover the truth about the intrigue, conspiracies and perhaps even murder blemishing her past. Without that knowledge, she’s not prepared to face her future, even if it might hold the massive power of a quantum computer.

It would not just be human codes that a quantum computer could decipher, it might make short work of uncovering the history of the universe as encoded in the stars. It might reveal to us the true nature of gravity, time and space and perhaps even time-travel. It might be able to translate into English, the songs of whales and relics of the past.

Whoever is the master of that first quantum computer will possess unfathomable knowledge—a power that can all be Ladesque’s, should she choose. However, first she must decode the diary that contains the facts about her past.

DISPASSIONATE LIES - Official Launch price ONLY $1.99 July 13 -26, 2014 on Amazon and Smashwords (Use coupon code GS42H on Smashwords for the eFormat of your choice.)

SCHRÖDINGER’S CAT joins the celebration at only 99₵ on Amazon and Smashwords! Smashwords coupon JU57W

About Eileen:

Eileen Schuh has published two adult Science Fiction novellas, SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT and her new near-future release, DISPASSIONATE LIES. She also has authored three novels in her young adult BackTracker series, THE TRAZ, FATAL ERROR and FIREWALLS. THE TRAZ is also available in a School Edition.

Her new near-future release, DISPASSIONATE LIES explores female sexuality against a backdrop of high-tech science, governmental and pharmaceutical conspiracies, espionage, and perhaps even murder.

SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT, with its tangled relationships, weaves intense emotion into the science of multi-universes.

Schuh, born Eileen Fairbrother in Tofield, Alberta, lives in Canada’s northern boreal forests and draws her inspiration from the wilderness, her grandchildren, family and friends, and her adopted community of St. Paul, Alberta.

Visit her online:
Blog: http://eileenschuh.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.eileenschuh.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EileenSchuhAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eileenschuh

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Guest Author: Eileen Schuh, author of FIREWALLS, talks suspense

"Sergeant Kindle wants us in his office," Syd said. The tension inside her coiled tighter. She glued her eyes to her computer monitor and slipped the black Jack onto the red Queen. Syd’s announcement ended her doubt; she was just moments away from losing her job. “Katrina?”

So begins my newest release, FIREWALLS – Book 3 in the BackTracker Series. It’s an opening that reflects what I’ve learned over the years from my mentor, publisher and best-selling author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif.

Thank you, Cheryl, for inviting me to guest on “The Suspense is Killing Me”, an appropriate title for your blog since you’re the master of the Suspense novel.

Although my books aren’t in the Suspense genre, every good book must have suspense—that ‘what-will-happen-next?’ feeling that drives readers to turn the page, read one more chapter, put dinner on hold, stay up until the sun rises in order to finish the novel.

For FIREWALLS, it’s my hope that Katrina’s coiling tension immediately becomes my readers’, that they will want to walk down the hall with her to Sergeant Kindle’s office—eager to find out what the heck she did that got her fired...if she gets fired.

I hope that by the end of the first page, my readers’ pulses and breathing have quickened, their jaws have tightened and their blood pressures have risen (only to safe levels, though, please).

In this opening chapter of FIREWALLS “What happens next?” is closely related to “What happened before?”—a very useful type of suspense when beginning a tale that requires background information. In writing a series like BackTracker, there’s a lot of back story from THE TRAZ and FATAL ERROR that has to get relayed in an entertaining manner.

Although what Katrina did to put her in danger of losing her job isn’t part of the preceding novels, Sergeant Kindle’s interrogation in the opening chapters of FIREWALLS reveals important details about her past that were. These details will hopefully help those who read previous novels remember the important stuff and make those who haven’t read them, want to.

It’s not just the suspense, though, that is important to a story; the resolution is, too. When the novel ends, the readers must feel satisfied. There has to be a wonderful, glorious, “Ah ha!” feeling when one finds out the past—“Now I know why that happened! Understand why she did that, why he said that, why he didn’t do what she wanted him to...”

And when all the ‘what happens next’s?’ are answered, readers should be left with a sense of fulfillment, of accomplishment and satisfaction—a feeling that reading this book was not a waste of time. That everything makes sense, even the surprises.

It’s not just at the beginning of FIREWALLS that I use the “What happened before?” suspense-building technique, I use it throughout the book, throughout the series. Several of my main characters, most notably Katrina and Shrug, have dark secrets, concealed motives, painful hidden pasts that readers want them to share. Some of those secrets remained veiled for many books to come.

In the BackTracker series, although each novel is a complete story, there are always lingering questions, that arise not from the plot (those questions are all answered) but from the characters themselves. We love them so much we just have to know what happened to them before we met them in THE TRAZ and what happens to them next?

What kind of kid were they? What kind of mother, husband, wife, boss will each of them become? Will the romance last forever? Will lost loves be reignited? Will Katrina ever be safe from the bikers? Will Shrug ever (please!) reveal his past?

Tell me more. Keep telling me more...

FIREWALLS http://mybook.to/firewalls

"Be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions..."

"Packed with humanity, crafted with insight."

"Schuh has created a character worthy of being called a hero."

"A tale of comfort and hope that we, too, can slay our own dragons."

"A gritty, fast-paced thriller"

* * * * * 

Eileen Schuh, author

http://www.eileenschuh.com

http://eileenschuh.blogspot.com

THE TRAZ viewBook.at/B007JW8RMA

THE TRAZ School Edition viewBook.at/B007JWGHZE

FATAL ERROR viewBook.at/B009P593YU

SCHRODINGER’S CAT http://bookShow.me/B005GLJET6

Special guest: Author Eileen Schuh talks about how special her Traz books are to her

THE TRAZ is special to me in so many ways, not the least of which is the fact that’s it’s my debut novel—the very first book with my name on the cover. Yup, that’s special!

THE TRAZ is special because although it was originally self-published, it sparked the attention of a publisher and netted me a two-book deal with Imajin Books.

THE TRAZ is special because Imajin Books also released a School Edition, in both eBook and paperback formats. And that edition is special because it contains a Teaching/Discussion Guide at the back and it includes a list of international resources for those seeking help with, or information on, the social issues touched on in THE TRAZ—such as gangs, drugs, and depression.

THE TRAZ is extra special because it has found its way into the libraries of Canada’s northern young offenders facilities, onto the shelves of the St. Paul Alternate Education Centre’s out-reach libraries, and onto the recommended reading list of a college criminology course.

THE TRAZ is exactly where it needs to be to help at-risk youth and the adults in their lives.

ON SALE for a limited time on AMAZON sites around the world.

THE TRAZ School Edition eBook is only 99₵ / £0.77  until 10 May 2013.

THE TRAZ 1^st edition paperback is only $8.99 / £5.86 and qualifies for Amazon’s free shipping where applicable.

viewBook.at/B007JWGHZE School edition

viewBook.at/0986938823 First edition paperback

“...can't wait to read the sequel...”

"... they draw her into the dark world of drugs, murder and lawlessness..."

"Exciting, powerful, and tragic...young adult book for all ages"

"Excellent characterizations, dialogue, interaction, descriptive settings..." 

"Every parent should read this book and discuss it with their kids."

"...for ‘tweens and teens to help those in trouble...in these emotionally- and physically cruel years."

Eileen Schuh, Author
FATAL ERROR
Schrödinger's Cat
THE TRAZ

Visit me on facebook http://www.facebook.com/EileenSchuhAuthor

Follow me on twitter @EileenSchuh

Meet me on Magic of the Muses: http://eileenschuh.blogspot.com 

Whale Song review: "Your words made me weep."

"I was captured by Cheryl Kaye Tardif’s emotional tale, “Whale Song”...it is brimming with the wisdom...an ageless story, though, and appeals to readers across generations. Whale Song teaches us not only about the traditions and lore of Canada’s west coast Indians, but also about ourselves—about the children we once were and the wise elders we are destined to become...Cheryl Kaye Tardif, your words made me weep."

--Eileen Schuh, author

Read the full review.

Ebook available at Kobo Books, Amazon & Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and more.

New trade paperback (2010 edition) now available at https://www.createspace.com/3486110. Coming soon to Amazon!

Visit Magic of the Muses, where author Cheryl Kaye Tardif talks about her pseudonym Cherish D'Angelo

Today, I was a guest over at Magic of the Muses, where I talk about pseudonyms and why some authors choose to use them--including me--and how my pen name "Cherish D'Angelo" came to be. When I checked the post today, I was greeted with a wonderful introduction from my friend and fellow author Eileen Schuh:

Thank you to Cheryl for not only offering us the following glimpse of her flirty, romantic, magical side, but also for sharing some of the darker moments in her life--tragedies that have made her the angel that she is. - Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer http://www.eileenschuh.com

The birth of Cherish D'Angelo, pseudonym of author Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Throughout literary history, pseudonyms or pen names have been used by authors for various reasons. For authors like Nora Roberts, having a pseudonym allows them to explore new territory, maybe a new genre or a series. My idol Stephen King wrote books under the pen name of Richard Bachman because he didn’t want the market saturated with “Stephen King” books. It was also part experiment; he wanted to test whether luck or talent played a part in publishing.

For me, the choice of writing as “Cherish D’Angelo” made sense...

Read more about Cheryl's pseudonym and discover why she picked the name Cherish D'Angelo.