Dark
Siren
Book
1
Eden
Ashley
Genre:
YA Paranormal Romance
Publisher:
Eden Ashley
Date
of Publication: July 2013
ISBN:
0989963217
ASIN:
B00DSPPOX2
Number
of pages: 427
Word
Count: 100K
Cover
Artist: Victoria Faye
Book
Description:
To
survive, their bond must be unbreakable.
When
the mysterious and passionate Rhane rescues Kali from an attacker in
the theater parking lot, they form an immediate, smoldering
connection. But Kali doesn't remember Rhane or anything from their
past. As far as Kali knows, she's just a seventeen-year-old kid
coping with an insatiable hunger for the “spark” or energy of
others, feeding on classmates to survive.
A
unique artifact—one that may hold the key to returning Kali’s
memories—is uncovered by the archaeology firm where she works
part-time, sending Kali and Rhane on a dangerous journey that leads
them to the Forbidden City, into the unforgiving Gobi, and into the
ruins of Rhane’s ancient homeland. As they fight for survival, Kali
begins to discover who she really is and the true power she
possesses. But Rhane still harbors a secret that could destroy
Kali…unless old enemies kill her first.
Excerpt:
The sound of her
screams reached him as he neared the dorm. Pausing at the threshold,
the man stepped inside. Death and the wind were at his back. Dozens
of hollow-eyed students turned to observe his presence. Fear had
twisted their youthful faces into horrific masks. A few of them wept.
Others clung together as another scream echoed into the night. The
man flinched. Then he steeled himself against all emotion. His kind
was supposed to feel nothing.
He made his way
through the crowd, students eagerly shuffling aside to let him pass.
It was as if somehow they sensed in him the power to end her
suffering. When a young man dressed only in boxers and a lettered
shirt stepped forward from a cluster of solemn dorm mates, the man
stopped. He recognized the boy.
“You are William.
You are the one who called.”
“Yes, sir,” the
young man said while nodding. His eyes were wide and frightened as he
pointed ahead to a closed door painted prison grey. “She’s in
there, sir.”
The man looked at
the door, and then back at the boy. “Is she alone?”
William’s
shoulders slumped with embarrassment. “I tried to stay with her
but…” his voice trailed, dropping to a hoarse whisper. “She
looks bad, sir. She wouldn’t stop screaming for me to get out. I
got scared. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright,
son. You have done well.” The man laid a hand on the boy’s
shoulder with an encouraging smile that reflected none of the sadness
he felt. “She’s going to be okay.”
But her cries were
becoming more tormented by the second. He quickly continued down the
hall to the grey door. Behind it, he found her all alone. Her thin,
pale body was curled on a beaten sofa in the center of the room. She
was drenched in sweat. Dark hair plastered against her face, framing
a beautiful canvas contorted with anguish. He placed a hand gently on
her forehead.
Her eyes fluttered
open. “Daddy?”
“I’m here,
sweetheart. Everything is fine now.”
Sobbing in relief
even as another surge of agony ransacked her strength, she gritted
her teeth. “It hurts.”
Squeezing her hand,
he spoke in a voice thick with regret. “I know. I’m sorry.
Letting you come here was a mistake. I’ve waited too long.”
She was lost in the
pain and didn’t seem to hear him. “I see horrible things. I did
horrible things. There was so much blood.”
It hurt him terribly
to see her in such distress. No matter what the others said, this
girl had truly been his daughter. But right now, his love for her
could not matter. He had a job to do. There were things he needed to
know. There were questions he had to ask.
“What do you see?”
“Bodies,
hundreds of bodies littering the ground…” The words broke off as
she rolled with another wave of misery. “They’re burned…old and
young, women and children.” She sobbed again. “I think I burned
them.”
“I’m going to
give you something to stop the pain. It will help you sleep.”
“Please hurry,
Daddy. Make it stop.” Her body shuddered. “I can’t take any
more of this.”
She
lifted her head, giving him a good look at her face. Surging veins
had crept like black spiders from the corners of her eyes,
transforming the surrounding skin into dark pools. She was
deteriorating rapidly. If the process wasn’t slowed, the human form
would soon be lost.
About
the Author:
Realist, cynic, and hopeless
romantic all rolled into one, Eden lives in a small, sunny town in SC where
thunderstorms inspire her best ideas. When not daydreaming about her next
novel, Eden can be found curled up with a musty old paperback and a cup of
coffee...or mired deeply in her next plot to take over the world. She enjoys
reading or watching anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal
and fantasy romance is a natural fit.
Interview
Eden
Ashley
Though I call the capital home now, I’m originally
from a really tiny town in sunny South Carolina. And by tiny, I mean a
population of less than one thousand people.
Tell
us your latest news?
Two books in the Dark Siren series have made
Amazon’s Bestseller lists in their respective genres. I have a screenshot of Dark Siren sitting right between Twilight Eclipse and Beautiful Chaos. That was an exciting,
surreal moment.
When
and why did you begin writing?
A few years ago, I found short stories written in
crayon by me from when I was a little kid. Apparently, my muse reared her strange
head at very young age. I have always loved the written word and started making
up stories as soon as I learned how to properly hold a pencil (or crayon).
When
did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I published my second book, Banewolf, I said okay, this is for real
now.
What
inspired you to write your first book?
I had this idea in my head that started as a
daydream, and I just couldn’t get rid of it. Eventually, the idea kept growing
and evolving until it became a full blown, four-part saga of a love
transcending centuries of time.
Do
you have a specific writing style?
I try to be descriptive but not wordy with my prose.
I keep dialogue as realistic and as tight as possible, writing what would come
naturally to the character if he/she were truly alive and placed in whatever
situation they have found themselves in.
How
did you come up with the title?
Well, it started out as a novel entitled The Siren’s Heart, but after a major
rewrite, I centered the title around the main character’s identity and road to
self-discovery—hence Dark Siren. Kali
is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, supernatural creature, but she’s also dark. Her
past isn’t a pretty one. Her road to redemption is dangerous and difficult.
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
This series really explores what truly makes a
family and the bonds within them. When the strength of those bonds is tested,
people are forced to make difficult choices that may not be for the greater
good. I wanted to see where the characters would go if they couldn’t make the
heroic choice, if they couldn’t make the sacrifices heroes typically make in
order to save the world. How would the chips fall then?
How
much of the book is realistic?
The story initially starts off really realistic in
the first book with the fantasy world gradually building into a stronger
presence through the progression of each book. In personal reading, I don’t
like starting a book and then immediately getting slammed with alien terms and
descriptions that must be learned in order to grasp the setting of the story,
so I try not to do that in my own writing. I lean toward measured reveals and
developments, using humor and action to balance out the pace.
Are
experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
No, not all. These stories are ripped straight from
my extremely overactive imagination.
What
books have most influenced your life most?
I tend to be a strictly fiction reader who doesn’t
let the lovey, dovey happily ever after, rich tycoon or sexy werewolf/vampire
alpha wet-dream-in-the-flesh stuff influence my real world. It would just lead
to disappointment…or a trip to the nut house!
If
you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I think Ayn Rand’s stuff is awesome and would love
to be able to reach that level of writing but that is a pipedream. I say that,
but I really wouldn’t consider her a mentor. I wouldn’t consider any author a
mentor. When it comes to writing, I like originality and prefer to think
outside the box. That’s just my fiercely independent nature shining through.
What
book are you reading now?
For me, life as an indie writer, publisher, and
marketer has hugely impacted the time I have for personal/enjoyment-only
reading. Like it barely exists unless I’m on vacation. Thankfully, that is
happening soon! I haven’t decided what book I’m taking with me to California
yet, but it’ll probably be a thriller of some sort. Or I might revisit an old
favorite like Bet Me by Jennifer
Crusie. Gosh, I really love that book!
Are
there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I don’t know how “new” these ladies are, but there a
couple of titles from M. Malone and E.L Todd that are currently on my Kindle.
I’ll be delving into their stories very soon!
What
are your current projects?
I’m currently putting the final touches on a New
Adult Fantasy/Romance entitled Love, Alchemy. It’ll be here in July 2016 and
I’m pretty excited about it!
What
would you like my readers to know?
Dark
Siren is the first book in a four-part series. If you’re
someone who loves paranormal with your romance and doesn’t mind action, hot
sex, strong suspense, or unexpected plot twists then make this series next on
your to-read list. I think you’ll love it.
Twitter:
@Eden_byNite
Realist,
cynic, and hopeless romantic all rolled into one, Eden lives in a
small, sunny town in SC where thunderstorms inspire her best ideas.
When not daydreaming about her next novel, Eden can be found curled
up with a musty old paperback and a cup of coffee...or mired deeply
in her next plot to take over the world. She enjoys reading or
watching anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal
and fantasy romance is a natural fit.
Tour giveaway 2 $10 Starbucks Gift Cards
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for telling me about this book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Sara :)
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWonderful cover, and great interview! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Victoria really did an awesome job on the cover.
DeleteI enjoyed the interview.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteDefinitely intrigued by this! Between the cover and blurb, I'm reading this. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome. Hope you love it!
Delete