Author: Brian and Juliet Freyermuth
Series: Sundancer #2
Pages: 286
Date Published: August 19th, 2014
Publisher: Middark Press
Format: Paperback
Genre: Paranormal
Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours
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Synopsis:
When a vampire asks Nick St. James to investigate his friend’s murder, the answer should have been easy, right? NO. Okay, not so easy. How do you say no to a friend like Felix? Besides, with Thelma by his side, what could go wrong? She’s got that, umm … cute pink backpack of Voodoo magic. Of course it hurts that she manages to look good even when she accidentally conjures and gets possessed by a drunk loa. No, it won’t be at all distracting to have her along. Since no good deed goes unpunished, a crazy man with starry eyes jumps out of the shadows at the victim’s apartment and pummels them. Their attacker doesn’t just beat them up but also infects them with some bad mojo that’s killing Thelma and making Nick angry … angrier.
If the trail to the suspect—the Green Man—is any indication, they’ll be killed before the poison finishes the job. The old gods are more dangerous than helpful. The Watchers—even the one who seems to have a brain—are always a hazard. And what’s with the all the minions? Who has minions anymore? Not to mention the rapid progression of the infection that quickly upgrades Nick’s condition to ‘blind-rage-filled.’
Why couldn’t Felix have just asked Nick to help him move?
~Guest Post!~
Playlist for Mind of
the Beast
People always ask me if I listen to music while I write. The
funny thing is, I can’t see myself not listening
to music when I write.
How it works is simple. I determine the emotional mood of
the scene I need to write, and then I turn on music that fits. I love a HUGE
range of music, so the artist doesn’t matter as much as the mood. (I like to
tell people that I listen to everything from the soothing sounds of Enya to the
hip-hop of Rhianna to the gothic metal of In Flames. My son gives me funny
looks when he hears my playlists). On the other hand, Juliet listens to music
before she sits down but needs silence when she writes.
So, without further ado, here are the top ten songs and
artists I listened to while working on Mind
of the Beast.
1) Lacuna Coil: This is a big one. They
are an Italian metal band, and their album, Dark
Adrenaline was on repeat quite a bit as I wrote the novel. The gothic
nature of the band fits really, really well with the Sundancer series. You can
check them out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyl4EinZsMY
.
2) In Flames: Another gothic band, this
one from Sweden. I used them more in Demon
Dance than I did with Mind of the
Beast, but some of their songs were still used to fuel the action scenes in
the new novel. Especially the song “Deliver Us”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTiQ75HY0DA
.
3) Eminem “The Monster”: And on the other
end of the spectrum we have Eminem. “The Monster” is a great song about
becoming something you don’t want to become, and it encompassed a lot of the
self-doubt Nick felt through the novel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHkozMIXZ8w
4) Coldplay: A staple of any Sundancer
novel is Coldplay. As you can guess, these songs play during the downturns,
those points in the book where things turn bittersweet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB-RcX5DS5A
5) Within Temptation - Hydra: Now back to the metal side of things. Within
Temptation’s latest album “Hydra” came out around the time I began Mind of the Beast, so it went into the
playlist. WT is like Lacuna Coil, but it’s a little less gothic. They also
aren’t afraid to try something different. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awvqIi427_A
6) Jim Dooley - Veiled Nation: I worked with Jim on Epic Mickey 2: The Power of
Two, and you’ll probably recognize his name from the television show, “Pushing
Daises”, as well as a host of other movies, games, TV, and even the Circus. His
trailer album, “Veiled Nation” played during the truly epic fight scenes in the
book. http://jimdooley.com/
7) Lindsey Stirling: Like Jim Dooley’s
music, I listen to Lindsey Stirling during truly epic moments, as well as any
scene that needs a sense of wonder. She has an amazing mixture of violin and
pop, with a little Dubstep mixed in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvTUuxQz8co
8) Sirenia - Seven Widows Weep: Another gothic metal staple for the
Sundancer series, this album came back into rotation during the more
fantastical elements in the book. This band is a perfect example of metal with
a Norse twist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCxgJFjnZw
9) Sting “Fields of Gold”: Whenever I have
a scene that is particularly emotional or bittersweet, I listen to this song. I
like the acoustic version, but the original is great too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLVq0IAzh1A
10) Imagine Dragons “Demons”: Most of the
time when we write, we get lost in the story and the words. It’s fun and
energizing and you know you’re telling a good tale. However, there are times
when the words fade from the page and you are swept along by a dark ocean. You
have no clue where it’s going to take you, and when you’re finished, you’re
left breathless in the face of what
you just wrote. There’s a scene in Mind
of the Beast, where the main character, Nick, needs to face his past. I
started with the song “Demons” by Imagine Dragons on repeat, just to see where
the scene would go. Forty-five minutes later I emerged, blinking weakly in the
sunlight. I had tears in my eyes and had almost no recollection of what I just
wrote. Needless to say, it’s my favorite scene in the book, and I have this
song to thank for it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRsgZuwf_8
So
that’s my list for Mind of the Beast.
Some of these will make it back into the playlist for the sequel, along with
new ones that come my way. They are the soundtrack for my muse, and for that
I’m grateful.
~Try an Excerpt!~
“How about a beer?” Felix asked.
“Beer? I didn’t know you could drink that.” A beer actually
does sound good, I thought as I put away the coffee beans and grabbed a couple
bottles from the fridge.
“We can drink or eat anything as long as it doesn’t have
garlic in it,” Felix said as I handed him a bottle. “That shit burns, man. I
once saw a couple of vamps have a garlic eating contest.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “They were bored.”
“Who won?” I asked as I sat down in my old black recliner.
“Their heads caught on fire.”
I blinked.
“Seriously, it was like chomp-chomp-poof.” A ghost of a
smile played across his lips. “Our bodies burn out most food. High metabolism
or something. Does nothing for the hunger, though. I know a few that don’t eat
at all,” he said before chugging the amber liquid.
“Did you know,” he continued, “there’s a dude who actually
wrote a book called The Anatomy of a Vampire? He wrote it like fiction so the
Watchers wouldn’t get him, but I’ve had a couple of my peeps on the slab over
the years. He was right on the money. Talked about how our cells don’t work
with food anymore, man. Just blood. How we can eat and eat and eat, but the
blood just sends the food packing. Talk about having something go right through
you.” He chuckled, although the humor didn’t reach his eyes. “Another reason
most vamps don’t eat or drink.”
~Meet Brian&Julie!~
After 18
years of marriage, Brian and Juliet Freyermuth decided to try something crazy;
write a book together.
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Brian’s
writing is not limited to print. For twenty years he wrote and designed games
such as Fallout, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Epic Mickey 2 and Lichdom:
Battlemage.
Juliet’s love
for writing began with a fourth grade assignment. She has been writing ever
since. Her writing took a new direction when she enrolled in journalism and met
amazing people. Whether it is an article about anthropology or a hero’s journey
in a magical world, she hopes to inspire readers to new possibilities.
When Brian
and Juliet aren’t writing, they enjoy reading, watching shows like Persons of
Interest and going on road trips with their son, Kyle.
Website:
www.magicalunderworld.com
Josh will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host.
Thanks for hosting! Readers:
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