All Hallows Eve Indies Guest Post: Decoding Evil Villains by Sarah J. Pepper + Giveaway!

Decoding Evil Villains
by Sarah J. Pepper

We LOVE to hate them.... And hate to love them. There is no doubt that the bad guys have a special place in our hearts for the sexy evil villians. They might have stolen our hearts too many times to count. But why? Why do we root and cheer for James Franco in Spider-Man 3 when we should be hoping for Spider Man to save the day? A geek and a pair of glasses? Please. Does he get your blood  pumping? I think you’d have to poke me with a stick just to see if I’m still alive.

James Franco in Spider-Man 3

My first thought is because they act on the evil impulses and thoughts--like punching our “Bill Lumberg” (Office Space) of a boss in the throat.  Come on. We've all *thought* about it.

Or, perhaps it’s their power or confidence they put off. People often hold back in life because they are scared of being made fun of or failing. Ever try eating alone at a restaurant or going to a movie by yourself and not feel like a leper by the end of it? I have and manage just fine, but I’m accompanied by an entourage of voices in my head. (Joking. Joking) Villians radiating confidence. Perhaps we like that about them because we admire that in others.


 Then there is the possibility that bad boys just wear leather better. What is it about leather that makes us *wiping drool off my chin* lose all ability to think straight? Intelligent woman stop speaking in the sight of Mr. So Wrong? Don’t believe me? Picture Eric Northman (yes, the blood sucking vamp that has a six-pack, chiseled body of a Greek God, a “man” that could protect me from the supernatural, and eyes that see into my soul).




 It’s the possibility of the unknown. The guy you bring home to meet your folks and marry is someone you trust, can predict, an is your best friend. There is little you don’t know about him…. Bad boys are anything but trustworthy, making their kept promises so memorable. They are unpredictable. Unpredictability can be good and bad…. *cough* especially in bed. It’s exciting and thrilling to not know what’s around the next turn. But when the boogie monster is around the next corner, who do you want: Mr. Hubby Fantastica or Christian Bale from the American Psycho?

Bad boys just do it better. *clearing throat* So if you are looking for a new book boyfriend” with a twisted dark side, I hope you enjoy the Mad Hatter from my latest novel, “Death of the Mad Hatter.”

Coming November 29th!

Death of the Mad Hatter

by Sarah J. Pepper

Publication Date:

November 29, 2013

The Jack prophesied: If the king loses his head, then the Queen with a Bleeding Heart would rule the Red Court until Time ceased to move forward. When a second carried on for infinity, every creature in Wonderland would tip their Hat to the misfit girl with a Boy’s name (or was it a boy with a Girl’s name?) who’d end the Reign of Terror. However, it all hinged on the One-Eyed Hare being able to convince an uninspirable Heir that the impossible was indeed possible—like stopping time—and that Love was worth a Beheading.

Heads would Roll…
Hearts would Break…
In the end, would it matter who Reigned?

AMIR'S 4.5 STAR REVIEW

About Sarah J. Pepper

I specialize in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn’t only filled with hugs, kisses, unicorns, and rainbows. True-love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn’t always on time, and the glass slipper is a little snug. However, it doesn’t mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit?

"Warning: Addictive passion erupts from her mouthwatering descriptions" - recent review.

Sarah J. Pepper lives in South Dakota with her real-life prince charming. At a young age, she fell for paranormal books and now incorporates that genre with romance that thrives in the hearts of us all. When she’s not storytelling, she’s most likely biking, hoarding chocolate, or taking a bubble bath.

STALK HER AT:

 WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

Giveaways!

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This guest post is part of the All Hallows Eve Indies Blog Tour:

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Tour Stop: Guest Post by The Silent Swan Author, Lex Keating + Giveaway!

Title:  The Silent Swan
Author:  Lex Keating
Published:  August 26th, 2013
Publisher:  AltWit Press
Word Count:  132,000
Genre:  YA Contemporary Romance
Links: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Once upon a time – better known as “now” - Gabriel Pritz reigns as king of his high school. Easy grades, perfect baseball season, a pretty date for prom—he's coasting into a golden future. Until his parents demand he cook dinner once a week. Caught between kitchen fires and ballpark withdrawal, Gabe is thrown into Tam Swann's orbit. Hostile, friendless, and stubborn, she's exactly the sort of person he'd prefer to avoid.

Tam's sphere of influence expands beyond Gabe's sad domestic skills, rapidly invading everything from his favorite game to parts of his soul he didn't know existed. It's uncomfortable, it's hard work, it's...making him a better man. And that's just what she does to people she doesn't like. The better he gets to know her, the more he has to face the truth: this sharp, heart-breaking outcast is worth fighting for. How many families, fairy tales, and felons will he go through to ride to the rescue of the bravest person he's ever met?

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Who would I cast in the film version of The Silent Swan...?

It is so funny that you ask this question, because that was the first thing my editor wanted to know. And, like when she asked me, it's not easy to answer. Our girl, Tam Swann, is a dead ringer for her mother, Maya, who looked an awful lot like Natasha McElhone →

I don't know of any young actresses who quite fit that, but I do think either of the Panabaker sisters could pull her off nicely. →

As for Gabe Pritz? Well, on the one hand, we have the lovable voice of Ferb and portrayer of Jojen Reed, Thomas Brodie-Sangster. →

And on the other, we have the somewhat scruffy but certainly interesting Max Thieriot. ←

Decisions, decisions...

Both main characters come with a terrible lot of brothers, of whom Alex Pritz and Mishka Swann are the only two who merit specific direction. The remaining Pritz boys depend on which gentleman you cast for Gabe (Jake must be cuter, and Mike must be taller, so where we set those bars varies), and Tam's brothers are young enough that predictions now would be tricksy.

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Guest Post: S.C. Barrus on Choosing Independence

We are always willing to help out authors to get their work out there. Although there have been instances in the past when some independent authors muddied the self-published category because of bad behavior and unedited work, we do not judge a whole industry for a few people's actions. We have personally read a number of self-published gems and some of them we've reviewed with high ratings. 

Today we invited independent author S.C. Barrus to share his reasons for choosing independence.

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Over the last few months, as I finished writing my steampunk adventure novel Discovering Aberration, I found myself forced to make an important decision choice. Did I want to shop around for agents and pursue traditional publishing route or take on all the responsibilities, challenges and rewards of pushing headlong into independent publishing.

Both come with their own unique set of pros and cons. Trad publishing is a long time accepted route offering the backing of a major corporation, while staying independant offers complete hands on control but is paired with the risks a corporation would take on for me.

I’ve always been an indie at heart. Even so, these two sides waged war within my mind. When the ashes settled, it simply came down to the fact that I wanted firsthand knowledge of everything that goes behind publishing a successful novel. Not just the writing of it, but the whole process.

But with this decision came a vow I made to myself: my novel would be held to the same high standards as a traditionally published work in every regard.

 

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