IMHO Welcomes Debut Author Jessa Slade!

Jessa Slade estimates that her journey to “The Call” took almost a hundred rejections over more than a decade on nearly a million final draft words, rounded to the nearest heartache.

Her debut urban fantasy romance Seduced by Shadows, Book 1 of The Marked Souls, was called “[a] rich crossover urban fantasy” by Publishers Weekly and “wonderfully addictive” by NYT bestselling author Gena Showalter. Tragically, her grandmother’s good friend called it “the trashiest thing I’ve ever read.” Which is so not true, Jessa insists.

Personally, she is afraid of failure, rattlesnakes (but not other snakes), and squishy textured foods like tapioca. IMHO intends to introduce her to bread pudding, just to see how she reacts. She has no plans, by the way, to get over any of those fears. If you are interested in stalking her, Jessa makes it simple. She can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, and other places like MySpace, Goodreads and her weekly group blog with links available at her website.


Jessa will put a copy of her debut novel, Seduced by Shadows, in the “Love is Scary!” tote bag . . . and in fact, has offered to provide two copies, so each of our lucky winners will receive one! Yeah, Jessa!
 
The war between good and evil has raged for millennia, but now evil is winning, and The Marked Souls are caught in the middle…
After an accident left her near death, Sera Littlejohn is struggling to piece her life together again. But when a violet-eyed stranger reveals a supernatural battle veiled in the shadows, Sera is tempted to the edge of madness by a dangerous desire.

Ferris Archer takes Sera under his wing now that she is talyan, possessed by a repentant demon with hellish powers. Archer and his league of warriors have long risked their demon-shattered souls to stop darker spirits from wreaking havoc. But they’ve never fought beside a female talya before, and never in all his centuries has Archer found a woman who captivates him like Sera.

With the balance shifting between good and evil, passion and possession, Sera and Archer must defy the darkness and dare to embrace a love that will mark them forever…

IMHO: So, Jessa, I have to say I love your tagline for this series:

Love conquers all... Which explains the scars.

Too cool. And who among us doesn’t have a few love scars to boast of, right? I’m betting your hero, Archer, has plenty. Tell us more.

JS: Thanks, TJ. Yes, Ferris Archer has had a rough immortal life. He inadvertently sold his soul to a devil—well, actually a repentant demon, but the resultant damnation is the same. To earn his way back into grace, he must work with the demon inside him, destroying the decidedly non-repentant forces of evil skulking through our oblivious world. With a massive battle axe and a fierce dedication bordering on suicidal, he risks his life and his soul to confront the malice which are small, clever, incorporeal demons that freeze the spirit, and the hulking ferales formed of demonic ethers and bits of earthly carcasses.

Those monstrosities are nothing to him. But Archer has one little fear: He’s afraid to love.

Oh, he manages to get through a century without actually facing his fear. The cadre of demon-possessed warriors like him—called talyan—are all male (a hopelessly ragtag band of alpha bad boys if ever there was one) and the endless nights of battle cut into dating hours anyway.

Until the first female talya appears.

Sera Littlejohn had no idea this underground world of fighters defending the souls of the city even existed until a wayward demon came to her and yet she’s a threat to Archer unlike any he’s known. Because he has already sacrificed his life and soul. Now he’s losing his heart.

How can love be so terrifying, especially to a man who fights demons? Because love requires us to make ourselves vulnerable, to open ourselves, to let someone in. Other feelings might be outwardly directed, but love demands a level of internal exposure that goes against every offensive and defensive technique Archer practices. He can’t call on his demon’s quickness or strength to protect him and its healing powers can’t fix a broken heart. Worse, love comes to him like the demon did—with promises too good to be true.

Sera’s compassion forces him to remember all that he has lost. Her warmth brings his chilled emotions painfully to life. Even her less sterling qualities force him to make a place for her, like when her impossible resolution to stop a malevolent rogue demon puts her in harm’s way and only Archer can save her. Because of her, his self-imposed immunity to pain, fear and desolation—hard won with each demon slain—is in danger.

Ah, but if there’s one thing Archer isn’t afraid of, it’s danger.

So bring it on, love. Suddenly you don’t seem so scary after all.

IMHO: Hmmm, dangerous love can be so very interesting, can it not? Okay, IMHO readers, for a chance to win Jessa’s book, one of my historical romances, and at least one other guest host’s book, along with a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com, tell Jessa about your favorite Halloween costume ever. Remeber, you can always find my contest rules on my website's contest page.

 TJB