Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: Ravens Cove by Mary Ann Poll @MaryAnnPoll @GoddessFish

Ravens Cove

by Mary Ann Poll

GENRE: Supernatural Thriller

BLURB:

Welcome to Ravens Cove, Alaska, a tiny town nestled in a small hollow on the majestic Cook Inlet. A town familiar with storytelling—after all, Alaska abounds in rich legends. In Ravens Cove, though, legends have a tendency to come to life.

Meet Josiah Williams, the peculiar stranger whose warning to lifetime residents Kat Tovslosky and her cousin, Sheriff Bart Andersen, raises more questions than answers; a man whose dark past and knowledge of the murders make him a suspect more than an ally. Join Kat and Bart as an unlikely troop forms (including a very unwelcome FBI agent) to discover the identity of a killer. The unearthing of which will throw the reluctant warriors into a battle for their very lives and the lives of all who call Ravens Cove home.

Excerpt:

“This is Agent Melbourne again. If you hang up, I will call back as many times as it takes. This is urgent. Tell your boss to pick up the phone, and do it now!”

Kat-fight mode sounded the first bell in the back of her brain. She knew her orders, and she would enforce them.

“With all due respect, Agent, no.” She dropped the phone into the cradle.

Ten minutes and several Melbourne calls later, Kat stomped to Bart’s office, angry at being ordered by the know-it-all FBI agent to get her “boss.”

Bart looked up to blazing eyes and a flushed face. He leaned back in his chair, linking his hands behind his head, and hoping his body language would diffuse the onslaught of emotion. It didn’t.

“There is an Agent Melbourne who keeps calling. He insists on talking to you.”

“Told you my policy on nosy outsiders.”

Being reprimanded brought the stew of frustration, weariness and hunger to a boil.

“Yes,” her voice rose, “yes you have. And, I told him, too. And I hung up. And he called back again, and again, and again. I hung up again, and again and AGAIN. He is now ordering me, under threat of interfering with FBI business, to put my ‘boss’ on the phone. He is on hold.”

Bart knew Kat. No matter who paid her, she did not have a “boss.” She had been, and always would be, a freethinker and free spirit. He could not control the grin creeping across his mouth.

Interview with Mary Ann Poll

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

I drew a blank on this question. So, I asked my husband of thirty-one years. He came back with, “A tiger.” Aww. He made me feel good. And, I like it. I choose a tiger.

How many hours a day do you put into your writing?

I don’t have a set time I spend on my writing. I am always thinking about the next book. I spend time researching. When I am at the computer and ready to write a new book, I start it and finish the first draft within three weeks. This said, I do write other content almost every day. I can be found talking with people on LinkedIn and other social media sites. Marketing is a large part of being an author. 

Do you read your book reviews? If yes, do they affect what you write in the future?

I do read my reviews. And, though they don’t affect the genre in which I write or my writing style, I do think about the reviews and incorporate any good ideas I get from them.

Do you leave hidden messages in your books that only a few people will find?

The closest thing to hidden messages in my books is the names of the evil entities. All but one are named in archaic English. (For example, Gambogian means yellow; Atramentous means dark or black.)

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Ravens Cove, An Iconoclast Thriller?

Kat Tovslosky is an independent, young woman, thirty-ish. She is fiercely loyal to anyone she considers family, human or animal. She is logical and skeptical. Ken Melbourne is a California transplant to Alaska. He is a talented FBI agent. He is opinionated and a bit arrogant at times. Bart Andersen is a loving, protective man. He’s very intelligent and doesn’t like anyone interfering in his work. Grandma Bricken is an older version of Kat – she is wise and unafraid. She doesn’t let her age dictate her life. Josiah Williams is a warm, and somewhat saddened, individual who has the ability to see what most others cannot. Iconoclast is evil personified. He has no truth in him and will use any way

Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future

Dullahan ended the Iconoclast series. My next book will still be a supernatural thriller but with new characters (and a few of the old ones will make an appearance, too). It is set in an abandoned theme park with a new nemesis for the characters to confront.

Do you allow yourself a certain number of hours to write or do you write as long as the words come?

As a writer, I never stop thinking about writing. I am not always writing on a new book. Many times, like now, I am writing an interview or answering questions from others on social media. I’m also one of the charter members of a group called Author Masterminds who created The Readers and Writers Book Club, so I write content for it on a regular basis.

Do you have a certain number of words or pages you write per day?

When I write a new book, I write for several hours a day—between 2,000 and 4,000 words.

What inspires you to write?

When I wrote Ravens Cove my inspiration was a promise to myself: I would write an entire novel. I chose the genre because nothing piques my curiosity more than the supernatural. It is a great mystery and one which lends itself to so many different stories.  It is this mystery, and the fun of creating a scary story, that keeps draws me back to writing. Writing is a passion and a purpose. I’ve considered never writing again. I can’t stop, though. When I’m not writing, I feel like I’m adrift in the sea and there is no life preserver in sight.

Would you rather

Read fiction or non-fiction?

Definitely fiction.

Read series or stand-alone?

I love a series IF each book contains a stand-alone story. I won’t read a series that leaves me hanging until I can buy the entire set.

Read Science fiction or horror?

Horror

Read Stephen King or Dean Koontz?

I love them both! Stephen King has been a ‘go to’ read for me, though.

Read the book or watch the movie?

Read the book.

Read an ebook or paperback?

I use both, especially since I read other authors’ works, and it is more convenient to download an eBook than wait for the hard copy. However, if I have my choice, I’ll pick a paperback every time. I love the feel of a book in my hands.

Be trapped alone for one month in a library with no computer or a room with a computer and Wi-Fi only?

I’d definitely take the library.

Do a cross-country book store tour or blog tour online?

This one is tough. I love book signings and meeting readers in person. Still, I’d choose a blog tour. It is so nice to write at my desk and thoughtfully answer questions or create an article. A plus: I can meet many more people on a virtual tour without having to do my hair and makeup 😊.  

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I’m Mary Ann Poll, America’s Lady of Supernatural Thrillers and charter member of Author Masterminds. The first question most people ask is, “What is an Iconoclast?” Iconoclast means, “The destroyer of religious beliefs or symbols.” I took this definition and applied it to the supernatural realm, which is how the Iconoclast Thriller series was born. My books revolve around the battle between good and evil. They also revolve around the heroic acts of ordinary people who must face extraordinary, even unbelievable, circumstances.

I draw from real-life experiences, as well as my imagination, to create these supernatural thrillers. My love for a creepy, goosebump-creating ghost story and my love for Christ come together in these books.

I am a proud pet lover, which is also reflected in my writing. In my off time, I enjoy gardening, swimming and spending time with beloved family.

I pray you enjoy reading Ravens Cove as much as I enjoyed writing it. Blessings in Christ!

Goodreads ~ Website ~ Facebook Profile ~ Facebook Page ~ Twitter

BUY LINKS:

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Giveaway:

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