Inferno Cover Reveal and Teasers!

In just a few weeks, the fourth and final installment of the SKALS series will be done. While I’ll miss the characters and journey dearly, I’m looking forward to starting new projects and seeing what the future will bring. I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the messages, love, and support you’ve shared with me. This has been one crazy ride, and I know the path hasn’t always been easy. (I guess that’s my way of apologizing for my sick and twisted imagination. 😉 ) Thanks for toughing it out and sticking with me.  Never, in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined all of the amazing people I would meet. That, for me, has honestly been the BEST part.

Best wishes and much LOVE!~

Adri

 

 

 

SKALS Birthday Bash!

Sebastian has a birthday coming up! It’s hard to believe, but in a mere 12 days, the first book in the SKALS series will be a year old. I have no idea where the time went or how it all flew by so quickly. All I know is it has been one amazing journey, and I have met so many fantastic people along the way. The love and support I get from my readers is beyond humbling. (Sebby is beyond thankful too!)

In order to celbrate, we’ve thrown together a little contest. This will run until March 25 on my FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adriana-Noir/124836300943575

Feel free to stop by and enter or just say hello! I’ll also be posting some upcoming news about the 4th and last book in the series soon. Much love!~

Adri

Edge of Obsession (SKALS #3) Cover Reveal

Sooo….I think it’s time for a little cover reveal and blurb. The 3rd installment in the SKALS Series is almost here!

~ Coming 8-30-2013 ~

Sebastian Baas is at a crossroads. After a near brush with death left them both reeling, he is determined to rebuild the life he’s created with Taylor. He burns for revenge, but settling that score won’t be easy. Betrayal runs rampant behind the scenes of the lethal SKALS organization. His life was traded for secrets. Greed and ambition have rocked his team to its core and, once that web of deceit starts to unravel, Sebastian is no longer certain where he can turn.

Marx is coming down hard. One by one, his teammates are starting to shatter. Cases run cold and the dreaded reconditioning cells grow full. New threats are emerging and, this time, they are powerful enough to bring SKALS and the men behind it crashing to their knees.

As the pressures at work increase, Sebastian finds himself locked in a bitter struggle—trapped between self and duty, survival or love. No longer able to ride the fine line between the two, he has to make a decision once and for all: lose what’s left of his humanity or find a way to save himself and the people he loves.

Either way, Sebastian and Taylor are about to begin the fight of their life. Take SKALS or leave it: once that decision is made, there is no turning back…

Before I go, I just wanted to say thank you! I feel like I can’t say that enough, or even find a way that’s adequate, but seriously…thank you so much for the comments, love,  and support you’ve been sending my way.  I couldn’t do this with out you! And even if I could, it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun!

Rock on and have a fantastic week!

~Much Love~

Adri

Want to be an author? Use your own effin’ words!

Wow. Just wow. You would think I would learn by now, but no. I keep popping my head out of the sand, taking a look around, and ultimately wishing I hadn’t! Holy bat shit, Robin. The whole damn world has gone crazy.

I don’t even know where to start this time. My thoughts are all over the place. It seems some recently released book was, in large part, plagiarized. Not just from one best-seller, but two. Maybe even more. *blinks* Say whaaaa?  http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/the-plagiarizing-of-tammara-webbers-easy-by-jordin-williams/

The real kicker—this book was doing really well. It was seeing the kind of numbers I only see in my dreams.

I feel horrible for the authors who took the time to create their own stories, who poured their heart and soul into their characters, and busted their asses to get where they are—only to have someone else turn around and steal large portions of their work. It sickens me. It makes me want to turn insta-Seb on their behalf and bust out the SKALS team, helicopters and all.

I find this infuriating. You just don’t DO that. Ever. I’ve been sitting on a fighter story for three years now. It’s next in line after SKALS. I won’t even touch another book about fighters of any kind until mine is done because I don’t want to take the smallest chance that something I read might influence me, even subconsciously. Apparently, I’ve missed out on some really great stuff, too—but that’s the way it goes.

There’s research—there’s drawing inspiration—and then there’s just taking things too damn far.

I don’t care how callous you are. How could you possibly feel an ounce of pride in yourself or your work after ripping someone else off? How could that possibly make you feel like you’re good at what you do or that you accomplished something? I’m not talking about the smug feeling you get when you do something devious and get away with it. I’m talking about the pure, unadulterated, and exhilarating rush you feel when you finally finish a book.

It’s the same feeling you get when you’ve poured every ounce of effort and determination into something, given it all you had, and finally accomplished a goal. It’s like winning a gold medal at the Olympics. The feeling is indescribable.

I don’t know how anyone could feel anything but shame and guilt after putting something out there that isn’t theirs. Soulless or not, could you really feel proud watching a book that you plagiarized climb the ranks? After all, it’s not your story or your writing that they love. It’s somebody else’s. I would think, somewhere in the back of that person’s addled little brain, that notion would always be there. At least, I certainly hope so.

They jipped themselves. They betrayed their readers in a way that is beyond unforgivable. They wounded some of their own. As competitive as the market is, many writers look out for one another. We stick together. We bond and form families of sorts, friendships that will last a lifetime, because so few people truly understand us and what we go through.

This plagiarist climbed the rankings at a furious pace, breaking well into the top 300 on Amazon in a few days. They will never know if they could have climbed that mountain on their own. Maybe they could’ve been something spectacular. Maybe their ideas could have left people breathless. Their words could have inspired and made readers fall in love. Instead, their career is ruined before it ever had a chance to start. They will never know what they could have accomplished on their own or what that feels like.

That side of it is sad. The side where somebody crawled down into the ninth circle of hell and sold their soul without even giving their self a fair shot. Maybe it’s easier to say because I’m not in that position, but I think I would rather write a hundred books and there not be a single person on the face of the planet who’s ever read my work than stoop to that level. After all, at the end of the day, I write for me—because I have to—because it’s what I love to do. Because if I didn’t, I would simply cease to breathe.

Life is hard. There’s no denying that. We all have goals we set for ourselves. We all have things we want to accomplish, and most of us will keep going and do whatever we have to do to get there. It’s called ambition and drive. There is no shame in feeding that hunger, as long as steps you are taking are your own.

We are all unique. We all have something to offer this world. We all have worth. It’s our job to let it shine. Don’t ever sell yourself short. I keep saying this, but every time I turn around, someone makes me feel the need to say it again:

Be bold. Be brave. Be fearless. Be YOU.

No matter what happens, that is something you can still be proud of in the end.

*end rant* GAH!

~Best wishes and much love~

Adri

 

Surviving SKALS Giveaway!

As mentioned before, I wanted to do a little something special for my friends and readers. Granted, it’s a few days behind schedule, but things have been crazy busy here and I already have one Facebook contest/giveaway ending tonight. What can I say? I love you guys. Your support and comments always mean so much, (dear God I could LIVE on Goodreads lately) so I want to give a little something back when and how I can. As much as the mental image of me hoarding every penny I make off of my books and hoovering over them like Scrooge or the dragon Smaug makes me laugh…that’s just not who I am. Besides, who would I be kidding? I would write regardless. It’s do or die for me, just like breathing.

Soo…here you go. If you listen carefully, you might hear a slow, rhythmic churn start to build in the background. Don’t be afraid. It’s just one of the SKALS helicopters preparing to launch. Or maybe it’s just the Rafflecopter I’ve put in place. I guess there is only one way to know for sure. Sit and ride it out…that and hope like hell it’s not Sebastian when he’s in a mood. 😉

http://bit.ly/11I71IK

It should start tonight at midnight, EST. Hope you are all having a wonderful week & best of luck!

~Much Love

Adri

Little Life Lessons

Ah! It’s that dreaded time of year again. With my birthday right around the corner, I’ve been doing a lot of reflection lately and not nearly enough writing. It’s my typical spring slump. In true spring fashion, things have been chaotic lately. Add to that the absolute joy and nervousness of a new release, and well…I’m pretty much wired and bouncing from one end of the interweb to the other. I can’t even focus long enough to read! Insanity, right? Or at the very least, mentally traumatic. I mean who *doesn’t* want to get lost in a good book?

What have I learned in the past year while the planet slowly rotated and I grew another year older? A few things. Some were lived, some were observed.

As much as I may want to, I can’t control everything. Some things are simply out of my hands and my capability to change.

Sometimes, you have to let go of the past in order to embrace your future.

No matter how damn hard you try, you will never be able to make everyone happy. That’s why it’s so important that you make the best decisions for *you.* Be mindful and considerate of others and their feelings, but don’t forsake yourself in the process. At the end of the day, be sure those choices are ones you can live with too. Make sure they put a smile on your face. You only live once, baby.

Be passionate in life and love. Be radiant. Freaking shine. Shine like the effin’ sun. Even if you are the only one who can see that light, trust me…it’s still there.

Love your readers for all they’re worth—because they are worth far more than you know. Give that love unconditionally. Show and share it often. Make time for them. They are the ones who make every arduous step you’ve taken worth it.

Opinions are subjective—they are personal—and everyone is entitled to have one. Be thankful someone took the time to read something you wrote. Be thankful someone took the time to share their thoughts. Hell, be thankful someone took their hard-earned money and invested it in something you did. The next time you feel like complaining, consider this: There are best-selling books—some of the most beloved and famous authors of all time—with low ratings and everything else. If *they* can get them, you will too. Not everyone is going to love you or your book. Get OVER it. Suck it up and move on. Some people will love your work. Others will hate it, and some will fall somewhere in between. That’s just the way it goes. As Forrest Gump would say, “And that’s all I have to say about that.”

Never ever give up. Never stop doing what you love. Keep reaching further and striving harder every day. Eventually, you will get to where you want to be.

Be gracious. Be kind, but be honest.

Forgive. Both yourself and others. Nobody is perfect. We ALL make mistakes. We’ve all done or said things we wish we could take back. The best we can hope to do is learn from those moments and move forward as better people.

Be bold. Be brave. Push those envelopes and comfort zones from time to time. You might be glad you did!

Family is everything. At the end of the day, they are what matters most.

Friends are a rare and precious gift.

I don’t have enough time in the day or fast enough fingers to keep up with all the ideas coming to me. For my own sanity, patience and prioritizing is going to be key!

I can ramble on about nothing and absolutely-freaking everything all in the same breath whenever I hit this blog.

Those are just some of the things I’ve learned or observed this year. I like to think I’ve grown in some aspect, other than just getting older. (I’ve also learned to have a back-up plan in place in case of another holiday disaster like Easter.) As for now, I have stuff to get ready for and weekend escape planned. Oh, and writing…lots of writing to do.

I also have a birthday giveaway in the works, so keep your eyes open for that on the 28^th!

~Best wishes and much love!~

Adri

Release Day! Bound by Vengeance (SKALS #2)

After weeks of endless stress, revisions, and far too many sleepless nights, the second book in the SKALS series is done! (Hence the reason for my prolonged blog silence.)

I just want to take a quick moment to say thank you. Thank you to anyone who ever bought one of my books. Thank you for reading. Thank you for the reviews, e-mails, or comments you send my way on various forums. It doesn’t get any better than that. Readers truly are the heart and soul of anything a writer does. You make us  feel good, and you let us know what we can do better–or at least strive to achieve next go around.

Rather than bore you with details, I thought I’d share an interview and review from one said reader. It gives some insight into both books and the characters, along with the concept behind SKALS (Special Kill and Leverage Squad) & other things you might not know. She posed some very tough questions! I’d love to say more, but I’m exhausted and drained…but in a totally good way. Totally good.

http://intoxicatingreads.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/debut-blog-review-of-skals-2-bound-by-vengeance-interview-with-the-author-adriana-noir/

~Much love and happy haunting

Adri

Pizza on Easter

I tend to dread the holidays. Jeez O’Pete’s, yesterday just proved why. After staying up half the night baking (because I love my family) and socializing (because I just can’t help myself) I finally fell into bed. I was so excited to claim my three hours of sleep before it was time to get up to start Easter dinner, that it took me forever to finally drop off. Eight came way too early, and I literally rolled out of bed. I stood there for a few minutes, swaying on my feet, hair on end, my eyes still closed, but determined to find the brain capacity to shuffle out of the bedroom and start the day.

I bumped my shin.

It hurt, but I managed to keep plodding. The usual morning routine went off without a hitch (or tripping over Boo, which is unusual.) By that point, I was starting to think it might actually turn out to be a good day.

There are reasons people tell you not to count your chickens before they hatch.

The neck was still frozen inside the turkey. After rummaging around inside the thing for what felt like hours and gagging, I realized I have one of the few turkeys in the world where they forgot to include the giblets. I’m okay with that. I never use them and just holding the bag makes me feel squeamish. I got the bird in the pan, got it covered and started cooking.

Life was good.

The house was starting to smell wonderful. My stomach was growling in anticipation of food, and the valiant effort not to raid any of the pygmy human’s baskets in my perpetual hunger for chocolate. The skin was starting to crisp on the turkey. I burnt my hand checking on it. Nothing new. I was still determined to stick with the positive vibes and keep my head above water. I peeled a mountain of potatoes and diced them, soaked them in my seasoning blend and started to boil.

Okay. I got this!

Or so I think. I go to drain the drippings a short while later and pause. The liquid isn’t clear. It’s thick now, almost like gravy already, dark, and it smells like damp cardboard. I sniff the turkey. It smells the same, but stronger—worse.

Enter panic mode.

I cut off a small piece, and sure enough, the whole thing tasted just like the smell. At this point, I’m numb and in a state of shock. After the week I had, this really couldn’t be happening, could it? Surely, fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to give me a spoiled turkey after my computer had locked up, Windows had crashed, and I had to delete every single freaking file I had. I’d already spent the entire week scrambling to reformat and save data, including two books…endless, tedious hours, respacing entire documents because my computer was brand new and I hadn’t had the mindset to back anything up, because I foolishly thought I was safe. Right?

Wrong. It could be that cruel and it was.

I stood there, shaking, and eventually breaking into tears. I slumped over the stove and cried my poor little heart out. It was Easter. Everything in my tiny little town was closed, including the Chinese place. Everything but one lone pizza shop.

So…we had pizza, homemade mashed potatoes, corn, bread, and bakery—for Easter. Yep. True story. But hey, at least the cake and stuff turned out good.

Sinister Kisses Release ~ AKA New Year, New Me

At the end of 2012, I realized I needed a change. I was stuck, stalled, my creative mind and spirit dulled. It was time for me to recharge. I think all writers go through this from time to time. As people, we are ever growing, ever changing, and ever learning. Or at least we should be. Rather than sit back on my laurels and whine and bemoan my situation, I took charge–and surrendered all in the same breath. I followed my passion, and from that passion, a new novel was born. I hate to say it, but this is the most fun and  I’ve had writing in years:

After a chance encounter in the woods leaves her shaken and reeling, the last thing Taylor McAvay wanted to do was accept an invitation to dinner. Then again, after seeing what Sebastian Baas was capable of, she felt she had little choice. The guy did just save her life, and the feel of his partner’s assault rifle pressed against her cheek still lingered in her mind.

What she discovers surprises her. Beneath the armor and fatigues, is a smart, attentive, and sophisticated man. Unable to resist, Taylor finds herself drawn in by the Special Agent’s charm. Everything about Sebastian, from his imposing presence to his hypnotic eyes, pulls her under his spell. When a drive by shooting leaves her apartment riddled with bullets, she falls under his command as well—not to mention the shadow of a lethal, underground organization known as SKALS.

Her lover has a dark and dangerous side he tries to keep hidden, but when a series of events sends their lives spiraling out of control, she realizes there is much more to him than meets the eye. His moods can be dizzying—his temper, terrifying. And when she fails to meet his expectations, the discipline she faces is a startling contrast to the pleasure he gives. Whether she wants to leave or not doesn’t matter. Taylor soon learns, when it comes to Sebastian and SKALS, there is no escape.

**DISCLAIMER** This is a dark erotic thriller with a heavy emphasis on plot. It contains elements of Dominance and discipline with dubious consent, psychological conditioning, and mental manipulation. There’s also gunfire, violence, and things that blow up. If any of this offends you, this is not the book for you.

And now a brief Q & A:

 

What the heck? I thought you were a horror or fantasy writer.

If you’ve ever read any of my bios, all I can say is you were warned. *laughs* I love dabbling in a wide variety of genres. I’ve written everything from angsty romance, erotica, horror, to drama. One of my biggest fears about publishing was being boxed in to one area for the rest of my life. While I love horror, sometimes, I need a break. I need to switch gears and recharge. While still dark in many ways, Sinister Kisses explores a different kind of darkness. Plus, it was hella fun to write!

Why not use a different name for the new series?

Simply put, I didn’t want to. I work hard on every single thing I put out there. It’s still the same blood, sweat, and tears going into the book. It’s still the same spirit. It’s still the same brand. (It’s dark. It’s angsty. It’s still about conflicted characters trying to find their way in this world and survive) In short, it’s still me. I’m just exploring and sharing a different aspect of myself. If that alienates anybody, I’m sorry. I truly am. I love you all, but that’s just the way it is. I also like to give my readers credit. They’re smart people. I KNOW they are capable of reading a description and deciding if a particular book would interest them or not.

Why isn’t Sinister Kisses through your previous publisher?

Good question. I have some very valid reasons, but it is not something I will discuss.

What does SKALS stand for?

It’s a standing joke between Mara McBain and I that it does not stand for Spanking Kink And Lots of Sex, though it could! It actually stands for Special Kill And Leverage Squad—a concept that’s revealed more thoroughly as the book progresses. It’s also explored in more depth in the second book, which will be released sometime in May.

And for those of you who have read my work or stumbled across me on the web and are asking “What the heck is wrong with you?” That is a long story and an even longer list of things–but feel free to kick back, grab a drink, and enjoy the ride. 😉

And that, my friends, sums it all up. I hope that you are all doing well and that 2013 is bringing you one step closer to achieving your dreams. Keep banging it out. Keep following that unique inner beat.

~Best wishes always~

Adri

In Search of Monsters: Q & A with Hunter Shea

Hey, Hunter. *grins* I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for stopping by. You’ve had a super busy schedule lately between releasing your novella Swamp Monster Massacre, and dealing with a nasty blow from Mother Nature. I’m so glad you and your family made it through alive and well! You’ll have to excuse me if I get a little giddy. It’s not often someone lets me out of my cage, and I’m a really big fan of your work. Now let’s get rocking!

Writers tend to have a unique outlook on things. Not too many people go through life, have something horrible happen, and shrug it off with a smile. A lot of us do that, because we know those events can be used as fodder. How often do you find yourself building off of real-life experiences (either good or bad) and implementing them in your work?

First, thank you for allowing me to loiter on your blog for a bit. Super Storm Sandy was kind enough to spare my house, but the devastation in NY has been apocalyptic. Parts of the city and suburbs look like Dresden. It’s going to take a long while before we fully come to grips with the scope of this storm.

My real life experiences find their way into my books and stories all of the time. I’ve been fortunate, or unfortunate, to have had several paranormal experiences in my life.

Those experiences and my childhood fascination with ghosts, monsters and aliens helped forge an entire career. I’m particularly fascinated with ghosts not only because of my experiences, but also because that is absolute proof of life, or a form of life, after death. I’d like to think there’s more to us than a few years puttering around this planet. I guess in a way I’m sticking to the ‘write what you know’ adage, and damn if it isn’t fun.

Fun for you and readers alike! What is your favorite book you’ve written so far and why?

Forest of Shadows will always be a personal favorite because it was the book I poured my soul into and the one that got me a career in horror writing. I’ll always be grateful of the blood, sweat and tears that went into it. I have to say, Swamp Monster Massacre was my favorite to write. I decided to have as much fun writing it as I hope people have had reading it. I got to explore my inner Tarantino and Nimoy and let their spirits dance on the page.

I read you got the idea for Swamp Monster Massacre after catching a glimpse of Sasquatch on TV. Of course, you wanted to make the monster your own and ran with it, putting a unique spin on things. I was really impressed with Evil Eternal. Not only was it fantastic horror, but it was fun. There were some great moments of levity and humor. Is this something you try to incorporate often?

Thank you! I’ve always wanted to write a Bigfoot book, and when I sat down to do my spin, I wanted it to be off-the-wall and as original as I could make it. Mobster, tourists, thugs and skunk apes. What could possibly be wrong with that?

Evil Eternal started as such a dark story that I felt I needed to lighten things up with characters like Shane and Cain. Hey, that rhymes! Even in real life, I tend to lean toward the comedic in everything around me, even the dark, awful stuff. Evil Eternal is so over-the-top and dramatic, it needed light touches here and there to ground it a bit. Notice I said ‘a bit’, because that book is wicked strange.

When it comes to horror, you want to bring your readers on a rolling wave of emotion. A little humor brings you down, leaves you vulnerable, then smash!, you ratchet the fear and suspense in an overwhelming swell of churning emotions that makes someone turn the next page with one eye squinted shut.

I’d just like to say, I found Michael’s character kind of hot. 😉

And here I created Shane for the ladies! I can see Father Michael’s appeal, if you like tall, deathly pale, hairless and quietly dangerous. At least now, I know your type. 😉

LOL! Tall, pale, and dangerous is awesome! Okay, back to being serious. If you were stuck in the Everglades with a bunch of skunk-apes from Swamp Monster Massacre, what five items would you want to have with you and why?

Great question. Here goes:
1.   A video camera so I could get proof that they exist and walk among us.
2.  A bazooka with unlimited rounds. I’m not taking any chances. When I shoot, I don’t want any of those murdering beasts to get up and come after me.
3.   Lots of coroner bags to collect the pieces and send them to various labs for analysis.
4.   A cooler loaded with ice and a case of Sapporo beer.
5.   A bundle of Excalibur cigars. This and the beer are to celebrate my capturing evidence of skunk apes and surviving their murderous wrath.

Those things seem insanely smart. I’ve always loved the intelligent foe. They add so much more intensity to a story. Speaking of, there’s some pretty wicked content in Swamp Monster. These beasts have no morals! Did your publisher flinch at any of the more taboo content?

My editor, Don D’Auria, grew up just like me, drawn to the same spooky movies and stories, so he was on board 100% with everything. I like to think that the creatures had some morality, in the fact that they were a family unit and cared for one another in their own special way. I wanted to show that revenge can cross species lines and how very much like us they are in that regard. Now, the way they went about things was a tad harsh, but hell, they worked with what they had.

That they do! So many writers struggle with fear and revulsion when they reach certain aspects of their story. I think a lot of readers endure this experience, too, and it’s such a huge part of the draw of horror. One part is screaming “You can’t do that!” The other is chuckling and roaring: “Don’t hold back!” Do you ever find it difficult to push certain envelopes when writing, or is it always just balls to the wall?

Maybe because I’m so jaded, I don’t worry about writing things that will offend people. Proof of that is in Evil Eternal where I murdered a baby 3 pages in. As a horror writer, you have to bust through the ‘you can’t do that!’ barrier and make your readers squeamish from time to time. Back in the 1930’s, just seeing Frankenstein’s face made people faint. Today, you have to bring a hell of a lot more to the table to even capture people’s attention. It’s a challenge for writers.

Excellent points. What can your audience expect from you in the future? Any exciting news or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

I have a short story collection that I hope will be out around the holidays next month. My cover artist has shown me some great stuff, so I can’t wait to get that out. The sequel to Forest of Shadows, Sinister Entity, will be out in April, 2013 with Samhain Publishing.

There’s a short story called The Graveyard Speaks that will come out just before it to bridge the gap between the two books. I’m doing research right now for my next novel and have a ghost novella completed and ready to go to my publisher. There’s no rest for the weary, but I won’t complain. This has been everything I’d hoped for and more.

You can read more about Hunter and his quest for the dark and strange at his
website : www.huntershea.com
Twitter : @huntershea1
Facebook : www.facebook.com/huntershea1
YouTube : Monster Men 13 channel