Spotlight & Guest Post: Heathen + Giveaway

HEATHEN

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the HEATHEN by Natasha Alterici & Ashley A. Woods Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

Title: HEATHEN: The Complete Series Omnibus
Edition

Author: Natasha Alterici, Ashley A. Woods (Illustrations),
Rachel Deering, Morgan Martinez

Pub. Date: May 17, 2022

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 336

Find it: GoodreadsAmazon, Kindle, B&NiBooks, KoboTBD, Bookshop.org

 

WOMAN. WARRIOR. VIKING. HEATHEN. OUTCAST. 

THE GODS MUST PAY…

Born into a time of warfare, suffering, and subjugation of women, and exiled from her village for kissing another woman, the lesbian Viking warrior, Aydis, sets out to destroy the god-king Odin and end his oppressive reign. She is a friend to many as she is joined by mermaids, immortals, Valkyries, and the talking horse, Saga. But she is also a fearsome enemy to the demons and fantastic monsters that populate the land.

Heathen – The Complete Series Omnibus Edition trade paperback collects the entire twelve-issue series.

Soon to be movie directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Red Riding Hood, & Lords of Dogtown)

Perfect for fans of Monstress, Helheim, and Northlanders.


Reviews:

“These declarations of self from women and queer characters fit so elegantly into the mythology Alterici uses to weave her tale, it reminds us that these narratives belonged there all along.”- The Mary Sue

“I want epics with female leads, and fortunately HEATHEN fulfills that desire in a big way, while also adding its own unique touch with themes that are as contemporary as they are timeless.”- Women Write About Comics

“One look at the cover and I knew this book was right up my alley. If you are into Norse mythology and aching for a lesbian angle, then this book is for you. If you want a love story that is more than a romance, a heroine that is truly honourable and fierce, then I urge you to pick this … up.”- The Lesbian Review

“Natasha Alterici’s Heathen, has single-handedly redeemed the disaster that pop culture has been making of Norse mythology. It’s a smart, funny, feminist, queer and sex-positive take on the Viking world; one with a wide cast of diverse and endearing characters. Heathen is a must-read for comics (and mythology) lovers of all sorts and those in quest of superb queer and feminist comics in particular. RATING: 10/10”Pop Matter


Guest Post:

Talk about your least favorite kind of character to write about
This is a difficult one, because if I were to describe the kind of character I don’t like I’d inevitably be describing the kind of people I don’t like and I try to find the likable part of anyone I’m writing. Otherwise it’s hard to empathize with them, and empathy is the most important part. I guess I’d say I find it hard to write about people who find joy in being cruel.

Describe your ideal writing space.
Comfy chair with a foot rest, view of the forest or a field, music playing, unlimited access to some kind of sweet treat like peach rings or twizzlers, and plants to fuss over while I run through scenes and dialog in my head.

Describe your ideal home library.
I’d love to have floor to ceiling shelves, with one of those rolling ladders. Everything is organized by Library of Congress call number system (I worked as a university librarian for a while), and it’s dust and mold free somehow. And there’s a big pile of cushions and pillows to lay in to read.


 

About Natasha Alterici:

 

Natasha Alterici is a writer and artist living in Tulsa, OK who has been working as a freelance artist for over ten years. Works include Heathen (Vault Comics), Dinosaur Project, Gotham Academy: Yearbook, Grayson Annual, The Lez Film Review, Mixed Signals, Lovers and Other Strangers, Transcience, and a number of others. When not drawing, she enjoys watching cooking shows with her wife and their two cats, Cheshire and Louise.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

About Ashley A. Woods:

Ashley A. Woods is a comic book artist, writer, & creator from Chicago known for her work on the “Niobe”, “Ladycastle” and “Tomb Raider” series.

She got her start through self-publishing her action-fantasy comic series “Millennia War” which led to her career in comics and TV. After earning her degree in Film and Animation from IADT, she traveled to Kyoto, Japan where she presented her work in a gallery showcase called, “Out Of Sequence”. Recognized for her female illustrations and designs, her most prominent work is “Niobe: She is Life” with Stranger Comics.

Her latest work can be seen on HBO’s “Lovecraft Country”, DC’s “Wonder Woman Black & Gold 2” and “Jupiter Invincible” with Pulitzer Prize winning author Yusef Komunyakaa which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival June 2021.

Website | Twitter | Instagram


Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a finished copy of HEATHEN, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/1/2022

Never Hollowed By The Stare

Guest Post

5/2/2022

Writer of Wrongs

Guest Post

5/3/2022

Wottaread Blog

Excerpt

5/4/2022

Pages_and_Procrastinaton

Review/IG Post

5/5/2022

The Girl Who Reads

Review/IG Post

5/6/2022

Rajiv’s Reviews

Review/IG Post

5/7/2022

@lexijava

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

5/8/2022

Sadie’s Spotlight

Guest Post /IG Post

5/9/2022

See Sadie Read

Review/IG Post

5/10/2022

Celia’s Reads

Review/IG Post

5/11/2022

Emmiepooh2

IG Review

5/12/2022

Bri’s Bookish

IG Review

5/13/2022

Nonbinary Knight Reads

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

5/14/2022

A Bookish Dream

Review/IG Post

Week Three:

5/15/2022

Lifestyle of Me

Review

5/16/2022

Fyrekatz Blog

Review

5/17/2022

BookHounds YA

Review/IG Post

5/18/2022

The Book View

Review/IG Post

5/19/2022

Nerdophiles

Review

5/20/2022

The Momma Spot

Review/IG Post

5/21/2022

two points of interest

Review

Week Four:

5/22/2022

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Excerpt

5/23/2022

Two Chicks on Books

Guest Post

5/24/2022

@jaimerockstarbooktours

IG Post

5/25/2022

Nagma | TakeALookAtMyBookshelf

IG Review

5/26/2022

@coffeesipsandreads

IG Review

5/27/2022

Fire and Ice

Review

5/28/2022

Lady Hawkeye

Excerpt/IG Post

Week Five:

5/29/2022

More Books Please blog

Review/IG Post

5/30/2022

@thebookishfoxwitch

IG Review

5/31/2022

@drewsim12

IG Review/TikTok Post

 

Book Blitz & Excerpt: Kiss of Darkness + Giveaway

Kiss of Darkness Blitz Banner2

Kiss of Darkness
by Taylor Aston White
(Curse of the Guardians, #1)
Publication date: May 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

He despises her… almost as much as his beast craves her.

Kyra’s seen and survived the worst things imaginable, all because of the magic she was born with. Trapped by her secret, she has no choice but to serve Councilman Gallagher or risk everything she has tried so hard to build. Because despite black magic being banned, her very survival depends on it.

When she’s commanded to summon a Daemon, a Breed notorious for their corruption and brutality, she’s torn between keeping her secret and doing the right thing.

Xander’s hate for black witches was notorious, but nothing frustrated him more than the one witch that brings trouble with a capital T. With dark amber eyes, and a controlled strength that fascinated his beast – the monster he’s cursed to share a soul – Xander will do anything to push her away.

So when he’s forced into protecting her, he must put aside his prejudice and ignore his growing desire that’s an insult to his past.

Because he’s had an entire childhood to remember why you can’t trust black witches.

And he definitely can’t trust Kyra Farzan.

Goodreads / Amazon


EXCERPT:

“Little girls shouldn’t be here.” A hand struck out, carefully circling her wrist with enough pressure to stop her, but not enough to hurt.

Kyra paused, the coin at the edge of the slot. She looked up, and Xander removed his sunglasses.

“That’s a rude comment,” she said, trying to tug from his grasp.

His mouth twisted, pale eyes narrowed as he released her wrist, only to grip her jaw. He angled her face against the light, her lip stinging when she frowned.

“What are you doing here, Kyra?” His white silver hair, just long enough to cover his unusually dark brows moved across his forehead, partially concealing his expression.

“Minding my own business!” she snapped, but the steel behind her reply lessened when she met his eyes, and flinched. “Don’t touch me.” The words came out quiet, desperate. His eyes had been blue, she was sure of it, yet she could see her own reflection in his irises made from a liquid silver.

His fingers opened, and she stumbled back, breathing heavily. She needed to get out of there before she suffered a full panic attack. Xander was just too much, his gaze too direct as she tried to look anywhere but him.

“Black witch,” he grunted, as if she were tainted.

Which she wasn’t, but she couldn’t explain why he was wrong. He wouldn’t care either way, his opinion on her already set in stone, and had been since they first met. Black witches were seen as evil because of their ability to gain power from death, and while many embraced that sordid side of magic it didn’t mean they were all evil. It did, however, make them illegal.

Ignoring him, or at least trying to as he seemed to press himself closer, always pushing her boundaries, she inserted the Ravyn into the slot, the portal opening with a flash of light. He said nothing as she stepped through, the package hugged tight to her chest, and as soon as the portal closed behind her she released a sigh of relief.


Author Bio:

Taylor Aston White loves to explore mythology and European faerie tales to create her own, modern magic world. She collects crystals, house plants and dark lipstick, and has two young children who like to ‘help’ with her writing by slamming their hands across the keyboard.

After working several uncreative jobs and one super creative one, she decided to become a full-time author and now spends the majority of her time between her children and writing the weird and wonderful stories that pop into her head.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub


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