Omnipotent Blood
Sisters in Blood
Book Two
CM Michaels
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Freya’s Bower
Date of Publication: October 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-1617981654
ASIN: B015S1FTPG
Number of pages: 294
Word Count: 117,529
Cover Artist: LLPix Design
Book Description:
Having survived the attack inside the Natick Mall, Brooke dreads the thought of spending decades in exile while she waits for the media firestorm from the superhuman brawl to run its course. But soon after fleeing Boston, she discovers the battle caught the eye of forces far more lethal than humans. Captured by the dark Goddess Lilith, Brooke has her soul stripped away, becoming a greater demon tasked with leading Hell's forces to war.
But not even Lilith could have anticipated the powerful bond Brooke has formed with her family. Or the unlikely alliances they'd forge in an attempt to save her. Her love for Sienna and her sisters prevents her from fully embracing the darkness, but the demon spirit inside her is claiming more control of her mind with each passing day.
Excerpt:
As she drew closer I got a good look at her face. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck tingled. I’d seen her before—the creepy room service girl at the hotel who’d held my wrist for about five seconds after I’d taken my glass of wine. “Am I supposed to believe that you just happened to show up here? A hundred and fifty miles from the hotel you work at?”
She grinned, securing her thick, wavy hair in a ponytail. “Of course not—although I don’t actually work at the hotel.” She made a wide sweeping gesture with her arm toward the wreckage. “Who do you think caused the accident?”
This whole encounter was freaking me out. Fuck being discrete. I visualized her flying backward into the snow bank. In an instant the strange connections formed in my mind, physically linking me to all of the cars, people and debris that surrounded me. I didn’t want to hurt her—not yet, anyway—so I only pushed hard enough to send her sailing about fifteen yards into the ditch.
She laughed as she climbed to her feet, shaking the snow off her designer outfit. “It’s been a while since I’ve been knocked on my ass. Impressive.”
I’d never felt so dumbfounded in my life. Even if this psycho bitch was used to fighting my kind it was unlikely she’d ever crossed paths with another telekinetic. She was acting like I’d crafted a wiener dog out of a balloon at the fair. “What the hell are you?”
“I need you to come with me,” she said, making no effort to respond to my question. “And since you seem to be immune to being bound—I’ve been trying ever since you got out of the car—you’re going to have to consume my blood first.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you!” Where the hell were Sienna, Raven and Sandy? Ruby’s escalade might be shielding them from seeing the encounter, but even if it did, I wasn’t exactly being quiet. And Ruby was staring right at us.
“Your coven sisters can’t see or hear you.” She’d apparently guessed my thoughts by the direction I was looking. “A simple illusion. To them you appear as if you’re still sitting in the passenger seat like you were told.”
“How—”
“Enough!” Her voice boomed with unnatural power, causing me to take an involuntary step backward. “I have no desire to harm you, child, but you are coming with me. Now.”
With all of the abilities that I had been given, I never thought I’d have cause to feel afraid again, but watching her approach me like I was nothing but a petulant child made me shiver. There was no way to fake that type of unwavering and absolute confidence.
Still, she couldn’t possibly know I was far stronger and faster than the vampires she was accustomed to. Like every redneck bar brawler, she’d finally messed with the wrong person. I shifted my feet into a more athletic stance and began to study her movements, searching for a weakness to exploit. My muscles tensed in anticipation. “Take another step toward me and I’ll rip your fucking heart out.”
She lunged.
My review coming soon. I just finished book one and starting book two!
Author interview
First, tell me a little about your book J…. Omnipotent Blood is the second of four books in my Urban Fantasy Sisters in Blood series. The supernatural world expands in this installment, with Angels, Demons and witches joining the fray, which made it really enjoyable to write.
At its heart the Sisters in Blood series is about self-discovery, overcoming the challenges that we encounter and embracing the fact that life can take us in totally unexpected directions. We all have hidden abilities inside that will never be uncovered if we are too afraid to explore and try new things. I was especially delighted to read the Fantascize.com review for Omnipotent Blood (excerpts below) because it praised the depth of the storyline.
"I felt like I was discovering a new type of folklore, complete with fantastic descriptions of terrifying and amazing creatures." "Michaels explores complex issues such as sexuality, faith, and sacrifice without pretense or artificiality. His characters are realistic, complete with their flaws and mistakes and genuine emotions. Michaels puts trust in his readers' ability to suspend their disbelief, and in turn he presents them with a compelling, enthralling narrative." "Readers of Omnipotent Blood will find that it continues to resonate with them long after they finish reading."Fantascize.com
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know? I have always had an overactive imagination which writing has provided an outlet for. When I was really young, maybe eight, I used to exchange letters each week with my oldest brother who was away at college. The fantasy creatures we made up were mortal enemies, and battled each other in an imaginary world we crafted together.
What inspired you to write your first book and what was it?The first book I shared with anyone outside of friends and family was a children’s novella originally written for a class assignment called The Bat Boy. My teacher was very impressed and recommended that I enter it in my school’s writing contest. I was one of five lucky students selected to read our short stories to local grade school children. Of course at the time I felt anything but lucky—I was so nervous reading in front of forty or so people that I could barely keep track of what page I was on.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? Not so much in this book. In Dangerous Waters, the first book in the series, a portion of the story is set in my home town. And Brooke’s father, David, is loosely based on my own dad, including his job at a gear manufacturing plant.
How do you choose when/which characters die in your books? That is never an easy bridge to cross. Over the course of a series characters become like family, making it incredibly hard to kill them off. They are beloved by your readers as well, who may feel betrayed and downright angry with you for killing them. Anyone who is a fan of Game of Thrones can attest to that, myself included. I’m not sure I could ever forgive George R.R. Martin for what he did to the Stark family. At the same time, there are times when it becomes necessary for characters to die in order to preserve the believability of the story, such as the epic demonic battle that occurs in Omnipotent Blood. It wouldn’t be at all realistic to have my entire cast of characters emerge unscathed after going up against such superior forces.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?Christine Feehan, Patrick Rothfuss and Brent Weeks have all recently made it into my ever-growing to-be-read pile J
Who do you look up to as a writer? Jim Kjelgaard’s Big Red, Irish Red and Outlaw Red, which featured a boy and his dog, really inspired my love of reading. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank was another of my favorites in my youth. If it wouldn’t have been for those books I may never have developed the appreciation for literature that has been a cornerstone of my life and drove me to become a writer.
As for the authors that have had the most influence on my own writing style, that list would include Kelley Armstrong (Otherworld series), Richelle Mead (Bloodlines, Vampire Academy), Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Days of Blood and Starlight) and Peter V. Brett (The Demon Cycle series).
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? With Brooke being under the influence of very dark forces for a large portion of the book (and not just in a “tranced” robot, can’t control my body sort of way), it made it challenging to write from her very altered and sometimes disturbing point of view while providing readers with enough signs that there is a piece of her deep down that is still fighting to give them hope. She goes through hell—literally—before ultimately finding her salvation. She wrestles with her sexuality and her faith as well, and is thrust into a leadership position she isn’t at all prepared for, waging a demon-on-demon war (featuring dragons, minotaurs and all kinds of other fantastic creatures) with the fate of mankind at stake. There are so many aspects of her character that are developed in this book. She truly is not the same person by the end.
What book are you reading now? Or what genre? Oceans of Fire by Christine Feehan. It is the third book in her paranormal romance Drake sisters series. I’d never read any of her books before this. So far I am really enjoying the series.
Who designed the cover? And do you help with them? LLPixDesigns used the pictures the professional photographer took during our live photo shoot to create the amazing cover. The two models on the cover are friends, as were several of the assistants, which made it extra special for all of us. We had so much fun listening to music and munching on snacks all day while we pitched ideas for various poses and saw them come to life. I did the same thing for book 1 in the series, Dangerous Waters, shooting the pics on the campus of MSU with friends and actors from the theatre department.
Who designed the cover? And do you help with them? LLPixDesigns used the pictures the professional photographer took during our live photo shoot to create the amazing cover. The two models on the cover are friends, as were several of the assistants, which made it extra special for all of us. We had so much fun listening to music and munching on snacks all day while we pitched ideas for various poses and saw them come to life. I did the same thing for book 1 in the series, Dangerous Waters, shooting the pics on the campus of MSU with friends and actors from the theatre department.
Did you learn anything from writing your books and what was it? Becoming a writer has made me far more outgoing than I used to be. Between the author events, book signings, online social media interaction and various media appearances, I’ve been forced to confront and overcome my somewhat introverted nature. I also find that it has improved my confidence. It is second nature for me to mutter a witty quip while riding an elevator or standing in line at the store whereas in the old days I would have never put myself out there like that.
If you could be one of your characters, who would you chose? Brooke for sure, as getting to experience all of the powers she develops, like astral projection, telekinesis, conjuring up objects, harnessing and directing energy as a weapon, and altering physical appearances, would be quite a thrill. Although if I had to endure what she is subjected to in this book I’d pass on the super powers and head for the hills.
About the Author:
C.M Michaels grew up in a small town in northern Michigan as the youngest child of a close-knit family of seven. He met his wife, Teresa, while attending Saginaw Valley State University. Together they’ve provided a loving home for several four-legged “kids”, including Sophie, their eternally young at heart, hopelessly spoiled Spaniel.
He has always enjoyed writing, and still has fond memories of reading his first book, a children’s novella, to local grade schools when he was 14. C.M. is currently working on the third book in the Sisters in Blood series along with a Fantasy romance called Kerrigan’s Race.
An avid reader since discovering Jim Kjelgaard novels in early childhood, his favorite authors include Kelley Armstrong, Peter V. Brett, Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine and Laini Taylor. When he’s not writing, C.M. can be found curled up with a good book, watching movies or hitting the hiking trails with his wife.
C.M. currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky.
Website: http://cmmichaels.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UFAuthor
Tour giveaway
5 prize packs featuring signed copies of Omnipotent Blood and Dangerous Waters, bookmarks, and posters
5 eBook copies of Omnipotent Blood
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