Fragmented by Indra Vaughn, Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Indra Vaughn - Fragmented _FBprofile

Hi guys, we have Indra Vaughn popping in today to celebrate the release of Fragmented, the second book in the Shadow Mountain series. We have Aerin’s interview with Indra, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Aerin’s review of Fated, the first book in the series, so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway!

Indra Vaughn - Fragmented _DSP

Fragmented

(Shadow Mountain 02)
by

Indra Vaughn

The capture of the Tattoo Murderer has demanded a heavy price. Doctor Tobias Darwin is dead, Lieutenant Hart is back in Riverside licking his substantial wounds, and he needs to gather his courage and tell Isaac he made a mistake. Isaac will forgive him—he knows that—but he can’t promise Isaac an easy life. Being a cop comes with its own risks, after all.

When they finally reach the same wavelength, their idyllic reprieve is cut tragically short. Hart doesn’t know yet that Isaac is terminally ill, that he will take off to find the Phoenix to heal him as a last resort. This time, it will be Hart who pays the price.

In the meantime, a new killer roams the streets of Riverside. He kidnaps, tortures, and kills gay men in horrific ways, and he has the newly healed Isaac in his sights. Hart’s time is running out on every level.

Indra Vaughn - Fated Name 1

Aerin Interview’s Indra Vaughn 

Aerin: Hello to Indra Vaughn who is joining us today to talk about her release Fated. Indra it’s so great to have you here!

Indra: So good to be here! Thank you for inviting me!

Aerin: Thanks for taking time to talk to us, you must be very busy 🙂 ..writing something good I hope 😀

Indra: To tell you the truth I am folding laundry right now. Glamorous, I know. But I did write a lot this morning!

Aerin: Yay!!! We’re going to talk about your new release very soon, but first let’s talk a little about yourself if you don’t mind

Indra: Sure, I have nothing to hide. *ahem*

Aerin: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Indra: Hmm… that’s always a good one. I’ve written stories from a very young age, but they were never meant to be read by anyone (I’m looking at you MOTHER) It wasn’t until I was about 14 years old and we had a teacher who just LOVED romance. She gave us homework in the shape of stories we had to write and gave us a lot of freedom. Mine always turned into little romantic short stories (awful AWFUL teenage angsty drivel, I assure you) but she ate them up. At the end of class she always had me stand up and read them out loud and she’d sit there with her hands clasped to her ample bosoms, and that’s when I thought, I can reach people like this, I want to do this.

Aerin: I assume your romantic stories were not MM because if they were, I can just picture you’re teacher’s face *grins*

Indra: Haha no they weren’t. From what I remember, there was an awful lot of self-insertion in them, but you’ve got to start somewhere, right? 😀

Indra: Actually, saying that, I’m pretty sure she was a lesbian. But it was a catholic school, so…

Aerin: *nods*

Aerin: lol well that should feed your muse if you ever decide to try your hand at FF books 😀

Indra: Ohhh lesbian school teacher in a catholic all girl school. Don’t give me any more plot bunnies! *runs away*

Aerin: Haha. I love to read about the authors at the end of each book I read. Your story there is fascinating to me.

Aerin: I know you packed up your entire house and hopped from one continent to another *grins*. Did the cultural and personal changes affect your writing style? Is your upbringing reflected in any of the characters you created?

Indra: I think every writer undoubtedly brings their own background to their stories. And that’s a good thing! It makes every story unique. But yes, there were definitely some changes I had to make, the most obvious one adapting to Americanisms. I went to college in the UK, so I like my ‘quite’ and ‘fairly’ and ‘fancy’. (And bollocks. I like bollocks. Why can’t I use that? And bloody! Bloody hell, I miss bloody.)

On a cultural level, I think you can play with that, and people are people. I think Americans are generally more outgoing and friendly on the surface, but I feel (and I could be wrong) that once a friendship is forged between adults in Belgium,while it takes longer, it also runs deeper. But that doesn’t mean characters in books should be stereotyped like that. I think it’s interesting to mix cultures and I should do it more often.

As for my personal upbringing, I grew up in a tiny village that was predominantly white. I think at the time we had one Turkish family who lived in our village and that was it. That obviously changed when I started going to school in Antwerp, then later in the UK, but it still makes me apprehensive in writing characters from other cultures. I’m afraid to get it wrong. Which doesn’t mean I shouldn’t TRY. Which is why I’m writing something now with a black MC from Brooklyn. Representation matters, whether it’s about sexuality or skin color. (Does this make any sense? lol)

Aerin: Yes it does! And I love Bollocks as well 😀 , you should write a book with an English character, it would be awesome, especially since you lived in the UK. Adapting to Americanisms is indeed a big change, I can relate to that. I think after 9 years in the US I’m still working on it. So how many suitcases packed with books did you have when you moved to the US?

Indra: Haha well, I pretty much ONLY brought my books. And some clothes. So about three? I think? Most of them are still at my parents’ place, but shipping them costs so much omg. I love my paperbacks but e-readers do make life a lot easier.

Aerin: lol only three? Not so bad I imagined something like 5 or so 😀 . I only had one gigantic suitcase that weighed about 35 kilos (and you know the weight limit is 23 kilos lol), so you have me beat. I know you probably love many authors, but if you had to pick an author and/or a book the you loved the most and inspired you more than any other, who would the author be?

Indra: Hmmm… outside of the gay romance genre, it’s without a doubt Bridget Wood’s Wolfking series. I read those when I was about 11 (which was WAY too young, by the way) and it was the first time I had that completely captivated feeling, where nothing exists but the story, and where you’re so devastated by the things it makes you feel. I definitely look toward her books as a source of inspiration. Within the gay romance genre, there are a lot of fantastic authors and each of them makes me want to try harder in their own way, but if I had to choose one for my inspiration it’s Harper Fox. There’s just nothing quite like her writing that makes me think, yes, this is it. This is what I strive for.

Aerin: I’m not familiar with Bridget Wood, but I agree, Harper Fox is a great writer. But so are you, I absolutely LOVED Fated, so lets talk about it.

Indra: Yay, I’m glad you liked it!

Aerin: Honestly I’m normally not a big paranormal fan, but I really liked The House on Hankock Hill so I knew right away I’ll give Fated a try. Tell us about Fated and what inspired you to write your first paranormal novel (it IS the first, right?)

Indra: Aww thanks, I’m glad you liked The House on Hancock Hill. As my debut it will always be my baby 😀 . And yes, Fated is the first paranormal novel I’ve written, although I have a huge fantasy trilogy sitting in a drawer somewhere… I’ve always been drawn to fantasy. I love reading it, I love the freedom that comes with creating your own world (although that’s a headache in and of itself because you have to invent EVERYTHING and it has to make sense). The same goes with paranormal. I love writing contemporary stories, but what I adore the most is a mixture of genres. I wanted to write a murder mystery that had a little extra something. A paranormal element that didn’t drive the story but sort of loomed over it in the background. Like the Mountain.

Aerin: Well you succeeded because let me tell you, this book had me sitting at the edge on my seat the whole entire time (and I might or might not have chewed my nails in anticipation a couple of times, but I’m not admitting to that :D). Fated is book one in the Shadow Mountain series. How many books are there going to be when it’s all set and done?

Indra: Well, that’s certainly good to hear! So far two people have commented they had to skip to the end to see what happened and they usually never do that. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or what 😀

There will be three books within the series, the third book is almost done. Then I am planning at least two spinoffs. One with a character that appears in the second book, and one with Julian’s story. There’s a character in book 3 I wouldn’t mind giving a story of his own, but it’s not certain yet he’ll make the editing cuts…

Aerin: Ohh yay!!! I was going to ask if you had planned and then beg if necessary, to write a book about Julian. He is such a mystery! There’s not much we know about him so far, and I’m not going to ask for details. But is he immortal?

Indra: He is and he isn’t. Something happened to make him that way, and that won’t come entirely clear until the third book. But it’s not necessarily permanent…

Aerin: *pouts* how do you manage to answer a question and make it even more mysterious? lol I honestly can’t wait to read his story. Is there a tentative release date for book 2 and book 3? And do we have titles yet?

Indra: It’s a gift 😀 Book two should come out around June, and it’s titled Fragmented. The third could be an end of year release if I get my act together and finish it… That one is called Forged.

Aerin: So the trilogy with the three F’s. I love the titles and I’m looking forward to summer when Fragmented is released (and because I hate freezing here, it’s bloody cold!)

Indra: Amen to that. Give me summer any day. I like the novelty of snow for about a week and then I’d like my heat back, please and thank you. (Talk about living in the wrong state!)

Aerin: Soooo I want to mention Hart, your main character! I love how many layers he has, he’s so complex! Just when I think I have an idea about who he is, there’s a new thing about him that makes me like him even more. And still, I have the feeling there’s still more to him that I don’t know yet. Would you tell us how you see Hart, about his personality? You do know him best after all 😀

Aerin: lol yep, I thought about moving South about a million times so far this winter!

Indra: He is pretty complex and he’s full of contradictions, really. He’s a regular dude but he’s pretty brittle inside. It’s not so much that he lacks confidence–because he knows what he’s doing when it comes to his job and renovating his house–it’s that he doesn’t understand what a bright young thing like Isaac (or a handsome doctor like Toby) could see in him. The death of his mother at a young age shaped him and then there’s the rift with his father that he still feels guilty about. It’s one of those things where he always figured he’d have time to make things right, and then suddenly he didn’t. So he drinks a bit too much wine and maybe finds solace where he shouldn’t. He’s definitely a loner and he likes it that way, but that doesn’t mean that part of him really wants to–needs to–be taken care of.

Aerin: *nods* yes I can see that. Let me confess that I really wanted to hurt Hart (badly lol) when his involvement with Toby took place. As much as I KINDA liked Toby, is it mean to say I felt satisfied with how things played out? lol

Aerin: I was team Isaac all the way!

Aerin: And now I have to ask you about Isaac. We don’t get to know him that well in Fated (other than that hot tattoo he has), and I know the second book is going to be focused on him. But it’s a long time until then, so tell us about Isaac.

Indra: No, it really isn’t. In fact I’m surprised when people tell me they were rooting for Toby and that they thought the wrong guy was becoming the love interest. I was so certain everyone would hate it that Hart slept with Toby, but it was a development I felt the story needed, so I left it in. What happens to Toby, I think it was the only outcome. It made me sad, because I like him too, but it was necessary.

Aerin: Rooting for Toby??? *shakes head* No way! Actually the only reason I couldn’t warm up to him was because of him sleeping with Hart. And boy oh boy was I mad that I liked those scenes, as much as i didn’t want to. 😀

Indra: Isaac might be Hart’s polar opposite. He’s fun, he’s full of life, he loves Hart utterly and completely and isn’t afraid to talk about it, to show it, in any way he can. He’s pretty much ready to move along from college life and to start playing house with Hart. He just wants to get on with their happy ever after. But at the same time he understands Hart on a deeply emotional level, so he will never push him into something he’s not ready for, and is willing to give him all the space he needs. Of course, there’s a dark cloud hanging over Isaac’s head. I have to say, I’m pretty sure I am more impatient to get this book out than anyone else. I love the second book so much.

Indra: Haha yes, I had more than one beta reader and editor grumble at me over those Hart/Toby scenes. I stuck to my guns! 😀

Aerin: 🙂 Isaac is my kind of guy, I can’t wait until they start to play house.

Indra: While the second book is definitely centered around Isaac (and another murder mystery of course!) their HEA won’t come easy. But it’s there.

Aerin: lol I can hear the grumbling, I’ve done plenty of it myself.

Aerin: And nothing that comes easy is very satisfying, so I look forward to more grumbling, as long as they don’t cheat. I hate cheating!

Indra: In the romance genre, it’s a risk to add sex scenes that aren’t between the endgame couple, but if it’s not gratuitous (or cheating!), it doesn’t bother me.

Indra: There’s no cheating, I promise. In fact there are a lot of very sweet scenes in the beginning of book 2. Until the shit hits the fan anyway 😉

Aerin: lol thanks for the reassurance! Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers and fans?

Indra: Just a huge thank you for the enthusiasm and the willingness to spend hard earned money on books. There’s no author without an audience, so I love all you guys with all my heart <3

Aerin: We love you for sharing your wonderful imagination with us! Thank you so much for talking to me, it was a pleasure! And if there’s anything else you’d like to add about Fated or the other book in the series, feel free!

Indra: Thank YOU for having me. You asked some very interesting questions and I had a lot of fun. I’d just like to add I’m always around if anyone wants a chat, or to talk about the books!

Keep warm!

Aerin: Thanks! And here’s to not getting frostbite this winter 😀  ! Have a lovely day, I enjoyed myself!

Aerin: Pixie come out of the 2-way mirror room, that was enough spying for you 😀

Pixie: I will deny the voyeurism to my dying breath!

Indra: Spying? I knew I should’ve worn a bra…

Aerin: lol sorry, I should’ve warned you!

Pixie: Well I had to make sure you kept it PG 3:-) It was fun watching you two *leer*

Aerin: What Pixie means is she secretly hoped it was going to turn M18+

Indra: Well I did have a stash of NSFW pictures in case of awkward silences…

Aerin: lol here comes an awkward silence, feel free to share 😀

Indra: How about I share my favorite kissing .gif. It’s not NSFW but it’s super cute (of course this is when my computer freezes)
https://38.media.tumblr.com/…/tumblr…

Indra Vaughn sweet kiss

Aerin: Awww, that’s lovely!

Indra: My parting gift! (This laundry isn’t going to put itself away!) Thanks again ladies! <3

Indra Vaughn - Shadow Mountain Banner

Excerpt

Isaac rested his fingertips against Hart’s sternum. “Can I see?”

Hart took a small step back, but Isaac didn’t allow the contact between them to break. “I don’t—it’s not pretty.”

“I don’t expect it to be. I’ve got a wild imagination.”

Hart breathed carefully, then held his hands out palms up as if to say “go ahead.” With a touch so gentle he could hardly feel it, Isaac lifted his shirt, then ran light fingers around the puncture wounds on his side.

“That’s not so bad,” he said, and then his eyes narrowed. “Where’s the stab wound?”

Hart turned around and Isaac lifted the shirt, slowly higher and higher, until the scars were bared. He didn’t say anything for the longest time, but Hart could feel him swish his thumb back and forth over his left shoulder blade. Isaac turned him around again, eyes shimmering.

“We’ve got matching scars now,” Isaac said, trying to make light, but his bottom lip quivered. “Oh, love.”

His eyes were so sad Hart thought he’d break in half. He reached out and cupped Isaac’s face, so he could pull him close and rest their cheeks together.

“I’m all right now, angel. I’m all right. I wish I could show you how much—”

“You go rest,” Isaac said, gently rubbing his hands over Hart’s arms and kissing him lightly one more time. “Like you said, we’re in no hurry. I’ll come see you tomorrow. I’m glad I can say that now. I’m so happy you’re back.” He smiled bashfully, and Hart watched him go through the open garage door.

Across the street where Isaac lived with his mom until he returned to school, one of the upstairs curtains moved. One of the three nosy brothers? Hart turned around and grinned. He had a box full of unsolved murders and his body felt like it was a hundred years old, but he couldn’t remember ever feeling this light.

It was well after midnight when Hart fell into bed, limbs lax and mind swimming from a painkiller. He imagined he could still feel Isaac’s mouth on his like a promise of more to come. The thought made his dick swell and Hart stuffed a hand down his boxers to tug at his balls, just to feel that sweet ache. His body felt too boneless and weak with fatigue to really do much about his growing arousal, but it didn’t matter. The heat in his blood was enough.

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About Indra

In 2008 Indra Vaughn packed up everything but the kitchen sink… no, that’s a lie. She left everything behind apart from her books and moved from Belgium to Michigan.

She now lives in the suburbs of Detroit with her dog who thinks he’s a toddler. Indra’s professional background is in Nursing and Chinese Medicine, but she prefers to spend time making up stories about mysterious men and their unrequited love.

Social Media:

Indra Vaughn - Fragmented _DSP

Giveaway!

Win an ecopy of Fragmented!

(Just leave a comment on this post)
(Ends 25th June 2015)
Indra Vaughn - Fated Name

Review

Indra Vaughn - Fated LGTitle: Fated

Series: Shadow Mountain #1

Author: Indra Vaughn

Genre: Mystery, Paranormal

Length: Novel (284 pages)

ISBN: 9781632163738

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (December 31st 2014)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Aerin

Blurb: Two towns flank the looming Shadow Mountain. A dark myth of the Predator drifts through the dense trees, a tale Police Lieutenant Hart never paid much attention to. When one unresolved death follows another—some people dying without discernible cause while others are clearly, and often brutally, murdered—he can’t ignore it any longer. Truth may lie in myth, but this one is spread to deceive everyone. The Predator exists, but he’s not entirely human. Hart will have to find the connection between the mysterious figure and victims with only one thing in common: a faint tattoo on the backs of their necks, a mark left when someone healed their incurable diseases.

Isaac Lasko has been in love with Hart since he moved in across the street seven years ago. He’s been helping Hart renovate his home, and their friendship grows more intense with the years, but Isaac can’t help wishing for a deeper bond. When he finally breaks through the lieutenant’s armor, the mystery surrounding the Predator threatens them both. Help will come, but at a price.

Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5894

Review: I don’t normally read paranormal books, but I really loved this author’s other work, so I knew I was going to give this a chance. This book was AMAZING!!! It kept me to the edge of my seat the whole entire time and I felt a level of anticipation throughout the entire book that I haven’t felt in a long time. I thought this was the perfect combination of suspense, intrigue, heartbreak and romance with a touch of paranormal that transformed this book from good to extraordinary. I can’t wait for the next one in this series!

Hart is a Police Lieutenant who’s investigating a series of mysterious crimes and miraculous healings, and his journey is full of intrigue. Hart is very attracted and somewhat in love with his neighbor and best friend Isaac, who is a lot younger than Hart. When Hart’s estranged father dies, he takes a short leave to bury him and take care of everything that’s left behind. Only the Predator strikes again in the town Hart’s father lived and Hart finds himself in the middle of an emotional storm. Hart is a deeply flawed character, he has a lot of personal problems that he has to work through, and his journey is absolutely heartbreaking. I liked him a lot, even though at times I felt like slapping him upside the head while asking him “why the hell did you do that for???” He was so frustrating! And other times, like when he buried his father, I wanted to give him a big hug because all that emotional pain was breaking my heart.

Isaac seemed like a very sweet, loving character. He was a very good friend to Hart and he loved him so much. We don’t get to see much of him in this book, because most of the interactions he has with Hart are through the phone; but seeing him through Hart’s eyes made me adore him even more.

The secondary characters were amazing, especially Hart’s temporary partner, Freddie. Freddie is a kick-ass chick, smart and witty, and I loved the banter between her and Hart. Toby, the orthopedic surgeon who played a major role in this book, well him I am not entirely sure I liked. Or maybe I would’ve liked him more if it weren’t for his involvement with Hart. The times when they had sex, I absolutely hated Toby since I was team Isaac and all that. I really think I could have liked Toby a lot if Hart would’ve kept his dick in his pants. Ugh!

Seriously, this book had it all; great flow, complex, imperfect characters, humor, heartbreak, suspense, mystery, VERY hot sex (even though it wasn’t only between the characters I wanted). I recommend this book to everyone, because it’s worth reading.

Indra Vaughn - Shadow Mountain Banner

8 thoughts on “Fragmented by Indra Vaughn, Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway!

  1. I really liked the excerpt. And the blurb is so intriguing I’ve already added Fragmented to my TBR list. Thank you for sharing.

  2. I love the cover. It pulls you in. The blurb and excerpt keep you there.

  3. Great review. I really like the blurb. Thanks for the excerpt and the giveaway chance :).

  4. First of all congrats on the release of Fragmented.
    The cover is beautiful and the blurb sounds intriguing, i love mysterie in books.

    Thanks for the excerpt and the giveaway and also thanks for the kissing gif it is very sweet 😉

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