Character Interview: Caleb Madroc from A Hidden Element by Donna Galanti

Hey, guys! I have another special treat today.  Donna Galanti, author of A Human Element and The Dark Inside has graciously arranged a killer interview with one of her cool characters.  Meet Caleb Madroc from Donna's paranormal suspense, A Hidden Element, This is book 2 in The Element Trilogy and guess what...it releases today! Woot!  We’re thrilled to have Caleb Madroc here today. Everybody say hi to the hottie.
HI CALEB! *waves emphatically*

Hey, babe.

Caleb is 25 and an Elyon Community cult member living in the wilds of Oregon in a secret community his father created.

Thank you so for this interview, Caleb. Now that the book has been written, can you tell us how your friends see you?
What friends? I have none. I've lived a life of solitude ever since my father stole me away to this community he created. Except for the occasional night of passion, I've not connected with another. Even before we moved here, I was an outcast. The other kids thought I was weak because I used my powers to heal, not to hurt. They just didn't understand me. I didn't fit in there, and I don’t fit in here. I fit in nowhere.

What is your most prized possession? Why?
There are two things that I can never have, yet cherish the most–my twin sons. They are five years old now and were born in our community where they are raised by the masses. I cannot be with them but every day I whisper their names out loud as an offering for some higher power to answer my prayer to be with them. Someday I will become my own master and take my sons away from this place. But if I try and fail—they will die. If my father discovers my plan—they will die. I am destined to be alone, but I am fine with that if someday my sons can have a normal life. The scars of not knowing them are seared on my heart.

Name five items in your pockets.
There is only one item in my robe pocket, the final poem I wrote for the one love I had once–and the mother of twin boys I will never know, Rachel. She was assigned to breed with me and we fell in love. Poems for her poured from me, and I’d planned to give her this poem one special night, but she never came to me again. Our bond was severed, per my father’s orders. She was sent to mate with another…and then another and another. I never touched her again.

Do you have any special things you do?
I help others in my community. I save them from severe punishment, and even death, and in doing so put myself in the position to be punished by whipping. I've healed many in our community and released them secretly into the world to find a second chance at life. To live and love with others. To be cared for. All the things I wish for myself, and my sons. I can stand the whippings—if it means sparing the punished some pain. Those scars I can bear. The scars of my lost love, Rachel, and my lost sons are a never ending pain.

What in your past had the most profound effect on you?
Finding my mother dead in a well when I was seventeen. She was the biggest light in my life, and my champion. She guarded me from my father and kept me safe. With her gone, my world grew dark. I had to survive, alone. I may never know how she died. An accident? A murder? It haunts me still.

Did you get along with your parents?
I loved my mother dearly. She was a gentle soul in a bad marriage. My father…well, he is all things I cannot be. Evil, remorseless, egotistical, and a murderer. He forces me to do his dirty work and tries to mold me into his likeness. He believes I’m weak and I can never be as strong as he, and I think he may be right. But I should still try to stop him, even while he threatens to kill my sons if I don’t obey him! Even while I despise my father, part of me still loves him and yearns for his fatherly love that I once had as a child. I never will succumb to his life of hate, and I often think if I were like him I would kill him myself. But I try to live my life guided by love, not hate.

Thank you for this interview, Caleb! Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
I am hopeful I can become a part of normal society and that one day the world can accept me–that a woman can accept me…that my sons can accept me as their father. Don’t judge me by what I’ve been forced to do, rather judge me for the love in my heart that wants desperately to do what’s right.

ABOUT A HIDDEN ELEMENT

Evil lurks within…
When Caleb Madroc is used against his will as part of his father’s plan to breed a secret community and infiltrate society with their unique powers, he vows to save his oppressed people and the two children kept from him. Seven years later, Laura and Ben Fieldstone’s son is abducted, and they are forced to trust a madman’s son who puts his life on the line to save them all. The enemy’s desire to own them—or destroy them—leads to a survival showdown. Laura and Ben must risk everything to defeat a new nemesis that wants to rule the world with their son, and Caleb may be their only hope—if he survives. But must he sacrifice what he most desires to do so?

ABOUT DONNA:

Donna Galanti writes murder and mystery with a dash of steam as well as middle grade adventure fiction. She is the author of books 1 and 2 in the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy, A Human Element and A Hidden Element, the short story collection The Dark Inside, and Joshua and The Lightning Road (Books 1 and 2, 2015). She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse. It has lots of writing nooks, fireplaces, and stink bugs, but she’s still wishing for a castle again—preferably with ghosts.

Website: www.ElementTrilogy.com
Blog: http://www.elementtrilogy.com/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DonnaGalanti
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5767306.Donna_Galanti

BUY THE ELEMENT TRILOGY BOOKS

Purchase Book 2 in the Element Trilogy, A Hidden Element: http://amzn.to/1p1YD1o
Purchase Book 1 in the Element Trilogy, A Human Element: http://amzn.to/1mNcyCO
ON SALE THROUGH 8/31 FOR JUST $.99cents!
Join Donna’s Facebook Launch Party here for bestselling author guests + amazing giveaways! Today 8/28 from 3-9pm.

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Guest Post & Giveaway featuring Author, Donna Galanti

Hey, everyone! Donna Galanti is here on my blog today, discussing the monsters inside us and also to do a special re-release of the killer thriller, A Human Element. If you'd like to check my review of this fantastic novel, click here. There's also a wonderful character interview of Donna's dark villain, X-10 that you just have to check out too!

We've got lots of exciting things scheduled for today, including a giveaway below. Without further delay, please welcome a talented author and friend, Donna Galanti!

The Monsters Inside Us

(Source)

In some movies and books the monsters are obvious. But are the monsters inside us? 

In my paranormal suspense, A Human Element, X-10 is obviously monstrous. He kills. He seeks blood and revenge. He has no remorse. Yet as we come to discover it’s a combination of his genes and environment, can we blame him?

And sometimes we create the very monsters we fear who are really to be pitied, like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. We can identify with him as we have all felt like an outcast, rejected and unloved at times. Is Frankenstein truly the monster or is it the human who created him?

I believe the true monsters in my book lie beneath the surface of characters that are not so obviously monstrous.

The abusive foster father.
The scientist who tortures his experiment.
The doctor who sells a baby.
The men who kidnap and torture a sailor.

Do they get what they deserve in the end? You’ll have to read to find out…

I created new scenes of the monster, X-10, for the re-release of A Human Element that blur the boundaries of good and evil further for him. We see him now once loved and desired, and in return he shines kindness on the only soul that ever touched him with tenderness. While genes and environment have made X-10 what he is, should he be feared or pitied? Or both? In an interview here with X-10 awhile back, you may fear him more than pity.

New scene with X-10. A true monster?:

As X-10 ran under the full moon, leaping over rocks and roots, darting around boulders he could see her in his mind.

Laura. You are mine.

Then he saw her with her man. Water coursed all around them. Her hair hung wet about her shoulders. X-10 closed off his mind's eye to the scene. It made him feel strange. And in that strange feeling he couldn't define, X-10 hated her even more.

Rage surged through him and his blood pulsed fast, throbbing under his white skin in blue rivers. Why did she get to have her man when he couldn’t have his woman? Why was she worthy and he wasn’t? But Sabrina’s touches had made him feel worthy. Even if they were paid. And she had smelled and looked so good.

The night flashed through him again and he moaned with agony over the loss of the girl who left a hole in his heart. The girl who called him Charlie and loved him for just one night.

After Sabrina’s fear of him had left her, she’d sat down on his bed then. "Why don't we just lie here for now? We can talk, you know. Like real…people."

He stood over her, considering. What would he talk about with a human girl?

She lay down on her side and he did too, facing her. Her blonde hair curved along her breasts like silky strands of sparkly cotton candy. He'd seen a picture of it once being swirled on a stick at a fair. He wondered what it would taste like. What she would taste like.

She touched his face then pulled her fingers away. "When you look at all your parts, you're not so bad."

"A monster."

"No. I've been with monsters."

"Like me?"

She shook her head. "Monsters on the inside."

Even in the garish light she was the loveliest thing he had ever seen. He wanted to touch her, but was afraid of his urges. To hurt and maim and kill. Good guys don't do those things. And she had called him by his name. As if he was a good guy.

No! No good guy!

He was evil to the core.

And hate spurred him on now. Hate would help him survive. He forced himself to run faster through the night. Why did Laura get to live a normal life? He vowed to make her end not normal. And in that end, she would wish she had never been born.

A lonesome dog bayed in the hills above X-10 as if approving his plan. Streaks of moonlight and shadows fell across his face like whip lashes over and over, creating a living painting from darkness and light. He would show Laura darkness like she never experienced, and pain. There would be so much pain. He howled back at the creature that rode alone through the woods as he did. Perhaps they would meet along their journeys.

He hoped so. He was getting hungry again.
Who are some of your favorite monsters? And did they get what they deserved in the end or were they to be pitied and redeemed?

About A Human Element:

Evil comes in many forms…

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together.

But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.

**Get your evil on with this re-release by Imajin Books! Newly edited, new scenes, new cover!**

Praise for A Human Element:

“An elegant and haunting first novel. Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.”
–Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author

“Lyrical and creepy, A Human Element tugs on our heartstrings and plucks the gut-strings of horror. This debut thriller author is a true storyteller, highly reminiscent of Dean Koontz.” –Dakota Banks, Award winning author

About Donna:

Donna Galanti writes murder and mystery with a dash of steam as well as middle grade adventure fiction. She is an International Thriller Writers Debut Author of the paranormal suspense novel A Human Element, A Hidden Element (August 2014), the short story collection The Dark Inside, and Joshua and The Lightning Road (Books 1 and 2, 2015). She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse. It has lots of writing nooks, fireplaces, and stink bugs, but she’s still wishing for a castle again—preferably with ghosts.

Website: www.ElementTrilogy.com
Blog: http://www.elementtrilogy.com/blog/Twitter: http://twitter.com/DonnaGalantiFacebook: www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor

Purchase A Human Element, Book 1 in the Element Trilogy, here: http://amzn.to/1mNcyCOJoin Donna’s Facebook Launch Party today 7/28 from 4-9pm EDT to celebrate the re-release of A Human Element and chat with cool guests + win giveaways!

MONSTERS vs. ALIENS GIVEAWAY!

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***

Thanks for stopping by, Donna!

Well that was a treat, huh?  Did you sign up for the giveaway?  Have you read A Human Element?  

Have a great week!

Mina B.

Book Review & Giveaway: THE DARK INSIDE by Donna Galanti

Today I'm reviewing Donna Galanti's The Dark Inside, a series of short stories that are dark, seductive and incredibly disturbing ...just the way I like it.  Donna released The Dark Inside not too long ago and  the second I read it, I was immediately sucked into her wicked and imaginative mind.  Last year, I had the pleasure of reviewing  A HUMAN ELEMENT  and I was instantly a fan.  Galanti is an amazing descriptive writer who can easily create suspenseful tales that are page turners.  I love that about her.  There were so many times when I read these tales where I thought, Oh I wonder if she will create an entire novel on that tale.  Who knows?  According to Donna, she's planning a sequel to A HUMAN ELEMENT and THE DARK INSIDE is for fans like me who need a filler of her dark tales.  The book is available via Kindle for only $.99 so that's an insane bargain for such an awesome book.  See the book description below for more details:

ABOUT THE DARK INSIDE:  Heartbreak, danger, lust, and betrayal blaze to life in this collection of stories that reveal the dark places hidden within us. When what you most desire is on the line how far will you go to get it, and what will you give up?
- A young man desperate to leave a world that doesn’t accept him–and a father who hates him.
- A tormented man imprisoned as a science experiment experiences love for the first time.
- A secret agent gives in to his carnal desires and risks exposing the one secret he wants to keep.
- A college freshman betrayed by her lover takes matters into her own hands.
- A young girl is determined not to suffer at the hands of her molester anymore.
- A sadistic leader who thrives on mind control leads his people into a new life.
- A teen seeks escape from his abusive foster father and faces a life-or-death situation to survive.

They must either fight the dark inside or embrace it.  Which will they choose?

Bio:  Donna Galanti writes adult suspense and middle grade fiction. She is an International Thriller Writers Debut Author of the paranormal suspense novel A HUMAN ELEMENT. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna dreamed of being a writer when she fell in love with the worlds of Narnia and Roald Dahl attending school in a magical English castle where her imagination ran wild in an itchy uniform (bowling hat and tie included). She now lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse. It has lots of writing nooks, fireplaces and stink bugs, but she’s still wishing for a castle again. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com.

Author of the paranormal suspense novel A HUMAN ELEMENT. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer.

You can also find Donna on FaceBook, Twitter and GoodReads

And a GIVEAWAY too!  Wahoo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How awesome is that?  Enter to win today and share the news with your friends too!

Mina B.

A-Z Challenge: "X" Characters & Fred

A-Z Challenge again and this time...its the letter "X." I tried to think of one character that stood out, but there are so many, I'd thought I'd pick several X characters and then in one word describe them. Let see if I hit the mark.  Want to play along?  

Xena: The Warrior Princess

Spirited

Xander from Buffy

Goofball

Charles Xavier a.k.a Professor X from Xmen

Wise

Xenophilius Lovegood 

Bizarre

X-10:  The evil villain in A Human Element.  
Check out my character interview with the twisted X-10.

Unhinged

Xtra credit:  Here's a story my son, a first grader, Xander a.k.a. Xman recently wrote.  He has a wicked mind and I have no idea where he gets it.

Title: Attack of the Caterpillars

All this time alien caterpillars were on Earth. 

And then the alien caterpillars tried to destroy us.  

But we killed them all and sent them back to space.  

And we lived happily ever after.

Triple XXX Threat:  Fred.  Oh, how he loves car rides!

Put the car in drive, Mom!

Remember to stop by and visit Schatze over at Mary’s BookHounds too.

Have a great weekend.

Mina B.

Guest Post by Author, Donna Galanti

I've been screaming through the blogosphere for some time now: "Dark is coming!" Well, minions it's here! Donna Galanti's debut novel, A HUMAN ELEMENT released last week on March 15th! Woot! (Note: If you want to know more about this unique paranormal thriller, check out my book review here.)

This week I'm happy to participate in her dark tour and host Donna as she guest posts on my blog and interviews her unearthly villain, X-10. Please welcome Donna!

Thanks, Mina! I thought it would be fun to give all your blog followers exclusive insight into the sick mind of one of my characters. Are you ready? Dare to meet X-10, the villain of A HUMAN ELEMENT...

Did you have a happy childhood? 
What’s happiness? A word you people use when you have nothing else to say. An empty word representing your pitiful emotions. I didn’t have a childhood. I grew up in a room, alone except for pathetic doctors who made me take tests over and over. And then I killed them all. That was a day I felt happy. Killing takes away the loneliness.

Who are you opposing and why? 
Laura. She gets to live a life I never had. A life with a name. I want a name. Charlie. It’s a nice name, right? But I’m the freak while Laura looks normal. I hate her for that.

Do you think maybe medication could help you? This vengeance thing isn’t healthy.
Medication? Yeah, I’ve had medication. That decrepit doctor pumps me full of drugs to dull my powers. I feel powerless and weak. Like you humans. Like Laura will feel someday, and her stupid lover. You’re annoying me. I don’t like to be annoyed. I don’t need to be near you to kill you, you know.

Okay, okay. So what is it you plan to do once you reach your goal? 
When I escape for this pit I’ll kill that bitch, Laura. But I’ll never kill her from my mind’s eye. This one has to be done in the flesh. Soon her time will come. And she will know what I am. She will watch her lover die and then I will watch her die. I’ll squeeze her perfect limbs between my hands and hear her cry out in pain. Lovely.

What would your mother think of all this? 
I didn’t grow up with a mother, you idiot. I never needed a mother. Mothers are something you humans whine to. I killed my mother before she could have a chance to raise me as a human. Ripped her apart when I was born. I was more powerful then, as a child, than she would ever be. Serves her right.

Nice. So how would you describe yourself? 
Tall and handsome (laughs). More powerful than any one on Earth, with amazing powers of telepathy, telekinesis, and strength. I am the ultimate puppet master of you people. I’m invincible. You can’t kill me. I have the power to heal myself. I hate wearing your human clothes too. I enjoy being naked and admire my bulging muscles. See?

Hmmm, yes. So who are your closest allies? 
The people I kill. That fat guard whose neck cracked so easily. He was an ally. His truck got me far down the road until it ran out of gas. And the scientist who imprisoned me. He was an ally. When I ripped out his throat he left me his stash of food to gorge on for energy. He served his purpose. The doctor who delivered me and sold me to the government. He was my ally when he led me to Laura. But then he had to die for that.

And now...enjoy and EXCERPT WITH X-10:
X-10 hovered over the doctor’s body. His anger drained away and he felt relief. He returned his mind to his body in the car. He needed to rest before continuing north. Travelling with his powers expended such energy it left him weak. But he needed to leave the car and hide out. He walked into the woods, breathing deep of all the life around him. After heading half a mile into the woods away from the dirt road, he found a hollow and lay down on the ground covering himself in a mound of leaves.

Within a few minutes his body heat warmed him inside his cocoon and X-10 slept. It was his turn to dream of the girl. He chased her as he always did, toying with her before he shredded her throat. But this time she stopped running and turned to walk back towards him. He stopped in his tracks, amazed she would do that when she knew he would kill her.

"Charlie, come with me. I know what you are. We are the same.”

He shook his head, wanting to hate her. How did she know he wanted to be called Charlie? His mission had been to kill her. It had always been so. If it changed now what would he do? What would he become?

“Don’t give into hate.”

“What do you know about hate?” 

“I know hate. And it’s short lived. Love lives forever." She held out her hand. “Come.”

“No!" He rushed towards her but she disappeared and he was left alone, as he had always been.

About A HUMAN ELEMENT:

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite–her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a mad man, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together. But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test.

With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his and she has two choices–redeem him or kill him.Readers who devour paranormal books with a smidge of horror and steam will enjoy A HUMAN ELEMENT, the new novel about loss, redemption, and love.


Reviewers are saying…

“A HUMAN ELEMENT is an elegant and haunting first novel. Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author of ASSASSIN’S CODE and DEAD OF NIGHT

“A HUMAN ELEMENT is a haunting look at what it means to be human. It’s a suspenseful ride through life and love…and death, with a killer so evil you can’t help but be afraid. An excellent read.” –Janice Gable Bashman, author of WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE, nominated for a Bram Stoker Award.

BIO:
Donna Galanti is the author of the dark novel A Human Element (Echelon Press). She won first place for Words on the Wall Fiction at the 2011 Philadelphia Writer’s Conference. Donna has a B.A. in English and a background in marketing. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, The Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and Pennwriters. She lives with her family in an old farmhouse in PA with lots of nooks, fireplaces, and stinkbugs. Visit her at: www.donnagalanti.com

LIKE Donna’s Author Facebook page for news and updates! Her tour runs through April 11thh with book giveaways, more guest posts, and interview fun, and a chance to win the big prize giveaway! So pop over to her blog to see the full tour schedule.

Connect with Donna here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/DonnaGalanti
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor
Blog: http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/

Purchase A HUMAN ELEMENT via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords

ARC Review: A Human Element by Donna Galanti

Today I’m reviewing Donna Galanti's upcoming debut novel, A HUMAN ELEMENT.  Donna must have picked up on my weakness for Dean Koontz, because A HUMAN ELEMENT echoes the bestselling author in terms of creativity, the supernatural and overall dark allure. Add in a little paranormal romance and you've got one delicious literary paranormal mashup.

A HUMAN ELEMENT starts off with a bang, literally.  To the world, a meteorite has crashed near Coopersville's lake located in a remote region in New York state. To a secret government operative, something else crashed near that lakefront…something out of this world.  At the time Ben Fieldstone was only nine and lost everything in the destruction, including his parents.  From that moment on, his life changed miserably as he was then forced into the foster system.  Ben lived under deplorable conditions, always having to watch his back. With a life like that, no wonder he chose a solitary existence for the bulk of his life.  The crash not only caused devastation, it sparked life in a form of beautiful woman name Laura Armstrong.  Born out of desperation, she was adopted and lived a semi-normal, peaceful life with her family and neighbors near the crash site.  Laura is truly a remarkable heroine.  She represents happiness, love, forgiveness and above all hope.  But with her existence, lurks a dark presence; one that haunts her and eventually kills those that she loves.

With the government’s debauching schemes and a strange man in black always watching, does Laura have what it takes to battle the darkness, uncover the truth and save the ones that she loves, including Ben?  What type of a future can two misfits like Ben and Laura have together?  Are they only connected by the crash site or is there more?  Um…I’m not tell’n ya! You’ll just have to get A HUMAN ELEMENT and find out.  And boy let me tell you it is goooood!

Dark is coming my friends and it’s called  A HUMAN ELEMENT. This book peaked my interest from the start.  If you love adult sci-fi/supernatural novels (like a Koontz), but you’re looking for more romance...this is your book.  On my RIP meter, Donna Galanti's  A HUMAN ELEMENT is a 4.  The book releases March 15.  Visit Donna's website for more details.

Mina B.