Mucho congrats to my friend, J.A. Belfield, on the re-release of her prequel novella, INSTINCT!! For a limited time (Friday January 23rd to Sunday, February 1st), you can grab a copy of this incredibly romantic story for FREE!
Blurb:
Werewolf Sean Holloway treats the village marketplace like a sexual buffet, though his charm does little to win over his latest entrée of choice. Whether because of Jem Stonehouse’s unique scent, her headstrong nonchalance, or the fact he is forbidden to see her by his pack’s rules, Sean wants her.
When Jem is nothing but flippant toward his advances, he pursues her with vigour, stealing moments alone with her without a libido-driven agenda.
The new and heady experience for him drives their relationship beyond romantic interest, and straight toward love.
That is, until Jem learns the truth about Sean’s heritage. Knowledge of the existence of werewolves leads to only one outcome: death.
In this prequel to Darkness & Light*, we are taken back in time, to the very beginning of Jem and Sean’s love-across-the-centuries relationship.
Did it end there? Or did Sean defy his own pack to save the woman he loves?
*Can be read as a standalone.
Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win $10 Amazon gift card and an ebook copy of ETERNAL, the sequel novella to INSTINCT.
The marketplace had to be the best venue to pick up females. At the age of twenty, I would have been happy to visit every day, but James would not permit me. As Alpha, his commands were followed without question, so my visits were limited to once a week. I had to admit, it worked out better that way.
From fruit to art, to lace, to the blacksmith’s stall, I walked. Paintings of marketplaces often depicted them as cheery, colourful, and bustling with activity. The latter conception may have been correct; although, they leaned more toward grey and dreary than bright, and the air often filled with yells of anger and bitterness, as opposed to joyful greetings.
At least there were the scents: hams and boars’ heads, fruits, wines, the steam of cooking soups, and, my most favourite of all, the freshness of ripe women. Lorna Rushford, Helena Longbarrow, Matilda Thornberry named only a few, each of those alone bringing with her a memory.
The females noticed me as much as I did them, even though my past catches never approached, never asked why I had not called to visit, or if I would tend them again. Of course, my refusal to conform to the current trends in attire ensured I stood out from the other males who bothered to arrive. Whereas the women’s glances would be appraising, perhaps even hopeful, the men’s glares offered nothing but scorn for my dark trousers tucked into knee-high leather boots, and for the shirts I never bothered to secure with their woven laces. Men had been hung for far less than inconsiderate fashion sense, yet I did not care. I was not like them and never pretended to be.
A whisper drifted across, as I meandered through the crowd: “’Tis Mr Holloway, Eleanor.”
With a tilt of my head, I spotted the speaker leaning into her sister, who fluttered her lashes in a clear attempt to catch my attention.
Eleanor had turned out to be a worthy virgin. The scent of her blood had driven me wild as I had plunged into her.
I smiled to myself as I turned away.
Farther along, pausing to sample the crisp apples, I caught Mrs Lawson’s scent. The older ladies may not have been as pure, but they could not be denied their eagerness to please. For that reason alone, they made for an entertaining afternoon.
My nose lifted to track her, and I found the woman beyond a table stacked high with fresh loaves, hidden behind her fan, which she waved with vigour. I recalled that her petticoat had held many layers, and the removal of them turned out to be almost as much fun as the act itself. I wondered how she had explained the damage to her pompous husband.
At a new aroma begging for notice, my step faltered as my nostrils flared.
Strong, yet understated, alluring and seductive, the unsullied flavour carried the exceptional deliciousness of womanly musk. Possessed by a need to find the source, I tilted my head and allowed my nose to lead.
It should have been difficult, impossible even, to locate such subtlety amongst the overpowering wafts of food and body odours, yet the strong pull beckoned to me, drawing me on.
Whispers continued, as I passed one stall after another, but they no longer held my interest. My mind seemed only able to focus on the unfamiliar scent. Although it intensified with each step, I half wished for a stronger breeze to invade the clear morning, to bring me a more wholesome dose and appease my sudden and unbidden greed.
My eyes shifted, as I moved, searching. I skimmed over those who held no appeal, the ones whose flavour had already been tasted, until, at the end of the row ahead, I spotted two young women.
From the angle of their positions, I doubted they could see me. The purchasing of herbs distracted the darker haired of the two. Animated, she possessed a flamboyance which showed in her movements, and in her pleasant tones, as she bartered with the stall owner.
I imagined she would get her own way with the price.
To her side stood a fairer female, with a quiet calm that showed in the relaxed set of her shoulders. Taking a step closer, I studied her.
Appearing younger, almost lacking in confidence, she was also somewhat taller and certainly far more beautiful. I did not recognise her, yet could not mistake her scent. I had been tracking it for the past five minutes.
Leaning across the jewellery on the stall beside me, I caught the proprietor’s attention. “Who is the girl?” I asked, pointing toward the one who held me so rapt.
“Regular of mine.” He nodded and smiled. “The Stonehouse sisters often purchase my quartz and amethyst.”
As he spoke their name in a conspicuous overtone, the females turned.
Blue eyes, as dark as sapphires, appraised me from beneath wisps of blonde, and a smile widened the girl’s lips, as my own mouth curved at the corners.
Beside her, the darker girl leaned into the fair tresses of her sister. “Sean Holloway is a ladies’ man and not to be trusted,” she hissed, her words carrying to me with ease, before she walked off. When her sister remained, gaze locked with mine, the seemingly older girl called out, “Come along, Jem. Mother is waiting.”
My eyebrow twitched upward. Jem?
With her attention tugged back toward her departing sibling, she dipped her head and followed behind.
Still, the essence her body had left in its wake lured me, and, unable to do otherwise, I trailed after her.
Sorry it's been SO LONG since I've posted something here. Busy, busy, busy!
Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer!
Today I've got a treat ...
You know how much I love the Holloway Pack, right? Well, my lovely friend J.A. Belfield is offering up another installment in her addictive paranormal series, a short story that can be read independently of the series (though why would you want to miss out on a pack of sexy wolfy men?), and it's FREE!!!
Before we get into the details, let's check out the gorgeous cover first:
The trouble with one-night stands: you never know who—or what—you’re sleeping with.
~~~
Being a parent isn’t an easy ride. Even more so for single mum Shelley Lewis.
When her thirteen year old son’s hormones kick in, she’s faced with his immense growth, insane sweat, and ridiculous hairiness, not to mention all the normal teenage issues.
Discovering her only son isn’t human on top of those is the shock of a lifetime, and Shelley knows she’s the only one to blame.
It may be too late to save her son from her mistakes, but she can still try to save Gabe from himself.
~~~
For fans of J.A. Belfield’s Holloway Pack series, Hereditary is a look back at the origins for characters met in Resonance.
Earlier in the month, one of my favorite writer buds, J.A. Belfield, released the fourth book in her Holloway Pack series. Now, for those of you who haven't heard of this series, let me tickle your mind for a moment... a houseful of alpha male hotness (*cough* Ethan) and breaking the rules to be with their mates.
Um ... what's not to love??
So in this installment we have Kyle. I was first introduced to him in Caged and although Ethan stole the show, Kyle held his own enough for me to take notice of the little side story going on with him and Brooke. I'm pretty excited to read this one because J.A. Belfield doesn't disappoint and the reviews for Unnatural have been fantastic!
For the tour stop, I asked J to prepare her Top Ten Coolest Cats. But before we get to that, let's check out this book:
Unnatural. One word to sum up werewolf Kyle Larsen—his mood swings, abnormal body, and choice of female.
The first two, he blames on the vampire venom.
The third, though? No, feline shifter Brook Nicholls was all his doing—a female of whom the pack will never approve.
As part of the Coalition, an organisation with even stricter rules than the pack and a rigidly warped sense of responsibility, Brook comes with a whole lot of opposition of her own.
No wonder the two of them keep their relationship secret for as long as they can.
Now, distanced from his family by his own indiscretions, Kyle’s left to fight battles he’s unsure how to win—some of them even against his own pack.
Is one woman really so important that he’s willing to defy his Alpha for her?
If his heart has any say in the matter, the answer will be yes.
There are a lot of folk in this world—some real, some fictional—who I happen to consider pretty cool for one reason or another. When Keri suggested this post to me, I thought it sounded fairly easy. Coming to write it, however, and narrowing these down to just ten? Nah, not so easy at all.
However, after a lot of deliberating—with myself—I think I’ve managed a respectable list. Check it out.
Mr B
Yes, yes, I know very few of you guys actually know him, but he is and always will be my Number 1 Cool Cat, so I’m sticking him here right at the very top. He picks me up when I’m down, he makes me laugh when I frown, and he gets me out of the house whenever I’m at risk of turning into a hermit. Some days, he has been the reason I have found in within myself to write.
Will Smith
There’s this saying I have with my bestie, Carla, that goes along the lines of ‘Will Smith—he never disappoints’. I dunno what it is. It might be because I grew up with Fresh Prince of Bel Air. It might be that annoyingly cute and cheeky grin. Heck, it might even just be that voice—‘cause, ya know, I am female, after all (don’t tell Mr B I said that).
So, I’m branding Will as my Wild Card Cool Cat—because I dunno what it is about him, I just know that it is. ;)
Queen Elizabeth.
She’s a cool lady. Keeps calm in a crisis. Offers pearls of wisdom and inspiration. And on top of that, her presence and poise and manner in which she carries herself make me proud to be British.
Stephen King
I’ve never read a Stephen King novel. *ducks for cover*
With that admission, I guess you’re all wondering how he made it onto my list. Well, he’s on here for three reasons: 1) because he has held a high spot in the horror genre for a long time, and that can’t be an easy deal to achieve; 2) I read his On Writing. This was the first book on writing I’d ever read. It’s also the only one I’ve ever read. I learned more from this autobiography-style book than I could have learned from anywhere else, and he deserves kudos for that; 3) because he didn’t give up. Becoming initially successful as a horror writer wasn’t easy for him. He had his knockbacks. He had his kicks. But he didn’t give up. That makes him an inspiration. Because, no matter the odds, he followed his dream.
Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead
If ever there’s a zombie apocalypse? Dude, I wanna be on Darrel’s team. Ya know? Not only does he seem sure in the pointing of his weapon, he does what he does, whatever that happens to be at any given time, with a total ease. I wish I was as chilled as this guy.
Prince Harry
I love Harry. As a royal prince, there are certain standards one must adhere to … but good ole Harry has never been afraid to be himself. He’s never been afraid to follow his own path in life. His work alongside the armed forces, despite how much danger he’s in because, boy, he would be a MASSIVE bargaining chip for the ‘other side’, right? He still just does it. And I respect him for that.
Brigid Kemmerer
From one writer to another, I have so much respect for what this lady produces. Her writing is consistent, her characters deep and full of life, and her world building is pretty neat, too. But what I learn most from reading her books is the art of pacing. She has the most consistent pacing of any author I’ve read. Plus her YA Elementals series is awesome. You should read them, for realz.
Uncle Si
Yeah, *holds hands up* I’m a Duck Dynasty fan. And this dude makes me guffaw my freaking hide off. Anyone on TV who has the ability to make me and Mr B simultaneously laugh until our sides hurt deserves a cool cat medal, for sure.
Diana Spencer
I still remember her as Lady Diana Spencer, but to those not from the UK, you’ll more likely know her as Princess Diana. She acted out her royal duties with elegance and grace, whilst fighting to cling onto her own identity during her time at the palace. She was what I would refer to as one of life’s gems. A true lady. I believe her attitude to life contributed a great deal to Harry’s headstrong ways.
Man, and I never realised just how much respect I have for our royal family over here until three of them crept into this post. However, just as calm and graceful in what she does is my final cool cat …
Keri Lake
Yeah, I went there—though it had to be done. And not just because I’m here today, on her blog.
I’ve known Keri since before we were both published, when our writing was still pretty rough around the edges, and I’m glad this virtual relationship has bloomed from that. Not only are her story ideas so out there that they are freakily awesome, but bouncing ideas off her, and being a board for her bouncing, is almost like working with a reflection. For some reason, we seem to get where the other is coming from, and those kinds of relationships between writers don’t happen every day.
Here’s looking at you, chick. ;)
So, those are my Cool Cats—who’d make it onto your list?
Oh man ... I'm blushing behind my computer screen right now. Thank you, J ❤
About the Author
Best known for her Holloway Pack Stories, J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, two cats and a dog. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.
Unnatural. One word to sum up werewolf Kyle Larsen—his mood swings, abnormal body, and choice of female.
The first two, he blames on the vampire venom.
The third, though? No, feline shifter Brook Nicholls was all his doing—a female of whom the pack will never approve.
As part of the Coalition, an organisation with even stricter rules than the pack and a rigidly warped sense of responsibility, Brook comes with a whole lot of opposition of her own.
No wonder the two of them keep their relationship secret for as long as they can.
Now, distanced from his family by his own indiscretions, Kyle’s left to fight battles he’s unsure how to win—some of them even against his own pack.
Is one woman really so important that he’s willing to defy his Alpha for her?
If his heart has any say in the matter, the answer will be yes.
To celebrate Unnatural's release, CAGED, Holloway Pack 3 is on SALE!
The UNNATURAL Blog Tour begins tomorrow, and throughout the duration of the tour, CAGED will be available for just 99c.
To grab your own copy of UNNATURAL, click on any of the purchase links below.
~~~~~
Best known for her Holloway Pack Stories, J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, two cats and a dog. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.
I think I've mentioned the very talented J.A. Belfield and the yumminess of her Holloway brood ...
Well guess what? There's MORE Holloway hotness on the horizon and I'm giving you a peek at the cover! I thought Caged was a sexy cover--and it is--nothing will top Ethan. But I gotta say, this cover is pretty damn gorgeous ...
Unnatural. One word to sum up werewolf Kyle Larsen—his mood swings, abnormal body, and choice of female.
The first two, he blames on the vampire venom.
The third, though? No, feline shifter Brook Nicholls was all his doing—a female of whom the pack will never approve.
As part of the Coalition, an organisation with even stricter rules than the pack and a rigidly warped sense of responsibility, Brook comes with a whole lot of opposition of her own.
No wonder the two of them keep their relationship secret for as long as they can.
Now, distanced from his family by his own indiscretions, Kyle’s left to fight battles he’s unsure how to win—some of them even against his own pack.
Is one woman really so important that he’s willing to defy his Alpha for her?
If his heart has any say in the matter, the answer will be yes.
Oh ... oh oh oh. Do I have a TREAT for you today, kiddies!
Grab a cup of coffee, a drool bib and find a cozy spot because this entire post is going to be devoted to my favorite hunky wolf.
Check out the book info, the author info and my review below! PLUS!! There's some AWESOME goodies that J.A. Belfield is giving away!
If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak.
For Ethan Holloway, his mission to find a missing werewolf should be simple. Crack a few heads, bust a few chops and the solution always reveals itself. Always.
Not this time.
Ethan’s reputation precedes him, and because it does, someone is ready. Waiting. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he’s about to go down. Hard. Against a foe he never suspected and in a world he never imagined could be real.
What awaits Ethan is a fight not only for his reputation, but also his pack, his female, and his life. If he survives, damage control will become priority number one.
If he survives.
Because even Ethan’s not sure he’s strong enough to take on an entire race all by himself.
Especially one hell bent on exposing who and what he is in the name of sport.
Excerpt
1
“… from the Shropshire area. Following Carly McDowd’s disappearance on the fourth, and Andrew Doherty’s on the seventh, this is the third incident this month …”
I turned from the square-jawed newswoman on TV to Dad, where he sat in his corner armchair.
His attention remained on the screen, a frown across his brow.
“… the duo of friends were first reported missing late last night by their parents, after they discovered neither of the teenagers …” The newscaster’s voice infiltrated once more.
Images of a couple of lads flashed side by side on the screen. The one on the left had the appearance of any late teen, with shaggy overgrown hair and the twinkle of mischief in his expression.
From the other image, brilliant blue eyes stared out at me from beneath a shock of pale blond curls.
“Oh, shit!” I pushed to my feet, took a step forward. “That’s …”
“Nineteen year oldGabriel Lewis was believed by his mother to be staying at Colum Delaney’s since Friday evening, whilst Colum’s parents …”
Dad stood, his fingers retracting his mobile from his jeans pocket as I worked my own out. He paused, nodded to me. “Go on. You make the call, Ethan.”
Shelley Lewis’s number had been saved in my phone book since the beginning of the year, right after we met for the first time. I hit dial and paced to the window. September sunshine, of the early morning variety, blinded me as my phone rang.
It took only a few trills for her to answer. “Ethan?” Her voice held hope, as well as a heavy weariness and the thickness of tears.
“Is it true?” I’d promised to support her—a lone parent, a female no less, raising a werewolf son with no guidance. So far, I’d delivered on that promise.
The sob hitting my ear gave confirmation enough. “Oh, Ethan.”
“Hold tight, Shelley. I’m on my way.”
“I’ll come with you,” Dad said, as I hung up and spun to him. “Shout Sean, too—in case we need to do any scouting. I think I heard him stir upstairs.”
“What about Connor’s lot?” The Larsen’s made up the other half of our eight-wolf pack, but lived separately to us on the south side of the forest.
Dad shook his head. “I’ll update Connor whilst you deal with Sean—”
“And Jem?” I asked with a lifted eyebrow.
Dad’s lips twitched, but he continued as though he hadn’t noticed my reference to his buck-passing. “Just the three of us will go. Connor and his boys can spend the morning here and stay close to Jem and your mother unless we need them.”
One day, a character and scene popped into J. A. Belfield’s head, and she started controlling the little people inside her imagination, as though she were the puppet master and they her toys. Questions arose: What would happen if …? How would they react if …? Who would they meet if …?
Before she knew it, a singular scene had become an entire movie. The characters she controlled began to hold conversations. Their actions reflected the personalities she bestowed upon them. Within no time, they had a life, a lover, a foe, family … they had Become.
One day, she wrote down her thoughts. She’s yet to stop.
J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, four cats and a dog. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.
I’ll just start out by saying when I first sat down to this book, before I even pulled the first page on my Kindle, I had a nervous feeling in my gut. Have you ever fallen for a character, one you weren’t necessarily supposed to fall for because he doesn’t really have that big of a role in a story, but had so much charm and sexiness, you couldn’t help but become enamored?
Yeah, this is what happened when I read Darkness & Light. The star of the book was clearly Sean. And he’s the guy J. made so damn irresistible that I really should’ve been knocking Jem right off the pages just so I could steal him away from her.
Instead, I felt happy and content at the end of their story. One of those, *sigh* good for you, moments.
Why’s that?
Because I’d just been introduced to my newest book boyfriend, the brooding Ethan Holloway. The not-so-star of the book and Sean's brother who had my fangirl flags waving full speed by the end.
So when J. announced that he’d have an ENTIRE book all to himself and that it’d be all Ethan’s POV I was both out-of-my-mind excited and biting-my-nails terrified.
What if I don’t want to be inside Ethan’s head? What if I like him always being the not-so-attached guy who always has everyone’s back? The silent hero in the background that you don’t realize has been watching you the whole time until you’re smack in the middle of a deadly situation and he’s all kicking some antagonist’s ass all over the page to save you, then leaving you with nothing more than a nod and a wink before he sets off into the woods for a night run.
I really should’ve known better …
This book is action-packed and chock full of mystery that had me turning the pages for more than just detailed descriptions of Ethan’s bod. J. didn’t disappoint with this story as there were moments that I found myself tense and biting my lip waiting to see how the hell Ethan would get himself out of some pretty frightening predicaments.
Ethan was … amazing. Like, I need to scour Youtube to find a guy with a deep, British accent just to imagine what it would sound like being sweet-talked by this guy amazing.
Well, yeah, I was a little jealous, but I gotta admit, I liked her.
If you’re looking for a great paranormal romance with sexy alphas, kickass fight scenes and some steam to top it off, you need to pick up this series! And okay, a little biased but particularly this book. You’ll not be disappointed. It has a great plot, well-developed characters and a whole lotta heart. At the last page of the book, I kept swiping my finger across the Kindle screen, desperate for the next scene, bummed when I realized I'd reached the end of the story.
Trust me, you’ll be one of the fiending females who wants to get Caged with Ethan Holloway.
My Rating: 5 Stars
And now it's ...
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Check out these prizes that J.A. Belfield is giving away!!
1st Prize: Signed copy of Caged, Caged swag pack (see image), $10 Amazon Gift Card
2nd Prize: Caged swag pack (see image)
3rd Prize: 5 runner’s-up will each receive a digi-signed Caged cover
Perhaps you’ve seen this Liebster Award going around. Well, guess what? I got nominated—not once, but twice—by the lovely J.A. Belfield and Soo over at Silk Screen Views. So I thought I’d combine the two into one post.
Here’s how this works:
* Each nominee must answer the 11 questions.
* Create 11 questions for the next nominees to answer.
* Link back to who nominated them.
* Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
* Go to their page and tell them.
* No tag backs!
Okay so first up, my questions from Soo:
What was your first response when you got my email about the Liebster Blog Award?
Um. What the hell is this?
Name a weird event that has happened due to running a blog. If the answer is no, tell a joke. It must be FUNNY!
I can’t even pull off a written joke, I’m THAT bad. Okay so, weird event? Uh, I’ll go both website and blog and I’d have to say the DAILY weird events are the search terms people have used to get to my site. Some of my faves:
Angels and demons having sex
Eating out in Keri Lake <<I’ll assume they were looking for the Greek resort here
Blindfolded ankles tied with rope <<curious to know which page they landed on.
Has anything unexpected happened to you by writing a post? If the answer is no, create a haiku about your blog.
Hmmm. *thinks REALLY hard to keep from having to write a damn haiku* Oh yeah, here’s one: I was writing teaser posts for my Cover Model Contest, you know, cropping sexy bods and saving the likely candidates into folders. Later, I ended up having an issue with a work-related account and had to call IT, who accessed my laptop remotely. He pulled up my recent files and there were all the half-naked men with no heads. Kinda felt like a perv.
Light saber or magic wand? Defend your answer! =)
Sabers are all about ass kickery. Wands are for marching band color-guard wannabe wizards.
What is a flaw you would never give up?
I’m incredibly picky about my own writing. Maybe even a little obsessive I guess.
If you could rid the world of stupid people, would you? Why or why not?
Probably not. It’d be hard to appreciate the smart ones if all the stupid ones disappeared. Reminders, right?
What three things do you absolutely must have to survive the Zombie Apocalypse?
A recipe for artificial brains, cans of Lysol spray and probably Nerf guns, because c’mon, decaying flesh can’t be all that impenetrable.
Is there a book you regret reading? What was it?
My sister’s diary when we were teenagers.
What do you do when your creative juices dry up and you can’t write anything but ellipses?
Um … well … I guess I … jeez … I dunno … take a break? … Uh … read someone elses’s stuff for a while? … Can’t really … think, ya know?
What is your definition of a white lie?
Practice.
Why did you decide to accept the LBA & participate in the blog meme?
My muse ditched me for a cheap fling with fast fingers and quicker keystrokes. I had nothing better to do.
Onto the next round of questions from J:
What is your favourite genre to read?
Definitely paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
You’ve just won a competition and the prize is any pair of shoes in the world of your choice. Describe them.
My dream shoes? Stilettos that feel like I’m wearing Nikes. Holy hell, I’d wear those suckers while cleaning house, even.
Which fictional character would you most like to meet and why?
I keep thinking this is going to change over time, but it hasn’t. Rydstrom Woede because there’s something about this demon that gets my fan girl flags waving. Some serious thigh-clenching going on too.
The zombie apocalypse is upon us. Undead beings are beating at your door, slobbering over your freshly-cleaned patio windows, and you’re barricaded into your living room. Sticking to truth, what’s the most useful item you have to help you swing your way out of this somewhat precarious situation?
Am I the only one who wonders what the big deal is about zombies? We’re talking the walking dead here, right? Decaying flesh and all that? Seems one swift kick would send your foot flying through a rib cage and out its ass. So I guess a pair of steel-toe boots.
I’ll never understand why mashed potato is considered a signature dish for a certain chicken restaurant in the US, so if you couldn’t have both, but had to choose, which way would you swing? Chicken or mash?
I actually LOVE mashed potatoes. Besides, lots of things taste like chicken anyway. Not like I’d miss it.
What is your most favourite accent in the world *cough* British *cough*?
What’s Gerard Butler’s accent again?
If you could visit any fictional land (created world/situation/etc) from any book of your choosing, which world/situation would choose to play witness to and why?
I’d like to be a patient in the UGH. Hot demon docs taking care of me? Yeah uh, sign me up!
Slippers or socks? No, they’re NOT the same!
Socks.
Favourite James Bond actor? Why, what’s so special about him, then?
Hands down, Sean Connery. The accent, the sex appeal.
Best (in your opinion) special effects for a werewolf film to date? (to the US folk out there, film = movie. )
Honestly, much as they are a guilty pleasure, I cannot take Twilight films seriously. I think I do more laughing than anything else. And the transformations in True Blood, though sexy when they involve Alcide stripping down, do nothing for me. I gotta go with An American Werewolf In London. That transformation scared the hell out of me when I was younger. Still the best in my opinion:
And last but not least: Head into your mobile (mobile = cell phone *snicker*) scroll through your ‘favourites’ list of numbers, find the number that you dial the most … Who is it? Can I have their number? ‘Cause they must be pretty cool if you ring them all the while, right?
Most dialed number is hubs.
And now here's my 11 questions for the nominees:
Well, it turns out that your good-for-nothing fairy godmother actually came through with a spell that works. The next book you read will become your reality. That’s right, you’ll be transported from your current existence, straight into the book. The question is, which book do you pick up next?
Your crazy uncle has finally done it … he’s built a time machine that he’s pretty sure is going to work, though he hasn’t actually tested it yet. On humans, anyway. You’re asked to be his guinea pig. Knowing there’s a good chance you might not come back from this trip, to which period would you like to travel back in time?
While showing off your old cheerleading moves at an outdoor keg party, you lose your balance doing a herkie and land on a patch of ice, knocking your head pretty hard. Your doc declares you out of sorts and writes you a note to excuse any behaviors deemed ‘temporarily insane’. What’s at the top of your havoc-wreaking agenda for the day?
What’s your favorite supernatural?
If you were stranded on an island and had the choice between a hot guy or a REALLY good book with a smokin’ hot alpha, what would you choose?
First date attire: jeans and t-shirt or a dress?
It so happens you’ve got some mad guitar skills. You decide to form a band. What’s the name of your band?
After months of floating alone through space, you land on a planet that makes our tropical paradises here on Earth look like the slums. Even more exciting than that, the only beings on the planet are men. But that’s not even the cake … every one of them are book boyfriends from the many romance novels you’ve read the last few months in your cramped spaceship cabin. Okay, sure, maybe you’ve lost your mind, but that’s irrelevant. The important question here is: who’s gonna be your leading man on this crazy planet?
If you could be any badass female from any book or movie who would you be and why?
Describe yourself in three words.
The supes are at war with each other and as one of few humans remaining you’re forced to take a side. Which supe is more likely to come out on top and why? Demons, werewolves, vampires or witches?
I know this thing has gone around the net quite a bit, so I’ll pick a few of my favorite bloggers and leave the other 5 or so open to anyone who’d like to participate!
I'm going to keep my intro to this brief because somewhere in this post is some mancandy, and I know you hate when I ramble on before introducing the goods. This month J.A. Belfield released RESONANCE, Holloway Pack #2.5 (that's right ladies, be patient ... Ethan Holloway is right around the corner!). And to celebrate, I asked her to prepare a guest post for my blog. Not just any guest post.
Something fun. Something sexy. Something exclusive.
I'll admit, I'm one of the nags who's asked her time and again, 'So what exactly does Sean look like through your eyes?'
Just goes to show ya ... ask a million times and ye shall receive!
Now I am a HUGE fan of this author's work and so to finally get to meet one of the hotties I've been reading about for a while is well ...
So I'm going to pass this post on to Ms. J, because the sooner I shut my mouth, the sooner we'll all FINALLY get to see Sean Holloway!!
Oh yeah!!
Wanna (FINALLY) See Sean Holloway?
Putting a face to a name is a toughie for me. Even more so when I’ve been asked since Darkness & Light was published, ‘How do you picture Sean?’ or, ‘If you had to cast him, which actor would you choose?’
I get asked this a lot in interviews, too. And I’m always stumped. Always!
Because when I write a character, I know who they are, but other than a list of physical attributes, I often have no diggety dang idea what they actually look like as a complete package. I’m more about the presence and personality of a character. But then, I’m like that when I’m reading, too. Ask me what a character is like at the end of reading a book, and I can easily list a few quirks and ‘ways’ of theirs. Ask me what they looked like, however, and I’m hard pressed to do so.
So, for that reason, I’ve never (BEFORE) been able to give you guys a visual on this main Holloway Pack male.
But that is all about to change.
Yup.
You see, a couple months ago, I, by happenstance, stumbled across an image of a somewhat hunky male on the Internet, whereupon I literally threw up my hands and muttered, “My God, that’s Sean Holloway!”
So ... whatcha think? He anything like you’d think he would be?
(Hot dude’s name is Aaron O’Connell, btw. Here’s his Twitter Handle. You’re welcome.)
*wipes drool* I'm sorry ... did you ask me something J? *adds Twitter handle onto Tweeps to Stalk list* And there you have him, folks! The sexy Sean Holloway ... *~*~showering*~*~
I can’t believe the release of Soul Avenged is just a week away …
A year ago I was throwing out word counts on this thing and now it’s going to be in the hands of readers.
To celebrate, I’ve organized a blog tour for its release. Before I go into the details of that, I want to say THANK YOU to the kickass bloggers who’ve signed up to participate. You guys are all kinds of awesome.
The tour will run February 6th – March 6th
You can check out the tour schedule here and scroll down to the links at the bottom that will take you directly to the sites.
Not only am I giving away some pretty cool prizes, but I’ve also prepared some fun posts for the tour. In addition to interviews and guest posts, I’ve also written little snippets--snapshots of the Wrath Brothers’ lives. One contestant will also win my playlist that I’ll be posting on one of the stops.
So be sure to check out the blogs and leave comments! You never know when or where I’ll be lurking around and randomly give something away for free. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Reviews are coming in! Check them out here on GOODREADS .
I’m so excited about this new series and hoping all of my readers enjoy the book. Book 2 of the Sons of Wrath is already written, currently in the warzone of edits at the moment but will be prepping that for release once its nice and shiny. I’ll begin writing book 3 sometime late summer.
Halos #2 will be out this year too. Lots of words coming your way, so stay tuned.
Oh have I got a treat for you today ...
For many series out there, I can be a bit of a fickle whore, jumping from one male lead in the story to the next. Hey, if he's sexy, has some personality and the author leads me to cheer for him along the way, I'm usually sold. Yeah, I have my favorites, but they can be easily outshined by another character.
There is, however, one fictional man that I remain devoted to and when the author of this series asked me to be part of her cover reveal, well, let's just say she didn't have to ask me twice ... or wait long for my response, for that matter. And when I finally received the email with attached cover for the book? Sa-woon!! No really, a fixed stare, gape mouthed moment of drooling. But don't take my word for it. Check it out yourself:
If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak.
For Ethan Holloway, his mission to find a missing werewolf should be simple. Crack a few heads, bust a few chops and the solution always reveals itself. Always.
Not this time.
Ethan’s reputation precedes him, and because it does, someone is ready. Waiting. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he’s about to go down. Hard. Against a foe he never suspected and in a world he never imagined could be real.
What awaits Ethan is a fight not only for his reputation, but also his pack, his female, and his life. If he survives, damage control will become priority number one.
If he survives.
Because even Ethan’s not sure he’s strong enough to take on an entire race all by himself.
Especially one hell bent on exposing who and what he is in the name of sport.
Le double sigh. You see why I adore this man? He's tough. He's protective. And dayum, he has one fine looking back ... scars and all.
Unfortunately, this baby won't be ready to roll until August. In the meantime, catch up on the series:
What if she’d acted sooner? What if she’d fully recognised the threat? What if she hadn’t allowed the male pack members to head into the witches’ ambush?
For one, youngest pack member Josh Larsen wouldn’t be trapped in the sleep of the dead.
Now, Jem is convinced it’s her job to bring him back to life no matter what it takes— learning more about her heritage, risking pack exposure, or travelling to places she couldn’t have imagined possible.
Even if the journey endangers her soul.
A journey that endangers her soul? Ho ho! You know I’m in…
If you haven’t yet read any of the Holloway Pack, you’re missing out! This is a great series for those in the mood to get cozy with a house FULL of sexy, protective werewolves.
Here, I’ll just make it easy and give you the links to buy the books:
It's Friday the 13th! There's nothing unlucky about today - I get to be one of the tour stops for J.A. Belfield's newest release, Eternal. Even better, I have Jem Stonehouse, the leading lady of the Hollway pack, in-house to answer some curious questions about those delicious Holloway boys. Before we begin our little inquisition, let's check out the cover for Eternal and blurb:
An unmarried woman living in a house of men breeds hearsay and lore. If only the villagers knew the truth.
It’s not Jem Stonehouse’s marital status that brings unwanted strangers to town. Rather, it’s that she is the only female werewolf in existence — a prize to any pack.
Sean Holloway, the love of Jem’s life, has gone to great lengths to protect her. As a new attack becomes imminent, Sean realizes he must take greater measures with Jem’s safety or risk losing her forever.
His first task must be to marry her, but a force greater than the largest werewolf stands in his way.
Her mother.
Beautiful cover! I loved Darkness & Light and Instinct. Can't wait to dig into this one!
NOTE TO READERS OF THIS INTERVIEW: CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS!
Jem, I have to tell you that I fell in love with your story in Instinct. The innocent romance between you and Sean was such a joy to read. Tell me, what thoughts went through your head when you first caught sight of handsome ‘Mr. Holloway’?
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I spotted ‘Mr Holloway’ long before he seemed to spot me. And whilst I dared allow myself to wonder over the rumours? Due to his reputation, I was somewhat relieved about when I continued to pass beneath his radar. Though that all seemed to go out the window the very first time he made eye contact. Boy, that man’s smile is enough to set even the strongest of pulses into a flurry.
I'll bet...*sets chin on palm, stares off and sighs*
*breaks from stare, notices Jem's 'let's move along' expression*
Sorry. Instinct - I found myself frustrated at your mother for her interference. But as I look at the situation through the eyes of a mother, I can’t say that I wouldn’t do the same. Can you blame your mother for wanting to protect you and your sister? Do you think she ultimately expected you to accept Sean for what he is?
I’d never blame my mother for her protective ways. After all, with the death of father, myself and Jessica were all she had left. So it was in her nature, I guess, to try to hold dear to us. I mean, even after she conceded I may have made the right choice in Sean, she still somehow managed to get her way in the old protection department.
There is this dreamy nature about Sean in each of the books: mischievous and chivalrous at the same time. Is the man always this way? Does he ever have a moody moment?
Yes, Sean is dreamy—but then I guess I can say that seeing as he starred in my dreams a lot. He’s also very mischievous, a side of him readers don’t get to see nearly enough of in the books. As well as chivalrous—he’s definitely that. But does he ever have a moody moment ….*Snort* he’s male—what do you think?
Hahaha! Right on...What's it like being the only female in a house full of rowdy wolves?
The good: they all adore and smother me and would go to the ends of the earth to protect me.
The bad: they all adore and smother me and would go to the ends of the earth to protect me.
What? What do you mean that’s a non-answer?
*sigh* Okay, the over-protection part is as good as it is bad. As is the adoration—because it means I get away with pretty much most of my antics with little repercussion from anyone in the pack, whilst it also means not one of them wants anything to happen to me which brings us full circle to the over-protection part. I get poked a good bit about the eye candy, but to be honest? I don’t actually see that far past Sean other than to be highly mortified by any naked parts belonging to his family.
What?! *bites lip while suddenly hit by visuals of Ethan...naked*
*shifts in seat* OK, between the past and the present, what is your favorite time period and why?
Oh, goodness. I think maybe the present. Because females of the world, in general, have a lot more say and rights. That hasn’t quite carried over into the pack with full effect yet, but I’m certainly working on it.
Do you harbor any resentment toward Sean for what he did?
Which time? The first time? The second—the third? The first time, I did for a while. Until I came to understand how desperate he must have felt to panic that way, for him to break every rule he’d been raised to obey because he believed it the only way possible for us to be together. If you look at it that way, it actually sounds romantic. I do wish he’d have spoken to me about it first though. As for the final time he bit me? There is no resentment for that. How can I blame him for an accident that had been prompted into occurrence by events out of our control?
No doubt, Sean would hurt himself before ever thinking of hurting you, this much I've gathered from your stories. What’s it like being the wolf with Sean?
Imagine being completely in tune with your surroundings, in a body that instinctively knows what to do, with senses that collect signs, scents, sounds like dropped breadcrumbs that guide you and rarely steer you wrong, in a mass of muscle built to protect its owner. Now tell me: how do you think it feels?
Uh...is that available over-the-counter yet? Wonder where those breadcrumbs lead. *winks* Hehehe
Can you give us a brief teaser of what we can expect in Eternal?
Um … apart from the ones already dropped throughout? Think love, think male screw ups in the way only a male can achieve, think hurt and forgiveness, family ties and loyalty, and danger blended with risk, as well as territorial contests (of more than one variety) and the ultimate ending that’s enough to leave a girl sighing … and you pretty much have Eternal all wrapped up in a bow.
Oooh! I like sighing...lots of sighing. And while we're on the topic of sighing, it's time for the most important question of the interview: what is it like living with Ethan Holloway? *biting lip again*
Seriously? You probably don’t want to know.
No, I really do. *scoots to the edge of the seat*
He’s like the big brother I never had—which pretty much marks him as the biggest pain in my behind I never had.
He’s loveable, though. I’d be lying if I didn’t toss that in.
Loveable. *imagines lots of loving* Ever, like *shrugs shoulders* I dunno, walk in on him say, in the shower? *grins*
What? No!
Mid-change?
Not if I can help it, thank you very much. His ego’s already big enough without him thinking I have nothing better to do with my time than spy on his nudity. What kind of questions are these?
Wait, there are more important things than spying on his nudity? *clears throat* Uh, moving on…
Thank goodness. Though, I should probably add that you guys will have to wait until December to see more of his highliness.
*scream rattles in brain* Shut. Up. More of Ethan??? Ho ho...sign me up.
You have a keen sense of smell, right? What uh…*dodges eye contact* does Ethan smell like, exactly? *cough*
Hahahaha. Well, I can tell you exactly what Sean smells like: woody, wolfy and natural all mixed up with his own blend of masculine musk. Now imagine those scents with the masculine musk slightly altered and the pretty much have Ethan—there are actually a lot of similarities between the way the two of them smell.
I will not ask her to send me one of Ethan's shirts. I will not ask her to send me one of Ethan's shirts. I will not ask her to send me one of Ethan's shirts. So *clears throat* that sounds...delightful.
BONUS QUESTION: Throughout the centuries, what was your most romantic moment with Sean?
Um … I think the first time we wed. Possibly because the wedding was followed by the binding, and seeing the unwavering resolution in Sean’s eyes as the ritual was performed, with not one hint of doubt present, pretty much imploded my heart with the realization of how deep his love actually went.
*sighs* That's one I too would hold on to eternally. So glad you could stop by Jem!
Want to know how to get your hands on a copy of Eternal? Of course you do!
I'm pretty damn excited today for two reasons...
One, it's Friday. What is it about this day of the week that makes me want to sit outside and sip on a margarita?
And second, I get to share a small excerpt from my WiP, Soul Avenged (Sons of Wrath, #1). You'll finally get to meet Ayden, the badass who's been going fist-to-fist with some of the other MC's in my head.
This won't be very long, just enough to give you a taste of what I've been up to while locked away in my crazy secret laboratory. So find a comfy chair, grab your drink of choice and have a read. Comments are welcome.
Most of the musical inspiration for this series came from Paramore and NIN, but I had to include this song as it fueled the excerpt and the scenes that followed. I recommend turning down your speakers...
The frigid sensation sliced through Ayden’s veins, leaving a numb trail in its wake as she stepped through the remains of the abandoned factory - one of many havens for the crack addicts and prostitutes.
A vile stench assaulted her nose, a potent blend of piss, sex and rotted meat, as garbage crunched beneath her boots. Foundation had collapsed all around where she stood, crumbled as if the building would fold into the depths of hell.
Graffiti spattered the walls, giving the impression that gangs were the real threat - ‘We don’t die, we multiply.’
Right. Like gangs own any part of this city anymore.
The old Packard Plant - a ghostly haunt for tormented souls. Shitholes were cropping up everywhere, much more rapidly than ever before. Detroit once a thriving city, brought to ruins. Grey and lifeless like the suffocating overcast that loomed during daylight.
A Beretta, loaded with silver bullets and a silver parrying dagger rested at one of Ayden’s hips, a silver bullwhip at another, as she moved past comatose bodies and decaying corpses.
Feeding grounds, like a bait pile.
Deadened eyes, zombified, slowly tracked her movement in the darkness, squinting, as though craving the light that hers didn’t need to see. Humans so strung out on drugs, they failed to recognize the half-eaten carrion were once their own kind.
Not that knowing would stop them. They’d apparently chosen to face danger rather than kick their addiction, roaming the streets every night in search of their next high.
Lambs.
They were already dead. Death just hadn’t come to collect yet.
The blissful sigh of a hopped-up junkie reached her ears. She snarled her lip. “Enjoy it while it lasts, asshole.”
It’d be one thing if they were homeless. Hell, she might’ve fired a warning shot to evacuate.
The homeless didn’t come here though.
Neither did the police - making it the perfect spot to get wasted and hustle some money. Shots fired would’ve been nothing more than a momentary distraction before their minds slipped back into their ignorant state of euphoria.
Screw ‘em.
For any other girl, the place promised very bad things - an opportunity for a sadist to live out wild fantasies without ever getting caught.
But for Ayden? Humans posed no threat. Their fragile bodies would shred like paper dolls against the work of her hands. Lucky for them, she sought something else to sate her thirst for bloodshed, something far more threatening than their most psychopathic criminal - and she’d tracked it here to the surrounding cornucopia of human flesh.
Today I’m interviewing a wonderful author friend of mine, Steve J. McHugh, whose debut release, Crimes Against Magic, released April 30th. Before I pull out my list of probing questions, let’s first take a look at the cover and blurb:
It’s been almost ten years since Nathan Garrett woke on a cold warehouse floor with nothing but a gun, a sword, and no idea of who he was or how he got there. His only clue … a piece of paper with his name on it. Since then, he’s discovered he’s a powerful sorcerer and has used his abilities to work as a thief for hire. But he’s never stopped hunting for his true identity, but those who erased his memory have never stopped hunting for him. When the barrier holding his past captive begins to crumble, Nathan swears to protect a young girl who is key to his enemy’s plans. But with his enemies closing in, and everyone he cares about becoming a target for their wrath, Nathan is forced to choose between the life he’s built for himself and the one buried deep inside him.
Crimes Against Magic is an Urban Fantasy set in modern day London with Historical flashbacks to early fifteenth century France. It’s the first in a series of books called the Hellequin Chronicles, which shows the life of sorcerer Nathan (Nate) Garrett.
I was lucky enough to beta read the manuscript months ago. It kept me turning the page. Loved the MC, his leading lady and the kickass story overall.
Just some background on you, Steve. Tell us something about yourself. Where you live and what you do when not writing?
I’m thirty-two and was born in Mexbrough, South Yorkshire. We moved down to Southampton when I was six, so I lost my Yorkshire accent long ago. I’ve been married for six and a half years and have two beautiful daughters and a third on the way.
What do I do when I’m not writing? Usually I’m with my girls keeping them busy so they don’t destroy my house. Other than that, I’m a big videogame and comic book fan, and love my anime too. Basically, I’m a geek. And I’m okay with that.
Geek pride baby! You've got some busy days up ahead! Best wishes to you and your growing family. This book really delivers on the mythology and history, which is what I enjoyed most about it. What is it that inspired this story?
I’ve always loved history and mythology and wanted to combine them into something.
So I took the pieces of both that I wanted and ran with it. All of the books about Nate will have flashbacks in them, and all of them will have some mythological characters or creatures from various cultures.
You added some creative pieces along the way. One of the things I loved was transporting from the fifteenth century to the present. Did you find this difficult to transition between the two time periods while writing it?
It wasn’t difficult, but the flashbacks took more research to get right. I wanted the language to be as close to right as I could get it (although I do use a few words that they probably didn’t). And I needed to make sure that the geography of the time was right.
Well, I didn't come across mention of a microwave or cellphone in the flashbacks. You did a nice job of transitioning. Is your protagonist, Nathan Garrett, based on anyone you know personally?
No. He’s got my smart-assness and my height. That’s about it from me, and the rest just came naturally over the time I wrote about him.
Haha! He was quite the smartass...You made the decision to self-publish this book. What have you learned in the early stages of this process that you’d like to pass along to other authors who may be considering this route?
Get a good cover. Seriously, it’s so important that your cover is good. The number of people who have said that the cover was great and they wanted to know more about the book is incredible. Get something that jumps out at people and will attract the eye.
Also, you can never have too many people beta-read your book. They will find problems you never will by yourself.
I couldn't agree more. The cover is what draws the eyes. And betas are a writer's little gems. What has been the biggest challenge in writing and working toward publication?
Sticking to my own timetable was hard work, because it would have been so easy to just give myself an extra few weeks so I didn’t have to work so hard.
Yep. Once it's in motion, it needs to stay in motion. What is your writing routine? Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what kind of music to do you like?
I can tune out most things once I get started, so don’t usually bother with music too often. But if I do put music on, it’s usually things like: Foo Fighters, Black Stone Cherry, AC/DC, soundgarden, stuff like that.
Is Crimes Against Magic part of a series or a stand-alone novel?
It’s the first in a series called the Hellequin Chronicles, which charts the life of Nathan Garrett. I’ve got about a dozen plotted out and notes for quite a few more, so that should keep me busy.
Hey, busy is good! Who are your literary influences?
Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Richard Morgan, Lee Child, Kelley Armstrong, Grant Morrison, Scott Snyder, Dan Slott, Peter David and far too many more to list. But they’re a mixture of novel and comic book writers.
Can you give us a little snippet of your favorite scene in Crimes Against Magic?
I couldn’t think of one that wouldn’t spoil anything, so I picked something that occurs quite early in the book:
"If I answer, will you let me go?"
I shook my head. "You will die here, today. The only question is how. Thomas there is a good man. Your death will be quick and painless." The werewolf looked up at the rage-filled Englishman. I motioned for Thomas to walk off as I made my way to the crippled werewolf. "I am not a good man," I whispered into his ear when we were alone. "I will strip the flesh from your bones and scatter your ashes to the wind. I will ensure that for the next thousand years, the merest mention of what I did to you in this city will evoke fear into anyone foolish enough to think they can cross a sorcerer."
Ho ho! I love that scene...Nathan rocks. You have some very well-written fight scenes throughout the novel. What research went into them?
I did used to take Kung-Fu and Kickboxing, but that was a long time ago. My research was basically watching Asian action movies. They’re superb and picking up ideas for fights. And Anime is excellent for magic. So yeah, my research was watching really violent movies.
BONUS QUESTION: If you had amnesia for a day and were crazy enough to be just about anyone you wanted, who would you want to be and why?
That’s really hard. I’d be the Hulk. Yeah, I’d get arrested, and yeah I’d be thought of as a crazy person, but damn, there are some people who would get such a smash first.
Hahaha! Um. Wait. Not me, right? RIGHT?!
OK, so do you wanna know how you can get your hands on a copy of Crimes Against Magic? Want to know more about Steve J. McHugh?
Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to one of my favorite authors, NB Charles. For those who may not know, NB is not only a writing friend of mine, but he is also the master architect behind the Immortals’ Universe. His writing is sinfully addictive. But NB remains an absolute mystery. And so I decided to grab my trusty ice pick and dig deep inside the mind of this enigmatic personality.
So NB, you carry this dark and mysterious presence on social networking sites and your website. Tell us something about yourself outside of your posted bios. What do you like to do when not writing?
Well, my brain has an irritating need to keep busy. I’m always doing something, be it learning a new language, studying, dissimilating and challenging historical philosophy or generally jumping head first into anything that catches my fantasy. I won’t even go into my Kinbaku-bi, Sundance film and North Western crocheting phase. When I’m not writing I’m reading or doing some amateur chemistry or physics experiment. Other than that it’s herbology and alternative sciences. I’m more than, a bit of a hippie-geek.
*picks jaw up off the floor* Um. Wow, I uh, don’t suppose you have days where you just veg out with a bag of Doritos and an afternoon of Lifetime Movie Network then. *jots note to Google Kinbaku-bi* Ok, next question. You’ve constructed this alternate realm, teeming with supes: demons, vampires, werewolves, dragons. Give us a brief tour of the Immortals’ Universe.
Brief tour!!! Okay, right… it’s not like I don’t like a challenge. Basically the thing to keep in mind is that the Immortals Universe is our own except history is told through the eyes of the supernatural creatures that inhabit it. Think about all the myths and fantasy stories you’ve ever read without any shading or dilution from any of the world’s major religions and the overtly skeptical. It’s Grimm’s fairytales absent the child friendly view. But most importantly, it’s about women. Who they were - are… The power they held and still possess today, even though popular thought likes to marginalize it. Imagine the fearsome goddesses who ruled over life and death, commanded creation itself, now, stuck here, in our time, with only a half-hearted oath to keep their majesty in check. Those goddesses, working a nine to five, are putting up with dating in a climate whereby if you’re not Kate Moss, with an I.Q. of 1 you’re ugly. They must resist smiting cheating men, who couldn’t fight a war, hunt wild beast in the woods, build you a temple made of gold and be home in time to make the kind of loving you damn well deserve, on cue. They balance the lousy paycheck you get at the end of the month whilst smiling at the idiot boss man who knows not nearly enough to qualify him to eat with a spoon. So essentially, supernatural creatures, living under human law and societal restraints, is going to cause very big problems. This is the Immortals’ Universe.
*daydreams of the faithful, sweaty warrior coming home after a hard day of building my gold temple, carrying a wild beast over his shoulder as he bursts through the door to…* Oh. Sorry, NB. I um. *shifts in chair* So what inspired you to write The Darkest Kiss Series?
Short answer, an overactive imagination. Longer answer, the idea came to me whilst watching the tragic destruction of three couples who couldn’t manage life’s challenges and still keep love alive. They were great people at the mercy of metaphorical vampires, savage beasts and walking serpents, not to mention the demons inside them nipping away. The Darkest Kiss Series is literally a Girl’s Guide to navigating life’s trials, except that it treats the metaphorical as literal.
I believe part of the art in writing is the quiet observation and the ability to turn those brief snapshots of life into an entire story. What was the most challenging part of writing this series?
The events in the series aren’t consecutive. Some of the different stories take place during the same time in a few of the books, only at different places. The secondary plot however is sequential. Keeping track of everything as it interlaces demands a good memory. I can’t even remember what the first question in this interview was.
Uh *quickly scrolls to top of page to check* yeah, I know what you mean about keeping it all straight, I have trouble with that too. Carmella, Rowland and Sebastian are the main characters in the first book of the series, titled Tender Kiss. Who was your favorite to write and why? Are your characters ever based on someone you know?
Carmella, Rowland and Sebastian are the main characters and each of them has an aspect in their personalities that I love to play with. My favorite, if I had to choose, would have to be Carmella. She’s this almighty vampyre queen who’s about to lose everything because she trusted her heart to the wrong guy. Who hasn’t been there? However, the real problem emerges as destiny seems to be forcing her to trust in another fella. Some scars run too deep and even if they can someday heal, why should this independent, powerful woman rely on another to save her from the proverbial dragon? Unfortunately, whether you’re supernatural or not, life works in such a way that you’ll always need some help at some time. Carmella has to balance what her mind tells her against what her heart needs. Even for a virtual goddess, that isn’t easy. It’s her eventual answer that made me fall in love with her.
All my characters are based on people I know actually, but are a bit more honest about them than they are about themselves.
Oh man. I’m dying to know who the real Carmella is in your life. She must be one kick ass woman because this is a character J'adore as well. You have a knack for creating these delicious male MC’s that women could just devour **cough** Rowland. What ingredients go in to a sexy alpha?
It’s strange; these guys are basically your everyday average Joe, if he was completely true to who he was, with himself and everyone. It just happens that average isn’t average at all. When your own brand of uniqueness shines at the fore, with the confidence it deserves, I guess it’s just darn sexy.
So my list of ingredients are:
Mix who you are with who you can be. Add an ounce of spirit and a dash of determination, then abaracadabara- sex on a stick. Corny but true.
Damn. Do you mind if I write this on my bathroom mirror? Not corny. You’re absolutely right. Confidence in who you are and what you can achieve is sexy as hell. What is your writing routine? Do you listen to music? If so, what kind of music?
I have no set in stone routine. I usually just write until exhaustion, and then break off to continue life. Whilst I wait for the next bolt of inspiration to strike, I think through the story and characters, even take them off script if I have to just to see them squirm. It’s during my thinking time that I’ll listen to music, anything that my iPod lands on, (it’s usually French contemporary). When I’m writing, I prefer silence and solitude. The images and voices in my head are more than enough company.
Hahaha, true, though I think a sultry voice, like Lana del Rey, can sort of anesthetize those voices a little so my fingers can keep up the pace on the keyboard. I must have music when I write. Who are your literary influences?
Salman Rushdie, JRR Tolkien, Hemmingway, Jean Rhys, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Roald Dahl, Chinua Achebe, D.H. Lawrence and Bessie Head. There’s a whole lot more but these ten started me on the path to reading.
What is the most valuable advice you’ve been given that you would pass on to other writers?
You write a story but you edit a novel. Truer words were never spoken. Your novel is really what you get after mounds of editing on the story. Attached to that credo I’d add, know your circuit. It’s really important to understand who you’re writing for. Learn everything you can about the demographic and the culture surrounding your genre.
I couldn’t agree more. What are you currently working on? Can you give us a little snippet of your favorite scene?
Two works actually, but I hope to have them published under a separate pen name. Working titles are: The Whore Of Camelot and The Death Dealers’ Secret.
Here’s a snippet from The Whore Of Camelot (Still to be edited)
“One thousand.” She’d stop counting. There was no point in continuing. She was sure that they were all dead. All four thousand and sixty four of them - dead.
Uther, as promised, had shown no mercy.
The army of Dunherd had fallen, leaving the women and children no more than open prey. Uther wouldn’t suffer the sons of his enemies another day’s breath. She was sure of it. And as to the daughters, they’d most likely become whores and playthings, at least until they were spent and the edge of a dull blade became their only salvation.
If wisdom befell any of the lot, they’d know to take salvation into their own hands.
Salvation and dignity.
But the younglings? Guinevere thought to herself. The ones too little to think beyond their mothers’ breasts. Their fate would be the cruelest. Uther would see them to the mines. To subsist or die as slaves.
Guinevere squeezed the leather cask in her aching hand. She knew what had to be done but the knot, twisting inside her stomach, contested her every step. The fretful cries of the children hummed along the stone hallway.
Still, Guinevere’s teeth clenched as she fought back the monsoon of despair, desperate to slip out of her lilac irises. A wave of skin cutting cold ravaged her insides.
Still, it had to be done.
WTF?! NB, somewhere along the line, I suspect you earned a degree in ‘How To Choose The One Scene In A Book That Will Drive Your Readers Crazy With Curiosity’. This is not the first time you’ve done this to me, and I suspect it will not be the last…*sigh* I asked for it though. Perhaps I should have specified a chapter-length snippet. BONUS QUESTION: Where in the hell does one, who happens to live on an island paradise, go to ‘get away from it all’?
Usually another island, ha, ha, ha…
Want to know more about this brilliant writer? You can find him here:
I'm not going to lie. When I'm perusing the shelves for new reading material, whether at the bookstore or while sitting at my laptop, the cover is important. The innards could very well contain the next classic, but if the cover looks like hell, I'm on to the next one. My thought is this: if you're going to take the time to write a great story, why not take equal time to design a great cover?
I'm super excited to be part of J. A. Belfield's BLUE MOON cover reveal for three reasons:
FIRST, I've read Darkness & Light, book #1 of the Holloway pack, so without a doubt I know Blue Moon is sure to contain a great storyline with sexy werewolves (ahem, Ethan...yum) and feisty females.
SECOND, J sent me the blurb to the book so that I could share it with you in this post. In a word: SOLD!! Here, check it out:
Someone is watching the Holloway Pack, and this time, the female isn’t the target.
Life with a group of seven male werewolves worries Jem Stonehouse not one bit. She is engaged to the Alpha’s son Sean Holloway after all. So what has Jem’s territorial instincts on high alert?
The pack’s latest addition. Both of them.
None of the men think there’s a problem with the new girlfriends. Jem’s intuition tells her otherwise—that and a nagging suspicion the new females aren’t there to partake.
Jem believes they’ve joined in to take.
The question is ... What?
As the eve of the blue moon draws ever closer, Jem’s running out of time to find the answer and outwit a thief of the worst possible kind.
A woman who believes she can’t lose.
Ho ho! I told you there were feisty females...
And THIRD, I received the attachment for the book cover and was instantly mesmerized. The colors, the font, the layout...all of it so alluring - easy to stare at for an exceptionally long time, as if you're being sucked into another dimension.
But don't take my word for it... have a look and tell me what YOU think:
Ain't that a purdy sight? Would I pluck this book off the shelves if I hadn't already gotten a taste of J's writing? Yes I would. Because I'm shallow like that.
Well, with the book release fast approaching, ya better get caught up on your Holloway Pack reading. You can find out more about J. A. Belfield by stalk er, I mean, checking her out:
It is my absolute pleasure to introduce Narcisse Navarre, author of steamy erotic novella, The Olive Grove. First, let's take a good long look at the stunning cover and the blurb:
Seeking to escape her unfulfilling life in NYC, Gia impulsively books a vacation to Italy. Wandering lost in an ancient olive grove near the ruins of Hadrian’s Villa she is found by a mysterious stranger. Carried away to a secluded grotto, Gia is spellbound by Oviello, a lover beyond her wildest fantasies. Caught in a world between myth and reality, Gia wonders if her enigmatic captor is the man of her dreams or just a fantasy.
Continue reading to find out how YOU can score a copy of The Olive Grove!!
*stares dreamy eyed* ahem...sorry, phew! That cover is...hot. Now, if I can peel my eyes away from it for a moment, I'll get on with the interview.
First, Narcisse, you have such a mysterious presence on Twitter and Facebook, particularly your enigmatic poetry. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Thank you for having me on your gorgeous blog Keri!
I was born in Havana, Cuba and grew up on a farm devoid of most major forms of media. I lived a relatively idyllic existence and was safeguarded from the scariest parts of Communism by my loving parents. From a very early age my father instilled in me a love of literature, magic and the fantastic. I didn't grow up with the constant noise of the television or radio or any of the incessant distractions many of the kids have today. I was pretty much a wild child. When I wasn't in school, I was climbing trees, playing make-belief in the woods, riding horses, swimming in the river, reading, and counting stars.
At age four, my mother taught me how to read and write and soon after I developed an interest in poetry. I would spend the days writing silly poems and drawing, tucked deep in the fruit orchards that bordered our stone farm house. My mother tells me I'd stand on the kitchen table and perform a new poem every night. Luckily, my artistic expression in all forms was encouraged and allowed to blossom. I'm fussy and can be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to editing and writing prose but poetry just flows. I don't try to bend the words or force it. I don't usually edit poems nor do I delete, erase or rearrange words. I think poetry is part of the most primal me–the wild and carefree soul that grew up in that tiny piece of heaven.
From my father I acquired a love of dreams. He dreamed of one day leaving Cuba and raised me to be self sufficient and critical of my surroundings. Years later, I realized just how hard he had to work to undo the brain washing of the Communist system. It took my father eighteen years to see his wish fulfilled but he did it. In 1984, with the Cuban Army breathing down our backs, we left our country. It was one of the most traumatic periods of my life but also one of the most formative.
Because of my family's courage, I was one of the first people in my family to go to college. Free to pursue my own dreams, I focused on my creativity. I went to school for film and art history, taught myself graphic design and now I'm pursuing a career as a writer and publisher. Needless to say, I have my family to thank for my appreciation of literature, my keen interest in science, travel, art and my indomitable love affair with freedom.
I am one of the most grateful people you will ever meet. If I seem a little strange it's probably because my context is slightly different.
Wow! Your story is incredibly fascinating. An example of resilience following a traumatic period, as you mentioned. And proof that with hard work and focus, dreams can be achieved. What inspired you to write The Olive Grove?
As you can surmise by now, my father is a very positive influence in my life. Growing up I was influenced by the fantastic stories he used to tell me about the Greek gods. A lover of mythology himself, my dad took time every night to point out constellations and weave the wondrous tales of the gods. I was spellbound by the struggles and the hubris of these formidable beings. It was in this climate that I developed a fascination with magic and fantasy that continues to this day.
I am not sure when it happened but somewhere along the way I developed a small obsession with Dionysus’s children–satyrs. I have scoured the web for erotic satyr fiction and have often come up empty. The few stories and novels I have downloaded have been interesting but have invariably left me wanting.
I didn’t set out to write The Olive Grove, the story sort of wrote itself. In June 2011, my husband and I went to Europe for two weeks. We started our trip in Rome and visited France, Croatia and Bosnia before heading back to Italy. Since we had already explored Rome, we decided to stay in the outskirts of the city and visit off-the-beaten path sights and small hill towns.
On the third day of our Italian explorations we found ourselves in the dilapidated ruins of Hadrian’s Villa near Tivoli. While the ruined villa was beautiful, what captivated my imagination were the olive groves along its periphery. Everywhere we went were these ancient, gnarled olive trees that stretched in all directions. It was nearly ninety degrees on the day we visited and I had sweat pouring down my back. An hour into the visit I was soaked and perhaps the heat played a trick on me.
I could have sworn that I saw them–satyrs of old darting between trees. I imagined them frolicking, feasting, dancing in some other parallel world kept alive by the ancient magic of the grounds. Certain places have mystical energy that, I believe, transcends time. Hadrian’s Villa with it’s sprawling galleries and baths and three hundred acres worth of Roman greed certainly did. It was almost as if the blood and sacrifice of the slaves and workers that toiled on it had seeped into the earth. The feeling was uncanny.
Almost immediately after our departure I began writing. During the next few nights, as we sat drinking wine in the gorgeous, frescoed galleries of Villa Grazioli (our hotel) the story took shape. By the end of the third day I was possessed with the tale of Gia and her mysterious abductor. About eighty percent of the story was finished by the time we boarded the plane home.
Your father sounds like an amazing individual! I love Greek mythology and reading about the gods. And I can attest, the pictures of your travels to Hadrian's Villa, posted on your blog, are gorgeous. A must see for readers of this interview (see below). What was the most challenging part of writing this piece?
The Olive Grove just sort of happened. I didn’t have an outline or a structure or even a plan. I was sort of writing by the seat of my pants. As a result, it took me nearly two months after having written the bulk of the story to find an appropriate ending. Wrapping up the tale into a novella-sized piece that wouldn’t disappoint or short-change the characters was the biggest challenge.
I'm the same way when I write. I pretty much just dive right into the story without much planning. What have you learned by writing The Olive Grove?
The Olive Grove popped my publishing cherry so to speak. As my first published work it was very daunting to put it out there. I had no idea how it would be received. With the help of my co-author, Marzio Ombra, I had to learn all the steps associated with self-publishing an eBook across various markets.
The novella has been invaluable in terms of getting my ducks in a row for future works. I’ve had a few hiccups with the book in terms of timing, marketing and formatting but I’ve learned from these mistakes. What I would tell self-published authors from my own experience is:
Do a soft launch and announce your release date three weeks from the soft launch date. That way if there are issues with the book you will have plenty of time to correct them across any and all platforms before your announced release.
If you feel that the cover is not working don’t be afraid to try something new. I did and I’m quite happy with the results. The new cover is turning heads.
Stand by your writing and turn a half blind eye to negative reviews. If your writing is good more than likely a bad review just means your book missed the target audience. I recently received a lackluster review from a romance reader. Luckily she was fair enough to say nice things about the writing in spite of the fact she didn’t like the subject matter. Reviewers like this are rare. More than likely when someone doesn’t like the subject matter they slam the whole book. Don’t let great reviews and bad reviews dictate how your day goes. Do your thing and just keep writing.
As it stands I still have much to learn about self-publishing and The Olive Grove is certainly helping me do that. I’m always open to any and all advice other successful authors have regarding self-publishing.
Fantastic advice and I couldn't agree with you more. It doesn't matter how much you read on the topic, everything seems to fall together and make sense after you've published your first work. And I think the novella was a great introduction into your publishing career. Also, good advice about negative reviews. There isn't a product in existence that hasn't come without a negative review. Who is (are) your literary influence(s)? What book could you read over and over?
I have a never-ending curiosity when it comes to all things magical and scientific. Recently I’ve developed a keen interest in theoretical physics so I’ve been devouring books on the holographic nature of the universe, zero point fields and other oddities. I’ve also been reading my share of history books like The Dream and the Tomb, Guns, Germs and Steel, The Assasins and the history of Byzantium. As far as influences I have quite a few. I love the magical realism of Marquez and the heady thickness of Suskind. As you can imagine I’ve read Bram Stoker’s Dracula many times over as well as The Hobbit.
As I said before, a very intriguing mind... I happen to know that you are a fellow demon aficionado. What do you think makes these beings so enticing to some women?
Demons….Mmmm….where do I begin? The demons in the books Marzio Ombra and I are writing are more akin to the Greek daimons then they are to their cloven-hooved, satanic counterparts. They are a race of immortal beings of extraordinary beauty, power and grace lacking our Judeo-Christian values. Our demonic societies exist on planes bordering the prime-material world and tend to be extremely draconic. I really despise cookie cutter characters and so we’ve painted our demons in brilliant shades of gray. Dante’s Inferno is so last year! Who needs these unbendable concepts of good and evil? I think what makes our demons sexy, and ultimately irresistible, is the power they wield coupled with their humanity. Pure evil doesn’t turn anyone on. Give a supremely powerful character a dirge of a conscience and watch them draw the crowds!
Gray is a beautiful color! I love multi-dimensional characters that charm readers into falling in love with them by the end of the story. What is your writing routine? I noticed that you have a magnificent writing nook *jealous* Do you use music when you write?
No one said self-publishing was going to be easy right? Even with my formidable magical skills of accomplishment I have my hands full. The writing routine is something I’m desperately working on improving. I’ve built a nice escritoire that is quiet but the second part of the equation, of course, is time. Like most self-published authors just starting out, I have a career. Four out of seven days a week I get to the gym around seven, work out half hour and get home around eight. Between eight and nine thirty I get to shower, eat dinner and spend time with my husband. It’s only around ten or so that I sit down to write, blog, tweet, work on artwork and run my freelance business. Yes, I know, I’m insane. I usually get to bed around 1AM and try to sneak tweets and blog posts between the 9-5 hours.
Originally I had set a goal of writing 1000 words a day but this soon fell to the wayside. There are days when I can sit down and write 5000 words and some when I can only do 200. The 1000 word-a-day plan wasn’t working for me psychologically. I started giving myself a lot of guilt when I didn’t meet that goal in spite of the fact that I had accomplished a great many things that day (like launching web sites, doing blog posts, working on cover art, etc.).
On occasion I do listen to music but it’s not a constant. Unlike my husband who can’t fall asleep without the TV blaring, I prefer silence. I don’t seem to need background music or noise but if it’s there I can easily tune it out. Music is a source of inspiration but not always while I’m working.
To be perfectly honest, I need to develop a better plan for writing my novels. The Books of Lirios is looking like six books and I need to get cracking. Somehow, I need to find a way to do more. Now where did I put that portable pocket dimension thingamajigger? Hmmm. I sure do hope it turns up soon!
*slowly slips portable pocket dimension thingamajigger into pocket, careful not to rouse attention* Yikes! I thought I kept crazy hours. You're a machine! What are you currently working on? Do you intend to self-publish again?
The Khajj project has evolved significantly since its inception two years ago. Marzio and I wanted to present a radically different self-publishing experience. The trilogy will be accompanied by a musical soundtrack (Music of the Dreams) and an erotic coffee-table art book featuring scenes from the novels. We are still debating whether the art book will be interactive (iPad), print, or both. We've had incredible success working with extremely talented artists like Mark Blanton, Gary Martin, Lucas Pandolfelli and others in terms of capturing the essence of our dark fantasy.
You can listen to a short 30 second clip of Music of the Dreams here:
February 2012 will see the release of a vampire novella titled An Endless Hunger. It is not romance or erotica but a very deep and dark work of psychological horror. Following An Endless Hunger, towards the latter part of 2012 we are hoping to publish the first book in the Khajj series titled The Soulbinder’s Covenant. Assuming the world doesn’t end, 2013 will see the release of Z.H.E.N.N. a hard-edged sci-fi thriller and the second book in the Khajj series (as of yet untitled). Future projects in the pipeline include a Steampunk erotica book titled Nahja and more. We’ve been busy!
Amazing things happen when artists collaborate! I'm so looking forward to reading An Endless Hunger in February. And you can be sure the Soulbinder's Covenant will be on my TBR list. Where can readers get their hands on a copy of The Olive Grove?
BONUS QUESTION: If you could create a portal that would transport you anywhere and to any period of time you wished, where would you go and why?
One of the joys in my life is the ability to travel. Knowing me, I’d like a portal to the portal maker so that I could finagle a few more. Since I have just one, however, it would have to be Veronica Franco’s Venice. I have been to Venice four times and each and every single time I am convinced I belong there. I would jump at the opportunity to see it in its heyday with the courtesans dangling their wares over the Rialto. By the 1500’s Venice was the most powerful and populous Italian city–a veritable stronghold of trade, art and culture. The pageantry and decadence of Venice at this period is something I can only begin to imagine. Experiencing it in person during a time of such prosperity would be the ultimate treat. My little black book would be filled to the brim with appointments. On my notable “to do” list would be posing for Titian, coffee with Giorgione, saucy debates with Franco, masked revelry with Dürer and sensuous feasting with Bellini. Look closely at Bellini’s Feast of the Gods. Just where do you think that satyr is taking that wine anyway?
Hahaha! And I should have set some rules...like no creating portals to the portal maker! I've never been to Venice, but you have effectively made it sound like a place where I'd like to have a secret portal - not merely meant for visiting, but experiencing!
Want to know more about this fascinating author and her writing?
I’m delighted to introduce a writer friend of mine, Angela Addams, author of The Temptress, Assassin and Ghost Bride. She just recently released a new title, Going the Distance. First, a quick glimpse of the book and its cover:
Here is the blurb for the book:
He’s been in love with her since they were teenagers, Steph Randall, the most wanted woman on the planet. Pierced by Cupid’s arrow as teens, Ronan fell hard for Steph, he had plans for them, even bought a ring, only to discover that her ambition was stronger than their love. Cupid had failed to win her heart and join the couple. Now Cupid needs to fix things, an incredible boon if he can succeed. All he has to do is show Steph what she is missing.
As an award-winning actress, Steph has a mind of her own and is blinded by her ambition. Yet, for all her money and fame, the only time she truly finds peace is when she is in Ronan’s arms. She thinks that all she needs is a friend with benefits, but with a little Cupid intervention, Ronan suddenly finds that he can’t tolerate it any longer and Steph is forced to choose. What will she risk losing for her ambition? And what is Ronan willing to give up to get his girl?
Angela is giving away an ebook copy of this beauty...continue on to find out how YOU can enter to win it!
Now, to get down and dirty with some questions...er, not dirty...just down. Ok, nevermind. Here is my interview with the lovely Angela:
First Angela, I follow your blog and came across a recent post where you and author Anne Michaud discuss being goth. In it, you mentioned the movie, The Crow. I nearly spewed the sip of water I’d just taken when I read this. I believe this movie was a turning point for me. I’d always written dark poems and stories about death and vengeance, but at such an impressionable age, this movie put it out there and made it cool. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like a freak about my love for the dark and twisted. What influenced your love for goth or do you feel it’s always been an inherent part of your DNA?
Thanks for having me on your blog, Keri!
I have always been interested in the paranormal, from the time that I was a little kid until now. I devoured Anne Rice’s Witching Hour series as a teen and immersed myself into vampire lore and literature soon after that. I can’t say I’ve always written paranormal stuff because that didn’t really come until a friend pointed out that that’s what I really should be writing…and then I had this light bulb moment where I was like, “Duh! Of course that’s what I should be writing!”
I was a goth as a teen, still am one at heart ;-) Loved being different in my small town and sending out that creepy vibe to all the normal folk. There was an element of danger, and of course a big eff u to the “cool” (boring), normal looking, popular groups. It was awesome!
Haha! Flipping the boring cool kids off...Why do you think women are drawn to paranormal romance? What is it about these books and movies that make being seduced by a vampire, werewolf or demon so much more appealing than the average Joe Schmo?
I think what draws us to these creatures is partly the element of danger, and partly the fantasy of an exotic, feral, wild alpha male who is usually characterized as being intensely passionate, possessive, and protective. It’s the allure of eternal life and venturing into the unknown. These heroes are the epitome of bad boy and you know how we all love the bad boys ;-)
Oh God…excuse me while I collect myself. You just used ‘exotic’, ‘feral’ and ‘wild alpha male’ in the same sentence…the power of words. Must stop fantasizing about running naked through the woods with this sexy beast! *cough* Ok Angie, I have a feeling I’m going to know the answer to this question before I even…finish…typing it. Your female characters – tough as nails or sweet and demure? Why?
I’d have to go with tough as nails…for the most part. In The Temptress, Assassin and Going the Distance, my female leads are strong seductresses who know what they want and go after it. That doesn’t mean that they all carry swords and kick ass, but each has her own way of getting results. In Ghost Bride my female lead is softer, more innocent…although she does kick some pretty serious ass in her own way at a certain point. I respect strong women and I can guarantee that all of my mc’s are going to have, or discover that they have, strength in some way. I was raised to believe that a strong woman is a worthy woman and that girls can do anything. That doesn’t mean that I write my characters as stone cold females, but I do give them an edge so that they don’t take things lying down…or at least they don’t for long.
Girls rule!! *clears throat* Sorry for that. What is your writing routine? Any odd habits or rituals that you simply must perform in order to kick start your muse or do you just dive right in?
I don’t have a muse. Sorry, it’s just not something I believe in. I control my writing process and refuse to allow the notion of needing some outside influence in order to get to work. I treat writing as I do my day job. I outline, I set my word count target and I write. Period. Not very romantic, I know, but that’s the way I am. I’m very goal oriented and efficient. With an idea of where I’m headed via my outline, I can pump out what I need. I have never missed a quota target that I’ve set for myself. (Usually 10K a week when I’m working on a project).
Oh man…the second I try to outline, it’s over. You’re a machine! Of all your published titles, which character is your favorite and why?
Oh, no, nope, won’t fall for that one! I love them all!!! Equally, just like my kids ;-)
I will say, just between you and I, that I love Ronan and Steph from my newest release, Going the Distance. They aren’t picture perfect, in fact, they both have some hurtles to overcome, but their chemistry is incredible! I love reading their story (and not just because I wrote it ;-)
Imperfection is what makes a great story, IMO. Who is (are) your biggest literary influence(s)? What book could you read again and again?
I have to say that without the amazing, Kelley Armstrong, I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have! She not only opened the doors to urban fantasy in Canada, but she is also one of the most helpful, personable and talented writers I’ve had the pleasure to interact with.
I will also say that Anne Rice, Kresley Cole, D.B. Reynolds, Rhyannon Byrd and Karen Marie Moning are all incredibly talented storytellers who inspire me to write sexy erotic romance. Any of their books are ones that I will read repeatedly.
Wonder if chains are on sale at Home Depot this week? *straightens in seat* Ahem, my apologies, you mentioned Kresley Cole…just having a Rydstrom moment. Moving on. Are you a coffee, latte or tea drinker?
I’m a coffee and latte drinker. I love the flavored coffees, Caramel Macchiato, Peppermint Mocha…yum! But on a day-to-day basis I brew my own at home!
Mmmmm…Peppermint Mocha. My favorite! Of all the supernatural beings (vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons, zombies, shifters, etc), which is your favorite to write about? Why?
I love to write about witches actually, although I haven’t yet published a novella about witches ;-) I’ve been working on an urban fantasy with my agent that deals with my love of witches quite well though!
For my erotic romances I love vampires, werewolves, ghosts…oh my! Do I really have to pick just one? They’re all so yummy! Strong alpha males with delicious, hot bodies, mmmmm…yeah, do you really have to ask why I’d love to write about them?
Well, I was actually asking why you preferred a certain species over another, but since you love them all, think I can guess why ;)…hahaha! For me, its those lovable badboy demons. Oooh. Incubi. Or angels with a dark side *winks* Sexy as hell… What is the release date of Going the Distance and where can readers purchase the book?
Going the Distance was released on Dec. 28 and you can find it at Evernight Publishing
BONUS QUESTION: Lestat de Lioncourt or Eric Northman?
Ohhhhh, that’s a tough one. I think I’ll have to go with Eric simply because he is so masculine and sooooo sexy! Lestat is great and all, but he’s not savvy with the times like Eric is, and I don’t think he’s quite the alpha that I need ;-)
Eric is pretty yum, though I must admit, I'm 100% Team Alcide.
I HAD to post this because I don’t know that I’ll conduct another interview where I’d get the pleasure of throwing in a Trent Reznor song at the end of it.
There was a time, perhaps when you were six years old, when formulas were quite simple and made complete sense:
1+1 = 2
Straightforward and not the least bit confusing.
As you got older, the world changed and shifted. Those easy equations took on a different form, with more variables and odd little symbols embedded in them. By the time you reached adulthood, they looked a little something like this:
What does this mean???? Hell if I know.
I do not profess to be a math genius – whatsoever. But I am a woman of science and observation, so it’s only natural for me to make relations between variables. ‘A’ appears to be directly proportional to ‘B’…hmmmmm. And I’ve come up with a bit of a hypothesis for modern-day attraction between species.
In recent years, it seems that the simplicity of attraction no longer applies: one boy plus one girl (or any variation of this – gender is not the focus of this blogpost) = Love. That one boy used to be the neighbor you grew up with your whole life; maybe he was the only boy who was precisely 3 years older and 3 ft. taller than you in your small village; or worse, he may have been the one your parents insisted you marry based on social hierarchy. But mom, he’s my cousin for crying out loud! In all cases, it was pretty much a no-brainer back then.
In this day and age, a girl has a lot more to ponder what she wants in a man. It’s no longer about the Montagues versus Capulets or the Jets versus the Sharks and their synchronized snapping dances down back-alleys. Those days are long gone and have been replaced by a new rivalry:
Vampires versus Werewolves.
So first, let’s just break these groups down into some basic understanding of what they are. For those of you living under a rock, today's vampires aren’t the ones you remember from watching Saturday afternoon horror shows:
Hello Nosferatu and good-bye. Forever. I don’t think we’ll ever revert back now that we’ve gotten a little taste of how sexy a vampire can really be:
What woman doesn’t dream about a midnight tryst with one of these guys?
The same goes for Werewolves. Once upon a time, little red riding hood met up in the woods with one of these:
Enough to make a girl run all the way to grandma’s house.
But I’m pretty sure Red would’ve stuck around if she’d been met by one of these delectable canines:
Grrrrowl.
So now that we’ve established WHAT they are, let’s take a look at WHO they are.
The vampire based on today’s popular fiction is one of two flavors: the brooding, tormented type who harbors a sense of guilt (think Edward Cullen or Louis de Pointe du Lac); or a bit more exuberant about the life of a vampire (as in Eric Northman or Lestat de Lioncourt). They are the undead, therefore cold, pale skin is a common characteristic. Vampires are the artisans of the paranormal world, genteel and socially assimilated. In most cases, they are capable of dazzling their prey, beguiling them with charm and unearthly beauty. Women swoon and obey their every command, making them a very domineering group. It is this power of seduction that has given rise to newfangled groupie types.
Werewolves are much simpler creatures in that most lack the dramatic personality types of vampires. Sure there are a few tormented souls but overall: give them a bone, and they’re happy. Weres tend to be strong with superhuman senses; unrefined and untamed with a propensity for violence if provoked; the ruffians of the paranormal world. Because they are living beings, they’re not only hot-bodied but hot-blooded and appear as normal human beings in their un-shape-shifted form (think I made that word up). And don’t discount a Werewolf’s ability to impress the ladies. Physical prowess and rugged good looks are what draw women in, making them the ultimate alpha male.
OK now that I’ve summarized the wiki Cliffs Notes on the two, let’s move on. Getting back to my hypothesis. If we take the personalities of these supernatural beings and the women who love them, it’s only natural that a correlation begins to form in one’s head.
I’ll take the opportunity here to confess that I’m not a relationship expert and will not be held responsible for anyone taking my theories to heart, and ultimately marrying the wrong person…er, being.
I believe that women who fall for the fangalicious variety are the outgoing, outspoken females in society. They typically don’t take crap from anyone. But secretly, I think these women harbor a desire to fall victim to the seductive nature of a man. Do with me as you will.
Conversely, and based purely on observation, those who flock to the beastly types are often times timid and shy; the quiet ones who would rather be home on Saturday night than out mingling with cocktails in hand. Are you talking about me? These women dream of taming a wild beast.
And so my simple equation for the two is as follows:
A α D = B α C
In other words, I think that women who read about vampires are looking for a nice ass-spankin’ by something delicious while those who read about werewolves are looking for a not-as-nice, ass-spankingly delicious something. Make sense?
But what about those who like both you ask??
That equation is even simpler than the first one. They’re called demons. And they are what I tend to write about ;-)
Seeking to escape her unfulfilling life in NYC, Gia impulsively books a vacation to Italy. Wandering lost in an ancient olive grove near the ruins of Hadrian’s Villa she is found by a mysterious stranger. Carried away to a secluded grotto, Gia is spellbound by Oviello, a lover beyond her wildest fantasies. Caught in a world between myth and reality, Gia wonders if her enigmatic captor is the man of her dreams or just a fantasy.
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