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[Archive] Guest Web Appearance with Kat Martin_5.30.12

5/30/2012 Author Event #1:

Guest Web Event

with…

Kat Martin

Hello everyone! LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are very proud to welcome best selling author Kat Martin to our sites today.

Kat has a wonderful Bio and introduction to her books on her website, so we thought we’d borrow it for today’s Event so that you all can learn a little bit more about her before we get to the interview:

“Currently living in Missoula, Montana, Kat is the New York Times bestselling author of over fifty Historical and Contemporary Romance Suspense novels. Before she started writing in 1985, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, Larry Jay Martin, author of more than twenty books, both westerns and mysteries. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History.

“I’ve always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step.”

“I love anything old,” Kat says. “I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It’s fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era.”

Kat began with historical romance and is currently writing romantic suspense. She is published in twenty foreign countries.”

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“Often my Contemporary novels blossom from something I’ve read in the newspapers or seen on TV. As was the case with my new book, AGAINST THE WIND. I was cruising along the 90 Freeway crossing Montana, enjoying the crisp fall weather, the brilliant colors of the leaves, and listening to the country channel on the radio. As I headed toward home, a Trace Atkins song came on, How do you like me now? It’s a wonderful tune that tells a great story. And it gave me the kernel of an idea for a story I was able to expand into a book.”

“Most of the time, my story ideas seem to come out of nowhere. One day I’m looking for a plot for a book and then suddenly, I know that I want to write about Gabriel Raines and his struggle to find the arsonist who is trying to kill him. Then I search for the woman Gabe is going to fall in love with, no easy task for a macho man like Gabe. Lady architect, Mattie Baker, filled the spot perfectly, and the book became AGAINST THE FIRE.”

“AGAINST THE LAW, the third book in the trilogy, seemed to come fairly easily once I got started. I loved Dev Raines, the sexiest and wildest of the Raines brothers. Once Lark Delaney walked into his life, the plot began to roll. The novel developed as I wrote it, which is unusual for me, and it turned out to be one of my all-time favorites.”

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“RULE’S BRIDE is the final book in my Brides Trilogy, following ROYAL’S BRIDE and REESE’S BRIDE. The three novels are stories about the handsome Dewar brother’s, sons of the Duke of Bransford. RULE’S BRIDE hit #18 on the New York Times bestseller list in May 2010.”

“I had great fun writing this series, though the weddings were not all orchids and lace as the ladies and this writer expected. Still, true love is worth the perils the characters must endure.”

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“SEASON OF STRANGERS released in June of 2008, is the final book in a series of three paranormal stories. Each story involves ordinary women who have experienced an extraordinary event. SEASON OF STRANGERS, is an eerie tale of two sisters who discover they are missing a period of time and their search to discover what happened to them during that time. THE SUMMIT, began selling in July 2007 and is the second of a the series. It’s a high-action, fast-paced tale, one with a ticking clock. SCENT OF ROSES was the first book in the series and was inspired by true events and began selling in July 2006.”

“I have always wanted to do this type of series as I know so many women who have themselves experienced unexplainable occurrences.”

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“The deliciously passionate Heart trilogy are books all set around the London ladies’ gazette, Heart to Heart. I chose the period because it was a time when women were beginning to be involved in activities outside the home. They worked, they owned businesses, they were becoming more outspoken.”

“The first book, Heart of Honor, is a fun whimsical early Victorian romance starring Krista Hart, publisher of a London ladies’ gazette, who is not afraid to speak her mind. When she encounters a powerful, attractive Viking descendant in a sideshow, she angrily demands his release. In the second book, Heart of Fire, journalist Coralee Whitmore vows to uncover the truth about her sister’s death. She suspects the notorious Earl of Tremaine was her sister’s lover. Corrie soon finds the Earl is not all he seems, nor is she immune to his charms. The final book Heart of Courage, is Thor and Lindsey’s story, a fun, sexy read about two people completely unsuited to each other — or so each of them think.”

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“The Bride’s Necklace trilogy, set in Regency England was hugely successful and was re-issued in September 2010. A compelling series of stories about an heirloom necklace believed to hold the power to bring great happiness or terrible tragedy. THE BRIDE’S NECKLACE , the first book in the trilogy, was first published in January 2005 was re-issued in September 2010. THE DEVIL’S NECKLACE, second book in The Necklace trilogy hit store shelves in August 2005 and was re-issued in October 2010. THE HANDMAIDEN’S NECKLACE, the final book in the trilogy, was originally released in January 2006 and hit the shelves again in November 2010.”

You can find information on her entire backlist HERE so you can add those desired to your TBR lists and then find them at your favorite bookseller, but we thought we’d give you the synopses of a handful of titles to peak your interests even more. Since “Against the Sun” is Kat’s new release, we’ll tell you about that and the other books in that series…

“Against the Wind”, RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #1:

They were known as the “no-account Raines boys” but they’ve grown into successful, honorable men and everything they have, they’ve fought for tooth and nail. Now each of the three brothers has one last obstacle to overcome to claim what’s eluding them: love.

Secrets don’t stay buried long in cattle country. Sarah Allen, the beautiful girl who humiliated Jackson Raines in high school, is back in town. Not so long ago, she couldn’t wait to leave Wind Canyon, Wyoming, in her dust. But, recently widowed, she has nowhere else to go and finds herself on Jackson’s ranch. And despite everything, Jackson’s finding himself reluctant to get rid of her.

Sarah brings her own kind of trouble, and he can’t resist trouble. Enemies of her dead husband show up making threats, thinking she has something they’re owed. They’re not taking no for an answer, but what they will take is the one thing she has left—her daughter. Jackson’s the only one who might be able to save little Holly and bring her home.

“Against the Fire”, RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #2:

You can’t fight what you can’t see. And Gabriel Raines can’t be sure just who’s setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it’s personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist.

The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who’s been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can’t believe the kid she’s been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.

Determined to convince Gabe that she’s right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who’s putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist’s flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire…if they can survive long enough.

“Against the Law”, RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #3:

The most unsettled of the “no-account Raines boys,” Devlin Raines has long been protecting his heart from injury. But his latest case - and client - forces him to lay everything on the line…

At thirty-two Dev is “mostly retired” from Raines Investigations, content to run operations from his sprawling Arizona home. But Dev has never been able to say no to a beautiful woman, so when Lark Delaney comes to him for help, the former U.S. Army Ranger from Wind Canyon gets back in the game.

Lark is sexy, successful and dedicated to tracking down the baby girl her sister gave up for adoption. It should be a straightforward case, but it’s not long before Dev uncovers a shady adoption ring and worse—the child’s parents have been murdered and the little girl has been taken.

As the case grows dangerous and Lark needs him more than ever, Dev can’t ignore his growing attraction for her. He also can’t trust his judgment with women or the emotions he’s long-since buried. But there’s a chance, if he gets this right and saves Lark’s niece, that he’ll end up saving himself, too.

“Against the Storm”, RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #4:

Redheads like Maggie O’Connell are nothing but trouble. But Trace Rawlins, a former army ranger turned private investigator, takes the case anyway. After all, he knows a thing or two about women.

Trace can sense that something is wrong—Maggie isn’t telling him everything. If these menacing calls and messages are real, why won’t the police help her? And if they aren’t real, what is she hiding?

As Trace digs deeper to find the source of Maggie’s threats, he discovers a secret that no one was meant to uncover. And the only puzzle left to be solved is whether the danger comes from an unknown stalker…or from the woman he’s trying his hardest not to fall for.

“Against the Night”, RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #5:

She’s got the face of an angel and the body of…well, isn’t that what he’d expect from an exotic dancer? But there’s something about this girl that Johnnie Riggs can’t shake. The former army ranger is hot on the trail of an elusive drug lord—and suddenly very hot under the collar, as well.
Amy’s got her own agenda to pursue: her sister is missing and Amy seems to be the only one who cares. She’ll enlist Johnnie’s help and do her best to ignore her growing attraction to finally get some answers. But when the two trails begin to converge and reveal something even more sinister than they imagined, their mutual desire is the least of their problems. They’ll bring the truth to light…or die trying.

“Against the Sun”, RAINES OF WIND CANYON Book #6:

Just Released 5/29/12

Millions of lives are on the line. But for him, only one truly matters. It’s not in bodyguard Jake Cantrell’s job description to share his suspicions with his assignments. Beautiful executive Sage Dumont may be in charge, but Jake’s not on her payroll. As a former special forces marine, Jake trusts his gut, and it’s telling him there’s something off about a shipment arriving at Marine Drilling International. His instinct is aroused…in more ways than one. A savvy businesswoman, Sage knows better than to take some hired gun’s “hunch” as gospel. And yet she is learning not to underestimate the man her grandfather hired to protect her. Determined to prove Jake wrong, Sage does some digging of her own and turns up deadly details she was never meant to see. Drawn into a terrifying web of lies and deceit-and into feelings they can’t afford to explore-what Jake and Sage uncover may be frighteningly worse than they ever imagined.

We know… too much and not nearly enough all at the same time! We highly suggest you check out more when you have a moment (Kat’s backlist is amazing!), but for now, join us in learning some more about this phenomenal author and her incredible library of literary excellence.

CONTEST: Kat is graciously offering up a copy of Against the Sun to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To Enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for Kat’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/30 - 6/3, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

Make sure that your Rafflecopter email address is correct!

Want a 2nd chance to win?? Go to the Book Monster Reviews blog (http://www.bookmonsterreviews.blogspot.com/), make sure you’re a Follower, and enter to win the contest on their site too by leaving a comment with your email address on the Interview post.

GOOD LUCK!!!
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ADDITIONAL AGAINST THE SUN FUN:

BOOK TRAILER VIDEO

REVIEWS
RTBookReviews

AGAINST THE SUN EXCERPTS:
Excerpt #1 http://www.katbooks.com/AgainsttheSunExcertp1.htm
Excerpt #2 http://www.katbooks.com/AgainstheSunExcerpt2.htm
Excerpt #3 http://www.katbooks.com/AgainstheSunExcerpt3.htm
Excerpt #4 http://www.katbooks.com/AgainstheSunExcerpt4.htm
Excerpt #5 http://www.katbooks.com/AgainstheSunExcerpt5.htm
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LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Hi Kat! We’re honored to have you here today. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us a bit. We always start by getting to know our guest authors just a little bit better…

Q1): What are 3 things about yourself, no matter how random, that we couldn’t find out easily on the internet?

Kat: I’m a hermit. I live 25 miles out of town and only get in a couple of times a week to go to the gym. I love road trips. I love to see what is just out there waiting to be stumbled upon. I’m a workaholic. I love my work, maybe a little too much.

Q2): If you were told the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do in your last 24 hrs?

Kat: Snuggle up with my husband in front of the fireplace and look out the windows at the mountains.

Q3): What are 2 things that always make you smile, and 2 things that never fail to piss you off?

Kat: The mountains make me smile, especially in the spring when there is still snow on the peaks. Getting a good spot on the bestseller list. People who don’t do their jobs. Computers.

Q4): What are some of the things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Kat: Sightseeing, traveling. I love Europe. I love expensive hotels and gourmet restaurants. I love just being out in the mountains.

Q5): Are there any specific titles and/or authors that you feel have directly influenced you to become the writer you are today?

Kat: Lots of writers, lots of books. Authors like Frank Yearby and Anya Seton, Kathleen Woodiweis. Wilbur Smith. Books like Forever Amber and the Eagle in the Sky. Dozens, no hundreds of others.

Q6): What are the best and worst parts about writing for you?

Kat: the challenge, creating something people enjoy. Meeting great people in your travels. The solitude is the worst part. I miss the fun city lunches.

Q7): Since “Against the Sun” was just released, we’ll focus a bit on the RAINES OF WIND CANYON series. What was the inspiration behind the creation of the series?

Kat: I wish I could tell you. Most of my ideas just sort of start, then I develop them into novels. I wanted to write three brothers, so that was already part of the idea. Jackson’s brothers turned out to be great heroes and then in the last book, Against the Law, Dev Raines had these three hunky friends and they just had to have stories and so on it went and seems to still be going.

Q8): What were some of the challenges (research, literary, psychological, logistical, etc) in bringing the RAINES OF WIND CANYON series to life?

Kat: Every book is a challenge. The plot, the characters. The research. You have to be able to get into another person’s mind and become that person, know how he or she thinks and feels. Once you have the story idea, you have to research the parts you know nothing about. In Against the Fire, it was arson and fires. I researched the subject heavily.

Q9): Do you have a particular favorite book or series in your backlist thus far, maybe one that had special meaning for you when it was written, etc? Why?

Kat: I loved writing the ghost stories. The Silent Rose and Scent of Roses. They came years apart but I like writing books with paranormal elements, not vampires or werewolves, but books about regular people who have unusual things happen to them. I feel a real affinity to those sorts of experiences.

Q10): What’s going on with your other series (upcoming releases, re-releases, etc) that readers and fans can look forward to?

Kat: I’m having a lot of re-issues and I love it. Hot Rain was a small release years ago. It just went out with a new cover and since it was one of my favorites, I was thrilled to see it was selling like crazy. Just out this month is a re-issue of Midnight Sun, a fish out of water story set in the wild and wooly Yukon. End of May is Against the Sun, the 6th book in the Against Series. It’s bodyguard big Jake Cantrell and Sage Dumont. I’m really hoping readers will enjoy it.

Q11): Do you have anything new in the works that you can share with us?

Kat: Just finishing Against the Odds, the first of three new Against books that will be out next year. Readers will meet the heroes in Against the Night and Against the Sun.

Q12): If you could spend the day with any of your characters, with whom would you want to spend it, and what would you like to do?

Kat: OMG! I’d be happy to spend the day with any of my hunky Against guys. I love Jake Cantrell. Spending the day with him would be yummy. I’m going to let you guess what we would do!

Q13): What has been the biggest surprise of your career thus far?

Kat: How well the Against books have been received. I was hoping, but I had no idea readers would want to see more of them.

Q14): Is there a question you thought it would be great to be asked in an interview but have never been asked? How would you answer that question?

Kat: I think I’ve been asked every question in the book. There are some I didn’t answer!

Q15): Would you like to say anything special to your readers while we have you here today?

Kat: I’d love to thank you all for being so supportive over the years. You make all the hard work worthwhile. Hope you continue to enjoy my books. Very warm wishes, kat

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Kat, thank you so much for being with us! It’s been a pleasure, and we really hope that we’ve introduced some new readers to your amazing work. We’d love to have you back for the next big release if you’d be interested!

Kat: You bet! And being a workaholic, that shouldn’t be too far away. Love to get together in January next year for Against the Odds!

If you want to keep up with Kat online, you can find her at her Website, on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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[Archive] Guest Web Appearance with J.K Beck/Julie Kenner_5.29.12

5/29/2012 Author Event #1:
Guest Web Event
with…
J.K Beck/Julie Kenner

Happy Tuesday Monsters and Addicts! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very excited to welcome USA Today Bestselling Author, Julie Kenner/J.K. Beck to our sites today.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” bestselling author Julie Kenner’s books have hit lists as varied as USA Today, Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and Locus Magazine. Julie is also a two-time RITA finalist, the winner of Romantic Times’ Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, the winner of the Reviewers International Organization’s award for best romantic suspense of 2004 and best paranormal of 2005, and the winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award for best mainstream book of 2005. She writes a range of stories including sexy and quirky romances, young adult novels, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom, was selected as a Booksense Summer Paperback Pick for 2005, was a Target Breakout Book, was a Barnes & Noble Number One SFF/Fantasy bestseller for seven weeks, and is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.

Julie spent more than ten years as a litigator in Southern California and Central Texas, using her rare free time to indulge in her passion for writing. Now she uses her legal background as inspiration for her paranormal romantic suspense series, THE SHADOW KEEPERS, written under her pseudonym J.K. Beck, which is set in and around a secret judicial system hidden within and mirroring our own. California born, Julie now lives and writes in Texas, where she hangs out with her husband, two daughters, several cats and drinks far too much coffee.

Julie has quite an extensive library of literary excellence. She is the creator of many great series including the DEMON HUNTING SOCCER MOM, BLOOD LILY CHRONICLES, CODEBREAKER TRILOGY & SUPERHERO CENTRAL, as well as her YA series, RELUCTANT VAMPIRE “GHOUL”. That’s not even mentioning all the standalone novels and anthologies she’s written. Whew! To check out the entire Julie Kenner backlist click HERE.

As J.K. Beck she has the incredible SHADOWKEEPERS series which currently has 3 full length novels “When Blood Calls”, “When Pleasure Rules” and “When Wicked Craves”, as well as the enovella “Midnight”.

The next 3 installments of the SHADOWKEEPERS are being released back to back starting in May. Book 4, “When Passion Lies” is set to release on May 29, followed by Book 5, “When Darkness Hungers” on June 26 and then Book 6 “When temptation Burns” on July 31.

Since we are helping to promote the SHADOWKEEPERS series this time around, we’ve posted the synopses for all the books in the series below (including the upcoming releases) to keep you up to speed.

SHADOWKEEPERS Series:

“When Blood Calls” – Book 1

BUY NOW:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House

Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion—until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she’ll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice

“When Pleasure Rules” – Book 2

BUY NOW:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House

Seven innocents have been brutally murdered in Los Angeles, yet the Shadow Alliance has no suspects and no leads. As the body count mounts, the age-old feud between vampires and werewolves threatens to explode.

Lissa Monroe—a strong-willed, ravishing succubus who entices men to surrender their souls—agrees to go undercover for the Alliance. Her mission: infiltrate the mind of werewolf leader Vincent Rand, a ferociously alluring enemy who exerts a powerful hold over her. As the City of Angels teeters on the brink of apocalypse, these two adversaries must join together in order to survive an even more lethal enemy hidden in plain sight.

“When Wicked Craves” – Book 3

BUY NOW:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House

Petra Lang is cursed never to love. One touch of her skin unleashes the vilest demons. Sentenced to death by the Shadow authorities, who fear she’ll turn her curse against them, Petra is rescued by vampire advocate Nicholas Montegue. As their bodies merge and transform into mist, Petra feels an erotic longing.

Nicholas risked his own life to save Petra, yet he knows he can never give in to the explosive attraction he feels for her. But the deep yearning they share tempts them. Together, they must find a way to lift the curse. For only a love this strong has the power to overcome such monstrous evil.

“When Passion Lies” – Book 4

Release date: May 29,2012

BUY NOW:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House

Tiberius is a vampire dedicated to protecting his kind—and the secrets of the shadow world. Now, as his quest to become head of the Alliance draws within reach, a shattering new threat puts him to the ultimate test. It’s a nightmare of grim proportions: a dark plot to bring about the mass extermination of human and shadow alike. And it forces Tiberius to turn to the woman he loved and lost, the lover he still desires but doesn’t trust.

Caris was Tiberius’s mate for centuries—until a fateful mission changed her forever. Her tortured secrets drove her into the arms of his rival, but desperation has brought her back. As a horrifying new weapon of mass destruction is about to be unleashed, Tiberius and Caris harness the power of their immortal and passionate love. But will it be enough to battle devastating odds and a ruthless enemy with the ambition to destroy them all

“When Darkness Hungers” – Book 5

Release Date: June 26, 2012

*LITERAL ADDICTION’s 5 Skull Review can be read HERE (no spoilers)

PRE-ORDER NOW:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House

FBI agent Alexis Martin knows that vampires exist—because one of them killed her sister. Assigned to investigate a series of bizarre homicides in Los Angeles, Alexis believes the murders are the work of rogue vampires—perhaps even the monster responsible for her sister’s death. Now she finally has a chance for retribution. Even better, Alexis receives unexpected help from a sexy stranger as hungry for rogue blood as she is.

Serge is a centuries-old bad boy who stays off the grid—keeping his secrets, his hunger, and his heart safe from exposure. A new breed of vampire that feeds off other shadowers, Serge finds sweet torture in Alexis’s arms. Loving her is a chance to be free from the hiding, the loneliness, the secrecy. But the truth about what he is, and what he’s done, may banish him to the dark confines of his own private hell—and destroy the beginnings of their love.

“When temptation Burns” – Book 6

Release Date: July 31, 2012

PRE-ORDER NOW:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House

Half human, half daemon, Ryan Doyle is a driving force for justice. As an agent for the Preternatural Enforcement Coalition, he’s investigating murders linked to a Los Angeles fringe group bent on exposing the shadow world to humanity. He is a master of self-control, keeping his deepest hungers hidden beneath a veneer of cool professionalism. Until he crosses paths with sinfully sweet Andy Tarrent, a gutsy reporter who makes him crave all the pleasures he’s denied himself for centuries.

Tracking a band of conspiracy theorists eager to spill blood, Andy has uncovered the story of her career. Brooding, mysterious Ryan is an enigma—but their dance of seduction is hotter than any fantasy. As they race to stop mass murder on the streets, Andy knows that Ryan is holding back, keeping secrets. But getting close to Ryan means opening the door to a world that will challenge her deepest beliefs—including what it means to truly surrender to love.

Don’t they sound incredible? They most certainly are and we highly recommend that you grab them NOW!! Before you head over to your favorite bookseller and start buying the books, let’s start the interview so we can learn more about the amazing woman behind the books….
•Julie Kenner/J.K Beck Interview on LITERAL ADDICTION

DON’T FORGET, LIVE CHAT!! Julie will be available to chat Live with members, followers, fans and guests in our Author Chatroom Tuesday 5/29 from 9:30-10:30pm EST/8:30-9:30pm CDT/7:30-8:30pm MDT/6:30-7:30pm PDT/4:30-5:30pm AK.

CONTEST: Julie is offering up a copy of “When Darkness Hungers”, book #5, to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for Julie’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5.28 - 6/2, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews,make sure you’re a follower, and enter the contest over there as well.

Good Luck!

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Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Hi Julie! Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and chat with us. We’re so excited to have you here!

Julie: Thanks so much for having me! And thank you so much for the great intro. After reading all that, I think I need to go take a nap!

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can’t find out on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Julie: Wow. Hmm. You know, not too long ago, I was at a booksigning, and a fan was hanging out with me. A buyer came up, I signed the book, and we started chatting. She asked me something, and I answered (I don’t remember the question) and the fan said, “Ah yes. That’s because back then you were just a baby in California in that house you think you remember all the details of, but you don’t really. You’ve just seen the pictures.”

That made me realize that after ten years in this business, there’s not a lot out there that folks don’t know if they want to poke around enough on the Internet! But let me think…

(You should all be humming the theme to Jeopardy! now…)

Okay, deep breath. Here goes:

1) When I was in the fifth grade, I collected license plate numbers with a friend. We would sit on the curb and write them in a book. Yes, this was before the Wii. We were pretending we were superspies or some such story. When I moved, he and I lost touch(it was also before IM, Facebook, etc. We had only the telephone and our parents willingness to drive) and I decided that I was getting too old for that silliness. The day - literally, the DAY = I stopped writing license plate numbers in a little book, I came home from school, saw a car parked in the vacant lot behind our house, DIDN’T write the number down, and walked in on a robbery. Yup, if I’d noted that plate number, we probably coulda gotten our stuff back. Sigh.

2) My husband and I had a romantic lobster dinner on our honeymoon in Mexico…only I couldn’t eat the lobster b/c it was the entire little critter and I couldn’t stand the way he looked at me with those big, glassy eyes. My husband didn’t mind; he got two dinners.

3) I can’t keep cheesecake in the house. It’s just too dang good. And if you take just a little sliver off the edge with a fork, then it’s no longer a straight edge and you have to correct for it, until you’ve gone around the entire damn cheesecake and you have to run to the grocery store in the middle3 of the night to replace it so that your family doesn’t know your shame. Not that I speak from personal experience or anything. Ahem.

2) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Julie: I can’t remember wanting to be anything else! The real question is how did I end up in law school (answer: because they don’t give you a degree in “novelist” that leads to job interviews; fortunately, I liked the law, especially appellate work). But I never lost the bug to write, and I kept at it and kept at it. Honestly, if I didn’t do something (write) to get the stories out of my head, I would have probably either exploded or gone insane. Neither result sounded very good to me….

3) Do you have any interesting writing quirks or things that you must have with you to begin the writing process?

Julie: Nothing that interesting. I have to type. For some reason, I can’t write longhand anymore. My brain doesn’t kick into story mode unless my fingers are on a keyboard.

4) What is a typical day like in the life of Julie Kenner?

Julie: Did you say “typical”? I’m not familiar with this foreign word of which you speak.

I homeschool my two girls (ages 10 and 8) and that entails a lot of driving. The younger one has speech therapy 3 times/week and the older one has a Latin tutor (homeschool sometimes requires me to be the teacher, and sometimes it requires me to be the driver and check writer). And they both take dance and piano, and the older one also takes Glee and violin.

My second home is my car.

So I’ll make one of our driving days (Tuesday) be our “typical” day:

5:00am. Alarm blares. Continue to sleep.

5:15am. Alarm blares. Continue to sleep.

5:30am. Alarm blares. Husband yells at me to get up.

5:30-6ish. Breakfast with husband

6-7:30 write and/or take care of emails, tweet, blog, etc.

7:30 wake kids up

7:30-8 while they watch something (these days, Meerkat Manor), I write
8-9 – feed kids, instruct them to eat, clean dishes, get dressed, do piano. I sneak off to write. Instead, I screw around on the Internet.

9-11:30 – school with the kids. Schlep MacBook Air around house; do emails, other stuff, and maybe a scene while they’re doing independent work

11:30-12 – realize kids must be fed before we leave the house. I aim them toward the fridge and set a timer. I write. Or not.

12-12:45 – in car. Sometimes we listen to a history audiobook like Story of the World, or a fun story book like Magic Tree House (in the case of the latter, the eldest will plug in her own headphones). Sometimes we listen to Wicked or Chess. Sometimes I listen to an audiobook in my own blissful little bubble

1:00-2pm – eldest meets with Latin Tutor; youngest and I practice her reading or I have her do a spelling program on my iPad. I answer emails, etc.

2-3 – back in the car; drive to Costco. (If we have to go all the way into Austin, then this becomes my “big” shopping day.) Buy lots of bulk food.

3-3:45: back in the car (oh, joy).

3:45-4:15: speech for the eldest (but it’s done for the summer! Now only once every two weeks with a private therapist. Whoo hoo!)

4:15-4:30: drive home

4:30-5: fix dinner; check/answer emails on phone while cooking.

5:00 – eat (early, because it’s piano night).

5:30 – in the car for piano, which is about 40 minutes away. Drive. See above re audio entertainment.

6:15-7:30 – having dropped kids at piano, I go to Starbucks. Restore sanity with coffee beverage. Write (or, ahem, surf net)

7:30-8:15 – drive home. Drive faster b/c of caffeine.

8:15-9 – hang with family

9-10:30 (or later if I’m crunched) – write, answer emails, etc.

11ish – time to crash (I used to be a night owl-like 2 am—but I’ve been reading a lot about the power of sleep, and also realizing I function a lot better with sleep. I can still pull the late nights, and will if I’m in the throes of finishing a book, but I try to be good and get at least 6 hours. 8 is a luxury. 12 is a heavenly blessing.)

Bottom line: I LIVE for weekends!

5) What are some of your hobbies, or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Julie: Ah, perhaps you didn’t read that previous answer. When am I squeezing in the hobbies?

Okay, sarcasm aside… I love to SCUBA dive, but it’s been forever. Travel is a huge love of mine, even if it’s just a weekend trip to a small town with my family. (I’m embarrassed to admit that I got sucked back in to the Real Housewives of Orange County this season, although I swore I wouldn’t go there again. But we used to live there, and I love how pretty it is. Would love to go back there for a long tourist weekend!.)

I love to bike, and am excited that the girls are getting old enough that we can do more than go around the block a couple of times. Ditto hiking. I also love working in the yard, trying (futilely) to beat back the encroaching weeds and get something pretty in their place!

6) What are some of your favorite TV shows and movies?

Julie:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Vampire Diaries
Mad Men
X-files
The IT Crowd
Downton Abbey
As Time Goes By
Breaking Bad
Any house fixer-upper type show
Star Wars
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Anything by Hitchcock
Bringing Up Baby
Pretty much anything with Hepburn or Cary Grant
I have a huge list of movies I love…those just pop to mind!

7) Do you like to listen to music when you write? If so, do you listen to a certain genre of music when writing in different genres of romance?

Julie: As a general rule, I don’t. I’ve never been a big music person, except for Broadway show tunes. And I can’t write to something lyrical. But for some reason (involving the fact that I was on deadline while I was traveling with husband and daughters…) I needed music when writing WHEN PASSION LIES (as in, to tune out the sound of kids). I ended up with Hans Zimmers’ soundtrack to Sherlock Holmes. Awesome music, and it really does fit the book! I loved it so much I also downloaded the soundtrack to The Holiday, which Zimmer also did. I didn’t listen to it quite as much, but I did listen to the romantic songs while writing some parts of PASSION.

8) Do you have a personal favorite book among those you have written so far? Maybe one that holds special meaning for you, etc?

Julie: Oh, that’s a hard one! Like picking a favorite among your kids. It just can’t really be done. That being said, though, Carpe Demon has a special place since that book marks being able to quit the day job and work full time. Not to mention that Kate is just so much fun to write! And The Cat’s Fancy was my first single title (and second published book) and everyone said it would never sell because it was (gasp!) a paranormal. I’ve actually just re-issued it, and it’s still a favorite of mine - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083Q189U (I hope folks check it out. I LOVE the new cover!)

The entire Shadow Keepers series is near and dear to me because I love the concept so much and the fact that I get to delve into meaty issues centering around moral ambiguity. It’s fun! Out of the six, if I had to pick two I’d probably go with When Blood Calls (the first … isn’t your first always special?) and When Darkness Hungers (because the hero, Serge, is so tormented, and was great fun to write). But then again, I love the story in Passion, and Caris is such a cool heroine, and Tiberius definitely her match!

Ga!!!! This is hard!

9) If you could spend the day with any of your characters, which would it be, and what would you want to do?

Julie: I truly don’t know. I usually say Kate from the demon hunting soccer mom series, because she’s such a best friend kinda character. But I’m in a bit of a mood tonight. I think maybe Elmer from the Aphrodite series. Because, really, everyone needs to spend a day with a talking ferret.

10) If you could have any one super power, which would you like to have and why that power?

Julie: The power to change my superpower. (ha! Score one for me!)

11) You’ve written many novels in different genres of romance. Which is your favorite genre to write in?

Julie: I don’t actually have one … which I guess is why I’ve written all over the ballpark!

12) For those who have not yet read THE SHADOW KEEPERS series yet, can you please tell us a little about the series?

Julie: Sure! The series centers around a paranormal world with its own government hidden within ours, and the focus is on the judicial system. Very Law and Order, with the investigators and the trial, but because the “cops” and the perps are creatures like werewolves and vampires, I get to explore a lot of issues of moral ambiguity (is it ever okay to kill a human? Can justice be served through vigilantism? That kind of thing). In WHEN PASSION LIES, we’re more removed from the courts and more focused on the Alliance which is the overarching entity that oversees the operation of the various branches of the paranormal government. In this book, I got to spend time with Caris (a really kick-ass female character who’s a vampire/werewolf hybrid) and her estranged love, Tiberius (who’s a very alpha vamp with a hatred of werewolves), and who also happens to be the Chairman of the Alliance. In other words, the biggest of the bigs. Theirs was an epic love, but something horrible happened and they were ripped apart. The book is the story of how they get back together…set against the backdrop of a mission to save the world!

13) The next 3 installments of THE SHADOW KEEPERS series will be released back to back starting with “When Passion Lies” on May 29, “When Darkness Hungers” on June 26, followed by “When Temptation Burns” on July 31. What plans do you have for this series after the 6th book is released in July?

Julie: That is a very good question! I don’t yet have any specific plans for book 7, and obviously so much depends on how these 3 books do in the market, But I will say that so far the books have mostly centered around Division 6 in Los Angeles. I’m toying with the idea of a New York centered set of stories. Sort of like CSI v. CSI: Miami, LOL!

14) What inspired you to start THE SHADOW KEEPERS series?

Julie: My Julie Kenner books tend to be lighter and quirkier. True, the Blood Lily Chronicles (Tainted, Torn and Turned by Julie Kenner) are dark, but they’re also a) first person, and b) urban fantasy. I wanted to write something darker and grittier. More romantic suspense, but also paranormal. I don’t remember the specific spark, but I was sort of edging around the law (I was a lawyer for fifteen years) and landed on a concept that I loved. Kind of a paranormal Law & Order. And the series was born!

15) Congratulation! We saw that “Carpe Demon” is being made into a movie. Can you tell us a little about that project?

Julie: Thanks! It’s with 1492 and Chris Columbus and his team at 1492 have been a champion for the series and for Kate since day one. It can be a very long process getting a movie made, and often they never get off the ground, but I’m optimistic about Demon’s chances. 1492 recently hired Andre Overdal to work on the script with Chris C. and then direct. Overdal just made a splash with the awesome Troll Hunter, and he’s a fabulous rising talent (he also really likes Kate!). Fingers crossed!

16) Can you tell us a little bit about your DEMON HUNTING SOCCER MOM series? What do you have planned for this series?

Julie: I just love this series, and the feedback from fans is awesome! Sadly, Berkley cut the series short after Demon Ex Machina…but with the rise of indie publishing, Kate and crew are back in business! I have PAX DEMONICA coming out soon, soon, soon (it’s my first new indie release—as opposed to a re-issue— and so I don’t have a firm date yet; I’d hoped for end of May, but it turns out that it’s going to be coming in June. But it’s very much a beach read so that works).

In the meantime, there’s a demon hunting soccer mom story out for only 99c that I hope folks check out: The Demon You Know, and you can learn more here: http://juliekenner.com/books-2/julie-kenner-website/demon-hunting-soccer-mom-series/the-demon-you-know/

17) What other projects do you have coming up that you can share with us?

Julie: I’m sooooooo superstitious about talking about upcoming stuff, but I have a few things in the works. One thing I can mention for sure is that I’m almost done with book 3 in the Good Ghouls series that I write as Julie Kenner, so that will be out later this summer! And I’m spinning Allie (Kate’s daughter) of into a demon-hunting YA series, and that will be a LOT of fun.

18) What has been the most rewarding experience of your career so far?

Julie: Interaction with fans. It’s great hearing from folks. It’s even great being recognized in the grocery store with no make-up and messy hair, LOL!

19) What legacy do you hope to leave your readers with?

Julie: Entertainment! For me, that’s what writing (and reading) is all about. The chance to escape for a few hours into another world and be entertained, whether it’s by humor or sultry romance or a race-for-your-life situation or otherworldly thrills and chills. If I can take readers to someplace other than their living room, I feel like I’ve done my job!
20) Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

Julie: Thank you so, so much for your support! And I do love to hear from you. I’ve gotten my head around Twitter and Facebook, so please find me there, and you can check out my website (I blog at least 3X/week) or find a link to email me and/or sign-up for my newsletter. Oh, and I’m on Pinterest, too! Still getting my feet wet there, but it’s fun!

Here are all the various links:

Website: http://www.juliekenner.com

Website: http://www.jkbeck.com

(they go to the same site, just fyi)

Facebook for Julie: http://www.facebook.com/JulieKennerBooks

Facebook for JK: http://www.facebook.com/JKBeckBooks

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/juliekenner (this is the more active twitter; the JK Beck one is more for release news, but it’s @jkbeck)

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/juliekenner

And you can sign up for my newsletter here: http://oi.vresp.com/?fid=ee0dc1f10b

I’m still trying to get the hang of Goodreads, but I’m there! So if you follow me over there, eventually I’ll figure it out, LOL!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Julie, thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. We would love to have you back again when your ready to promote your next release(s).

Julie: I would love to!

If you’d like to keep up with Julie/J.K.’s latest new, please visit her WEBSITE or you can follow her on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or PINTEREST.

Permalink

[Archive] Author Ambush with Kimberly Raye_5.28.12

5/28/2012

AUTHOR AMBUSH

with…

Kimberly Raye

Hello everyone! LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are very happy to have Kimberly Raye back with us today!

Whether you’re a fan of hot, sexy contemporary romance like most (if not all) of our Book Monsters, or a paranormal junkie like all of our Literal Addicts, Kimberly Raye has something for you.

Kimberly is the esteemed creator of the SEX SOLUTION, BRADDOCK BOYS, FARREL SISTERS, CADILLAC TEXAS, INSPIRATION TEXAS, LOVE AT FIRST BITE, and DEAD END DATING series.

She’s currently working on a new demon wedding planner series (first book due out in October). It’s in the same vein as her DEAD END DATING series (paranormal/humor/chick lit’ish), and is being put out by Amazon’s Montlake. She’s also still working on getting the greatly anticipated 6th book of the DEAD END DATING series, “Here Comes the Vampire”, out in eBook, as well as promoting her latest release, “The Braddock Boys: Colton”, which was just dropped on 5/22/12.

Kim has always been a romantic, and loves to read all types of fiction (Romance is of course her favorite), though when it comes to writing, the hotter the better is her motto.

She actually started writing her first Novel back in High School and hasn’t looked back since. She has over 56 novels published to date, has been a RITA Award nominee, nominated by Romantic Times magazine for several Reviewer’s Choice awards, as well as a career achievement award.

When Kim isn’t writing, spending time with the love of her life, or wrangling her kids, she loves to read. As she says, “Give me a bag of Sugar Babies, a Toby Keith or Kevin Fowler CD, and a great book, and I’m in heaven!”.

For readers new to Kim’s work, we thought we’d give you the synopses for a handful of her books to peak your interests a bit…

“The Sex Solution”

There’s nothing like a cowboy to bring out the woman in all of us…
Madeline Hale has come back to her Texas hometown on a mission. Twelve years ago, she’d been a chubby bookworm infatuated with bad boy Austin Jericho. She still has the brains — after all, she’s chief chemist for a cosmetics company — but now she also has the body and attitude to match. And she plans to use them — along with a new aphrodisiac lotion she’s created — to finally get Austin where he belongs — in her bed….
Austin doesn’t know what’s hit him. He’s wanted Maddie forever, but he always figured she was too good for him. Only suddenly, the tables have turned. The sweet girl has turned into a sex siren, and Austin has ditched his wicked ways to settle down with a nice little wife.
But Maddie smells so sweet, feels so soft and tastes so wonderful. There’s only one solution. The Sex Solution.
And it’s going to be very, very good….

“The Braddock Boys: Cody”, THE BRADDOCK BOYS #1/LOVE AT FIRST BITE #4:

Champion bull rider Cody Braddock has always loved the ladies. As a vampire, each time he brings a woman satisfaction, his strength grows!
But right now he’s thinking only about vengeance. His mission: to hunt down and destroy the one who murdered his beloved family.
Revenge, however, takes a detour when he meets sweet, passionate Miranda Rivers. She’s never experienced the big O, and she wants to — badly! How could any man — vamp or not — resist?
Yet the deeper Cody drinks of Miranda’s delicious charms, the more he craves. Only, Miranda wants more than just an eternity of hot sex. She wants Cody’s undead heart to beat again, just for her….

“The Braddock Boys: Colton”, THE BRADDOCK BOYS #4/LOVE AT FIRST BITE #7:

JUST RELEASED 5/22/12

She wanted experience. He has 150 years’ worth!
Guys don’t tend to find gals with guns too sexy. So after years of awkward fumblings, deputy Shelly Lancaster is lookin’ for a man…. Not for love—good Lord, no. She just wants some hot, heavy and unforgettable sex with a man who knows exactly what he’s doing!
As it turns out, Shelly’s just found the perfect guy. Cowboy Colton Braddock is tasty as hell—and one of the perks of being a vampire is that he has years of hot, lusty loving under his belt. Unfortunately, this cowboy also has a wicked thirst for vengeance. But will it prove stronger than his hunger for her?

“Kiss me Once, Kiss me Twice”, THE FARRELL SISTERS #1

KISS ME ONCE
For Skye Farrel sex is a business, and business is good. Her Girl Talk seminars are the talk of the town, with professional women jumping at the chance to learn the art of sexual fulfillment. But while she teaches her students how to heat up the sheets, her own love life is on ice.
KISS ME TWICE
Enter Clint MacAllister, the six-foot plus, sexy NASCAR wunderkind, whose speedy lifestyle has left his relationship quotient in the dust. Not a good beginning for a man on the hunt for a wife. So Skye makes Clint a deal he can’t refuse: her sex tips in return for insight into the male mind. Each private lesson leaves Skye itching to test-drive him herself, but Clint is the marrying kind and she’s allergic to a trip down the aisle. Can Clint convince this liberated woman that the greatest race of all is the one for her heart?

“Dead Sexy”, LOVE AT FIRST BITE #1

She was looking for long-term. She wasn’t expecting eternity

Just when Nikki Braxton has given up on finding a normal guy, she meets cowboy Jake McCann.

Tall, dark and delicious, he could be the ideal man—if he wasn’t a vampire. Well, at least that explains his…uh… hunger for her. Meanwhile, that down-and-dirty sex they’re having is giving him the energy he needs to destroy his nemesis and break the vampire curse. Good thing, because being with Nikki makes him long for a normal life that much more.

But then Nikki is abducted. If Jake saves her, he may lose his only shot at becoming human again.

Talk about damned if you do…

“Dead End Dating”, DEAD END DATING #1

BITING IS SO LAST SEASON.
A vivacious vampire with a flair for accessorizing, Lil Marchette is unlike most of her kind. She prefers lively shades of pink to dismal black (soo not her color), plus she’s a hopeless romantic. In need of a steady paycheck to support a compulsive cosmetics habit, Lil starts Dead End Dating (DED), a Manhattan-based matchmaking service that helps smart, sophisticated singles like herself find eternity mates–and may even help her stake a claim to her very own Count Right!
When Lil meets geeky vampire Francis Deville, she knows he’s the perfect first client. If she can hook up Francis–after a little revamping, of course–she will prove her skills to the vampire community and turn DED into the hottest dating service in the Big Apple. But just as her business takes off, Lil meets the (literally) drop-dead gorgeous bounty hunter Ty Bonner, who is hot on the chase of a serial killer. Instantly drawn to the luscious vamp stud, Lil really wants a taste. But as a made vampire, Ty can’t procreate–and Lil will settle for nothing less. Luckily, between “vampifying” Francis and helping Ty solve his murder mystery, Lil has no time for silly romantic entanglements … even if Ty is all that and a Bloody Mary chaser!

Kim sounds like our kind of gal, and the books sound fantastic right!? Well, we have something special for you today. Kim has ambushed our sites with a special guest post. Let’s see what she had to say…

CONTEST: Kim is spoiling us by offering up all 4 Braddock brothers (a complete signed SET of all 4 books) to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for Kim’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/28 - 6/1, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews, make sure you’re a blog follower, and enter the contest on the post over there as well.

Good Luck!
*********************

VIRGINS & VAMPIRES

~By Kimberly Raye

Confession time—I am a MAJOR technophobe. I know, I know. It’s the digital age for Pete’s sake. Most authors are blogging and tweeting and face-booking and whatever else is hot right now. While I love interacting with readers, I’m so busy writing that I don’t have lots of time to learn the ins and outs of social media. I’ve done the occasional guest thing on other blog sites, but I’ve never actually hi-jacked a site, especially one as kick-ass as this one. Hence the virgin part of my title. (Thanks Chelle for popping my cherry!)

As for vampires … Thankfully I’ve got a tiny bit more experience in that department.

For the past few years, I’ve been doing a vampire series for Blaze featuring hot, hunky cowboys with some serious bite (Dead Sexy, Drop-Dead Gorgeous, A Body To Die For and my fab four—Cody, Brent, Travis & Colton). I’ve had a blast veering off the straight and narrow with these guys and bringing a little oomph to the traditional small town western story. My favorite part? The research. (isn’t this the standard answer for all romance novelists when asked their favorite part of the writing process?) I’m not talking the sex, though (unless you’re my husband. In that case, honey, you’re THE best and I absolutely could not make it through a love scene without your (ahem) “help”). I’m talking movies.

I’ve watched literally every vampire flick out there. From the recent Dark Shadows re-make (love Johnny Depp) and, of course, the Twilight flicks, to the timeless classic Nosferatu (1922). Some are bad (Vampire in Brooklyn). Some are really bad (Blood and Donuts–no really). And some are just too stupid to mention (all, right, so I’ll mention ‘em–Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, Bordello of Blood). But even those have their charm IMO. If I had to pick my favorite movie vamp, however, it would be a tie between Michael (Jason Patric) from The Lost Boys and Louis (Brad Pitt) from Interview With The Vampire. I know, I know. There are dozens out there who are fab, as well, but these characters just stick with me for some reason.

So tell? Who’s your favorite Hollywood vampire of all time?

Leave your answer as a comment under Kim’s Rafflecopter widget below and be entered to win a signed SET (all 4 books) of the BRADDOCK BOYS.

Once you’ve entered, check out the awesome excerpt from “Colton” below, as well as the short blurb from the 1st book in Kim’s upcoming demon wedding planner series - coming this October (we will be hosting Kim on 10/14/12 to promote and celebrate!).

Happy Reading!
************************************

COLTON

Excerpt

© Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

It was officially the worst moment of her romantic life.

Shelly Lancaster read the singles ad printed in yesterday’s edition of the Skull Creek Gazette and the Red Bull she’d guzzled at lunch churned in her stomach.

SWF seeks single, adventurous, incredibly sexy male for hot, mind-blowing sex (no serious relationship wanted). One night only. Instant chemistry a must. For a really good time, email: shellylancaster@skullcreeksheriff.com.

WTF?

Her chest tightened and the air rushed from her lungs. No. No, no, no, no, no! why had she gone to all the trouble of setting up an anonymous email account—hookmeup@hotmail.com—when no one had even bothered to use it?

Panic bolted through her and she fought for a breath. At least now she understood why her Monday had been straight out of an episode of the Twilight Zone.

She should have known something was up. She’d felt the familiar twinge in her gut yesterday. That instinct telling her that something was about to happen.

Something bad. Really bad.

She’d assumed it had something to do with the new prisoner that had been delivered on Saturday. The entire office was on pins and needles because of Jimmy Holbrook. At only twenty-three, he’d built quite a reputation for prison escapes. He’d waltzed out of all four of the facilities where he’d been housed and the Texas Rangers were determined he wouldn’t walk out of number five. Hence the transfer to a maximum security prison in El Paso. But in the rush to get him under lock and key at an adequate facility, there had been a few mistakes with his transfer paperwork. Which meant that Jimmy was currently locked up in a back cell awaiting an armed escort to take him the last leg of his trip. Until the paperwork got sorted out, he and the Texas Ranger parked outside his cell were stuck right here in Skull Creek. Hence the churning in her stomach. Or so she’d thought.

She eyeballed the extra-large container of chocolate body paint sitting on the corner of her desk, a big red bow sitting on top. Justin Wellborn, one of the hottest cowboys to ever two-step across the floor down at the local dance hall, had dropped off the stuff just ten minutes ago and asked her to go back to his place tonight. Before that had been Will Freeman who’d brought a basket of scented massage oils. Kip Walker had come bearing edible underwear and some guy she hardly knew, who worked down at the Dairy Freeze, had shown up with fuzzy zebra-print handcuffs.

They’d all wanted one thing.

Because they thought she wanted one thing.

Because the ad that was supposed to protect her identity and list only an anonymous email address had printed the real deal, complete with her name.

Her name.

This was not happening.

“Big plans tonight?” Sheriff Matt Keller’s voice slid into her head and scrambled her thoughts.

She slapped the newspaper closed and whirled. “Just the usual,” she blurted, scrambling for a semi-plausible explanation. Anything better than the truth. All she had planned was a glass of wine, a hot bubble bath and a few hours curled up on the couch, watching Bud & Sissy fall madly in love in Urban Cowboy. “I’ll probably clean my gun or watch whatever game’s on ESPN.”

“Must be some game.” His gaze slid past her to the risque gifts sitting atop her desk.

“This?” She waved a hand and played on the off chance that Matt had yet to see the personals. “This stuff is for a friend of mine.” Her brain raced. “It’s for her, um, party. A bachelorette party.” Hey, it sounded better than what was really happening. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your number-one deputy is sexually frustrated and trying to break a three-year fast.

Ugh. Matt had enough to worry about. On top of Holbrook, the town’s annual chili cook-off and roping festival started in less than three days. That meant parking issues, drunken festival-goers and lots of litter. She didn’t want to add hormonal female to the list.

He eyed the items one more time and smiled. “Good for you. It’s nice to see you’re having a little fun.”

His choice of words punched a nerve and she stiffened. Shelly recalled going to bed hungry one too many nights because her mother had been too busy having fun to bother making dinner or earning a steady paycheck. Fun had its price and it wasn’t one she was willing to pay. She liked having food in her refrigerator and money in the bank and, even more, peace of mind.

“I’m just collecting the stuff,” she blurted, sweeping an arm across the desk and stuffing it all into her top drawer. “I’m not actually going to the party. I’m on duty.” She slammed the drawer shut. “So, um, what time does your flight leave in the morning?” she asked, effectively changing the subject.

“Seven a.m.” He glanced at his watch as if he’d just remembered something. “Hells bells, I need to get out of here. I promised Shay we’d have a candlelit dinner to kick off tomorrow’s trip.”

Which was why Shelly was in this mess in the first place.

Instead of worrying about Holbrook or the chili cook-off, Matt was leaving everything to Shelly and running off on a romantic getaway with his new wife.

The man had fallen head over boot heels and was now living the proverbial happily-ever-after. That coupled with the fact that Shelly’s younger sister had just spent the past six months planning the biggest wedding the town had ever seen, had forced Shelly to re-evaluate her own love life.

Or lack of one.

She was twenty-nine years old. She’d never been married. No kids. No pets. She spent most Saturday evenings either on duty or catching up on paperwork, determined to make something of herself. To be the best. To be someone.

Anyone other than the timid little girl who’d hidden under the bed while her mother had spent her nights down at the local honky-tonk. Shelly had been so scared back then. So helpless.

Never again.

She could outrun, out-throw, outshoot and out arm-wrestle any deputy in the department. With the exception of Buck Kearney, of course, but he had a good two hundred pounds on her. She’d even won Best Throwing Arm during the department’s annual softball tournament last year thanks to a little bit of skill, a lot of luck and the fact that the current champion had come down with a stomach bug from eating too many ribs. She was strong-willed. Competitive. Tough. Fearless. At least that’s what everyone thought and Shelly had always been more than happy to perpetuate the myth. Until now.

She wasn’t ready to put on her Grandma Jean’s lace wedding dress and waltz down the aisle just yet, however. One day maybe. Hopefully.

But right now, she had too many responsibilities. She was on the fast track to becoming the first female sheriff of Skull creek. Matt was retiring in six months to run a bed and breakfast with his new wife, and Shelly wasn’t letting anything derail her between now and then.

She didn’t want to shed her image and fall in love. She wanted to make love. While she’d had a few sexual encounters over the years—in the backseat of Mikey Hamilton’s Chevy back in high school and under the bleachers with Casey Lewis during rookie training—they’d been few and far between. She’d had a very limited supply when it came to sex, and she’d never had really good sex.

She wanted one night with a man who stirred the pulse-pounding, do-me-right-nowor-I’ll-die chemistry she’d only read about in her favorite romance novels. A few blissful hours to satisfy her starved hormones so that she could stop fantasizing and get back to work.

Not that she was broadcasting that info to the world. She had an image to maintain, which was why she’d placed an anonymous ad in the local singles section. Or so she’d thought. Her plan had been to find a man privately—preferably one from any of the surrounding small towns that subscribed to the Gazette—and live out the very explicit fantasies heating up her lonely nights. She would have been able to get it out of her system without any of the locals being any the wiser.

Another glance at the paper and her stomach twisted.

“Don’t forget the security specialist coming tomorrow for the upgrade.” Matt’s voice pushed past her pounding heart.

“Tell me again why we need a security upgrade?”

“Because if we had an upgrade, we wouldn’t have a Texas Ranger babysitting our prisoner.” He motioned to the door leading to the holding area. “The clearance paperwork should be sitting in my email first thing in the morning. Just give him a tour and he’ll take care of the rest,” Matt tossed over his shoulder as he headed for the door.

The minute the knob clicked, she snatched up the newsprint and signaled to the assistant deputy sitting at a nearby desk.

“Keep an eye on things,” she told the man.

“Me?” Bobby Sparks glanced behind him. He was fresh from the academy and the newest addition to the sheriff’s department. Like any good rookie, Bobby didn’t so much as wipe his butt without asking permission first. “You’re giving me my first assignment?”

Shelly put on her most intimidating face. “Keep your eyes open and don’t let anyone past the front desk while I’m gone or else Ranger Truitt will tear me a new one. The holding area is on complete lock-down until Holbrook moves on.”

“I’m on it.” Bobby’s grin spread from ear to ear as he bounced to his feet. “I’ve been doing simulated fire fights on my Xbox at home. I’m ready for anything.”

Oh, boy.

“I’ll be back in ten minutes.” Shelly stuffed down the worry that roiled inside of her when Bobby paused to check his gun belt. “I’ll be on my radio if you need me. And remember, no visitors in the holding area. No one,”…
********************************************************
The Devil’s in the Details

By Kimberly Raye

Coming in October 2012 from Montlake Romance

Short Blurb:

Meet Jess Damon, reformed succubus and Houston’s hottest up-and-coming wedding planner. She’s turned her back on her evil birthright and set her sights on planning happily-ever-afters (and finding one of her own). But when she’s commissioned by her mother—the big D herself—to plan the ultimate event down under, she fears she’ll have to kiss goodbye finding true love. If her ma finds out the truth—that Jess isn’t in business to boff hunky groomsmen—she’s sure to had Jess a one-way ticket to Hell and punish her for her traitorous actions. If that isn’t enough stress, Jess has a demon slayer hot on her tail.

Cutter Owens wants to take down Mommy Dearest and he wants Jess to help.

Betray her mother? Sure, she’s the queen of all evil, but it’s her ma. Better to help the hot, hunky demon slayer find a more worthy target—the oldest demon in existence and the one guilty of stealing Cutter’s soul all those years ago. If she can keep her identity a secret, that is. And not fall in love.

Ugh. This is so not the happily-ever-after she had in mind.

Permalink

[Archive] Guest Web Appearance with Shayla Black/Shelley Bradley_5.27.12

5/27/2012

Guest Web Appearance with:

Shayla Black

a.k.a Shelley Bradley

Hello everyone! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very happy to welcome Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) to our sites today!

Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the New York Times bestselling author of over 30 sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances for multiple print and electronic publishers. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla has won or placed in over a dozen writing contests, including Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. Romantic Times has awarded her Top Picks, a KISS Hero Award and a nomination for Best Erotic Romance.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every book.

Shayla is the proud creator of the WICKED LOVERS, DOOMSDAY BRETHEREN, SEXY CAPERS and MASTERS OF MENAGE series as well as several amazing single titles.

As Shelley Bradley she brings us the BROTHERS IN ARMS series and a multitude of wonderful single titles.

For the same of today’s Event, we thought we’d give you the synopses for the first book in each series as well as her new/upcoming releases. You can see the reading order and read all of the blurbs by clicking on each of the series’ names below.

WICKED LOVERS Series

“Wicked Ties”, Book #1

When a stalker ratchets up his attempts to get to her, cable sex talk show host Morgan O’Malley turns to Jack Cole-a self-proclaimed dominant- for help. Though Jack is a bodyguard, Morgan feels anything but safe in his presence. Because slowly and seductively, Jack is bringing her deepest fantasies to the surface. And when he bends her to his will, what’s more shocking than her surrender is how much she enjoys it and how she starts to crave his masterful touch. A willing player in Jack’s games, Morgan knows that his motives aren’t pure. But she has no idea how personal they are.

“Mine to Hold”, Book #6

COMING 6/5/12!

A friend’s duty.

Tyler Murphy was an LAPD detective, single and happy—until a near-fatal tragedy crippled his friend, fellow detective Eric Catalano. While he supported Eric, he also became a shoulder for Eric’s wife, Delaney, to cry on. But with one naughty suggestion from Eric, a drunken night with Delaney spilled into erotic abandon. Before it was over Tyler saw his best friend’s wife as a woman and yearned for more. When Eric struggled to deal with the aftermath, Delaney begged Tyler to leave. Crushed, he fled to Louisiana, hoping to escape his longing for the one woman he could never have again…and unaware of what he’d left behind.

A lover’s desire.

After two years of living with regret, Tyler finds Delaney on his doorstep, her husband having abandoned her long ago. She’s protecting a shocking secret and desperately needs refuge from a killer determined to see her dead. As they fight to stay alive and catch the stalker, they struggle to resolve the guilt of their past pleasures. But they can’t deny that what was once a spark is now a flame burning out of control. To possess Delaney — body and soul — Tyler must heal her pain and thwart the evil that’s a mere breath behind her…

DOOMSDAY BRETHEREN Series

“Tempt Me With Darkness”, Book #1

He’s an immortal knight hungering for satisfaction….

As soon as Marrok sees Olivia Gray’s dark windswept hair and burning violet eyes, he’s sure they’ve met in eons past. He’s felt her soft gentle curves writhing in pleasure beneath his own hard powerful body…Morganna! For centuries, towering Marrok, once the mightiest of King Arthur’s warriors, has endured a terrible curse cast upon him when he spurned the witch.

She’s a modern woman about to discover ancient magic….

Olivia shares a mystical – and irresistible – connection with brooding Marrok. Soon after the sexy warrior appears in her erotic dreams, he abducts her, demanding she uncurse him. Their intense passion is more powerful – and intimate – than either of them has ever known. Olivia may be the key to unlocking the diary that will break Morganna’s hold on his life. But in the wrong hands, the book also holds the power to destroy all magickind. As they search for answers, a ruthless wizard returned from exile is building an army of evil. When he discovers Marrok and Olivia have the diary, only their love – with the help of a powerful group of magical Brethren – can save them.

“Embrace Me at Dawn”, Book #5

JUST RELEASED 5/29/12!

No man will ever define her again.

Anka MacTavish lost everything when Mathias D’Arc captured her, shattered her bond with her mate, and broke both her body and spirit. Determined to heal her bleeding soul, she joins the Doomsday Brethren’s fight to vanquish the evil wizard and seize her revenge. But becoming a magical warrior will require close contact with her former mate, the love who’s never left her heart, Lucan. And she’ll have to explain why she left him and fled to the arms of another lover…

No woman can ever take her place.

Lucan’s world crumbled when Anka escaped Mathias and sought protection from his long-time rival, Shock. Now she has returned, and Lucan must train her to confront a new and terrible danger that threatens magickind. With every punch, blow, and parry, Lucan discovers that Anka isn’t the demure wife he once knew, and his growing desire for this woman is a need he can’t control. He vows to do whatever it takes to reclaim her heart and make her his once more. But when the Doomsday Brethren are forced to make an unlikely alliance, it will test Anka’s resolve like never before. To survive, she and Lucan must rely on one another, face their deepest fears…and expose the dark secrets that threaten to destroy everything, including their love

SEXY CAPERS Series

“Bound and Determined”, Book #1

To prove her brother’s innocence in an embezzlement charge Kerry Sullivan resorts to kidnapping electronic security expert Rafe Dawson. But she may have to let Rafe have his way first-with her.

“Hot in Handcuffs”, Book #3

COMING 7/3/12!

Three Novellas of Erotic Capture

Allow yourself to imagine the man behind the dark sunglasses. Hear the purr of his zipper as he lowers it, then reaches for the shiny metal hanging from his black leather belt. It’s futile to resist arrest. Give yourself up to the fantasy. Besides, he thinks you’re so hot in handcuffs…

Arresting Desire by Shayla Black
FBI Agent Jon Bocelli never stopped wanting beautiful professor Lucia DiStefano. She’s interested in taking her first lover, and he intends to be that man. When her past puts her life in danger, Jon risks everything to save her and prove this fling is forever.

On Fire by Sylvia Day
When Deputy Marshal Jared Cameron investigates a series of arson attacks in a seaside town, the biggest blast of heat comes from sexy fire inspector Darcy Michaels—until their scorching after-hours affair is compromised by a secret from Darcy’s past.

The Unwilling by Shiloh Walker
Mica Greer and her former lover, ex-FBI agent Colby Mathis once shared an intimate past and a powerful psychic gift. Now, they’ve been reunited by a bizarre series of murders—and an electrifying passion that could put them both in jeopardy.

MASTERS OF MENAGE Series

“Their Virgin Captive”, Book #1

Brothers Gavin, Slade, and Dex, fall hard for Gavin’s new secretary, beautiful Hannah Craig. The oil executives know they must give her time to get to know them before she can choose one … who will seduce the virgin and keep her for his own. But when a dangerous predator begins stalking the small-town beauty, they work together to protect her, abducting Hannah and spiriting her to an isolated hideaway. Once alone with her, none of them can contain their burning desire. Though Slade and Dex don’t mind sharing, Gavin’s tragic past has put distance between him and his brothers. Now, they’re hoping that not only will Hannah love them back … but maybe mend their fractured family.

After overcoming her initial fears, the men teach her wild pleasure she’s never imagined. She grows closer to each, their devotion melting her inhibitions. Hannah finds herself embracing love with all three men—and hoping she can heal Gavin’s wounded soul. But her new found happiness turns to terror when her stalker finds her. Will Gavin, Slade and Dex lose their woman to a menace that threatens everything they hold dear, or will they finally unite to make Hannah theirs forever?

BROTHERS IN ARMS series (by Shelley Bradley)

“His Lady Bride”, Book #1

Romance readers everywhere will be singing the praises of Ballad Romances, a completely fresh and original approach to romance publishing. Each month, Zebra will release four historical romances with a unique twist: each book is part of a two-to-six volume series, as well as an unforgettable “stand alone” novel.

The Ballad program is designed to create reader loyalty. By offering a thoroughly satisfying reading experience every time — and letting consumers know how and when they can have equally enjoyable experiences — each Ballad romance novel entices its reader to come back again and again.

Here’s why Ballad Romances are Special:
— Every book in Ballad Romances is of a two- to six-book series.
— The next volume in the series will be described in the back of the current release with the exact month when the consumer will be able to find it at retail.
— Monthly releases cross-promoted by featuring covers on the inside front cover of each book.
— Intriguing and commercial time periods and locations explored in love stories written by Zebra’s best authors.
— Gorgeous covers by our most requested new illustrator.

Return to an age of danger and chivalry, when three daring knights — fostered together since boyhood in the same warrior tradition — fight to win the hearts of the women they love.

Historical re-release (by Shelley Bradley)

“Strictly Forbidden”

COMING SUMMER 2012

Miss Kira Melbourne is anything but a proper English rose. Her exotic beauty, courtesy of her foreign mother, has marked her as an outsider, and her ghastly reputation as a woman of loose virtue has only added to that status. The victim of a devious viscount’s horrible lies, Kira has the chance to redeem herself and become a member of polite society as the fiancée of a respected country clergyman. She’ll finally have a place to belong…even if it’s in the tepid arms of a man she doesn’t love.

Gavin Daggett, Duke of Cropthorne, isn’t about to let his naive country cousin marry a scandalous woman like Kira Melbourne. The solution is a simple one: Gavin will seduce the vixen and prove her unworthiness, thereby releasing his cousin from any obligation. But spending time with Kira is like awakening to a world of color and beauty, and it stirs the fiery desires Gavin has fought to suppress his entire life. Caught in his own dangerous game, sharing forbidden pleasure with Kira, Gavin knows that the price of loving her is high—and yet it is one that he will willingly pay…with every beat of his heart.

If you’ve read any of Shayla’s books you already know how amazing they are! And if you haven’t had the chance to read them yet, you can definitely fix that now! But, before you run off to start buying her books, check out our interview below so you can find out more about the amazing author behind the books.

LIVE CHAT, DON’T FORGET: Shayla will be chatting live with members, followers, fans and guests in our Author Chatroom from 2:00 - 3:00pm EST/1-2pm CDT/12-1pm MDT/11am-12pm PDT.

CONTEST: Shayla is offering up winner’s choice of signed book from her backlist to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for Shayla’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/27 - 5/31, follow directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews, make sure you’re a blog follower, and enter over there as well.

Good Luck!
***************************
Book Monster Reviews/ LITERAL ADDICTION: Hi Shayla! Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION! We’re so happy to have you here today.

Shayla: Thank you so much for having me here. It’s a pleasure to be able to spend a little time with you and all of the Book Monster and Literal Addiction followers.

Book Monster Reviews/ LITERAL ADDICTION: We always start by getting to know our guest author a little bit better.

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we couldn’t find out on the Internet, in your bio, etc?

Shayla: No! Then it will be on the internet! Just kidding. I have a terrible addiction to Coach purses. Seriously, At a conference recently, I drooled over someone in an elevator. My assistant later found out all the details about her GORGEOUS red patent-leather purse. She shares my addiction. What else? I prefer Diet Coke to coffee to get me going in the morning. Hey! It’s diet! And I hope someday to spend a few weeks in Italy with my husband, just to soak up the culture and the scenery and the people.

Q2): When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Shayla: Oh, I wanted to be a lot of things I think, but was never too sure. I think even then I had a lot of “people” in my head who kept changing my mind. I ended up in the corporate world, but knew that was not the answer. Even though it was not a terrible job, it certainly was not what I was passionate about. I started publishing about half way through and finally left to write full time.

Q3): What are some of your hobbies and/or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Shayla: Spending time with friends and family. I love Rock Band. LOL! I like unwinding with guilty pleasure television like The Bachelorette and trying to relax by the pool when I can.

Q4): When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer?

Shayla: I think I knew I wanted to be a writer for sure when I was about 23. My husband has always been very supportive, if baffled at times by some of the things that go through my head. He’s also puzzled by the fact that I’m sometimes good at taking on my characters’ angst. My friends are largely writers, so we’re all really supportive of each other. My few non-writing friends think it’s a cool, if strange business. My parents really only came around in the last 2 years or so. I left a very lucrative corporate job to write full time, and they didn’t understand why I’d want to give up a steady, stable job for one with so much risk. But they’re with me now.

Q5): You write so many amazing stories in multiple genres of romance; Paranormal, Contemporary, Erotica & Historical. What are some of the best things about writing in so many different genres and what are some of the challenges you face?

Shayla: Thank you. Probably the biggest challenge for me (and many other writers) is questioning whether or not I am giving the reader everything they want and still remaining true to the characters. Each genre and story is clear for me, but I want to always be able to entertain and meet the expectations readers have for the next book in each series. I love writing, and I love talking with the readers about what they think of each book.

Q6): What type of scenes (dialogue, action, sex, etc) do you enjoy writing the most and why?

Shayla: I really enjoy writing the deep, complex emotional scenes that hopefully make readers invest in the characters. It is the basis for everything else that transpires within the story. If you’re not invested in the hero and heroine’s journey to get over the hurdles they have to overcome to be together, the suspense scenes and the sex scenes are meaningless, because it is always about their love and their desire to be with each other in the end.

Q7): Is there a book in your backlist so far that happens to be your personal favorite, or maybe one that has extra special meaning for you, etc?

Shayla: Each story means something different to me for different reasons. I have a special place in my heart for Wicked Ties because it started the Wicked Lovers series. I never imagined it would grow to this. I just wrote a book for me, for the fun of it. I really never imagined letting anyone reading it, much less publishing it. Of the Doomsday Brethren series, the book that’s just about to release, Embrace Me At Dawn, is really my favorite of the series. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed the others and have an especially soft spot in my heart for Ice and Sabelle. But Embrace Me At Dawn takes the series to another level, I think. It’s more action, more emotion, more difficult choices—and lots of changes. I’ve been looking forward to writing this story since I started the series, so I’m finally glad to be able to share it with you all.

Q8): What is a typical writing day like for you? Do you have a routine that you follow? Are there specific things that you have to have with you to get the creative juices flowing, etc?

Shayla: I’m a plotter. I know about 75-90% of the book before I even get started. That’s actually the most important thing I do, the pre-work. I prefer to write with music, and I’m always looking for new musical inspirations. I will sometimes spend hours finding just the right songs that move me.

With the actual writing itself, I tend to move all over the house with my laptop, depending on weather, time of day, and whatever else is going on. And, I always get my best ideas while driving or talking on the phone. My friends all know that if I’m calling, there may be conversation about plot involved. I plot aloud and interactively. Many writers are introverts, but that’s not me, so bouncing ideas off others works for me.

When I worked full-time and wrote on my lunch hours, I could write with a lot of distractions and filter them out. Now, that I’ve been writing in a dead quiet house all day for a couple of years, I have a tougher time with distractions, especially the TV. Drives me nuts! Once I’m in an environment that’s conducive to getting words on the page, I’m usually instant messaging with a few of my buddies as we “sprint,” which is to write as many words as you can, flat out, in a specified period of time, often between 20 and 30 minutes. At the end of that period, we compare totals, take a short break, and do it all again. It’s really a great way to get usable words down. After all, you can’t read or edit a blank page.

Q9): Are there any authors and/or titles that you feel may have influenced you to become the writer you are today?

Shayla: Wow, that would be a very long and illustrious list! I’ve been influenced by two decades of books I’ve adored. I think as writers we all have our own voice, but certainly the books I read by other authors help me to challenge myself to be a better writer.

Q10): If you could spend the day with any of your characters, who would you want it to be and what would you want to do?

Shayla: Oh, boy. I am torn between Shock, Jack, and the Edgington Brothers. Shock because, well…he’s Shock! What’s underneath all of that machismo and snark? What does he really care about? Can he be tamed? I’m confident the right woman can turn him into a great hero (and a bit of a teddy bear), but don’t tell him I said that. Yet. Jack because, really, what woman wouldn’t want to spend a day with a sexy Cajun Dominant like Jack Cole? The Edgington Brothers are just so darn gorgeous and intense. Definitely intense. That would be its own kind of fun. Obviously, I like the bad boys with hearts of gold.

Q11): The DOOMSDAY BRETHREN is one of our favorite series. Now that you are self publishing the books, can you tell us what you have in store for the series and what will be coming up next ?

Shayla: “Embrace Me At Dawn,” which features Lucan, Anka, and Shock is out electronically on May 29th. I’m SO excited to have the die-hard Doomsday Brethren followers read it. I’m also thrilled to be self-publishing the rest of this series. Now I’ll have so much more latitude and creative freedom with regard to character and story, not to mention release dates, which are now completely being controlled by how long it takes me to write the next book. I still have Bram’s story to tell. And, of course, Shock has a story. Both of them will be complicated and I have no doubt that neither one will leave me in peace until I get their books done.

Q12): What about your WICKED LOVERS & SEXY CAPERS series? What do you have planned for both these series?

Shayla: Right now, I’m working on Xander’s story for the Wicked Lovers series, OURS TO LOVE. Xander is quite a handful, and he has a lot to deal with, so he’s taking me on a wild ride. HOT IN HANDCUFFS, an anthology I’ve done with Sylvia Day and Shiloh Walker, releases July 3rd. That’s a Sexy Capers tale. Eventually, I’m hoping to do another story from the Sexy Capers series that involved Jon’s brother. I have been wanting to write that book for years.

Q13) We saw on your website that you have a new series planned called PROJECT ALPHA. Can you tell us about this series and when the first book is expected to be released?

Shayla: My Project Alpha romantic suspense series is about super soldiers in a top secret, now defunct military program who risk all to save the world and the women they love. It will be published by Berkley, beginning in September 2013!

Q14): What’s up next for Shelley Bradley? What do you have going on under this pen name in the near future?

Shayla: I will be re-releasing STRICTLY FORBIDDEN this Summer. I will then be looking at what I may want to do with all of the rest of my Shelley Bradley titles and deciding from there. I’d like to re-release the Brothers In Arms series out in the fall.

Q15): Is there anything special that you’d like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

Shayla: I have the best readers on the planet! I love all of the feedback I get, and all of the patience and kindness they have shown me. I had some personal challenges this past year that pushed back deadlines and the outpouring of love and friendship was overwhelming. I really enjoy interacting with everyone on Facebook, and when I can, over email and on Twitter. I am striving to wrangle my schedule so that I can do more personal appearances. I actually really love them. Every single time someone tells me they love a certain book or they are a fan of a particular series, I am a little bit surprised and deeply grateful. That may sound odd, but it’s true. So thank you for reading, for your enthusiasm, and most of all for your friendship and kindness.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Shayla, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down and chat with us. We’re were very happy to help you promote all of your backlist and your new releases today, and we hope that we turned some new readers on to your work. We’d love to have you back to help celebrate your next big release if you’re interested.

Shayla: Thank you so much for inviting me! I loved being able to take a break from writing to be here with you all.

If you want to keep up with Shayla (Shelley) and her latest news, you can visit her Website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

AUTHOR EVENT CONTESTS!!!!!

•Use the Rafflecopter widgets displayed to enter for the current and previous Event contests (Archived posts can be found by using the links above).

CURRENT Author Appearance

Shayla Black_5.27.12

Past Author Event

Entangled Publishing Paranormal Event

Previous Author Appearance

Lisa Shearin_5.26.12 

Comments

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(1 days ago) Red Headed Bookworm said:
a little about each author and their books. I am a cover junkie and those were some great covers!

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(1 days ago) Kassandra said:
This event idea is fantastic! I like that it is more than one author in a genre. All new to me authors that I want to just dive right in ;)

sionedkla@gmail.com

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(showing 1 to 2)

Past Author Event 2

Sandra Hill_5.24.12

Permalink

[Archive] Guest Web Appearance with Lisa Shearin_5.26.12

5/26/2012

Guest Web Appearance with:

Lisa Shearin

Hello everyone! LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are happy to welcome Lisa Shearin to our sites today!

Lisa works a day job at an advertising agency as an editor and quality control manager. She’s also been a magazine editor, an advertising copywriter, and a writer of corporate marketing material of every facet.

She’s a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America and lives with her husband, 2 retired racing greyhounds, and a Jack Russell terrier in North Carolina.

Lisa is the proud creator of the RAINE BENARES series.

For those of you not yet familiar with Lisa’s work, we thought we’d give you the synopses for the available books in the RAINE BENARES series to get you up to speed:

“Magic Lost, Trouble Found”, RAINE BENARES Book #1:

Raine Benares is a Sorceress Seeker of average ability until she comes into possession of an amulet that amplifies her powers-and her enemies.

“Armed & Magical”, RAINE BENARES Book #2:

My name is Raine Benares. Until last week I was a seeker—a finder of things lost and people missing. Now I’m psychic roommates with the Saghred, an ancient stone with cataclysmic powers. Just me, the stone, and all the souls it’s ingested over the centuries. Crowded doesn’t even begin to describe it. All I want is my life back—which means getting rid of the stone and the power it possesses. To sort things out, I head for the Isle of Mid, home to the most prestigious sorcery school, as well as the Conclave, the governing body for all magic users. It’s also home to power- grubbing mages who want me dead and goblins who see me as a thief. As if that’s not enough, Mid’s best student spellsingers are disappearing left and right, and I’m expected to find them. Lives are at stake, goblins are threatening to sue, mages are getting greedier, and the stone’s power is getting stronger by the hour. This could get ugly.

“The Trouble with Demons”, RAINE BENARES Book #3:

For seeker Raine Benares, a demon infestation on the Isle of Mid couldn’t come at a worse time. Already fighting the influence of the Saghred, a soul-stealing stone, Raine discovers she is also magically bonded to a dark mage and a white knight, two dangerous and powerful men on opposing sides.
Turns out, the demons want the key to unlock the Saghred. As a seeker, Raine should be able to find it first. As the axis of light and dark powers, she’s a magical cataclysm waiting to happen.

“Bewitched & Betrayed”, RAINE BENARES Book #4:

Raine Benares is a seeker. She finds lost things and missing people- usually alive. But now she’s been bonde with the Saghred, a soul- stealing stone of unlimited power, and must hunt down its escapees. Especially since one of them is also hunting her…

“Con & Conjure”, RAINE BENARES Book #5:

Raine Benares is a seeker who finds lost things and people. Ever since the Saghred, a soul-stealing stone that’s given her unlimited power, has bonded to her, the goblin king and the elves have wanted to possess its magic themselves. Which means a goblin thief and her ex-fiancé-an elven assassin-are after her. To survive, she’ll need the help of her notorious criminal family.

“All Spell Breaks Loose”, RAINE BENARES Book #6:

Coming 5/29/12

My name is Raine Benares—and it sucks to be me. The Saghred, a soul-stealing stone that has given me unlimited power, has been stolen by a goblin prince, and with it went my magic. The Saghred is in the goblin capital of Regor, in the hands of Sarad Nukpana, who’s on the verge of becoming the most powerful mage ever…just as soon as I’m dead.

Because Sarad can’t use the stone while I’m alive. Incentive enough to plan a little trip to Regor with a small band of good friends, not-so-good friends, and outright enemies. All we need to do is destroy the Saghred, kill Sarad, and put a renegade prince on the throne. Did I mention I’ll be doing this without magic?

They sound amazing, right!? Now that we have you all adding them to your TBR lists and hunting them down from your favorite book-seller, what do you say we learn some more about the author behind these fabulous titles?

CONTEST: Lisa’s publisher is offering up a copy of “All Spell Breaks Loose” to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for Lisa’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/26 - 5/30, follow the direction, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews, make sure you’re a blog follower, and leave a comment on the post over there.

Good Luck!
*************************
LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. We’re excited to introduce some new readers to your work.

LISA: Thank you so much for inviting me!

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: We always start by getting to know our guest authors a little bit better.

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we couldn’t find out easily on the Internet?

LISA: (I can’t think of anything)

Q2): If you were told that the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you use your last 24 hours for?

LISA: (Wow, big question! It’s beyond my writing-fried mind at the moment. Sorry.)

Q3): What are some of your hobbies and/or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not working, writing or taking care of other author business?

LISA: When I’m not writing, I’m reading and reading and reading. Oh, and there’s sleeping and eating in there somewhere. Human contact is important, so I try to fit some of that in there, too.

Q4): What are 3 things that always make you smile?

LISA: Puppies! (I am a serious dog lover.) And kitties! (If you can’t resist puppies, how could you possibly resist kitties?) When new books by my favorite authors come out.

Q5): Who are some of the authors and/or titles that you feel have inspired your writing career?

LISA: I cut my fantasy-reading teeth in the 80s with David Eddings, Raymond Feist, and Terry Brooks. My fave urban fantasy author is Jim Butcher (I do love me some Harry Dresden). I really enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers, and if they have a touch of the funky or supernatural, all the better. I especially enjoy Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child’s Agent Pendergast series.

Q6): With Fantasy being such a popular genre these days, what made you choose it, and what about it fascinates you personally?

LISA: I love that there are absolutely no limits. If you can imagine it (and write it to be believable), there’s nothing that you can’t do. The sky’s the limit. That’s fun!

Q7): When did you start writing fiction? Can you walk us through how your career began?

LISA: I’ve been writing since I could put words together to form a sentence, and I have made up stories in my head for as long as I can remember. I was bitten by the novel bug in college. I was in a local bookstore and couldn’t find anything that I wanted to read. My roommate got tired of hearing me gripe about it, and asked why didn’t I just write my own? That’s what got me started, and I’ve been going ever since.

Q8): Was there any specific inspiration behind the creation of the RAINE BENARES series?

LISA: I love reading thrillers. The more breakneck-speed the action is, the better. Since ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE is the culmination of the previous five books, there’s plenty of action, and believe me, it moves fast. In fact, all of the books in the Raine Benares series hit the ground running, and barely slow down enough to let the characters catch their breath. Yep, I’m an evil author.  ; )

Q9): How many books do you have planned for the series?

LISA: ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE is the concluding book in the Saghred storyline—not necessarily the end of the series. I fully intend to come back to Raine and her friends in the future. There are quite a few characters who would love to have their own series. I know Tam or Phaelan wouldn’t say no to starring in their own series. And those of you who are familiar with Talon know that kid isn’t going to stay quiet for long.

Q10): What can we expect as the series progresses?

LISA: (question doesn’t apply. See above response.)

Q11): What else do you have in the works outside of the world of RAINE BENARES that you can share with us?

LISA: I’ve just completed a proposal package for an urban fantasy/supernatural thriller/comedy series. You all know how I love to mix & match genres. I have the series premise written, as well as the synopses for the first three books, and I just finished the final sample chapter today (for a total of six). I promise that as soon as I get a contract for it, I’ll tell you more—in fact, you probably won’t be able to shut me up. I’m so excited about this project—it’s just pure fun.

Q12): What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, logistical, etc) in bringing the RAINE BENARES series to life?

LISA: Writing the end of ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE was made a lot easier by the fact that the series isn’t really over, just the Saghred storyline. If I’d been truly ending the series, I’d have probably been blubbering like a baby. I absolutely love these characters, I’ve been with them a long time, and I couldn’t bear the thought of never writing another book with them again.

That being said, I’ve always wanted to do multiple series. The Saghred storyline was all-consuming (hmm, kind of ironic that a series about a soul-sucking rock would consume my life). Actually, the six books of the Raine Benares series are one humongous book divided into six smaller books. The story arc begins with MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND and ends with ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE. So basically, for the past six years (actually a lot longer than that if you count the years I spent trying to get published) I’ve been writing ONE book. So while I adore Raine & Company, we need a little away time from each other—absence does make the heart grow fonder.

Q13): What about the series are you the most proud of so far?

LISA: The sixth book of the Raine Benares series—All Spell Breaks Loose—is the culmination of a storyline that began in 2007 with Magic Lost, Trouble Found. The action contained in those six books cover a mere three-month period in the lives of Raine and her friends. Three months. It’s hard to believe. When I look back over the entire series, I think one of the biggest surprises for me was that the Saghred storyline extended into six books. I had expected three books max. But the characters kept growing, and they and their stories took on a life of their own. There was no way I could stop after only three books. I had to find out what happened.

Q14): Is there a question you thought it would be great to be asked in an interview but have never been asked? How would you answer that question?

LISA: (can’t think of anything)

Q15): Is there anything special you would to say to your readers while we have you here today?

LISA: Thank you all for sharing this journey with me. I have the best fans any author could ever hope for – you guys are simply amazing!

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Lisa, thank you so much again for being with us today. We’d love to have you back to promote your next big release if you’d be interested!

LISA: I’d love to visit with you and your readers again!

If you would like to keep up with LISA, you can find her online here:

Website: http://www.lisashearin.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Raines-Rangers-Lisa-Shearin-Fan-Group/115603688459673

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lisashearin

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/336058.Lisa_Shearin

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[Archive] Entangled Publishing Paranormal Panel Author Event_5.25.12

5/25/2012

ENTANGLED PUBLISHING

Paranormal Panel Author Event

Hello Literal Addicts and Book Monsters! LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are incredibly proud to be hosting today’s big Entangled Publishing Paranormal Panel Author Event.

We don’t just have 1 author for you, we have 5 of Entangled Publishing’s incredibly talented Paranormal genre authors with us. All 5 of these wonderful ladies will be joining us tonight for an interactive Live chat with giveaways from 8:00 – 9:30pm EST/7:00 – 8:30pm CDT/6:00 – 7:30pm MDT, 5:00 – 6:30pm PDT/4:00 – 5:30pm Alaska/Anchorage Time. To go along with tonight’s chat, we wanted to give our readers some information about our guests of honor.

We have had the pleasure of hosting 5 of today’s 6 V.I.Ps - Lisa Kessler, Rachel Firasek, Boone Brux, Rosalie Lario, and Paige Cuccaro have all been featured on our sites for their own solo events, and you can go back and read their interviews by clicking on their names above. We also have Tiffany Allee with us today though. :)

For our new readers who are a bit short on time and unable to go back and read the past Events, we thought we’d give you a quick overview of each author and their work with Entangled as well as links to where you can find out more.

Lisa Kessler

Lisa is not only a fabulous author, but a professional vocalist with the San Diego Opera and other musical theater companies.

Her NIGHT series via Entangled has been going strong with “Night Walker” having just been released in Mass Market Paperback after a good run in eBook and Trade, “Night Thief” (the prequel Novella) due out in September, and “Night Demon” coming in February of 2013.

You can find Lisa on her Website, Facebook, Twitter and GoodReads.

Rachel Firasek

Rachel’s career began early, at the tender age of 12, with a poem dedicated to the soldiers of Desert Storm. A dark, macabre affair that earned her a publication in an anthology and many raised eyebrows from family and friends. Because of this, she hid her poetry and artistic style for years.

Her CURSE OF THE PHOENIX series through Entangled currently has 3 amazing installments – “The Last Rising”, “The Last Awakening”, and “The Last Beginning”.

You can find Rachel on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Boone Brux

Boone is an award-winning writer, crafting everything from humor to dark fantasy, but has a warm spot in her heart for demons.

Her novel, “Shield of Fire”, BRINGER AND THE BANE book #1, is out with Entangled Publishing (book #2, “Kiss of the Betrayer” will be up next). Her stories also appear in the ezines Digital Digest and Everything Erotic.

Find Boone online on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Rosalie Lario

Rosalie is a formally trained corporate and real estate lawyer who finally admitted to herself that she had much more fun making up stories - especially about sexy preternatural heroes and their reluctant heroines.

Rosalie is the proud creator of the DEMONS OF INFERNUM series through Entangled, which currently has 4 books – “Blood of the Demon”, “Mark of the Sylph”, “Touch of the Angel” and “Heart of the Incubus”. “Call of the Siren” is up next.

You can find Rosalie on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Paige Cuccaro

Paige lives in Ohio, with her husband, three daughters, three dogs, and three cats, in an ever shrinking house. When she’s not writing whe’s doing the mom thing with a book in one hand and a notepad and pen in the other. Ideas come without warning and for her, the best way to stimulate her imagination is to enjoy the imagination of someone else.

Paige brings us the HELLSBANE series from Entangled. The first book, “Hellsbane” is out, and “Heaven and Hellsbane” will be coming on 8/7/12.

You can find Paige on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, and on GoodReads.

Tiffany Allee

Tiffany spends her days working in Corporate America while daydreaming about sexy heroes, ass-kicking heroines, and interesting ways to kill people (for her books, of course). Her nights are reserved for writing and bothering her husband and cats (according to them). Her passions include reading, chocolate, travel, wine, and family.

Tiffany’s awesome FROM THE FILES OF THE OTHERWORLDER ENFORCEMENT AGENCY series through Entangled currently has 1 installment right now, “Banshee Charmer”.

You can find Tiffany on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Make sure to check out each of these incredible authors and their work, as well as Entangled Publishing’s other amazing Author lineup when you have some free time.

LIVE CHAT, DON’T FORGET: All 6 of these amazing women will be available to chat Live with members, followers, fans and guests in LITERAL ADDICTION’s Author Chatroom from 8:00 – 9:30pm EST/7:00 – 8:30pm CDT/6:00 – 7:30pm MDT, 5:00 – 6:30pm PDT/4:00 – 5:30pm Alaska/Anchorage Time. Prizes will be awarded!! “)

CONTEST: LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are offering up winner’s choice of eBook from any of these authors, gifted from either Amazon or B&N (Kindle or Nook formats ONLY) to a winner from each site.

To enter here on LITERAL ADDICTION, find the Rafflecopter widget for the Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/25 - 5/29, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

Make sure that your Rafflecopter email address is correct.

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews, make sure you’re a blog follower, and leave a comment on the post over there as well.

Good luck!

There will be prizes given away during tonight’s chat as well so make sure to stop by. Each of the authors will be giving away something to a lucky winner.

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[Archive] Guest Web Appearance with Sandra Hill_5.24.12

5/24/2012

Guest Web Appearance with:

Sandra Hill

Hello Everyone! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very pleased to welcome author Sandra Hill to our sites today.

“My life and my books are a celebration of new beginnings.

Although I am a livelong writer—I’m the oddball who liked writing essays in school—it wasn’t until the early 1990s that my writing interest turned to novels. It was a new beginning for me…a totally different career path from the journalism I had been practicing. More than twenty novels later, I am still in love with writing…and with new beginnings.

No wonder all of my books deals with new beginnings in some way or another. In fact, my first novel, The Reluctant Viking, first published in 1994, was about a woman on the brink of divorce looking for a chance to start all over. A new beginning for poor Ruby Jordan. Fast forward more than fifteen years and you will find there is a theme of new beginnings in all my books. Doesn’t matter if it’s divorce, death, despair, time travel, loneliness, boredom or plain old dissatisfaction, readers want to know that there is a chance for…yep, new beginnings.

One of the greatest gifts we have in this world is to find work we love, which is appreciated by others. I have been especially blessed in that regard.

My Books

You readers have told me that you love the Viking world I have created, not to mention those gorgeous Norsemen. There have been twenty Viking novels thus far in two different series: Viking Series I, The Reluctant Viking, The Outlaw Viking, The Tarnished Lady, The Bewitched Viking,The Blue Viking, My Fair Viking, A Tale of Two Vikings, Viking in Love, The Viking Takes a Knight, The Norse King’s Daughter, and coming next, The Pirate Bride. Then, there was The Last Viking, Truly, Madly Viking, The Very Virile Viking, Wet & Wild, Hot and Heavy, Rough and Ready, Down and Dirty, Viking Unchained, Viking Heat, and Dark Viking.

You have also grown attached to my version of the Old South in Frankly, My Dear andSweeter Savage Love. Maybe, someday, there will be a follow-up to those books as well. There was a short novella “Tomorrow Is Another Day” connected to these books and my Viking Navy SEALs in the anthology Ladies Prefer Rogues.

Perhaps most popular in recent years have been my Cajun books…chronicles of the bad boys of the Louisiana LeDeux family. It all started with Luc LeDeux’s story in The Love Potion, followed by Tall, Dark and Cajun, Remy LeDeux,The Cajun Cowboy, Charmaine LeDeux, and The Red-Hot Cajun, Rene LeDeux. And they continued in the Jinx series: Pink Jinx, Pearl Jinx, Wild Jinx (Tee-John’s story), as well as So Into You. While there are no Cajun contemporaries on the immediate horizon, Tante Lulu will show up in the third Deadly Angels book, Kiss of Temptation, in June, 2013.

Speaking of Deadly Angels, this is a new series starring, of all things, Viking vampire angels. These seven brothers are headquartered in Transylvania, but not Transylvania, Romania. Nope, they are in a rundown castle in Transylvania, Pennsylvania. Expect the usual Sandra Hill humor and sizzle.

When anyone asks me about my novels, I always say that, if nothing else, they will make you laugh out loud…and maybe sizzle a bit. Which is really funny…to my family, at least. They think I have no sense of humor at all. And as for a sensual nature…forget it!”

As you can see, Sandra is the creator of many amazing books! Today we are helping Sandra promote her new DEADLY ANGELS series. The first book in the series, “Kiss of Pride” was just released on April 24, 2012 and the second book, “Kiss of Surrender” will be released on November 27, 2012. Let’s take a look at both of the books in this great new series.

“Kiss of Pride”

DEADLY ANGELS, Book 1

SOME MEN ARE TOO BAD TO BE TRUE…

Is he really a Viking with a vampire’s bite? An angel with the body of a thunder god? A lone wolf with love on his mind? Alexandra Kelly, his prey, thinks Vikar Sigurdsson is either flat-out crazy or he’s trying to maneuver her into his bed—which is hardly where a professional reporter should conduct an interview, tempting as that prospect might be.

SOME MEN ARE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE…

Until Vikar does something a teensy bit unexpected, and Alex begins to wonder whether her mystery man could really be everything he says he is: a Viking Vampire Angel on a thousand-year-long mission with his pack of sinful brothers—and a man who’s finally found the woman of his dreams. By then, Vikar is already wrapping his chiseled arms around Alex’s body…and sinking his wicked fangs right into her neck. If this is sin, why does it feel so good?

“Kiss of Surrender”

DEADLY ANGELS, Book 2

Release Date: 9/25/12

It’s not easy being a Vampire Angel

No one knows that better than Trond Sigurdsson. In the centuries since he last went out drinking and wenching with his Viking buds, Trond has been a gladiator, a cowboy, a ditch digger…even a sheik. But now he’s the baddest of them all: a kick-butt Navy SEAL kicking butts of terrorist immortals with the help of his hotter-than-Hades female partner, police officer-turned-Special Forces operative Nicole Tasso—whom Trond dearly hopes to “partner” with very shortly in a whole different way.

It’s not easy being a Vangel’s lover

The “cop” part of Nicole tells her there’s something bizarre about her gorgeous godlike teammate. But her “all-woman” side can’t help wondering how great it would be to have a virile Viking in her bed. Trond has secrets galore, but Nicole feels certain she can dig them out—and really get to the heart of this powerful, unnerving stranger whom she may be risking her soul to love.

They sound great don’t they?! Before you run off to add them to your TBR list or buy the books, check out the interview so you can learn more about Sandra and her new DEADLY ANGELS series.

CONTEST: Sandra is giving away a signed copy of “The Norse’s King’s Daughter” to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for Sandra’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/24 - 5/28, spread the word about Sandra and her books, and mark as ‘Done’.

Make sure that your Rafflecopter email address is correct!

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews, make sure you’re a blog follower, and leave a comment on the post over there.

Good Luck!
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Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Hi Sandra! Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION!! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to drop by and chat with us! We’re so happy to have you with us today!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: We always like to start out by getting to know you a little bit better.

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can’t find out on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Sandra: I am rather timid, having grown up in a small town where anyone who knew me then would be shocked at the books I write. I am as avid a reader as I am a writer. I have only ever been with one man, and that has been like forever.

2) What are some other hobbies and interests you like to do when you’re not writing?

Sandra: Reading, as I already mentioned. Antiquing and auction going. In my part of the country, estate auctions are the big thing. While I collect Roseville pottery, antique painting, and vintage jewelry. But I love a bargain. At a recent auction, I bought a like-new sofa and love seat for one dollar, a Bentwood rocker for five dollars, a corner cupboard for twenty dollars, and a large oil painting for five dollars. What a good day!

3) You write in many different genres of romance. Do you have a genre that you like to write in most?

Sandra: Probably historical because that was my first love in terms of reading romance novels. But I like the change to Cajun contemporaries and Navy SEALs. And my most recent switch to vampire angels was such fun. There is a common theme to all the books I write, though, and that is humor. And mostly Vikings.

4) Out of all the books that you’ve written, do you have a favorite amongst them or maybe one that is a little more special to you?

Sandra: I have favorite books for different reasons. Etienne from Sweeter Savage Love sticks with me because he was such a tormented hero with a sense of humor. The Last Viking was special because it was the first of my contemporary time travels, and the concept, based loosely on that old movie Starman, was unique, I think. Viking Unchained had another tormented hero with a sense of humor, Thorfinn. And Kiss of Pride, my newest baby, of course, because I love the idea of God being mad at the Vikings and giving them fangs and strange life sentences. Plus, Vikar is hot!

5) Who are some of your favorite authors and series?

Sandra: I just finished Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series, and loved it! Anything by Mary Balogh, Loretta Chase, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Cheryl Reavis, Trish Jensen, Rachel Gibson, Sheryl Thomas, Beverly Lewis, Maggie Osborne, etc.

6) If you could spend the day with any one of your characters, who would it be and what would you do?

Sandra: Probably Tykir from The Bewitched Viking. I always say that when I finish a book and send it off, it feels as if I am giving up a baby. But when I was done with Tykir, it felt as if I was sending a lover out the door.

7) Can you please give us some more detailed information about what the DEADLY ANGELS series is about?

Sandra: Seven Sigurdsson brothers have each committed one of the Seven Deadly Sins in a most heinous manner. For more than a thousand years, they’ve been sentenced to prowl the world as vampire angels (vangels) doing God’s work in fighting Lucipires (Lucifer’s demon vampies). In Kiss of Pride, Vikar must turn a decrepit old castle into a hotel (front for vangel headquarters). In Kiss of Surrender, Trond (guilty of sloth or laziness) works as a Navy SEAL, and in Kiss of Temptation, Ivak (guilty of lust) is a “chaplain” at Angola prison. So many possibilities for humor and sizzle.

8) What was your inspiration behind the DEADLY ANGELS series?

Sandra: I’ve never been a big fan of vampire novels until I read Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse books, but I knew I couldn’t write dark books. I especially couldn’t write a vampire world that didn’t have some godly presence. And it had to be humorous. So, this is me trying to be Charlaine Harris.

9) How many books do you have planned for the series?

Sandra: Three have been written and scheduled so far. If they are well-received, there will be at least seven.

10) What’s next for Sandra Hill? What do you have planned in the upcoming months?

Sandra: I’m currently working on a historical romance tentatively titled The Pirate Bride, as in the pirate is a female. The hero of this book is Thork Tykirsson, son of Tykir mentioned above. Thork was said to be the wildest Viking to ever ride a longship.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Thank you again Sandra for dropping by. We wish you the best of luck with your DEADLY ANGELS series and we hope to have you on Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION again soon. Would you like to say anything to the readers out there before you go?

Sandra: I always wish readers smiles in their reading.

To keep up with Sandra’s latest news, you can visit her Website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

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[Archive] Guest Web Appearance with Lori Handeland_5.23.12

5/23/2012

Guest Web Appearance with:

Lori Handeland

Hi Monsters and Addicts! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very pleased to welcome New York Times Bestselling Author Lori Handeland to our sites today.

Lori Handeland is a New York Times, USA Today, Waldenbooks and Bookscan Bestselling Author and the recipient of many industry awards, including two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Paranormal (BLUE MOON) and Best Long Contemporary Romance (THE MOMMY QUEST), a Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance (A SOLDIER’S QUEST), the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, the Write Touch Readers Award, the National Readers Choice Award and the Prism Award.

Lori is published worldwide in several genres—historical, contemporary, series and paranormal romance, as well as urban fantasy and historical fantasy—by such publishers as: Dorchester, Kensington, Harlequin, St. Martin’s Press, Harper-Collins, Simon and Schuster and Penguin/Putnam.

She also publishes gritty, sexy western historical romance under the name Lori Austin.

Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons.

Lori is the creator of the paranormal romance series, NIGHTCREATURE, as well as the urban fantasy series, THE PHOENIX CHRONICLES and the historical fantasy series, SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD.

Under her pseudonym Lori Austin, she writes sexy, adventurous western historical romance.

To keep you up to par with all of Lori’s books, check out the synopses from Lori’s books:

Lori Austin Books:

“Beauty and the Bounty Hunter”

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST

Coming October 2nd, 2012

Cathleen Chase is no killer—but as Cat O’Banyon, she is a ruthless bounty hunter who always gets her man. Catching one lowlife after another, she continues her search for the only man she really cares to locate: the one whose voice she will never forget; the man who murdered her husband. She’ll stop at nothing to find him.

Con artist Alexi Romanov taught Cat every trick she knows. He is a master of deceit, of disguise and of desire. He’s difficult to trust, and even more difficult to resist, but he has news she can’t ignore. The man she’s after has placed a bounty on her head. To get him before he gets her, she’ll have to team up with Alexi again… And just like before, the two of them together are nothing but trouble.

SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD Series

“Zombie Island”

SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD Series, Book 2

Just released on May 22, 2012

Fresh from a triumphant battle over the zombie horde that invaded London, vampire William Shakespeare concocts a plot to rid the love of his life from the encumbrance of her husband. Will plans to give his “dark lady,” Katherine Dymond, a potion that will make her sleep the sleep of the dead. Once she is entombed, Will can sneak in, wait for her to awaken, then spirit her away. After her husband returns to his plantation in America, Kate can return to London under a different name and assume a new identity. No one will believe that the dead Katherine and the live Kate are the same woman.

Of course, as is often the case with true love, all does not go as smoothly as planned. When the two of them are shipwrecked on an island ruled by a wizard and a nymph, as well as infested by zombies, Will and Kate must stop an even larger plot afoot: a plot that leads all the way to the royal palaces of Queen Elizabeth.

“Shakespeare Undead”

SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD Series, Book 1

Something wicked this way comes … and it keeps coming and coming and coming…

William Shakespeare was one of history’s greatest writers, a master of words with a body of work that is truly impressive … some may say a little too impressive for a single man to accomplish in one lifetime. Perhaps, as many have speculated, he had assistance. Or perhaps the explanation is more … unusual.

Who was William Shakespeare?

Who was the Dark Lady of the Sonnets?

Why are the undead stalking the alleyways of London?

And can they be stopped?

Something is definitely rotten in the state of Denmark.

So brace yourself for a wild ride through twisted streets and shadowed graveyards of Elizabethan London, where you’ll discover how the Bard got his Bite.

PHOENIX CHRONICLES Series:

“Any Given Doomsday”

PHOENIX CHRONICLES Series, Book 1

Darkness will summon her…

Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department’s fight against injustice. But when Liz’s foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams…of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?

To places she’s never been before…

While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz’s eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…

“Hex Appeal”

PHOENIX CHRONICLES series, Anthology - Book 4.5

an anthology containing “There Will be Demons,”

Available June 5, 2012!

Fall under the intoxicating spell of their hex appeal …

In the magical world that lies hidden beneath our own, witches and conjurers play deadly games. They know just the right spell to kill a man with one kiss—or raise him back again. And they’re not afraid to exact sweet revenge on those who dare to cross them. But what if you’re the unlucky soul who falls victim to a conjurer’s curse? And if you had the power to cast a magic spell of your own, would you use it?

In this bewitching collection, nine of today’s hottest paranormal authors tell all-new, otherworldly tales. Spellbinding stories featuring bigfoot, albino vampires, professional wizards, resurrected boyfriends and even a sex droid from the twenty-third century named Silicon Lily. But as our conjurers are about to discover, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hexed. And sometimes, even the best spun spells can lead to complete and utter mayhem.

NIGHTCREATURE Series:

“Blue Moon”

NIGHTCREATURE Series, Book 1

By the light of a blue moon, danger prowls…

Miniwa, Wisconsin is under siege, but not by the usual summer tourists. The area’s normally shy wolf population has begun stalking human prey, and their victims have been disappearing… or worse. Something is happening in the woods. Something brutal and primitive…

and desire is unleashed…

Officer Jessie McQuade has seen plenty in her years on the forceÑbut nothing as intriguing as the gorgeous, naked man she encounters while tracking a rogue wolf. Professor Will Cadotte is a Native American activist. He’s also the only man capable of distracting Jessie from her work. And for a cop, distractions, no matter how pleasurable, can be deadly. It’s against Jessie’s better judgment to accept Will’s help in her investigation, yet she soon finds herself doing exactly that, and more. Will’s dark, penetrating eyes see into a part of Jessie’s soul she never knew existed. It’s exhilarating…and terrifying

Now, as a town’s deepest secrets come to light, no one is safe: not friends, lovers, or strangers. And as Jessie follows a bloody trail to the shocking truth, she’ll have to decide who she can trust when the moon is full…

“Crave The Moon”

NIGHTCREATURES Series, Book 11

THE ENEMY

Gina O’Neill will do anything to hold on to her beloved ranch that has been in her family for generations. Enter Mateo Mecate, an archeologist whose greatest wish is to dig there. Prepared to despise Matt—and to thwart his agenda—Gina cannot deny the shocking desire she feels for him.

THE PASSION

Matt believes that the Nahua Springs Ranch holds an important key to Aztec history—one that will restore his standing in the archeological community. But he never expects to go head-to-head with the maddeningly sensuous owner, Gina. The ranch seems to have cast a spell on them both …

THE WAR

When Gina and Matt delve into the secrets of this ancient place, they awaken something unspeakably evil—a shapeshifter who is centuries old. A werewolf with vengeance on its mind. A sorcerer of incredible power. Can Gina and Matt defeat this enemy—even as their conflicts deepen … and their attraction grows more dangerous?

Download a printable booklist (PDF Format)

Amazing right!? Before you run off to start buying these amazing books and adding them to your TBR list, let’s get to the interview so we can learn more about Lori and what she has coming up…….

LIVE CHAT, DON’T FORGET: Lori will be available to chat Live with members, followers, fans and guests in our Author Chatroom from 8-9pm EST/7-8pm CDT/6-7pm MDT/5-6pm PDT on Wednesday.

CONTEST: Lori is offering up an autographed copy of “Shakespeare Undead” to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter for Lori’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/23 - 5/26, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

Make sure that your Rafflecopter email address is correct!

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews, make sure you’re a blog follower, and leave a comment on the post over there.

Good Luck!
***************************
Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Hi Lori! Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and chat with us. We’re so happy to have you here!

Lori: Thanks so much for asking me!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: We always like to start out by getting to know you a little bit better.

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can’t find out on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Lori: Wow, that’s tough. I pretty much blab everything on my blog etc. LOL! I’ll have to dig deep. Let’s see—I am the payroll officer for my husband’s family company, which has been in business for over 20 years. Snore. I’m allergic to shrimp, which bums me out since I love Cajun cooking and New Orleans. One more. Hmmmm. Michael Jordan once asked me out. That got me some cred back when I was teaching school.

2) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and how long have you been writing for?

Lori:I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was 10 and was seized by the sudden fear that I’d read all the books in the world and have nothing left to read. Panic! I decided I could solve that by writing my own. Of course life intervened and I didn’t start writing seriously until I was married with children. That was nearly 20 years ago now.

3) Do you have any interesting writing quirks or things that you must have with you to begin the writing process?

Lori: I need to have all my paperwork/email done and off my desk before I start. Otherwise I can’t concentrate.

4) What are some of your hobbies, or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Lori: I like to watch sports, the TV shows I’m addicted to (Game of Thrones), movies and read.

5) Do you like to listen to music when you write? If so, what genre or musical artist most inspires you?

Lori: I need total silence when I write. No music. Nada.

6) Do you have a personal favorite book among those you have written so far? Maybe one that holds special meaning for you, etc?

Lori: My personal favorite is always the book I just finished. Right now I’m very partial to BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER.

7) If you could spend the day with any of your characters, who would it be, and what would you want to do?

Lori: If I weren’t such a chicken I’d spend a day with Jessie McQuade from Blue Moon. But I’d hide if we saw a werewolf. It might be nice to meet vampire Shakespeare, but then there’d be all those zombies. Shudder.

8) What are the easiest and hardest parts of writing for you?

Lori: With every book the easiest and the hardest parts change. It’s always a mystery.

9) What are some of your favorite TV shows and movies?

Lori: Game of Thrones, Castle, Once Upon a Time, True Blood.

Movies-Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Die Hard.

10) What books do you have in your TBR pile right now?

Lori: Dead City-Joe McKinney, The Husband Recipe-Linda Winstead Jones, The Night Circus-Erin Morganstern

11) For those who have not yet read your SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD series yet, can you please tell us what the series is about and what upcoming plans you may have for this series?

Lori: In Shakespeare Undead, William Shakespeare is a vampire and the dark lady of his sonnets is a zombie hunter. In the first book, SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD, they band together to save London and the Queen.

ZOMBIE ISLAND is a retelling of The Tempest, with zombies, vampires, a sorcerer, a fairy and a werewolf.

If ZOMBIE ISLAND sells well enough, I hope to continue the series and the adventures of Will and Kate.

12) What inspired you to create the SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD series?

Lori: My editor thought of the title at a breakfast one year at RWA. I said “I wanna write that!”

13) Can you please tell us about more about the NIGHTCREATURE series and what will be coming up next in this series?

Lori: The Nightcreature Series is my paranormal romance series, which tells the tales of the Jager-Suchers, a special forces monster hunting until begun during WW2 to fight the shapeshifters created in Mengele’s laboratory in the Black Forest.

Right now, there are no more of these books schedule.

14) And how about the PHOENIX CHRONICLES? Can you tell us a little about this series and what will be coming up next?

Lori: The Phoenix Chronicles is my urban fantasy series, which tells the tale of Liz Phoenix, a Milwaukee private investigator tasked with stopping the Apocalypse. She has help from the two men in her life—half vampire Jimmy Sanducci and the Navajo shapeshifter, Sawyer.

“There Will be Demons,” a Phoenix Chronicle short story will be available in HEX APPEAL on June 5.

15) Congrats! You have a new series coming out under your pseudonym Lisa Austin! Can you tell us a little about the new series and what you have in store for it?

Lori: I’m very excited to be returning to my roots in western historical romance for the series “Once Upon a Time in the West.”

The first book, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER (10/12), tells the story of bounty hunter Cat O’Banyon and the con artist, Alexi Romanov. I’m still totally in love with Alexi. He is an amazing character that I had great fun writing.

The second book, AN OUTLAW IN WONDERLAND, will be released 4/13.

16) What traits do you feel are paramount for a hero and heroine to have?

Lori: Courage, humor and ingenuity.

17) If you were to write an auto-biography what would you call it?

Lori: I DID MY BEST

18) What’s one of the most surprising things you’ve learned throughout your writing career?

Lori:Writing gets harder not easier, as does publishing.

19) If you could leave your readers with one legacy, what would you want it to be?

Lori: Love and laughter.

20) Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

Lori: Thank you for reading my books over all these years and I hope you follow me to my new ventures.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Lori, thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. We would love to have you back again in the future to help you promote your upcoming releases.

Lori: Happy to!

To keep up with Lori and her latest news visit her Website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter & Goodreads.

Permalink

[Archive] Guest Web Appearance with Moira Rogers_5.22.12

5/22/2012

Guest Web Appearance with the dynamic duo behind:

Moira Rogers

Hello Book Monsters and Literal Addicts! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very pleased to welcome the writing team that make up Moira Rogers to our sites today.

There is a great bio on the Moira Rogers website so we thought we’d borrow it for today’s Event:

All About Moira Rogers

What’s all this talk of “we” ??

Yup, we. As in two. Moira Rogers is two people, a pair of best friends who collaborate to the extent that sometimes they might as well be one person. (Or perhaps share one brain between the two of them.)

The Official Bio

How do you make a Moira Rogers? Take a former forensic science and nursing student obsessed with paranormal romance and add a computer programmer with a passion for gritty urban fantasy. Toss in a dash of whimsy and a lot of caffeine, and enjoy with a side of chocolate by the light of the full moon.

By day, Bree and Donna are mild-mannered ladies who reside in the Deep South. At night, when their husbands and children are asleep, they combine forces to unleash the product of their fevered imaginations upon the page. To learn more about this romance writing, crime fighting duo, visit their webpage at http://www.moirarogers.com. (Disclaimer: crime fighting abilities may appear only in the aforementioned fevered imaginations.)

Unofficial Bio: Bree

After devoting several years and at least seventeen percent of her sanity to getting a degree in Computer Science, Bree quit her job as a database programmer to enjoy the crazy life of a full-time writer. She is interested in paranormal romance, urban fantasy, sci-fi, fantasy, post-apocalyptic tales and any book that tells her how to: knit, crochet, felt, bead, silkscreen, sew, quilt, cook, bake, do woodwork, make stained glass, or program computers.

In spite of the fact that she is still an enormous geek, she cannot operate her own VCR and has to ask Donna what her cell phone number is at least once a week.

Unofficial Bio: Donna

As the mother of two toddlers, Donna also spends her days trying to create order from chaos. When chaos is sleeping, she enjoys reading, watching television, listening to music, and cooking, usually in some odd simultaneous combination.

As a writer, Donna spends half her time trying to wrangle muses who are actually more unmanageable than her children, and the other half trying to explain her bizarre plot ideas to Bree in a sensible, coherent fashion. She’s trying to do better with both.

Where’d the name Moira Rogers come from?

Middle names. We’re not telling you whose.

As Moira Rogers, Donna and Bree are the proud creators of the SOUTHERN ARCANA, RED ROCK PASS, LAST CALL, BLOODHOUNDS, MYSTIC VALLEY, BUILDING SANCTUARY, …AND THE BEAST, CHILDREN OF THE UNDYING, DOWN AND DIRTY, and TEMPLE OF LUNA series.

For those of you not yet familiar with the work of Donna and Bree as Moira, we thought we’d give you the rundown of the 1st book in each series to peak your interests, as well as the upcoming releases that we’re here to help them celebrate and promote today.

You can find the reading order and number of books in each series by clicking on the series name link in each blurb below. They will take you to GoodReads to find out more.

“Crux”, SOUTHERN ARCANA Book #1:

To find her destiny, she must trust him with her life…and her heart.

Jackson Holt makes a decent living as a private investigator in New Orleans, home of one of the largest underground supernatural populations in the United States. He and his partners have never met a case they couldn’t crack…until a local bar owner asks him to do a little digging on her newest hire.

New Orleans is the fourth destination in as many months for Mackenzie Brooks, a woman on the run from a deranged stalker. After all, any man who shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her destined lover has more than a few screws loose. But crazy doesn’t explain why he always finds her no matter how far she runs.

When her well-meaning boss puts a PI on her case, Mackenzie comes face to face with the incredible truth: magic is real, and whatever spell has kept her hidden and separate from the paranormal world is rapidly deteriorating.

With time running out, she has no choice but to trust Jackson as he struggles to uncover the truth of her past-and her destiny.

This book contains devious schemes, epic battles, forbidden love between a shapeshifter and a spellcaster, nosy secondary characters, furniture-endangering sex and a woman fighting to choose her own destiny.

“Cipher”, SOUTHERN ARCANA Book #4:

COMING 8/7/12!

Fourteen months ago, Kat Gabriel’s life changed forever when she used her empathy as a weapon. Now she can’t escape the weight of those deaths—or the loss of the easy friendship she and Andrew once shared. Obsessed with her mother’s violent past, Kat is determined to learn the truth of her inner-darkness by understanding her legacy.

Since the attack that turned him into a wolf, Andrew Callaghan has done everything possible to make himself stronger. More capable of protecting Kat—both from the supernatural world that forced her to kill, and from their own volatile connection. Pushing her away hurt them both, but he’s finally made himself into the protector she needs.

As Kat’s quest leads her into the darkest underbelly of the psychic world, Andrew is determined to be at her side. But every step forward reopens old emotional wounds and shakes their control. For a dangerous alpha and a deadly psychic, distraction could be fatal—especially when the greatest threat they pose is to each other.

“Cry Sanctuary”, RED ROCK PASS Book #1:

Keith Winston is tired of fighting. The war between werewolves and wizards rages on in Europe, but he’s come home to Red Rock, Montana in hopes of finding a bit of peace. Instead he finds more strife as he struggles against the pack’s dictates that he resume his place as the alpha’s right hand man.

When he rescues a new wolf on the run, he knows his instant attraction to her could cause trouble. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself embroiled in another battle that goes against all his instincts—and his heart.

Abigail Adler learned about the existence of werewolves only when she became one. With her life is threatened by a corrupt alpha, she flees to the only sanctuary she knows: Red Rock. While she’s grateful for the pack’s protection, she chafes under its unbreakable rules of conduct—except when it comes to submitting to the passion Keith stirs in her.

Then her tormentor kidnaps her sister in an attempt to lure her out of hiding. To save her, Abby and Keith must be willing to do the very thing that could get them all killed—break all of the rules.

“Kamikaze”, LAST CALL Book #1:

Zoe Bennett is an inexperienced werewolf in the grip of her mating cycle. With no pack and no mate, Zoe must brave the supernatural crowds of Last Call, the bar where your drink order tells everyone what you need. Kamikaze: Werewolf in heat, looking for a temporary mate. The chase is on, and security specialist Connor O’Malley intends to win, if only because the sweet young woman at the bar looks unprepared for what the night might bring, in and out of the bedroom. Little does he know that, when he catches her, he may not be satisfied being just a temporary mate.

“Wilder’s Mate”, BLOODHOUNDS Book #1:

Wilder Harding is a bloodhound, created by the Guild to hunt down and kill vampires on America’s frontier. His enhanced abilities come with a high price: on the full moon, he becomes capable of savagery beyond telling, while the new moon brings a sexual hunger that borders on madness.

Rescuing a weapons inventor from undead kidnappers is just another assignment, though one with an added complication—keeping his hands off the man’s pretty young apprentice, who insists on tagging along.

At odds with polite society, Satira’s only constant has been the aging weapons inventor who treats her like a daughter. She isn’t going to trust Wilder with Nathaniel’s life, not when the Guild might decide the old man isn’t worth saving. Besides, if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that brains are more important than brawn.

As the search stretches far longer than Wilder planned, he finds himself fighting against time. If Satira is still at his side when the new moon comes, nothing will stop him from claiming her. Worse, she seems all too willing. If their passion unlocks the beast inside, no one will be safe. Not even the man they’re fighting to save.

Warning: This book contains a crude, gun-slinging, vampire-hunting hero who howls at the full moon and a smart, stubborn heroine who invents mad-scientist weapons. Also included: wild frontier adventures, brothels, danger, betrayal and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.

“Archer’s Lady”, BLOODHOUNDS Book #3:

COMING 7/3/12!

She’s looking for redemption. He doesn’t believe in it.

Accused of betraying the Bloodhound Guild, Archer’s only chance to regain the trust of his fellow hounds is to earn it—one dangerous job at a time. Crystal Springs may be the worst yet. The town has been deserted by all but the poor and the desperate, yet the vampires stalking the edges of the settlement haven’t closed in for the kill. Question is, why?

Grace Linwood, professional liar, has been hiding under the guise of a border schoolteacher for so long, she’s almost fallen for her own con. The frontier was supposed to be her chance at a respectable life, but now the cowardly part of her wants to flee. When Archer catches her considering a run for safety, she knows it’s only a matter of time before he sees through her charade.

They become reluctant allies in the quest to uncover the mysteries of Crystal Springs, but every unraveled knot ties them closer together. They both know their pasts are too shattered to hope for a future—until their investigation uncovers a secret. One that could make betraying the Guild their only path to redemption.

Warning: Contains a partly reformed con-artist heroine with a bruised heart and a mostly retired bank-robbing hero with a weary soul. Also included: vampire schemes, mad scientist plots, an alarming amount of dirty talk and some borderline-criminal bedroom antics in an alternate Wild West.

“Moonshine”, MYSTIC VALLEY Book #1:

Claire is tired of pretending to be polite, docile…human. She wants to unleash the animal inside her, and she wants to do it with a man who can really handle her. Then she meets Lars, a dangerous, sexy alpha, in a smoky bar. They share some moonshine, a potent shifter aphrodisiac, and have blisteringly hot sex.

Their one night of intoxicated passion leaves her wanting more, but Lars isn’t interested in a woman who can only let loose while under the influence. Claire must then decide whether she’s ready—and willing—to truly embrace her wild side.

“A Safe Harbor”, BUILDING SANCTUARY Book #1:

Find out how it all began…

During the bite of the Great Depression, sole female dominant Joan Fuller struggles against the rise of cruelty among her alpha counterparts. The men tolerate her interference—until she breaks from the pack and allies with a witch and a vampire. Now the Boston alpha intends to bring them all forcibly back into the fold—and teach her a lesson she may not survive.

Seamus Whelan and his werewolf bootleggers intend to retire from smuggling and savor their fortune, but first they must do a favor for an old friend: escort some female wolves to safety. An easy job, if their leader wasn’t a prim ex-debutante with enough power to challenge Seamus himself. Chance makes them allies; powerful need makes them lovers.

Together, they have the opportunity to build a sanctuary for their kind, but first they must free themselves from Joan’s past, and the powerful man who would see her destroyed.

“Sabine”, …AND THE BEAST Book #1:

A curse can erase her from his mind, but never from his heart.

.”..and the Beast, Book 1”

After three years at war, the High Lord of the Forest returns to his lands, a victorious wolf leader intent on claiming his mate. Instead Ciar finds an empty bed and a court with no recollection of the woman he loved. Following her long-cold trail proves far easier than facing what awaits him at the end.

Sabine’s first instinct is to beg her beloved to leave. The High Lord’s mother hired a witch to curse Sabine, desperate to wipe the lowborn wolf from her son’s mind. But the spell worked too well, and Sabine has vanished from the thoughts of everyone who sees her. Including her own family.

The edges of his memory already blurring, Ciar and Sabine must race to find a way to reverse the spell. Yet every searing moment together is not enough to stop the curse’s inexorable progress. His only chance is to bind Sabine to him too tightly to be forgotten, before she disappears once and for all.

Warning: This story contains cruel betrayal, destined love, vile curses, smoldering reunions, wicked deeds between wanton shapeshifters and a happily-ever-after worthy of any fairy tale.

“Demon Bait”, CHILDREN OF THE UNDYING Book #1:

Fifty years after a demon apocalypse devastated the world, summoners still bear the bulk of the blame. Marci lives in secret, hiding the gifts that could cost her a secure spot in one of humanity’s underground cities, and access to their virtual world. After all, her chances of avoiding the genetic-testing lotto are better than her chances of surviving topside.

The bastard son of a terrifying incubus, lust heats Gabe’s blood and sex fuels his magic. Innate charm and charisma help him navigate the cultural gap between the outcast town he calls home and the human settlements he infiltrates for trade. His latest mission nets him an unexpected asset–a summoner strong enough to soothe his darkest needs.

Trust a half demon, especially one who uses a lockdown to trap them together? Not in this lifetime. Yet Marci can’t resist Gabe’s offer to see her safely to a selective outcast settlement where she can live without fear. The journey alone is as dangerous as the way Gabe makes her heart race, but it could be her one hope of a real life.

If only she could be sure Gabe’s telling her the whole truth…

“Hammer Down”, CHILDREN OF THE UNDYING Book #2:

COMING 12/4/12!

While the tattered remains of humanity huddle underground, hiding in their virtual world, Devi prefers living topside, making dangerous hauls through the demon-infested wasteland earth has become. The wealth that comes from smuggling supplies to those shunned as summoner-born or demon-touched doesn’t hurt, either.

The man she meets to arrange one of those under-the-table hauls is complicated…and handsome as hell. Literally. A glimpse of the predator beneath his silver gaze and she’s tempted to break her cardinal rule: never mix business with pleasure.

Zel’s first look at the wild-haired hauler threatens to distract him from his mission—and reminds him just how long it’s been since he got laid. As the leader of an outcast settlement, he can’t afford to trust too easily. Devi’s got a reputation for running a tight, disciplined crew, but her very willingness to deal with him means she has something to hide.

Not to mention a hot, tempting package like her could be the cleverest trap his enemies have ever set.

Product Warnings
Contains demon bars, virtual (and literal) fights to the death, forbidden love, renegade AIs, a badass truck-driving heroine who will do anything to protect her crew and the half-demon warrior who will move heaven and hell to make her his.

“Down and Dirty”, WILD CARD Book #1:

As Alpha of the Lonely River Pack, Jack Owens is responsible for keeping the peace between what’s left of the human population and the wolves who have taken over since the War. All wolves are his responsibility, even the ones like Virginia Howard who don’t necessarily recognize his authority. Ginny’s been a thorn in Jack’s side since she took over her parent’s operation and established herself as one of the area’s premiere ranchers. The fact that she’s everything he wants in a mate makes it hard to stay away from her, but any good hunter knows how to bide his time.

Ginny fights hard to maintain her independence from men, human and werewolf alike. The humans may not like having a woman as their chief competition, but they’re not the ones determined to see her submit. When a group of angry wolves try to run her out of business, she’s forced to accept Jack’s assistance. But in saving her ranch, Ginny runs the risk of losing something far greater—her heart.

“Savage Possession”, TEMPLE OF LUNA Book #1:

As a novice in the Temple of Luna, Avani is training for the day she’ll become a revered priestess of the Savage Temple with the skills and magic needed to soothe the feral warriors fighting a brutal war against the world’s remaining human colonies. Though forbidden contact with the warriors who have come to the temple for relief, Avani can’t keep her distance from Rais, her uncle’s protege and one of the most dangerous fighters the wolves have ever known.

As the royal heir, Rais is destined to take a mate and ascend the throne, but first he must complete his service as a warrior. The Temple’s priestesses offer him relief in the meantime, though there’s one he’s vowed never to touch. He remembers Avani as the innocent girl she was when they met, but the intervening years have made her a woman. A woman the wolf burns to claim…

They sound magnificent don’t they!? Make sure to add them to your TBR and stake them out at your favorite bookseller. For now though, let’s find out more about the dynamic duo behind these incredible books….

CONTEST: Donna and Bree are giving away winner’s choice of eBook from their backlist to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for the Moira Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/22 - 5/26, follow the directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

Make sure that your Rafflecopter email address is correct!

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews and leave a comment on the post over there as well.

Good luck!
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Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Hello Bree and Donna! Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION! We’re so happy to have you with us today!

Bree: Thank you!

Donna: Thanks!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: We always like to start out by getting to know our guest authors a little bit better.

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourselves that we can’t find out on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Bree: Hmmm… I spent a lot of the time between age seven and ten hiding in trees and reading. I grew up in a tiny village with fewer than seventy-five residents and fewer than ten children. And I wanted to be a UN translator when I grew up.

Donna: I’m a really good shot, but only with a handgun. I’m officially crap with rifles.

2) How long have each of you been writing, and what genre did you start out writing in?

Bree: When I was five I wrote a story about a squirrel who pretended to be psychic so he could scam the other woodland creatures out of their nuts & berries—only in a twist, he got psychic powers at the end. So I guess I’ve always liked paranormal tales.

Donna: The first thing I wrote was a myth about bullfrogs and how they came to be. I tell you, my second-grade teacher was extremely impressed…with my penmanship.

3) What made you decide to team up and create Moira Rogers?

Bree: We loved to plot together. And we hated writing on our own.

Donna: That pretty much covers it. Also, having a writing partner provides instant accountability, which is something I tend to struggle with.

4) What is the best part of writing as a duo? What are the hardest parts?

Bree: Getting to divide the work is totally the best part. The worst part is having to coordinate the work. (Two schedules = twice as many opportunities for chaos!)

Donna: The best part is having someone there immediately to tell me if an idea is horrible and not worth writing. Incidentally, that is also the worst part. LOL

5) How do you both share the writing? Do one of you write the heroes POV and the other the heroines?

Bree: We each take responsibility for certain characters in each book or series. (The same characters throughout a series.) But we switch up who writes heroes and heroines. It always just depends!

Donna: We don’t really write by trading chapters or anything. We constantly send things back and forth. It works for us.

6) Who are some of your favorite authors and series respectively?

Bree: Everything Meljean Brook and Kelley Armstrong have ever written. I also love Melanie Rawn’s Dragon Prince & Dragon Star trilogies, Anne Bishop’s fantasy, Patricia Briggs’ Mercy books, and I’ve recently become enchanted by Tessa Dare’s Spindle Cove books.

Donna: Stephen King and Julia Quinn. Madeleine L’Engle and Margaret Atwood. Jane Austen and Dean Koontz. I think if you take all of this and stare at it for a while, you might start to figure me out. LOL

7) If you each could spend the day with any one of your characters, who would it be for each of you, and what would you want to do?

Bree: I’d play video games with Kat Gabriel & Miguel Mendoza. Gaming with a psychic and a werewolf—that’s a good time.

Donna: I’d want to help Nick Peyton steal her daddy’s jet.

8) For those who are not yet familiar with the SOUTHERN ARCANA, SANCTUARY UNIVERSE & CHIDREN OF THE UNDYING series, can you please give us a brief synopsis of each series?

SOUTHERN ARCANA: A mixture of action, supernatural politics and romance following a group of misfits fighting to drag their secret, outdated paranormal society out of the dark ages without revealing it to the humans.

SANCTUARY UNIVERSE: Werewolves fighting to live and love in a dark world where witches and vampires would love to kill them. Or drink their blood.

CHIDREN OF THE UNDYING: A post-apocalyptic paranormal romance series where the offspring of demons and the descendants of the magic-users who summoned them have to rebuild their lives in a world plagued by demons.

9) What’s coming up in 2012/2013 for these three series and/or any new projects in the works?

Bree: We have a Bloodhounds book coming out in July, a Southern Arcana novel in September and a new Sanctuary novel out in January 2013. (And then another Bloodhounds book and another Sanctuary book and another Southern Arcana book….whew!)

Donna: And sekrit projects! No writer’s life is complete without sekrit projects.

10) Is there anything specific each of you would like to say to the readers while we have you here today?

Bree: Thanks for having us! If you want to check out our work, take a peek at one of our free reads on our website. :)

Donna: What she said.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION: Thank you again ladies for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. We would love to have you back again if you’re interested?

Bree: Sure!

Donna: Of course!

If you want to keep up with Bree and Donna as Moira Rogers, you can find them online at their Website, on Facebook, Donna on Twitter, Bree on Twitter, and on GoodReads.

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[Archive] Author Ambush with Anya Bast_5.21.12

5/21/2012
AUTHOR AMBUSH with:
Anya Bast

Hello everyone! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very excited to have bestselling author Anya Bast back with us today!

Anya Bast is the author of numerous works of romantic fiction, mostly all paranormal and mostly all scorching hot. She lives in the country with her husband, daughter, eight cats, a dog, and an odd assortment of rescued animals.

She grew up in Minnesota and still favors the colder climates. After high school she moved to the southeast United States where she attended college. While in graduate school she sold her first book and decide to pursue her lifelong dream of writing instead of a career in psychology.
Somewhat reclusive by nature, she can be drawn out with a good bottle of red wine, classic movies, or good music. When she’s not writing, she can be found trying to grow organic vegetables, shopping in thrift stores for that perfect piece of clothing, or dreaming about travel to some faraway country.

Anya has written over 30 novels in multiple genres of romance and fantasy. She has 15 stand alone titles in erotic romance along with two series, THE EMBRACED and WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS. She has one dark fantasy stand alone novel “The Phantom Queen” and one fantasy romance novel “Raven’s Quest”. She also has a fantasy historical erotic romance series COURT OF EDAEII, which currently consists of two books, “Jeweled” and “Jaded”.

She is also the New York Times bestselling author of the two paranormal romance series ELEMENTAL WITCHES and DARK MAGICK. The ELEMENTAL WITCHES series consists of four (4) books, “Witch Fire”, “Witch Blood”, “Witch Heart” and “Witch Fury”. The DARK MAGICK series also has (4) books, “Wicked Enchantment”, Cruel Enchantment”, “Dark Enchantment” and “Midnight Enchantment”.

Her new BROTHERHOOD OF THE DAMNED series just kicked off with the release of book #1, “Embrace of the Damned”, on 5/1/12 and we’re here to help Anya celebrate and promote.
For those of you not yet familiar with BROTHERHOOD OF THE DAMNED and “Embrace of the Damned”, here is the blurb:

Embrace of the Damned:
A damned Viking warrior.
Centuries ago Broder Calderson committed murder. As punishment, he was given over to the dominion of Loki, the Trickster God, made part of the Brotherhood of the Damned and condemned to an immortal life of battle against the Blight, blood-drinkers from Hel.

A mysterious woman he can’t resist.

One thousand years to the day he was damned, Loki allows him a woman as reward for his good service and repentance of his crimes. Once Broder sees Jessamine Hamilton, he is overcome with need. But Jessa is no ordinary woman, and the truth of who—and what—she is could have dangerous consequences.

A tormented man she can’t deny.

Though a future together is impossible, the warrior’s touch ignites an irresistible passion in Jessa. But every heated kiss pushes them closer to destruction. Forced to return to the brutality of his Viking past to protect her, will Broder surrender forever to his darkest impulses?

Sounds fabulous, doesn’t it!? It is! You can find LITERAL ADDICTION’s 4 Skull Review on GoodReads, LibraryThing, Amazon, B&N & our Book Reviews pages. For now though, let’s see what Anya had to say when she ambushed our sites.

CONTEST: Anya is giving away an autographed copy of “Embrace of the Damned” to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

To enter, find the Rafflecopter widget for Anya’s Event on our Author’s Corner page 5/21 - 5/25, follow directions, take action, and mark as ‘Done’.

Make sure that your Rafflecopter email address is correct!

For another chance to win, go to Book Monster Reviews and leave a comment on the post over there.

Good Luck!
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Dear Reader ~
My name is Broder Calderson and I was once a Viking. I have lived for over a thousand years, most of them under the sadistic control of Loki, the trickiest and cruelest of the Norse gods. Loki stabbed a sliver of demon through my soul in punishment for my sins. It is a dark part of me I must always keep under control. Loki imprisons me through the sliver, along with other men, as warriors in a fight to prevent Ragnarök, an apocalypse for the gods. We are the Brotherhood of the Damned.
It’s not like I didn’t deserve punishment for what I did. My damning was born on a bloody night when I became something other than myself, a berserker of old, cutting down all those in my path. For that crime, I deserved death. Instead I got the never ending torment of eternal life and enslavement.
My advice to you, never offend the Norse gods.
I thought my suffering couldn’t get worse, but then Loki decided to “reward” me. A thousand years to the day of my punishment, he unlocked my chains and allowed me a woman. Not just any woman. Jessamine Hamilton is the single most perfect creature to have ever walked the earth. With an attitude to rival any Viking female and curves sweet enough to make an immortal warrior cry, she’s the one person in centuries able to bring me to my knees and make me surrender to my darkest impulses.
With Jessa, I see a future for myself, the first one I’ve seen for a thousand years that’s worth living for. Before her, I only desired death. Yet our time is limited. Loki can yank on my chain whenever he chooses. For now I enjoy my time with Jessa, even though she drives me insane with lust. I try not to think about the time I’ll have to let her go. No thought could be more painful.
And it’s not just our limited time together that’s a concern. Loki never does anything that doesn’t cause chaos and Jessamine is no exception. She is much more than the human woman she appears to be. Her secrets run deep and the danger they cause run even deeper. I will be forced to return to my brutal Viking ways to protect her.