Sky Purington's Blog, page 31

Romance. Suspense. Paranormal. The Beckoning of Broken Things by Calinda B.

Welcome! Today it’s my pleasure to interview Calinda B, author of The Beckoning of Broken Things, The Beckoning Series- Book 2. 
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantic SuspensePublisher: Sumner McKenzie, Inc.ISBN: 978-0-9839126-8-2Number of pages: 342Word Count: 92kCover Artist: Calinda B
Amazon
GIVEAWAY! Calinda is graciously giving away several prizes. One lucky reader will win a $15 Amazon gift card. Three lucky winners will win an eCopy of The Beckoning of Broken Things. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below to be entered for a chance to win.
Book Description
Is Marissa Engles crazy? Or is she a paranormal Light Rebel who can shape form from the electricity buzzing through her veins. Her aunt and sister think “Crazy.” The locked mental facility they’ve put her in thinks “Delusional.” 
She’s so drugged up, she can’t tell if they’re right. Only her new pal, Rafe Caldwell, another mental patient “inmate”, thinks she is what she says she is. And he intends to find out more – lots more. 
The only problem is her missing soul bound lover, Daniel Navid, who commands the darkest of the dark. But as they say, if the cat’s away…
Let’s Inteview!
SKY:  So nice to have you over, Calinda! What inspired you to write this book?
CALINDA:  Before I start, I’d like to say ‘thank you’ for having me here! 
As for inspiration, honestly, there were a couple things that made me write this book besides the fact that I’d already decided Beckoning would make a great series. First, a good friend said that he didn’t like my heroine, Marissa Engles, at first in Book I. I asked him why. He said she had all these abilities and she needed to use them more and not doubt herself. He also suggested that some of my characters needed therapy. I decided to start the scene in a mental hospital, with Marissa questioning her own sanity, and her sanity being questioned by those around her. I showed her evolving as a character. I think we all get a chance to grow and evolve past our limitations, even a super hero.
Second, I had a painful act of betrayal happen to me by a dear friend. It really set me on my heels. I was angry, hurt, sad, bewildered for months and months. I decided to channel my anger into Marissa Engles. She’s had things done to her and she gets to find out later what the consequences are of hers and others’ actions. She’s done things impulsively only to find out she might have fared better if she’d looked first before she leapt. In Broken Things, she starts off angry and suspicious. Throughout the book she takes back her power and gets much, much stronger. The friend, who had his doubts in book I, Beautiful Things, really liked her in book II.
SKY:  How did you come up with the title?
CALINDA:  As a result of the aforementioned “act of betrayal” I felt pretty broken. And yet facing the broken parts allowed me to heal in amazing ways. I thought it a fitting title, then - the way broken things can beckon to your soul and to others, allowing you to face dark truths and heal.
SKY:  If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
CALINDA:  Oh, this one’s easy! I’d spend a lot of time with Daniel Navid. They guy’s hot. Wait - I think I went for the cheap and easy answer. I think it would be cool to hang out with the sorcerer Tom and find out more about what he knows. He’s a treasure trove of abilities, what with his falconry, his ability to assume different forms and his honesty and lack of judgment about the world around him. I’ll just bet we’ve only scratched the surface of his unique skills.
SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story. 
CALINDA:  There are a few threads of conflict weaving their way through the story. Marissa struggles to determine if she’s truly nuts. She’s only recently restored her powers and it’s a lot to deal with. She’s conflicted by her feelings for fellow mental hospital patient and “guy with a lot of secrets,” Rafe Caldwell - he’s becoming a friend but he wants so much more. She fights with her morals - Daniel Navid, her lover, did bind their souls throughout time without consulting her and now she has to figure out if that’s the right thing for her. Should she act on Rafe’s desires? Are they really her desires? She struggles with the dirty tricks that Daniel’s father does to her, in his attempts to thwart her. 
She wants to make her own decisions in life and not be bullied or bossed. I hope readers will be able to relate to some of the personal conflict Marissa is faced with.
SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
CALINDA:  Marissa’s a Light Rebel and she wields a kick ass, luminous sword that can, of course, maim and kill, but also cut to the truth of the matter. It’s the perfect blade for dealing with the supernatural world she lives in. The guy in the background in shimmery shadow form is Rafe, the Stealth Numen. He can move between the worlds of light and dark as he carries out his work as a deadly assassin. 
SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details. 
CALINDA:  Working on a Standalone novel called Headspace. It’s about a woman - Vienna Katrina Pearson - who can sense the fantasies of men, manifest them, and make them think they are having actual sex with her in her virtual world, which she calls Headspace. It’s set in the future in Seattle. She has oodles of virtual sex with willing partners in her Headspace, none of whom will ever know who she is. In the real world there’s a slight twist - she’s never been able to orgasm. She’s got a great friend named Jonas who wants to leave his girlfriend to be with her and give her the orgasm - or lots of them. It feels a little risky to be writing about a touchy subject like being non-orgasmic but I’m exploring it in what I hope is a safe and compassionate way. 
I’ve also got several chapters into A Wicked Ending, the 4th in the Wicked Series, as well as musing on the 3rd in the Beckoning series - the Beckoning of Badass Things. I can tell you Marissa’s going to kick some serious booty in book III. Look out!
SKY:  What sort of personality does your hero have?
CALINDA:  There are two heroes. Rafe Caldwell is aloof, capricious, sweet, sensitive, works with Marine-like precision when he has a job to do, sexy as hell, funny and kind. He deals with life in a kind of straightforward, no-nonsense manner. No need to get all sentimental about it. The other hero, Daniel Navid is arrogant, powerful, cocky, loyal, and passionate, did I say powerful - he wields more power than anyone on the planet. He is a one woman kind of guy. Doesn’t play around with women or women’s hearts. Rafe has sex with whomever, wherever, however. No commitments or thoughts of commitment. There’s a very unique catch to that as you’ll see if you read Broken Things ¬- it’s not like he wants to have sex with anything that moves - it’s just that he, well…never mind, I don’t want to give anything away.
SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?
CALINDA:  Well, in book I she started out as a sad, quiet, introspective artist. She’d lost her parents as a teen and disappeared into her art. But she’s finding her power; she’s finding her truth and becoming more outspoken, more real, and more honest with herself. She’s funny, passionate, quirky, loves to explore and take risks and chances. She’s a rebel in her own way. She believes in getting to the truth of things. She’s getting feisty and fun, the more powerful she becomes.
SKY:  What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
CALINDA:  I love to write paranormal romances with a high level of heat. I started to write Headspace as a plain old romance, no paranormal or abnormal anything, but I couldn’t do it. I choked. It was scary strange. I definitely walk to a different beat and have to follow my own path, wherever it takes me. A lot of my gay friends are encouraging me to write an M/M romance. I’d like to have a go at that. I’m reading a book called Hot Head by Damon Suede. It’s an M/M book and wow, does it sizzle! I really like to weave suspense into my books, too, and hope to improve at that.
SKY:  Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
CALINDA:  I live on a peninsula in the Pacific Northwest. My home overlooks trees and a huge, colorful yard of flowers. A vast body of water, the Hood Canal, is across the street. The Canal is ringed with the Olympic Mountains. Our house is three stories and I feel like a bird or a cat, as I gaze out the windows. My favorite place to write is the front room. It’s got huge arched windows and I can see water, the osprey tree, soaring eagles and osprey, crows and hawks, and endless skies. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and such a place of restoration and inspiration. The natural world inspires and thrills me. I’ve always found my peace there.
SKY:  Super interview, Calinda! Thanks so much for joining us today.
Short Excerpt
“So tell me how you feel.”
I must be pretty heavily sedated because when the therapist asks me that question, the word “feel” comes out sounding like it’s a slide. I’ll just bet if I could climb on top of that slide, I’d be able to slip from the room and not have to answer that stupid question. I shake my head. What does she mean, how do I feel? I feel like been given something like heroin or Clonazepam or Secobarbital or some other mind-numbing agent. I feel like I weigh a thousand pounds, and I’m looking at her through thick glass walls and she’s talking to me through some kind of filter made of seven layers of dense foam. I feel like…wait, I know. I’m in here because I’m different. I’m sitting here with what feels like two hundred pounds of cotton between my ears because they don’t “get” who and what I am. They think there’s something wrong with me. They all think I’m broken.
She pushes up her glasses on her nose and taps her pen on the arm of the brown leather chair in which she sits, like a prim, porcelain doll. “I’m waiting.”
“Are you talking to me?” 
Her face is wrinkled, like an Amish Apple Doll. Her dyed brown hair needs a touch-up. White and gray roots serve as a flag to her age. She smiles, a crisp, stiff smile like peanut brittle. “I don’t see anyone else sitting across from me, do you?”
I picture taking her smug smile in my fingers and snapping it in two, resulting in my own satisfied smile. “Where’s Daniel?”
“Who?”
“Daniel Navid. My soul bound lover.”
She frowns and scribbles a few notes in the black binder sitting on top of her lap. She smoothes her blue tweed skirt. Clears her throat. Tries again. “How do you feel right now, Ms. Engles? Your sisters were pretty concerned about you when they brought you in here.”
“Where, exactly, is here?”
“You don’t know?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t ask the question.”
The therapist nods, as if I’ve just said something profound. She gestures to the room with her certificates of accomplishment and education lining the beige walls like little soldiers. “Well, you’re at the Brookstone Center for Healing, in Bellevue, Washington. Do you know where Bellevue is?”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve lived in this area all my life. I live over in West Seattle, two bridges away from Bellevue. Of course I know where Bellevue is.” I reach up and rub my eyes, trying to clear the spider webs, mud puddles, and sludge clouding my mind. 
“Do you know what day it is?” The peanut brittle smile appears again.
I want to smash that smile with a hammer. “Yeah, it’s today. And yesterday was yesterday. And tomorrow’s going to be tomorrow.”
She taps her pen. Scribbles. Frowns. Scribbles some more. “So you don’t actually know what day it is.” She says that as a statement, not a question.
“Let’s see, two days ago I was in Brazil, and it was Thursday. That must make today Saturday. What do I win?”
“What were you doing in Brazil?”
I pause and squint at her. This is a trick question. “I was visiting a friend.” I was kidnapped by a demented sorcerer. I stabbed his dead, but not really dead, girlfriend’s chest, and she exploded and her crystal dagger pierced the old man’s heart.
“I see.” 
“And how did you get back from Brazil?”
“I flew.” On a beautiful winged creature known as a Coati-lumina. Her name is Chiara, and she allowed me to claim her a few nights ago. She’s huge and brilliant, and she shines like diamonds. “Where’s Daniel?”
“There was no one at your home but you when your sisters stopped by. They were very worried about you. Said you were having a completely delusional conversation with them. Do you remember what you said?”I incline my head and study her. Another trick question. “Maybe.”
“Can you tell me what you said to them?”
“Will you let me go if I do?”
“I’m afraid not. I’m afraid we need to keep you here for a while. Your sisters were very worried.”
“You already said that.”
“And they decided that a good psych evaluation was in order.”
“Oh, they did, did they?” I’m going to murder them. I’m going to strangle the daylights out of them. In my mind, I pick up a pricey sable paintbrush and paint them as tiny fragments of skin and bone, being blown to smithereens. “What gives them the right to have me evaluated?”
“Your aunt still holds guardianship. She was the one who ordered this.”
Aunt Topaz. “I’m 26 for God’s sake. I’ve lived on my own since I was 18. I think I get to be my own guardian, don’t you?”
“In this case, no. When someone is…when someone is ill…” She pauses, frowning. 
She was going to say mentally deranged. They all think I’m delusional because electricity flows through my veins, and I can burst into brilliant light and paint things with my mind and will them into…
“When someone is ill it falls to the guardian or parent.”
I don’t think that’s true but can’t argue it right now. My head is so heavy I need a crane to keep it upright. I purse my lips trying to remember something about my aunt. This goddamn drug is making it hard to think. My mouth is dry. I want to leap into a lake and suck it into my throat in one long swallow. Think, Engles, think. And then it all came back to me, like someone shot a memory cannon through my head, blasting open my brain. My dear Aunt Topaz hid my abilities away from me when I was 15. She and Daniel’s father, Armando, cast a spell over me and wiped my memories clean. And now she put me here? Armando and Aunt Topaz are definitely on my to-do list. I just don’t know what to do - yet. My hands squeeze tight, capturing my anger. I restored my Light Rebel skills with Tom the sorcerer’s help. He taught me how to hunt like a predator before taking me on an ether trip to discover what happened. When I showed Daniel my newly restored light, he…I swallow my arousal and blink back tears. 
Daniel. He’s a Night Numen and commands the darkest of the dark. He can wave his hand, rip the atmosphere in two, and draw foul creatures from wherever the hell they live. Thinking of his handsome tan face, stubble-covered jaw, eyes that are hypnotically blue, 6’1” muscular body, dark hair that falls in his face when he’s on top, his bronze skin, his hips, his legs, his hands…thinking of him makes me seriously horny, even with this drug-filled, muzzy-headed haze between my ears. And then I get a little mad. I mean, a couple of weeks ago he did bind my soul until the end of time to his without asking me, but it might have been for my own good. Might have. Not sure. Still a little miffed. We’ll sort it out by and by. I really need to see him. I need to get out of here - now. “I want to go home. I want to talk to Daniel. I need to see Daniel. I need to take care of my dog, Sober Dober.” I nod, satisfied with this statement, certain that it will yield results.
“I don’t know who Daniel is. Your dog is being well-cared for by your aunt.”
I lunge to my feet, or at least I want to lunge. It turns into more of a lurching wobble. “Aunt Topaz has my dog? That’s just wrong. Aunt Topaz hates things that are messy. She detests mess and color and light and…” And Sober has brand new sparkly wings. They’re training wings. He’s not very good with them yet. He got his wings when I restored my light. But I don’t say that. I dare not say that. I’ll be in this place for a million years if I tell her my dog has wings.
About the Author

An award-winning web designer and certified SEO specialist, Calinda B has worked in the Internet industry as a web page designer/developer since the early 1990's. She has also taught web site design and computer graphics at community colleges in Northern California. In addition to writing, Calinda B creates fine art and music, and enjoys scuba diving, kayaking, and bike riding. Calinda B makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with the love of her life and her two cats. She is currently working on the fourth book in The Wicked Series, tentatively entitled A Wicked Ending, or the third book in The Beckoning Series or maybe those are done and she's working on.... She loves to write and does it daily.
Website: http://www.calindab.com
Blog: http://blog.calindab.com
Twitter: @calindab1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalindaBauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5200691.Calinda_B_

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Smooth Talking, Onyx Eyes and a Razor Wit. Pure & Sinful by Killian McRae.

Today, I’d like to welcome over Killian McRae, author of Pure and Sinful. Pure Souls- Book One, a paranormal romance. So cozy in and check out a great interview!
Publisher: Tulipe Noire Press 
ASIN: B0096SYZMGISBN-13: 9780983979784
Amazon   BN  Amazon Print
Book Description
When it turns out your ex was actually a sexy demon sent by the devil to seduce you to evil, you'd think the next guy, no matter what he's like, couldn't be a worse decision. Enter Father Marc Angeletti, a smooth talking piece of forbidden fruit with onyx eyes and a razor wit, and Riona Dade may as well start packing her luggage for damnation now. But come Hell or... well, Hell, Marc, Riona, and demigod Dee Zitka have a mission: serve as a Pure Soul and vanquish Lucifer's minion scum from the face of the Earth to protect humanity from evil. 
Oh, and don't get seduced into sin yourself, because a fallen Pure Soul is one of Lucifer's biggest thrills. As long as Riona and Marc can keep things professional and north of the sheets, no problem, right? 
Yeah, that worked out great in the Thornbirds, too...
Interview Time! 
SKY:  what inspired you to write this book?
KILLIAN:  Actually, the first chapter of Pure & Sinful was originally conceived of as a short story for an online contest judged by a published paranormal author. (I got an honorable mention.) I always felt like the characters had legs and that I could use that scene as the launchpad for a novel. I was so delighted when it all came together.
SKY:  How did you come up with the title?
KILLIAN:  I was looking for something that would both represent the book’s humor and be a play on words. As the warriors on the side of good are referred to as Pure Souls, I was playing around with titles that included Pure. Originally the titles was “It’s so Pure & Sinful,” but after further consideration, I thought that too needlessly wordy.
SKY:  What made you choose the main setting for your book?
KILLIAN:  I chose to set the first book in the series in the Greater Boston area for two reason. One: I just really liked Boston when I visited a few years ago. Two, because of its ties with Puritanism and the Witch scares, Eastern Massachusetts carries with it an orientation towards the supernatural. Plus I wanted an excuse to make jokes about the Big Dig and the Red Sox. 
SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story. 
KILLIAN:  One of the backbones of the series’ mythology is that most measures of morality are relative. Outside of big universals no-no’s like murder, one’s moral truth is a self-determined thing. Hence, my hero and heroine, while fighting on the same side of the battle, are doing so from two different towers of the same castle. Being that my hero is a priest, his moral boundaries are set by his vows to the Church. The heroine has no such boundaries, so when they begin to feel some affection for one another, things can quickly get out of hand. If the priest gives into his temptation towards the heroine, he’ll condemn himself to Hell, and thus give evil another touchdown.
SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details. 
KILLIAN:  I’ve already released the second book in the Pure Souls series, and I’m getting ready to start writing the third. Without giving too much away, I’ll let readers know book three involves Dee dealing with his Daddy issues, Ramiel making some fate-changing decisions where Persephone is concerned, and Riona coming to grip with the fact of what her role is. Other than that, I have an adult contemporary romance releasing in September 2013: Have Gown, Will Wed. It’s the story of a powerhouse CEO living in San Francisco who decides she wants to get married and hires an employment agency to find her a spouse.
SKY:  It’s time to promo. What is your favorite marketing tool? 
KILLIAN:  I’m an audiophile myself, so my favorite vehicle is doing anything audio. i.e. I actually recorded my first novel in its entirety and released it as a free audiobook. I also love doing interviews for podcasts and speaking to/with groups, either virtually or in person. Yes, I’m one of those odd people who loves being in front of a crowd.
SKY:  Are your book/books available in audio? In other languages? If so, give us more details about where we can get them and what languages they’re in.
KILLIAN:  The first book in the Pure Souls series (along with my historical romance, A Love by Any Measure) is indeed available in audio via iTunes, Audible and Amazon. I was really lucky to get Sienna Beckman to be the reader. She nails the sarcastic, snarky, and sexy characters perfectly. At this time, neither Pure & Sinful nor Once You Go Demon is available in translation.
SKY:  What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
KILLIAN:  My first book was actually a speculative fiction novel. (If you’re not familiar with Spec Fic, it’s a genre’s genre, combining suspense, mystery, science fiction, and often history). All my other novels have been romances, but even there I’ve put out paranormals, a historical romance, and now I’m bridging into contemporary. I do have another science fiction and a political thriller on my writing wish list for 2014. I enjoy writing romance, but I fear falling into a pattern for formulae. 
SKY:  If you could make changes to a story you’ve already written, which would it be and why?
KILLIAN:  My first book was a speculative fiction, but because I already had a soft offer on it from a romance publisher, I rewrote the end to give the characters an “HEA” and make everything turn out pretty happy. My original intention for the ending was completely different. I had planned an epic, knock ‘em down/drag ‘em out showdown between two sides of the battle. I sometimes wish I could go back and re-release that book with the more science fiction-friendly end I had envisioned.
SKY:  Great interview, Killian! Thanks for joining us today.
About the Author

Killian McRae would tell you that she is a rather boring lass, an authoress whose characters’ lives are so much more exciting than her own. She would be right. Sadly, this sarcastic lexophile leads a rather mundane existence in the San Francisco Bay Area. 
She once dreamed of being the female Indiana Jones, and to that end she earned a degree in Middle Eastern History from the University of Michigan. However, when she learned that real archaeologist spend more time lovingly removing dust with toothbrushes from shards of pottery than outrunning intriguing villains with exotic accents, she decided to become a writer instead. 
She writes across many genres, including science fiction, fantasy, romance, and historical fiction.

facebook fan page:  http://www.facebook.com/authorkillianmcrae
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15845662-pure-sinful
twitter: @killianmcrae
website: www.killianmcrae.com
google+: https://plus.google.com/107071172289770407340/posts

youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/killianmcrae

How Did One Night End With I Do Instead of Hell No? Take Me by Diane Alberts.

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Today I’m thrilled to welcome over Diane Alberts, author of Take Me, book four in the Take a Chance series. Be sure to check out the fabulous interview below!
Publisher: Entangled: Ever After August 26, 2013ASIN: B00EGJE4PS
GIVEAWAY!!! Leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of either Try Me (Take a Chance #1),  Love Me (Take a Chance #2) OR Play Me (Take a Chance #3) in eBook format. One winner chosen. Contest deadline is Friday, September 6’th at 12 AM EST.

Book Description
Married in the morning…
Professional heartbreaker Mike Worth thrived on the chase—and dancer Morgan Collins represented the ultimate prize. But there was no way he was going to throw away his single-man status…not even for an elusive redhead with sparkling eyes and mile-long legs. So how did he let one drunken Vegas night end with I do instead of hell no?
Morgan’s life revolved around her career and she had no intention of letting a man interfere—even if Mike made her question all her rules about love. At his urging, she reluctantly agreed to give their spur-of–moment marriage a chance. But once their trial-honeymoon ended, would she choose to follow the dance and leave her unforgettable husband behind?
Goodreads   Amazon   BN
Let's Interview!
SKY:  Welcome, Diane!
DIANE:  Thank you so much for inviting me here to chat about my last Take a Chance, TAKE ME. This book was so much fun to write for me!
SKY:  My pleasure. I absolutely love hearing that you had fun writing this book. When an author says that then there’s little doubt readers will have just as much fun reading it! That said, you have me super curious about, Take Me, so let’s chat it up! What inspired you to write this book?
DIANE:  Well, I love Mike. He was in PLAY ME, and he’s such a fun character. I had already been debating writing his story, and then my editor called me and said, “You HAVE to write me Mike’s book. I have the best idea for it, too!”
From there, we plotted and chatted and the rest is history! A few weeks later, his book was written!
SKY:  How did you come up with the title?
DIANE:  Without talking too deeply, there’s a crazy night in Vegas, and they do something…insane for Mike. And the term TAKE ME comes into play quite nicely. ;)
SKY:  What made you choose the main setting for your book?
DIANE:  All the other books revolve around Vegas, so it kind of had to take place there, too. BUT I chose Vegas originally because crazy crap happens there, and that’s what I needed for some of the books in the series. ;)
SKY:  If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
DIANE:  Mike because he’d be HILARIOUS. 
SKY:  What sort of personality does your hero have?
DIANE:  He’s a guy’s guy, to put it simply. Loves women but doesn’t want to settle down. Not a whole lot of dirty baggage. He just likes being…well, Mike!
SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?
DIANE:  She’s very independent and has a lot of goals in her life that don’t include settling down. Once again, she’s not tortured or anything—just busy!
SKY:  Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.
DIANE:  Hmm, yes! The morning after THE NIGHT. I had a whole lot of fun playing with their reactions and how they would be thinking on that particular morning. But, honestly, this book was just so much FUN all around. I’m not kidding! I had a blast.
SKY:  How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
DIANE:  I started writing in January 2009, and I had by first book come out in October 2011. It’s been a fun, crazy journey! I couldn’t be happier!
Thank you so much for letting me come here and chat about TAKE ME.
SKY:  You’re very welcome, Diane. This book sounds great! It’s definitely going on my TBR list. 
About the Author


Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author.  Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.
She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing, Swoon Romance, and Decadent Publishing. She has, as of this date, four books with Entangled Publishing, one book with Swoon Romance, and five older books with Decadent Publishing. Her February release with Entangled Publishing, ON ONE CONDITION, hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List, and TRY ME, hit #76 on Amazon. Her Swoon Romance novella, CAPTIVATED BY YOU, hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Diane is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency.
Visit Diane's Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads
 DON'T FORGET!!! GIVEAWAY!!! Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of either Try Me (Take a Chance #1),  Love Me (Take a Chance #2) OR Play Me (Take a Chance #3) in eBook format. One winner chosen. Contest deadline is Friday, September 6’th at 12 AM EST.

When the Fantasy Hits the Fan! The Bottom Line by Shelley Munro.

Today we’re spicing things up with The Bottom Line, Love and Friendship, Book One, an erotic contemporary romance by Shelley Munro. So sit back, relax, think sexy and check out the fabulous interview below!
Date of Publication: April 2010
ISBN: 978-1-60504-985-4ASIN: B003BGUO92
Number of pages: 272 pagesWord Count: 85,000
Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter
Ebooks: Samhain  All Romance ebooks  Kindle  BNKobo
Print: Samhain  AmazonBN  Book Depository
Book Description
Spicing up her sex life sounds exciting…until the fantasy hits the fan.
Love and Friendship, Book 1
When Maggie Drummond buys an erotic romance novel by mistake, she gets more than an unexpected eyeful. She gets an introduction to a world that arouses her to a fever pitch. Spanking.
Her boyfriend isn’t interested in pushing his vanilla-flavored sexual boundaries. Then there’s Connor Grey, who haunts her fantasies like a magical genie. As a source of masculine advice for her and her female friends, he’s off limits. The only safe place to explore her fetish is her anonymous blog.
The recent changes in Maggie don’t escape Connor’s notice. Now that her boyfriend has dropped her, he can finally—carefully—make his move. Given his family history, laying a hand on any woman, even in fun, is a line he’s reluctant to cross. But for Maggie? Anything the lady wants.
As Maggie gives in to the temptation to let Connor add some sin to her life, she finds herself juggling lies, half-truths, friendship and sensual delights. Her job is in jeopardy—and she’s falling in love. Exploring her fantasy is one thing, but she’s beginning to question if indulging her own pleasure is worth the cost to everyone around her. Especially Connor…

Product Warnings: Contains explicit sex, spanking, and the good, the bad and the ugly about friendship.

Interview time!
SHELLEY:  Thanks very much for having me to visit today. I’m excited to share the first book of my Love and Friendship series with you.
SKY:  Always a pleasure to have you over, Shelley! This series sounds fantastic! Tell us, how long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
SHELLEY:  I’ve always wanted to write romance. After reading my first romance, I was hooked. I mean, who doesn’t like a happy ending? Before age twenty I made a few starts that came to an abrupt halt. At that time I didn’t have a computer and the Internet hadn’t taken off. Sigh. I know. I’m older than I look *grin*
My husband and I did a lot of traveling during our twenties and spent six years away from New Zealand. Too busy soaking up new experiences, my desire to write took a back seat. It was only when I returned to New Zealand that I started to think about writing again. In 1998 the stars aligned and I became an aspiring writer. E-publishing—my comfortable niche—was just taking off and I targeted Harlequin for a few years before admitting defeat and searching for a publisher that fit me better. In 2004 I sold my first book, and I’ve been writing ever since. So—let me do the addition—I’ve been writing for almost 16 years and I’ve been a published writer for around ten years.
SKY:  Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
SHELLEY:  I have an office, but I tend to get more done if I leave the house and write in a café. I can’t get up and wander around or do anything else because someone will steal my chair or worse my laptop. I have several favorite cafes (coffices) around Auckland and it’s easy to rack up the words while the people watching and things I overhear can be very inspiring.
SKY:  What made you choose the main setting for your book?
SHELLEY:  The Bottom Line is set in Auckland, New Zealand. I chose this setting because it’s familiar to me, and I think Auckland is a great city. It’s an exotic setting for American readers without being too different, and I love to showcase my country of birth.
SKY:  How did you come up with the title?
SHELLEY:  Maggie, the heroine in THE BOTTOM LINE has an interest in spanking. My working title was Spank Me, but I decided THE BOTTOM LINE works on two levels. It gets the bottom and spanking part into the equation and since this book deals with the good and bad of friendship—the nitty-gritty—I think my title works well in this respect too.
SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.
SHELLEY:  Maggie is interested in spanking, but she’s recently split from her boyfriend. Connor has had a thing for his friend, Maggie for a long time and decides to suggest a friends-with-benefits arrangement with her. He hopes to woo her into a real relationship, but he’s worried when he learns of her desire for spanking since his father used to abuse his mother, and he can’t imagine hitting anyone for pleasure.
Meantime, Maggie and her other girlfriends have a pact about Connor. They value his friendship and don’t want to lose him from their group. They’ve agreed on a hands-off policy and now Maggie and Connor are secretly messing around. Hot sex and white lies abound until it all blows up in their faces, and Maggie thinks she might lose everything including Connor and her friends.
SKY:  What sort of personality does your hero have?
Connor Grey, my hero is a bit of a ladies’ man. At the start of the story he’s never without a girlfriend and he changes girlfriends on a regular basis. He has the knack of remaining friends with his past girlfriends though. At work, he hangs out with Maggie, Julia, Susan and Christina. They call themselves the Tight Five, which is a rugby term. Connor is very much a people person, although he works with computers. He loves to play rugby and is outgoing.
SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
SHELLEY:  I’ve just finished writing Susan’s story. Susan is one of Maggie’s best friends and she enters a reality show called Farmer Seeks a Wife in order to find a husband. Julia, another of Maggie’s friends, has her story out on 10 September at Samhain Publishing. It’s called Past Regrets.
I’m currently working on a spin-off series and then I’ll start writing Christina’s story. Christina is the last of Maggie’s friends. She likes men in twos. I have the start of her story knocking around inside my head but need to think about the plot a little more before I start writing.
What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future? I’m an equal opportunity writer and have never met a genre I didn’t like writing. This year I’ve been focusing on writing contemporary and historical romances, although I’m starting to feel an insistent itch to write another feline shapeshifter book. One day I’d like to experiment with steampunk. That always strikes me as a fun genre to write.
Excerpt
An excerpt in which Maggie, our heroine, tells her friends about her interest in spanking.
“Secret. Secret. Secret.” Christina banged her palms on the edge of the table. Julia and Susan joined in the beat, their eyes gleaming with challenge in the dim light of the booth.
Maggie picked up her margarita and gulped to moisten her dry mouth. “Okay. Okay.”
Placing her glass on a coaster, she glanced around the bar. No doubt about it. People were starting to stare. Time to spill her secret before things turned ugly. After another deep breath, she dropped her gaze to her clasped hands. “I’ve started a website called BigBadAss.com.” She spoke so quickly the words ran together. Once finished, she scanned each of her friends in turn, anxious now for their reactions.
“Big bad ass?” Christina’s watchful eyes held curiosity while her lips curved in an approving smile. She pushed her frameless glasses up her nose with perfectly manicured copper fingernails. “Isn’t that pretty racy for you?”
“What’s the big deal?” Julia scoffed and tossed her head before Maggie could answer. Her blonde hair stirred and settled in sexy curls around her almost bare shoulders. Shoestring straps held her low-cut black top in place. “It’s just a website.”
“Who’s a bad ass?” Susan smirked. “Don’t say Greg has gone and found some balls?”
“Bother, I have a smear.” Christina rifled through her handbag for a tissue to clean her glasses. “Anyway, I want to hear more about this website.”
Questions. Maggie had expected them, but the comments and queries didn’t put her at ease. Her stomach vibrated like one of her younger brother’s toys—over-wound and about to fly apart. She wiped sweaty palms on her sensible navy skirt, swallowed and said, “It’s more of a blog.”
“A blog about what?” Julia asked, rolling her eyes. “Desperados? Bandits? What’s a bad ass?”
Maggie closed her eyes briefly to summon courage. This next part was worse. Her teeth clacked when she closed her mouth. The longer her hesitation, the worse the mental strain would become. Big bad ass, she wasn’t. More like a marshmallow, burnt on the outside with a gooey interior.
“I explore…um…my adventures in spanking,” Maggie said, forcing a smile. “Does anyone want another drink?”
“Spanking,” Susan cried out as the band ended their song and the haunting notes of a sax faded. Everyone in the vicinity heard her shocked shriek. Heads turned, customers surveying them with distinct interest. Two men at a nearby table leered. Their dark suits suggested they worked at the lawyer’s office next door, but their toothy smirks told Maggie their minds crawled in the gutter, armed with floggers and paddles.
“Shush,” she muttered, aware of the two plum-sized patches heating her cheeks. “It’s a secret. I don’t want everyone to know.”
Christina picked up her drink, golden bracelets jingling with musical grace. “Since when were you interested in spanking, Maggie?”
“Yeah,” Julia demanded. “How long has this been going on?”
Susan smirked, her gaze darting from Christina to Julia and back to Maggie. “Does Greg spank you?”
“Um…” Oh, heck. She’d known they’d have lots of questions. Greg was her boyfriend. Solid, dependable and boring. How was she going to tell him? True, she was still a spanking novice, but Maggie was determined not to chicken out. She would explore spanking. It wouldn’t be like the fad diets she tried and failed.
Her spanking interest—or sickness, depending on how a girl looked at it—began with a book and some in-depth soul-searching along with a bottle of wine. She’d hauled her drunken self off to bed and, after reading more of the erotic romance, she’d had the best orgasm ever. Yeah, if she could scale those heights by herself, a real extravaganza lay ahead with a male lover. Right there, she decided to explore her wild side and the naughty spike of pleasure that jolted her right to the core every time she considered a swat on the ass. The fiery heat…
She could see the curiosity filling Susan’s blue eyes, the nosy interest mirrored in Christina and Julia’s faces. “You asked for one secret. I’ve given you one and you have to promise not to tell anyone.” Maggie had no idea where this new bravery had come from. It reminded her of her teenage years, and she liked its return. The inner Maggie cheered, enjoying the nonplussed expressions on her friends’ faces.
About the Author 

Shelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.
Shelley is also a writer blessed with a VERY vivid imagination and lives with her very own hero in New Zealand. She writes mainly erotic romance in the contemporary, paranormal and historical genres for publishers Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing.  Visit Shelley's Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest

She Caught His Eye. But Can He Be Part Of Her Future? Dream Lover by Lynn Davis.

Happy T.G.I.F. everyone! Today it’s my pleasure to feature Dream Lover by Lynn Davis. Let’s learn a bit more about this book and then it’s on to a fabulous excerpt. 
 Description
Kayla Johnson decided to focus on school and not get into a relationship. Although she made the grades her curiosity was peaked when Bill White joined her study group. 
Kayla had no idea that she had caught Bill's eye and he is everything she hoped a lover would be. She is ready to move on with her life and Bill wonders if he can be a part of her future?
Will Kayla let go and just fall into his Bill's arms?           
Excerpt  Daydreaming 
Kayla was both nervous and excited. She had waited for this day for a long time. So far, everything was perfect. She awoke almost two hours earlier than she normally would. It was 5 a.m., and she could not get back to sleep. She rolled over to her side and gazed out the bay window that overlooked her back yard. She could almost hear all the voices of her friends and family congratulating her for completing her degree in record time and with honors. She sighed with satisfaction. Today was graduation day. She decided to get up, turn on The Morning News show, and make sure the weather forecast had not changed. It was supposed to get at least ninety, and there hadn’t been any clouds in the sky yesterday. She hoped for the same today. 
Grabbing the remote, she turned on the TV and headed for the kitchen to start the coffee. She smiled as she remembered the gift that her mother had given her a month an earlier to help her save money. She had been frequenting Starbucks about five times a day, getting her favorite drink, a tall Caramel Mocha Macchiato. 
Her mother had gasped at Kayla’s admission, and three days later she bought her a coffee maker that had all the bells and whistle for making any coffee beverage Kayla could think of. 
Kayla entered the kitchen and looked around. There were a few dishes in the sink from last night, and the floor could use a good sweeping. She decided to start the coffee maker and then clean the kitchen while she waited. Once her kitchen was clean, she returned to her room with a fresh cup of coffee in her hand. Now she needed to decide what to wear. 
Looking at the clock it was only 5:45 a.m. Graduation did not start until 11 a.m. Her sister was coming at 9a.m. to do her hair and makeup. Kayla rolled her eyes. Alice was such a girl and made such a fuss when it came to special events. However, today was a special day and Kayla wanted to look special, especially when Bill saw her. 
Kayla and Bill had been in the same study groups a few times, and she had to admit that she really liked him. He was very attractive. He seemed a bit serious most of the time, but when he smiled, it lit up his face. His hazel eyes were bright and intense. She could get lost in those eyes. She found herself watching him as he explained a case study or read. She just liked looking at him. Kayla felt her body heating up. She had noticed her body responding more and more to him. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it but, she didn’t seem to mind it this morning. 
She sat on the bed and decided to read for about an hour. While in school, other than reading for class, she really didn’t have time to read. She sat her back against the headboard and pick up her Kindle. Scrolling through the carousel, frowning at the titles that scrolled by, she finally decided to read Absolution by Susannah Sandlin. She recalled reading Redemption the previous summer. 
“Let’s see what the Vampires in Penton are up to now,” she said aloud. 
Kayla looked up and gasped: it was 8:15 a.m. She shut down her Kindle and jumped up to take a shower. Her sister would arrive in 45 minutes and Kayla had to be dressed. She cursed under her breath. Her sister wasn’t one to run late, and if anything, she would be ten minutes early. 
Looping her towel on the towel rack, she stepped under the hot, inviting spray. Turning her back to the shower, Kayla let the spray pound into her shoulders giving her a massage. After relaxing a few more minutes, she soaped her loofah and swiped it across her body. Relishing in the smell of Black Orchid and Juniper Oil, she went over her body again. 
Tilting her head back, she let the water run over her forehead and hair. Pouring the thick silky cream of her Cantu Shea Butter Moisturizing Cream Shampoo into her hand, Kayla stepped out from under the spray and smoothed it over her head. Closing the lid, setting it back down, she lazily worked it into lather, letting her mind daydream while she did so. 
She was getting excited about seeing Bill. She let her mind wander to his lips, his broad shoulders, his arms that were toned and muscular. She liked watching them flex and relax as he turned the pages of his books. His thighs looked strong, and from what she could tell when he wore jeans they were just as toned as his arms. She let her imagination take her to what she thought his chest and stomach looked like. She felt her knees grow a bit weak. 
She chuckled and thought, Look at you girl, the man has not even given the slightest notion that he likes you and you are already fantasizing and daydreaming about him. Get a grip! 
Tilting her head back again, she rinsed her hair, turning up the hot water. Pouring her companion Conditioner onto her hair, she lathered it up and let it set in her hair as she picked up her shaving gel and applied it to her under arms, legs and bikini area. Picking up the razor, she began to shave her legs, and then touched up her bikini area, smiling as she pictured Bill watching her. Satisfied with the newly shaven skin, she finished with her underarms. Rinsing the soapy hairs off her body, she remembered a time when her body was velvety smooth to a man’s touch. 
Kayla liked that she had been so busy with school over the past three semesters that she had lost that extra 20 pounds, her tummy had become taut, and her legs were slender and shapely like they had been in high school. The study group members had decided to go to In-Shape City to set up a membership so they could go once a week, often as a group. That had helped her to start toning her arms. She liked the way she looked naked now. Her breasts were firm and perky, thank God. Her nipples were extremely sensitive, and she had caught Bill sneaking peeks a few times when she wore something that was thin enough to show her erect nipples through the material.    
Visit Lynn's Website
Purchase Dream Lover  at Amazon and Smashwords
About the Author

Lynn Davis is an emerging author from Literotica.com. Her stories Danielle and David, I Never Meant to Fall in Love and A Lesson in Love has jump started her writing career. With an average of about 10K viewers, she is ready to launch in to the literary world. When Lynn is not writing, she is a life coach of women empowerment, non-profit director and an entrepreneur. Her favorite thing to help her relax is cross-stitching, reading a good book or watching a good movie (girl flicks, of course). Lynn lives in California as a single woman who loves life but often she hangs with her niece and nephew. She is interactive with her loyal readers and welcomes you to contact her. She actually loves hearing from you.

And YOU Thought You'd Seen It All!

Wow! Only a few weeks left in August. If you’re anything like me that means you’re doing your best to R&R before things start to get crazy again in September when the kiddos go back to school.
But it's not over 'til it's over. I know a way you can really enjoy these last lazy, hazy days of August. In fact, I know a way you can end your summer with a BANG. Ready to have a little fun and win TONS of great stuff? Of course you are! Check this out…
Night Owl Reviews is hosting a Summer Fun Scavenger Hunt.What does that mean? OMG, great things! Baskets of swag! With several big-name authors participating such as Ash Krafton and Eliza Knight , you’re not going to run out of amazing reads to win. Did I mention all the gift certificates being given away? We’re talking $100 GC’s folks! 
And count me in! I'm part of the event. My prize? A $50 Amazon gift card. 
Are you ready to discover??? Are you ready to win??? Then c'mon over!
Click HERE to get started.
Good luck and have fun!!!
xo

From An Ancient Battle Comes Forbidden Love. Starfire by Michele N. Zugnoni.

 Happy Monday readers! Time to cozy in and enjoy some 'you time' because there’s a “Must read!” new adult paranormal romance to be shared. Give a warm welcome to Michele N. Zugnoni, author of Starfire, Book One in the Chronicles of Shadow Mist. Not only is there a super interview ahead but Michele has a to-die-for  pile of loot up for grabs!
Publisher: Forbidden PressDate of Publication: July 30ISBN  978-0-9895690-0-2ASIN: Not assigned yetNumber of pages: 400Word Count: 110,000
Cover Artist: Michele N. Zugnoni
www.starfireseries.com
Book Description
From an ancient battle comes a forbidden love … and the chance to hope again.
Destined to destroy vampires, or refuse and be executed, seventeen-year-old Julia Kirkwood finds herself drawn to two things: a life of partying and rebelling against the law, and Clay Blackwell. The trouble is, Clay happens to be the son of the Lumince high priestess, the leader of a race of peace-loving vampires, and Julia’s father’s unspoken enemy. For Julia isn’t just a Reaver, she’s the daughter of the Reaver Chief. And Julia’s father is furious to discover she’s secretly dating and falling in love with a Lumince, particularly after an attempt at peace crumbles in bloodshed.
When her father intensifies his attack against the Luminces, endangering the lives of Clay’s people, Julia’s forced to take a stand. She must choose to accept her destiny as a Reaver, or claim her heart and find the inward strength to declare war against her own flesh and blood. Interwoven with her fate are the ramifications of a love story as forbidden and passionate as her own: the ancient romance that sparked the creation of Reavers and Luminces, igniting this centuries-old feud. Will Julia’s feelings for Clay be enough to transcend centuries of love-turned-hate? Or will their final hope for peace be incinerated in a fiery war?
Book Trailer

Interview Time!
SKY:  What inspired you to write this book?
MICHELE:  You know, it’s interesting. I had no idea I was going to write STARFIRE. I was happily typing away at an entirely different story, enjoying getting to know my characters and their world, when BAM! I experienced a bout of writers’ block. And when I say writers block, I mean that with a capital WB. It came on all of the sudden, it was especially severe, and it led to several conversations between myself and my computer in which I threatened to throw that blasted machine out of the window if it couldn’t help me figure out what I wanted to say.
And then I walked away. And I went swimming. And I drank a bottle of Corona. And I went to sleep. And when I woke up, I had this characters’ voice in my head. It was so clear, I swear I could see her flipping her wild mane of crimson hair when she spoke my name. I knew right away that her name was Julia, and that she had a story she wanted me to tell.
Well, that day I sat down at my computer and I started typing. And typing. And typing. When I was done, I knew not only Julia, but also Clay, her forbidden lover. And I knew I had to know more. I couldn’t wait to get inside these characters’ heads, to slip inside their world, to discover their story, their romance, their love.
That was the day I started writing STARFIRE. From that moment on, I was up at night, dying to find out  more. The other story is still on my hard drive, but STARFIRE? It’s come to life in more ways than I ever anticipated and I cannot wait to share.
SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.
MICHELE:  From an ancient battle comes a forbidden love … and the chance to hope again.
Julia and Clay live in the hidden realm of Shadow Mist, where their kind has been at war for centuries. Marked by the gods as a Reaver, Julia is destined to hunt and destroy vampires, even if she believes some are good people who do not deserve the bad rap of their kind. And when she meets Clay, son of the vampire high priestess, she finds herself rebelling against everything she is and everything she knows simply for the sake of love. The problem? Julia’s father is the Chief Reaver, and he’ll do anything to destroy the vampires even if it means going head-to-head with his daughter in a war more brutal and vicious than any Shadow Mist has ever before witnessed.
SKY:  If you had to sell your book based on one run of dialogue (start quote to end quote), which would it be?
MICHELE:  “I’m the only person in the world standing between you and certain punishment. You think just ‘cause your daddy’s Chief Reaver, it’s gonna spare you the pain of rebellion? You think you can go against everything you are and emerge unscathed? Think again, little girl. It doesn’t work that way.” – Josh Woodley, a Reaver who just happens to have a crush on Julia and a yen for becoming her father’s right-hand man
SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
MICHELE:  Do you like it? I actually designed the cover myself. There’s a very special scene during the second part of STARFIRE in which Julia and Clay run away to the forest, where magic starts to happen. It’s the first time they venture outside of Shadow Mist, the first time they begin to get close, and in the midst of their very first … Well, I wouldn’t want to give too much away. But let’s just say that in the middle of a very romantic scene, the most magical incident of all takes place. The cover depicts that journey.
SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
MICHELE:  Of course I’m working on another story! As if I could stay away. I’m getting ready to release GODDESS KISSED, the STARFIRE short-story prequel that centers around Clay’s mother before she became High Priestess of the vampires. It tells of her rise to power, and all the struggles she must overcome before taking the throne. One of the biggest problems? The Reavers have learned of her immense power (she’s been granted more power than any high priestess thus far), and they’ll do about anything to stop her from ascending to vampire leadership, even if it means all-out war.
SKY:  What sort of personality does your hero have?
MICHELE:  Clay  is a very sweet, poetic guy who will do anything for the people he loves, including standing up against the Chief Reaver himself. That said, he sometimes suffers from a lack of bravery. His journey centers around finding the courage to do the right thing, even if it means placing himself in mortal danger to keep his loved ones safe.
SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?
MICHELE:  Julia is a rebel and a party girl of the strongest sort. She knows what she believes, and no one’s going to change her mind. And Julia believes that not all vampires are evil, and not all Reavers are good. She does, of course, suffer from the problem of being the daughter of the Reaver Chief. Julia’s journey centers around finding the strength within herself to stand up against her own flesh and blood, even if it means going against everything she is to protect those she loves most.
SKY:  Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
MICHELE:  Do you wanna know a secret? My favorite writing environment isn’t indoors or even outdoors. Not really. It’s actually in the middle of Disneyland park, and on any and all Disney rides, surrounded by the rich, sweet smells of Disneyland and the sound of laughter and excited screams. In fact, the first part of STARFIRE was actually composed in Disneyland, while I waited in line for rides like Pirates and Star Tours, and at tables inside Blue Bayou and Ariel’s Grotto. At one point, I started jotting down a scene as the car for Space Mountain raced into the dark tower, jetting me into the stars. And if you really pay attention, you’ll find certain traces of Disney echoed within STARFIRE. There’s a reason one of my characters looks like Abe Lincoln; I created him while watching the show on Main Street. I also think there’s a reason why Julia has red hair; she really came to life on The Little Mermaid ride. So as you read through STARFIRE, you might try to pick out some of these influences. Go on. I dare you.
SKY:  How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
MICHELE:  I’ve been writing ever since I was old enough to discover that crayons make excellent pencils if the paper is just the right thickness. My very first story was about a troll who looked an awful lot like my father (the poor guy had just punished me for something I probably shouldn’t have been doing; sorry, Dad!). Aside from an anthology in which my story, “Whisper,” was honored with third place, this is the first novel I’ve ever published. And I really cannot wait to share. So what are you waiting for? Go on! Buy your copy of STARFIRE. You know you want to. ;-) 
An excerpt from chapter 2, Clay’s POV…
“D’you ever wonder,” Julia’s fingers glided along her cat’s back, blazing a path into its fur, “if there’s a place so far away, it just has to be perfect? That –” she sighed, “that maybe if we traveled far enough, we could – I don’t know, we could maybe cut around the bull shit and the lies and just live the life we’re supposed to live? Free of everything but the truth and ourselves?”
Clay tilted his face toward the stars. “Maybe. If there’s a place far enough away.”
“Sometimes I feel like there has to be.” She pulled her gown around her legs, letting the material drift against her skin. “Otherwise, what the hell else is there?”
“Mrow,” agreed the cat, nuzzling its cheek against Clay’s hand.
“Nice cat.” Falling onto the deck, Clay scratched behind the creature’s ears. “What’s its name?”
“Pandora.” Julia pushed herself to her elbows, causing the feline to fall onto her lap with a startled mrow. She smoothed her apologies against its fur. “Named her after a story my mom told me once. When I was a little girl.”
His heart sprinted as he stared into her eyes: stained with starlight and sparking with secrets, they grabbed hold and wouldn’t let go. “A story?”
“Hmm.” She nodded. “About a girl who just couldn’t take no for an answer. She opened this box she wasn’t even supposed to touch, and let out all the dark, evil things of the world. Anger. Jealousy. Spite. Malevolence. Everything bad. Until she got smart and slammed the lid shut, trapping just one thing inside. You know what that was?”
“Tell me.”
Julia tilted her face to the heavens. “Hope,” she murmured, her answer mingling with Clay’s whispered: “Hope.”
A crease formed between her brows, and she lowered her gaze to skewer Clay with her fiery stare. “Thought you hadn’t heard the story, Lumince?”
Clay shrugged. “I’ve heard it. I just wanted to hear you tell it.”
The starlight faded from Julia’s eyes and she reached for her bottle of champagne. “Aren’t you breaking the rules? Coming out here to talk to me?”
Clay smothered a grimace. “Rules?”
“Yeah, you know.” Curling her hand around the bottle’s neck, she lifted it to her mouth in a fluid yank. Her throat spasmed around the rush of alcohol; plunking the bottle onto the deck, she moistened her lips and leveled him with her stare. “Should any vampire be caught keeping company with a human,” she air-quoted the law with her fingertips, “that creature will suffer no less than two years in a Reaver-run penitentiary and –”
“And no less than thirty lashes of a pinewood whip.” Clay tugged his fingers through his curls, swallowing a sigh as Pandora curled onto his lap. “I know the law.”
“Then why are you out here talking to me?”
There was a dare in her eyes, in the way she pushed her fingertips against his hand; capturing one between his fingers, he held it in his grasp. “Last I checked, Reavers didn’t exactly qualify as human. Or have the laws changed again?”
Julia arched a brow. “Nice,” she drawled, twisting her fingertip from his hand. It fell against his arm, where it burned her touch into his skin. “Do you talk like this to all the girls, or am I just special?”
Clay met her gaze and took a breath. “I’m still trying to figure that one out.”
She blinked. “Well, let me know when you do. ‘Cause I’m just dyin’ to find out.”
She tilted her head for another drink, and Clay watched as the neckline of her dress fell open, revealing the Reaver mark etched into the skin below her collarbone. Unbidden, his fingers drifted to the design: a jagged “R” seared within a circle, smooth against his touch. “Did that hurt?”
He thought he heard her breath catch; he knew he saw her eyes widen as her gaze drifted to his hand. “Enjoying the feel?”
“Sorry.” Clay yanked his hand away, his cheeks burning against the warm September breeze. “I just…I’ve never seen one this close before.”
“You mean my cattle brand?” She skimmed the mark with her hand. Her forehead creased and her mouth puckered as she stared at the fingers he’d touched her with seconds before. “It’s okay, I guess. It’s just – I’ve never had anyone touch it before. It’s . . . kinda weird.” Her hand brushed against his arm, causing his breath to catch. “But it didn’t hurt. Or, it did for a minute, when I first got the flash.”
“The flash?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “It’s like…a moment, when you know you were chosen. A searing pain, and then you get the mark. It happened when I was thirteen. A full year before any of my other friends were chosen, which really kinda sucked.” A sip from the bottle, washed down with a tuck of her mouth. She smacked her lips together. “But it’s okay. I’ve gotten over it.”
“Wow.” Clay raised his brows.
“Yeah. I guess.” Shivering, Julia swigged another long drink. He took the opportunity to caress her hand with his thumb, sliding it beneath his palm.
She shifted until she was sitting, her gaze drifting to his mouth. “I wonder…”
“What do you wonder, Jewels?”
Her eyelids fluttered at the endearment, a spark of surprise sizzling through her gaze. “I – I wonder if …” Julia’s free hand glided into the air, and she skimmed her fingertips against his lips. “Do you mind?”
Clay swallowed and leaned forward as her touch seared itself into his skin. “D-do I – Oh.” He blinked. “Oh, yeah. Um, okay. Sure.” He slid open his mouth to reveal a pair of gleaming white fangs.
She smoothed her fingers over their tips, wincing as they pricked her skin. “They’re sharp.”
“It’s okay.” Flipping his hand, he captured her fingers between his own. “I don’t bite, and I never hurt.”
He was caught within her stare, pulled within the molten fire flashing through her eyes. His heart dipped as she yanked her hand from his touch, a guarded mask slipping over her features. A second later, and the bottle was at her lips, the rush of liquid flooding her throat. He caught the bottom with his hand, causing her to lower it until it hovered between them both. “Why do you drink so much?”
“Why do you care?”
“Actually,” he lowered his hand and she plunked the bottle onto the deck, “I guess I’m trying to figure out why you pretend so hard like you don’t.”
“Maybe it’s easier that way.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Clay scratched behind Pandora’s ears, making the creature purr. “Or maybe you’re just too scared to try it any other.” Her eyes flashed fire, but he caught her hand before she could flail him with her words, flipping it to run his fingertips along the lines of her palm. “I told you. You don’t have to be afraid of me. I don’t hurt, and I never bite.”
“No.” She ripped her hand away. “You only touch.” 

SKY:  Loved the interview, Michele! Thanks for joining me today. 

About the Author
 Michele is a recovering demon (AKA attorney) who left the legal field to follow her dreams of writing and teaching college-level English. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling as far as her credit card will take her, reading an assortment of fantasy and paranormal, and playing with her frisky animals (two black cats and two loud-mouthed cockatiels).
She’s loved vampires since she was four, when her BFF confided that her older sister was a vamp who enjoyed drinking blood. Like any four-year old, Michele thought this was the most awesome thing ever. Michele currently lives in Modesto, California, but will move to Santa Barbara to begin a Ph.D. program in education and literacy this fall.
Visit Michele's Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter
Party Time! 

Starfire came out July 30'th, and to celebrate, we're lookin' to give away some loot. To enter this rockin' contest, simply follow the actions below, and you'll receive the corresponding number of entries!!!

1 ENTRY
*Comment on any tour or Facebook post (see www.starfireseries.com for tour dates and info)*Like Michele's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MicheleNZugnoni)*Share Michele's Facebook page on your own Facebook or blog*Like Michele's Twitter account (www.twitter.com/Michele_ZZZ)

3 ENTRIES
*Purchase Starfire and comment on Michele's Facebook page "I just purchased this fiery newparanormal romance! Can't wait to read."

5 ENTRIES
*Review Starfire at Goodreads, Amazon, on your blog, or anywhere else on the web (but besure to let us know on Michele's facebook page).*Host Michele on any virtual tour stop (interview, review, spotlight, etc.) 

*1 Starfire shot glass* 3 Starfire mugs (2 Julia/Clay, 1 Mia/Brennan)*5 autographed copies of Goddess Kissed, the Starfire short-story prequel coming out Sept. 1*10 red or black velvet bookmarks (with assorted charms)*2 $25 gift cards to Amazon.comAND THE GRAND PRIZE... *1 $50 gift card to Amazon.com!!!

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Strong, Clever Women. Tough, Sexy Men. Blaze Ignites by J.L. Madore.

Welcome! Today I’m interviewing J.L. Madore, author of Blaze Ignites, Book One in the The Scourge Survivor Series. If, like me, you enjoy a great fantasy/paranormal romance, then this book should be right up your alley!
ISBN: 978-0-9916763-1-6Number of pages: pdf- 276, epub- 172Word Count: 107,000Cover Artist: David Wysotski
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Book Description
Blaze Ignites blends strong, clever women and tough, sexy men in a fast paced, volatile cocktail of action, seduction and wicked humour.
"Destiny my ass." Jade Glaster refuses to believe the Fates rule her life. Orphaned after an attack by Scourge soldiers, a young Jade vows never to be powerless again. Once grown and strong, wielding the affinities of fire and healing, Jade protects innocents as an enforcer for her world's elite policing agency—The Talon.
When an emissary mission to reinstate a race of exiled Elves brings Galan into her life, Jade finds herself overwhelmed by new passions, some welcome, some not. Although Galan's antiquated views on women offend her to her heated core, when the Scourge attack his family, she helps him navigate the outside worlds he knows nothing about—the magical Realm of the Fair and, stranger still . . . the modern streets of Toronto.
Through their sensually charged pursuit of justice, Jade discovers that when dealing with the Fates—destiny is never random.
Interview time!
SKY:  If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
J.L.:  That's a tough one. I find so many of them interesting (which sounds funny and a little conceited considering they sprang from my head, but they intrigue me) I can't lie, I have a major crush on Bruin, but I think the one who I'd really like to spend time with is Aust. That guy has so much going on under the surface. He's quiet, yes, but it's only because he's been dumped on for a century. Over the course of the series, I think he's the one who grows the most to discover who he really is. And come on, he's a hot, sweet Elf, who can turn into a white tiger and speak to animals. He's f-awesome.
SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.
J.L.:  Jade is a strong, sassy woman who overcame a childhood tragedy and swore she'd never let herself be weak again. But when Galan comes along, they're sexual chemistry draws her into his life, even against her own will. With the push and pull of their relationship escalating, the war against the evil forces in their world takes a turn and they're all left scrambling. Blaze Ignites is a sexy, humorous journey about figuring out where you belong and who you belong with.
SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
J.L.:  I love my cover. My artist is a local guy, David Wysotski, who is not a buddy of my brother's, but happens to be insanely talented. I think the cover speaks for itself. He took my description of Jade in her battle gear added Naith by her side and showed her element –fire. The details of her whip and Bruin's claw skirl all tie in to the content of the book. We didn't put Galan on there, because this really is Jade's story (and I think everyone will have their own image of Galan in their mind's eye and I hate ruining that for anyone).
SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
J.L.:  I'm working on so much I'm almost paralyzed. Books 2 and 3 in this series are written and in edits, book 4 is mostly written. I also have a paranormal erotic romance series in progress and headed to an agent next week. I also have another series floating in the back of my mind but I haven't had time to research it or get much on paper. I need more hours in my day.
SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?
J.L.:  Jade is me. Anyone who knows me laughed when they read the book and instantly made the connection. I think being my first novel and being in first person, alpha-female perspective, it just happened. She's confident (stubborn), honest (blunt), vocal (smart-mouthed) and is fiercely loyal and committed to her family. And what do you know, I paired her with a hot Elf. Who could have seen that coming . . .lol.
SKY:  Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.
J.L.:  Yeah, I loved writing the grotto scene where Jade and Galan finally have it out and then get naked. I write lineally, but that scene came to me and was written well before I got there. I just knew where they were headed and thought it was tense, sexy and then, of course, I had to have Tham and Lexi finish it with some humour.
SKY:  Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
J.L.:  I do most of my editing at my desk in my home office, but if I'm treating myself to a block of indulgent writing, I take five or six pillows, pile them against the headboard of my bed, lay back under my blankets, bend my knees and set my laptop up on my lap. I can lay there for hours typing . . . and often do. Usually with my hubby sleeping beside me. (He works far too hard through the week and usually sacks-out on the weekend.)
SKY:  What sources do you use for research?
J.L.:  Depends. For genre research, I have books I love, marked with Post-its so I can see how other authors handled things. For real issues, I either use internet or try to get an actual source. For example, I've been in contact with a few Canadian First Nations Bands regarding my heroine for book two in the series. If it's real I want to get it right. If it's fantasy based, I just make shit up.
SKY:  Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.
J.L.:  Yes. I haven't managed to write a single title yet. Every time I think I might, my imagination starts doing the . . .  and then they'll . . . and that guy will . . . then the bad guys will . . . and before I know it. It's a series. I think I'm too chatty to get it down in one book. And forget about a short story. My writing group has 350+ members and we're always having short story contests. I help with the admin because everyone knows I'll never be entering. I just can't contain myself to 1500 words.
SKY:  Great interview, J.L.! Thanks for joining me today.
Excerpt
~ Chapter 1 ~
Gun versus wand.

Lexi and I saw the standoff escalating beyond the crush of half-naked, leather-clad bodies on the dance floor. The patrons of the tavern, human and not, ceased shimmying to the techno-rock of the house band and drew wands and daggers in every direction.
"Let us through people." Raising my palms I called my powers. "Castian, come to me." A surge of arcane energy lifted my hair as my affinity awoke. "Down!" I shielded Lexi and avoided the white-gold energy bolt zinging past our heads. It hit the mirrored wall over the bar, bursting into a shower of sparks and jagged shards.
A shot rang out. Shit.
Magic buzzed and crackled in the air like a bug-light in August. I threw out some heat to part the remaining sea of bodies. Ignoring the sneers of rubberneckers, we pushed through and my sister and I joined the altercation.
A scruffy, brute of a man sporting a bandana stood, gun poised, staring straight into the wand-tip of one of the Academy of Affinities' fifth-year wizardry students.
"Problem, gentlemen?" I asked, easing into their circle.
With shoulders rigid and wand steady, the student, Nash Blackpaw, focused straight ahead. "Jade, this asshole thinks he's dragging my friend back to the Modern Realm."
I assessed the native girl shielded behind his back. She looked shaken but unharmed.
"I don't think," the brute hissed. "This is a family matter. Jade is it?"
Pushing down the urge to wipe the amused sneer off the bastard's face I tried to remain professional. "Jade is what friends and students call me. You can call me Blaze. That is my official nom de guerre."
I held up my wrist and revealed my Talon brand. Cold, sharp eyes narrowed on my copper skin as the trademark golden hawk of a Talon enforcer appeared. "Sir, you are armed with intent to do harm on Haven grounds. This entire mountain is a sanctuary. According to Fae law, the girl is welcome to claim refuge here."
"Screw the laws," he spat, shifting the business end of the gun toward me. "Fae laws force our race to live in the Modern Realm—force us to hide who we are as if we're worth less than those fucking humans. The gods won't care about one worthless runaway. Tell your boy here to lower his wand and we're gone."
Catching Lexi's eye, I glanced toward the girl and my sister dissolved into the crowd.
"Again, that would be no." The muzzle of the gun pointed at my chest at an almost point blank range. My skin tingled warm. I pushed back my temper. "I know how you must feel—"
"You know nothing," he snapped, spittle flying. "You are human."
With his full attention on me, I wove more persuasion into my words. "As a Talon enforcer, I ensure the laws of both realms are upheld. You smuggled a gun from the Modern Realm onto sanctuary grounds. There's no chance you're leaving with the girl. The Portal Gates are sealed for summer solstice and you have things to answer for. Your only option here is to lower your weapon."
My suggestion had the barrel wavering. He clutched the grip with both hands and stabilized it. His jaw clenched as his index finger tightened on the trigger. I gave another push of energy and when I thought I was at my limit, I pushed further. Perspiration beaded across his furrowed brow. I held on. Needles of pain ran through my jaw as I clenched my teeth. After another minute, the Glock clattered to the tavern floor.
He lunged.
My feet left the ground as his shoulder caught my cheek. Something solid connected with my ribs and I hit the dance floor in an awkward half-twist. My back connected with the wood plank right before my head bounced. I was still seeing white splotches bursting in front of my eyes when the brute's staggering weight lifted and two Were-lion bouncers took control.
One snatched the weapon and shoved it into the waistband of his jeans. His litter-mate grabbed the guy's thick arms and wrenched them back until I expected to hear the snap of bone. Rumbling like a storm cloud, the pair of Weres cable-tied the guy's hands and signaled to everyone that the show was over.
"And a good night was had by all." Lexi rolled her amethyst eyes and offered me a hand up.

About the Author

September 2009 marked the beginning of my journey with writing paranormal/fantasy romance novels. After spending a year hiatus in Panama with my family, I returned to Ontario relaxed and ready to let stories flow from my mind onto the page. The only problem was—I didn’t know a thing about the craft of writing.
Almost four years later, after dozens of workshops, reading hundreds of books, joining a writing community and two critique groups, I've won two writing scholarships and believe I've got a handle on what I’m trying to say and the voice with which I want to say it.
Currently, I am working on the five book Scourge Survivor Series as well as a darker, erotic/romance paranormal series currently called Watchers of the Grey.
Visit JL Madore's Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Unbridled Magic. Dangerous Attention. Trial by Fire by Margarita Gakis.

Today it’s my pleasure to interview Margarita Gakis, author of Trial by Fire, Covencraft- Book One.
Genre: Urban Fantasy/ParanormalPublisher: Fable PressDate of Publication:  6/25/2013ISBN: 978-1-939897-03-9ASIN: B00CX779MKNumber of pages: 325Word Count:  84,000Cover Artist: Steven Novak
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Book Description

Jade leads a structured life:

Routine job.

Caffeine addiction.

No serious relationships.

And now, she can spontaneously set things on fire with her mind.

Well... perhaps “normal” was never in the cards for her. As she questions her own sanity and spirals out of control, a man appears on her doorstep and tells her that, like him, she’s a witch.

Pulled in all directions, her unbridled magic draws dangerous attention and Jade wonders if she’s made the worst mistake of her life by joining a coven, or if she’ll even live long enough to regret it.

Interview Time!
SKY:  What inspired you to write this book?

MARGARITA:  Wow. That’s a hard one. You know, I played around with these characters for a long time and they’ve gone through a few iterations – different settings and plots and this one finally gelled together and I felt like it ‘worked’. I always knew I’d write this book, I just didn’t know when. There was a particular book that inspired me somewhat for Jade’s characterization but I don’t want to say what it is because it may be a spoiler for the series, and also, it’s by a well-known author and I cringe to think he/she may end up stumbling upon my reference and just be… horrified that his/her book was somehow related to mine!

SKY: How did you come up with the title?

MARGARITA:  For a long time, I just called this book “Book 1” in my head as I always knew I wanted to write a series. I’m not sure where the title Covencraft came from, but I started using it to mean the entire series of books. When I sent the book into Fable Press, that’s the title I used. Matt and Mike [Fable Press partners] came back and asked if I wanted that for the series or the book. I said “well, I kind of want it for the series but that leaves me without a title for a book and I hate titling!” Matt came up with a bunch of ideas based on his reading of the book. It was really interesting to see what someone else’s overall impression of the book was – he came up with a lot of great ideas! I really liked ‘Trial by Fire’ as my lead character, Jade, has an affinity for fire in her witchcraft and I also liked the statement it made about the overarching plot of the book, which is her joining and coven and having it not go so well! I thought it was a good fit.

SKY:  If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

MARGARITA:  Henri! He’s a… good soul, if that makes sense. He’s a friend to my main character and I feel like he’s the kind of guy that would be a good friend to anyone. He’s a loyal guy. He’d stick with you through good times and bad. And he’s a coffee aficionado so he’d know the best places to go get it.

SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.

MARGARITA:  My heroine, Jade, finds out she’s a witch. It takes place in a world where Supernatural people are known about, but Jade has never identified as anything else but human. She starts bleeding out enough power to catch the interest of the supernatural community and a local coven is charged with bringing her into the fold. Jade has to decide if being part of a coven is something that she wants, or maybe even needs. She offers to give it a try and once at the coven, finds out that there may be other beings interested in her power – whether or not it’s still attached to her living body. Jade has to figure out who would be after her power while at the same time, trying to figure out if she belongs.

SKY:  If you had to sell your book based on one run of dialogue (start quote to end quote), which would it be?

MARGARITA:  “You’re very powerful and I think you could be quite useful to me in the future. And you’re not a screamer. Not that I don’t love a good scream, but when you’re trying to do business, screaming tends to hamper things a little. But, here’s the thing,” he leaned in a little closer and dropped his voice slightly. His lips were disgustingly close to hers, so close that she didn’t really have anywhere else to look. But she couldn’t look at his eyes - they made her stomach roll, made bile rise up in her throat. What the fuck was going on? She forced her eyes sideways, staring at the lamp on the nightstand with its strange pattern of vines and leaves, twisting and turning up the base, a glass lampshade with a leaf pattern on top. She’d thought it was so pretty when she first saw it. She stared at the glass, trying to find the pattern in the graceful twists and turns. “I’m not the only one that noticed how powerful you are. And more unfortunately, I wasn’t even the first.”

SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.

MARGARITA:  I’m currently working on the second book in the Covencraft Series, tentatively titled Counter Hex. While I don’t have all the plot details fleshed out, it’s about Jade learning more magic and learning how it all fits into her life. At the same time, it appears that other witches in the Coven are having problems and/or losing their magic and Jade is unaffected. It sort of leaves her as a person of interest or suspicion in a place she already wasn’t sure she really belonged.

SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?

MARGARITA:  I think she’s a wounded soul that doesn’t quite realize it. She wouldn’t take the time to think about it in those terms but she has had a lot of cards stacked against her in her life. She’s practical and can be a bit emotionally stunted. She doesn’t always ‘get’ people or social interactions simply because the history of her life leading up to now hasn’t shown her any really healthy relationships. I think inherently she wants to fit in, whether or not she knows it. She can be abrupt and it can come across as cold or distant, but I don’t think she sees that yet. She’s growing as a person and I think she’ll get there, she just needs more time and more stability.

SKY:  What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?

MARGARITA:  I really enjoy paranormal, urban fantasy and romance. I like the imagination aspect of it and the world building. I find that most readers are ready to accept any new world as long as the world building and ‘rules’ are consistent. Inconsistent rules lead to unhappy readers!
I’d love to get more into horror but I feel I need to read a bit more in that genre before I start getting serious. I’ve played around with horror in some shorter work and I find it’s hard not to “over-horror” things too quick! I need to work on building that intensity and the discomfort that sometimes accompanies a good horror story.

SKY:  Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?

MARGARITA:  I like them all I find that short stories have been a little harder for me and it’s something I want to develop. In short stories, so much can be about what you don’t say and I do find it hard to let go of that element of control and hope that my reader gets there on his/her own. But short stories can be very powerful and I think they’re a medium we don’t see enough of. I also like plotting longer pieces like novellas or novels simply because I feel more invested as a writer, and I hope the reader feels invested as well.

SKY:  Thanks for joining me today, Margarita! Wishing you much success always.

About the Author

Margarita loves the art, creativity and romanticism of storytelling. Sometimes, however, the act of putting pen to paper proves challenging, elusive. She develops genuine, relatable characters which grow in the hearts of her readers. From that foundation, the stories flourish into a warm friend.

She enjoys pursuits which blur the lines between the analytical and creative sides of her brain. This includes her day job in electronic data management, where she uses her creativity to solve logical problems, and also her lessons learning to play the cello, where she finds beauty in the structure of music and the instrument. She believes there is a place for both logic and imagination to work together. When they do, the results are magical.

Margarita has a special spot in her heart for dogs and lives with three of them. It can be a little overwhelming but the quality snuggle time makes up for it.

Margarita lives in Calgary, Alberta with her family.


http://margaritagakis.wordpress.com 
Twitter:  @margaritagakis 

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/CovencraftSeries

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Love Blooms Across Species, Culture, and Time. Scent of Salvation by Annie Nicholas.

Today I’m thrilled to welcome over Annie Nicholas, author of Scent of Salvation, Chronicles of Eorthe Book 1. Not only are we celebrating this ‘hot off the press' release but I’ve also included a fabulous interview!
Genre: Paranormal RomancePublisher:  Samhain PublishingDate of Publication:  July 30th, 2013ISBN: 978-1-61921-748-5Word Count: 98,000Cover Artist: Kanax
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Book Description

Love blooms across species, culture, and time.

Chronicles of Eorthe, Book 1

Stranded in another dimension, on a primitive version of Earth, Dr. Susan Barlow needs to find a way to survive. There’s no electricity, no cities, and to her shock, no humans. Instead, she faces a population of werewolves, vampires and incubi. The people are vicious but she must find her place among them. And live.

An illness is killing Sorin’s pack. As alpha it’s his responsibility to save them, but it’s a battle this warrior doesn’t know how to fight. Then a blue light in the sky brings a creature he’s never seen. She calls herself human, but to him she smells like hope.

Sorin offers Susan a safe haven in return for a cure, but she’s not that kind of a doctor. She’s a doctor of physics, not a physician. Yet as they search for a cure to save a dying people, they find something special—each other.

But even with Sorin’s protection, Susan can’t help but wonder how long she can survive in a world without humans…

Time for the interview!
SKY:  What inspired you to write this book?

ANNIE:  I love telling this story because it shows how twisted my mind is. LOL

Both my sons were very ill with strep throat. Fever for days. When one was awake, the other was asleep, and vice versa. In other words, I had slept more than a few hours in days. I felt like the Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and antibiotic dispensing machine.

About two in the morning, I had both boys in one bed so I could watch them together. My oldest’s fever was raging and I was waiting anxiously for the meds to kick in or I’d have to place him in a cool bath. Again. I was sitting on the floor and rested my head on the mattress and fell asleep.

In a matter of minutes, I dreamt of this whole world. I spent the next nine months writing book one and about a year editing it. If you’ve read where this story comes from and read the book, you’ll see much of the inspiration within it.  By the way, my boys are fine. Thank goodness for antibiotics. :D

SKY:  What made you choose the main setting for your book?

ANNIE:  I love creating elaborate worlds. Creating Erothe gives me so many options. If I get tired of writing wolf shifters then I could go to the dragons in the far east or the incubi in South Amerigo or the vampires in Europa.

SKY:  Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.

This is series about Eorthe, an alternate Earth, where humans never existed. Instead it’s populated by every creature in our mythology. The first book is to establish this new world where the people like vampires, shifters, and many other things have never been influenced by human morals or culture.  The shifters are feral, the vampires blood thirsty, and incubi to die for…literally.

Dr. Susan Barlow, a human physicist on our Earth, has created a Dimensional Gateway machine that the US military has seized. Feeling betrayed by her colleagues, she destroys her life’s work to keep it from being abused. This causes a gateway to open and tosses her through to the unknown. This city girl born and raised is lost in the woods, in another dimension, where no one has ever heard of a human.

SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.

ANNIE:  The cover has the face of my hero, Sorin, on it. This world is fierce and savage just like my hero. I think it depicts the flavor of the story very well.

SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.

ANNIE:  I am currently working on the third book of The Angler series titled Release. It’s due to be available on October 21, 2013.

SKY:  Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.

ANNIE:  There are many scenes I’d share but these three male shifters together crack me up.

Scratching his chin, Sorin continued watching the guards pace the wall but the eastern sentries passed at a slower march than the northern. “We’ll have to climb the wall under cover of night, take out the guards and search the castle.” With an army of shifters, they might succeed. He gazed at his exhausted, recently poisoned companions.

They were doomed.

“And how do we escape with the females?” Ahote asked.

“On my magic unicorn.” Sorin pointed at his cock then punched the hunter in the shoulder. “How do I know? We run. My main concern is getting inside. I must have missed the lesson on raiding castles as a pup.”

“I didn’t.” Peder spoke into the thick silence. He crouched low under both their sharp gazes. “I listened to stories the old ones told. Actually, I begged them to re-tell them when I could. About when the vampires first arrived on our lands.”

“And what is your idea?” Sorin prompted his resourceful omega.

“We’ll need a cart, some peasant’s clothes that fit me and a skunk.”

Sorin refused to blink, afraid if he looked away, he’d miss his Peder blooming into a possible hunter.

“Sounds like the making of a nasty joke.” Ahote chuckled.

“We’ll separate and meet back here. Peder, you find the clothes and I’ll get the cart.”

“What? That leaves me with the…“ Ahote’s eyes went wide and he grimaced.

SKY:  Are your book/books available in audio? In other languages? If so, give us more details about where we can get them and what languages they’re in.

ANNIE:  I have three audio books. Starved for Love a very hot succubus/incubus love story from Carina Press, Bait book one of The Angler series, and Catch book 2 of The Angler series.

SKY:  Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.

ANNIE:  Most of my books are in series.

The Angler is a first person point of view books about Connie Bence. She starts her journey as professional vampire bait for slayers and her journey goes from there. These books are action packed and suspenseful. First book, Bait, is free everywhere.

The Vanguards are novellas written in the third person point of view. These stories about a small pack of omega wolf shifters in Chicago and their journey/growth. Each novella is has a new hero/heroine. There are six books in this series. First book is $0.99 everywhere.

Confession of a Succubus series is about Pia Blyton, a succubus with a big broken heart. She wants to fall in love and have relationship but it’s hard when she has to feed from having an orgasm every three days and it can’t always be the same guy or he’ll die. Monogamy just can’t be in her cards. Book one is titled Starved for Love.

Thanks for having me!

SKY:  My pleasure, Annie! Wishing you much success always.

Excerpt
Before Susan could explain anything about dimensions and gateways, the door to Kele’s chamber crashed open, and Susan jumped to the balls of her feet, prepared—to what, fight? Was she nuts?

A female blocked the entrance, her muscular physique hinting at enough strength to twist Susan into a pretzel without breaking a sweat. The newcomer flung her black hair over her shoulder.

Rising with grace, Kele straightened her dress before addressing the intruder. “Mother.”

“Daughter, I heard you’ve brought home a stray along with the Apisi alpha.” The female’s stare drilled into Susan, her sneer far from welcoming.

Susan’s breath caught in her throat. Black, soulless eyes ate her gaze. Her fingers clutched the lapels of her jacket as she pulled it closed. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants and offered her hand. “I’m Dr. Susan Barlow.”

The female shifter narrowed her eyes, nostrils flaring.

Susan withdrew her untouched hand, then hid it behind her back and glanced at Kele. Maybe she should have sniffed her mother instead? She wished someone would give her the Dummies Guide to Shifter Society and a little time to study it.

Kele’s mother crossed the room in two great strides and swung her arm.

Susan did her best impression of a statue. She didn’t budge as the impact of the slap swerved her head to the side and dragged her gaze from mother to daughter. Both of them were flushed with emotion yet at opposite poles of the color spectrum—one dark as an oncoming storm and the other pale as the moonlight.

The back of Susan’s heel caught the edge of the cushion and she landed hard on her back.

The bitter flavor of blood swept over her taste buds. “What the hell?” She rubbed her jaw and glared daggers at the crazy woman looming over her. Just as quickly, she schooled her expression to something less threatening before she insulted the bigger shifter further. With the tip of her tongue, Susan explored her mouth. She didn’t encounter any big gaps, so no lost tooth. A small blessing.

Kele’s crazy mother hovered over Susan’s face and bared her teeth. In beast form, her expression would have appeared fierce, but in human form it seemed terrifying. With an easy grace, she flipped Susan onto her stomach. A bony knee pressed between her shoulder blades, making her kiss the floor. Pain shot across Susan’s upper back and neck.

“How dare you come into my den and not submit to me.”

“She’s not a shifter!” Kele shouted. “You can’t expect her to know how to be polite.”

Something ran over Susan’s hair, and the sound of sniffing followed. She tried to take a deep breath but the weight on her back made it difficult.

The nutjob exhaled in disgust. “What is she?”

“A human.” Kele peered at Susan’s throbbing face as she stroked her hair. “Please, I wanted to teach her how to behave before meeting you and father.”

“Your father.” The bitch snorted. “It’s bad enough he’s entertaining a vampire and dealing with trespassing alphas. We don’t need any more vermin within the den.”

Susan was jerked from the ground by her hair and dragged across the floor. Pain shot into her scalp while she scrambled to support her weight with her legs.

“Let go. Let go.” The shifter world was more brutal than anything she’d ever experienced. Susan slapped at the crazy woman’s hands tangled in her hair.

“My daughter took too many liberties in offering you shelter. You’ll need to find another den to take you in.”

At a loss, Susan yanked and squirmed but only made the pain worse. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kele leap.

The petite blonde used her wiry strength to jump across the room and land on her mother’s back. The collision knocked them both to the ground in a knot of arms and legs.

Untangling her limbs from the struggling shifters, Susan could finally elbow the bitch in the face. The impact made a satisfying crunch. She pulled back her arm for a second shot, but Kele grabbed her and half carried, half dragged her out of the chamber.

“Hurry, we need to reach my father before she beats you into cinders.”

Not needing any further incentive, Susan ran after her new friend. “Your people are crazy.”


About the Author

Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon’s ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.

Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and Lyrical Press.


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