Selena Blake's Blog, page 33

Book Blogger Interview: Larissa’s Bookish Life

Where are you from? Were you a big reader as a child?
I’m from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I have always been a big reader. My parents always encouraged saying that it didn’t matter how tight the budget, they would always do their best to give me any books I wanted.


What made you decide to start a book blog?
My blog started as a personal blog, but after talking to a lot of authors and bloggers on twitter I decided to shar my love for books and opinions back in the end of 2009.


What’s your biggest challenge as a book blogger?
Living outside of an English speaking country and blogging in English. 


Who are some of your favorite authors and why?
So many, like: Ilona Andrews, Larissa Ione, J.R. Ward, Eileen Wilks and so many others. I follow over 100 book series.


What’s your biggest book/story related pet peeve?
My biggest book Pet peeve is being interrupted while reading. People just assume you are available to talk. My biggest book story is going to the AAD Convention in 2011, making friends with Larissa Ione and being one of the bloggers in a group she dedicated a book to =)


If you could only read one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?


Probably Paranormal Romance, however I am extremely addicted to Procedural Thrillers right now.




Find Larissa at:

Blog
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Book of the Week: Games Demons Play

“Hello, Gorgeous.” Izzy Lukin trailed the edge of her index finger down the flawless black paint. The Bugatti Veyron could have been a man, she lusted for it so.

“Who are you talking to?” Avery’s voice echoed in Izzy’s ears thanks to her iPhone’s earbuds.

“No one,” Izzy said quickly, snatching her hand back.

The dim light in the garage made the sleek sports car extra seductive. Like a woman… bathed in candlelight. But a woman did not come with twelve hundred horsepower. Or a body with enough contours it could have been a world-class bodybuilder. And a gleaming paint job that called to Izzy like a droplet of blood.

Like all vamps, she was attracted to shiny, sparkling things, and the coal black car in Valencia’s garage certainly glittered. Especially since Izzy had opened the enormous garage door, letting the pale beams of light from the full moon dance through the space.

“You’re not doing what I think you’re doing?” Avery asked. Avery, the raven-haired American beauty with the exotic Asian features, was fast and loose with men, but when it came to coven rules, she might as well have been a nun.

“Of course not. I was only talking to her.” Talking. Lusting after her. Her being Gorgeous, the car.

“I still think it’s crazy-sauce that V nicknames her cars,” Avery replied. As a former Olympian and sports therapist, Avery was practical. Analytical. She was not particularly fantastical.

Izzy, on the other hand, had an impulsive streak as wide as the English Channel. She loved that Valencia, cool-as-the-Siberian-winter, gave her cars names. If she were ever able to buy a car like Gorgeous, she’d give it a sexy name too.

“She nicknames her jewels as well,” Izzy reminded, bringing up one of Avery’s favorite topics. The vampiress might be practical, but her love of fine jewelry ran deep. It was Avery who single-handedly pushed Valencia into opening a chain of jewelry stores.

“Well, honey,” Avery drawled, “if I had stones like hers, I’d name ’em too.”

Izzy’s thought exactly.

“I will be back before sunup. Do not worry about me.” Turning away from the car, she clutched the collection of hangers with her left index finger and tossed the garments over her shoulder.

“I still don’t understand why you don’t let the butler take care of your dry cleaning.”

Avery didn’t mind being waited on. Izzy had not gotten used to it. And besides, sometimes she just needed her space. “I like to get out of the house.” Despite the enormous mansion and surrounding land, she still got restless sometimes and needed to be out among people. It was probably because she grew up in a big city where you could not move without rubbing shoulders with your neighbor.

Izzy glanced at the gleaming motorcycle Valencia had given her on the one-year anniversary of the night she’d been turned. Jet-black with sparks of chrome. A beast of a machine that purred between her thighs.

It wasn’t the Bugatti.

Against her better judgment, she glanced back at the car and a tendril of desire snaked through her body. What would it be like to drive such a precision machine? She could almost feel the bucket seats curving around her, hugging her, cupping her ass like tight denim. Like the ultimate caress.

Over the top of the car, Izzy spied the shadow box containing keys to all the cars in the garage. Normally, Izzy drove her motorcycle or if she needed a car, she drove Lucifer, the Mercedes. But right there for the world to see… The keys to the Bugatti. Did she dare?

“Do not wait up.” As she hit the button on the phone to disconnect the call she heard Avery call her name. There was no way for Avery to make it from her room to the garage in time to stop Izzy. Unless she flashed.

Valencia would never know. She was in New York City for fashion week, Izzy reasoned with herself. She would have Gorgeous back in her stall by sun up.

Desire drove her to the keys. She was careful with the hangers as she laid her dry cleaning in the passenger’s seat. The fine leather interior smelled divine and a surge of excitement shot through her. Sitting in a Bugatti, surrounded by the cozy-yet-sleek interior, was like coming home.

Like finding the perfect pair of shoes. Just the right color. Just the right heel height. Just the right fit.

The engine roared, then purred. A tremor quaked through Izzy’s body as she adjusted the mirrors. The car was ridiculously expensive. The kind of money that very few people could afford. People like her father. Like Valencia. Her fingers wrapped around the steering wheel and she felt a flush similar to an oncoming orgasm. Perfection was in the details and this automobile was worth every penny.

Breathless, she pulled into the courtyard and flipped on the lights. It was not often that Izzy got butterflies of excitement in her stomach. Being wrapped in this glorious car was one of those times.

Smiling, she stepped on the gas.

The gas pedal was sensitive, just as she’d expected. It would be so easy, too easy, to release the power. To accelerate across the countryside and experience the automobile as it was meant to be driven. Full on, without caution.

Too easy.

When she rolled to a stop on the outside of town she looked at the sign across the road. An invisible power urged her to let the horses beneath the hood run free. Fast and far, unbridled.

Left to town. Right… to Germany. To the Autobahn.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, she realized there was one more direction she could go. Back.

Home to the mansion. Put Gorgeous away. Get in Lucifer and do the smart thing. The boring thing.

Drive.

Not for the first time in her life she felt helpless, powerless against the unknown pull. Drawing her away from what she knew was the smart decision. The temptation was so strong she felt like she were not really inhabiting her body. Just a passenger along for the ride.

Drive.

She turned right.

Pick it up at:

A | BN | S | ARe | K

SSFIS: Random

It’s that time of the week again. Time for another edition of Someone Searched For It Sunday.  This week is brought to you by the letter R for random.

1.  “her fangs” “blood” “his heartbeat” (I’m thinking they would love Seduced by a Cajun Werewolf. Seriously. She’s a vampire sent to kill him. He’s a werewolf who used to be in love with her. Well, he still is because he’s never stopped.)

2.  best places to go in new orleans (I polled my readers. Here’s what they said.)

3.  selena blake books in order (another search for this. I covered this in a previous SSFIS.)

Come back next Sunday for three more search terms.

9.6.2013 Wolfpack Kits are on the Way

Wolfpack Starter Kits have been sent to those 457 early wolfpack members who requested one last year.

Tami got hers!

So did Christine!

But the fun is just beginning. Stay tuned for a Knock-Your-Socks-Off contest!

Meanwhile, get more Wolfpack Gear right here!

Sanity Saver for Scrivener Users

Scrivener is one of my favorite tools. I could talk about it for hours, but every so often I go to open a document and gives me an error of Doom! Basically it says that my file is incompatible with that version of Scrivener. *gulp*

Luckily there’s a super simple fix that has always worked for me. I just followed this advice from Michael Coorlim’s blog and waalaa, it works! Whew. See, sanity saver. Hair saver too because I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t pull their hair out over a lost manuscript.

Book of the Week: Ready & Willing

“You’re not going to be Alpha,” the woman at his side said through her faux

smile.

It was almost like she could read his mind. He wished for a moment that he

could read hers.

Instead, he ducked his head closer, catching her subtle honey-vanilla

fragrance. “I’d say it’s a done deal, sweetheart.”

Those warm brown eyes flashed up at him with flecks of golden fire. Why

had he never noticed their exquisite color before? They were like cinnamon

and amber.

“The deal is hardly done. Why would my father hand over the

leadership of the pack to an outsider?”

The last word hung in the air between them. Kaden didn’t feel like an

outsider. He hadn’t for a long time. WhitePaw was his home. He had friends,

a nice house, and a good job in the city. And he was Beta of the pack, a

position he took seriously.

“Especially since he has offspring reading and willing to do the job.”

With the processional gathering in the lobby of the church, the photographer

began organizing people for the photos. Kaden quickly steered Ava into a

nearby room.

“What—“

He cut off her words. “Ready and willing, huh?”

Ava stared up at the insanely handsome werewolf as her stomach fluttered

like a wounded butterfly. Her reaction to him was nothing new. But the

intensity of it was.

How did he manage to make three little words sound so naughty? And why

couldn’t she seem to remember that he was the enemy?

She couldn’t, wouldn’t, tell him just how ready and willing she was when

it came to him. How she’d fantasized about kissing him more often than

was decent. Or how she daydreamed of running her fingers through his sexy

almost-shoulder-length-but-not-quite golden, brown hair.

 

A | BN | ARe | S | K

SSFIS: gdpeverafter, Members Lounge, Stormy Weather

Hello dear reader! Welcome back to Someone Searched for it Sunday! Some of the search terms leading people to my site are down right hilarious and you can’t help but wonder “just what were they hoping to find.” Others are honest searches and I use my blog as a place to help you find what you want.

 So let’s get started.

1. gdpeverafter (This is the twitter hashtag for my story Games Demons Play. Again, this one is light on the paranormal, heavy on the love. People who don’t like demons love this book. Shade is one heckuva demon. Don’t take my word for it. Last time I checked, it has 45 five star reviews!)

2. Selena Blake Members Lounge (They’re looking for my super secret members lounge that’s open only to Wolfpack members. You can become one here.)

3. Selena Blake Stormy Weather series (my bestselling series of cajun werewolves. yes, they’re as hot as they sound. And yes, I do have plans for print editions of this series.)

Come back next Sunday for three more search terms.

For Writers: You’re a Unique Snowflake so Stop Comparing Yourself

We’ve all done it. Compared ourself to another writer. Maybe even dozens of writers.

I recently saw an author friend lamenting all the ways she wasn’t as popular as her peers. And while she was happy for others’ success she was anxiously waiting for grand things to happen to her.

I’ve been there. Done that. I understand how hard it is to look around and see others doing big things, writing big books, getting the attention.

But guess what buttercup, you’re a unique snowflake.

You are valuable and you need to remember that.

When the green eyed monster kicks in, stop counting someone else’s blessings and count your own. Figure out what they’re doing differently and decide on steps you can take to incorporate that into your career. Learn from others achievements and mistakes. Talk to other writers; ask for their advice. Writing is solitary but that doesn’t mean you live in a bubble and it doesn’t mean you can’t switch directions and try new things.

Figure out ways to emulate those you admire. Be aggressive. Development partnerships. Study your craft. Make plans. Adjust your strategy.

But remember that you are unique. You can never have the same success as someone else. Your experiences flavor your work, your decisions, and your career. They’re what make you unique. They’re what will help you succeed. So don’t compare yourself to others. Learn from them. Adjust your career strategy. Own it.

TWEETABLES

Adjust your career strategy. Own it. Click To Tweet

Book of the Week: Ask For It

“I’m really not here to do a story on you. Your life is your life. I just want my money back. And barring that…” She glanced toward the door. “And those shoes.” She offered him what he hoped was a warm smile.

“If you’re lying to me–”

So much for trying the sweet-talking Southern route.

JJ nixed the smile, put her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Just ring up my shoes please. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”

He searched her face. She saw his hands close at his sides, flex, and close again. How many times had she fantasized about those same hands and what they could do to her body? How much pleasure they could bring, teasing her nipples, fingering her until she was begging him to let her come…

She glanced up at his face again. What was he wrestling with?

And if he didn’t trust her, why was he staring at her lips the way a man dying of thirst stared at a glass of water?

Then in a lightning fast move that had made him a legend on the field, he wrapped his big hands around her waist and hauled her against him. Her breasts crushed against the solid wall of his upper abs and their thighs collided.

Gasping, her hands settled against his chest. The man was built. And ridiculously warm.

Staring up to meet his gaze she licked her lips. If he was hoping to startle a confession out of her, he’d be waiting a hell of a long time. But if he wanted to hear her beg…

He stared right back. The voice in the back of her mind whispered for her to kiss him. Finally find out what all the fuss was about and verify that he’d been worth every naughty fantasy she’d ever had about him.

As if the invisible force holding them apart snapped, she stretched up and he bent down, their lips meeting in the middle.

Her eyes drifted shut and her breath stalled in her throat. His kiss was hot, firm, rough… Yep, everything she’d always fantasized about. And like him, bigger and bolder than her ordinary ho-hum life. She thrust a hand through his hair, needing to be closer. His tongue speared between her lips and everything feminine inside her melted. She melted. Against him, into him, beneath his hot hands that seared through the thin fabric of her blouse.

Oh God. He felt so good. Getting lost in his kiss felt so good. So right.

As if suddenly realizing how much time they’d wasted over the years, his big hands moved to the buttons on her blouse, fumbling to get them out of the holes. She couldn’t be sure but she thought he was trembling.

That brought out her bolder side. The idea that this man, the man who’d run eighty yards to score the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl, could be unsteady, that there’d be any vulnerability in him whatsoever was awe inspiring.

JJ dropped her purse to the ground and then sucked on his tongue. His hands stopped their course as he groaned. But he quickly returned to the job, freeing her from her silken prison. After tugging the shirt out of her skirt he splayed his fingers around her waist again, making her feel small and feminine. Then, almost reverently, he slid his hands north and cupped her breasts, testing their weight, tracing the scalloped trim with his fingertips.

Her knees knocked together as he pinched the stiffened peaks. “Oh…” She gasped for breath, feeling a little light headed.

Trevor seemed to know instinctively what she needed and how very wet he was making her. He turned and her back met a metal shelving unit. She winced at the pain between her shoulder blades but didn’t stop trailing her fingers through his hair.

With his big body holding her there, locked in place, his thumbs continued to torment her nipples with slow circles and steady pressure.

When his lips moved down her jaw, chill bumps coursed over her skin like wildfire. She shivered against him, clutching him to her. He licked the hollow of her throat and she let out an honest-to-God whimper. Gracious, what was he doing to her?

“You taste like sugar,” he murmured against her skin. “You know what my favorite carnival food is?”

His lips nibbled their way back up to her ear. Oh my—

“Funnel cake?”

“Cotton candy. A mix of the pink and the blue.”

“Sounds sweet. Ahh…” He bit her earlobe gently, tugging just hard enough to bring another flood of moisture between her thighs. At this rate her panties would be soaked before he even got them off her.

“You taste sweeter than you look.”

“Gee thanks.” She slid her hands down the solid wall of his chest, relishing each wonderful muscle. After all this time, she was finally able to touch him.

“Have you seen yourself lately?” he whispered. “As much as I hate to admit it, I know a thing or two about women’s lingerie.”

JJ’s temper spiked. “I’ll just bet you do.” She pushed him away but he barely moved.

“Seriously.” He leaned back just far enough to stare down at her breasts. “Black lingerie. Scalloped edges. I can almost see through the cups, beautiful. A sweet woman does not wear underwear like this.”

She raised an eyebrow at his assessment. Did that make her a bad girl? She supposed there was a case for that considering her current circumstances.

“It makes me wonder…” He trailed a finger down the valley between her breasts. “…if you’re wearing matching panties.”

The look in his eyes was pure mischief. She forgot all about her temper as a sultry smile curved her lips. If she was going to be bad…she might as well go all the way.

 

A | BN | S | ARe | K

SSFIS: Selena Blake, books and more

If you’re new here, welcome. I occasionally post interesting search terms that bring folks to my site. Some of them are down right hilarious and you can’t help but wonder “just what were they hoping to find.” Others are honest searches and I use my blog as a place to help you find what you want.

If you’ve been here before. Welcome back. Good to see you. It’s time for another Someone Searched For It Sunday. Ready?

So let’s get started.

Top search term that brought folks to my humble online abode: Selena Blake (why yes, yes I am.)

2. Selena Blake author (yes, I am an author. I write contemporary romance and paranormal romance. I’ve also written short stories, erotica, menage, and sci fi. I love werewolves and vampires the most. So if you’ve a fan of love stories and lycans, give my Stormy Weather Series a look. And if you like feel good paranormal romance, don’t miss my Mystic Isle series.)

3. Selena Blake Books (I have bunches of them. See?  I actually have lost count. If you take the time to count, let me know how many I’ve published, okay? Thanks. I know I have 28 projects on my whiteboard in some degree of doneness. That’s more for you to read, dear reader.)

Come back next Sunday for three more search terms.