Cynthia Eden's Blog, page 98

The Evil that Men Do – My Deadly Valentine

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend. Today, I've got another one of my very talented Brava author sisters with me. It's my pleasure to introduce Bronwen Evans to you–Bronwen writes sexy and dark regency romances, and you'll be able to purchase her upcoming release, INVITATION TO RUIN, on February 22! Welcome, Bronwen!

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Hello from New Zealand!

When Cynthia kindly invited me to blog with her, using the premise of My Deadly Valentine, I was thrilled. I love a good villain.

I write Regency historicals, and while the genre is different from a dark romantic suspense, I always have a disturbing villain in my books.  There is just something so engaging about a villain. Take Eric Northman in True Blood, a villain you love to hate, or is it simply lust to hate.  Or the villain you can't wait to see get their comeuppance, like the White Witch in the Narnia series.

I started thinking about how, as a writer, I come up with villains and how I get into their heads. I asked my friend and critique partner, Gracie O'Neil (www.romanceshewrote.com) who writes romantic suspense, for help. And she prepared some villainous questions for me to answer.

1. In your opinion, what makes a terrifying villain?

Intelligence. A villain who's intelligent is a most dangerous beast. In my debut book, Invitation to Ruin, due for release on 1 March 2011, the villain is so clever that no one would believe the evil he has planned. He doesn't do the obvious. He's unpredictable. That is what I find terrify. A villain you can't understand or anticipate.

2. When you're creating your villain, do you start from the premise that most people are basically good, or from another hypothesis? How does you premise help you in his construction?

My premise always drives the type of villain I write. For instance, in Invitation to Ruin, the hero's father was a slave trader. Therefore, it seemed obvious to have a villain who came from that environment. Once the idea was there, I simply thought about what sort of characteristics a villain who dealt in trading human beings would have. I developed his family background. What would his childhood have been like to have set him down this path, and why could Anthony (my hero) rise above it, but Philip (the villain) not? The good and bad within a person is often a trait of their upbringing, but something inside gives them the courage to overcome.  Once I'd drafted out Philip's background, I knew how evil he would be.

3. What aspect of "being evil" offends you most in a villain?

A complete lack of humanity. A person who picks on people unable to protect themselves.  I hate cruelty of any kind. I was totally unsympathetic to Philip because he was a psychopath. He enjoyed other's pain, and lived to hurt and destroy.

4. Do you ever feel sorry for your villains?

I think it's only human to feel sorry for them when the end comes, especially if they've had a terrible upbringing.  That's why I wanted Anthony and Phillip to have had the same horrendous childhood.  They both had sadistic fathers. It really demonstrated how Anthony was inherently good. His heart still had the capacity to love, while Phillip didn't even try to be good. Phillip chose the easy path and embraced evil.

5. How important is it for a villain to have at least one heroic quality?

That depends on the story. In Invitation to Ruin, I couldn't find anything redeeming in Phillip, so I didn't even try to give him any heroic qualities. It's not very heroic to trade in human flesh.

6. What is one personality trait you would NEVER give your villain?

I don't think I'd ever say never. A premise, character background and a story's  plot usually dictate the villain's personality; so I'd never say I wouldn't give him or her – ooooh , don't you find female villains scarier – I think I'll put one in my next book – a certain trait.

I think villain's are some of the most enjoyable character's to write and read. Don't you?

To win a copy of Invitation to Ruin, leave a comment below, telling me your favourite villain and why?

Thanks for having me, Cynthia. I can't wait to find the villain in DEADLY HEAT.

To find out more about my upcoming release, Invitation to Ruin, (RT Book Review 4.5 Star rating) and me, please visit my website www.bronwenevans.com or my blog Regency Seductions

Happy reading everyone

Bron

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!

Today's guest is talented author (and my Brava mentee buddy!) Dale Mayer.  Dale is definitely a writer-to-watch! Dale, welcome back!

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Hi everyone! I'm delighted to be back here blogging with Cynthia – it's always such fun to be a part of her events.  Even better I'm going to talk about one of my favourite treats – chocolate!

It's Valentine's Day in a few days, and that means one I can justify indulging in my favorite treat.  Especially, after I cleaned out my cupboards in January under the guise of making some healthier lifestyle changes – I'm suffering from withdrawals already!  I love to walk the stores at this time of year. The presentation of the chocolates intrigues me.  The colors and shapes, the selection – just lovely!  It's while I was studying the heaped counters that I decided to devote this blog to fun facts on chocolate.  It's not that any of us are going to stop eating it – so we might as well enjoy it!

Chocolate is healthy for you – it's made from plants and contains many similar health benefits as dark green vegetables. Chocolate contains flavonoids, which act as antioxidants to protect the body from free radical damage.  A small bar of dark chocolate a day will help to reduce your blood pressure and has proven to lower your bad cholesterol by up to 10 %.
Chocolate contains copper, iron, zinc and magnesium – nutrients that are essential to the body.
Chocolate has long been considered an aphrodisiac. It's not, but it does contain a chemical, called phenylethylamine, which is the same chemical the brain produces naturally when you're in love.  So only enjoy with someone you want to be in love with – at least temporarily.
Chocolate contains serotonin, which acts as a natural anti-depressant – so it's actually good to eat when you're feeling down.
Chocolate stimulates production of endorphins, which helps you feel happy.
Chocolate contains other elements like caffeine, and theobromine, which act as stimulants – so it's good to take when you're tired as a quick pick up.
In the US, almost three quarters of the consumers choose milk chocolate over other varieties.
In 2000, the Italians created the largest chocolate bar coming in at a whopping 5,000 pounds.  The Armenians broke that record in 2010, producing a chocolate bar that weighed 4410 kilos (9702 lbs).
The popular belief that chocolate causes acne has been proven to be inaccurate.

10.  When making the Hitchcock film, Psycho, they used chocolate syrup to represent blood in the famous shower scene.

11.  The world consumes close to 600,000 tons of cocoa beans a year. Most of these beans come from West Africa. It takes close to 400 of these beans to make 1 pound a chocolate a year.

12.  The chocolate beans come from a tree species carrying the genus name of Theobroma – which means Food of the Gods.

13.  The chocolate industry coaxes over $20 billion a year from consumers.

14.  An average American will eat about 10-12 lbs of chocolate per year.

15.  The Swiss were reputed to be the heaviest consumers of chocolate each year, consuming close to 21 pounds per person per year.  Not to worry, they have one the lowest heart failure rates and obesity issues.  However, the Swedish have just moved into the top spot – consuming close to 30 pounds per person per year.  I have no idea how their health issues are!

16.  Chocolate melts in your mouth, because it's made with cocoa butter, which has a melting point lower than the average temperature of the human body.

17.  It's been proven that allowing chocolate to melt in your mouth produces brain and heart rate activity that's similar to – and even stronger than – the effects produced when kissing someone passionately

18.  One chocolate chip, should give any adult enough energy to walk 150 feet – Imagine what that one chocolate chip cookie could do for you.

19.  American chocolate manufacturers use around 1.5 billion pounds of milk.

20.  The first chocolate cake has been traced back to 1674.

21.  Hersey's is the oldest and largest chocolate company in the US.  However, Cadbury is the most popular in the UK.

22.  The snicker bar was named after a pet horse belonging to Frank and Ethel Mars.  It first came on the market in 1929.

23.  And finally, who said money doesn't grow on trees, cocoa beans was used as a currency back in the days of the Aztecs and Mayans.

So how do you indulge?  On occasion – and yes, every day could be considered an occasion in my house.  Only on big holidays like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and Valentine's Day? To celebrate?  To wallow?  With your vitamins?  As your dinner?  Tell me, what role does chocolate play in your life?

Interview with Rebecca Zanetti

Today, I've got new Kensington Brava author Rebecca Zanetti in the interview hot seat! Rebecca has a fabulous new vampire series that will be launching with Kensington very soon–soon as in February 22! Welcome, Rebecca! And congrats on your new release!

Now, let's jump into the interview!

1. You've got an exciting new series set to launch with Kensington Brava–will you tell readers what they can expect from the Dark Protectors?

The series features sexy vampires, dangerous shifters and deadly witches. Throw in alpha males, some steamy romance and a deadly virus out to destroy them all, and I think you have a fast-paced, exciting read.

2. What inspired your upcoming release, FATED?

I had this scene in my head about a single mom being squired away for safety by an overbearing soldier—kind of a surreal, this is so not happening scene. So I wrote it. Turns out the soldier was a vampire and possibly the destined mate to the single mother. Though of course, that was a decision they had to make themselves. Maybe fate played a part. Maybe not.

3. You write about some pretty intense situations…do you have a dark side of your own?

I'm pretty sure I do.   The whole big theme of good versus evil intrigues the heck out of me. And the evil has to be really bad for us to be impressed when good wins. To make it more interesting, good and bad are never absolutes. I mean, my good guy can be pretty bad. So the bad guy had better be freakin beyond evil.

4. How do you research your books?

Well, I Google a lot. I also ask people who know more than I do. For example, in FATED there's a virus that attacks the chromosomes of vampire mates, so I talked to a couple of scientists to make sure I had the genetics right. I did get to play around a bit because hey, there aren't really vampire mates with extra chromosomes (I'm pretty sure), but I wanted the basic science to be accurate.

5. Why did you decide to make vampires the "good" guys in your books?

I'm not sure I really sat down and decided that. I wrote the scene that had been spinning around in my head, Talen the hero turned out to be a vampire, and well, he was so sexy he had to be the good guy.

6. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Write that story in your head that you want to read. Don't watch the market; don't think about how your great-grandmother is going to react to your sex scenes, just write the book. Pretend it's only for you. Other people want to read that, too.

7. Why do you like writing paranormal tales with a dark edge?

I think it's a way to explore a bit. I've always followed the rules…and in dark paranormals you can let your wild side out—even ignore the rules or change them completely.

8. What can readers expect next from you?

Definitely more dark paranormals…I love exploring different worlds. I'd also like to try my hand at a romantic suspense series. More good vs. evil probably.

So, I'd love to give away a signed copy of FATED to one commenter. Here's a question: Should a vampire be a good guy? Feel free to answer or just comment on whatever's on your mind. We'll draw a name in a few days.

I Learned it from Nancy Drew!

In which Nancy meets Ned...

First of all, thank you so much, Cynthia for giving me the chance to do my first ever guest blog as a soon-to-be published author!

Though I didn't always call it that, I've been a fan of romantic suspense for pretty much my entire reading life. Like many young readers I started out with that most addictive of RS gateway drugs, the Nancy Drew mysteries by Carolyn Keene. I didn't care that Carolyn Keene wasn't even a real person. I had no idea that the versions I read were the watered down 1970's version of the originals written in the 1930s. All I cared about was that Nancy, and her BFFs Bess (the plump one) and George (the tomboyish one) were having yet another adventure. And when in book 7, The Clue in the Diary, Nancy met the young college student who would be her boyfriend for…oh, the next century or so? My schoolgirl heart was about as full as a schoolgirl's heart can be.

Now that I'm an adult, and I read more widely, I still find myself gravitating to Nancy Drew-esque romantic suspense novels—albeit with significantly hotter love scenes! But what is it about these modern-day romantic suspense novels that link them with their predecessors?

1) Hero and Heroine working together to solve the mystery. It might just be me, but there is something utterly thrilling about seeing a hero and heroine forced into close circumstances to hunt for the super evil bad guy. Or to find the missing treasure. Or to find out who killed their Mom/Dad/Sister/Brother/Best Friend. There is almost always more to the mystery than they ever imagined, and all those long nights spent "working" together on the case can lead to some delicious sexual tension.

2) The Hero (or Heroine) Always Has Friends. Just as Nancy had Bess and George, Ned had his own pals Dave Evans and Burt Eddleston who (conveniently!) dated Bess and George. In our modern-day romantic suspense novel the set up might not be quite as convenient as it is for Nancy and her friends—I mean it IS pretty unlikely that their respective BFFs are dating one another—but almost as soon as you begin reading Book 1 of a new series you can tell who is in the queue for his or her own book down the line. Some readers find this annoying and call it sequel-baiting, but I like getting to know future heroes and heroines early on. And, hey, unlike in the Nancy Drew books it's good to know that the friends will get to play the starring role at some point. Poor Bess/Dave and George/Burt must have gotten tired of always playing second fiddle to Nancy and Ned.

3) There is always a Happily Ever After. One of the rules of the unspoken pact between mystery author and mystery reader is that by the end of the novel the author will disclose to the reader who actually committed the crime. This is similar to the rule of the romance novel, which decrees that every romance novel must have a happy ending.  One thing I love about romantic suspense, and I learned this early on from Nancy Drew, is that the two can be blended together. Not only does a good romantic suspense novel reveal who the bad guy/girl is before the end, it also guarantees a happily ever after for our hero and heroine. While the romance in Nancy Drew never really led to the kind of HEA we expect from a romance novel,  there was always a hopeful ending, with the promise of more good times to come. And always,  always Nancy Drew books ended with the bad guys safe behind bars. In a world where happily ever after is sometimes hard to come by, and where the bad guys sometimes get away without punishment, there is a certain measure of comfort to be drawn from a temporary visit to a world where justice is always served.

In my own writing, for better or worse, I've found that I too prefer my hero and heroine to work together to solve a mystery. I also make sure that my heroes and heroines have plenty of friends. Though they might not always match up as neatly as Nancy's friends and Ned's friends did. And always, always I make sure that my bad guys are, if not safe behind bars, at least vanquished and sent somewhere far far away. What can I say? I learned it from the Nancy Drew! You can judge for yourself how well or badly I did in when my first novel, a Regency Historical called How to Dance with a Duke releases from St. Martin's Press in February 2012. To learn more, or just to say hello, you can find me on Twitter, Facebook or at http://www.mandacollins.com

So, what about you, dear reader? Have you stumbled across some similarities between your childhood reading and the books of your adulthood? Can you trace a path from what you loved as a child to what you love as an adult? One lucky commenter will win a copy of Cynthia Eden's Deadly Heat and a copy of Karen Rose's You Can't Hide both of which feature excellent examples of heroes and heroines solving the mystery together!

Deadly Couples

Hi, everyone! Today I am very excited my friend (and VERY talented author) Edie Ramer as my Deadly guest. Welcome, Edie!

A huge thank you to Cynthia for inviting me to be part of her Deadly posts. To go with the Valentine theme, I thought I'd talk about unusual couples. What better book to start with than Deadly Heat, the 2nd book of Cynthia's Deadly series. She's a firefighter and he's a Special Agent in the FBI's elite Serial Services Division. On their first meeting, she slugs him in the jaw to drag him out of a fire. Not the usual cute meet. (You can read the scene here.)

In Devil Moon: A Mystic Romance by Dana Taylor, she's a straight-laced assistant high school principal who wears "signature" outfits. He's a former football star and former alcoholic who's now the high school coach and doesn't have any clothes that match.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips says her heroine in Call Me Irresistible is "spoiled and impulsive, five-feet-ten-inches of good times, good intentions, good heart, and almost total irresponsibility." The hero is "so mature, so smart, so completely together." SEP had another match planned for him, but they were both too perfect. Together would have been perfectly boring instead of imperfectly fun.

Movies. It's not my favorite, but Mr. and Mrs. Smith definitely make an unusual couple. Though I'm sure they aren't the first who tried to kill each other and ended up in therapy.

One of my favorite movies is Love Actually. That had quite a few romances, but I'll pick Colin Firth's character's romance with his Portuguese maid while he's in France writing a book. The maid can't speak or understand English, and he can't speak or understand Portuguese. Yet they fall in love.

And we've probably all seen the Disney film Lady and the Tramp. Most Regencies have that same theme going on.

My most unusual couple is from my first self-published book, Cattitude. She's a cat who switches bodies with a woman but keeps her cat attitude – even as she falls in love with her former owner. He's been taking care of his family since he was fourteen, and now that his brother and sister are old enough and responsible enough to manage without him, he's ready to travel. Anyone who has anything to do with cats knows they don't travel well.

The hero in my book Dead People, the first book of my Haunted Hearts series, is a former rocker who doesn't believe in ghosts. The heroine is a ghost whisperer. He wants conventional. She wants acceptance. Opposites again.

When couples are so different there's a built-in conflict. Like the vampire heroine and the human hero from Cynthia's Immortal Danger. You can put the two together and watch the fireworks fly. And don't we love watching a good fireworks show? The more sparks and explosions, the more entertainment.

Can you think of any unusual couples that stuck in your mind? If you're a writer, have you written any?

Interview and EXPLOSIVE Giveaway with Beth Kery

Happy Sunday! Today, I've interviewed author Beth Kery. If you haven't read Beth's work, let me tell you–it's hot. Intense, emotional, action-packed. And I happen to know that Beth is one great lady.

Hi, Beth! Thanks so much for participating in My Deadly Valentine! And, wow, you sure have got one hot new release! Will you tell us a bit about EXPLOSIVE?

Thanks very much for having me, Cynthia, and best of luck with the upcoming releases. Very exciting!

Explosive is essentially a character-driven, contemporary erotic romance with suspense elements. It's a story about a man who reaches out blindly for a special woman when tragedy strikes his family and he learns an unbearable truth. Because of his trauma and emotional unrest, he has this sort of explosive physical need for this woman that's just the outer manifestation of a deeply emotional bond.

What inspired this story?

As a clinician in the mental health field, I've seen a lot of head traumas in addition to post traumatic stress syndromes. Believe it or not, I wanted to do a story that involved a realistic portrayal of short term amnesia. Amnesias happen a lot more than people think—both from physical and psychological causes—but just not in the 'forget your whole identity and former life' soap-opera kind of way. Thomas, my hero, forgets a very short period of time, but of course that block in memory causes some serious trouble.

Your hero, Thomas, is an ex-Navy explosives specialist–that definitely counts as a deadly job. What type of research do you do when you were creating his character?

I was lucky enough to meet a woman whose husband works for the Navy ORD, which is responsible for disposing of or deactivating all types of ordnance (bombs, explosives, etc.). He was nice enough to advise me on certain things, and even read parts of the book and gave feedback. You just can't beat getting firsthand expert advice like that. I'm really thankful for their feedback.

Is there one scene from EXPLOSIVE that you would describe as particularly deadly?

Well, the scene that's the most deadly for Thomas is a highly personal scene in his father's study, where he discovers some very ugly truths about his past. However, on a more tangible level, there's a warehouse explosion to hide evidence that nearly takes the hero's life. It was nice to have the above-mentioned expert guide me through that. It's surprising how little you actually know about describing a huge bomb explosion until you try to write it.

I've heard that you'll be writing under two pseudonyms now. Can you tell readers what they can expect from Bethany Kane?

I am. Bethany Kane is my new alter identity. She's going to be writing a series at Berkley called One Night of Passion, about a related group of people whose relationships all begin with one night of impulsive, wild sex that later leads to regret. Of course, the couples all end up in happily-ever-afters, but each has a different fun and challenging path to get there.

What's next for Bethany? And for Beth?

Beth has a couple books coming out in March—Velvet Cataclysm, the first book in the Princes of the Underground series from Samhain Publishing, will release in print and wide distribution on March 1, 2011. On March 22, I'm very excited that the first book in the Home to Harbor Town series will be debuting from Harlequin Special Edition. This is an emotional, romantic series about three very different families who are irrevocably tied together after a tragic car crash caused by a drunk driver. The first book is called The Hometown Hero Returns, and it's Marc and Mari's story—a sort of modern day Romeo and Juliet about two star-crossed lovers who get a second chance at love…if they can move past the animosity and grief between their two families inspired by the crash.

Bethany has also been busy. She has a novella in the Three to Tango anthology with Lauren Dane, Emma Holly and Megan Hart releasing in May of 2011, followed by the first book in the One Night of Passion series called Addicted to You. Addicted to You is a really fun, sexy contemporary that hits the shelves in June of 2011.

Thank you so much for having me at your contest, Cynthia!

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And thank you, Beth!  Now would you like to read a copy of the awesome hot EXPLOSIVE?  Then share your idea of a super hot hero.  You can talk about hero characteristics or you can tell me a movie start that is hero hot.

Inspiration (With Guest Donna Grant)

I'm thrilled to have fellow Danger: Women Writing author Donna Grant as my guest today.  Donna writes absolutely amazing stories about sexy, strong men and fierce, intelligent women. Love, love her work.  Donna, welcome!

Thank you to the talented and always lovely, Cynthia, for inviting me to her blog.  She comes up with the most unique themes for authors to come blog about.   I also want to give a shout out to Cynthia for her newest release DEADLY HEAT and the upcoming DEADLY LIES.  I couldn't put DEADLY HEAT down, and I'm very impatient for DEADLY LIES to get into my hot little hands. 

There are many things that inspire me before – and during – a book.  I can become inspired by something as simple as a lyric in a song or a line in a movie.  Often times it's the look of a character in a movie that will make me think of an upcoming hero or heroine in one of my books, and its like a light goes off in my head, an "ah,ha!" moment.

My first inspiration…Taylor Kitsch.  There is just something about the actor Taylor Kitsch.  I noticed him not from Friday Night Lights, but in the move The Covenant, then as Remy LeBeau/Gambit from X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  The overconfident, slightly wounded, and suspicious look Remy had was just what I was looking for to match my hero, the youngest MacLeod brother, Quinn.  With Kitsch's long hair and piercing eyes, he was a definite match for the bad boy of the MacLeods.

Music…it always inspires me.  Usually there is one song or one album that will seem to fit whatever book I'm working on.  For WICKED HIGHLANDER it was the soundtrack to King Arthur staring Clive Owen and Keira Knightly.  The sweeping, haunting music always took me to Scotland, to a world filled with magic and mystery.  As soon as I hear the first strings of that soundtrack, the words seemed to flow so much easier.

I often find myself inspired by…research.  With the villain and the heroines in the series being Druids, the lack of certain evidence to what the Druids really wore (healers and wise men, or people who sacrificed the innocents and called up evil) allowed me to craft my Druids into what I need – which was both the good and bad I had read about in the Druids.  In WICKED HIGHLANDER, the heroine is a Druid who has the spell to once more bind the primeval gods inside the Warriors.  But it's buried deep in her mind.

Another inspiration was the Celts.  Their stunning knot work, their history, the legends and lore, all of it inspired me.  The MacLeod brothers each wear an ancient Celtic torc around their necks, each with a special animal head that symbolizes them.  For Quinn, his torc has the heads of a wolf which meant cunning and intelligence.  Those are the characteristics that Quinn uses to his advantage throughout the series, but especially in his book.  In my books, the MacLeods were steeped in their traditions, and the sons of the laird all wore torcs with animals chosen by their mother.  Those torcs bound them to their clan – and to their past.  It also inspired me to have them give the women who would capture their hearts something with their animal as well.  For Quinn, he gives Marcail an arm cuff bearing a wolf's head, and declaring to all she is his.

I'll be giving away the third book in my Dark Sword series which released in Nov 2010, WICKED HIGHLANDER, to a commenter who answers this question:

What inspires you?

To find out more about me please visit my website at www.DonnaGrant.com.  To learn more about the Dark Sword series, see pics of the Warriors, search characters, take the quiz, or watch the book trailers, please visit www.donnagrant.com/DarkSword.

Hugs,

D

Book 3 in the Dark Sword series

The Dark Sword series unleashes the magic, passion, and fury of three legendary brothers – cursed by fate but bound by desire for the women they love…

A HEART IN CHAINS…

The most reckless and fierce of the MacLeod brothers, Quinn is a prisoner of the god inside him, tormented by his inability to save his family from slaughter. His fury governs him, and day by day he loses himself to the darkness in his soul. But Quinn has a profound yearning for a woman's love…

A PASSION UNBOUND…

Raised by Druids, the achingly beautiful Marcail is as spellbinding as the ancient magic that surges through her body. To Quinn, she is the most desirable woman he has ever known. But to his enemy Deirdre, she is the perfect bait to lure Quinn into her trap. Once the two lovers are in her wicked grasp, their passion will be put to the ultimate test…

Short and sweet

First, a big thanks to Cynthia Eden for having me back to her blog! I adore Cindy, which she very well knows! We bonded in WA. D.C. at a conference, and I can't wait to see her in NY!

I love a good suspense book. Both to read and to write. I myself haven't written a real meaty, laden with suspense book yet though. They're so intense and I love to read them and get lost in them. I guess when I write a romance with some suspense, it's just that. 'Some suspense'. I equate it to starting with a cup of black coffee, and adding just enough cream to change the color. If that makes any sense at all? Or maybe I'm just craving more coffee. But the element of suspense/danger, no matter how large or small in the story, can just up the intensity in a book.

I have a series out right now, Holding out for a Hero, that follows three brothers in a small town, the heroic careers they've chosen, and their journey in finding love. Two of the books in the series have a bit of suspense in them, Going Down and then Flash Point. And I had so much fun writing them! I love getting the hero/heroine into danger and seeing how they're going to claw their way out–or if their butt will need to be saved

So how about I keep this post short and sweet and give away a book. I'm going to make you work for it a bit. Okay, not a lot, because that would be mean. Why don't you just tell me one of your favorite suspense movie in the comments, and either I or Cynthia will draw a winner for any ebook off my backlist. And before I go, here's a peek at my next release, Flash Point.

Shelli

www.shellistevens.com

One taste of her lips, and friendship is off the menu

Kate has always been everybody's friend and the de-facto little sister to the Wyatt brothers. But her feelings for Todd Wyatt, the town's hottest firefighter, run far beyond the sibling variety. Not that he's ever noticed.

After years of nursing her crush, Kate decides it's time to take action. Except she has one awkward little secret: she's still a virgin. She hopes she can seduce Todd without him realizing just how inexperienced she is.

In Todd's mind, Kate's the sweet girl he teases and hits up for free cupcakes. One surprise kiss over the summer, though, and suddenly she's jumped from the platonic side of his brain to the want-her-in-my-bed side. Even though the last thing he wants is to lose her friendship, his resistance to her determined seduction is slipping. Fast.

When malicious attacks on her bakery escalate, it soon becomes clear that for all Kate's friends, she's made at least one big enemy. And if they don't figure it out soon, things could take a deadly turn.

Read an excerpt here.

Writing Raven's Quest

If you are a fan of my Elemental Witches or Dark Magick paranormal romance series, or have read any of my erotic romances like The Chosen Sin, Jeweled, or Jaded, you will find Raven's Quest to be a much different kind of story. Raven's Quest was one of the first books I ever wrote and it's a pure fantasy romance, weaving an enduring tale of love through a world rich with magic.

I wrote this novel right after the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. At that point in my life, I'd given up on my writing. Then my husband and I ended up trapped in Europe for an extra week because of the attacks.  We were on one of the first passenger planes allowed back into U.S. airspace. On the flight home, I thought a lot about the people who'd been on those hijacked planes and how fast their lives had ended. I wondered why I wasn't doing the one thing in my life I loved the most. Because I feared failure? What a stupid reason!

How much would the people on those planes give for a second chance to follow their dreams?

I came home and began work on Raven's Quest right away. Since then I've written over forty other works, but Raven's Quest still claims a very special place in my heart.

If you're in need of a hero in your life, you might escape for a while with Lucan. The fourth son of a great king, he never expected—or wanted—to rule, but when his uncle kills Lucan's family and takes the throne for himself, Lucan has no choice but to form a rebellion and force his unjust uncle from the throne.

Branna is a woman of magic and mystery who comes from a country far away. When she meets Lucan she knows he's special in more ways than one. Strong and compassionate, Branna is willing to sacrifice her life for the good of her people, but the longer she knows Lucan, the harder leaving him becomes….

I had so much fun writing Branna and Lucan, building their magical world and guiding them both toward love. I hope you will enjoy reading their story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Raven's Quest became available yesterday. Here's a short excerpt to give you a taste.

EXCERPT

A noise sounded behind her and she whirled, afraid Fiall had followed her. She searched in the half light to determine who it was. By the man's form and the way he moved . . . aye, she knew him by the way he moved better than she'd ever known anyone . . . she could tell it was Lucan right away.

"Are you all right?" came his low, deep voice. His face was caught in shadow.

For some reason, the concern that laced those words nearly broke her apart. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the tears that welled over and onto her cheeks. How could she find this man only to lose him again?

She tried to collect herself before speaking. "Yes . . . I'm fine," she said in the steadiest voice she could manage.

"Because if you need to be kissed, I can do that. If kissing is what you need, I'm your man."

She could hear the smile in his voice, though she couldn't see it on his face. She laughed and sobbed at the same time. Fine, she would follow Arturo's advice and simply give in. "Aye, I could use a kiss," she said in a voice made husky by her tears.

Before she'd even finished her sentence, he strode toward her. He caught her around the waist and brought his face close to hers. His breath was mint scented, and it stirred the fine hairs around the edge of her face. He smelled as he always did, of spicewood soap and leather, although this time it also seemed she could smell his desire.

One teardrop meandered its way down her cheek, and Lucan kissed it away. Then he tipped her chin up and placed his mouth against hers. She could taste the salty tang of her teardrop as he parted her lips and brushed his tongue against hers in a long, slow stroke.

Morrenna's stars . . . thank the Goddess for kisses.

Read the first chapter at http://www.anyabast.com/ravens-quest/

Leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed copy of Raven's Quest.

The contest will end at 5pm (est) tomorrow.

Good luck and thanks so much for reading!

Thank you (and, why, yes, there is a giveaway…)

Thank you so much for tuning in and checking out MY DEADLY VALENTINE! The guest authors and fun posts will continue until that  most romantic of days–Valentine's Day. Tomorrow, the fabulous Anya Bast will be blogging, and other awesome authors this week include: Donna Grant, Shelli Stevens, and Beth Kery. Don't miss out!

I also want to thank all of the wonderful folks who have read DEADLY HEAT–thank you! I have received so many great emails, and I am very happy that you are enjoying my latest Deadly book.  The third book in the series, DEADLY LIES, will release on 3/1, and I've gotten such great early reviews on this book, including this one from Publishers Weekly:

"The heart-pounding sequel to Deadly Fear and Deadly Heat offers surprise and sexy romance at every turn. Still traumatized by a near-fatal encounter with a serial killer, FBI special agent Samantha Kennedy fights to prove herself by tracking a kidnapper who is targeting the sons of wealthy men. She's also navigating an attraction to business owner Max Ridgeway. When Max's stepbrother disappears, he and Samantha must race against time and the ever-changing whims of a brutal killer while confronting their troubled pasts and their shared passion. Eden's characters are complex and likable, and her plot speeds along breathlessly to a surprising and sizzling conclusion. (Mar.)"

So, as a thank you to everyone, I'd like to giveaway a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate.  I'll leave this contest open until Friday.  To enter, just tell me how you'd like to spend your Valentine's Day.

And, since I was chatting about DEADLY LIES, I thought I'd leave you with a DEADLY LIES excerpt:

Sam wasn't normally the type for casual sex. She was the kind of woman who went for commitment, romance, and candlelight.

No, she had been that kind of woman. Now she was different, and she needed. Needed to forget who she was and just feel.

Can't work the cases. Can't sleep at night. Can't even close my eyes without remembering…

Sam took a deep breath.

Forget.

Right then, she'd do just about anything to forget.

Sam had left the crime scene hours before. When she'd gotten back to her place, the invitation to this expensive party had been waiting on her porch, courtesy of her meddling mother. The woman thought Sam might find a potential mate at one of these boring society gigs.

Sam didn't want a mate. She just wanted a screw. Hot sex. Hard and wild. And she knew the perfect man to give her everything she needed.

Her perfect man stood across the room from her, separated by the crush of bodies. The party was too hot and too noisy by far with the fake laughter and high voices and the people who were pretending to be interested in each other.

Pretending. She was so sick of pretending.

Sam snagged a drink off a waiter's tray. She downed the champagne in two gulps and pushed her way toward her target.

He'd know who she was. Sam didn't doubt that. Well, he'd better know.

They'd had sex two weeks ago. Sex that had left her sore and aching and satisfied. Satisfied—for a time.

Until she'd wanted more.

She really hoped that the man remembered her.

She sure remembered him.

Max Ridgeway. Tall, dark, and sexy. The man who'd made her come in two minutes. The man who'd made her scream.

The man who'd turned her on to casual sex.

Max was lover number three in her lifetime, not that he knew that. She'd been sure to play the game. After all, she could pretend too. She'd acted cool and confident and made sure that she didn't screw things up.

"You." His voice, deep and rumbling, caught her, and she looked up to see him striding toward her.

Game face, girl. Get it on. Sam lifted her chin and let her lips curl into a smile that was as fake as all the others in the room. Forget. Forget everything but him.

Why try to pick up someone else when he was there? He'd be all she needed. He'd be…

Hot enough to banish the chill from her body.

Max caught her wrist and pulled her close. All around them, men stood in their perfect tuxedos and women smiled in their designer dresses. A high-end party. One packed with people who had too much money and too much alcohol.

His face—really not handsome, but sexy, so sexy—leaned in close to hers. At six foot three, Max was big and muscled with skin tanned a light brown. His midnight black hair curled just a little too long over the back of his collar.

The first time she'd seen him, she'd known that he would be the one for her. She'd gone into the bar, taken one look, and picked the strongest man in the place.

"You left without a damn word."

Huh. Anger hummed in his words. She wet the lips that she'd carefully painted for tonight. Part of the mask. Normally, she didn't care at all about makeup.

She'd come to this party for one reason. Him. She wanted more.

"I'm here now." She rose onto her toes and whispered the words close to his mouth.

A muscle flexed in his jaw. "Baby, your timing is shit."