Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 472

Researching without even realizing it. Guest blog with Jacqueline Paige

Before I wrote the Magic Seasons, which if you’ve followed along on any of my book tours you’d know it was not a planned event in my life; I traveled around to various in province Pagan festivals.  At the time I was so enthralled by finding others to share this different way of life with that I didn’t know how much I learned until long afterward.
There were just so many paths and avenues of knowledge to absorb, it was quite overwhelming.  I mean, I’ve always been pagan and somewhat “unique” but I had never realized how many facets there were until then.
At this point I was already a certified herbalist, using plants, herbs and oils for most of my family and friends health, medical and emotional instances.  I was also a Holistic Back Practitioner, a certified Holistic massage therapist, shiatsu and acupressure specialist, so stepping into an environment of so many nature based beliefs wasn’t a very big leap for me.During my travels I absorbed so much and my interests were never ending in wanting to learn more and more… 
For each of the paths I’ve put in the Magic Seasons I did spend time with people that followed those without pause. It wasn’t just their beliefs, but their way of life and while a lot of it just didn’t fit into my own personal makeup, I did learn a lot and keep the pieces that fit to enhance what I already believe. 
I’ve been asked a lot if there are ‘real’ witches out there. Yes, there are witches, witchdoctors and practitioners (to mention a few) of different faiths.  It’s really no different than there being pastors, priests and ministers on the other side of the coin of life.
While the magic in the series is somewhat fantastical, even though I’d love to have the ability so smack someone without touching them or move something without lifting a hand (who wouldn’t right?) it’s not far from what real magic is to me.  Just look out the window (if you have a view of nature and not concrete) and tell me that nothing out there has a touch of magic to it.




Winter MistBook 5 The Magic Seasons seriesJacqueline Paige
CLASS ACT BOOKS author page

AMAZON author page

Step into a world of magic and passions....
Take a dash of spice, heat itAdd a flash of magic and watch the sparks flyToss in a killer that's targeting womenAdd a handful of witches from all paths to stir it all together...
Patrick is a man that has lived a violent life undercover in all the wrong places, for too long.  His light charm carefully keeps others from seeing the dangerous man that lies inside.  He is the first for justice and will go out of his way to keep the innocent safe.  He finds himself falling for the woman that was a victim of a sick and vile person and is caught between keeping her out of harm’s way and completing the job he needs to finish.
Rhonda is a woman that becomes a victim to the vicious attack of a killer.  Even though she survives, she will have to learn to live with the scars for the rest of her life.  In hiding she has to rebuild the strength to get through it. She is forced to spend her days and nights in the company of a detective, that seems to have no other plan in life than to constantly aggravate her and make her want things she may never have again.
When Patrick’s cover is blown and he is badly injured, the group of friends pull together to keep him and the recovering victim of a killer safe.  As a result, the group of twelve become targets of the criminals after Patrick and have to live together in a safe house for Yule. 
Can twelve witches follow orders or will they take matters into their own hands?




Autumn Dance
Book IV in the Magic Seasons series

At the autumn gathering twelve angry and determined witches use their power to draw out the killer before anyone else can become a victim.

With his magic ability Dade has control like no other— if he had that in his everyday life he could have the one thing he wants.

Coralee is a woman that represents grace and simplicity.  She has the skill of being able to feel emotion, aura and see beyond the now.  The pain sometimes associated with this gift has forced her to live her life from a distance.  She decided early in life what she wanted, and returned from her years away at school set to obtain her biggest dream. Unfortunately she has found the past few years lacking just that as she waits for the man she wants to stop and look at her instead of every female that throws themselves in his path.  

Dade is a man that follows life simply, yet his charitable personality brings him a wealth of   satisfaction.  He is the first to lend a hand, the last to stay and help and the one everyone calls when something goes wrong.  Even though his own generous nature fills his life, he still manages to find time enough to get himself into a mess at every turn and spends most of the time imploring forgiveness from the one sexy voodoo woman he can’t seem to get close to. 



Harvest DreamsBook III in the Magic Seasons series
Publisher buy link: Class Act Books
Armed with magic and a plan ...
Armed with magic and a plan for the Lammas festival as a group they are determined to stop the killer from harming anyone again.
With a plan of his own, Steven decides to persuade Rachel that they’re meant to be together.Rachel is a woman that lives carefree with a buoyant recklessness. She loves being a flirt and has spent many years indulging that side of her personality. Her energy draws others; her character is to protect all those that cannot protect themselves.  When she’s not riding on life, she is helping children less fortunate then herself. 
Steven is man that gives more than his energy usually allows.  He is a highly respected pediatrician that always goes that extra step to ensure all in his care are receiving his utmost attention.  He often sacrifices sleep to spend time with his friends, and he can’t seem to help affably chasing the skirt of the one woman that breaks his easy going charm and makes him forget he’s supposed to be the jovial.  He hides his strength in body and magic, never letting others know that he is more than the carefree man with everything he needs.   
Armed with magic and a plan for the Lammas festival as a group they are determined to stop the killer from harming anyone again.  With a plan of his own, Steven decides he’s done waiting for Rachel to see that they’re meant to be together and takes things into his own hands.


The Solstice Heat –Book II in the Magic Seasons seriesBy Jacqueline Paige
Publisher buy link: Class Act Books
Passion and magic that burns
Kasey is a woman that exudes energy and brightness; she is as equally passionate when angry as she is when she’s happy. The energy she carries from life comes through in all her magical workings with spells and stones, giving them great magical strength. She is a dreamer and often wishes she could re-write her own story so that she was charming and sophisticated enough to be with a certain wealthy male lawyer she wants more than anything else.
Chris is a force of strength and experience that is carefully hidden behind the easy mannerism he has adapted so carefully.  There is nothing he cannot do where magic is concerned and he has tried all manner of things, whether right or wrong.  His fortune has left him wanting for nothing else in life, except the one thing money can’t buy him, the woman he feels too unclean to approach.
Separated by two different life styles yet their passion and magic ignite sparks hotter than the Solstice heat.

Can they work out a way to be together as they try to stop a killer from striking again?




From Beltane MagicBook I in the Magic Seasons
Paranormal Romantic SuspenseAvailable in eformats and paperbackPublisher: Class Act Books

Step into a world of magic and passions....
Take a dash of spice, heat it

Add a flash of magic and watch the sparks fly

Toss in a killer that's targeting women

Add a handful of witches from all paths to stir it all together...

Each were willing to spend their lives alone and safe; until they’re touched by Beltane Magic.

Can they survive their pasts to be together as they struggle to find a killer before the wheel turns again?

Book Description:
Leena is a woman that is gentle in everything, her personality and moods. She always feels maternal with her closest friends and would go out of their way to look after any one of them. Her ability of controlling the elements and knowledge of plants make her magic abilities strong and unbreakable.  She is a leader at work and in life, always working hard to keep those around her close, but never allowing anyone to get too close.
To the outside world she is just Leena Duncan, a quiet woman who works a normal job and lived a quiet life.
A few times a year she can openly use her magical gifts at celebrations within a small community of people she calls friends.
Having lived through the horrors that can come from the hands of someone you thought loved you; she decided never loving again would prevent more emotional scarring.
It takes one man at a rainy Beltane celebration to change everything she is comfortable with and one killer to change her safe world.           Owen is a man that reflects humor and cavalier vibrations to others, he is gentle and caring as is his ability to draw negative and heal others. If you didn’t know him, you would never realize he came from violence.  Knowing how the real world can be, he has vowed to never put himself into the position, or allow anyone else that could open up the world he has carefully sealed shut forever. 
He creates worlds and puts them on paper to entertain others.  After years of using his imagination he finds out his friends can do things he thought only his mind created.  For his entire adult life Owen Grey has always played it safe and kept to his own world of writing, never getting too close to anyone.
Having lived a nightmare growing up he would never take the chance of repeating history.  He may write about happily-ever-after, but knows it is pure fantasy and doesn’t exist.
Until her . . . 

Amazon    Class Act Books


About the Author:
Jacqueline Paige is a world class multi-tasker being a mother to five adventurous and unpredictable children, a cafe manager and having a colossal imagination that allows her to step outside of reality into a world of paranormal romance —with just a touch of suspense.
Jacqueline lives in Ontario, Canada and avoids the ever changing weather of the region she lives in by creating other worlds to fall into in her stories of all things paranormal.
Her first book was published in 2009 and since then has published ten.  She is always writing and currently has more than a dozen stories in one stage or another of the writing process.
You can find all of Jacqueline’s books at:  www.jacqpaige.webs.com

Interview with Margarita Gakis Author of Trial by Fire

What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
I think it’s the comparison and contrast with humanity. Working with paranormal creatures and other worlds gives us the chance to really put a spotlight on our own world in a way that isn’t so jarring or obvious. You can really flesh out ideas about humanity when you’re comparing and contrasting against something else. That’s not always easy to do in other genres without coming across as preachy or too high brow. There’s also something very alluring about power and control and I think that a lot of supernatural creatures showcase that. We want our supernaturals to be powerful but they tend to always rein that power in. They also tend to be conflicted over their nature and that makes for great reading.
Please tell us about your latest release.
It’s about a woman, Jade, who finds out that she’s a witch. She’s the first one born outside of a coven, so she’s somewhat of an anomaly. She needs to figure out if joining a coven is something she wants. Jade figures she’ll give coven life a try, only to find out once she gets there that there’s more involved. There’s someone or something that doesn’t want her around, and would like to take her power. The book is about how she deals with that thread as well as how she deals with trying to belong in the coven. She’s never been much for belonging and it’s a stretch for her emotionally and personally.
Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
Names are so hard! For many of the first working drafts of Trial by Fire, I had it in my head that the witches didn’t have last names. So, to ensure that everyone knew who people were talking about, I thought I would ensure everyone had a unique first name. Through subsequent drafts, I changed my world building a lot and the ‘no last name’ rule no longer applies, but everyone had their name at that point, so they stuck! I do to try pick a name that I feel ‘matches’ the character in some way. I spend a lot of time going through baby name websites or a textbook I have from university on Classical Mythology. I find it helps get my creativity flowing. For last names, I tend to look up around my room, at the books I have there and pick something that’s listed on the spine.
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
I have an idea or sense in my head of how they move, act and speak and I find that they [being the characters] generally start to tell me who they are as I write. I do know things about my characters that probably won’t ever make it into any books - quirks, snippets from their past, their horrendous first date or some oddity about them. I find that knowing those details really helps me figure out who they are and how they’ll respond to things. We’re all a sum of our experiences and characters are no different.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
There’s a scene in the book where my protagonist, Jade, realizes she’s in some trouble and she really tries to break that down into what it means and what she can do. It was really important to me that she be proactive, and maybe even a little vengeful. It’s probably not the flashiest scene in the book [no magic or demons in it!] but to me, it was a really important scene to write and I’m really proud of her as my heroine!
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
Any character that has a coffee addiction is my work is because I have a coffee addiction. I worked at a Starbucks for many years while I was in school and coffee was my life! I drank it, I made it, I constantly wore clothes that smelled of it. It was a great job and I had it for a long time. And cursing. Cursing usually comes from me. I have to really watch it while I’m at my day job.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
Oh, definitely. You know, list a random excuse and I’ve used it to avoid writing. I love the product, but I don’t always love the process. I try to have a few projects on the go - maybe a couple small ones and one big one - and by juggling them, I find I can usually work on at least one of them if something else is stuck. I’ll also set a smaller word goal for myself if I’m really stuck. Maybe tell myself I just have to write 250 words that day. If I do that for a few days, I’ve usually picked away at the part that’s stalling me and have come out the other side. I do try to figure out why I’m blocked - am I tired? Stressed out? Is this scene not working because it really shouldn't be in the story? If it’s just me being lazy, then I do have to just knuckle down and do it. I always tell myself that writers write. I won’t get better or get stuff done by thinking about writing.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I started taking cello lessons a little over 2 years ago and I love it. I don’t practice as much as I should, nor am I as good as I want to be, but I just… I’m in love with the sound of the cello. I listen to a lot of string music and the cello is magnificent. Playing it has taught me a lot of lessons about patience and working with my body and brain together, but also about music and expression. I have the best cello teacher, hands down. She’s fantastic. Our cello sessions mean so much to me!
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
I prefer to read in bed or in a chair in my house in the living room but I end up reading most on the train during my commute. Sometimes it’s hard to really get into a book while I’m packed in with other commuters and it’s early in the morning or later during the day, but it’s one of the few times I’m completely unoccupied with anything else. 
What can readers expect next from you?
Book 2! I’m working on the next book in the Covencraft Series right now. It picks up very close to where Trial by Fire left off and I’m expanding on the world building and continuing to delve into Jade’s growth as a witch, as well as her past.
Where can readers find you on the web?
I have a blog at margaritagakis.com, I’m on twitter as margaritagakis and on Facebook as CovencraftSeries. I try to post at least once a day on Facebook, and maybe once or twice a week on my blog.
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Here’s a little snippet from about half way through the book. Thanks for having me!Jade wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep. Probably not long. She was a light sleeper, generally waking up to turn over. As she flipped and settled down again she felt it. A sense of wrongness. Of otherness.She wasn’t alone in her room.Jade forced her body to relax, ears straining to hear a sound, any sound. She could hear the sudden pounding of her heart in her ears, hear her quiet breathing - a little faster than usual. She could hear the faint ‘tick-tick-tick’ from the antique clock on the dresser.Nothing else.But the air... It was almost as though the air were thicker, harder to breathe. Denser. Cloying. Tension started curling into a tight ball in her stomach.“Don’t play possum. I can tell you’re awake.”The voice came from beside her, right beside her - deep, thick and wrong. Without thinking she swung out with her open palm, hoping to clap it, him, it on the ear.Her wrist was caught painfully, the bones squeezed so tight she felt them grind. She kicked her legs out, trying to writhe away and make contact at the same time. An arm went down across her throat like a stone wall - hard and painful and she made a strangled choking sound. She kicked, she clawed with her other hand, she bucked her hips up but in seconds she was flat on her back with it on top of her.Correction - definitely a him.From the ambient light in the room she could decipher black eyes, dark hair, smooth skin and prominent features. The first word that leaped into her head was a breathless ‘beautiful’ and she felt frozen.“Hello, possum.”His voice was impossibly stunning too, syrupy and deep and she had to force herself to look away from his face. She reached out with her free hand and managed to grab her alarm clock and with a mighty swing, she cracked it against his head.It smashed, breaking into pieces and he barely flinched. The shock of it reverberated up her arm, making her joints ache.“Tsk tsk, possum. I’m here to help you.”She immediately thought of her magic, pushing all her panic into calling up fire, like she’d done in her apartment, at her medical exam and just the day prior in her kitchen. A huge flaming sphere spat itself into existence in front of her face and she sent it screaming towards her attacker.He flinched this time, but only for a moment before seeming to inhale the fire, taking a deep breath in and sucking it down.“Very nice,” he said. “But not enough control.” He shook his head like he was disappointed. “You’ve definitely got the power, but not quite the focus yet.”Vibrating with fear, she conjured another fireball but it wasn’t as big as the last one. She couldn’t think clearly enough to make it as lethal. He jerked his head a little and the flames zipped off to the side before she could even try to burn him. He laughed at her and she let out a cry of distress, anger and just fear.“You must have better than that,” he said as though he were amused. “I had such high hopes for you.” He leaned over her, putting his lips and nose in the column of her neck and he inhaled deeply, almost a sigh. “You smell wonderfully of power.”Jade turned her head, got his ear in her mouth and bit down as hard as she could, feeling the flesh split under the power of her jaw. Her mouth flooded with blood - salty, hot and awful with the faint taste of something else, something cloyingly sweet and thick mixed in.He laughed, tearing himself away from her teeth and she gagged as she spat out part of his lobe. “You are fun,” he said, his teeth long, sharp and inhuman, flashing in the half-light. “Unfortunately I’m not here for fun.”





Trial by FireCovencraft Book OneMargarita Gakis
Genre: Urban Fantasy/ParanormalPublisher: Fable Press
Date of Publication:  6/25/2013ISBN: 978-1-939897-03-9ASIN: B00CX779MK
Number of pages: 325Word Count:  84,000
Cover Artist: Steven Novak
Amazon   Amazon.ca   Amazon.co.uk
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.

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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Spotlight on Hand of Time

August 5 SpotlightDeb Sanderswww.debsanders.com
August 5 at 11pm EST  Live radio guest spot http://www.blogtalkradio.com/other_worlds_of_romance    
August 6 SpotlightBrooke Blogswww.brookeblogs.com
August 8 Guest blogRose & Beps Blog – http://rosebeps.blogspot.it/
August 9 ExcerptMythical Bookshttp://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
August 13 Character InterviewLaurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.com
August 15 Spotlight Sapphyria's Book Reviewssaphsbookblog.blogspot.com
August 16 SpotlightFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
August 19 InterviewThe Speculative Salon – http://speculativesalon.blogspot.com/
August 20 Guest blogEbook EscapesEbookescapes.com
August 21 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannerealm.blogspot.com
August 22 Interviewhttp://romancewithflavor.com/
August 23 SpotlightEclipse Reviews -Book blogger and reviewer http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com
August 26 SpotlightCloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuffcloeyk.blogspot.com
August 27 SpotlightReading In Twilighthttp://readingintwilight.blogspot.com
August 28 Spotlightparanormal book club www.paranormal-bookclub.com
August 29 InterviewThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
August 29 reviewBookwormBridgette's Worldhttp://bookwormbridgette.blogspot.com
August 30 Guest blogMarsha A Moorehttp://marshaamoore.blogspot.com/
September 2 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com


Hand of Time
The Nemesis Chronicles, Volume 2H.R. Jackson
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Geek Treats Collective
Date of Publication: April 20th, 2013
ISBN: 1484125509ASIN: B00CFWYO3K
Number of pages: 352Word Count: 154,224
Cover Artist: Robb Lombard
Amazon Print   Kindle  Nook  Audible

Book Description: 
Morgan... Three months after the events of Vegas turned her life upside down, she's finding that getting back to normal is anything but easy.
Dirk... Trapped between juggling his new responsibilities and making Morgan understand his feelings, the former courtesan is discovering that letting go of the past is much harder when the past refuses to let go of him.
Nemesis... Still reeling from the Society's attack, they find themselves facing a familiar foe and a new menace hellbent on testing their fortitude.
Midsummer madness heats up Nemesis Island. It's a time of celebration and renewal, but the Society has other plans... with Dirk, Morgan, and the rest of Nemesis at the top of their list.
About the Author:
Once upon a time, a man and a woman looked at each other and asked, “Why aren’t we writing this down?”
Inspired by Sci-Fi and Fantasy, with a healthy appreciation of all manner of geekery, they longed to create a world where sword, sorcery, and a little sprinkling of real life could come together. With this in mind, the pair sat down and started the stories that would eventually become The Nemesis Chronicles.
When they aren’t weaving fantastical tales, they spend their time being owned by the Feline Mafia and watching the rain fall in their home city of Seattle.
Find them on the web:http://www.thenemesischronicles.com
Follow them on Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2933765.H_R_Jackson
Follow them on twitter:  @hrjacksontnc
Follow them on FaceBook:https://www.facebook.com/thenemchrona Rafflecopter giveaway

August Issue Bewitching Book Tours Magazine

Join us for the Wonderfully Witchy August Issue of bewitching Book Tours Magazine.

Our theme for the month is witches- and to really make the theme really fun we have a Find the Witch Scavenger Hunt going on throughout the magazine. Winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

This month’s issue contains an author interview with Jacqueline Paige and in depth details about her Magic Seasons Series along with features and excerpts about books by; Kimberly Frost, April Aasheim, Suzanne Johnson, Charity Parkerson, Debbie Christiana, and Roxanne Rhoads.

Readers can also enjoy poetry, book reviews, and our regular features Tarot in Fiction and La Mamma Verde’s Green Living Advice.

In the Naughty Nook you’ll find sizzling excerpt from Witch in the Middle, a short story in the Paranormal Pleasures Anthology, you discover that sex and chocolate have long been a delightful duo, and you can take a peek into Hex and the Single Witch with a short excerpt and an article about the characters creating their own story.

http://issuu.com/bewitchingbooktours/docs/magazine__14

Spotlight Training Temptation by Diana Baron

August 1 Guest blogRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
August 2 Interview and reviewA.C. Jameshttp://acjamesbooks.blogspot.com/
August 5 spotlight and reviewMommasez...ccclubbs.com
August 6 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
August 7 Guest blogwww.christina-mcknight.blogspot.com
August 8 Guest blogSmoldering Heathttp://smolderingheat.wordpress.com
August 9 SpotlightReader's Edynhttp://readersedyn.blogspot.com
August 12 Interview and reviewhttp://www.thatserotica.com/ 
August 13 InterviewBooks and Taleshttp://www.booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/
August 14 Guest blogErotica For All, http://eroticaforall.co.uk
August 15 SpotlightFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
August 16 Guest blog and reviewHttp://erzabetsenchantments.blogspot.com
August 16 SpotlightCover Reveals http://CoverReveals.blogspot.com
August 19 Interview and reviewBuried Under Bookshttp://buriedunderbooks1.blogspot.com
August 20 InterviewThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
August 21 Spotlight/ExcerptKelly P's Blog http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/
August 22 SpotlightLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
August 23 SpotlightMelissa Stevenshttp:/melissastevens.us
August 28 Guest blog and reviewErotica by Cori Vidaehttp://www.corividae.com/shiny/
August 29 reviewBex 'n' Bookshttp://bexnbooks.blogspot.com/
August 30 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org

Training TemptationThe Stable Book One
Diana Baron
Genre: Erotic Romance
Date of Publication:  4/23/2013
ISBN: 9781301637034ASIN:  B00CIEBODI
Number of pages: 115Word Count: 28,000
Cover Artist: Melody Simmons of eBookindiecovers.com
Amazon    BN    Smashwords
Book Description:
Caught in a web of deceit, Caroline must run the race of her life to save her family home. Her reputation as the high society owner of the #1 stable for Ponygirls in the world is on the line. And, there’s only one man who can help her win.

Edward Hastings is steamy, passionate and dangerous. With molten brown eyes and a rock hard body, the notorious playboy could have any woman in the world, but he only wants her. The first time he’d seen Caroline dressed like a pony, he’d been enthralled. Now, nothing will keep him from her.

They strike a deal. He’ll train her if she sticks to his rules. But rules were made to be broken. The moment he slides the bit into her mouth, she knows she’s in trouble. As he ignites a fire in her body and her mind, will she make it through the week without losing her heart to him? Or will she be able to train temptation?
About the Author:
Diana began writing the moment she learned how to hold a pencil. By elementary school, she was writing and directing plays for kids in her afterschool program. Over the years, short stories piled up on her nightstand. At night, she could always be found holding a flashlight and a book under her blanket.

She studied writing and literature through high school and into the first two years of college. But then, her fascination with other cultures and religious practices took over. She has degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Comparative Religious Studies from San Jose State University and is published in non-fiction.

After college, her life took an unexpected turn. She's currently a project manager and technical spec writer for a Silicon Valley computer company by day and a daring novelist by night. When she's not tearing up the felt playing at the World Series of Poker, she's traveling to her favorite Caribbean islands.
Website: www.dianabaron.com
Twitter: @DianaBaronBooks
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DianaBaronAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17887800-training-temptation

AAD Spotlight: Kindred and Wings by Philippa Ballantine

Kindred and Wings—the cast
Dreaming of movies is something authors do in their idle moments…and though I haven’t had too many of those recently, casting the Kindred and Wings big screen adaption is something I am happy to share with readers.
Talyn- Gemma Arterton
Carrying so much pain inside her, Talyn is just learning how to be after learning the Caisah’s duplicity. Separated and all at sea, she must chose what is important, and discover if revenge is really worth it. She’s come a long way since Hunter and Fox, but there is still plenty of distance for her to cover.

Finn- David Wenham
Flying on the back of a dragon is a strange place to find a talespinner, but Finn is beginning to feel his own power. He is hunting the brother he never knew he had, and learning to forget about Talyn. What he will learn when he finds him will change Finn’s view about himself.


Byreniko- Kit Harrington
The gentle brother of Talyn, Byre has set out on a mission that is bound to be full of pain. It will take him through the past and back again, bringing lessons and secrets with him. He had never thought much on his place in the grand drama of Conhaero, but he is about to learn that fate has a role for him to play.



Pelanor- Zoe Saldana
A young blood witch, who was once full of ambition, she now finds herself caught up with the Vaerli cause, and the bonds of her own people are starting to fade. What she will become and who she will chose remain uncertain.


The Caisah- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Hated by all of Conhaero, the story of the Caisah and his history are beginning to become clear. His role in the end of the world starts to come to fruition.






Kelanim- Emma Stone
As the mistress of the Caisah, Kelanim has had to fight hard to keep her position and her man. The events of Kindred and Wings will test her even further.

Kindred and WingsA Shifted World Novel Book TwoPhilippa Ballantine
Genre: Epic fantasy
Paperback: 390 pages
Publisher: PyrAugust 6, 2013
ISBN-10: 1616147792ISBN-13: 978-1616147792
Book Description:
On the back of the dragon Wahirangi, Finn the Fox flees the world he has known. As he sets out to find the brother he never knew of, he still holds in his heart the memory of the Hunter. He has denied his love for her, but he cannot deny it forever. In the halls of the Last Believers, Talyn begins to uncover her own mysteries, but her lust for the death of the Caisah is still strong and clouds her vision.
She must choose her path, as the Seer of her people or as the assassin of the overlord. Meanwhile, Byre, Talyn's brother, must venture into the fiery world of the Kindred, to rebuild the pact that his ancestors made. He will risk everything he is as he forms a new pact that will change his people forever.
Dragons and myths will be reborn, as the Hunter and her Fox face each other once more.
Amazon    BN



About the Author:

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa has always had her head in a book. For this she blames her father who thought Lord of the Rings was suitable bedtime reading for an eight year old. At the age of thirteen she began writing fantasy stories for herself.

She first earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Political Science and then a Bachelor of Applied Science in Library and Information Science. So soon enough she found herself working in the magical world of libraries where she stayed for over a decade.

Her first professional sale was in 1997, and since then she has gone on to produce mostly novel length fiction. In 2006 she became New Zealand’s first podcast novelist, and she has voiced and produced Weaver’s Web, Chasing the Bard, Weather Child and Digital Magic as podiobooks. Her podcasts have won both a Parsec Award and a Sir Julius Vogel award.

Philippa is the author of the Books of the Order series with Ace- Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth and Harbinger coming in July 2013.

She is also the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series with Tee Morris. Phoenix Rising debuted in May 2011 and The Janus Affair came out in May 2012. Phoenix Rising won the Airship Award for best written steampunk, and was the number eight best Science Fiction book of 2011 according to Goodreads.com. The Janus Affair was the seventh most popular science fiction book of 2012 on Goodreads.com. The series continues with Dawn’s Early Light in December 2013.

In addition she is also the author of the Shifted World series with Pyr Books, with the first book Hunter and Fox released in June 2012, and the second Kindred and Wings scheduled for August 2013.

When not writing or podcasting, Philippa loves reading, gardening, and whenever possible traveling. With her husband Tee and her daughter, she is looked after by a mighty clowder of five cats in Manassas, Virginia.

Website: www.pjballantine.com

Twitter: philippajane

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/pjballantine/ 

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1000381

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Interview with Jennifer Blackstream Author of Before Midnight: Blood Prince Series Book One

Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
I write paranormals, so I think of the country (or in some cases, one of the countries) where that creature originated from. Then I go online and find a name from that culture that has a meaning appropriate to the character (yes, I realize that online sources can’t be trusted so some of those names don’t mean what they say they do, but that’s okay). I do try to make sure to pick a name that I think readers will either have a good guess on how to pronounce or that can be pronounced phonetically and still sound all right. I know it can be hard for readers when authors use names that they can’t say, especially if there are a ton of characters, because it makes it harder for readers to keep track of who’s who.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Etienne was a little tricky. At first he was supposed to be cursed too, and he was going to be searching for a way to become human. But he didn’t like that idea. That’s actually why it’s a series instead of a stand alone, he decided to be a Blood Prince and if I have a Blood Prince werewolf, then naturally I need a vampire, a demon, an angel, and a god…
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I almost always enjoy the pixie the most. Pixies are snarky little know it alls with kind hearts, and I adore them.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
            She walked out of the kitchen door into the garden. A few yards away, a pumpkin rose out of the pumpkin patch and floated in the air to land on the other side of the fence. Loupe’s breath caught in her throat as the vines and leaves curled into large circles, turning white as they spun. The pumpkin itself lightened until it was the palest orange she’d ever seen. It grew and grew until it was as large as the royal carriage. Small windows appeared in either side so Loupe could look right through it to the other side.             “Oh, Loeg,” she said softly. “It’s beautiful.”            “It is, isn’t it?”             She turned to see Loeg eyeing the wand like he’d never used it before. She opened her mouth to ask him why he was looking at it like that, but he jerked his head up and the question died on her tongue.             “Oh! One more thing.”            He whistled and a second later a tiny horse flew up from the leaves of the raspberry bush in the corner of the garden. Loupe gasped. It looked like a floating star in the shape of a horse and its whinny brought a smile to her face.             “He’ll pull your new carriage. You don’t need to harness him, the pumpkin will hold on by itself.”            Loupe raised her eyebrows at the tiny horse, then glanced over at the large carriage. “He must be much stronger than he looks.”            She tentatively reached out a hand to pet the small creature and squealed as it abruptly grew in size. It continued to grow until it stood before her—a full man-sized horse.             “Amazing,” she breathed. She gently stroked the silky fur of the horse’s nose. It whinnied and nudged harder into her hand, apparently eager to be petted. A thrill went through Loupe. It had been a long time since a horse had not shied away from her.            “What a good boy you are,” Loupe cooed. “Yes, you are. You are such a good boy.”            “It is shameful the way he’s throwing himself at you,” Loeg groused. “That miserable glue pot would as soon swallow me as give me the time of day!”            Loupe’s eyebrows shot up as the horse whipped its head around and bared its teeth at Loeg. Its eyes rolled until they were white orbs without pupils, glowing with a faint red light. Loeg growled back and it swung its head back to her, its eyes once again a watery blue. Loupe patted its nose. A fairy horse.            “You can keep the beast,” Loeg snapped. “I’ll be stomped if I’m going to keep the ungrateful creature around me.”            “Oh,” Loupe breathed, eyeing the horse again. It nudged her with its huge head, almost knocking her off her feet. “I couldn’t take your horse from you.”            “What do I need a horse for?” Loeg asked. “I’ve got wings, remember?”            “But…then why do you have a horse?”            His eyes narrowed. “What, I’m not allowed to have a horse?”            One could make a study out of how to avoid arguing with a fey, Loupe decided. She glanced down at her dress and then back to the horse. But dealing with them is still incredibly worth it.
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
I chose mythological places as the names of the kingdoms in my Blood Prince series (Sanguenay, Dacia, Nysa, Meropis, and Mu). If you’ve ever seen the show Merlin (the one where Anthony Stewart Head is the King), then it’s sort of like the “five kingdoms” he’s always mentioning. The kingdoms are the major players of the world, though there are a few outlying countries (i.e. Midguard, the country the evil stepmother and stepsisters hail from).The humans in my world are aware that fantastical creatures exist, but they don’t necessarily know who is a fantastical creature. It’s a superstitious world, much like our own world was at one time. For instance, the people of Sanguenay don’t know that the royal family are lycanthropes, but the people of Dacia know that the royals are vampires. The reason the people of Dacia are so enlightened, is because the royal family was slaughtered in a coup and then rose again as vampires. It’s a rather famous historical “oops.”
With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?
There is an overarching story that goes through the series (it deals with the five Blood Princes and the World Tree prophecy). This is mostly dealt with in the prologues and epilogues. If you read one of the books individually, it may ruin some of the series’ story arc, but the individual story would work fine as a stand-alone for the most part. A few cameos may be less meaningful, but it won’t ruin the book.
Do you write in different genres?
I write paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and sci fi romance. Some people consider those all separate genres, but I tend to look at them as different flavors of the same genre.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Swerving while driving to splash through large puddles, bubble wrap, and buying gargoyle and dragon statues.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I’m a huge Alice Cooper fan, I love to cook, and I’m a D&D geek.
What can readers expect next from you?
Book two in the Blood Prince series will be One Bite, a snow white fairy tale infused with vampires.
Where can readers find you on the web?
You can find me at www.jenniferblackstream.com If you join my mailing list, you will receive an alert when a new title becomes available. You will also be automatically entered to win a free copy any time I have a new release.
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
            “Ah, it seems that my mother had the servants prepare a bath,” he observed.            “Oh thank goodness!” Loupe trudged over and dunked the muddy wolf pup into the large tub, holding him with one hand while she used the other to scrub his fur. The wolf yipped and struggled, but she held him firmly. Etienne stood in the doorway, staring in frank amusement.            When he didn’t speak for a minute, Loupe looked up.            “You look like you’re trying not to laugh.” She furrowed her eyebrows and briefly halted her scrubbing. “What’s so funny?”            Etienne cleared his throat. “Ah, I believe the bath was meant for you.” He gestured to the clean nightgown lying folded on a chair.             Loupe turned red from her neck to the tips of her ears. “Oh. I see.”            Etienne couldn’t help it. He laughed, a booming sound that set the pups in his arms to barking. Loupe frowned.             “No, it’s all right, Loupe, truly,” Etienne assured her, reining in his amusement. “I’ll have the servants bring up another bath.”            “No, don’t be silly, I don’t need another bath.” She pulled the pup out of the tub and wrapped him in the large towel that had been provided. The pup’s growls were muffled as she vigorously rubbed him dry. Amusement tugged up the corner of Etienne’s mouth as the pup staggered out from under the towel and across the floor. She grabbed the sponge that had also been by the tub and dipped it in the bathwater.             Loupe looked down at her dress. The bodice wasn’t terribly low-cut, but it did give a hint of cleavage. Loupe scrubbed the mud from her skin. The smile died on his face. Etienne’s blood heated as her motions drew his attention to the smooth mounds of her breasts. Every vigorous scrub made the tempting globes of flesh bounce in the most mouthwatering display. He took a step forward.            “There,” Loupe announced. “My dress is a bit damp, but I’m sure it will be dry by morning…” she trailed off as she turned to find him staring. He took another step and her eyes widened.             Something of his less than pure thoughts must have shown on his face because her blush returned with reinforcements and her gaze bounced around the room like a bee in a field of tempting flowers.            The wolf pups hopped around on the floor, tumbling around Loupe’s skirts. An image hit Etienne so hard he swayed on his feet. Loupe sitting in a chair in his bedroom, wolf pups playing on the rug at her feet and a baby in her arms…            He shook his head, struggling to gather his thoughts. No one in his family had the gift of future-sight. The image wasn’t a premonition, it couldn’t have been. He was just tired, under too much stress from the witch’s blessing.             Without meaning to, he’d crossed the room and now stood only an inch or so away. Despite his brain’s ramblings, his body seemed to be perfectly clear in its goals. Loupe titled her face up, her wide green eyes locked on his like a frightened deer watching a predator.            And he did feel like a predator. For the first time since the witch’s blessing had cursed him, Etienne felt primal, animalistic. His body moved on instinct instead of rational thought as he raised his hands, slowly sliding them around Loupe’s waist. The desire to grab her and throw her down on the floor filled him with tension and he had just enough sense to grit his teeth against the urge. He didn’t want to scare her. He just had to taste her.




August 12 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
August 12 Guest blogClaire's Book Cornerwww.clairesbookcorner.blogspot.com
August 13 Spotlight and reviewPenny For Them...http://pennyforthem1.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Tour
August 13 Spotlight and reviewThe Insane Ramblings of a Crazed Writer www.jessekimmelfreeman.com/blog.html
August 13 reviewhappy tails and tales http://magluvsya03.wordpress.com
August 14 Guest blogA Bibliophiles Thoughts on Bookshttp://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/
August 14 InterviewParanormal Romance Fans for Life http://paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com/
August 15 Guest blogwww.christina-mcknight.blogspot.com
August 15 reviewMusings From An Addicted Readerhttp://musingsfromanaddictedreader.blogspot.com/
August 16 InterviewMythical Bookshttp://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
August 16 Interview and reviewEbook EscapesEbookescapes.com
August 19 SpotlightStorm Goddess Book Reviewshttp://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/
August 19 reviewForget About TV, Grab a Bookwww.forgetabouttvgrababook.com
August 20 Guest blogUrban Fantasy Investigationshttp://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/
August 20 reviewR.E.A.D. Read Everything and Discuss http://read-everything-and-discuss.blogspot.com/
August 21 Guest blog and reviewItara @ My midnight fantasiesWww.mymidnightfantasies.blogspot.com
August 22 Interview and reviewImagine a Worldhttp://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspot.com
August 22 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org
August 23 guest blogRose & Beps Blog – http://rosebeps.blogspot.it/
August 23 reviewFeed Your Fiction Addictionhttp://feedyourfictionaddiction.blogspot.com
August 26 SpotlightLiterary Nookhttp://literarynook.com/
August 26 reviewMousehead & Taleshttp://www.mouseheadandtales.weebly.com
August 26 reviewBrooke Blogsbrookeblogs.com



Before Midnight
Blood Prince SeriesBook OneJennifer Blackstream
Genre: Fantasy Romance/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Skeleton Key Publishing
ASIN: B00DPYZZXA
Number of pages: 180Word Count: 45k
Cover Artist: Elaina of For the Muse Designs
Amazon  BN  AllRomance  Kobo Smashwords
Book Description:
Loupe always dreamed of getting married. She yearned for a caring husband who would take her away from her servant-like existence at home with her stepmother and two stepsisters, a man who would love her forever. Those dreams ended the day she was bitten by a werewolf. Now she’s a mindless beast on the night of the full moon—a condition that forever prevents her from sharing a marriage bed. Not even the attentions of a handsome and endearingly strong prince can convince her that the life she wants is still possible.

Etienne is a prince in need of a werewolf. A werewolf himself from birth, Etienne and his family have protected their kingdom with tooth and claw—literally—for thousands of years. Unfortunately, the spell of a well-meaning witch is slowly turning him human. Only the bite of a cursed werewolf, one who was not born with the beast inside, can save him from becoming human. He has no time for anything that will not lead him to a cure for the cure. Not even the beautiful maiden whose gentle nature soothes his soul can take his mind from his goal.

Love cares little for the best laid plans or the impossible. A grand ball. The stroke of twelve. A magic “slipper.” All kinds of things can happen when you don’t leave the ball…Before Midnight.

 About the Author:
Jennifer Blackstream is a psychology enthusiast with both a B.A. and M.A. in Psychology. Her fascination with the human mind is most appeased through the study of mythology and folklore as well as all of Terry Pratchett’s novels.
Jennifer enjoys listening to Alice Cooper, trying new recipes (to which she will add garlic whether it calls for it or not), watching television with her family, and playing with her woefully intelligent four year old son. 
Jennifer spends most of her time drinking coffee from her X-Men mug and desperately trying to get all her ideas written down before her toddler can find that all magical button on her laptop to make all her work vanish.

Website: http://www.jenniferblackstream.com/
Mailing List: http://www.jenniferblackstream.com/contact-me.php
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6153605.Jennifer_Blackstream
Blog: http://thebrimstonepub.com/

Authors After Dark Spotlight: Interview with Marianne Morea

What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
My introduction into the paranormal and the world of “what if” came at a very early age. I remember sitting on the floor by my mother’s feet as she folded laundry with the original soap opera, ‘Dark Shadows” on TV in the living room. I was both enraptured and frightened at the same time to say the least, but it formed a lifelong fascination with the paranormal.
Please tell us about your latest release.
My latest release is a departure from vampires and weres, plus it is also my debut novel in the Young Adult genre. The book is called Hollow’s End, and it is a YA horror with a splash of history, romance and the paranormal. Inspired by historical events that surround the town of Sleepy Hollow and the famous legend that shares its name, this Young Adult Horror takes you on a journey full of history and suspense with a splash of romance and the paranormal. In the story, Hollow’s End, two hundred years of secrets and lies are bleeding into the present, and high school seniors, Hunter Morrissey and Rowen Corbett, find themselves linked with unseen forces shrouded in mystery and violence. Truths, buried and long forgotten, have risen at a time when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. Only Hunter and Rowen hold the key to locking the past in the past, and setting old wrongs to right.
Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names?
People ask me this quite often, and it may sound crazy but my characters seem to name themselves. A name will come to me and if it resonates with the feel and personality of the character in my head, then it’s a done deal. I have recently started using my reader’s first names for characters in my books. I put it out to my Street Team and they loved the idea! I may even extend the offer to fans that follow me on my social media sites.
Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
If my character is ethnic, then I will find an ethnic name that resonates with me and the character’s personality. It’s fun…like naming one of my kids all over again!
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Yes. Some were easy and straightforward, but others were much more complex with emotional baggage that needed to be worked out both in the story line and in my head. The character of Lily Saburi was one of the hardest I had to write. Book three in the Cursed by Blood saga I will be concentrating on the character of Ryan Martinez, but the French vampire, Remy, will be featured prominently. I have a strong feeling he’s going to give me a hard run. It the tortured ones that are the hardest to write, but also the most satisfying when done.
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
For the most part I have an idea of where I want the character to be in the story and where they are in their life that has led them there, but outlines and my original plans are never written in stone. The characters have a way of telling me what works for them and what doesn’t. When we have a standoff is when I get writer’s block. As for formulas…I have no use for them. Formulas tend to make the story rote and boring. Keeping character attributes straight in my head is sometimes a daunting task, so I enlist the help of my Street Team, and they maintain a bible of sorts which we call The Character Keeper. It’s a quick reference tool that not only keeps a character’s physical attributes current, but also notes their inner and outer motivations and my reader’s take on what makes the character tick.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
In Hollow’s End, my favorite scenes are the ones where main character Rowen Corbett has her visions. The images get more intense as the story progresses and they all tie into the climax at the end of the story. I had a lot of fun writing the horror aspects and linking them to the paranormal and helping the hero and the heroine come together as a couple.
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
Absolutely! I learned so much about the lesser known urban legends surrounding the village of Sleepy Hollow, as well as truths that could have been the inspiration behind the writing of the original Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I’m from the Hudson Valley and my husband’s family is originally from Sleepy Hollow. Our children were born there, so to learn about the histories that lie beneath what is commonly known was interesting to say the least!
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
Walked and studied the Old Dutch Burial Ground at the Old Dutch Church and looked at genealogies and historic accountings from over 200 years ago.
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
The world building I created in my urban fantasies and paranormal romances differ from our normal world in only one way….vampires and other supernatural being exist and walk among us. What is different about my vampires lies in the way they are created. In my world, if a vampire is created with cruelty, selfish disregard and lust, those are the only emotions they retain in their new existence…BUT if a vampire is created with compassion and kindness, they retain the entire spectrum of human emotion and some of their humanity in that they can love and feel empathy for fellow beings. I wanted to show the dichotomy of the beings that inhabit my world, that vampires are predators despite their passionate allure, and for them to truly be the romantic figures we all love, they must work to earn that awe every day of their existence.
With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?
I have endeavored to make each of my books a standalone, but as with most series, the characters overlap and for readers to get the full impact of the stories they should be read in order. Blood Legacy, my vampire paranormal romance, was originally going to be book one in a separate series from my Cursed by Blood Series, but now that I am bringing the characters together through cameo appearances and through dialogue mentions, my aim is to merge the books into one Saga.
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
All my characters have me in them…especially the females. The men are always a compilation of the men in my life: what I love about them and what I don’t…plus there’s always that element of fantasy that is a must—the ideal that gets brought to life in my head and follows suit into the written word. Real is boring. The idealized is what makes the characters and the stories fun and escapist.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
I step away from the story and just do other things. Sometimes I talk to my friends about where I’m stuck; sometimes I just wait for a dream to hit me with an Ah Ha moment. My writer’s block never lasts for long, thank God, and I work best under pressure. I once wrote 20,000 words in one week. When it flows, it flows…
Do you write in different genres?
Yes. I have Hollow’s End which is more YA horror, and I also have a mystery suspense outlined foe this winter as well as a contemporary romance alla Nicholas Sparks just itching to be written. When you’re a writer, you just write. I personally never want to become pigeon-holed.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
In the seventh grade I wrote a love letter to a boy in class, and true to form for a 13 year old boy, he showed it to all his friends. They were impressed. In fact I remember distinctly the words were, “Dang, that girl can write a good letter.” I knew then I had a way with words…especially romance…and I’ve been a scribbler ever since. J
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Oooh….ice cream! Though I have lactose sensitivity and pay dearly every time I eat it. And (hangs head in shame) I watch reality TV, especially the Real Housewives. I know, I know… it’s trash television, but it’s like road kill, you are horrified yet compelled to look.
What was the last amazing book you read?
I read Kim Harrison’s Everafter and I LOVED it! I am addicted to the Rachel Morgan Hollows series. I also reread Diana Gabeldon’s Outlander Series every chance I get, and I’m so psyched they are finally making the saga into a television series…fingers crossed it follows the book and does the author justice!
What can readers expect next from you?
I have a New Adult paranormal romance due out this fall called Secrets of the Moon. The characters are fresh out of college, so it is still a coming of age/coming into one’s own story. The great thing about the New Adult genre is that characters can experience adult situations and language while still trying to find out who they are and where they fit in this world…or in the worlds I create for them. It’s more freeing in terms of writing, because I don’t have the same restrictions as when writing Young Adult. I know that high school kids these days could probably show me a thing or two about sex and language, but I chose to follow the lead set by Kami Garcia (Beautifu; Creatures), Nancy Holder (The Evil Within) and Stephenie Meyers (Twilight) in that none of them included sex and language in their YA best sellers, so neither would I. Within the first six months of 2014 I hope to have sequels out to both Blood Legacy and Twice Cursed as well as finishing up a new contemporary romance.Intrepid? You bet. Do I love it? Absolutely.
Where can readers find you on the web?
Yes, of course. I’m always around on Facebook and absolutely LOVE to interact directly with readers. My author page is https://www.facebook.com/mariannemoreaauthor  You can tweet me as well at @mariannemorea or contact me through my website at www.mariannemorea.com.
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Sure! Enjoy…
“It’s just Halloween,” I mumbled flipping my covers back, but in our house it was never just Halloween, nor was it ever just about trick-or-treating. It was the Witch’s New Year and one of the biggest sabbats on the wheel of the year. Not that I believed in that sort of junk. That was my family’s thing, not mine, even though my mother and grandmother had been trying to make it mine since the day I was born. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat for a moment. I’d heard it a thousand times, “We’re different, Rowen, embrace it. People would kill to be able to do what we can.” Like people needed more reasons to think I was half a freak. And as to wanting to be like me, uh… I didn’t think so. “Rowen, hurry up! I need to talk to you before you leave,” Mom’s voice called again.My room looked like a tornado hit. Clothes and shoes everywhere, and the books and math sheets I reviewed last night were still in a haphazard pile across my desk. Two empty Coke cans topped a pile of candy wrappers, and a large, half eaten bag of potato chips lay crumpled on the floor next to my backpack. Oh God, I didn’t. At the incriminating sight, my hand shifted to my stomach, and a familiar self-loathing settled onto my shoulders. I slumped a bit, cringing inwardly at what the scale would read this morning. With a sigh I pushed myself to stand and slid my gaze to the clothes I somehow remembered to set out. My lateness was reaching epic proportions, yet school was only halfway through the first semester. Most of the student body had learned to get out of the way when I came barreling in for homeroom. Mom seemed to think my tardy nature would improve once I earned my driver’s license, but of course, that didn’t happen. I was seventeen and already driving for the past year. We lived around the corner from the high school, and senior privilege or not, I didn’t relish the idea of taking my mother’s minivan. Grabbing my outfit from the back of my desk chair, I walked into the bathroom and snapped on the light. I had no problem envisioning my mother, coffee cup in hand, impatiently waiting for me to come downstairs while she planned her latest concoction for the store. When my mother says she needs to talk it usually means extra work for me, and considering how busy it’s been I’m surprised it took her this long to ask. Not that I mind helping out at the shop with all its curiosities, but I can’t seem to stomach the people who come in just to gawk. Of course, the townspeople wouldn’t dare insult my mother that way, but the tourists loved to look at the whole lot, including us.I took inventory of my face in the mirror, running fingers over the puffy skin beneath my eyes, trying to ignore the glare from the bathroom’s overhead lights. Telltale dark smudges from my late date with calculus were evident beneath my lower lids, making my hazel eyes look a little muddy. “Now, that’s attractive,” I grumbled reaching for my makeup remover. Giving each eye a quick swipe, I checked my reflection for any marked improvement. No such luck. Most of the time, I liked the way I looked. From the dark curls and high cheekbones I inherited from my dad, to winning the genetic lottery for great skin courtesy of mother’s side of the family. Most of my friends hated that I never got zits or blemishes, but Mother Nature evened the playing field, seeing to it I gained weight if I so much as looked at junk food.I muttered an expletive thinking about the bag of chips I’d massacred and pushed the bathroom scale under the vanity with my foot. One of these days I’d learn not to let the number glaring up at me dictate the kind of day I would have, but today was not that day. The Corbett’s tended to be on the fleshy side, or at least that’s what it looked like in all the family pictures. I wouldn’t know firsthand, though, my dad having died when I was little, and his parents before I was born. Then again, having a mother who leaned more toward the vegetarian line helped a lot in that department.Gathering my hair, I twisted it into a loose bun at the top of my head. There was a peculiar tension building in my stomach, and I didn’t think it was the potato chips. I was out of sorts, restless for some reason, and a dull ache throbbed behind my eyes. I grabbed my toothbrush and turned on the tap, breaking one of the cardinal rules of my house by letting the water run while I brushed my teeth.A calculus test was scheduled later this morning, but I was never one for being neurotic over grades. So why was I so edgy? I rinsed my mouth and stuck the toothbrush in its holder. The light pounding behind my eyes escalated and I winced, tilting my head down against the pain. That was when I saw it, or thought I saw it. I stood motionless with my hand frozen in place as I stared at the water in the sink. The slow drain had allowed the flow to gather in the basin and ribbons of red curled and spread like blood streaming into the water. It didn’t look like rust or red clay or anything else. It looked like blood, swirling and coating the white porcelain with streaks and tiny clots. Worse yet, it smelled like blood, with a sharp, metallic tang that lingered in my nose and throat. I gagged, squeezing my eyes shut.A wave of dizziness hit and I gripped the edge of the vanity, sucking in short shallow breaths trying to work up enough air to yell for my mother. I swallowed against the sour bile taste in my mouth and counted to ten, and when I opened my eyes, only clear water flowed in the sink.My hand shot forward turning off the tap, and I pumped the water-stopper lever behind the faucet a bunch of times. I held my breath ‘til the last of the water ran down the drain. Did I say half a freak? How about a full-fledged weirdo, complete with psychotic visions? Backing up, I grabbed hold of the towel rack and sank to the floor, the cold tile adding to my already goose-pimpled flesh. Minutes passed and though my heart rate slowed, my mind raced. Was this some leftover nightmare skewed from Chiller TV? Part of me wanted to yell for my mother, but the other part knew she’d make a huge deal about it, and I didn’t have time for a protection spell or whatever else she’d think to do.The clock was ticking, and I needed to get myself together and out the door. Afraid to tempt fate and run the water in the sink again, I wet a washcloth under the bathtub tap. “No more sleep deprived delusions for me, thank you.”The problem was this didn’t feel like a byproduct of too little sleep. Something happened, I sensed it. Gran told me the night of my birthday that my aura was bleeding. Happy birthday, darling, and by the way… Gee, thanks. Love you too, Gran.That night my mother made light of it, telling me everyone’s aura bled from time to time, it’s part of coming into your own—yet I hadn’t missed the look she shot my grandmother. And what the hell did that mean? Was I coming into my own as a strong, independent woman, or did some weird, cosmic witchiness hit me square in the face courtesy of my messed up gene pool? Right now, I didn’t want to know. I wanted to go to school and take my exams like any other normal teenager. The question was could I?

Rock ‘n’ Roll in Paranormal Romance Guest blog and Giveaway with Lisa Carlisle

Rock stars are hot. So are paranormal romances. That’s why I can’t get enough of either. And when they’re together in one story—ooh!

I’m Lisa Carlisle and I write erotic paranormal romance for Ellora’s Cave. I was a teenage in the late 80s and early 90s and hit just about every rock and metal show that came to town. After teasing my hair to astronomical proportions, of course! It was a fun time with catchy songs I still love and 80s nostalgia nights are still a great time for girls night out.

Loving the era of big hair and metal, I wanted to write a story with some of that vibe, but with the hot atmosphere of a club today. So I wrote Bloodlust and Metal, which not only features some of the fun rock songs of the late 80s, but with a hot, forbidden attraction between a shapeshifter and vampire – two of my favorites paranormal characters. I had so much fun writing the story. I hope you enjoy reading it!

Enter below for a chance to win a digital copy of Bloodlust and Metal.

Be sure to visit my Web site at lisacarlislebooks.com to check out the playlists and more from the books.

Bloodlust and Metal

On the run from a master vampire, young vampire Layla Black flees London to reinvent herself as the singer of an Eighties cover band in Boston. Devon St. Clair is the bounty hunter hired to track her down. As a shapeshifter with extraordinary skills, his reputation is known throughout the supernatural world. Capturing Layla should be an easy gig that will net a nice profit.

The situation doesn’t go as Devon plans. He wants Layla in his bed, but shapeshifters and vampires don’t mix. They should hate each other, but instead they’re keeping the sheets steamy. When circumstances force them on the run together, their preconceived notions are challenged. If they can evade those hunting them and convince his fellow shapeshifters to help her even though she’s a vampire, they just might have a chance to explore where all that hot, sweaty sex can take them.

A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

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Buy now at:
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Also on one of my favorite themes of rock stars and paranormal romance, I had another recent release called Rock Me Tonight, featuring the brilliant, sexy rock star Nico.

Rock Me Tonight

Lily Everett wants a lover, but won’t consider a permanent relationship, because she harbors a secret she’s certain no one will understand. When she meets the singer of a rock band at an underground nightclub, she’s disarmed by his sensual voice and mischievous good looks. After an icy introduction, Lily warms up to Nico’s charms.

A computer geek by day, Nico dons a rock singer persona by night. He’s tired of women pursuing him just because he’s in a band—the sex may be handy, but he wants something more. He’s intrigued by Lily’s reticence.

Keeping her emotional distance proves difficult the more Lily uncovers the intelligent, considerate man hiding behind Nico’s bad-boy persona. Their encounters are hot-hot-hot, but Nico wants more from Lily than sex. When Lily lets down her guard and reveals her other side, Nico’s shock destroys their closeness and they both doubt they can overcome their differences.

A Romantica® paranormal/shapeshifter erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

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Buy now at:

Ellora’s Cave
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All Romance Ebooks

Reviews

A Summer Pick by All Romance Ebooks!

A Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews

The chemistry between Lily and Nico is off the charts. The sex is hot and steamy. They are a great match together in and out of the bedroom. ~ Night Owl Reviews

The one area that never failed to excite in this story was the sex – anywhere and everywhere… Lisa Carlisle has penned a really good story here in this installment; I’m now going to search out the first two in the series.~ The Jeep Diva

Recommended by USA Today!

“The trailer for Rock Me Tonight by Lisa Carlisle might be short, but it grabs you right away with the driving beat of the soundtrack. The images are a mix of glimpses of the rock lifestyle and sexy clinches — yum — and then the script draws you in with nerds who become rock stars by night and heroines with secrets. Can we all raise a lighter to this one?”


About Lisa CarlisleI gravitate toward stories with dark, brooding, isolated characters (think Heathcliff, Dracula, Darth Vader, and Severus Snape) and tough, independent, caring heroines. My reading tastes very widely, though, and I’ll read almost anything–especially paranormal romance, mysteries, and non-fiction on any new topic of interest.

I’m feel very honored to be a multi-published, award-winning author writing in different genres since I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in sixth grade. For much of my professional career, I’ve written non-fiction — I’ve discovered writing romance is the most fun!

Life took a strange turn when I was younger and I ended up enlisting in the Marines, where I served in Parris Island, the California desert, and Okinawa, Japan. Then I backpacked alone through Europe,  and lived in Paris. I owned a bookstore for a few years before becoming a writer as I love to read. Currently, I live in New England with my fantastic husband and kids.Fun ExtrasBe sure to visit my Web site at http://www.lisacarlislebooks.com/books and sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear of new releases, specials, or freebies. You can also explore fun extras, like the playlists for my books.

Coming soon—A Gargoyle’s Embrace.

Let’s connect:FacebookTwitterPinterest
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Interview and Giveaway with Katalina Leon author of Lord Griffin’s Prize

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
Katalina Leon: I’m primarily a visual artist so I got to the writing game a little late. When you read my work, you’ll notice I’m obsessed with color, texture and atmosphere. I try to match a color and a moral theme to each book as if I were acting as a set dresser and setting the stage for the reader to move in and have their own experience. The beauty of the digital realm is the extra lavishness cost me nothing but imagination and time. Subjects I used to struggle to paint on huge canvases, I can now share as written word. It’s a much easier way to spread magic and fun around. My new magic tools are electricity, language and light. What witch of yesteryear wouldn’t envy the simplicity of that?
What is it about the paranormal that fascinates you so much?
Katalina Leon: I love the paranormal genre because it provides a stage for the deeper mysteries in life to be played out in dramatic fashion. Lord Griffin’s Prize features an immortal griffin-shifter not a Vampire, but I’ve written Vampires in “The Strix and loved it! I’ll be returning to Vampire realms soon. As authors we can always fall back on the “it’s just entertainment” alibi but paranormal realms allow us to explore our darkest and most unacceptable fantasies in an acceptable way. Vampires are a glimpse into our fears and desires about our own mortality. There are overtones of power, domination and sexual submission. To deal with a seductive Vampire is to face the dual possibilities of annihilation or sweeping immortal bliss. It requires a leap of faith to trust another being who is so “other”, and no doubt that’s a big part of the fun as well.
What inspired you to write this book?Katalina Leon: Griffins have always had a special place in my heart. According to 9th century Irish author Stephen Scotus, griffins mate for life and are “highly monogamous.” If a mate dies the other will never re-mate, and that played a big part in my story. Griffins rule both air and land with justice and loyalty. So you see its hard to not love a griffin!
A few years ago, as an anniversary gift, my husband gave me a beautiful bronze casting of a griffin to place next to my writing desk. The Griffin is there as a symbol of eternal love and loyalty. My husband’s a griffin at heart; he’s protective, loyal and he never turns his back on his responsibilities. I brought as much of that sentiment as I possibly could to “Lord Griffin’s Prize.”
Please tell us about your latest release.
Katalina Leon; Lord Griffin’s Prize is part of the Emerald Isle Fantasies book series from Ellora’s Cave. Here’s the blurb:
When guests check into the historic Castle Tullamore Hotel they expect bucolic scenery and luxurious service. What they don't anticipate is along with the 5 star accommodations they'll also get drawn into lots of otherworldly Irish mischief and erotic enchantment.
At Tullamore there are ghostly lovers, griffin-shifters, vampires, selkies, witches and werewolves waiting to lure the lonely and the adventurous into forbidden realms. The castle grounds are riddled with time portals where the unwitting can experience vivid adventures in other timelines. For the most part the hotel appears to be just a lovely Irish castle until things get wild and reality drops from underfoot like a swinging trapdoor.
My contribution to the Emerald Isle Fantasies is “Lord Griffin’s Prize” and it’s available now.
Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
Katalina Leon: I do try to match deeper meaning to a character’s name and when I do it’s always part of the plot line or story. If I don’t know what to name a character I often simply take a deep breath and type a name. I ask the character to tell me who they are. It can be pretty amazing how quickly and vividly hidden parts of the personality volunteer to step forward and reveal themselves.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Katalina Leon: I love both Maeve and Ronan equally. They both surprised me in so many ways.  But I have to admit writing villains is my favorite thing in the world. It’s just so fun. My evil characters do all the work for me. They just show up in my head, put on a show and force me to keep with them and yes, Lord Griffin’s Prize has a wretched villain named uncle Aodhan.
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
Katalina Leon: I’m a visual thinker so I’ll collect photo files of potential characters. I’m sort of a hoarder of interesting men on Pinterest. I’ll start and collect files on real life historical characters and when a theme, character and setting come together voila! It off to the races typing an outline before it all disappears.

What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
Katalina Leon: I love the opening scene between Maeve and Ronan when they meet in a semi-dream state and make love in a beautiful old bed in the O’Griofa suit of Tullamore Castle-a bed they’d shared seven hundred years ago as newlywed lovers. The whole incident feels convincingly real to Maeve and she’s left very confused by the visit from her phantom lover who morphs into a griffin and disappears through the castle walls. And that just the beginning of strange events. 
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
Katalina Leon: I always find a ton of interesting things-far more material than I can or should include. I consider these riches my repayment. I love finding these interesting things. When you really look at the human story it always makes me proud to be human. I believe we’re all part of something very special.
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
Katalina Leon: My husband would be very unhappy with me for being a tattletale about personal stuff, but I love to experiment and try new sensations and new things. For my upcoming paranormal romance, I used enchanted Absinthe as a plot device that throws my heroine back to an artist loft in 1903 France. A tricky enchantress and La Fée Verte—the green fairy are involved in the mischief. While I was editing “Fairy In The Flesh” when I came to the Absinthe scene, I drank real Absinthe and caught a nice little buzz. I’ll do anything for my craft!
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
Katalina Leon: The Emerald Isle Fantasies collaboration was easy and came naturally. I’ve made a lot of good friends in the group. The project was started almost eighteen months ago. We were all Ellora’s Cave authors who were reassigned to a new editor based in Ireland. Our editor’s husband worked in the hospitality industry at a real Irish castle turned hotel. Pictures of his workplace were posted and the “Oohing and Ahhing” started immediately. Brainstorming to create our own fictitious castle filled with paranormal Irish high jinx and lots of unsuspecting guests was the next logical step.
With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?
Katalina Leon: All the Emerald Isle Fantasies books are strong stand alones and can be read and enjoyed in any order. We worked hard to coordinate a few shared characters and locations that have particular properties and we hope readers will enjoy everyone’s slightly different take on a few shared themes. For instance Tullamore Castle has an enchanted “lift”— a Victorian era elevator, that on its discretion might toss a rider back in time or cause amorous behavior that gets out of control. Phantom lovers enjoy riding this elevator and doing provocative things to the living. So if you think you’re being kissed or softly touched in the lift—you might want to glance over your shoulder…
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
Katalina Leon: I hit blocks all the time and no amount of mental pushing or shoving seems to get the show on the road. When that happens I close that WIP for a while and open another or start a new one. Almost immediately the writing energy returns. I always have at least a dozen WIPs going at any one time.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
Katalina Leon: I always have a vase of fresh flowers on my writing desk. It can be a simple arrangement from my yard or the farmer’s market but I really love my flowers. Today I have a vase of big beautiful golden roses from my neighbor’s yard sitting beside me.
Do you write in different genres?
Katalina Leon: I do and I consider the genre changes as necessary as a wardrobe change—if it’s cold out put on a coat! The tone of the story needs to be matched to the right genre. I currently write erotic romance in the subgenres of paranormal, historical, Sci-fi and contemporary.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Katalina Leon: No it would be much more difficult for me to stick to only one genre. My own interests and tastes roam all over the place. Like most women I like having favorites but I don’t want to feel pinned down.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
Katalina Leon: The day I received my first book contract, quickly followed by three more was an overwhelmingly positive event and signaled a major life refocus for me. It was official in my mind that I was a writer and not just a dreamer. I’ll never forget that feeling.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Katalina Leon: Mild bondage even a firm grip on my wrists works and chocolate infused red wine. Why not?
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
Katalina Leon: I love a challenging group yoga class or an all out sweat-soaked workout at the gym especially if I’ve been sitting most of the day…which is typical. It so hard to get to the gym but worth it, as much for my mind and stress levels as my body. I’ve long accepted that my extra pounds are mine to keep as my consolation prize. Fit is good, skinny is not for me.
What was the last amazing book you read?
Katalina Leon: I just finished reading Robin Maxwell’s “Jane—The Woman Who Loved Tarzan” from Tor press. There was a lot to love about that book. I fell in love with Tarzan too.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
Katalina Leon: I’m a bit of a gypsy, I move around the house following the light or moving away from chatty people. I have a favorite spot on a cushy leather couch next to a reading light but if I sit there and open a book it’s a silent signal for my son, dog and husband to plop down beside me and turn on the television… Bye-bye reading time.

What can readers expect next from you?
Katalina Leon: Expect more time travel and later this fall some Cajun time-traveling wolf-shifters as well. Fairy In the Flesh is one of my personal favorite fantasies of going back to 1903 and being part of the Bohemian modernist art movement. Sexy artist and enchanted absinthe is involved.
Here’s the blurb:
Fairy In The Flesh
Katalina Leon
Maya Rousseau’s fantasy vacation in Avignon France heats up when an eccentric enchantress tricks her into drinking mojo-laced absinthe.
An unexpected encounter with the green fairy causes Maya’s reality to have a serious melt down. She travels back in time and wakes up naked in the bed of her favorite bad boy Bohemian artist, the tall, dark and mysterious André Bosco. There’s nothing wrong with that except it’s 1903.
For André it’s love at first sight. He begs Maya to become his cherished model, muse and lover. The chemistry and shared passion between them is overwhelming. André’s a generous-hearted dream man but there’s a catch. Every hour they spend together bonds them tighter and time is running out. The same powers that flung Maya back to 1903 are preparing to snatch her back.
With a hundred and ten years separating these soul-bound lovers it’s uncertain if they can find a happy ending without the help of a little magic and La Fée Verte.Note: Story contains super hot sex with an unattainable man, enchanted hallucinatory beverages, mischievous time-twisters and green fairies.

Where can readers find you on the web?
Katalina Leon:Website: katalinaleon.comEllora’s Cave:https://www.ellorascave.com/index.php/authors/index/author/slug/katalina-leon/Loose Id:http://www.loose-id.com/authors/a-f/amber-skyze-katalina-leon.htmlAmazon:http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00BIXI8BQAll Romance eBooks:https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.htmlNight Owl Reviews Author Page:http://erotica.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Authors/Katalina-LeonPinterest:http://pinterest.com/katalinaleon/Facebook:www.facebook.com/katalina.leon.142
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Katalina Leon: I sure would!
(In this scene Maeve has been in the O’Griofa suite for less than an hour, but she’s already become infatuated with Lord O’Griofa’s portrait, traveled back in time to a castle under siege, released the pain of a failed marriage and hallucinated that a griffin is walking the castle grounds. It’s been a very eventful night. She’s exhausted and jetlagged. When she climbs into the notorious O’Griofa “griffin bed” things really heat up.)
…She walked around the room, making sure the door was locked and switching off the few lights still lit. The fading red embers of the fire glowed. The fire’s soft illumination was lovely and provided just enough light to see. An errant sliver of moonlight cut across the room and lit Lord O’Griofa’s portrait.Maeve pulled the covers back and climbed into the massive bed, which could have comfortably slept several adults. She gazed up at the silk canopy. The viridian curtains surrounding the bed were woven with a subtle pattern that suggested to her tired eyes the faintest hint of feathery wings.She noticed that the bed curtains could be drawn around the bed to either block light or create an oasis of privacy. She drew the curtains in hopes of preventing the first rays of dawn from waking her too early. She allowed her head to sink deep into the lush pile of pillows and sighed with pleasure that the bed felt as good as it looked.She stretched across the crisp sheets with her eyes squeezed shut, wishing she had the energy or will to take off the bulky bathrobe, but before she could rouse herself to act she became aware of the warm weight of a solidly built man pressing down on her.As if by magic a naked man materialized beneath the bedcovers. His warm skin radiated the faint but unmistakable scent of musk. He unknotted the robe and pushed the fabric aside, baring her breasts. A soft sigh crossed his lips.She made a halfhearted attempt to stop him.With gentle but decisive action, he took hold of her wrists and slowly slid her arms above her head, pinning her beneath him.She gulped a startled breath as he parted her legs with his knee. The sensations were real. The wet tip of his heavy erection brushed between her thighs. She started to cry out in surprise.“Hush,” the man whispered. He grazed his lips against the side of her cheek. “Don’t wake, my love—this is only a dream.” The man’s comforting voice was pure reassurance. “I’ve been waiting so long for you.”“Ronan?” She relaxed.“Who else comes to your bed?” A quiet laugh crossed his lips as if it were a casual joke that often passed between them. He released his hold on her wrists. “Wrap your arms around me and make me feel loved.” He leaned close and his warm breath flooded the side of her throat. “I need you, Maeve.”A shudder of desire seized her, impossible to deny. The man’s voice was drenched with longing and coaxed myriad buried feelings to surface. She realized that every lover should plead for touch with this much conviction, yet so few did.Dream or not, it had been ages since she’d felt sensations so fiery and she couldn’t resist giving in. The dream man—Ronan or whoever he was—felt so good that she found herself wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and drawing him close. The silky hair on his chest glided against her breasts. In a moment of uncharacteristic boldness, she reached down, took hold of his shaft and guided him between her legs. She rubbed the head of his cock against her with slow strokes, until he was slick and her clit peaked. Without further prompting she allowed him to glide inside.“Oh Maeve.” A husky groan escaped his lips as he sank deep.She arched beneath him and twined a smooth leg around his hip, wishing he’d start moving and pay out on the building excitement he’d caused. She skimmed the length of his muscular back with open palms before gripping his solid butt and pressing down with a demanding little push that said “get going”.He moved with caution.She tried to glimpse his face in the shadows but saw nothing beyond a vague silhouette. It excited her to be with a complete stranger. She’d never done such a thing and it really didn’t matter because this was just a dream. It was so freeing to give in to raw lust. “Fuck me,” she whispered.“What a salty tongue you have.” He sounded amused as he nipped her throat. His lips lingered on her skin. “You’re sweet as heaven but you talk like a devil.” He took several long strokes, pumping his hips faster. The muscles of his back coiled and his breath sped. He was big and solid and the animal strength of his graceful body took her breath away. Each movement was controlled and decisive and every inch of his body tensed. “I can’t hold back.” A moment later he bolted into action like a racehorse sprinting. “Sorry, love. This is going to be sweet and swift.” He gripped her shoulders as his body covered hers and moved with fierce strokes.The thick shaft of his cock glided against her wet clit at the perfect angle. She lifted her hips off the bed to intensify the sensation. “That’s good.” She encouraged him to move with her. She grabbed on to the hard muscles of his butt and pushed down with force. The brisk stroke of his cock brought her moaning to the edge. “I’m right there.” A beautiful rush of sensations heated her blood as the easiest, quickest climax of her life carried her away and left her limp with pleasure. “Ah...”He lifted Maeve’s thigh higher and sank deep. A quiet growl vibrated low in his throat. He tipped his head back and arched as he came hard. The man trembled and nearly collapsed against her, with a dewy sheen of sweat on his skin. He brushed his face against her cheek and she felt a gritty hint of stubble.Alarm shot through her. Those details felt all too real. She feared this couldn’t possibly be a dream. No dream was this vivid. She pushed against his shoulders and tried to get a better look at him.“Am I crushing you?” He rose on his elbows so she could move and brushed his fingertips against her cheek. “That was wonderful. I wish I could stay inside you all night, but I can’t.”A chill shivered across her skin. “Why can’t you?”
“Because it’s not night anymore, it’s morning.” The man evaporated in front of hereyes and the warm bed covers slumped on top of her with a swoosh as he exited.Maeve bolted upright and smacked the empty covers with her palm. The man had vanished. The bed curtains remained drawn and still. Her bathrobe was open and the bedding was rumpled but beyond that only the faintest scent of salty sweat betrayed that he had ever been there.She reached between her drenched thighs with caution and touched. Without doubt a man had been with her. What the hell was going on?The quiet scratch of what sounded like claws against the wooden floor made her freeze. She drew a tense breath, listened with laser focus and heard a soft snort and what sounded like the padding of heavy paws crossing the room. A noise like an animal snuffling the fire grate made her blood run cold.Now she was fully awake and certain this was no dream. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Beyond the bed curtains, someone or something was moving around the suite.She drew the bed curtain aside a crack and peered out. The room was illuminated by the faint rays of an overcast dawn.Near the fireplace beside the mantel, she saw a large animal the size of a male lion with black sweeping wings folded behind its back. The creature turned to the side, revealing the lethally curved beak of an eagle and keen, dark eyes. She gasped in awe and immediately covered her mouth with her hand.The griffin.The creature glanced over its shoulder stealthily, as if it were aware of her presence, and reached toward the wedding ring she had left as an offering. It picked up the ring with its hooked beak. The griffin tossed the ring into the air and swallowed it with a quick gulp.She bit her lip to keep from gasping aloud.The griffin turned and walked through the heavy wooden door, which posed no physical barrier. It passed through the locked door with the same ease as if it were walking through fog, and disappeared.“Oh my God!” Maeve trembled with shock. “What just happened?”She threw the bed curtains back, leaped off the mattress and ran toward the door while tying the bathrobe around her waist. She grabbed the doorknob and rattled it. The knob did not budge and she saw that the door was latched from the inside.She turned and ran toward the mantel. Her gaze went straight to the clawed feet of the stone griffin. The wedding ring was gone. She reached out and felt the empty spot with her fingertips to reassure herself that this moment of utter madness was real. “I’m losing my mind. This isn’t good.”She focused her gaze with suspicion on the disheveled bed before ricocheting like a bullet toward Lord O’Griofa’s portrait. Had all that been real too? Had she made love to a phantom?“Nope. That’s too much crazy,” she said it aloud in a calm voice. There was no way a man from the distant past had materialized in bed and fucked her breathless with tender gusto. It was a thrilling but improbable fantasy.It was more likely she’d been ignoring her true feelings and physical needs for so many months that she’d gone temporarily nuts. “Strange fantasy men in the bed” crazy was a bad development. That level of cuckoo should never happen again. It was obvious to her that dire needs must be addressed. She realized she should buy a vibrator on this vacation and start using it ASAP.Fucking hunky medieval phantoms was without doubt a sign she needed to get off more often than she had been lately—which was not at all. She was pent-up. This situation simply wasn’t acceptable. She was a loaded gun ready to explode, for God’s sake. What was next? Would she throw herself at the first interesting man who crossed her path? In her current wounded-prey state of mind she knew that would definitely be a mistake. To make sure this type of weirdness didn’t happen again, a vibrator was a must, and she promised herself she’d get one soon.Beyond the tall, narrow windowpane, the sun broke through a thick layer of cloud, lighting the morning sky in brilliant shades of blue and gold.Maeve smoothed the bed covers. There would be no pretense of going back to sleep. Besides, she didn’t dare to climb back into that bed until she’d had a sobering cup of coffee and a long talk with her love-starved libido…(Maeve dresses and heads downstairs and guess who she runs into walking the castle grounds dressed in contemporary clothing? Oh yes, it’s very awkward. How can she tell a stranger that she just finished having sex in her dreams with someone who looks and sounds just like him…Poor Maeve.)Thank you Fangtastic Books for hosting me today! I loved the visit. XXOO Katalina Leon



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August 6 reviewNicky Peacock Authorhttp://nickypeacockauthor.wordpress.com/
August 6 SpotlightKelly P's Blog http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/
August 7 SpotlightCloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuffcloeyk.blogspot.com
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August 9 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
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Lord Griffin’s PrizeKatalina Leon
Genre: Paranormal romance shape-shifter
Publisher: Ellora’s CaveDate of Publication:  July 10, 2013
ISBN: 9781419945397
Number of pages: 114Word Count: 50k
Cover Artist: Syneca
http://www.ellorascave.com/lord-griff...
Book Description:
Part of the Emerald Isles Fantasies series
Tullamore Castle Ireland is an enchanted place where the unexpected happens. Phantom lovers materialize in haunted beds and a lonely griffin patrols the ramparts waiting to reclaim its mate. And that’s just the beginning.
For the adventure of a lifetime Maeve de’Burgo visits Tullamore to study genealogy. Through a magical act and time travel she becomes embroiled in a dangerous medieval romance and the unfinished life of her ancestor. Maeve gets thrown back in time to be captured, ravished and cherished as a war chief’s prize.
Ronan O’Griofa is a griffin-shifter, the most loyal of creatures. He’s been trapped in limbo as the avenging guardian of Tullamore since 1332 AD and longs to be free. When the soul of his wife returns to the castle he’s granted the privilege of becoming a man for one day to be her lover, win her heart and remind Maeve of a bond strong enough to last an eternity.


About the Author:
I’m an artist, an author, mother and wife. I write for Ellora’s Cave, Loose Id Publishing and a couple new publishers to be announced soon. I try to bring a touch of the mystical and a big sense of adventure to everything I write because I believe there’s a bold, kick-ass heroine inside all of us who wants to take a wild ride with a strong worthy hero.
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