Erin Richards's Blog, page 12

Favorite 10 - Epic Fantasy Novels

I started reading fantasy as a child before I even know what “fantasy” meant in the fiction world. Then my tastes came and went as I discovered books in all genres. In high school, The Hobbit was a required reading assignment. The best assignment ever! The Hobbit reinforced my love for reading fantasy and I couldn’t wait to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy over the summer. I didn’t read much more fantasy until I discovered The Wheel of Times series. That first book set me on a long course of gobbling up all the epic fantasy I could find. The bigger the book, the better! I have less time to read these bigger books now, but I wanted to share the best of the epic fantasy books I’ve read. Some of these are the first in a series. I may or may not have loved every book in the series (The Wheel of Time series books became tedious and I quit reading them around book 8, but I’ve read all the books in the other series and have loved them, and have read other  books by those authors).
Anne Bishop, Jacqueline Carey, Sara Douglass, Elizabeth Haydon, Robin Hobb, and J.V. Jones are all on my auto-by list now (funny how they’re all women authors!). You can’t go wrong reading any book by these authors. They’re fabulous.

My top ten favorite epic fantasy novels are in the order I discovered them…

1.     Watership Down, by Richard Adams
2.     The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
3.     The Wheel of  Time, by Robert Jordan
4.     The Barbed Coil, by J.V. Jones
5.     The Wayfarer Redemption, by Sara Douglass
6.     Rhapsody, by Elizabeth Haydon
7.     Kushiel’s Avatar, by Jacqueline Carey
8.     The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
9.     Ship of Destiny, by Robin Hobb
10. Daughers of the Blood, by Anne Bishop

Book Tour & Giveaway: IDENTITY CRISIS

I’m happy to host another great Crimson Romance release today. If you like romantic suspense, be sure to check out Eliza Daly’s Identity Crisis, her second Crimson Romance novel.

To celebrate the March 4 release of Identity Crisis, Eliza will be awarding one $20 gift certificate, and two $10 gift certificates, for either Amazon or Barnes & Noble to three randomly drawn commenters during her excerpt reveal tour March 4. Please include your e-mail address with your comment. Winners will be contacted on March 8. Good luck everyone!

Title:  IDENTITY CRISISAuthor: Eliza DalyGenre: Romantic SuspensePublisher: Crimson RomanceRelease Date: 3/4/13Format:  ebook (Paperback coming soon)   Buy Links:AmazonBarnes & Noble(available soon)iTunesAll RomanceeBooks.comKobo Book Blurb: When Olivia Doyle’s father dies under suspicious circumstances, rather than inheriting a family fortune, she inherits a new identity. She learns they were placed in the Federal Witness Security Program when she was five years old. Her father was involved in an art forgery ring and testified against the mob. Brought up not to trust anyone, Olivia has a difficult time relying on U.S. Marshal Ethan Ryder to protect her, and to keep her secret. She fears her father may have continued his life of crime through her art gallery. She has little choice but to depend on Ethan when she realizes someone is now after her. Olivia’s search for the truth leads her and Ethan across country to a family and past she doesn’t remember. At the age of ten, Ethan witnessed a brutal murder. He vowed when he grew up, he’d protect people in danger. Protecting Olivia is difficult when she won’t trust him. He soon realizes his desire to protect her goes beyond doing his job, but if his judgment becomes clouded by emotions, her safety could be jeopardized. Can Ethan and Olivia learn to trust each other when they uncover secrets that will change their lives forever? Excerpt: Father Clifford slipped a yellowed envelope from the side pocket of his vestment. “Your father gave this to me many years ago. Asked that I give it to you upon his death.” She took the envelope from his hand. The organ music faded and a desolate, eerie stillness fell over the church, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. She tightened the shawl around her shoulders. She opened the envelope to find a letter and a newspaper clipping. She started with the letter. Dear Livy,  First, know that I loved you more than anything in this world. That's why I hope someday you'll forgive me for what I've done. Telling you the truth while I was alive could have put your life in danger. Now that I'm gone, I no longer fear for your safety. They would only have hurt you to get to me. The only way to keep us safe was to enter the Witness Protection Program when you were five. Leaving our friends and family was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I can’t stand the thought of you now being alone. I hope you’ll go back to our family, in the town where I grew up, Five Lakes, Wisconsin. I’d like to be laid to rest there, next to your mother. Please forgive me enough to grant me this one last wish. If you should ever encounter any problems, contact Roy Howard, the U.S. Marshal who relocated us, at 415-334-9076. I’m so sorry. Please believe you were the most important thing to me. You were my life. My Livvy. Love Dad  Olivia stood paralyzed, her mind racing, trying to comprehend the letter. Was this some kind of sick joke? For the past twenty-four years her dad had lived in fear that somebody would hurt them? What had forced him to leave behind everyone he'd loved? Everyone she'd probably loved, but obviously couldn't remember. And if her mom wasn't buried in San Francisco, whose grave had Olivia been visiting here all these years? She tried to hold the letter steady in her trembling hands. Of course it was vague. Her dad had been a man of few words. However, these few words expressed a lot of emotion, something he'd never been good at doing. "Is everything all right?" Father Clifford's voice penetrated her thoughts.
Concern creased the older man's brow and from the curiosity filling his gray eyes, he had no clue what the envelope contained. Her dad hadn't even trusted a priest with his secret. Her dad had been the only person she'd ever really trusted, and it turned out she hadn't truly known him.
She merely nodded, unable to find her voice. She inhaled a deep breath. The scent of beeswax candles and incense did little to calm the panic racing through her veins. She unfolded a clipping from a Chicago newspaper, dated twenty-four years ago. The headline read Art Dealer in Bed with Mob Blows Whistle on Forgery Ring and Vinnie Carlucci. The article included a photo of police officers escorting her dad. She started reading the article. Prominent Chicago art dealer Andrew Donovan confesses to having sold more than a hundred forgeries ... Her stomach dropped. She slapped a hand over her mouth, certain she was about to vomit right there on the pew. Her dad had been a criminal. The nature of his crime made it all the more surreal. She stared in disbelief at the papers in her hand. His name had been Andrew Donovan, not Alex Doyle. Her last name was Donovan. Was her first name actually Olivia? Instead of inheriting a family fortune, she'd inherited a new identity. Or rather, an old one. About the Author  Eliza Daly's first attempt at creative writing was in fourth grade. She and her friends were huge Charlie's Angels fans and she would sit in her bedroom at night writing scripts for them to act out at recess the following day. She was Kelly Garrett. Fast forward to the present, she's still writing stories about beautiful women who always get their men. The journey from fourth grade script writer to published author wasn't an easy one, but it was always an adventure and the final destination was well worth it. When Eliza isn't traveling for her job as an event planner, or tracking her ancestry roots through Ireland, she's at home in Milwaukee working on her next novel, bouncing ideas off her husband Mark, and her cats Quigley, Frankie, and Sammy. You can find Eliza on the web at Website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. 

Blog Hop Tease

Here's my photo of the week! LOL

Get ready for the Lucky in Love Blog Hop coming March 15 - 18. To stick with the theme of the St. Patrick's Day holiday (and my part Irish heritage...like you couldn't tell by my first name!), I'll be giving away a beautiful Swarovski Crystal 4-Leaf Clover necklace (US residents only. I'll have another giveaway open for international residents).

So come back during the blog hop and learn how you can enter to win. It'll be easy, I promise!

Book Review: RETURN TO ME

Title:  RETURN TO ME
Series:  Book 3 of The Roman Time Travel SeriesAuthor: Morgan O’NeillGenre: Historical Romance (Time-Travel)Publisher: Crimson RomanceRelease Date: 12/3/12Format:  ebook (Paperback coming soon) Buy Links:AmazonB&N  Back Cover Blurb:
The third novel in the Roman Time Travel series, Return to Mefinds time traveler Gigi Perrin happily settled into twenty-first century life with her husband, the former Roman senator and military commander, Quintus Magnus. Gigi has resumed her successful musical career, playing the flute for her adoring fans, while making her first foray into Hollywood by creating the musical score for a feature film about the Roman emperor Nero. At the film’s wrap party, Gigi is presented with a gift to commemorate her work: an ancient Roman ring depicting the goddess Victoria. Stunned, she and Magnus recognize it as the very ring that brought them together, and the one subsequently stolen from her and lost in A.D. 410. How did it make its way back to them? Magnus believes the answer is clear; Victoria sent it as a warning about their dear friend, Princess Galla Placidia. They start researching what happened to Placidia after Gigi and Magnus time-traveled from the barbarous fifth century. To their shock, they discover Placidia’s life took a series of terrible turns, culminating with the murders of her children.  Realizing they have no other choice, Gigi and Magnus prepare to embark on a perilous quest to go back in time and rescue them. But one ominous question remains - how can they save the children without altering the course of history?
Review:

5 of 5 Stars: Fantastic Conclusion to an Exquisite Series!

RETURN TO ME was a perfect conclusion to a fantastic Roman time-travel epic story. This series just kept getting better and better as evident in the final installment. From the first page, this story enthralled me, and I was once again swept up into the political storms of 410 A.D. Rome. Even though I didn’t want to let go of the romance, adventure, and impeccable historical accuracy, I was eager to see how Morgan O’Neill wrapped up the trilogy. RETURN TO ME delivered more than I could hope for in a marvelously written classic!

The love story between Gigi and Magnus was special and beautiful, becoming the driving force behind their goals. Their return to Rome to save Placidia and her children was heart-wrenching, intense and exhilarating as they embroiled themselves in more political intrigue and came up against their foe Honorius. Staying off Honorius’s radar and battling new threats while trying to save the children and not alter history became their greatest challenge. These challenges brought such emotional and intense conflict to Gigi and Magnus that you wondered how they would ever succeed until the last climatic scene.

It’s bittersweet that I have to say goodbye to Gigi, Magnus, Placidia and all the wonderfully depicted characters in RETURN TO ME. The ending was beyond satisfying, but I will miss reading about Gigi & Magnus’s romance and adventures. Rome and all its beauty and brutal reality, Gigi, Magnus and Placidia will stay in your heart long after you read the last page. I highly recommend RETURN TO ME and the entire trilogy to all fans of historical fiction. Morgan O’Neill is now on my auto buy list and I can’t wait to see what this dynamic writing duo serves up next!

Author Links:WebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreadsPinterest 

The Stages of a Book After Acceptance #1

YAY! I just finished proofreading the galley of VIGILANTE NIGHTS! Therefore, I thought I'd share the stages a book goes through after acceptance by a publisher. In my case, my publisher is Merit Press, a division of F+W Media.

At this point, all my edits are done, after going through two previous rounds of edits. First, a developmental edit, i.e. making changes to the story based on suggestions from my editor. I did those last November. My editor Jackie made some great suggestions, one of which returned an element to the story I had removed before I submitted it to her. Had she read my mind? I was super excited about that. I won't spill the beans, though. ;) After the book is released, I may blog about that issue. Anyway, I loved all of Jackie's insightful suggestions and happily made them!

During my copy-edit period (on November 16), I received the preliminary cover from Jackie. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I had provided absolutely no feedback or suggestions for cover art like I had with my two romance novels. So I was a little nervous waiting for it. My fingers were practically shaking when I opened the email. I had no reason to be nervous. It was love at first sight. I love black and red. The paint brush font is so freaking cool along with the splatter of white paint. The silhouette of the "gang" is so mysterious and suspenseful. The cover is perfect.
Merit Press then assigned a copy editor to VN to go over my developmental edits. In mid-December, I received the copy-edited manuscript back. Fortunately, Jackie had no issues with the changes I made during developmental edits. I had 10 days to go through the book again. During my copy edits I reviewed Merit's changes (and had the opportunity to raise any concerns, if any) and make any final changes I needed. These edits weren't bad (as Jackie said, my MS was pretty clean to begin with). Even as clean as it was, there were still things I missed that the copyeditor picked up, like using "crude" when I meant to use "crud." Ugh. I know the difference. But when you go through your book a gazillion times, your eyes glaze over and you miss these things because your mind knows what it means even if your eyes aren't seeing it. Another dumb mistake: I used "white-beater" instead of "wife-beater" as in the T-shirt. Duh. Again, I know the difference, but my fingers on the keyboard didn't care and my eyes glazed right over it (in two places, no less). Those were the two dumbest errors I made.

During copy-edit stage, I also drafted my book dedication and my acknowledgements.

Then the manuscript was sent to the production department to lay out in galley form. The "galley" by definition is the final format of the book before it goes to "press," whether as a print book or eBook. In my case, VIGILANTE NIGHTS was laid out for hardcover print. I received the laid out form in PDF format from my editor last Monday. Very exciting to see it laid out! My job was to proofread it. Merit Press would also proofread it.

The next time I see VIGILANTE NIGHTS, I believe it will be as an ARC (Advanced Review Copy or Advanced Reading Copy) in paperback format. ARCs are pre-published editions and are privately released by the publisher to reviewers, bookstores, magazines, and libraries.

Also, during the time period stated above, I have been reaching out to published authors for potential cover quotes, and I had a book jacket photo taken.

Finally, between all the VIGILANTE NIGHTS publication work I've been doing, I've been working on editing my next book before I submit it to my agent. Because of all this fun busy work, I'm a little behind, but hope to have the book polished to submit next month!

There you have it! Every publisher is different in their processes, but all follow a similar path.

Author Tracy Brogan Didn't Choose to Write

Today, I'm pleased to have author Tracy Brogan as a guest on my blog during her blog tour. Find out why Tracy didn't ignore her calling and why writing chose her. Plus, don't miss my review of her newest historical romance novel, HIGHLAND SURRENDER.


I DIDN’T CHOOSE TO BE A WRITERBy Tracy Brogan
While on a plane last July, flying home from the Romance Writers of America® conference in Anaheim, California, I sat next to a redneck Texan. I knew he was a redneck because he wore a ten-gallon hat, kept a chaw of tobacco in his mouth for an entire three-hour flight, and because as he settled into his seat, he said, “Howdy. You don’t mind sittin’ next to a redneck, do ya?”

I am not making that up.

He was a fascinating guy, and quite a talker. We covered politics, religion and race relations. I’m sure half the people around us were listening intently to our vivid conversation, even as the other half wished fervently that we would just shut up. We didn’t agree on every point. He told a joke I found racist and I told him so. He thought some of my beliefs were too liberal. But oddly enough, the question he asked which prompted the most thoughtful answer from me was when said, “What made you choose to be a writer?”

I flippantly responded with, “I didn’t choose writing. Writing chose me.”

I think I was trying to be clever and witty. But the truth is… writing did choose me. People often ask, “When did you start writing?” Or, “When did you know you wanted to be a writer?” Or some variation of the question posed by my cowboy friend.  For me, that’s like being asked, “When did you decide to be right-handed.” It just always was.

I recall drafting my first short story when I was fourteen and my father was diagnosed with cancer. But even earlier than that, I’d kept a journal full of thoughts and feelings and ideas. I kept journaling for years, right up until the time my first child was born and suddenly both my hands seemed to be busy all the time, and I stopped. 

But even when I wasn’t committing the words to paper, or more recently, clacking away on a keyboard, I have always had stories playing out in my head. A song on the radio might trigger a whole novel’s worth of material. I have a black and white photograph of Time’s Square from the 1940’s that prompted another story. Pictures of celebrities, an anecdote told by a friend, it’s all fodder for stories to me. It wasn’t until just recently I realized other people don’t automatically do this. (Wow, they must be so bored!)

The danger, of course, of having ideas always rolling around in my mind is that sometimes I’m so busy imagining what might be, and I forget to appreciate what is. I struggle to stay in moment and be fully present for my kids and my spouse, and sometimes even for the story I’m currently working on. The one with the deadline! It’s much more fun to brainstorm new ideas than wrestle with an uncooperative GMC or a sagging story arc bogging down the work-in-progress on my screen.

But focus I must. Because writing has chosen me and that’s a calling I cannot ignore. I am incredibly fortunate to have a job I love. But it’s still a job. And right now, I’d better get back to work!

Thank you, Tracy, for sharing your story with us and for answering the call to write! If you hadn't, your readers would have missed out on some great books. More specifically, HIGHLAND SURRENDER wouldn't have returned me to the wonderful world of medieval Scottish highland books I fell in love with years ago. HIGHLAND SURRENDER sucked me back into a world I didn't know I missed. Read my review below and you'll see why!

Title:  Highland SurrenderGenre:  Historical Romance
Publisher:  Montlake Publishing (Amazon)
Release Date:  December 4, 2012
Format:  eBook and Print

Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Blurb:
Defiant Highland beauty Fiona Sinclair is shocked by her brothers’ treachery. To seal a fragile truce, they have traded her hand in marriage to their sworn enemy, a man she has never met, a man she was raised to despise. With no choice but to wed, Fiona makes her own private vow: though she may surrender her freedom, she will never surrender her heart.

Commanded by his king, Myles Campbell is no more willing than his reluctant bride. Still, she is a rare beauty, passionate enough to warm even the coldest marriage bed. Buy Myles quickly realizes Fiona Sinclair is no common wench. She has a warrior’s spirit and a fierce pride that only a fool would try to tame. And Myles Campbell is no fool. Their marriage was meant to unite warring clans. They never imagined it would ignite a once-in-a-lifetime love…

Excerpt:
Scottish Highlands, 1537

Fiona Sinclair could not reconcile the irony of nature’s twisted humor. For today of all wretched days the sky should be burdened with clouds as dark and dismal as her mood. But the morning dawned soft and fair, mild as a Highland calf, and she knew that God himself mocked her. At any moment, Myles Campbell and his father, the Earl of Argyll, would pass through the gates of Sinclair Hall, unwelcome, yet unhindered by her clan. Soon after that, she must stand upon the chapel steps and marry a man she had never met, and yet had hated for all of her life.

Through her narrow bedchamber window, sounds from the bailey filtered up. The smithy’s hammer tapped a mellow cadence as if this day were just like any other. Perhaps he shaped a horseshoe or a pointed pike. She smiled at the latter and imaged the heaviness of that same pike in her hand. Oh, that she had the courage to plunge it deep into the earl’s heart, if indeed he had one.

She rose from the threadbare cushion on the bench and moved without purpose toward the stone fireplace. A low fire burned, warding off the spring morning’s chill. From habit, Fiona slipped her hand into the leather pouch around her waist. She squeezed tight the silver brooch inside, its design and inscription etched as clearly in her memory as on the pin itself. A boar’s head, symbol of Clan Campbell, with words chosen by the king himself.

To Cedric Campbell, a true friend is worth a king’s ransom. James V.

The brooch had been a gift to the Campbell chief, the man about to become her father-in-law. But he had left it behind nearly seven years earlier, pierced into the flesh of Fiona’s mother so that all the world might know he had dishonored her. The priest found Aislinn Sinclair’s lifeless body in a secluded glen outside the village, stripped bare and broken, marked by Cedric’s lust and spite. Thus a feud, long simmering at the edges, boiled over.

But today the king thought to put an end to it with this farce of a marriage between a Sinclair lass and a Campbell son. It would not work.

Fiona paced to the window, restless and melancholy. She leaned out to breathe fresh spring air, hoping it might lighten her spirits. The too-sweet scent of hyacinth clung to the breeze, along with the ever-present brine of Moray Firth. Along the west curtain wall, more hammering sounded as masons worked to bolster the steps leading to the main keep. As if precarious stairs alone might halt the Campbell men from gaining entrance. But nothing would. Her fate as a Campbell bride had been declared the very day she drew in her first breath, and sealed when her father blew out his last.

Review:
It’s been a while since I’ve read a Highland historical romance. I cut my romance-reading teeth with highland romances, and they will always be my favorite historical locale. So it was a breath of fresh air to come back to Scotland in HIGHLAND SURRENDER. As is typical of highland romances, the romance revolves around a feud between rival clans. The plot is a tried and true classic, but Ms. Brogan weaved it in a fresh and exciting way.

Fiona Sinclair and Myles Campbell have been betrothed since her birth. Unfortunately, a rift occurred between the clans when her mother died and she has known nothing but hatred for the Campbells. The book opens on Fiona’s wedding day after King James demanded their betrothal proceed, in part hoping to gain a truce among the warring clans. Fiona’s brothers are playing their own political game and force Fiona to marry Myles, not that they could defy a direct order from the king. Fiona doesn’t go willingly into this marriage to the new Chief of the Campbell clan. Myles accepts his plight to satisfy his king, and hopefully bring an end to the feud with the Sinclairs. But all is not right between the families. Secrets, intrigue, sibling rivalry, and betrayals abound. A perfect mix of elements to weave into a fantastic historical romance!

Myles surprised me and I loved him from the start. He wasn’t the typical brute who took what he wanted, then damn the consequences. He was patient and caring with Fiona, willing to give her time to adapt to their marriage of convenience and being uprooted from the only home she has ever known to live with her enemies. Beautiful Fiona was equally well-developed. She was rightfully bitter and angry, expected from any woman who thought to marry for love, but instead became a political pawn. It took a while for her to warm up to Myles, even when he began wooing her on the night of their wedding. Because of all this, their love grew organically and completely realistic.

The story was gripping and emotional. I cared for Fiona and Myles and truly wanted to see them fall in love and to unite their families. HIGHLAND SURRENDER is well-written (although using more current language than most historicals I’ve read), and without a ton of historical backdrop. The novel flows smooth and quick, leading you to a fast and gratifying read. Secondary characters were well-developed and well-liked. I especially loved Myles’ spunky, sneaky Aunt Vivi and would love to see Ms. Brogan write a story about her.

I loved Fiona and Myles story and their beautiful romance. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Brogan in the future. If you’re looking for a fantastic Highland historical romance, look no further. You won’t be disappointed.

About the Author
 
Tracy Brogan is a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist who writes funny contemporary stories about ordinary people finding extraordinary love, and also stirring historical romance full of political intrigue, damsels causing distress, and the occasional man in a kilt. Her first two books, CRAZY LITTLE THING, and HIGHLAND SURRENDER both earned a 4-Star review from RT magazine and have hit the Amazon Best Selling Books list.

Tracy lives in Michigan with her bemused husband, her perpetually exasperated children, and two dogs, who would probably behave better if they could understand sarcasm.

Author Links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Dashing Duchesses

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Cover Contest & Goodreads Giveaway

Today's the last day to vote in the Judge a Book By It's Cover contest. WICKED PARADISE is a contestant in the SF&F/Parnormal category and I'd love your vote. Every vote counts! https://jabbic/hbarwa.com/readers/

Just a few more days to enter my Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of WICKED PARADISE. What are you waiting for? Good luck!
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Goodreads Book Giveaway Wicked Paradise

by Erin Richards

Giveaway ends February 15, 2013.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.Enter to win

Photo of the Week: Corvettes New & Old

One of my “closet” secrets is my enthusiasm for Chevrolet Corvettes. Of course, if you see me on the street or my garage door roll up, it’s not such a secret! I’ve been a fan of Chevy muscle for many years, having owned four Camaros. But there came a time when Chevy quit producing Camaros from 2003 to 2009. Corvettes hit my radar after years where I didn’t care about them, didn’t like their flip-up headlights, never really gave them much notice (after my high school days), and never had the money to buy one. All that changed in 2005. Corvettes became sleek and luxurious, while retaining their sports car look, feel, and power. Corvettes were no longer an old man mid-life crisis or a young man’s “hot rod.” LOL!

The 2014 Corvette changes once again with the re-introduction of the Stingray. Take a look at the past (2007 Corvette, a C6 model produced from 2005-2013) and present (2014 Stingray, the first C7). Both cars are awesome. Which one is your favorite? 2007 Corvette 2014 Corvette Stingray
(Photo Courtesy of http://www.corvettestingray2014.com)Muscles cars abound in my novels. Before I fell in love with ‘Vettes again, the hero in one of my paranormal romance novels owned one. Ever since I gave the car life in that unpublished novel, I’ve added a muscle car in my contemporary books. VIGILANTE NIGHTS has Camaros, my unpublished urban fantasy THIRTEEN has a Mustang (I had to shake things up and give Ford a little limelight). Even CHASING SHADOWS had an old classic Firebird in one scene. What car is next for me? You’ll just have to wait and find out.



Nancy Gideon Interview & Tour of BETRAYED BY SHADOWS

I'm delighted and honored to interview Nancy Gideon and host her paranormal romance novel, BETRAYED BY SHADOWS today. I hope you enjoy! Read through to the end to enter Nancy's giveaway.


[image error] (click on Banner to follow the Tour) Hi Nancy, I’m delighted to have this opportunity to get to know you and share more about your fascinating paranormal romance series. Let’s start with some basics about your life:1.     What country or state do you live in? Southwest Michigan;2.     What’s your day job (other than writing)? Fulltime legal assistant for the past 12 years;3.     What’s your secret passion? Arranging Skittles and M&Ms by number and color. Wow, we have the legal field in common. I started my career as a Paralegal many moons ago. I love arranging things into categories too. Hmmm…have we met before?! J Let’s find out as we move onward to the tough questions. Was there one book that inspired you to write? What book was it and who is the author? What made it stick with you? I’ve been writing since I could put pencil to paper to form sentences, but the book that inspired me to become an author was The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. When I discovered that historical romance juggernaut, I found everything I loved about reading: history, action, larger than life characters, sex, and a happily-ever-after ending. That’s become more and more true as the romance genre as expanded over the years to include areas that particularly excite me creatively, like the paranormal and suspense. Thanks, Kathleen! You started it all for a lot of us. Oh…I LOVE The Flame and the Flower. It started me on my path of reading historical romances. Ms. Woodiwiss has inspired many readers and authors. Great influential choice. So what inspired you to write BETRAYED BY SHADOWS? After the first four books of my “By Moonlight” series followed the same hero and heroine, Shape-shifter Max Savoie and NOPD detective Charlotte Caissie, my publisher wanted to branch out within the same world with different couples.  Luckily, it was populated with secondary characters that I really enjoyed.  Deciding which characters were next in line was dependent on where I was in the underlying story thread and on who could keep it moving forward, so Giles St. Clair was up. He had no backstory history. Coming up with his past was lot of fun.  I knew I wanted to get out on the bayou again and that I needed a strong reason for a basic good guy to have taken such a dark path.  What kind of heroine to throw in his way? One who wouldn’t easily trust even the best of men.  Silas MacCreedy’s seemingly self-centered sister Brigit from HUNTER OF SHADOWS fit that bill perfectly. Step back and wait for the sparks to fly!   Sparks indeed flew! Can’t wait to see where the series takes us. Now to shake things up. If you didn’t live where you live now, where would you live? I’ve always lived in southwest Michigan and love the change of seasons. It’s the best of all worlds but has too much of two things I don’t like: humidity and ice.  If I could live where I am now and have condos in the French Quarter and in the foothills of Arizona I’d be a happy camper.  Love the bayou and adore the mountains. They make my soul sigh.  Brrr….Michigan is too cold for my California blood! If only we could live in our ideal locales year-round when it suits us or to snap our fingers and live in our characters worlds. Speaking of which, where would you like to travel to research your next book? Depends on what my next book is going to be.  I LOVE to travel.  I’ve been to conferences all over the country and always make time to escape from the hotel and the city to explore the surroundings.  That’s where you find the true heart of any location.  It’s so much easier to get a grasp on scenes and characters if you’re familiar with the setting, if you’ve experienced the scents and sights and sounds first hand. If I continue with the “By Moonlight” series, a trip to Memphis may be in order . . . so my new publisher at BelleBooks who just bought some of my contemporary backlist should expect me on her doorstep. Traveling and researching setting ideas sounds like the fun part of being an author (and a nice tax write-off J). What’s the best and worst part of being an author? It’s the same thing: Being paid to do what I love. I write because I can’t NOT write.  I was writing stories long before I ever thought of submitting for publication, just for the joy of it.  The paycheck was always the icing on the cake. I always snickered all the way to the bank because they didn’t know I’d do it for free. (Don’t tell!) But when writing under contract an author has to surrender full ownership of that writing. There are adjustments and changes to storyline, to character motivations, edits, revisions,  that sometimes leave you with something that’s not your own creation.  There was so much more I would have loved to do with BETRAYED BY SHADOWS and the next book PRINCE OF SHADOWS, but the word count held me hostage. I love to write too and can’t imagine not doing it. It’s hard to give up control of your “baby” and watch it morph into something different. But your readers seem to love the outcome. I won’t tell anyone your secret! (LOL). So give us another secret. What’s the one thing about you that would surprise people?  I’m a hermit.  I was very shy growing up (walking to the front of the class to put a piece of paper on the teacher’s desk was a traumatic experience!) and expressed myself mainly via creative imagination.  I had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the whole ‘Social’ media thing.  Radio interviews!  Video interviews! Speeches! Conference clothes! Though I really enjoy it once I’m forced into the limelight, I’d be perfectly happy as a crazy cat lady with a keyboard . . . and Netflix. Are you inside my head or something? In 5th grade, I was voted most shy. I totally get the hermit and crazy cat lady thing. Speaking of cats, what are your pet peeves? Slow drivers who pull out in front of you at the last minute (I may be old, but I’m fast!), people who move things on my desk (Arrrgh!), having to converse before I have coffee, claims of One Size Fits All (from a beach cover-up to toilet Universal wax rings, you know how that turns out!). Don’t even get me started on California drivers. And nothing should ever have a claim of One Size Fits All. We know not to mess with your desk or talk to you before coffee! Good advice to the unsuspecting! What’s the best piece of advice given to you? “Suck it up,” from author pal Thea Devine.  We started out in the biz together 25 years ago and have ridden the publishing rollercoaster’s ups and downs as working writers.  We’ve stood in the long lines, endured that suspenseful ride to the top where there was only time for a quick scream of elation before taking a gut-wrenching downward plunge, only to start up again.  A writing career isn’t for sissies. The ride is exhilarating, but it’s also scary and unpredictable, so be prepared for those sweaty palms and have an iron grip so you don’t get tossed out.  There’s no time for ego or hurt feelings or taking things personally if you’re a writer. You do your best. You pull up your big girl panties when the going gets tough. Or you go home. Super advice to all writers. I agree, it’s a tough biz and if you can’t suck it up during the down times, then you’re in a world of pain. Been there and paid dues already. What other piece of advice would you give an aspiring writer? It’s ‘borrowed’ from Nora Roberts: Butt in chair, hands on keys.  You can’t be a writer if you’re not actively engaged IN writing.  Talking about being a writer, taking classes on writing, belonging to writers groups don’t make a writer.  It’s the translation of imagination into words that makes a writer.   So true. Readers care most about that next book. I won’t keep you from “butt in chair, hands on keys” much longer, because I want you to get back to pouring your imagination into your next book. ;) But first, I’d love to hear about your current writing project. Book 8 in the “By Moonlight” series, PRINCE OF SHADOWS will be out 5-27-13 (my birthday!).  I just finished copy edits and am waiting for the final galleys and the cover. It’s different from earlier books because it’s not set in New Orleans, but rather in one of my other favorite places, Lake Tahoe, NV, home of the Terriot Shape-shifter clan. I’m crazy about my rowdy, tattooed, rock-and-roll prince hero.  Here’s a tease: Held hostage until she chooses a mate, Kendra Terriot must play a careful courtship game when choosing from among the dangerous Shifter heirs. As a prince in the House of Terriot, Cale knows with Kendra at his side he can be the leader his clan needs, but first he must learn to become the kind of man she desires. In a treacherous race for the crown, where weakness means death, to prove he’s not the beast his gentle beauty fears, Cale discovers the only way to win her trust could mean surrendering his throne. And the only way to win her heart could mean letting her go. Thanks for letting me visit, Erin!! Sounds like you’ll have a great book release/birthday this year! Congrats! I love Lake Tahoe, and look forward to reading PRINCE OF SHADOWS. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and giving insight into your life and world. I really enjoyed your visit and I hope others do too.  A little more about Nancy:An author of over fifty novels since 1987, Nancy Gideon thrives on variety. Under her own name and several pseudonyms, she’s written award-winning series suspense, historical and paranormal bestsellers, earned a “Career Achievement for Historical Adventure”, and has had two original horror screenplays optioned for film. A Michigan native, she works full time as a legal administrative assistant and feeds a NetFlix addiction.Visit Nancy and learn more about her books at:WebsiteBlog
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Book Trailer Read about BETRAYED BY SHADOWS, and don’t miss Nancy’s giveaway at the end of this post.  Title:  Betrayed by ShadowsSeries:  By MoonlightGenre:  Paranormal RomancePublisher:  Pocket StarRelease Date:  December 17, 2012 Buy Links:
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Barnes & Noble Blurb:Balancing a criminal empire and a preternatural clan war, reluctant front man Giles St. Clair doesn’t need a problem like Brigit MacCreedy . . . How much trouble can the head-strong and manipulative Shifter beauty get into in two weeks? Plenty when her schemes range from kidnapping to fleeing the retribution of her dead lover’s clan.

With her family’s lives on the line, Brigit is willing to do whatever it takes to save them. The only thing standing in her way is an immovable stone wall of a man she can’t bully or beguile . . . a human, no less, who has promised to protect her from the secrets and dangers she conceals.

Risking her own safety gets complicated when an honorable and annoyingly desirable man puts himself between her and her powerful enemies in a battle he can’t win in this Taming of the Shrew meets Shifter Goodfellas on the Bayou tale of consequences, redemption and finding love in all the wrong places.

Excerpt:

Music?

Brigit slit her eyes open to the brightness of midmorning. She was alone in the bunk. Harsh-smelling coffee warmed on the hot plate, and Giles was nowhere in sight. Then she heard the unmistakable crack of ax into wood.

Feeling tired and sticky and . . . fabulous, she stretched and reached for the crimson-colored sweatshirt Giles had left folded on the edge of the mattress. Harvard? She slipped it over her head to swim in generous folds that came almost to her knees. Rolling back the cuffs, she found the shoe she’d tucked Boyd’s cell phone into, discouraged to see no message from Silas. She tucked it under the sleeping bag on the top bunk, pushed bare feet into her shoes, and went to pour coffee. Her whole body ached gloriously, making her smile as she stepped out onto the tiny back porch.

Because she could still hear his voice, rough with passion.

Bree.

Giles had his back to her, splitting wood in the glare of morning light, a beautiful sight in his revealing muscle shirt. Strong, sexy. A light sweat had broken out on his shoulders, gleaming amid scores of scratches, some nearly healed from their passionate tussle in New Orleans and some raw stripes from hours ago. Chagrined, she put a nail trim and manicure on her agenda for the day.

He’d taken the batteries out of the flashlight to power an old cassette player and was timing his swings to the raucous beat of a late-eighties hip-hop tune that probably dated back to days spent here in male bonding. Something ridiculous about Humpty Dumpty dancing? Her gaze followed the suggestive rock and bump of his hips as the sassy backup singers crooned, “Do me, baby.”

Oh, yay. Good idea.

Time to whip up something for breakfast.

She’d taken a step forward, intending to initiate some moves of her own, when the music dialed down and muted as another sound reached her.

The cup fell from her hands, shattering on the wood planking, as all her senses trembled and went taut.

And a single cry ripped from her.

“Giles, behind you!”

Giles spun, continuing his momentum with the ax so it caught his assailant midleap in the upper chest, flinging him to the ground. Even as he wrestled the blade free, his attacker was gaining his feet, falling into a menacing crouch as his lips pulled back from a mouth full of dagger-like teeth.

Alarm became coldly dangerous intentions when he recognized the disfigured Shifter from Brigit’s description.

“Brigit, get inside!”

He didn’t look around to see if she obeyed. There was no time as the creature sprang.

Driven to the ground on his back, Giles couldn’t angle for another swing as he was forced to grip the ever thickening throat to keep those deadly teeth away from him. A battle he knew he wasn’t going to win as the beast completed its change of form into something monstrous and impossibly strong.

Run, Brigit! That was all he had time to think. Run!

All he had to do was stay alive long enough for her to get a head start.

There was a deafening report from the porch, and suddenly, the figure hunching over him was plucked off and sent rolling away.

Giles risked a glance toward the cabin to see Brigit with her feet planted wide, his pistol braced in both hands. The pistol he’d wisely loaded with silver rounds.

As he scrambled to his feet, his attacker was gaining his own, obviously struggling not to revert back into humanlike form from the effects of the silver. Brigit’s shot had taken him in the other side of the chest. Giles’s first blow from the ax had already healed. Making him no less lethal as he sprang a second time. No less quick.

And this time Giles didn’t respond fast enough.
 Buy Links:  Amazon
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A $15 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of Betrayed by Shadows will be awarded to one lucky participant from the Rafflecopter form below at the end of the 8 week book tour. Follow and Friend Nancy and BTB for extra chances to win - Good Luck!

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Win a Signed copy of WICKED PARADISE

Enter to win one of two SIGNED copies of WICKED PARADISE. Read more about it below! Good luck!
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Wicked Paradise

by Erin Richards

Giveaway ends February 15, 2013.
          See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win
Blurb:
As the most powerful sorceress from medieval times, Morgan of the Druids has magic desired by both good and evil. Desperate to save a future post-apocalyptic world from total destruction, sorcerers send Morgan through time to an island prison to kill WindWraith, the long-imprisoned Fomorian demon. When Morgan arrives, she learns that WindWraith plans to possess her body to enable its escape, for she contains the perfect mix of magic and a bond to the fiercest Druid-assassin of the 21st century. A bond as lethal as it is desirable to the dangerous man intruding upon Morgan’s dreams.

Desperate to save a future post-apocalyptic world from total destruction, sorcerers send the most powerful sorceress from medieval times, Morgan of the Druids, through time to an island prison to kill WindWraith, the long-imprisoned Fomorian demon.

After a deadly squall tosses Druid-assassin Ryan O’Rourke into the Pacific Ocean, he washes ashore on an unchartered island brimming with magic. Ryan’s determined to find a way to return to Earth’s wasteland to battle the resurrected Fomorians plaguing the dwindling human race. When he stumbles across the enchantress who tantalizes his dreams to the point of madness, his plans turn upside down. For she stirs in him a hunger that puts his life’s purpose at risk.

Morgan has no choice but to kill the Fomorian before it kills her. But Ryan has other plans for the demon . . . Now Morgan and Ryan must decide between love and duty in a perilous race against the evil that could destroy Earth.

Reviews:
"Wickedly Sexy Story! A lush tale of desire, betrayal, and mystery" (Jen’s Reviews -- Amazon 5-Star Review)
 
"This is a marvelous novel, brimming with imagination. Kudos to Ms. Richards for mingling it all together and delivering a novel that entertains, surprises, and enthralls. I loved it!" (Deborah O'Neill Cordes co-author of Love, Eternally, Amazon 5-Star review)
 
"Wonderful combination of fantasy and romance." (WiLoveBooks)
 
"Wicked Paradise pushes all my romance buttons. And the writing is superb…. If you want a fun, frightening frolic through a steamy jungle while the fate of the world hangs in the balance then this book’s for you….You’re going to enjoy this book." (Beth Yarnell, author of Rush)
 
"Wicked Paradiseis a delightful read. It combines the sensual intensity of pre-destined lovers, time-travel, and a battle against insidious evil in an undeniably poignant attempt." (Mama Mia of Mama Kitty Reviews)
 
"This is a book full of adventure, romance and two wonderfully heroic characters. The author's descriptions of the island are beautiful and the passion between Morgan and Ryan leaves you turning the pages to see if they can finally come together. The interaction with the Demon at times leaves you breathless. A great book." (Linda @ Paranormal Romance Guild)