Robyn Bachar's Blog, page 11
March 11, 2015
Author Thursday: Interview with Sierra Dafoe
Today's guest is fellow Samhain author Sierra Dafoe! She's talking about The Boys Back Home and her upcoming projects, all of which sound rather awesome. Enjoy! :-)
1. What flavor is your writing?
Chocolate-covered jalapeno. :-) I’ve written in a lot of genres over the years – western, paranormal, contemporary, and sci-fi – but the one thing that really “hooks” me into a story, both as a writer and as a reader, is the emotional complexity, the tug of yearning and desire between two people (or sometimes, as in the case of The Boys Back Home, three!) Falling in love can be both exhilarating and terrifying, kind of like being on a runaway freight train. It’s exciting, it’s challenging. Sometimes it can be downright painful. And, no matter how careful you are, it’s always a risk, opening yourself up to intimacy, to the possibility of trust and love. Whatever the genre, that’s the tension I want to explore. That’s the ride I try to give my readers!
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Do you know, I’m stumped! I’ve been thinking about this one for days. Kyle Watson is such a fundamentally good guy, big-hearted and just plain decent. And sexy as hell, of course. Alan Caine, on the other hand, is much more complex. He’s intense, he’s more convoluted. In a lot of ways I think he’s less honest with himself emotionally than Kyle. The thing is, I can see them both so clearly in my mind that it makes it hard to pick an actor to play them! Nobody quite matches them. Which is maybe why they don’t generally let writers cast their own movies. :-)
3. What is your favorite scene in The Boys Back Home?
I think it’d have to be the flashback scene where Kyle and Alan, who have both been in love with Cassie Jordan since they were teens, are sitting on a riverbank soaking wet, rattled by their attraction to Cassie, and promising not to get in each other’s way. Whoever she chooses, they vow, the other one will step aside. Not even they can find a solution to the dilemma Cassie faces!
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
Right now I’m trying to catch up on four series simultaneously – Lori Foster’s fighter books and her Visitation series, J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood (I just finished Butch’s story, to give you an idea how far behind I am! I’ve been rooting for Butch and Marissa since Dark Lover, so it was great to finally read their story!) and Suzanne Brockmann’s Tall, Dark, and Dangerous books – I only recently discovered her, and I’m loving her writing!
5. What are you working on now?
I have a new story coming out in June from Samhain, Sun-Kissed, which features a heroine who’s been knocked about a bit by love and goes to Myrtle Beach for a week to lick her wounds. Instead, what she finds is a man who mysteriously seems to know everything about her – her past, her pains – and who seems intent on helping her rediscover the self-confidence her last boyfriend knocked out of her. It was a great story to write, and I hope readers will enjoy it.
Currently, I’m also working on a third Boys novella and a full-length paranormal.
You can find out more about Sierra at these links:
Website: http://sierradafoe.comTwitter: @sierradafoeFacebook: http://facebook.com/author.sierradafoeGoodreads: https://goodreads.com/sierra_dafoe
She could never choose between them…until they both chose her.
Even as a young girl, Cassie Jordan knew the rules: one man, one woman. Especially in rural Idaho. But how can she choose between blond, kind-hearted Kyle Watson and dark, sensuous Alan Caine?
She can’t. Not even when she discovers the two handsome cowboys in bed together and is convinced that neither of them cares for her at all. That discovery sends her running all the way to Chicago and into the arms of another man. Now, with her wedding fast approaching, it’s time to return to Preacher’s Bend to sort out her tangled emotions.
Now that Cassie’s back in town, Kyle and Alan are determined to do whatever it takes to keep her there. As far as they’re concerned, there’s only one place on earth Cassie belongs—in their arms.
The Boys Back Home is available for purchase at Amazon and Samhain Publishing.
1. What flavor is your writing?
Chocolate-covered jalapeno. :-) I’ve written in a lot of genres over the years – western, paranormal, contemporary, and sci-fi – but the one thing that really “hooks” me into a story, both as a writer and as a reader, is the emotional complexity, the tug of yearning and desire between two people (or sometimes, as in the case of The Boys Back Home, three!) Falling in love can be both exhilarating and terrifying, kind of like being on a runaway freight train. It’s exciting, it’s challenging. Sometimes it can be downright painful. And, no matter how careful you are, it’s always a risk, opening yourself up to intimacy, to the possibility of trust and love. Whatever the genre, that’s the tension I want to explore. That’s the ride I try to give my readers!
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Do you know, I’m stumped! I’ve been thinking about this one for days. Kyle Watson is such a fundamentally good guy, big-hearted and just plain decent. And sexy as hell, of course. Alan Caine, on the other hand, is much more complex. He’s intense, he’s more convoluted. In a lot of ways I think he’s less honest with himself emotionally than Kyle. The thing is, I can see them both so clearly in my mind that it makes it hard to pick an actor to play them! Nobody quite matches them. Which is maybe why they don’t generally let writers cast their own movies. :-)
3. What is your favorite scene in The Boys Back Home?
I think it’d have to be the flashback scene where Kyle and Alan, who have both been in love with Cassie Jordan since they were teens, are sitting on a riverbank soaking wet, rattled by their attraction to Cassie, and promising not to get in each other’s way. Whoever she chooses, they vow, the other one will step aside. Not even they can find a solution to the dilemma Cassie faces!
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
Right now I’m trying to catch up on four series simultaneously – Lori Foster’s fighter books and her Visitation series, J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood (I just finished Butch’s story, to give you an idea how far behind I am! I’ve been rooting for Butch and Marissa since Dark Lover, so it was great to finally read their story!) and Suzanne Brockmann’s Tall, Dark, and Dangerous books – I only recently discovered her, and I’m loving her writing!
5. What are you working on now?
I have a new story coming out in June from Samhain, Sun-Kissed, which features a heroine who’s been knocked about a bit by love and goes to Myrtle Beach for a week to lick her wounds. Instead, what she finds is a man who mysteriously seems to know everything about her – her past, her pains – and who seems intent on helping her rediscover the self-confidence her last boyfriend knocked out of her. It was a great story to write, and I hope readers will enjoy it.
Currently, I’m also working on a third Boys novella and a full-length paranormal.
You can find out more about Sierra at these links:
Website: http://sierradafoe.comTwitter: @sierradafoeFacebook: http://facebook.com/author.sierradafoeGoodreads: https://goodreads.com/sierra_dafoe
She could never choose between them…until they both chose her.Even as a young girl, Cassie Jordan knew the rules: one man, one woman. Especially in rural Idaho. But how can she choose between blond, kind-hearted Kyle Watson and dark, sensuous Alan Caine?
She can’t. Not even when she discovers the two handsome cowboys in bed together and is convinced that neither of them cares for her at all. That discovery sends her running all the way to Chicago and into the arms of another man. Now, with her wedding fast approaching, it’s time to return to Preacher’s Bend to sort out her tangled emotions.
Now that Cassie’s back in town, Kyle and Alan are determined to do whatever it takes to keep her there. As far as they’re concerned, there’s only one place on earth Cassie belongs—in their arms.
The Boys Back Home is available for purchase at Amazon and Samhain Publishing.
March 9, 2015
Bite Me Blog Tour
The Bite Me tour starts March 16! I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card at the end of the tour, so make sure you stop by and enter. :)
Here is a list of the tour stops:
March 16: Guest post at Kay Dee’s Place; Spotlight and review at Storyteller
March 17: Guest blog at Erotica For All
March 18: Spotlight at Celebrating Authors and Books N Pearls
March 19: Spotlight at Share My Destiny
March 20: Spotlight at Geeks In High School
March 23: Guest blog at ARe Cafe
March 24: Spotlight at Chicas Love to Read
March 25: Review at Diaries of 2 Thick Chicks
March 26: Interview at Deal Sharing Aunt
March 27: Character Interview at Author Karen Swart
March 30: Interview at Eclipse Reviews
March 31: Spotlight at Houston Havens
April 1: Spotlight at Lisa’s World of Books
April 2: Spotlight at Cover Reveals
April 3: Guest blog at Roxanne’s Realm
April 6: Guest blog at Fang-tastic Books
April 7: Review at Booklover Sue
April 8: Guest blog at The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
April 9: Guest blog at VampChix
April 10: Guest blog and review at Lissette E Manning
April 13: Guest blog at All I Want and More Books
I'm also doing a giveaway of 3 signed copies of Bite Me over at Goodreads, open to U.S. and Canada.
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Bite Me by Robyn Bachar Giveaway ends March 31, 2015. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
March 4, 2015
Author Thursday: Interview with Chandra Ryan
Today I'd like to welcome the fabulous Chandra Ryan back to Author Thursday! She's talking about her new release Reluctant Mate. Chandra is an awesome author and one of the nicest people I know, and it's always a pleasure to have her here. :-)
1. What flavor is your writing?
Spicy! I love my food and my books to have heat and substance. I think readers will find both in Reluctant Mate.
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
The hero would definitely be played by Colin Farrell. He’s got that rugged, strength to him that I think Jackson would have. And the heroine would be played by Emma Stone. She has the perfectly polished, sophisticated look Aimee would have.
3. What is your favorite scene in Reluctant Mate?
When they meet for the first time. She feels she’s sacrificed enough for her pack and refuses to take a mate. Which is easy to say, but a little more difficult to do when her mate bumps into her in a bar. The last thing she wants is to deal with a stubborn werewolf so she lies to him. And then she gets caught in the lie. It was a fun scene to write.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
I’m currently reading Sex at Dawn. It’s a fascinating anthropological look at mating, pair bonding, and how agriculture changed everything in our society. It’s really interesting to me how one change in a society can trigger a global change in the social system.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing a story about a couple who have been married for years but have drifted apart. They need to find that spark again. Rediscover that spark that drew them to each other. It’s a project I’ve wanted to do for a while now.
You can learn more about Chandra at these links:
Website: http://www.chandraryan.com/Twitter: @ChandraRyanFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.ChandraRyan
Aimee Crest is the prissiest, most stuck-up Wolf Jackson Cooper has ever met. The woman has a temper that would send sailors running and enough emotional baggage to keep a shrink in business for a lifetime. A Wolf would do well to steer clear of her. And Jackson would be happy to do just that—if it weren’t for one little thing that makes her irresistible to him. She’s his mate.
It’s a fate Aimee didn’t ask for and one she’s not at all happy about. She doesn’t want a mate. More to the point, she refuses to accept one. Even if that mate happens to be tall, muscular, and damn good with his hands. He won’t be able to seduce his way into her heart. She won’t let him.
But in this battle of wills, there is no middle ground. Somebody is going to have to surrender.
You can pre-order Reluctant Mate at Amazon, Kobo, and iTunes.
1. What flavor is your writing?
Spicy! I love my food and my books to have heat and substance. I think readers will find both in Reluctant Mate.
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
The hero would definitely be played by Colin Farrell. He’s got that rugged, strength to him that I think Jackson would have. And the heroine would be played by Emma Stone. She has the perfectly polished, sophisticated look Aimee would have.
3. What is your favorite scene in Reluctant Mate?
When they meet for the first time. She feels she’s sacrificed enough for her pack and refuses to take a mate. Which is easy to say, but a little more difficult to do when her mate bumps into her in a bar. The last thing she wants is to deal with a stubborn werewolf so she lies to him. And then she gets caught in the lie. It was a fun scene to write.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
I’m currently reading Sex at Dawn. It’s a fascinating anthropological look at mating, pair bonding, and how agriculture changed everything in our society. It’s really interesting to me how one change in a society can trigger a global change in the social system.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing a story about a couple who have been married for years but have drifted apart. They need to find that spark again. Rediscover that spark that drew them to each other. It’s a project I’ve wanted to do for a while now.
You can learn more about Chandra at these links:
Website: http://www.chandraryan.com/Twitter: @ChandraRyanFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.ChandraRyan
Aimee Crest is the prissiest, most stuck-up Wolf Jackson Cooper has ever met. The woman has a temper that would send sailors running and enough emotional baggage to keep a shrink in business for a lifetime. A Wolf would do well to steer clear of her. And Jackson would be happy to do just that—if it weren’t for one little thing that makes her irresistible to him. She’s his mate.It’s a fate Aimee didn’t ask for and one she’s not at all happy about. She doesn’t want a mate. More to the point, she refuses to accept one. Even if that mate happens to be tall, muscular, and damn good with his hands. He won’t be able to seduce his way into her heart. She won’t let him.
But in this battle of wills, there is no middle ground. Somebody is going to have to surrender.
You can pre-order Reluctant Mate at Amazon, Kobo, and iTunes.
Being from a rather nomadic family, Chandra Ryan loves to travel and meet people. But she’s found that sometimes, like when you’re stuck inside because of a good old-fashioned Southwestern heat wave, you have to make do. Fortunately for her and her loving family, who don’t like seeing her suffer from cabin fever, she’s found creating new people and places equally as fascinating. Also, you’re a lot less likely to spill your ice tea.
February 18, 2015
Author Thursday: Interview with Delilah Devlin
Today's guest is best-selling Samhain author Delilah Devlin, here to talk about her new release Sweeter Than Honey. I'm a sucker for a mysterious woman selling love potions from her wagon, so I'm looking forward to reading this one. :-) (Plus Timothy Olyphant! /swoon)
1. What flavor is your writing?
Spicy hot.
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Emma Stone and Timothy Olyphant.
3. What is your favorite scene in Sweeter Than Honey?
When the good women of the town get tipsy and take matters into their own hands...
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
American Sniper.
5. What are you working on now?
My next story for Samhain, book #2 in the Firehouse 69 series, Hotter With a Pole.
You can learn more about Delilah at these links:
Website: http://www.delilahdevlin.com/Twitter: @DelilahDevlinFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/DelilahDevlinFanPage
Something’s on the rise in Two-Mule, Texas. And it ain’t just the temperature.
1880, West Texas
Honey Cafferty lives a happy, if precarious, existence as a traveling saleswoman. She sells her elixirs and potions while searching for the one thing she hasn’t been able to brew from the back of her colorful wagon—a sense of belonging. She arrives in Two Mule, Texas, with her Elixir of Love, a potion that improves a man’s libido but might just get her run out of town.
Sheriff Joe Tanner is protective of his little town. Downright hostile toward anyone who might take advantage of the fine folk under his protection. Any snake-oil salesman who rolls into town better just keep right on rolling.
Honey isn’t what Joe expected, from her vibrant red hair and cat-green eyes to her curvy mouth and hips. And when the men of the town begin to plead exhaustion—and place the blame squarely on her sweet-smelling shoulders—Joe has no choice but to launch an investigation. A very, very deep investigation…
Warning: Contains a sheriff who prides himself on keeping his town running as smooth as a well-greased wagon wheel, and a wandering saleswoman who’s more than a bump (and grind) in his road.
You can buy Sweeter Than Honey at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
1. What flavor is your writing?
Spicy hot.
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Emma Stone and Timothy Olyphant.
3. What is your favorite scene in Sweeter Than Honey?
When the good women of the town get tipsy and take matters into their own hands...
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
American Sniper.
5. What are you working on now?
My next story for Samhain, book #2 in the Firehouse 69 series, Hotter With a Pole.
You can learn more about Delilah at these links:
Website: http://www.delilahdevlin.com/Twitter: @DelilahDevlinFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/DelilahDevlinFanPage
Something’s on the rise in Two-Mule, Texas. And it ain’t just the temperature.1880, West Texas
Honey Cafferty lives a happy, if precarious, existence as a traveling saleswoman. She sells her elixirs and potions while searching for the one thing she hasn’t been able to brew from the back of her colorful wagon—a sense of belonging. She arrives in Two Mule, Texas, with her Elixir of Love, a potion that improves a man’s libido but might just get her run out of town.
Sheriff Joe Tanner is protective of his little town. Downright hostile toward anyone who might take advantage of the fine folk under his protection. Any snake-oil salesman who rolls into town better just keep right on rolling.
Honey isn’t what Joe expected, from her vibrant red hair and cat-green eyes to her curvy mouth and hips. And when the men of the town begin to plead exhaustion—and place the blame squarely on her sweet-smelling shoulders—Joe has no choice but to launch an investigation. A very, very deep investigation…
Warning: Contains a sheriff who prides himself on keeping his town running as smooth as a well-greased wagon wheel, and a wandering saleswoman who’s more than a bump (and grind) in his road.
You can buy Sweeter Than Honey at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
February 11, 2015
Author Thursday: Writing Mr. Nice Guy with Elizabeth Harmon
Today's Author Thursday guest is discussing my very favorite type of hero--the beta hero. (Heck yeah I bought a copy of her book! A beta figure skater? Yes, please.)
Enjoy!
Writing Mr. Nice Guy
By Elizabeth Harmon
The Alpha hero. He’s the face of romance, and with Fifty Shades of Grey soon in theaters, he’s getting even more attention than usual. But are Christian Grey and his fraternity of billionaires, bikers, Navy SEALS, dukes and various other domineering, macho types the only heroes we swoon over?
Absolutely not, and I think it’s time to give a little love to my favorite hero to read and write, the Beta.
(Photo: Blue Man, courtesy David Hosford)Too often, Mr. Nice Guy is stereotyped as wimpy, average…and worst of all, boring. A few (admittedly dated) romance writing guides consider him persona non grata. Which is too bad, because there’s plenty to love about a nice-guy hero.
However, writing them can be a challenge. Nice can easily become too perfect or bland. And since fiction is built on conflict and the Beta hero by nature is a low conflict guy, how do we keep our story moving forward?
By making our hero multi-faceted, believable and yes, flawed.By looking beyond the classic love/hate dynamic for conflict.Let’s start with defining our Nice Guy hero. One of the best descriptions I’ve found is the Best Friend hero archetype in The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines . The Best Friend is a kind-hearted team player who brings out the best in others. He is confident, emotionally mature, and supportive.
Anton Belikov, the Russian figure skater hero of my debut release,
Pairing Off
certainly fits this description. When he’s partnered with Carrie, an American skater who has been hurt personally and professionally, he quickly realizes that to regain her confidence on the ice, she needs a friend and ally. He does small things for her, like teaching her how to use the Moscow subway, and big things, like confronting a coach who bullies her. His humor and kindness help Carrie find courage to leave behind her painful past.
Growing up in a close-knit family, rocked by his mother’s terminal illness, taught Anton to put others’ needs ahead of his own, which brings us to another important component of the Beta hero—a compelling, believable background.
What life experiences made him who he is? Perhaps he was the good son, to make up for a rebellious sibling. Did his parents’ unhappy marriage, or illness, force him to become a caregiver or a peacemaker? Was he the super-responsible older sibling, the eager to please middle, or the adored baby brother? Was he, or maybe a sibling, bullied? On the other hand, was he the kid everybody liked?
Flaws are essential to multi-faceted characters and the Beta hero is no exception. To find his flaws, start with the flipside of some of his good qualities. Does being the good, responsible son frustrate him or keep him from pursuing his dreams? Does he get tired of cleaning up others’ messy lives? Perhaps his easy-going nature makes him complacent. These are all great sources of internal conflict. And speaking of conflict, in a story with a Nice Guy hero, it tends to play out as tension or a problem to be solved, rather than a direct clash, which keeps the heroine and hero fighting on every page.
Anton and Carrie have a shared goal—Olympic gold—and must work together to attain it. The story’s conflict comes from external forces (a rival pair, Carrie’s family, a ticking clock) and internal forces (Carrie’s struggle to trust and let go of the past). Nice Guy Anton has some internal issues too, but the real focus of the book is Carrie. Beta heroes work great when it’s the heroine who grows and changes most.
Have you tried writing a Beta hero? What do you like best about Mr. Nice Guy?
Enjoy!
Writing Mr. Nice Guy
By Elizabeth Harmon
The Alpha hero. He’s the face of romance, and with Fifty Shades of Grey soon in theaters, he’s getting even more attention than usual. But are Christian Grey and his fraternity of billionaires, bikers, Navy SEALS, dukes and various other domineering, macho types the only heroes we swoon over?
Absolutely not, and I think it’s time to give a little love to my favorite hero to read and write, the Beta.
(Photo: Blue Man, courtesy David Hosford)Too often, Mr. Nice Guy is stereotyped as wimpy, average…and worst of all, boring. A few (admittedly dated) romance writing guides consider him persona non grata. Which is too bad, because there’s plenty to love about a nice-guy hero.However, writing them can be a challenge. Nice can easily become too perfect or bland. And since fiction is built on conflict and the Beta hero by nature is a low conflict guy, how do we keep our story moving forward?
By making our hero multi-faceted, believable and yes, flawed.By looking beyond the classic love/hate dynamic for conflict.Let’s start with defining our Nice Guy hero. One of the best descriptions I’ve found is the Best Friend hero archetype in The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines . The Best Friend is a kind-hearted team player who brings out the best in others. He is confident, emotionally mature, and supportive.
Anton Belikov, the Russian figure skater hero of my debut release,
Pairing Off
certainly fits this description. When he’s partnered with Carrie, an American skater who has been hurt personally and professionally, he quickly realizes that to regain her confidence on the ice, she needs a friend and ally. He does small things for her, like teaching her how to use the Moscow subway, and big things, like confronting a coach who bullies her. His humor and kindness help Carrie find courage to leave behind her painful past.Growing up in a close-knit family, rocked by his mother’s terminal illness, taught Anton to put others’ needs ahead of his own, which brings us to another important component of the Beta hero—a compelling, believable background.
What life experiences made him who he is? Perhaps he was the good son, to make up for a rebellious sibling. Did his parents’ unhappy marriage, or illness, force him to become a caregiver or a peacemaker? Was he the super-responsible older sibling, the eager to please middle, or the adored baby brother? Was he, or maybe a sibling, bullied? On the other hand, was he the kid everybody liked?
Flaws are essential to multi-faceted characters and the Beta hero is no exception. To find his flaws, start with the flipside of some of his good qualities. Does being the good, responsible son frustrate him or keep him from pursuing his dreams? Does he get tired of cleaning up others’ messy lives? Perhaps his easy-going nature makes him complacent. These are all great sources of internal conflict. And speaking of conflict, in a story with a Nice Guy hero, it tends to play out as tension or a problem to be solved, rather than a direct clash, which keeps the heroine and hero fighting on every page.
Anton and Carrie have a shared goal—Olympic gold—and must work together to attain it. The story’s conflict comes from external forces (a rival pair, Carrie’s family, a ticking clock) and internal forces (Carrie’s struggle to trust and let go of the past). Nice Guy Anton has some internal issues too, but the real focus of the book is Carrie. Beta heroes work great when it’s the heroine who grows and changes most.
Have you tried writing a Beta hero? What do you like best about Mr. Nice Guy?
Contemporary romance author Elizabeth Harmon loves stories with humor, heat and heart…and sexy beta heroes. Her debut novel “Pairing Off” is published by Carina Press and is the first book in the series “Red Hot Russians.” Visit her online at www.romancewriter-girl.com.
January 28, 2015
Author Thursday: Interview with Rebecca Crowley
Today's Author Thursday guest is Samhain Author Rebecca Crowley! Do men in uniform make you swoon? Then you want to check out her Homefront Trilogy. ;)
1. What flavor is your writing?
Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant and approaching nine months without an alcoholic beverage, but I’d like to think my writing is like a good margarita: a little bit salty, a little bit sweet, packing just enough of a tequila punch to keep you on your toes!
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
The hero, Ethan, is easy – Ryan Phillippe all the way!
The hero, Mia, is a little harder, but I think Lizzy Caplan could definitely do her justice.
3. What is your favorite scene in Alive Day?
Easy – Ethan and Mia’s first kiss, in the back of a used bookstore. Unbeknownst to each other, they both retreat to the dusty, disorganized shop to escape the hustle of the day and get lost in the shelves, and when they bump into each other inside their connection finally crosses from professional antagonism to undeniable attraction.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
So many! I’m an American living in South Africa, and at the end of last year we hosted our first-ever South African romance writers’ conference. I came away with an amazing goodie bag of books by local authors that I’ve been itching to dive into. I think my next read will be The Trouble with Mojitos by Romy Sommer. Like I said, pregnant and alcohol-deprived!
5. What are you working on now?
Not as much as I should be! My first baby is due in a little over a month so life is full of nursery furniture, prenatal classes, and generally trying not to bite the head off anyone who marvels at how big I’ve gotten.
That said, I’m hoping this kid holds out long enough for me to enjoy the first two weeks of maternity leave, because I have a sports romance manuscript I’m itching to finish. Fingers (and legs) crossed!
You can find out more about Rebecca at these links:
Website: rebeccacrowley.net Twitter: @rachelmaybe Facebook: facebook.com/rebeccacrowleywrites
Alive Day (Book 2 of the Homefront Trilogy)
Army infantry Captain Ethan Fletcher’s Air Force colonel father disapproved his choice of military branch, but Ethan didn’t care. He wanted his boots on the ground among the men he led, not to be flying high above the fray.
But after a particularly violent tour in Afghanistan costs the lives of some of his men—and nearly his own—his faith in service is shaken, his belief in himself shattered. The last thing he needs is some psych geek getting into his head, especially one who’s strong, stubborn, and sexy as hell.
Psychologist Mia Levin’s study of the 13th Infantry’s Echo Company could vault her career to the next level, and change the way the Army handles returning soldiers. But first she has to get past the unit’s overprotective captain—and keep him far from her fragile heart.
When a fender bender brings Ethan running to Mia’s rescue, the threads of a tenuous attraction begin to intertwine and strengthen into a bond that could heal them both—if they aren’t too far gone for love to reach.
You can buy Alive Day from Samhain, Amazon, Amazon UK, Kobo, iTunes, and All Romance eBooks.
1. What flavor is your writing?
Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant and approaching nine months without an alcoholic beverage, but I’d like to think my writing is like a good margarita: a little bit salty, a little bit sweet, packing just enough of a tequila punch to keep you on your toes!
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
The hero, Ethan, is easy – Ryan Phillippe all the way!
The hero, Mia, is a little harder, but I think Lizzy Caplan could definitely do her justice.
3. What is your favorite scene in Alive Day?
Easy – Ethan and Mia’s first kiss, in the back of a used bookstore. Unbeknownst to each other, they both retreat to the dusty, disorganized shop to escape the hustle of the day and get lost in the shelves, and when they bump into each other inside their connection finally crosses from professional antagonism to undeniable attraction.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
So many! I’m an American living in South Africa, and at the end of last year we hosted our first-ever South African romance writers’ conference. I came away with an amazing goodie bag of books by local authors that I’ve been itching to dive into. I think my next read will be The Trouble with Mojitos by Romy Sommer. Like I said, pregnant and alcohol-deprived!
5. What are you working on now?
Not as much as I should be! My first baby is due in a little over a month so life is full of nursery furniture, prenatal classes, and generally trying not to bite the head off anyone who marvels at how big I’ve gotten.
That said, I’m hoping this kid holds out long enough for me to enjoy the first two weeks of maternity leave, because I have a sports romance manuscript I’m itching to finish. Fingers (and legs) crossed!
You can find out more about Rebecca at these links:
Website: rebeccacrowley.net Twitter: @rachelmaybe Facebook: facebook.com/rebeccacrowleywrites
Alive Day (Book 2 of the Homefront Trilogy)Army infantry Captain Ethan Fletcher’s Air Force colonel father disapproved his choice of military branch, but Ethan didn’t care. He wanted his boots on the ground among the men he led, not to be flying high above the fray.
But after a particularly violent tour in Afghanistan costs the lives of some of his men—and nearly his own—his faith in service is shaken, his belief in himself shattered. The last thing he needs is some psych geek getting into his head, especially one who’s strong, stubborn, and sexy as hell.
Psychologist Mia Levin’s study of the 13th Infantry’s Echo Company could vault her career to the next level, and change the way the Army handles returning soldiers. But first she has to get past the unit’s overprotective captain—and keep him far from her fragile heart.
When a fender bender brings Ethan running to Mia’s rescue, the threads of a tenuous attraction begin to intertwine and strengthen into a bond that could heal them both—if they aren’t too far gone for love to reach.
You can buy Alive Day from Samhain, Amazon, Amazon UK, Kobo, iTunes, and All Romance eBooks.
Rebecca Crowley writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense with smart heroines and swoon-worthy heroes, and never tires of the happily-ever-after. Having pulled up her Kansas roots to live in New York City and London, Rebecca currently resides in Johannesburg, South Africa.
January 21, 2015
Author Thursday: Interview with Sara Daniel
Today's Author Thursday guest is Sara Daniel, and her book has my new favorite title: Loving the Amnesia Bride. I love a good amnesia story, and this sounds just like my catnip. I have to pick up a copy. :)
Enjoy!
1. What flavor is your writing?
I’m going to peg my writing as Rocky Road flavor. The chocolate is the rich, authentic emotion of my characters. The nuts are the stumbling points of the characters’ flaws, and the marshmallows are the nuggets of surprise and humor to delight the reader.
For a more traditional answer, I write contemporary romance, located anywhere in the U.S., from small towns to farms to cities. Some books are very hot. Some are on the sweet side. But always the physical expressions are rooted in emotion and are an integral part of the characters’ growth. My books in the Wiccan Haus multi-author world also have a bit of paranormal in them.
2. If Loving the Amnesia Bride was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Casting the hero is easy. Chris Hemsworth with his rugged Thor haircut was my model for Tucker Wilde. For my heroine, I could see either Alexandra Daddario (Anabeth from the Percy Jackson movies) or Keira Knightly playing the amnesia bride, Gwen Fairfax.
3. What is your favorite scene in Loving the Amnesia Bride?
My favorite scenes in the book were where I captured the struggle of my heroine attempting to discover who she is colliding with the awakening of her attraction to the fiancé she doesn’t remember. Here’s a snippet:
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
Like every other reader and writer I know, my TBR pile is way too big, but in the past month I’ve made a conscious effort to read more, push my boundaries, and feed my muse. I just finished Marilyn Brant’s The Road to You, a YA/New Adult coming-of-age mystery/romantic suspense set in the 1970s. I’m currently reading Catherine M. Wilson’s When Women Were Warriors (Book 1: The Warrior’s Path). I don’t know what it’s classified as, historical matriarchal society, perhaps? Both are such a well-written, beautiful stories. On the straight romance side, I loved One Night of Sin by Elle Kennedy for a hot story and Falling for Her Fiancé by Cindi Madsen for a sweet story.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m finishing the last three book in my One Night With the Bridal Party one-night stand series, which starts with One Night with the Bride and continues with One Night with the Bridesmaid and One Night With the Groom. The Best Man’s book comes next followed by One Night with Her Husband, and the series wraps up with One Night with His Wife. All stories are stand-alone, but some characters appear in other books as supporting characters. These books are tentatively scheduled for release starting in late spring 2015.
You can find out more about Sara at these links:
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/rx_AL Website: http://www.SaraDaniel.com Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SaraDanielSaraShafer Twitter: @SSaraDaniel Blog: http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ssaradaniel/
If she remembers the past, they won't have a future.
Gwen Fairfax awakens in a hospital, deluged by stabbing head pain and unable to remember anything about her past, especially the man who claims to be her fiancé. A trip to the Wiccan Haus is her only hope to discover the woman she used to be, her mysterious dreams about a resort, and the man who’s supposedly the love of her life.
Tucker Wilde is willing to do anything to stop his stepmother’s land development schemes from ruining the natural habitat he’s dedicated his life to preserving. But he never expects he’ll have to go so far as to pretend to be engaged to the woman his brother left at the altar. He knows better than to trust anyone in cahoots with his stepmother. But he feels an overwhelming need to protect the sweet, vulnerable woman who has no one to turn to but him. Soon, he’s losing sight of the fact that the engagement isn’t real.
Gwen tempts him at every turn, hoping physical contact between them will jog her memory. If she never remembers the past, Tucker begins to believe they could make a life together. But if the Wiccan Haus delivers on healing her memory, it will destroy any hope for their future.
You can purchase Loving the Amnesia Bride at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Smashwords, Musa Publishing, and the iBooks store.
Enjoy!
1. What flavor is your writing?
I’m going to peg my writing as Rocky Road flavor. The chocolate is the rich, authentic emotion of my characters. The nuts are the stumbling points of the characters’ flaws, and the marshmallows are the nuggets of surprise and humor to delight the reader.
For a more traditional answer, I write contemporary romance, located anywhere in the U.S., from small towns to farms to cities. Some books are very hot. Some are on the sweet side. But always the physical expressions are rooted in emotion and are an integral part of the characters’ growth. My books in the Wiccan Haus multi-author world also have a bit of paranormal in them.
2. If Loving the Amnesia Bride was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Casting the hero is easy. Chris Hemsworth with his rugged Thor haircut was my model for Tucker Wilde. For my heroine, I could see either Alexandra Daddario (Anabeth from the Percy Jackson movies) or Keira Knightly playing the amnesia bride, Gwen Fairfax.
3. What is your favorite scene in Loving the Amnesia Bride?
My favorite scenes in the book were where I captured the struggle of my heroine attempting to discover who she is colliding with the awakening of her attraction to the fiancé she doesn’t remember. Here’s a snippet:
“This week is for you, Gwen, not me.”Just because they were engaged didn’t mean their relationship had been perfect before she’d lost her memory. By paying attention to what he loved, she could strengthen their bond or discover they weren’t right for each other at all.
She shook her head as they stepped into the elevator. “It’s for both of us. Just because you’re helping me get my memory back doesn’t mean you should have any less of a vacation.”
If Tucker wasn’t enjoying himself, why would he want to share his life with her? Up until dinner, his complete focus had been on her, but his eyes didn’t shine when he looked at her the way they did when he talked about his conservation efforts.
As the elevator crawled upward, she glanced at him, unable to believe he wasn’t right for her. Not only was she comfortable with him, their chemistry compounded with every passing moment. The real question was if she fit with him, but she didn’t know herself well enough to answer.
The elevator doors opened, and he placed his palm against her back as they exited. A few steps later, they stopped in front of her room. “This is you,” he said.
“Yeah.” Now what? She had no idea how to wrap up the evening and no past experience to fall back on. “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is that a euphemism for something else?”
Oh gosh, she might not have a memory, but she understood what she’d implied. She forced a laugh to cover her embarrassment and deflect the sex offer she definitely wasn’t ready for him to take her up on. “Apparently, you’ve gotten engaged to a clichéd and trite woman. I fell asleep so fast earlier I didn’t notice if the room had a coffee pot.”
His lips twitched. “I would never get engaged to a cliché. Don’t sell yourself short.”
She rubbed her temples. If he’d been attracted to something unique and special about her, she’d like a clue what that thing might be. She enjoyed getting reacquainted with him, but getting to know herself proved far more unsettling. “Okay, no coffee and no euphemistic coffee. Uh, good night?”
“A good night kiss?” he suggested.
She dropped her gaze to his full pink lips. How many times had those lips kissed hers before? She wanted to remember, but she couldn’t handle the intimacy of a full, deep kiss when who she was remained elusive.
Rising on her tiptoes, she brushed her lips over his cheek, scratchy with his customary beard stubble. The touch warmed her, inviting her to linger and explore his face. Instead, she pulled away.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
Like every other reader and writer I know, my TBR pile is way too big, but in the past month I’ve made a conscious effort to read more, push my boundaries, and feed my muse. I just finished Marilyn Brant’s The Road to You, a YA/New Adult coming-of-age mystery/romantic suspense set in the 1970s. I’m currently reading Catherine M. Wilson’s When Women Were Warriors (Book 1: The Warrior’s Path). I don’t know what it’s classified as, historical matriarchal society, perhaps? Both are such a well-written, beautiful stories. On the straight romance side, I loved One Night of Sin by Elle Kennedy for a hot story and Falling for Her Fiancé by Cindi Madsen for a sweet story.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m finishing the last three book in my One Night With the Bridal Party one-night stand series, which starts with One Night with the Bride and continues with One Night with the Bridesmaid and One Night With the Groom. The Best Man’s book comes next followed by One Night with Her Husband, and the series wraps up with One Night with His Wife. All stories are stand-alone, but some characters appear in other books as supporting characters. These books are tentatively scheduled for release starting in late spring 2015.
You can find out more about Sara at these links:
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/rx_AL Website: http://www.SaraDaniel.com Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SaraDanielSaraShafer Twitter: @SSaraDaniel Blog: http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ssaradaniel/
If she remembers the past, they won't have a future.Gwen Fairfax awakens in a hospital, deluged by stabbing head pain and unable to remember anything about her past, especially the man who claims to be her fiancé. A trip to the Wiccan Haus is her only hope to discover the woman she used to be, her mysterious dreams about a resort, and the man who’s supposedly the love of her life.
Tucker Wilde is willing to do anything to stop his stepmother’s land development schemes from ruining the natural habitat he’s dedicated his life to preserving. But he never expects he’ll have to go so far as to pretend to be engaged to the woman his brother left at the altar. He knows better than to trust anyone in cahoots with his stepmother. But he feels an overwhelming need to protect the sweet, vulnerable woman who has no one to turn to but him. Soon, he’s losing sight of the fact that the engagement isn’t real.
Gwen tempts him at every turn, hoping physical contact between them will jog her memory. If she never remembers the past, Tucker begins to believe they could make a life together. But if the Wiccan Haus delivers on healing her memory, it will destroy any hope for their future.
You can purchase Loving the Amnesia Bride at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Smashwords, Musa Publishing, and the iBooks store.
Author bio: Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction and was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. She lives her own happily-ever-after romance with her hero husband, and she gets amnesia at least three times a day because she can never remember where she left her keys!
January 14, 2015
Author Thursday: Interview with Barbara Meyers
Today's guest is fellow Samhain author Barbara Meyers, and she's talking about Nobody's Fool. If you're a fan of the "heroine comes back to her home town" trope, you'll want to check this one out. :-)
1. What flavor is your writing? (Contemporary? Spicy? Action? Space odyssey? Ninjas? All of the above?)
Contemporary which I describe as “sweet, spicy, sexy.” My books contain one, two or all three of those elements.
2. Where do you get your inspiration?
That is hard to say. Anywhere/anything/everywhere/everything/everybody. You never know where an idea will come from. A snatch of overheard conversation, a situation, a name. As an author you can take the simplest idea and turn it and twist and shape it into a story. NOBODY’S FOOL, for example was inspired by my son’s relationship with the woman he’s now engaged to. They’ve known and loved each other for over fifteen years and were best friends in high school. Although the book is in no way based on the two of them, I lifted a few of the elements of their story, rearranged or completely changed them and used it in mine.
3. What is your favorite thing about being an author?
The fact that I work from my bedroom. That I can “work” any time. I make my own schedule. I can work in my PJ’s before I take a shower and no one cares if I haven’t yet brushed my teeth!
The other thing I love is seeing my work in print. When I get a proof I get so excited. I scan through it and get stuck reading certain sections even though I’ve read them fifty times already. I love knowing I’m leaving a little legacy behind, a little piece of me.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
Right at this moment as I’m answering these questions, I just started Laura Castoro’s Icing on the Cake. Next up is Sorry by Zoran Drvenkar.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m never happy unless I have two or three things going at the same time. One is Cleo’s Web, a romantic comedy. The other is untitled, about a lonely widower who finds himself looking after a baby. When I put my pen name hat on and become AJ Tillock, I hope to finish my second Grinding Reality series book entitled Cool Beans. Also, watch for WHAT A RICH WOMAN WANTS (May 2015). It’s the fourth Braddock Brotherhood book.
You can find out more about Barbara at these links:
Website: www.barbarameyers.comTwitter: @barbmeyersFacebook
She’s home to make amends. He’s out to get a little revenge.
The heart he breaks could be his own.
The Jolie Kramer who left Oak Ridge at eighteen isn’t the same one who’s home for her ten-year high school reunion. The old Jolie hid her secrets and insecurities behind her popular-girl image.
The new Jolie has returned triumphant from NYC older, wiser, and ready to make amends for the bridges she burned. Especially the one between her and Court Harrison, her biggest supporter since childhood.
Court hates to admit he’s still hung up on Jolie, and he’s vowed to finally put the past way, way behind him. She wants to kiss and make up? He’ll give her a taste of her own medicine. Make her fall for him—only this time, he’ll be the one walking away.
But his plan works a little too well, and by the time he realizes their feelings are real, it’s too late. She’s onto him, and he’s lost the only woman he’ll ever want. Unless she falls for plan B, which contains two things she can’t resist: a career challenge, and a chance to get a little revenge of her own.
1. What flavor is your writing? (Contemporary? Spicy? Action? Space odyssey? Ninjas? All of the above?)
Contemporary which I describe as “sweet, spicy, sexy.” My books contain one, two or all three of those elements.
2. Where do you get your inspiration?
That is hard to say. Anywhere/anything/everywhere/everything/everybody. You never know where an idea will come from. A snatch of overheard conversation, a situation, a name. As an author you can take the simplest idea and turn it and twist and shape it into a story. NOBODY’S FOOL, for example was inspired by my son’s relationship with the woman he’s now engaged to. They’ve known and loved each other for over fifteen years and were best friends in high school. Although the book is in no way based on the two of them, I lifted a few of the elements of their story, rearranged or completely changed them and used it in mine.
3. What is your favorite thing about being an author?
The fact that I work from my bedroom. That I can “work” any time. I make my own schedule. I can work in my PJ’s before I take a shower and no one cares if I haven’t yet brushed my teeth!
The other thing I love is seeing my work in print. When I get a proof I get so excited. I scan through it and get stuck reading certain sections even though I’ve read them fifty times already. I love knowing I’m leaving a little legacy behind, a little piece of me.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
Right at this moment as I’m answering these questions, I just started Laura Castoro’s Icing on the Cake. Next up is Sorry by Zoran Drvenkar.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m never happy unless I have two or three things going at the same time. One is Cleo’s Web, a romantic comedy. The other is untitled, about a lonely widower who finds himself looking after a baby. When I put my pen name hat on and become AJ Tillock, I hope to finish my second Grinding Reality series book entitled Cool Beans. Also, watch for WHAT A RICH WOMAN WANTS (May 2015). It’s the fourth Braddock Brotherhood book.
You can find out more about Barbara at these links:
Website: www.barbarameyers.comTwitter: @barbmeyersFacebook
She’s home to make amends. He’s out to get a little revenge.The heart he breaks could be his own.
The Jolie Kramer who left Oak Ridge at eighteen isn’t the same one who’s home for her ten-year high school reunion. The old Jolie hid her secrets and insecurities behind her popular-girl image.
The new Jolie has returned triumphant from NYC older, wiser, and ready to make amends for the bridges she burned. Especially the one between her and Court Harrison, her biggest supporter since childhood.
Court hates to admit he’s still hung up on Jolie, and he’s vowed to finally put the past way, way behind him. She wants to kiss and make up? He’ll give her a taste of her own medicine. Make her fall for him—only this time, he’ll be the one walking away.
But his plan works a little too well, and by the time he realizes their feelings are real, it’s too late. She’s onto him, and he’s lost the only woman he’ll ever want. Unless she falls for plan B, which contains two things she can’t resist: a career challenge, and a chance to get a little revenge of her own.
January 7, 2015
Author Thursday: Interview with Matt Banach
Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2015 with an interview of author Matt Banach. This is particularly awesome because he's an old friend who I've been privileged to game with. (I love seeing friends of mine become published authors. You rock, Banach!) (I promise I won't post any old LARP pics of you, though I totally could...) ;-)
Enjoy!
1. What flavor is your writing?
Blueberry muffin – tastes like cake, but there are little good-for-you bits in there.
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Rube = Martin Freeman [Sherlock, The Office (British)]
Jax = Ron Perlman [Hellboy, Beauty and the Beast]
The Khan of Nightmares = Christopher Walken [Balls of Fury, The Rundown]
Doji = A young, unknown Hong-Kong martial artist
3. What is your favorite scene in Lost In Dream?
My favorite scene in Lost In Dream is in near the very end, where you learn something remarkable about the mysterious main character and narrator, Rube; but describing that scene would be an awful spoiler, so I'm not going to tell you about that.
My second-favorite scene in Lost In Dream is the first meeting of Rube and Jax on the black ship of the Men of Leng, where both are being held captive. It's my favorite because you see, in those first few moments, the arc of who both who they are individually and what their relationship will be like throughout the entire story. Rube struggles against the weight of the dreaming world against him and worries about his daughter, while still finding a moment to crack wise. Jax builds salt-goblins, rambles and prods grandiloquently, and gets then them both into a lot more trouble.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
I am currently reading Hawk by Steven Brust – the latest in a long line of the Vlad Taltos novels. I have loved this series ever since I was a kid, and I still think back to Brust's work when voicing my snarky narrators, laying out world-shaking plots, and peppering stories with a mix of wry humor and practical humanism. Great stuff.
5. What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on the latest installment of the Gossamer Worlds line, which is a series of fantasy/science-fiction worlds I am writing to support the ingenious diceless roleplaying game Lords of Gossamer & Shadow (Rite Publishing). The universe of Lords of Gossamer & Shadow is diverse and expansive, since its godlike characters quite literally traverse the infinite multiverse, hopping from world to world, so writing for the product line is terribly exciting since I get to write up pretty much anything my mind can conjure, lay out a brand new reality in a few thousand words, then sign off and move on to the next world and the next installment. I've published ten Gossamer Worlds so far, they're selling very well, and the experience is a blast.
I'm also pondering the sequel to Lost In Dream, and hope to begin that soon.
You can find out more about Lost in Dream here.
Dream – a surreal realm where delusions roam free and nightmares hold court.
A man called Rube is on a perilous quest, searching this unhinged land for something more precious than life or sanity – his own lost child. Captive on a black ship crewed by the dreaded Men of Leng, he finds himself crossing the Slumbering Sea in chains, brought face-to-face with a mischievous blue monster who might just be his salvation – or his doom. Struggling to reunite father and daughter, their odyssey past the edge of reality reveals ancient evils, fiendish plots, and a trans-planar scheme which threatens the very foundation of Dream.
You can purchase Lost in Dream at Amazon.
Enjoy this excerpt from Lost in Dream, Chapter 1:
“Daddy!” The silver bell of her voice chimed over the sound of the waves.
I felt as if I were rising from the deep. I stirred from my drowse, painfully aware of the thick patina of salt crusting my joints and eyelids. As I strained against my shackles, great white scales of salt sloughed from my back and flaked from my hair in miniature avalanche. I opened my eyes, grimacing as sour brine seeped in at the corners. I didn’t mind the pain so much – it was at least good to feel something.
There she stood, small and tall at the same time, standing tippy-toe against the rail, craning her little neck to peer over the black wood to the wonders and horrors of the Slumbering Sea beyond. Her dark brown hair was tousled and set afloat by the wind, and the hem of her dress flapped in the breeze like a tiny blue flag.
“Daddy! What that?” she pealed, excited and concerned at the same time.
I turned to look where she was looking, wincing at the sting of salt. She was gazing out curiously at something quite terrible in the distance, an adorably serious expression on her face. The confusing immensity of the beast and the strangeness of the roiling seascape made it difficult to judge perspective, but I was fairly certain it was gobbling up telepathic whales as if they were grapes.
“That’s a sea monster, dear,” I rasped.
We watched – I in disgust and she in contemplative interest – as the bizarre monstrosity continued its feast. Its screeching corkscrew beak rotated and gnashed, shredding its blubbery prey with gut-wrenching ease. Hundreds of glowing, mouth-pocked tentacles lashed about in the rainbow-colored water, changing it into a churning red froth.
“Oh,” she said, frowning as she tried to decide if this was a bad thing or a good thing.
I left her to her thoughts, knowing that I couldn’t shield her from such sights. Some nagging part of me wondered why or how she was here at all.
Enjoy!
1. What flavor is your writing?
Blueberry muffin – tastes like cake, but there are little good-for-you bits in there.
2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?
Rube = Martin Freeman [Sherlock, The Office (British)]
Jax = Ron Perlman [Hellboy, Beauty and the Beast]
The Khan of Nightmares = Christopher Walken [Balls of Fury, The Rundown]
Doji = A young, unknown Hong-Kong martial artist
3. What is your favorite scene in Lost In Dream?
My favorite scene in Lost In Dream is in near the very end, where you learn something remarkable about the mysterious main character and narrator, Rube; but describing that scene would be an awful spoiler, so I'm not going to tell you about that.
My second-favorite scene in Lost In Dream is the first meeting of Rube and Jax on the black ship of the Men of Leng, where both are being held captive. It's my favorite because you see, in those first few moments, the arc of who both who they are individually and what their relationship will be like throughout the entire story. Rube struggles against the weight of the dreaming world against him and worries about his daughter, while still finding a moment to crack wise. Jax builds salt-goblins, rambles and prods grandiloquently, and gets then them both into a lot more trouble.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?
I am currently reading Hawk by Steven Brust – the latest in a long line of the Vlad Taltos novels. I have loved this series ever since I was a kid, and I still think back to Brust's work when voicing my snarky narrators, laying out world-shaking plots, and peppering stories with a mix of wry humor and practical humanism. Great stuff.
5. What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on the latest installment of the Gossamer Worlds line, which is a series of fantasy/science-fiction worlds I am writing to support the ingenious diceless roleplaying game Lords of Gossamer & Shadow (Rite Publishing). The universe of Lords of Gossamer & Shadow is diverse and expansive, since its godlike characters quite literally traverse the infinite multiverse, hopping from world to world, so writing for the product line is terribly exciting since I get to write up pretty much anything my mind can conjure, lay out a brand new reality in a few thousand words, then sign off and move on to the next world and the next installment. I've published ten Gossamer Worlds so far, they're selling very well, and the experience is a blast.
I'm also pondering the sequel to Lost In Dream, and hope to begin that soon.
You can find out more about Lost in Dream here.
Dream – a surreal realm where delusions roam free and nightmares hold court.A man called Rube is on a perilous quest, searching this unhinged land for something more precious than life or sanity – his own lost child. Captive on a black ship crewed by the dreaded Men of Leng, he finds himself crossing the Slumbering Sea in chains, brought face-to-face with a mischievous blue monster who might just be his salvation – or his doom. Struggling to reunite father and daughter, their odyssey past the edge of reality reveals ancient evils, fiendish plots, and a trans-planar scheme which threatens the very foundation of Dream.
You can purchase Lost in Dream at Amazon.
Enjoy this excerpt from Lost in Dream, Chapter 1:
“Daddy!” The silver bell of her voice chimed over the sound of the waves.
I felt as if I were rising from the deep. I stirred from my drowse, painfully aware of the thick patina of salt crusting my joints and eyelids. As I strained against my shackles, great white scales of salt sloughed from my back and flaked from my hair in miniature avalanche. I opened my eyes, grimacing as sour brine seeped in at the corners. I didn’t mind the pain so much – it was at least good to feel something.
There she stood, small and tall at the same time, standing tippy-toe against the rail, craning her little neck to peer over the black wood to the wonders and horrors of the Slumbering Sea beyond. Her dark brown hair was tousled and set afloat by the wind, and the hem of her dress flapped in the breeze like a tiny blue flag.
“Daddy! What that?” she pealed, excited and concerned at the same time.
I turned to look where she was looking, wincing at the sting of salt. She was gazing out curiously at something quite terrible in the distance, an adorably serious expression on her face. The confusing immensity of the beast and the strangeness of the roiling seascape made it difficult to judge perspective, but I was fairly certain it was gobbling up telepathic whales as if they were grapes.
“That’s a sea monster, dear,” I rasped.
We watched – I in disgust and she in contemplative interest – as the bizarre monstrosity continued its feast. Its screeching corkscrew beak rotated and gnashed, shredding its blubbery prey with gut-wrenching ease. Hundreds of glowing, mouth-pocked tentacles lashed about in the rainbow-colored water, changing it into a churning red froth.
“Oh,” she said, frowning as she tried to decide if this was a bad thing or a good thing.
I left her to her thoughts, knowing that I couldn’t shield her from such sights. Some nagging part of me wondered why or how she was here at all.
December 17, 2014
Author Thursday: Guest Post by Lisa Whitefern
Today's guest is fellow Samhain author Lisa Whitefern, and she's talking about writing romance with Christmas magic.
Happy Holidays!
Writing Holiday Romance
It seems we never get tired of reading Christmas novels. Readers love holiday romance, and it’s fun to use all those wonderful sights and smells while writing a Christmas themed book. Peppermint canes, gingerbread cookies evergreens, fairy lights and snow fill us all with excitement, and memories of Christmas past.
Writing a Christmas romance you want to invoke a heartwarming feeling, and it’s perfectly possible to do this, and still write at a very steamy heat level. A Christmas romance need not be a sweet romance to be heartwarming. You just need to add that extra emotional punch.
I’m often asked how does tension in an erotic romance work, when there is often little build up before the first sex scene. The emotional difference in an erotic romance compared to a regular romance is that the heroine and hero (or obviously in the case of ménage romance the heroes) may engage in fun casual sex before falling in love. So rather than the more conservative, chaste build up to sex, we have friends agreeing to some light hearted sexual fun, which gradually builds up over time into a deep heartfelt romance. The tension is not “will they have sex” but “will they break down emotional barriers and fall in love?” This works with Christmas stories, many of the old classic Christmas stories are about the ice around someone’s heart finally melting.
Christmas for me also invokes thoughts of fairy tales. In Wicked Wonderland I took the idea of Christmas magic quite literally. It was natural for me to want to write a paranormal/fantasy type romance in relation to Christmas rather than a straight contemporary tale, and the story is a retelling of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, with it’s theme of underdog triumph.
The three goals I had for Wicked Wonderland were to write a magical paranormal Christmas story, an emotional romance between 3 people in a ménage, and an erotic story hot enough to jingle sleigh bells and curl your mistletoe!
Christmas is full of fictional possibilities for a writer because it’s a time of miracles when anything can happen.
Merry Christmas!
You can find out more about Lisa at these links:
Amazon Author Page Facebook Twitter: @LisaWhitefern
It’s a lovely night for a sleigh ride— until something evil takes the reins.
When Nick and Kris, the half-fae sons of human mothers, aren’t using Santa’s sleigh in the off-season to make deliveries for their booming sex toy business, they’re setting off sensual fireworks in the bedroom.
Yet they dream of a feminine third to complete their lives. There’s only one woman they can picture filling that role: Lilly, the girl they both dated in college.
Lilly thought earning extra money stripping was a good plan, until she’s left battered, bruised, and stuffed in a back-alley trash can. He rescuers turn out to be the dark, brooding dom and the golden-haired sub whose faces—and shockingly entwined bodies—are still the stuff of her most searing fantasies.
While she’s more than willing to take them up on their offer of one perfect night of magic, she questions whether anyone can break into Nick and Kris’s powerful bond. But there’s someone who’s been waiting for this moment all Lilly’s life. An evil psychopath who holds the secrets of her past—unless Nick and Kris can unravel them in time to save her from a fate worse than death.
Warning: Explicit ménage a trois, hot m/f/m scenes, hot male/male scenes, a ruthless stalker who torments the heroine, sex toys, sex on roof tops, spankings, BDSM, Dark Fae, birdmen, orphans, strippers, centaurs, a violent battle between good and evil creatures on board a ship, true love, and sex in Santa’s sleigh.
You can purchase Wicked Wonderland at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Samhain Publishing.
Happy Holidays!
Writing Holiday Romance
It seems we never get tired of reading Christmas novels. Readers love holiday romance, and it’s fun to use all those wonderful sights and smells while writing a Christmas themed book. Peppermint canes, gingerbread cookies evergreens, fairy lights and snow fill us all with excitement, and memories of Christmas past.
Writing a Christmas romance you want to invoke a heartwarming feeling, and it’s perfectly possible to do this, and still write at a very steamy heat level. A Christmas romance need not be a sweet romance to be heartwarming. You just need to add that extra emotional punch.
I’m often asked how does tension in an erotic romance work, when there is often little build up before the first sex scene. The emotional difference in an erotic romance compared to a regular romance is that the heroine and hero (or obviously in the case of ménage romance the heroes) may engage in fun casual sex before falling in love. So rather than the more conservative, chaste build up to sex, we have friends agreeing to some light hearted sexual fun, which gradually builds up over time into a deep heartfelt romance. The tension is not “will they have sex” but “will they break down emotional barriers and fall in love?” This works with Christmas stories, many of the old classic Christmas stories are about the ice around someone’s heart finally melting.
Christmas for me also invokes thoughts of fairy tales. In Wicked Wonderland I took the idea of Christmas magic quite literally. It was natural for me to want to write a paranormal/fantasy type romance in relation to Christmas rather than a straight contemporary tale, and the story is a retelling of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, with it’s theme of underdog triumph.
The three goals I had for Wicked Wonderland were to write a magical paranormal Christmas story, an emotional romance between 3 people in a ménage, and an erotic story hot enough to jingle sleigh bells and curl your mistletoe!
Christmas is full of fictional possibilities for a writer because it’s a time of miracles when anything can happen.
Merry Christmas!
You can find out more about Lisa at these links:
Amazon Author Page Facebook Twitter: @LisaWhitefern
It’s a lovely night for a sleigh ride— until something evil takes the reins.When Nick and Kris, the half-fae sons of human mothers, aren’t using Santa’s sleigh in the off-season to make deliveries for their booming sex toy business, they’re setting off sensual fireworks in the bedroom.
Yet they dream of a feminine third to complete their lives. There’s only one woman they can picture filling that role: Lilly, the girl they both dated in college.
Lilly thought earning extra money stripping was a good plan, until she’s left battered, bruised, and stuffed in a back-alley trash can. He rescuers turn out to be the dark, brooding dom and the golden-haired sub whose faces—and shockingly entwined bodies—are still the stuff of her most searing fantasies.
While she’s more than willing to take them up on their offer of one perfect night of magic, she questions whether anyone can break into Nick and Kris’s powerful bond. But there’s someone who’s been waiting for this moment all Lilly’s life. An evil psychopath who holds the secrets of her past—unless Nick and Kris can unravel them in time to save her from a fate worse than death.
Warning: Explicit ménage a trois, hot m/f/m scenes, hot male/male scenes, a ruthless stalker who torments the heroine, sex toys, sex on roof tops, spankings, BDSM, Dark Fae, birdmen, orphans, strippers, centaurs, a violent battle between good and evil creatures on board a ship, true love, and sex in Santa’s sleigh.
You can purchase Wicked Wonderland at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Samhain Publishing.
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