Laura Kaye's Blog, page 78

Welcome Guest Author Boone Brux! #entangledbooks #demons

Welcome Fellow Entangled Publishing Author  Boone Brux  to the blog today! Happy New Release, Boone!
Welcome, Boone!  Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.
Thanks so much for having me, Laura. I'm Boone Brux and I'm very excited to be here today. Let's see, I write fantasy, paranormal romance, humor, and dabble in erotic romance, pretty much any genre that lets me escape reality. I'm published through Entangled Publishing *gives lame fist pump* and Red Hot Publishing.
LOL Love that! Okay, tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
Shield of Fire is book one in my Bringer and the Bane series. It tells the story of Rhys and Ravyn. He's the last full-blooded Bringer, who are a race of beings that protect humans from the Demon Bane. Rhys saves Ravyn from a demon after she flees from Menda Abbey and takes her under his wing to train her, but quickly realizes she is not mere human.
The Demon Bane are quite adamant about kidnapping Ravyn for their own nefarious purpose, so of course there's lots of demon attacks, fighting, screaming and mayhem. Good times.
The more Rhys and Ravyn learn about her and why the Bane need her, the more questions arise about the Bringers and their past. Book one is the beginning of the end, the spark that ignites events that lead to the ultimate battle. *Cue music: du du du dunnn*
Indeed! *grins* Which character is your favorite and why?
Definitely Icarus, son of the demon king. I like him most because he gave me so few problems. His character was fully formed from the first time he walked onto the page. He's also a fun challenge to keep bad but different from the other demons.
Sounds awesome! As the author, what surprised you about this story?
Okay, I'm going to be brutally honest and say I was most surprised that anybody wanted to publish it, especially when the editing process started. LOL. I asked my editor how they choose a book and she said if the storyline is unique, the writing smooth, and the voice strong, they can fix the rest of the stuff. I'm in awe of what an editors do, especially those who remain positive and encouraging when you know they want to throw their computer through the window.  
Editors are magical creatures, there's no doubt about it! Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
Heck yeah! There are five books planned. Books two and three will be coming out in 2012.
Excellent! I love series! What was the hardest thing for you about writing this story?
I guess it was plotting out the entire series. I wasn't much of a plotter, you know, the kind of person who won't read the directions. When my editor and I started talking about book two and three, I realized I needed to know what threads to weave through each book and where to plant the seeds. I had a tendency to drop things into the story and forget about them. All that planning made my head hurt, but boy did it make the story cohesive. It's amazing what having a purpose for putting something into a story will do for the plot. D'oh
I'm a total pantser, myself. What are you working on right now?
Book two of the Bringer and the Bane series. It's tentatively been titled, Kiss of the Betrayer. I'm also finishing up a story for an Entangled Publishing anthology. All proceeds will go to Autism Awareness. It's a great project. There's also a Halloween anthology in the works. I'm teaming up with Patricia Eimer and Rosalie Lario. I'm so excited about this project. I can't give out many details, but I have a feeling this is going to morph into a hilarious story.
What happened to the first book you ever wrote?
It just got published. Shield of Fire was the first book I ever wrote. However, I must qualify that by saying that the first version hardly resembles the final draft.
That's awesome! What do you find easiest and hardest to write?
By far the easiest is humor. I love writing it. My husband is hilarious. Sometimes it's like living with a stand-up comedian, but he's great for inspiration.
Deep emotional stories are the most difficult. They wear me out. I internalize sad stories and get depressed. I've never watched the movie, Sophie's Choice, but my husband told me what it was about and by the time he finished, I was bawling my eyes out. Thus I use humor to deal with most situations. That's not always a good thing.
Have you incorporated actual events or people from your own life into your books?
Not yet, but I have big plans. Watch out friends and family.
Is that an evil laugh I hear?? *winks* Is there a theme or message that runs through your work?
Not on purpose, though I find it helps to have a central theme. In Shield of Fire it's a duty before self theme. Book two is more of a living with guilt theme, but no real message besides good verses evil. Even those lines get blurred. Nothing is black and white. There are always exceptions to the rule. Those are what create the best twists and surprises in a book.
What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
Well, my high school friends are probably amazed I can read, let alone write books. On a more obscure note, I was a live-in nanny in America and Europe for twelve years. I've got a whole series based around those experiences planned. It should be very cathartic. The names will be changed to protect…well, not the innocent, but me from law suits.
*chuckles* Which romance book or series (or other genre, if you don't write romance) do you wish you had written?
I'll state the obvious first, Harry Potter. A close second is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series because humor is my first love. Wouldn't have minded penning Karen Marie Moning's Fae series. Seriously brilliant.
Good choices! Of all the characters you've ever written, who is your favorite and why?
I wrote an erotic short sci-fi story about a woman named Andromeda. She was mouthy, funny, and a loner. I think I enjoyed her so much because she said all the things I'd love to say. Later this year I'm going to rewrite and expand her story. I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve.
That sounds great. Okay, now, just for fun: Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? Dark, because it's healthy and goes with red wine.
Salty or sweet? Salty, but potato chips dipped in chocolate would be great.
Bed or kitchen table? Bed, I love my bed. I'd live there if I could.
Beach or mountains? Beach
Give or receive? Receive

Protecting humans is the Bringers' duty. Sending demons to the Shadow World is their pleasure.
In one night, Ravyn's life plunges from barely tolerable to deadly. Forced to flee the only home she's known, she stumbles headlong into the clutches of Icarus, a powerful demon intent on stealing her powers. Unfortunately for him, she has no intention of cooperating.

When Rhys realizes the woman he's rescued from the Bane Demon is no mere human, his obligation as a Bringer dictates he protect and train her in the ways of his people. But he's unprepared for the intense desire he feels for the fiery Ravyn. To surrender to his need may mean her death.

As the Demon King's desire for ultimate power escalates, fathers are slated against sons, and foes are made allies. The Bane threat upon them, Rhys and Ravyn must quest to unite the last of the Bringers—and explore a passion too powerful to ignore.

 Thanks for being coming on the blog! Where can we find you on the web?
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Publishers Author Page  
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING MY GUEST, BOONE! Everyone, leave Boone some new release love! Isn't that an awesome cover?
Thanks for reading,Laura & Boone

Welcome Guest Author Natalie J. Damschroder! #entangledbooks

Welcome to the blog to my fellow Entangled author  Natalie J. Damschroder!
Welcome, Natalie!  Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.
Thanks so much for having me today, Laura!
I've been writing romantic fiction for nearly 20 years, and just had my 10th novel published. Right now, I'm writing paranormal romance for Entangled Publishing and romantic adventure for Carina Press, both under my real name, Natalie J. Damschroder. My husband and I just celebrated our 19th anniversary, and we're parents of two female anti-teenagers. When I'm not writing, I work part time as a chiropractic assistant and a freelance editor/proofreader. In the minuscule amount of free time I have left, I'm a rabid fan of Supernatural, Jason Manns, and the New England Patriots.
LOL Awesome description! Okay, tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
Under the Moon comes out in paperback today! (Also available in e-book.) It's the first book in my Goddesses Rising trilogy, about modern-day goddesses whose power gives them strength, but also makes them targets. My heroine, Quinn Caldwell, and her protector, Nick Jarrett, team up with her assistant Sam Remington to track down and stop a leech from stealing power from goddesses.
Happy release day! This sounds so cool! And you know I love stories about gods and goddesses! Which character is your favorite and why?
Nick and Sam are my favorite. I can't pick one! I love their relationship, which is overtly antagonistic but works surprisingly well when it comes to Quinn.
I love those kinds of relationships. As the author, what surprised you about this story?
Under the Moon was my first-ever NaNoWriMo book (National Novel Writing Month). Since I didn't get the idea for the bones of the story until about two days before NaNoWriMo started, I was very surprised it went so smoothly from beginning to end. I'm still surprised that after years of rewrites and rereads and the whole production process, I love it as much as I ever did. :)
Wow! A NaNo success story to be sure! Congrats! Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
Yes! The Goddesses Rising trilogy continues next year with Heavy Metal, featuring a young goddess who has no idea she is one, and finishes up with Sunroper, where the heroine and her unlikely hero have to work together to stop a rogue goddess who has gone insane.
OMG sounds fantastic! What happened to the first book you ever wrote?
I still have it. I found it in a box last year and had to change my main bio because I'd remembered the title wrong. LOL It's My Very Own Reading Book and it's really a collection of mostly unfinished short stories featuring a boy named Bobby and Jamie Summers (aka the bionic woman). I wrote it in 2nd grade, so I was probably about 6.
ROFL! That's so awesome! What do you find easiest and hardest to write?
Hmmmm. I don't know if anything is always easy. LOL Hardest is definitely emotion and description. I tend to focus on action and dialogue and have to layer the others in once I get to revisions. Easiest is probably scene and chapter hooks, those lines that kind of punch you and force you to keep reading when you're supposed to be doing chores or sleeping. :)
Have you incorporated actual events or people from your own life into your books?
I put a little something from my own life into everything I write, to varying degrees. In Under the Moon, Quinn owns a cabin in Michigan, near Sarett Nature Center. I did a summer internship there when I was in college. In Heavy Metal, I mention a restaurant that was a landmark in my childhood, and the restaurant's owner makes a short appearance in the book.
Very cool! Is there a theme or message that runs through your work?
Not deliberately, but we all have one that can be impossible to get away from. Independence, a need for control, is the theme that finds its way into all of my writing.
Interesting, so, what would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
People never believe me when I say I've always been shy. I'm such a know-it-all control freak (sometimes labeled "leader" LOL) that people are always surprised to hear I'm an introvert. I also hate the telephone, and order pizza online so I don't have to make a call.
Hello, fellow introvert! LOL Which romance book or series (or other genre, if you don't write romance) do you wish you had written?
None of them, because if I had, I wouldn't have had the joy of reading them!
LOL Love that! Okay, now, just for fun:
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? Dark, all the way—usually with toffee or nuts in it.
Salty or sweet? Both at the same time, or one right after the other.
Bed or kitchen table? LOL! I personally go for comfort, but the…er…immediacy of the kitchen table is always exciting.
Beach or mountains? Again, both, but the beach edges out the mountains just a little.
Give or receive? Oh, man, I've gotten predictable. Both! I love the satisfaction of giving someone something I know is just right, but I also love getting something I've wanted desperately.

Their power gives them strength…and makes them targets.
Quinn Caldwell is the epitome of a modern goddess. Her power source is the moon, her abilities restricted only by physical resources and lunar phase. She runs a consulting business and her father's bar, serves on the board of the ancient Society for Goddess Education and Defense, and yearns for Nick Jarrett, professional goddess protector and the soul mate she can never have.
But someone has developed the rare and difficult ability to drain a goddess of her powers, and Quinn is a target. With the world thinking Nick has gone rogue (whatever that means) and that Quinn is influenced by "family ties" she didn't know she had, keeping themselves safe while working to find the enemy proves harder each day.
But not as hard as denying their hearts…

Thanks for being coming on the blog! Where can we find you on the web?
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Amazon Author Page | Publisher Author Page Author Blog | Supernatural Sisters Blog | Everybody Needs a Little Romance Blog
Everyone, please leave Natalie some release day love! Thanks for reading!Laura & Natalie

#NorthofNeed Is Sizzling Read of the Month!

A huge thank you to the 100+ readers who voted for North of Need for Sizzling Read of the Month at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews! North of Need was eligible for the competition based on an absolutely glowing 5-heart review. The win will put North of Need into the running for Sizzling Read of the Year. Interestingly, that contest will also put two of my books in competition, as Hearts in Darkness also won as Sizzling Read of the Month back in May! So, I just wanted to say thank you and let you know the way you turned out for the book truly warmed my heart!
Laura

#SixSunday #38: A Critical Moment for #NorthofNeed's Greek God Hero!

I've got more of North of Need's Owen and Megan for you this week, and this picks up close to where last week's ended:

His orgasm hit like a tidal wave, tossing him around until he didn't know which way was up, dragging him down and then right back to the heavens again, stealing his breath until he dangled near the brink of unconsciousness.
Peace descended on Owen, body and mind. One beat passed, then another.
The tingling, like standing too near a live electrical current, started in his extremities and worked inward. Body still shuddering, he rolled off Megan and looked at his hands, but couldn't see the phantom presence making its way up his arms, up his legs. When the preternatural sensation hit his chest, his whole body seized against the mattress, his head arching back unnaturally, like someone was pulling him upward by the heart.

Oh my! What's happening to Owen? ;)
Don't forget to check out the Other Sixers' posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter!
Thanks for reading, and hopefully commenting, and happy December!Laura

Next Stop: Poughkeepsie, with Guest Author Debra Anastasia!

I'm very excited to welcome my friend and guest author 
Debra Anastasia 
to the blog today! She's celebrating the release of her awesome novel, Poughkeepsie, with a great giveaway! Read on...
POUGHKEEPSIE
He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he's homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She's the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it's not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake's heart beats for Livia's, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

In an interwoven tale of unlikely loves and relationships forged by fire, Debra Anastasia takes readers into the darkest corners of human existence, only to show them the radiant power of pure adoration and true sacrifice. Complicated families and confused souls find their way to light in this novel, which manages to be racy, profane, funny, and reverent all at once.


Give a Copy of Poughkeepsie a Home: Poughkeepsie in eBook, ePack, and Print: Omnific Publishing Poughkeepsie in Kindle and Print Amazon Kindle Amazon Print Poughkeepsie Book format allromanceebooks.comWebsite | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY There are 2 eCopies of Poughkeepsie to give away on the blog today. To enter, please leave a comment and a valid email address. Winner will be chosen by random.org. Open to international. Contest runs through 12/2 midnight EST!

Leave Debra some love, y'all, and enter to win! And be sure to watch the trailer--it's really well done! Thanks for reading,

Laura

New Cover Goodness! #Vampire + Castle + Rope = Woot!

I'm thrilled to debut the cover for my dark paranormal erotic romance, IN THE SERVICE OF THE KING, which releases on February 1, 2012 from Harlequin Nocturne Cravings.
Check this bad boy out!
Here was my query blurb, sure not to survive, but it gives you a good idea of the story:

Kael the Fair, one of seven reigning vampire warrior kings, loathes the Night of the Proffering—the night he must feed from a human female virgin to maintain his immortality and his humanity.  By feeding directly from the veins of the Proffered as he takes her virginity, Kael could determine whether the mating bond exists between them—but war and a previous loss lead the king to refuse to take a mate.  Groomed for the Proffering, twenty-year-old Shayla McKinnon risks her promising academic career to make two other dreams come true—vengeance for her sister's murder at the hands of the evil Soul Eaters and the impossible goal of capturing the Warrior King's heart.  In the feeding chamber this night, a battle of wills ensues, one played out through a game of domination and submission that might prove dangerous to both of their hearts.

I'm so excited about this new series, guys! If you know me at all, you know vampires are my favorite supernatural creature, so I'm psyched to bring some fangs and blood back into my life! LOL Oh, and, in case you're wondering, that's the Dunluce Castle ruins up there in Northern Ireland...
Thanks for reading! Would love to know if you have a favorite part of the cover! Squee!Laura

Happy Book Birthday to #JustGottaSay & #NorthofNeed! Celebrate with me...

I'm celebrating two book birthdays today! It's the two-month publication anniversary of my contemporary erotic romance, JUST GOTTA SAY, and the one-month publication anniversary of my contemporary fantasy romance, NORTH OF NEED! 
Like to win one of these? Leave a comment with your email address and follow my blog (over yonder on right-->), and leave your blog follower name, and I'll choose two ebook winners on Friday 12/2!
Thanks for reading!Laura

I'm Kissing & Telling! FF&P 9-Author Blog Tour! *P*R*I*Z*E*S*!

I'm one of 9 authors participating in the Kiss and Tell Book Tour, November 28 - December 6. Every day, your comment can win you a full signed set of my romance trading cards. PLUS, every comment along the tour enters you to win one of THREE $5 amazon gift cards! 
Here's my stops:
11/28 Sexxy Blogger ~ Hot North of Need Excerpt! & 5-star review!11/29 I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read ~ On First Kisses & excellent review!11/30 Cocktails and Books ~ On Desperate Kisses12/2 Manga Maniac Cafe ~ Interview12/3 GraveTells ~ The Power of a Kiss12/3 Rage, Sex & Teddy Bears ~ Four Favorite Kissing Songs12/3 The Wormhole ~ Romantic Ideas for the Wintertime12/4 Lisa's World of Books ~ Hot North of Need Excerpt!12/5 A Chick Who Reads ~ Hot North of Need Excerpt!12/5 Sarah Makela's Blog ~ 5 Romantic Christmas Songs to Warm Your Heart!12/5 KayDee Royal's Blog ~ What Makes My Hero and Heroine Tick12/5 Coffee Beans and Love Scenes ~ Hot North of Need Excerpt!12/6 Mila Ramos' Blog ~ Hot North of Need Excerpt!12/6 For the Love of Reading ~ North of Need Review
Fun times will be had by one and all! So comment early and often! And good luck!
Thanks for reading,Laura

E-book & E-reader Statistics Show: E-books are Perfect for Cyber Monday!

The statistics on e-books and e-readers show that all things digital are coming to dominate book sales and book formats. So, in celebration of Cyber Monday - when retailers hope you'll direct that Black Friday shopping enthusiasm to online buying - I'm sharing some informative and heartening e-book statistics: Credit Media Bistro and AAPE-book sales now outpace print book sales, as sales of e-books nearly tripled in the US from 2009 to 2010.Industry predictions indicate that by 2015, there will be twice as many owners of tablet PCs than there are of dedicated e-readersOver a million tablets were sold in the US in the first 9 months of 2011Over 11 million iPads were sold in the US in the first 9 months of 201111% of the US adult population owns a tablet77% of those adult tablet owners use it on a daily basis61% of tablet owners are women 1/6 Americans own an e-reader, and another 1/6 plan to buy one within the next six months94% of e-reader owners have bought a book in the past yearWhile 16% of all Americans report reading 11-20 books a year, 32% of e-reader owners report reading 11-20 books a yearThe Kindle Fire reportedly sold 95,000 on the first daySmashwords hit the 3,000,000 words published mark in September, after hitting the 2 million mark just four months earlier. It took them two years to hit the 1 million mark  So, if you find yourself online today and in the mood to shop, please consider one of my four available titles - which would make a great gift this holiday season: for yourself or someone you love! Make your purchase into an awesome wrap-able present by buying a super-cute thumb drive (like these, for instance) and loading e-books on it. 
Three of my titles are amazon bestsellers (Hearts in Darkness, Forever Freed, North of Need) and two won or have been nominated for awards (Hearts in Darkness, Forever Freed). North of Need was recently recommended by Paperback Dolls as THE romance to buy as a gift this holiday season! Give one or all a try!


I personally own a Nook and have the Kindle app on my iPhone. How about you? Thanks so much for reading, and happy Cyber Monday!
Laura

#SixSunday #37! A God Chases His Humanity...

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday, and I hope my Stateside friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration! I'm sharing six from my contemporary fantasy romance North of Need. Here we go...

"Love you," she panted, her breath coming in shallow gasps and throaty moans.
Pleasure clawed up Owen's spine, ripping him apart, pulling him back together again, preparing to reassemble him into a new man. Into a human man. It was the most beautiful torment, and he chased it with every wet stroke, every open-mouthed kiss. His release would be like no other—for it would not only be physical, but psychic.

Love this moment! Hope you did, too!
Be sure to read the Other Sixers' Posts! And follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter!
Thanks to everyone for reading and, hopefully, commenting!Laura