Interview & Giveaway with Stacey Kennedy

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to have our pal Stacey Kennedy on the blog today to chat about her newest release The Cat’s Meow.  

Stacey, can you please share with us a little about yourself.

I live in Southwestern Ontario with my husband who gave me my happily ever after. We have two small children who keep me on my toes and can always make me smile. But we also have basically a zoo at our house with one dog and three cats. I love the outdoors, camping, curling up with the latest flick, and Sons of Anarchy, Games of Thrones, Supernatural and Dexter.

My urban fantasy romance novels are lighthearted fantasy with heart squeezing, thigh-clenching romance, and even give a good chuckle every now and again. But within the stories you’ll find fast paced action, emotions we can all relate to, life threatening moments and a big bad villain that needs to be destroyed.

My erotic romance novels are just that…erotic. There is nothing better than taking the dominant men I love and watching them do wicked things to their women. I make the stories as hot as I possibly can and usually the characters take it a step further to even make my cheeks blush. But I just can’t write without a little humor added into the mix so that’s always a must have in my stories. And of course, what’s a story without a big dose of emotional characters, too.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Nope. My journey as a writer all began as a way to keep my brain alive since being a stay at home mom can be a little let’s say―numbing. It was an escape from screaming kids, dirty diapers and plain old mom duty.  It started as a hobby, but as the stories progressed it became a passion, especially when it comes down to the juicy bits. Every mom needs a good thrill!

Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

I adore Katie MacAlister’s dragon series and Sylvia Day’s Crossfire novels. I love Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux series. Jeaniene Frost is an auto-buy for me and I adore the Night Huntress world, especially Vlad. But Keri Arthur is, by far, my favorite author and who inspires me the most. I love everything about her books; the mystery, the sexual tension and the fantasy elements. Her Riley Jenson Guardian novels were the books that made me fall in love with the genre. Now, I’m totally obsessed with her Dark Angels novels and just can’t get enough!

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

I write in the urban fantasy romance genre, because I adore it. It’s my favorite genre to read and I honestly have a total blast writing it. I’m totally one of those authors who write because I have fun doing it. All of my books are written for my own personal enjoyment and it just makes me so happy that other people enjoy them, too.

The other genre I write in is BDSM erotic romance. What can I say, I have a thing for the Alpha male!  I wouldn’t even attempt to write in any other genre…right now. Who knows what will happen down the road and if my interests will change, but right now, these genres are my addiction.

What are some of your writing rituals?

Coffee. That’s it, that’s all. I always need either a plain old coffee, or a yummy treat from Starbucks, before I can even think of writing a word. Once I have a coffee, I’m ready to get those words written.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

My newest release is The Cat’s Meow. It’s an urban fantasy romance, which means it has a mystery at the core of the book and lots of those fun twists and turns. Of course, I need a little romance in there, too.

Here’s a peek at it:

Libby is an Enchantress—a witch gifted by the Goddess to conjure spells. When a magical presence is detected around a recent string of feline slayings, Libby takes the case to uncover the reasons behind the odd deaths. Much to her displeasure, the coven also sends a sexy warlock, Kale, to assist her.

While having the muscle around proves to be useful, fighting the attraction between them is worse than a hex, especially considering Kale is keeping secrets. But soon, Libby has bigger problems than the elusive warlock when her spells turn up clues that point to something far more sinister than slaughtered cats.

Now Libby has landed herself in the midst of an uprising. She trusts no one and isn’t safe—not from the warlocks stirring up trouble. Not from the worrisome rebellion she can’t escape. And certainly not from Kale, who is weaving a very dangerous spell over her heart.

Check out BnK’s review of The Cat’s Meow HERE

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Libby came to me first. To be honest, I thought the idea of having a witch, who uses magical spells and hunts the bad guys would just be a really fun book to write. And I was right—I had a total blast writing Libby and Kale.

After I figured Libby out, Kale came to me…and then he took over! The plot, all the little twists to the story, just fell into place after Kale’s first appearance in the book.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I have an insanely busy schedule over the next few months. I’m nearly finished the third book in The Pact of Seduction series (Loose Id). Once I get that off to my editor, I plan to write the second book in Witch’s Brew series (Entangled), then I’ll get down to starting the second book in the Club Sin series (Random House/Loveswept). So, yes, busy times ahead, but oh so fun!

Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.

“Why do you keep looking at me like…that?”

His eyebrow arched. “Like what?”

“All curious like.”

He smiled. “Because I am curious why we are walking around a cemetery with a dead cat in your hand.”

Libby has been hurt…and hurt badly, this leaves her very cautious and judgmental. In this part of the book, Libby begins to realize that Kale isn’t who he says he is and she’s trying to figure out his game. Only problem? He’s very good at keeping secrets!

What would you be if you were not an author?

I would continue to do the other job I love, being a stay-at-home-mom, who would likely read a lot. Maybe I’d even be a book blogger, since when it comes right down to it, I simply love books.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

Right now, I have Keri Arthur’s, Darkness Hunts and Beneath a Rising Moon, and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s, Opal.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

As always, a big thank you to all my readers—you guys always know how to make a girl feel good! And thank you to Books-n-Kisses for letting me spend some time with you all today!

THE CAT’S MEOW

Entangled Publishing  |  Amazon  |   B&N  |   Books on Board  |  iTunes

 EXCERPT LINK: http://www.staceykennedy.com/the-cats-meow/

BIO:

Stacey Kennedy’s novels are lighthearted fantasy with heart-squeezing, thigh-clenching romance, and even give a good chuckle every now and again. But within the stories you’ll also find fast-paced action, life-threatening moments, and a big bad villain who needs to be destroyed. She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband and two children. If she’s not plugging away at a new story—which is rare because her muse is annoying—you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Sons of Anarchy, Games of Thrones, Supernatural and Dexter.

Stacey welcomes comments from readers. You can find her at:

Website | Blog | Facebook  |  Facebook Fan Page |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  | Amazon Author Page

Want to see more of Stacey?
Check out her book tour HERE

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