Taking over the world, one book at a time
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Hi Jen!! Welcome back to Books-n-Kisses. We always love having you on the blog. For those who have been living under a rock or don’t know who you are can you please share with us a little about yourself
Sure, but I’m pretty average. I grew up in Southern CA, although I lived in Arizona for a few short years until my father suddenly passed away just before my 14th birthday. Life got very difficult after that, and I discovered romances—books that empowered women and gave me hope that life would get better.
It absolutely did, by the way. I met my husband at the dog pound (seriously!) We have three sons, and continue to create our own version of happily-ever-after every single day.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I dreamed of being a writer from the time I was in high school, but it wasn’t until I was married, had our children, and my husband was going after his MBA degree that I started to think—why not try it? It took me eight years, five manuscripts, and a lot of support but I finally succeeded.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Probably just the sheer craziness of my process. The rest of my life is pretty organized, but my writing process is a mess. I begin with a premise and outline, but once I start writing, I hit walls, stumble around, write entire scenes and then delete them, get halfway through the book then go back to the beginning and rip it apart…yet somehow out of the mess a book eventually takes shape. I end up with major anxiety and insomnia at some point with every book. Yet I’ve never found an easier way.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
I just released OBSESSION, the third and final book in The Plus One Chronicles Trilogy. The first book THE PROPOSITION leans toward being the heroine, Kat’s, story. The second one, POSSESSION shows us more of the hero, Sloane’s story. I love those two books. But OBSESSION is the sizzling and emotional culmination that I love so much because these two have earned their happy ending on a road of real pain and tough choices. They chose to love.
Writing this trilogy has been an intense and amazing experience for me. I almost always love my characters, but Kat and Sloane, and many of the secondary characters completely captivated me. They are so real to me as they struggled with real issues and tried to make the best choices. Love really can heal—it’s not perfect and it doesn’t make problems go away. But love can give us that emotional support we need to handle the curveballs that live throws us.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I’ve had bits and pieces of the idea for years, but the catalyst for writing this story was my son’s injury. It was during his long recovery that Kat and Sloane came to me and said, “Now’s the time. Tell our story.” It sounds so dramatic, but it’s true. In some ways, my son’s bravery as he faced a difficult injury and the loss of a career he’d worked so hard for inspired me to go for it. I knew this story had to be told with brutal honesty and that takes courage (for me anyway). And I was going to have to dig deep in some painful places to do it.
Soon, I was so compelled to write these three books, I almost had no choice but to just go for it.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Right now I’m working on THE COWBOY MARINE (title may change) which is the second book in my Once A Marine Series that I write as Jennifer Apodaca for Entangled Publishing. The first book is titled THE BABY BARGAIN and came out in March 2013.
In THE COWBOY MARINE, Logan Knight is an operative for Once A Marine Security Agency. After ten years in the Marines, Logan has some PTSD and to deal with that he goes home to his spot of land on his family’s ranch. But when Logan arrives, there’s a beautiful young woman and her baby hiding out in his house.
These books are updated versions of traditional category books and a lot of fun for me to write! I’m looking forward to seeing how Logan and Becky’s story turns out!
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I’ve met a lot of awesome writers, including Dean Koontz and a great many romance authors. I suppose I’d like to meet Stephen King because he scared the crap out of me when I read his books in high school, and then I read MISERY and PET SEMETARY after I was married and having my kids. Not the best choices for a young mom up at night with babies! I’ve been around Nora Roberts, but I’d love a chance to formally meet her and her alter ego, JD Robb. I could go on and on forever talking about authors!
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Learn to finish the book! When we get bogged down in the middle of the book we’re writing, it’s so easy to get distracted by a new, fresh ideas. Jot down those ideas somewhere, then go back and finish that first book. I also encourage writers to join groups, maybe Romance Writers of America, or an online group. We learn so much that way, and it helps us to stay inspired and motivated.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I’ve never been out of the U.S. Someday, I’ll travel somewhere fun outside the country. One of my kids just came back from Costa Rica and loved it. But my first choice (except for the LONG plane ride) would be Australia.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
SHADOWED by Rebecca Zanetti! I have it on my Kindle but have been too crazy-busy to read. It’s up next and I can’t wait! In fact, By the time this interview posts, I’m sure I will have devoured the book!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes! This series truly surprised me when it took off around the second book. That’s all due to readers and bloggers, and I want to thank you all for loving Kat and Sloane (and all the rest of the characters) as much as I do! I wrote these books on pure faith and the desperate need to tell this story, but you all made it come to life by reading and sharing. That has both thrilled and humbled at the same time. Thank you for believing in love—even when it’s not easy or perfect.
A wicked proposition…
A sensual possession…
A dark obsession…
The Plus One Chronicles: Searing passion and fiery vengeance collide in three explosive books.
The Plus One Chronicles, Book 1
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes
Rich, sexy and volatile, Sloane Michaels has a dark agenda that keeps his heart on ice. His extreme wealth gives him the control he craves and his skills as an ex UFC fighter the tools he’ll need to extract his ultimate revenge. But when the woman he never believed he’d see again crosses his path, Sloane is caught between the vengeance he needs and a sexual conquest he craves.
Kat Thayne has been in survival mode for six years, hiding behind the sweet creations for her bakery. But when a random carjacking brings her face-to-face with her darkest fears and hottest fantasy, Kat is forced out of hiding and offered a dangerously passionate proposition. One she knows she isn’t strong enough to refuse.
The Plus One Chronicles, Book 2
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Smashwords
**Please note: Possession is book two of a three book series. Readers should start with The Proposition.**
Savagely sexy billionaire Sloane Michaels ruthlessly controls his life and everything in it. Even his sex partners are carefully negotiated plus-one arrangements, including his latest, the fiery bakery owner, Kat Thayne. But Sloane’s control is challenged when his mentor becomes seriously ill, and his need for Kat, his need to possess her at all costs, rivals only his single-minded goal of vengeance for the murder of his sister.
After surviving an attack six years ago, Kat Thayne escaped her fears in the protective world of her beloved bakery. Then Sloane Michaels storms into her life, making her feel beautiful, strong and sexy. Yet as Kat pushes her boundaries and uncovers a dangerous secret in her past, Sloane’s controlling side emerges. Worried that Sloane will possess her mind, body and soul, Kat fights to keep her hard won independence. But just as Sloane demands her complete surrender, she discovers he has a dark side that could destroy them both.
**Possession is an adult contemporary novel and is not intended for younger readers due to mature content.**
The Plus One Chronicles, Book 3
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | iBooks/iTunes | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords
In the explosive conclusion to The Plus One Chronicles Trilogy, obscenely rich, jaggedly handsome and still obsessed with love and vengeance, Sloane Michaels must face an impossible choice: lose the woman he loves or betray his twin sister’s memory.
Watching the man she adores destroy himself for revenge, Kat Thayne knows she should run and never look back. But running isn’t her way anymore. Kat has grown into a fierce fighter, and the man who helped her get there is the very man who needs her strength now. But as the sizzling passion and hard-won love bind Kat and Sloane even tighter together, old secrets and lies explode around them. Danger threatens. And Kat soon realizes that she’s risking more than her heart to be with Sloane…she’s risking her very life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jennifer Lyon grew up under the shadow of the Matterhorn at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. She attended Walt Disney elementary school and her very first playmate was her beloved dog, Duke, who was cast in the role of hero in all their adventures.
Clearly Jen was born to daydream. But it took her years to figure out how to turn her imagination into a career as an author. After marrying and becoming a full time mom to three sons, Jen launched her career with the award winning Samantha Shaw Mystery Series and other romantic mysteries under the name Jennifer Apodaca. Later, she took the name Jennifer Lyon, combined her love of witches, alpha males and sizzling romance into another award winning series, the Wing Slayer Hunters.
Jennifer has several new releases coming out this year. THE PROPOSITION, the first book in her new Plus One Chronicles was just released on February 24 and following later in the year will be Book Two: POSSESSION – Coming 5/28/13 and Book Three: OBSESSION – Coming 9/24/13.
Writing under Jennifer Apodaca she will be releasing the first book in her Once A Marine series, titled THE BABY BARGAIN which will be out in March 2013 from Entangled Publishing in their Indulgence line.
For more information on Jen or her books, please visit her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.
Jennifer is giving away the following prizes at the end of her tour:
GRAND PRIZE: $50.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N
RUNNERS UP: TWO (2) runners up each get a $25.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N
Jennifer Lyon’s OBSESSION Tour Schedule – 10/14 – 10/26
10/14 – Book Monster Reviews (guest post)
10/14 Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads (Spotlight)
10/15 Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews (Spotlight)
10/15 Saucy & Sinful Reviews (Interview/Review)
10/15 You Gotta Read Reviews (Spotlight)
10/16 Book Pages and Dripping Ink (Guest Post)
10/16 RomanceJunkies.com (Interview)
10/18 Books And Their Seven Deadly Sins (Interview)
10/18 Sassy Book Lovers (Spotlight)
10/18 The Reading Café (Spotlight/Review)
10/20 Book Lovin’ Mamas (Guest Post/Review)
10/20 Rumpled Sheets Blog (Spotlight)
10/20 We Love Kink (Spotlight/Review)
10/21 Cocktails and Books (Guest Post)
10/21 Inner Goddess (Spotlight)
10/21 Salacious Reads (Spotlight/Review)
10/21 Victoria’s gossip (Guest Post)
10/22 Books-n-Kisses (Interview)
10/22 Dalene’s Book Reviews (Spotlight)
10/22 V,W,&,F,OhMy! (Guest Post)
10/23 Same Book, Different Review (Spotlight)
http://samebookdifferentreview.blogspot.com/
10/24 Scorching Book Reviews (spotlight)
http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot.com
10/25 Babbling About Books and More (Spotlight)
10/25 Coffee Talk (Interview)
10/25 For the Love of Bookends (Spotlight)
http://loveofbookends.blogspot.com
10/25 Under the covers (Guest Post / Review)
http://www.underthecoversbookblog.com
10/25 Wicked readings by Tawania (Spotlight)
http://wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com
10/26 Books Books and More Books (Guest Post)
http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/
10/26 Offbeat Vagabond (Interview)
Anthology
Books One through Five
Available on October 1st.
A Kiss Beneath the Veil
Daphne became a ghost whisperer when the Veil was lifted and the others came out of hiding. Now she’s intent on using her new ability to track down a serial killer who’s been terrorizing children in her small town. Isaac is an ancient vampire pursuing Daphne as she runs from his love and the promise of his immortal kiss. He will do anything to prove that they belong together, forever, including slaying a real monster for her.
A Taste for Moonlight
Anne gave up on finding her Prince Charming exactly one divorce, two kids, and (ahem) several pounds ago. Besides, she’s too busy building her business and being a good mom to even miss love anymore…usually…sometimes. But all that changes when she finds herself tricked into going to a werewolf strip club on her birthday. That’s when Thomas sees her for the first time and realizes that she is the mate he’s searched centuries for.
A Darker Shade of Dawn
Roschana doesn’t have many friends. Maybe it’s that whole I-eat-sex-for-breakfast thing? Too sexy? Too creepy? Whatever. She can’t help that she’s a succubus or that when most people find out about her eating habits they usually get the wrong impression and bolt, or drop trou on the spot. Eeww. But Thomas isn’t like most people. He’s a nerd who understands the stars better than he understands people. Who knew that the fastest way to a succubus’s heart was through a telescope?
A Heart of Stone and Fire
Athena is dying. There, she admitted it. So now what? In a world made topsy turvy by the lifting of the Veil, a girl ought to be able to find a cure for something as banal as cancer. And if she can’t? Well, then there’s always shopping. Gestein has guarded Athena since their paths first crossed when she was just a child. He would do anything to save her from the fate she has in store, but he’s bound to honor the vow he made not to interfere in her life. And a gargoyle always keeps his word.
A Constant Rapture
Constance is searching for a miracle; because that’s the only way she’ll be able to save her little sister and herself from the Ochi’s grasp. Xavier is working as a stage magician on the Vegas strip when Constance barges in and disrupts his carefully ordered plans: work, drink, rinse, repeat. He doesn’t see how his one shite talent could possibly help in her search until he’s already neck deep in Ochi mercenaries. By then there’s the complication of him starting to fall for his dream girl…
A little about Aimee:
I was born and raised near Las Vegas, NV and grew up dreaming of rain. I also dreamt of heroes and villains and the women that inspired the best and worst in them.
It seemed like every book I read as a teen was a classic bodice-ripper. Wimpy-virgin-heroine always making bad choices and getting herself in trouble, cue the macho hero, yadda yadda yadda. Those books are what inspired me to write my own stories, not because I loved those retro-romances, but because I constantly found myself tossing them aside and fuming. I would think of all the ways the story would have been better: if she had just picked up the sword and stabbed the bad guy when she had the chance…
I LOVE writing and I love the new direction that fiction has taken over the last decade. So many amazing, strong female leads now! And so many new writers that finally have a voice in the indie publishing community.
I was blessed with a wonderful husband who supports my passion for writing and reading and who really helped me focus my desire to publish my work. When I’m not busy enjoying my daughter and husband I’m usually developing a new story idea or sneaking in a bit of free time with my favorite authors.
I’m a bit of a hermit, they called it being “shy” when I was a kid, but I love hearing from fans. I also love ferrets, hiking, chili dark chocolate, strong coffee, nursing mamas, and rain.
Find more about Aimee here: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter @aimeeroseland | Amazon Page
Aimee is giving away a $20.00 gift card to Amazon.
Aimee is also having a special giveaway on her Facebook Page. Check it out. Click the links below to enter the giveaways:
iPad Mini Contest
Photo Contest for extra iPad Mini Contest submissions and the chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
BENEATH THE VEIL ANTHOLOGY Blog Tour 10/7 – 11/09
10/7 Book Monster Reviews (spotlight)
http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/
10/7 Rumpled Sheets Blog (Spotlight)
http://rumpledsheetsblog.wordpress.com/
10/8 You Gotta Read Reviews (Spotlight)
http://yougottaread.com
10/9 Fang Freakin Tastic Reviews (Spotlight)
http://fangfreakintasticreviews.com
10/9 Offbeat Vagabond (Spotlight)
http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/
10/10 Eclipse Reviews (Spotlight)
http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com
10/13 Books And Their Seven Deadly Sins (Interview)
http://booksandtheirsevendeadlysins.blogspot.co.uk/
10/13 Coffee Talk (Spotlight)
http://coffeetalkwriters.com/
10/14 Book Lovin’ Mamas (Interview)
10/14 fundinmental (Guest Post)
http://www.fundinmental.com
10/18 Nicky Peacock Author (Spotlight)
http://nickypeacockauthor.wordpress.com
10/19 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy,Too! (Spotlight)
http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
10/20 Mythical Books (spotlight)
http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
10/21 Sassy Book Lovers (Spotlight)
http://sassybooklovers.blogspot.com/
10/22 Books-n-Kisses (Guest Post)
http://books-n-kisses.com
10/23 Wicked Readings by Tawania (Spotlight)
http://wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com
10/24 Romance Junkies (Interview)
http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/
10/25 Book Pages and Dripping Ink (Spotlight/Review)
bookpagesanddrippingink.blogspot.com
10/26 Crazy Four Books (Spotlight/Review)
http://crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com
10/26 Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews (Guest Post)
http://literalhottiesnaughtybookreviews.blogspot.com/
10/27 Book Bliss (Interview)
Http://lbookbliss.wordpress.com
10/28 Vampires, Werewolves & Fairies Oh MY! (Spotlight)
http://vampireswerewolvesfairiesohmy.blogspot.com/
10/29 Darker Passions (Guest Post)
10/29 Penny For Them… (Spotlight/Review)
http://pennyforthemuk.com/search/label/Tour
10/30 A_TiffyFit’s Reading Corner (Spotlight/Review)
http://tiffyfit.blogspot.com
10/28 Just Paranormal Romance (Guest Post)
www.justparanormalromance.com
10/31 Reader Girls (Spotlight/Review)
http://www.readergirlsblog.com
11/1 Penny For Them… (Spotlight/Review)
http://pennyforthemuk.com/search/label/Tour
11/7 Fandom Fanatic ( Spotlight)
http://fandomfanatic.blogspot.com/
11/9 Inner Goddess (Guest Post)
http://www.InnerGoddessForum.com
TITLE: Darkness Rises
SERIES #: Immortal Guardians
CHARACTERS: Etienne & Krysta
AUTHOR: Dianne Duvall
NARRATOR: Kristen Potter
PUBLICATION DATE: Oct 1, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Audible
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Krysta is used to getting the drop on vampires. Her “special abilities” aren’t much, but the plan is simple–she plays helpless pretty young thing to lure them in. Then her shoto swords come out and it’s bye-bye, bloodsucker. Until one night she finds herself with an unexpected ally. He’s a vampire, all right, but different. Mysterious. Handsome. And more interested in saving her skin than draining it.
Etienne has been an Immortal Guardian for two hundred years–long enough to know that Krysta is special. He can’t stop thinking about her long legs, even more than her short swords. Then he discovers the vamps she’s exterminating have friends in high places, and the Guardians are in danger too. He’ll have to accept Krysta’s help to save them. The stakes for a mortal are high. But the cost to his heart might be higher.
REVIEW:
Immortal Guardians are suppose to protect the humans from the threat of vampires. But what is an Immortal Guardian suppose to do when a human takes it upon themselves to fight vampires? Well be amazed, a little shocked and a whole lot intrigued. Well that is if you are Etienne and you just happen to stumble upon Krysta kicking some serious vampire butt!!
Etienne & Krysta make an awesome couple. They are so much fun yet fierce. They both love to fight, to protect and to keep their loved ones safe. Together they are stronger than ever. But the only problem is that Krysta is human and Etienne is Immortal. But neither seem to care about that. That is until Krysta almost gets herself killed during a battle.
But this is not the only threat that the Immortal Guardians have. A threat from the past has raised it’s heads and this time the stakes are even higher.
I am totally in love with Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians. They are all so dreamy and kick a$$. Darkness Rises is an amazing book. I had the great pleasure of reviewing this book for Tantor Media. I love Kirsten Potter as a narrator. Kirsten is amazing and reading the story to you. It feels like she is telling the story not reading. By this I mean that if never feels like she is just reading words. Kirsten is in gulfed in the story. She makes you feel like you are there in the middle of the action. And the voices!!! Dang this girl is talented with voices. If you love audio books and love Dianne I would recommend picking up a copy of any of the Immortal Guardian books. All 4 are narrated by Kirsten and all are fabulous.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
TITLE: Black and Blue
SERIES #: Otherworld Assassin #2
CHARACTERS: Corbin Blue & Evangaline Black
AUTHOR: Gena Showalter
PUBLICATION DATE: Oct 22, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The sizzling second book in New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter’s Otherworld Assassin paranormal romance series.
He is every woman’s fantasy…
Corbin Blue is a man of many talents. One of the most powerful otherworlders ever born, he is wealthy, a professional football star, and a legend in the bedroom. But only a select few know he is also a black ops agent…and there is no better killer. When he and his crew are attacked and separated, he’s forced to turn to his boss’s daughter for help—a woman with even more secrets than Blue.
She becomes his only obsession…
Evangaline Black has always been wary, guarded. No man has ever breeched her walls. Until Blue. He has never been denied something he wants, and now, he’s decided he wants her. As he sweeps her into his double life of seduction, intrigue, and danger, he helps her see beyond the darkness of her own past. But as an enemy closes in, Blue will have to let Evie go to keep her safe—even though he’d rather die than live without her
REVIEW:
You know you love a book when you stay up until 1:30 am reading after being up since 5:30 am and having to wake up at 6am the next morning. Yes that is how much I loved Black and Blue. How can you not love this book.
Let’s start with the cover: amazingly gorgeous!!
The Hero: Tall+ tattooed + brooding + famous + football player + lady killer + violet eyes = YUMMY with an edge of if you mess with me I can kill you with a thought.
The Heroine: Dark + mysterious + fierce + determined + closed off + has a thing for poisons = a lady you don’t ever want to mess with and always hope is on your side.
In short this book was AWESOME!!!!
I really want to go on and on about this story. But I try not to do spoilers in my reviews. So let’s just say I loved Blue & Evie’s story. These two are so beyond perfect for each other it is not funny. This story will tug on so many of your heart strings. We learn so much about Blue and Evie. Blue & Evie are a great example of never judge a person without walking in their shoes. So loved this book. I am looking forward to the next book in this story. I don’t want to say excited because of what happens in this books but a serious case of anxiety has set in for John’s book.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
NAL is reissuing New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner’s exciting romantic suspense Family Secrets Trilogy. Lisa originally wrote the books under the pseudonym Alicia Scott, but they have all of the excitement, twists and turns, and interesting characters that Lisa Gardner fans have come to expect. MacNamara’s Woman is the second book in the trilogy and is now available in stores and for the first time in e-book format. The first book in the series, Maggie’s Man, is available now and the third book in the series, Brandon’s Bride, releases on December 3rd.
Three siblings searching for the truth about their family are about to find more than they bargained for.…
When Tamara Allistair lost her family, she quickly learned that the only person she could rely on was herself. Now Tamara wants revenge against the man who wronged her. But going after a target with far-reaching connections is a dangerous gamble, and soon Tamara is the one being threatened.
A man with his own share of family issues, ex-marine C. J. MacNamara knows that protecting Tamara is the right thing to do. Keeping her safe is no easy task, but getting her to trust him is an entirely different challenge. As Tamara attempts to right a wrong ten years in the making, C.J. puts his own life on the line to protect the woman who is more worthy of love than anyone he’s ever known.
About the Author:
Lisa Gardner is the New York Times bestselling author of fourteen previous novels. Her Detective D. D. Warren novels include Catch Me, Love You More, and the International Thriller of the Year award–winning novel The Neighbor. Her FBI profiler novels include Say Goodbye, Gone, The Killing Hour, The Next Accident, and The Third Victim. She lives with her family in New England. Visit her online at www.lisagardner.com.
Giveaway
Two lucky winners (U.S. only) will receive a mass market paperback copy of MacNamara’s Woman! Leave a comment below before October 27th answering the question: Have you read any of Lisa’s books and if so, which is your favorite?
Can you please share with us a little about yourself
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
What are some of your writing rituals?
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
How did you come with the idea for this story?
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
What would you be if you were not an author?
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Monica Burns to the blog today.
Monica, can you please share with us a little about yourself
Okay, when people ask me a question like that, the door is wide open, but I won’t bore you with tons of nonsense. The long and short of it is, I’m a bestselling author of sexy historical romance and paranormal romance.
A bestselling author of spicy erotic romance, Monica Burns penned her first short romance story at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today. From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Yep. I was writing romance at the age of nine, when I selected my pseudonym. Seriously. I’m a born marketer, and I picked Monica because it sounded exotic and Burns because it starts with a B and would be eyelevel to book customers. Of course, that was back when there weren’t as many books available. But it still puts me close to the front of the line. I think in my next life, I’m going to use the pseudonym, Abby Normal
Are you a plotter or a punster or combo of both? And you explain the difference?
I’m more a pantser than plotter. My plotting is basically done in a synopsis, and I write the barebones of the story. For example, my current WIP had loosely laid out plot line. I know that the hero is blackmailed into marrying the heroine. The heroine has recently found freedom in the BDSM lifestyle as a Domme. The hero is a Submissive. The two have different things going on with their inner conflicts. She’s pretty much had it with people telling her what to do all her life, so the Domme aspect is pretty self-explanatory. The hero is more complex. The hero’s father beat the hero’s mother while the hero was forced to watch as he was too young to protect his mother. Being a Submissive is in a way his penitence. So I’ve got these two characters who are forced into a marriage, they both have issues, the hero works in the seedy East End of London as a solicitor helping a barrister find evidence to defend people. There’s a bad guy who’s revealing names within the BDSM club (we all know that’s a BIG no no), and this bad guy winds up getting involved with one of the hero’s seedy enemies from the East End and something bad happens that may/may not put the heroine or the hero in danger. THAT is the extent of my plotting. The rest of it is putting words on paper as the scenes come to me. I already have three scenes in my head that I’ve yet to key in, but they’re rock solid. As a pantser, I just sit down and let the story flow out on the page. At least that’s how it’s *supposed* to work! It’s rarely that easy. In fact, I’ve only ever had one book in my career that just rolled off my fingers.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Hmm…I don’t really have one. I need to have my iced tea first thing in the morning when I start writing, and that’s about as quirky as I get. I don’t have any rabbit’s foot or any kind of crutch.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
A Bluestocking Christmas is one of my favorite stories because it has a ghost, the hero is hot as hell, and the entire story has an intense focus on literary works. Essentially, the hero uses words to seduce the heroine, well that and other seductive powers.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
A Bluestocking Christmas is a back list book from when I was first published by an ePub. I love books (go figure LOL), and I wanted to see what I could do with a ghost and a hero who uses words to make the heroine submit to him. It’s a romantic tip of the hat to Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
His Mistress is my current work, which I outlined above, and I’m about half way done with it. After that book is completed, I’ll be working on another Order of the Sicari series, which started out at Berkley, but they decided not to contract more books. But there are a lot of people who’ve asked for the series, and I love the world of the Sicari, so I’m going back.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Well, I can’t meet that author because she’s dead. Charlotte Bronte wrote the most amazing hero in Jane Eyre, and I would love to sit down and have a private, confidential girl chat with her about how she came up with Rochester, and whether she knew someone that she based the character on. Rochester was just so *real* to me, and it makes me think Charlotte modeled after someone, despite her brilliance as an author.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Learn the rules of writing. Actually, they’re just guidelines, but you have to learn them to hone your craft. Once you know the “rules,” toss them out the window and break the rules left and right. Finally, write for yourself first, your readers second, and NEVER ever write to a trend. Unless you’re a fast writer, you’ll miss the wave. And yes, point the finger, I’m writing my first BDSM. However, I’m writing a male Sub, that’s not an easy type of hero to find, but thanks to my pal Joey Hill, I’m feeling pretty good about making Tobias an alpha type of Sub.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I have several things on my bucket list.
1) I want to ride the top 10 roller coasters in the world. I have nine to go.
2) I want to drive a race car of Lamborghini (preferably the Lamborghini) on a straightway at 120mph.
3) Visit Rome, Italy
4) Visit the Pyramids at Giza and the Temple of Karnak in Luxor
5) Visit England (that might happen March 2014) and Scotland.
6) I want to learn how to speak Italian and Klingon. Actually the Italian piece I’m learning now via Rosetta Stone.
7) I want to learn fencing
8) I want to learn martial arts (I doubt this will happen thanks to a bad back)
9) I intend to sky dive at 82. If I live that long going splat won’t matter. The other option is to bungee jump with a Bowie knife because I refuse to go to a nursing home.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I have tons of books in my TBR pile, but I don’t have any one single book that sticks out in my mind as a must read. I don’t get to read very often, which makes it difficult to find a series I can immerse myself in. If I had to pick one, I’d say Dan Brown’s Inferno. I’ve been wanting to read it since I first heard he was writing it. The book has been out since mid-May and I’ve *yet* to even come close to getting to it. I must have about 200 books on my Kindle, Nook combined, but time is so limited.
What is one book everyone should read before they die?
Jane Eyre – It’s characterization is exquisite in my opinion
What is your favorite time of year & why?
The fall, hands down. Why? The air is crisp with a bite in the morning, while the evening still holds the softness of the day’s sun yet the cool nip that hints the temperature is about to drop. Then there’s the sound of leaves cracking beneath your feet or the sound of laughter as a kid jumps into a pile of leaves behind their dad’s back. I love how apple cider and cinnamon fills the air on a pumpkin farm, or the whiff of sweet smoke from a neighbor’s fire. Fall means back-to-school, Halloween, the quiet that follows summer, and the coming holidays. It’s just an awesome time of year. Pretty much the calm before the storm (the holidays).
Who is your Celebrity crush? And what would you do if you ever meet them?
Well, if we’re talking eye candy, then that would be Vin Diesel, Matt Bomer (who my associate film producer nephew worked with on a film recently. Le sigh) and Scott Eastwood (Clint Eastwood’s son). I imagine I’d just say hi while inside I’d be thinking, oh God, I wish I was skinnier, prettier and a hell of a lot younger.
If we’re talking just “interesting” celebrity then it would be Anthony Hopkins. He’s a brilliant actor, and there’s only been one movie of his I didn’t like. That was Magic, which was a very creepy film. Obviously he did an exceptional job in it, because I still remember it (70s film), but I didn’t enjoy it. So I supposed I’d have to ask him how/why he started and questions like that.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for the great questions. Writing a blog post is difficult for me, but answering questions is like taking an essay test. It’s much easier. LOL
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Sinful words, wicked pleasures and a ghost all add up to A Bluestocking Christmas with a Dickens of a twist.
As a young man, Simon, Viscount Wycombe learned the painful truth that a tradesman’s daughter is suitable only for liaisons and nothing more. But Ivy Beecham is a far cry from his preconceived notions, and he’s determined to have her. But when she rejects him, it only increases his determination to seduce her into a world of sin and pleasure.
Ivy Beecham knows first-hand that handsome aristocrats like Simon can’t be trusted. But the intellectual scoundrel is hellbent on making her his mistress, using every means at his seductive disposal. When she refuses to give away her heart on Christmas Eve, a ghostly specter shows her in one night why her surrender can be the greatest gift of all.
A little about Monica:
A bestselling author of spicy historical and paranormal romance, Monica Burns penned her first short romance story at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today. Her historical book awards include the 2011 RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice Award and the 2012 Gayle Wilson Heart of Excellence Award for Pleasure Me. She is also the recipient of the prestigious paranormal romance award, the 2011 PRISM Best of the Best award for Assassin’s Heart. From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.
Author Links:
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Amidst an epidemic ravaging the world, all Megan Fletcher’s hopes for the future lie in getting to Las Vegas where newscasts reported scientists were gathering to search for a cure for the modern plague. After rescuing her from a rooftop surrounded by Zombies, Sam Woods appoints himself her escort. While he knows she is determined to get to Vegas no matter the cost, he doesn’t know her secret. And with his hatred of all things Zombie, she doesn’t dare tell him the truth. The more he kisses her, the harder it is for Megan to hide her growing feelings…and the bite-shaped scar.
But Vegas is not the haven it was promised to be, and when Megan’s immunity to the disease is discovered, she realizes her future and her heart belong to Sam, if he will trust her. An idealistic school teacher and ex-corporate mogul manage to find love despite a looming worldwide catastrophe. Can their love survive while everything around them is dying? Will they learn that when facing the end of the world, Only Love Survives?
EXCERPT:
A storm that spelled danger flashed across Sam’s face. He advanced on Megan so fast, she backed up against the side of the Suburban. Planting a hand firmly on each side of her, he pinned her with his arms as well as his gaze.
“What I want? Are you so hard headed you can’t tell what I want?” He covered her mouth with his lips and crushed her clever comeback with an assault on her senses.
Megan pushed him, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he continued to kiss her until her heart raced and cheeks flushed with need. All resistance melted and she succumbed to the warmth of his embrace. Her arms wound around his neck of their own accord pulling him closer while her tongue sought his in a passionate dance, completely ignoring what her heart wanted.
When he finally broke away leaving Megan breathless and wanting so much more, Sam put his forehead to hers and watched her mouth like a drunk watches amber liquid poured into a glass. “You,” he rasped. “I’ve wanted you since I found you hanging from that damn roof, and all our little encounter in the river did was add fuel to the fire.”
A little about Renee:
Renee Charles believes all love is legendary. Being the only female in a house full of giants (husband and two teenage boys) she tends to lean toward the strange and unusual, but inevitably the softer side shines through.
Whether life leads her to a snow covered mountain top, sun dappled forest, or the bottom of a ravine (yes, ditches happen) she always has a pen and note pad ready so wherever the next adventure takes her, she can take notes.
Her own romance began in an insane asylum. Luckily, both she and her husband only worked there. But it makes sense her romance novels have strange beginnings that lead to passionate endings. Romance with a dark twist.
In the face of zombies, werewolves, and big foot she always seems to find a happily ever after to leave you with a sigh at the end.
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10.14.13
Interview & Tour Wide Giveaway with Nina Croft
Kimberly reviews For Love Of Lacey by Sandra Chastain
10.15.13
Interview & Tour wide giveaway with Hildie McQueen
Kelly reviews Fury Of Desire by Coreene Callahan
10.16.13
Dark & Dangerous Book Bundle Spotlight
Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Secret Santa by Michael, Levine, Bostwick and Myers
10.17.13
Interview & Giveaway with Erin McCarthy
Kelly reviews First Rapture by Alexandra Ivy
10.18.13
Interview & Tour Wide Giveaway with Angela Smith
Kimberly reviews Gabriel’s Outlaw by Sandra Chastain
10.19.13
SINsational Saturday Series
Coreene Callahan’s DragonFury Series
Dragonfury #1
A clandestine race of half-dragon, half-humans known as dragon-shifters lives among us.
Bastian, leader of the Nightfury dragon clan, is sworn to protect humankind at all costs. For him, honor and duty always come first. When the clan dictates he take a human mate to sire a son, he falters, aware that for a human to birth a dragon-shifter she must die. Myst, the woman given into his care, is the most extraordinary he’s ever met, and though he can’t bear the thought of harming her, he is bound by duty.
Myst loves her life in the human world, but Bastian has captured her heart in an instant of electric connection. But Bastian and his warriors are in the middle of a deadly battle with the Razorback dragon-shifters, intent on killing every Nightfury clan member—and the humans they protect—the fate of their world and ours hangs in the balance.
An extraordinary blend of action, fantasy, and steamy romance, Fury of Fire brings to life a dangerous new world intertwined with the survival of humanity, all while exploring the meaning of honor and the nature of true love.
Dragonfury #2
Coming from a race of dragons able to assume human form, Rikar, the last of the frost dragons, never imagined he could be conquered ? until a sizzling encounter with street-tough homicide detective Angela Keene. He’s consumed by his need for her, and willing to do anything to be with her again. Then the unthinkable happens: Angela falls into the clutches of a clan of dragonkind who feed off the life energy of women. If Rikar can’t rescue Angela, the only person who has ever been strong enough to command his love will be destroyed. Refusing to accept this fate, he vows to track down Angela and make her abductors pay ? even if it costs his life.
Dragonfury #3
Successful landscape designer Tania Solares prides herself on living by her own terms, relying on no man to provide for her. But her carefully controlled life takes a turn for the extraordinary when her inquiry into the disappearance of her best friend thrusts her between two warring factions of dragon-shifters. Suddenly Tania’s survival depends on Mac, a newly initiated dragon-warrior who will break every rule to keep her safe.
Now that Tania knows the truth about Dragonkind, returning to her old life is too grave a risk. Ivar, leader of the Razorbacks, plots to decimate the human race, and Tania is just the tool he needs. Despite the danger, Mac cannot deny her a choice: Trade the independence she’s fought so hard to achieve for safety in a magical world, or turn her back on the man she’s grown to love in order to reclaim a freedom that might not last? It is an impossible choice. And yet a sacrifice must be made
Dragonfury #4
No warrior of the Nightfury pack is more complicated or damaged than Wick.
Scarred from a childhood of slavery and torture, Wick cannot bear the touch of another person. But all bets are off when he meets J.J. Solares. When she is unjustly imprisoned, Wick agrees to help rescue and keep her from harm. But Wick lives a life of self-imposed isolation and venturing into the world to seek justice for J.J. may be more than he can bear.
Brutalized by the harsh reality of prison, J.J thinks she is hallucinating when a majestic dark-haired god sweeps in to save her—and Wick is shaken to his core by the attraction he feels for J.J. But neither is out of harm’s way yet. When they find themselves at the center of a Dragonkind war, they are forced to make the ultimate choice—surrender to their fears or accept each other’s love.
Today I have Pamela Rose here answering questions she’s received as a writer and to present her new book, Sherlock’s Home, which is a delightful mystery. Loved the characters in this one and I’m hoping to read more from this author.
Q&A with Pamela Rose
1. Are there occupational hazards to being a writer?
Hazards? Do you mean other than voluntarily delving every day into the macabre subject of murder? (Laughter Here) Well, other than that life-affirming activity the only hazard I personally struggle with is the amount of sedentary activity I engage in on a daily basis. It’s a truism that a writer’s life is a solitary endeavor. Speaking for myself, I need large blocks of quiet time in which to focus and concentrate on the creative process. Because of that, I spend a fair amount of time staring at a computer screen. Sometimes I’m so deeply involved that time melts away and I have to make a conscious effort to get up from the desk regularly and move around. (Albert Einstein got it right, “time is relative.”) I’m only halfway joking when I say that one of these days I’m going to rise from my chair only to find that both appendages have numbed out and as a result I do a half-gainer into the floor. Worst case scenario-like a scene from an old horror flick-someone will find my crumpled, desiccated husk of a body, a stack of first drafts scattered around me like discarded mummy wrappings.
2. Is there a snobbery directed at mystery cozy writers as opposed to other writers in the mystery genre?
Regarding the question of writing “snobbery,” I do believe that there is some misconception that mystery cozies are somehow less involved, less demonstrative of the writing craft. But I don’t think that kind of thinking is universal, and certainly not in the mind of the readers. I believe that the research time and writing effort necessary to create a well thought out novel, whatever genre it might be, is pretty much up to the individual writer. If you’re a careless writer it’s going to come out in your writing regardless of genre. Perhaps the misconception comes from the fact that mystery cozies inject a bit of humor into their writing, so because it’s less serious it might be perceived as having less demands put upon it. But, as any hardworking comedy writer can tell you, writing humor is an art all by itself and not every writer can successfully pull it off.
3. Is writing important? In other words, how does what you do matter?
Oh my goodness…is writing important? Oh, I don’t know. Is Oxygen important? First of all, I suspect that writing developed in the first place because humans were reaching out to other humans and lacked the proper vehicle to do so, sign language having its obvious limitations. Writing is our connection to each other. It’s a way to huddle under our umbrella of humanity and say “this is what I see, this is what I think, this is what I feel.” And in turn, have the recipient respond to that connection…or not, but in either case the attempt was made because those commonalities are important to the human experience. As both a reader and a writer I know that there’s a lot of crap out there, (yes, crap-it’s a technical term) and yet, the ability to sift through it and say “yes, that’s me,” or “no, I’m not like that” requires a medium to bring it under the spotlight and sort it out. Fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter, because that’s the exchange that’s taking place. Vital? Yes…I should think so. To use the words of another writer, Caroline Gordon, “a well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way.” I would humbly add that any written words could fall under that directive whether it’s Tolstoy’s War and Peace or an owner’s manual for the lawnmower.
4. Do you have writing advice for a new writer?
I have no writing advice of my own today, but I will share this: Stephen King says “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” That’s what writing is-work. Glorious work at times, but no laborer ever toiled any more earnestly than a writer working hard at his or her craft. And speaking of ‘earnest,’ Ernest Hemingway put it this way: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
About the Author:
Many moons ago on an Indiana farmstead My Weekly Reader became Pamela’s first true love, miraculously discovered at the behest of her somewhat humorless third-grade teacher, notorious among her students for being a bit of a pickle-puss. About the same time Pamela realized her ability to cleverly manipulate prose when she read aloud in class her very first book report on a small, much beloved book appropriately named Twig. She was startled to learn subsequently that nearly all of her classmates signed up to read the tiny tome as a result. It was Pamela’s first brush with true power and it was intoxicating. Love affairs with The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden soon followed. Before very long, a grand obsession with all things related to Sherlock Holmes ensued. Ever fickle, Pamela moved on to a brief fling with Ellery Queen. Her short attention span regarding other equally engaging mystery writers soon became obvious to those who were paying attention. However, it should be said that Pamela wistfully returns from time to time to revisit these former loves and renew her passion.
Little did Pamela realize that a true career path had been decided upon. It would be years before this avenue would manifest after Pamela successfully dabbled in careers in advertising, television retailing and radio; eventually teaching in subjects related to all areas at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
Pamela Rose currently lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her tuxedo cat Jake who amuses himself by impersonating a multi-syllabic, tirelessly fetch-playing dog. Also being of a benevolent mind, Jake graciously allows Pamela to serve as his personal valet in exchange for long periods of quiet in which to write.
Life imitating art? That’s Finn Sherlock’s first bizarre thought when she stumbles across a dead body within the Civil War era hiding place inside Sherlock’s Home Mystery Bookstore. Thinking that it’s her gnome-like Uncle Oz costumed to play the part of a fortunetelling druid for ‘All Hallows’ Eve,’ she is relieved when she learns that the hooded figure is not her favorite uncle, but the town’s favorite outcast, Odds Bodkins.
Unfortunately, murder suspects abound due to the fact that the mystery bookstore and its adjoining 221b Bakery were the first stop on the Leapers Point’ Halloween circuit and any number of people were on the scene for the annual ‘Fright Night’ tour. More than that, Odds Bodkins was almost universally detested; far too many would agree that the assisted demise of the loathsome little witch was more treat than trick…possibly even a community service.
With a little help from Uncle Oz and her identical twin sister, Echo, Finn sets out to discover who amongst the congenial southern townsfolk had the audacity and plain bad manners to murder the contentious crone right under the Sherlock family noses. Was it the fire and brimstone preacher Willie Ping? ‘Blooming Idiots’ talented but slightly mental florist? Or what about fluffy nonagenarian Eula May Binks…can anybody really be that sugary sweet? But, when the local Sheriff, Wavy Davey, learns that it was Uncle Oz’s Halloween prop – a bona fide hangman’s noose – that was the murder weapon, there’s more heating up inside the 221b Bakery than just the ovens.
Join the heart of Dixie’s new sleuth Finn Sherlock as she resolutely follows in the footsteps of her namesake to create more than a little mayhem and detect a folksy murderer. Sherlock’s Home Mystery Bookstore…where the game is always afoot.
My Review: 4 Stars – I loved this book from the very beginning because I instantly connected to Finn Sherlock and her sister, Echo. They are the proud owners of a bakery/bookstore with their loveable uncle Oz. On Halloween night, during the festivities, they have a run-in with the local outcast, Odds Bodkins, who is known around town as being a negative, bitter old woman. The next day, they find her body hidden in a secret compartment in their fireplace and everyone becomes a suspect.
I think the best part of this book is its characters. I liked that Finn and Echo are twins, which I don’t see much of in books. They brought a lot of humor to the book and I enjoyed reading this light-hearted mystery. The mystery was very interesting and I had a hard time figuring out who was the murderer. I really enjoyed Sherlock’s Home and I can’t wait to read more about these characters in the future.
