Author: Kelly

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Spotlight Feature & Giveaway of C791 by Eve Langlais


C791
by Eve Langlais

Machines aren’t supposed to feel, but this cyborg can’t help falling in love.
Assigned as a specimen collector for a captured cyborg, Chloe is intrigued by the machine disguised as a man. Kidnapped during his daring escape, he takes her on an erotic adventure and shows her that despite the chip in his brain, his humanity is not completely lost.
Formerly known as unit X109GI, Joe is on a quest to discover his origin. While he doesn’t find the answers he’s looking for, he does discover that affection and lust aren’t just for humans. But when it comes to a battle between logic and love, which side will the cybernetic organism–once a man–choose?
Evaluating his feelings will have to wait though, because the military isn’t done with Joe. When they threaten the one thing he wants above all else, he’ll discover something shocking that will rock the new cyborg nation—and fuel a desire for vengeance.      
Excerpt (Adult Content Ahead):
The sight of Chloe and Seth so at ease with each other, and worse, touching each other set something off inside Joe, a combination of irrational anger sprinkled with a covetousness he’d not experienced but had heard of. Jealousy.
Whatever the name for the emotion, he found himself unable to halt it as he ripped Seth away from Chloe’s side and sent his fist into the grinning face. He maintained enough control to not beat his friend to a pulp — barely — but he couldn’t stop himself from slinging Chloe over his shoulder and stomping off to their room.
“What the heck was that about?” she exclaimed as she dangled down his back.
“You seem to have forgotten who you belong to.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment. “Are you jealous?”
“No.” Yes!
“It’s normal to feel that way. It just never occurred to me you would.”
“I don’t. Jealousy is a human emotion. I am a cyborg. We are above such petty wastes of our time.”
“Really. Well then, someone should probably explain that to Seth’s face,” she drawled.
“This is not entertaining. You were practically inviting him to take ownership of your body.”
“I was not,” she exclaimed, and a small rational part of him knew she spoke truly, but he’d lost the ability to decipher logic from madness where she was concerned.
Arriving at their room, he tossed her onto the bed and quickly tore at his clothes.
“What are you doing?” she asked, her eyes wide, but not with trepidation if the protruding nipples through her shirt were any indication.
“Showing you who owns your body.”
“Me.”
“Wrong answer,” he growled. “I do. And it seems I must show you.”
He fell on her, and despite her previous defiant answer, she welcomed him with open arms and a fierce kiss. Her legs spread wide to accommodate his body, but while he’d denuded his frame, she remained dressed. Their hands met at the closing to her pants, their impatient battle to remove them more of a fumbling parody. When he finally managed to strip them from her, he was ready to sink himself into her. He retained enough wits though to realize she required preparation for his penetration. With sex bots, that never proved a concern as they arrived to service pre-lubed. Human females however, according to his studies, required stimulation to achieve the same state. He slid a hand between her thighs and, to his relief, found her already soaking wet. It pleased him, on a level he did not understand, that Chloe achieved this state around him without means of manipulation.
He wasted no more time. He propped himself above her and thrust into her sex. Oh, the exquisite, unexplainable feel of her channel clamping tightly around his cock. He would never tire of it. Never tire of her. But did she feel the same about him? He had to know.
“Tell me who you belong to.”
Her eyes opened part way, her lids heavy with arousal. “Why do you care?”
He rammed into her hard. She gasped.
A growl left him. “Do not toy with me. You are my female. Not Seth’s. Not anyone else’s. Say you belong to me.” He almost roared the words, desperate to hear her say it.
For a moment defiance flashed in her gaze. “And if I don’t?”

Giveaway:  To enter for a chance to win an e-copy of C791 please fill out the Rafflecopter below. 


Continue reading “Spotlight Feature & Giveaway of C791 by Eve Langlais”

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Review of The Shoppe of Spells by Shanon Grey

The Shoppe of Spells
Book 1 in the Gatekeeper Series
Shanon Grey
When is a whole more than the sum of its parts?
When it has ties to the quaint little town of Ruthorford, GA, as Morgan Briscoe discovers when a cryptic message threatens to change her life forever.
Morgan’s relatively normal life is turned on its ear when she learns not only that she is adopted, but her birth parents are dead and she now holds half-interest in a business with their ward, Dorian Drake. Dorian is running The Shoppe of Spells and despite his riveting good looks, he can barely conceal his hostility toward his new partner.
Morgan discovers that she is more than she seems and together she and Dorian have the ability to control a portal to another dimension.
Unable to control their growing attraction, Morgan and Dorian dance around their desires and her burgeoning abilities, until danger forces them to face their destiny.
Review by Flying Frog Fairy :
This story leaves you with more questions than answers. Mostly in a good way. It starts of slowly, introducing you to Morgan and the quiet life she leads.  Then with the arrival of one letter her whole life and everything she thinks she knows about it is changed. Suddenly she has an inheritance from parents she never knew she had.  We find out she was adopted and that her parents should have told her by the time she turned 25. The author never really gives a satisfactory explanation as to why 25 was the important year. That is just one of the many details that the author brings up but then never really explains.  But there is a lot going on and the details are small so most of them can be forgiven.
One thing that tweaked me a little was the introduction of the character Jasmine.  She is made out to be a protagonist with no redeeming qualities and then the author does a complete 180 and makes her a victim.  I had a hard time reconciling this. And the explanation that is given for her actions was not supported by previous descriptions of her, or her prior actions.
There is a lot going on what with the alternate dimensions, the historical details and the perfect mate scenarios.  There are a lot of characters to keep track of and this is obviously because the author is making this a series.  As I mentioned before, there are a lot of unanswered questions and unexplained details left at the end.  It may sound like I didn’t like this book but I did. Somehow it all works and keeps you intrigued enough to want to read the next book in the series to see if you find some answers.
So I do recommend this book.  The second book in the series is due out this year and the heroine is Jasmine. I am curious to see if the author will be able to redeem her character enough, at least in my eyes, to make her heroine worthy.
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Guest reviewer Natasha’s review of: Of Saw Dust & Seduction

Of Saw Dust and Seduction
By Amy Valenti
Order here: http://www.breathlesspress.com/sawdust-and-seduction
 Zoë has always been attracted to her boss, Adam. He’s hot, funny, friendly…and has more skills than she’s ever imagined.
He puts her willpower to the test on a dateless Valentine’s night, inviting her home to help him with a woodworking project. She soon discovers she has a serious weakness for men in sawdust-covered blue jeans and that Adam has a few abilities that defy logical explanation.
What would it be like to have sex with a man who could touch you from across the room and send provocative images into your mind? Zoë can’t wait to find out.

Guest Reviewer Natasha’s Thoughts:
What a fun short story. I instantly liked Zoe and Adam’s chemistry and playfulness. I loved the slight paranormal aspect in this story; it brought it off the page just a little bit more. I would like to see this story extended, just so we can see a little bit more of what happened after the ending. I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing much more of these two! Great quick read!
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Vi Carious’s review of A Facebook Affair by Tara Chevrestt

Facebook Affair
By Tara Chevrestt

Order Here http://www.breathlesspress.com/facebook-affair
When Kelly and Brandon rediscover each other on Facebook after twenty years apart, it sparks an attraction that even distance can’t extinguish. Do they truly have a future, or is this just a Facebook affair?
Kelly Littleton takes the plunge and finally joins Facebook to socialize without the limits that her hearing impairment gives her. On a whim, she looks up a childhood friend. In sending him that first message, she ignites the memories of a crush from twenty years ago. But will they turn into the flames of romance, or end up the ashes of a Facebook affair?
Brandon Hopkins has a lot on his plate. A recent divorce, a pregnant sister, and now, he realizes he’s in love with a woman who lives states away. Can he overcome the boundaries of internet romance to make this desire turn into something real, or will adversity and distance be their undoing?
                             
Vi Carious’ Thoughts:
Have you ever thought of looking up your first love on Facebook? Do you wonder what would happen? 
Kelly was always the one in school everyone made fun of. She needed hearing aids and talked funny because of her lack of hearing. In second grade she has to go to a new school in Oklahoma and becomes the target of ridicule from most of her classmates. Everyone except Brandon. Now 20 years later she decides to look up Brandon on Facebook.
Brandon is going through a divorce and is being the “man of the house” for her sister while her husband is deployed. Life is not what he wanted it to be, then suddenly a message comes from Kelly through Facebook and they begin to talk…
Can you really turn back the hands of time?
Each chapter begins with a memory of school days for Kelly and some of them are heartbreaking. It makes you wonder where the teacher was while this child is bullied and abused. The “mean girls” (one being Brandon’s sister Lindsey) are just that and more. Everything you have ever heard of happening in school is addressed in this story (from being picked last to being shoved into lockers, etc). The writing of the facebook messages are a little corny and not really sure that most people would have conversations in the way this was written but maybe that is just me. It just seems too “high school” for characters who are now 28 (I mean does a 28 year old say ‘rents for parents?) and my goodness the use of LOL is beyond normal speech. The ending of this book is a little corny too but a “feel good ending” all the same.
This is a e-book that sells for around $4. Go ahead pick it up. Have it ready for when you need a quick read. It may not end up being on your favorites list but what it will do is make you wonder WHO SHOULD YOU LOOK UP ON FACEBOOK?
NOTE: The reader needs to remember also that this was written some time before Facebook made more of it’s many changes. It uses icons, boxes, etc that are no longer being used on Facebook.
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Guest blogger Natasha’s review of Aries Unleashed

Aries Unleashed
The Zodiac Club book 2
By Tammy Valentine
Order Here http://www.breathlesspress.com/aries-unleashed
                        
Twelve star signs, four friends, one extraordinary year. After Foreplay, Izzy launches into her journey of sexual discovery through the zodiac.
Izzy Morgan is a girl on a mission. When her friend Jessica reveals a remarkable talent for identifying men’s star signs purely from their sexual performance, an intrigued Izzy takes up an exhilarating challenge. Join her as she unleashes Aries, the first sign in her journey of sexual discovery through the zodiac.
Guest Reviewer Natasha’s thoughts:
 I love how Izzy is straight to the point without any apologies. She has her mind set on what she’s looking for and she’s moving forward as she wants to. This short read was exciting, hot, and romantic all at the same time. I loved the humor in this short read, I found myself laughing out loud many times. The chemistry between the two characters was palpable. I’d love to see more of these two.
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Kate Douglas’ DemonSlayer Series

DEMONFIRE
1st book of the DEMONSLAYERS Series
Amazon | B&N | Books-a-Million
Since time began, the Earth has served as a balance between the world of darkness that is the Abyss, and the paradise known as Eden. Now the battle between good and evil has reached a tipping point, and survival depends on one fallen demon–and the woman he can’t resist. . .
Except: http://www.katedouglas.com/id51.htm
Hellfire
Book 2
Amazon | B&N | Books-a-million
 A new, more dangerous vortex has opened in the besieged Earth and the innocent souls of animals are being invaded by the malevolent strength of a powerful demon. For Ginny Jones, there can be no greater wrong – and to make it right, she joins forces with the Lemurian, Alton, a hard-bodied hero not of her world.

Under a black moon, pitched battles for the survival of all that is good will be fought once more. The heat of their sensual passion emboldens the two warriors…but such passion may well betray them…Yet Alton is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice – life itself – for the human woman he loves. But time is fast running out…and time, like fire, devours all…

Excerpt: http://www.katedouglas.com/id52.htm
Crystal Dreams
Novella found in Nocturnal
Book 2.5
Amazon |  B&N |  Books-a-Million  
When Lemurian Guard Mica chases a demon spirit to Earth, he faces a lethal battle between good and evil. His ally is Mari, a breathtakingly beautiful human who unknowingly holds the key to victory. But before the war is over, Mica’s desire for his mortal companion threatens to erupt—and could cost Mari her life…
Execpt:  http://www.katedouglas.com/id53.htm
Starfire
Book 3
Amazon |  B&N | Books-a-million
The women of Lemuria are still in chains. The daughter of an enslaved warrior, brutally attacked by a vicious guard, Selyn has survived–barely. Beaten and terrified, she must overcome her fear and trust her life to the only man who can help her: Dawson Buck, one from Earth who has crossed through the portal, a gifted healer. His skills and knowledge renew her body and strengthen her spirit–and awaken a compelling passion she has never known. But she cannot yield…

Selyn seeks revenge for herself and her mother and all the Forgotten Ones who toil in secret. If Dawson helps her, his own life may be forfeit. And for Selyn, true love does not ask such sacrifices. . .

Excerpt: http://www.katedouglas.com/id56.htm
Crystalfire
Book 4
Amazon | B&N | Books-a-Million
The Demon King still lives, stronger than ever, devouring souls in search of immortality. Against him stands the scholar Taron, a newly-minted warrior of Lemuria, and Willow, a woman of unearthly loveliness, born of mist…
Spellbound

Taron must pass through the waterfall of molten gold that shields the secret portal to his beloved land. His brilliant mind and the speaking sword called CrystalFire are his weapons against evil. But nothing can protect him from the power of love. Willow, whom he once knew as a sprite who could dance in his hand, has been changed by a master stroke of magic into the form of a beautiful, highly sensual woman, desiring a thousand pleasures that she insists he alone can give her.

Innocent and eager, Willow arouses his deepest needs and sexual hunger–and his love. He will risk all to save her, even if it means a battle to the death with the ultimate foe…

Excerpt: http://www.katedouglas.com/id59.htm
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Excerpt of The Danger that is Damion by Lisa Renee Jones

The Danger that is Damion

ZODIUS #3
By Lisa Renee Jones
Sourcebooks Casablanca (May 2012)
Read an EXCERPT
Zodius Series Page 
Pre-order at Amazon|Barnes and Noble

General Powell from book 1 has returned and he’s developed a way to create and control a new generation of female GTECHs. He plans to use these women to bring both, the Renegades and the Zodius soldiers, back under his command. The world will be his. Now, Damion, a Renegade, who readers met in book two, will be pitted against one of those soldiers, a woman destined to be both his Lifebond and his enemy. Damion will become her only hope of salvation and their trust in each other the only chance they have to save the world from a madman.

Excerpt ONE
Setup– They are in an elevator about to exit into a hidden underground facility. Heroine is the hero’s captive.  They both think the other one is the enemy.
***
Being trapped with her back to a big, dangerous GTECH, not once, but twice in an hour, growing more physically ill with each passing second, didn’t exactly invite more of her bravado, but nevertheless, Lara gave it a whirl. “Are we really doing this little game again?” she demanded, trying to keep her voice as cool as the el- elevator wall that her hands pressed against, only to sound breathless, as though she were affected by her captive position, by the heat radiating off his big body into hers.
“You mean the one where I search you to make sure you don’t get to keep your promise to kill me?” he said, his body framing hers, his hands sliding to her waist. “Yeah. We are.”
“I guess Renegades don’t believe in facing their en- emies head on?” she taunted, trying to get him to turn her back around, before he found her weapon. Fighting him would be wasted energy she’d need when a real opportunity to escape materialized. Saving her weapon had to be her goal. “You just prefer to stab them in the back.” That last part wasn’t a question. She knew it was true. She’d witnessed it firsthand.
“I’m not the one threatening to kill you,” he re- minded her.
“It’s not a threat,” she managed, and to her dismay, he slid his leg intimately between hers and spread them wide. A sudden, unforgiving ache spread between her legs, an ache that belied who and what this man was. An ache he had to be creating, just as he was weakening her physically. He was messing with her mind, her skills, her body. “Then you know why you’re facing the wall, and I’m not,” he said, his tone low and sandpaper rough. “In fact, keep your hands on said wall until I tell you to move them.”
“In other words, don’t reach for the gun my bikini is hiding so effectively?” She tried to look over her shoulder at him, but froze when he framed her body, his hands covering hers and pressing them to the wall. His palms slid back down her arms, leaving a sizzling burn in their wake.
“Exactly,” he agreed, his fingers framing her waist, and she could hear the smile in his voice as he added, “I fully admit to a macho need to be the only one of the two of us armed and dangerous in this relationship.” His palms skimmed over her hips and down her thighs, until he was squatting down beneath her skirt, patting down her shoes.
“We don’t have a relationship,” she said, hating the unsteady, telling note in her voice that having this man sitting beneath the hem of her dress had created. “We are experiencing an unfortunate encounter that is out- lasting its welcome.”
“Sounds like the beginning of something wonderful to me,” he commented, a moment before his warm, cal- lused fingers traced her calves and moved to her knees.
“Hey!” she objected, reaching down and catching his hand, as she met his gaze. “Not under the dress.”
“Oh yes,” he assured her, an evil glint of mischief in both his voice and his expression, “under the dress. I promise to make it fast and painless. Now be a good girl, and put your hands back on the wall.”
Why did this man telling her to be a “good girl” and ordering her to put her hands back on the wall sound sexy, rather than insulting?
“Painless for you,” she ground out, clenching her teeth. “And I swear to you if I get even a hint of an idea you’re enjoying this, you’ll be sorry.” She cut her gaze to the wall and steeled herself for his exploration—the outcome. He was going to find her knife. “Do it, and get it over with.”
“Now there’s a line to break a man’s heart,” he said with a chuckle, wasting no time skimming her skirt up- ward, over her thighs, until he caressed her hips and then her backside. She squeezed her eyes shut as his fingers slid to the V of her legs.
Instinctively, she squeezed her legs shut, and what a mistake that was. “You’re pushing your luck,” she panted, his hand now firmly planted between her thighs.
“I never had any luck to start with,” he said, the fingers of his free hand splaying across her stomach. “Which is why I can’t leave any bit of tiny bikini cloth unexplored.” Before she could stop him, his hand slid between her breasts and pulled the blade free. A sec- ond later, her dress fell back into place, and he waved the leather-pouched knife between them. “Good thing I don’t believe in luck.” The knife disappeared.
“One last little inspection,” he said softly, and pressed her head forward, brushing the hair from her neck. She froze with the knowledge of what he was looking for, with the sudden spike in sexual energy between them, with the sensual feel of him stroking the delicate skin of her nape.
Seconds ticked by, silent seconds in which the air seemed to thicken, and her skin tingled. She was warm all over, aware of this GTECH on levels she shouldn’t be, and guilt twisted inside her. He was a GTECH, a Renegade, a betrayer and killer.
But when he turned her to face him, his hands going to the wall above her head, and she was captured in his downright scorching gaze, she was lost all over again.
“Just confirming you don’t wear a Lifebond mark,” he said.
The mention of the tattoo-like double circle that ap- peared on a woman’s neck the first time she had sex with her intended mate set her pulse racing, though she couldn’t say why. Of course, he wanted to check for the mark. If she had a Lifebond, he’d be hunting for her. He’d kill for her.
“I knew what you were looking for,” she said, her throat ridiculously dry. She was a GTECH. She should have better control than this. But when his gaze slid to her mouth and lingered, and she knew he was think- ing of kissing her, Lara burned so badly for that kiss. Wanted it to the point where she could have justified it, could have told herself it was to manipulate him, to earn her freedom.
“It appears,” he said in a whisky-rough voice, “you belong to no one.”
When Lara normally would have snapped back some reply like, “I’ll never Lifebond with a GTECH,” instead, for some reason, she simply said, “I belong to myself.”
“Correction,” he said. A hint of a predatory gleam flickered in his eyes. “Right now, you belong to me.” 


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Interview with Casea Major


Q1) Can you please share with us a little about yourself
I am Casea Major writer of Erotic Romantic Comedy. I’ve been writing a little over a year and love it.

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
I think I have always wanted to write. I have not always wanted to be an author.

Q3) Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?
I get up and take my kids to school. I come back and sit at my laptop. The only thing I have to have to start is electricity and internet access. Everything else is on an ‘as needed’ basis.

Q4) Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
Finishing a story. I am notorious for starting gung ho and never completing. I am always amazed and blessed when I can type “the end” because it’s so contrary to who I am. I’m not saying I don’t have a few unfinished stories – I do. But I have just as many finished ones and that’s a testament to how much I love what I do.

Q5) Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
One Knight in Brooklyn is and Erotic Romantic Comedy with a little bit of fantasy time-travel.  It is a fun, fast-paced story with a lot of heart and some steamy lovemaking.

Q6) How did you come with the idea for this story?
Last summer I had finished my second full-length manuscript and had my first short story published. I was looking to write another shorty story but wasn’t sure which way to go. I saw a call for submissions on Facebook for Decadent’s new 1 night stand series. They were branching out into fantasy and paranormal. So the idea of Robin Hood came to me. But that seemed too serious. But then I wondered what would happen if the heroine expected Robin Hood but got Jersey Shore instead. How would she react? One Knight in Brooklyn was born.
What resulted was the funniest story I’ve ever written with two characters who have explosive chemistry. I am so proud of what they are able to accomplish in their short time and the genuine love and attraction they feel for each other.

Q7) Can you share with us your current work in progress?
My current WIP is something I’ve never written. In fact, it’s a brand new take on the genre. It’s a romance from the guy’s point of view. It’s like a paranormal Guys and Dolls meets Kindergarten Cop. I’m hoping it will live up to the hilarious scenes that are playing in my mind.

Q8) Who are some of your favorite authors?
My tastes in writing vary. I read a lot of YA and not as much romance oddly enough. Although I will say, my favorite authors are Lisa Kleypas, Karen Marie Moning, Suzanne Collins. They are class acts in writing and life.

Q9) What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Lisa Kleypas’ new book comes out 2/28. I am very much looking forward to it. Also I am looking forward to seeing the Hunger Games on the big screen.

Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Kelly – thank you so much for having me. I hope everyone checks out Robert and Marianne in One Knight in Brooklyn. It’s a fun romp.

Learn more about Casea here: 
Website / Facebook / Twitter
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Interview & Giveaway with Larry Sweazy

Books-n-Kisses is super pleased to welcome Larry Sweazy to the blog today to talk about his upcoming release The Devil’s Bones

Q1) Can you please share with us a little about yourself?  
Larry : I grew in Indiana in a blue collar environment; most of my family worked for the local GM factory at one time or another.  My grandmother loved working crosswords.  My mother read paperbacks.  And my uncle was a sportswriter.  I was surrounded by people who loved words.   I was a geeky kid who sucked at athletics, and lacked discipline.  I escaped into books, TV, and theater, where I found sanctuary, a community, and the joy of stepping outside of myself.  I learned how to create characters at a reasonably young age. 

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author? 
Larry: I probably flirted with the idea of being an actor for a little while in high school, but writing really caught hold in my late-teens, so I’d have to say yes, I’ve always wanted to be a writer.  Once I made that decision, I never wanted to be anything else.  I’ve been all in for a long time.

Q3) Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?   
Larry: I’m definitely a goal person now.  I write a thousand words a day, five days a week—on my novel in progress.  If I have articles, blogs, or short stories to write, that’s over and above my novel, so I don’t limit myself to a five day work week.  I’m also a freelance indexer (I write back of the book indexes for non-fiction books), and I share my day with those projects, too.  Really, my fingers just need to touch the keyboard every day.  Most of the time I have music on, one or both of my dogs, Rhodesian ridgebacks, are in the office snoozing, and a cup of coffee or tea is close by, but that’s about it.  I don’t have any other rituals other than sitting my butt in the chair, and going to work.

Q4) Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?  
Larry:  I love the physical and mental challenges of writing.  I don’t mind being alone, most of the time.  I like research.  I still enjoy reading, though it is different now than it was for me twenty, thirty years ago.  But the business annoys me sometimes.  Especially the last couple of years with the rise of ebooks, the fight with Amazon, the collapse of Borders.  The difficult task of getting a book into a reader’s hands seems to be getting more difficult.  It’s always been difficult.  But now a writer has to have a blog, get on Facebook, market themselves, and navigate a career while maintaining a high level of creativity.  The expectations from publishers seem higher, too.  I’ve always thought that getting published was the easy part (after collecting hundreds of rejection slips), and staying published is the hard part of being a writer.  It’s even truer today.  I would love to just write and leave the business worries aside, but sadly, I haven’t evolved to that level just yet.

Q5) Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Larry: The Devil’s Bones (Five Star) is my debut mystery novel, and a departure from the Josiah Wolfe western novels I’ve been writing for a few years.  This novel set in modern-day Indiana, and the story revolves around the disappearance of young boy from a small town, and the repercussions, over the years, that follow.  It’s been described as “a gritty and hard-hitting mystery,” and I kind of like that, but I also think it’s as much a family drama as it is a mystery. 

Q6)  How did you come with the idea for this story? 
Larry: I first created the main character, Jordan McManus,  in 1993 for a short story I was working on.  That short story was never published, but the character wouldn’t let go.  I expanded that story into a novel that bounced around New York, and didn’t sell.  While it was being shopped, I wrote another novel with Jordan in it, hoping to write a series.  That novel didn’t sell, either, but became the seed for The Devil’s Bones, so almost twenty years after getting the idea for a small town murder mystery, here it is…

Q7)  Can you share with us your current work in progress?  
Larry:  I’m working on The Gila Wars, the sixth book in the Josiah Wolfe, Texas Rangers series published by Berkley.  It’s due April 1st, so I’m at the very end of the process.  I usually have an eight or nine month schedule for the westerns, and they’re 80,000 words, so I have to be pretty disciplined to hit the deadlines.  I’ve learned a lot writing this series.      

Q8)  Who are some of your favorite authors?
Larry:  Loren D. Estleman, George R. R. Martin, Joe R. Lansdale, Elmore Leonard, and a new author I recently discovered, Laini Taylor, come to mind. 

Q9)  Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
Larry:  Leonard’s style of dialogue has been an influence, and his drive to always be in the story and not pretty it up with too much description is an important lesson.  Estleman riffs on dialogue and description like a jazz artist, and Lansdale is a no holds barred kind of writer.  Anything goes.  Strap yourself and get ready for the ride.  I like that.   Taylor and Martin have vast, complicated imaginations, and I find their adventures all-consuming and intriguing.  All of these authors, and more, inspire to write on as big a palette as I can imagine. 

Q10) What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for? 
Larry:  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Tyalor is one of the most interesting books I’ve read in a while, and the sequel, Days of Blood and Starlight, comes out in September.  I really can’t wait to see what happens next…

Q11) Is there anything else you would like to add?   
Larry: Thanks for having me on your blog.  I’ll also be giving away a signed copy of The Devil’s Bones on 03/14/2012.  All your readers need to do is go to my blog, and leave a comment on TheDevil’s Bones contest post, and I’ll pick a winner from there.  
Click HERE

Website |  Good Reads | Facebook | Twitter


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Guest blogger: Jane Isaac

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to let Jane Isaac take over the blog today….
Jane Isaac lives in rural Northamptonshire, UK with her husband, daughter and dog, Bollo. Jane studied creative writing, and later specialist fiction with the London School of Journalism.
Jane blogs about her writing experience, ‘Diary of a Newbie Novelist’ at www.newbiewriters.com. She is also co-author at the Pyjama Club.
Two of Jane’s short stories, Duplicity and Perilous Truths, will appear in Crime Anthologies released in 2012 by Rainstorm Press and Bridge House Publishing. An Unfamiliar Murder is her first novel, ‘due for release’ in 2012.
Website /Twitter / Facebook

The Music of Murder
My husband recently joked that I’ve lived with my characters for so long that they’ve become good friends. And he’s right (well, for most of them anyway). I want my readers to relate to them in this way too, so that they jump out and grab you, and when you finish the book, you miss them dearly. But to enable us to feel their journey we need to be acquainted with every aspect of them.  
Tunes like those used in a film, like the Intermezzo in Raging Bull, can provide a reference point, like a car or place that people know and relate to, that all important song that conjures images and memories in your mind. Your mind, just like theirs. You may not like the song, you may hate the film, but how many of your friends and partners have different musical tastes to you? And it still reveals a little of their personality, helping you to understand them.
Songs can be very useful in revealing something about a person’s character. Many of us have our music collated onto an iPod these days, a small tablet containing thousands of our favourite songs, tunes that we love, tunes that provide a window into our soul. Imagine a stranger picking up your iPod and listening to your ‘top 25’ playlist. What story would that tell them about you?
Music can also be very effective in creating the right atmosphere for a particular scene. In An Unfamiliar Murder, Anna is missing her boyfriend Ross when a song comes on the radio; it’s a band they were due to go and see together, a group they both loved. Listening to that song only served to increase the gravity of his loss.
Here is a list of the music mentioned in An Unfamiliar Murder:-
Snow Patrol – Eyes Open
Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
Muse
The Intermezzo
And it led me to think. What music would I use in a film version? This is essentially the story of two women – Anna Cottrell who comes home from work to find the murdered body of a stranger in her flat and becomes suspect in a murder enquiry, fighting to show her innocence – and DCI Helen Lavery, leading her first murder investigation and forced into a race against time, as people close to Anna start to disappear. But there is also a menacing killer lurking in the background, stalking his prey. I think the classical piece would provide a wonderful backdrop for his snippets…
Jane Isaac is author of An Unfamiliar Murder – out now. You can contact Jane and read an excerpt of the book on her website at www.janeisaac.co.uk Sign up to her newsletter for updates on An Unfamiliar Murder and its sequel which should be out by the end of 2012. Alternatively, follow her on Twitter: @JaneIsaacAuthor or on Face Book: Jane Isaac Author.
Buy An Unfamiliar Murder here:
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What readers are saying:
  

“The characters are brilliantly crafted…. I can’t wait for the sequel!” 

 

“…as fast paced as it is full of twists and turns… “

 

“…compulsive reading. Brilliantly written, gripping plot.”

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Interview & Giveaway with TJ Michaels

Books-n-Kisses is super excited to have TJ Michaels back on the blog today.  So I will stop babbling and get to sharing TJ with you… 

Q1) Can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m a West Coast girl with two grown kids and a kick ass day job in the technology sector. I can sing. I dance fairly well. I love German Shepherd dogs. Uh, what else? I’m goofy, love video games and take great pleasure in embarrassing my kids on occasion. It’s really special since they’re big now. Heh!

Q2)  Have you always wanted to be an author?
Nope. I’ve always wanted to be a business owner or run a school. Writing came as something later in life after reading some really good books and thinking, “I can do that!” And once I started I fell in love with it.

Q3) Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?
I look forward to the day when I can write for a living, but for now I have to fit it into my day job and family time. My typical day starts with me walking into my office and working for my clients. Usually once I walk in, I don’t walk out until around 7pm or so. After that I’ll do dinner or hang out with my kids, then I’ll sit down to write. I’ll hit the sheets sometime between 11pm and 2am. That includes weekends. It’s a non-stop thing, but I enjoy it so it’s not a hardship. I do get tired though. And when I’m wiped out, I’ll veg.

Q4) Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
The most rewarding part of writing is when a reader sends a note asking for a new story in a series, or writes a review to say they love your writing. What’s tough is keeping your head in a place where you continue to love writing for writing’s sake.
Last year I had some major emergencies in my family, including the death of my father. I went from selling several books a year to my publishers to selling not a single new book. There were some changes at one of my pubs that meant I was shuffled around to my 4th or 5th editor and my new editor didn’t seem to care for my style. It was discouraging. I spent a lot of time worrying about promo and getting my sales up. Nothing was working. Add to that my demanding day and you’ve got a basic disaster.
My daughter looked at me and said, “I hope you get back to the place where you write because you love it.” It was a wake-up call and I had a decision to make. I seriously considered walking away. Then a story popped into my head, and here I am. Again *smile*.

Q5) Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
I’m a History Channel nutball and I was watching a program one weekend. Honestly I wasn’t paying much attention to it, but then the narrator started talking about lost books of the bible and how some of them reference magic. And my ears perked up at full attention. And the idea for the story just started gelling together in my head. After some research and bugging the heck out of my critique partner, R.G. Alexander (who happens to have studied mythology and ancient cultures in school) I put it down on paper and Seals of Destiny was born.

The first book will be available in May/June. The title is Silk Road, and I’m absolutely thrilled about this book. It’s got angels, Fallen angels, Fallen demons, leprechauns (yes, I really mean leprechauns, though this one is a bit more edgy than the ones on the cereal box), along with some characters inspired by video games, places I’ve traveled with my day job and things like that.

Q6) Can you share with us your current work in progress?
It’s a post-apocalyptic paranormal romance. It’s a 3-book series (well, three books so far – could be more though because the world is huge) called Gathering of the Storms. The story is about a woman who is overdue to take a husband in the most technologically advanced society remaining on the planet. She’s a blademaster and heir to the councilship of her province. She’s a real badass, but very much a lady. A spitfire that bucks what has come to be tradition, yet at the same time she also follows orders as the second-highest ranking officer in the military, second only to her father. A complex woman…who ends up with a warlord husband. Funny thing is she’s known him all her life and his idea of a good time is the same as hers – fighting. And therein lies the problem *grin*
Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Goodness, that’s a tough one. There are quite a few, but my short list is Lauren Dane, Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter, Alyssa Day, Sylvia Day, Larissa Ione, Cynthia Eden, Lora Leigh and Shayla Black. Many of them write, or used to write, for the same publishers as me. Lauren, Sylvia and Shayla were particularly, and continue to be, nice to me and extremely supportive. Angela Knight and Jaid Black were authors I read right before I first got published and their writing was a punch in the gut, creatively speaking. It got me to write “out of the box”.

Q8) Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
Not really. Style and voice are pretty unique to the author. But they have definitely inspired me to hang in there with this writing thing and to write what I love no matter what anyone says.

Q9) What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Lothaire by Kresley Cole is on my absolutely “Can’t Wait to Read” list. Just waiting for the ebook price to come down a little *tj praying hard for the ebook gods to cooperate*

Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?
I’m attending the Authors After Dark readers and writers convention in New Orleans this year and in celebration I’m hosting a HUGE contest called ZART – Zombie Apocalypse Response Team. We’re giving away a book a week from some of the coolest authors from now until the convention. The first survival kit item is up for grabs starting today. For those of your readers who enter my contest, mention that they saw it here along with the comment number, and I’ll enter them TWICE for the grand prizes!
For deets visit http://www.tjmichaels.com/zart-baby 

So to enter for a chance to win your Zombie Apocalypse survival kit.   Stop by TJ’s blog here——>>>>>http://www.tjmichaels.com/zart-baby  .  Enter, Make sure you tell her that you saw the ZART button at Books-n-Kisses and get and extra entry.