Marissa Dobson Interview & Giveaway
Be Mine, Valentine
12 Short Stories of Love
&
Giveaway
Be Mine, Valentine is a book comprised of 12 wonderfully writing short stories. If you enjoy a good love story this is the book for you. I had the pleasure of sitting down and interviewing one of the authors in this book. Please welcome Marissa Dobson. Marissa’s story is called Secret Valentine. Click here to read my review.
Thank you Marissa for taking time out of your busy schedule, to sit down and answer some questions at For the Love of Books.
For the Love of Books: Who is your all time favorite author? You can only pick 1, because I am mean like that.
Marissa Dobson: Now that is really hard. There are so many wonderful authors out there. But I guess I would have to say Nora Roberts. I grew up reading her and I still read every book that comes out. She is a talented author, and never disappoints with her books.
FLB: Okay, got the first hard question out of the way. Tell us a little about your and how you got into writing.
MD: When it comes to me there isn’t much to tell. I am nowhere near as interesting as the characters I write about. I am just your average twenty something housewife with a reading fetish and an active imagination. I am originally from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, but moved away when I met my husband. I have two furbabies that keep me company while I write, and give me funny looks when I start talking to myself.
FLB: What is your writing routine, atmosphere, music, food, etc?
MD: My writing process differs a little from day to day. It depends on what is going on that day. But mostly I am an afternoon writer. I am not a morning person and my brain isn’t awake enough to be creative. Normally I work in my office at my desk with a large window behind it so I can look outside or feel the warmth of the sun.
As for food by my side while I am writing, I keep a small jar with hard candy in it and when I am stuck on something and not sure how I want to proceed I have a piece and think it over. It helps. However I have to have a drink by my side in the mornings it is coffee by the gallons, and evenings it is tea or ice water.
I try to stop writing when my husband gets home from work between 3 and 5 so we can spend some time together. I do some writings in the evenings if I am on a roll or really behind, but normally that time is saved for reading and doing thing with my husband.
FLB: What advice would you give to someone who wants to try to write a book/story?
MD: Learn your craft. Take classes if you want, or whatever works best. Learn your writing strong points and try to improve your weaknesses. But the best advice I can give you is believe in yourself and just do it. Writing a book isn’t going to happen by itself you need to be 110% committed.
FLB: Tell us about Be Mine, Valentine:
MD: Be Mine is an Anthology with twelve stories from the Turquoise Morning Press authors. My story in it is called Secret Valentine. Here is the blurb…
Ashlyn Brooks moved back to her hometown of Cedar Grove after a messy divorce. After a month of moping around the house, things take a turn when letters from a secret valentine start arriving at her door.
Can Ashlyn figure out who her secret love is in time for Valentine’s Day? If she does, is she willing to put her heart on the line and love again?
FLB: Can you tell us what you are currently working on?
MD: I am working on a sequel novella to Secret Valentine, which I hope to have finished soon. I am also writing a paranormal romance, about tiger shape shifters (sorry no vampires at the moment).
FLB: Finally, as this is my first interview any advice for me on how to make these Q & A’s better in the future or how to improve my reviewing blog?
MD: I thought your Q&A was great. When I do it I try to give half questions about the author’s work and half about the author and general questions. I also like your site. The only thing I can say is to keep followers you always want to make sure you post regularly and make it interesting. Also promote, when you have authors on they will also help get traffic to your site and that is wonderful.
Marissa I thank you so very much for stopping by For the Love of Books today. Marissa has offered to give away a digital copy of Be Mine, Valentine to one of my lucky followers. If you would like to learn more about Marissa please visit her website.
Or at Marissa’s blog
http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net/
If you would like a chance to win please leave a comment or question for Marissa below. Make sure you leave your email address so that I can contact the winner.
Contest will end on February 13th at Midnight (PST)
Winner will be posted on February 14th
Extra points:
+1 for being a follower of my blog
+1 for following Marissa’s Blog http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net/
+1 for leaving comment of question
New back ground on my blog
Would like to thank my very talented daughter for designing me a new back ground.
Thanks Babe!!
Helping is good for the Soul! ♥ ♥ ♥
In your lifetime, there are few moments when you’re given the opportunity to directly save another person’s life.-Bryan Mealer, HuffPo
If you had a chance to save somebody’s life, and it didn’t take all that much… would you do it? Well, here’s that chance.
Check out Shiloh Walker’s blog for a chance to read how you can help save a man’s life…
Seducing the Vampire by Michele Hauf ♥
Seducing the Vampire
By Michele Hauf
Caught between two feuding brothers Viviane finds herself in a terrible position. One brother can offer her the blood and protection that she thinks she needs to survive, but at the cost of her independence. While the other brother can offer her love and passion beyond her wilds dreams, but it may just cost her, her life. Viviane must make a choice. Follow her heart or just survive.
Rhys and Constantine have never seen eye to eye, even as kids they were always at odds with each other. While Rhys sees Constantine as his brother, Constantine only sees him as the other kid his mother had. For years they have battled each other, always trying to outdo the other by any means, except to take the others life. Constantine has chosen Viviane to be his future as a leader, and will do anything to make it happen. When Rhys sees how much Constantine covets Viviane he knows this will be the ultimate contest for the brothers. Rhys is determined to make Viviane his and hope to make Constantine suffer.
Just when Viviane realizes that she must follow her heart no matter the consequences including her possible death. But evil has other plans for her. Viviane is kidnapped, be-spelled and locked underground. No one but the one who did this knows where she is and there she stays for 200 years.
After so long of being frozen in time Viviane knows she will never be found, but hopes that one day her true love would find her and save her.
Will truly love when out when no one knows where you are or that you are a live?
My Thoughts:
I have to start by saying that I love Michele Hauf. This is the second book of hers that I have read and I am totally hooked and a fan of hers for life.
I love this story. It has it all. Love, evil, confusion, sex, a hot hero, sex, revenge, oh and did I say sex? Everything!! I don’t want to say much more in my review to give away what happens in this book. Let just say that Michele does a great job of making you think you know how the story ends. Maybe if I had paid more attention while I was reading I would have picked up on things. But the end floored me!! But need least to say I am happy with the ending. Why. Well because there is going to be another book that is why!!
So if you have never read a Michele Hauf book. *gasp* What are you waiting for? I want you to go to the closest book store and buy this book. And then come back and tell me I was wrong.
To learn more about Michele and her books please check out her website.
Read On My Friends…………………….Read On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Siren’s Surrender by Devyn Quinn
I am doing a little pimping for my girl Marissa..
Head over to her blog for a chance to win Devyn’s new book.
Secret Valentine Review
Secret Valentine by Marissa Dobson
Blurb:
Ashlyn Brooks moved back to her hometown of Cedar Grove after a messy divorce. After a month of moping around the house, things take a turn when letters from a secret valentine start arriving at her door. Can Ashlyn figure out who her secret love is in time for Valentine’s Day? If she does, is she willing to put her heart on the line and love again?
My thoughts:
Ashlyn is like many of us after a heart break, who doesn’t want to leave the house or her ice cream. It is just easier to stay in the house where you don’t have to see anyone. When Ashlyn receives an unexpected gift from a secret Valentine something inside her changes. Ashlyn along with her best friend Kasey team up to find Ashyln’s secret Valentine.
This was a super cute and great love story for any of us who have ever had a broken heart. I loved the journey Ashlyn takes to learn who her Valentine is. At the end of the story I was longing to learn more about these characters. I did learn from Marissa that her follow up story will be about Kasey, Ashyln’s best friend. I can’t wait to read more.
If you want to learn more about Marissa or books please go check out her website.
I am getting mine, Are you!?!?!?
My friend Teresa D’Amario has written a wonderful short story called Leopard’s Key. This book goes on sale on Feb 1. All net proceeds from the sales of this story individually or in the anthology benefit A Window Between Worlds, a non-profit organization that provides art supplies and training for art as a healing tool free of charge to battered women’s shelters.
If you are interested in this book please use the following link to purchase just Leopard’s Key for only $1.99 for the ebook (pdf/html).
Artwork by Pickyme
If you are interested in the whole book with all the stories please use this link. The whole book is only $5.99 in ebook form or $14.95 for a print version
Jeweled by Anya Bast
Jeweled by Anya Bast
Back Cover:
In the Court of Edaeii, magic-imbued Evangeline is rewarded for her gift in manipulating emotion with a sapphire stone set into the perfect curve of her lower back. Her greatest rival in the royal court is the enigmatic Anatol, instilled with the power of illusion. He may best her in magic, but he is her absolute equal in passion.
They share something else-they’re both targets of low-born revolutionaries. Rescued by Gregorio, the brilliant revolutionary mastermind, they’re given sanctuary. But in this warm refuge, Evangeline soon finds herself torn between the magic of one man she has always desired, and the excitingly new and radical moves of another. For her, there is only one choice: indulge in pleasure without limits
Quick Review:
The main love story between Anatol and Evangeline at times breaks my heart. Anatol loves her so much almost to a fault. He seems to love her beyond reason. At times I wanted to reach into the book and slap Evangeline around and tell her to wake up and look at the man in front of her. But Evangeline has never had to deal with her emotions therefore unwilling to show Anatol anything of the feeling she has past sex. In steps Gregorio, which I am sure he is a great guys, but I am not very found of him in the beginning. But in the end the relationship that is formed between Gregorio, Anatol and Evangeline is truly amazing. There is so much love and understanding between the three of them that nothing and noone will ever break them.
I did enjoy this book. If you don’t mind a little Male/Female/Male sex scenes I would incourage you to check it out. My only fault with this book was the beginning was a little slow for me.
If you would like to learn more about Anya Bast and her books please check out her website:
Read On My Friends………………Read On!!!!!!
*books & kisses*
My Grimm Review
Fairy Tales
Fairy tales, we have all heard them, read them, and seen the Disney movies. We love to believe in the happily ever after. But has anyone ever told you the real story? The real stories no one ever talks about or wants to hear?
No?
Well then step into Shiloh Walkers world of the Grimm. Hold on to your socks because these are not your fairy tales from your childhood.
Welcome to the World of the Grimm’s
Candy Houses
Book 1
Greta had a horrible childhood. Anything and everything bad that could happen did happen to her, up until the day her step-mother sold her, sold her for a few pieces of silver. Then everything changed for Greta forever.
Greta learns that life is not all pain, now she is giving a choice. She can stay as she is and live out her life or become more, much, much more. For the last few hundred years Greta has been a Grimm. She fights the evils in the world. She has been doing a fine job for years until the latest job and he shows up again.
Rip has been a Grimm for a couple hundred of years now. He has seen and done many horrible things. There is not much that surprises Rip anymore. Rip’s life now is just mission, after mission, after mission after getting his heart stomped on by the only woman he had ever love. Now he lives only to work and stir clear of her at all costs. Right up until Will (his boss) sends him on his latest mission, and there she is.
Rip and Greta have to join together again after a hundred years apart to protect a young mortal female from the evil that is stalking her. Their only goal is to protect her at all costs, get her to safety, and then they can both go on their separate way. Oh, but like any good fairy tale things don’t always go the way they plan.
No Prince Charming
Book 2
Elle had a fairytale life, a family that loved her , they let her do whatever she wants and the love of her life. Until she finds out that his is to be wed. After Elle learns this she runs as far away as possible. Only to run into more trouble then she can handle. Close to death from her encounter, Will finds her and tells her that she will never be a victim or weak again, if she is to become a Grimm. Elle jumps at the chance to forever change her life. Now as a Grimm along with her best friend and part time lover Ren, will sends them on a mission that will change everything for both of them.
Michael has always had the gift to get his way. See Michael is a prince, or he was one once, but now he is a Grimm. But still not much stands in his way when he sets his mind to it and he is great at his job. So when Will tells him about is new mission he thinks nothing of it, until he sees who his new partners are.
This happy little threesome has to find a way to work together on this mission while fighting the feelings they have for one another. But will they be able to do that in order to protect the innocence mortals that are being prayed on by evil?
I Thought It Was You
Book 2.5
In this book we continue with Elle, Michael and Ren from No Prince Charming. This book gives closure to Elle and Ren’s relationship and allows them to move on with their life. But how they go about getting the closure is a true test of friendship and love beyond measure.
Crazed Hearts
Book 3
After letting go of the past Ren has isolated himself with his new trainee Mandy. It is Ren’s job to protect and teach Mandy everything she will need to know for her new life as a Grimm, when ever that maybe. Everything seems to be moving smoothly in Mandy training, she is learning fast, and is showing great potential. Mandy will be a great addition to the Grimm’s. But on the latest training session Ren is aware of evil in his woods. Taking Mandy with him he finds the source of this evil, coming to the edge of the woods he sees a car. That car is the source of the evil and there is a mortal in that car.
Aileas is going crazy, she truly is going crazy. Ever since her brother passed away things have not being going will. She is hearing voices, is having horrible dreams and is beyond paranoid. Now on the run from those who are following her, although she doesn’t know who those are she just knows they are after her. Aileas drives and drives but has nowhere to go, no one to turn too she finds herself lost in the woods.
Ren must decide if Aileas is corrupt by the evil that surrounds her. If she is evil, then he would have to put her down. But if she is not then he will do everything in his power to protect her from the evil following her. But what must Ren sacrifice to protect Aileas, and will that sacrifice be enough?
Tarnished Knight
Book 4
Luc and Perci have been together for over three hundred years. In their mortal life they were married, but now they are both Grimm’s. While they are still a team they are no longer married as a result of the events that happened over three hundred years ago. But both realize that they still need and rely on each other; they do everything together, ever mission, always! But sometimes things need to change, and change is never easy. Perci had been giving a mission that is for her and her alone. She has never worked without Luc her whole Grimm life. Given no choice Will sends her out on her.
Jack has always known about The Grimm; don’t ask him how he knows he just does. Maybe that is why he has been out fighting evil whenever he can. He feels he is just doing his part to rid the world of evil. But when she shows up at the end of the alley, Jack realized that he must be in trouble. There is only one reason that Will would send a Grimm to him. Evil is coming for him and he needs a babysitter. And oh what a babysitter Will has sent him, but he still doesn’t want or need one.
Can these two learn to work together for just a short period of time in order to save Jack? So that Perci can return to the safety of Luc? Only time will tell, but time is quietly running out.
My thoughts:
I am so in love with Shiloh Walker’s Grimm’s. I have to be honest when I first heard that these stories were about fairytale characters I was not sure if I wanted to read. But I was so very, very, very wrong. I love the way that Shiloh has taking characters that we all know and love and told a story that is so far from the fairytales of our childhood.
I can’t wait for book 5, unfortunately after speaking with Shiloh it sounds like it will not be out until closer to the end of the year. As you can see I have not told you which story is from which fairytale. What fun would that be? You will just have to read the stories to find out who is who. J
If you want to learn more about Shiloh Walker, her Grimm’s or the rest of her stories please go to her website.
Read on my friends…………………….Read on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*books & kisses*
*shouts* I think I am a book whore
Books I have won since Jan 1.
New Book I Must Have
back cover copy:
Halloween is a bad time to return to the woods…
Madeline MacFadden (“Mad Mac” to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent blissful childhood summers in Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered. And she’s always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.
But Maddie doesn’t remember the dark parts—and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area’s terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the Harvest…the time to feast.
Once again Maddie’s dreams—and her soul—are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during Harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own…
Want to learn more?? Check out Merrie’s website
http://www.merriedestefano.com/
Oh and there is a giveaway for this book @
http://supernaturalunderground.blogspot.com/2011/01/great-unveiling.html