Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Lindsey Piper to the blog for her 1st visit.  We are talking about her cats, her new series and bucket list.

Lindsey, can you please share with us a little about yourself?

I love television from Say Yes to the Dress and Hannibal, I’m a huge fan of Indian food, I have three cats who are currently in a turf war, and I married an Englishman when I spent my junior year of college at the University of East Anglia.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Of course! But I’ve also wanted to breed Siamese cats, be an EMT, draw comic books professionally, and become a rodeo barrel racer. All of them are rather far-fetched, but “author” stuck with me the longest.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I need music. Need it. I feed off the energy and tone of a set of songs, and I have a playlist for every book I’ve written. When I’m writing, I hate to hear the click of keys, so Bose-style noise-canceling headphones are essential.

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

CAGED WARRIOR is the first of the “Dragon Kings” series, about a demon race on the brink of extinction. Some of these extraordinary individuals fight in Cage matches at the behest of human cartels in order to pay off debts or to earn the ultimate prize: conception. One particular cartel has developed a means of giving the Dragon Kings a fighting chance at perpetuating their bloodlines, but the price is steep. This debut tells the story of Leto, a warrior raised from birth in the Cages, who is forced to partner with an untrained woman fighting to rescue her abducted son. But change is on the horizon—a prophecy that says the Great Dragon, their deity, is preparing to return.

As a note, the series has a .$99 prequel novella called “SILENT WARRIOR.” The pair of lovers from that novella play a significant role in CAGED WARRIOR.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I saw the movie Warrior with Tom Hardy and became fascinated with UFC-style cage fighting. That seemed the ultimate arena for macho guys to square off, and for women to take them by surprise. The inclusion of paranormal powers probably stems from my long-term love affair with the X-Men comic book series (long live Gambit!) and my children’s current fascination with all things dragon.

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

I’m currently in the middle of the series’ third installment, HUNTED WARRIOR, which features the head of the Five Clans and an a (hopefully) surprising partner. It’s due out from Pocket in summer of 2014. Whereas CAGED WARRIOR takes place almost entirely within the underground world of the Cages, its sequel BLOOD WARRIOR (due out July 30), travels from the Himalayas to the Highlands of Scotland, and HUNTED WARRIOR jaunts from Crete to the banks of the Thames in London—with all characters compelled by the prophecy “the chasm isn’t fixed.”

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

I’ve been very lucky that in my involvement within the romance genre, I’ve met a number of my romance favorites including Kresley Cole, CS Harris, Laura Kinsale, and Susan Wiggs. That leaves literary fiction, where I’d be flabbergasted to meet Ian McEwan, who wrote Atonement, which was adapted into a film starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

You have a story worth telling. Tell it to yourself first. Leave all other considerations aside. Believe in yourself, but don’t become so arrogant or bitter that you start to think you have nothing else to learn. I’m still learning, after twenty-some published novels.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

Walking the see-through walkway that juts out from the Grand Canyon, and visiting Sorrento, Italy (where I set a short story) and Salzburg, Austria (where I set my first novel). That’s about it, for now. I am at a point in my life where my “bucket list” is more like a “career ambitions list,” with the rest of it very content.

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

I’m currently reading the Game of Thrones massive-ology, which will take me another six years to finish. By then I’ll be so far behind on my favorite authors that I’ll have to have drinks with them at the RWA National conference and have them summarize for me!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks so much for inviting me to stop by! And if you enjoy CAGED WARRIOR, be on the lookout for BLOOD WARRIOR on July 30. Should you be attending RWA Nationals, I’ll be signing. Please stop by and say hi!

*****

SILENT WARRIOR

The Dragon Kings, Prequel Novella

Publication Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher:  Pocket Star
ISBN: 978-1476713250
Only 99¢!
Available at:  Amazon | Apple | B&N | Books-a-Million | Google | Kobo

Add to your Goodreads Shelf 

A silent woman ashamed of her criminal background becomes a Cage warrior to seek redemption. An unrepentant fortune hunter will do anything to escape his mounting debts. Although rivals on the streets of Hong Kong, they find common ground when seeking their clan’s stolen idol, but for vastly different reasons. Neither one suspects that love will begin when he becomes the first man in five years to hear her speak.

 *****

CAGED WARRIOR

The Dragon Kings, Book 1

Publication Date: June 25, 2013
Publisher:  Pocket Star
Print ISBN: 978-1451695915
Available Now: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Books-a-Million | Powell’s

Digital ISBN: 978-1451695946
Available Now: Amazon | Apple | B&N | Books-a-Million | Google |

 Ten years ago, Audrey MacLaren chose to marry her human lover, making her an exile from the Dragon Kings, an ancient race of demons once worshiped as earthly gods. Audrey and her husband managed to conceive, and their son is the first natural-born Dragon King in a generation–which makes him irresistible to the sadistic scientist whose mafia-funded technology allows demon procreation. In the year since her husband was murdered, Audrey and her little boy have endured hideous experiments.

Shackled with a collar and bound for life, Leto Garnis is a Cage warrior. Only through combat can Dragon Kings earn the privilege of conceiving children. Leto uses his superhuman speed and reflexes to secure the right for his two sisters to start families. After torture reveals Audrey’s astonishing pyrokenesis, she is sent to fight in the Cages. If she survives a year, she will be reunited with her son. Leto is charged with her training. Initially, he has no sympathy for her plight. But if natural conception is possible, what has he been fighting for? As enemies, sparring partners, lovers, and eventual allies, Leto and Audrey learn that in a violent underground world, love is the only prize worth winning.

*****

BLOOD WARRIOR

The Dragon Kings, Book 2

Publication Date:  July 30, 2013
Publisher:  Pocket Star
Print ISBN: 978-1451695922
Pre-Order: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Books-a-Million | Powell’s

Digital ISBN: 978-1451695953
Pre-Order: Amazon | Apple | B&N | Books-a-Million | Google

As a young man, sarcastic, violent Tallis Pendray believed the Dragon Kings’ survival depended on a prophecy delivered in dreams by a woman named “the Sun.” His role has been to complete inexplicable, even reprehensible tasks. First, by murdering a priest, he united his fragmented clan in their hatred of him. Dubbed “the Heretic,” Tallis fled his family’s Highland estate. Now disillusioned, he seeks revenge on the woman he holds responsible for two decades of exile.

Telepath Kavya Indranan is a charismatic, seductive cult leader born to a prominent family. However, she grew up terrorized by the ominous threat of her powerful, insane twin brother. On the run and hiding among the poor, she witnessed the destruction wrought by her clan’s centuries-old civil war. Maturity nurtures Kavya’s determination to end the cycle of bloodshed. Those who follow her call for peace have nicknamed her “the Sun.”

Bent on revenge, and without knowledge of Kavya’s noble intentions, Tallis kidnaps her on the eve of her groundbreaking announcement. The two watch in horror as her twin brutally smashes the tentative truce…and hunts the sister whose death would make him invincible.

Kavya is the Sun–revered, untouched, and bound by a lonely destiny that promises a deadly showdown against the last of her family. Tallis is the Heretic–despised and exiled because of actions that seem random, heartless, and contrary to the safety of the clans he protects. She’s not a goddess, and he’s not a natural born killer. A desperate trek from the Himalayan foothills to the Scottish Highlands reveals two secluded souls hidden by bloody reputations. Will their trust be strong enough to avert an all-out war that could destroy them, and their kind, forever?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lindsey Piper is the alter ego of an award-winning historical and contemporary romance author. Her hotly anticipated DRAGON KINGS series is her first foray into paranormal fiction. She lives and writes in Chicago.

You can find more info on Lindsey’s Website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads pages.

GIVEWAY DETAILS:

Lindsey is giving away the following prizes when the tour ends:

GRAND PRIZE:  $25.00 Gift card to Amazon, an eBook of SILENT WARRIOR and a paperback of CAGED WARRIOR

2ND PLACE: 5 winners will each receive a paperback of CAGED WARRIOR and SWAG

3RD PLACE:  5 winners will receive an eBook of SILENT WARRIOR

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lindsey Piper’s CAGED WARRIOR Blog Tour Schedule

June 24 – July 8

6/24 – Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

6/25 – Sassy Book Lovers

http://sassybooklovers.blogspot.com/

6/26 – Book Pages & Dripping Ink

http://bookpagesanddrippingink.blogspot.com/

6/26 – The Jeep Diva

http://thejeepdiva.com/

6/27 – Ramblings From This Chick

http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/

6/28 – Close Encounters with the Night Kind

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

6/29 -Mad Hatter Reads

http://madhatterreads.blogspot.com/

6/29 – Fandom Fanatic

http://fandomfanatic.blogspot.com/

6/30 – Crazy Four Books

http://crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com/

7/01 – Books-n-Kisses

http://www.books-n-kisses.com/

7/01 – Wicked Readings by Tawania

http://www.wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com/

7/02 – Book Lovin’ Mamas

http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com/

7/03 – Books, Books & More Books

http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/

7/03 – Paranormal Romance Fans For Life

http://paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com/

7/03 – You Gotta Read Reviews

http://yougottaread.com/

7/04 – Scorching Book Reviews

http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot.com/

7/05 – My Secret Romance

http://www.mysecretromancebookreviews.com/

7/06 – Page Flipperz

http://pageflipperz.blogspot.com/

7/08 – Offbeat Vagabond

http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/

Hi Robin,

Welcome to Books-n-Kisses. Can you please share with us a little about yourself

I live in the southwestern United States. By day, I work for an advanced technology corporation, and in my spare time (what there is of it), you might find me giving writing workshops or training in competitive small-bore rifle silhouette shooting.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I lost my heart to storytelling when I was a child, sitting at the knee of my great-aunt. She mesmerized me with her tales of ‘The Little Match Girl’ and ‘How the Tiger Got its Tail.’ She wrenched my heart, made me laugh and cry. She fed my love of reading and learning. Perhaps it was inevitable that I followed in her footsteps.

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

I have so many authors who have brought me incredible joy since I was a child. In fact, on my website (http://www.robinperini.com) I have included a page listing many of my all-time favorite books and authors.

Those books typically evoke deep emotions within me. They are my window into pain, joy, insight, and wisdom. One of my favorite authors is Sharon Sala. This New York Times Bestselling Author has written novels that twist my heart through a painful journey, but end in hope. Her ability to touch my soul makes me go back to her stories again and again.

Even more than that, Sharon Sala is a mentor to me. She read my first published novel, In Her Sights, several years ago. She believed in me and my book at a time when it was hard to believe in myself. I’m not sure I would be here today without her encouragement. She is an amazing writer, of course, but even a more amazing person.

I’d like to be her when I grow up.

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

Romantic suspense by its very nature forces strong heroes and heroines to face their worst fears and greatest flaws while battling a villain who manipulates on both an external and internal level. If I can create heart-stopping suspense and poignant romance that ends with my reader feeling hope and optimism, I’ve accomplished the very best romantic suspense has to offer.

I am always interested in writing other genres. In fact, I’ve tried my hand at several. As long as I believe I can emotionally impact my readers—that’s a genre I would write.

What are some of your writing rituals?

I’m actually one of those irritating morning people. I write from 5:30 am – 7:00 am weekdays. Mostly to get the adrenaline pumping because I thrive on deadlines—and being panicked! If you only have an hour and a half, you have to make the most of every second. Also, I write in ‘sprints’. 20 minutes of writing and a 10 minute break. This idea was introduced to me my fellow writer, Angi Morgan (www.angimorgan.com) and it really works for me. If nothing else my body doesn’t go numb from sitting in the chair. In fact, every twenty minutes we report to each other in a free chat room (you can get chat rooms at www.chatzy.com) how many words we’ve written. For ten minutes we brainstorm, discuss, whine, stretch, whatever. It’s a great way to keep pushing through.

On Saturday, I write for about 5 hours in the morning, and on Sunday, after church, I write for three hours.

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

Behind the Lies is the second Montgomery Justice novel, and NO MAN IS AS UNFORGETTABLE AS A MONTGOMERY MAN (I love the line my publisher came up with for this story).

Of the six Montgomery brothers, Zach has always walked on the wild side. He rocketed to fame playing a hero in a movie, but offscreen he’s living in the shadows. Zach’s dark secret: he leads a double life as a CIA operative. When a mission to stalk a terrorist goes horribly wrong, Zach’s cover is blown. He’s on the run and fighting to stay alive long enough to discover whom he can trust—and who betrayed him.

Jenna Walters thought she’d married the perfect man—until she unearthed his terrible secret. Now, desperate to escape his crosshairs, she and her son take refuge in Zach’s secret hideaway. Sparks fly between Zach and Jenna even as danger explodes around them.

From Afghanistan to Turkey to the mountains of Colorado, assassins track them and are closing in. Not only is Zach’s life at stake, but now Jenna and her son are targets in this high stakes game.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I really wanted to write a story about a man with five brothers who were heroes…and he played a hero in the movies. Of course, he finds out that he does have a hero’s heart. That he did all along. Zach Montgomery and Behind the Lies were born out of that single idea.

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

I’m finishing up The Cradle Conspiracy right now (Harlequin Intrigue, December, 2013). And after that, I’ll start to work on Gabe Montgomery’s book. I’ve got quite a heroine planned for Gabe. An ex-military helicopter pilot with some big secrets. Bound by Secrets comes out in 2014.

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

Well, Zach and Jenna are stuck on the top of a mountain. You should never walk in the mountains at night…my grandfather and dad taught me that. Too easy to walk right off the edge. So, they’re stuck in a cave, and Zach is doing his best to keep from falling for Jenna. It’s not working! <grin>

What would you be if you were not an author?

Actually, I’m living my dream. I work during the day for an advanced technology corporation, and before work and on the weekends, I write. My left and right brain get a work out, but it’s fun and challenging.

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

I have Sharon Sala’s RITA finalist, Don’t Cry for Me, on my TBR pile right now. I’m really looking forward to reading that book. As soon as I deliver my latest manuscript, I’m opening page one of that puppy!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks so much for having me. It’s been a real pleasure and I really do love to hear from readers. You can read excerpts, read reviews, sign up for my quarterly newsletter or mailing list, check out my book trailers and even request trading cards or a Authorgraph on my website at www.robinperini.com. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest. And, if you enjoy my stories, you may want to consider being part of the Rockin’ Robins, my street team. There are lots of special giveaways and more.

I’d love to know what your dear readers have on their To Be Read Pile. I’m just finishing up a manuscript and would LOVE some recommendations!

TOUR GIVEAWAY INFO:

Robin is giving away the following prizes on the tour:

Grand Prize: $100.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N

Runners up: Two (2) Runners-up will each receive a $25.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N

2nd Runner-up: Runner-up will receive an autographed complete collection of Robin’s books which will include Finding Her Son, Cowboy in the Crossfire (2013 RITA Finalist), Christmas Conspiracy, Undercover Texas (Carder Texas Connections) and In Her Sights and Behind the Lies (first two Montgomery Justice Novels)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*****

IN HER SIGHTS
Montgomery Justice, Book 1

SWAT Team Sniper Jasmine “Jazz” Parker can thread the eye of a needle with a bullet. As the only female sniper in the state of Colorado, Jazz is unique for more than her extraordinary marksmanship skills and cool head. Jazz Parker and her weapon defend the helpless by exacting swift and uncompromising justice. Not bad for the daughter of the town whore.

After growing up on the seedy side of town, Jazz believed when she’d changed her name and her life at fifteen, she’d buried her past. Two years ago, she even drove away the one man she believed she could love—ex-Army Ranger turned reporter Luke Montgomery—to protect her secret.

Then, in a fleeting second, the time it takes for one clean shot, one perfect hit, to save the life of the Governor’s daughter, Jazz’s world begins to crumble around her. Her past and her present now threaten to destroy the life she has carefully constructed for herself. Her face and name have been splashed across the front page—by none other than Luke Montgomery—and her past has reawakened with a vengeance. A vicious enemy is bent on destroying Jazz’s life, forcing her to turn to the one man she can never have in order to stop a killer before she and everyone she cares about pay with their lives.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Order Now:  Kindle | Paperback | Audible

BEHIND THE LIES
Montgomery Justice, Book 2

Of the six Montgomery brothers, Zach has always walked on the wild side. He rocketed to fame playing a hero in a movie, but offscreen he’s living in the shadows. Zach’s dark secret: he leads a double life as a CIA operative. When a mission to stalk a terrorist goes horribly wrong, Zach’s cover is blown. He’s on the run and fighting to stay alive long enough to discover whom he can trust—and who betrayed him.
Jenna Walters thought she’d married the perfect man—until she unearthed his terrible secret. Now, desperate to escape his crosshairs, she and her son take refuge in Zach’s secret hideaway. Sparks fly between Zach and Jenna even as danger explodes around them.
From Afghanistan to Turkey to the mountains of Colorado, assassins track them and are closing in. Not only is Zach’s life at stake, but now Jenna and her son are targets in this high stakes game.

Available on April 23, 2013:   Kindle | Paperback | Audible

BEHIND THE LIES TRAILER

http://youtu.be/N9MvUWeavGE

EXCERPT (BEHIND THE LIES)
She’d give the FBI one last chance.
“Fallon.” The crisp voice on the other end of the phone didn’t calm her as it had in the past. In fact, he sounded shaken.
No more out of sorts than she. “He knows.”
“Jenna?”
“One of the bugs is in pieces. I’m telling you, he knows. I’ve got to get out of here. Now. I don’t know why he hasn’t already killed me. Probably because he couldn’t find a babysitter on such short notice.” The forced laugh didn’t hide the panic in her voice.
Who was she kidding? She shoved underwear into the bag and yanked open another drawer.
“Wait a minute, Jenna. Let’s think this through. We can salvage the operation.” He didn’t sound like himself. Something was wrong. The gut instinct that abandoned her when Brad had swept her off her feet revved into overdrive.
For months after her dad had died, she’d survived on the streets, instinct and desperation her only allies. At fourteen she’d kept herself safe by trusting her gut.
Right now, every fiber in her being told her that the man on the other end of the phone was lying to her.
She couldn’t afford to doubt. Besides, why should she be surprised that another person she’d trusted was a liar?

Robin Perini Bio
National Bestselling and award-winning author Robin Perini sold seven titles to publishers in one year after winning the prestigious Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® award in 2011. Her writing’s motto: “When danger and romance collide, no heart is safe.” An analyst for an advanced technology corporation, Perini is also a nationally acclaimed writing instructor and enjoys competitive small-bore rifle silhouette shooting. She makes her home in the American Southwest.
Connect with Robin:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Robin Perini’s
BEHIND THE LIES
Blog Tour Schedule
4/19 – 4/04

4/19 – Curling Up With A Good Book

4/20 – Toot’s Books Reviews

4/21 – Page Flipperz

4/22 – Cocktails and Books

4/23 – Romance Junkies

4/24 – Book Lovin’ Mamas

4/25 – The Reading Café

4/26 – Riverina Romantics

4/27 – Deal Sharing Aunt

4/29 – Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION

4/30 – Alexx Mom Cat’s Gateway

5/01 – Books-N-Kisses

5/02 – Beach Bum Reads

5/03 – Books, Books and More Books

5/04 – Books A La Mode

COMING SOON

UNDERCOVER TEXAS –

His most important mission brought him to Texas—and reunited him with the son he never met…

RT Top Pick. 4.5 Stars.  “Perini’s action-packed, terrifying tale grips the reader from the first sentence and doesn’t let go until the final climactic page.”