Today I have my good pal Marissa Dobson on the blog talking about her favorite thing about winter.
Hello everyone. Thank you for allowing me to stop by Books-n-Kisses. I am thrilled to be here. Last Christmas I had The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas published in the Believe anthology from Turquoise Morning Press. Christmas is my favorite time of the year so it seemed fitting I would have my first work published in a Christmas anthology.
My favorite thing about winter is snow. Yes I hate going out in it like most people but when I am sitting in my office writing and the snow is coming down the words just flow onto the page. For some strange reason the snow makes me more creative. My muse and I are more turned into each other then. Thankfully I have a large office window that I can open and get a great view of the snow.
When I’m not writing and it is snowing I love to curl up in front of the fire with a good book. Oh and you can’t forget my writing companions, Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) who believe if I’m not working I should be giving them attention. I guess that is the pay for having writing companions.
I am giving away an e-book copy of Believe to one lucky commenter. To be entered please tell me your favorite thing about winter.
Believe
by Marissa Dobson
Blurb:
Jasmine Pierce has been burned by love and family before, and now she has a daughter to worry about. She isn’t looking for anything, just a quiet place that she can raise her daughter.
Logan Clarke fell in love with the mysterious Jasmine long ago, hearing stories from her grandmother. And now that Jasmine is finally here, he knows he’s in love for sure.
Snowbound in a cottage, twelve days before Christmas, does Logan have enough time to convince Jasmine of love at first sight? And can Jasmine let go of her past, and let Logan into her heart?
Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, I now reside about an hour from Washington, D.C. I am a lady who likes to keep busy, and am always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, I believe you are never done learning.
Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave me the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read I have always had my nose in a book. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I started writing down the stories I came up with.
I am blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He is my other half and allows me to stay home and pursue my writing. My writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to me bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they are helpful in their own ways.
To enter please leave a comment, questions or tell Marissa your favorite or least favorite thing about winter. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’sFavorite page and enter for a chance to win.
Today Virna DePaul is sharing her uummm…. Favorite thing about Winter?
I will let her explain.
Winter-Shminter
I’ll be honest—winter isn’t a season I truly look forward to. I’m a wimp when it comes to extreme weather (hot or cold), and I tend to gain weight and suffer from depression. Given all the holiday sales, my compulsive online shopping also tends to rev up and I become even more of a homebody than I already am. Since none of this makes me feel better about myself, you might say winter is one big annual guilt-trip just waiting to pounce.
My favorite thing about winter is when it ends and spring comes around. J
That said, winter does have it good points. Getting to wear cute boots and layers. Getting to build fires and spend more time snuggled under the covers. Holiday festivities, traveling, and vacations from school and work. And, of course, I read and write and generally lose myself in fictional worlds where heroines are adored by their heroes no matter how much they weigh, characters face their fears and become better people, and far more exciting things than Internet shopping take place.
Yeah, I’m more of a spring/autumn kind of girl, but love, good friends, and good books get me through each day no matter what season it is. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and fabulous new year!
A little about Virna: Virna DePaul is a former criminal prosecutor whose debut paranormal romantic suspense novel, Chosen by Blood (Book 1 in the Para-Ops series), came out May 3, 2011 by Berkley Books. Chosen by Fate (Book 2 in the Para-Ops series) launches October 4, 2011.
In addition, Virna writes contemporary romantic suspense for Harlequin Romantic Suspense (Dangerous to Her, September 2011) and HQN (Shades of Desire, April 2012).
Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn— humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.
For now, werebeast Dex Hunt serves on the Para-Ops team, but his true purpose is to kill the werewolf leader he blames for his mother’s death. Biding his time, Dex keeps his emotional distance from his team members and anyone else he might care for, including a mysterious vampire he met in LA.
As a doctor, vampire Jesmina Martin has dedicated her immortal life to healing others. As a scientific researcher, she’s trying to prolong life spans, in particular those of her adoptive dragon-shifter family and the werewolf who saved her as a child. Her greatest hope lies with Dex, a werebeast she believes can gift immortality to others.
Only Dex knows nothing about his gift or the fact Jesmina wants to harness it. After a passionate night together neither expects to see the other again. Weeks later, they are reunited in France and forced to acknowledge a fragile miracle—a new life struggling to survive. At the same time, they must stop a group of rebel shape-shifters hoping to unleash every demon in hell. But before Dex and Jesmina can save their child or the world, they must relinquish their secrets, face their fears, and open themselves to love.
.Virna is offering a copy of Chosen by Fate.
To Enter please leave a comment, questions or tell Virna your favorite or least favorite thing about winter. Then head over to theMAIN Winter’s Favorite pageand enter for a chance to win.
Although he keeps company with a vampire and a were, human Shaman Caleb O’Flare can definitely hold his own. But neither his psychic ability nor his healing powers can help his sexy-as-hell teammate, Wraith-a ghost with no memory of her human existence, who cannot experience touch without pain. No wraith has managed to exist past its tenth year, so her time is about to run out. She wants only two things before accepting her fate: to learn her human identity, and experience one night with Caleb..
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back Camryn Rhys to the blog today. We are looking forward to learning a little more about Camryn and her book Off the Record.
Camryn: So happy to be here today. There’s nothing I like better than books and kisses. J
Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
Camryn: Well, I’m from the West, so writing about the Southeast was new for me, but this was just where my characters ended up. But in general, I like to write about the West. There’s something really unique and fun about the culture out here. It’s intense, in a very laid-back way. J
Q2) Tell us a typical writing day for you
Camryn: Depends on the day. I have a full-time job, so on a work day, I usually come home and try to write a bit at night. Although in all honesty, most of the time I end up doing business and editing/plotting on my work days. But on my off-days, I write all day long. I try for at least 1K on my work days, and on my writing days, I try for 6-10K. Of course, that’s schedule-willing.
Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Camryn: I think I’ve wanted to be an author since I was born. I was a great… storyteller… yeah, that’s what I’ll call it. Yes. I’ve been telling stories for such a long time.
Q4) Tell us a little about your book Off the Record:
Camryn: It’s a foodie romance, which are my favorite to write. My main character is a chef, and her soon-to-be-love-interest is a food critic who’s about to publish a bad review about her restaurant. Lots of conflict. J
Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Camryn: A friend of mine opened a restaurant recently and she had a bad experience with a food critic, and it just made me realize that in certain communities, one bad review can absolutely kill a restaurant. From there, Kit was born and I was in love.
Q6) What is your current work in progress?
Camryn: I’m working on a very secret (and soon to be not-so-secret) project with Decadent Press with a couple of other Western authors. I’m very excited about it and there will be more information on my website very soon.
Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Camryn: I love Kristen Painter. She has this ability to write in any genre that I really covet. My good friend Cassandra Carr writes a sex scene like nobody’s business. And I just adore Beth Kery. I met her at RWA my first year, sitting at the hotel bar, drinking a very rich red wine. She was the exact embodiment of her characters. Sophisticated and very cool. I hadn’t read a single one of her books, but once I did, I put her on my “must-buy” list. She and Joey Hill are my absolute favorite erotic romance writers of all time. They are the people I aspire to be.
Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey. That is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
Camryn: I’m a member of Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and I adore myself a good Celtic romance. So I’ve got a bunch of my fellow CHRW writers on my TBR list. Vonda Sinclair has a couple of really amazing Highlander books out from Carina Press that I am dying to get to read. And Margaret Mallory’s The Sinner and The Guardian are right up there. I’m also trying to read through the Black Dagger Brotherhood this year. We’ll see if I can make it. There are about a hundred of those things. J
Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
Camryn: Just that I can be found on Twitter and one of my two blogs (either my website, or the Dirty Birdies blog) on a pretty regular basis. Stop by and say hi. I love to meet new people!
Books-n-Kisses: Camryn, thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books. I am looking forward to reading Off the Record. To learn more about Camryn or her books check her out here: Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter
Camryn: Thank you so much for having me on Books-n-Kisses. What a fantastic blog name. I will definitely be back!
Giveaway Time:
I have 1 E-copy of Off the Record up for grabs..
To enter for a chance to win please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.
Today we have 2 WONDERFUL ladies sharing on the blog. First up is Ava Riley sharing her favorite thing about winter. Then we have the Uber Fun Shiloh Walker sharing along with a free short Christmas story. So I will stop talking now and let the ladies take over…
Ava Riley’s Favorite thing about winter is:
Winter Makes Me Smile
I’m a four seasons girl and usually by the time the ending of one is close at hand, I’m more than ready to move on to the next one. I’d have to say that winter is my favorite season of them all, though. Not because of the bitter cold, or the whipping winds. No, it’s not because of the layers upon layers I must endure. The time of the year that it represents is what I like best about winter. You see Christmas is my most favorite time of the year, it always has been. Even when I was single and would wake on Christmas morning alone it still was my favorite. Now that I am married with two children, Christmas is even more exciting for me. I love decorating the Christmas tree w/the family, baking cookies for “Santa” (although this is the first year my kids know that Santa is Mommy/Daddy), and being woken up on Christmas morning to smiling, eager faces. And although the opening of gifts is fun and the time it takes to get to the end is quick, the spirit of Christmas and what it represents is what I’m so glad I am able to share with my family. So yes, winter is my favorite season and Christmas is the reason.
About Ava:
I was born in Mississippi and lived there until I was 11 years old, at which point I moved to Missouri. I am a military brat and very proud of it.
I have always had a love for the written word and spent a lot of time writing short stories and poetry in high school. It has always been an outlet for the voices that speak to me to come out (lol). Writing has always been a source of serenity that allows me to find balance.
I now reside in New Mexico with my incredibly supportive husband, two beautiful children, two cats and one fish. I am also proud to say I am a true soccer mom who enjoys cheering my son and his team on.
I am currently a non-traditional student (another way of saying OLD student) at The University of New Mexico where I am working on a double Major in Creative Writing and Philosophy. I should be enjoying the fruits of my labor come Spring of 2013.
My favorite thing about winter…well, it would have to be Christmas. I love Christmas. I will freely admit, I’m terribly materialistic and I love to get presents. But I also love shopping for them, love to buy stuff for my kids, for my guy, for friends. I love taking my kids out to look at the lights, to go do some of the special Christmas events, all of that jazz. I’m also not at all bothered by the cold…it gives me a good reason to curl up by the fireplace with a hot drink and a good book. If you’re in the mood for a quick read, you can check out the free short story I’ve got listed up on my website, A PRESENT FOR CHRISTMAS…just look in the sidebar! (here is the link to Smashwords)
A little about Shiloh:
Shiloh Walker has been writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more…ah…serious works of fiction. She loves reading and writing anything paranormal, anything fantasy, and nearly every kind of romance. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest. She writes paranormal and contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense.
Ava Riley has donated 2 ebooks (pdf form) A Lifetime to Find Love and Sacred Surrender to one lucky person. Shiloh Walker has offered a signed book from her back list. So again to enter please leave a comment or question or tell the ladies your favorite thing about winter. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page to enter.
Today the Wonderful Sharon Buchbinder is sharing her favorite thing about winter along with a recipe that is sure to keep you warm on those cold winter days. Without further ado, I present Sharon…
Oh, the Weather Outside is Snowing…
As you can see from the photo, one of my favorite things to do in the winter is to wear a tiara, wrap a vintage fox stole (yes, they are biting their own tails in perpetuity), mug for the camera and toast the New Year with my family and friends.
The other thing I love to do is going to sound a little crazy. When the weathermen start hopping around in excitement and predict a blizzard, I run to the grocery store for the Baltimore Casserole: eggs, milk, bread and toilet paper. Then I make sure there’s enough propane in the tanks for our whole house generator and fireplaces, check the movie listings, start baking corn muffins and pull out the crock pot. You guessed it: chili time! Here is my favorite recipe for Turkey Chili without beans:
3 pounds ground turkey (NOT just breast–you want dark meat, too)
2, 16 ounce jars Tomato Basil Sauce
1 medium onion diced
2 tsp minced garlic (jar or tube)
Chili powder & sugar or other sweetener to taste
1 stick butter
Melt butter in large skillet, put diced onions & garlic into butter and cook til tender.
Put onions in crock pot on heat.
Brown turkey in pan with butter drippings, and pour in chili powder.
Remove turkey from fat and put in crock pot on top of onions & garlic.
Pour in 2 jars of tomato sauce.
Add sugar or other sweetener to taste.
Cook in Crockpot on medium (not boiling) for 4-6 hours.
You can eat this chili the same day. It’s even better the second day when all the seasonings have rested. Serve with piping hot corn muffins slathered in butter, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, all the goodies!
Thank you, Kelly, for having me here today. I want readers to curl up with a hot read to keep them warm this winter, so to celebrate winter and the RT Book Awards nomination, I am giving away two (2) e-copies of my RT Book Reviews Nominee for Best Erotic Fiction Book of 2011, DESIRE AND DECEPTION.
To enter for a chance to win one of 2 ebooks of Desire & Deception please leave a comment or question for Sharon then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page to enter.
I would like to introduce everyone to Kacey Hammell.
Kasey is sharing her favorite thing about winter. Take it away Kacey.
One of my favorite winter things is simply watching my kids, and others playing in the snow! As they build snowmen, forts, slide down hills on their toboggans and/or sleds, it always brings a smile to my face. Plus their laughter is always contagious.
Afterward, coming inside to warm up, putting on thick socks and wrapping them up in fleece blankets is priceless. Hot chocolate in hand, warm cookies, and watching the Frosty the Snowman movie are always the perfect remedies after a day of playing outside in the snow.
Here is a little more about Kacey:
Kacey Hammell is a self-proclaimed book-a-holic, who began reading romances at a young age and became easily addicted. A decade ago, while working for multiple review sites, Kacey quickly discovered that she was developing the writing bug. Thanks to the encouragement of her own beloved hero husband, she decided to try her hand at writing.
With the love of contemporary settings, modern day romances and make believe happily ever after, as well as the excitement of suspense, Kacey creates her stories writing what she’s familiar with and what she loves most. Of course those aren’t the only books she reads. Blood-sucking vampires who nibble the necks of the heroines are another addiction she especially loves, shape-shifters are sexier than hell and she’d loves the thought of her very own werewolf or were-cat to tame!
Locked in her office, at her computer, she lets her lusty and exciting characters lead her through their trials and tribulations, their love and their adventures. Detectives, P.I.’s, sassy and headstrong women all come to life in her heart and on paper.
One winner will receive ebook copies (their choice) of Last Man Standing and Sinful. Simply leave a comment for Kacey. Then please head over to the MAIN Winter’sFavorites Giveaway page to enter for a chance to win Kasey’s books.
Welcome to Day 3 of the Winter’s Favorites Giveaways. Today we have the wonderful Keri Ford and the uber talented Sherrilyn Kenyon sharing their favorite thing about winter.
Keri Ford and Winter Wonderland.
Thanks so much Kelly for having me today! One thing I love about winter is snow, which is unfortunate since it rarely snows where we live. Once a year, if we’re lucky. The last three years we’ve gotten extra lucky with a light dusting.
Enough that we can build a small snow man on the porch, barely do some sledding, get enough for ice cream and toss a couple snow balls. At least until the cold snow leaks through our gloves—then it’s all over with.
There’s just one problem with playing in the snow…I don’t like to be cold. But I have my reasoning! Thing is, if it’s going to be cold, by golly, I want to make it worth it and have snow on the ground too. And while we get a little snow, it’s not really enough to make it truly worth it. We bundle up and survive outside for about fifteen minutes before we’re all freezing and ready to come in. The snow we get is very wet and it’s melting by afternoon, making it just leak through your clothes in double-time.
Even with the cold a longtime dream trip of ours is a winter resort with skiing and snowmobiling. I guess we’ll just have to stuff our clothes with hand warmers to survive the trip.
What are your feelings on snow? Leave me a comment and one randomly selected person will win their choice of my backlist!
***
Keri Ford is the author of six sexy contemporary novellas set in the small town of Apple Trail, Arkansas. She’s got 3 more novellas currently scheduled for 2012 and a series of single-title romantic mysteries coming 2013.
Her latest release is Chasing Her Trail and is available at TMP | Amazon | Smashwords | AllRomanceEbooks | Bookstrand (will be available in more places soon! distribution times and all that)
To keep with the latest on Keri, check out her website.
Twitter , Facebook
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s favorite thing about winter:
I absolutely love gloves! They are an inexpensive fashion accessory and I have a giant box of them.
The Fun Bio:
The #1 New York Times bestselling author, Sherrilyn Kenyon, who is proud of her mixed Cherokee heritage, lives a life of extraordinary danger… as does any woman with three sons, a husband, a menagerie of pets and a collection of swords that all of the
above have a major fixation with. But when not running interference (or dashing off to the emergency room), she’s found chained to her computer where she likes to play with all her imaginary friends. With more than twenty-five million copies of her books in print, in over one hundred countries, she certainly has a lot of friends to play with too. In the past three years, her books have claimed the coveted #1 bestselling spot sixteen times. This extraordinary bestseller continues to top every genre she writes. Her current series include: The Dark-Hunters, The League, Chronicles of Nick and Beladors. Since 2004, she has placed more than 50 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga.
Her Lords of Avalon novels have been adapted by Marvel and her Dark-Hunter novels
are now a New York Times bestselling manga published by St. Martins. Coming soon in
manga, the Chronicles of Nick.
Keri Ford has offered one lucky follower one of her back list books. And let me tell you I LOVE her Apple Trail series.
I have an extra copy of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Fantasy Lover (not signed) I am donating to the giveaway.
So here is what you need to do. Leave a comment below then head over to the MAIN Winter’s FavoritesPage(ßßß click on the link it will take you there) and enter the contest over there. The top 5 items on Rafflecopter will be new. Fill those out for extra points.
If you have any question please email my by using the Contact page at the top of the blog. Or email me at books.n.kisses(at)gmail(dot)com.
I would like to introduce you to the wonderful Kristina McMorris
Kristina McMorris has garnered nearly twenty national literary awards and two nominations for the highly coveted Golden Heart® for her fictional work. A former PR Director and weekly television host, she has been named one of Portland’s “40 Under 40” by The Business Journal. Her in-depth literary research includes rare interviews with WWII vets, an internment camp pilgrimage, and a flight on a restored B-17. She currently resides in the Portland, OR area, where she is a member of several literary organizations including Willamette Writers, RWA®, and Rose City Romance Writers.
For more information about Kristina McMorris, television clips, recipes from her books and more, please visit: www.KristinaMcMorris.com
My Favorite thing about winter:
Aside from the icy roads (ack), what’s not to love about winter?! Personally, I love snuggling up in a cozy blanket by the fire, ugly fuzzy socks on my feet and a mug of hot cocoa (with a splash of Peppermint Schnapps) within reach. I simply adore all that comes along with Christmas: decorating the tree with my family, old-fashioned Christmas tunes (hard to beat Bing Crosby and Dean Martin), our annual holiday brunch with close friends (the white-elephant gift exchange somehow never gets old), and movie classics like It’s a Wonderful Life and (to my husband’s dismay) Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas.
I love when the house smells like Date Pinwheel Cookies and hot apple cider and grandma’s Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie (ugh, now I’m getting hungry). And most of all, I love watching my kids play in the snow. Bundled up like Randy from the movie A Christmas Story, the two will play together for hours, their noses pink and voices full of giggles. I tell you, for me, nothing in the world can top that sound.
Wishing you all a very safe and happy holiday season!
xo,
Kristina
Now for a chance to win an ARC of Kristina’s next book Bridge of Scarlet Leaves. (US/Canada Only)
Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern’s life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother’s best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.
When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.
Skillfully capturing one of the most controversial episodes in recent American history, Kristina McMorris draws readers into a novel filled with triumphs and heartbreaking loss–an authentic, moving testament to love, forgiveness, and the enduring music of the human spirit.
To Enter please go to the (MAIN) Winter’s Favorite Giveaway page. Look for the new items on Rafflecopter that have to do with Kristina for more chances to enter to win.
Don’t forget to leave a comment or question for Kristina here!
To celebrate winter I have asked 40 of some of my favorite authors to tell me about their favorite thing about winter. Some shared memories, some shared recipes, and some wrote a short flash fic story just for this giveaway.
For the next 31 days there will be an author or two posting each day and each day there will be a giveaway. On the December 31st, will be a very large Thank you gift basket from me, filled with a whole lot of really good stuff.
To enter, you will need to go to the main Winter’s Favorite’s Giveaway page (click link above to take you to contest page) and use Rafflecopter to enter. Each day there will be new requirements to enter. You can enter every day to increase your odds at win a prize or two. There is no limit to how many prized one person can win. So even if you enter on day 1, 3, 10 and 25. You can still win a prize from any of the 31 days, including my Huge Thank you basket.
So let’s get this Celebration Started.
For day 1 the Wonderful Yasmine Galenorn has sent me a signed copy of her newest book Courting Darkness (book 10 in Otherworld series).
We’re the D’Artigo sisters: sexy, savvy ex-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But being half-human, half-Fae means our powers go haywire at all the wrong times. My sister Delilah is a Death Maiden and werecat who belongs to the Autumn Lord. My sister Menolly is a vampire who’s dating a gorgeous werepuma, and the godfather of the undead-set. And me? I’m Camille, Priestess of the Moon Mother, married to a dragon, a youkai, and a Svartan. But my dragon father-in-law has decided that he doesn’t like having me for a member of the family…
It’s Winter Solstice, and Aeval welcomes me into her Court of Darkness. With Morio still dangerously weak from his injuries and Vanzir alive only thanks to my silence, the thought of training under Morgaine doesn’t seem as daunting as it did. But then, Hyto returns to shatter my life. Captured and swept off to the Dragon Reaches, can I manage to stay alive long enough to escape, even as Smoky’s father intends to break my spirit, then my body?
So I am going to start off the Winter Giveaway with my Favorite thing about winter. My favorite thing is warm drinks, a good book and family time, but when I am not doing that. Give me a mountain, a snowboard and some really warm gloves because I LOVE SNOWBOARDING!!!!!!
So now that you know my favorite… Swing over to the main Winter’s Favorite’s Giveaway and enter. Don’t forget to leave a comment here!!
Lucius Black lives a debauched and wild nightlife. Being a ‘Quarter’ (1/4 vampire), blood and sex are what he is. However, his existence wears thin after a century of hedonistic pleasure.
Trevina Patterson lives a quiet, happy life running a hair salon in a village on the east coast of the United Kingdom. It was a perfect life and all she could ask for, until a chance encounter with Lucius Black.
What was it about him that was so unsettling and yet so attractive?
For Lucius, no woman had ever been enough, until Trevina. She awakened in him feelings he had not thought possible. Passions considered by him to be little more than vampiric mythology. She awakened his…black lust.
Teaser Excerpt:
Trevina strolled up the stone walkway and knocked at the door. It was ajar, so she stuck her head in. “Hello? Anyone here?”
No one answered so she took a hesitant step across the threshold. Oh brilliant, it had hardwood floors and a fireplace. She felt the nearby wall, plaster, but with a fresh coat of paint. It was clean and bright. She imagined where she would place her few sticks of furniture when a deep voice boomed from the hallway.
“Who the hell are you, and what do you want?”
Her head turned toward the direction of the irritated voice. Her breath caught in her throat. A stunning looking man stood opposite her, his legs apart, and his arms crossed. He was in black leather from his long coat to the skin hugging leather pants and black boots. A tight black T-shirt accentuated rock-hard pectorals.
Trevina assumed this stunner looked like a fallen angel or a sexy demon, maybe both. At least that is how they seemed in the movies and on the telly. He had full red lips no man should possess and a scruffy days-old beard and chiseled handsome features. But it was his eyes, the same silver-gray as the sky over a stormy North Sea. They were very large and expressive, framed by long black eyelashes. She imagined the lashes were as soft as mink. He appeared dangerous, and she should be scared, but those eyes had her locked in a searing sexual Svengali-like gaze. He exuded perilous detachment. Impenetrable, guarded, and shielded from emotions. Why she sensed all that, she had no idea. Instead of running to her scooter for safety, she stepped forward holding out her hand. “Trevina Patterson. Do you own this lovely cottage?”
The man stared down at her hand as if deciding whether to take it. He uncrossed his arms, took her hand and shook it. His hand was large, masculine, and very warm. His touch almost brought her to her knees it was so potent. His thumb stroked the top of her hand in a gentle circular motion. A slight sly smile curved his ruby red lips. She tried to bite back a moan but a shaky exhale escaped her throat. He let go of her hand. She felt anger mix with the intoxicating attraction. Did he get off making women react to him, especially women who were not beautiful? She knew she wasn’t. She accepted her blunt-plain features years ago; it saved her plenty of heartache.
“No, it belongs to a cousin of mine. I was looking at it, deciding if I was going to rent it. Why do you ask, Trevina?”
He used her first name. Oh, he was skilled at seduction. It dripped like molten honey in his voice, and she noticed he didn’t have a British accent. She moved closer to him. She would show this sexy leather clad demon she wasn’t intimidated. She looked up at him. Bloody hell, he was tall. “I would like to rent it myself. What’s your name?”
He crossed his arms again, a defensive posture to be sure. “Lucius Black.”
She couldn’t help but smile. The name fit him like a leather glove.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Something amusing?”
She bit her lower lip. “No. Nothing. So I’m out of luck apparently.”
He shifted his stance so he was, just inches away. Her breasts brushed by his impressive muscular chest causing a gush of liquid between her legs. He stared down at her, and his warm breath fanned her cheeks like the incendiary breath of a dragon. A damned sexy one. He exuded a spicy, woodsy scent that was bloody appealing. Warm flickering flame, fire and brimstone perhaps?
“I would not say that,” he whispered sensually.
Living in a small town in a corner of Ontario, Canada, I wile away my spare time writing, reviewing and reading romance. As long as I can avoid being hit by a runaway moose here in this wilderness paradise, I assume everything is golden. Originally from the east coast of Canada, I love to set my stories in the Maritime Provinces~
Happily married for a long time to my own hero, a teacher that braves everything that is thrown at him. His encouragement keeps me moving forward.
Books-n-Kisses is excited to welcome Tracey O’Hara to the blog today. We are excited to learn more about Tracey and her books.
I was born in Australia – Launceston, Tasmania to be precise, but actually grew up in North and Far North Queensland. My family is very supportive of my writing. They encourage me to keep writing and pursuing my dream.
I discovered a passion for writing in March 2004. It started after doing some research into my family history. A story came into my head, screaming to get out, about an Irish girl who works for an English captain as a governess/nanny for his children while their mother is very ill. Set in Australia in the early 1820s.
But as I started to plot the story, another one emerged, which was much stronger. It involved the sister of the girl in the first story, who gets raped on the voyage out to Australia and falls pregnant. I wrote 120k in about 4 months – the story flowed out like molasses on a hot day.
This was before I learnt anything about writing, and I followed every bad writing practice known, making every writing mistake. But everyone loved the story – even if it was badly written. So I figured that I am more a story teller than a writer – so now I must learn to write. Now I am writing Dark stories, Dark Urban Fantasy to be precise.
In August 2004 I joined RWA and started to get involved with the Canberra group meetings. I haven’t looked back. I joined RWA America early 2005
Books-n-Kisses: Welcome Tracey
Tracey: Thanks so much for having me here J
Books-n-Kisses: Can I get you anything before we start? Coffee, Tea, Wine?
Tracey: oh – wine – a nice glass of Moscato please <grin>
Books-n-Kisses: Let’s get started
Q1) Tracey, can you tell us a little something about yourself we won’t find in your bio?
Tracey: Hmm – good question. I’m fond of Moscato? LOL.
Q2) What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Tracey:I love to listen heavy metal music while I write and as I revise the heavier the music I listen too.
Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Tracey:Actually no. I never wanted to be a writer – in fact I hated what we call English in school. I’d break out in a cold sweat at the word essay. I’d never written anything until 2004, but have always been a veracious reader and have always had the ability to tell a story. If I didn’t like the end of a movie, I would sometimes make up an alternate ending. The next time I saw that movie I would think my ending was how it ended and be surprised when it wasn’t how I remembered it.
Q4) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Tracey:My mostest favoritest would have to be George RR Martin followed closely by Raymond E Fiest with Stephen King taking out the bronze medal. But I have to say the one who has influenced my writing the most would be Stephen King – while I love fantasy – I write a better horror thriller.
Q5) What is a typical writing day for you like? Anything you have to have while writing?
Tracey:On weekdays I have a day job so I write at night when my husband’s at work. On weekends I try to spend as much time with my husband as I can but sometimes when deadlines loom I do some writing.
Let’s talk about your Dark Brethren Series
Q6) Tell us about Dante Rising (Prequel to Night’s Cold Kiss)
Tracey:Dante Rising: The birth of a Venator actually started out as a prologue but was cut early on. It’s a story behind Antoinette’s hatred of the Aeternus and the thing that drives her to become a Venator. Many people make the mistake that Dante is a Necrodreniac – but he’s actually a psychotic Aeternus who doesn’t need the death-high to enjoy murder.
Q7) Night’s Cold Kiss is book 1 in your Dark Brethren series. Can you tell us more about this book?
Tracey:This book started out as an image of the opening scene that popped into my head one day. It was so vivid of a girl creeping through a darkened warehouse with a man watching from high above in the rafters. The book went through several changes over the years – but that is one thing that never changed. Night’s Cold Kiss is the story of Antoinette and how she becomes embroiled in a hunt for a serial killer as she tries to fight her attraction to Christian who she thinks of as her enemy.
Q8) Death’s Sweet Embrace is book 2 in your Dark Brethren series. Tell us a little more about this book?
Tracey:Death’s Sweet Embrace takes place shortly after the end of Night’s Cold Kiss. This time we follow Kitt Jordan – a snow leopard shape shifter and her ex-lover Raven. Some people have been disappointed not to see Antoinette and Christian in the lead for this book – but others have told me they enjoyed seeing different facets of the world I have built.
Q9) What is up next in the Dark Brethren series?
Tracey:The third book in the Dark Brethren is Sin’s Dark Caress is it’s released next August. This one is about the magic users. Bianca Sin is a broken witch – who has learned to use her talents to invent devices to detect magic signatures and used to collect forensic evidence in crimes where magic is used or suspected. A homicide detective she has worked with before calls her to the scene of a murder. This leads to a string of events that draws her deeper and deeper into the world of the Dark Brethren.
Q10) How did you come up with the idea for this series?
Tracey:As I said – it started with the opening scene of Night’s Cold Kiss. But once I started to explore the world it opened up. It was like it always existed in my head and I was just discovering the wonders as I went along with the story. There is so much more to the world I want to explore and write about, I just hope I get the chance.
Q11) Who has been your most challenging &/or rewarding character to write so far?
Tracey:My favorite character was Viktor, I loved him. The most demanding was Oberon, he was just a bit part until he stomped into my story with his huge boots and demand that he was there to stay. And who am I to argue with a seven foot bear shape-shifter.
Q12) What is your current work in progress?
Tracey:Same as above
Q13) Because I am really nosey. What is in your to read pile that you are dying to get started on?
Tracey:Because I work full time and write as well, I have had very little time to read in the last few years. So my TBR pile has turned into a TBR bookcase. At the moment I am trying to catch up and am reading the Song of Ice and Fire series and listening to the Hunger Games on audio book. I have recently got into audio books and they are awesome. Speaking of which – the audio book for the first 2 books in the Dark Brethren series are out early next year.
Q14) Best piece of advice you would give to someone thinking of trying their hand at writing?
Tracey:The best advice is keep writing, keep learning your craft and don’t give up.
Q15) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Tracey:I would like to thank all those people that have bought and read my books, and I especially love hearing from people that have. Without readers there wouldn’t be any books. J
Books-n-Kisses: Tracey, again thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and talk with me. I hope my followers enjoyed learning more about you and your books. I look forward to seeing what you come up with next.
Tracey: Thank you so much for having me at Books-n-Kisses. It’s been lovely chatting with you. J I would like to give away a Kindle version of the first 2 books.
GIVEAWAY TIME:
To Enter for a chance to win a Kindle version of Night’s Cold Kiss & Death’s Sweet Embrace. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.
Squeee!!!!! Books-n-Kisses is beyond excited to have Gini Koch here today… *jumping up and down* Gini is the author of the Katherine “Kitty” Katt series. Gini has made me fall in love with Sci-fi, when I never thought I would. I’m not sure anyone can hold a candle to Gini in my eyes. Her Aliens are to die for HAWT, her heroine can kick your butt with her eyes closed and her bad-guys are just Fugly!!
Gini: Aww, shucks, I’m blushing. Thanks so much for the warm welcome, Kelly! Very happy to be here.
Kelly: Gini, welcome, welcome, welcome finally to my blog…. Did you bring Christopher? *clapping hands* Did you? Because you know he is my favorite. Right?
Gini: ROFL, yes, yes, I brought him along.
Christopher: Hey Kelly. I brought you some gladiolas. Hopefully you’re not like Madonna and going to toss them into the trash while flipping me the bird.
Gini: Wow, way to make that first impression, there, Christopher.
Christopher: Whatever. I think they’re pretty flowers and it’s the thought that counts.
Kelly: *blushes* Hi Christopher, the flowers are wonderful……. *hehe* OMG!!! Kitty & Martini (Jeff) are here too… *fans self, looks at Christopher and mouths* “you are still my favorite” Anyone else joining the party today?
Kitty: Jeff, you really need to get past the Chuckie jealousy. Yo, Kelly girl! *fist bumps Kelly*
Kelly: *fist bumps Kitty*
Martini: Uh huh. Anyway, hi Kelly, you’re looking lovely today.
Christopher: Always.
Martini: Always what?
Christopher: You’re always Mr. Smooth. She likes me better than you.
Martini: I think she likes you because you’re not taken.
Kitty: Yet.
Gini: MOVING ON…
Kelly: Can I get you anything before we start? Water, coffee, Tea, Kisses for me from Christopher, Oops I mean Cookies?
Gini: Keep it PG! Geez.
Kitty: I’ll take a cookie! Or two. You have any Coke?
Martini: I’m good, thanks.
Christopher: I was all for the making out, but fine, water and a cookie’d be great.
Kelly: *Hands Kitty a plate of cookies & Coke. Hands Christoper some water & cookies* Okay let’s get started:
Q1) This one is for Kitty. Kitty for my followers who may not know about you can you please tell them a little about yourself.
Kitty: Sure! I’m a former marketing manager who was in the right place at the wrong time with the right skills. Now I’m a superbeing exterminator. I have the genetics to make that work, too, as I found out. Oh, and per The Creator, as we call Gini, I’m the world’s best accidental badass.
Martini: I think you’re the world’s best everything, baby.
Kitty: Isn’t he sweet? Christopher?
Christopher: I’ll give you “accidental” for sure.
Kitty: Humph!
*staring dreamily at Christopher*
Kelly: Oh where was I? Oh yeah, questions
Q2) Okay Martini, your turn…. Tell my followers a little about yourself.
Martini: I’m the Head of the Field for Centaurion Division, which is made up mostly by my people, those of us who were exiled to Earth from Alpha Four in the Alpha Centaurion system. I’m also the strongest empath we have.
Kitty: And you’re incredibly jealous.
Martini: Yeah? You try knowing what someone’s feeling before you tell me I’m overreacting.
Kitty: Whatever. He’s also far too modest to says so, but Jeff’s incredibly drool-worthingly hot.
Martini: Thanks, baby.
Kelly: I would have to agree with you Kitty. Jeff is drool worthy. *thinks to self Christopher is still my favorite*
Q3) Christopher? Would you like to share anything? *winks at Christopher*
Christopher: With The Creator here, not going to be sharing what you’d like, I don’t think. But I’m the Head of Imageering for Centaurion Division. Like Jeff, I’m the strongest we have, only my talent is with imageering — imageers can touch any image and we know all about the person, because the photo or video or whatever actually copies the person’s mind and soul, not just their image.
Kitty: So all the aboriginal tribes who think pictures steal some of their souls aren’t wrong.
Christopher: Well, the pictures don’t take parts of the mind and soul, just copies. So they’re kind of right and kind of wrong.
Kitty: Story of my life. Oh, and Christopher’s hot, too. All the A-Cs are. I have to admit, I love working with the most gorgeous people on Earth on a daily basis.
Kelly: *nodding head* I totally agree with you Kitty. All the A-C’s are beyond hot!! *winks at Christopher*
Q4) Martini/ Christopher: What is it like working with Kitty?
Martini: Great. If you ignore that she tends to fall from a great height far too frequently.
Christopher: And if you don’t mind that she never, ever follows orders.
Kitty: Orders are for other people.
Martini: See? And if you ignore the constant low-level lust for pretty much every guy we work with.
Kitty: Geez. My lust for you is far from “low level”.
Martini: Which is why I can deal with it.
Kitty: Good to know.
Christopher: They bicker like this a lot.
Kitty: Blah, blah, blah.
*Kelly daydreaming of Christopher, Kitty elbows Kelly in the side*
WHAT? Oh yeah, interview……
Q5) Kitty: What would you say is the hardest part about working with Martini & Christopher?
Kitty: The fact that they tend to look at things the A-C way, which is “how we’ve always done it”. They need my kind of out-of-the-box thinking.
Christopher: I don’t think you believe there is a box.
Kitty: And here I was thinking you never paid attention.
Martini: That’s your only complaint?
Kitty: That I’ll voice in front of you two, yeah.
Q6) To all: How do you feel about Gini telling your stories?
Kitty: Well, she really just takes the dictation from me, but I think she does a good job.
Martini: I wish she’d stop writing more books.
Christopher: Huh?
Kitty: Why?
Martini: Sure, you guys think it’s all fun. The book ends, I’m a HAPPY MAN. The next book starts, and look at all the torture The Creator puts me through. You think you’re dictating, baby, but trust me, I’ve looked inside her mind, and she has nothing but evil planned for me.
Gini: Wow, overdramatic much?
Martini: You take the next adrenaline harpoon to the chest and then tell me that I’m being overdramatic.
Gini: You do have a point.
Martini: Does that mean you’re going to stop making me your punching bag?
Gini: Hardly. But I’ll spread the love around a little bit, okay?
Martini: As if I have a choice in this? Fine.
Christopher: Who are you spreading that “love” to, exactly?
Q7) You guys have had quite a few incredible adventures trying to save the world, do you ever get tired of always being called in to dangerous situations?
Kitty: Nope. It’s all in a day’s work.
Christopher: It’s what we’re here for.
Martini: I’d like a vacation.
Christopher: Why? These are our jobs.
Martini: Right. I point you to the prior answer and mention that no one ever stabs you with anything, ever.
Q8) Kitty, What do you guys do when you are not trying to save the world?
Kitty: Jeff and I have sex.
Martini: I thought we were supposed to keep it PG?
Kitty: Whatever.
Christopher: I honestly can’t remember a time when we weren’t saving the world.
Q9) Gini, What is it like to work with Kitty and the gang?
Gini: They’re no more or less demanding than my other characters. But I do love all of them very much.
Kitty: I resent that you have other characters.
Martini: I think you should spend more time with those other characters. A lot more time.
Christopher: The Creator loves me. I’m her favorite.
Gini: *coughs*
Christopher: Come on! You know you love me.
Gini: I do. I love all my creations. Including the bad guys.
Christopher: Thanks a lot.
Martini: She can love you a little more if that means I get less torture.
Q10) Gini, rumor tells me that as long as Kitty & the Alpha team are still around fighting bad guys you will keep telling their stories. Is that true?
Gini: As long as readers want to read the books and DAW wants to publish them, I’ll be writing.
Kitty: I can guarantee that we won’t be leading boring lives. Ever.
Martini: Can I go whimper in a corner or something? I know what “not boring” means to you and The Creator. It means I’m going to get thrashed. Again.
Christopher: I don’t like the smirk The Creator just shot at me, either.
Gini: Blah, blah, blah. MOVING ON…
Q11) Can share with us the next big adventure the Alpha Team will be on?
Gini: Next book up is “Alien Proliferation” releasing December 6th. I live spoiler free, but I can say this — the term “We’ll always have Paris” will take on a whole new meaning for the team, and the readers.
Christopher: She smirked at me again!
Martini: See? She’s evil.
Kitty: I think she’s awesome. And let’s be honest…The Creator likes ME best.
Q12) Kitty/Martini: How do you feel about Kate Perry making a song about you?
Because I have to say, every time I hear it I think of you two.
Martini: I’m flattered, of course.
Kitty: I’m waiting for her to endorse the series!
Gini: Me too. Believe me, me too.
Kelly : Kitty, Martini, & Christopher: *tearing up a little thinking about Christopher leaving* Thank you so very much for taking time away from saving the world to sit down with me and talk a little. Is there anything else you would like to add before you take off?
Kitty: Great to be here, hope everyone picks up the books and enjoys our adventures!
Martini: Thanks for having us. Read the books, and you’ll see I have every reason to be jealous.
Christopher: I’m really the star of the series. Just saying.
Kitty: You are not.
Christopher: Guess they’ll have to buy the books to find out, won’t they?
*Kelly waves bye Kitty & Martini, runs up and gives Christopher a HUGE bear hug* Sorry Chris, had to do it. I don’t know when I will see the real you again. The clones are nice and all, but I am really happy to see the real you!! Oh and I promise if you come back I will not act like as teenage girl crushing on a boy….
*rolls eyes* Who am I kidding I will…
Christopher: Oh, it’s okay. I like it. Jeff gets a lot more attention these days than I do.
Martini: You get a ton of attention.
Christopher: You get more.
Gini: Boys…
Martini: Fine. See everyone later!
Christopher: Have a great one!
Kitty: Nice to see them so obedient. Must be because The Creator’s here. TTFN gang!
Q13) Okay, now that they are gone… Tell me the Truth about them… Are they as nice, sweet, SMOKIN HOT and can kick your ass if you look at them wrong as they seem?
Gini: Pretty much, yeah. They are as they’re written. And they’re very fun characters to spend time with, so I’m happy I get to write about their adventures.
Q14) How can I get Christopher to realize I am the girl for him?
What? A girl can dream right *wink, wink*
Gini: *cough* Enjoy those Clones babe.
Q15) So Gini, what is up next after book 4 Alien Proliferation?
Gini: Book 5, Alien Diplomacy, comes out April 3, 2011. Book 6, Alien vs. Alien, which I’m writing right now, releases December 2013. And, DAW has bought Books 7 & 8, Alien in the House and Alien Collective, which will release in April and December 2013, respectively. So, lots more of Kitty and Company coming!
Kelly: EEEEKKKK!!!!! I have to say thank you to the Gods of Random for allowing me to read Alien Proliferation early… I loved every minute of the book. My Spolier free review can be found HERE.. I can wait for Alien Diplomacy. And so EXCITED for books 6, 7 & 8!!!!
Q16) I really meant what I said at the very beginning of our interview. You have forever changed Sci-fi for me. If someone is on the fence about reading a Sci-fi book, what would you tell them? Because I would tell them to get off their duff’s and go pick up Touched by an Alien and then tell me they didn’t fall in love with you and your Aliens.
Gini: LOL, I think my first inclination is to let you do the talking.
I kind of look at my stuff as Sci-Fi Lite. I’m not a hard science fiction writer. I read it, but I’m not really going to get into the technical and scientific weeds when I’m writing. So, I’m sort of the entry drug for science fiction. Test the waters with the Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series, and then branch out. My stuff will always be there to protect you from the rest.
Q17) I understand you have other series going. Can you tell us just a little about those?
Gini: Sure! I’m writing The Martian Alliance Chronicles for Musa Publishing. The first book in that series, The Royal Scam, released October 1. The second, Three Card Monte, is coming early in 2012.
I also write under a variety of pen names, and I’ve sold several things to Musa under those names as well. So, look for books by Jemma Chase, Anita Ensal, A.E. Stanton, and J.C. Koch — they’re all me, just different voices, characters, settings, and so forth.
Q18) Is there anything else you would like to add Gini?
Kelly: Gini, Thank you ever so much for stopping by and talking with me. I am so looking forward to reading about Kitty, Martini, Christopher and the rest of the gang’s next adventure.
Gini: Thanks so much for having me, Kelly! It’s been a blast.
Kelly: Please come back anytime Gini. You and the whole gang. Maybe next time we can get Chuckie here too. How do you feel about giving away a book?
Gini: I would love too. How about a signed copy of Alien Tango.
Kelly: Sounds good.
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