Category: Giveaway/Contest

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Interview & Giveaway with Lizzy Ford


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Lizzy Ford to the blog today. We are going to be talking about Lizzy’s War of Gods Series (Damian’s Oracle (bk1), Damian’s Assassin (bk2) & Damian’s Immortal (bk3))

Lizzy’s bio: Lizzy Ford is the hyper-prolific author of the “Rhyn Trilogy” and “War of Gods” series, launched in 2011, as well as multiple single title young adult fantasy and paranormal romances. Lizzy’s books have reached the bestseller lists on both Amazon US and Amazon UK in multiple categories. She is considered by contemporaries to be the ultimate writing freak of nature for her ability to write a new book every 30-45 days. She is an active member of a small guild of nine passionate, talented writers, the Indie Elective. Lizzy’s books are available from Amazon, BN, iTunes, and elsewhere.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Lizzy: It’s an absolute pleasure to be featured here on Books-n-Kisses!

Q1) Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Lizzy: I’m a freak of nature.  No, really, everyone tells me so!  I’m officially a full-time writer now, and I write and publish a new book every 30-45 days, with the help of my little team: my editor, Christine; graphics artist, Dafeenah; and of course, my husband and IT-Sherpa, Matt.

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Lizzy: Yes, I’ve wanted to be an author since I was in grade school, and I wrote my first story about stars.

Q3) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Lizzy:  My all time favorite writer is Jane Austen.  I love how she portrays people.  She’s probably the greatest influence on my writing in that, she created flawed characters who are offered the chance of redemption.  Some take that opportunity and others don’t.  I love that her characters stayed true to themselves. 

Q4) Can you tell us what a typical writing day for you is like. 
Lizzy: Let’s see.  I became unemployed recently, so my new routine is still forming!  I normally wake up around 6:30 and go to Pilates a couple days a week.  Then, it’s home to my laptop, which I move around the house, depending on where I feel like sitting for the day.  Aside from some errands, I spend the days writing, talking to readers, collaborating with other writers, and playing with my dogs!

Let’s Talk Books:

Q5) Can you tell us a little about your book 1 Damian’s Oracle?
Lizzy:  Damian’s Oracle details the story of Sofia, who becomes the first Oracle in existence in thousands of years.  She goes through the transition from human to Oracle throughout the book.  While struggling to learn her new role, she has to also deal with her immortal mate, Damian, the White God, whose job is to fight evil for the fate of humanity. 
Damian’s Oracle has been one of my most popular books.

Q6) Can you tell us a little about your book 2 Damian’s Assassin?
Lizzy:  Damian’s Assassin details the story of Dusty, who is the White God’s closest friend.  Dusty is left alone to deal with some pretty serious issues, to include acceleration in evil’s attempt to wipe out humanity.  He is a man who can’t get over losing his sister long ago.  Enter Bianca, the first real Healer in thousands of years, who can heal a man’s body and soul. 

Q7) Can you tell us a little about your book 3 Damian’s Immortal?
Lizzy:  Damian’s Immortal is about Jule, the third of the three good guys in the series, and his mate, the Magician.  Jule’s immortal powers are stripped, and he’s told he’ll regain them after he kills the Magician.  But, when he meets her, he discovers she’s an innocent caught in a much larger web.  He decides to protect her instead, and they end up falling in love while trying to figure out why she’s so important to both Good and Evil.

Q8) What is up next for you?
Lizzy: More books!  I write like a maniac, and I’m planning on releasing the first book in a YA trilogy on witches in late December.  I’m also working on the final book for the Rhyn Trilogy (due out in March) and the final book in the War of Gods series (due out in May.)  I’ve got a few more books planned next year, to include a sequel my readers have demanded to Kiera’s Moon, my most popular single title.

Q9) What is the next book on your To Read Pile that you are dying to jump into?
Lizzy: Julia Crane’s next book, Consumed, in the Keegan Chronicles.  It’s not published yet, but I keep harassing her about it.  Haha!  It should be out in December.  I’ve absolutely adored the first two books in this series (Coexist and Conflicted), and my heart is aching for the main male character, Roark.  I so want him to come out of this happy!

Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Lizzy:  I’m giving a blanket offer to anyone who signs up for my mailing list by 31 December 2011: free ebooks for 2012.  I plan on writing 8-10 next year, so it’s a significant offer.

Books-n-Kisses: Lizzy, again thank you so very much for making Books-n-Kisses a stop on your book tour.  I have enjoyed learning more about you and your books.  I look forward to reading and see what you come up with next.
Lizzy: Thank you so much for the opportunity!  

Giveaway Time!!!

Please use Rafflecopter to enter to win an e-copy of Lizzy’s Damian’s Oracle. 





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Interview & Giveaway with Ric Bern

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Ric Bern to the blog today.

Ric: Thank you very much for having me.

Q1) Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Ric: Yes, I am a part time writer and full time office administrator. I enjoy nature photography, reading and sports.

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Ric: Not since childhood, no. About ten years ago I decided to start writing my own stories and things have evolved from there. As I became a better writer my works became longer and more polished.

Q3) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Ric: Robert E. Howard is my favorite past writer. Bernard Cornwell is my favorite current author. They have both influenced my writing. Howard’s influence is more in the style and verbiage. Cornwell’s influence would be in the attention to historical detail.

Q4) Can you tell us what a typical writing day for you is like. 
Ric: I work 8-5 on weekdays, so I write on weekends. I tend to take a lot of breaks while I am writing. I’ll write for a couple hours at a time and then go out for a while to clear my head. On a good weekend I’ll write 4000 words.

Q5) Let’s talk about your new book Crimson and Steel.  Can you tell us a little about it

Ric: It’s set in ancient Rome and is a tale concerning the fates of two very different slave girls. One is a pleasure slave from the east and the other a Germanic servant from the far north. They each find a master in diverse ways. In the end their stories will become enmeshed.

Q6) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Ric: I am a real history nut and I took the best elements of other stories I had been dealing with and put them together. Instead of writing a barbarian story and a Roman story, I worked them together. It turned out rather well.

Q7) What is up next for you?
Ric: The sequel to Crimson and Steel, Scarlet Sands. We will see the relationships deepen as well as new characters.

Q8) What is the best piece of advice you would give to a buddy author?

Ric: Keep at it. Join a writing group that meets in person. You aren’t all alone.

Q9) What is the next book on your To Read Pile that you are dying to jump into?
Ric: I am reading an excellent biography of Harald Hardrada by John Marsden and Enslaved By A Viking by Delilah Devlin.

Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Ric: If you like Roman history and a bit of erotic romance, please check out Crimson and Steel!

Books-n-Kisses: Ric, again thank you so very much for making Books-n-Kisses a stop on your book tour.  I have enjoyed learning more about you and your book.  I look forward to reading and see what you come up with next.
Ric: Thanks so much for having me!

Excerpt: 
Kell stood in darkness as Marcus lit a candle. Her eyes adjusted as he ignited more. Then he kindled a bronze oil lamp as well as a similar little torch on the other side of the room and then several more candles. She looked on his bed and saw a finely-made, high-mounted mattress dressed in red and black silk. On the wall opposite his bed was a broad, circular mirror of polished bronze with a lion’s head adorning each point of the compass. The disc was so finely buffed that she could clearly see herself with a ruddy, aural complexion. Soon the room was blazing, and everything seemed to be bathed in an amber haze.
Kell stood at the foot of the bed and before the feline-crested imager. Marcus joined her, clothed in only his scarlet tunic. He cupped her heart-shaped face with his strong hands and stroked his thumbs across her cheeks, admiring her beauty. Kell closed her eyes and pressed into him as he kissed her, pursing his lips over her lower lip and tugging. He nuzzled his nose to her, and his stubbly chin scratched across her fair skin. The Nordic girl inhaled sharply at this contact and leaned into him all the more. His torso was like the trunk of an oak, and she pressed her breasts into him, her arms snaking around his waist. The Praetor tangled his long fingers in her shining locks and pulled her head to the side to expose the elegant tendon on the side of her neck. He kissed his way down the rounded cord, nibbling as he went, his breath a dragon’s flame on her winter-kissed flesh.
Calloused, sword-hardened hands slid down Kell’s linen-clad back and gripped her pert, supple ass. Her pitifully short tunic did nothing to cover her globes as they were mauled and rolled by Marcus’s seeking fingers. His lips continued downward, and she offered him all of herself, tossing back her head and curling her tapering leg around his hip as he clutched her closer. He bit her shoulder and kissed his way up the other side, stopping at her ear where he exhaled and whispered, “I’m going to fuck you so hard, little slave girl.”


GIVEAWAY TIME:
I have one e-copy of Crimson & Steel. 
Want a chance to win? 
Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. 




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Interview & Giveaway with Vee Michaels

Books-n-Kisses, is pleased to Welcome Vee Michaels to our blog today. We are looking forward to learning more about Vee and the books Sex-O-Matic and Toy Training..  Now that I have your attention…. I think we should begin.

Vee:  Good day fellow readers and writers. I’m delighted to be interviewed at Books-n-Kisses, this brilliant website.
Q1) Vee, Can you please share a little about yourself
Vee:    Sure. First I love books! All kinds (except depressing ones). I write everything from children’s stories to erotica, although to be honest, erotica is the most fun. I’m a Zumba instructor as well. I think it’s my mission in life to try to make people happy.
Q2) What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Vee:    Haha. Hmm …  Perhaps it’s my extreme anal retentiveness. I put every scene through my In-Scene-Er-Ator, a process I developed for making sure there is tension, character development, etc. Every scene must score high or it gets the boot.
Q3) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Vee:    This question is always hard for me. Since I’m an avid reader and a reviewer I find I’m more a fan of books rather than authors. Plus I like to give up-and-coming authors a chance, so their really is no specific person I’m loyal to. That said, if I read a book I like, I’ll read others by the same author.
Okay let’s talk books:

Q4) Tell us about Sex-O-Matic

Vee:   Sex-O-Matic is a fun (and hopefully funny diddy) about an extreme sex toy and a sexy boy toy. Oh, and there’s Holly the struggling author who’s the recipient of both. J
Q5) Can you please tell us about Toy Training
Vee:    Toy Training is about Minerva, a prude who ends up in a sex toys class after loosing a bet. The instructor is an uninhibited woman who makes Minerva even more uncomfortable. Minerva’s disgusted, appalled, and counting down the minutes. Against her will, she starts getting turned on … Toy Training is another funny, sexy story and a good character study.

Q6) how did you come up with the idea for these stories?

Vee:  From experience, naturally. J
Q7) *blushes* What kind of research did you have to do for these books.
Vee:   Obviously, both required extensive research into sex toys. Various trips to adult stores were needed, babysitters had to be booked, and stamina-inducing drugs had to be snuck into my husband’s meals. It wasn’t easy, but serious research never is.
Q8) What is up next for you?
Vee:   I’m working on an erotic suspense story called Duplicity. It’s about a high-powered, business woman who’s the target of an assassination plot. Her only hope for survival is getting help from the man meant to kill her. Aside from the obvious suspense lines, the theme focuses on the duplicitous lives many of us lead. I know my secret life, what’s yours? J
Q9) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Vee:  Thank you so much for the opportunity to chat with you. I wish everyone a smile and the chance to escape into a good book today.
Books-n-Kisses, Vee Thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with me.  I enjoyed learning more about you and your books… I am looking forward to reading both stories and await your new one, Duplicity.
Vee:  Thank you again. It’s communities like yours that breathe life into ebooks.
Dear Readers,
Please buy Sex-O-Matic directly from Breathless Press. If you send an email to vee@veemichaels.com, I’ll send you a free book. See my entire collection of erotic stories at www.veemichaels.com. Cheers!
Vee Michaels

GIVEAWAY TIME

Want a chance to win one of Vee’s books?   

I have one ecopy of Toy Training to giveaway. 

To enter please use Rafflecopter





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Interview & Giveaway with Alexandra Ivy

Books-n-Kisses is very excited to welcome the wonderfully talented Alexandra Ivy to the blog today. Along with getting to know Alex just a little better we are going to be talking about her new novella releases in Supernatural (Sept 2011) & The Real Werewifes of Vampire County (Nov 2011) and her upcoming release of Bound by Darkness (Dec 2011).
  
Kelly:  Alex, I can call you Alex, right?
Alex:  Absolutely J
Kelly:  Alex, thank you so much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to sit down and talk with me about you and your books.
Alex:  Thank YOU, Kelly!  I love the opportunity to talk to readers.  I am, after all, an avid reader and any chance I can talk books and writing makes me a very happy girl!!
Kelly: Can I get you anything before we start? Coffee, Tea, Soda, Water, cookies?
Alex:  I’m addicted to diet pepsi, but I’ve given up most of my bad habits so I refuse to compromise J
Kelly: Okay now that we are ready let’s get started.
Q1) Alex, can you please tell us a little about yourself.
Alex:  I live in northeast Missouri (Mark Twain territory) not far from the Mississippi River with my husband and two sons.  For the past six years I’ve been a fulltime writer, but before that I worked at a local college as an Activity Director, which I loved!  I still miss my students, although I now get to spend my days surrounded by yummy vampires, Weres, and Sylvermyst…not bad J
Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Alex:  I’ve always been a writer, even when I was very young, but I actually wanted to be an actress, and I even majored in Theatre in college.  Then took a playwriting class and I absolutely knew I loved inventing my own world with characters that I wanted to read about!  After the birth of my oldest son I had the opportunity to stay home and I started writing what I love to read…romance.
Q3) What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Alex:  I write out the book in play format first.  I do all the dialog with a few stage directions and then go back and fill in the rest!  I think it helps me to keep the characters driving the story.
Q4) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Alex:  I started out with Jane Austen and Victoria Holt (not a bad place to start J) and then I found Harlequin romances that I consumed in mass quantities.  I also loved the great, sweeping historical writers like Rosemary Rogers.  They all influenced me in some way, but I think the greatest influence came from playwrights like Noel Coward, Oscar Wilde and Neil Simon.  Their ability to use words with such razor-sharp wit is a constant inspiration.
Let’s talk books:
Q5) How did you come up with the idea for your Guardians of Eternity Series?
Alex: When Darkness Comes was written just for me as a private tribute to Buffy and Angel.  But after I finished the book I realized that I had fallen in love with the idea of a Chicago vampire clan who had to protect the world and the Guardians were born.
Q6) Can you tell us a little about your new novella Darkness Eternal that can be found in the book Supernatural. 
Alex:  This story is about Kata (who is the mother of Laylah from Devoured by Darkness) and Uriel (introduced in Yours for Eternity)  It’s Uriel’s duty to rescue Kata from her prison, but while he feels sorry for the female he has no desire to become involved with a gypsy who had the child of a Jinn.  Not after he was cursed by the very same Jinn.  Kata in return has no interest in becoming involved with a vampire, even if he does have the beauty of a fallen angel.  After all, it was a vampire who held her captive for the past four hundred years.  Unfortunately they must learn to trust one another if they’re to escape the hell they’ve been sucked into.
Q7) Can you tell us about your next novella Where Darkness Lives that can be found in The Real Werewifes of Vampire County (have to say I LOVE the name of this book) 
Alex: Sophia is the mother of Darcy, Regan, Harley, and Cassie and real bitch, which made her a perfect choice for the Housewife antho!  She’s in danger, but when her bodyguard shows up, she realizes there’s more than one kind of trouble.  Luc is a six foot, smokin’ hot pureblooded Were from Miami.  He has his own reasons for traveling to Chicago, but once he meets Sophia he knows nothing will satisfy him but complete, delicious surrender.
Q8) Your next full length novel is Bound by Darkness will be released in December 2011. Can you tell us more about Ariyal & Jaelyn’s story?
Alex: I love, love, love this story!  Ariyal is the prince of Sylvermyst, the dark fey who have just come out of the closest J  Well, actually they’ve just been released from Avalon where they were held as sex slaves by the batshit crazy Morgana le Fey.  Now that he’s at last free, Ariyal’s desperate to halt the return of the Dark Lord, even if it means sacrificing an innocent.  Jaelyn is a trained Hunter.  One of the rare vampires who have been taken into a secret program to become an elite warrior.  She’s been hired by the Oracles to keep track of Ariyal, but for once her sense of responsibility is threatened.  Ariyal is her target, but his potent fey beauty and his tortured past stirs emotions that she thought destroyed decades ago.  Will she follow the dictates of duty or give into the yearnings of her heart?
Q9) Bound by Darkness is book 8 in your Guardians of Eternity series.  Do you know how many more books will be in the series?
Alex:  I’ve been contracted for a total of 14 books and six novellas!
Q9) Do you know who’s book is up after Ariyal? 
Alex: Yes, Caine and Cassie will be next in Fear the Darkness.  Right now it’s scheduled for release Sept. 2012.  If it gets moved up I’ll be sure and announce it on my website.
Q10) Do you have a favorite character in your series?  If so, can you share who & why they are your favorite
Alex:  Absolutely Levet!  When he first appeared in Embrace the Darkness I fell in love with him…thankfully my readers seem to like him as well so he keeps popping up!
Q11) Does your family read your stories?  What do they think of them?
Alex:   My husband reads them after they come out in print, and the boys usually hear the sex parts read out loud when they go to parties…sigh.  They seem to take it in good humor for the most part!
Q12) what would you say is the most challenging & rewarding part about being an author?
Alex:  The most challenging is always time.  There are so many hours in the day and it never seems to be enough.   I’ve become a lot more organized, but I still wish I could have that watch Hermoine had in Harry Potter so I could go back an hour and get more done J  The most rewarding is always the readers.  When I hear from someone who tells me that they were sitting by a sick relative in the hospital and having my book to read helped them get through the day is just about the nicest compliment anyone could ever receive.
Q13) Best piece of advice you would give to anyone who is interested in becoming an author.
Alex:  Don’t.  Ever.  Give.  Up.  I just can’t say it enough times.  It took me ten years and more rejections than you can imagine for me to get published.  A dream is something that should never be forgotten or put aside.  Keep writing, keep trying, and keep your goals in mind.
Q14) Okay, I always like to know what authors have in their To Read Pile… Tell me the one book you are dying to read next.
Alex:  A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin.  It took years before it finally came out and now I’m too busy to read it L
Q15) Alex, is there anything else you would like to add?
Alex:   Just a huge thank you to my readers!!  Not only for buying my books, but sharing your love for them with your friends.  This wild adventure I’ve been on wouldn’t be possible without you.  There’s not a day that passes that I’m not deeply grateful to every single one of you!
Books-n-Kisses, Alex again thank you so very much for taking the time to sit down and talk with me. I have enjoyed learning about you and your books.
Kelly: Alex, what do you say we do a giveaway of one of your books?
Alex:  I’m delighted to give away one copy of The Real Werewives of Vampire County and one ARC for Bound by Darkness.



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Interview & Giveaway with W.Lynn Chantale

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome W. Lynn Chantale to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about W. Lynn’s books Seducing His Wife & Breaking Delia’s Rules
W. Lynn: Thanks so much for having me here today. I brought cookies to share and a chance to win a few goodies. A $5 GC and chocolate are up for grabs to one lucky commenter.

Q1) Can you each tell us a little about yourself
W. Lynn: I live in a small rural community in Michigan, married my high school sweetheart, and we have three children. I write African-American and Interracial sensual and erotic romance. I love milk chocolate, especially Dove’s chocolate truffles or the caramel-filled squares (Godiva and Ghiradelli are acceptable). I also play the bass guitar when the Muse begs for a bit of distraction.

Q2) Tell us a typical writing day for you
W. Lynn: A typical day for me involves whittling down my email box, updating my blog, answering interview questions or composing guest blog posts. And that’s before I get to any edits or the next scene that require my attention. Most of the time my day begins about six or seven in the morning and will write until six or eight in the evening.

Q3) What are some of the challenges you face while writing a book?
W. Lynn: Some of my challenges are finding enough time to write. As long as my husband has something to occupy his time I can write to my heart’s content. It’s when he’s home that he’s the most distracting.

Q4) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
W. Lynn: I knew I always wanted to write. Especially after I read my hundredth Harlequin novel and said I can do better. When my husband challenged me to either get published or give up writing. I began searching for publishers.

Q5) Tell us a little about your book Seducing His Wife
W. Lynn: Seducing His Wife is Matthew Sinclair’s chance to woo his wife Sheridan, and piece their marriage back together.

Q6) Tell us about Breaking Delia’s Rules
W. Lynn: In Breaking Delia’s Rules, Miss Delia learns that some rules are meant to be broken.

Q7) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
W. Lynn: I came up with the idea for Seducing His Wife, from a few things that were going on within my own marriage at the time. I needed an outlet for those emotions and writing Sheridan and Matt’s story gave me the release I was looking for.
Breaking Delia’s Rules came about from a discussion with my best friend at the time. I wanted a character, female, who played the field, but refused to have sex with any of her suitors and was up front about her rules. Besides why should the man have all the fun?

Q8)  What is your current work in progress?
W. Lynn: Goodness, in the midst of meeting deadlines I’m tackling NaNo. My current WIPs are an erotic I’m editing for submission and two short stories targeted for one of my publisher’s Valentine Anthologies. I think I need a vacation now. 🙂

Q9) I love to know what authors are reading. So what have you recently read that you loved or what is an upcoming release that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
W. Lynn: Recently read, Loved Sex Stalker and The Wicked House of Rohan. Upcoming releases, oh my. I have a list like a mile long of books I can’t wait to buy. Raine Delight has a few I can’t wait to get and A Dry Creek Bed by Avery Flynn

Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?
W. Lynn: Tell your favorite author how much you enjoyed his or her last book. Believe me it will make their day.

Books-n-Kisses: W. Lynn, thank you for taking the time out of your busy scheduled to sit down and talk with me about your books.
W. Lynn: Not a problem. I enjoy getting out and about in the cyber world. I’ve had a great time here and please don’t forget to leave a comment.

Want to learn more about W. Lynn please check her out here: 
Website / Facebook / Twitter




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Interview & Giveaway with Morrigan Michele & Misty Camorny


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Morrigan Michele & Misty Carmony to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about Morrigan & Misty’s new book Betrayed.
Morrigan lives in a small town in the heart of Texas with her husband Robert and their daughter Brianna. She is also an ordained minister and is active in her community. When she is not busy working on a book, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and she loves to shop. Morrigan and her sister Misty also hope to one day open a coffee shop.

 Misty Carmony I is 27 years old and lives with her loving husband Charles in a small town in Texas. They have three Pitbulls named Budwieser, Corona, and Munky. She is on the town’s local volunteer fire department, and is currently working on her BS in business management. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family. She is also a big supporter of PBRC and BADRAP which helps save pitbulls.

Morrigan and Misty are avid readers and self-proclaimed critics. Growing up, they wrote a lot of poetry together. In 2009 they decided since they read so many books, and are so critical they might as well try writing one; and so the Blood and Magick Series was born. We really hope you all enjoy our books as much as we enjoy writing them.


Morrigan/Misty: Hi, thank you for speaking with us today.

Q1) Can you each tell us a little about yourself
Morrigan: My name is Morrigan Michele and I am one of the authors of the Blood and Magick Series.
Misty:  My name is Misty Carmony and I am one of the authors of the Blood and Magick Series. I am married to my husband Charles and we live in the country and have three dogs whose names are Budweiser, Corona, and Munky.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
Morrigan: On a writing day I shut out everything and everyone except for Misty and my husband Robert. I shut off the phone and TV. and turn on my special list of music. I light scented oils and candles and grab my must haves which consist of Pepsi with lots of ice and an extra cup of ice. I write for several hours and discuss things with Misty.
Misty: I sit down with a pen and paper and outline where I want the plot of the book to go and we discuss what we think of each other’s ideas once we think we have it figured out we type it up. I do agree Pepsi is a must have or a Pepsi and a frappe.

Q3) What are the challenges you face co-writing a book?
Morrigan: The only real challenge we have, in my opinion, is a lack of communication due to our busy schedules.
Misty: I agree I have a very busy schedule with working a full time job, being on the volunteer fire department, going to school for my BS in Business Management, writing a book, planning other books to write, and having a home life with my husband it is very hard to manage my time. 

Q4) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Morrigan: I have always thought about it but it wasn’t until 3 years ago that I started seriously considering it.
Misty: No I just loved reading and writing poetry, but happened to come up with a brilliant idea and decided to give it a shot I called my sister and pitched my idea to her and here is Betrayed the first installment in the Blood and Magick Series.

Q4) Tell us a little about your book Betrayed
Misty: It is a story I believe everyone can relate to: a girl in her high school years who lives in the Bible belt and is outcast due to being different from the majority of her peers. Her mother is on the road due to her job and her dad really isn’t in the picture. With her 17th birthday approaching and weird things happening all around her and no one around who can answer her questions, fake friends, and a new and interesting guy who catches her attention the book is filled with action and will leave you wanting more.

Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Morrigan: Misty called me one day and suggested we try writing a book together. We then discussed the story line and characters and started writing immediately.

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
Morrigan: Immortal Lineage-Blood and Magick book 2

Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Morrigan: Christine Feehan, Richelle Mead, Amanda Ashley, Anne Rice, Alyson Noel and Rachel Caine
Misty: Pretty much the same as my sister seems how we share each other’s books but I would have to add Dan Brown and Jane Austen to the list

Q8) I love to know what authors are reading. So what have you recently read that you loved of what is an upcoming release that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Morrigan: I recently read Joann Buchanan’s Soulless Light and Charlotte Blackwell’s Embrace Series


Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
Morrigan/Misty: Be sure to visit is at www.bloodandmagickseries.com and http://www.facebook.com/bloodandmagick to keep up with events and upcoming releases. We also do a lot of giveaways and contests so be sure to join us!

Books-n-Kisses: Morrigan & Misty, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down and talk with me about your new book.
Morrigan/Misty: Thank you for having us! It’s been fun!

Giveaway Time
To enter for a chance to win an Ebook of Betrayed.
Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.




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Interview & Giveaway with Lacey Wolfe

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Lacey Wolfe to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about Lacey and her story Amber’s Muse. 
Lacey: Hi! I’m very excited to be here!

It’s always been my dream to be a writer. Ever sense I was a child, creating stories has been a passion of mine. I have always said that one day I would be an author. Finally, I am working on this dream of mine. I have two children who have been keeping me busy for the past 7 years. My youngest is starting pre-k this year and I have more time for me and to concentrate on what I want out of this life. So I am picking up pen and paper…well I guess keyboard and screen, and working on this dream. It isn’t going to be easy. There will be many ups and downs, but I am ready. I know this dream will come true, my mom told me so, “You can be anything you want to be when you grow up.” Thanks mom, here goes nothing!



Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself:
Lacey: I’m a stay at home mom with a wild imagination. My kids are both now school age and I’ve decided to it was time to make my dream come true. Writing has always been something I’ve enjoyed and I thought it was finally my time.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you:
Lacey: I typically write Monday thru Friday. Once I get back from dropping off the kids, I come home start my computer up. I usually write, edit, or something related from 9:00 until I need a break. I often try to get more work done before heading to pick them up.

Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Lacey: I’ve said since I was a little girl that being an author was a dream. When I decided to go the novella route, I wanted to create something short and see how I was accepted in the reading and writing community.

Q4) Tell us a little about your story Amber’s Muse:
Lacey: Amber is a librarian by day and an aspiring author at night. She wants to write erotic romance but she lacks the sexual experience she needs. So, she decides to find a test subject. This is when her dorky neighbor Jax comes to mind. He seems perfect since he isn’t going anywhere in life and she doesn’t have to worry about falling in love with him. But, sometimes your heart desires things you think are wrong.
I had a lot of fun with this one and enjoyed getting into Amber’s head as she fought her feelings. I hope readers enjoy it too.

Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Lacey: I saw several e-publishers with open calls on erotic romance. I wanted to see if any of the ideas I had could possibly turn into something steamy. Then I knew Amber and Jax’s story would be perfect.

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
Lacey: Currently I’m working on a four book novella series. The first book will be available December 19, 2011. The title of book one is FOOL ME ONCE. I’m excited to be creating this series

Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Lacey: It is so hard to choose a favorite author or authors. I’m constantly reading new ones that I really can’t choose one. Lately though, I have been reading a lot more e-book authors.

Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey.  That is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
Lacey: I have a Julie James book that I keep hoping to sit down and read. I also love Heather Wardell and I have one of hers loaded on my e-reader that I’m itching to get read.

Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
Lacey: To anyone who had read or plans to read my debut novella, Amber’s Muse, Thank you! I can’t express to readers how great it feels to write something and see others enjoy it. J

Books-n-Kisses: Lacey, thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books. 
Lacey: Thank you for having my today. I love your blog and I hope to visit again soon.

Want to learn more about Lacey?  Check her out here:To  
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

I really enjoyed this story to share it with you I am going to be giving away an e-copy of Amber’s Muse.  To enter fill out the Rafflecopter form below. 




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Interview & Giveaway with Donna Grant

Books-n-Kisses is very pleased to welcome back the Wonderful Donna Grant.  I am honored to have been asked to be part of Donna’s blog tour for the re-release of her ebook Shadow Magic (bk#1 Sister of Magic Trilogy).

Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories.  She’s the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance—Scottish Medieval, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal, and erotic.  Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Sword, features a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.  To learn more about Donna and her books, please visit www.donnagrant.com.
Books-n-Kisses:  Hi Donna, Welcome back. We learned so much about you and your Dark Swords series last time you were here I am excited to learn more about your Sister of Magic Trilogy re-release.
Donna: Thanks so much, Kelly.  I’m so happy to be back here and to talk about a backlist series that I get to release again. J

Q1) How does it feel to be re-releasing the Sisters of Magic Trilogy?
Donna: Really great, actually.  I loved the first covers, but these new ones seems to really capture the trilogy, and I’ve gone back in and added a bit more to the books as well as changing a few slight things that always bothered me about the books.

Q2) Tell us about Shadow Magic, book #1 in the Sisters of Magic Trilogy (re-release Nov 1, 2011)

Donna: SHADOW MAGIC shows us our first witch – Serena.  She’s part of a dying race of witches that were cursed by one of their own to never hold the love of a man.  Part of what the witches can do is look into someone’s future and see paths they can take.  Serena, however, only ever sees people’s deaths.  And she’s seen her friend’s death.  She knows there’s only one way for her to save them, and that’s with the help of Drogan of Wolfglynn.
Drogan is a battle-hardened knight who was in the king’s service for years tracking down – and eliminating – traitors to the crown. But what began as a position to be coveted turned into one that brought Drogan and his two companions face to face with Hell because of their deeds.
Serena is able to convince Drogan they need to help their mutual friends, and though Serena tries to guard her heart, passion – and love – won’t be denied.

Q3) I see that Echoes of Magic, book #2 of the Sisters of Magic Trilogy will be re-released on Nov 29, 2011.   Can you share with us a little about the second book?

Donna: Sure!
This book is about Adrianna, another witch, who has already felt the cruel touch of her race’s touch.  Not only did her man leave her, but the child she was left with died as well.  She’s prepared to spend the rest of her lonely life with the gypsies.  Until she finds a half-dead man in the forest, a man she’s compelled to help.
Grayson has been hiding from evil his entire life. After helping Drogan and Serena, he decides its time he face his past and discover what happened to his mother. Only, he never expects to fall prey to the evil so soon.  Or to be saved by a witch. Yet, the more he’s around Adrianna, the more he realizes just how dangerous it is for her to be with him.  Because he evil has marked Grayson, and it won’t be denied.

Q4) And Wow!!!  Dangerous Magic book #3 in the Sisters is scheduled for re-release on Dec 27, 2011. Can you tell us more about the third book?

Donna: DANGEROUS MAGIC is my favorite out of the three.  Maybe its because it features a hero who is so sunk into the darkness there doesn’t seem to be a way out for him. 
This book features Francesca, a witch who knows her destiny is tied to those at Wolfglynn.  She is prepared to offer whatever it takes to aid her friends, but when she gets her first look at Cade, she isn’t prepared for the immediate attraction.
Cade has watched and helped defeat the evil plaguing them, but he’s the one the evil is truly bent on killing. There’s no way Cade can defeat something that isn’t wholly human, and with the darkness riding him so hard, he doesn’t know how much longer he can hold onto the last threads of his humanity.
Until Francesca. She pushes back the darkness, and though Cade knows its wrong to be near her and bring such evil to her, he cannot deny the overwhelming hunger for her touch.

Q5) I love that you are re-releasing them all in such a short period of time.  What was the hardest part about re-releasing these books?
Donna: Reading back over them and wincing at what I found.  Lol.  My writing has changed so much in the years since they were first released.  I’m so thankful I’ve had time to read over them again and make the changes I feel they need. 

Q6) How do you feel your writing has grown since the original release of the Sisters of Magic Trilogy?
Donna: I think I go much deeper into the characters than I ever did.  I also feel as if my writing is sexier, the tension tighter than it used to be. 

Q7) Will we ever see these characters in future books now that you have revisited them?
Donna: I don’t know.  I don’t want to say never, because I don’t know what stories or characters will visit me in the future.:)

Q8) What is up next for Donna Grant?

Donna: Oh, so much.  lol.
I’ve got releases every month for 2012.  Beginning January 31, 2012, the next Dark Sword book is out in stores – DARKEST HIGHLANDER. 
Then in February I’ll begin to re-release the first 3 Shield series books.
May 22, 2012 is the first in the Dark Warriors series (spin off from Dark Sword) – MIDNIGHT’S MASTER.
June 26, 2012 is the second Dark Warriors book – MIDNIGHT’S LOVER
Then in July – August will be the final two Shield books.
Besides two more Dark Warriors books to be released in November and December, MIDNIGHT’S SEDUCTION and MIDNIGHT’S WARRIOR, I’ll also be re-releasing my Royal Chronicles series.  I haven’t firmed dates yet.
However, my big year is in 2013 where I’ll be releasing 7 – SEVEN – Dark Warriors books, all back to back from June – December.  Two fulls, three novellas, then another two fulls. J

Books-n-Kisses:  HOLY COW you are a busy girl… But all the better for your fans.

Q9) Looking at your fun facts, I see that your favorite movie is the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  What are you feelings on them making the Hobbit?
Donna: I’m both anxious and nervous about it.  I will seem really weird to watch it without seeing Aragorn. :S  But I love the world, and I can’t wait for them to take me back to it.  I’m so thrilled they’re making two movies out of it instead of trying to fit it all in one.

Books-n-Kisses:  Donna, as always thank you so much for stopping by the blog.  I have enjoyed having you visit again and I am looking forward to your re-release of the Sisters of Magic Trilogy.
Donna: Thanks so much for having me again, Kelly.  I hope I see you and others on Facebook, Twitter, my blog, or even my forum. 😉 
May the magic always find you!

Now for the giveaway.  I have one e-copy of Dragonfyre:

She’s the only one who can pull him from the darkness…
As Commander of the Fae army, Aimery is used to tracking evil and putting an end to it. When one of the rare and treasured blue dragons is killed and an egg stolen, Aimery is ordered to find the murderer. He never expects it to be one of his closest friends…
Kyndra is a priestess of the Dragon Order sworn to protect all dragons in the Realm of the Fae. She is sent by the high priestess to accompany Aimery and return the killer for execution. Aimery is instantly drawn to the sword-wielding priestess, but he knows he cannot have Kyndra. Her life is sworn to the dragons, to be touched by no man. Neither expects to find desire and unyielding passion in the other. Yet when they track the killer to another realm, Aimery’s life is at stake and Kyndra gives herself to him and the love she cannot deny in order to save him…
Read Excerpt HERE
To Enter Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.



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Interview & Giveaway with Josee Renard

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Josee Renard to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about Josee and her book Kiss Lonely Goodbye. 

Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
Josee:  I, like many if not all writers, split my life into many small pieces. I work (freelance and hopefully part-time – sadly, not as often part-time as I would wish), I teach, I spend time with my friends and my partner and our families. I write, as much and as often as I can (though seldom often enough). I do all of the other things that early on in a writing career you don’t realize are part of being a writer – promotion, attending conferences, giving workshops, going to meetings, etc. etc. etc. I am two people in my writing life – a writer and a business person. I am also two people in my writing – Kate Austin (who writes women’s fiction) and Josee Renard (who writes erotica).
            I live in Vancouver a block from the beach, which I love. I travel as much as I can – almost always to big cities with great art galleries, which I also love. I’m getting better at avoiding the biggest pitfall of multi-tasking – which is not doing your best work because you’re thinking of the next thing you have to do – and enjoying the best part of it – which is focusing completely on what I’m doing at that moment, no matter how short a time I have to do it. I’m trying very hard to be in the moment rather than ruining it for myself by worrying about the next one.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
Josee:  I wish, constantly and desperately, that I had a typical writing day. I don’t. I work part-time as a freelance paralegal (as little as 12 hours a week a few times a year to much more than full-time way more weeks than I want to), plus I teach paralegals. And working freelance means that I almost never know when, how long, where or when I’m going to be working from one week to another. I try – though rarely succeed – to write every day. I do try to write every evening that I’m home when my partner is working – he works in a restaurant so is generally at work five nights a week. One of these days I’m going to win the lottery and then I can set my schedule and stick to it.

Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Josee:  I actually haven’t always wanted to be an author. What I am, have always been, is a reader. I read somewhere between 350-400 books a year and my idea of a perfect weekend is nothing to do, no one around, and hours and hours of reading time. Over a weekend like that I might read 4 or 5 books, sometimes more if they’re short. But when I went to university – late – I had an English professor who said to me at one point, you write essays like they’re fiction, maybe you should try writing a short story. I did and I was hooked. I wrote and published short fiction and poetry for many years before I decided to start writing novels and I’ve been writing mostly novels and novellas, as well as a few short stories (and the occasional poem) for almost 10 years. My first novel, Dragonflies and Dinosaurs, got published in 2005

Q4) Tell us a little about your book Kiss Lonely Goodbye
Josee:  Kiss Lonely Goodbye is the third story in a 10 part serial (and yes, I feel like Dickens) called Part Time Lovers. Part Time Lovers is a website where people who are interested in sex can find a like-minded partner. Jules and Mercy, best friends since grade school, run the website and they link the 10 parts together with their relationships – with each other, with clients and with others.
Kiss Lonely Goodbye is about Annabelle and Sam, both lonely, both scared to death of a relationship. Annabelle’s sex life is in her own hands and toys but she’s lost the weekly bet with her sister, who hands her a printout from Part Time Lovers. Her penance for losing the bet is to find a man and have sex, after a very long dry spell. Sam was burned badly by his last relationship, so when someone tells him about Part Time Lovers, he’s immediately interested. Sex without strings. They both insist it’s only sex, but their emails become more and more intimate. When they finally meet, more than sparks fly. What if it’s love?

Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Josee:  I had a title long before I had even a line for the story. I started with a Stevie Wonder song title for the website and all of the titles of the stories (except one) are Stevie Wonder songs. So I guess somewhere in the back of my head I had the idea of two lonely people getting together. But, actually, I think I have to blame this story on Glee, to which I am addicted. I never come up with ideas, I come up with a first line. And here it is: Sam’s week wasn’t going well. Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong, for as long as he could remember. And that’s kind of what Sam’s life on Glee was like for a long time. And then I had to find a woman who could make Sam’s life – at the very least his sex life – better. Annabelle just showed up and the story unfolded from there.

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
Josee:  As always, I have two or three things in progress. I’m easily bored, so if I get stuck somewhere I move on to something else. The urgent things (because of deadlines) are the last two stories in the Part Time Lovers serial – If It’s Magic and What Christmas Means to Me – which will be out on November 30 and December 7 respectively. I’m about halfway through each of them. And then I have to write a very short Christmas story called Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me (are you getting the song title theme? I seem to be obsessed with song titles this year) which will be out in December.

Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Josee:  Because I read so much and across so many genres, my list of favorite authors is very long. Stephen King because he writes so beautifully. I just finished Duma Key and have Full Dark, No Stars on my massive TBR pile. Anything and everything by Suzanne Brockmann. Michael Ondaatje is one of the few writers I buy in hardcover. I love Susanna Kearsley, who writes great women’s fiction/romance that reminds me of one of my favorite childhood authors – Mary Stewart. Jayne Ann Krentz. Nora Roberts’ romantic suspense. Barbara Kingsolver and Alice Hoffman – I love the way they meld magic realism into their books. I like J.R. Ward very much – hers are the only vampire books I read. I love Emma Holly – her books are so very sexy. And then there’s Guy Vanderhaege and Margaret Atwood and Pat Conroy and… Are you sorry you asked? I could go on forever.

Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey.  What is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
Josee:  It’s not actually in my TBR pile but I’m dying to read it when it comes out in the next couple of weeks. I’ve just discovered a brand new writer – Kylie Chan. She’s from Australia but lived in Hong Kong for many years. Her trilogy, Dark Heavens, is a terrific paranormal romance and I love it because it uses Chinese mythology and it’s mostly set in Hong Kong (with detours to Paris and London and Australia). Book 3 – and I’m dying to know what happens – is out in November and I’ve got it on my radar every time I walk into the bookstore.

Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
Josee:  Thanks so much for having me. It’s amazing how often I learn something I wasn’t conscious of – about myself or about my writing – when I sit down at a computer and answer these types of questions. What did I learn this time? That I am getting better at being in the moment and that makes me feel good about myself.

Books-n-Kisses: Josee, again huge thank you for stopping by the blog to day to chat about you and your books.  I hope the readers enjoyed. 

Where  Josee can be found:
Website: http://www.joseerenard.com/
Blogsite:  http://joseerenard.wordpress.com/
Email: joseerenard@yahoo.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Josee-Renard/163055307086304
Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/Josee_Renard
Where to buy: http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/author/joseerenard.htm
Giveaway Time:  
Josee has given me an e-copy of her book Knock Me Off My Feet.  

If you would like a chance to win please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway will end Nov 7th. Winner announce Nov 9th. 





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Interview & Giveaway with Lisa Renee Jones

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to have Lisa Renee Jones on our blog today.  I am so excited to have you here to talk about her new release (yesterday) The Storm that is Sterling.  I have been looking forward to Sterling’s book since I finished The Legend of Michael. *sigh*

Award winning author, Lisa Renee Jones, has published more than fifteen novels in several different languages, spanning multiple genres of romance – contemporary, romantic suspense, dark paranormal and erotic fiction. In each book the hero is dark, dangerous, and sexy. She debuted for both, Nocturne and Blaze, on the Bookscan bestseller list. You can find Lisa onTwitter, Facebook, and her blog for regular updates. Lisa now has a Fan Page at Facebook.

Lisa: Thank you so much Kelly. I finished writing Michael and was eager to write Sterling’s story. He really came to life for me as I wrote Michael.
Q1) Let me start by saying that I love Sterling’s cover.  What did you think when you first saw it?
Lisa:  I was really please with the Sterling cover and it’s my first blue cover so I thought that was a cool thing!
Q2) Let’s talk Sterling.  Tell us a little about Sterling’s book.  Perfectly named The Strom that is Sterling.
Lisa:  Sterling has had a lot of pain in his life. He’s very damaged yet he is so willingly to put himself out there for those he loves. He reminds me of Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. He has a secret death wish but he keeps going because what if someone he loves needs him 
Q3) Sterling’s book is book 2 in your Zodius Series.  How did you come up with the idea for this series?
Lisa: I am a Vegas addict. I love it! I’ve always been interested in the secrets of Area 51 and my now deceased father-in-law was at a famous cleanup site. He told us tidbits before he died and it was enough to really spark ideas about Area 51 and Super Soldiers.
Q4) What has been the most challenging and rewarding part of writing Sterling’s book?
Lisa: The end is always the most rewarding and the most challenging. I never want to let go of the characters and I struggle for days to get into my new characters as I cling to the old.  
Q5) I know that Damion’s book is next: The Danger that is Damion (Release date is May 2012).  Can you tell us a little about this next book?
Lisa:  Damion is a character readers will meet in Sterling’s book and he is a very by the book kind of guy. He believes there are rules for a reason. Suddenly, to save a woman he loves, he might have to break those rules.
Q6) What is up next for the Zodius Series after Damion’s book? 
Lisa: You will meet Chale in Damion’s book. He is my next planned story feature.
Q7) I know you write in other genres besides the paranormal. Do you prefer one genre over another?  If so, can you explain why?
Lisa: No I like the mix. Paranormal suspense is intense and dark and emotional to write. Then I write a Blaze and its light and fun. I find the shift back and forth keeps me fresh and excited and challenged.
Q8) What kind of research did you have to do for the Zodius series?
Lisa: I have lots of military family connections so those are questions I direct to those connections. My cousin’s husband is active Special Forces. My fiancé is going to med school so the genetic stuff he helps me with or he’s gone to an instructor for me before.  
Q9) Who is your all-time favorite author and why?
Lisa:  Oh I have a lot of favorites. I can’t pick just one. I love Karen Moning and Galean Foley.  I love a good historical because I don’t write that genre so it’s just an escape.
Q10) Tell us three things about yourself that we can’t find in your bio or on your website.
Lisa: I am a Starbucks addict – white mocha!
I am a chocolate addict – any but Godiva is a fabulous indulgence – if only it wasn’t priced like gold.
I’m a gym rat. I workout 6 days a week and even on vacations
Q11) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Lisa:  No. I was into acting before the corporate world stole me away and I actually got back into independent film quite heavily right before I started writing books.
Q12) Do you prefer writing series or stand-alone books?
Lisa: I like series because I don’t like to let go of my secondary characters
Q13) What trait do you like best in your heroes and heroines?
Lisa: They are all different, and like people, those differences make them special.
Q14) Do you ever base your characters off of people that you know?
Lisa: Not really. In Santa Baby the heroine was very me which was not the norm. For some reason, she just took on a lot of my character traits.
Q15) Name one movie that you think everyone should see.
Lisa: You know—I love movies but I rarely see them twice. I’m a big television person. Everyone should have a Sam and Dean Supernatural addiction!
Q16) If you could spend a whole day doing anything that you wanted to do with one of your characters.  Who would it be and why?
Lisa:  Whoever I am writing at the time. I have to be in love with the character while I’m writing him/her.

Q17) Do you ever get writers block?  If yes, what do you do to get unblocked?
Lisa:  Yes and it always means something is wrong with the story. I beat myself up until I figure it out and probably I should step away but I rarely do. Once I figure out what is wrong I am always amazed it took me so much fretting to come to that answer.
Q18) What if anything have you learned from your characters?
Lisa: That unique is good and it makes us special.
Q19) What are you currently reading? Or what is your next read?
Lisa:  I’m listening to one of the Bones/Frost books. I love that series and enjoy it on audio book.
Q20) Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Lisa:  Just huge thanks to my readers and to you Kelly for all of your love and support!
Books-n-Kisses:  Lisa, again thank you so very much for letting Books-n-Kisses being a part of your blogging tour for Sterling’s book.  I really enjoyed reading Sterling’s story and looking forward to reading Damion’s book.  I would love to have you back again. 
Lisa — I would be thrilled to return!!
Books-n-Kisses: Hey Lisa, How about we do a giveaway? 
Lisa:  Sounds good.  How about a goodie bag of books and Bath & Body Shop stuff.
Giveaway, To enter for a chance to win Lisa’s goodie bag.  Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway will end November 7th.  Winner Announced Nov. 9th.




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Interview & Giveaway with Keri Arthur

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome one of my favorite authors, Keri Arthur to the blog today.

The Official Bio: Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than twenty-five books. She’s received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards and has won RT’s Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.







Welcome to Books-n-Kisses. I am very excited to have you here today to talk about your new Dark Angels series.
Keri: Very happy to be here. Thanks for inviting me.
Books-n-Kisses:  shall we get started? 
Keri: I’m sitting here with a hot cuppa tea, all ready to go 🙂
Q1)  Tell us a little something about yourself that we can’t find in your bio.
Keri: Um….I’m a bit of a gamer, but I only play first person shoot ’em ups. Love them! Right now, I’m working my way through Crysis 2, then I have Black ops lined up. When that’s done, I plan to buy Rage and the new Call of Duty/Modern Warfare
Q2) Have you always wanted to be a writer?  If so, how did you get started?
Keri: I’ve always written. I started writing when I was 12, and never really stopped. But I didn’t get serious about trying to get published until my daughter was born. The first ‘proper’ book I wrote was Dancing with the Devil, but it was ten years and lots of rewrites before it was actually accepted for publication.
Q3) What are your writing rituals? Anything you have to have while you write?
Keri: I always—always have music on, and these days it’s usually the same disk—Eco Zen 2. It a very mellow CD, and tends to fade into the background, but I just can’t write without it. Silence drives me insane. Lol
I also always write in the afternoons—in the morning, I walk the dogs and then head of to the gym for a couple of hours.
Q4) Are you a plotter or a panster?
Keri: I’m a natural pantser who has become something of a plotter. The first four books of the Riley Jenson series were written without an outline, but the fifth crashed and burned (it needed major rewrites), so I’ve been doing outlines ever since. I tend to have an overall series outline, and also an outline for each book—but these are generally only a couple of paragraphs long.

Q5) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel they have influenced your writing?
Keri: Most of my favorite authors don’t write the same genre as me. I love Dick Francis, James Herbert, Anne Gracie, Eloisa James & Julia Quinn.  It’s not so much an influence, because he writes in a totally different genre to me, but I’ve always wanted to write like Dick Francis. He writes such fantastic characters and his books always draw you in from the very first page.  That’s what I try to achieve with my books.
Let’s talk books:
US Cover on left/ UK cover on right

Q6) Darkness Unbound was released on Sept 27th. Congrats, I love this cover.  This is the first book in the Dark Angels series, which is a spin off series from your Riley Jensen Series.  The main character in the Dark Angels series is Risa Jones.  Can you tell us more about this Darkness Unbound?

Keri: Darkness Unbound leaps 25 years into the future, with Risa now 28 years old. She runs a cafe with her two best friends, and occasionally helps her mom out by using her ability to see souls. At the beginning of the story, Risa is asked to uncover why a little girl remains in a deep coma on life support, but what she discovers shocks her. The little girl isn’t sick–someone has stolen her soul. And, worse still, not only is Risa being followed around by a reaper, but someone wants to permanently close the gates to heaven and hell, and they believe she can help them achieve this. Needless to say, things go rapidly downhill from there.
Q7) When you were writing Risa in Riley’s series did you know that she would have her own book, let alone a series?
Keri: When she first appeared in Tempting Evil, neither she nor Dia were meant to be more than one book wonders. But by the time she became a precocious toddler sweet talking her Aunt Riley into giving her Coke and cake, I knew she would have her own series.
US Cover on left/ UK cover on right

Q8) Darkness Rising (bk2) was released on Oct 25th.  Huge Congrats Again!!!   Can you tell us a little more about this second installment of Risa’s story?

Keri: Darkness Rising revolves around the quest to find the first of the three keys to the gates of heaven and Hell, as well as Risa working for Hunter and the vampire council to uncover who is cursing council members to whither, go mad, and die.

UK cover.  US cover not out yet

Q9) Darkness Devours will be book 3 and is scheduled for release July 5th 2012 (which I have to say seems so far away).  Can you share anything with us about this story? 

Keri: Darkness Devours deals with the fallout of their quest to find the first of the keys to the gates of heaven and hell, as well as Risa continuing to work for the vampire council—this time to catch and kill the creature who is eating vampires alive.
Q10) Keri, do you have any idea how many books will be in the Dark Angels series?
Keri: there was meant to be five, but as I said above, I tend not to stick to outlines, so there’s at least seven

Q11) I have to ask about your Myth and Magic series is there another book coming in this series? If yes, can you share anything about it with us?

Keri: There was a third book planned, but it’s not contracted and I doubt it will get written. Right now, I’m concentrating on my Dark Angels books, as well as a ‘secret’ project—not contracted—that features a phoenix.
Q12) Will we ever get another Riley Jensen book?
Keri: No, sorry. I’ve tortured poor Riley enough. She deserves her peace and quiet.
Q13) What is your current work in progress?
Keri: I’m currently working on Darkness Hunts, the fourth book in the Dark Angels series. The unconfirmed release date is the end of 2012.
Q14) I love to know what authors are reading. Can you tell me what you just read or an upcoming release that you are very excited about?
Keri: I actually tend to listen to audio books more than I read these days. I can’t wait to listen to Matthew Rielly’s new Scarecrow book, and I’d also love to read Lilith Saintcrow’s new book (it comes out Aug next year), The Iron Wyrm Affair.
Q15) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Keri: Just another round of thanks for having me here  🙂
Books-n-Kisses: Keri, HUGE thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me and chat about your books.  What do you say we giveaway a signed copy of both Darkness Unbound & Darkness Rising to one lucky commenter?
Keri: Sounds like a good idea to me!

To enter for a chance to win the first 2 books in the Dark Angel series please fill out the form below: 






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Guest Blog & Giveaway with Kathleen Allen

Greetings All!
My name is Kathleen S. Allen and I write books. I also write short stories, poetry, lyric essays and whatever else I can think of! I decided to try my hand at a romance. Although many of my books have romantic elements in them, I haven’t written one that has romance as the main story line. 
The name of my book is: THE CRAZY NURSE.
 Here’s the blurb:
Molly, a new nurse on the psychiatric unit, falls in love with her manager John Whitefeather. His heart has been broken and he resists his attraction to her…at first. Afraid of getting hurt again after letting his guard down John leaves without a word. Molly quits her job and moves to San Francisco to take care of her brother who has AIDS. When they run in to each other again can they make their relationship work or is it too late for them?
From the novel:
He came out of the bathroom looking clean, and shiny.  He had on a different pair of gray sweats, these were clean, and his chest was bare.  His hair still hung loose around his shoulders, but, at least it was clean now.  Molly hadn’t realized how beautiful long hair could be on a man.  Especially this man.  She looked quickly away before John could see her desire for him on her face.  But, she didn’t look away fast enough, he saw the passion in her eyes, and it thrilled him.
Available here:
https://www.xoxopublishing.com/shop-online/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=32&products_id=184
The story takes place in a large urban hospital in the Midwest but quickly progresses to San Francisco. I wanted to write what is known as a medical romance with medical elements in it so Molly’s—the main character—brother has AIDS. Both the main characters, Molly and her love interest, John are psychiatric nurses. I wrote this novel before I actually worked on a locked psychiatric unit as a nurse and my colleagues joked that I based the story on them! A couple of them even wanted to know which character they were! I told them I wrote it before I got the job—I have since left it—but I don’t think anyone believed me! Guesses were made about who the love interest could be, a resident? One of our physicians? Another nurse? Finally, I told them that the characters were more of a combination of staff I interacted with on the unit and that seemed to pacify them! Although I am no longer working on the psychiatric unit I am still friends with colleagues and they still ask me who the love interest is based on! Uh, he’s more of my ideal man, except for the whole I-can’t-be-in-love-so-I’m-going-to-take-off scenario. I adore long hair on a man so I had to make him have long hair. 
My experience with writing romance tells me two things. First of all, I can write a romance, especially a medical romance and second of all, writing a romance is hard! It’s hard to get the right nuances and it’s hard to not let the characters slide into stereotypical behavior.  I recently wrote and published a murder mystery and that was hard to write but the romance is right up there!
Will I write another romance? Perhaps. Right now I am in the process of editing a faerie vs. human young adult fantasy novel called LORE OF FEI that is being published in April, 2012 by Muse It Up Publishing. My literary agent is shopping around a contemporary young adult novel and is looking at my latest novel, a young adult historical novel. I am also getting ready to do NaNoWriMo beginning November 1st. This is the competition where you write a 50K novel in 30 days. Your daily word count is 1,667. I did it last year and “won” with LORE OF FEI. My novel this year is about a 19th Century woman who falls in love with a man who may or may not be vampire. I’ve written about faeries, werewolves, dragons, unicorns, witches, ghosts and one short story about a vampire but never an entire book. It should be fun!
I also just joined a local children’s lit/YA book critique group and we are meeting next month. I have a critique partner I value online but I feel that meeting and socializing with other authors is important.
I am trying to be a writer full time so I am looking for writing gigs along with doing my fiction writing. My dream job would be to teach creative writing at a college. I do have a Master’s in English with an emphasis in creative writing but most colleges want either a MFA (Master’s in Fine Arts in writing) or a Ph D in English/Creative Writing.  I am teaching an online workshop next year in March, 2012 for Novelists at Work on how to write a young adult novel. I hope to be able to do more of those.
Thanks for having me as a guest blogger today! You can find me here:
On Twitter: @kathleea
Email: gaelicfairie@gmail.com
Website: http://www.gaelicfairie.webs.com/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Witch-Hunter/142372955812353
Guest blogger every Wednesday on http://www.downtownya.blogspot.com/

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