Viviana from Enchantress of Books and I are super excited to have the very talented Kendra Elliot on our blogs today to talk about her wonderful Suspense Romance books on audio.
Kendra, what do you love/like about audio books?
My favorite thing is that it widens my reach. I reach more readers/listeners by being available in audio. I hear from people who physically cannot read a book and they’re very grateful that I’m available in audio. For my own preferences, I don’t like to listen to them…I can’t stand being read to out loud. Even when my husband tries to read me a snippet from a magazine, I say, “Just let me look at it!”
Tell us what involvement do you have in getting your novels turned into audiobooks?
My publisher does everything. I just cheer them on.
How is your narrator selected for your novels?
Book one in the Mason Callahan series
Good question! Over ten novels and novellas, I’ve had multiple narrators. I know on my Callahan & McLane series, they’ve made it a priority to use the same duo for narration, but I’m not sure of my publisher’s selection process on the others.
What information/guidance do you provide to the narrator?
The duo that does my Callahan series reaches out to me each time before they start and asks if I have any guidance. I usually don’t. They have confirmed how to pronounce a few of the Pacific Northwest locations like Willamette. It’s not willa-met.
I am so glad they asked you that. I just listened to another story and the pronounced Willamette wrong. If you are from Oregon you will understand.
Kendra’s debut novel. Book one in the Bone Secret series.
Do you listen to your audiobooks after they are finished? Why or why not.
NOOOO! When my debut novel came out, I thought it’d be cool to listen to the audio sample on Amazon. I lasted it through two sentences. Those are my words! I don’t know how to explain it…it was too odd. It’s probably similar to how my brother felt when he tried to read one of my books. He said he could hear my voice talking in his head, and he simply couldn’t continue.
If you have one book in your backlist that is not already on audio, which novel would you want to be turned into an audio book.
I started to list VEILED, one of my novellas. But I just double checked on Amazon and it is available in audio. I love my publisher. They’ve made it a priority to get everything I’ve written into audio.
If you could pick one person (male or female) to narrator your life who would it be and why?
Novella #1 in the Rouge River series.
How about Morgan Freeman? I could listen to him read the phone book.
For anyone who has not listened to an audiobook before. What would you tell them to try to convince them
to listen?
I firmly believe everyone should try it. Clearly it’s not for me, but I have friends who are huge readers and absolutely love audio too. They listen while working out or during their commutes. You might be missing out on something fabulous.
As a kid, I read and read and read. Laura Ingalls, Nancy Drew, and Trixie Belden were my close companions, and I was never without a book in hand. Today, mysteries are my primary reading genre. I enjoy Lee Child, Karen Rose, Robert Crais, and Tami Hoag. But I also love a sweeping historical novel by Diana Gabaldon or a contemporary romance by Rachel Gibson.
I decided to try my hand at writing a novel after I read a newspaper article about NaNoWriMo. Heck, I can do that. I sat down and wrote a contemporary romance but kept tripping over dead bodies in each chapter. I got the hint and my stories evolved into romantic suspense.
I joined my local Romance Writers of America chapter, the Rose City Romance Writers, and found a fabulous community dedicated to educating its members about writing and publishing. Book purchases are tax deductable?? I also belong to International Thriller Writers and the Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA.
In 2010, my manuscript, Stronger Than Bone (HIDDEN), was a finalist in RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® contest. My third book, BURIED, won the Daphne Du Maurier award for romantic suspense and was nominated for the 2014 International Thriller Writers’s award for Best Paperback Original and Romantic Times Magazine’s best Romantic Suspense of 2013.
I grew up in the lush Pacific Northwest and still live there with my husband, three daughters, two cats, and a Pomeranian. I am fascinated with forensics, refuse to eat anything green, and love a good Mai Tai on the beach on Kauai.
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome first time guess Katy Evans to the blog to chat a little about her newest release Manwhore.
Katy, can you please share with us a little about yourself
Hi, Kelly! Thanks so much for having me over. I’m Katy Evans, author of the Real series and the upcoming Manwhore series. My debut, Real, came out in 2013 and from then on, I’ve been thrilled to be sharing my characters and stories with readers. I’m especially excited about sharing with them the very first book in my Manwhore series, MANWHORE, out March 24. 🙂
2. Have you always wanted to be an author?
Almost always, yes. Very very young (around 8), I wanted to be a teacher or a veterinarian; I think mainly because it never occurred to me that I could actually write a book. But I had a fierce imagination and loved to play on my own. My mother claims she’s never met a little girl who entertained herself for so long the way I did. She didn’t understand that I “seemed” alone, but with such an imagination, you’re never alone. Ever.
When I finally turned 12, I found my true calling when I became addicted to the Sweet Valley High books. As I closed the pages of my very first one, it struck me that all I wanted was to be a writer and share my own characters and stories with others.
3. Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
I start as soon as I wake up, always with a cup of tea or coffee. First I try to go through any emails or pressing things I need to do, then I write for a few hours straight, get lunch ready for the kids, and come back to my computer for another couple of hours during the afternoon. When I’m in the “flow” and can’t pull away from the book, I may write 12 hours straight. My husband knows when I’m “there” because I’m completely spaced-out and unable to lift my eyes from my screen, and I love that he knows me so well, he takes lunch into his own hands and drives the kids wherever they need to go so that I don’t miss the momentum. I’m truly lucky to be blessed with their support!
4. Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
I really think the most rewarding thing is both the writing itself, which is heaven, and the validation from those amazing readers who reach out, post reviews, tweet, Facebook, and take the time to let you know that they enjoyed the book as much as you did writing it. It’s the best feeling in the world! The most challenging aspect for me probably comes from juggling the writing along with your own life and needs.
5. Can you please tell us about your latest book?
MANWHORE is the first of a series of adult contemporary romances centered in Chicago. My heroine, Rachel Livingston, gets an assignment to find juicy little tidbits about our playboy, notorious hero, Malcolm Saint. Theirs is a slow burn kind of love that really heats up the pages and completely consumed me from page 1!
6. How did you come with the idea for this story?
I went to a signing in Chicago, and there, I saw this picture on TV about a very handsome playboy. I didn’t catch his name but I was so intrigued I couldn’t stop wondering about him, and that’s where my Manwhore came from. 🙂
7. Can you share with us your current work in progress?
Currently I’m finishing the 2nd in the Manwhore series, which is the continuation of the first book. I’m so connected to this couple that I can’t let them go just yet, but I know I’ll soon have to so that all the readers can get this story in their hands by the July 7th release date. 🙂
8. Who are some of your favorite authors?
I have so many, so many authors I’m so thankful for. My first loves were Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux, Julie Garwood, Judith McNaught, then came Sandra Brown and Lisa Kleypas and Linda Howard and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, then I discovered the amazing Sylvia Day, Maya Banks, Janet Evanovich, and Jojo Moyes. I also love reading my author friends!
9. Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
I’m certain that the authors I’ve read have given me a gift within their pages that have helped shape the author I’ve become, yes! We read what you love, and we write what we love.
10. Open your book to a random page and please reads us a few lines.
“You look nervous,” Gina says as I add some blush to my cheeks. “Relax, Rachel. He’s just a man, no matter how godly.”
“Don’t say that, I’m nervous enough as it is. Clubs were not even my scene when we were begging to be let in.”
“Nobody will know it’s not your scene. Just make sure to look the part.”
11. What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I always look forward to reading my friends’ releases and I also can’t wait to read the next Crossfire series book by Sylvia Day. And….the next Sandra Brown thriller, please!
12. Is there anything else you would like to add?
I truly appreciate being here and thank you, readers, for stopping by! I’m grateful for each one of you. Thank you!
Is it possible to expose Chicago’s hottest player—without getting played?
This is the story I’ve been waiting for all my life, and its name is Malcolm Kyle Preston Logan Saint. Don’t be fooled by that last name though. There’s nothing holy about the man except the hell his parties raise. The hottest entrepreneur Chicago has ever known, he’s a man’s man with too much money to spend and too many women vying for his attention.
Mysterious. Privileged. Legendary. His entire life he’s been surrounded by the press as they dig for tidbits to see if his fairytale life is for real or all mirrors and social media lies. Since he hit the scene, his secrets have been his and his alone to keep. And that’s where I come in.
Assigned to investigate Saint and reveal his elusive personality, I’m determined to make him the story that will change my career.
But I never imagined he would change my life. Bit by bit, I start to wonder if I’m the one discovering him…or if he’s uncovering me.
What happens when the man they call Saint, makes you want to sin?
Books-n-Kisses is please to welcome first time guest Jennifer Ryan….
Jennifer, can you please share with us a little about yourself?
I married my high school sweetheart nearly twenty-four years ago. We have three amazing kids. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. When I’m not writing, I’m spending time with my family and working in the garden. I hate doing laundry and am obsessed with all things chocolate.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I’ve always been an avid reader. I get that from my mother. Believe it or not, I never thought about being a writer until I became a stay-at-home mom. All those books I read and loved turned into a passion for making up my own happy-ever-afters with some suspense thrown in. I was actually working full-time as a Cable Systems Designer when I sold my first book. I continued to work for more than a year after my first book came out. Five books later, I quit my job and am now living my dream as a full-time writer. I love it!
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
Ask my husband and he’ll tell you I am a creature of habit with one superpower, I can block out everything when I write – including my kids talking to me. They’re used to it, and I make it up to them with baked treats. I write 7 days a week. It almost always goes the same way – coffee or tea with cookies or chocolate, a movie from the DVR I’ve seen a hundred times (right now it’s Divergent), me on the couch with my laptop. I write anywhere from a couple of hours to all day some weekends, depending on how well it’s going. No matter what, I try to move the story forward each day.
Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
Most challenging is naming all the characters. I swear, it’s like naming your child, but there’s a dozen people who show up on the page.
Most rewarding is seeing my books in print and fans contacting me to tell me how much they loved the story. It never gets old and every book that gets published makes me anxious and nervous in the best way.
Can you please tell us about your latest book?
AT WOLF RANCH is the first book in my new Montana Men series. Fans of The Hunted Series got a glimpse of my Montana Men in CAN’T WAIT when Caleb married Summer and Caleb’s brothers attended the wedding.
Gabe Bowden gave up the rodeo to move home and settle down on his own land. When Phillip Wolf offers to sell him Wolf Ranch at a too-good-to-be-true price, he doesn’t ask questions and takes the deal. He’ll finally have the ranch he’s always wanted, and maybe he’ll find a woman who shares his dream of a simple life on the ranch.
Ella Wolf is a New York socialite everyone thinks is nothing more than a party girl. They don’t know her. When her twin sister Lela is murdered by their uncle, Ella will do anything to discover the secrets her sister uncovered about their uncle.
The only clue Ella has leads her to their family ranch in Montana. Stranded on the side of the road in a snowstorm and about to freeze to death, she’s rescued by a handsome cowboy. Gabe vows to help her find the evidence and take down her uncle before he finds and kills her too.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
The idea for the Montana Men series came while I wrote Can’t Wait and Caleb’s brothers arrived for his wedding. Gabe, Blake, and Dane needed their own stories.
For AT WOLF RANCH, I wanted Gabe to fall for a woman who is all wrong for him, but really the right one. He was stood up at the altar by a woman who seemed like the perfect country girl. He loves Ella, but doesn’t think it will work because she’s a city girl. She’ll prove to him she’s a country girl at heart.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
I am actually working on Book 5 – The Hunted Series. No title yet. Fans of the series have asked for Ben’s story, and I’m happy to give it to them. Ben appears in SAVED BY THE RANCHER. He’s a lawyer with a mission to help abused women escape their terrible circumstances. Right now, he’s trying to save Kate and her son from falling victim to a spoiled, entitled man who thinks his money can get him out of anything – including murder.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Julie Garwood, and Tami Hoag are some of my favorite contemporary and suspense writers. Some of my favorite writer friends are Lia Riley, Marina Adair, Hannah Jayne, and Jules Barnard. Believe it or not, I’m a huge historical romance fan. I love Stephanie Laurens, Monica McCarty, Hannah Howell, and Lynsay Sands to name a few.
Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
All of them in some way. Over time though, I’ve developed my own style and voice. I have a way of organizing my stories that works for me, like the opening scene is usually something that will blow you away – or at least I hope it does.
Open your book to a random page and please reads us a few lines.
“I’m staying. Don’t mind me.”
“A little privacy would be nice,” she shot back.
“I’ve already seen you half naked. Believe me, right now, all I’m interested in are your injuries.”
Right now. As in later might be a different story. Maybe that was wishful thinking, because this man did all kinds of weird things to her insides. She wanted him to stay. She wanted him to go. And, oh God, how stupid of her, she wanted him to wrap his arms around her again and tell her everything was going to be okay.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Due to my writing schedule, it’s hard to find time to read, but on top of my To Read pile is Elizabeth Lowell’s Running Scared.
I am very excited to see Gabe’s brother’s books come out. If you’re interested in Gabe, you’ll love his brothers Blake and Dane in WHEN IT’S RIGHT and HER LUCKY COWBOY.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I had a great time, Kelly. Thanks for inviting me to Books-n-Kisses today.
Everything’s bigger in Big Sky country, including the hearts of the Montana Men…After years on the rodeo circuit, Gabe Bowden wants nothing more than land of his own and a woman who will claim his heart for more than one night. When he has the chance to buy the enormous Wolf Ranch spread, he snaps up the incredible deal. Everything is set, until Gabe rescues a woman on the deserted, snowy road leading to the property, and the half-frozen beauty changes everything.
Ella Wolf rushes to her family’s abandoned Montana ranch after her twin sister is murdered. She knows she’s next . . . unless she can uncover a secret hidden somewhere at Wolf Ranch. The last thing Ella expects is to be rescued by a rugged rancher with his own agenda. A man who almost makes her forget how dangerous love can be.
As an unlikely partnership sparks into something so much more, and a killer closes in, can Ella and Gabe learn to trust one another before it’s too late?
About the Author:
Jennifer Ryan is the New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted Series and The McBrides Series. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary small-town romances featuring strong men and equally resilient women. Her stories are filled with love, family, friendship, and the happily-ever-after we all hope to find.
Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s reading one. Her obsession with both is often revealed in the state of her home and in how late dinner is to the table. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.
Tara welcome to the blog. Can you please share with us a little about yourself
I’m a long-time non-fiction writer who sat up in bed one day about five years ago and thought, I should write a novel. My first romance novel was published in January of 2011 and that was 25 books ago! People often ask me how I got interested in writing MM romance. It’s a hard question to answer. As a young girl, I had two very dear friends who I later discovered were gay. I remember how hard life was for both of them and I hated that they had to hide all the time. Shortly before I wrote my first novel, I ordered a book by a favorite author, Jet Mykles, and discovered to my surprise that the book was MM. I loved it! I adored the lack of gender roles and the peek into the emotional life of these complex men. I had started working on a MF, older woman/younger man romance, and I added another man to the story! Just that fast, I was a MM author. Giving happy ever afters to heroes like my two childhood friends, is a constant pleasure. While writing books is a fulltime job for me, I also continue my day job – because I own it! I own a small advertising agency with a partner and enjoy the variety that my two fulltime jobs provide.Have you always wanted to be an author?
I guess I never thought about it much. Writing was just something I could always do. I wrote my first book at five. But when I started making my living as a non-fiction writer, the idea of becoming an author also seemed like too much work! Then I found romance novels and never looked back. Now I’m proud to be an author.What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I can’t write with music playing. I listen to other authors talk about their play lists and I’m amazed. But I think I’m such a right-brain writer that music is more distracting than words.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
My new book is called Canning the Center and it’s the second book in my series, The Long Pass Chronicles. It’s the story of an unlikely love affair between an NFL football star and a drag queen. Because my football player is hiding his sexual orientation, he can’t be seen romantically with another man. So my drag queen offers to date him dressed as a woman. That’s when they get in a LOT of trouble!
How did you come up with the idea for this story?
When I wrote Outing the Quarterback, book 1 in the Long Pass Chronicles, I wanted a best friend for my hero, Will Ashford. Since Will is a quarterback, it was logical that his best friend might be the center for the football team. Centers are big men, so Jamal Jones, the gentle giant was born. Jamal and his family are integrally involved in that first book and people loved his character. My agent and publisher immediately asked if I was writing a book about Jamal. I love hatching plots based on characters that are wildly different. When I’m thinking up a story, I first create an idea for my main character. In this case, I already knew I had a big, smart, laid-back guy who loved football and was very good at it. I knew he was going into the NFL which is not a gay friendly environment, so I thought about Jamal being signed by a team with an ultra-conservative owner. Then I wanted to put him in the most wildly difficult and unlikely scenario I could find. Voila! I had him fall in love with a drag queen. But when I came up with that plot idea, I had no concept of how complex and layered that drag queen would be! LOL.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Since writing Canning the Center, I’ve completed two more books – Winter’s Wolf (releasing in March) which is the third book in my Tales of the Harker Pack paranormal series, and Knight of Ocean Avenue (coming out in May) which is the first book in a new contemporary series called Love in Laguna. I’m currently writing the second book in the Love in Laguna series. It’s called Knave of Broken Hearts. It tells the story of a tough construction worker who finds himself attracted to a beautiful Asian cardiologist who reminds him of a character from his favorite comic book as a kid.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
If I could go back in time, I would love to have met Oscar Wilde. Today, I’m so fortunate to have met many, many of my favorite authors and a number of them have become friends – Z A Maxfield, Lynn Lorenz, Jet Mykles, Eli Easton, Jordan Hawk, and others.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
It’s not original, but the answer is WRITE! Write, write, write. The more you do, the better you’ll get and the fact of finishing a book is a huge milestone psychologically. Yes, study and learn, but above all, write.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
I’ve been all over the world in my travels, but somehow I’ve missed Ireland. I’d like to go there. I was also determined to move out of our very big house we lived in and downsize – which we just accomplished! Yahoo! I’d like the privilege of writing more novels with happy endings and having people enjoy reading them!
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I’m always salivating over new releases from Eli Easton, Jordan Hawk, ZAM Maxfield, and others.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Every time someone sends me an email or posts on Amazon, Facebook or Goodreads that they like one of my books, I’m thrilled. After a pretty complete career in marketing, the fact that I could have wound up as an author that people enjoy reading is a gift. Every reader amazes and delights me. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
*****
Let’s take a look at Canning the Center
Canning The Center
(Long Pass Chronicles, #2)
By Tara Lain
Blurb:
Six foot seven inch, 300 pound Jamal Jones loves football, so when he finds out the ultra-conservative owner of his new pro football team fired their current center because he’s gay, bisexual Jamal decides to stay in the closet and hang with the females. Then, at a small drag show, he comes face-to-face with his sexual fantasy in the form of Trixie LaRue, a drag queen so exquisitely convincing she scrambles Jamal’s hormones — and his resolve to nurse his straight side.
Trevor Landry, aka Trixie LaRue, hides more than his genitals. A mathematician so brilliant he can’t be measured, Trevor disguises his astronomical IQ and his quirk for women’s clothes behind his act as a gay activist undergrad at Southern California University.
To Trevor, Jamal is the answer to a dream — a man who can love and accept both his personas. When he discovers Jamal’s future is threatened if he’s seen with a guy, Trevor becomes Trixie to let Jamal pass as straight. But Trevor risks his position every time he puts on a dress. Is there a closet big enough to hold a football pro and a drag queen?
Available for purchase at
Excerpt
Trevor stuck out a
hand. “My name’s Trevor. Pleased to meet you.”
Jamal reached out to
take the offered handshake and—whoops! In one gentle pull on Trevor’s arm that
clearly required no effort on Jamal’s part, Trevor was up against that huge
chest. “I’m Jamal. I don’t mean to be presumptuous. Just tell me to stop. But
if I don’t kiss you again soon, I’m a dead man.”
Trevor smiled up
into those dark brown eyes. “I would never want to be accused of murder.”
Such full, full
lips. They moved slowly down, down to Trevor’s. The first touch sent a flash
like lightning through every nerve, and he shivered.
Jamal pulled back.
“Cold?”
“Quite the
contrary.” He wrapped his arms tightly around the bunny’s neck.
Invitation
delivered. Jamal’s mouth closed over Trevor’s. Those lips were just as soft as
they looked, but not as silky as the tongue that slipped into his mouth. Oh my,
a girl could get drunk on this sweetness. Trevor opened and received, allowing
exploration—and sharing it. His poor abused cock, which had spent a couple of
hours locked between his asscheeks, wanted to stretch in a whole new direction.
Sweet God, he hadn’t throbbed like this in ages. One leg crawled up Jamal’s ass
all by itself—and it was a long way up. Too far to get his bulge anywhere near
its rightful companion. His eyes popped open. “Well, damn. Not much chance of
sexing you up unless we’re lying down.”
Jamal chuckled. “Oh
no, sweet thing, there are advantages to all these muscles.”
He picked Trevor up
under the butt. Yes! Contact.
Trevor looked into
those melted chocolate eyes. “I am estimating your equipment fully matches in
size the other proportions of your body?” He wrapped his legs around Jamal’s
surprisingly narrow waist.
Instead of getting
all peacocky like he had the right to, Jamal kind of blushed. “Yeah. Sorry.”
“Surely you jest.”
He grinned, but he
was breathing hard. “So you don’t mind big all over?”
“Not one little
bit.”
Jamal rode Trev up
and down against his cock. Oh God, that felt so good. Trevor never had decent
sex because he had this reputation to uphold, and Trixie never had sex at all.
Jesus, that added up to one crappy sex life. But the bunny was like a world in
the middle. With Jamal, for the first time, he got to be both Trevor and Trixie
and that was whole and perfect and hot! “You might want to stop unless you
would enjoy watching me wash these jeans.”
“Better yet, how
about I take you out and we get to know each other before I quit football and
take up fucking you full time?”
Who could laugh at a
time like this? But he still did. He hugged that big, muscular frame tight and
rubbed his cock against Jamal’s huge bulge until they were both gasping. “No.
No, I think you better write the resignation letter.”
“Deal. But I could
take us out for root beer floats first.”
Trevor stopped. “I
love root beer.”
Jamal held him
still, their cocks still squashed in bliss. “You’re kidding. No one likes root
beer but me.”
“I do. It’s my
favorite.”
“There’s this
diner—”
“Okay, fuck sex. I
need a root beer float and a hamburger.”
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her bestselling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soulmate husband and her soulmate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
Books-n-Kisses is super excited to have Zane from Rebecca Zanetti Marked on the blog today. MARKED is the last book in Ms. Zanetti Dark Protector’s series. While I am so very sad to see this series come to an end, but I am excited to finally learn more about Zane. There have been so many questions about what and who Zane is. And how he will help or hinder the Janie Kayrs. So let’s see if we can get some information from Zane so we can figure out what he is. But before we do that let’s take a quick look at MARKED.
Janie Kayrs has known Zane almost her whole life. He was her friend in the dream world. She trusted him. But that was before he kidnapped her, spiriting her away to an isolated cabin to learn what her dreams never told her. Like how dangerous he looks. How he got on the wrong side of the negotiating table. And how much sexier he is in real life…
Zane is a battle-hardened warrior, used to command and solitude. But Janie has drawn him from the minute they met. His need for her could destroy everything he’s worked for, but the risk is too sweet not to take it. They call her the Chosen One. But when it comes down to the questions of peace or war, life or death, safety or passion, it will be Janie who makes the choice.
*****
Now on to the interview.
Kelly: Hi Zane, Welcome to Books-n-Kisses
Zane: Ah, Hi, Kelly. I’m new to the interview scene, so go easy on me, will you? J
Kelly: Thank you for taking time away from your busy……. schedule to sit down with me to take to talk about…. well you.
Zane: Sure. Not much is going on right now besides war, world catastrophe, and my unsettled love life.
Kelly: Okay I have to ask because everyone wants to know. What are you?
Zane: Just a regular guy, I think. I mean, I’m a soldier and part vampire, but really, I’m just a normal soldier with maybe a couple of secrets thrown in. I like beer, football, inventing new weapons. You know. Normal guy stuff.
Kelly: Okay *thinks to self: so that didn’t work* How about a game of 20 questions?
Zane: I do love a good game. Usually when I win, I take over a continent, though.
Kelly: Sounds good.
Zane: All right – shoot them my way.
Kelly: Questions #1: What is your favorite color?
Zane: Blue – the exact color of Janie’s eyes.
Kelly: Questions #2: Do you have any magical powers?
Zane: Yes.
Kelly: Questions #3: Who is your favorite person in the whole world?
Zane: Janie Belle Kayrs would have to be number one. But I also like my brothers, usually. Their names are Sam and Logan.
Kelly: Questions #4: What are you?
Zane: Just a regular guy.
Kelly: Questions #5: Who is your least favorite person in the world?
Zane: I’d have to say Kalin, who’s a Kurjan, is probably my least favorite person. It’s hard to completely hate him, though. We’ve known each other since we were kids, and even when you don’t like somebody, there’s a type of bond you get with people you’ve known forever, you know? I hope I don’t have to kill him, but to save Janie, I may have to. I’m prepared.
Kelly: Questions #6: How tall are you?
Zane: Last time I checked, I was about 6’6.
Kelly: Questions #7: Do you drink blood?
Zane: I’m part vampire, so I do drink blood during battle or maybe during sex. We don’t need blood to survive and can make our own. I plan on biting Janie, just so you know.
Kelly: Questions #8: Do you dream walk with anyone except Janie?
Zane: No. Well, Kalin shows up sometimes, but Janie’s the draw for us both. Kalin and I have never met in the dream world without Janie.
Kelly: Questions #9: What are you?
Zane: A realist. I enjoy the romances throughout the Realm, but really? I don’t see myself having a happy ending. Of course, I hope I’m wrong about that.
Kelly: Questions #10: Tell me your favorite thing about Janie?
Zane: She’s smart as hell and a complete smartass. The smartass part is just a cover-up to keep everyone around her calm. She really has a huge heart, and she’s incredibly fragile but has no clue how true that is. Fate and destiny weigh heavily on her, and I have a feeling she’s about to meet both. She’ll win, though. She has to.
Kelly: Questions #11: Football or Basketball?
Zane: Football. I have two brothers, and we like to hit things.
Kelly: Questions #12: What do you do for a living?
Zane: I’m a soldier and a pretty damn good assassin. That weighs on me, to be honest.
Kelly: Questions #13: How much can you deadlift?
Zane: Two vampires and a Kurjan.
Kelly: Questions #14: What are you?
Zane: A guy about to make a move to get the woman I’ve loved for years. That makes me more dangerous than I’ve ever been, but I’m okay with that now.
Kelly: Questions #15: If you could go anywhere in the world for one night where would you go?
Zane: Well, okay. Don’t tell anybody, but I do have a retreat in the wilds of Alaskawhere I just get away from everybody and everything once in a while. I love that place.
Kelly: Questions #16: Whom would you take with you on the one night?
Zane: Janie Belle Kayrs, but she’d probably be mad if I kidnapped her. Not that I kidnap her or anything. Really. Trust me. J
Kelly: Questions #17: Whom do you work for?
Zane: If I told you who I worked for, I’d have to make sure you couldn’t tell anybody else, and I don’t know of any nice way to do that. So let’s just say I do have a job, and it’s bloody.
Kelly: Questions #18: Naughty or Nice?
Zane: Naughty. Life is too short for Nice.
Kelly: Questions #19: What are you?
Zane: Who are any of us? I guess it’d depend who you asked as to who I am. I’ve got friends, I’ve got enemies, and I’ve got Janie Belle Kayrs. Whether she considers herself friend or enemy, I don’t know yet. But I do know that she’s mine, so we’ll have to figure it all out, won’t we?
Kelly: Questions #20: Okay fine. Final question Boxers or Briefs?
Zane: Who has time for either?
Kelly: Okay seriously Zane, Off the record. What are you?
Zane: Okay, seriously. Off the record. Read MARKED. At the end of Chapter 1, both you and Janie will know exactly what I am. Let’s hope you’re not as pissed as Janie is. I do have a plan, you know.
For my first interview, this is been a lot of fun. To celebrate, I’d love to give away a print copy of FATED, the first book in the Dark Protector series, to a commenter here. Kelly will randomly draw a name. Just so you know, the book is about Talen Kayrs, who’s Janie’s father. The first time I met him, it, ah, didn’t go so well.
Here’s the blurb:
The damn earth ground to a stop. A weapon hit the pavement a yard away. Dage Kayrs’s eyes widened, and Moira Kayrs gasped.
Zane sighed and focused just as a locomotive the size of Talen Kayrs tackled him midsection, throwing him ten yards and landing hard on his chest. Zane’s head crashed onto the asphalt. Stars exploded behind his eyeballs, and unbearable pain cut into his brain. He tried to concentrate, to say something, when a fist plowed into his face.
Unconsciousness was a fucking blessing.
*****
To Enter: Please leave a question or comment for Ms. Zanetti.
Winner will be picked on Dec 15th.
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Monica Murphy to the blog.
Monica, can you please share with us a little about yourself
Well, my name is Monica Murphy and I write contemporary and new adult romance. I also write romance as Karen Erickson. I’m married, mom to three children and I live in California not too far from Yosemite.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I’ve always been a big reader and at one point after discovering (and devouring) my mom’s romance books, I decided I wanted to do that someday. And now here I am!
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Early days my favorite romance writers (the ones I discovered when I was a teen) were Jude Deveraux, Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood, Lavyrle Spencer. I loved their books so much. There was so much emotion and tension between the characters. I don’t know if anyone has really influenced my writing, though I’m sure they have.
Current favorite authors include Jill Shalvis (she’s my go to comfort read, love her), Cora Carmack, Samantha Young, Tessa Dare, Katie McGarry…I could go on and on. It’s an endless list.
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
I have actually written in a lot of different subgenres of romance. I started out writing erotic romance as Karen Erickson back in 2006. I wrote a new adult book that I self published as Monica Murphy (One Week Girlfriend) and I decided to write it under a different name because it was not my usual style of writing.
I like to change it up because I feel like it keeps me fresh. But I always stay within the romance field. I can’t resist a good romance.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Absolutely! OWNING VIOLET is the first book in The Fowler Sisters series and it’s about Violet, the middle sister. The dutiful sister who is being groomed to take over and run Fleur Cosmetics, the company her family owns. Her life completely changes at the beginning of the book and she starts interacting with the mysterious, sexy Ryder McKay, who works at Fleur. Soon she’s embarking on a torrid affair with him but things happen. Not nice things. The book has a Cruel Intentions vibe.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I’ve wanted to write a book about three sisters who have flower names for years. I knew I wanted it to be sexy, a little edgy, a little dark. And I wanted to have unredeemable characters who are somehow redeemed after all. That’s Ryder. He’s so awful through much of the book and I tried my best to redeem him. Hope I succeeded.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
I opened OWNING VIOLET to page 48 and Ryder and Violet are in a work meeting together. He’s completely distracted by the color of her lipgloss and sort of mad about it. LOL
What is your favorite Christmas/Holiday memory?
I love watching my kids open their presents every year, especially when they were younger and everything was so magical. The magic has worn off a little now that I have Santa non-believers but still. I love the holidays. It’s one of my favorite times of the year (I love Halloween too!)
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I read a YA book called The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel. So freaking good. I don’t know when the second book is out but I want to read it NOW.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just want to thank you so much for having me here today Kelly! And if anyone gets a chance to read OWNING VIOLET, I hope they enjoy it!
New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy begins a sexy new contemporary romance series—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emma Chase—that introduces three sisters born to wealth, raised to succeed, ready to love, destined to make waves.I’ve moved through life doing what’s expected of me. I’m the middle daughter, the dutiful daughter. The one who braved a vicious attack and survived. The one who devoted herself to her family’s business empire. The one who met an ambitious man and fell in love. We were going to run Fleur Cosmetics together, Zachary and I.
Until he got a promotion and left me in the dust. Maybe it’s for the best, between his disloyalty and his wandering eye. But another man was waiting for me. Wanting me. He too has an overwhelming thirst for success, just like Zachary—perhaps even more so. He’s also ruthless. And mysterious. I know nothing about Ryder McKay beyond that he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.
One stolen moment, a kiss, a touch . . . and I’m hooked. Ryder’s like a powerful drug, and I’m an addict who doesn’t want to be cured. He tells me his intentions aren’t pure, and I believe him. For once, I don’t care. I’m willing to risk everything just to be with him. Including my heart. My soul.
My everything.
Giveaway
I have been given permission to giveaway one copy paper copy of OWNING VIOLET
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome one of our favorites to the blog today. Paige Tyler is stoping by to chate about life and her newest release Her Lone Wolf. So what do you say we get started.
Paige, can you please share with us a little about yourself
I was born and raised in New Jersey, then moved all over after marrying my hubby (South Korea, Louisiana, Atlanta, Washington State), and currently call the beautiful Florida coast home. I’m a USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, romantic fiction and I’ve written over fifty books in practically every genre of romance, although I have to admit that my favorite genre is definitely the paranormal/romantic-suspense combo. Hubby, my very own military hero, and I live with our adorable fur baby (also known as our dog) and spend a good portion of our time writing. While I graduated with a degree in education and was well on my way to being an elementary school teacher, I decided to pursue passion of writing instead. These days I’m fully committed to writing books about hunky alpha males and the kickbutt heroines who fall in love with them.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I always loved writing from the time I was a little kid. I wrote stories about my cats, and made up romance stories about my Susie Homemaker doll falling in love and getting married to my Green Giant doll. They had so much in common, you know?
I credit my high school creative writing teacher with encouraging me to write for a living, but I have to admit, once I became an adult, I sort of put all that stuff in an old box and stuck it in the closest. I needed a “real job,” or thought I did.
In between dabbling in writing, I spent time going to college for Art, English, Computer Programming, and Education, looking for a career that would speak to me. I worked for a while on a military base, but other than the fact that I met my wonderful hubby there, I found it wasn’t really for me. It wasn’t until I started working as an elementary school teacher that I really got it. While I loved teaching kids, I realized that I resented the time the job took away from my writing.
That wasn’t fair to the kids or me, so I took the plunge and decided to write full time. The money hasn’t always been the greatest, but as any writer will tell you, it’s never about the money.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Not sure if you’d call it a “quirk” per se, but most people find it interesting that I write with my hubby as a team. We outline the stories together, then he handles the first rough draft (focusing mostly on plot development and action sequences), while I come in right behind him and layer in the character-building, dialogue, and romance. Then we both sit down side by side on the couch and read the entire book start to finish before I send it to my editor. It might seem like a crazy way to write, but it works for us.
Can you please tell us about your latest book?
My latest book is HER LONE WOLF, the second book in the X-OPS Series. For those who aren’t familiar with the series, it revolves around the Department of Covert Operations, a top secret organization that’s buried deep within the Department of Homeland Security. The DCO pairs the very best soldiers, law enforcement people, and spies together with shifters—humans that have special animal attributes in their DNA. They take on impossible missions that few people in the world will ever know about.
In Book One, HER PERFECT MATE, the reader gets a taste of how these DCO teams operate, especially how my particular kind of shifter works. These shifters have naturally occurring animal DNA that has blended with their human DNA to allow them to possess certain animal-like capabilities, such as speed, strength, aggression, and keen senses. While these abilities make them the perfect asset for the DCO, they’re also labeled by some as “freaks” and “monsters.” In HER PERFECT MATE readers get to see how much the shifters distrust the very people they work for. In HER LONE WOLF, the distrust continues to grow until the shifters—and the people who love them—aren’t sure whom they can trust.
All of this shadowy intrigue takes place against the backdrop of the DCO sending the hero Clayne Buchanan, the wolf shifter with the “bad attitude” readers met in Book One, out to California to deal with a possible rogue shifter that just might have turned into a serial killer. Clayne prefers to work alone, only this time it’s not going to happen that way. To get the job done, he’ll be forced to work with the one person on the planet he’d rather claw his own eyes out than see again. Here’s a quick blurb for HER LONE WOLF for you:
Leaving him was Impossible…
It took everything she had for FBI Special Agent Danica Beckett to walk away from the man she loved. But if she wants to save his life, she has to keep her distance. Now, with a killer on the loose and the stakes higher than ever before, the Department of Covert Ops is forcing these former lovers into an uneasy alliance…whether they like it or not.
Seeing her again is even worse…
The last thing Clayne Buchanan wants is to be shackled to the woman who broke his heart. She gets under his skin in a way no one ever has and makes him want things he has no right to anymore. All he has to do is suffer through this case and he can be free of her for good. But when Clayne finds out why Danica left in the first place, everything he’s tried to bury comes roaring back-and there’s no way this wolf shifter is going to let her get away this time.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I love to tell this story. Hubby and I were at the Lori Foster Get Together in 2011 and were having dinner at PF Chang’s with our friend Monette Michaels and her friend Linnea Sinclair. We were talking about writing, especially about jumping from e-books to New York. I doubt Linnea even remembers me, but she said some really insightful things about finding a niche and a voice that is undeniably mine, then she pointed at hubby and suggested that I should be using his military experiences to lend an edge to my books that other writers might not have.
That suggestion led to the X-OPS series. Since the very building block of the series is these human-shifter teams, I spent a lot of time developing them. After I developed the Special Forces hero (Landon) and feline shifter heroine (Ivy) in HER PERFECT MATE, the very first secondary character I created was the wolf shifter Clayne Buchanan, who was specifically written to be the complete opposite of the Landon. Those two butt heads constantly in book one, but by the end of the book, the reader starts to see that there might be something more to Clayne than he appears. Fans were screaming for his story the moment they finished book one!
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Beyond all the promo I’m doing for HER LONE WOLF, I’m also getting ready to do the promo for a special FREE X-OPS novella from Sourcebooks called HER SECRET AGENT. It gives the readers a peak behind the scenes of the very beginnings of the DCO. You get to see a younger John Loughlin, the Director of the DCO, getting to know a certain foxy shifter extremely well. It will be available on the 2nd of December from Sourcebooks (digital format only).
I’m also putting the finishing touches on Book Two of my Special Wolf Alpha Team Series (SWAT…as in a pack of werewolves working on the Dallas SWAT team. Cool, right?). At the same time, I’m working the first draft for Book Three in that series so I can send it to my editor in January. Plus, I’m starting to rough in the details on Book Four of X-OPS. It’s freaky jumping back and forth between the two series, but it keeps me on my toes!
Oh yeah, BTW, I’m also putting out a military ménage boxed set for Veteran’s Day, with a tribute to each of the uniformed services. It’s your basic, old-fashioned girl meets two guys, and decides that anything two people can do, three can do better!
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Well, I have to admit that I’ve already had the privilege of meeting one of my very favorite authors, Suzanne Brockman, at RT last year. I was getting ready to help out with an off-site event with my publisher (Sourcebooks), and my editor turned and said, ”Have you met Suzanne Brockman before?”
I completely lost my ever-loving fan-girl mind! You know how sometimes you worry that you might have built an unrealistic image of a person in your head, one that’s impossible for a mere human to ever compare to? Well, I met Suzanne, and she’s so much better than the impossible image I had of her! She is absolutely the coolest person ever! Hubby and I had drinks with Suzanne and her hubby, talking about books and her cutie of a fur baby, Little Joe. As busy as she was, she found time to sit and chat with me. That meant a lot to me.
As far as other authors I’d like to meet in the future (sorry, I can’t limit it to just one), it would be Johanna Lindsey. Her alpha-male heroes and feisty heroines are the essential role-models for the characters I love to write. I also want to meet Lisi Harrison, author of the first set of Monster High books. As you’ll read below, I’m crazy about Monster High!
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
I sort of mentioned it early, but for me, the best advice is simple—write because you love to write and there’s a story in your head screaming to get out.
Because you can trust me on this, at some point, every writer faces disappointment. There are the times when you can’t get your thoughts on the page the right way, the weeks and months spent waiting for someone to decide if your book is “what they’re looking for,” or even the reviews that make you want to cry.
That love of writing will get you through these rough patches because you’re writing for yourself, not for someone else.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
Nope! I don’t really have one of those. Strange, I know, but I just don’t like the whole connotation of a “bucket” list. If there’s something you really, really want to do, then don’t put it on a list. Figure out a way to do it now, not later.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Ghoulfriends Just Want to Have Fun, by Gitty Daneshvari, author of the second set of Monster High books. As I’ve already mentioned, I’m an absolute Monster High fanatic! I have a whole room set aside for my Monster High dolls!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just want to say thanks for taking the time to stop by and ready my ramblings. I really appreciate it. If you get a chance, stop by and check out my website and social media pages at the links below and see if anything grabs your attention. If you read any of my stuff, drop me an e-mail—I’d love to hear from you. Hope you’ll check out my X-OPS Series!
It took everything she had for FBI Special Agent Danica Beckett to walk away from the man she loved. But if she wants to save his life, she has to keep her distance. Now, with a killer on the loose and the stakes higher than ever before, the Department of Covert Ops is forcing these former lovers into an uneasy alliance…whether they like it or not.
Seeing her again is even worse
The last thing Clayne Buchanan wants is to be shackled to the woman who broke his heart. She gets under his skin in a way no one ever has and makes him want things he has no right to anymore. All he has to do is suffer through this case and he can be free of her for good. But when Clayne finds out why Danica left in the first place, everything he’s tried to bury comes roaring back—and there’s no way this wolf shifter is going to let her get away this time.
Paige Tyler is the USA Today bestselling author of sexy, romantic fiction. She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kickbutt heroines who fall in love with them. Visit www.paigetylertheauthor.com.
I have Maisey Yates here today to talk about her new novella, Unwrapped, which is a sweet romance for this holiday season. Take it away, Maisey. 🙂
1. Tell me a little about yourself.
*waves* I’m Maisey! I write sexy, brooding sheikhs for Harlequin Presents and hot contemporary cowboys. I also have a BAD BAD biker coming up next year! I live in Oregon with my husband and three kids and I get to work at home in my pajamas! Life is pretty sweet.
2. What inspired you to be a writer? Have you always wanted to write romances?
I used to have fantasies of being a writer that involved staring out the window at a misty gray sea, but they didn’t involve…actual writing. I started a lot of things but didn’t finish them. And as for wanting to write romance? It was the discovery of romance that took writing from a vague aspiration to a DRIVE. I read my first Harlequin Presents and loved them SO MUCH I wanted to create my own. 🙂
3. Tell me about your new release.
Unwrapped is the story of Silver Creek’s resident Kindergarten teacher and good girl, Sarah Larsen, deciding it’s time to try and misbehave. She makes a plan to pick up a guy at a bar to lose her virginity, and she ends up meeting a super hot stranger. She figures she’ll never see Walker again…but unfortunately it turns out he’s the father of the new girl in her class!
4. Where did you come up with the idea for the series?
So many different places. I find very often my ideas come from sad things I see in the news, or that are happening in the lives of people I know. Because I want to fix it. So I’ll put a character in the book with a similar element in their backstory to give them a HEA. I think I’m a frustrated fixer in a world I can’t control!
5. What have been the challenges of writing a romance series?
Keeping the details straight! Silver Creek was my first series, and I spent a lot of time looking for details in previous MSs when writing another book. I learned from that!! When I started my second series, Copper Ridge, I decided to keep a bible full of character/story and place details. It’s been much easier!
6. What was the first book that you’ve ever written and was it published?
Uh yes…the first book I wrote was His Virgin Acquisition and it was published. But during that wait I wrote several more MSs that would have been aimed at Presents that I never submitted. I learned so much writing those books, and revising that first book on sub, that I was just sort of working out craft issues. Practice books!
7. What are you working on now?
Right now I’m finishing up Bad News Cowboy, which is actually the third book in my next cowboy series, Copper Ridge, which comes out in March 2015 and runs through the summer! It has one of my favorite themes…bad boy older brother’s best friend and good girl younger heroine. Though, the heroine is a feisty, foul mouthed barrel racer. I’ve had so much fun writing her!
8. Favorite TV show? Movie? Favorite Drink?
Oh…I watch too much TV. I love Sleepy Hollow, Parks and Rec, How to Get Away With Murder, Arrow…and of all time? Friends. Movie? Lord of the Rings and Bend it Like Beckham. Drink? Pumpkin Spice Latte.
About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit.
In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard. She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
Kindergarten teacher Sarah Larsen has spent her whole life being the good girl. But now, she’s ready to do something bad. So wearing the shortest, tightest black dress she owns, she marches over to the nearest bar to fulfill her Christmas fantasy: a wild night with a total stranger.
Walker Callahan moved to Silver Creek to start fresh. He doesn’t want to bring his baggage into a relationship, so an evening of fun with the sexiest welcoming committee ever is just what he needs.
They were both in it for one night with no strings attached.. But when Sarah discovers that Walker is the father of her new student, things turn deliciously complicated. Can the cold winter nights thaw two frozen hearts?
Review (4 Stars): Sarah has spent most of her life being the good girl and was taught that good girls don’t like sex and that sex can lead to bad things. Sarah had decided that she is now ready to shed her good girl image and spend one night of passion with a random stranger who will show her what it is like to walk on the wild side. That random stranger just happens to be Walker Callahan, a sexy cowboy who has moved to Silver Creek to start a new life and raise his young daughter on his own. He never expected to meet Sarah but her shy innocent seduction awakens something in Walker that he thought was long gone. For Sarah and Walker, one night of passion turns into something that neither of them expected with emotions that can’t be denied.
Sarah was such a lovely character in this story because she went through her life without knowing what it was like to be truly loved yet was capable of loving someone else without hesitation. She never meant to fall in love with Walker, she just wanted to shed her good girl image and find out what she liked as a woman without being told by someone how she should feel. She tried to keep her feelings in check when she spent the night with Walker but the more they were around each other, the more she fell for him. Walker was the one man who made her feel wanted and desired, yet he was afraid of going down the path to love. He had been married before and things didn’t turn out well and for the sake of his daughter, he was afraid to do it again. I was glad that he realized that Sarah wasn’t like his ex-wife and she had no intention of ever leaving this sexy man’s side. Maisey Yates is one of my favorite writers and if you haven’t read her Silver Creek series, you are missing out. I heard that she has a sexy badass biker story coming up and if he is anything like Charlie Hunnam, I’m all in.
I am so excited to have two of my favorite authors on the blog today. I mean super excited!!!!
I just love Kendra & Melinda. I have had the great pleasure of meeting Kendra and she such a sweet person.
I have yet to meet Melinda in person but in talking with her online I know she is the real deal.
To say I was beyond excited that these two are teaming up to write a 4 novella series is an understatement. So how about we talk to the ladies and find out how this all came about and the trials and tribulations of writing together.
*****
Hi Kendra & Melinda! Welcome back to the blog. This will be the first time you are on the blog at the same time. I am super excited to have you both here.
So normally I start off by asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself. But since I have you both here how about you tell me a little about one another.
Kendra, please tell me about Melinda: Don’t underestimate her! She may be tiny but she will kick your ass with her martial arts skills. She’s got a dry sense of humor, passionately loves all animals, and likes her vodka tonics. She overflows with energy, loves to talk with strangers, and can turn into a protective mama bear in a split second. I won’t tell you how often she gets her hair colored.
Melinda, please tell me about Kendra: She dotes on her daughters, loves Project Runway, and gives her beer options careful consideration. Kendra has a dog that looks like an Ewok. Dog lovers should go to her Facebook page just to see a picture of Max. Adorable! Kendra On the hair color: I won’t tell if she won’t.
Kelly: You both write in the romance suspense genre. Have you ever been mistaken for one another?
KE: Recently a review on one of Melinda’s books suggested we were pen names for the same person. We got a good laugh out of that. Readers occasionally mix us up. We’ve both been mistaken for writing the other person’s books on Goodreads or in reviews and blogs.
ML: People have also commented that we look enough alike to be sisters.
Nope not the same person
Kelly: If so can you explain why you are not the same person? And how people might think you are?
KE: Only someone crazy could have managed to write all our titles within the last three years. I like to think our quality of writing couldn’t be met by someone writing that fast. I know Melinda’s nearly gone nuts meeting just her own schedule.
ML: We have photographic evidence there are two of us! But we do write in the same genre, and since we share a publisher, there is a small amount of similarity in our book covers and sometimes we share promotion. That could explain the confusion.
Kelly: Have you thought about writing in a different genre? If yes, which one?
KE: I considered writing a Young Adult historical. Something like Outlander for teens. But romantic suspense has been really good to me, so I want to focus on maintaining that momentum.
ML: I love all sorts of fiction. Writing a straight mystery thriller sounds like fun, but right now I’m enjoying being able to blend genres however I choose. Each book comes out a bit different.
Kelly: I have to say when I found out that the two of you were teaming up to write a set of novellas I was super excited. What made you finally decided to take the plunge and work together?
KE: We’d remarked casually on it a few times but never thought about it seriously. I think we’d believed the only way to do it was to collaborate on a single book which is VERY complicated with two opinionated authors. In 2013, I got an early copy of Allison Brennan’s and Laura Griffin’s CRASH AND BURN in which they each wrote their own story but made them related and a light bulb went off.
ML: Yes! Writing one book together seemed difficult given we live on opposite coasts. The idea of related stories quickly evolved into a television-like series. Each novella has it’s own plot, but there’s also an overall plot arc to carry the reader from one story to the next, like episodes in a TV series. Plotting together was a lot of fun.
Kelly: How did you come up with the idea of the Rogue River series?
KE: Hmmm. How I remember it was that we knew we wanted to each write from the point of view of two sisters. We wanted them to have a big family. And live in a small town. And water needed to be prominent in the title and books. We tossed around a few river names and I remember Melinda really liking the sound of the Rogue River. Maybe Melinda remembers more…
ML: Magic? I flew out to Seattle to visit our publisher, and Kendra drove up. We plotted all four novellas in one day. Yes, there was definitely magic involved in getting that done so quickly.
Kelly: Whose idea was it to have it set in Oregon?
KE: Melinda was polite and offered to go with my home state. I needed to be comfortable and write about an area I knew. Melinda is tougher than that.
ML: I knew I could rely on Kendra to fill me in on any necessary local details.
Kelly: Are any of your characters Oregon State Beaver fans?
KE: NO
Kelly: Boo!! “Go Beavs”
ML: Whispers, “What’s an Oregon State beaver?”
Kelly: *GASP* we will talk after Melinda
Kelly: Ladies, can you give us a look at the 1st novella in this series, which is written by Kendra ‘On Her Father’s Grave’ (released October 7th).
KE: In a small town like Solitude, Oregon, keeping a secret can be murder.
Stevie Taylor had left her sleepy Oregon hometown for a more exciting life. But after her police chief father passes away, the LAPD cop returns to Solitude and signs on as a patrol officer, hoping to heal from her loss…and from the horrific things she’s seen in the city.
In Solitude, everyone knows everyone else’s business—and, to Stevie’s dismay, local gossip soon ties her to the new police chief and a man from her past. Tragedy then shakes up the small town when a teenager dies after taking a strange new drug. Now, the seasoned LA cop must hunt down the dealer while investigating the most important case of her life, one that could divide her tranquil town.
Kelly: How about we take a look at the second novella in the series, which is written by Melinda ‘Gone To Her Grave’ (released October 21st)
ML: In Solitude, Oregon, everyone has secrets…and some will kill to keep them.
When she believes a teen is falsely accused of drug dealing, social worker Carly Taylor takes on a high-risk case and her estranged husband—the detective in charge of the investigation—to prove the boy innocent. A deadly new designer drug has taken hold of her small rural hometown of Solitude, Oregon, and Carly is determined to find the real dealer and clear the teen’s name. But the deeper she digs into the case, the more danger she unearths, until someone decides it’s time for Carly to move on…permanently.
Investigator Seth Harding knows he can’t stop his wife when she has a child to protect. But he risks any chance of reconciliation with Carly if he can’t learn to accept her dangerous job. When a drug dealer decides Carly is getting too close, will Seth lose her altogether?
Kelly: I know that there will be 4 novella’s in the Rogue River series, book 3 Her Grave Secret by Kendra and book 4 Walking on Her Grave by Melinda will both be out in November. Is there potential for more? Or maybe a spin-off?
KE: Oy. We introduced a big cast. I think there is always potential for more. But I feel like I’ve been living and breathing the Rogue River for several months in addition to writing my novels. I’m ready for a break, but it might look different in the future. Writing books is like childbirth. Down the road you forget the pain. I’m excited each time I start a new project, but I get a tenth of the way in and start asking why I keep doing this.
ML: You never know! It was a fun project. I love tackling a new and different challenge to add variety to my work, but it was also tough to juggle two extra novellas with my full-length writing commitments. I didn’t see much of my family between January and May of 2014. But stories are like Jell-O. There’s always room for more.
Kelly : What was the hardest part about writing a story together?
KE: Seriously, writing together wasn’t hard. We knew the other person was disciplined and would get done what needed to be done. With each of us writing our own novellas, it allowed us to write as we pleased. It protected our voices and gave us the decision making power over our particular books. We never felt forced to compromise something or rewrite something because the other person didn’t like it. We read each other’s work for continuity and brainstormed together when one of us got stuck.
ML: The plotting process was more complicated that we expected, with four separate stories and an overall storyline to keep in line, but having a writing partner was helpful. If one of us got stuck while writing, there was another person equally invested in the story ready to jump in and offer suggestions. Typically, writing is a solo event, and when you’re stuck, you’re all alone.
Kelly: Do you think that you will work together on another project in the future?
KE: I’d love to but I know we both have tight schedules to meet. My first love is full-length novels. The novellas are fun and have been great to experiment with, but I think we both want to focus on getting our novels written.
ML: The novellas were a fun change of pace, but also I love digging into a long, complicated (and dark) plot.
Kelly: I have an idea for you!!! You should team up to write a story about a kick-ass accountant/part time blogger who is an Oregon State Beaver fan who solves a cold case by total accident. And yes, you can base her off me.
KE: Ummm…
ML: Sounds interesting…
Kelly: Why do you have blank stares? It is a good idea!!!
KE: *hands off to Melinda*
ML: Oh, look at the time.
Kelly: Fine moving on…..
Kelly to Melinda: You have two ongoing series right now, the ‘Midnight series’ and the ‘She Can series’. Midnight Betrayal which was release in September 2014 is your latest book. Can you tell us a little about Midnight Betrayal (which was awesome, check out my review here).
ML: In Midnight Betrayal, a museum curator falls for the prime suspect in the grisly murder of an intern. It’s an edgy, dark, and sexy read.
Kelly: It looks like you have the start of a new series to The Scarlet Falls series. Book one Hour of Need is scheduled to be released on December 9, 2014. Tell us a little about Hour of Need.
ML: After the murder of his brother and sister-in-law, Major Grant Barrett returns home from Afghanistan to take temporary custody of their young children only to learn that his six-year-old nephew saw the killer and has become the next target.
Kelly: What is next for you after Hour of Need?
ML: I’m currently working on book 2 in the Scarlet Falls series. My working title is Minutes to Kill, and the tentative release date is June 2015. On a business trip, Hannah Barrett witnesses a crime and soon learns that what happens in Vegas can follow you home. Next on my plate (probably) is another She Can book for December 2015. I have a few possible characters in mind. I’ve always thought Sarah Mitchell deserves her own story after everything she endured in SHE CAN TELL.
Kelly to Kendra: You have two ongoing series also, the ‘Bone Secret series’ and your new series the ‘Callahan & McLane Series’. Bridged, book two in the Callahan series is to be released on January 13, 2015 can you tell us a little about Mason’s next adventure.
KE: In BRIDGED, Mason and Ava are assigned to the same serial killer case. A killer is hanging dead bodies off the bridges in the Portland metropolitan area. Of course, Ava’s unbalanced twin Jayne manages to disrupt everything she can in Ava’s life while Ava and Mason take the next step in their relationship.
Kelly: Well we get any more Bone Secret novels?
KE: Yes. First SPIRALED, the third Callahan and McLane book will be out next summer and then my publisher has requested a fifth Bone Secrets book for January 2016. I have no idea who will be featured in that book.
Kelly: Seriously I am thinking the book idea of that kick-ass accountant needs to be on your to do list.
KE: Maybe a forensic accountant…I’ve heard of them…I have no idea what they do, but it sounds like a Bone Secrets book.
ML: There’s no reason an accountant can’t kick major ass, but as a former banker, the thought of writing a story involving the financial sector gives me hives.
Kelly: Fine!!! But, I still think it is a good idea.
Kelly: Is there anything else you would like to add or any deep dark secrets you want to share about each other with your readers?
KE: Melinda doesn’t like sweet mixed drinks. She says my drinks are froo-froo. But we share a weakness for all things chocolate and ice cream.
ML: And coffee! Which is like oxygen for writers.
Kelly: Again ladies, Thank you so very much for coming on the blog I love you both (Top #12 baby) and hope that you keep writing amazing books.
Kendra we need that cake date soon! Melinda I hope to meet you in person very soon!!
KE: You’re my number one blogger-girl, Kelly!
ML: Thanks so much for hosting us. Kelly rocks!
Kelly: And now you know why these two are two of my all time favorites!!!!
Here is a look at the ladies Rogue River Novella series
In a small town like Solitude, Oregon, keeping a secret can be murder.
Stevie Taylor had left her sleepy Oregon hometown for a more exciting life. But after her police chief father passes away, the LAPD cop returns to Solitude and signs on as a patrol officer, hoping to heal from her loss…and from the horrific things she’s seen in the city.
In Solitude, everyone knows everyone else’s business—and, to Stevie’s dismay, local gossip soon ties her to the new police chief and a man from her past. Tragedy then shakes up the small town when a teenager dies after taking a strange new drug. Now, the seasoned LA cop must hunt down the dealer while investigating the most important case of her life, one that could divide her tranquil town.
The first of four thrilling Rogue River novellas, On Her Father’s Grave launches a new romantic suspense series from Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh.
In Solitude, Oregon, everyone has secrets…and some will kill to keep them.
When she believes a teen is falsely accused of drug dealing, social worker Carly Taylor takes on a high-risk case and her estranged husband—the detective in charge of the investigation—to prove the boy innocent. A deadly new designer drug has taken hold of her small rural hometown of Solitude, Oregon, and Carly is determined to find the real dealer and clear the teen’s name. But the deeper she digs into the case, the more danger she unearths, until someone decides it’s time for Carly to move on…permanently.
Investigator Seth Harding knows he can’t stop his wife when she has a child to protect. But he risks any chance of reconciliation with Carly if he can’t learn to accept her dangerous job. When a drug dealer decides Carly is getting too close, will Seth lose her altogether?
A pulse-pounding Rogue River novella, Gone to Her Grave is the second exciting addition to the new romantic suspense series from Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot.
There are no secrets in a small town—until someone has one worth dying for.
Local cop Stevie Taylor and police chief Zane Duncan have startling new proof that a deadly street drug is expanding its poisonous grip on their small town: a skull found on the banks of the Rogue River has two bullet holes in the back. Still caught up in the excitement of their new relationship, Stevie and Zane are determined to track down the drug’s source before more lives in Solitude, Oregon, are lost.
Then one death strikes especially close to home, leading to heartache and confusion for Stevie. As the drug distributers strike hard and the body count in Solitude grows higher, she and Zane must hunt down the deadly killer—but are they the predators, or the prey?
Filled with unexpected twists, Her Grave Secrets is the third exciting Rogue River novella in the romantic suspense series from Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh.
The electrifying conclusion of the romantic suspense novella series from Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot.
The sleepy town of Solitude, Oregon, has turned into ground zero for a turf war between the manufacturers and distributors of a lethal new drug. When a teenage witness disappears, social worker Carly Taylor must find him before he’s silenced permanently.
Rogue County investigator Seth Harding wants to keep Carly, his estranged wife, out of harm’s way, but she refuses to let his concern keep her from doing her job. When one of her young charges vanishes, Carly gets pulled even deeper into the deadly case, and Seth knows he must help her…even if it leads them right into the criminals’ crosshairs.
Explosive and exciting to the last page, Walking on Her Grave is the fourth and final thrilling addition to the new romantic suspense series from Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back Shona to the blog today. We are chatting about genre, rituals and her newest release To Love a King.
Shona, can you please share with us a little about yourself
I live in Western Australia, love dark chocolate (which is why I run) and in my spare time I love to cross-stitch and do aikido.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
As a child I wrote and read a lot but I don’t think I ever considered it as a profession—and I certainly wasn’t encouraged to. When I was on maternity leave I started writing again and I started researching how to write a novel but it was another couple of years before I decided I wanted to be an author. Even then it seemed like one of those things that was am impossible dream.
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
I grew up reading Katherine Kerr’s Deverry series. I love fantasy novels, but quite often relationships were doomed. I didn’t discover romance until my twenties. I fell in love with paranormal romance. I tend to gravitate toward darker stories and I love lush world building (a hangover from growing up reading fantasy). Some of my favorite authors at the moment are: Jim Butcher, Jaci Burton, Marie Brennan and Jenn Bennett.
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
With paranormal romance I get to explore my love of world building. Last year I branched out into sci-fi romance (Decadent Moon and ES Siren series). Next year I have a contemporary series starting with Escape Publishing which is very exciting. Readers can join my new release newsletter to keep up to date: http://mad.ly/signups/119074/join )
What are some of your writing rituals?
I open up my laptop and get going. I always plot so I know where I’m going but really I have no rituals.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
To Love a King is the third book in the series and is Felan and Jacqui’s story. The first time they got together it all ended rather badly and this is their 2nd chance…however everything is falling apart in Annwyn and the mortal world is suffering. While Felan needs and wants Jacqui, she doesn’t need him (although she wants him) or the fairy dramas.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I knew how this trilogy would end when I plotted The Outcast Prince (and I knew what the 2nd trilogy was about then too). The idea of lost love and 2nd chances worked well with the all or nothing of the fairy court.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’m working on Annwyn #4 The Darkling Lord (March 2015) and the second book in my contemporary series (I wish I could share the title but they aren’t finalized).
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
Chapter 4, Felan has just learned the truth about what happened 7 years ago and has realized Jacqui has moved on even though he hasn’t.
What would you be if you were not an author?
Before being an author I was a civil designer (roads, drainage, sewerage etc) so I’d probably still be doing that.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I’m looking forward to reading Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener and Ice Forged by Gail Z Martin.
To keep the balance between good and evil at the court of Annwyn, Prince Felan ap Gwyn has two weeks to marry and take the crown. But he wants more than just power—he wants love; a love he once had but was too stubborn to hold on to.
She’s Struggling to Face the Future
It took years for Jacqueline Ara to put her life back together after Felan abandoned her. She’s moved on, even if her heart still burns for him. But with war in Annwyn looming and death bleeding into the mortal world, Felan and Jacquie will need to heal old wounds and rekindle the passion that once welled between them…or face losing everything.
A little more about Shona
Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back. With stories ranging from sensual to scorching, she writes contemporary, paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance. You can find out more at Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back Laura Wright and her sexy cowboys to the blog today.
Laura, can you please share with us a little about yourself
Hi! I’m Laura Wright. I write steamy, emotional romance novels with heart. And one of them is BROKEN; the second book in my Cavanaugh Brothers series.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
No. For a long time I was an actress and a ballroom dancer. Yes.. big leap, isn’t it? 🙂
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I need really loud music on when I write. Coming through my headphones. It helps me concentrate. I also plot in the shower.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)
BROKEN!! The second book in the Cavanaugh Brothers series delves deeper into the murder of the brothers’ sister, Cass. But it centers around James, a horse whisperer, and Sheridan, a focused executive assistant who has big dreams, but very little romance in her life.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I’ve ALWAYS wanted to write about a horse whisperer. And a broken, battered, bruised horse whisperer. The idea started with himJ
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Right now, I working on edits for BRASH, the next Cavanaugh book. And then I’ll be starting BONDED, the final book in the series.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Jude Deveraux. She is the reason I started writing in the first place. If you haven’t read her (Knight in Shining Armor) you mustJ
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Write what you love – what you’re passionate about. It’s vital!
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
You know, I don’t have a bucket list. I know, I know I’ve been thinking about starting one though… something that would definitely be on there is to travel to Cornwall, England. Sigh…
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Laurann Dohner’s newest New Species! Love her!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just a big thank you to Kelly for hosting me, and BROKEN 😀 And I’d love to give away a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card to a lucky winner!
A little about Laura:
Author of the Bestselling Mark of the Vampire series, Laura Wright spent the early years of her life immersed in the worlds of singing, acting and competitive ballroom dancing. But when she started writing, she knew she’d found her true calling. Laura lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband, two children, three dogs, two frogs and two fish. She’s been thrice nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and loves hearing from her readers.
The Cavanaugh brothers left behind River Black, Texas, long ago. But after their father dies, bequeathing them the Triple C, a cattle ranch that sustains their small town, they return—and confront the painful memories of their childhood home and the truth about their sister’s murder…
For years, James Cavanaugh has traveled the world as a horse whisperer, but even the millions he’s earned hasn’t healed the pain he hides behind his stoic exterior. Forced to tackle old demons at the ranch, James throws himself into work to avoid his true feelings. Until he meets a woman who shakes the foundations of his well-built walls…
Sheridan O’Neil’s quiet confidence has served her well, except when it comes to romance. Tired of rejection, she’s ready to swear off men. But after being rescued from a horse stampede by the most beautiful cowboy she’s ever met, her resolve wavers. Only, as Sheridan uncovers James’s belief that no woman is safe with him, she wonders if such a wounded man could ever give in to love, or if some hearts are too broken to be healed…
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back the awesome Jaci Burton to the blog. To chat about life, influences and her newest release Hope Burns.
Jaci, can you please share with us a little about yourself
I live in Oklahoma with my husband and my dogs. Between us we have three grown kids and several grandchildren. I’ve been writing for thirteen years, published for eleven. I’ve written over sixty books so far, and have no intention of stopping any time soon.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Not always. I’ve been reading romance since I was a teenager. I dabbled a bit in writing romance in my early adult life, but working and raising kids was my priority then, and writing was backburnered until I had more time.
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
My writing was influenced by all those awesome authors I read for so many years when I was young and first started reading romance. Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, Johanna Lindsey, Elizabeth Lowell, Karen Robards. They all made me fall in love with the genre and kept me reading. My favorite writers today are Julie James, Maya Banks, Shannon Stacey, Jill Shalvis, Nora Roberts, Nalini Singh and so many more.
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
When I first published, I wrote in several genres—not only contemporary, but paranormal, suspense, futuristic and fantasy. It was a way to get my feet wet and decide what I wanted to write. But I always came back to contemporary romance. It’s what I love to write the most, a genre I’m most comfortable in.
What are some of your writing rituals?
I don’t know that I have any rituals. Other than coffee first thing in the morning. I go through email and social media to see what’s happening out there while my mind is waking up. Then I’ll start writing.
Can you please tell us about HOPE BURNS?
HOPE BURNS is the story of Carter Richards and Molly Burnett, two people who reunite after being apart for many years. They have a history together, and a painful past that must be overcome before the two of them can have a future.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
When I wrote HOPE FLAMES, the first full-length story in the Hope series, it featured Emma Burnett, Molly’s sister. Molly appeared in the book, but only by phone. There was a mystery to her, a reason why she never returned to Hope. I knew then that I needed to write her story.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’m currently working on Love After All, Book 4 in the Hope series. It’s about Chelsea and Bash, two characters I love so much.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
There’s a holiday parade in progress in downtown Hope. Molly’s one of the judges.
What would you be if you were not an author?
Probably still working in corporate life. Dealing with spreadsheets and budgets and personnel issues. Did I mention I’m very happy to be a writer? 😉
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I can’t wait for He’s So Fine by Jill Shalvis. I love and adore her Lucky Harbor series. And I’m really looking forward to Maya Banks’ Keep Me Safe, the first book her new series.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I’m so excited about the reissue of my Wild Riders series with new cover art. Hot men on hot motorcycles. Really, everyone should check them out! And thanks so much for letting me be a guest here on your site!
A little about Jaci:
Jaci Burton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Play by Play and Hope series. She’s a total romantic and loves a story with a happily ever after, which you’ll find in all of her books. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and her dogs. Find out more about Jaci and her books at jaciburton.com, Facebook.com/AuthorJaciBurton, and Twitter.com/jaciburton.
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Molly Burnett and Carter Richards share a painful past, one that sent Molly running out of town, vowing never to return. The only thing bringing her back is her sister’s wedding, and she doesn’t intend to stay long. But circumstances force her to remain in town, and within close distance of the one man who hurt her more than she’d ever been hurt before. Can the two of them face down the past and work together toward the possibility of love and happiness in Hope?
A little about Kendra:
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