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The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by JR Ward

Dark Lover
Black Dagger Brotherhood #1
by J.R. Ward
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.
The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

Lover Eternal 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #2
by J.R. Ward
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war raging between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret bound of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by this dark side, Rhage fears the time when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant to Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles years ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves…

Lover Awakened 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #3
by J.R. Ward
A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…

Lover Revealed 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #4
by J.R. Ward
Butch O’Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he’s the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, Marissa, an aristocratic beauty who’s way out of his league. And if he can’t have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers.

But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he’s found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him.

Lover Unbound 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #5
by J.R. Ward
In Caldwell, New York, war rages between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now the cold heart of a cunning predator will be warmed against its will…

Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father’s war camp he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time-until a destiny he didn’t choose takes him into a future that cannot include her…

Lover Enshrined 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #6
by J.R. Ward

Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood’s bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.

As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body, but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the Brotherhood’s mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love….

Lover Avenged 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #7
by J.R. Ward

Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It’s also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he’s approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

Lover Mine 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #8
by J.R. Ward

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown. Taken in by The Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was-or his true identity.

Xhex has long steeled herself against the attraction to John Matthew. Until fate intervenes and she discovers that love, like destiny, is inevitable.

Lover Unleashed 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #9)
by J.R. Ward
Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either.

When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.

As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

Lover Reborn 
Black Dagger Brotherhood #10
by J.R. Ward
In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. The city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.Now back in the Brotherhood – and unrecognisable as the vampire leader he once was – Tohrment is physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair. When he begins to see his beloved in his dreams – trapped in a cold, isolating netherworld – Tohr turns to a self-serving fallen angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost.

When he’s told he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed…Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past, and a very hot, passion-filled future… but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

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Interview & Giveaway with Elizabeth McKenna

Books-n-Kisses is please to have Elizabeth McKenna on the blog today to talk about her newest release Cera’s Place. 



Q1)  Can you please share with us a little about yourself

Elizabeth: I’m a full-time technical writer/editor for a large software company. I live in Wisconsin with my husband (whom I have loved since I was sixteen (is that the proper use of “whom”? I can never remember)), two teenage girls (who are smart, talented and beautiful), and a sassy yellow lab (who is also beautiful but rules the house much to my dismay). I telecommute, so I’m able to fit in my professional, family, and creative writing duties throughout the day. I love to travel with my husband and sleep. (I really love to sleep…)
I always thought I took after the Irish side of my family until I visited Germany this past summer. I found a country that is as worried about cleanliness and following the rules as I am. They are my soul mates.
Q2)  Have you always wanted to be an author?
Elizabeth:  Yes, but I’m a big self-doubter and creative people have always intimidated me. In college, I started as an English major but then switched to Journalism. I tend to write concisely and I wasn’t comfortable with the other English majors who could write paragraph long sentences (I’m still not). So, my path veered off into non-fiction writing. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I tried to write fiction.
Q3)  What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Elizabeth:  Before I start writing for the day, I have to check my list of websites (Hotmail, Facebook, Google+, Goodreads, Amazon, etc.). I’m OCD, so I guess it is my ritual. I can’t concentrate until I do.

Q4)  Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

Elizabeth:  Cera’s Place is set in San Francisco 1869. Cera runs a saloon but, unlike other such businesses of the times, she doesn’t allow prostitution. Over the years, she has helped women escape their terrible lives and become “respectable.” Jake is an ex-soldier haunted by his Civil War experiences. He’s on a mission to find the daughter of a friend who died in battle. One of the subplots of the novel is based on actual events. During this time period, since the majority of the Chinese population in California was male, Asian women were kidnapped and forced into prostitution in America. The Anti-Prostitution Act of 1870 made it illegal to import women for criminal or demoralizing purposes. Cera and Jake team up to fight a gang that is kidnapping Chinese girls for the local brothels. Of course, in the process they fall in love.  
Q5)  How did you come with the idea for this story?
Elizabeth:  I’ve always loved rugged heroes, so it was easy to choose a western type of story for my debut novel. The Chinese subplot came from research of the time period. I made Jake an ex-soldier because I have a relative who has done a few tours in Iraq. It is a challenge trying to be a “regular person” after that. I have so much respect for the men and women in the military. They give up a lot to protect us.

Q6)  Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Elizabeth:  I’m working on Moonlight in Venice, another historical romance set in the 1750s. I love the cover art I found for it (see my website). The storyline involves murder, theft, art, Freemasonry, Carnival season, pregnancy, and cataracts – and love, of course, lots of love.
Q7)  Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Elizabeth:  I would love to meet J.K. Rowling. Her hard covers sit on my bookshelf like priceless artwork. I had to buy my girls their own copies since they weren’t allowed to touch mine. I would like to thank her for giving us so many years of enjoyable reading.
Q8) What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Elizabeth:  I have this quote by Milton Lomask plastered everywhere, “There’s no right way of writing. There’s only your way.” Not everyone will like your writing – and that’s ok. With that said, however, critiques are important. I had several writers/editors review Cera’s Place and I learned so much from them. I am grateful they took the time to help me.
Q9)  Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
Elizabeth:  Does quitting my day job to write fiction full time count? If not, touring Italy with my girls is high on my list. My husband and I vacationed there before we were married. The food was fantastic – those people really know how to eat. I would love to experience it again with my family.
Q10)  What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Elizabeth:  I’m dying to see what Suzanne Collins puts out next. My girls and I can’t wait for the Hunger Games movie. We are Camp Peeta.
Q1)  Is there anything else you would like to add?
Elizabeth:  I’d like to thank Books-n-Kisses for giving me the opportunity to talk about Cera’s Place today. As an indie author, I get kicked around a lot, so I’m always looking for new friends! I really hope your readers like Cera’s Place. I tried to make it both historically accurate and entertaining. Feel free to contact me (elizabethmckennaauthor@hotmail.com) with any comments or questions!
Links:
Elizabeth McKenna’s website / Facebook (Elizabeth McKenna) / Facebook (Cera’s Place) / Goodreads (Cera’s Place)


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Guest Blogger: Timothy Sagges

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to let Timothy Sagges take over the blog today:  

I’ve been inspired to write since sixth grade. My teacher, Miss Fletcher, would regularly assign book reports to the class. Thank God the stories we were to read and report back on were short. As is currently true, I was never an avid reader.

Miss Fletcher and I discovered together that I also lacked the discipline to structure a book report in a way that made any sense. Instead of reporting on Jack and Jill’s motivation for running up the hill, I would explore and expound on the possibilities and consequences of the well being empty, their quest for water, and the exotic places the two would travel to fetch a pail.

In what I know now to be her ability to help a child grow, she would elevate my pathetic attempts at book reporting to what would become a weekly ritual of Timmy reading to the class his latest story.

As I grew and set my sights on becoming independently wealthy, I put my zest for writing on the back burner and set out to earn a living. And although hundreds, possibly thousands of ideas have, over the decades, popped into my head and have been duly scribbled on post-its for future reference, it wouldn’t be until my 49th year of life that I would make the connection between having a neat idea and the process of writing. Writing is hard work. Staring at a blank computer screen is daunting at best. But one can only mull an idea over for so long before going insane. So with the characters, plot and timeline long ago etched in, and haunting, my brain, I opted to do whatever I could to purge the story and make room for something else, (more stories). And after reading the self-published novel written by a friend of a friend, I thought, I can do that! And I did. With discipline I never knew I possessed I sat at my computer every night for five months with the goal of getting 500 words down on paper.

I would give almost anything to find Miss Fletcher.

***

Best Seller
By Timothy B Sagges
Paperback
Price: $14.99
ISBN: 9781456478193
Pages: 326
Release: February 2011
Amazon | B&N | BestSeller-book.com

Thirty-five year old fiction writer, Richard Rossi would do just about anything to get his manuscript published. However, months of rejection and unanswered prayers have strained his capacity to hope. Alone in New York City, he teeters on the brink of alcoholism, as his hope erodes into desperation.

His prayers are finally answered when a simple misdirected piece of mail spawns a chance encounter with an extraordinary man, Seth Volos, Publisher. And while their unholy alliance thrusts Richard to the top of every Best Seller list in America, the horrifying outcome for the book’s legions of fans is anything but a happy ending.

Timothy B. Sagges Bio:
Fifty-year-old actor, director and playwright, Tim Sagges has been tormented by a series of recurring night terrors since 1967, long before there was a name for such a curse. It is only recently that he has found the courage to formulate some of these visions into works of literature. In an effort to purge himself of the unrelenting horror of his dreams, he has created Best Seller, the first in a series of nightmares exorcised from his mind and onto the page.

He is currently the owner of Eye Candy Vision in Philadelphia.

Best Seller web site |Timothy B. Sagges’ Facebook | Timothy B. Sagges’ Twitter |
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook | Best Seller blog tour site

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Interview & Giveaway with Rachel Lyndhurst

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Rachel Lyndhurst.  We are talking about her new book Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire.   

Q1) Can you please share with us a little about yourself

Rachel: I live with my daughter, son and The Exec in Fareham, Hampshire, on the south coast of England and can sometimes smell the sea from my back garden.
I write full-time when my children are at school, but am still proud of my law degree and accountancy qualifications. I’ve worked in the space industry, pharmaceuticals, insurance, a supermarket, a bus station, a railway depot, and a lingerie department among others.
When not working, my hobbies include rummaging through antique shops, talking to our chocolate brown Rex rabbit and popping into Sainsbury’s. I’m also partial to the odd glass of wine and collect expensive lipstick like a maniac.


Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Rachel:  Not consciously. I spent my childhood wanting to be many things, including becoming a Concorde pilot, but the writing was always there. I loved writing silly stories including my friends and our imaginary adventures in the Maggot Club (don’t ask!), then there were the angsty teenage poems ridiculing boys that I fancied rotten. In my twenties the boring old office job improved when a subversive Viz-style comic came into being – it featured a character that looked like my boss quite heavily. I left that job soon after! After a decade working in as an accountant, I really did begin to think how wonderful it would be to become an author instead!
Q3)  Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Rachel:  I have so many different favourite writers I’m not sure where to begin but they would include India Grey, Sue Moorcroft, George Orwell, Salman Rushdie and Howard Jacobson. No one author has influenced me, but reading 1984 by George Orwell as a teenager changed the way I looked at life for good.  
Q4)  How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
Rachel:  I came across romance, specifically category romance, relatively recently. Being able to stuff a small paperback into my handbag and read short chunks at a time when the babies were asleep kept me sane in early motherhood. Like many aspiring authors, I read a few and thought ‘I could do this, how hard can it be?’ Six years later, here I am, it wasn’t that easy after all!
I’ve thought about writing in a different genre, yes, but I couldn’t bear a story without a happy ending or a developing emotional and physical connection between two people. I guess that narrows my choices. Oh, and I’ve never read a horror or crime novel, so that’s out. And blood, I don’t like gore. Also ghosts spook me. Actually romance suits me just fine!

Q5)  What are some of your writing rituals?
Rachel:  I’m not sure I actually have any rituals. I’m worried now that I should! I just try to get on with it most days, which isn’t always as easy as it sounds. I do faff about quite a bit and make lots of cups of tea…

Q6)  Can you please tell us about your latest book?
Rachel: Here’s the blurb for my latest book with Entangled Indulgence, Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire:
Kidnapped!
Or that’s what it feels like to Kizzy Dean when a business disagreement with arrogant Greek lawyer Andreas Lazarides leaves her no choice but to accompany him to the Greek Isle of Rhodes. It doesn’t help matters that this sexy brooding stranger, who is unaccustomed to the word No and the very idea of commitment, shows her what it feels like to be truly desired.
Amidst the ancient myths and alleyways, tensions run high as Kizzy feels an immediate attraction for the man she wants to both ravage and strangle.
Accustomed to gold-digging women, Andreas is mesmerized by Kizzy’s feisty nature and Gypsy beauty. Guilt and sorrow have been his only bedfellows since his sister’s death, but Kizzy stirs up a desire he’s unwilling to succumb to . . . until she makes him an offer he simply can’t refuse.
You can read the first chapter here: http://bit.ly/wLZEAC 
Q7)  How did you come with the idea for this story?
Rachel:  The main location of the book was inspired by a holiday in historic Lindos, Rhodes. Not only was I gripped by the incredible age and architecture of the place, but also by the Greek Legends associated with it; particularly Helios the sun god and his demi-god son Phaeton. A salutary tale of what can happen if you don’t do as your father tells you. A fiery battle of disobedience and death. I wondered if I could bring the story up to date in a contemporary romance. 
While considering how I could get my heroine from her grotty flat in the UK to sun-baked Rhodes, I read a poignant newspaper article about General Sir Mike Jackson’s son, Mark Jackson, who reinvented himself after injury forced him to leave the army. He gave his sculpture of a lifeless Icarus his own scars. This story moved and inspired me towards Andreas Lazarides’ dark secret.
Then a few weeks later I was suddenly whipped of to drink champagne on the London Eye in my best frock. Far too good an experience not to use, and I couldn’t wait to either; it needed to go into this book, so this is where Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire begins.
 I have also been a member of Amnesty International for many years which has raised my awareness of many issues that rarely make the daily news. They send me regular magazines and sometimes I’m brave enough to read them. In one particular issue there was an article about human rights abuse of Roma in Europe. Europe? Surely not … I did some research on the subject and came across a photograph that still haunts me: a small boy playing an accordion, begging for money. He had to go in.
Somehow all these things became a story with a beginning, middle and an end.

Q8)  Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress? 
Rachel:  I’m currently going through edits for my second book The Devil to Pay which will be published by the Wild Rose Press, release date to be confirmed. Briefly:
Italian mining CEO, Daniel Bracchi wants to close his loss-making Welsh quarry, but doesn’t count on feisty accountant, Rianna Peters, fighting him all the way. She’s grown used to struggling for everything in life and won’t let him destroy a community and the job that gave her self-respect.
From the green valleys of South Wales to the glitz of Portofino, a clash of cultures is inevitable, as is the seismic sexual attraction between them. Daniel can’t get her hot curves out of his head, but he’s a no strings man and Rianna won’t be used just for sex again. Smoke turns to flame and their high-octane affair unearths buried secrets of sex, tragedy and betrayal. The stakes are high, maybe too high for even love to overcome.
My current other WIP is called The Spanish Billionaire’s Hired Bride, contracted to Entangled Publishing. You’ll have to wait for more details of that one, but it’s set in Spain and the Balearic islands and it’s going to get very, very hot!

Q9)  What would you be if you were not an author?
Rachel:  Being realistic I’d probably still be an accountant, which is a sobering thought, but it does pay the bills. Being unrealistic, I’d like to be a flamboyant lady antique dealer. Or marry a billionaire …

Q10)  What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Rachel:  My To Read Pile is a shocker. HUGE. And that doesn’t include all the juicy downloads on my Kindle! I’m desperate to read all the other Entangled Indulgence releases – but time isn’t on my side at the moment and I’ve only managed Jennifer Probst’s best selling The Marriage Bargain (which is fab!). I’ll be needing a treat soon though, or I will implode!

Q11)  Is there anything else you would like to add?
Rachel:  I’d like to thank you very much for having me here today on Books-n-Kisses. It’s been lovely! I love to hear from readers too, you can find me in the following places:
http://rachellyndhurst.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @RachelLyndhurst
https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001397409817
http://www.goodreads.com/rachellyndhurst
Buy links for Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire:
Amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/w86FU9
Amazon.com http://amzn.to/yhbd1a
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/zBeu77


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Guest Blogger: Donna Del Oro

WALK LIKE A MAN: How a Woman Writer Captures a Man’s POV
             How does “She tipped up her chin at the stranger, resisting the man’s attempt at intimidation” become “He shot the stranger a don’t-fuck-with-me look”?
            In order for a female fiction writer to avoid caricature and instead capture the sensibilities of a male, her mindset must change. As we all know, POV is vital in accurately portraying a male character (or any character, for that matter) and thus creating and sustaining verisimilitude. A story hinges on how believably the POV portrays/expresses the character in question, and that believability extends to gender. Even if you jump POVs from hero to heroine, the male POV scenes MUST BE MASCULINE, and therefore DIFFERENT in VOICE, ATTITUDE, and LANGUAGE.
            The two sexes are different. We have different world views, mindsets, expectations and preoccupations. For example, one psychologist’s study showed that men think about sex at least sixteen times per day; assuming sixteen hours of wakefulness, that’s a minimum of once per hour. Conversely, women contemplate sex one-third as often. Isn’t it a marvel how men find time to start and fight wars, when so much of their conscious mind is preoccupied with sex? Or find the time to fill a weekend as an armchair quarterback? Are sex, sports and war games their main preoccupations?
            Another preoccupation is their sense of “manhood”, their need to prove themselves “manly”. Watch a fence-enclosed playground of children some time. Little girls will reasonably enter and exit via the open gate. Not little boys. The five-foot high cyclone fence becomes a test of physical strength and agility—a challenge of manhood, if you will, and a string of little boys will dare each other to climb over. The little girls look on, some puzzled by the boys’ illogical behavior, others openly admiring the little daredevils who need to resist the lure of logic.
            Read the novels of male authors to learn the male mindset. From the cerebral, artistic but nonetheless lethal Mossad assassin, Gabriel, of Daniel Silva, to the military action heroes of Brad Thor; from the political thrillers of Vince Flynn to the police procedurals of Michael Connelly and John Lescroat, to the scientific adventurers of James Rollins and Steve Berry—the male gender has his own distinct Point of View. And that includes, of course, his VOICE, ATTITUDE and LANGUAGE.
            So, how to capture a man’s worldview, or—as the German philosophers call it—“weltanschauung”?  Sparingly.  A male fiction hero uses action more than speech to convey his worldview.  A female writer not only has to reflect his POV in inner dialogue and reflection (or narration), but also in his actions and his spoken words. Or lack of them.  For a male character, long silences are common. Daniel Silva’s Gabriel, the Mossad agent whose cover is Renaissance art restorer, spends days silently restoring his canvasses while simultaneously plotting his next mission.  When a male author writes men’s dialogue, he does so sparingly. When a female author writes men’s dialogue, there is almost no difference between the male and female characters. We don’t realize how little men really speak.
            Dialogue, of course, has to reflect the character. Men don’t talk as much as women. This is not stereotype or cliche. The same applies to little girls and boys. Several psychological studies have rated female speech as four to five times more frequent and denser than male speech. There’s more profanity, too, in male speech and many more sports metaphors.  How many times have you heard a man say, “Time to get the ball and run with it”? Or “The ball’s in your court”, “I’m going for broke”, and—one from the military—“It’s all FUBAR, man”.
            When FBI analyst, Jake Bernstein, in my sexy spy-thriller, A BODYGUARD OF LIES, gazes at the medieval-era Iron Maiden torture chamber in the dungeon at Cardiff Castle, he reflects on man’s inhumanity to man, and then thinks immediately of his German-Jewish grandfather’s survival guilt. He thinks outloud and, in a moment of spontaneous candor, shares his grandfather’s suffering with Meg, the grand-daughter of the woman he’s investigating. In the next moment, he covers his embarrassment by seizing and kissing her.  A moment of vulnerability takes a more aggressive, sexual turn. Men’s rule: Never show your weaknesses.
            In another scene, by-the-book Bernstein crosses the line and risks his career by becoming sexually involved with Meg, but only after confirming in his own mind Meg’s innocence. He rationalizes his involvement with the needs of his investigation, but soon assumes the role of protector for both the target—the grandmother—and the target’s grand-daughter. Jake shows, not by words of affection, but by action alone his feelings for Meg. That his investigation has been compromised creates a moral and practical dilemma for Jake, which he deals with in his own inimitable way. His lonely search for love supercedes the need for justice, but only temporarily. Ultimately, Jake turns things around. Justice does prevail in the end, but not in the way some might expect or hope.
            Surliness, cynicism and sarcasm are all accepted male attributes, especially in tough “alpha” males. From the lone gunslinger to the “Mission Impossible” stoical action hero, the alpha male feels, suffers, but never complains. Especially not to females. He might be flawed, drink or smoke too much, pick the wrong woman, or put himself in life-threatening situations, but HE NEVER COMPLAINS and NEVER CRIES. Remember an incredulous Tom Hanks exhorting his female baseball players, “There’s no crying in baseball!”?  There are unspoken mottos of machismo among men: NO CRYING EVER.  TAKE IT LIKE A MAN. WALK LIKE A MAN. TOUGHEN UP AND STAND TALL.  Those attitudes are deep-seated and intrinsic to a male’s psyche. My seven year-old grandson already has incorporated those mottos into his outlook and behavior, and the male role models in his life are sensitive, educated, verbally gifted men. Somehow, through osmosis of cultural mores, little boys learn what is necessary to WALK LIKE A MAN.
            “Defending the Caveman”, a one-man comedy show, reminded me recently of the male mindset and male speech. Men tend to get confused when women are verbose. Like their canine counterparts, they look for tone of voice and body language because they know that women don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say. Look at classic passive-aggressive power struggles between men and women. Men have difficulty arguing back, so they are more inclined to switch to passive-aggressive mode. They don’t like taking orders from a woman, and so if a woman nags a man to be home by five o’clock sharp, you can bet he’ll find something to do until five-thirty. Passive-aggression is a man’s stock in trade. Or he’ll take the opposite stance and just tell you to “fuck off”.
            As a rule, however, men tend to clean up their language when in mixed-gender company, and that’s one of the main appeals of men-only clubs and teams. In such an environment, they can blow off steam, scratch themselves, belch outloud, insult each other with “dickhead” and “butt-wipe” and laugh. And still remain good buddies.  Imagine women going up to their girlfriends with a greeting like “Hi, fatty” or “Still wearing that old, ratty shirt?” That’d be the end of that friendship. With men, such insults are just friendly talk, a sign of good-humored male-aggression and tolerance. Listen in on a men-only poker game. Or go see the musical, “Jersey Boys”.  There’s a reason why men loved that musical but hated “Mama Mia”.
            Listen to men when they don’t realize a woman is around. Very hard to do because their sexual antennae always lets them know when a female is nearby or within earshot. But if you can avoid being detected, just tune in to them and listen with an open mind to their speech. It’s hilarious and, for a woman writer, quite an education. Go ahead. Do it. You’ll see what I mean.
A BODYGUARD OF LIES
(release: Jan. 13th) 
Has a dual setting, a contemporary one and a WWII/London setting. It’s a blend of romance, mystery and WWII espionage. I researched it while in England, Ireland and Germany in 2009. The story involves a Jewish-American FBI analyst, who’s recruited by MI-5 to go undercover and investigate a naturalized American grandmother. The elderly woman is suspected by MI-5 of being a notorious Nazi spy never caught by the Allies during the war, who caused the deaths of thousands and is wanted for war crimes. Jake Bernstein runs into a series of unexpected obstacles and complications: This spy knows a secret that could endanger the royal family; the old woman has a beautiful granddaughter who threatens to derail his investigation; a neo-Nazi group in Ireland known as the Celtic Wolves; and a clever, cagey old woman who’s not as weak as she looks.
Donna Del Oro spent her childhood in two places, Silicon Valley, CA and the countryside of East Texas, as her father tried several job opportunities. Finally settling in Silicon Valley, she grew up in a bilingual, bicultural world–Spanish on her mother’s side and English on her father’s. Comfortable in both worlds, she decided upon retiring from teaching to write about her Hispanic side. Four women’s fiction books resulted and a series about professional singers, their careers and love lives. Retired and devoting much of her abundant free time to exercise, writing, singing and her grandson, Donna has finally reached a point in life that totally satisfies her. Life is good and she has no complaints, just a lot of gratitude for her many blessings.
Website
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Interview with Zoe Winters

Books-n-Kisses is so excited to have Zoe Winters back on the blog. 
BnK: I am so excited to share you and your newest release Dark Mercy with my followers.  Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down and talk with me. 
Zoe: Thanks for having me!
Bnk:  Are you ready?
Zoe: No, I need fifteen more minutes. Just kidding. Having this kind of convo via text is bringing out the weird in me.
BnK: Have you always wanted to be an author?
Zoe: I’m not sure if “always”, but I know I was pretty serious about it by junior high school. I was writing novels in 8th grade. I shudder to think how bad those were!
BnK:  What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Zoe: I’ll have to think about that one. I’m pretty sure I’m nothing “but” quirks since it seems that I think very differently than a lot of people about a wide range of topics, sometimes.
BnK: I am very excited about Dark Mercy.  Your newest release in the Preternaturals Series.  Can you tell us a little about this story?
Zoe: Dark Mercy just released. It’s a novella that is the beginning of a story for a new Pretverse couple. Angeline starts out a vampire and Hadrian is the priest she wants to turn. Her sire (Linus. Fans of the series might recognize him a the Villain from Claimed.) was so abusive to her that she’s distrustful of other vampires and wants one she made herself. I must warn that this story is not an HEA but it’s also not the end of their story. Their HEA will happen in their full-length book which will be book 5.
Hadrian does make a cameo in the third book of the series, The Catalyst, though. Dark Mercy is what I call “supplementary” material to the series, in that it doesn’t have to be read in order with the rest of the series, not that the information learned is less important to the overall story. Important things happen both for Hadrian and Angeline, and the larger series. One major character from Save My Soul, who gets her own book in book 4, has a few of her secrets at least partially revealed in Dark Mercy.
Dark Mercy is also a little more angsty than a lot of my Zoe stuff. It’s just the nature of this story. Mated is also a bit angsty. But the snark is coming back big in The Catalyst.
BnK: How did you come up the idea for the Preternaturals Series?
Zoe: Well, Save My Soul was written first, and it actually became book 2 in the series. (Incidentally you can start either with Blood Lust [book 1] or Save My Soul [book 2] and not be lost.)
It involves an incubus trapped in a house by a 50-yr-old curse. I wrote it largely because I didn’t want to start out with “vampires” because I was told that “vampires” were over and nobody would buy it (what a lie. Vampires are SO not over.) Anyway, I was driving by this house in the historic district of my town and most of the plot for Save My Soul arrived that way. I was looking at this house I always loved, and that became Luc and Anna’s house and these ideas just sort of popped in my head. It was pretty creepy, actually. Sometimes I think Luc really does live in that house, LOL.
Then a year or two after that, an ebook publisher was running a contest for addition into a werecat novella anthology. So I came up with the story for Kept for that. But I didn’t make it by the deadline, so in the end, I released Kept on my own as an ebook.
Then I wanted a couple of other novellas to round it out so I could do a print release/collection, so Claimed and Mated came along to make Blood Lust.
By the time I got to writing Mated, I really really wanted it to turn into a big series because I had this whole idea for this world and all this politics and struggle between these different factions and how each book would be its own romance but there would be this larger meta plot connecting the series. I was also really intrigued by the idea that everybody is the hero of his own story, so sometimes a hero in one book will be a villain in another and vice versa because I want to show what everybody is fighting for and what their intentions are without demonizing any one faction or leader.
I figured out a way to tie Mated in to Save My Soul by introducing Save My Soul’s villain in Mated. By the time we get to book 3, it’s going to be really clear how this all intersects. My biggest fear is that people won’t hang out with me until they start seeing the bigger picture, because it is really cool and I think those who can hang with me, will be really glad they did.
BnK: What is up next for the Preternaturals Series?
Zoe: Right now I’m working on The Catalyst, which is book 3 in the official order. Though, technically one can read them out of order, it just depends on if you need to have meta plot in order. Some people like to read series of this nature out of order so it comes together like a jigsaw puzzle. Either way works. My suggestion would be to start out with the story that sounds most interesting to you, then if you feel you want it all in order, start from the beginning.
But meh, I totally sidetracked there. The Catalyst is about Z and Fiona. Z is a panther therian (were-panther, but NEVER call him were. He will eat your face) who has gotten saddled with a stray wolf pup, and Fiona is an agoraphobic witch who has the ability to understand the language of animals. So he sort of has to kidnap her and take her back to his cave because he needs her help with the pup. Z really is such a caveman, but he’s sweet. He just has no concept of social boundaries.
The Catalyst is a bit of an ensemble book because not only are we dealing with Z and Fiona’s relationship and HEA, but, Jane and Cole’s story (from Mated) will go from an HFN (happy for now) to an HEA. Some readers may not have realized, but therians (shapeshifters) can live hundreds of years. Cole is a werewolf. Jane is a human. So with their divergent lifespans, that’s not exactly an HEA. But The Catalyst will solve that issue. (And yes, this was part of the plan to begin with.)
There is also a lot of Cain in this book, which sets up book 4, LifeCycle… which is Cain and Tam’s book. And I feel like anybody not already a fan of my stuff is glazing over back there in the cheap seats. Sorry! Read, so you know what we’re talking about! 😉
BnK:  So, recently you came out of the closet about your pen name. Would you like to share a little about your other name?
Zoe: Kitty Thomas is for a mature audience. That’s all I’ll say. It’s darker. It’s more literary than Zoe. And it’s really just not for the faint of heart. In a lot of ways *I* don’t think the kitty stuff is dark, but clearly mainstream readers feel differently, so I warn and disclaim. Zoe has always been kink subtext. I mean, every relationship in the Preternaturals series definitely has a strong power exchange going on. There may not be any whips and chains or other props but these heroes pretty much “own” these heroines…
Kept involves this werecat in her heat cycle basically at the mercy of a dark sorcerer. Claimed involves a vampire claiming a human female (and a claim gives him power over her, like… forever.), Mated involves a werewolf who takes a human as payment for a gambling debt and basically keeps her against her will in his compound. Sure, he doesn’t do anything bad to her and he needs to protect her because he senses she’s meant to be his mate, but it still is what it is.
In Save My Soul, the incubus demon breed mates by taking a human female who must give him her soul which ties them together forever in a way in which he is the dominant party.
In Dark Mercy there is definitely some power games going on there, but I don’t want to give that away because it’s a spoiler.
In The Catalyst, Z kidnaps Fiona and drags her back to his cave.
I mean, it’s a pretty blatant pattern. I like what I like. Zoe is subtext, Kitty is text. And Kitty definitely is not for everybody. Kitty is me unfiltered. Zoe is a little safer. I ended up coming out of the closet because it was too difficult to keep them separate/secret, mainly because a lot of Zoe fans were Kitty fans. I had all these twitter followers who were following both of my names and didn’t know they were both me. I guess, then, that a lot of people picked up on the subtext in the Zoe work, LOL.
I also felt like it was going to come out eventually and the most important thing to me was that people know I wasn’t “ashamed” of writing Kitty. I’m incredibly proud of the Kitty work.
I’ve always felt in general that the romance genre had a lot of D/s (Dominant/submissive) subtext. I mean sometimes you have a beta male and some readers are into that, but the vast majority of romance is a dominant alpha male who behaves in a dominant (not abusive) fashion toward the heroine. So make of that what you will. I know subtext when I smell it.
BnK: Zoe and Kitty are very different.  How did you get into two very different genres?
Zoe: I had this book I *needed* to write. (Comfort Food) At the time I had no grand plan to start a new brand but I needed to write this book and I knew it wouldn’t fit in the Zoe world. I didn’t expect people to fall in love with it and to go on about it like it was the second coming. But it really connected with a lot of people.
It was just a book. Yes, it meant a lot to me. I opened a vein for that book. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever written, and up until that point, the most naked thing. But I’m really proud of it. (Not that it’s perfect, no book is perfect, but yeah. Comfort Food will always be Comfort Food.)
I tend to flip back and forth between the names. For awhile I’d gotten burnt out on the Pretverse and everything was kitty kitty kitty. And now, after having released 5 Kitty releases in a row (some novels, some novellas), I’m totally Kittied out, so my focus is shifting back to Zoe for the next 4 or 5 releases. And I’m really excited about the pretverse right now!
I probably won’t go back to kitty until after I release book 5 (Hadrian and Angeline’s book.) I mean, I tease people with Dark Mercy so it would be crappy for me to go back into the kitty zone before I wrap that up.
BnK: Zoe, Thank you again for taking the time to sit down and talk with me.  I look forward to The Catalyst.  Is there anything else you would like to add?
Zoe: Thanks! I’d also like to add that full-length books in the series—Blood Lust and Save My Soul—are also in audiobook and available at Audible/Amazon and itunes, for those who listen to audiobooks. Chet Williamson is my narrator and he is AMAZING. He makes all my books sound like fifty times more awesome than they actually are.
BnK: Where can my followers find you? 
Zoe: my blog: http://zoewinters.wordpress.com , facebook (though I have no idea what the link is for that. Facebook has those ridiculously long links, though there is a facebook app on my blog for those who want to “like” me.), and Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/zoewinters
Bnk:  Again Z, Thank you.
Zoe: Thanks!
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Interview with Shanon Grey

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Shanon Grey to the blog.  
1. Can you please share with us a little about yourself?
I live in the very magical “low” mountains of Northern Georgia. Not too high up to get a nose bleed, but just enough to make for some great rolling pastures, fields, and forests. Having come out of Hurricane Katrina with pretty much what was on our backs, we relocated to Georgia. All my work, everything that wasn’t in my head, disappeared. Luckily, Georgia proved to be inspirational and the Gatekeeper Series poured right out of me. I discovered that the imagination is fairly disaster-proof.
2. Have you always wanted to be an author?
No. At age seven, I wanted to me a Faerie Princess. By ten, it was the female version of “The Phantom,” by twelve it was an airline stewardess, and by fifteen, it was a world-renowned cancer researcher. I came closest to the last when I took premed in college. It was there that I started writing, mostly journal articles. I stayed with technical writing most of my life, sneaking in fiction in the late night quiet hours when no one was up.
3. Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?
Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Then Splenda Diet Coke. Everything thing else is arbitrary. My family is very, very supportive. Fortunately for them, my son is a fabulous cook and makes sure we all eat sometime during the day. I have an incredibly inspiring office (which my husband and son created for me) and I spend a great deal of my waking hours in there, our dog nearby (in case I drop some tasty cookie crumb). I never seem to have any trouble with writer’s block—again, that overactive imagination to the rescue—so I am pretty much ensconced in one story or another from morning until the wee hours.
4. Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
The most challenging part of writing is patience. There’s always something someone needs that has nothing to do with putting my story on paper. Bookkeeping, marketing, filing—the administrative end of having a business. I wish I were rich and could have a “team.” Alas, I am not, so the drudgework is still mine. I wonder if I’d ever give up the control anyway.
The most rewarding part of writing is when a reader sends me an email or posts a comment telling me they love my work. Writing is hard at best. We put ourselves out there every time we put words down. To get a positive word or review (we love positive reviews, as well) makes our day, our week, month…. I was stopped one day in Barnes & Noble and was asked to sign my book. I floated around for hours. Having readers like that is the most rewarding thing in the world.
5. Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
The Shoppe of Spells is the first in the Gatekeepers Series. It isn’t a series per se, since all the books actually “stand-alone.” They do, however, center around the quaint small southern town of Ruthorford, GA and the special inhabitants or “descendants” from that town. In The Shoppe of Spells, Morgan Briscoe’s relatively normal life is turned on its ear when she learns not only that she is adopted, but her birth parents are dead and she now holds half-interest in a business with their ward, Dorian Drake, who, despite his riveting good looks, can barely conceal his hostility toward his new partner. Morgan discovers that she is more than she seems and together she and Dorian have the ability to control a portal to another dimension. Unable to contain their growing attraction, Morgan and Dorian dance around their desires and her burgeoning abilities, until danger forces them to face their destiny.
 6. How did you come with the idea for this story?
I had been driving around the area and stopped at Barnes & Noble for a coffee and scone. Standing in line, the story came to me. It was the longest wait of my life. I grabbed my order, found a table, pulled the scone out of the bag and started making notes on the bag. I have since framed the bag. I have learned when an idea hits, write SOMETHING down. Anything. You’d think I’d learn to carry a notepad around with me. Nope. I’m still writing down ideas on whatever happens to be in my purse at the time. Oh, and ideas never come at convenient times.
7. Can you share with us your current work in progress?
Meadow’s Keep is due out late spring or early summer. It is Jasmine Monroe’s story. She is introduced in The Shoppe of Spells. Here’s the teaser:
 Jasmine Monroe once felt like damaged goods. But, not anymore. Her latent abilities, although appearing too late to save her from a brutal attack, will keep her safe from anyone ever hurting her again. She’s made sure of that. Secure in that fact, she’s moved on. Until she meets her first love’s doppelganger.
Eryk Vreeland, a misfit and embarrassment to his upper-class/upper-crust family, is a magician. His shows are renowned, his contributions to charity astronomical, his illusions precise. Except, not everything is an illusion. Sometimes there is real magic.
Jasmine stumbles upon a secret that will change Eryk’s life forever, and in doing so, she must face her own destiny as well. When Jasmine and Eryk are forced together to rescue and protect a young woman, each must overcome the barrier that protects, yet hinders any personal attachments. The safeguards must come down to combine their abilities and, when that happens, their attraction strengthens—beyond their control—until they can barely tell where one person stops and the other begins.
Can their hearts take the toll? Will they surrender to one another or risk a disaster to stay apart?
8. Who are some of your favorite authors?
That’s not fair. I have so many. After a day of writing, I can’t go to sleep without being transported away into another author’s world. I tend to read genres and definitely many subgenres of romance. At the moment, I am reading Nora Roberts, Sharon Sala, Ted Dekker, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. Did I mention that I am always reading more than one book at a time? My husband is constantly warning me that someday my bedside table will give up the ghost and crumble from the weight of all the books.
9. Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style? 
Unfortunately, no. I admire so many authors’ styles and, since I am still developing mine, I don’t want to embarrass those great writers by implying my style is anywhere near as good as theirs. My writing is definitely character driven, so my style varies by the characters that are in charge at the moment. I enjoy that. It keeps things fresh.
10. What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
In about a week, Susan Mallery’s new book, Barefoot Season, comes out. I also want to read The Help, which I haven’t yet.
11. Is there anything else you would like to add?
I want to thank you for having me. There are many authors out there and you give readers a chance to get to know us a little better. I also wanted to thank you for reviewing The Shoppe of Spells on March 11, 2012 (click here to read review) . It is always wonderful to have a reviewer recommend your book.
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Interview & Giveaway with Inara Scott

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to have the very sweet Inara Scott on the blog today.  Please make my fellow Oregonian welcome… 

Q1)  Can you please share with us a little about yourself 
Inara:  Let’s see…I was born in Buffalo NY, and as a result spent most of my childhood complaining about being cold. I headed south for college and never went back. Now, I live in Oregon with my husband, two kids, and obscenely cute little white dog Rosco. I have a master’s degree in recreation (bet you didn’t know they give a master’s for that!) and traveled around after college leading outdoor and wilderness trips. From there, I went to law school, and practiced as an energy lawyer for almost ten years before I quit my full time job to focus on my writing. Now, besides writing I juggle a lot of different jobs—I still lawyer part time, but I also travel, teach writing, do school visits, and work on a really cool student art anthology.
Q2)  Have you always wanted to be an author?
Inara:  I have always loved to write, but I never thought I’d actually do it for a career. I’m frighteningly practical, and it never occurred to me to try to pay the bills with something fun like writing! But yes, I wrote my first full-length novel when I was in ninth grade, and my mom recently discovered something I wrote when I was six saying I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. So I think it’s safe to say that this has been a dream of mine for a long, long time.
Q3)  Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?
Inara:  I usually write best early in the morning, with a cup of coffee by my side. By noon, I’m pretty much done. It’s funny—whether I have 3 hours or 6 hours for writing, I seem to accomplish the same amount. I guess there’s only so many creative thoughts in my brain each day! I try to use my down-time to send email, do social media stuff, or catch up on my reading.
Q4)  Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
Inara:  Ah, I find writing the new stuff to be the most challenging. Sometimes I feel like I’m fighting for every word. But I adore revising. There’s nothing more fun than reworking and polishing. It’s like eating the frosting off the cake. The most rewarding thing is having an impact on readers. I’ve had reader mail that made me cry. Stories are powerful things, and I can’t imagine anything more rewarding that knowing your stories touched someone’s heart.
Q5)  Can you please tell us about your latest book?
Inara: How about a blurb? Those always seem to tell the story better than I can!
Rules of Negotiation
She made all the rules…
After juggling the demands of her career and the stress of caring for her ailing mother, high-powered corporate attorney Tori Anderson doesn’t have time for relationships—but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to feel like a woman. When Brit Bencher, NYC’s most eligible bachelor, offers a no-strings attached fling, it sounds like exactly what she needs. But what will she do when her Brit decides he won’t take “one night stand” for an answer?
…until he started breaking them.
Brit Bencher will do anything to take care of his family, even seduce Tori Anderson in the hopes of getting her to reveal confidential information about one of her clients. But for the first time in his life, he finds he’s falling for a woman. When Tori uncovers his lies, will he lose his chance with her forever?
Q6)  How did you come with the idea for this story?
Inara:  This story was definitely a “what if “that was inspired by my own career in the law. I can be a bit of a workaholic, and I often wondered what would have happened to me if I hadn’t met my husband long before law school. I think I probably would have buried myself in my work and not gotten out much! And I think I would have been very lonely, and still wondering when my prince would come.
Okay, all that, and I love the “meet a gorgeous CEO at a business meeting, have a crazy one-night stand and fall in love” fantasy! I mean, who doesn’t, right? J 
Q7)  Can you share with us your current work in progress?
Inara:  Not really, mostly because I’ve got too many going on! I’m currently working on a new book in my Handmaid Seduction series, a new YA that I’m really excited about, and plotting out a new contemporary romance series. My worst problem right now is focusing on one project long enough to finish it!
Q8)  Who are some of your favorite authors?
Inara:  I absolutely adore Jenny Cruise, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Julie James, Susan Sey, and Victoria Dahl.
Q9)  Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
Inara:  Probably not inspired my style, because they’re too amazing to compare myself to, but I think reading Julie James made me believe that people might actually enjoy a lawyer romance!
Q10)  What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Inara:  New books by all of these authors!
Q11)  Is there anything else you would like to add?
Inara:  Thanks so much for taking the time to interview me! Now I’m always on the hunt for new authors to read, so leave me a comment with your favorite contemporary romance author, and I’ll give away a copy of Rule of Negotiation to one commenter!
Inara loves to hear from readers; you can find her on Twitter (@inarascott) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/inarawrites) far more than is healthy. For email contact information, event schedules, her blog, and much more, check out www.inarascott.com. 

RULES OF NEGOTIATION is available now:
Get your copy at Amazon & Barnes & Noble!
About Inara Scott
Inara Scott is a writer, lawyer, teacher, mother, and coffee-addict currently growing mold in the beautiful (but rainy) Pacific Northwest. Inara also writes for teens in her paranormal young adult series The Talents. Inara firmly believes in magic and fairy tales, and doesn’t think happily ever after is the least bit unrealistic.



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Spotlight Feature of Hot Summer by Judy Powell

A hot-tempered spitfire and a sexy, arrogant man – put them together and sparks fly!

After her first embarrassing encounter Summer Jones vows to stay away from suave record producer, Lance Munroe. But then she ends up working for the man. Her quick temper and sharp tongue keep landing her in hot water with him but no matter how hard she tries she can’t deny her growing attraction for him. Then they go on a business trip to Jamaica – and her world is turned upside down.
Lance is intrigued by the feisty woman who practically tells him off the first time they meet. When they begin working together he realizes how much he enjoys the challenge of taming the little tigress. But, before he knows it, he’s the one caught in the snare of passion. The tables are turned – the tigress has tamed the lion.
If you love the sizzle of a romance between two strong-willed individuals, follow Summer and Lance from Chicago to Jamaica and be swept away in the thrill of their hot summer.

Judy Powell is a writer and marketing consultant who lives in Ontario, Canada. Her works are diverse, featuring romance novels, a historical novel and non-fiction essays which have appeared in anthologies.  Her titles include ‘Hot Summer’ which placed second in the Toronto Romance Writers Contemporary Romance Competition, ‘Hot Chocolat’ – the sequel to ‘Hot Summer’, ‘Some Like It Hot’ – a sensual multicultural romance novel, and ‘Coffee, Cream and Curry’ – a literary work which received the silver medal in a national creative writing competition. 

Judy is a great lover of learning which is reflected in the diversity of her studies which includes Masters degrees in Spanish, Marketing, Literature and Creative Writing and a BA in Foreign Languages & International Business. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa (US Honor Society), Romance Writers of America, Toronto Romance Writers, and Writers and Editors Network of Canada.  She loves to travel and has lived in countries including Puerto Rico, the USA, France, Jamaica and Canada.  She likes to feature diverse cultures in her works. 
Website
EXCERPT
As he spoke he leaned back into the couch and peered up at her through half-closed eyes. She turned away from his gaze and quickly opened the bottles and poured bubbling liquid into both glasses.
“Here you go,” she said with a smile and handed him the drink. She sat on the edge of the sofa beside him but as far away as was polite. She put the glass to her lips and sipped the sharp cold liquid, feeling the bubbles bursting in her mouth.
She felt his eyes on her and gulped more liquid, then opened her eyes wide as it flooded her throat. Her eyes burned and she struggled to swallow but it was no use. Before she could cover her mouth she coughed violently, spraying her lap and the coffee table with soda.
Summer clapped her hands over her mouth, but too late. The damage was already done.  Her eyes grew huge with distress and she looked across at Lance, hot with embarrassment.
“Are you alright?” He’d quickly rested his glass on the table and was leaning towards her, a large white handkerchief in his hand. She took it gratefully, still coughing. Then the spasms gradually subsided and she was able to look at him again. Her eyes were brimming with tears.
“Are you crying?” He looked incredulous, almost out of his depth, as he raised his hand and wiped away a tear with his thumb.
Summer dabbed at her eyes, sniffed, then looked up at him again, her lips curling into a grin.  “Of course not, silly. I’m not crying. It’s the coughing that made my eyes fill up with tears.” Somehow, seeing him look so nonplussed had made her more at ease with him.
“Silly, huh?” He smiled back at her.  “You’re the one who gulped down a carbonated drink too fast and ended up losing the whole lot all over yourself. So, who’s silly?”
While he was speaking Lance had rested his arm at the back of the couch right behind her head and had begun to gently stroke her nape with his thumb. Summer swallowed hard but couldn’t get the lump out of her throat.
 “I guess…I am,” she said, her voice breathless.
“Yes,” he whispered as he leaned forward to press his warm lips against the side of her neck, “you are.”
Summer’s breath came in shallow gasps as she sat still, not feeling she could move even if she wanted to. She was like a bird frozen in the mesmerizing stare of a snake, knowing it was about to be eaten alive but not able to make a move to save its own life.
She moaned and closed her eyes as his lips stroked the sensitive skin then moved to the base of her throat where he licked softly and gently. She didn’t realize that she was still clutching the handkerchief tightly in her hand until she felt his strong fingers pry hers open to pull it away so that he could seduce her palm with his thumb.
“Relax, baby.” He moved his lips up her neck and to her ear.  “You’re so tense. Just relax.”
As he spoke he pushed her back gently into the plush pillows and began to nibble her ear lobe. He gave a lick just behind her ear and shock waves ran down her spine.
“Oh, God,” she breathed, “what are you doing to me?”
“What someone should have done to you a long time ago, Summer Jones,” he whispered.  “Teach you what it means to be a woman.”
He dipped his head and slid his lips back down her neck, over her collar bone and down to that oh, so sensitive place between the curves of her breasts. Here he paused and she held her breath, eyes shut tight, wondering if he was going to stop now. She prayed he wouldn’t.
She was not disappointed. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips as he slipped a warm tongue down her cleavage, sliding it between the orbs and teasing her soft flesh until her body screamed and she felt she would die from the sweet sensation. She grabbed the back of his head and pressed him into her, wanting more of the pleasure, more of the sweetness…
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Interview & Giveaway with Jennifer Probst

Books-n-Kisses is super excited to welcome Jennifer Probst to the blog today to talk about her new book The Marriage Bargain.  


Q1) Can you please share with us a little about yourself
Jennifer: Sure! I’m a mom of two active little boys, and live in Upstate New York with a gorgeous view of the mountains. My household is always in chaos, I hate to clean, am a big animal lover with a terrible habit of rescuing dogs, and am thrilled to finally be writing full time.
Q2)  Have you always wanted to be an author?
Jennifer:  Yes. I can’t remember ever wanting anything else, and when I was twelve years old I wrote my first book in longhand, took it to school, and read it to my friends. As soon as I learned to read, my mother told me I was telling everyone I’d be a writer one day. I feel very lucky to find my dream to pursue so early in life.
Q3)  Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Jennifer:  The classics turned me on to romance – the romance classics, I mean! I consumed vast amounts of category including Jayne Ann Krentz, Sandra Brown, Iris Johansen, Nora Roberts, and Suzanne Brockmann. I turned to large contemporary and gobbled up Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught, and countless other authors. That’s how I learned craft, and knew I wanted to do what they did. Then I adored reading horror and suspense, and finished every book by Stephen King and Dean Koontz. You learn from the masters.
Q4)  How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
Jennifer:  I always knew romance was my first love and I’d always write in that genre. But as I grew and became a mom and branched out, I wrote a children’s book with my twelve year old niece entitled Buffy and the Carrot. It was a wonderful experience for both of us. I did some parenting essays and launched a mommy blog. And then a dog’s voice pounded into my head, demanding I tell his story. I wrote A Life Worth Living which details the life of a shelter dog in his own voice. It hit #1 on Amazon in its category and I donate half of the proceeds to the animal shelter, so I was thrilled.
Q5)  What are some of your writing rituals?
Jennifer:  I have none. Absolutely none. In my household, you grab time when you can, write in the chaos, and be grateful for it. Don’t know if it’s good or bad but it’s how I survive!
Q6)  Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Jennifer:  Well, certainly! (rubs hands here in eagerness).  I am over the literal moon to report my book with Lori Wilde’s Indulgence line entitled The Marriage Bargain, hit #1 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list! It’s the first in my series called Marriage to a Billionaire and details the marriage of convenience by two characters who knew each other in the past and are completely different.
Q7)  How did you come with the idea for this story?
Jennifer:  My characters leapt out of my mind. onto the page and demanded freedom. Alexa was easy to write, she has a big heart, is spunky, and deals with life in a positive way. Pair her up with a brooding, cynical, hot man who doesn’t believe in anything, and you get fireworks. I adore opposites attract, and hard assed heroes who need to be tamed and given the courage to love. I also adore certain themes such as marriage of convenience and friends to lovers, so I wanted to write something fresh with a theme I love.
Q8)  Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Jennifer:  Absolutely! I am happy to report I am just about finished with the sequel to The Marriage Bargain called The Marriage Trap. It’s the story of Alexa’s best friend, Maggie, and the Count (who you will meet in TMB and hopefully fall in love with!). It takes place in Italy and I have a few surprises in store for my readers!
Q9)  What would you be if you were not an author?
Jennifer:  An animal rescue worker. Or a dancer if God gave me talent!
Q10)   What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Jennifer:  Oh, my! I have a TBR list that is explosive! First off, I’m tearing through the other Indulgence books because I love them so much – they are fresh and full of quality and themes I love to read. I also love the One Night Stand series by Decadent, they are short reads that are always well done. I have a bunch of writers I stalk, but honestly, I’m not avoiding the question, there are too many to name here! And the way I man twitter, I’m always finding something new to read that looks good. Call me an addict. I need a meeting.
Q11)  Is there anything else you would like to add?
Jennifer:  I adore hearing from my readers and connecting in a relationship. I remember after I read one of my favorite authors, I always dreamed of telling them how the book made me feel, but felt silly writing to them. It’s not silly – I know now how much writers appreciate readers and talking about their books. So I highly encourage stalking at all my sites listed below. Thank you so much for hosting me today!
We’re also giving away a free copy of The Marriage Bargain so please leave me a comment!
Website andBlog 
Goodreads   
AuthorFacebook Page  
Twitter 
The Marriage Bargain
Purchase links : Barnes and Noble | Amazon

A marriage in name only…

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans… 


Giveaway time:   
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Kelly’s review of Oracle’s Moon by Thea Harrison

Oracle’s Moon
Elder Races #4
by Thea Harrison
Amazon | B&N|  Powells 
As a second daughter, Grace Andreas never had to worry about the intrigues of the Elder Races. But when her sister, Petra, and Petra’s husband are both killed, Grace inherits the Power and responsibilities of the Oracle of Louisville, as well as her sister’s two young children – neither of which she is prepared for.
Yet, she is not alone. Khalil, Demonkind and Djinn prince of House Marid – driven by his genuine caring for the children – has decided to make himself a part of the household both as their guardian and as an exasperating counterpoint to Grace’s impudence toward the Elder Races.
But when an attempt is made on Grace’s life, she realizes that Khalil is the only one who can protect her – and offer her more than a mortal man…
My thoughts:
From the first interaction between Khalil & Grace, I knew that they would be a fun couple to read.  And boy was I right.  Khalil is an uptight, always has to be right Djinn Prince, one of the oldest of his kind.  Grace is just a mire human, well that is not entirely true.  Grace has recently taken over the job of being the Oracle after the death of her sister. 
I really enjoyed this story.  But it is safe to say that if it was not for Khalil am not sure I would have loved this story, but luckily Khalil is our hero in this story.  I liked Grace as a character, but felt without Khalil I would have been bored with her. 
Thea has created such a wonderful world with the Elder Races.  But after reading Oracle’s Moon I have so many questions of what is going to happen in the Elder Races series.  The Who’s, The What’s, The Why’s and The How’s.  And like any good author Thea doesn’t give me any answers to these questions.  J  I know that Dragos & Pia are getting another book Lord’s Fall (preorder here).  Can’t wait to see what twists and turns are next for the Elder Races.  And I hope that we see more of Khalil in the coming books.  But until then I leave you with some of my favorite Khalil lines…
From Serpent’s Kiss:
“I will sit on the baby’s”
From Oracle’s Moon:
“Indeed”
“Do you know that I am the doggie-cat”
“….I will achieve pancakes”
“Speak”
“You will shower first……then I will tell you that your beautiful”
“Well, dude….sometimes you just have to get over shit”
**AHHH** Khalil, a man of many words.