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Spotlight Feature of Night’s Awakening by Donna Grant (giveaway too)

Night’s Awakening

by Donna Grant

Book 2 in the Dark King’s Trilogy

ISBN-13: 978-1466807440

Ebook Only

Dark Kings #2

August 28, 2012

Fueled by dragon magic, the dark immortal warriors were never meant to feel human desire, much less fall in love. But when Guy, a member of an ancient order of shape-shifting warriors, meets Elena Griffin—a mere mortal whose beauty and blind ambition shakes him to his core—all bets are off…

Having left America to explore the Scottish Highlands, Elena suddenly finds herself lost in a dark cave—alone, injured, and utterly hopeless…until Guy appears from out of nowhere. Is she dreaming her own rescue when she falls into his arms? A man—and a passion—this strong is too good to be true. It’s only a matter a time before she learns the truth about the flames in his heart. And the dragon in his soul…

Meet the hero ~

Guy

Guy is wholly unprepared for his life to be shaken to its very core when he saves a woman who has trespassed onto their land and decided to go caving in their mountain. While everyone else is worried what she might have seen, Guy is more concerned with the way he can’t stay away from Elena or her very tempting lips.

Never once has he turned his back on his fellow Dragon Kings, but for Elena he would do anything just to keep her near him. Even if it meant going against everything it was to be a King.

Dragon Color:

Red

Power:

Erase Memories

Favored Region:

Desert

Read a snippet from Night’s Awakening ~~

The three forged ahead, their focus now on discovering where the woman was. They searched for almost two hours before Guy saw a flash of light in the darkness.“There,” he whispered, and pointed.

Banan and Rhys were on his heels as they made their way to the light. Guy wasn’t sure what he expected to find, but it wasn’t the sight of a woman slumped over either unconscious or dead.

She’d taken off her helmet so that her wealth of dark blond hair could be seen. It was held back in a ponytail, but the wavy locks that had come loose to frame her face made him want to see the rest of it down as well.

The woman sighed and turned her face toward him, and the beam from her hard hat crossed her face. Guy was arrested by the fragile beauty.

Her heart-shaped face was smudged with dirt on her forehead and chin. Her nose was small and her forehead wide, but she had incredibly high cheekbones and a mouth made for sin.

Guy looked at those tempting lips and felt his balls tighten. He took a hasty step back, and touched his chest as something peculiar seemed to move within him.

“What is it?” Banan whispered.

He ignored the question because he couldn’t explain it. It had begun five months earlier with Hal. The dragon magic they had used to bind their feelings so as never to be betrayed by a human again somehow stopped working with Hal.

Hal not only felt emotions for humans but fell in love with one. Cassie had proved herself to Hal, and to Con and the rest of them. Which had been a good thing, because no amount of dragon magic could reinstate the spell on Hal.

Guy thought something special had occurred with Hal and Cassie, something that might not happen again for hundreds of years.

Yet, there was no mistaking the feeling within him was stronger than the lust he usually felt. It was lust, but . . . there was more.

As if he just now realized what was missing from his life, as if a part of him was missing.

He lifted his gaze to find Rhys and Banan staring at him curiously. Guy gave a nod and squatted behind the woman while the other two knelt before her.

Be sure to check out more stops on Donna’s Dark King’s

Book Blurb Tour for more snippets!! 

The Next Stop on the Tour is ~

http://maw25.wordpress.com

Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. She’s the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance—Scottish Medieval, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal, and erotic. Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Sword, features a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.

Learn more about Donna Grant and her books here —

http://zcrazyartist.blogspot.com

http://www.donnagrant.com/category/books/?series=dark-kings

The Dark Kings series is a spin off the Dark Warriors series and Dark Sword series.

 


Dark Craving
Dark Kings #1
July 31, 2012
Night’s Awakening
Dark Kings #2
August 28, 2012
Dawn’s Desire
Dark Kings #3
September 25, 2012

GIVEAWAY TIME: 

Today’s prize will be a Kindle or Nook copy of Book 1 in

The Dark King’s trilogy, Dark Craving!

To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter from below.

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The blog has been hijacked (in a good way) by Carrie Lofty & she has a giveaway

The Key Scene

By Carrie Lofty

For everyone romance I’ve written, I begin with a key scene in mind. Often, this scene is not the opening or the finale. In fact I rarely know the finale at all! I’m a dedicated pantser, and what will happen next…generally you’d have more of a clue than me. Let’s just say that I adore the process of seeing a story unfold.

That said, I do have a key scene. We’ll call it the kernel of what a book means to me, where it started in my mind, where—basically—I fell in love with the idea so completely that I felt compelled to spend the next several months writing the darn thing!

For example, in SONG OF SEDUCTION  I started with a picture of Gary Oldman from the movie Immortal Beloved, where he portrayed Beethoven. I adored that image so much that I based a great deal of my romance around how to get the hero and heroine to that moment, and how I could make that feeling of longing and art come to life in an original way. That image drove me to write.

Other times I’m inspired by a song, one that evokes a powerful image in my mine. In my debut, WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS, I listened to a song call “Fall in the Light” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3HHnjQcJHc] and saw the hero carrying the heroine away from a burning cabin. I told my husband for weeks, “Soon I’ll explode the cabin!” When I finally got there, however, I was in tears. The thing I’d joked about as my signpost was actually a really emotional signpost.

If you’ve noticed, these “key scenes” often come about because of external inspiration. Music, movies, photos—they fuel my imagination. For STARLIGHT, however, inspiration came from a very unexpected source. I was trying to internalize the cadence of the Glaswegian accent, since my heroine, Polly, is from Glasgow. I used one actress in particular, listening to her over and over until I felt that pattern of speech in my head.

(I do this a lot with accents. Don’t worry. I’m not totally nuts.)

In doing so, I started to imagine how she would talk about where she grew up, what she wanted from life, and how she coped with difficult times. The “key scene” for STARLIGHT, even down to influencing our choice of title, came from that kernel. Many reviewers have commented on the “happiness” or “Northern Lights” scene, which makes me especially happy. I’ve never had my “key scene” resonate so well with readers.

Here’s a sample, where Alex has taken Polly to a park where they can watch the Northern Lights:

“How have you managed to survive here? It’s dirty and poor and violent,” he said. “Yet, you keep smiling. How?”

She grew quiet, making Alex wonder if he’d stepped past some invisible boundary. But she was still Polly, and that meant taking him by surprise.

“You want to know the secret?”

“Is there one?”

“Of course. Otherwise I’d have gone mad a long time ago.” She rested their twined hands on her stomach and breathed out. “You make shields. A half dozen or so. You stake them all around, all overlapped to keep out the pain and disappointment. But you leave a tiny crack, right in the front. That’s for letting the happiness in.”

Alex forgot to breathe. He looked to the sky once again. Being able to name each star held nothing to the way he saw the aurora anew. Through her eyes. He had wanted to show her a natural marvel, to give them both something beautiful to sustain them through what promised to become an ugly few weeks.

Instead, she had given him a gift. He saw color like a field of flowers and movement like a dancing angel. Science fell away to reveal only beauty. When he could breathe again, he unconsciously mimicked her soft exhale.

Eventually, enough of these “key scenes” start to gather and I have the makings of a complete story. But each romance begins with one—one image, idea, thought. For STARLIGHT, it was Polly letting the happiness in.

What’s next for me:

Now that RT BookReviews 4½ Star Top Pick STARLIGHT has hit the shelves, I’ll be looking forward to the release of HIS VERY OWN GIRL , a historical romance set in World War II. It’s not women’s fiction. It’s not literary fiction. It’s a genuine romance, complete with sexy times and a happy ending. Look for it September 4th as a Pocket Star digital original novel. I cannot wait to see how readers respond! 

I’ll also be launching a new co-written pseudonym, Katie Porter, with my long-time friend and critique partner, Lorelie Brown. Our “Vegas Top Guns” series of contemporary erotic romances will debut from Samhain on July 31 with the release of DOUBLE DOWN, which is also a RT BookReviews 4½ Star Top Pick. Two more from the series, INSIDE BET and HOLD ‘EM, will follow in August and September. You can learn more about these and future books at our website (HERE).

Where to find me:

Website |  Twitter | Facebook 

I’d like to give away a copy of STARLIGHT, and I’ll ship anywhere.

Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook

The second exciting, romantic addition to the Christie family series!
Esteemed astronomer Alex Christie, the eldest and most steadfast of the Christie siblings, has never possessed his late father’s ruthless business drive. But to protect his frail infant son from his cruel father-in-law’s bid for custody, the young widower must undertake Sir William Christie’s posthumous million-dollar challenge: to make a Glasgow cotton mill profitable. At sea in an industrial world of sabotage and union agitation, Alex meets Polly Gowan, daughter of a famed union leader, who hopes to seize a mysterious saboteur without involving the police.

Because a sympathetic mill master would aid her cause, Polly becomes Alex’s guide to urban Scotland. From soccer games to pub brawls, Alex sees another side of life, and feels free for the first time to reveal the man–vital and strong–behind his intellectual exterior. Polly is utterly seduced. Their ambitions, however, remains at odds: Alex vows to earn the mill bonus to save his child, while Polly fights for the needs of her people. Is there strength enough in their sparkling passion to bind them together in their quests–and in a lasting love that conquers all?

Just answer the question: Think of your favorite book or movie and tell me what the “key scene” is for you. Why is that scene so important to you?

 
Thanks again to Books ‘n’ Kisses for having me!

To Enter please fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

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Interview & Giveaway with Tamara Hogan

Books-n-Kisses is excited to have Tamara Hogan for the first time on the blog today.  We are getting to know Tamara a little better and learning about her newest book Chase Me.  Please make Tamara feel welcome. 

Can you please share with us a little about yourself:

TH: my partner Mark and I live on a small hobby farm in southern Minnesota with two cats. I have a day job, telecommuting as a technology process analyst for a Silicon Valley-based company that makes network gear. Though I studied creative writing through high school and college, I didn’t write my first book until five years ago. Taste Me, Underbelly Chronicles Book One, is that book!

Have you always wanted to be an author?

TH: I knew I wanted to try to write a book someday, but let’s just say that ‘someday’ took many more years than I thought it would when I was younger. When I got an idea for a series – this one – I decided it was time to put up or shut up. Since that book was ultimately acquired by Sourcebooks’ Deb Werksman in a three-book deal, I guess I put up.  😉

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

TH: Nalini Singh. Old-skool Anne Rice. Frank Herbert, Anne Stuart, Stephen King, and of course, Nora Roberts. Maybe it’s an English major thing, but I can read for pleasure and analyze craft simultaneously; it’s not unusual for a paragraph to literally bring me to tears, and through the tears, for me to identify the exact turn of phrase—the exact WORD—that set off the waterworks, and why. I think I’ve learned something from nearly every book I’ve ever read, for better or worse, but in terms of specific influence, Nalini’s level of craft with emotional description and saturation continues to astound me—and pushes me to improve. Nora Roberts taught me everything I know about dialogue tags and beats. (Thanks, Nora!)

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

TH: I’ve always been a feral cross-genre reader, and started reading romance novels when I was ten. People who read my books will likely find elements of science fiction, psychological thriller, and mystery in my work. In terms of writing in another genre…CHASE ME is my second book —heck, my second manuscript —so right now I love where I’m at. My voice is still developing, still emerging. I want to feel confident before even considering branching out into a different direction.

What are some of your writing rituals?

TH: I telecommute for my day job, so an important aspect of my writing routine is simply getting up with the alarm and getting out of the house. I write at my local coffee shop, drinking three cups of black coffee with cream. I slap on my headset, dial in my music for the day, pull out either notebook or net book, and get cracking. This is a job, and I have to make the most of my limited daily writing time if I want to make my deadlines.

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

TH:  One of the continuing strands in this series is the paranormal creatures’ origin story: how did these paranormal creatures come to share the planet with us? In Chase Me, Valkyrie archaeologist Lorin Schlessinger has finally found evidence that the remote dig she and her mother have been working for years is the crash site of their ancestors’ ship. Due to a rather serious screw-up, her professional nemesis, werewolf geologist Gabe Lupinsky, is assigned as her dig manager.

How did you come with the idea for this story? TH: Lorin and Gabe shared a short scene together in TASTE ME, establishing their professional conflict and some massive sexual sparks. What could I do but throw them together? From a storytelling perspective, I was also interested in flipping some common paranormal tropes upside down. She’s the rough and tumble, sexually aggressive alpha badass, and he’s more cautious and deliberate, the one with a health issue/disability, who’s in touch with his feelings and looking for love. I wanted to explore the concept of masculinity through this lens. 

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

TH: I’m just about to turn in the manuscript for Underbelly Chronicles Book 3, TEMPT ME, featuring reformed human hacker Bailey Brown and hedonistic incubus sculptor Rafe Sebastiani—Lukas’s brother.

What would you be if you were not an author?

TH: or a technologist? 😉  My friends tell me that I suspend judgment so completely sometimes that I should train as forensic psychologist and profile serial killers for the FBI. I find many shades of gray in my villains, who, after all, are the heroes of their own stories—in their own minds, anyway. It’s all in the motivation.

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

 TH: My TBR pile is completely out of hand. One thing no one tells you when you sign a book contract is how much writing cuts into your reading time. That said, I’m excited about Kresley Cole’s “Lothaire” and Nalini Singh’s “Tangle of Need.” I’m still inching up the library wait list for J.R. Ward’s “Lover Reborn.” Yeah, I’m a complete hoor for the brothers.

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

TH: if you happen to read either TASTE ME or CHASE ME, please contact me and let me know what you think! If you HAVE read the books, which couple would you like to see get their own HEA in an upcoming book?

Want to learn more about Tamara or her books?   You can find her here:

Website |    Facebook  |   Twitter |  Goodreads      

CHASE ME BY TAMARA HOGAN – IN STORES JUNE 2012

THE SECRETS SHE’S UNCOVERING WILL BE HIS TO KEEP…

Centuries ago, when their ship crashed to Earth, paranormals of all types settled secretly into our world, quietly going about their business with humans none the wiser. Self–ruling and careful to stay below the radar, all is threatened when Valkyrie archaeologist Lorin Schlessinger and her werewolf geologist partner Gabe Lupinsky inadvertently draw evil attention to Earth and its treasured natural resources.

As the threat intensifies, Lorin and Gabe struggle to contain the chaos they’ve unleashed, and to resist their explosive mutual attraction…

“Hogan’s sharp, funny dialogue and strong but subtle character development elevate both the story and the fierce chemistry between insecure, bespectacled Gabe and lusty, aggressive Lorin. Paranormal fans will enjoy this fresh take on the genre.” — Publishers Weekly

CHASE ME Buy Links: (Amz | BN | Sourcebooks | Powell’s | BAM | Sony | Kobo)

Read an excerpt here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tamara Hogan loathes cold and snow, but nonetheless lives near Minneapolis with her partner Mark and two naughty cats. When she’s not telecommuting as a quality and process engineer for a global networking company, she enjoys writing edgy urban fantasy romance with a sci-fi twist. A feral reader with an unapologetic television addiction, Tammy is forever on the lookout for the perfect black boots. Her debut, Taste Me, was a 2009 Daphne Paranormal Winner and 2009 Golden Heart Finalist.  For more information, please visit  www.TamaraHogan.com or follow her on Twitter, @TamaraHogan1.

GIVEAWAY TIME

Sourcebooks has given me one copy of Chase Me to giveaway. 

To enter for a chance to win please fill out the Rafflecopter form below (US/Canada Only)

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Spotlight Feature &Giveaway of Debra Cooke’s Dragon Diaries Series

DRAGON DIARIES Series

By Deborah Cooke

 
“Flying Blind” – Book 1

Zoë Sorensson is perfectly normal – well, as normal as a girl with an obsession with drawing dragons can be. The thing is that she’s always been told she’s special and destined for great things. It’s not just because of her good grades, either. Zoë’s the Wyvern, the one female dragon shapeshifter with special powers. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr and her powers are AWOL. Worse, there’s no reference book to consult and the last Wyvern is dead…

Everything changes when Zoë’s best friend is bullied and Zoë reacts. Before she can blink twice, her inner dragon is loose, she’s suspended from school and headed to a boot camp for thePyr guys she’s known all her life. But soon she’s doubting her powers—and even some of her friendships.

Zoë quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday – the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line—unless Zoë and her friends can solve the riddle, work together and save their own kind…

Buy Links:  Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

“Winging It” – Book 2

Zoë Sorensson yearns to come into her powers as the only female dragon shifter. But being part of two worlds is more complicated than she expected. It’s bad enough that she’s the target of the Mages’ plan to eliminate all shifters—she also has to hide her true nature from her best friend Megan, a human. For her sixteenth birthday, all Zoë wants is one normal day, including a tattoo and a chance to see hot rocker Jared.

Instead, the Pyr throw her a birthday party but ban Megan from attendance, putting Zoë in a tight spot. Things get even worse when Zoe is invited to the popular kids’ Halloween party and Megan’s left out. Zoë knows the party is a trap laid by the host, an apprentice Mage. When Megan gets a last-minute invite, Zoë must save the day—and her best friend—without revealing her fire-breathing secrets…

Buy Links:  Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

“Blazing The Trail” – Book 3

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and Zoë Sorensson’s love life is heating up. Cute, loyal, and understanding, wolf shifter Derek is pretty much the perfect guy. He likes Zoë, and he knows what it’s like to have to keep a secret. Yet, Zoë can’t help but wish it was rebel rocker Jared asking her to the Valentine’s dance instead. But Jared’s too busy playing hot and cold with her heart, calling Zoë his dragon girl one minute and then taking special interest in her best friend the next.

Zoë is just about ready to breathe fire, especially once she uncovers a new threat that targets her friends. Although Zoë thought the Mages were defeated, they’re back and have invoked an old spell to give them new power – they plan to eliminate all shape shifters on the night of the big dance. Now, Zoë must lead an alliance of young shifters to battle the Mages and figure out exactly what – and who – she wants, before it all goes up in smoke…

Buy Links:  Amazon /  Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

Deborah Cooke’s Bio

Deborah Cooke has always been fascinated with dragons, although she has never understood why they have to be the bad guys. She has an honours degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies. She is an avid reader of medieval vernacular literature, fairy tales and fantasy novels, and has written over forty romance novels and novellas. She has also been published under the names Claire Cross andClaire Delacroix.

Deborah makes her home in Canada with her husband. When she isn’t writing, she can be found knitting, sewing or hunting for vintage patterns.

Connect with Deborah:

Website | Facebook 

 

Deborah Cooke’s

BLAZING THE TRAIL Blog Tour

May 28 – June 15

May 28 – Lori’s Book Blog  (Series Spotlight & Giveaway)

May 30 – United By Books (Guest Post & Giveaway)

June 1 – Pimpin’ Reads YA (Series Spotlight & Giveaway)

June 2 – Book Monster Reviews (Series Spotlight & Giveaway)

June 3 – Delicate Simplicity (Series Spotlight & Giveaway)

June 5 – Paranormal Haven (Q&A Interview & Giveaway)

June 6 – I Smell Sheep (Series Spotlight & Giveaway)

June 7 – All Things Books (Series Spotlight & Giveaway)

June 8 – Page Flipperz (Interview & Giveaway)

June 9 – Writerspace (Guest Post & Giveaway)

June 11 – Paranormal Cravings (Guest Post & Giveaway)

June 14 – Books N Kisses – (Series Spotlight & Giveaway)

June 15 – One A Day YA – (Interview & Giveaway)

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Interview & Giveaway with Carla Swafford

Books-n-Kisses is please to welcome Carla Swafford to the blog today to chat a little about herself, bucket list, and her new and up coming books Circle of Danger and Circle of Deception (Nov 2012).  Please make Carla feel welcome.  

Can you please share with us a little about yourself

Like most authors, I lead a boring life especially when compared to my characters, but here we go. I’m married to my high school sweetheart and live in Alabama. Once I learned how to read, I fell in love with books. First it started out with anything that had horses on the cover and then one day I read Roberta Gellis’s BOND OF BLOOD, my first romance, and I found my obsession. Not until many years later, I decided to try my hand at writing the stories tumbling around in my head. Nine years and ten books later, I received an email from Avon wanting to publish my latest manuscript that had been doing rather well in contests. Circle of Danger is my second published book and the third, Circle of Deception, will be released November 27, 2012.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Until I was adult, I thought all authors lived in New York or California or were dead.  So no.  <snort!>

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I must have Kid Rock blasting music as I type in the nude. Sorry. I couldn’t resist teasing. None of that is true. Really. No quirks for me, though my kids would tell you that I’m a little OCD about some stuff but not my writing. If you’re wondering, I’ll give you one example. I only buy red toothbrushes. Yep. Just one of those hang ups of mine.

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

First, I’ll mention that Circle of Danger was released June 5 in e-format. The paperback will be available June 19. It’s the second book in The Circle series about a mercenary organization, though each book can be read as a standalone.

In Circle of Danger, though Ryker is several years older than Marie, they grew up together under the thumb of the same psycho. Finally free, she wants to be a Circle operative but on her first assignment is injected with a designer drug that revs up a person’s sex drive. The last four women with that drug in their system died. Ryker is willing to do anything to save her including taking her to his bed (it’s a dirty job but he’s man enough) and searching for the antidote. When he’s captured by a new evil, he worries that he has become the monster he always feared, and the one who will pay the biggest price, will be the woman he loves.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

The Circle series came out of my love for the late 90s TV series La Femme Nikita and kind of morphed from there. For the specific story about the designer drug, it came from a critique partner’s story. I’ve told her how I loved her third book, Run To Me (http://www.christyreece.com/books_main.html), and of course, all the others too. In that story, a bad guy controls the hero with a mind alternating drug. Such a cool idea. Me, being me, I wondered how that would work if the drug caused a person’s sex drive to go into overdrive? Christy thought it was a hoot and so typically me.

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

I’m a little over half way in the third book of The Circle series, Circle of Deception. It’s a shade more lighthearted (nice way of saying the heroine is a smart-aleck) than the other two, but just as sexy with all the twists and turns. For those who read the first book, this one is Rex and A. J./Abby’s story.

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

Oh, my, I have to admit I’m one lucky fan. I’ve met all of my favorite authors and even become friends with a few of them. Hmm. Wait! Lisa Kleypas! I can’t believe I haven’t met her. And why? So I can thank her for writing books I love.

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

No matter what people tell you, if you study your craft and write, write, write, there’s always someone out there that will love your book as much as you do.

Book 1

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

What every author has on her/his list: hit the New York Times best seller list. If that’s cheating, let me add, to go on a train ride through the Alaskan countryside. Hopefully, I’ll get to mark that one off in next couple years and wouldn’t mind marking off both in that time period. Ha!

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

Mercy me, I’ve got a boat load, but the one I’ve been waiting for what feels like forever is Jennifer Echol’s Such a Rush. Love, love her writing. Emotional, sensual with a light humor that has me chuckling to myself. Plus you need to see her cover. Beautiful. http://www.jennifer-echols.com/sucharush.html

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Some lucky commenter can win their choice of Circle of Desire or Circle of Danger. I would love to hear what book everyone is looking forward to reading. 

Of course, that would mean my TBR pile will grow, but what the heck. Is there really anything better to do than write and read?

And if you’re interested in hearing about what’s going on with my books before anyone else, you can sign up for my newsletter. I send out five or less a year. For details, you can go to www.carlaswafford.com.

You can find Carla Swafford at

www.carlaswafford.com

www.carlaswafford.blogspot.com

www.romancemagicians.blogspot.com

Also on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter and Pinterest

Want a chance to win an e-copy of Carla’s newest book Circle of Danger?

Please feel out the Rafflecopter below.

 
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Guest Blog & Giveaway with Jamie Rush

Darkness Becomes Her
By Jaime Rush
Book Six of the Offspring Series
Avon Books, June 2012 (ISBN 978-0062018922)

Amazon | B&N

A man beyond redemption. A woman beyond hope. And a battle that will either kill them…or bring them back from the edge.

Lachlan McLeod has a mission: find the beast who put his brother into a coma. He’ll start with Jessie Bellandre, his brother’s girlfriend, who’s harboring a dark, dangerous secret that could get them all killed. But as they plumb the depths of Darkness, and the light he didn’t know existed in the shadows of his heart, not falling in love with her will be as hard as staying alive.

SURPRISE CHARACTERS           

One of the fun things about writing a series is when a character you envision being in the background jumps to the foreground. Or in the case of Cheveyo, jumps into the story unexpectedly. Lachlan McLeod was one of those characters, too.  Poor chap’s been through a lot. But I’ll let him explain that in an excerpt from the book:

“My father was fascinated by slime molds, unclassified blobs of biological material. He especially loved when he found powdre ser where a meteor had landed. One day, he tracked what he thought was a meteor, collected the powdre ser, and brought it back to his lab, where he accidentally ingested a bit of it.

“My dad wasn’t only strange because of his affection for slime. He could astral project—send his soul to other places. The slime mold amplified his powers. Eventually, it fell into the wrong hands and was given to a group of people in a top secret government project. The offspring of those people inherited their parents’ enhanced psychic abilities. We all have psychic powers beyond the norm. The man behind the project, he was the one hunting my father. He hunted the Offspring down, too, but now he’s dead.”

“The reason your father kept you in hiding through your growing up years,” Jessie said. “The thing he thought was a meteor, I’m guessing that has something to do with this parallel dimension you mentioned.”

“Aye. One of those dimensions is called Surfacia. Sometimes a being from there slips through a crack between the dimensions. What my father saw wasn’t a meteor; it was an aircraft that crashed here. What he found that day wasn’t powdre ser; it was the pilot’s Essence. His life force. That is in us. And maybe you.”

While Lachlan had to grow up on the run, he made the best of his abilities … until he overused them and accidently caused the death of someone he loved. And now he lives a life of seclusion and self-punishment, a man without hope of redemption.

We writers do love to torture our characters; they have to earn their happy ending, after all. So he gets a chance to redeem himself: he sees a vision of his brother Magnus lying dead on the ground, a woman standing over him. When Lachlan discovers that the woman he saw is Magnus’s love interest, Jessie, he’s intent on saving Magnus from his own lust. Alas, he comes on scene seconds too late to prevent the attack. Jessie, however, is not his attacker, who turns out to be the man with supernatural powers who’s hunting her. Jessie uses her own ability, called Darkness, to save Magnus, putting him in a healing coma.

Foiled again, Lachlan vows to kill the man who can turn to Darkness before he can hurt Magnus or Jessie again. For the first time, he has a chance to regain his honor. Kill the bad guy, save the girl … and not fall in love with her. Because, as the two work together, they are drawn together in a way neither has ever felt.

Yes, the one woman who touches his soul and fires his body is forbidden to him, even though she has never even kissed his brother. Lachlan will have to make a tough choice. Will he risk honor to find love?

All of that from a character I thought would be a second-fiddle to Magnus’s story down the road. And his Scottish accent didn’t hurt!

I’m celebrating the release of DARKNESS BECOMES HER with my Kick Butt First Line contest.  Shocking, suspenseful…make us want more!  Cash prizes! Contest runs until July 1, 2012. For aspiring authors, it’s a chance to get your name out there and add a “win” to your bio.  For readers, it’s a chance to play at being a writer.  Even if you’re not inclined to write a line, check out the entries—they’re a lot of fun!  For details, go to www.JaimeRush.com and click on the Contest link.

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