In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Laura Navarre

CONTEST: Laura will be giving away a copy of her new e-book release, my Dark Crusader romance, The Devils' Temptress, in the reader's preferred format. Anyone who posts a response to the blog will be entered. The winner will be drawn and notified after the Spotlight week is finished, and the e-book will be sent on Feb. 15 when it's released. 

AL: Hi Laura Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Laura: Thanks for inviting me, Ann! It’s a thrill to share space with so many sexy, exciting reads.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Laura: This has actually been a very eventful period in my life! I’ve just moved to Seattle, rented a quirky little 1920s-era house overlooking the water and Mt. Rainier, and graduated with my MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from the University of Southern Maine (an awesome low residency program that allows you to write romance or any other genre—horror, urban fantasy, you name it—for your degree). And, most importantly, I’ve recently gotten engaged to the love of my life. :-) Steven is a screenwriter and English professor who was my writing mentor for several years before we realized we’d fallen in love and decided to get married. We first met in 1998, and we were separated for years while I lived abroad, so it’s very much a When Harry Met Sally kind of story.

AL: Please tell us about your Devil series.

Laura: These are three stand-alone historical romances, all very dark and sexy. The Devil’s Temptress is a 2009 Golden Heart finalist about a disgraced Muslim knight and an ardent Christian lady at Eleanor of Aquitaine’s court (Feb. 15 e-book release, August 2011 print). The Devil’s Mistress is a dark Tudor romance about a reluctant lady assassin who’s blackmailed to poison Anne Boleyn (e-book out now, March 1 print release). And The Devil’s Bargain is an unconventional romance, set in late Anglo-Saxon England before the Norman Conquest, that features an exiled princess and two very different heroes. My agent’s talking to editors about that one right now, so please keep your fingers crossed for me!

AL: What are you currently working on?

Laura: I’m just starting a Tudor romance with a paranormal twist—which excites me terribly, because I’ve never written a paranormal before! This one is about 80% historical and 20% fantasy, set during the time when Bloody Mary Tudor was burning heretics and her young Protestant sister Elizabeth Tudor was beginning her rise. All my stories have lots of political intrigue, history, and a twisty plot woven into the romance, and this one is no exception.

AL: When you write do you do a detailed outline before you get started or do you have the idea then 'fly by the seat of your pants'?

Laura: I’d love to say I’m a “pantser!” I want to be a pantser. Alas, I fill notebooks with historical research and detailed character sketches before I start drafting, and this time I’ve also got to fit the paranormal world-building into the mix. I like to research until the material is “old hat” for me, and this in-depth knowledge of my world and characters is where the story comes from. I don’t have a clue about plot until I’ve done this work.

AL: How much of your “day job” do you use to write up those deliciously, suspenseful tales?

Laura: It varies! I get up early to write before my other work, and I write on weekends and sometimes in the evenings. Since I just finished my full-time MFA course load after two years of INSANITY (full-time job, plus full-time student, plus author and marketer for the novels!) I’m enjoying the opportunity to spend a little time with my fiancé and, of course, to read other authors’ work.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Laura: When I acquired my agent and sold my first two books within a very short time span in 2009-10, I thought I wanted to make it onto the bestseller lists within five years—and of course that would be nice. :-) But I think my goal is really to tell the unique stories I want to tell—intricate, danger-laced, dark historical romances that also appeal to the historical fiction market, a la Philippa Gregory. If it takes me longer to write and sell the stories, I can live with that.

AL: It’s time to get personal! I have several questions in this one….What made you decide to be a diplomat in Russia and help create weapons of mass destruction, then get the idea to link it to writing romance novels? That’s not something you just roll out of bed one day and say, “Hey, I’m going to be a kick-butt chemist and write sensual romance tales on the side…” What built the bridge between these two careers?

Laura: Well, let me say that I’m not a plotter when it comes to my personal life. :-) If I’d been able to see 20 years ago what I’m doing with my life now, I’m sure I would have been delighted but bemused. I’ve always loved to write, but I chose initially to pursue a career outside the book world because—coming from a family who’s always worked hard to get by—I needed a job that would make some money! So I earned my B.A. in International Relations and Russian language, and my M.A. in National Security, and started doing government work. Since I’m a Russia specialist, many of my assignments have involved the former Soviet Union. And my work has focused on helping the Russians get rid of their excess weapons of mass destruction, not building new ones. :-) The work was uniquely stressful, as you might imagine, so I started writing seriously with an intent to publish as an escape mechanism, as much as to pursue the dream. It took six years, four novels, and 63 rejections before I sold.

AL: You are obviously an animal lover from the two furry kitties on your website. Who are those furry babies? Do you have any other pets?

Laura: Pandora and Delilah are pedigreed Siberian cats I found in Moscow when I was living there. The breed isn’t as well known in the U.S. as some others, but they’re gorgeous long-haired critters with huge plumey tails and tufted ears called “lynx tips.” Lilah is a Siberian sub-breed, very unusual here, called a Neva Masquerade—with long silver fur, big blue eyes, and pewter-colored paws. There are times in my life when those two have felt like my best friends—they’ve flown around the world three times with me. They have little pet passports, and more frequent flyer miles than many people I know!

AL: You’re back in the states and winter is all around us. What is your favorite part of the season? Sweaters? Snow angels? Is there a big difference between a winter in Maine and a winter in Russia?

Laura: Gosh, I think my favorite part of winter is curling up in front of a crackling fire with a glass of red wine, a novel, and a cat in my lap. The winters I’ve spent in Maine have been much colder than the ones I’ve spent in Moscow, lately. Moscow gets a lot of snow, and the days are very short (5-6 hours, and the sun never swings very far above the horizon), but the cold has been far more breathtaking in Maine! Of course, in Russia I’m usually functioning without a car. The traffic is like nothing you’ve ever seen—it can take hours to go six blocks, and it’s very unpredictable, even when people are driving and parking on the sidewalk! So everyone takes the metro, which was built during Soviet times as a bomb shelter/cultural icon and is gorgeous. And all that walking makes it incredibly important to bundle up.

AL: You obviously love to travel -- of the places you visited which was your favorite and why?

Laura: My favorite cities are Istanbul and Venice. In Istanbul, the jumble of mosques and minarets and sprawling outdoor markets steals my heart—not to mention the food (yum!) and all that opulent Islamic art. In Venice, it’s the canals, the haunting knowledge that the water is slowly rising and the city slowly sinking beneath the waves. In front of the houses, you see these stone staircases that plunge down and down and vanish in the canals’ opaque depths; all of that used to be above the surface. And when the city floods, the water rises over the banks and flows right into the houses. It’s crazy, and fascinating, and scary.

AL: Fun question! You’re the actress in a must see blockbuster movie that everyone’s been waiting all summer for. A) What’s the movie about? B) Whose your character? C) And who’s your leading man?

Laura: The movie would be a time travel romance/adventure. I’m a nuclear scientist running an experiment who gets flung back in time to the Crusades. Let’s say I have to find the Ark of the Covenant in order to return to my own time (holy relic as miracle worker) and prevent a looming nuclear war between the Christian west and a Muslim state. But the Ark is being protected by a Muslim knight who has sworn his life to the duty—and taken a vow of chastity to boot. :-) We begin as adversaries, but then fall in love. And I can’t think of a better leading man than my fiancé Steven, who’s an actor-director in addition to his screenwriting identity. Will I choose to remain with him in Crusader-era Jerusalem, or return to my own time without him, but with a relic that can prevent nuclear holocaust…?

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Laura: “I can resist anything except temptation.” (Oscar Wilde)

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Laura.

Laura: Thanks so much for hosting me, Ann! This has been fabulous fun. :-) 

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Laura please visit:

www.LauraNavarre.com
www.facebook.com/LauraNavarreAuthor
www.twitter.com/LauraNavarre

FEATURED TITLE: THE DEVIL'S TEMPTRESS

Blurb:

THE BEAUTY

In the glittering, sumptuous court of Eleanor of Aquitaine, betrayal lurks around every corner. The queen is at odds with her king, and to obey one could mean treason against the other. Even Alienore, considered the most virtuous lady at court, holds secrets: whether masquerading as a knight on the tourney field to defend those without a champion or desperately trying to save her lands—and her maidenhead—from the Duke of Ormonde.

THE BLACK KNIGHT

He is called the Raven—his face scarred by a Saracen blade, his voice raspy with the effects of Greek fire. His parentage is unknown, his prowess legendary. And he’ll sell his sword to the highest bidder. As his piercing eyes track her every move, Alienore wonders who he’s working for now. Finding a spy for King Henry? Sent by the duke to fetch her home? Or is each heated touch, each whispered promise of pleasure part of a much more personal mission?

Excerpt:

The black stallion erupted into view, snow spraying beneath his hooves.

All her senses sharpened as the outcast knight thundered toward Alienore like a nightmare against the gray-white forest. The world paled with dismay at his passage. Even the small woodland sounds—the rustle of branches, the yip of a hunting fox—receded as the stallion halted before her in a scramble of hooves.

Then a raucous scream split the air, as a dark bird raked across the sky. Her heart froze as razor-sharp talons sliced toward the knight’s unprotected face. But he stared straight ahead as the raven arrowed toward him—and landed, delicate as a lady, on his shoulder. Wicked claws flexed gently as the bird settled. Suspended breath escaped her lungs in a rush.

“By my faith, sir, what are you?” she whispered.

In her turmoil, she’d spoken English—a tongue rare in Aquitaine—and he did not reply. Unperturbed by the corvine preening on his shoulder, the knight called the Raven studied her through eyes like flickering flames. Her skin prickled with foreboding, and an ungodly thrill.

So she had not given him the slip after all. Why must the infernal man always find her at a disadvantage?

“Have you not the good grace,” she said in Norman French, “to know when a lady wishes to quit your company?”

His lean face hardened, cruel as any Saracen. Topaz eyes glinted as they raked the forest. “Expecting someone?”

Sweet mercy, does he think I am trysting with rebels? If he’s the King’s man, this will be my undoing.

She swallowed down her fear, defiance sparking. “I expected no more than a private hour. But it appears I am to be denied even that much.”

When he swung a leg forward over the pommel to dismount, the corvine fluttered from his shoulder to perch in a tree. Paying the uncanny creature no heed—as though accustomed to the Devil’s creatures—the knight sprang from the saddle. Light-footed as a cat, he landed in a swirl of stark wool.

Her senses stretched to tingling alert as he stalked toward her. Alone they were in the forest, but never say she feared him. Was she a lion or a mouse?

“Were you thrown?” He looked askance at the wounded Galahad.

“Hardly,” Alienore said proudly. “My destrier picked up a stone.”

He gestured her aside. Sparing with words, but at least he could not be accused of idle chatter! A twinge of curiosity plucked her nerves as she wondered if that shredded voice troubled him when he used it.

Aware of the bird’s beady gaze, she circled away, keeping her distance from the wicked crescent of Damascus steel at the knight’s side. He frowned over the injured hoof, and she suffered a stab of guilt. Aye, she should not have been galloping down this ill-kept trail. She was fortunate to fare no worse, though finding herself marooned with the Devil of Damascus—a known ravisher of women—was bad enough.

The knight slid a curved dagger from his boot. Alarm spurted through her as her hand flew to her long-knife.

But he only swept that banner of sin-black hair behind his shoulder. Then he pried at the embedded stone with the dagger’s notched tip. Embarrassment warmed her cheeks as she dropped her hand, and brushed needlessly at her mantle.

While he worked, she studied him. Even preoccupied with the delicate procedure, bitterness lingered around his eyes and mouth. Perhaps he was merely weary, features lined with years of privation and war. The jagged scar raking from ear to jaw contributed to his disreputable air.

Yet the Raven’s hands were gentle as he handled her injured horse without aggravating the inflamed hoof.

When the stone dropped, she peered at the hoof. “’Tis only bruised, thank Heaven.”

An exotic aroma wafted from his clothing—the spice of incense, heavy with musk and sandalwood. Then he released the hoof and straightened. Like a startled deer, she shied away.

“That sprint was foolish on this terrain, lady. Could have broken his neck—or yours.”

He echoed her own thoughts, yet it vexed her to hear him say it.

“I know what I am about, monsieur. This path is familiar to me.”

“No doubt.” His eyes narrowed. “But reckless all the same, and you know it.”

Did he speak of more than her ill-conceived flight? Had he discerned her identity, that day on the tourney field?

“I am bold, perhaps.” She tucked ribbons of hair beneath her hood. “But rarely reckless. There is a difference.”

His own hair slithered forward, decadent and unconstrained, as he slid a practiced hand along the stallion’s leg. “You’re no empty-headed sparrow, a woman of your station.”

A dangerous thought, if he’s the King’s man.

Briskly, Alienore gathered her reins. “Pray do not concern yourself on my account. You need not forego your hunt. I shall return to the castle on foot, so my horse sustains no greater damage.”

When he did not spring to obey, she added, “I know the way, so you need not linger.”

Abruptly the Raven straightened, shaking back that profligate hair. The bird startled into flight, a flurry of black wings and beak as it raked away. When the knight claimed her reins, apprehension spiked through her. She stared at his hand: sun-bronzed, long-fingered, rough with use—a fighting man’s hand beyond question, deadly yet graceful, like the man himself.

“You bid me come and go like a stripling page,” he said, with dangerous softness. “Best not become accustomed to it.”

REMEMBER: Laura will be giving away a copy of her new e-book release, my Dark Crusader romance, The Devils' Temptress, in the reader's preferred format. Anyone who posts a response to the blog will be entered. The winner will be drawn and notified after the Spotlight week is finished, and the e-book will be sent on Feb. 15 when it's released.

In the Author Spotlight & Contest
QWILLIA RAIN

CONTEST: Anyone who comments with a question will be entered to win a $10 gift certificate to Loose Id or Amazon (winner’s choice.) Qwillia will randomly draw a name at the end of the week. (Anonymous responses will not be included in the drawing.)

AL: Hi Qwillia! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Qwillia: Thank you for inviting me, I’ve very excited to be here.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Qwillia: Wow, not a lot really. We’ve had some wacky weather here in North Carolina so I’ve been focusing on staying inside and staying warm. It has allowed me a lot of opportunity to clean up my apartment. It’s been sadly neglected.

AL: Would you like to tell us about the Diablo Blanco Club, or do you have another book you’d like to tell us about?

Qwillia: I love the Diablo Blanco Club. To be honest, I wasn’t even aware of the Club until Dayton mentioned it in Santa’s Elf, but the characters aren’t about to quit teasing me with ideas.

AL: What other sensual stories are you deep into?

Qwillia: I’m in the process of trying to write Vince’s story. He was a secondary character in A Neighbor’s Ultimatum and was semi-instrumental is keeping the threesome together. Then there’s Grimm from An Invitation: Ariel’s Pet. He’s been patiently waiting for his hero to come along and the research into wineries has been interesting.

AL: What is the strangest source of writing inspiration you’ve ever had?

Qwillia: I once had a student ask what titanium dioxide was because he didn’t want to eat the candy it was an ingredient to unless he knew what it was. After I looked up just what titanium dioxide was, I developed this wild idea -- but I haven’t done anything with it. Yet.

AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation?

Qwillia: LOL. Have you been talking to Mike and Lyssa? I have a tendency, when my characters are being stubborn and rather tight-lipped, to try to write what I think is supposed to happen. This just happens to amuse the little brats all the more. And me being stubborn, I just keep writing. This usually results in rewrites. In the case of Mike and Lyssa (Diablo Blanco Club: Rite of First Claim) this meant I was required to rewrite their story four times -- before starting edits.

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Qwillia: The best thing: Sharing my stories and characters with readers and seeing how they react to them. My least favorite: The emotional and mental deep-freeze I tend to experience once the book has been finished and is released. I’ve discovered I tend not to write or even brainstorm from the moment I begin edits until I receive the first royalties statement. Kinda scary.

AL: It’s time to get personal! Do you have a top five actors list? You know that list of men that make you go yum, yum that would be inevitable, if only....

Qwillia: Oh yeah!! Hugh Jackman, Will Smith, David Boreanz, Daniel Craig… hmmm, the last one is hard to fill … no pun intended, but it would be a toss-up amongst -- Harrison Ford (don’t care how old he is), Tom Selleck, or Lev Schreiber

AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Qwillia: Besides clean the toilet and scrub the bathtub? I would have to say emptying the refrigerator and cleaning my fireplace.


AL: What would people be surprised to know about you?


Qwillia: That I blush easily, no matter what the topic of discussion.


AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?

Qwillia: I have every intention of getting four more books written, at least one of them a Diablo Blanco Club, and I’m going to try to finish the Young Adult novel I promised my students I’d write.

AL: Fun question! If you could have any car in the world; would it be a slow rider, or one that the wind has to hurry just to keep up with you?

Qwillia: Depends on my mood, but I’d never turn down an opportunity to drive a Shelby Cobra (classic or redesign)!

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Qwillia: There are so many quotes available for so many different reasons, I don’t think I could just chose a few.

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Qwillia.

Qwillia: Thank you for letting me hang out with you today. I appreciate it.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Qwillia please visit:

http://www.clubdiabloblanco.webs.com/

FEATURED TITLE: DIABLO BLANCO CLUB: RITE OF FIRST CLAIM

Blurb:

What's a Dom to do when the submissive he wants runs from the feelings between them? From the moment he met Lyssa Lawrence, Mike knew what he felt was love -- not lust. Convincing her has been an uphill battle even after the two steamy hours they'd shared at the Diablo Blanco Club four years earlier.

Lyssa Lawrence wished the man who claimed to love her wasn't so damned appealing. Twelve years of denying the pull of her submissive nature almost went up in smoke four years ago, but she'd gathered the nerve to tell him 'no' when he asked for more. She'd have stayed away for good if her biological clock hadn't hiccupped, threatening her dreams of motherhood.

In the same way she'd strategized her success in fashion design, Lyssa worked out a plan to get the baby she wanted. The Diablo Blanco Club's annual Midnight Masquerade would provide a number of potential donors to choose from. What she hadn't bargained on was Mike's interference through an arcane Club rule.

When Mike invoked Rite of First Claim, Lyssa finally became his. Now, he had one month to prove that the role of his submissive was one she was born to play.

Excerpt: (Rated R)
 
“You are insane,” Lyssa snapped, tugging at the restraints and twisting against the sheets.
 
“But,” Mike continued as if she hadn’t even spoken, “I’m willing to let it go because you’ve been a good sub and kept yourself waxed for me.”

At the heat in his fingertips and the rasp of callused pads over her sensitive flesh, Lyssa arched involuntarily into his touch. She couldn’t deny the sensations running through her. She’d be lying if she said her fast, shallow breaths weren’t a result of the slow stroke of his fingers over her nude mound. It was harder still to fight the moan welling in her chest when her reactions brought a wicked smile to his lips.

Wanting to wipe the smug, self-satisfied look from his face, Lyssa snorted. “I did no such thing!” The lie fell smoothly from her lips. It had pleased her to indulge in trips to the spa with Mattie. The fact that the command he’d whispered in her ear that night in the closet prompted the first visit was a moot point.

“We’ll work on your honesty another time, honey.” Two thick fingers spread her nether lips, opening her to his view. “Right now, I’m going to set the ground rules.” Two digits on his other hand slipped into her wet channel, pressing against the taut muscles, searching for the sweet spots he’d instinctively found the last time he’d touched her. “Rule number one: I don’t share. Ever. So no other men.”

The heat in his gaze matched the heat his fingers were building between her thighs. Crying out as he pulled free, then returned, this time using three fingers to stretch her delicate flesh, Lyssa made note of every word he said, locking them away so she could somehow use them as a cudgel to beat away the temptation Mike represented. This couldn’t last. The heat, the passion would burn itself out, and he’d go back to his life, his career. Just like last time. He’d never want what she wanted. A baby. A family.

“Rule number two: I tell you when you’ve had enough. If I think you need to be fucked every hour on the hour for a week, then that’s what you’ll get.”

“What about a safe word?” Her voice was shaky and breathless. Lyssa cringed inside at the hint of excitement in her tone. She should be fighting this, not savoring the sting and heat coiling inside her as his thumb coasted over the tender knot of nerves peeking from beneath its hood.

Lyssa trembled at the sight of his body poised over hers, her paler legs bound open as he knelt between them. His fingers pushed into her body, then pulled out, her cream coating his skin. She jerked her gaze from the erotic reflection in the mirror above the bed.

“Now that we’ve established you understand who’s in charge, yes, I’ll select a safe word.” Mike never lifted his gaze from the movements of his fingers as he caressed her sensitive flesh.

"I choose ass,” Lyssa snapped, unable to keep her gaze from drifting back to the view above her.

Mike shook his head. “Not a democracy, darlin’. I make the rules. You follow them. I’ll choose the safe word. Something you wouldn’t normally blurt out.”

“I know the purpose of a safe word,” Lyssa grumbled, her senses on edge as his fingers teased a particularly sensitive spot deep inside her and his head lowered over her breasts. At the sharp nip of his teeth against a tightly beaded nipple, she arched closer to him, driving his fingers deeper within her. Her head swam with the sensations, her eyes fixed on the mirror overhead, adding visual stimuli to the damp heat of his mouth on her breast, the sting of his fingers stretching muscles that had been empty for too long. Again Lyssa forced her attention from the mirror to Mike. In a ragged voice, she suggested, “How about worm?”

Mike simply looked at her. His gaze drifted from her flushed cheeks to the rapid rise and fall of her breasts and finally to the curve of her belly. “Dragon,” he said. “Our safe word is ‘dragon.’”

Her heart slammed against her ribs as he leaned back on his haunches. He wrapped one hand around his straining penis and lifted his other hand away from her pussy. Her juices glistened on three of his fingers. He opened his mouth and sucked the moisture free. The gleam in his eyes and the way his dark chocolate irises deepened to black sent a shiver skidding along her spine. Involuntarily she tugged at her restraints. The condom packages slid off her stomach onto the bedding next to her. “O-okay,” she stammered.

“Now, there’s one more rule for you to remember,” Mike intoned softly.

Lyssa dipped her head in a small nod and waited. God, she needed to fight this. There was no way she could allow him to know how much she lov—wanted him to take control. She breathed deep and slow, trying to calm the fire in her blood.

Mike grinned down at her and picked up one of the black wrappers. “Appreciate the reminder, love,” he teased, tearing the package open and rolling the latex tube into place. He crouched over her, arms braced on the bed beside her shoulders, and the heated length of his cock slid through the wet lips of her sex before finding her entrance and pressing in. He continued. “Rule number three: this body is mine. Pussy, ass, breasts, lips”—his fingers slipped over each body part as he listed it—“everything belongs to me. To use as I see fit. In any way I want.”

REMEMBER: Anyone who comments with a question will be entered to win a $10 gift certificate to Loose Id or Amazon (winner’s choice.) Qwillia will randomly draw a name at the end of the week. (Anonymous responses will not be included in the drawing.)

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

LOUISA BACIO

CONTEST: Those who comment will be entered to win:

1) $10 certificate to Ravenous Romance
2) .pdf copy of Sex University: Physical Education

Plus, friend me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/louisabacio and you’ll be entered into a second drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. Already a friend? Just let me know.

AL: Hi Louisa! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week. Do you have a current, or upcoming release you’d like to tell us about?

Louisa: My current release is Sex University: Physical Education, which is an erotic thriller set at a sex school in San Francisco. For those tired of boring lessons, it promises to heat things up.

AL: What other erotic tales are you whipping up for us?

Louisa: Right now I’m working on an erotic paranormal that’s set in the city of New Orleans. I visited the Big Easy for the first time last October and the city is definitely addicting. There’s also a sequel to Physical Education in the works that’s set at a rival school.

I also edit erotic romance for Keith Publications. We have a new series called “The Tramp Stamp,” which features tales on how the protagonists got their tattoos. The first story “Shooting Stars” is by a new author Shay MacLean, and I’m excited to see it come out. Plus, some new paranormal (vampire) fiction by Ashlynn Monroe.

AL: What is the most difficult part of being a writer and do you write whenever the mood strikes, or do you have a specific routine?

Louisa: Honestly, I tend to write when I have the time. I’m one of those writers who needs to balance family, work and writing time. Usually, I end up writing late at night when the household has gone to sleep and I sneak in some quiet time.

AL: Do you believe a person has to have a special type of personality to write erotic romance?

Louisa: That’s a difficult question. I’d say that a person has to have an open mind and needs to believe in the power of erotic romance. I’ve come across people who link it with pornography and blame both for breaking up marriages – that’s the extreme. But, then there are those that think it can help keep marriages together, and bring some excitement into the bedroom, or can help with a short mental-vacation from reality. As a reader, I love getting lost in the world of a book, and maybe I can’t be the person to jet to Italy and have a romantic rendezvous with a gorgeous hunk or an alluring and mysterious woman but I can certainly read and write about it.

AL: Which of your heroes/heroines is most similar to you?

Louisa: I’m sure that there’s a little piece of me in all the heroines, even if it’s just realizing some of their fears, and that desire to search for love. None of my female protagonists are currently married with kids!

AL: It’s time to get personal! What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

Louisa: Well, right now I can tell you that I have bright blue streaks in my hair. I’ve always been more of a quiet person with this inner wild side, and it looks like some of it’s coming out -- visually.

AL: If you have two hours free time tonight, what would you rather do? Why?

Louisa: Have a few glasses of wine, stay awake and write something amazing.

AL: If I asked your best friend what type of person you are, what would he or she tell me?

Louisa: Mysterious and eclectic (so said one of my friends – my first thought was “dependable,” so that shows how well I think others know me!).

AL: Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings?

Louisa: Definitely Harry Potter. I’m one of those fans who stands in line at midnight the night of the release. For the holidays, I actually bought a few people wands as a gift.

AL: Fun question! If you had to write yourself as a villain, what kind of villain would you be? What would you be named?

Louisa: The best kind: One who delivers punishment with a lot of pleasure. Considering the BDSM that I like to write – it should make sense. Definitely would include a “Mistress” title.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Louisa: Have to admit that I don’t own a “famous quotations” book, but I’ve been looking up LOTS of them, and found a few that resonate. In particular:

“I love my man as my fellow; but his scepter, real, or usurped, extends not to me, unless the reason of an individual demands my homage; and even then the submission is to reason, and not to man.” - Mary Wollstonecraft

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Louisa.

Louisa: Very much enjoyed the visit. Look forward to chatting with readers.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Louisa please visit:

http://louisabacio.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/louisabacio
http://twitter.com/louisabacio

FEATURED TITLE: SEX UNIVERSITY: PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Blurb:

Tired of boring sex and wanting to expand her pleasure, 24-year-old Amanda "Mandi" Wilkinson enrolls in summer school at San Francisco Sex University, an exclusive sex school located in the heart of San Francisco. What Mandi doesn't realize is that not all of the mysterious dropouts are simply flunking sex-ed.

Reed McAllister came to Sex U. for reasons all his own. Undercover, he's searching for a woman, the right woman, and so far he doesn't have any leads. Reed never saw himself working at a place such as SFSU, let alone instructing, but he had to admit it - the job did come with its perks. When Mandi turns up on the missing list, will Reed be able to save her and give her the lessons she so desires?


Excerpt:

A bell disrupted her thoughts. It was time. Amanda opened the door, ready to take on whatever came next, and found herself in a room full of other people.

Correction: other naked people.

Men and women burst out of the rooms like horses at a race, only to find themselves reined in. A petite blonde girl stood next to her, looking even more timid than Amanda felt. A tall, dark-haired man with stark almond-colored skin could be seen towering above the others on the other side of the room. A small Asian woman turned in circles, as if searching for a familiar face. And then the whistle shrilled. The sea of bare butts parted to reveal a mammoth woman with striking red hair; beside her stood another man who looked to be Blaine’s twin.

“All right everybody, that’s enough. You’ll have plenty of time to gawk at each other,” she said. “It’s time to get the first lesson started. I am Lucille, the headmistress of San Francisco Sex University, and what I say, you do.

“Now, everyone get into formation. Ten lines of five. Right now. On the double.” Amanda fell into line. The pale blonde woman stepped in front of her. As easily as elementary school children, they lined up equally spaced apart, shoulders back, chests out and faces forward. Amanda stole a glance to her right, and then to her left. Some men could obviously not hide their excitement, and a particular dark-skinned man to the left of her looked to have something to be excited about. Others were clearly intimidated by the situation and were not rising to the occasion.

The last guy in the line to the right of her seemed to be crowding the guy in front of him. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. There were six in that row. Try as he might, he couldn’t line up.

“You there,” the Lucy Amazon said, getting down off her box. “Can’t you count? Do you plan on flunking out on your first day? In your first hour?”

The woman strutted down the aisle, all the more noticeable in her clothes. It wasn’t merely the fact that she was wearing something alluring; it was the fact that she was wearing something in this room filled with stripped-down bodies. Black four-inch thigh-high boots made her even taller. As she walked purposefully through the ranks, the floor vibrated with the pulse of her every step. Amanda caught a glimmer of musky vanilla perfume as the woman passed her. Everything about Headmistress Lucy commanded attention. Amanda felt drawn to the woman’s obvious strength and power.

Before she saw it, Amanda heard the smack of leather hitting bare flesh. The man yelped in surprise.

CONTEST: Those who comment will be entered to win:

1) $10 certificate to Ravenous Romance
2) .pdf copy of Sex University: Physical Education

Plus, friend me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/louisabacio and you’ll be entered into a second drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. Already a friend? Just let me know.

In the Author Spotlight

GEMINI JUDSON

AL: Hi Gemini Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Gemini: It’s an honor! Thanks for having me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Gemini: I have several thousand art projects planned for 2011 and I’m already thinking about my garden. Oh, and my daughter and I got a mandolin for Christmas so we are learning some chords and a few songs. (Other than that, I’m not too busy.)

AL: So what do you have for us to read.

Gemini: I have a new release coming out in February from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid called Dragonfly Dance. It’s an erotic little romp on the South Dakota plains.

AL: What are you currently working on?

Gemini: Dragonfly Dance is the first of a collection of novelettes with a similar heat and a music theme. Dragonfly Dance is about a fiddle player. I am working on the next one in that collection -- and the next one and the one after that.

AL: Out of all your stories do you have one that is more near and dear your heart?

Gemini: Ring Around the Sun was so much fun to write and seemed to fly onto the page. The main character, Teal, has had a rough life and is easy to rally behind. This book has been honored as a finalist in the EPIC competition this year in the contemporary erotic romance category.

AL: What is one glaringly/specific personality trait that you’ve put into a hero/heroine that is all Gemini? You know, the one where a family member or friend says, “Hey, this is so you.”

Gemini: Oh, fun question! I don’t think I have ever written me. But all my heroines have pieces of me. They all tend to be a little smart-allecky – that’s me. They all cuss pretty freely – that’s me. And they are softies – OK that’s me too. Maybe they are all me!

AL: Has an editor ever disagreed with something you’ve written and wanted a total re-write?

Gemini: No, luckily they’ve always been wowed by my amazing prose. KIDDING! Yes, I’ve gotten the “this will never fly” edit. One editor told me my character’s actions made her “too stupid to live” Ha! And she was right of course. Something about opening her door to a stranger when she knew a killer was on the loose…

AL: It’s time to get personal! What’s your favorite comfort food?

Gemini: Pizza, pizza and pizza with a frosty glass of beer.

AL: What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night?

Gemini: I like comedy. Lately we sit and watch Raising Hope and Modern Family. And of course as a family we are Harry Potter junkies.

AL: Are you a writer only, or do you do other activities outside of writing?

Gemini: Lately I have been doing cover art at Whiskey Creek Press. Dragonfly Dance is my own creation. I have several years of graphic design experience and I can play in Photoshop all day long. Sometimes I do and my writing takes a backseat. It seems to exercise the other side of my brain.

AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?

Gemini: Learn the mandolin, make friends with my horse, write more books, create more cover art, run a half marathon, do lots of camping with my daughter.

AL: Fun question! If you could go anywhere in the world and in any time…where would you go? What would you do? And why that time-period?

Gemini: Oooo. I’d like to travel the United States when it was pristine and untouched. Maybe be a part of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Can you imagine what they must have scene? I know times were tough, but just to see all that beauty… I’d hang out with Sacagawea.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Gemini: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." – Eleanor Roosevelt

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Gemini.

Gemini: What fun! Thanks for the opp.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Gemini please visit:
 www.gemjudson.com

FEATURED TITLE: DRAGONFLY DANCE

Blurb:

Her fingers play the fiddle like nobody’s business. Her band is Littlehawk Lightening. Her future is Tucker Jennings. They’ll share their dreams, somewhere on the open plains of South Dakota. Just like they’d always planned. When Lori Littlehawk walks in on Tucker in the arms of another woman, her dreams crumble.

The Dragonfly Dance is a South Dakota tradition and Lori realizes she’ll attend this year’s dance single, for the first time. When she learns a talent scout is coming to the dance in search of a fiddle band to feature in a movie, Lori is determined to catch that scout’s attention with new and fabulous music.

On cue, the skies come alive with swarming dragonflies under a perfect prairie sky and music fills the air. Lori meets a dark handsome man and impetuously sets her fiddle aside to explore her new freedom. She has no idea her delicious new playmate is the talent scout and she definitely has his attention.

Excerpt:

Lori gathered her hair into a tight bundle behind her head and fastened it with a clip. Long ago she’d decided to wear it up like that on her wedding day, with a sparkly strapless dress. Goodbye wedding day. Her reflection in the mirror looked puffy. “Fuck you,” she hissed at the puffy woman.

She looked forward to the Dragonfly Dance every summer. Not just because it was a chance to party and play her fiddle all day long and into the night. Not because it brought bands from all over the state and friends she only saw once a year. It was the celebration of something deeper. The air smelled sweet and if the timing was right, the sky hummed with newly-emerged dragonflies. Ever since she could remember, she’d put on a twirly skirt, climb into the Littlehawk camper and head to the gigantic open grassland outside Aberdeen. The Dragonfly Dance was a South Dakota gathering with a long celebrated history and this year she was going to go with a puffy face and a broken heart.

Lori was drawn from her brooding by a knock at her bedroom door. The last person she expected to see standing there was her brother Cameron. The young professional and heartthrob of Aberdeen, Cam taught social studies at the high school. He’d taken up kayaking when summer vacation began, and he looked tan and fit. “Hey Cam. Shouldn’t you be out on the river?”

“Too windy. I talked to dad. I’m sorry about your bad day yesterday.”

Bad day? Okay, she’d work with that opener. “Thanks. You wondering about the Dragonfly Dance? We’re going for it, Cam. We’re playing the good stuff and you better warm up your pipes.”

“My pipes are plenty warm. I’m not wondering about that. I need to talk to you about Tuck.”

Her aching heart leapt. “Have you seen him?”

“No, I haven’t seen him. And lucky for him. I’d punch his lights out.”

“No you wouldn’t.” Lori grinned knowingly at herself in the mirror and caught Cam’s grim look behind her. “What’s going on, Cam?”

“Lori, as painful as this is, it’s for the best.”

“Why would you say that?” Tired of the reflected conversation, she spun her vanity chair to look at Cam. In response, he settled on the corner of her bed.

“A friend of mine went to college in Vermillion and he stays in close contact with a lot of people there. Tuck’s been a bad guy, Lori. Ever since he got to law school.”

“A bad guy?” She shook her head and waited for more.

“He’s a cheat. Just like his dad. I’ve watched you over the years, pulling that bastard out of the mud, time and time again. Something about him always rubbed me the wrong way. Why did he stay loyal to old man Jennings when we all knew what he did to Tuck’s mom? Then when I heard what he’s been up to in Vermillion, I knew he was showing his true stripes. Jenning’s stripes.”

Lori winced at the mention of Tuck’s parents. She was angry as hell, but she didn’t feel ready to rake Tuck over the coals and drag all his hardships out into the open. “When did you hear this, Cam?”

“I’m sorry.” He closed his eyes and drew in a big breath. “Josh told me about this a few months ago. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Tuck’s been cheating on me? For months?” She rose from her chair but found little strength in her legs for anything more. Slowly, she sat back down and rested her forehead in her open palm. “And you knew?”

“I’ve been working up to telling you. It seemed you’d cooled on the marriage talk, so I thought I had some time. No way was I gonna let my little sister marry this guy.”

Lori’s thoughts galloped ahead and behind and around her in circles. Had they cooled? Their future had been so certain, perhaps she didn’t even notice.

After a silence of a thousand years, Cam spoke up. “So are you fired up to play your songs at the Dragonfly?”

Lori looked at her brother. His sleek features always made him look like a racehorse, she thought. He wasn’t ruggedly handsome like Henry, but more refined. Her Sioux uncles said Cameron would have been a fierce warrior. Lori wondered how that would be with his gentle nature. He rocked as a high school teacher and she knew full well that every teenage girl with eyes had a crush on Mr. Littlehawk.

“Yeah, I’m fired up. Let’s do this in a big way this year.” She stood again and found new strength. She grabbed Cam’s hands and pulled him to his feet.

“One more thing you ought to know. I heard Casey and Tuck are going to the Dragonfly Dance as part of the Red Hot Riders.”

“The Riders? I thought they went rock. What the heck is Tucker doing in a rock band? He’s about as red hot as a baked potato.”

Cam burst out laughing and squeezed her hands. “This talent search has everybody scrambling to sound like a fiddle band.” He pounded their clasped hands gently on her chest. “Forget the Riders. Forget Tuck. You’re beautiful and vibrant. And I’m excited to see what you do with your freedom. Have fun with this dance. It’s your time.” He softly kissed her cheek and walked out.

This subtle display of affection threw Lori into a tailspin. On the verge of a new waterfall of tears, she turned to the mirror and released her hair from the clip. It fell past her shoulders and she absently finger-combed the ends. “This is my time.”

She was going to the Dragonfly Dance single, for the first time. And she was looking for some fun.

OUT NOW!
BOOK 1 in the
ETERNAL SERIES

ETERNAL EMBRACE

Blurb:

Dimitri Alexios lives alone in his San Francisco mansion, if one could call loathing what he is and hating his maker living. Until he beholds the mortal woman who appears on his doorstep. Her gentleness brings light to his darkness, and her innocence calls to him. Yet she knows nothing of his world, or the dangerous predator that constantly rages within him.

Museum curator Cassie Stephens, sent to catalog antiques at the Alexios estate, is surprised to discover Dimitri is anything but the old man she expected. He’s handsome and darkly mysterious, not the sort who’s usually attracted to her girl-next-door looks. Yet she’s ensnared by his irresistible charm.

Cassie’s passion has touched a heart he thought no longer capable of love. Now he must turn his strength to a deadly task: a battle to save the woman he loves from the maker who would love nothing more than to rip her away from him…


Excerpt: 

The ballroom was crowded with guests dressed in eighteenth-century garb. Women wore lavish jewelry and magnificent gowns, men in long-tailed jackets of various colors paired with matching pants and ruffled white shirts.

Cassie walked through the maze of people who laughed and talked boisterously. As she passed, all turned and bowed. “My lady,” they said.

She nodded, and proceeded.

Coming to a mirror, she paused and studied her reflection. She wore the same dark blue satin dress with black lace over a billowing skirt that she had worn to the party with Kelly—but now there were diamonds around her neck and diamond ear bobs in her earlobes. She looked every bit the high aristocratic lady.

A hand touched her shoulder; she knew it was Dimitri, but his reflection didn’t show in the mirror. She spun to face him, heart pounding.

“Dance, my lady?” he whispered. He cocked his head, his dark gaze traveling over her. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she replied breathlessly, forcing her fear to recede. He swung her into his arms as the music began and she soon caught up in the swirl of dancers. He waltzed her around the dance floor, his steps quick and sure. She focused on him, only him.

He was the most handsome man there. His black hair hung long and straight to his shoulders, his black coat and pants fit snugly over his sinewy form. His dark gaze sensual as it swept over her face. Was that longing in his eyes?

Surely, there was in hers. I want to share eternity with this man, she thought.

“As you wish,” he said.

His lips parted, and she watched, horrified as fangs descended. She gasped and tried to scramble away, but his arm locked around her waist, imprisoning her against him. She looked around wildly for help, but everyone continued to dance, oblivious to the two of them as the throng of people danced faster and faster, until everything blurred. She attempted to call out, but her voice trapped in her throat.

Her eyes widened as he lower his mouth to her neck, his lips scorching her skin where he placed a light kiss. Then there was a brief moment of pain as his fangs pierced her flesh. Visions of blood, so much blood, filled her as he drank. Distantly she heard pleas for mercy, cries of distress.

Cassie felt herself falling into darkness…and screamed…

Want to read another excerpt please visit:
http://annlory.com/Eternal_Embrace.html

Want to order the book:
http://champagnebooks.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=397

In the Author Spotlight

TRACEY H. KITTS

AL: Hi Tracey! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

Tracey: Hi, Ann. Thanks for having me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Tracey: Well, I’ve recently been reunited with an old love of mine. Kickboxing. I used to be a certified instructor and am considering getting re-certified sometime next year.

AL: What book would you like to share with us?

Tracey: The book I’d like to share today is Sex Symbol. It’s my latest release from Ellora’s Cave.

AL: What other tales are you busy weaving?

Tracey: Well, I’ve always got a few in the works, but no definite titles right now.

AL: What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know?

Tracey: You will be expected to promote your book. The publisher does not automatically do this if it isn’t in your contract. It isn’t like the movies.

AL: What is one glaringly/specific personality trait that you put into your hero/heroine that is all Tracey? One that a family member or friend says, “Hey, this is so you.”

Tracey: Everyone says that when they read my Lilith Mercury: Werewolf Hunter Series. The character Lilith is definitely me, right down to her flaming red hair. Ha. Ha. It’s probably her sarcasm that is most obviously mine. I do that from time to time in other characters. When people say, “Hey, so-and-so has a sassy mouth.” (Meaning it in a funny way) That’s usually when I let the character say what I was really thinking.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Tracey: The biggest goal is to be able to make a living solely from my writing. I’d like to reach a bigger audience, continue to get my name in front of people with new releases. I’m always working on how to make this happen.

AL: Get comfy and let’s get personal! Besides writing, what other things do you like to do in your spare time?

Tracey: Well, like I said before, I enjoy kickboxing. I also like to paint and draw. Sometimes I sketch my characters just to get a clear picture of them in my head. I love music too, of all kinds. And I like to sing. I was in an opera once years ago. Ha. Ha.

AL: With the holidays around the corner what's your favorite tradition?

Tracey: My favorite tradition had just passed. Halloween. I absolutely love to dress up.

AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Tracey: Clean my tub, which included removing some of my long hair from the drain. Yuk. If it isn’t done once every two weeks (cause I have a lot of hair) it gets clogged. I also dusted the entire house and next I’m going to shampoo my carpets. Definitely not glamourous.

AL: What would people be surprised to know about you?

Tracey: I’ve studied hand-to-hand fighting techniques and know how to blind someone and break their bones in under five minutes. Okay, so maybe some people won’t find it that surprising.

AL: Fun question! If you could go anywhere in the world and in any time…where would you go? What would you do? And why that time-period?

Tracey: I’d go back to when I was around 8 years old and harvest pumpkins with my dad, just because it was so much fun the first time around. Daddy still grows pumpkins, but not like the huge ones he grew when I was a kid.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Tracey: “Your home is a scrapbook of your life.” – Shubhra Krishan

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Tracey.

Tracey: Thanks again for having me. I had a lot of fun :-D

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Tracey please visit:

http://www.traceyhkitts.com

FEATURED TITLE: SEX SYMBOL

Blurb:

Sex Symbol is the story of Lucy Harper, an ordinary woman who suddenly finds herself in extraordinary circumstances. Not only is her new boyfriend a werewolf, but her new tattoo might be more than a picture of her favorite flower. According to the local werewolf pack, it’s a “sex symbol.”

Excerpt:

The room was lit by candles. There was one small table and a few shelves in one corner of the room. A shelf of some sort blocked my view, but when I stepped around it I saw where the sound had come from. Eramus was chained to the wall. One arm was locked above his head and his feet were shackled where he stood. I ran to him.

“Eramus, who did this to you?”

I started to look around for a key, but he stopped me, putting his free hand on my shoulder.

“I did.”

I stood there for a moment and just stared at him.

“I don’t understand. Why would you do this to yourself? How do you expect to ever get free?”

“The shackles are controlled by a machine. In twelve hours, it will release me.”

“Why? What happens for the next twelve hours?”

The look on his face was pained and though I made a move toward him he turned his face away, stopping me once again.

“The full moon,” he answered.

It took me a minute to find my voice. “Eramus, a wolf chased me he—”

“I don’t know who’s doing this,” he said. “But if I am to have the strength to fight him, I have to stop suppressing what I have become. I thought that I could pretend to be a man in order to…in order to love you.”

Tears stung my eyes, but I ignored them. “If you’re not a man, then what are you?”

“A beast.”

The pain in his voice was like nothing I had ever heard. And all the sadness in the world was in the eyes that looked back at me as they slowly turned to amber. I understood what he was trying to say and it made no difference to me. I touched his face and as his fangs grew he started to cry.

“Get out of here,” he said.

“I’m staying.”

He was still human to all appearances except for the short fangs and amber eyes. He looked like something wild and a passion stirred in me such as I have never felt before. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and when I placed my hand against his chest it seemed to me that his flesh burned.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he pleaded.

“Then don’t.”

When he looked at me I felt a flame ignite in my soul like hellfire. Anything I felt before was in comparison to a match. The tortured look in his eyes broke my heart in two. I didn’t think it could ever be repaired, but he was surely welcome to both pieces.

I kissed him and my heart leapt. It danced against my ribs to a beat all its own and Eramus trembled at my touch. Sweat shown on his forehead like a fine mist and as I trailed my hand down his face I could feel his stubble already starting to grow.

A low growl escaped his throat as he said, “You should be running.”

“Didn’t you know? Beauty is incomplete without the Beast.”

I didn’t call myself beautiful because of my own opinion, but because he always said that I was. It may seem ridiculous, but I was not afraid. Not just because he was chained, but because whatever he became, he was still my Eramus underneath. And I was completely and irreversibly in love with him.

In the Author Spotlight

J. R. Lindermuth

CONTEST: J. R. will give a print copy of Being Someone Else to a commenter. He’ll select in a random drawing. Best wishes!

AL: Hi John! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

John: Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

John: I’m librarian of my county historical society. We are visited throughout the year by patrons from all over the U.S., Canada and even abroad who have roots in this area. We close down at the end of December for two months to give the staff a rest and get caught up on cataloging, shelving and related tasks. After a busy summer, I’m ready for a break.

AL: Please tell us about your current or upcoming release.

John: My current release, Being Someone Else, is the fourth in the Sticks Hetrick mystery series set in Swatara Creek, a fictional community near Harrisburg PA. Daniel ‘Sticks’ Hetrick is the former police chief and he’s come out of forced retirement to serve as unofficial consultant to his less experienced successor.

I’ve also signed a contract for Fallen From Grace with Oak Tree Press for their new Western line. I don’t have a release date yet.

AL: What other works are you deep into?

John: I’m nearing completion of the first draft of another Hetrick novel, tentatively titled Practice To Deceive.

AL: When you write do you do a detailed outline before you get started or do you have the idea then just 'fly by the seat of your pants'? :-)

John: I’m definitely in the pantser category. I have a general idea where I’m going and jot some notes to keep me on track, though they’d be meaningless to anyone else. I’ve tried the detailed outline procedure and it doesn’t work for me. I like my characters to surprise me. If I knew every step along the way I’d get bored before I reached my destination.

AL: How do you decide upon your settings? What about the names of characters? Do you ever change either mid-stream into a story?

John: With the Hetrick books I’ve been using the same setting and cast of characters long enough they’ve become almost real to me. For my other novels—if it’s unfamiliar territory—I’ll do the necessary research. In fact, thanks to my newspaper and genealogical background, I enjoy research. As to names of characters; yes, I have changed them at times when they didn’t resonate with what I later discovered about the character.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

John: I wouldn’t mind making the New York Times bestseller list or having one of my books made into a movie. But, seriously, my primary goal is just to keep on writing and, hopefully, make each book better than the one before.

AL: Let’s get personal! What would people be surprised to know about you?

John: I’m a skinny little guy and you wouldn’t believe how much I like to eat. If I’m adventurous in any area it would be in willingness to try any dish once. I’m not Andrew Zimmern, but I’ve sampled some ethnic fare many might consider bizarre.

AL: Do you and your family have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

John: Since my children live nearby we manage to get together for all the major holidays. My daughter’s and her youngest son’s birthdays are near Thanksgiving, so that’s an additional incentive for getting together. The main traditions are being together and eating too much.

AL: What book(s) are you reading right now?

John: Elmore Leonard’s Djibouti and Douglas Starr’s fascinating book about the birth of forensic science, The Killer of Little Shepherds.

AL: Do you have a favorite sport, &/or team that you follow?

John: I’ve never had much interest in team sports. Three of my grandsons participate in baseball and I do try to attend their games. I used to hunt and fish when I was younger. My son was never interested in hunting, but we occasionally target shoot. My son-in-law recently got interested in that, too.

AL: Fun question! If you could have any car in the world; would it be a slow rider, or one that the wind has to hurry just to keep up with you?

John: In regard to my driving, my kids call me A. J. (Foyt). Does that give you a hint? Actually, I’ve never been much of a car buff. My main interest in a car is that it get me from point A to B in comfort and without any problems.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

John: “The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the same as the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” Mark Twain

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, John.

John: Thanks again for the opportunity to share some information on my writing. I’ve enjoyed it.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about John please visit:
 
http://www.jrlindermuth.com/
http://jrlindermuth.blogspot.com/
 

FEATURED TITLE: BEING SOMEONE ELSE 
Fourth book in the Sticks Hetrick mystery series.
 
Blurb:
 
Some people believe violence is foreign to our nature. Dan ‘Sticks’ Hetrick, retired chief and consultant to the Swatara Creek police department, knows better. We put a lid on our natural tendency to violence when we started living in groups, devising moral codes to hold it in check and allow us to live in harmony with others. But, deep down in the Id, there is always that tendency to violence.
 
When an out-of-state reporter is found murdered in the restroom of a disreputable bar the tendency to violence spirals in the rural Pennsylvania community, and the investigative trail keeps bringing Hetrick and his team back to the family of a wealthy doctor who has come back to his hometown in retirement.
 
Hetrick and his protégé Officer Flora Vastine are joined by an old friend from his State Police days as they unravel old secrets and mysteries in a tale with as many shocking twists as a country road.
 
Excerpt:
 
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/BeingSomeoneElse_JRLindermuth.shtml
 
REMEMBER: J. R. will give a print copy of Being Someone Else to a commenter. He’ll select in a random drawing. Best wishes!

In the Author Spotlight
 CIARA GOLD

AL: Hi Ciara Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Ciara: Hi Ann! Thank so much for having me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Ciara: OMG, my life is a roller coaster right now. This is the week we close the magazine that I work for which means a ton of work, but fun work. When this interview posts, I’ll be taking students on a field trip to a college workshop, and at the moment I’m writing this, I’m in a hotel room waiting for a wedding to begin. The weekend prior to this post, we’ll be hosting about 60 folks in our backyard for Orphan’s Thanksgiving. Yeah, my life is crazy fun.

AL: What are you currently working on?

Ciara: I just finished work on the sequel to On the Silver Edge of Time, a Viking time travel and I just dived into another fantasy that will be a sequel to the book I have coming out in December; The Keeper of Moon Haven.

AL: Who inspired you to follow your dream of writing?

Ciara: Many hold this honor, but the one writer who pushed me into writing more than just first chapters was Kim Lenox who has the Shadow Guard series. Not only is she a wonderful writer, but she’s true inspiration for other writers and a good friend.

AL: Out of all your stories do you have one that is more near and dear your heart?

Ciara: Each holds a special place, but I think Sarah’s Brass Token is by far one of my favorites. It’s my mom’s fave, too. Mom thinks I fashioned the hero after my father. I just know Tabor has a heart of gold. This was my first completed book though I didn’t contract it until after my first came out, Celestial Dragon.

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Ciara: I love the freedom of creating my own world. For me, writing is all about the creative process and allowing my imagination a chance to run wild. My least favorite thing about writing is working on the ending. I tend to have to rewrite endings at least five times before I’m comfortable with what’s happening. Maybe, it’s because I don’t want to say goodbye to the characters.

AL: It’s time to get personal! I love the fun fact about the cover of, On the Silver Edge of Time. When you opened the jpeg did you see the resemblance of the hero to your brother right away, or did you have to blink several times, cock your head and figure out where you’ve seen that face before?

Ciara: Oh, no. The moment I saw that cover, my jaw dropped and I groaned. I actually went – ew, cuz who wants to think of their brother as a sexy, to-die-for Viking? Once I got over the “ew” factor, I decided this was the neatest thing ever. Oh and my SIL was really excited. Of course, her first reaction was “wow, I want one of those – oh, wait, I have one of those,” meaning the sexy bod the model had. My brother blushed a pretty shade of red and has been a great sport about it all.

AL: What is this romance writer's idea of the "perfect romantic evening"?

Ciara: A moonlight sail under a full moon. There’s nothing more relaxing that being surrounded by nothing but miles of rippling water, an endless blanket of stars and your hunky man sitting next to you. I am married to my soul mate and I’m very lucky. He brings me flowers just because.

AL: Where would you like to travel if you had the chance?

Ciara: Ireland. We both have Irish roots so I guess it just calls to me. And – I love traipsing though old buildings so yep, I’d be sure to tour a castle or two.

AL: Did you dress up for Halloween and if so, what has been your most outrageous costume?

Ciara: ROFL. My DH and I used to go all out for Halloween and we’ve kept every costume we’ve ever done. Our favorite was Popeye and Olive Oil. We won several awards for that one. This year we went as recycled teenagers.

AL: If you could meet someone famous in either history, or present day…who would you like to meet and why?

Ciara: I’ve actually met several famous folks and what I’ve learned is that they’re just regular folks like you and me, so hmmm. Okay, you’ll laugh, but I’d like to meet David Cassidy just because he was my idol when I was a teen and I’d like to thank him for all those years of fantasies. Too funny.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Ciara: I’ve got a horrid memory for things like this and I don’t know if I heard it somewhere or what, but I’m always telling my students, “don’t sweat the little things.”

AL: Thanks so much for joining us, Ciara

Ciara: Ann, thank big time for letting me come and hang out.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Ciara please visit:

http://www.ciaragold.com/

FEATURED TITLE: THE KEEPER OF MOON HAVEN

Blurb:

On the southern fringes of the Mendip Hills sits the Castle Hamingjur, an abandoned structure most fear haunted. Yet, on the rare occasions when the Hunter’s Blue Moon occurs, the Keeper occupies this mysterious castle where he guards the bridge to Alfheim Haven.

Noreen Willshire discovers more than fairytales hidden between the pages of Beletania’s diary. She opens the ancient book and finds a bridge to a Faery Realm where all manner of mythical creatures reside. In her naïveté, she summons the Keeper before his scheduled time in the human realm. In that brief moment, the mysterious wizard touches her soul with more than magick. She promises to return the diary during Mefylleth, a time when the barriers between the two realms melt away, but danger stalks her path. Torn between her desire to make a new life for herself in America and her growing love for the Keeper, she must bridge the gap between magick and time to follow her heart.

Excerpt:

He turned away from the cluster of faeries. He’d learned many things since becoming the Keeper, one of which was to use a firm hand when dealing with the Beings of Alfheim Haven. As a result, he rarely bowed to another’s will. He glanced down at the translucent quality of his hand and bit off an oath.

The blasted woman continued to read. Her throat must be hoarse by now. Time flowed differently in Alfheim Haven. A minute in the human realm equated to nineteen minutes here. She must have read that story for almost three hours. If anything, she was tenacious.

He walked slowly. Her voice pulled at him. He resisted. Doesn’t she have anything better to do with her time?

By the time he reached the keep, his skin was completely transparent. He swung his cape over his shoulder and yanked the front door open with more force than he intended. He must reign in his temper and not give into the human emotion. In Alfheim Haven, he was an elf, a wizard. His humanity had no place in the Faery Realm.

I won’t go. She can read until she has no voice and still, I won’t go.

“Vin?”

His mother’s gentle voice broke through his thoughts. His eyes met hers. A flitting worry etched her features before it fled from view. “She calls to you again, doesn’t she?”

He frowned. He should have never told his mother of his visit to the human realm.

“Just because she calls, doesn’t mean I must go to her. I won’t be manipulated.”

His mother turned her head away, but not before he caught her gentle smile. She studied the flowing fabric of her gown with more interest than it deserved. “Vin, when you saw the woman, did you think to ask her name?”

His mouth gaped. He clamped it shut. Awiergan! What had he been thinking? How would he find her when he bridged to the human realm if he didn’t know her name. Mefylleth drew near, and he wouldn’t have much time to locate the girl or the book. “Aye, but she managed to avoid telling me. It’s an oversight I intend to correct. Have no fear, Mother, this situation will resolve itself soon. I give you my word.”

Before he could change his mind, he disappeared from her sight and into the timeless void that would take him to the human realm -- and the nameless woman who summoned him.

In the Author Spotlight

PATRICIA BATES

CONTEST: I’m delighted to put up for offer a copy of my latest book Phantom’s Pleasure, a Paranormal romance, for giveaway. To enter to win, simply respond each day I’m featured between November 1 and November 6. On November 7, 2010 I’ll be announcing the winner with the most posts. You can leave a comment, post a question, or just say hi!

I’m also proud to announce that I’ll be giving 2nd and 3rd place prizes. These special little bags will be a hand crafted clutch type bag with some ‘bling’ in it.

AL: Hi Patricia! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

Patricia: Thanks for having me this week.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Patricia: Wow, life is hectic as always. I’m currently looking to expand on my editing business as well as learning the ins and outs of teaching because I’ve been invited to share my knowledge with a group of Intermediate students locally.

AL: What book would you like to share with us?

Patricia: I’m super excited to be sharing with you the newest book to my back-list. Phantom’s Pleasure is my first foray into the paranormal genre, and is a fun, saucy book about a 19th century Southern Belle that haunts her familial home – and falls in love with the playboy cowboy that current resides in it.

AL: What other tales are you weaving?

Patricia: I have three books in the works at the moment. One is still in the planning stages, and is about a lady outlaw set in the 19th century USA. I’m working on completing the 9th century Irish Celtic romance I’ve been workingon for over a year, and am polishing up a short Historical Romance I’m going to be submitting to HQ in the next few weeks!

AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation?

Patricia: All the time. When I first started writing (after I was pubbed) I would do these intensely detailed outlines for each chapter that were 20 or so pages…and after chapter five I’d look at them and shake my head because the story was going in another direction. I’ve learned to plan for the first chapter, get the characters to meet and then let them do the hard work of writing the novel…saves me having to ditch a perfectly good outline! LOL

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Patricia: World Building!!! I love to be able to create a world that readers can fall into and experience through the characters. Its always been the most fun to do, especially when you’re dealing with historical places, events, people. Least fun would have to be writer’s block. I hate it with a passion. Not only do I find it to be a perfect opportunity to procrastinate but if the characters aren’t talking to me its frustrating, I like to be able to keep the pace of my writing strong throughout the process and writer’s block hinders that.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Patricia: I would like to get at least two books on audio. I have a lot of fans who like to listen to books when they’re traveling and can’t take my books with them so that sucks. One thing that I have set for myself and haven’t quite succeeded at is to get NY pubbed. I’m hopeful with my HQ submission but again, until I have the contract in hand its still in the planning stage and not a reality.

AL: Time to get personal! What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night? Favorite Movie?

Patricia: Anything with John Wayne in it. If its one of his westerns I’ll watch it for hours because he’s such a great actor. Just recently, we got a new channel called Investigative Discovery – which has a lot of awesome shows on it…one of which is called Deadly Women and I’ll shut down for that since it features some of history’s most lethal women…like the Blood Countess – now there was a scary woman!

AL: What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve?

Patricia: Having someone call me at 8 pm and ask me if I’m eating dinner. LOl doesn’t sound like much but when you get that call every night, 7 days a week, it gets annoying quite fast. Doesn’t help that the entire conversation is the same every night – same five questions, same distracted tone…but hey they’re family so you have to luv ‘em!

AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Patricia: Having to explain to someone the difference between writing and breathing! A lady I met said that writing was a hobby, something I should do in my spare time…of course I had to explain to her that for me, writing, is as natural as breathing! Word the wise – don’t try to convert those who have no idea what they’re talking about! Let them hold onto their illusions.

AL: When you have time just for you (if only) what do you do?

Patricia: Watch reruns of the Young Riders, crochet, watch tv. It’s not often that I get “me” time so I tend to wallow in it and let my creative batteries recharge.

AL: Fun question! If you could meet someone famous in either history, or present day…who would you like to meet and why?

Patricia: I’d have to say Queen Bouddica. A powerful, influential woman leader in her own right, who led her people to greatness in the face of an enemy that ultimately either enslaved, slaughtered, or overruled all other nations for the sake of the glory of Rome! I’d just like to find out what she was thinking when she went against the Roman army for their crimes against her and her daughters.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Patricia: "Perseverance is much like an ink well….top it up and you’ll never run out!" – Patricia Bates (taped to my office wall) "Success is like chocolate, once you’ve had a taste you can’t help but go back for more!"

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Patricia.

Patricia: Thanks for having me. Its been great and I hope everyone has lots of questions!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Patricia please visit:

http://www.patbatesromances.com/
http://www.scarletscribeedits.com/

FEATURED TITLE: PHANTOM'S PLEASURE

Blurb:

What’s a one hundred and forty year old ghost to do when she’s drawn to the rugged cowboy in her home? There’s only one thing Frances MacKenny can do…seduce him. Amid deceit, weddings, angry ex-lovers, and general insanity, Frances wants Logan Harris any way she can get him…including their haunting nightly tryst.

Excerpt:

The shower shut off. Curiosity plagued her, and she stepped around the door. Steam swirled and danced around Logan as the shower door swung open. The silk of her skirts slipped from her fingers, and her jaw dropped, heat flooding her face. Dear Lord, is that even possible? At the sight of the man who stepped from the shower, she cupped her burning cheeks and whimpered. Lust fired through her.

Wet, auburn hair was plastered to his skull. A shadow covered his square jaw. Broad shoulders, tanned by hours spent under the sun, glistened with water. Silvery beads glided over his sculpted chest, trailing through the hair that narrowed along his belly to the wild patch around the base of his penis.

As he stepped from the shower and reached for a towel, thick, muscled legs bunched and gathered with each movement he made. She swallowed at the sight of his manhood, swinging back and forth with the motion. She moved closer. Without a thought to how her actions would be taken, she raised a hand and trailed one finger down his chest, following a drop of water over the toned muscles.

His gaze lifted, a shiver coursing through him. Could he feel her touch? Was it possible?

“Dear Lord! What have…?” She blinked. A wave of heat crawled along her neck. Clasping her hands to her breasts, she backed away from him until she passed through the wall and obliterated her view. Fanning herself desperately, Frances turned and high-tailed it back up the stairs to her private retreat.

“Oh, goodness me.”

REMEMBER: Will be offering a copy of her latest book Phantom’s Pleasure, a paranormal romance, for giveaway. To enter to win, simply respond each day she is featured between November 1 and November 6. On November 7, 2010 I’ll be announcing the winner with the most posts. You can leave a comment, post a question, or just say hi!

She's also proud to announce that she’ll be giving 2nd and 3rd place prizes. These special little bags will be a hand crafted clutch type bag with some ‘bling’ in it.