Preservation Blog Tour with Rachel Wade

Preservation

By Rachel Wade

Blurb: 

Fear is sabotage’s sweetest weapon.

Kate has no time for meaningless romantic charades, and definitely no time for hot college professors who are full of themselves and smitten with her. Constantly battling eviction notices, tuition she can’t afford, and a sick, dependent mother, the last thing she needs is to be distracted with someone else’s complicated baggage. 

When she stumbles into Ryan Campbell’s creative writing class, he is only “Mr. Campbell” to her, until Ryan finds himself captivated by her writing and she is forced to face their mutual attraction. His cocky know-it-all syndrome is enough to send her running in the other direction, and his posse of female admirers and playboy reputation are enough to squander any odds in her favor. 

But underneath Ryan’s abrasive facade is something to behold, and she can’t stay away for long. Ryan and Kate must decide who they’re willing to become and fight against their former selves if they want to make things work. That’s if academia, vicious vixens, old skeletons, and their own mastery at self-destruction don’t pummel their efforts first.

1. What was your favorite writing class?

- I enjoyed general English comp. II because we studied a wide range of literature. I wrote my research paper on Flannery O'Connor since I chose Southern Gothic lit as my topic, and I really had fun with that.

2. What class in school did you just loathe and why?

- Math. Any and all math. I am absolutely horrid at math and I couldn't stand learning it. "Loathe" is too kind of a word to describe how I feel about the subject. :)

Lol. I support that!!!! 

3. What are some of your favorite classic books? 

- I love Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant, and Dracula and The Bell Jar are favorites of mine as well. 

4. Pride and Prejudice or Oliver Twist? 

- Oh man, that is so tough! I love them both. But I'd have to go with Pride and Prejudice. I really love Austen.

5. Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre? 

Haha another tough one! Jane Eyre. Final answer.

6. Classic novels or naughty smut erotica? 

- It depends. Both. I can't get enough steamy contemporary romance. It's one of my favorite genres to read. But every now and then, I go on a classic kick and won't read anything else. 

7. What are some of your favorite hobbies when you are not writing? 

Going to concerts, movies, and reading. My favorite thing to do is check out live music; smaller venues are especially fun. I love discovering new artists. I'm also a huge indie film buff (movie buff in general), so I watch tons of indie movies. Other than that, my nose is stuck in a book or I'm glued to my kindle.

8. Plot liner or by the seat of your pants kind of girl? 

Definitely by the seat of my pants. With my first novel, I worked with a strict outline, but as I began to write more, I pretty much threw structured outlines out the window. Now I use loose outlines and just go with the flow instead.

9. What was your favorite thing about Preservation? 

- The setting and the dynamic between Ryan and Kate, which was really fun to write. They're both frustrating characters and they clash, yet they work together, so I enjoyed writing their dialogue. Working with the setting was fun because I've been to all of the places in the book and I'm actually planning a move out there, so that was very personal and it felt like writing about home.

10. What is your current writing project?

- I'm working on two projects right now: a new contemporary romance (Love and Relativity) and the first book in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi romance series, called Repossession.

   Thanks for having me again, Dana! 

Excerpt:

On Monday I missed Ryan’s entire lecture, zoning in and out as he spoke, trying to make sense of everything that had happened with Carter. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the way he’d blown up over something that was nonexistent. I wasn’t involved with Ryan, I wasn’t planning on getting involved with Ryan, and I definitely had no interest in pursuing a relationship at all, let alone with my professor. Didn’t Carter know me at all? Hadn’t I made myself clear?

The truth began to gnaw away at me, the silence in my mind revealing my most inner realities—that I did like Ryan. I did let him flirt with me, and on some level, I enjoyed it. But so what? I wasn’t going to let it go anywhere. Certainly not after what I’d heard about him, even if I couldn’t believe everything I heard. And knowing he was dating the redhead? And likely romancing another blonde? 

Forget it. I wasn’t that girl, no matter how much he raised my blood pressure. So why was all this eating away at me so much?

Surely I wasn’t attracted to Ryan because I knew he was bad for me. And if I was, what kind of person did that make me? Knots formed in my stomach and I sank further down into my seat while I pondered the potential truth of Carter’s comments.

Before I knew it, class was over, and as everyone began piling out of the room, Ryan leisurely rested against his desk, rolling his pencil between his fingers as he watched me walk down the stairway to meet him, a cocky, expectant grin on his face.

I decided to keep things formal.

“Mr. Campbell, you wanted to see me?”

“Why yes, Ms. Parker, I did.” His grin turned to a frown when he heard my address, his tone uncertain. He stopped toying with the pencil and turned to grab a piece of paper. The room filled with silence as the last student shut the door.

“There’s something I wanted to show you, and I was wondering if you’d be interested in going with me.”

Going with him? Crap. “Okay...”

“It’s a writer’s conference in Portland, a month from now. I’ve had two spots reserved for months now, just in case one of my students wanted to attend. It’s a great chance to network and improve your craft.” He handed me the flyer.

I didn’t take my eyes off of it.

“No pressure or anything, just thought I’d offer.”

“Why are you asking me?”

“Sorry?”

“I mean, why me and not one of your other students?”

“Because I have faith in your work and I’m excited to see where it’s going to take you.” His eyes turned cold, his jaw set. “Is that sufficient for you?” He lifted himself from the desk, standing now.

“No, Mr. Campbell. I don’t think it is.”

“Is there a problem, Ms. Parker? Something you want to say to me?” Reaching for his tie, he began to loosen it, unraveling it with his fingers, angry eyes still locked on mine.

“I’m not sure I like being your pet. Or your science project, I don’t know which.”

“You have a smart mouth.”

“You make smart observances.”

“You’re going to make this invitation difficult, aren’t you?”

“If you’re dishonest with me, yes.”

“You’ll regret it if you don’t accept.”

“Is that a threat?”

“That’s a promise.”

I pursed my lips and peered out the window.

“Dishonest with you about what, exactly?”

My head snapped toward him again. “Are you inviting me to this because you sincerely want me to go to the conference or because you like me?”

“Like you? What is this, third grade? My answer is both. And that’s a problem because?”

“I’ve heard things about you.”

“Oh?” He plopped down onto the ledge of the desk.

“That you sleep with your students and cheat on your girlfriend.”

“Excuse me? I don’t have a girlfriend. And who I sleep with isn’t any of your damn business.” He walked around to the other side of his desk, removed his gray tweed jacket and flicked it onto his chair.

“I think it is my business if I’m going to be spending time with you off campus. And isn’t the redhead your girlfriend?”

“I’m assuming you’re referring to Alisha, and no, she is not my girlfriend. Not anymore. Damn it, Kate, who the hell do you think you are? You’re my student, I’m offering you a chance to go to this conference, and you’re going to take it. That’s it, nothing more.”

“Excuse me?”

He veered around the desk to stand in front of me again, our faces inches apart, nose to nose. “You heard me. You’re going to go because you deserve it. You’re going to go because it’s an excellent opportunity for you, and nothing you hear about me on this damn campus or elsewhere is going to deter you, understand?” He licked his lips and rubbed his jaw, glare stone cold.

My fists balled at my sides and I could feel my face flush, a combination of fury at his audacity and nervousness from standing so close to his mouth again. I didn’t trust myself around that mouth.

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know your writing.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

“It’s more than enough.”

“Are you attracted to me, Mr. Campbell?”

“Ryan.”

“Ryan. Well are you?”

“Of course I am, Kate. What, are you not used to men finding you attractive? Do you need me to display it on a parade float for you? Do you want me to do a song and dance?” He spoke quieter now, an angry whisper. “I won’t screw you over like the other female students I have in the past, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“So it’s true.” I breathed, my eyes bouncing from his lips back to his smoldering, caramel eyes.

“I’m not proud of it and I can’t take it back. So take it or leave it.” He shifted forward and his fingertips grazed mine. “I won’t feed you lies and bullshit, Kate. I’ve messed around with my students and I was a complete asshole about it. But you’re too good for me. I wouldn’t hurt you. And from here on out, I won’t say or do anything that will make you uncomfortable. You can go to the conference without me, please just go.” Too good for him? What? Why is he talking as if he knows me? Damn it, where is this going?

The tips of his warm fingers sent a jolt through me and I involuntarily moved closer to him, understanding the weight of what I was about to do—right here in his classroom. A hypnotic thrall reeled me in, calling me to his touch, toward the current that passed from his fingertips to mine.

I peered up at him with frustration, trying to grasp his effect on me. It was so beyond my comprehension and yet so crystal clear. We shared similar defenses, just different mechanisms. He scared people off with his sleazy reputation and haughty persona, and I scared them off with the scars of my past and my workaholic nature. I could see right through him. Was I just as transparent?

“I won’t touch you unless you drop my class. And only if you want me to,” he shut his eyes and leaned in further, his lips barely touching mine as he tilted his head. “I can’t fuck up again, Kate. I won’t. Not with you.”

I rested my hand on his chest and felt it constrict, his heat pulling me in closer. “So if I’m not your student...” I whispered and brushed my lips over his, feeling his hand slip around and rest on the curve of my back. His stubble was so close and his heartbeat raced under the palm of my hand. He swept a few strands of hair away from my eyes and cupped my cheek in his palm, lightly brushed his lips against mine again, this time pressing down to capture a kiss.

The sound of the classroom door slamming against the wall caused us to jump apart.

“You son of a bitch.” There stood Alisha, the redhead, arms crossed and fury present. Damn. I thought I threw Ginger off the boat.

Wow. Well, that should give you a whole list of reasons as to why this book held my interest.

What I Liked:

This book was a page turner from the first and I had trouble putting it down to go to work. Wow! I love books like that. The drama with Ryan and his fiancee in the first part of the book was heartbreaking. Kate's fascination with Ryan is captivating and is one of those plots that gave me that sensation of being hung on every word. Having read other books by author, Rachel Wade, I have to say this is my favorite so far. The erotic tension between the two characters is gripping and I didn't want it to end.

What I Didn't:

Not a thing.

Overall:

Great characters, with a dominant male and smart female that mix it up with erotic tension and great dialogue. The action and movement of the characters felt natural and that is a big one for me.   This book held my interest and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. When it was over, I had one of those moments where you just sigh and wish there were about 500 more pages. I can't think of a better compliment to a book than that.

5/5

About the Author:

Rachael Wade is the author of the Amazon #1 best-selling paranormal romance series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the best-selling contemporary romance, Preservation. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and her work has been published in The Storyteller, A Hudson View International Poetry Digest, and Amulet Poetry. When she's not writing, she's busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect wildlife and stop animal cruelty. The first title in her post-apocalyptic sci-fi romance series, The Keepers Trilogy, is set for release winter of 2012.

Web and social media links to include in your media kit, be sure to include links to youtube book trailers if you have them:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachaelWade

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/RachaelWade

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4831558.Rachael_Wade

Web page: www.RachaelWade.com

Her Forgotten Betrayal: The Blog Tour and Interview with Anna DeStefano

Remembering will save her life. But will the truth destroy their love forever? 


When the CEO of a global technology empire retreats to her ancestral mountain home to heal from a brutal shooting, she discovers the danger has just begun. The FBI suspects her of selling top-secret government research, and has sent an undercover agent to find evidence of her treason. Still suffering from amnesia, she is at the mercy of nightmares that soon morph into something much more terrifying—a determined enemy, plotting to make sure she never regains her fragile memory.


When a handsome stranger sweeps in from the cold, claiming to be her protector—and her former lover—she suspects he’s not telling her the whole truth about his sudden appearance on the mountain. As their unwilling attraction blossoms to sizzling passion, she begins to trust him…unaware that he is about to repeat the most painful betrayal of her past—a past she doesn’t remember…a past that just may kill her.

A crash beyond the kitchen's door jolted Shaw from her thoughts. The wooden spoon rattled from her fingers to the stovetop. She whirled toward the dining room.

“Esme?” She raised a hand to cover her heart.

She was scaring herself senseless for nothing. She was going stir crazy, that was all. She’d simply been alone for too long. The unexplained rattles and noises and sometimes even voices she kept thinking she heard were symptoms of cabin fever.

Right?

The house answered her with silence, except for the soft hum of the refrigerator. She took an uncertain step forward, determined to conquer her fear. There was no one there, she told herself firmly. No one was ever there. There was no threat, except from her own panic. All she had to do was turn on the dining room lights, and there’d be no one lurking around the next corner, waiting to attack her.

She reached for the door.

“Sorry, Shaw,” the faceless, scratchy-voiced man whispered from her nightmare.

She clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms.

“Don't be such a baby,” she said out loud. “Stop this.”

Fear and the amnesia it fed had stolen everything from her. She had no recollection of the four high-tech research centers she was said to oversee. Or how she’d come to be the sole living heir to an estate that included not only this mountain house near the North Carolina border, once used by her family as a summer retreat, but also a loft in Atlanta and homes on several other continents. And to add insult to injury, no one had yet been allowed to tell her more. Doctors orders.

She wanted her life back, damn it. She smoothed her hand against the dining room door, and braced herself to push it open. She could do this. She had to.

Sudden darkness swallowed the kitchen.

Her thoughts were immediately swamped with the panicked claustrophobia of being trapped in a closet, waiting to be discovered.

“No.” She blinked, willing the lights to come back on. Her imagination was merely playing tricks on her, anticipating the worst.

But regardless of how many times she tried to force the room into focus, there was nothing to see. Someone had killed the power for real. Her nightmare was coming true. It was waiting for her in the very next room.

She backed away.

Fell over one of the kitchen chairs.

Landed hard on her backside.

“There's no one there,” she insisted. “The electricity's gone out. That's all.”

Something else crashed in the dining room, followed by the distinct sound of a man's footsteps, inching closer. She covered her mouth with her hand. She scrambled backwards on the floor, her nightgown and robe twisting around her legs. Disjointed dream memories swirled through her mind. She lurched to her feet. She felt her way along the wall, blindly heading for the storage room and its back door to the outside world.

She was a fool, a weak, clueless fool. But she couldn't stop herself from panicking.

“Kill the bitch...” the night whispered.

She clawed at the back door's stubborn deadbolt. A glimmer of sanity kept her from running into the freezing, moonlit darkness. If she really was in danger, heaven only knew what waited for her outside the mansion’s protection. And there was suddenly nothing but silence behind her, no movement whatsoever.

She tried to believe this was just like all the other times when she’d freaked herself out and then realized how ridiculous she’d been. 
She was running from ghosts. She tensed to turn back, to confront her paranoia. And heard footsteps again. Closer than before. 


Behind her. Coming for her. And there she stood like a paralyzed idiot, trapped between the shadows beyond her family's home and the nightmare crowding closer within.

A hand clenched in her hair. A gun pressed into her skin. When it fired, the sound of the blast shattered her reality all over again.

Well, I don't know about you, but that has got to be one of the most suspenseful scenes I have read lately! 




Join me as we welcome ... for a glimpse inside of Her Forgotten Betrayal.

Hi Anna. Thanks for stopping by Bookgirl Knitting today to answer a few questions about your book Her Forgotten Betrayal and your writing life.

1. One of your main story elements for Her Forgotten Betrayal is amnesia. How did you decide to add that into the story and have you ever experienced it in your life?

I’ve actually had major concussions a couple of times in my life (insert obvious jokes about me not being in my right mind). Both times, I’ve lost significant time—memory I’ll never get back. And it’s definitely creepy to come out of that passage and realize you don’t know how long you’ve been away.

But what intrigues me about writing an amnesiac heroine is what the mind hides and what the search to discover the past reveals—and in Shaw Cassidy’s ace, what her subconscious continues to try and hide, no matter how hard she fights to remember. There are so many fun layers to her story—who’s the stalker who’s after, what’s happened in the past that’s tempting her mind to continue to forget absolutely everything, and who is the handsome, intriguing neighbor who shows up to protect her and seems more real, more familiar than anything else in her world?

There’s a lot of dream theory neatly tucked away in Her Forgotten Betrayal ;o) I’ve been fascinated by it for years—how if we look closely enough at our dreams, we’ll see the connection to and patterns from our own life, and will see the messages our dream work is sending us. I blog about that sort of thing regularly… It was fun to combine it with Shaw’s amnesia and explore dreams in a more real way in a contemporary romance—up ‘til now, I’ve only dabbled with it in my sci-fi/fantasy novels.

I’ve been an active dreamer my whole life and have regular conscious (lucid) dreams. Playing in a gothic thriller like HFB with dream symbols and themes and watching such Shaw and Cole Marinos figure out what her sleeping mind is trying to show her was super fun!

2.  Gothic romance has always been a favorite of mine. What authors do you especially love in that genre?

Anything Bronte, particularly Wuthering Heights. Du Maurier’s Rebecca. All the creepy historical romances I read as a young girl.

I love a setting that seems a threat to our heroine at every turn, the mystery, the always present villain the reader knows more about than the heroine, and the hero who may or may not be a good guy, the heroine’s never really sure… It was a blast playing with these elements into a contemporary setting. To the very end of this suspense, pretty much every element of the story and setting I focus on in the first few chapters is still paying off in the mood and atmosphere and sheer creep factor of the plot, the relationships, and the heroine’s interaction with her world.

Basically, will Shaw have learned enough by the end of Her Forgotten Betrayal to be able to shed the skin of her creepy, shadowy past and embrace the new beginning trying to rise from its ashes… Bwahahahaha!

3. What are your favorite genres to write in?

Romance… Whatever I write, it will always have a strong romance element. I like deeply emotional journeys with flawed characters that start from a broken place and have a long way to go before they find their way. Without a happily ever after ending to look forward to, what reader in their right mind would find that entertaining ;o) And I totally believe in the power of hope and enduring love. That’s why we read romance, to keep searching for what sustains us. I’ll be writing that for the rest of my career!

4. Do you write to music?

I write to ocean sounds. Each book has a unique soundtrack that I like to build now in Pinterest. But listening to music while I write distracts me. The sea, on the other hand, or the sound of any type of moving water, inspires me every time. I have a favorite Bed and Breakfast in the mountains set against a waterfall (it’s a working grist mill), that I retreat to several times a year when I’m on deadline. And writing near the ocean is always an amazing experience.

Nature is my music, I guess. Long hikes, filling up on the sites and sounds of it… I love music, but it doesn’t touch me in the same way.

5. What is one thing you would want to tell a new author about writing romances or erotic scenes?

Before you sit down to write a romantic or erotic scene, understand the story and character turning point that the scene triggers. Focus on the emotions of the characters in the scene. What are they learning about themselves and each other and the conflict between them? What’s being made worse and better by the intimacy? How will the story shift in a totally new direction once the scene is over. THEN write the hottest, most dramatic scene you can given the sub-genre you’re writing in.

Make the sex/romance about more than going through the motions. Make it about story and character growth, and you’ll never go wrong.

6. What is your next writing project?

I have another Dead Sexy book under contract, so I’m dying (heh) to dive into that. I’m currently waiting for my Harlequin Special Release, A Sweetbrook Family, to launch July 1^st. And I’m working on the first in a three-book Amazon Montlake series—Christmas on Mimosa Lane, due out in October. I’m absolutely loving the project. It’s a women’s fiction/contemporary romance hybrid, and one of the most layered, satisfying, poignant stories I’ve ever written.

Thanks for having me over! Check out my blog (www.annawrites.com/blog) for fun weekly posts on an array of topics, and to keep up with my all the latest news about all my releases!

Thanks Anna! It was great to have you on the blog today!

What I Liked:

This story was all action and intrigue. I loved it. It was a page turner  from the start. The character development, dialogue and action all kept me reading long into the night. Who was the familiar voice Cassidy heard? Who was it that shot her and is now haunting her dreams. No spoilers here. You will have to read to find out!

What I Didn't:

Not a thing. I want to read much more from this author.

Overall:

The description of this book was a total hook and starting to read I was impressed with how the pages flowed and the story branched out. Being in the closet with Cassidy as she overhears some things she probably shouldn't have, lead her to getting shot and then things really start to get interesting. Who shot her? Who can she trust? Who is the voice in the darkness whispering her name? Is she crazy, or is someone out there trying to kill her- again? If you love a good romantic suspense, you have to give Her Forgotten Betrayal a try. I was impressed with the author's voice and completely fell into this novel. If I could have holed myself in a room to keep reading without stopping, I totally would have.

5/5

About the author:

Nationally bestselling author Anna DeStefano has searched her entire life for the soul of the matter at the heart of her world's mysteries. As a small child, she drew from her experiences, senses, and dreams to paint a lush fantasy world, filled with endless possibility and characters of her own creation. Putting pen to paper, Anna transforms these inner landscapes into rich storytelling.

Hers is a realistic but optimistic vision, searching for hope and transformation through intense emotional journeys. Her fuel--the inner passions and conflicts of the characters she crafts. Much like a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, Anna's characters face the ultimate of human choices: finding the courage to conquer their fears and thrive until, despite every obstacle, they become the beautiful things they're meant to be.

An author, workshop and keynote speaker, writing coach, and acquiring editor, Anna's creative vision permeates every challenge she undertakes. She wants you to stop, look, and keep digging, until you find the soul of your own fantasies. Her novels' rich blend of realism and fantasy invites Anna's readers into her creative mission to dig deeper and see each of life's moment with emotional honesty and clarity. 

Discovery and joy are her touchstones, regardless of how difficult her characters' journeys might be. She will challenge you to transform into all you're meant to be, as well. She speaks and blogs regulary. Join Anna each week for Soul Of The Matter, Dream Theories, Things My Teenager Says, How We Write, Waterfall Challenges, and more.

Past President of Georgia Romance Writers (GRW), Anna's also Senior Tech Writer with a GA Tech honors degree an 10 years of experience working in Corporate IT. Her novels have garnered numerous awards including twice winning the RT Reviewers' Choice Award, the Holt Medallion, the Golden Heart, the Maggie Award for Excellence, and finalling in awards such as the National Readers' Choice and Book Seller's Best Awards. She's the author of over 16 novels since 2004 in four different genres, with nearly half a million copies of her books in print in over 5 different languages.

Her interactive workshops and keynotes on the writing process regularly attract standing room-only crowds. She's presented to over 60 groups and conferences, and also teaches half-day and one-day seminars to smaller groups interested in a more intensive, interactive experience.

She's an acquiring editor for Entangled Publishing's Dead Sexy suspense line, and takes on a select number of freelance clients, coaching authors to create the very best books they can from their individual visions.

http://www.annawrites.com/

Goodreads

Want to win your own copy of Her Forgotten Betrayal? Entangled is having a tour wide giveaway. Enter a comment below to have a chance to win!

Happy Reading!

No Hero Blog Tour and Interview with Mallory Kane

A darkly handsome New Orleans detective who insists he’s no hero is blindsided by his one-time lover, a sexy investigative TV reporter, who exposes his secret troubled past to the whole world...and nearly costs him his job. When the at-risk teens he mentors start turning up dead, his vow to protect the other kids hits a major snag...his only clue to finding the determined killer is held by the one woman he never wants to see again. Compelled to work together to solve the vicious murders before another child dies, their passion reluctantly reignites, and their mutual mistrust slowly turns to respect as she realizes there’s much more to being a hero than outward appearances, and his deeply wounded heart gradually opens to the possibility of love.

"I believe readers will fall in love with Dev, a

man whose tortured past taught him that it's

dangerous to love, and will cheer for Reghan,

who is sure there are no heroes

until she glimpses the true man behind

Dev's guarded heart."

~Mallory Kane

Hi Mallory. Thanks for stopping in today to answer some questions about your new book, No Hero.

1. Writing spicy romance has to have its challenges. What is the funniest love scene you ever tried to write and why? 

In the 2nd book of my Black Hills Brotherhood trilogy, THE SHARPSHOOTER'S SECRET SON, I kept trying to write a love scene between the hero and the heroine, his ex-wife who was almost 9 months pregnant at the time. No matter what I tried to write, the characters just weren't going to do it. Oh, they'd do other things, but not it. So I had to be satisfied with writing a very very near-sex-scene. As it turned out, it was quite exciting.

2. Do you write with music playing or do you prefer silence?

I write while listening to Pink Floyd. For some reason when I put on the Floyd I can get into the zone almost right away.

3. What makes a man a hero in your eyes? 

Honesty, protectiveness, integrity, kindness, humor, responsibility--in two words, my husband.

4. What are the elements that make a good romance novel sing for you? What are some of your favorite authors? 

Elements of a good romance? Basically, as Deb Dixon said, goals, motivation and conflict. The tighter the conflict, the more impossible the goals and the stronger the motivation, the better the story.

5. Can you tell us about your next writing project?

I'm currently working on a Harlequin Intrigue called Special Forces Father. When Travis Delancey checks himself out of a military psychiatric ward and drives home to New Orleans, the last thing he expects is to find out he's a father. To his horror, he finds out his son is being held hostage to force Psychiatrist Kate Chalmet to testify that a senator accused of manslaughter is insane. Travis hates the idea of marriage, but he loves Kate, and of course she loves him. But the course of true love never runs smooth, does it? Weaving the suspense of their missing child in with their insecurities about their love is one of the most fun and interesting things about writing romantic suspense. SPECIAL FORCES FATHER will be on shelves in May of 2013.

Thanks so much for inviting me and for the great interview questions. This was fun.

mallory@mallorykane.com
http://www.mallorykane.com
http://www.facebook.com/mallorykane
https://twitter.com/#!/mallorykane
http://www.entangledpublishing.com/no-hero/ 

Thanks Mallory for stopping by Bookgirl Knitting!

When I received this book for the blog tour, I was excited to read it and was pleasantly surprised. While the suspense of the book takes you on a roller coaster ride, there is some serious heat going on between the two main characters, Dev and Reghan. It is a contemporary romance with a high thriller content.

What I liked:

The plot was well structured and the story line flowed well. The characters had a chemistry between them and it flared good and true throughout the book. The conflict kept you turning the pages it was equal parts romance and suspense. Who is killing the kids that Dev is saving? It looks clear cut, but is it?  I really liked the way the dialogue felt how the characters worked toward a central goal to stop the killer. 

What I didn't:

Not a thing. For a short book it had everything!

Overall:

The mystery, crimes and romance made this book a 5/5 all the way.  Proving that there are indeed heroes left in the world when you look in the right places was a really great theme. If you want a book to take to the beach or relax with for a spellbinding read, give No Hero a try. I loved the vivid descriptions and the serial killer plot twists, especially for a book of this length. This author has natural dialogue and character movement that was spot on.  Excellent read! I will be looking forward to more books by Mallory Kane. 

About the author:

Mallory Kane has always loved reading and writing stories. She credits her love of books to her mother, a librarian, who taught her that books are a precious resource and should be treated with loving respect. Her father and grandfather were steeped in the southern tradition of oral history, and could hold an audience spellbound for hours with their storytelling skills. She aspires to be as good a storyteller as her father. She loves romantic suspense with dangerous heroes and dauntless heroines. She is also fascinated by story ideas that explore the infinite capacity of the brain to adapt and develop higher skills.

When she's not writing, Mallory creates and designs greeting cards. She lives in Brandon Mississippi with her husband Michael and their two cats.

http://www.mallorykane.com/

Destiny Bewitched Blog Tour

Deemed “trailer trash” by humans and the daughter of the most disgraceful family of witches and warlocks since the Puritan age, Samantha is used to fighting her own battles. When her younger sister is taken to the Underworld, Sam doesn't hesitate to rescue her. To survive the harsh land, she makes a deal with a demon — the most dangerous of creatures in the realm. Even with those lustrous horns, Geo is as hot as the hell she's stuck in. Fighting nasty beasts in a supernatural version of the gladiator games is easy compared to falling in love with a man who has no future to offer.


Goodreads

What I Liked:


This book was sent by Bewitching Blog Tours and was a wild roller coaster ride of Underworld fun. The main character is a witch who is trying to save her sister. With the help of a "demon", she makes it across treacherous terrain and in the process, sparks fly.


What I Didn't:


Not a thing.


Overall:


4/5


Destiny Bewitched grabbed me at the onset. The characters were realistic and the dialogue snappy. The adventure was good and you didn't see many of the plot twists coming. I liked the book and am likely to go back and check out the others in the series. It is refreshing when you find a author whose voice resonates.

Join me for a short interview with the author: 



1. In Destiny Bewitched you have the main character as a witch. What inspired your story?


I wanted to explore the witch culture more thoroughly. Samantha is a spin-off of one of the characters we meet briefly in the first book, Destiny Divided. She makes a bit of a bitchy impression and I wanted to redeem her as a person. Honestly, she had a story to tell and I was forced to write it. Lol. And after my last book, Destiny Unchained, which was darker, sadder, I really wanted to let loose and have fun with something high fantasy and adventurous. So Destiny Bewitched takes place almost entirely in the Underworld. 


2. Your dialogue and action are snappy and incredibly believable. What advice would you give someone wanting to write paranormal fantasy?


Read, read, read! Pay attention while you’re reading, to what you like, don’t like, and also read reviews so you see what fans like and don’t like. Find a critique group to help you hone your writing skills. Even the best of us need them. And finally, let your imagination run wild!


3. What are some of your favorite witchy books and movies?


This is gonna sound really silly but I love the movie Hocus Pocus. Lol. It’s so very 90’s but I still love it. I watch it with my kids around Halloween.


4. The sexual tension between Samantha and Geo is pretty hot. How did you feel the first time you had to write chemistry between two characters? How about your first really sexy scene?


Chemistry has always come naturally to me. What was more difficult to learn was how to write a good sex scene. Think about it. Can you come up with original and interesting ways of describing an orgasm? Lol. It’s harder than it sounds. I think I blushed my way through my first scene. It’s gotten a little easier since – definitely less embarrassing.


5. What are some erotic novels that just make you melt?


Hmm… I’m in a kinky sex phase with my reading. It’s so much fun to read about the power dynamic in a Dominance/submission relationship. I love Cari Silverwood’s books in her Steamwork Chronicles series. Talk about melting – she writes some hunky men.


6. Do you listen to music while you write? 


No way. I need silence. If I listen to music, I’ll start singing. Lol. Nobody wants that. Plus it’s a distraction.


7. What is your weirdest writing habit?


Hm. Not sure. Sometimes I chew on pen caps. When I’m thinking hard. Is that weird?


8. Now that I have read Destiny Bewitched, I must know if it will be a series. What is your next project?


Oh yes. It’s already a series. Book 4 in my Shadows of Destiny series. All of my books are stand-alones or can be read out of order. But the characters repeat and it’s fun to catch up with past ones. My next project is book 5 of my series, Destiny Forgiven. In the first book, Destiny Divided, we met Maddox, a fun-loving, goofy sorcerer. Well he disappeared for two years and when we found him again, he’s very different. His is a sad story. A bit dark and definitely emotional. But it will still be packed with what you can expect from all my books: humor, action, steamy sex, and an HEA.

Author bio: 


I began my writing journey while I was stranded at the airport waiting for my delayed flight. I browsed the Border’s kiosk and grew frustrated that I couldn’t find the “it factor” — the perfect combination of alpha male-ness, ass-kickery, strong females, magic, and sex.


So I spent the next four hours on an airplane writing my first book on scraps of paper and an airsick bag (which thankfully I didn't need to use).


Now I spend too much time in my head, plotting evil villains and the hot men (and women) who ruthlessly kill them. I think far too much about fae politics, dragon power games, and how fast werewolves can change forms. But writing my paranormal romance series has given me a productive place to express those dark places in my mind.


I live in New England with my husband and two kids. Though I will go to my grave denying it, my husband insists I would be thrilled if he suddenly sprouted fangs.


Media: 


www.leiashaw.com 


www.leiashaw.blogspot.com


www.facebook.com/LeiaShaw


@LeiaShaw

Don't miss the Twitter Party at 11:00am EST #destinybewitched

New From Melissa Marr

Archon by Sabrina Benulis: The Interview

Angela Mathers is plagued by visions of angels, supernatural creatures who haunt her thoughts by day and seduce her dreams by night. Newly released from a mental institution where she was locked away for two years, she hopes that her time at the Vatican’s university, the West Wood Academy, will give her a chance at a normal life. Unlike ordinary humans, Angela is a blood head — a freak, a monster, the possible fulfillment of a terrifying prophecy of overwhelming death and destruction. Only in Luz, the Vatican’s wondrous enclave, are blood heads accepted and encouraged to discover what kind of powers or special abilities they might possess.


But within West Wood, a secret coven plots, and demons and angels roam the streets searching for the key to open Raziel’s book — a secret tome from a lost archangel. Some are determined to destroy Raziel, while others, like the beautiful Supernal Israfel, one of the highest of the high, wish to free him. And when the Archon — the human chosen to possess the spirit of a dead angel — rises as foretold, they will control the supernatural universe.


Torn between mortal love and angelic obsession, Angela holds the key to Heaven and Hell — and both will stop at nothing to possess her.


Goodreads

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Archon takes everything I enjoy in a YA and crosses over into the murky politics of Heaven and Hell. It is a steady read that will have you turning the pages. Add in some pretty wicked witchery, spirits, demons and a prep school with a pretty interesting cast of characters and you have yourself one great novel. I asked the wonderful author if she would do an interview and she was very happy to share some information about herself and Archon.

What I liked:

The dynamics of Heaven and Hell in this book are really gray. Elements of witchery, angels gone amok and priests that have a lot to hide made this a page turner that you won't want to put down.

What I didn't:

The term "blood head" was odd. I get the gist of it, but wished there was another term that rolled off the tongue better, so to speak. I keep seeing trolls with redcaps and bloody wounds when I hear the phrase. 

Overall:

The plot was well formed, the characters compelling, dialogue believable, action non stop and I love that there will be more in the series. If you enjoy books about angels, teens with edgy attitudes, witchy characters with an agenda and boarding schools with lots of intrigue, you need to give this book a try.

4.5/5

Now for the interview!!!

1. What first interested you in the politics between Heaven and Hell?

When I first thought about the version of Heaven and Hell that I wanted to create, I envisioned these realms not in a spiritual sense, but more with the idea that Heaven and Hell were other worlds with creatures and beings calling them home much like we call Earth home.  It then followed that angels and demons would have their own culture, and since they were advanced beings, their own kind of government and "political system."  The idea of the Devil's failed war against Heaven also being a revolt against a decadent regime instantly followed.  I knew this would also be a story that had a very intense past influencing a very dramatic present, and so it followed that the political drama that makes up the history of our three great angels Israfel, Lucifel, and Raziel would be as important as the supernatural side of things.

2. What is it that inspired you to write about "blood heads" and the idea that an angel can be killed and brought to life again within a human being?

In Archon the term "blood heads" is a derogatory name for people with red hair.  They are called "blood heads" because at least one of them will be the prophesied Ruin of humanity, making their destiny a "bloody" one.  Thus, the red hair is seen as symbolic of the Archon's dark future.  My creative reasoning behind this actually had to do with witches.  In the past, red hair was sometimes seen as the mark of a witch or someone with supernatural powers.  In Archon, all blood heads are suspected of being the prophesied dark messiah, especially those with said supernatural powers.  To me, it all just interconnected seamlessly.

    The idea of an angel being killed and brought back within a human host had a lot to do with how I wanted to portray angels and demons in the novel.  In the world of Archon angels are superior beings and immortal, but they can be killed.  It this followed that they would have a soul that could possibly possess a host or even reincarnate, much like a human ghost or spirit.  Tha "afterlife" for angels and demons is hinted at very subtly in the novel, but explored much more in the later installments of the trilogy.  To explain any more would involve major spoilers!

3. Do you write to music? Is there a playlist for your book that gets you in the right frame of mind?

I wouldn't say there's a definite playlist, but yes, I write a lot of scenes to music! Or, maybe I should say I listen to the music and then write the scene after that extra little bit of inspiration.  I listened to everything from Lady Gaga to the soundtracks to Pirates of the Caribbean and The Dark Knight while writing Archon.  The Dark Knight probably makes the most sense. lol

4. In your books, the Devil, commonly known as a man, is a woman. Can you tell us how you came to see Her in that light?

The Devil being a woman instead of a man just felt so right for the story.  I'll admit, I was so tired of how the Devil is portrayed in most books and movies that I really wanted to do something different, yet complimentary to tradition at the same time.  So part of the decision was just me trying to think outside of the box.  However, Lucifel (the name of the Devil in Archon) and Israfel were in many ways meant to be two sides of the same coin.  Much of Lucifel's masculine behavior and demeanor has to do with her jealousy of her angelic sibling.  Also, it felt right that as the Archon's number one rival for supremacy, she was a female who will battle another female on equal grounds.

5. Usually, the sides of good and evil are very black and white. In your book, they operate on multiple shades of gray and often the lines blur. Can you tell us how you came to create this world?

In this story, angels and demons are more like alien beings than they are embodiments of pure good or evil.  But to explain further, this is also a story demonstrating the  unsettling idea that good and evil can, in some cases, amount to a point of view.  For instance, in some cultures of the world a certain action might be considered terrible, while in another and for the same action, no one would bat an eyelash. I think this quality of the novel also emphasizes that realistically, no villain is 100 percent evil, just as no hero would be 100 percent good.  Every character has their own motivations, dreams, dark secrets, and hopes that move them in one direction or another, regardless of whether they are angels, demons, or humans.

6. The idea that the insane can see into the abyss and glimpse what we can not is an idea long put out there for discussion. Do you think that is true?

I think it is very true that "there is a fine line between genius and insanity."  Very often, people with fractured minds seem to see a world that perhaps is always in front of us, but which our conscious minds have learned to filter out.  If you are talking about the supernatural, I firmly believe that altered states of mind sometimes reveal "another side" to reality that is often off limits to human senses, and usually for very good reasons.

7. You use arcane magic and church mythology in an inspired way. How did you find them intertwined and what first made you think of merging them?

Theology and "magic" go hand in hand when you are talking about angels or demons.  Most of the "religious" inspiration for Archon was taken from what we might call the arcane face of Christianity, how it deals with the occult.  If you are taking an excorcism at face value, for example, you are dealing with a supernatural creature who is being commanded and manipulated by words (in that case by a priest).  It all seemed to come together so well for Archon, where you have a city like Luz dominated by the supernatural and an almost medieval atmosphere, where angels and demons are taken seriously and feared for the powers that they possess.  Most real life books about angels and demons speak about them quite convincingly, and I wanted that tone to permeate the novel. I hope that answers your question!

8. What are you working on now?

Right now, I am working on Book 2 in The Books of Raziel trilogy, as well as another YA project I have had on the backburner since publishing Archon.  Book 2 has the working title of Covenant and takes us from Luz and farther into the supernatural realms that make up the trilogy.  The main conflict of Book 2 centers a lot around the Archon's decision to become a force for that indefinable good or evil, and how that choice can be made in the face of a dark destiny that seems inescapable.  Whereas Book One has a dark atmosphere of foreboding, Book Two has a breathtaking beauty and solemnity to it and moments of great heroism and emotion.  Angela really comes into her own as both a heroine and a force to be reckoned with.

9. For any would be writers out there, what is one piece of advice you would give them to help them succeed?

To all would be writers, there is one key to this industry.  It is always good to have talent, and a great and original idea for your book, but no one will ever read it if you don't have persistence.  No matter how many rejections you receive (and believe me, every author and writer gets them at some point) you have to write and write and send out your work until you're blue in the face.  Do that, and you will achieve your dreams.  It all comes down to how much you want it.  Ask yourself about your writing, "If no one ever read my book/story, would I be happy?"  If the answer is "no" then don't stop.

10. What is one book that inspired you as a writer and why?

The number one book that inspired me as a writer was The Lord of the Rings.  No matter how cliche it sounds, it is not only one of the best trilogies ever written, but it is the perfect example of sucessfully creating a fantasy world that seems only a step away from reality. Its only downside is that it starts slowly--but let's face it, the rules of popular fiction were different decades ago.  Sometimes novels that require a little bit of patience turn out to be the most spectacular. :-)

Many thanks to Sabrina for taking the time for this interview!

Knit Red For Heart Health

Gorgeous knitwear--that does good, too! The knitting community has always come together to support a great cause, and Knit Red once again attests to knitters' generous, giving spirit. These 30 beautiful red-themed projects help raise awareness of the number-one killer of women today: heart disease. The patterns are all donated by top designers, including Debbie Stoller, Nicky Epstein, Debbie Bliss, Norah Gaughan, Deborah Newton, Melissa Morgan-Oakes, Iris Schreier, Jared Flood, and Ysolda Teague. In addition, the book offers important medical information, a Heart Healthy Resources and Action Plan, and powerful stories from survivors of this deadly ailment.


Goodreads


This collection of projects is a treasure trove. A knitter's paradise! From the first second I set my eyes on the cover, I knew it was going to be good. The inside fulfilled my expectations. There are sweaters, scarves, a spa kit, cowls, capes and a shopping bag that had me drooling. (Even the fear of multiple needle knitting still will not daunt me from trying this project!)


The instructions are clear, with photos that show each project to the fullest. Some of the top designers in the world have gathered together on this quest for heart health. I for one am buying it and adding it to my collection. Check out the recipes and health tips from each designer. Having a glimpse into their healthy habits was inspirational.


5/5

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting — he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. 




The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. 




From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd — whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself — Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.


Goodreads

 

This book was brought to my attention by a wonderful friend who is always telling me great books to read. He did, in fact loan me his copy until mine arrived from the publisher for review. I had to struggle not to cry all over it. 


This book, at first glance, looks very much like a monster in the closet, creeping up the dark and hollow places kind of book. In some ways it is, but not like you think. 


First, there are monsters. Yes. Of course. What kind of story would it be without one? Patrick Ness has created a story that is a tribute to those dealing with bullying, grief and death. Heavy prospect. But this book does it and with a grace to its pages that left me breathless and openly sobbing as I turned the last page. I can't remember the last time a book did that for me. 


Without telling everything in the story (but oh, I really, really want to this time!) I can tell you that it is wonderful for anyone dealing with hardships in life. Grief, death, bullying, anger issues, discontent at home...you name it, it's in there, complete with some pretty amazing artwork to boot. 


And finally, the biggest monsters may not even be the ones in the closet, or staring in through the window...they may be in the darkest recesses of our soul.


Overall:
5/5