Interview & Giveaway: Christine Wenrick

Shelly is a big fan of Christine Wenrick's Charmed Trilogy.  Check out this Q&A they did together!

Shelly: Hello, Christine. Let me start out my saying that I’m a big fan of your work. When I got the chance to do this interview – I was thrilled. So that being said – will you tell us a little about yourself and what (or who) started you on the course of being a writer? 

Christine: Thanks, Shelly! I wish I could say I knew I was destined to be a writer all my life, but that’s not the case. I dabbled with writing in college but have been working as a commercial interior designer until four years ago when I decided to write my first novel, The Charmed. I think, like any author, you have to have something that inspires you, and for me it was the ending to this first book. I had a crystal clear image of that ending . . . and nothing else. LOL. So I basically started writing towards that end. Probably not the easiest way to write a book, but it worked out OK.

Shelly: One thing I noticed when I read the first story, The Charmed, was that even though this is a vampire story, you’ve somehow brought a unique and uncommon perspective to the subject. How’d you do that?

Christine: That is certainly a compliment. An uncommon perspective to a vampire story is hard to do these days, but it may be the sense of isolation I put the characters and the reader in at the beginning of the series. I knew I wanted an adult story, a very intimate and personal story between Caleb and Olivia. To me that meant isolating them from the world we see every day, but in a way that makes sense or is familiar to present times. Then you can create those moments of tug and pull, the quiet ones where very little is being said but you can feel the force that is drawing them together. If you can feel passion between two characters in the things they don’t say—the moments outside of the love scenes—then you’ve done your job as a romance writer.

Shelly: Which character, in any of the books, was the hardest for you to write? 

Christine: Great question!!! I would say Jax, the coven leader. He has lived for centuries and his character needed to reflect that kind of depth and breadth of life experience . . . and, of course, pain. For me, he represented the emotional soul of the trilogy and as such is one of my favorite characters.

I had several challenges, mostly because when I started I didn’t know much about the piano. But in writing Olivia’s character it was clear that music was at the center of who she was. It’s how she expresses herself best. The hardest part was making sure that held true throughout all three books and did not get too far sidelined by the other events happening to her.

Shelly: I thought Maya was a gem – she’s sometimes come off as meek but when the tire hits the road she’s something else. Which character would you say is most like you?

Christine: Maya is a fun character. One of my favorite things to do is bring a character along for several books so the reader can watch them grow and mature. You will see that with Maya as well.

As for me, I’m not sure I’m really like any of my characters, more like a mix of them. I might latch on to one thing that it similar to me and build a character from there. For example, Olivia will doggedly focus on something once she believes it’s the right decision or course of action. I can be like that.

Shelly: I enjoyed the flow of dialogue - was it a conscious process that the cursing/swearing would be at a minimum for this series?

Christine: Actually, yes it was. Although I myself can curse just as easily as the next person, I’m just not a huge fan of words that can jar a reader out of the story, especially when they’re repeated a lot. Of course, that’s a really difficult rule to follow when one of your characters is a curse-a-holic (Ahem, Lucas . . .)!

Nowadays people curse, men especially it seems, so it needs to be in there. I just try to pick and choose the right moments and infer the rest.

Shelly: What story are you working on now?

Christine: I am putting the finishing touches on book three in my Men of Brahm Hill series, which is a connected five-book series to The Charmed Trilogy. It has taken me longer to write than I hoped because of my obligations for The Charmed, but I am so excited where this series is going I spend just about every hour I can getting it out of my head and onto paper. The first book in the series, Someone Else’s Skye, will be available this fall, and to get the most out of all the little nuggets I have left for the reader I recommend starting from the beginning with The Charmed.

As part of her tour, Christine is is giving away a $50.00 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of The Charmed to one lucky winner that follows the tour. Enter to win.

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Interview & Giveaway: Jax Garren

You may have seen me moaning on Twitter about the wait between these Tales of the Underlight books. I really enjoyed How Beauty Met the Beast --and I can tell you that the second installment, How Beauty Saved the Beast, is mighty cool as well.  Please help me welcome author Jax Garren to the blog today!

Jen: First, I want to start off by saying how much I enjoyed How Beauty Met the Beast.

Jax: Thank you!

Jen: For those who haven't read it, let's talk a little about the premise of the series.

Jax: The Tales of the Underlight are fairy tale retellings set in the punk-alternative community of Austin, Texas in the very near future. They center around two warring secret societies. Our heroes are a part of the Underlight, a US-based network of anarchists who have an underground base in Austin. The antagonists are from the Order of Ananke, a cult dedicated to the Greek goddess of fate. Ananke pulls its membership from the world’s wealthy and powerful and focuses on controlling society from behind the scenes. The series has a little bit of magic, a little bit of weird science, action and romance. The first three books (a novella and two short novels) are based on Beauty and the Beast, with a burlesque dancer and a burn scarred soldier as the titular characters.

Jen: Wesley isn't your typical "beast" hero. He doesn't just have a rakish scar on his cheek or an unfortunate nose... he is terribly disfigured. Tell me about the decision to go "all in" with his appearance.

Jax: Part of the inspiration for this story was a rebellion against the handsome beast. Though there are some wonderfully done stories like that, I wanted a retelling where the appearance issue was undeniable. It may not be right, but looks alter how we’re treated and how we think about ourselves. I tried to create a character whose looks were damaged enough to give readers a visceral reaction, and that's where the burning idea came from because burn scars can completely alter a person's appearance in frightening ways. Research for these books was emotionally tough; I have so much respect for burn survivors! (I'd also wanted to create a modern phoenix character for awhile--someone who could rise from the ashes. Hence his tattoo.)

The transformation element is important to me, too. In the original fairy tale, the beast was once a handsome man who was turned into a beast, but we don’t see much about how he dealt with this bomb dropped on his life. I wanted to tell a story where we’re with our hero grappling with that shattered self-concept. When the story begins Hauk has physically recovered from the fire that disfigured him. He thinks he’s emotionally dealt with it because he has friends and a job he’s happy with. But he keeps his body covered up and doesn’t reach out others, both because he assumes nobody wants to touch his damaged skin and because burn scarring can change the way nerve endings experience things, so being touched feels strange to him.

At first his attraction to Jolie isn’t emotionally threatening because he doesn’t believe it’s possible for her to return his feelings. In book 2, though, her friendly affection for him starts to develop into something more. That’s when the real challenge begins for him as he must decide if he can accept his scars enough to let her love him—and not just in the emotional sense. (For a really early sneak peek, that “not just in the emotional sense” issue might, ahem, be a major component of book 3…)

Jen: What is it about Jolie that allows her to see him as so few others can?

Jax: Jolie was fun to write. She’s brash, beautiful, sexually assured, rich—and utterly confused by interpersonal relationships. She comes from 1%er money and power and grew up surrounded with all the glamour money could buy or surgically alter. Her social calendar was filled from her father’s Rolodex, and her path in life was paved by family expectations. When book 1 begins, she’s turned her back on that to find an existence that will hold more meaning for her, but she has yet to figure out what that will be. She knows how deceiving appearances often are, so it doesn’t take her long to get past Hauk’s looks—at least as a friend. It makes him different from what she knows and that’s exactly what she’s looking for. She’s also intrigued by his selflessness and authenticity, things that she longs for in her own life.

They have an opposite problem in this way. Jolie is a burlesque dancer. She’s fine being physically naked in front of anybody—she knows she’s beautiful and finds that aspect of herself boring. Growing up she was often told her beauty was her best trait, and her greatest fear is that’s true. So she doesn’t let people into her head or her heart. Sex is easy for her. A relationship with a good man is scary. Hauk terrifies her because she admires him so much, but fears that while he might lust after her (it's been five years for the poor guy after all), she's too pampered for a selfless man like him to love.

Jen: When I was creating my tags for the review, I realized I had a hard time categorizing the series. It's not really paranormal, or steampunk, or sci fi, but not really contemporary... how would you characterize it?

Jax: Hahaha! Well…normally when I write I’m pretty firmly entrenched in a romance sub-genre, but of course the first thing I sold is the first thing I’ve written that’s all over the place. We had an internal debate about it at Carina [the publisher]. I recommended it be categorized as urban fantasy, but they thought of it as science fiction. Because of the magic, they did add “paranormal romance” to the official listing. The cover for How Beauty Met the Beast, while it's pretty and I like it, has come across more steampunk than anyone intended. While there are steampunk elements to the Underlight, neither myself nor the folks at Carina think of the book that way. (I noticed that the cover they designed for book 2 is about as far from steampunk-looking as you can get, and I'm guessing that's on purpose.) I do love magical realism, like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jorge

Luis Borges, because of how it adds touches of paranormal to an otherwise normal setting, and I know this had an influence on me. Of course, unlike these authors the Tales of the Underlight are uptempo, urban genre stories. Even if I can’t, er, figure out exactly which genre. Speculative (sci-fi/paranormal) elements in the Underlight stories are present but not heavy, and they’re almost all something that some people really do believe in—like Pagan gods, conspiracy theories, weird science, hypnotic magic, possession and ancestor intercession. But there aren’t aliens or vampires or people shooting lightning from their fingertips, none of the big fantastical elements present in most science fiction and fantasy. So I might call it an urban romance take on magical realism? Clearly I wasn’t thinking about genre as I wrote this. Whether they loved it or hated it, few reviewers haven't mentioned the genre WTFery, and frankly I'm right there with them! :)

Jen: Can you give us a sneak peek at what we can expect from the second installment?

Jax: Sure! The second book starts around Mardi Gras, two months after the end of How Beauty Met the Beast. At Jolie’s request, Hauk has been teaching her self-defense—which he’s been more than happy to do as he wants her able to kick the ass of anyone who tries to hurt her. To keep her comfortable during the physical nature of combat training, he’s done his best to keep things amicable but professional, and they’ve developed a solid friendship. At the start of the story, Jolie has gone with Hauk on her first mission for the Underlight, supposedly an easy-peasy in-and-out affair. So, of course, it goes horribly wrong. In the emotional aftermath of a near death experience, Hauk loses his professionalism and they almost kiss. (You can read the first chapter here on my website if you'd like to see it.) Jolie is surprised by how much she likes the idea of kissing him, forcing her to reevaluate what she wants from their relationship. But before they can work anything out, an old sweetheart of Hauk’s from before the fire shows up, sending her into a jealous tailspin.

Meanwhile Ananke escalates their efforts to acquire Hauk for study. He’s the only person who’s ever been able to resist the magical mind control embedded in their tattoos of Atropos, and they want to know how. They’ve developed a new weapon that can cancel his rages, leaving him drained, barely mobile and easy pickings for their hit squad…unless Jolie can use what she’s learned to save him.

Jen: Maybe a little excerpt?

Jax: This is from the second chapter. It's the end of their workout the day after the almost kiss. Hauk’s been making Jolie practice getting out of a tight corner. After repeated failures, she’s finally managed to get past him using a judo throw. Things start out friendly as usual between them. Then they take a turn...

Hauk laughed, still lying on the ground with his knees in the air. He had a nice laugh, light and easy, and she found herself smiling again. She strolled cautiously toward him. “You didn’t let me win, did you?”

“No. I wasn’t expecting that.” He grinned up at her from the ground.

She stepped over his torso and stared down at him. “You were kind of a dick.”

He curled up until he was leaning on his elbows, a move that tightened his abs. “Anger works better than fear to get you out of a bad situation.”

His T-shirt wasn’t quite tight enough to see the way his muscles pleasantly rippled up the front of him, but she’d seen him once with his shirt off, and she remembered. Tribal-stylized vines climbed asymmetrically up his torso, thicker on the left side, where the skin was the most damaged. His chest was a patchwork of different skin tones and landscaped with scars like shallow canyons. The texture would be interesting to touch.

She’d touched his face before while he was asleep. The rest of his body was odd, but at least the scars had faded to skin tones. His face, though, that was the really different part of him. She’d researched burning on the internet. Melted cartilage was irreparable. His nose was nearly gone. One ear was missing; the other was half gone. He’d pierced an industrial across the top where the shell should be and three spikes into the remaining edge. He had no hair at all and marked where his eyebrows should be with four curved barbells on each side. He had no tattoos on his face, but his skull had her favorite one, a phoenix rising from a fire at the top of his spine, her colorful wings encircling his head and her beak touching his forehead, right where a priest would place a blessing. It was an incredible piece of art, and must have hurt like a mother to have been done entirely on bone like that. Although, from what she’d read about burns and burn recovery, Hauk probably had a different definition of “pain” than most people.

His grin faded. He’d told her when they first met that she could ask whatever she wanted about his scars, that he preferred open discussion to people keeping their mouths politely shut. And here she was studying him, all closed-mouthed. The wariness that had slowly receded over their two months together came back, and his eyes darted for his hoodie. About a month ago, he’d taken it off for the first time, showing her his arms. It had been a big move.

She didn’t want the relationship to go backward, so she dropped down to sit on his stomach and asked the first question that came to mind. “How many tours did you do?”

That surprised the wariness from him. “Three.”

Her jaw dropped. “Three? Weren’t you only in the Army for six years?”

He shrugged. “You can volunteer to deploy.”

“Why would you do that? You didn’t like—I mean, war isn’t fun or—I mean…” And crap, her mouth was getting the better of her.

He sat up, dumping her ass on the ground between his legs. With one hand he steadied her, watching her movements, probably so he didn’t have to meet her eyes. “No, war is not fun. I wasn’t having a grand old time, so yay, send me back. But they’re going to send somebody. Who should it have been? Some guy with a wife and kids? Or me?”

“Nobody is disposable.”

He tried to smirk at her, as if he could argue with that.

“No, Hauk. I’m serious. You’re not disposable. You said something like that yesterday, and it’s bullshit.”

He still looked ready to argue.

She crossed her arms and scowled. “You’re not disposable to me. And I’m a rich brat who thinks the world is her oyster, so you need to give up this idea that you have to sacrifice yourself for everybody else, because if something happened to you I’d be…” She did her best impression of her mother, glaring down her nose with a voice full of contempt. “I’d be put out.”

His eyes softened even if his lips didn’t, and it suddenly dawned on her how close they were. Her legs bent over his thighs and bracketed his torso. His hands had inched forward until his back was straight. If she straightened her own back and tipped her head up, they’d be right where they were yesterday, an inch away from a kiss.

And had she just said something about putting out?

“Training over for the day?” he asked, his voice husky as his eyes darkened with that same lusty fervor they’d held yesterday.

Why would he ask that?

Wait a minute.

Was it possible he’d been behaving himself, not because he wasn’t interested in her but because he wouldn’t hit on her while they were training? He’d been in the Army. They probably had strict rules about that sort of thing, and he was exactly the kind of guy who would follow them to ensure the women he worked with felt safe.

So if he was making a distinction between training time and not training time, was he asking for permission to quit being so professional?

Jolie made a gargled noise in eloquent answer to his question. She usually wasn’t struck dumb by men hitting on her—between her bank account, her cup size and her dad’s Rolodex, she’d been fending off overly aggressive suitors since she was in her teens. But all the physical hustling and bad one-liners from social-climbing hopefuls were not the same thing as a nice guy asking for…whatever it was Hauk was asking for.

On the other hand, it was possible that, just like her, he had an emotional hangover from yesterday and this meant nothing. At which point she should back away before they did something they’d regret.

But she took too long making a decision. With conviction, Hauk stated, “Aw, hell. Training’s over.” His fingers slid beneath her chin and tipped her face up.

The heat from yesterday came back with unrequited vengeance, filling her insides and shoving out rational thought. Like yesterday, she found herself drawn to his need, found an answering, if inexplicable, need inside herself. She straightened her back, bringing her lips next to his. “Training’s over,” she repeated as her arms slid around his neck.

For just a moment his breath was warm on her lips as he hesitated above her. Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered their last kiss two months ago—not the one he didn’t know about, but the first one, when she was spent from his lovemaking. A kiss so full of heat and longing, despite the barrier between them, that she’d never felt anything like it before. She’d dreamed about that kiss with soft thoughts for all the possibilities it had promised. The dream was terrifying. And exhilarating. And about to come true.

Jen: You're a debut author. What has the publishing experience been like for you?

Jax: I’ve loved it. I’m a procrastinator, which means I love deadlines. They’re fabulously motivating. J I have an amazing editor, Rhonda Helms, whom I get along with really well, and Carina has been great to write for. At first it was bizarre getting reviews on my work, regardless of what the review said. I’ve been writing stories my whole life for my own amusement; it wasn’t until a few years ago that I started trying to get published. Now people I’ve never met from all over the world are reading my work, and it’s a dream I’ve had since childhood come true. (You! Readers! You make peoples' dreams come true. Seriously.)

Now I’m looking forward to moving from “published author” to “career author.” If I can do that, I am lucky indeed to get to live the life I've always wanted. And that’s what I work for and why I keep trying to improve as a writer, so that I can take this chance I’ve been given and make something lasting out of it. Getting published is the first enormous step on the way to where I want to be. I hope I've started on the career I’ll have for the rest of my life!

Jen: Anything else you would like to add?

Jax: Whatever you have on your shelves right now, happy reading to all of you! Thanks for being a reader!

Thank you, Jax for visiting today. Leave a comment below for a chance to win either How Beauty Met the Beast or How Beauty Saved the Beast! 

Naughty or Nice Blog Tour

Cara Elliott and Jennifer Delamere are here today, chatting as part of their Naughty or Nice tour. Help me welcome both ladies to the blog!

Jen: I really enjoyed both of your books. I'll admit, I usually gravitate toward the naughtier end of the spectrum, but tell me about why you chose the heat level you did for your stories.

Jennifer: I love reading all sorts of romances, whether “sweet” or spicy. However, I never could picture myself writing the more graphic love scenes. One of my favorite authors, Mary Stewart, could get a lot of mileage just from the moment the hero and heroine kiss. My favorite classics, including books by Jane Austen, evoke lovely and sigh-inducing romances with even less. My goal was to write books that were rich with the sizzle and excitement of romance while leaving the more explicit details to the reader’s imagination.

Jen: Jennifer, I didn't realize until after I finished with your book and visited your website that you are an inspirational author. Talk to me about the place spirituality has in your books and what made you choose to incorporate that into your writing.

I didn’t actually set out to write an inspirational romance. In truth, it was after my book was underway that I realized that’s what I was writing. I’ve been a Christian and avid student of the Bible for many years. It’s so intrinsic in my life that I see now it was bound to flow out in my writing.

I think An Heiress at Heart could be better described as a romance with inspirational elements, and it should easily appeal to everyone. Basically, I decided to write the kind of book that I personally would want to read. I took inspiration from all the things I loved--the rich vocabulary of the classics, the bubbly fun of romantic comedies and Hollywood musicals, and the heady emotions of romance. The inspirational elements stem from the characters’ own Christian world view, which was prevalent among the Victorians. I just allowed the story to follow its own path.

Jen: Do you think there's a place for sex in inspirational romance?

Jennifer: I do, actually! Obviously, though, there are caveats. As a romance writer, I don’t want to shy away from exploring the very real emotions and physical reactions that are a natural part of falling in love. There’s plenty of room for what I call the “sizzle” without the characters actually making love. Readers of inspirational romance expect sex to take place in the context of a marriage, and I prefer to write that way too. As it happens, in my next book the hero and heroine are married, but it is a marriage of convenience. What that book will have in common with traditional romances is that when the hero and heroine finally make love, it won’t be gratuitous. It will be a significant moment when they realize their love and commitment to each other. It may not be described as graphically as in many traditional romances, but I believe the reader will not be disappointed.

Jen: Cara, Writing sex: fun or challenging? Or something else? How do you tackle writing a love scene?

Cara: Oh, that’s a very interesting question. Actually it’s a little of all three! Showing the growing physical attraction and “chemistry” between my hero and heroine as they fall in love is, for me, an integral part of their relationship, and how they are right for each other. The challenge is to make the scene resonate with their deepening emotional engagement, rather than sound like an instruction manual for, um, assembling a lawn mower—if you know what I mean! So it’s a delicate balance of describing the intimacy, yet keeping it very romantic.

Jen: Cara, A lot of authors tend to use euphemisms in those scenes. Are there any you hate? Make you laugh when you're reading?

Cara: Well, “throbbing manhood” is one euphemism that always makes me roll my eyes. But you know, I feel that it’s a real art to write an explicit scene well. A great one creates a magic that has the reader thinking about the special moment, not the actual words used.

Jen: To both authors: Give everyone one reason to love your hero and your heroine. Why will we want them to find their HEA?

Jennifer: Lizzie comes from a poor but respectable family, but she has a “past.” She made the mistake of falling for a wealthy rogue, who in the end seduced and abandoned her. That was a lot to overcome in Victorian England, especially if later you find yourself in love with a clergyman.... Unlike Lizzie, who has known love (and heartbreak), Geoffrey has just fallen in love for the very first time. He’s dealing with a lot of emotions he’s never felt before. Unfortunately, Lizzie is (supposedly) the widow of his deceased brother. The laws in England at that time would not have allowed them to marry, and Geoffrey is amazed at himself for seriously contemplating going against the mores of the day because he cannot bear the thought of living without Lizzie. Those are some pretty serious roadblocks standing between two wonderful people and their happily ever after.

Cara: Both my hero and heroine made decisions in the past that drove them apart, but they have the courage to overcome their fears and try again for happiness. Life can be very daunting at times, so I think we all love the idea of second chances, and take heart in believing true love can triumph over past mistakes and misunderstandings. 

Thanks to Jennifer & Cara for visiting the blog today! Be sure to check out Heiress at Heart & Too Dangerous to Desire this month!

Chat & Giveaway with Faith Hunter

The newest installment in the Jane Yellowrock series is just a week away! And Faith Hunter is joining us today to answer the questions fans want to know and to share a copy of Death's Rival. Please help me welcome her to the blog.

Q. Why hasn’t Jane gotten with Bruiser?

A. Rick and Bruiser and Leo. What a conundrum. Jane is a healthy, unrepressed female, who respects her body and her souls, so she will eventually pick at least one guy, but even I don’t know which guy(s) yet.

All the men are a big part of her life. Jane likes one guy (Rick) but she can’t have him. Her Beast likes another guy or two (Bruiser and Leo) so it’s hard to pick. And Beast assures Jane that, “Big-cats do not mate for life.” However, at this stage in her life, Jane doesn’t sleep around. She’s a little too uptight and reserved for that. But she is a sexual being. And men like her.

Q. What about Rick LaFleur is attractive to Jane?

A. Rick is free (or was until recently) and he is human (or was until recently) and he could have given his all to Jane, in a relationship where she would not have been used (as she surely would be with Leo) and will be first in his life (unlike with Bruiser who would be loyal to Leo). She wants to be first in a man’s life. Rick fights crime and understands the fact that Jane does so, as well, even if she is going about it via different route. They have a lot in common. 

Q. You have graphic violence, but avoid graphic sex and cursing, an unusual choice that makes the books widely accessible. Why?

A. Oy. Lots of reasons. In no particular order: Emotional, but also physical violence, were part of my young home life. Dad taught me to shoot guns at age 12 in an outbreak of rabies in our rural county. As eldest I had to be ready to protect my brothers from rabid animals as well as human predators. Also, I was bullied in school because I was a Christian and had to stand up, without violence, to the bullies. In my heart-of-hearts, I wanted to bash the bullies, but I couldn’t, so I do on the pages I write. I have internal demons (my own spiritual but evil Beast) that I want to kill, and I kill it over and over on the page. 

As to sex? LKH writes great sex. Never ever boring. And she never uses crass or popular names for body parts, making her sex read like poetry. Most written sex is boring after a while, IMHO, and hers is never boring! When I write sex it makes me laugh. Not what I wanted. I do however write good sexual tension, so I write to my strengths. 

As to language: Language is a tool. If it brings in more readers then it is a good tool. If it pushes away even one reader then it is a bad tool. I can just as easily say, she cursed, or she swore. As long as I don’t overdo, no one misses the actual cuss words. And readers who would be offended by the words themselves are not offended and buy my books. It’s good business. And yes, I do cuss myself. But I am sparing with the use. It’s a tool to be wielded, not a crutch.

Q. Vampires, New Orleans. It’s been done before. How do you keep it fresh?

A. New Orleans is amazing. Every time I drive through I see something new that has been there all along. I literally ride with my head hanging out the window to capture the sights and smells, camera in hand. How can anyone not love NOLA? It is amazing! And it reinvents itself yearly, so fresh is easy.

Q. Will there be more books in this series?

A. After DEATH’S RIVAL, I have two more books under contract. After that, well, it all depends on the readers and how faithful they are to the series. Fans make or break books, and writers live on their joy and love of books. If fans buy books and tell their friends to buy books, then a writer gets contracts. So far, Jane Yellowrock is selling, If I do my job well and the fans like it well enough to do theirs, then yes. I can only hope!

So here are the deets on the new book:

Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…

For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to …a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane.

But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.

Want to give it a try?  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. US only please. In the meantime, you can find Faith online and on social media:


Website:  http://www.faithhunter.net
Twitter:   http://twitter.com/HunterFaith
Facebook page for Faith:    http://www.facebook.com/official.faith.hunter

And if you haven't tried the Jane Yellowrock series before, check out my review of book one: Skinwalker.
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Chat & Giveaway with Thea Harrison

Thea Harrison's Elder Races books are an auto-buy for me. Her latest novella, Hunter's Season, released this month and she is here chatting with me today.  Welcome, Thea!

Thea: Hi Jen! Thanks so much for having me on Red Hot Books. It’s a pleasure to visit with you again!

Jen: Tell us a little about Hunter's Season.

Thea: Hunter’s Season is the fourth of the Elder Races novellas. It closes the story arc of the mysterious Tarot deck that began in True Colors (novella #1, Dec 2011, Samhain).

In Hunter’s Season, the story follows a secondary character from Devil’s Gate (novella #3, June 2012, Samhain), a Dark Fae assassin named Xanthe who works for the crown—who is Niniane Lorelle, Dark Fae Queen and the heroine of book two Storm’s Heart. More specifically, Xanthe works for Niniane’s lover and mate, Tiago, who heads Niniane’s security.

Xanthe has been in love with the Dark Fae Chancellor Aubrey Riordan for a long time. When he is severely injured in an assassination attempt, he and Xanthe are thrown together as Niniane orders her to look after and guard him while Tiago hunts down the would-be killers.

Hunter’s Season is an intimate story that focuses on two people who have each had a difficult time in their lives. It was very satisfying to give them a chance at happiness together.

Jen: You've said this is the last Elder Races novella. Talk to me about why you started writing these and what is prompting you to stop.

Thea: I have loved writing the Elder Races novellas because it has given me a chance to flesh out a very big world that I’ve been building, and to tell the stories of characters who wouldn’t otherwise get their own novel.

The novellas range from 26,000 – 35,000 words, which is a standard novella length for a mass market paperback collection, and I hope to see the stories distributed in print form at some point. (I’ll be sure to post about it if/when this occurs!)

The response has been really terrific, but I have noted that there have been several complaints about the novella length in readers’ reviews. Since the last thing that I want to do is foster reader frustration, I’ve decided to back off from writing more Elder Races novellas for now.

Jen: We're getting closer to Lord's Fall too! What made you decide to revisit Pia and Dragos?

Thea: I’m very excited at the Lord’s Fall upcoming November release. There’s so much of Pia and Dragos’s story to tell, so many unresolved issues that have built up over the last several books, AND more world building. When I pitched the idea to my editor Cindy Hwang, she was all for the idea! I hope to possibly follow Pia and Dragos again in later books as well. Hopefully I’ll get the chance!

Jen: Is it easier or more difficult to write for a couple with an established romantic history?

Thea: I don’t know that it’s easier or more difficult, but it is certainly different. When I started Lord’s Fall, putting Pia and Dragos back on felt like coming back to old friends. The characters were there and alive, and very much ready to have their moment again on center stage.

Jen: The love scenes in these books really knock it out of the park. What is your writing process like for hot sex? Is it hard to plot out the mechanics? And how do you pick your, er, terminology? LOL.

Thea: I do not know this terminology of which you speak. *blink blink*

More seriously, what I try to do with the sex scenes is the same thing that I try to do with every scene—write to the very best of my ability, infuse it with sincerity and emotion, and avoid clichés and overused terminology. I hope I manage to do that.

Sometimes plotting out the mechanics for the love scenes can be challenging. I can remember when I wrote the first love scene for Oracle’s Moon, I was quite excited at the opportunities for creativity that those two characters gave me.

Jen: How many more full length novels are you contracted for in the series? Is it still six? When would you know if we can have more?

Thea: Right now I am contracted for six, although my editor and I have talked about future story ideas. I’ll certainly post on my blog when I have any concrete news that I can share!

Jen: Which character intrigues you most in the Elder Races universe and why?

Thea: Okay, this answer is NOT a cop out, because it’s the truth. The characters that I’m writing at any given time intrigue me the most. I get to dig inside them and figure out how they tick, and share that with readers. It’s awesome fun.

Jen: Which character gets the most fan requests for his/her own book? Do you have a path for him/her in mind?

Thea: To date, the harpy Aryal has been getting the most fan requests for her book. (I’m finishing that story up now.) The runner up for fan requests is Graydon.

Jen: What is your number 1 most hated romance trope?

Thea: A hero who is such a dickhead to the heroine throughout most of the book, but then they end up together anyway. I can’t read that type of story.

Jen: Finally, who is the sexiest male PNR/UF hero (not one of yours) in your opinion? And what is the appeal?

Thea: Oh wow, there are so many great sexy heroes! I think my current favorite (I switch them out from time to time) is Lilith Saintcrow’s Tierce Japhrimel from her Dante Valentine series. Japhrimel has such power and devotion, and he shows genuine caring for the heroine.

Jen: Thanks so much for visiting the blog!!

Thea: Thank you again for having me!

~~~

For readers, who is the sexiest male PNR/UF hero (not one of mine) in your opinion?

Comment for a chance to the ebook of your choice from my Samhain backlist! If you already have the three novellas on my backlist, you can always give your prize to a friend!

Thea Harrison http://theaharrison.com/
Twitter @TheaHarrison
www.facebook.com|TheaHarrison

This contest is closed. The winner is Danielle.

Giveaway & Chat with Jocelynn Drake

I loved her Dark Days series. Now Jocelynn Drake is back with a new story to tell.  Today she is here to talk about her new Asylum series and its latest novella, The Asylum Tales: Trixie. Please help me welcome Jocelynn to the blog.

Jen: Give everyone a little rundown on the premise for the Asylum series.

Jocelynn: The Asylum Tales series focuses on the adventures of a former warlock-in-training turned tattoo artist, as he tries to help his friends and loved ones without getting killed by the witches and warlocks who inhabit the Ivory Towers. In this new world, everything is out in the open and none of the creatures are hiding. With creatures like werewolves, vampires, elves, and minotaurs as your next door neighbor, poor humans need a little help at times to get ahead. This is where the tattoo artists can give you a hand. With the addition of a potion to the ink, the tattoo artist can improve your love life, give you good luck, or maybe help hex a cheating ex.

Jen: This is a first person male POV. That's not unheard of in Urban Fantasy, but not nearly as common as a female lead these days. Tell me about the decision to base the series around a guy.

Jocelynn: When I started to think about creating a new series, my first rule was that it had to be completely different from my Dark Days series. With that in mind, some of the first decisions were easy: open world (versus Mira’s hiding vampires) and lighter tone (Dark Days was understandably dark). Once I decided that I was moving away from vampires, Gage immediately came to mind. My storyteller, in my mind, has always been a male. I love the female-lead stories and they are great to write, but I think using a male POV was partially about stretching my own storytelling skills and partially about leveling the playing field. The majority of first person Urban Fantasy stories are from a woman’s POV and I am getting worried that they guys are starting to take it too easy. It’s time for guys to get back into the game and kick a little butt. Can’t leave it to the women to clean up all the messes of the supernatural world! 


Jen: I know a male POV isn't really new for you. (I loved Danaus's book.)

Jocelynn: When I started writing the Dark Days series, my plan was to tell at least one book from Danaus’s POV. I always saw the series as having two lead characters and it was natural for Danaus to get a book. I hadn’t initially intended to wait until book 4 (PRAY FOR DAWN) for it happen, but I had to get a few things in the series settled before I could tell his story. Danaus’s book was hard to write, but not because he’s a guy. Danaus just doesn’t like to talk much and doesn’t like to show what he’s thinking so it wasn’t easy to get into mind. But it was interesting seeing the world through his eyes.

On the other hand, Gage has been so much fun to write! I can see him in my mind. He’s got my brother’s smirky grin and the same sarcastic, dirty sense of humor that most of my male friends have. Working with him is a lot like sitting around with my friends and listening to them talk. He is very much an open book to me and his mouth frequently gets him into trouble.

Gage is similar to Mira in that they have some impulse control issues when they are angry or their friends are threatened. But where Mira was ready to burn or kill anything in her path, Gage just wants to knock heads and scare. Gage isn’t a killer by nature and he’s paying for some of his hesitance in his dangerous world. Unlike Mira, Gage also has a close network of friends that he relies on. This gives him a stronger foundation to stand on when things get ugly.

Jen: Let's talk a little about the novellas. What was behind the idea of kicking the series off this way?

Jocelynn: The decision to lead with some prequel novellas is actually two-fold. With the growing popularity of e-readers, e-novellas can be put out relatively quickly and at a relatively low expense for the publisher. As a result, we can keep the prices low for readers. Each novella comes in around 80-ish pages (at least they do in my Word Doc) and includes an excerpt for the first full-length novel, ANGEL’S INK. These inexpensive novellas are a great way to allow readers to try a new series and/or author without hurting their wallets. For $2, a reader gets about 100 pages that are a fantastic introduction to brand new, crazy world. Hey, everybody loves a bargain!

The real selling point for me when my publisher suggested it was that it gave me a chance to ease readers into this new series. The Dark Days series was very similar to the real world, except that it contained vampires and werewolves. The Asylum Tales is … really different. By creating two prequel novellas, readers get the chance to meet Gage, learn about his world in nice bite-sized chunks, and learn how he meets and hires his two friends Bronx (a troll) and Trixie (an elf). The novellas are not only a way of easing readers into this new world, but they also let me show little portions that I might not be able to touch on in the main novels.

Jen: The tattoos and the magic behind them play a huge role in the series. Tell us a bit more about how that all works.

Jocelynn: There are two types of magic in this world – at least in how it relates to how humans use magic. The first kind are the spells, enchantments, curses, and hex that use words, hand motions or wands, and a good dose of magic energy out of the air. If you are a human and you use the first kind of magic, then you are a witch or warlock. When you first exhibit this ability, you are taken from your home and thrust into training with a mentor in the Ivory Towers. This is NOT Hogwarts. You don’t make friends, live in houses, or play games while riding a broomstick. You learn magic or you die. Life is hard, ugly, and painful here. Only the strongest and smartest survive, but the end result is that you become one of the most powerful creatures on the planet. The world lives in constant terror of you and for good reason. 

(If you are a non-human and can do this kind of magic, such as an elf, then you keep your head down and don’t catch the attention of the Towers, or you will be killed.)

The other type of magic falls in the potion category. Anyone can do this kind of magic because it doesn’t require an external magical force. All the magic lies in the ingredients. Housewives, doctors, your next door neighbor the trash collector can all do potions. If you can mix the ingredients correctly, then you can do a potion. Some potions can be eaten or drunk, but most need to be added to the bloodstream, which is why they are generally the domain of tattoo artists. A good potion added to some ink can help improve your life. Most potions have a shelf-life of either months or a few years before the effects wear off. All tattoo artists are trained and licensed in both tattooing and stirring potions. They are also tested and monitored by the Tattoo Artists and Potion Stirrers Society (TAPSS).

Warlocks and witches also use potions, but not to a heavy degree. They have no love for tattoo artists and see them as the dregs of society. Meanwhile, tattoo artists in Gage’s world have a somewhat higher place in society. You would keep your favorite local tattoo artist on speed dial like you would maybe your doctor or dentist.

Jen: Without spoiling too much, what can you tell us about the Ivory Towers?

Jocelynn: The Ivory Towers represent the true horror of Gage’s world. There are still countries and wars between these peoples, but those wars seem small compared to the things that the warlocks and the witches are capable of. The Ivory Towers are home to the warlocks and the witches. It is where they live, study, train, and plan. There is one on every continent and they are hidden from everyone that doesn’t live within the Towers. The warlocks and witches devote their lives to the study of magic, removing themselves from the rest of society so that they can’t be tainted. They see themselves as above the rest of the world, believing themselves to be an entirely separate, evolved race than regular humans.

When you see a warlock or witch, you don’t speak to them. You run. You hide. You pray. If you get in their way, they will kill you. If you try to stop them or question them, they will kill you. And there is no punishment for them. No one can stop them.

And so far, Gage is the first one to ever try to leave. He’s escaped, but there is a price to pay.

If you would like to read more about the rise of the Ivory Towers, click here to read the essay that Gage has written. (It is a PDF)

Jen: And Trixie will play a big part in the stories to come, yes? 

Jocelynn: Trixie will play a somewhat large role in the story. When the first novel ANGEL’S INK opens, she has been Gage’s friend for a couple years and has worked for him at Asylum during that time. In the first novel, you’ll learn more about why she is hiding the fact that she is really an elf and learn why she had been on the run. I’m also happy to say that she is quite fond of Gage and Bronx. 

Both Trixie and Bronx have a wonderful grounding effect on Gage. They help to keep him calm and centered when things are going crazy. They are there to watch his back when things go bad. They are there when loneliness threatens to swallow him up. And they are there when he’s feeling lost in a world he is trying so hard to be a part of.

No matter how hard Gage tries, he is an outsider on all sides. The Towers hate him because they see him as a traitor. If the rest of the world finds out he is a former warlock, they will try to kill him because they will only see him as one of the group that has been persecuting them for centuries. Trixie and Bronx simply see him as Gage, a tattoo artist with a knack for getting into trouble.

Jen: How many books are you contracted for in the series? Will there be any more novellas?

Jocelynn: At the moment, I am contracted for two full-length novels, two novellas, and one short story that will appear in an upcoming Halloween-themed anthology. The current release schedule is:

July 3 – The Asylum Interviews: Bronx (novella) 
September 4 – The Asylum Interviews: Trixie (novella) 
October 16 – Angel’s Ink (novel) 
Later in October – Halloween Anthology short story 
Summer 2013 – Book 2 in The Asylum Tales series

The door is wide open for more novels and novellas if the series proves to be popular. I would definitely like to write more novels for the series and I wouldn’t mind writing a novella for Gideon or Jack – two characters you will meet in the first book.

Jen: Can you give us a little snippet from Trixie to whet our appetite?

Jocelynn: Sure! This snippet is actually the opening for The Asylum Interviews: Trixie novella. To set this scene and novella up a bit: Gage gets a call from his ex-girlfriend Jo and is invited to see her band play. Now that Jo has moved back to town, it seems that she’s gotten herself into a bit of trouble but she doesn’t want to involve Gage. However, he is more than happy to jump in with the help of Jo’s friend Trixie when it looks like Jo has more trouble than she can handle.

   This woman could kiss. Her lips were lush pillows and the things she could do with her tongue made my toes curl. Even the nip of her fangs made the blood roar in my ears. I would have paid anything at that moment to be in a bedroom rather than a cramped, stuffy coat closet.

   I reluctantly pulled away from Jo after I hit my head on the closet rod for the fourth time. Her lean body was molded against mine as I pressed her against the back wall. She shifted, rubbing her pelvis against my groin. My eyes rolled back into my head as a fresh wave of pleasure/pain swept through my body, briefly wiping away the thought that had me pulling away from her in the first place.

   “Don’t stop, Gage,” she murmured. Her hand slipped up from my shoulder to cup the back of my head. As she tried to pull me back down, I released her ass and slammed my right hand against the wall beside her head, bracing myself so that she couldn’t recapture my mouth.

   “If we keep going, you’re going to find your pants around your ankles in another minute,” I threatened through clenched teeth. On second thought, it wouldn’t take as long as another minute.

   “Mmmm … a quickie.” Her voice was a delicious purr as she ground her body against mine.

   “Jo, sweetheart, there’s no such thing as a quickie between us.”

   Why the hell did we stop dating? With her sweet body pressed against me, her hands trailing over my chest and down to my ass, I really couldn’t think of the answer to that question. Sex with Jo had always been surface-of-the-sun-hot and we rarely argued. She also didn’t ask a lot of questions, which was perfect with me. So she was a blood-sucking predator. I was a former warlock-in-training. No one was perfect.

Jo’s hands stopped their roaming and I could feel her sigh. “True. And we’re going on soon. The guys wouldn’t appreciate it if I held them up.”

   The guys. That would be the reason why we split. The band—Dead Playthings—had gotten popular and they started traveling farther and farther away for gigs. Jo and I had started seeing less of each other and neither one of us had been so enamored that we felt the need to try to make a long-distance relationship work. So with a hug and a wish of good luck, we had gone our separate ways roughly two years ago.

   “Besides, I thought this was just a quick ‘hello.’ Nothing complicated,” I said.

Jo gave a little snort. “Since when has sex between us been complicated?”

   “True.”

   “No hard feelings?”

   I leered at her, knowing she could see it despite the fact that it was pitch-black in that tiny closet. Her excellent night vision had come in handy on more than one occasion. I felt her hand creep down my chest to slide between where our groins were pressed together. Her long fingers slipped along my rock-hard dick, squeezing a groan from my throat.

   “Well, I don’t mind a few hard feelings,” she said with a chuckle.

   “You’ve got them.” I leaned forward to capture her mouth again , when someone knocked on the door. I tensed, waiting for the door to be jerked open and bright light to wash over us, but it never happened.

   “Jo, we go on in ten,” announced a deep voice. I thought it was Royce, the lead singer, but I couldn’t be sure. I hadn’t talked to the man in more than two years, but if it was him, I had a fresh reason not to like him.

   “Fuck,” we grumbled in unison.

   “Jinx! You owe me a pint,” Jo giggled.

   “Ha. Ha. We better get going.”

   Jo grabbed my shirt, keeping me from pulling away from her. “Are you sticking around for the show? We could talk afterward.”

   I grinned, grabbing her ass again. “I’m all for that.”

   “No, I mean talk-talk, not talk-fuck.”

   I stiffened, squinting in the darkness as I tried to see her face. “Is something wrong?”

   “No! Why does something have to be wrong for me to want to talk to you? We talked while we were dating. Besides, we’ve hardly talked in two years. I thought we could catch up.”

   I stared at her for a couple seconds, wishing I could see her expression but it was lost in the blackness of the closet. “That’s fine. I’ve got a friend here with me. I’ll introduce you.”

   “Sounds good. Now, get out of here. I’ve got to fix my makeup,” she said, pushing me away from her and toward the door.

   I stepped out of the closet, squinting against the bright light. Her band mates glanced up at me for only a second before returning their attention elsewhere. I turned and gave her one last kiss before heading out of the backstage area to the front of the venue. Pausing before a mirror for a second, I wiped off the last remnants of her lipstick and straightened my clothes. Luckily, my current hairstyle was already short and messy. There wasn’t much I could do about the bulge in my pants, but that would pass.

   Bronx was still sitting at the high-top table we had procured before someone had come out to fetch me. The troll gave a knowing little smirk and raised his glass to me as I approached like some conquering hero. I shook my head at my coworker and friend, but I couldn’t wipe the stupid grin off my face to save my soul. But then, Jo always had had a way of putting the grin on my face. 

Sound good?? Jocelynn is giving away three copies of The Asylum Tales: Trixie. This is the second novella, but it absolutely can be read as a standalone.  To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  A big thanks to Jocelynn Drake for taking the time to chat with me today!


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Chat with Amanda Carlson

You may have already heard the buzz about Full Blooded, a new werewolf Urban Fantasy by Amanda Carlson.  Well, Amanda is here to answer some of my burning questions about her book and the series. Please help me welcome her to the blog.

Jen: Talk to me about what it's like for you as a debut author as you wait for your first book to hit the shelves.

Amanda: The anticipation is killing me and at the same time it’s also the best feeling in the world. To know something I created will be in the hands of readers is mind-boggling. I’m so excited and nervous and happy and full of crazy energy. LOL, it’s a jumble of emotion, something I’ve worked toward for over twelve years.

Jen: I really enjoyed Full Blooded and the early response I have seen has been overwhelmingly positive. Have you/ will you read reviews?

Amanda: I’ve read early reviews, but I will stop very, very soon. I don’t think my psyche can take it and I don’t want to become disenchanted. As authors we know we won’t connect with everyone on the same level. We’re all working our hardest to make our books the best they can be, but tastes run different. I totally understand that. If we all had a crush on the same boy, or only liked spaghetti without meatballs the world would be a boring place. I write what I love and hope readers love it too. After that, it’s up for grabs.

Jen: I love Jessica. It's amazing how well she adapts to all she goes through with pragmatism, loyalty and smarts. How did she escape an environment as hostile as the pack without becoming seriously emotionally or socially damaged?

Amanda: At an early age Jessica had to make a decision, she either had to fight or become a victim. She chose to fight. But, honestly, the love and close family connections she has are at the root of all her survival instincts. I wanted a heroine who didn’t have it easy, but one that had a strong family unit. I’m not writing a tortured heroine. I’m writing a fighter who knows how to love. In my eyes, that makes her enjoyable. I love writing Jessica & I hope everyone loves her voice.

Jen: There are so many great secondary characters in Jessica's inner circle. Will we get more backstory or significant page time with James, Ty, Danny or Nick? Do you have any plans to do any spinoffs down the road with a different POV?

Amanda: Yes, there will be more page time with the boys! There are no plans at this very moment for spinoffs, but yes, it’s something I would love to do in the future.

Jen: I know Jessica's dad loves her, but do you foresee a time when her growing power interferes with their relationship?

Amanda: They will have growing pains, no doubt, but in the end he loves his daughter too much to let it get the best of him. She gets her common sense from her dad. He’s her rock. They will work it out.

Jen: OK. Rourke. (**swoon**) Talk to me. Tell me a secret about him.

Amanda: For you, Jen: He can last and last. And he’s loyal. Very, very loyal.

Jen: (Amanda knows what I like to hear. LOL.)  How many books are you contracted for in the series? Are they all planned out in your head? If they do well, would you like to continue with the series beyond that?

Amanda: I’m currently contracted for three, with an option for more. All three, and more, are roughly plotted in my head (at least I know how they end!). Yes, I’d love to write other things as well. In fact, I have a few sekrit projects in the works. Finding the time to work on them is the most challenging! Life is crazy at the moment, but I’m hoping it will even out soon. I’m looking forward to a workable routine in the future.

Jen: Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me. I know Full Blooded will be a great success!

Amanda: Thanks so much for having me, Jen!! It was fun to stop by, and so great to meet you at AAD. I look forward to chatting again with you and your readers when HOT BLOODED hits shelves this spring. 

I must find out what happens in that book! Thanks again to Amanda for being here today! If you have any questions or comments for her, leave them below!

Interview & Giveaway: Gena Showalter

I am a longtime fan of Gena Showalter and her sexy paranormal romance books. I am especially partial to her Alien Huntress and Lords of the Underworld books. Now she's got a new spinoff series to tell us about. Please help me welcome Gena to the blog!

Jen: First, Gena, I want to say thank you for taking the time to chat with me today. I’m such a fan.

Gena: Thank you for having me!

Jen: Angels of the Dark is a spinoff of the Lords of the Underworld books. How does it fit in with that series?

Gena: There is an unseen world in operation around us. A world populated with angels and demons, good and evil, where a war rages and humans are the prize. The Lords of the Underworld revealed the seedy underbelly of the life with a demon. The Angels of the Dark shine light in the darkness and reveals the truth about love and redemption.

Jen: LotU fans are already familiar with Zacharel, but let’s talk about him for a minute –and Annabelle too. Is there anything you can tell us about them that’s not in the blurb?

Gena: Zacharel… my cold as ice Zacharel. I knew a simple melting would not be enough for him. To reach the heart he was no longer sure he possessed, a woman would have to shatter him. There was no one better suited for the job than Annabelle. She is tough yet vulnerable, hard yet kind, determined yet willing to be swayed. And Zacharel is able to give her something she desperately needs. Someone to stand in her corner and fight for her, no matter the obstacles thrown at him.

Jen: Other than Zacharel, how much character overlap can we expect from the LotU books? Lysander or any of the Lords? Will the events in one series affect what happens in the other?

Gena: You will see Lysander, yes, and a handful of the Lords do appear in Wicked Nights. Paris, Strider, Lucien, Amun, and their females. I’m working on book two now, and I’m not yet sure about series overlap. However, I do think what happens in one will bleed into the other.

Jen: What about people who have never read the Lords of the Underworld. Can they jump right in to Wicked Nights?

Gena: Absolutely! Because Wicked Nights is the start of a brand new series, it is written as a standalone book.

Jen: I’ve got to say, the cover is so incredibly hot! One of the hottest I have seen! Tell me you love it as much as I do.

Gena: I actually squealed when the cover came in! (And I’ve seen the concept cover for book two, and it’s just as sexy!)

Jen: How many books are you planning to write in the series?

Gena: Right now there are three books contracted. The first belongs to Zacharel, the second to Koldo, and I’m not sure who will get the third. But that doesn’t mean there will only be three, I promise!

Jen: My vote is for Xerxes!! But there are still more LotU books too, right? (I won’t be able sleep at night if you tell me Torin won’t get an HEA one day.)

Gena: Oh, absolutely! I’m set to write Kane’s story next. And how his story goes will decide whether Torin or Cameo next step up to the chopping block.

Jen: Any chance that Galen will get a book? Am I weird for loving the idea of him with Legion?

Gena: From the moment Legion chased him down, I have seen the two paired. But I also thought Torin and Cameo would end up together and that didn’t happen. Stubborn characters! However, I would really really love to tell the story of Galen and Legion. Redemption—I love it!

Jen: Thank you! Thank you! It’s so great having you here today. I hope Wicked Nights is a great success!

Gena: Thank you so much!

If you haven't tried Wicked Nights, there is no time like the present. Gena is giving away a copy. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This one is open to residents in the US & Canada.


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Interview & Giveaway: Amanda Bonilla

Urban Fantasy author Amanda Bonilla is chatting with me today about her fantastic Shaede Assassin books. I loved Shaedes of Gray --and I promise you Blood Before Sunrise is just as good. Please help me welcome Amanda to the blog!

Jen: Thanks so much for chatting with me, Amanda. I am such a fan of the Shaede Assassin series.

Amanda: Thanks for having me, Jen! I have to say, I’ve been pimping your blog and Tumblr account to everyone I know. You know just what I like to see! ;)

Jen: Tell new readers a little about the books and the main character, Darian.

Amanda: The Shaede Assassin Series takes place in Seattle. The city has become the new royal seat for the Shaede Nation (creatures who can become shadows once the sun sets) and because of that, the supernatural population has boomed. My supes don’t live out in the open, meaning, most humans don’t know they exist. The main character, Darian, is a Shaede and an assassin. She’s bitter, jaded, and carrying an atomic bomb’s worth of attitude. She’s been living the past century completely shut off from the world. She’s only known about the supernatural world for a short time. Her former lover, Azriel, had her convinced that she was an anomaly and no others like her existed. She’s slowly learning how to form relationships, and since she’s well-practiced at keeping others at arm’s length, she’s having a hard time opening up.

Jen: I am completely, totally 100% in love with Tyler, so I'll admit I am biased. How would you compare and contrast him with Xander, the other man who is a potential love interest for Darian?

Amanda: Tyler is great. I really like giving males care-giver roles in my stories. I tend to make them more emotionally stable than my leading ladies. Ty is really great in that his reason for existing is to protect. Xander, on the other hand, is an aristocrat, and used to getting what he wants. I wouldn’t say he’s an uncaring character, because truly, he’s concerned with his people and his kingdom. But Xander can be pretty selfish and he’ll admit it freely. He doesn’t care who he steamrolls to get what he wants, and he’s not above being manipulative. While Ty can appear to be laid-back, he’s okay with getting down and dirty to protect those he loves. Tyler isn’t flashy. He’s crazy powerful, but he doesn’t feel like he has to prove himself to anyone. Piss him off, though, and you better watch out!

Jen: Darian is very emotionally stunted by her past experiences. Do you think she will ever really capable of trusting someone or letting them in completely?

Amanda: When I started this series, I wanted to take this closed-off character and explore what it would be like to see her scrape bottom and then fight her way to the top. Darian has no idea how to live her life. For decades she’s just been going through the motions. She’s going to have to make a lot of mistakes before she can learn her lessons. She’ll definitely grow and mature over the course of the series. The one thing I love about writing a first-person series is that rather than having her character arc span the course of one book, I get to stretch it out over the course of many books.

Jen: You do such a great job of fleshing out the characters, even the secondary ones like Raif (who I also Love with a capital L.) Which character do you most enjoy writing for and why?

Amanda: Thanks, Jen! I love Raif with a capital “L” too! He’s definitely one of my favorite characters to write. He’s so dry and pragmatic. I always picture him with this, “Really? You think that’s a good idea?” expression on his face. There’s something about writing Darian, though, that’s really cathartic. Her personality is nothing like mine and she doesn’t take shit off of anyone. I’m such a non-confrontational person; I’ll pretty much do anything to avoid it. Darian gets right in the face of confrontation and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. I love that about her.

Jen: In Blood Before Sunrise, you expand the world building quite a bit. How much of the world and series development did you have in your head when you started writing the first book and how much developed as you were writing?

Amanda: I wrote SoG completely from the hip. I had no idea what was going to happen until I typed the words on my keyboard. Whenever I needed to flesh out the world-building, I’d take a break and sketch it out on paper. I’ve got a family tree that shows the Shaede and Lyhtan lineage and how/where they branch off from the same tree. For Blood Before Sunrise I had to really flex my world-building muscles and create a Fae-related history. I like to create my own mythology, though. It can also be tough. Writing the “rules” of the Jinn and the way they bind themselves to their Charges (which will show up in Crave the Darkness, Shaede Assassin 3) has been my biggest challenge so far. I had to make sure that it was precise and to the letter. I hope I haven’t painted myself into a corner anywhere!

Jen: SoG focused on the Shaedes. BBS on the Fae. Will you continue to delve into more supernatural races in future books?

Amanda: I like to explore the world building involved with different supernatural characters. I plan to put the spotlight on a different species with each book. I have a very overactive imagination, so I’ll keep throwing out new supes until my brain sputters out. Which I’m hoping won’t be for a while. ;)

Jen: How many are you planning to write in the series at this point?

Amanda: I’m currently contracted for three books, but I could easily write at least seven in the Shaede Assassin series as well as a few spin-offs. I really want to write a book for Raif and I’m hoping that someday I’ll get the chance to do it!

Jen: OK, tell the truth, if you could change the name of the first book would you do it?

Amanda: Honestly, no. There is the occasional confusion over the spelling, and of course there’s the connection to another certain book with a similar title. Someone emailed me a month or so ago to ask if I’d titled my book the way I had to capitalize on the other book’s popularity. That really cracked me up. I wrote SoG in 2009 and the title seemed really fitting for the tone of the story. Darian starts out as this slightly unlikeable, gray area character. Frequently, book titles will be changed several times between the first draft and production. I’m glad the title stuck.

Jen: Earlier this month, you released a prequel novella about Darian's transition to life with Azriel. I am making my pitch for your next novella. Another prequel, this one a Ty POV of when he bound himself to Darian. Any chance? I would totally buy that.

Amanda: Jen, your wish will totally be granted! ;) I’m working on a novella right now that takes place between books 2 and 3 and is told from Tyler’s POV. I’m writing a flashback so readers will get to see that first meeting between Darian and Tyler and they’ll also get a firsthand account of why he feels compelled to bind himself to her from the first moment he lays eyes on her. I’m SOOOOO excited for this novella!!

Jen: OMG, OMG, OMG. When?

Amanda: Not until February.  :’( I’m really excited about it, though. Hope I can pull off the male POV. And I’ve never written a sex scene from guy’s perspective, either. I’m going to have to visit your tumblr often for inspiration. ;) It’ll be a tough job, but I’ll soldier through! Hehe.

Jen: I am so excited about this. Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions and for the giveaway! I hope BBS is a great success!

Amanda: Thanks again so much for having me as a guest, Jen! And keep those Tumblr posts coming! LOL!

Amanda is giving away a print copy of Blood Before Sunrise, which is out July 3rd.  To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This one is US/CAN only.  To learn more about Amanda Bonilla, you can visit her website or follow her on Twitter.  

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